《Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu》


 Chapter ?1 Mr. Liu Is Back

    Chapter ?1 Mr. Liu Is Back


    "All I wanted was a perfect love story. But I forgot villains don''t get happy endings." - Mr. Liu.


    ***


    Jun suddenly woke up with a gasp. He was sweating profusely and breathing restlessly. He looked around in a daze and was in a shock for several minutes.


    He slowly got up and looked at himself in the mirror. He heard the usual chitter chatter of his siblings fooling around in the house.


    The door opened, and he stiffened.


    "Oof, Jun. You are awake, but why is the room still so dark? It feels so gloomy¡­"


    Jun stared hard at the figure as she opened the curtains. The sudden sunlight blinded him, and he instinctively shut his eyes.


    "Yup, now it''s all good! All bright and sunny!"


    He then felt the woman pinching his cheeks as she laughed. "Good morning, Jun."


    His eyelids gradually fluttered open again, and he saw his mother, Liu Nana, standing before him.


    "...Mom."


    Nana chuckled. "Yes. Why do you look so surprised? Look at your bed hair. So cute haha," She ruffled his hair, "Now, come on. Breakfast is ready. Be quick or you know how the twins are. They will gobble up everything."


    At the breakfast table, Jun quietly took his seat. His whole family was there. His twin elder brothers and his grandfather were bickering like usual over food. The atmosphere was the same.


    Jun saw the egg rolls on his plate cooked by Nana. He could feel the warm steam at his fingertips. He picked a roll and put it in his mouth. To the others, Jun didn''t seem any different.


    Everybody left to do their own work after the breakfast ended. Only Jun remained.


    "Jun? You are still here?" Nana asked. "I thought you left."


    Jun looked up and parted his lips. "I¡­am hungry."


    She blinked. "Hungry? Oh no! Wasn''t it enough? Did the twins sneakily steal your food again? Tell me, I will give them an earful!"


    "No. They didn''t. Mom¡­Mom¡­" he held her hand, "Cook for me again, no? Pork chops, dumplings, chicken soup, fried rice, mapo tofu¡­I want to eat everything."


    "Silly. Do you want to burst your stomach like a balloon?"


    "Mom, please."


    Nana pursed her lips, concerned. "Are you okay, Jun?"


    "No. I am not okay. I am really hungry."


    Nana couldn''t point out what was wrong with him, but she felt something was off. But she also felt that he didn''t want to say it right now.


    She tapped on his nose. "Alright. I will cook whatever you want. Hehe, today I will spoil you with the most yummy feast."


    Nana cooked all his favorite dishes and brought them out piping hot. Jun gobbled it all up as if he hadn''t eaten in ages. A piece of this, a piece of that - he stuffed it all in his mouth like a squirrel.


    "Slow down. The food isn''t going anywhere," she chuckled.


    He paused but said nothing.


    After he was done, he rested his head against her belly and wrapped his hands around her waist. "You are the best, Mom. You make the yummiest food."


    Nana lovingly brushed her fingers through his hair. "Good, good. You are growing so fast. You should eat lots."


    Though she wondered about his method of eating today. He always ate with proper table manners, unlike the twins who didn''t bother with etiquettes that much. They stuffed whatever came their way. For the first time, Jun ate like them today so voraciously.


    Jun hugged her tighter. "Mom."


    "Hm?"


    "I am sorry."


    "Silly. You don''t have to apologize for being spoiled. You hardly make any demands in the first place. You are my son. A mother likes it the most when her children eat heartily, haha."


    Jun smiled. He got up and kissed her cheek. "I want to¡­meet Dad. I will be on my way."


    Nana stared at him. "Are you really okay, Jun? You can always tell me if something''s bothering you."


    He smiled again. "I really am okay, Mom."


    "...Alright. If you say so. I-If you want, you can take a day off today and rest at home."


    A flicker of something passed through his eyes. "No. I have a very important thing to do."


    ¡ª


    Liu underworld base.


    Liu Jinhai was busy giving some instructions to his guards about a mission when the front guard came in. He bowed. "Boss. Young master Jun is here. He wants to meet you."


    Jinhai raised his brow. "Hm."


    He dismissed everyone and was left alone. Jun stepped inside and faced him.


    Jinhai''s chin rested on his finger as he studied him. "You look different today. I noticed it during breakfast too."


    Jun said nothing.


    "You never lowered your eyes before anyone. So, why are you looking down now?"


    Silence.


    "Tell me, Jun."


    Jun slowly lifted his gaze and met his eyes straight.


    "I am reborn."


    Jinhai stared at him. "Reborn?"


    "Yes."


    "As in?"


    Jun clenched his fists at the back. "As in I died but somehow came back in time. Ten years to be exact."


    Jinhai tapped his finger on the armrest. If his twin elder brothers, Jian and Nian had said something like this, Jinhai would have thrown them immediately in a pool of sharks because they liked to play pranks.


    But Jun wasn''t the type to joke around. He only said what was necessary and what was true.


    "So¡­you mean to say that you got a second chance to live after you died in your previous life as Liu Jun?"


    "Something like that. I don''t quite understand it myself."


    "And you have memories of your previous life?"


    "Yes."


    "Ten years. So you died at thirty-five."


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    He didn''t respond.


    "I am waiting."


    Jun answered after a long silence, "Because I was a villain, Dad. I thought it was my love story. But I realized that I was the villain in somebody else''s. And now that I am reborn¡­


    I vow to never be a villain again."

 Chapter 2 The Villain Is Banished

    Chapter 2 The Villain Is Banished


    Jinhai''s relationship with his sons was vastly different from what he had with his daughter. He loved and spoiled his daughter the most of all. He made sure that he was friendly enough for Nuo to share her troubles with him apart from Nana if she felt like it.


    But for his sons, he had an ironclad rule.


    If they ever felt that they were in serious trouble someday, they were always, always supposed to tell it to Jinhai first and to Jinhai only.


    It was because Jinhai deeply loved Nana and as such, he didn''t want to see her in pain. So, he tried to deal with all the problems before they even reached Nana''s ears.


    Then again, Jinhai was afraid too.


    He knew his personality, and he believed his sons wouldn''t disappoint in inheriting his traits.


    Dark, possessive, manipulative - he knew his children would have it in them for sure too, especially his sons. Somehow, he always instinctively believed that Nuo wouldn''t be like him.


    His instinct was right, and Liu Nuo grew up to be Nana''s mirror image. Be it her beauty or her nature.


    But his sons were like him. The more they grew from toddlers to kids to teenagers and to adults, the more they exhibited those qualities.


    The eldest twins, Jian and Nian for most of the time, would look as if they were fooling around like some cheeky brats. But there was a streak of cunningness in their eyes which Jinhai never failed to miss. They had their own way of doing things and acting like spoiled brats was like a way of lowering everyone''s guards around them.


    His youngest son Jin, was a sort of amalgam between Jinhai and Nana''s personalities. He was gentle like his mother, but at times, he could be fierce like his father if he wanted to. Sometimes, his gentle smile was just a facade to hide his true self. People considered him harmless because of the smile he wore on his lips. But his hands at his back always carried a dagger to stab.


    His third son, Jun, had his own way. Different path but which led to the same result. He was quiet and as calm as still water. He behaved as if he was invisible to others because he always liked to be silent. Yet at the same time, people still felt his presence and his imposing aura.


    Intense.


    He wore an impassive expression on his face all the time which led people to believe that nothing affected him much. Cold and unfeeling. But deep inside, he was a big ball of emotions raging within him. Extreme, intense feelings that would burst out if somebody poked that bubble.


    Right now, out of all the things that his son might have confessed to him, he chose to say something that Jinhai had trouble understanding for the first time.


    Rebirth?


    Was this even possible?


    And being a villain in his past life?


    Somehow, Jinhai wasn''t much shocked to know that.


    He tilted his head. "Let''s start with how you died in your previous life."


    He said nothing.


    Jinhai dangerously narrowed his eyes. "Jun."


    Jun lowered his gaze. "...Suicide."


    Jinhai trembled. His gaze was locked onto him as if he had trouble believing it.


    "Excuse me? Suicide?"


    He expected an accident or in the worst case, a murder.


    "Yes."


    "You are someone who would force a person to shoot himself in the head, not cut your own wrist."


    "It''s true."


    Silence.


    Jinhai moved and got up from his seat. He walked towards his son and stood in front of him.


    "Why?"


    He said nothing.


    "You should understand that my patience is limited, Jun," Jinhai''s voice at the end got colder.


    "I killed Jin."


    Jinhai stared at him unblinkingly.


    "Nuo''s relationship with Siying fell apart because of me. She fell into depression. Bro Jian and Leina broke up because I was at fault. Everything was my fault. Grandma, Grandpa¡­everybody was heartbroken. After all this, I hurt the woman I love the most, Han Shui. Mom fell sick seeing her family shatter. It was the last straw when Jin died that she couldn''t hold on for longer either."


    Jinhai tilted his head. "Nana¡­died?"


    Jun''s hands at his back shook hard. "Yes-"


    A punch landed straight at his cheek before he could complete his sentence. Jun dropped on his left knee, coughing blood from inside his mouth. His lower lip was stained crimson. A cut formed on his cheek.


    Jinhai warned. "I am giving you the last chance to take back everything you said."


    The punch was powerful. Jun felt the pain reach up to his head and feel delirious. His face ached like hell.


    "It''s¡­the truth," he breathlessly said. It was painful to move his jaw.


    Jinhai bent to his level and harshly pulled his face to make him look straight at him.


    He ordered. "Tell me everything from the beginning."


    And Jun did so. Without missing any part, he confessed everything. Jinhai quietly heard each and every word.


    There was a long silence after he was done. After it seemed like forever, Jinhai finally declared. "Don''t show your face in the Liu villa again. From today onwards, I disown you from the family and the company. You would have no relation with us whatsoever from now on."


    ¡ª


    The alarm went off at 7 AM a week later.


    Jun slowly opened his eyes. He subconsciously reached out his hand to his phone to do a routine task. But he didn''t do it. He paused. Then he quietly put his phone away.


    He did some stretches and morning exercise like usual. He took a shower and got ready. He cooked a few omelet rolls like he always did every Wednesday and ate his breakfast. Alone and in silence.


    Exactly eleven minutes later, his breakfast was done. He got up, washed and cleaned the plates and put them back in their place. All neatly and methodically.


    It was 8.12 AM now. Beijing''s largest public library opened at 8.30 AM.


    He reached the library''s entrance and saw the head librarian just unlocking the door. She was a kind woman in her late sixties.


    She heard the footsteps stop behind her, and she smiled. "You are always so punctual. Not even a minute late, Jun."


    He said nothing.


    She sighed. "Your silence doesn''t change either."


    Beijing''s public library was a three floor building with the largest amount of information and books available anywhere in the city.


    Jun was an assistant librarian, and he proceeded to do his usual responsibilities for the day.


    The library closed at 9 PM. Jun picked his bag four minutes before and went down. The kind librarian warmly smiled at him. "Thank you for your work, Jun."


    At eleven PM exactly, he set the alarm for the next day, switched off the lights and laid back on the bed. Out of habit, he picked his phone again to do a certain task.


    He paused and silently kept his phone away without doing it. Again.


    Jun stared at the ceiling above.


    This was his daily life for a week now since his father disowned him from everything. From a rich young master, his life was now being reduced to living as an assistant librarian.


    But he didn''t complain. This was his choice, after all.


    Every night as he blankly stared at the ceiling, Jun thought back to the time when everything had started and questioned himself.


    Was it the right thing to do?

 Chapter 3 The Woman With Some Screws Loose

    Chapter 3 The Woman With Some Screws Loose


    *Tring Tring!*


    Jun suddenly opened his eyes and woke up to another day with a jump. Annoyed, he stopped the alarm. His breaths were slightly restless.


    I fell asleep. What was I thinking again last night?


    Ah¡­


    Was it the right thing to do?


    Jun collapsed back on the bed with his arms stretched out.


    Was it right to tell his father the truth about his rebirth?


    Was it right to end his relationship with the woman he loved the most after he was reborn?


    Was it right to abandon the second chance he got instead of rectifying his mistakes of past life and make a new beginning?


    Jun laughed, but there wasn''t even a speck of joy in it.


    Do I even have the right to be reborn?


    Why am I given a second chance? What''s the point?


    Is it to make things right again that I messed up? But what''s the use when the woman I long for doesn''t even love me back?


    Even if I changed my ways, what would truly change in the situation? Her heart never had me anyway. She wouldn''t fall in love with me no matter what I do.


    He shut his eyes and thought back to that deciding moment when everything changed for him.


    ''Let''s break up. I finally realized that I am¡­not suited for you.''


    Jun slowly opened his eyes with a question in his mind.


    Why am I alive again if I won''t get the perfect ending that I want?


    ¡ª


    Jun arrived at the library like usual today. He greeted the kind librarian and headed towards the third floor where his desk was.


    But instead of finding the floor empty like always in the early morning, he noticed someone standing in front of a large bookshelf.


    Jun paused.


    Someone is here before me¡­


    Jun glanced at the woman for a second and headed back at his desk not caring much about it. He started his morning routine by going through the bookshelves and checking if anything was missing.


    By the time he took a right turn, he suddenly stopped in his steps.


    The same woman was still standing in front of the bookshelf staring upwards with great concentration. She was at the same position since Jun had last seen her. It was as if she hadn''t even moved an inch.


    Jun looked at his watch.


    It''s twenty minutes already and she is still here?


    His expression turned cold. This was the part he hated the most about his job. Helping people, especially women because he knew they would be spellbound by his looks and hit on him the next time they saw him, which honestly gave him an urge to just throw those women out of the third floor''s window.


    Is she doing this on purpose? He narrowed his eyes.


    He stood beside her and asked, "Any problem?"


    The kind librarian had said to keep his tone polite while talking to the patrons. But it always got chilly whenever it was a woman.


    The woman slowly turned to face him. Her gaze met his. Then she kept staring at him.


    Jun''s brow twitched.


    I knew this would happen.


    "Any problem?" His tone turned a notch icier as he repeated his question.


    The woman retracted her gaze. She looked up and pointed at a book. "I cannot reach it."


    Jun looked up and then at her.


    Surely, she would not reach it with her height.


    Jun stretched his leg and pulled a ladder towards him. "This is here just for that. You can adjust its height depending on how far the book is."


    "Naturally, I saw the ladder."


    "So may I point out why you haven''t naturally used it yet?" He couldn''t help but get a little sarcastic.


    "I am scared of heights," she calmly responded.


    Jun frowned. "The book is not that high up even with the ladder."


    "Nevertheless, my feet wouldn''t be on the floor, which leaves a chance for me to fall as long as I am above the ground level."


    "The ladder is sturdy."


    "I am not."


    "..."


    "So what were you doing staring at the book for so long if you didn''t want to use the ladder?"


    "I thought if I stared at it hard enough, it would fall towards me on its own, sensing my concentration."


    "..."


    "The book doesn''t have magical powers to move on its own."


    "I wish they had, especially the ones sitting high up on the shelf."


    Silence.


    This woman has some screws loose, he thought.


    Jun pressed his brows. Annoyed, he stretched his arm and grabbed the book in a swoop. "Here."


    The woman took it and bowed. "Thank you."


    "You should have asked for help when I came twenty minutes ago."


    "I don''t like bothering people."


    Jun raised his brow. "So you don''t want to use the ladder, and you don''t want to ask for help either. How exactly would you have gotten the book if I may ask?"


    "Maybe it would have really sensed my concentration and fallen towards me, or if a strong gust of wind blew from outside, it could knock the book out of its place. For that matter, a small earthquake could shake it out of its place too. If this library is haunted, maybe a ghost would have done it too, or a meteorite could have struck the book."


    "A meteorite would do more than just knock out the book. Where do you get this baseless confidence from that any of these events might happen just because you want a book?"


    "Life is unpredictable. That is my confidence."


    Jun tried his best to give a polite smile. "I am the assistant librarian. It''s my job to help the patrons here."


    Even if I hate it.


    "So ask me for help next time instead of standing like a lifeless statue and imagining impossible events happening for your convenience."


    The woman pursed her lips. She bowed a thank you for his help again and turned. But she stopped and looked back at him.


    Jun squinted his eyes.


    The woman said, "I forgot to clarify something. It seems you have a misunderstanding that I am interested in you because I stared at you."


    He blinked once.


    "Rest assured that''s not the case. I won''t look at you that way. You are not my type."

 Chapter 4 Nightmare

    Chapter 4 Nightmare


    Jun sat back at his desk and unlocked his computer''s account. He glanced at the woman, who was quietly seated at a faraway bench, reading the book.


    ''You are not my type.''


    Jun had to admit that her words took him aback. It had taken him a moment to register what she had said.


    He shrugged.


    Whatever. It''s good that way otherwise¡­


    Just then, a beautiful woman walked up to his desk, pushing back a lock of her hair behind her ear with an inviting smile.


    "Sir. I am not able to find a book I need. Will you please help me out?"


    She didn''t bother to hide that she was hitting on him and the fact that she was pushing her chest forward.


    Jun''s eyes were dark and cold like always.


    Otherwise there are these women who don''t know their place.


    The head librarian had said to be kind to the patrons.


    He didn''t heed to it.


    "Do you see the computers stationed at regular intervals throughout this floor?"


    She blushed. "Yes."


    "Of course. Who doesn''t know how to use a computer these days?"


    "Did you read the instruction pamphlet stuck at the entrance of this floor?"


    "Unfortunately, I didn''t. Whenever I come here, you are the only one I can see."


    "Then you should start using your eyeballs to read the instructions first rather than checking out the staff. It''s clearly written that all the computers have data about which book is located at which section and bookshelf right down to the exact position from left or right of the shelf. Type in the book name, and you will get it. Now, leave."


    Jun didn''t spare another glance at her. The woman was visibly embarrassed, and the other people at hearing distance couldn''t help but giggle.


    "That was savage."


    "Serves her right. This is a library, not a hooking spot."


    Jun stared at the other women with a chilly gaze. "Right. This is a library. So, be quiet."


    They immediately shut their mouths.


    The woman lost all her face.


    "You¡­Is this how an assistant librarian talks to a customer?"


    Jun replied without looking up from his computer. "If you treat the library as a pickup spot, then yes."


    She gritted her teeth. "You. Just you wait! I will complain about your behavior to the head librarian, and let''s see if she still keeps you at this job!"


    She angrily stomped away.


    "Excuse me."


    The woman smirked and turned. "What? Are you afraid now of losing your job?"


    "No. I want to say to walk normally. Your heels are being too loud. It''s disturbing other patrons here."


    "Pfft¡­" some of them burst into laughter, but they immediately quietened down noticing Jun''s glare.


    "You¡­I will definitely make you lose this job today!"


    The woman at the faraway bench saw the whole commotion too. She took out a small notebook and pen, wrote something in it and put it back in her bag again. Then she went back to reading her book.


    ¡ª


    At ten minutes to nine, the library was almost empty near its closing time except for that lone woman who met Jun.


    He glanced at her.


    She was here the whole day.


    He was about to call her out when the woman closed the book and got up from her seat.


    Was she reading the same book the whole day?


    He then remembered that she was supposed to put the book back at its place after it was done reading. But how would she?


    The woman stopped near the bookshelf and stared up at the empty position where the book was supposed to be kept back.


    She didn''t use the ladder.


    She didn''t call for his help either.


    Jun rapidly tapped his finger in impatience. Finally, it ended, and he stood beside her again. He folded his arms.


    "What miracle are you expecting now for the book to get back in its place?"


    She faced him. "Maybe if I concentrate hard enough-"


    "The book will not get wings to fly."


    She pursed her lips.


    Jun grabbed the book and glanced at it.


    It was a romantic classic - Romeo and Juliet.


    His brow twitched in annoyance. He kept it back and shut the shelf.


    The woman bowed. "Thank you."


    Then she stared at him just like she did in the morning, making Jun stare back at her as if it was a competition to who would blink first.


    He stared at her brown irises that were similar to his. Jun had his mother''s brown eyes, but they were a bit darker shade than the woman in front of him.


    Out of nowhere, a question popped in his mind.


    Her eyes¡­


    Where have I seen them before?


    He then blinked first, breaking him from his stupor.


    "I win," she said.


    "Huh?"


    "You were definitely treating this as some staring contest. You blinked first. I won."


    Jun wryly smiled. "Congratulations. You have talents in such an unexpected area. You took my breath away."


    The woman thought for a moment and said, "My name is Zhou Ai. Thank you for helping me twice today."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He didn''t respond and simply walked away.


    ¡ª


    Back at home, Jun dumped his bag and collapsed on the couch. It wasn''t a tiring day, but he still felt as if it was.


    He stared at the empty space ahead, and Zhou Ai''s face suddenly appeared - Her eyes to be exact. Then he felt a headache coming. He pressed the space in between his brows and felt more annoyed than before.


    Damn¡­That woman is such a headache. I hope she doesn''t come back again.


    In the middle of the night as Jun was asleep, he became uneasy and frequently tossed from side to side. Cold sweat broke out on his forehead, and he messily breathed in and out.


    ''Jin¡­Jin¡­Wake up Jin. Jun. What did you do to him?''


    ''He-he is not breathing anymore¡­Jun, you¡­you killed him?''


    A woman broke into loud cries as she mourned. Jun blankly stared at his brother''s dead body and the bullet in his chest. His hand, which held the gun, trembled violently.


    ''Jin¡­Jin¡­Jin¡­''


    The scene then cut to the part as Jun rashly drove his car at night after Jin''s death. His vision blurred due to his tears. He kept speeding up.


    ''Jin. I killed you, Jin. I killed my little brother,'' he chuckled. "I killed Mom too...It''s all my fault."


    ''But don''t worry. I will join you soon. I don''t¡­deserve to live anymore.''


    He sped and sped until the car went out of control and crashed into a tall building''s main entrance. His head bled with the impact and collapsed on the steering wheel.


    A loud thud came, and his eyes were shut forever.

 Chapter 5 You Are A Coward

    Chapter 5 You Are A Coward


    "Haaahhh!"


    Jun woke up with a jump, gasping hard. He looked down and saw his whole body was shaking very badly. It was still dark outside. The winter chill made him shudder. He clutched his throat, feeling as if somebody was strangling him.


    He rushed to the washroom and switched on the tap. He splashed cold water on his face again and again, but it didn''t seem to work. He didn''t realize when the tears slid down his cheeks.


    "Jin¡­" he whispered.


    Ever since he had been reborn, this was the first time that he dreamt of his past life. It shook him hard.


    Jin''s death and then his own¡­


    He felt as if he could still feel the pain in his body after his car crashed.


    "Why did I suddenly dream of that time tonight?"


    Life was going normal after he left the Liu villa. But¡­


    He laughed. "This is fine too, I guess. Fate doesn''t want me to live a happy life this time either. So what if I am reborn? It won''t¡­It won''t wash away the mistakes of my past life. I am destined to live a guilt-ridden life. Ah¡­I understand now. I didn''t pay for my sins because I killed myself. So, this is a second chance to feel that guilt and burden till I die. I am reborn to suffer. Hahaha¡­suffer, suffer, suffer¡­That''s why I am alive once again."


    He kept laughing as his eyes grew wetter.


    "Ah¡­I wish I just die already¡­"


    His eyes were tired. After that dream, he couldn''t get any decent sleep last night. His legs felt heavy as if his feet were chained to something, preventing him from going any further.


    Jun stopped in front of the huge library. He recalled the day when he had left the Liu villa.


    He was wandering aimlessly that day in the light drizzle of rain, not knowing what to do with his life anymore.


    "Ah, young lad. Will you help me a bit?"


    Jun turned and saw an elderly woman under an umbrella, carrying a big banner.


    "I want to hang this above. Can you help me? My knees are a little weak."


    Jun''s gaze was empty. He wanted to ignore her and walk away, but something inside him didn''t let him.


    He took the banner and asked in a cold voice, "Where?"


    "Up there. It''s a banner for hiring. So, I want to display where more people can see."


    On the banner, he read that they were hiring for an assistant librarian and a few other positions. Jun stared at it.


    He hung the banner above the main entrance as she wanted. The elderly woman was satisfied. She smiled. "Thank you so much, son. Aish, don''t get wet. You will catch a cold. Here. Take my umbrella."


    "...Can I apply for the assistant librarian position?"


    She was surprised. "Do you know about books?"


    He nodded slightly. "I read a lot. I have a degree in Library Science too."


    Books were a place where Jun always found his joy. He hadn''t figured out what to do ahead in his life. Actually, there was a thing, but for now, he thought he could at least be somewhere where he would be at peace.


    She was delighted. "Oh my! That''s wonderful. Sure, if you are interested, I am more than happy to welcome you. I will take a short interview if you don''t mind."


    "Hm."


    "Thank you so much. It has been really difficult these days. Your generation doesn''t seem to be much interested in books anymore. But I am so glad to meet you. My name is Quan Su. I am the head librarian here."


    "I am Li-" He stiffened.


    I am not a part of the family anymore.


    "Jun. My name is Jun."


    She warmly nodded. "En. Oh. Come inside quickly. It''s raining even harder now."


    Jun broke out of his trance at present as he heard a loud honk of a car.


    "Hey! Stand aside," A furious driver yelled. "You are almost in the middle of the road. Do you want to die?"


    Jun didn''t move. He looked at the man, who suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    "H-Hmph. I am just telling you to be careful¡­" he quickly drove away.


    Jun looked fixedly at the road. The cars passed by him from one side to the other. Feeling numb for some reason, he took a step ahead.


    ''Do you want to die?''


    Ah yes¡­It would be so good if I just died¡­


    I am not needed. I am not loved. Then why am I even alive?


    A car was continuously honking as Jun was steadily reaching the middle of the road.


    "Oi! Step aside!!!"


    Jun turned his head and saw a car coming dangerously closer to hit him. A smile grew on his lips.


    Finally¡­


    But he was suddenly pulled back as somebody grabbed his arm. The car drove past him, and he was safe.


    Jun was in a daze for a while.


    What just happened?


    He looked down and saw a delicate hand holding onto his elbow. His gaze traveled up, and he recognized Zhou Ai.


    "You."


    Looking into her eyes, the scene of his car crash and his death flashed in his mind again. His brows slightly crinkled as he felt a dull pain in his head.


    Jun coldly shook her off. "You-"


    *SLAP*


    He didn''t see her slap coming at all. Before he knew it, he felt his cheek stinging. He rapidly blinked his eyes in shock.


    Did she just¡­


    "You are a coward," Ai stated.


    Her tone wasn''t particularly sharp or cold or pointing, but it carried a pressure of its own.


    "You are insensitive too. You must have a lot of things going on in your life. I don''t know what things and what pain you are going through. But ending your life like this is never an option."


    He stiffened.


    "I wasn''t-"


    "Don''t try to fool me. You wanted that car to hit you. Your eyes said everything. You were smiling too."


    He clenched his fists.


    "Do your parents love you?"


    He thought about Jinhai and Nana.


    "...Yes."


    "Then you should be ashamed of yourself," Ai said nothing more and left towards the library.

 Chapter 6 It Was Her

    Chapter 6 It Was Her


    Three days passed by after that incident. Jun carried on with his life like usual. Ai would come to the library everyday too. But after that day, they hadn''t spoken to each other at all.


    Jun''s gaze frequently went into the direction where she would sit and quietly do her work.


    What is this uneasiness I am feeling?


    He felt as if he was supposed to talk to her, but about what?


    Time passed, more people kept coming and going, but Jun''s uneasiness didn''t fade away. He entirely skipped his lunch break because he didn''t feel hungry anymore.


    During the lunch hour, the library was much quieter. On the third floor right now, only he and Ai were there. Jun was working on his computer, but he was making too many silly mistakes today with the budget calculations.


    He banged his palms on the desks and got up, feeling angry at himself. The sound echoed, and Ai jolted. She saw Jun coming towards her.


    "Can we talk?"


    Ai closed the book she was reading. "Yes?"


    Jun pulled out a chair and sat opposite her. Even though he said he wanted to talk to her, his expression wasn''t that friendly.


    He tapped his finger on the desk. Ten minutes passed with him saying nothing.


    Ai opened her book and started reading again. Jun frowned. "What are you doing?"


    His face darkened.


    "I know what to say."


    "Then say it."


    "I¡­I¡­" he looked to the left, "I¡­"


    His gaze got even colder. He had never done this before.


    "Is it so difficult to say thank you?" Ai asked.


    His brow twitched.


    "Thank you for saving me that day," although his tone wasn''t that warm as it should have been towards his savior.


    Ai placed her palm on a page and faced him. "Your thanks would only hold its meaning if you have realized that what you were trying to do was wrong."


    Jun''s countenance was solemn.


    "Do you know what was wrong?"


    He said nothing.


    "You took your life lightly."


    He shook.


    Ai lowered her head. "Life is a precious gift. Do you understand how fortunate you are to live as a human being? You can talk, think, feel - something that only humans can do. You can do so many things. You can achieve anything you desire. You can make your dreams come true. That is the liberty only humans have."


    She raised her head. "Life is not that long for you to shorten it by your own hands."


    Jun''s eyes slowly widened. He was unable to speak anything.


    That was what he was doing. He killed himself in his past life. He was going to do the same thing this time too.


    He was reborn. But he was about to waste that second chance too.


    What else should I do?


    Achieve anything I desire? His gaze dimmed. My only desire was to have her. Did I get it?


    "Also, you shouldn''t thank me. Instead, you should apologize to your parents. You were heartless to make them heartbroken over their son''s death. No parents would ever want to suffer this grief."


    They heard whispers of people coming up. Lunch break was over. Jun glanced at her once and quickly left. Ai was quiet for a moment and then went back to reading.


    ¡ª


    In the corridor, Jun paced back and forth, having difficulty in deciding whether he should call his father or not.


    ''You shouldn''t thank me. Instead, you should apologize to your parents.''


    Jun seriously thought about it. He had no reason to confess his second suicide attempt to Jinhai and make him disappointed in him even more. But he also felt that he should let it all out.


    Jun stared at Jinhai''s number.


    Not now though¡­Maybe later. Or maybe I should get done with it?


    Jun felt a headache again. He suddenly felt tired. He went back to his desk and saw Ai still in her chair, this time, writing something in a notebook.


    He let out a breath and put his head on his hands to rest. He closed his eyes and before he knew it, he was asleep.


    He dreamed of the car crash again. For the last three nights, the scene of his death flashed again and again.


    Jun speeding up his car to a dangerous level, the car losing control and finally crashing into a building - everything came in slow motion.


    Jun''s head banged on the steering wheel. Blood oozed out of his head, dripping down and staining his clothes. He heard the shrieks and screams of the people around him, shocked witnessing the sudden crash.


    "Oh my God! Help him!"


    "Somebody please call an ambulance!"


    "Is it a drink and drive case? That man must be definitely drunk!"


    "So horrible!"


    Jun could vaguely hear them accusing him. But he simply faintly smiled. His vision was slowly blurring. The sounds he heard were fading away. He could feel his end coming.


    Ah¡­Finally. Everything ends here¡­


    Suddenly, a loud bang came from the top of his car. The car shook hard for a few moments.


    There was a sharp silence before everybody screeched in horror.


    "Ahhhhhhh!!"


    "The woman¡­the woman just fell from above the building!"


    "She crashed onto the man''s car!"


    "What is going on!?"


    Jun heard more screams than before. The panicked voices made his already buzzing head even more painful. As he painfully looked ahead, the sight of the crowd surrounding his car got blocked as a woman collapsed on the car''s hood.


    The car''s windshield was already shattered into pieces by the crash. Jun faintly saw the woman land on the hood on her belly. He saw her slowly getting covered in something crimson.


    His blurry gaze met the woman''s eyes. For a few seconds, he stared at her. Through the haziness, he still got some clarity which broke on and off. He didn''t know if it was his imagination, but he felt as if he saw tears fill her eyes. She ever so slowly raised her bloody hand towards him through the shattered windshield.


    Jun''a gaze was turning blank and empty.


    Why is she reaching out to me¡­?


    But something in her eyes felt so strongly familiar to Jun that his hand automatically moved in response. With the last bit of his strength, his hand collapsed on top of hers. He saw the woman''s eyes shut, and then he finally closed his eyes too.


    Forever.


    ¡ª


    Jun suddenly woke up with a start. He breathed hard. His eyes were wide in shock.


    As he looked up, he saw Ai staring at him, puzzled. It finally dawned upon Jun why he had the same dream again and again.


    Her¡­It was her. It was Zhou Ai who fell from the building that night.

 Chapter 7 MissImperfectlyFine

    Chapter 7 MissImperfectlyFine


    A few minutes ago, Ai had seen Jun rubbing his head in pain and dozing off to sleep on his desk. It was still the middle of his duty, so it was strange that he chose to take a nap now.


    Some people whispered to themselves about how the assistant librarian was slacking on his job. But looking at him, Ai felt as if something was bothering him. In the morning, she noticed that his complexion didn''t look quite good. His eyes looked tired.


    When he talked to her to thank her, his voice sounded more edgy and uneasy than when he had talked to her before.


    Didn''t he have any sleep last night?


    Jun seemed to be lethargic. So even if Ai wanted another book which was placed high up in the bookshelf and would definitely need his help in fetching it; she chose not to go for it. Instead, she picked a book which she could easily reach with her height.


    Ai kept reading, but her gaze frequently averted to his side. When it was the fourth time, she noticed that he was uncomfortably moving in his seat.


    She blinked and slightly tilted her head.


    She quietly walked up to him and saw him indeed trembling. She faintly heard him raggedly breathing.


    Ai thought about it. She raised her arm to shake his shoulder when Jun woke up on his own with a jump.


    His forehead was sweating, and his brown irises seemed unfocussed. He looked at her in a stupor. Ai didn''t understand what happened.


    There was a bottle at his side. She picked it and poured some water in a glass.


    "You don''t look so good. If you are sick, you should go home and rest," Ai said as she brought forward the glass.


    "...How long was I sleeping?"


    "Not much. Only fifteen minutes."


    Jun took the glass and drank a few sips while his eyes were fixed on her.


    He choked on the water. "I am not."


    "You were."


    He shot a cold glare but recalling her dying expression in her last moments made him retract his iciness.


    "You¡­"


    "Yes?"


    He felt as if he had a lot of things to say but at the same time, he didn''t.


    "Nothing. I am fine. You can go back."


    Ai was quiet. Then she slowly nodded and left.


    Jun saw her retreating back.


    I am reborn ten years back in time. She died the same time I did. That means¡­


    She has only ten more years to live.


    He knew everything about his past life, and he had decided to avoid all the things that would lead to the tragic ending of his last life.


    But now, he came to know about someone''s fate other than his own.


    Jun lowered his head and stared at his palm as he wondered.


    Why did I reach out to her at that time?


    Now that he thought about it, Jun felt it was more shocking than ever. In his whole past life, he had never even once turned his gaze towards another woman. His heart only had his childhood sweetheart.


    But in his dying moments, he held onto a complete stranger who he had never met before. The meeting with Ai was his first and his last one.


    So why in that extremely miniscule amount of time did I feel like holding her hand?


    Jun tilted his head in deep thought.


    He never met Ai in his previous life. But coincidentally, he met her this time. He felt strange knowing that the woman who died with him was in front of him right now.


    Did this happen because I left home and became an assistant here?


    Since he wasn''t following the fate of his last life, things took a new turn in his second life. Naturally, situations wouldn''t be exactly as they were before.


    But now the question was - What was he going to do with it?


    Ai was going to die in ten years by falling off a building.


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    He had worked in the Underworld with his father long enough for him to smell the trouble from miles away.


    Falling off a building¡­doesn''t seem like a suicide to me.


    Plus, the way she had slapped him and reprimanded him of his own suicide attempt was more than enough for him to believe that Ai wasn''t someone to give up on her life.


    Accident?


    Or¡­


    Murder?


    Jun glanced at Ai.


    She didn''t seem to be a woman who could make enemies. But appearances were deceptive. Sometimes, it only needed a fickle reason for someone to treat you as their enemy.


    So should he meddle in her life and warn her of her fate somehow?


    ¡ª


    The next day.


    "Ah there you are, Jun."


    Mrs. Quan Su warmly smiled at him. "Do you feel better now?"


    "I was never sick."


    "Liar. You seemed so pale yesterday, and I heard you took a nap in the middle of your duty. You shouldn''t work too hard," she sighed, "I told you to take a day off today."


    "I feel stuffy at home," he said without much emotion. "What is this banner?"


    "Ah, yes. I am organizing a small event the day after tomorrow. Will you help me around in the evening?"


    "Hm."


    Reaching his usual desk on the third floor, Jun kept his bag aside and started his computer. Ai was already on her seat, fiddling with her phone.


    Jun still didn''t know what to do about the fact that he knew about her death.


    *Ding*


    A soft message popup sound came from his computer. Jun opened the chat window of an online readers forum and saw a familiar username pinging in the server.


    [Warlord - Ahh somebody please help! *crying emote x 3* My sis forced me to read a book It was such a torture! Let this brother share his pain!]


    It was early morning, so not many were online.


    [Warlord - Somebody talk to meeeeeeee! Yo dude @MrPerfect! I know you are definitely here!]


    Jun was annoyed. He kept ignoring, but the user was incessantly pinging him. Mr.Perfect was his username. He coldly typed.


    [Fuck off.]


    [Warlord - You heartless creature! You will understand it too! You have read MissImperfectlyFine''s novels right? I was made to read one of those!]


    Jun''s countenance went sour.


    MissImperfectlyFine¡­


    Was an author who had published three novels until now. But what bothered Jun was that all her novels had melancholic, tragedy or bitter-sweet endings.


    Which Jun absolutely hated.


    [MrPerfect - My condolences.]


    [Warlord - Ughh why is that author like that? She writes not so bad¡­but what problem does she have with happy endings?]


    [Hm.]


    [Her books are such a torture.]


    [Hm.]


    [And do you know? Didn''t you feel something off with her story? Is that why she is covering her faults by giving such a bad ending to her readers?]


    [Hm.]


    [Say something else too!]


    [Fuck off.]


    [Hey!]


    *Ding*


    Jun glanced at the notification.


    MissImperfectlyFine has just joined Reading Point. Say hi!

 Chapter 8 Why Can’t You Give A Perfect Ending?

    Chapter 8 Why Can''t You Give A Perfect Ending?


    Reading Point was an online chat forum where fanatic readers talked about their common interests and love for books. It was a place for them to explore and express their love for literature.


    Jun was an avid reader. In his past life too, he was a member of this forum. Many things changed in his new life, but his love for books remained the same. That''s why, even if he cut himself off from his family, he didn''t do so from the world of books.


    Over time, Jun had read numerous books. But the ones that always poked him irritatingly were MissImperfectlyFine''s novels.


    Jun hated tragic endings.


    But even though he disliked her books, he kept coming back to read them again and again. It was the same in his past life. The endings pulled him apart, but something in her novels made him revisit them.


    He stared at the welcome message.


    MissImperfectlyFine has just joined Reading Point. Say hi!


    Warlord had suddenly gone silent. He was just dissing the author, and the devil herself was here now.


    The most problematic thing was that new users were able to read chat history which meant¡­


    Jun saw Warlord suddenly go offline. He smiled in disdain.


    Coward.


    There was a long silence on the chat. Jun waited. He could imagine how terribly embarrassing it must feel for the author to see readers chatting about her and not in a really positive light. He didn''t care.


    [Fuck!!! How the hell is she here!? Is somebody playing a prank?]


    Jun didn''t bother to answer.


    [Heyyy! Help me out! How will I ever show my face again if she is here?]


    [MrPerfect - Then don''t.]


    [You heartless creature! Why is she even here?]


    [Do you think authors just magically become authors directly? Can an author not be a reader? Why is this so shocking?]


    He remembered that MissImperfectlyFine was in this forum group in his last life too. But at that time, he was more involved in his relationship rather than giving time to his hobby or the forum. He wasn''t much online and therefore didn''t come into contact with her. He had read her books in his previous life too. But because he hated the endings she gave, Jun didn''t bother to talk to her much on the forum.


    [Ugh¡­Damn!] Warlord cursed.


    In the main public channel, there was still no response from MissImerfectlyFine. Jun went back to his work and opened his spreadsheet.


    *Ding*


    [MissImperfectlyFine - Hello.]


    Jun raised his brow.


    Is she ignoring the whole conversation?


    He saw her typing.


    [What is off with my story?]


    Jun squinted his gaze. He could imagine Warlord''s embarrassment. He was already offline. But he threw another message in his direct messages.


    [Fuck, I can sense her anger! What am I supposed to do?]


    Jun sneered and typed. [Aren''t you already offline?]


    [Shut up. Ugh. I think I will just let her be. I will give it a few days and act like nothing happened.]


    *Ding*


    [MissImperfectlyFine - @Warlord @MrPerfect What is off with my story?]


    Jun''s eyes went cold.


    Why are you pinging me?


    [Warlord in Jun''s dm - She fucking pinged me! Can she just not pretend this never happened? Alright. This is what I am gonna do. I am on a vacation.]


    [I don''t care.]


    [Yes. This is the way! I won''t care about her. I didn''t like her book anyway. You know of my favorite goddess CherryBlossom. I will be devoted to her books for the rest of my life!]


    CherryBlossom was another author whose books Jun fairly liked. At least, they didn''t have such endings that he didn''t want to read.


    [MissImperfectlyFine - @MrPerfect. What is wrong with my story?]


    Warlord immediately hit a message in his dms.


    [Hahaha. She only pinged you this time, buddy. All the best! Adieus!]


    Jun ignored both pings and went back to his work. He took a sip of his coffee when he heard another ding.


    [MissImperfectlyFine - I am sorry for bothering you.]


    Jun stared at the screen. He minimized the chat window. But then he opened it again and typed. [MrPerfect - Your leads lack chemistry.]


    He rested his chin on his palm. He didn''t know why he replied to her. But for better or worse, the author had left an impression on him. It wasn''t exactly a good one, so Jun wondered why he was even bothering with this.


    Then he thought why not?


    This was his second chance, so it was like catching up on things that he didn''t choose to do in his past life.


    The separation from the woman he loved still hurt like crazy. It wasn''t something that would vanish so easily. So why not try to forget it by focusing on other things?


    He saw MissImperfectlyFine typing.


    [I am not sure I quite understand it¡­]


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He gave it a thought and typed.


    [Were your leads really in love with each other? I felt as if they couldn''t even talk to each other comfortably. Candidly. They fell in love, but there was a sense of distance between them. Why? Then the male lead wasn''t that strong enough.]


    He hit enter and continued typing. [When his love was attacked by the goons, what did he do? Just threaten them using his rich heir''s position? I didn''t even feel the threat in his words.]


    [MissImperfctlyFine - I see¡­]


    Jun sneered again and typed. [If it had been me, the goons would have suffered much more than just empty words. They dare look at my woman. They wouldn''t have seen the next day at all.]


    She didn''t reply for a while. Then it finally came.


    [MissImperfectlyFine - Oh. I see. Thank you.]


    Jun coldly hit the enter key. [I still hate your endings.]


    [What is wrong with my endings?]


    [Everything.]


    [...]


    [MrPerfect - Why can''t you give your leads a perfect ending? A perfect love story with a happy ending?]


    He finally asked the question he always wanted to ask if he ever met her.


    MissImperfectlyFine was typing.


    [How can any love story be perfect when the two lovers involved in it are imperfect themselves?]

 Chapter 9 The Key To Her Answers Is Mr. Liu

    Chapter 9 The Key To Her Answers Is Mr. Liu


    Jun stared at her answer.


    What?


    The ones involved are imperfect? Like hell!


    His gaze clouded in dark anger.


    [MrPerfect - Not everybody is imperfect. Some people do have everything they would want in their life.]


    [MissImperfectlyFine - Nobody has everything. But everybody has something. Perfection is an ideal. You can never achieve it. It is not meant to be achieved.]


    Jun tilted his head.


    [Everybody wants to live the best life they can. It only happens when everything is going perfectly in and around your life.]


    MissImperfectlyFine was typing.


    [To live the best life¡­It''s subjective. I feel the best when I stand under the rain. But you may hate getting wet in the first place. You don''t need perfection to live a good life. Because¡­


    If everything is perfect in your life, then there would be nothing to look forward to the next day.]


    There it was again. The similar frustrating feeling he felt whenever he read her books. The annoying feeling that crept in his heart whenever he thought about her.


    She had a point to make. He wholeheartedly rejected it. Yet, he couldn''t rebuke it.


    Jun didn''t bother to reply and straightaway went offline.


    He shut his laptop in disdain. The patrons around the area were terrified of the dark aura he was emanating as if he wanted to strangle someone. He banged his fist on the desk, making people scurry away in fear.


    It was a mistake asking her. I would never talk to that woman again.


    ¡ª


    Ai was startled when Jun suddenly banged his palm. He seemed to be in a bad mood. She pursed her lips and went back to her phone.


    She was puzzled as to why MrPerfect suddenly went offline.


    Weren''t we chatting just fine now?


    She waited but then didn''t see the signs of him coming back online again. She closed the chat and put her phone aside.


    Ai took a book to read which was another love story. But her mind wandered off to MrPerfect''s words.


    [Your leads lack chemistry.]


    [I didn''t even feel the threat in his words.]


    [They dare look at my woman. They wouldn''t have seen the next day at all.]


    She felt a chill at the back of her neck. It was the same feeling she got when she met Jun in the library. When she saw him for the first time, there was only one word that came to her mind.


    Intense.


    His gaze was so deep as if he would suck you into a black hole. When she looked into his eyes, she said to herself,


    "It is dangerous to be loved by this man."


    But that was exactly the feeling that Ai was searching for all along. She had published three books until now. One of them gave her an award too.


    But she thought she just got a lucky break.


    Her editor, Xing Bi, had said, "Ai, your books are nice. But¡­I feel something is missing. You write love stories, but it feels as if there is no love between your leads at all. Hmm..it feels like they would have been just fine even if they hadn''t met each other. That they can live without the other just fine. Do you understand? There should be strong feelings between two people if they are made for each other. Your stories are just ''nice.'' They don''t invoke any stronger feeling than that."


    Ai lowered her head. "Somehow, I cannot grasp those emotions."


    Xing Bi smiled. "I know. It''s okay. There is no hurry. You can take your time in understanding those feelings. I suggest you take a break from writing until you can organize your thoughts."


    Ai had agreed.


    It was her dream to write a book that would shake people''s hearts to their core. She wanted to write the best love story that she could.


    The moment she met Jun, she knew that he was the key to the answers she was looking for. She would learn something if she talked to him and observed him and so, she started to visit the library daily.


    Apart from that, she joined a reading group to help her get a reader''s perspective. As soon as she joined, she saw two people talking about her. It wasn''t in her favor. But she took it as a chance to know more about her improvement areas.


    But, they didn''t reply to her at all.


    With some courage, she pinged MrPerfect a second time. Her mood deflated to see no response.


    Maybe I should leave this group¡­


    ''I am sorry for bothering you.''


    She was about to exit when MrPerfect replied back. She was elated and as he said more, she got a little insight of what he was trying to say.


    She vaguely felt as if Jun and MrPerfect were too similar. Intense and dangerous. Their words emitted a sense of alarm.


    Ai took her notebook and jotted down some points. She glanced at Jun. The imaginary cold winds around him didn''t seem to settle down.


    She seriously wondered.


    What is wrong with him?


    ¡ª


    Thirty minutes before the closing time, Jun met Mrs. Quan Su as she had asked.


    "Jun," she smiled. "What happened today? Some patrons were telling me that the assistant librarian seemed angry for some reason. They couldn''t approach you at all."


    Jun''s mood went sour again. "It''s nothing."


    Don''t make me remember that woman. Even her name irritates me.


    MissImperfectlyFine.


    How can anybody be imperfectly alright?


    She sighed. "I told you, Jun. You have to be polite. Polite."


    "I am already very polite."


    She helplessly chuckled. "Anyway. Help me hang this board outside."


    Jun took a look.


    "Children''s storytelling, author reading events¡­What''s this?"


    Just then Ai came down too, and she heard Mrs. Quan Su. "It''s an event I organize in the library a few times. Neighborhood children or some from far away schools come with their teachers and do a storytelling activity. Children, guardians, parents, teachers - everybody can participate if they are interested in reading a book aloud. We will be doing some book sales too."


    Ai came forward and asked, "Storytelling¡­Can I participate too?"

 Chapter 10 A Storytelling Event

    Chapter 10 A Storytelling Event


    "Can I participate? I would like to read stories to children too."


    Mrs. Quan Su was surprised. "Oh my. Of course. Anybody from the library is free to participate too."


    Ai bowed. "Thank you so much."


    Jun''s expression didn''t look so friendly. "Wait a second here. Children?"


    "Yes. Is there any problem?"


    His mouth twitched. "Of course there is. Children are the problem here."


    Mrs. Quan Su gasped. "How can the sweet little kids be the problem?"


    "They talk a lot, play a lot, laugh a lot, cry a lot. They only cause ruckus."


    "They are children! Of course, they would be playful at that age."


    "I was quiet when I was a kid."


    "I can imagine that. But not all kids are the same."


    "I hate children. For the sake of my mental peace, it''s better if I stay away from them."


    Ai asked, "Why don''t you like children?"


    But they used to drag Jun into their enjoyment activities, tease him and play pranks on him when he just wanted to live quietly in peace. Living with them was exhausting.


    He had a younger sister, Nuo and brother, Jin, who were just as playful. Only Jun was calmer amongst his four siblings.


    Then there was his grandfather, Liu Hai and his uncle, Liu Jing, who were nothing but kids in an adult''s body. They were so childish that they could rival his siblings in who could be the most annoying of all.


    It wasn''t just his family. He had many cousins too, who were just like his brothers and sisters. All in all, there was just too much movement and too much energy wherever he turned his head.


    Jun icily said, "Blame my family. I find kids repulsive. There are too many at my house already."


    Mrs. Quan Su laughed, and Ai''s lips uncontrollably twitched into a smile too.


    "Jun, give it a chance. I am sure you will like it. I will be helpless without an assistant."


    He felt a headache coming.


    Ai stepped in. "It''s okay. If he doesn''t want to, I will help you with whatever you need."


    Jun narrowed his eyes on her. "Which includes fetching a book from the shelf beyond your height if anyone asks for it?"


    "..."


    Ai pursed her lips. "I will do my best."


    Jun glared at Mrs. Quan Su. "Fine. I will be there. But you have to warn the kids not to come anywhere near me."


    Mrs. Quan Su beamed and clapped her hands once. "I will!"


    ¡ª


    "Big brother, you are so handsome! I want to be your bride!" A five year old girl chirped as she blushed at Jun.


    "No! I will be his bride!" Another five year old girl complained. "I saw him first."


    A six year old boy exclaimed. "You are idiots! He is a bad man! As the hero, I will defeat him!"


    Another seven year old boy chimed in. "This big brother looks like a villain! He wants to destroy the world! Let''s defeat him!" He poked his fake sword on Jun''s feet.


    "No. He is my Prince Charming. You cannot kill him!" A little girl cried. "You are meanies!"


    An eight year old boy poke him. "He is a bad boy who eats beautiful girls! I saw it in a movie. Good looking big brothers are all bad boys!"


    "No, no! He is an alien! He has come to steal our planet!"


    The day of the storytelling event was already here, and Jun was completely surrounded by the children.


    Mrs. Quan Su strongly felt the frosty winds and Jun''s accusing gaze at her.


    You promised the kids won''t come anywhere near me.


    I-I did tell them not to disturb the big brother. But they didn''t listen to me, Mrs. Quan Su''s nervous gaze seemed to justify herself.


    And now you know why I hate kids.


    Mrs. Quan Su clearly felt his anger and disdain and betrayal of her failing to fulfill her promise.


    "O-Oh what?" She loudly spoke, "Do you need me there? Wait, I am coming right up!" Mrs. Quan Su looked away and hastily left.


    Jun sneered at her bad attempt of faking her escape.


    "Big brother looks so evil!"


    "He smiles like a villain!"


    "We should protect this place!"


    Jun cast one cold glare at them, and the kids immediately shut their mouths.


    One of the boys, who was eating gum, giggled, and wanted to stick the gum on his jeans.


    But he shivered and gulped as he felt a sharp glare. Jun didn''t look any less than a monster to him. It looked all black around his face.


    "Do that, and I will throw you out of the window."


    Tears filled the little boy''s eyes, and he was about to wail.


    "Cry, and I will throw you out of the window."


    Eek!


    The boy ran away.


    Ai just entered and saw the boy pass by her. "Big brother is evil. Big brother is evil," he was mumbling to himself.


    She saw the little crowd around Jun and could see that his lid was about to burst. She bent on her knees. "Hello."


    The kids turned their heads and immediately surrounded her. "Pretty sister!"


    Jun finally breathed.


    The children curiously observed her.


    "Pretty sister is so pretty!"


    "Pretty sister is so fair!"


    The boys grabbed her arms. "Do you want to defeat monsters with us?"


    "That big brother is a monster! Let''s team up, pretty sister!"


    One of the tsundere boys looked uninterested. "Hah. She is so delicate. Can she really beat him up? She will only get hurt," then he whispered, "Guess I have no choice but to protect her¡­"


    One of the girls who declared she would be Jun''s bride, was bashful. "Pretty sister, marry me?"


    Jun scoffed. "You are quick to change your mind, aren''t you?"


    Her little cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. "I¡­I¡­"


    Ai softly smiled and patted everybody''s heads. She took out some candies from her bag. "Here. I have brought one for everyone."


    Their happiness knew no bounds. "Candies!!!"


    One boy looked back towards Jun and bravely said, "Y-You should learn from pretty sister. She is so nice."


    Jun sneered. "I am not interested in playing nice."


    Then he ordered. "Now line up over there. The event is starting."

 Chapter 11 Cinderella’s Tragic Ending

    Chapter 11 Cinderella''s Tragic Ending


    The kids huddled together, frightened that Jun would eat them up if they wouldn''t listen to him.


    Mrs. Quan Su came back as Jun was finally back to normal. She clapped her hands. "Thank you everyone for coming here. I am sure the children are excited to hear lots of stories today."


    "Yayyyy!!"


    "Thank you, Mrs. Quan for inviting us."


    The event started with a few children reading aloud from story books. It was a good way to practice their speaking and language skills. The teachers then came forward and read some fantasy books to them one by one. There were some women too who had just started writing as a hobby and were excited to tell the short stories they wrote.


    When it was Ai''s turn, the children were more than excited to listen to her.


    "It''s pretty sister!"


    "Pretty sister''s voice is pretty too!"


    They bent forward, their ears fully open.


    Ai bowed. "Let''s begin."


    She opened her notebook.


    "The title of the first story is Cinderella. She was a very beautiful woman. She was an orphan bullied by her stepmother and stepsisters. They made her do all the laundry work and cruelly punished her for her mistakes. But then came an invitation for a Royal Ball that changed her life forever¡­"


    When she was done, the kids clapped hard. "The Prince and Cinderella live happily forever!"


    "I want a Prince too!"


    "I want to wear a beautiful dress!"


    Ai put the notebook on her lap and said, "If you will tell me what you learned from this story, then I will tell you a secret."


    Secret?


    The children were immediately pulled in.


    One of the girls raised her hand. "Pretty sister! Cinderella was very kind. That''s why the fairy Godmother helped her, and she found her prince! I learned that you should always be kind."


    She nodded.


    Then a boy said, "Pretty sister, I want to be rich like the prince! Then I can buy all the chocolates and live in a castle!"


    The teachers and others laughed.


    Ai nodded. "Anybody else?"


    "Pretty sister, Cinderella was forgiving. I learned that we shouldn''t be angry at others and forgive them!"


    "Good. Anybody else?"


    The children shook their heads.


    "Okay. Then I will tell you the secret. It''s about what happened after the Prince and Cinderella got married."


    They brightened.


    "They had a happy wedding and spent their time in bliss. Then Cinderells was carrying his baby. They were very happy. But Cinderella became fat as the baby grew in her tummy. The Prince didn''t like a fat Cinderella and began to ignore her. Cindrella then came to know that the prince was having an affair with another beautiful countess. He kicked Cinderella and his baby out of his castle and married the countess. Heartbroken and nowhere to go, Cinderella came back to her stepmother''s house with her newborn baby. Her stepmother and stepsisters started bullying her again and this time, they bullied her daughter too. Cinderella could only cry and lament on her fate. The end."


    Silence.


    The children - "..."


    The teachers - "..."


    Mrs. Quan Su - "..."


    Jun, who was just doing his job but was listening to her anyway - "..."


    His lips parted in shock, and he stared at Ai until his eyes began to ache.


    What?


    Some of the kids, especially girls, started to cry.


    "Waaaa. The Prince and Cinderella are not happy?"


    "But it was a happy ending."


    They felt very bad for Cinderella and wailed. Their teachers and parents tried to console them. One of the mothers furiously said, "You. What are you doing? You made them cry!"


    "Why did you have to do this? Everybody was so happy."


    "Who called her here?"


    Ai was calm. She looked at the children. "If you stop crying and listen to me, then I will give you candies again."


    Upon hearing the candies, their mood lifted a bit. They quietened down.


    Ai smiled. "Good. What you learned from the story is indeed right. But there are faults in it.


    Yes, you should be kind and forgiving. But there is a limit to it. If the bully doesn''t change, then you have to retaliate, otherwise, they never stop hurting you."


    Ai glanced at the adults. "Would you want your children to bear all the bullying and forgive the ones who hurt them?"


    "That¡­of course not¡­"


    "Hm. That was Cinderella''s first mistake. She forgave her stepmother with a big heart when she married the prince. But did the stepmother change? Was that enough? No. That''s why she bullied her again when Cinderella came back. She thought she was weak. If she had fought for her rights earlier, then she wouldn''t have tried to hurt her again.


    So you learn that you should always stand up against whatever wrong is happening to you. Some people are just evil. No matter how kind you are, some people don''t change. So, you need to understand the boundary of when you should stop being kind and start to fight."


    The kids slowly nodded.


    "The second thing you learn is to be independent. This is especially for girls. If Cinderella had worked to earn for herself, then she wouldn''t have had to return to her stepmother''s place when the prince kicked her out and suffer a bullied life once again. She would have her own house and own money to raise her daughter and give her a better future. Independence gives you great empowerment."


    The parents and teachers slightly coughed in embarrassment.


    Ai continued. "The third thing to learn is that happily ever after doesn''t end at a wedding. The true journey starts from there. Cinderella was beautiful. The prince fell in love. But it quickly died down when her body changed. He abandoned her. Which gives us an important lesson. You shouldn''t just love anybody''s outer appearance. It''s not love if you cannot love him or her in their worst state. Would you want your friends to tease you if you become fat one day?"


    The kids vigorously shook their heads. "No!!!"


    "So love them as they are without prejudice. But it''s not just the prince''s fault. I think Cinderella was the same. She was attracted to the prince''s beauty and his wealth. She might have dreamt that all her problems would be over if she married the prince. But he showed his true face and was let down.


    Which tells us expectations don''t always go our way. What you expect can be very different from what reality is. Marriage has adjustments, worries, uncertainties and disappointments. Of course, there are happy moments too. That''s why it doesn''t end at a wedding because a marriage needs a lot of work and compromises from both sides."


    Suddenly, Jun coldly exclaimed. "Bullshit!"

 Chapter 12 Splashed Woken Up

    Chapter 12 Splashed Woken Up


    Everybody was startled. Jun was so quiet until now that his outburst was unexpected.


    Ai glanced at him. "What is? Did I say something wrong?"


    Jun''s gaze was cold and furious as if the room would freeze. "Nothing wrong. Independence, retaliation, not judging based on beauty alone - I agree with everything. But don''t go on making your own endings when it''s just a normal, happy story."


    "Children need perspective at their age. Cinderella is a beautiful story with its happy ending. But there are parts in it that give the wrong message."


    "Stories are meant to be enjoyed."


    "But lessons are meant to be learnt from the stories. Every story has something to teach. That''s why it''s written in the first place."


    With every step that he took, he carried a pressure that could make someone break down to pieces. His tall stature loomed over her, and his chilly gaze met her questioning one. The kids shifted back in fear.


    Mrs. Quan Su felt anxious. She had never seen Jun so furious before. "Jun¡­"


    He clenched his fists. "Ending¡­A happy ending is what matters."


    Ai stared at him. She stood and faced him. "A happy ending is desirable indeed. But it isn''t gained so easily. A story just doesn''t have a beginning and an ending. It has a whole journey in between that shapes the ending."


    Journey¡­


    Painful, lost, alone, heartbroken, crushing - his journey in his past life was just a nightmare. Even in that life, he didn''t like sad endings.


    After he was reborn, the feeling grew only stronger.


    Wasn''t this second chance just a tragedy for him too?


    Jun broke up with the woman he had given his heart to.


    "What is the purpose of living such a meaningless life when I have lost everything? I just have to live alone for the rest of my life, waiting for my death to come. Is this the journey you are talking about? Nothing is learned from any journey. One can only suffer in it. My life is already a big tragedy. So spare the fictional stories from your tragic ending crap!"


    His voice echoed louder and fiercer.


    Frustration and anger filled his heart. Facing Ai made him remember MissImperfectlyFine for some reason. Their words were similar. Their thoughts were aligned. It only made him even more restless.


    First her and now this woman.


    He took a threatening step forward and quietly whispered, "Zhou Ai. Don''t be like this. In fact¡­I warn you to be careful. Who knows if your life will have a sad ending in the future?"


    What would you do if you knew you would die by falling off a building years later?


    The end of her life was just another tragedy waiting to happen.


    Ai''s gaze that met straight into his, lowered. "I didn''t mean to upset you. I just wanted the children to learn. I am sorry."


    Jun was about to say something when a familiar voice came from the back.


    "Bro! I finally met you! Where were you hiding from us all this time?"


    Jun froze. His whole body ran cold as he recognized his little brother''s voice.


    Liu Jin.


    Why is Jin here¡­


    The memories came crashing akin to a violent wave meeting the shore with force.


    ''Jun. I think¡­we are meant to be only friends.''


    ''I like you, Jun. But the more I think about it, the more I feel that it''s not the kind of like to spend my life with you forever.''


    ''Bro, I am sorry¡­'' Jin cried out his heart. Nobody¡­Nobody wants to see you happy with Shui more than me. Even if it kills me, I only wish for your happiness.''


    Jun punched him in the face. ''Yet here you are standing in the way of it! Why Jin? Why¡­Why Shui? Why her!? When you knew I loved her, then why her!? Why did you have to love her? Why did you want to snatch her away from me!?''


    ''No¡­Shui loves me. It''s not possible,'' Jun laughed. ''I have loved her since the beginning. I wanted nobody else but her. Didn''t she love me too, which is why she agreed to date me? If she never loved me, she wouldn''t have said yes! It''s you who came in between us!''


    ''Jin you¡­you ruined everything for me¡­Aren''t we brothers? Then why did you stab me in the back? Of all people¡­why you?''


    Every last painful memory came gushing in his mind.


    As Jin appeared before his elder brother, his dying face from the past flashed in front of his eyes.


    The bullet with which Jun was supposed to kill himself had hit Jin. The wedding that was supposed to happen ended with Jin''s death. Han Shui''s white wedding gown was stained with Jin''s crimson blood.


    "Bro! Where are you lost?" Jin shook him hard.


    "Huh¡­" He looked into his brother''s eyes, who was thrilled to meet him. His lips had a wide smile filled with joy.


    "I texted you so many times, but you didn''t reply back to any of my messages. So I decided to meet you myself. Do you really have to ignore me like that?"


    "You¡­"


    Jun wasn''t ready to face him. Even a week back at the breakfast table after Jun was just reborn, he really didn''t pay much attention to him because his mind was filled with confusion about his rebirth. He had too many questions as if it was a fantasy.


    But now, Jin came before him himself. After how he had killed his own brother in rage, Jun hadn''t prepared himself to face him.


    Jin noticed his pale condition and widened his eyes. "Bro, are you alright? What''s wrong?"


    He wanted to talk. But he just couldn''t. He found his words choked in his throat. Jin was talking to him, but he couldn''t hear it at all.


    I killed Jin¡­I killed Jin¡­I killed my brother¡­


    No. But-but it was his fault. He shouldn''t have come between Shui and me. He deserved it-


    No! What am I even talking about!? He is still my brother.


    But he took Shui away from me.


    I killed him.


    He deserved to die.


    I love him so much.


    But he betrayed me.


    I hate Jin. I hate Jin.


    Two conflicting trains of thoughts made him feel as if he just wanted to run away from everything. He fell on his knees.


    Mrs. Quan Su was extremely worried. "Jun, what''s wrong? You look so sick."


    But he wasn''t listening.


    I hate Jin, I hate Jin, I hate Jin! If only he wasn''t bo-


    *SPLASH!*


    Jun was suddenly splashed with a bucket of cold water over his head. His thoughts came to a screeching halt and shocked, he slowly looked up with water dripping down his hair.


    Ai held an empty bucket in her hands.


    "Have you calmed down now?"

 Chapter 13 Soaked Cold In Winter

    Chapter 13 Soaked Cold In Winter


    Ai had noticed the change in his behavior the moment Jin showed up. Jun''s entire countenance felt as if he had seen a ghost.


    She realized they were brothers by the way Jin addressed him and also by their resemblance. But she failed to understand why meeting his brother would be so traumatic for him?


    Did they not have a good relationship? But it didn''t feel the way Jin so lovingly and respectfully talked to him. So, why?


    This was the first time she witnessed this side of his. Jun was a man who feared nothing and always had an unfeeling expression on his face.


    But now there was real fear in his eyes. She could see that he wasn''t listening to Jin with how he wasn''t responding at all. In fact, she was pretty sure he was thinking hard about something which was causing him immense pain.


    His complexion was turning paler and paler, and she knew she had to do something or his thoughts would completely eat him up. Plus, the children, parents and teachers were getting anxious too.


    Ai calmly walked away, making everybody wonder what she was up to. They thought she left.


    But she had actually gone to the cleaner''s room where all the buckets and mops were kept to clean the library premises. She found a bucket near one shelf, washed it clean and filled it with cold water from the tap.


    She came back holding the bucket, making everybody even more shocked.


    What is she doing?


    Ai stared at his slightly trembling figure. Then without thinking even a second more, she poured all the water onto his head with a loud splash.


    Everybody was stunned.


    Huuuhhh!???


    "Have you calmed down now?"


    Jin just kept watching the woman who suddenly popped out of nowhere and splashed water on his brother.


    Mrs. Quan Su''s jaw dropped in shock. "A-Ai, why did you¡­"


    Ai put the bucket down, walked up to the windows and opened them. Wind blew inside, making Jun shudder who was already wet from his head to his chest.


    She went back and bent on her knees on the floor. "Have you calmed down now?" She asked again.


    Jun blinked his eyes. He saw his shirt soaked wet. "You¡­"


    "Did you stop what you were thinking about?"


    He blankly stared at her.


    The splash was so sudden that all his thoughts just disappeared from his mind.


    "Look at me," Ai said.


    Jun just followed and looked into her eyes.


    "Feel the cold water and the cold air against your skin. Don''t think about anything and just feel the chill. Breathe in the cold air, and let the drops sink into you."


    He kept watching her and nobody else and just stayed silent for a few long minutes until his head slowly cleared up. It was all just a big mess inside, but that fog had suddenly vanished now. Ai''s gaze was still and patient as if she would be there beside him as long as it was needed. The stillness in her somehow helped him breathe again.


    Jun came back to his senses. "You¡­you just splashed the whole bucket onto me."


    Ai nodded. "You were thinking too hard about something. Your head would have exploded with all that heat."


    "You opened the windows too."


    "I thought just water wasn''t enough to dissipate the heat in your head," Ai calmly stated.


    He stared at her. Water droplets slid down his cheek. His wet hair fluttered with the wind blowing.


    "Do you know that it''s winter outside?"


    The other patrons and teachers felt pitiful for him. Mrs. Quan Su coughed. Cold water plus cold wind in such chilly weather was like a death sentence.


    Ai didn''t faze. "Sacrifices are sometimes necessary."


    His face turned as black as a burned pot.


    "It worked. That''s all that matters."


    Mrs. Quan thought that Jun would lash out at her but to her surprise, he didn''t.


    One of the little girls trotted to Jun''s side. She opened his palm with her little fingers and placed a candy on it.


    "Big brother, I will give my candy to you," she pursed her lips. "The candy will defeat your sickness! When I am sick, Mama gives me candy. Then I get better again!" She beamed.


    Jun blinked his eyes.


    Watching her, the other children quickly surrounded him too. Everybody gave their candies to him which Ai had given them in the morning.


    "You can keep my candy too, Prince Charming. Get better and we will marry!"


    "Mine too!"


    "It''s not good to be sick. Have my candy too!" A girl chirped.


    "Hmph. I won''t be happy if I defeat a sick villain," a boy said who claimed Jun eats all the girls. "It should be a fair fight. Eat my candy and become better so we can have a real battle!"


    "How can the alien steal the planet if he is sick?" Another boy pushed his candy into his palm even though his heart ached with the great sacrifice he was making.


    The boy who Jun threatened to throw out of the window, said, "T-This is not gum this time! It''s my candy. I am sorry for doing that before. Get better, big brother!"


    Jun didn''t know how to respond. He watched the kids cheering him to become healthy again.


    Mrs. Quan Su chuckled. "Children are good, right?"


    Jun''s facial expression didn''t change much but he raised his hand, hesitating a lot. Moving and stopping a number of times, he finally patted their heads very awkwardly.


    Ai asked, "You haven''t done this before, have you?"


    "S-Shut up. I have younger siblings."


    Jun cleared his throat looking at the kids. "Thank you for the candies. But keep them with you. I am fine."


    He returned their candies, and the kids hesitatingly went back to their teachers'' side.


    Jin, who kept quiet all this time, worriedly asked, "Bro, what happened? I never saw you this sick before."


    Jun stiffened. Without looking at him he replied, "Jin. Go back for now¡­I will give you a call later."


    He alternated his gaze between his brother and Ai. The space between his brows slightly creased as he observed Ai.


    Jin''s smile returned, and he patted his shoulder. "Cool. Oh by the way, Mom has sent some dumplings for you. Don''t forget to eat them. I have kept the box over there. Let''s catch up sometime later."

 Chapter 14 Mr. Liu Is Sick

    Chapter 14 Mr. Liu Is Sick


    Jun collapsed on the bed as soon as he got back home. He tiredly closed his eyes, but Jin''s face would always flash in his mind like a siren.


    My fault. I should have replied to his messages. He wouldn''t have suddenly appeared today like that¡­


    Even though Jun was kicked out from the house, it was complicated for either Jinhai or Jun to explain why he was being thrown out.


    Rebirth. Past life.


    It wasn''t an easy thing to just confess in front of everyone. It was an unbelievable thing to happen. So Jun left home in pretext of working on his new venture and getting some alone time to focus on it. It didn''t come as a shocker as everybody knew how he liked to be left alone. Till now, things were going good without raising any suspicion.


    Until Jin came today and threw him off his pace.


    He let out a breath. He shivered, feeling cold as his shirt and hair was still damp.


    Thinking of cold¡­That woman is something. Who would just pour a bucket of water onto someone out of nowhere?


    He thought back to her serious expression and with the way she patiently knelt beside him.


    Not realizing that he was actually faintly smiling, he whispered, "What a stupid idea. Ah¡­But I guess only she can think of that."


    If she could hope for a meteorite to knock out a book, then her idea wasn''t that unexpected coming from her at least.


    "So tired¡­"


    ¡ª


    Ai was on her regular seat the next morning, continuing to read where she left off. She glanced at the assistant librarian''s desk, but it was empty. The clock showed 9.16 AM.


    He is never late, she thought to herself.


    After observing him for the last few days, she learned that Jun was an extremely punctual and organized man. He would never be late anywhere.


    She slightly furrowed her brows.


    Is he taking the day off today?


    Ai thought it could be the case, especially after how he was uncomfortable meeting his brother.


    She went back to reading. The clock ticked by. But she couldn''t focus on reading. Ai went down to the first floor where Mrs. Quan Su was present.


    "Hello."


    "Oh hello dear. Thank you so much for yesterday. The teachers were really happy with you, especially with the way you told Cinderella''s story. They are really thankful to you for making them see it in a different light. It was good learning for the children."


    She softly smiled. "It''s my pleasure."


    She nodded.


    "Can I ask where he is?"


    "He?"


    "The assistant librarian."


    "Oh, Jun? He called me today morning to say that he is taking the day off. He is running cold and has a fever."


    Ai was taken aback for a moment but then quickly realized that¡­


    She pursed her lips, feeling guilty. "It''s my fault. It''s because of the cold water and cold air. I made him sick."


    Mrs. Quan Su shook her head. "It''s not your fault. Actually, I wanted to thank you for helping out Jun too. I am not sure what went wrong, but you calmed him down. He looked in so much pain," her eyes were filled with concern. "Sometimes he worries me. When I met him the first time too, he was looking so¡­lost. He was standing in the rain all alone. His eyes were so empty."


    Ai had seen it too. As much as Jun was intense, he emanated a sense of loneliness too. As if there was nothing left in this world for him anymore.


    ''What is the purpose of living such a meaningless life when I have lost everything?''


    ''I just have to live alone for the rest of my life, waiting for my death to come. Is this the journey you are talking about?''


    Ai asked, "Can you do me a favor, Mrs. Quan?"


    ¡ª


    *Ding Dong*


    A minute later.


    *Ding Dong*


    *Ding Dong*


    "Ughh¡­" Jun groggily woke up in his room feeling a splitting headache. "Who is it!? I swear I will kill you."


    He painstakingly got up, his whole body aching terribly. He walked deathly slowly. Turning the knob, he opened the door and icily asked, "What?"


    The figure looked hazy and shaky to him. "Who?"


    "Zhou Ai."


    Ai took a glance at Jun. His face was a little reddish. He was breathing heavily, and his body was swaying slightly in imbalance. She lowered her gaze guiltily.


    He is sicker than I thought.


    "I heard you were sick. I am sorry. It''s all my fault-"


    She froze on her spot when Jun''s head suddenly collapsed on her shoulder. She felt his burning forehead on her skin.


    Just how high is his temperature?


    Her guilt intensified.


    "Uhm¡­Mhn¡­mhm¡­" he was mumbling to himself. It was a miracle that he was even able to open the door at all.


    Ai was bending on her knees to support his weight. He was getting heavier and heavier to support.


    "Can you please stand?"


    He didn''t respond or move. She quickly held his arms as he was about to fall. "You-you are a bit heavy," she gasped, "It''s getting difficult for me to hold onto you¡­"


    "Hmm¡­" Jun was clearly sleepy.


    Ai took a deep breath and with one push wrapped his arm around her neck. She helped him balance on his feet as much as she could.


    "Sorry for the intrusion."


    Ai started to drag him inside bit by bit. Jun''s hot cheek rested on the nape of her neck, making her feel as if it was on fire too. After a laborious amount of time, she finally reached his bedroom and laid him on his bed.


    "Haaah¡­" Ai gasped, feeling breathless. She took a moment to catch her breath. She then adjusted his position on the bed.


    So cold. Is there no heater?


    There was, but it wasn''t switched on.


    "..."


    Ai did so and went back to his side which was when she realized. She frowned.


    These are the same clothes from yesterday. Didn''t he change?


    It dawned upon her why he was so sick. Sleeping in a damp shirt with damp hair in winter¡­what else was to be expected?


    No wonder his temperature is so high.


    She pursed her lips. "Irresponsible."


    She gave it a thought. "I need to change his clothes first."

 Chapter 15 Tending To A Sick Mr. Liu

    Chapter 15 Tending To A Sick Mr. Liu


    Ai opened his closet and took out a pair of fresh shirts and pants. She sat beside Jun and began to unbutton his shirt. She paused, gave it a thought and closed her eyes as she continued unbuttoning his shirt.


    She patted her way across his damp shirt and removed it. Her fingers touched his bare chest, and she stopped.


    He was very hot. Literally hot with fever. It was also moist with light sweat.


    Ai went to his bathroom, soaked a small towel in water and wiped his chest and abdomen with it. She heard him sighing in relief in his sleep.


    It was a huge task shifting him left and right to get the shirt in. She was breathless as she buttoned his new shirt. She repeated the same process for his pants with her shut eyes when her hand accidentally touched Jun''s forbidden area.


    Ai froze. Her mouth heavily twitched upon feeling the slight bulge of his little brother. A tinge of faint redness couldn''t help but appear on her cheeks feeling someone''s member in her palm.


    She took two deep breaths and calmly retracted her hand.


    I will pretend that didn''t happen, she sincerely concluded.


    Ai opened her eyes and then left his damp clothes in his bathroom. She softly crinkled her brows, thinking of what to do next.


    Has he eaten since yesterday? If not, then he must have not taken any medicine either. No wonder he looks so pale.


    Which means he needs to eat first.


    Ai thought about her average cooking skills. She hadn''t cooked in a while, so she wasn''t sure how it would turn out.


    Ai wrapped him up in a blanket and headed towards the kitchen. She stared at the lavish kitchen furniture, which made her think back to how shocked she had been to know that Jun lived in a condo.


    An assistant librarian living in such a dreamy condo. She couldn''t believe it at all. She put that thought aside for now and started preparing for a light porridge.


    It was an hour later when she finally got it right though Ai was dissatisfied about her numerous failed attempts.


    She went back to Jun''s room. He was soundly sleeping. She softly shook his shoulder. "Jun. Jun. I have brought porridge for you. Eat some so that you can take medicine."


    Jun was fast asleep. She bit her lip.


    "Jun. You need to take your medicine."


    "Hmm¡­?" He frowned and didn''t like someone trying to wake him up. "Go away."


    "I cannot. I made you sick. I feel responsible. You have to get better, so you need to eat."


    Ai pursed her lips. She tried to pull him up in an upright position. Jun vaguely smelled a fragrance, and his brows furrowed. He opened his eyes but couldn''t clearly see the figure due to his fever. He tilted his head and cupped her face in a daze.


    Ai''s movements abruptly came to a halt. "Jun?"


    He tried to focus. Brushing his thumb on her cheek, he whispered, "Soft¡­It''s cold¡­Nice."


    Jun pulled her head and placed his cheek on hers. Ai rapidly blinked her eyes.


    "Hmm¡­It feels good¡­" Jun had no idea what he was doing. His temperature was so high that he wanted to ease the heat by feeling something cold.


    Ai felt her cheek grow hotter as his skin rubbed against hers. "Um¡­"


    She was stuck in an odd position. She was trying to make him sit, and he was trying to feel her up, completely unaware that he wasn''t dreaming.


    When her cheek''s coldness disappeared, he pressed his forehead on the nape of her neck. Once again, her neck began to grow hotter.


    "..."


    Are you trying to reduce your temperature using me?


    Ai pushed him back with all her force. "I am not your temperature controller," she indignantly huffed. "Now if you will please eat."


    She brought the spoon in front of his lips. "It''s warm porridge."


    Jun shook it away. It was hard to maintain focus. He just wanted to take a good, long sleep. But somebody was persistently feeding him.


    "Ugh¡­" he shook it away. "It''s hot," he mumbled.


    "It''s warm."


    His brows crinkled. "I¡­I want ice cream."


    "..."


    "You want ice cream when you are down with such a bad cold?"


    "Ice cream¡­"


    "It''s only going to be porridge for you."


    "Ice cream," he mumbled again in a daze. "Go bring my ice cream now¡­" he breathlessly said. "One scoop of chocolate and one scoop of blackberry on top of it¡­"


    Ai was speechless.


    Not one, but two scoops of ice cream while having a terrible cold?


    "I made porridge for you," she stated.


    "Ice cream," he didn''t give up.


    Ai was in a dilemma. Jun wasn''t opening his mouth at all.


    "Alright. I will bring ice cream for you."


    Jun nodded in a stupor. "Remember, chocolate¡­"


    "And a blackberry scoop on top of it. I remember."


    Ai stepped out of his room. Two minutes later, she went in again.


    "I brought ice cream for you. Open your mouth."


    Jun''s ears perked up, and he finally parted his lips. Ai fed him one bite of the porridge.


    Jun strongly frowned. "Ice cream is warm¡­*cough cough* It tastes like¡­like porridge."


    "Is that so? So strange. There is one scoop of chocolate and blackberry just as you said."


    She was amazed that his sense of taste was intact even in this bad cold.


    Ai fed him all the porridge as ''ice cream'' with Jun complaining all the way about its taste.


    "...It didn''t feel like ice cream at all¡­I want a refund¡­"


    Ai couldn''t help but smile. She never imagined that someone like Jun could act cute when he was sick. But she was glad he finally ate the porridge. She quickly fed him the cold medicine before he dozed off to sleep again.


    She checked his temperature. It was 38.6 degrees Celsius which was quite high. Ai quickly prepared some wet towels soaked in cold water. She placed one of it on his forehead.


    Finally he had eaten with medicine and was peacefully sleeping now. Ai wondered what to do now. Her work was pretty much done.


    She took this chance to take a glance at his room. The bedroom was spacious with minimal furniture. Everything was neatly organized without even a speck of dust anywhere. She commended that a man could live on his own in such a neat and tidy way.


    As expected from an avid reader, there was a bookshelf opposite his bed. She beamed seeing the books and curiously went over to that side.


    She rummaged through his collection but reaching a certain familiar book, she paused. She recognized the binding and pulled it out.


    ''My time with you.''


    It was the book title and the author''s name on its first page was - MissImperfectlyFine.

 Chapter 16 Ai’s Gentle Reassurance

    Chapter 16 Ai''s Gentle Reassurance


    Ai tilted her head and blinked her eyes.


    Jun reads my books?


    Was it surprise or shock, she couldn''t tell. It was clear to her now that Jun disliked books with sad endings. This book had a bitter sweet ending as well.


    It was a story of two people meeting on a cruise. One had lost love while the other had lost their dream. It was about how they meet and spend those few days together, rediscovering what life truly meant. But at the end, they realized they were better off friends rather than life partners and parted on a good note as the cruise trip came to an end.


    It was the book that had earned Ai the award of the Best Newcomer Writer for writing a plot that didn''t necessarily delve into falling into love or which didn''t follow the usual trope ending.


    Naturally, Ai was happy to see her book in somebody''s book collection. Though it was a mystery why Jun would keep a book that he disliked.


    She found her other two books too on his shelf and felt a sense of pride. It meant the whole world to her when she realized that somebody had all of her books in his collection. It meant that her books were liked, right?


    Even if only a little bit, Jun must love them.


    She wondered if she asked Jun about her books, how would he answer?


    Would he be thrilled to know that the writer of these books in his collection was actually right in front of him?


    Maybe he would ask for my autograph? Ai seriously thought.


    Ai had never done a book signing event. A signed copy of books by the writer herself was an exciting event for any reader and the author themselves too.


    Ai kept the books back in their place. As she took a look at the other books, she found out that Jun didn''t have a particular taste. He read all kinds of books - Fantasy, romance, action, history, biographies or autobiographies. Short stories, novellas and long novels - everything.


    She randomly took out a book out of interest and sat down to read.


    Time ticked by and when Ai was finished reading, she glanced outside the window.


    She suddenly closed the book and widened her eyes noticing that it was dark outside. She looked at the time.


    It was close to six-thirty PM.


    "..."


    I accidentally spent the whole day reading¡­


    *Grumbleeee*


    And now she realized that she was hungry too. She glanced at Jun, who was still sleeping soundly.


    Ai touched his forehead and found his temperature had decreased a bit. On the thermometer, it showed 37.7 degrees Celsius.


    She sighed in relief. The temperature was coming back to normal.


    Jun would still be weak after he wakes up, she touched her chin thoughtfully.


    Since she took the liberty of checking out his bookshelf and even using his books to read, Ai felt she should do something in exchange as payment.


    So, she went ahead and cleaned up his whole condo. From dusting to moping, she cleaned his whole house. That way, Jun wouldn''t have to bother himself with these things and can focus on resting.


    Everything is done. Should I leave now?


    But she wondered...


    Jun would definitely understand that someone was in his house once he woke up. But seeing nobody inside would be panicking.


    Will he think if a thief broke in?


    She finally decided to wait until Jun would wake up, explain herself and then leave. She didn''t want to make a mess of his kitchen, so she just made an easy recipe out of eggs for her dinner.


    Ai went back to his bedroom and sat on a chair beside his bed. Then she waited. Since Jun had slept for the whole day, he would be waking up soon.


    One hour had passed, then three. But he was still asleep.


    Ai yawned. It was close to ten PM. She was beginning to doze off to sleep when Jun suddenly gasped.


    Ai was alarmed. "Jun?"


    "I¡­I¡­didn''t want to¡­kill him¡­" he whispered.


    She blinked.


    Kill?


    "Jin. I am sorry¡­Jin, wake up please¡­You aren''t supposed to be¡­dead."


    Ai widened her eyes.


    Jin is the one who came yesterday¡­Jin and dead? Is he having a nightmare?


    "Don''t cry¡­Shui¡­."


    Shui?


    "Mom¡­Dad¡­I didn''t want to¡­I never thought about killing my brother¡­"


    "Please believe me¡­somebody¡­please believe me¡­"


    Ai stared at the corner of his eye from where she saw a tear slipping out. He was uneasily tossing in bed, breathing heavily.


    "Please believe me¡­Please..." at the end, Jun''s voice sounded like a child desperately begging for help.


    Ai slowly held his hand and whispered, "I believe you."


    Jun, who was having the worst time in his nightmare, slowly calmed down as a soft voice gently rang in the air. He wasn''t fully awake, but the words that the voice whispered brought him immense relief.


    "You¡­believe me?" He clutched her hand tighter that seemed to be the source of those comforting words.


    Ai nodded. "I believe you. You didn''t do it on purpose."


    "Yes, I purposely didn''t harm my brother¡­Right? I-I would never do that."


    "En. You would never do such a thing."


    Seemingly calmer than before upon listening to her reassuring voice, Jun''s breaths came back to normal.


    Ai reached out her hand towards him but then pulled it back. She bit her lip and gently placed her palm on his head. She gradually brushed her fingers through his hair in a soothing motion.


    What did you¡­go through to have such a nightmare?


    She noticed his temperature had increased a bit once again. She got up to fetch another wet towel, but Jun had firmly held onto her hand. Quietly, she tried to untangle it. But it proved fruitless. If she tried to pull with a little force, Jun would become uneasy again.


    Ai pursed her lips and sat back. In the end, she had no choice but to stay in that position until he would let her go himself.


    ¡ª


    The next morning, Jun''s eyelids finally moved from his deep sleep. He opened his eyes, feeling his head much lighter than before.


    He blinked.


    What is on my head?


    He touched his head and felt a damp towel.


    Huh?


    He moved his left hand but couldn''t. He lowered his gaze and froze.


    Zhou Ai!?

 Chapter 17 Courteous And Polite

    Chapter 17 Courteous And Polite


    Ai was sleeping with her head resting on his hand as she was seated on a chair.


    What the¡­How is she here?


    Jun''s expression turned frighteningly cold. A woman was inside his house and leisurely sleeping beside him. His fuse was close to short-circuiting when he remembered an important fact.


    Wait. She couldn''t be inside unless I let her in¡­


    As he thought back to the previous day, he remembered he had opened the door for someone who was incessantly ringing the doorbell.


    Was it her?


    Then he faintly remembered a figure trying to feed him something warm, and he was touching her cheeks and neck to get relief from his heat.


    His face blackened with disbelief.


    What¡­What was I doing!? How could I touch another woman like that? Impossible¡­


    He wondered if some ghost had possessed him. Apart from Han Shui, he could never think of touching a woman so intimately.


    Fuck my fever!


    He pressed the space between his brows, feeling furious at himself.


    He cursed himself endlessly when another memory popped in.


    ''I believe you.''


    Her voice echoed in his ears, and his brown orbs slowly widened.


    ''I believe you. You didn''t do it on purpose.''


    Jun glanced down at her. It was really Ai''s voice. He thought it was a dream, but she was indeed talking to him.


    Believe me? You don''t know anything about me, and you believe in me? How could you say that with such conviction?


    He wryly laughed.


    Your words are futile on a villain like me.


    Yet the confidence in her voice made him strangely feel at ease.


    His gaze fell onto her hand, and he was taken back to that moment in his past life just when he was about to take his last breath.


    His hand was holding onto hers. He was looking into her eyes that were slowly shedding tears. He clutched onto the last bit of warmth until his body laid cold in his wrecked car.


    Jun didn''t realize it, but his thumb was ever so lightly caressing her palm. It wasn''t soaked in blood. Her fingers weren''t trembling with pain now.


    What could have happened with her that night?


    What will happen to her ten years later?


    Jun stared at her face, which was filled with pain and disbelief in his past life.


    What will go so wrong for her to die like that?


    ¡ª


    Ai moved in her sleep and suddenly woke up with a jolt. She yawned but sat upright, startled not seeing Jun on the bed. She hastily went out and saw Jun cooking in the kitchen. The sound of something sizzling came from the pan.


    She stared at his back. "You¡­"


    Jun turned and narrowed his eyes. "Good morning, Miss Zhou."


    Ai pursed her lips. "I am sorry for sleeping the night here. I was waiting for you to wake up so that you don''t think a thief broke into the house and panic because of that. But I fell asleep."


    "...You thought I would think a thief broke into my house? A thief who took care of the condo''s owner when he was sick and even cleaned the house for him? That''s some moral thief you thought of. Plus. Do you think this condo is so easy to break in with the security it has?"


    So was it useless to stay here then? Ai wondered.


    "By the way. I saw my clothes were changed," he tilted his head.


    "Yes," she nodded. "I changed them. Don''t worry. I had closed my eyes. I didn''t see you naked."


    His mouth twitched.


    "Are you sure you really shut them?" He asked with suspicion.


    "I have no reason to wish to see you naked."


    "Really?"


    "Women don''t like to be seen naked by a stranger. I feel it would be the same for men too. Plus, you are not my type."


    He choked.


    Ai furrowed her brows. "Why do you always want to prove that I am interested in you?"


    His tone was cold. "I don''t want to. But I have never met a woman who is NOT interested in me. Looking at you reminds me of those women who play hard-to-get with me. As if not showing interest in me would pique my interest in them," he sneered.


    "Oh. Rest assured. I am really not interested in you that way."


    Well, I am indeed interested in you but only from an observation point for my novel''s inspiration.


    Jun sneered. "Good for you. You wouldn''t want to know how those women end up if they don''t give up on me."


    "How do they?" She curiously asked.


    "Like I said you wouldn''t want to know."


    Ai was disappointed.


    "Anyway. Now that you are awake, let me properly apologize to you."


    She bowed. "I am sorry. It was my fault you fell so sick. I came here to apologize but you collapsed on the doorway, so I brought you inside. Sorry for intruding without your permission. Seeing you running with such a high fever, I felt it was my responsibility to at least take care of you. I did what I could to help you. Are you feeling better?"


    Jun raised his brow.


    So courteous and polite.


    "...Hm."


    Ai was satisfied. Then she remembered something. "Oh yes. I am sorry once again for looking through your bookshelf. I got curious and spent my whole day reading books in your collection¡­" her tone was guilty. "I know it''s wrong to touch someone else''s things without their permission. But as payment, I cleaned your house," she pursed her lips, "I hope you don''t mind."


    Jun blinked his eyes and suddenly burst into laughter. Ai looked at him in confusion.


    It is the first time I am seeing him laugh¡­


    "I don''t know if I should call you silly or what? Why are you confessing to me like a good obedient kid? I wouldn''t have known if you checked out my bookshelf anyway."


    Ai seriously answered. "I don''t like keeping things from anybody. I already feel guilty for making you sick."


    Jun said nothing. He turned and went back to cooking.


    "By the way, you made me rice porridge. So why were there so many veggies outside?"


    Ai bit her lip. "At first, I thought of making some soup for you. But it didn''t end well. Porridge is what I could make¡­"


    She stood at his side but keeping a safe distance from him, lest he misunderstand her again.


    "...You seem to know cooking quite well," she commented as she observed his fluid movements.


    Jun was skillfully making a hamburger steak.


    "My mom is a chef. Cooking is something me and my siblings learned naturally."


    "Oh," Ai then expectantly asked, "Can I help?"

 Chapter 18 Book Signing Event

    Chapter 18 Book Signing Event


    Ai took a knife and a bell pepper. She carefully chopped it into pieces as Jun instructed.


    He observed her. "You are not bad. You just lack practice."


    Ai was taken aback.


    Was this the first time he had complimented her?


    "What?"


    "Nothing. Indeed, I know some basics, but I usually don''t cook for myself. So, I have lost touch."


    He frowned. "Then what do you eat?"


    "Outside food mostly."


    He glared at her. "Idiot! That''s why you look like such a pushover. You ain''t eating what you should be."


    Ai guiltily averted her gaze. Her life as a writer was filled with deadlines, so healthy food wasn''t really top of the list.


    She avoided him and continued chopping vegetables.


    "Thank you."


    It was out of the blue, and she looked at him, surprised. "Thank you for what?"


    Jun stared ahead in a daze. His voice was mellow and quiet.


    "For dropping the water on me and waking me up. If you hadn''t then¡­"


    I hate you, Jin! If only you hadn''t bo-


    He clenched his fists. Coming back to his senses, he thought how horrible he was to think about Jin not being born. He was his brother, his family. How could he think of him not being a part of his life?


    If Ai hadn''t splashed water on him that moment, Jun wouldn''t have been able to forgive himself. Wishing for Jin not to be born¡­


    Wasn''t it enough already that I killed him once?


    Seeing his solemn countenance, she wondered if it was related to Jin or his nightmare of last night. Ai softly said, "Welcome."


    Jun pushed the plate with the steak on it towards her. He poured himself some juice and sat at the breakfast table.


    Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. "Why are you giving it to me?"


    "It''s your breakfast. Obviously, I will give it to you," he said without much emotion. "Sit over there and eat," he pointed at a chair opposite him.


    But she remained standing at the same place in confusion.


    Jun coldly scowled at her. "Do I need to give you a written invitation?"


    Ai cleared her throat and sat opposite him. "Why did you make breakfast for me? I was going to leave anyway. You still need rest."


    "You talk too much. Just eat."


    "What about you?"


    "Not hungry."


    Then there was silence. The conversation came to a halt.


    Jun''s phone buzzed with a chat message from Reading Point. At the same point, Ai saw a notification too. Her phone was on silent so it didn''t ding or vibrate.


    [Warlord - Behoooooold! I got good news!!]


    [XY13 - Why so excited early in the morning?]


    [LumiosZ - He is always in a hyper mode. LOL.]


    [Ringmaster - Get lost. You woke me up.]


    [Warlord - Shut up! You will be excited too once you know the news I got!]


    [LumiosZ - Out with it already. Is it about your Goddess CherryBlossom?]


    [Warlord - Ding Ding! Correct answer. Hahaha! There is gonna be a book signing event! My Goddess has finally decided to reveal herself aaaaaand we will get signed copies of her books! Isn''t it awesome!?]


    Jun sipped on his juice.


    Book signing event?


    He remembered this same event from past life too. But he hadn''t attended it at that time because he had planned a date with Shui the same day.


    [Ringmaster - Oooo. I heard from the rumors that she is beautiful.]


    [XY13 - Women are pieces of art.]


    [Warlord - Of course my Goddess is beautiful! @MrPerfect Oi! Where are you? ]


    Jun''s brow twitched.


    [MrPerfect - Shut up.]


    [Warlord - Hah! Lurker! Why didn''t you say anything? Aren''t you excited? You like her books too, don''t you?]


    [MrPerfect - She writes well.]


    [Warlord - I know right? So, so! Will you be there at the event? We bros can finally meet!]


    Jun tilted his head.


    The event¡­


    [MrPerfect - Is only CherryBlossom gonna do the book signing?]


    [Warlord - What do you mean?


    [MrPerfect - @MissImperfectlyFine What about you?]


    Ai choked on her steak, seeing the sudden direct ping at her. Jun looked up and frowned. "What?"


    She coughed. "I am sorry. I gulped the bite quickly."


    "The steak isn''t going anywhere. Eat slowly or you will get sick this time."


    "Y-Yes."


    Ai quickly typed back.


    [MissImperfectlyFine - @MrPerfect About?]


    [MrPerfect - Are you gonna be signing books too?]


    She blinked her eyes.


    Why would he ask about me? Doesn''t he dislike my books?


    Ai slightly lowered her head, thinking about the event. She silently clenched her phone.


    [MissImperfectlyFine - No¡­]


    Jun raised his brow.


    Didn''t she win the Best Newcomer Writer award for My time with you? How was she never chosen?


    [MrPerfect - I see.]


    Jun tilted his head. He remembered that in his past life, there was some scene that had occurred during the event. He didn''t delve into the details but as far as he remembered, MissImperfectlyFine was accused of ruining the event somehow.


    Was it tearing apart CherryBlossom''s books?


    CherryBlossom and MissImperfectlyFine were authors belonging to the same publishing company - Dream High Publishing. Apparently, she was accused of getting jealous that CherryBlossom got selected for the book signing event while she was left out.


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    It doesn''t match the image of her I have in my mind¡­


    Ai expectantly typed. [Do you want my signed books?]


    Jun smiled in disdain.


    [MrPerfect - No.]


    "..."


    Ai looked up at Jun and asked him, "I¡­"


    He stared back at her from his phone.


    "When I was checking your bookshelf, I saw books from a particular author. MissImperfectlyFine."


    "So?"


    "Nothing. I was just surprised to see her books since you dislike those types of endings."


    Jun''s gaze darkened.


    Don''t remind me why I am not able to throw those books away. They shouldn''t have any place in my bookshelf at all.


    "If you ever meet that author, would you want her to sign your books?"


    "No."


    "..."


    But they are clearly a part of your collection.


    "Why would you keep them if they hate it?"


    "No," his voice turned a notch icier.


    "..."


    Jun and MrPerfect are too similar, she pursed her lips as she concluded.


    Ai lowered her head and put a piece of meat in her mouth.


    To think that I practiced my signature yesterday. So embarrassing...

 Chapter 19 The Breakup

    Chapter 19 The Breakup


    Ai bowed as she stepped out of his condo. "Thank you for making me breakfast even though you were sick."


    "...Take that as thanks for taking care of me."


    She nodded. She turned to leave but stopped. "Oh. I heard from Mrs. Quan Su that the kids from yesterday''s story reading event got a basket of expensive chocolates. Was it you?"


    Jun glowered at her as if he would eat her alive. "I don''t have time to do something so stupid!"


    Ai stared at him.


    It''s clearly him. Is he embarrassed?


    "I mentioned it because I appreciate it. You didn''t like the kids before but you-"


    "I. Didn''t. Get. Them. Any. Chocolates," he icily enunciated each word.


    Ai didn''t know what to say. Was it so difficult to accept it in front of her?


    "I see. Oh and another thing."


    "What?" He impatiently asked.


    "You look so cold and unapproachable, but you turn into a kid when you are sick. I was feeding you porridge, but you kept asking for ice cream."


    "..."


    "Chocolate with blackberry scoop on top. In the end, I had to feed you porridge as ice cream because you weren''t listening."


    Jun''s demeanor suddenly turned as if it was snowing. His face turned as black as a pot. "Say that in front of anyone and you will suffer."


    "Especially in front of my brothers if you ever meet them. Don''t utter a single word about yesterday. Just forget about it in the first place!"


    Why is he threatening me so suddenly? He is so unpredictable.


    Ai frowned and could only leave in confusion.


    From a distance, two figures saw her leaving from Jun''s condo in utter disbelief.


    "Is that what I am seeing, Jian?"


    "I think I am seeing the same thing as you, Nian."


    "Was it a woman who left?"


    "It was definitely a woman. Men don''t have those curves."


    "A WOMAN left from our dear brother''s place? A woman other than Shui? Is that why Jun left? He said he wanted to work for his company but look what we found! Adultery!"


    "Do you think what I think too?"


    "I don''t even want to think about anything at this point. Our future sister-in-law is being cheated!"


    "As good future brother-in-laws, we must intervene," Jian solemnly nodded.


    Nian pulled out his phone and dialed a number. "Yo, Shui. You remember I talked about a beautiful leash I saw online? I think it''s time you buy that."


    "...What?"


    "You need the leash to get your boyfriend back on track. Apparently, he is cheating on you."


    ¡ª


    Han villa.


    Han Shui right now - "..."


    "Bro Nian. Are you alright?"


    "I am definitely alright. Jian is with me too. Shit, we forgot to take a picture of hers, or you would have definitely believed me."


    "Alright. I believe you."


    "Hmph!"


    "I will talk to Jun about this."


    "You better do it quickly! How can my little brother meet someone else behind your back? Men are such vile creatures I say!"


    Her mouth twitched. "Aren''t you a man too?"


    "I am an exception, of course," he harrumphed.


    "Hey! I am an exception too!" Jian shouted from the other end.


    "Shut up. You are not included. You are just as vile."


    "What did you say! How dare you, Nian!"


    "So should I include you in the innocent and respectful man list? Hah!"


    "Umm¡­Bro Nian¡­" Shui interrupted.


    "As if you are any innocent! I saw how you dumped that woman last week. You are anything but innocent!"


    "What about you fighting with Leina all the time? Don''t act as if you are painted in white!"


    Well¡­


    Shui was left with only one choice. She hung up the phone. Once the twins started bickering, others could only be a spectator.


    Shui kept the phone aside and laid back on the bed.


    What should I even ask Jun? Didn''t he already break up with me?


    *Ten days before*


    Like always, Jun waited outside her college. Shui came running towards him. "Jun!"


    She huffed a little breathlessly. She shook her head. "You didn''t have to come. Today we have a late study session. I am staying back after classes will end."


    Her friends called her out from a distance. "Hey, Shui! Don''t forget about tonight, okay?" They winked and laughed.


    Shui hastily bade them goodbye and turned towards them.


    Jun stared at her in silence for a while.


    She noticed something was wrong. "What is it?"


    "Can we talk for a moment?"


    Shui was taken aback. She had never heard him talking in such a solemn tone before. His expression felt odd.


    "Sure."


    They walked inside the campus and stood below a beautiful plum blossom tree.


    "Tell me," she hung her arms behind her back and smiled.


    Jun didn''t seem to find his words for a while, but then he finally asked the inevitable question, "Shui. What do you think about our relationship?"


    She blinked once. "What?"


    "Our relationship. Are you happy with me?"


    Shui was at a loss. The question came out of nowhere and for some reason, she couldn''t immediately answer.


    Jun faintly smiled. "I already knew the answer. Guess I¡­just had to see it with my eyes today."


    Shui slowly said, observing his strange expression, "I don''t understand."


    Jun was quiet for a moment before he spoke, "Shui. Let''s break up. I don''t think I am suited for you."


    She looked at him blankly. "Huh?"


    "I have been too blind to realize certain things. I was really being stupid. Before I make you any sadder, it''s best that I end this now."


    "Jun¡­what are you talking about? Y-you are not making me sad-"


    "You don''t realize it now. But I have been hurting you all this time. That''s why you¡­" he smiled. "Anyway. I know it''s coming suddenly from me. But I have thought about it for long enough. I know what I am talking about."


    Shui was in utter disbelief about what she was hearing.


    Is he really Jun?


    "B-But I don''t understand. Wasn''t everything fine until yesterday?" She panicked. "Jun, please tell me..."


    Jun stared at her. "Was it, Shui? I think things were going in the wrong direction for quite some time. Somewhere in your heart you feel it too, but you are pushing that feeling away. It''s because of me. Don''t be sad, Shui. I am not doing this to see tears in your eyes. I am doing this so that I don''t bring tears to them anymore."


    *Present*


    Ever since that day, they hadn''t spoken since. Shui was still unsure of it happening so until she talked to Jun once again, she decided not to tell her family about her breakup. It happened so suddenly and quickly that that moment felt almost surreal to her.


    Until now, Jun never let go of any chance to be with her. He was everywhere with her and every time.


    She felt melancholic when Jun talked about breaking up. But she realized she wasn''t really as heartbroken as she had imagined she would have been.


    How could I not be so affected by it? I love Jun so much.


    So where are my feelings going wrong?

 Chapter 20 You Are Rivals More Than Friends

    Chapter 20 You Are Rivals More Than Friends


    The next day.


    Ai was about to step into the library when her phone rang. The incoming call displayed Cai Guiying''s name.


    She stared at the number with an unreadable expression. Her thumb touched the red button to cut the call. But she moved and slid the green button instead.


    "Aiiiiiiii!!! Where have you been for so long?" Cai Guiying''s ecstatic voice came from the other end.


    "Nothing. Just busy."


    "You! Are you so busy that you have forgotten your friend now too? Have I become a stranger to you?"


    "...Of course not."


    "Good! Otherwise, I would have beaten you up. I know you are in a slump for your new story, but don''t just disappear like that."


    "Hm."


    She sighed. "Anyway. By the way, I called to tell you that I had a big fight with the Dream High committee! I am so disappointed in them. I don''t want to do this stupid book signing event without you. But they didn''t listen to me!"


    "How can I not? You won the Best Newcomer Writer award. You deserved to get a spot for the book signing event. But I don''t know why I was chosen?"


    Her lips moved in a faint smile. "Did you forget you won the Best Fiction Award? Naturally, you would get the chance. Also, I am not disappointed about the event. I need to focus on my story. I have lots of things to learn. Maybe next time."


    Guiying felt exasperated. "You¡­you are always like this. Talking as if you don''t care at all. But I do. That''s why I want you to come to the event. It''s in five days."


    Ai softly closed her palm. "I am sorry Guiying, but I cannot-"


    "No buts. Otherwise, I will cancel the event. Then you keep explaining to the committee. Bye!"


    ¡ª


    Dream High Publishing.


    "Cai Guiying! Why did you invite Zhou Ai to the event?" Her editor, Zhan Yahui, furiously tapped her foot on the floor.


    Guiying frowned. "What? She is my best friend."


    "No, you are not! You are rivals. She is MissImperfectlyFine. You are CherryBlossom. Even though you are writers of the same company, you cannot forget she is your biggest competitor. And why were you even fighting with the committee over this? You should be happy that you were chosen and not her."


    "I am happy that I am chosen. But I am also angry that she wasn''t. You know she is a capable writer."


    Zhan Yahui pressed her forehead.


    "Listen Guiying. You have to understand that this isn''t your high school anymore. You have been friends since then, but you are not students anymore. You are adults living in the real world. You are competitors now. You are rivals more than friends. If you don''t pay attention, then Zhou Ai will sweep away everything from you. You have won the Best Fiction Award, and you have to keep the momentum going."


    Guiying was exasperated. "Enough. Coming to a book signing event is not a big deal."


    "Guiying! You don''t understand. Do you think you are responsible as a friend to make her walk at the same level as you are?"


    She said nothing.


    "Do you think she is being left behind because your books are doing so well? Or that you will lose her? That''s why I am making you understand the difference. You two cannot stand at the same place forever. Definitely not as writers. Either you or her would always be ahead of the other, and I want it to be you. You don''t have to take care of her. Her editor, Xing Bi, is there. You just focus on your career, okay?" She stepped on her heels and stomped out.


    Guiying was left alone. She rested her head back on the couch.


    She whispered. "So what if I want things to remain the same?"


    ¡ª


    Central Library.


    "Return the book in two weeks," Jun helped one patron borrow a book when he saw Ai entering from the corner of his eye.


    There wasn''t any change in her expression from the regular days she came before. But he still felt something was off with the way she looked.


    Ai kept her bag at her usual seat and walked over to the novels section. She tried to reach a book on the shelf but couldn''t.


    She slightly craned her neck and saw Jun busy with other people. Her nervous gaze fell on the ladder, and she hesitated. Ai pulled the ladder to her side but as soon as she took a step up, she gasped in fear and put her foot down quickly.


    I really cannot do this.


    She glanced at Jun again. He was extremely occupied. She waited for a while, but it didn''t seem he would be free anytime soon.


    She bit her lip and tremblingly put her foot on the first step. She shut her eyes and without thinking anything, she put the other foot too holding onto the ladder.


    She gasped and sweated. She just kept looking upwards and with great difficulty climbed the second step too.


    Her heart was pounding rapidly. She accidentally glanced down and paled.


    Her feet remained frozen and even if she wanted to get down, she couldn''t. She had no more courage left to go any further up.


    A group of college students who passed by her, saw her stuck on the ladder.


    A boy whistled. "Hey, you are pretty. Which college do you go to?"


    Ai mouthed desperately.


    Help¡­Help¡­


    Another boy burst into laughter. "Help for what? Are you scared of the ladder or what?"


    Her frightened face expressed that it was true.


    "What, seriously? You are just two steps up the ladder."


    "Hey forget the ladder," he giggled. "We could totally see her panties if we lifted her dress up, right? Not like she can come down anyway."


    "Such a pervert."


    "Dude, your mind is so stinky."


    Ai listened to them in disbelief. She moved to quickly get away from them but almost lost her balance.


    "Hahaha. You are worse than a kid."


    The boy who teased her stepped forward. "Hehe. I will just peek and leave."


    "D-Don''t¡­" she couldn''t scream for some reason.


    He grabbed her dress and started lifting it up when Jun suddenly held his wrist and shook it off.


    "Hey-"


    A punch landed straight on his cheek, and he fell hard on his back.

 Chapter 21 Not Apology But Embarrassment

    Chapter 21 Not Apology But Embarrassment


    The college boy coughed badly. The sound of his violent coughing resounded in the area, and the other patrons asked, "Is there something wrong?"


    Jun turned and flashed a smile. "Nothing much. Kids these days don''t walk properly. Keep on getting hit somewhere or the other. Be at ease."


    "Oh, I see. Indeed, young lads are too troublesome sometimes. Please carry on."


    He turned, and the smile vanished from his face. The friends in the group almost peed their pants, watching his expression growing sinister.


    The boy looked up and trembled so hard as if it was an earthquake. The air had turned deathly still.


    "Strip your pants."


    "H-Huh-"


    The pressure Jun emanated forced him to lower his head.


    "Didn''t hear me?" His voice was as still as his gaze.


    His friends were all ready to run away when Jun warned a command. "Don''t."


    It was just one word, but it was enough to deflate their courage of escaping.


    Jun pressed his foot on the boy''s ankle. He silently yelped in pain. "Strip your pants, and leave this library in that state."


    "H-How¡­can I¡­"


    Is this how terrifying an adult is? He is on a whole nother level!


    It sounded like a casual remark, but the tone behind it was anything but casual.


    "No-no it was m-my mistake¡­" he sweated buckets.


    That boy didn''t know who the hell Jun was, but his instinct said one thing for sure that he absolutely cannot mess with him.


    "I¡­am sorry."


    Jun''s silence felt eerie and pricking.


    "Strip your pants."


    That was it. It was akin to an ultimatum. There was no scope of an apology or negotiation. If he would protest once again, then he would face the consequences.


    The boy sobbed and quickly removed his pants.


    Jun then threw a glance at the boy''s friends. Suddenly, they realized why his beaten up friend was in such a pathetic state.


    He gave an aura of a monster.


    A villain.


    And the villain was the most dangerous guy in any story.


    Facing him felt like those miserable side characters who die by a villain''s hands in a movie.


    He didn''t even need to tell them before they automatically removed their pants too.


    A smile bloomed on Jun''s lips. "You guys are smart."


    They felt cold. His smile felt like the end of the world to them.


    The boy who tried to lift Ai''s dress stammered against his pounding heart.


    "S-s-sorry."


    "I don''t want your sorry. I want to see your embarrassment. Also, I don''t need to tell you that you aren''t welcome in the library anymore, right? Did you think you are free to do as you please because this is an area less visited?"


    They shuddered.


    Cold, menacing and unforgiving.


    He didn''t want their apology. He wanted their suffering.


    The college boys clenched the pants in their hands and slowly left the area, utterly ashamed. The other patrons around them shrieked in shock.


    "Y-you shameless boys! What are you doing?"


    "This is a library, not your home! Have some decency."


    "Put on your pants!"


    Their faces reddened in shame. Everybody was giving them disdainful looks.


    "Gosh, kids these days think that they can do anything."


    They turned towards Jun. "Why don''t you stop them?"


    "What can I say? I tried to, but they seemed adamant for some reason," he sighed.


    They mumbled. "I don''t know what the parents of these kids have taught them."


    As the boys finally ran away, everybody else dispersed too but still whispering about the incident.


    Jun looked back at Ai, who was staring back at him, her body trembling slightly. He was about to throw a sarcastic comment when he stopped himself.


    Instead, he asked, "Can you come down on your own?"


    Ai was in a stupor. She breathed out and lifted her foot. But the world spun around her, and she stopped. She clung onto the ladder like her life was on the line.


    She gulped. "Give me some time¡­-"


    Her eyes widened when Jun suddenly held her waist and lifted her off the ladder. She quickly and instinctively clung onto his neck, feeling afraid.


    The locks of her hair tickled his cheeks. Their gazes met.


    Close.


    The distance between them was too close.


    He put her down. In the end, he couldn''t stop himself from saying, "You should start using that mouth God has gifted you to shout when you need help."


    But Ai wasn''t really listening to him. She sped away and sat down in her seat, hastily opening her notebook.


    Jun was dumbfounded.


    Huh? Why did she run away like that?


    He just shrugged and went back to his own desk.


    That woman is weird anyway.


    On the other side, Ai was rapidly jotting down some words on a page. Her fingers were slightly shaking, but her heart was filled with thrill as the words kept flowing like a river''s steady stream.


    That was it.


    The moment when Jun confronted the boys. That was the moment when Ai realized something.


    Now I understand what MrPerfect was talking about.


    ''When his love was attacked by the goons, what did he do?''


    ''If it had been me, the goons would have suffered much more than just empty words. They dare look at my woman. They wouldn''t have seen the next day at all.''


    Even Ai had felt the chill when Jun was facing the boys. His eyes were as cold as ice.


    She felt the threat.


    She shivered even though she was being protected.


    Ai knew Jun was an intense person, but it was that moment when he looked truly evil that she realized what MrPerfect wanted to convey.


    The male lead''s feeling of wanting to protect, and the female lead''s feeling of being protected.


    She revisited her books and could see why the plot felt flat at some places.


    "The intensity of their emotions don''t sync at all. I failed to properly convey the anger the male lead should have felt when his love was in danger," she mumbled to herself.


    She quickly took a snap of the piece she wrote and sent it to Xing Bi.


    ''Tell me how is this?''


    Instead of a reply, she got Xing Bi''s call.


    "Ai, this is¡­"

 Chapter 22 I Won’t Be Your Guinea Pig

    Chapter 22 I Won''t Be Your Guinea Pig


    "This is amazing! How did you write this? Did something happen? Are you writing a new story?" Xing Bi couldn''t hold her excitement.


    Ai softly smiled. "Something did happen that made me realize my fault. I am not writing a new story. I just felt like writing when that feeling struck me."


    It was a scene of the male lead protecting his love. It wasn''t exactly like what transpired with her and Jun but along the similar lines.


    **


    Delan said, "You should be alert of Chun. You don''t know how she likes to gossip behind people''s backs and break them apart.


    Chun was trembling. Her ex-boyfriend who fell into her friend''s trap and refused to believe her when she was innocent now said things that would make Yazhu, the one she was in love with now, doubt her.


    No¡­Don''t believe him¡­I hadn''t spread that rumor, she was close to tears.


    "I trusted her, but she fooled me. You should stay away from her too."


    "I didn''t do it-"


    Yazhu held her hand and smiled. He glanced at Delan. "We are a little busy now."


    He turned to leave when Delan hastily shouted. "Don''t fall for her words!"


    Yazhu stopped. He slowly turned, his eyes locking into him, making Delan shudder. His gaze was like the calm before the storm, and his voice like the thunder quietly rumbling, making Chun hold her breath.


    "I know what I am doing because I am a better judge than you."


    **


    Xing Bi exclaimed. "I could totally feel Yazhu''s intensity. The last line gave me chills! Ai, you are on the right track. If you continue exploring this feeling, then you will write a brilliant story one day. You should thank the one who gave you this ins stiffened.


    Now that I remember¡­I didn''t thank Jun for helping me. I just ran away.


    She hit her head on the desk.


    That was rude of me. I am stupid.


    "Ai? Are you listening to me?"


    "En. I know what to do now."


    "Good! Keep sending me these drafts. Along the way, you will realize what kind of characters you want to write about. I will help you all I can."


    "Thank you," she smiled.


    "Oh and¡­" her tone softened. "About the book signing event¡­"


    "You don''t need to sound apologetic, Xing Bi. I am not offended."


    "How could you not? I still feel at fault. I should have fought more for you but that damn committee! You deserved this publicity as much as Cai Guiying. Ai, will you be coming to the event? I think you should stay at home."


    Ai was quiet for a moment. "I will be there."


    "You¡­I am telling you not to. I don''t like her editor, Zhan Yahui. She will be upto no good if she sees you."


    "I will be careful."


    Xing Bi wasn''t in favor, but she relented in the end. "Fine, if that''s what you want. Just keep your distance from Cai Guiying until the event is over."


    "I will."


    Ai looked at her draft again and felt energetic. When the day came to an end, she promptly stood in front of Jun''s desk.


    He looked up and raised his brow, noticing her cheerful expression. It wasn''t really evident, but her aura seemed all fluffy and flowery.


    She cleared her throat. "Thank you for your help earlier. I am sorry I left just like that earlier. I had a sudden flash of inspiration."


    Jun squinted his eyes. "Inspiration? For what?"


    "Writing."


    He blinked. "You are a writer?"


    She automatically nodded without thinking much and stiffened the next moment.


    "Writing tragedy stories?" He smiled in disdain.


    "..."


    "What is your pen name?"


    Even Jun didn''t quite understand it himself, but he was strangely curious.


    "..." Her brow slightly twitched.


    I shouldn''t have told him I am a writer, she pursed her lips, feeling she dug a hole for herself.


    She was sensitive about letting her identity as a writer out, hence she preferred nobody outside Dream High or her parents know about it. But she accidentally nodded her head in the flow.


    If he knew I am MissImperfectlyFine, what would be his reaction?


    She tried imagining it which led her to only one conclusion.


    Ah, I already know. He doesn''t want my autograph. I will just make a fool out of myself.


    "Pen name?" Jun repeated, noticing her in a thoughtful daze.


    Her gaze fell on a butterfly fluttering its colorful wings outside the window. The word slipped out of her lips as she stared at it. "Butterfly."


    Jin tilted his head. "Hooo. I see. Interesting name. How many books have you written? What are they?"


    Her mouth twitched again.


    I cannot exactly list out MissImperfectlyFine''s books.


    Ai didn''t like to keep things but somehow she felt herself falling into a pit that made her say anything but the truth. She wasn''t a good liar. Her gaze automatically averted to the left, slightly anxious.


    "None. I am just starting out."


    Jun didn''t find anything wrong with it because he assumed she had nothing to hide. "Hm. What kind of stories do you want to write?"


    Her stupor broke, and she replied. "Romance."


    "Like your version of Cinderella?" He mocked her.


    "You really have a grudge against sad endings, don''t you?"


    Jun sneered. "What do I say? Life is already fucked up in real life. So, I implore authors to leave fiction out of those messy endings."


    "Every ending has a message," Ai calmly stated.


    "I don''t need a messy message," he sharply retorted.


    She left it at that and changed the topic. "You gave me good inspiration when you saved me."


    "I am not gonna be your guinea pig."


    "...I didn''t say anything."


    "I can guess."


    "I need your help."


    "No-" then he tilted his head and fixed his dark brown orbs at her coming to a realization. "Ah. So all these days when you came to the library everyday and stayed until closing time¡­Was it for observing me?"


    "..."


    "Why?" He didn''t need any confirmation from her anymore.


    She glanced back at him. "I like your eyes."


    His expression turned dark.


    "You are not my type."


    His mouth violently twitched. It was like she already clarified before he misunderstood her.


    "I thought I could learn a lot from you. Have you been in love before?"


    Jun froze. In an instant, his past life came crashing into his memory lane.


    So he did have someone he loved...


    Ai studied him and realized she pressed the wrong point. She immediately felt remorseful for asking such a personal question when they were merely acquaintances.


    I should keep my writer''s curiosity in check, she thoroughly internally scolded herself.


    "I apolo-"


    Jun shot her a cold glare. "Why? Have you not been in love before?"


    Silence.


    Ai gripped her bag a tad tighter, an action which didn''t go unnoticed by him. Tension seeped into the air.


    As she was about to answer, she noticed the book signing event''s flyer on his desk and blinked.


    "Will you be going too?"

 Chapter 23 The Twins’ Trial Of Judgment

    Chapter 23 The Twins'' Trial Of Judgment


    Jun glanced at the direction she was looking. He still hadn''t decided upon it. He liked CherryBlossom''s books, but the real reason to go was if MissImperfectlyFine would have been there.


    She was an interesting figure, always shrouded in mystery. Even in his past life, Jun had an impression of her. There were flaws in her writing and the endings were terrible for a man like him who didn''t tolerate such.


    Yet there was something in those words she wrote that kept him attached to her in a strange way. Which was why he could never throw her books away.


    There was an inkling to see just who that person was. Then there was the incident which would happen where she would be accused of ruining CherryBlossom''s books.


    "...I want to witness it," he murmured.


    Ai blinked. "What?"


    Then it suddenly hit her the error she made. If Jun met her at the event, wouldn''t he realize that she was MissImperfectlyFine?


    She bit her lip.


    I really shouldn''t have told him I am a writer.


    "Yes," he replied.


    Her brow twitched.


    So he will be coming.


    He sneered. "I would like to see just who MissImperfectlyFine is."


    "..."


    "Then I would have a nice long conversation with her about how her wonderful stories bother me so much."


    "..."


    "But she isn''t part of the event," Ai was calm. Or at least tried to be.


    Ai took a silent breath.


    "Will you be going? Are you CherryBlossom''s fan?"


    She stiffened. "...I like her books. But I won''t be going."


    "So you won''t be stalking me like you do here."


    "..."


    "It''s an observation," she defended.


    "Without my permission," he retorted.


    She thought about it.


    "I am sorry. I wouldn''t like it if somebody secretly keeps a watch over me either."


    Jun was slightly startled. "You are quick to-"


    "That''s why I would formally request you to accept my observation."


    "..."


    "Rejected!"


    Ai pursed her lips. "I wouldn''t bother you."


    "Feeling your gaze at me as if you are dissecting me WILL be a bother."


    Jun closed his laptop and hung his bag on his shoulder. Ai quickly followed him. "I wouldn''t-"


    "No."


    "It would be really nice-"


    "No."


    "At least consider-"


    "No."


    "If my story gets hit, I will give you your due share."


    He looked at her, speechless.


    Do you think I will need any money share? ME?


    "No!"


    Jun took large strides and left before she could catch up. She was breathless.


    Mrs. Quan Su commented. "Oh, dear. Why was he in such a rush?"


    Ai nodded. "Don''t worry. I will convince him."


    She was confused. "Convince about what?"


    She looked back. "To let me observe him."


    Ah? Observe Jun? What is there to observe in him?


    ¡ª


    "We need to observe our brother."


    In Liu villa, there was a big, secret meeting going on between Jian, Nian, Nuo and Jin. Together with Jun, they called it the Great Siblings Meet-up where they ''discussed'' super important issues.


    The super important issues were often useless in Jun''s eyes, but he was always forced to participate.


    Nuo asked, "What are you talking about?"


    The twins took a deep breath.


    "Alright, I know this is hard to digest, but you gotta believe your handsome brother."


    "What is your handsomeness got to do with the truth?" She frowned.


    "Everything."


    "So you are just being narcissistic."


    "Shut up."


    Nuo turned towards the door. "Dad-"


    Jian grabbed his sister''s mouth and looked at her in horror. "You silly, silly sister, hahaha¡­You don''t need to call Dad for such stupid things."


    Nian wiped his forehead.


    Nuo laughed. "Gosh, you are shit scared of Dad. It''s always so funny."


    Nian sobbed. "You tattle-tale! You want your big brothers to die so soon? Whenever you call Dad, it''s as if you take away our precious years. That daughter-complex old man! He looks at us as if he would feed us to the sharks."


    Nuo chuckled and shook her head. "I was just pulling your leg. Now tell us your super important thing. What''s it about bro Jun?"


    "A woman! He is cheating on Shui!"


    Jin slightly stiffened. He stared at them in grimace.


    Nian said, "We saw a woman coming out of Jun''s condo. She totally stayed there the whole night!"


    Nuo was speechless. "You must be kidding me. As if! It''s bro Jun you are talking about. He can only see Shui and nobody else."


    "It''s the truth! We told Shui to confront him, but apparently, she still hasn''t done it yet."


    Jin stared at them. "You told Shui about this?"


    Jian indignantly answered. "As good and responsible future brother-in-laws, yes, we did."


    "...What was her reaction?"


    "Of course, she found it unbelievable too. But she said she would talk to Jun about it."


    Nuo touched her chin. "There must be some misunderstanding. Whatever it is, bro Jun and Shui will figure it out."


    "Aish! So naive, little sis," Nian sighed. "We mustn''t be on the sidelines."


    "We must investigate!"


    Nuo glared at them. "You two are enjoying this."


    They guiltily coughed. "Of course not."


    "Don''t poke into their relationship."


    "We are not! We just don''t want Shui to get hurt. Jin, didn''t you meet Jun two days ago? Did you notice something strange?"


    Jin recalled Ai and her interaction with Jun.


    Are they talking about the same woman?


    He also remembered Jun looking pale and disoriented which made him worry about his brother, but he didn''t consider it related to Ai in any way.


    Jin glanced at his siblings, waiting for his answer.


    He smiled. "Nothing really. He was the same as always."


    Nuo said, "See?"


    Jian frowned. "I am just worried. For the last 2 years or so, I sense that Jun and Shui have had arguments quite often. Little things here and there. Though they patch up soon enough, so it doesn''t feel that anything is going wrong."


    Nian supported his brother. "I feel the same. That''s why that woman is bugging me. It feels as if everything will just go more wrong from here onwards. Hey, Jin! You are unusually silent today."


    "Of course not. I am just wondering the same."


    Jian and Nian declared. "Alright! So here''s what we have decided! We will find out more about the woman and see for ourselves what her intentions are. We will talk to Shui about this too."


    Jin intervened. "Shui. I will talk to her."


    Nuo sighed. "Why don''t you just ask bro Jun directly?"


    Jian and Nian were about to answer when she said it herself, "Because it won''t be fun that way."


    The twins acted innocent.


    "What are you two planning anyway?"


    "Hohoho! The woman dared to lay her eyes on our little brother. Of course, she would have to go through the Twins'' Trial of Judgment!"

 Chapter 24 Testing Zhou Ai

    Chapter 24 Testing Zhou Ai


    The next day.


    Jian and Nian at the moment - "..."


    They investigated a bit about Ai and found that she would go to the public library everyday. But the problem was that they saw Jun as the assistant librarian just when they were about to step in.


    Jian cursed. "The fuck! What is Jun doing here? Why is he working as the assistant librarian?"


    Nian was just as speechless. "Wasn''t he working for his publishing company with Yunru?"


    Chen Yunru was their cousin. Their fathers, Liu Jinhai and Chen Jianyu were cousins themselves while their wives Liu Nana and Chen Serena were best friends and step sisters too with a complicated history behind it which didn''t matter anymore.


    "Yeah, it is Sky Publishing. So, why is he doing this job?"


    "Hey, wait a minute. Jin met him a few days ago, but he didn''t say anything about this!"


    Jian frowned. "He said something about Jun not feeling a bit well, so maybe he didn''t get to ask about it. But the question is what we will do now? We cannot approach her if that demon is over there."


    The twins exchanged glances.


    "Well, then a little bit of makeup is our only option."


    "This is actually good. We will get to see if Jun is close to this woman and then report to Shui."


    They laughed like two evil villains in a movie.


    A while later, the twins stepped in and sat near Ai. Some high school and college girls who were doing their assignments gasped speechless with their entrance.


    S-So handsome!


    Ahh, I wanna sit near them.


    They are just as handsome as the assistant librarian!


    Jun stared at the two new entries for a moment and went back to his work.


    Nian whispered, "Jun didn''t recognize us."


    "Heh. Nobody can recognize us when we disguise ourselves," Jian smirked.


    "Ugh, but the women are staring at us."


    He sighed. "It''s not our fault if our beauty leaks through our disguise too."


    They saw Ai quietly reading her book. Sometime later, she got up and Jian signaled his brother.


    Nian casually got up and followed her. He approached her and coughed. Ai turned. She stared at him for a few moments.


    The man was extremely handsome without a doubt. He had a good sense of fashion, and she figured he was rich as she saw him wearing an expensive watch. His shoes belonged to a popular brand too.


    "Yes?"


    "Can you please help me find where the classics section is?" He flashed a charming smile that would make any woman faint.


    She nodded and pointed towards her right. "Over there."


    "Thanks."


    She promptly went back to her own work, and Nian went back to his seat.


    "What happened?" Jian eagerly asked.


    He squinted his eyes. "She acted normal. Not like these women squealing at us. She didn''t even extend the conversation."


    "She definitely figured that we are rich, right?"


    "Of course. Even a blind man would figure it out. But she looked unfazed. Or pretended to be."


    Hmm¡­


    Then sometime later, a girl shyly approached Ai and coughed.


    "Yes?" Ai looked up.


    "I-If it''s not too much trouble, can you switch seats with me?"


    The twins''s ears perked at their conversation.


    Hah! She wants to sit near us, but would this woman let her?


    Jian whispered, "She definitely won''t allow her."


    Ai nodded, picked her belongings and moved. She didn''t even question the girl about the reason behind switching the seats.


    The twins - "..."


    "Thank you so much!" The girl beamed.


    "Hey is she playing hard-to-get?" Jian wondered.


    "We will know it soon enough."


    Throughout the day, they didn''t see Jun and Ai interacting much. It passed by without triggering any suspicion regarding Ai''s possible ambiguous feelings for Jun.


    "Ahh man it''s so boring to be at the library for the whole day!"


    Jian shrugged. "For Shui''s sake, we have to do it. We would drive away all the pests around our brother!"


    The first day ended, and the second day of their trial arrived. This time, Jian took the lead and approached her. Nian casually pushed Ai and made her stumble.


    Jian quickly caught her in his arms and gently asked in a concerned voice, "Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?"


    Ai shook her head. "No. Thank you for the help," she sincerely thanked him.


    He thought she would look a little bit shy and flustered, but it wasn''t the case at all.


    He waved his hand. "No probs. By the way," he brought his hand forward, "I am Jian."


    Ai shook his hand. "Zhou Ai."


    "That''s a beautiful name. Ai means love. It indeed suits you."


    She smiled. "Thank you."


    "Oh by the way, he is my brother, Nian."


    "You remember you helped me yesterday?" He grinned.


    "Of course."


    "Ah, it''s so difficult. We are doing our post-graduation project, and it''s so hard with these books."


    Nian sighed. "This library makes me dizzy."


    Ai listened to their chitter-chatter and interjected whenever required.


    "If you need my help, I can organize some books for you."


    They beamed. "You will? Thanks a ton! You are such a great help!"


    Nian whispered, "Speaking about help, who is that assistant librarian? Doesn''t he look too out of place?"


    Ai blinked. "Why?"


    "Well with that looks and aura, he definitely seems to be a rich guy, right?"


    Ai thought back to how lavish his condo was and nodded.


    "See? It looks so odd that a rich guy like him is working as an assistant."


    "There is nothing odd about it. He likes books, and if this is his choice, then he has every right to do what he likes. Your hobby doesn''t have any connection with your bank balance."


    The twins widened their eyes and stared at her.


    Jian probed. "Hmm, you are right. I can see the girls swooning over him like anything. Well, it''s not a shocker."


    "Indeed."


    The twins found their chance.


    "Soooo¡­" Nian leaned his palm on the shelf and teasingly smiled. "Are you interested in him?"


    Ai replied. "He is not my type."


    The twins choked hard.


    Excuse me? N-Not your type? Jun? He is NOT your type?


    "But I am interested in him."


    "..."


    What is this tug-of-war? He is not your type but you are interested in him?


    The twins exchanged suspicious glances.


    As we thought! This woman is not so simple.


    Jian raised his brow. "What is interesting about him?"


    "His eyes."


    They tilted their heads.


    Ai gazed towards once. "His eyes are beautiful, and they tell a story of their own. I would like to know what it is."

 Chapter 25 An Unexpected Confession

    Chapter 25 An Unexpected Confession


    At the same time outside Shui''s University campus.


    Shui''s classes ended early today and as she walked out of the gates, she saw a car parked outside. She stiffened for a moment.


    Is it Jun?


    But to her surprise, it was Jin who waved at her.


    Shui gave an enthusiastic smile and waved back. "Jin!"


    "Hey."


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Actually¡­I wanted to talk to you about something, so I wondered if you would be free for a cup of coffee."


    "Of course, I will. Do you even need to ask?"


    She took a step when she tripped on her foot. Jin widened his eyes. "Careful."


    He wrapped his arm around her waist and caught her. Her cheek bumped on his chest. His breath stopped in his throat, feeling her softness pressed against him. Even if it was as light as a feather, he heard his heart drumming faster.


    Shui, too, was a bit numb for a moment. His fingertips on her waist made her cheeks slightly heat up. The sound of his heartbeat was confusing her, making her wonder if it was his or her own.


    There was a moment of awkwardness between them, and Jin quickly distanced himself from her.


    Jin''s gaze was fixed at her, and he smiled. "Bro Jun definitely is."


    Her gaze ever so slightly flickered.


    Jin then chuckled and flicked on her forehead. "What are you thinking so hard for?"


    "Nothing."


    "Let''s go?"


    "Hm."


    They went to a nearby coffee house. Placing their order, Jin asked, "I saw you running around the campus. What were you doing?"


    "Ah that¡­" she scratched her chin, "Doing my setup for assignments," she stuck out her tongue.


    Jin laughed. "Seriously?"


    "Hey, don''t laugh, okay? The topic this time is difficult. I just want to get it over with."


    "Why don''t you ask bro then?"


    Shui slightly bit her lip. "Of course. I will ask his help if my setup doesn''t work. Forget about college stuff. Tell me, what do you want to talk about?"


    Jin took a moment to gather his thoughts. "Alright, so¡­Bro Jian told me that he told you about a woman bro Jun is meeting."


    He was anxious about Shui''s reaction.


    "Oh yeah. The twins did tell me this. Though it''s hard to believe, they are sure they saw her coming out of Jun''s condo."


    "Did you talk to him about it?"


    That made Shui slightly uncomfortable. "Not really. I wanted to, but...I didn''t get time," she lied.


    After Jun broke up with Shui, she wasn''t sure how to approach him.


    Jin blinked. "Didn''t get time? You know how bro Jun is always waiting for your call or message."


    She clasped her hands together. Jin noticed her nervousness and felt something was off. "Shui, is there something wrong?"


    "No¡­nothing-"


    "I don''t think so. Please tell me. I wanted to talk to you because I didn''t want you to misunderstand bro. But now I am feeling as if you are hiding something from me."


    Shui didn''t know how to say it. "I¡­"


    "Shui, you are making me worry. Did you two fight again-"


    "No! It''s not a fight. I don''t know how to disclose this. I haven''t told anyone about it, not even to Mom."


    He frowned. "About?"


    Shui took a deep breath. "Jun¡­broke up with me."


    ¡ª


    Back at the library, the twins started their second plan of action. It was making advances on Ai. Both of them.


    Jian openly began to show interest in Ai as he sat next to her. He continued with casual conversation, giving verbal and physical hints that he was interested in her. But he didn''t make himself look pushy at all.


    It was the second day, and they had already broken the ice with her. Jian would be more frank and unapproachable while Nian would keep his distance, occasionally joining their talk.


    Then they saw Jun leaving for a break, and they sighed in relief.


    Finally¡­


    Inside the small pantry in the corridor where patrons took a coffee break, Jian hesitatingly approached Ai. "Hey. Can I talk to you about something?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay¡­so¡­" he coughed. "This is a bit embarrassing. I know you will think I am too hasty, but I¡­I think I¡­like you."


    Ai blinked.


    "I know, I know! We just met yesterday. It''s hard to believe my words. I don''t know if you believe in love at first sight, but it happened to me. I¡­I just¡­Can you think about it? I am fine starting out as friends too! If I feel something about it, I act upon it. That''s my nature. Sorry if I made you uncomfortable."


    "No. I am fine. It''s shocking indeed," Ai wore a serious expression. "But-"


    "Please think about it just once! Th-Thanks!" He already left.


    Ai was stunned.


    Strange¡­


    Nian chuckled and gave his brother a high-five. "That was perfect."


    Jian winked. "It''s your turn tomorrow."


    Ai felt awkward going back when Jian had just confessed to her. So instead, she decided to head out for a walk.


    Walking down the path, her mind was unable to grasp the situation.


    Did he really fall for me? She wondered.


    It was puzzling yet at the same time, she didn''t know much about love at first sight. So, she couldn''t comment on or disregard it.


    To her, feelings weren''t to be taken lightly.


    She paused as she recognized Jun standing at a distance. She walked towards him and greeted him. "Hello."


    But Jun didn''t respond. He was staring hard at something and when Ai followed his gaze, she saw a coffee house opposite the road.


    Why is he looking over there?


    Then she recognized someone from inside the coffee house.


    Isn''t he¡­Jun''s brother? Jin, right? The one who came to the library that day.


    She slightly craned her neck and saw a woman sitting opposite him. Her back was facing her.


    Ai looked back at Jun. "It''s your brother-"


    She stiffened upon seeing the chill in Jun''s brown eyes that suddenly cast his gaze with a terrifying darkness. His fingers were tightly curled into his fist as if he would punch someone at any moment.


    What is happening?

 Chapter 26 The Barest Touch Of Their Lips

    Chapter 26 The Barest Touch Of Their Lips


    "Jun?"


    It wasn''t just the iciness in his irises that made Ai puzzled. It was also his lips that were slowly curling into a sinister smile.


    "Really¡­so annoying¡­why are they together¡­So fucking annoying¡­" Jun was mumbling to himself. Ai caught some words and some didn''t.


    But one thing was for sure.


    Jun looked lethal at that moment. Deadly like a weapon who would annihilate anything that came in his path.


    Ai felt as if she could see him getting engulfed in something black and evil. It was pulling him into the depths of hell. That visualization made her breathless.


    It was a similar feeling like that day when Jun dealt with the college boys harassing her.


    Dark, ominous, haunting.


    At that time, she was being protected, but now¡­


    If I carelessly provoke him, he might punch me in the face.


    Ai studied his eyes. The intensity of whatever was bubbling within him was close to crossing its limit.


    She heard him chuckle that gave her goosebumps.


    "I should break them apart¡­How should I do it? Maybe¡­I should snatch her away¡­What face will Jin make, I wonder? Will he cry? Ah¡­I want to see him cry. Always¡­always¡­always fucking getting between us¡­"


    Suddenly, his thoughts broke apart when he felt something ticklish on his fist. He rapidly blinked his eyes and forgot what he was thinking about.


    He looked down and saw a stick with feathers stuck on the top of it . The feathers were what tickled him.


    He traced his sight to the end of the stick and saw that it was Ai''s doing. She was keeping a safe distance from him as she rubbed the feathers on his hand.


    "..."


    "What¡­Just what are you doing?"


    Ai felt that it was safe to approach him now. "Tickling your hand."


    His mouth twitched. "I can see that. But why?"


    "You were oozing a life threatening aura - Life threatening for others in your proximity. I was afraid if I carelessly touched you, you would hit me accidentally."


    His expression darkened. "What are you even blabbering about?"


    Ai took his hand and opened his fingers one by one, releasing his tight fist.


    "Your palm has gotten all red. And now you know why I was afraid."


    "Of course, I wouldn''t have hit you!"


    "Tell that to the villainous face you were making just now," she countered, unfazed.


    He snatched the feather stick. "Where did you even get this from?"


    Ai pointed at a pet store. "It''s used to play with cats."


    Jun''s expression darkened further by several shades. "You were treating me like some pet? A cat at that?"


    "Cats are feral and become dangerous when provoked. I used the right toy."


    "What should I do with you? First, you splash water over my head and then you tickle me using a pet toy!"


    Ai calmly said, "It works."


    Jun felt his lid bursting, this time because of Ai instead of Jin. He wasn''t really angry, just¡­speechless at her methods.


    Ai tickled the feather stick on his forehead. "There, there. Calm down. Now, your forehead is getting red."


    "..."


    "You!"


    Jun grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him in a moment of slight agitation. He wanted to punish her somehow but didn''t know how.


    Ai softly gasped and put her hand on his shoulder for support. Standing hardly a few inches apart, they could hear each other''s soft breaths. He saw her eyelashes faintly trembling and the blush on her cheeks which he didn''t know if it was makeup or natural.


    Ai wanted to look up but sensing his gaze at her, she couldn''t. It was his eyes that always unnerved her for some reason as if he was seeing right through her soul.


    Jun narrowed his eyes and smirked. He snatched the feather stick back from her and tickled on her waist.


    Her lips broke into a faltering smile until it burst into laughter. "S-Stop it¡­Please stop¡­"


    "Hoo. You are weak to tickling," he sneered. "Well then¡­" he increased his pace and brought it over her neck. Since her neck was directly exposed, the tickling sensation further heightened.


    "Ahahaha¡­Stop¡­please stop¡­Hahahaha¡­" the corner of her eyes stung with tears from laughing too much.


    "Heh. You deserve it. Always trying out weird tricks on me."


    Though he had to admit her tricks always took his mind off the evil train of thoughts killing his mind.


    A group of elementary school boys pointed at them as they passed them. "They are tickling each other!"


    "It looks fun."


    "We wanna play too!"


    They jumped at Jun all at once. His balance tripped, and his forehead bumped on Ai''s. But it wasn''t just their foreheads that thumped.


    His lips touched hers too, freezing them in shock. Their stunned gazes faced each other. It happened so suddenly that nobody could react.


    What just¡­


    The background noises of traffic and cars came crashing down. The only sound they heard was of their own entangled thoughts.


    The kiss was nothing more than a skim of their lips that barely made contact. Yet their lips trembled. Soft, light and feathery but which made their hearts jump in their throats. There was shock about the suddenness and conflict about their emotions.


    Ai, who was always calm and composed, felt restless. To her, Jun was someone who she wanted to observe. And right at this moment, his eyes that were always filled with distance and coldness, seemed riled up. He was looking back at her as if this wasn''t something ever supposed to happen.


    But once again¡­he was thinking hard about something. Like the time he met Jin then at the library and now from across the coffee shop.


    But what about her own thoughts?


    I¡­J-Just take this as an inspiration to write a good kissing scene for your story. Don''t panic. Don''t panic.


    Just¡­


    But his lips on hers were too distracting to note any points. She wanted to observe and speculate, but his brown irises that stared at her with his deep gaze weren''t bringing her thoughts into alignment.


    So he can also make such an expression¡­


    An expression which wasn''t evil and villainous but aggrieved and in turmoil.

 Chapter 27 What The Heck Just Happened?

    Chapter 27 What The Heck Just Happened?


    Jun was in disbelief. Not just because of the kiss but by the fact that he should have already pushed her away by now. But her light honey brown orbs made the scene of her death flash in front of him. The pain in her eyes at her last breath and the sincerity in them whenever she was by his side in this life - everything stopped Jun from moving an inch.


    ''You are a coward.''


    ''Life is not that long for you to shorten it by your own hands''


    ''Have you calmed down now?''


    ''I believe you.''


    Push her away, push her away, push her Goddamn away!


    His thoughts were clear about to push Ai away as soon as possible, but he couldn''t made it come to fruition.


    This was troubling to him just like his nemesis author MissImperfectlyFine. Wanting to stay away from her world but still keeping her books by his side. Just like that, he wanted to tear away from this fluttering sensation, but he clung onto it, feeling the need to cry.


    He had an urge to just cry everything out, wanting to hold onto the little warmth that Ai provided him.


    Their accidental kiss lasted for several seconds before the boys laughed.


    "It''s a kiss!"


    "Big brother and pretty sister are statues!"


    That finally woke them up and both took a quick, long step away from each other. Then a sharp silence dropped.


    One of the boys giggled. "You look funny."


    "Big brother, can we have that toy?"


    Jun''s stupor broke, and he coldly glared at them.


    If they hadn''t pushed him in their excitement¡­


    The boys shrieked.


    "A devil!"


    "No, a villain!"


    "Baddie!"


    Jun handed them the feather stick. "Leave."


    "Yay!"


    "Thank you, villain big brother!" They merrily ran away.


    But the atmosphere between Jun and Ai was suddenly not so merry.


    Ai rubbed her palms together. Even she, who usually had something to say in every situation, failed to get her words.


    "...It was just an accident. Don''t think much. You are still not my type."


    It was clear that she was mumbling whatever came to her mind.


    "My break is over. I am heading back."


    Jun kept standing, his mind completely blank. He covered his face with his palms.


    What the heck¡­just happened?


    The other person who wanted to exclaim about the same situation in shock was none other than Jin, who saw everything happening from the coffee house.


    What the heck just happened?


    *A few minutes before*


    "Jun broke up with me," Shui confessed.


    Jin couldn''t really register it. "What? Broke up? Bro Jun?"


    She wryly smiled. "That''s exactly why I am unable to tell this to my family either. I am still unable to digest it myself. Jun was someone who always declared that I would be his wife one day. Ever since I was little, he was always by my side protecting me. His heart was set. He knew what he wanted. So¡­"


    "Wait, wait, wait. Hold on. This is impossible. Everybody knows how bro wants only you. Break up would be the last thing on his mind! Is it because of the argument you two had?" He was aghast.


    Shui stiffened. "You know about it?"


    "Yeah¡­Bro didn''t want to tell anyone about it but I felt something was off, so I probed him about it."


    This argument was before Jun''s rebirth, so when he came back in time, that fight had already happened in the past of his second life.


    "Around three weeks ago, bro asked you out on a date, but you were busy with the college stuff."


    "...That was-"


    "A lie. You had already submitted your assignments, so you were free. Bro got mad that you lied to him."


    Shui was perturbed. "Of course, I didn''t want to lie to him."


    She was in a predicament. Jun was his brother, so she didn''t know how to express herself. She wondered if it was even right what she felt.


    "But¡­But you know, sometimes Jun¡­"


    Jin quietly let her take her time.


    "Please don''t get upset, Jin. You might not like what I will say because he is your brother. Even I am not sure. But¡­sometimes I feel as if I don''t have my space around him."


    Jin blinked.


    "He is a good boyfriend. Really. He cares about me a lot. He is always by my side, but¡­sometimes it feels too binding to me. He wants to drop me to college, pick me back at home, call me to know how and where I am¡­at first, I was happy like any girlfriend would. My boyfriend pays attention to me. Who doesn''t want it? But lately, I feel it''s too much. It feels like he wants to be everywhere where I am even when I am with my friends. It''s as if I am smothered by him from all sides."


    This was mentally draining for her. Talking about this was as hard as climbing Mount Everest.


    "That''s why I lied. To be honest, my friends had planned a small karaoke party, and I wished to be there. But I knew Jun would insist to come too. Sometimes I just want to be with my friends. Even if two people are in a relationship, they cannot be by each other''s side 24x7. Mom and Dad aren''t like that, neither Uncle Jinhai and Aunt Nana. But, I still felt horrible for lying! Jun didn''t speak a word to me after that. And then suddenly he said he wants to break up with me. I don''t know what to do anymore."


    Jin was about to say something when he noticed Jun and Ai opposite the coffee house.


    Bro and that¡­woman again.


    He noticed their interaction and was shaken up to see Jun tickling Ai back. He had held her arm and was sort of playing with her.


    Was that really his brother who looked at nobody else but Shui?


    Seeing him intimate with another woman was like thunder striking him. But what happened next just blew his mind off.


    They kissed. Or rather he understood that it was an accident, but what was shocking was that he didn''t push her away.


    He always detested anybody''s touch except Shui''s, but now he hadn''t broken that kiss at all. Even after Ai replied something in response and hastily left, Jun didn''t seem to be disgusted by the kiss.


    Jun looked troubled. Confused. A very different expression than what he had expected for someone who he had vowed to marry Shui since he was five years old.


    "Jin?" Shui waved her hand in front of him.


    He snapped out of his trance and saw Jun leaving in a daze.


    "Shui¡­"


    "What''s wrong?"


    Jin quickly shook his head. "Nothing. Just my imagination¡­"


    Then his deep gaze turned solemn as he peered into Shui''s eyes. "Shui, You are Bro''s life. Literally. He won''t break up with you over that argument. His love is far greater than that," he shook his head. "That''s why, please. Talk to him once again. Sort out your differences, and I am sure this misunderstanding will be resolved. His happiness is in you. He can give up on this whole world but never you."

 Chapter 28 Graver Realization

    Chapter 28 Graver Realization


    Central library.


    Jian sighed. "Isn''t she taking too long?"


    Nian bumped his forehead on the table. "Surrounded by so many books feels as if my brain would explode."


    Just then Ai came quickly walking in. She took her seat, feeling breathless. Her mind was unfocussed.


    The twins tilted their heads at the same time. Jian took this chance and tried to get closer to her. "What happened? Your face is a little red."


    Ai patted her cheeks, startled. "Really?"


    "Yeah. You are breathless too. Were you running?"


    Well, yes she was. She didn''t know what she should think about, so she just kept running to keep her mind occupied.


    "M-My break went on for a little longer, so I rushed back."


    Nian chuckled. "So what? You are not in a school where you have to be back by the bell ring."


    She just smiled.


    A few minutes later, Jun returned too. Their eyes met, but they quickly looked away. He stood frozen for a moment before he went back to his desk.


    The twins exchanged suspicious glances.


    What''s with him?


    As the day came to an end, Jian whispered before leaving. "Um."


    He looked flustered. "A-About my confession¡­I hope you think about it."


    She widened her eyes.


    I completely forgot¡­


    "That-"


    "Bye."


    "..."


    Around closing time, there were only the two of them. Usually before leaving, Ai would always say to Jun, ''Thank you for your work.''


    But today''s incident had made it awkward between them.


    Tomorrow. I will say tomorrow.


    She just bowed and left.


    Jun''s head softly collapsed on his desk.


    He was furious. But whether at the situation or at himself, he didn''t know.


    For just a moment, he felt as if he had betrayed Shui. But then a sad chuckle escaped his lips.


    What am I thinking? Everything has ended between us.


    Jun emptily stared ahead.


    At first, he thought that he despised himself for not pushing Ai away. But then he realized a graver matter.


    The thought about Shui never once crossed his mind during the whole accidental kiss. She wasn''t just there at all.


    He felt shaken by this revelation. He had dedicated his whole past life to Shui. But now kissing another woman and not feeling disgusted took him greatly aback. If it was the past, he would have fed the woman to the sharks.


    But Ai¡­


    Her eyes¡­Her eyes always mess up everything in my head!


    What is there in Zhou Ai? Just because we died at the same time in my past life means there is a connection between us?


    That''s stupid!


    A connection between us¡­can never be there.


    ¡ª


    The next day was pretty much the same. Ai came in and saw Jun at his usual seat early in the morning. He noticed her but didn''t react.


    The ''Good morning'' from her lips never came out either. She pursed her lips and silently went to her work.


    "Zhou Ai!" The twins exclaimed.


    "Hello," she politely greeted them.


    Jian seemed to be a little nervous. "Hey."


    Ai remembered his confession. But she already knew what to say. She felt sad about it, but there was no choice but to reject him. She was just waiting for the right moment to break it to him.


    But the moment never came because Jian kept avoiding her requests to meet her. Just like that, the whole day had passed without her getting to talk to Jian.


    In the end, she waited for him in the corridor in the evening only to see Nian stepping out.


    He cleared his throat. "Can I talk to you for a second?"


    Ai thought that maybe he knew about Jian''s confession so he came to talk to her about it.


    "Yes."


    "Actually¡­" he scratched his head and looked embarrassed. "I¡­I have been observing you for two days and I¡­"


    Ai blinked.


    Why am I getting a sense of Deja Vu?


    "I-I really like you!"


    "..."


    "I know it''s a little hasty. Please listen to me before you think it''s weird. Until now, all women were only attracted to my money. But you didn''t care about it. I felt so¡­at peace after a long time. It was suffocating to be with those types of women. But you are different. I had even lost hope that I would find someone who wouldn''t be interested in my status. But then I met you. I know it''s too soon to judge, but I feel that I can trust you."


    Ai was at a loss.


    Both of them confessed to me?


    "You¡­"


    "No, no!" He covered his ears. "I don''t want to hear your answer. I mean, I do but ugh! I am too nervous! My heart was only ready for the confession. So, don''t say anything today! I just h-hope you think about it."


    He breathed hard and turned. "B-Bye!"


    Ai was left alone in the corridor, speechless.


    The twins high-fived and laughed.


    "Hoho, that was some good acting. Ever considered becoming an actor, Nian?"


    He smirked. "Nah. It''s only fun when it''s for fun, not real career."


    Jian peeked at Ai. "She looks so troubled."


    "Wonder who she would choose?"


    "Well her answer is her final test~ Let''s see what Ai has to say tomorrow."


    ¡ª


    The following day was even worse between Ai and Jun. The little bit of what conversation they used to share had also vanished. It was as if they had become strangers again.


    Jun glanced at her, and a feeling of annoyance welled inside him. For two days straight, she hadn''t given him her customary greetings, and it was beginning to irk for a reason he didn''t understand.


    Ai, on her side, also felt a little unsettled by this distance. She quietly took her seat.


    The twins were upto no good again. They looked at her, expectant and embarrassed.


    First day, she met the twins. Then she was confessed by them back to back and even shared an accidental kiss with Jun.


    What is with my luck these days? She seriously pondered.


    The twins were quite fidgety the whole day or at least pretended to be.


    Finally around closing time of the fourth day, she called Nian outside the library. The twins winked at each other, and he eagerly came out.


    "Hey¡­Have you thought about us?"


    Ai seriously said, "First, I would like to tell you that Jian had confessed to me the day before yesterday."


    Nian looked ''shocked.''


    "What?"


    "Yes. But-"


    "A-are you choosing him over me?" He looked hurt. "Zhou Ai, please don''t do this!"


    Ai was startled. "Can you listen to me?"


    "No, no! I know what you are gonna say! You want Jian, right? It''s¡­It''s always like that! We always like the same things. And now we like the same woman too! It''s as if being twins is like a curse to us. But you know what? Whenever it''s like this, it''s always Jian who gets it. So¡­p-please choose me over Jian!"


    He nervously laughed. "It doesn''t matter, right? We are twins, after all. We look the same. What difference would it make if it''s me or him?"

 Chapter 29 Spilling Out The Beans

    Chapter 29 Spilling Out The Beans


    "Nian, how dare you?" Jian, who was listening to their conversation, popped out just at the right time. "You¡­how could you say this? If that''s how you wanna play, then fine! Zhou Ai will choose me. After all, we are twins. What does it matter if it''s me instead of you?"


    Nian faked a hurt expression. "Jian! You are always like this. I know. You confessed to her because you knew that I was starting to like her. It''s like you have to like the same things that I do!"


    "Huh? What did I do wrong if I like her? It''s you who always gets in my way. It''s you who copied me!"


    Nian gritted her teeth. "Did you see, Zhou Ai? He looks so insincere. Sometimes I cannot believe how I am his brother. A twin at that!"


    "Hah! I am supposed to say that! You always have to get the same toy that I like. Once I get anything, you want to have it too. Isn''t it why you confessed to her after me?"


    "I was just nervous! Don''t make things as if they revolve around you, okay?"


    "I don''t care. I like her, and she is better off with me rather than you. I will give her everything she wants."


    "Hah! I will give her the most luxurious villa to live in! Your puny money won''t be able to compare!"


    Jian sneered. "Only a house? What about a car? All sorts of expensive dresses? Is only a house what you can afford?"


    "Jian! Don''t be like this!"


    "You are the one being annoying right now!"


    "..."


    "..."


    Ai stared straight at them. "Do you know why I put a popsicle in your mouth?"


    Silence.


    "A popsicle is cold so cool down your heads from all the fighting. A popsicle is sweet so it will wear the bitter taste off your tongues with all the bitter words you are speaking against each other."


    They widened their eyes.


    "Lastly, I need your mouths shut so that I can speak."


    "..."


    "..."


    Is she¡­angry?


    Ai was indeed furious, but it was her nature to have a tranquil expression on her face despite her dissatisfaction.


    "First of all, thank you for your confessions. I appreciate your feelings. However, I regret to say that I have to reject both of you. I am sorry, but I don''t think we can have a relationship."


    The twins glanced at each other with their mouths blocked by a popsicle.


    "Secondly, please stop referring to me as a ''thing.'' You have this thing, so I should have it too. I have this toy, so you want it too. I am a human," she shot a stare at them that made them gulp for some reason. "So, treat me like one."


    They didn''t know why, but they just nodded instinctively.


    "Thirdly. What difference does it make if it''s you or him because you have the same faces? Did you notice? Jian likes orange flavor, and Nian likes mango. You told me this before. But I put the mango popsicle in Jian''s mouth and orange one in Nian''s. Do you like it?"


    Their brows twitched. It''s not like they hated it, but they would have preferred to have their favorite flavors.


    Ai slightly tilted her head. "Your annoyance means that even if you are twins, you have your own favorites you would prefer to have.


    If you think that having the same face means having the same personality and beliefs too, then both of you shouldn''t get into any relationship at all. Feelings are not interchangeable.


    Even if I did like one of you, it would mean that I find something in your personality appealing. What I find in Jian, it''s not necessary that I will find that in Nian or vice versa. So the whole argument is baseless and extremely rude. Are you treating yourself as some option like a spare tire for a car?"


    They said nothing, not that they could anyway.


    Her gaze flickered. "I don''t want a man who treats himself like that because it means that one day, he could treat me like an option too."


    The twins stared at her in silence.


    Ai bowed. "That''s all I wanted to say. I hope you resolve your differences. I don''t have any siblings, so I envy the ones who have. Please cherish your brotherhood."


    She turned and left towards the library.


    Jian and Nian removed the popsicles from their mouths and remained silent for a long time.


    "What do you say Jian?"


    "What do you think Nian?"


    Suddenly, they burst into tears and sobbed. "Damn it she passed the Twins Trial of Judgment with flying colors!"


    "She is so cool!" Nian sparkled.


    "She is exactly like Mom when she gets angry."


    "She totally gives vibes like Mom!"


    The whole point of this trial was for them to judge Ai. Was she like other women who jumped at the chance of meeting a rich guy? Was she of those types who didn''t care if they dated Jian or Nian as long as they had money and status?


    It wasn''t that Jun couldn''t handle scheming women, but they wanted to see it for themselves just who Zhou Ai was who could so boldly step out of Jun''s condo.


    Jian sighed. "Well I am assured now! No! I have become her fan! She shut our mouths with popsicles!


    "That''s literally cool!"


    "But the point still remains of her exiting from Jun''s condo."


    "Jun would never allow any woman into his house."


    "I was sick, and she was responsible for it. That''s why she came."


    The twins shrugged. "Yeah but-"


    They froze.


    "Bro, did you hear the voice that I heard?"


    "I think I heard the same, bro."


    They slowly turned and found Jun icily staring at them as he leaned on the wall. He gave an unpleasant smile. "Hello big brothers."


    They coughed hard.


    Shit!


    "You must be wondering how I am here. So, I will let you know that I had recognized you from the beginning," he sneered. "I have suffered a lot because of you two, so I have developed that antenna to feel your annoying presence. That makeup can''t fool me."


    "....."


    "Hehehe¡­" Jian and Nian stood on either side and placed their arms on his shoulders.


    "Jun~~ Of course, we weren''t hiding from you."


    Jun smiled which gave them goosebumps behind their necks. "It''s fine hiding from me. I had an inkling you would do something like this. So, I was ready. The ones you should be hiding from are Leina and Mom."


    Jun played a video on his mobile, making the twins feel as if hell came down.


    He sneered. "I wonder how their reaction would be seeing their boyfriend and son shamelessly acting like hooligans for a woman."

 Chapter 30 As Lonely As A Desert

    Chapter 30 As Lonely As A Desert


    In that video, Jun had captured every action the twins took to hit on Ai - their flirting, their intimacy and them ganging up on her like some pervert goons.


    Jian was horrified. "You fucking idiot of a brother! Don''t even think about sending that to Leina!"


    When did he even record all this!?


    Xu Leina was Shui''s best friend and the daughter of Xu Liang and Xu Ah Cy who were the best friends to Shui''s parents Han Zhiyuan and Han Xinyi. They were close family friends.


    Jun chuckled. "I have already pressed the send button. You might be getting their call at any-"


    *Ring Ring*


    *Ring Ring*


    Jian and Nian''s phones rang at the same time. Leina was calling Jian while Nana was calling Nian.


    They broke into a cold sweat.


    Jun taunted. "It would be wise not to let it go on a missed call otherwise¡­"


    They immediately pressed the green button.


    "Jiaaaaaaaaan¡­" Xu Leina''s threatening voice sounded like death''s bell. "I see you getting quite cozy with another woman.


    ''That''s a beautiful name. Ai means love. It indeed suits you.''


    "No, no, no! Of course not! I-It was just acting! Acting! How can I think about another woman other than my sweet Leina-"


    "And of course such a heartfelt confession you gave to her. I had almost grabbed my favorite knife seeing you so close to her~"


    "..."


    "L-Leina hahaha¡­Don''t get mad, okay? P-please give this mortal a chance to defend! It was the Twins Trial of Judgment! We just wanna know who the woman was who-"


    Leina sneered. "Well then Mr. Liu. I hope you are ready for Xu Leina''s Trial of Judgment now."


    Jian felt as if Death had summoned himself.


    "It''s your turn to give the trial, and I will be the judge if I should break up with you or not. I should warn you it will be a treacherous road. Be ready."


    "..."


    On the other side.


    "Liu Nian!" Nana exclaimed in a fury. "Is this how I have raised you? You and Jian were totally cornering that poor girl like a hoodlum!"


    Nian nervously laughed. "H-How can you say that, Mom? I am extremely righteous and upright!"


    "Your sense of righteousness is leaning yourself over a woman and acting like a goon?"


    "..."


    "Is it showing advances when she is clearly not interested in you?"


    "..."


    "You two¡­you two have gone out of hands. Jian is even dating Leina! How will that poor girl feel? Just come back home right now. Don''t you dare run away. I will give you some nice ''reward'' you deserve."


    Nian felt itchy in his throat.


    Ugh¡­this won''t end well.


    The twins exchanged glances and nodded.


    Bro, we lived a good life.


    Jun patted Jian''s shoulder and icily smiled. "This is my warning for you to not pull this stupid pranks anymore. Imagine if I had sent this video to Leina''s father, Uncle Liang, then..."


    Jian puked blood.


    Uncle Liang that monster of a father who makes his guards aim their guns at me whenever I meet Leina!?


    Hell would have broken loose if he had seen the video! My love story would have been finished!


    Jun glanced at Nian and shrugged. "You are dead now that Mom knows. All the best. I will definitely come to your funeral. Yours too, Bro Jian."


    He smirked and left them to fend for themselves while his brothers cursed him endlessly.


    Just you wait till we get our revenge!


    ¡ª


    Back at the library Jun had packed his bag and was about to leave. He saw Ai saying goodbye to Mrs. Quan Su.


    "Oh dear will you be alright?" She worriedly asked. "I was just talking to my friend who lives in the same neighborhood as you are, and she said that there has been a robbery. He also carried a knife with him. It''s dangerous, and it''s so dark now. How will you go alone?"


    Ai kindly smiled. "Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Quan. But I will be fine. My apartment is very close to the bus stop, and there is still a crowd at that time. I will be safe. The thief won''t attack when there are so many people."


    "Are you sure¡­? You are young and so beautiful. One cannot tell these days," she glanced at Jun and beamed. "Jun! Why don''t you drop her at home tonight?"


    They stiffened. They hadn''t talked to each other for three whole days after their kiss.


    Ai quickly said, "It''s okay. I will be-"


    "Let''s go," Jun cut her off and moved ahead.


    Mrs. Quan Su was elated. "Oh, that''s wonderful. I will feel assured if he is with you."


    Ai was a little startled with how he quickly agreed.


    I thought he would¡­


    She followed him into the bus and quietly sat beside him. She fiddled with her thumbs and said, "Thank you. My home is in the opposite direction of yours, so¡­"


    Jun didn''t reply. She pursed her lips and averted her gaze.


    Honestly, why would I agree to this? Jun shut his eyes and rested his head back.


    ''There has been a robbery.''


    ''He also carried a knife with him.''


    Hearing that, the first thing that came to his mind was Ai''s death in his past life. It wasn''t due to any robbery or knife injury, but he couldn''t shake the strange feeling off. Recalling her bloodied face and her helpless gaze irked him.


    Thirty minutes later, the bus stopped, and they stepped out.


    "I will walk from-"


    "Where is your house?"


    He wants to drop me all the way? Ai blinked.


    "There is no point if it''s not all the way," he sternly stared at her.


    Ai paused and then pointed towards the left. "That way."


    They silently walked with Jun facing the roadside. Ai peeked at him. Looking from that angle, she was average in height. Her shoulders were just a few centimetres above his elbow line.


    Is it only me or my left arm feels a little warm?


    She felt the distance between them closing in, making her a little conscious. At one point, their arms lightly brushed past each other. Their fingers briefly met for a moment before they swiftly took a step away. Ai cleared her throat and kept walking as if nothing had happened. Jun, on the other hand, felt a little rattled, but that expression faded away soon enough.


    Ai wondered why it was so awkward between them?


    It was an accident. There was nothing more to it.


    Jun looked around and narrowed his eyes. He coldly glowered at her.


    "What?"


    "You said there are people around this time. Where are they? I can hardly see anybody. This place is as lonely as a desert."

 Chapter 31 The Different Sides Of Mr. Liu

    Chapter 31 The Different Sides Of Mr. Liu


    "Oh. No. It''s indeed usually a little busy at this time too. I am also puzzled. Maybe everybody is scared about that armed robber, so nobody wants to be out at this hour," Ai guessed.


    Jun hummed.


    As they reached her apartment, Jun noticed a glaring fault in the area.


    Why the hell two of the street lights are not working?


    No light''s presence made it even darker and haunting on the road, especially around her apartment. The working ones were quite far away.


    This is like inviting for a murder to take place, he sneered.


    Ai was having different thoughts altogether.


    He came this far to drop me off. Should I invite him for a cup of coffee?


    Usually she would have, but the present situation between them made it tricky for her.


    Ai gave it a thought and finally decided. "Thank you for dropping me back home. Do you¡­" she slightly pressed her bag''s handle, "Do you want to come up for some coffee?"


    Just then Jun noticed some movement from the corner of his left eye. It instantly disappeared as if it wasn''t even there in the first place.


    "No," he replied with a chill. But that chill wasn''t meant for her.


    Ai had expected this reaction. Nevertheless, she felt a little disa She bowed and left.


    Jun didn''t. He tilted his head and casually crossed the street.


    Her flat was only on the first floor. Ai dropped her bag on the couch and opened the curtains of her living room. The view faced the street.


    Her brows crinkled seeing Jun enter an alley across the road. It was darker than on the road.


    Why is he going over there?


    Jun entered the middle of the ominous alley. He didn''t hear a sound.


    "Come out."


    There was no response.


    "I am saying it for the last time because if I find you, Mr. Armed Robber, then it wouldn''t be a good ending for you."


    Something ever so slightly stirred from his back. It moved akin to the lightning speed that was about to strike Jun.


    Jun smiled and flawlessly moved a step sideways.


    As I thought, it was a knife indeed.


    The robber froze in his steps. He hadn''t expected such a quick reaction from Jun. Jun grabbed his wrist, knocked out the knife from his hand and jabbed on his knee. It happened within a span of just one short second. The robber yelped and collapsed.


    Jun picked the knife and twirled in his hand lazily. "Who were you looking at? Me or her?"


    He held his knee that was hurting like hell. "You bastard¡­Who the hell are you?"


    "You don''t deserve to know. So, how many have you killed?"


    "I am just a robber."


    "Your eyes are that of a murderer''s. I know those eyes. I have seen them a lot of times. So how many?"


    He sweated. "Those fucking people deserved to die! Have such a nice home, wear such nice clothes and what about me? I eat dirt on the road!"


    "I don''t wanna get into philosophy stuff. That''s not my style," Jun yawned. "If my mother had been here, she would have lectured you for hours about the difference between the right and wrong path. Dad, my brothers and I take the easy way out. So how many have you killed for money?"


    He gritted his teeth. "...Five. I didn''t have a choice!"


    "Everybody has a choice."


    "Why are you even asking me!?"


    "Because depending on your answer, I will either kill you or think about your life perhaps," Jun''s gaze was calm, but his smile wasn''t.


    "You¡­"


    "Who were you looking at? Me or her?"


    The robber was actually keeping an eye on both of them. Jun''s watch looked pricey while Ai had a thin chain on her neck.


    But gauging his expression, he instinctively felt that he shouldn''t take Jun''s name.


    "Her! That woman. I was looking at her chain!"


    Silence.


    "Would you have killed her?" His voice quietened by several decibels.


    He sneered. "If she resisted, then yes. I only care about her money. Might have had some fun with her too before killing her since I am so unlucky with women."


    The frost in Jun''s eyes deepened and so did in his voice. "Wrong answer."


    He stiffened.


    "I said I know a murderer''s eyes. Do you know why? What do my eyes look like right now?" Jun tilted his head and raised his brow in amusement.


    The robber felt it difficult to breathe.


    His eyes¡­They looked like a predator to him.


    A malevolent smile curled Jun''s lips upwards. "You killed five people. But in the darkest and evilest place where I have worked for a spell, I have killed more than five not so innocent people like you. Do you know what that place is called?"


    The robber gasped in pain as Jun poked the tip of the knife into his neck.


    He grimly answered his own question, "The Underworld."


    The robber widened his eyes in horror.


    "And the Underworld doesn''t forgive people like you."


    With one strike, Jun stabbed the knife into the robber''s neck. He swiftly turned to avoid the blood spurt on his face and clothes.


    The robber struggled in vain for a few moments, and then he breathed his last in an excruciating manner.


    Jun kept the knife on the ground and wiped his fingerprints. Then he made a call. "Dump the body and weapon from here. I have texted you the address."


    He hung up and dusted his pants. "Problem solved."


    Then he thought about something else and dropped another text.


    ''Build new street lights in this area by tomorrow.''


    Jun kept his phone back in pocket and left the alley with a bored expression as if nothing had happened.


    But the one with the most stunned countenance right now was none other than Ai who was hiding under a shop''s roof. She had followed Jun, thinking it would be dangerous if there would be that armed robber.


    But witnessing the murder, she realized that Jun was the danger himself.


    She touched her chest and felt her heart thudding like akin to rumbling thunder. She had never seen Jun like that before. Or rather she wondered just how many emotions were sleeping inside that man?


    Just how dark and intense was he?


    She figured Jun was someone rich as how he lived in a condo.


    But now he killed that robber.


    She heard their conversation and naturally, she was displeased by the robber for harbouring such evil thoughts about her.


    But Jun, a normal citizen, killed him without even batting his eyelid. In fact, his eyes were even more sinister than the robber himself.


    Ai recalled he talked about the Underworld.


    A lavish condo and the dark underworld¡­


    Just who are you Jun?

 Chapter 32 The Book Signing Event (1)

    Chapter 32 The Book Signing Event (1)


    Dream High''s book signing event was organized in a shopping complex. It had all sorts of restaurants and cafes and fashion stores which was an ideal place for promoting CherryBlossom''s romance novels since it was so close to many highschools, colleges and offices in the area.


    The shopping complex was always bustling with young students and couples, and it was the perfect place for hanging out with one''s friends and office colleagues. It was a place that inspired many budding and experienced authors to imagine a beautiful fated meeting.


    Specifically, the event was hosted on the seventh floor in the large open space near one of the most famous cafe chains, and right now, there was a mad rush of CherryBlossom''s fans eager to get a glimpse of their favorite author.


    CherryBlossom was finally going to reveal herself.


    "Hey, don''t push me!"


    "You are the one cutting the line!"


    "I am not. I came here first!"


    The guards were busy managing the excited crowd.


    Inside the private lounge in the cafe, Zhan Yahui was very pleased as she grinned. "See the crowd for you, Guiying? Aren''t you thrilled? The fans are waiting for you."


    Guiying wiped her forehead. "Ah, I am so nervous. I hope I don''t slip up."


    She rolled her eyes. "I will be there by your side. Just act normal. You are the writer who won the Best Fiction Award. Be confident."


    Zhan Yahui smacked her head. "It''s such an important day. What''s with the sigh? Take this chance and connect with the readers. Thank the committee for this. This is gonna be a major boost for your career. You got this event means that Dream High is investing in you. Otherwise, how many authors can get this chance?"


    "I know, I know. I am very thankful."


    "You better not feel guilty for Zhou Ai, okay?" She narrowed her eyes.


    She slightly stiffened.


    "I already told you this. I don''t mind you two being friends, but don''t let it interfere in your career. No matter what field it is, it''s always a competition and only one person can soar high. I want you to take all the chances you get to build your repertoire as a writer."


    Zhan Yahui squinted her gaze. "I only hope Zhou Ai doesn''t come today."


    "Hey!"


    "No hey, okay? I don''t want anything bad to happen. This event should get over as smoothly as it could."


    Guiying was exasperated. "You overthink. Ai is my friend. What wrong would go even if she is here?"


    ¡ª


    Ai stood at the entrance of the shopping complex, a small purse slinging down her arm till her knee. She wore shades on her eyes, and her nose and mouth was covered with a mask.


    From the ground floor itself, she could see the massive crowd on the seventh floor that had gathered for the book signing event. A big banner hung from the railing announcing CherryBlossom''s event.


    Ai clasped the handle of her purse and stepped into the elevator. The small space within the elevator was quite crowded as everyone wanted to go up to the seventh floor for the most advertised event.


    She squeezed in and stood in the left corner of the lift. The doors were about to close when a hand slid in between. The doors retracted, and Jun''s tall figure stepped in.


    Ai choked.


    Jun¡­


    She knew Jun would come to the event too but thought that with such a large crowd, they might not even cross paths.


    But they already did.


    Carrying a bag on his left shoulder, he coldly swept his eyes across the crowd.


    "Move," It was an order, not a request.


    The girls stared at him, starstruck.


    So..so hot!!!


    They squealed and screamed and rolled inside their heads.


    Oh God! My eyes have been blessed!


    Who is this cold, ethereal beauty?


    I want him to hug me!


    The girls immediately made space for him, giggling and shying.


    Stand beside me! Please stand beside me! Everybody was praying hard.


    Jun didn''t spare them a single glance. He made his way to the leftmost corner and stood beside Ai or rather his body was almost covering hers like a roof over someone''s head.


    The women envied Ai.


    Damn she is so lucky!


    But Ai at this moment - "..."


    Out of all the four corners, did he just get this space only?


    The elevator closed with a ding.


    Normally, Ai would get afraid as the elevator went up because that would trigger her fear of heights. But by Jun hovering over her, that fear had no space to cross her mind.


    Ai peeked at his expression. It wasn''t any different from what he always wore on his face. Nobody could guess that the man upon whom every girl was squealing like crazy right now had killed a robber last night by stabbing him in the neck.


    Witnessing such a gruesome scene, Ai hadn''t gotten a wink of sleep last night.


    Technically, I should call the cops and testify against Jun.


    A murder was a murder even if his intentions were good, and she was a witness. A civilian had no right to kill somebody.


    So, now she had a moral obligation which¡­she couldn''t fulfill no matter how hard she thought about it.


    How is Jun just a simple assistant librarian? His background¡­what is it exactly?


    Jun was like someone who was shrouded in mystery. Dark, cold and unknown¡­


    Ai was in a dilemma. How to face him after what she just saw?


    Should I confess that I saw him killing the robber?


    She looked up and found Jun staring back at her in deep thought. She coughed and slightly shifted.


    Will he shut my mouth too? Ai seriously questioned.


    Thinking about shutting mouth, her mind wandered off to their accidental kiss.


    "..."


    By shutting mouth, I didn''t mean by a kiss, she scolded herself. Murder. Murder! Will he kill me to shut my mouth to hide his crime? This is what I meant, she nodded.


    On the other side, Jun was thinking critically about Ai for some reason as he gazed at the woman in front of him.


    This woman¡­her figure is so like Zhou Ai. From her hair, neck to her arms and legs, she resembles her so much.


    Then realization struck him, and his face blackened.


    Why am I even thinking about her!?

 Chapter 33 The Book Signing Event (2)

    Chapter 33 The Book Signing Event (2)


    Jun was now furious at himself.


    There is no reason to think about her!


    The accidental kiss flashed in his mind, and he banged his fist on the elevator''s wall. The others gasped, feeling the temperature drop.


    Ugh, what happened? It''s so cold now.


    Jun shot them a stare. "What?"


    They quickly looked away.


    N-Nothing at all!


    As much as Jun was handsome and an eye treat, he was equally distant and fierce. He wasn''t gentle as a charming prince but cold as a ruthless emperor.


    Jun''s palms were leaning on the front and right wall of the elevator which looked as if he was pinning Ai in a wall slam style.


    Aah why am I not there? The girls lamented.


    Ai felt his jawline just graze her forehead. His broad chest was hardly an inch away from her face, and his warm breath slightly tickled her hair.


    My chest would totally touch his if I breathe in, right?


    So, she held onto her breath to avoid any physical contact more than they already had.


    *Ding*


    The elevator reached the seventh floor and everybody rushed out. Ai finally breathed out in relief.


    Jun kept his squinted gaze at her for a moment, and then he left too. Ai checked herself again.


    He didn''t realize it was me, right?


    The venue on the seventh floor was now even more jam packed than before. Ai quietly walked and stood at a side. She saw the event''s banner with an unreadable expression.


    Jun was on the other side, leaning on a wall and watching the crowd acting crazy for CherryBlossom to show up and start the event.


    He shut his eyes for a moment, but he kept picturing Ai everytime he did. He clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    ''I don''t want a man who treats himself like that because it means that one day, he could treat me like an option too.''


    Her words echoed in his ears of the time she spoke to his brothers. Since he knew they were Jian and Nian all along, he wanted to know their purpose of coming to the library in disguise and approaching Ai, which was when he heard their conversation.


    It was the test she had passed, but what she had said stuck in his mind ever since.


    Was I¡­also just an option for Shui?


    But he quickly discarded that thought. Whatever differences Jun and Shui had between them, he knew one thing for sure that she wasn''t someone to treat him like that.


    But choosing his brother Jin and falling for him had broken his heart beyond repair. He felt discarded just like a spare option would have.


    From then on, he hated himself. He hated the whole world.


    He gave a wry smile.


    But that life has passed away. There will be nobody to separate Shui and Jin anymore. Whereas I¡­


    He chuckled.


    Well, I just have to wait for my death.


    Just then he got a call, and he sighed. "What is it, Yunru?"


    It was Chen Yunru, his cousin. "Bro! Have you disappeared to an alien planet?"


    He yawned and repeated. "What is it, Yunru?"


    "You! You have dumped all your work on me and then you ask what is it?"


    "Come to the point."


    "Will you finally choose a writer to publish traditional books? Didn''t you want to hire traditional writers? Sky Publishing has received tons of story drafts, but you rejected them all."


    "Because nobody was that interesting for me to choose."


    "Ugh. Just what are you looking for?" He whined. "We are already unbeatable for webnovels and webcomics. Once we start with traditional books, nobody would be able to match Sky Publishing!" He proudly smirked. "We would become the complete package of the story world! Hah! Dream High can forget their position in this business~"


    Jun smiled. "Sure."


    "What sure!? For that to happen, will you choose somebody already?" He complained.


    "I will when such a writer comes."


    He let out a sigh.


    Sky Publishing was a joint venture started by Jun and Yunru. The one thing Jun loved the most in his life apart from Shui were books. It wasn''t surprising when he declared that he wanted to start a publishing company, and Yunru joined him excited about the prospects and working with him together. Out of all his cousins, Yunru was closest to Jun because they shared interests in stories.


    Jun didn''t want to become a writer himself, but he wanted to be someone who supported other writers as the best publishing house.


    Sky Publishing was a part of his last life too, but due to the growing differences between him and Shui and his rocky relationship, he couldn''t drive his company properly. He dumped everything on Yunru and for a long time, he gave his best to tether the company.


    But with Jun gone, Yunru slowly lost his hopes and motivation too. He wanted to do this together. But he was left all alone in the end, the result being Sky Publishing becoming a failure.


    The one who was the most broken by their company''s downfall was Chen Yunru.


    Jun still vividly remembered Yunru''s outburst and tears when he had confronted him.


    ''Does the only thing that matters in your life is your relationship, bro Jun!? What¡­what about our dream?''


    ''What about becoming the best publishing company? I wanted to do this together! It doesn''t mean anything if you aren''t there with me! It is lonely without you, bro Jun!''


    "Look at Sky Publishing¡­'' he cried. "It has fallen miserably. Dream High is laughing at us. And what are we able to do? Nothing at all¡­Do you feel nothing about it?''


    After the downfall, Jun and Yunru''s relationship had turned bitter and both grew distant. Yunru could never forgive Jun for abandoning him and Sky Publishing. They simply fell apart.


    "Bro? Bro? Hello? Are you there?"


    Jun snapped out of his past life memories.


    "Yunru."


    "Ah, you are there. I thought you hung up on me!" He pouted.


    "...Never. Never again, Yunru," Jun''s gaze flickered with a mixture of sadness and determination, "I will never abandon you or Sky Publishing again. This is my promise."

 Chapter 34 The Book Signing Event (3)

    Chapter 34 The Book Signing Event (3)


    On the other side, Yunru was quite taken aback by Jun''s mellow voice.


    Bro Jun has never talked that way before.


    And never abandon again? What does he mean by again? When did he abandon it before?


    "What happened, bro? You sound so¡­emotional for some reason. Did somebody bully you?"


    Jun chuckled. "Can anybody bully me?"


    "Hehe. Of course not. Bro Jun bullies people, not the other way~"


    "Yunru."


    "Hm?"


    He smiled. "Let''s make Sky Publishing the best publishing company."


    "That''s what I have been saying!" He grumbled in complaint. "Only if you choose a good writer already for traditional books. We will at least get some start."


    "Don''t worry. I will do it. Keep sending me the drafts."


    "CherryBlossom''s book signing event."


    "What!" He gasped. "Damn, you are at the shopping complex right now? So cool! Fish out for some good traditional writers if you are there~"


    He sneered. "You want writers from Dream High to come to Sky?"


    "So what? What matters is talent! I would prefer if we could recruit CherryBlossom herself. But she is the star of Dream High. Though of course it would be the best opportunity for her to come to Sky, but anyway. You keep an eye on the other writers haha!"


    He rolled his eyes. "First of all, contacting writers is your job. I don''t want to expose myself as the Sky CEO."


    "Ugh. So uncool. Don''t you want the limelight?"


    "No. You want it, and that''s just perfect."


    "Of course, I want the limelight haha! One of the main reasons we are getting so many applications is because the President is so dashing~ Imagine if they came to know about you, Sky will be filled with drafts upto the sky. Oh gosh did you get the pun? Hahaha! I am so great."


    His mouth twitched. "Whatever. Secondly, I don''t want any writer from Dream High."


    "Why not?" He complained.


    "I don''t like Dream High."


    "What''s it got to do with the writers?"


    "I don''t like their methods. They have imbibed their authors to write on only certain themes and tropes. I don''t want such limiting writers to be a part of Sky."


    "Well, they can always change their style. We are Sky Publishing. We will give them the freedom to fly in the sky, haha!"


    It isn''t just about the writers, Yunru¡­


    His brows crinkled as he thought about the events that transpired in his past life.


    One of the other reasons that led to Sky Publishing''s downfall was Dream High. It wasn''t only because Jun had started to ignore his company.


    It started on Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday where he proposed to her for marriage. But he got the biggest shock of his life when she rejected him. That''s also when he came to know about her feelings for Jin. He was utterly devastated and had a violent confrontation with Jin. It became a huge uproar in the media.


    Jun''s image had shattered. He became the villain in everybody''s eyes. He ignored his responsibilities as the CEO, and the performance began to plummet. It was around that time when the last strike occurred that completely destroyed Sky Publishing.


    It was leaked to the world that Liu Jun was the secret CEO of Sky Publishing. Everybody knew about Chen Yunru as the President. But after Jun''s image took such a bad hit, it was akin to a deadly missile to reveal his position as the Sky Publishing''s CEO.


    Sky''s reputation crumbled, and there was nothing that could be done to save it. Yunru tried until the very end to save their dream they built together. But Jun had lost all his hope after Shui''s rejection. He simply didn''t bother.


    But the one thing he learned was that Dream High had sent a spy into Sky Publishing. That spy got his hands about this secret and quickly leaked it out anonymously.


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    Now that he gave it a proper thought after having been reborn, he was almost certain that the one who sent the spy must be Gu Yating - the Chief Editor of Dream High.


    Sky was Dream High''s biggest rival. Why would he let go of this golden opportunity to completely crush them?


    That''s why I don''t want anybody from Dream High to come into Sky at any cost. No way I would let anything happen to Sky this time.


    Jun coldly said, "Forget about Dream High writers. We won''t let anyone from that company come into ours."


    "So stubborn¡­" Yunru mumbled. "Anyway. Tell me later how the event goes, okay?"


    "Hm," They hung up.


    Jun got a message from Warlord on the Reading Point chat.


    [Yo! Are you at the event today?]


    Jun was sure that Warlord would be definitely somewhere in the crowd, cheering at the top of his voice.


    He typed back. [No.]


    [What!? Why not? My Goddess is gonna show herself! And you aren''t here to praise her beauty? Aren''t you a fan of her books too?]


    Jun smiled in disdain.


    I already know what she looks like.


    This event had happened in his past life too where she had revealed herself, so naturally, Jun already knew what she looked like.


    He knew Warlord would insist on meeting him. Who wouldn''t be excited to meet their online friends in real life? But Jun wasn''t interested, so he lied that he wasn''t at the event at all.


    [I am not here. I won''t be either. Her books are great. But I am busy today.]


    [...Tch! Such a party pooper! I wanted to meet you!]


    He sneered.


    That''s exactly why I lied, stupid.


    By then, the event was finally going to start, and Jun kept his phone back in his pocket. The fans were cheering loudly for CherryBlossom as her figure appeared in front of them. She waved her hand and gave a gentle smile.


    "She is CherryBlossom, right?"


    "Oh my God! She is a Goddess!"


    "Ahh her smile! She is so pretty."


    "Just like her books are!"


    Jun squinted his gaze at the companion with her.


    A woman accompanied CherryBlossoms. He was pretty sure she was her editor, Zhan Yahui.


    But the one he was searching for hadn''t arrived yet.


    Gu Yating¡­

 Chapter 35 The Book Signing Event (4)

    Chapter 35 The Book Signing Event (4)


    Jun''s countenance turned chilly. He dug his nails into his palms, itching to meet and punch the hell out of Gu Yating.


    When will you be here, you bastard?


    Zhan Yahui was grinning by Guiying''s side as she greeted the fans. They stepped up to the podium, and she took the mic.


    "Thank you all for coming here. I am Zhan Yahui, CherryBlossom''s editor. I am honored to host this event today and let you meet the star author of Dream High, CherryBlossom."


    "CherryBlossom!!!"


    "We love you!"


    "I am your biggest fan CherryBlossom!"


    "You are so beautiful!"


    The fans loudly cheered. Everybody had their phones out, recording CherryBlossom''s entry and capturing her Goddess face in their cameras.


    Guiying then took the mic from Zhan Yahui and faced everyone as she smiled. "Hello. Thank you everyone for taking your time out of your busy schedule to meet me."


    The fans'' hearts melted.


    "Ah, her voice is so angelic."


    "Isn''t she the perfect beauty with brains?"


    Guiying continued. "I am deeply honored that you love my books so much. It is my lovely readers who brought me to this place today and who showered me with their immense love. You have my gratitude," she bowed.


    They clapped hard.


    "We will always support you CherryBlossom!" The fans encored.


    Zhan Yahui nodded with a signal. "Thank you for your patience, everyone. We will now start the event. Request you all to please maintain a proper queue to get your copies of signed books."


    The staff brought three heavy cardboard boxes filled with Guiying''s new book - To Capture Your Heart.


    Jun wasn''t interested in this signing event. He was particularly waiting for the incident that would implicate MissImperfectlyFine.


    When would that be?


    He remembered she would be forced to apologize in front of Guiying''s fans to admit to ruining her books, which would take a heavy toll on her reputation. Though she wasn''t kicked out from Dream High, it was the beginning of MissImperfectlyFine''s downward trajectory in her career.


    Then he faintly remembered another point while recalling the chain of events again.


    I think Yunru said that Dream High did give a statement later on that she was innocent, but it didn''t help much¡­What was it again?


    His memories had gaps since he didn''t follow those events that closely and because of his rocky relationship with Shui too.


    Jun shrugged and walked around the other side with less crowd and went towards the cafe.


    I will get to know it today anyway.


    Jun was about to enter the lounge when he saw the woman from the elevator wearing shades and a mask, hurrying towards a room.


    He furrowed his brows.


    That room is where the books are kept.


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    Is she¡­?


    ¡ª


    After the event had officially started, Ai


    quietly stood away from the crowd, glancing left and right. She noticed a little boy crying and running inside the temporary store room where the novel copies were kept.


    She straightened up and hastily looked around for his parents but saw nobody coming after him. Worried, she rushed into the room. The child was around six or seven years old, who was sobbing miserably, facing a wall.


    Ai removed her shades and mask and gently called out. "Hello."


    The boy was startled, and he looked back, frightened. "W-who are you? Why are you here?"


    She gave a tranquil smile to ease him. "I saw you crying, so I got worried for you. You shouldn''t be alone here. Where are your Mom and Dad?"


    His face puffed up like a cute balloon. "I don''t want Mom and Dad anymore! They¡­they don''t like me at all!" He burst into tears.


    Ai tilted her head. "Why do you think so?"


    The boy gasped and sniffled. "I found a super cool game! But-but they don''t want to buy it for me waaaaaa. I want that game. I said please many times but they say no!"


    "So you ran away?"


    "En! I don''t like Mom and Dad anymore!" He cried.


    "You shouldn''t say that. They really love you. There must be some problem so they might not be able to buy it for you now. That doesn''t mean they don''t care about you. So, let''s go back to them."


    The boy refused to get convinced. "But I really want that game! A-All my friends in school have it¡­Only I don''t. They make fun of me that I am poor¡­I hate it¡­"


    Ai patted his head. "I understand. But your parents might also be helpless now. Give them some time and they can-"


    He shook his head furiously. "No, I cannot do that! I told my friends that I will have the game tomorrow. If-If I don''t have it, then they will laugh at me even more. I want the game, I want the game, I want the game!"


    He started to run around the room, wanting to stay away from Ai.


    "You are just like them!" He sobbed.


    Ai widened her eyes. "Don''t run around. There are books here," she ran behind him.


    "Bleh!" He stuck out his tongue at her. Suddenly, he slipped and crashed onto a shelf. On top of it was kept a plastic can of printing ink. The can jolted from its place and was about to fall.


    Ai sharply gasped. "L-Look out!"


    She pulled the boy and covered him under her embrace and supported the shelf with her right hand. The can fell and ink spilled out of it on her. She tightly hugged him and felt herself getting soaked in the ink.


    Ai slowly opened her eyes and checked on the boy. "Are you okay?"


    He was frozen in shock. Something crashed because of him and Ai right now, looked like a ghost with her face smeared in ink. He was frightened out of his wits.


    "Waaaaa¡­"


    Ai consoled him. "Ssh. Don''t cry. Everything is fine."


    But it wasn''t. The ink had fallen on the boxes too and Guiying''s books copies in it got smudged with ink. Ink began to sleep inside the pages.


    The boy understood seeing the ruined books that he had made a terrible mistake.


    "Waaaaaa¡­" he cried. Terrified, he clutched onto Ai''s dress. "I¡­I don''t do it on purpose."


    "I know you didn''t."


    "M-Mom Dad will be very angry at me¡­" he gasped. He was shaking in fear.


    Ai smiled. "Don''t worry. I won''t let them know."


    "R-Really?" He sniffled.


    "Yes. Quickly go from here. I will handle everything-"


    The shelf got heavier to keep holding onto for Ai, and her hand slipped, feeling numb. The shelf was going to fall upon them.


    She covered the boy with her body once again and shut her eyes for the impact.


    But then she felt getting pulled into an embrace herself. Feeling nothing falling upon her, she slightly looked up in confusion and froze.


    It was Jun, who was covering her in turn as he held the shelf with his arm from falling.

 Chapter 36 The Book Signing Event (5)

    Chapter 36 The Book Signing Event (5)


    Ai felt his fingers firmly holding onto her arm. His stance was protective and cold. It wasn''t too tight that would hurt her and neither was it too light that would leave her.


    His fist looked so unforgiving when he punched the college student and stabbed that robber, she thought.


    Jun lowered his head. "Are you hurt?"


    Ai quickly looked away. She forgot she had removed the shades and mask. But thankfully for her, her face was smeared with black ink all over, so she wasn''t recognizable.


    "Yes," she cleared her throat.


    Jun pushed back and steadied the shelf. Ai took this chance to pull back her shades and glasses. She patted the boy''s back. "It''s okay now. Your parents must be worried about you. Go quickly."


    The little boy hesitated. "B-But¡­"


    She smiled. "I told you I will handle it. Go."


    The boy then quickly left.


    Jun raised his brow and watched her in amusement. He saw the books smudged with ink and parted his lips. "MissImperfectlyFine."


    Ai froze.


    "I am right, am I not?"


    She coughed. "How do you¡­"


    Ai paused. "Why don''t you like my books?"


    I hope my voice sounds different with the mask on. Otherwise he would recognize me as Zhou Ai.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He slowly leaned towards her, making her slightly startled.


    Don''t come too close, or you will recognize me.


    "Because I hate tragedies. Why do you write them?"


    Ai furrowed her brows. "Why do you read them?"


    His mouth twitched in annoyance.


    "You don''t want readers to read your story?"


    "Not if it''s not to their taste."


    Then she asked, "There are many stories with such endings. Why are you particular about mine?"


    Jun''s countenance turned icy.


    If I knew the answer, I wouldn''t be so troubled.


    "Is it because I am showing you the reality that you don''t want to accept?"


    He stiffened and gritted his teeth. "Don''t get so arrogant."


    "I am simply pointing out the truth."


    Jun gave an evil smile. "And the truth is you are in big trouble here. I don''t need to tell you what has happened here, right?"


    "I know."


    "Yet you let the boy leave."


    Ai unhurriedly stated, "It wasn''t his fault."


    "It was."


    "But he didn''t do it on purpose."


    "And you want to act like a hero. Oh no, my bad. Heroine," he disdainfully smiled.


    "It''s nothing like that. He was already frightened. I simply didn''t want to make him any more troubled."


    Jun said nothing.


    It was around this time that one of the staff members would come here to take another batch of books when he would notice the accident and raise an alarm. From there on, it would be all downfall for MissImperfectlyFine.


    It was all up to Jun who saw the real incident happen and could defend Ai now.


    "Well, good luck then."


    Ai remained silent for a moment and nodded. "Thank you for saving me."


    Jun found it odd. Not that she thanked him, but her polite tone reminded her of Ai.


    The hell I am always thinking about her!


    Jun stared at her and left.


    A minute later, Chief Editor Gu Yating''s assistant came in and was shocked by all the mess. "Oh my God! Who are you!? A thief? Shit! The books!"


    He wanted to faint seeing the ink all smeared on them.


    "No¡­What will happen now!? You! Just wait! It''s all your fault! You are also all smeared with ink. What did you do?"


    Hearing the commotion, the other staff members of Dream High and Zhan Yahui quickly entered. "What happened here?"


    Zhan Yahui saw the sorry state of Guiying''s books and was horrified. "What the hell! What happened to these books!?"


    The assistant who first saw Ai recounted the events.


    She widened her eyes. "What¡­Who are you!? Do you know what you have done? There is an event going on outside. The stock over there is going to end soon, and these news copies are in this state! What are we gonna give the rest of the fans? These books are all ruined! Speak!"


    There was silence.


    "Didn''t you hear me!?"


    Ai stared at her. "Zhou Ai."


    She blinked. "...Huh?"


    Then as she realized that it was indeed her Zhan Yahui took a sharp breath. "Zhou Ai, what are you doing here?"


    "Why wouldn''t I be here? Guiying called me here as her friend."


    She angrily laughed. "And this is what you do? If you are here as her well-wisher, then why are her books in this state?"


    "It was an accident."


    "And you think I am supposed to believe that?"


    "Yes. I tripped, and the can fell down. The ink spilled," she didn''t faze.


    "What are you even doing in this store room here in the first place? You have no business here. This place is only to keep stocks of Guiying''s books. Only the staff and I can enter! And look at you wearing shades and a mask. You didn''t want people to recognize you, did you? You only confessed because you couldn''t run away in time."


    I only wanted Jun to not recognize me.


    "I am sick."


    Zhan Yahui gritted her teeth. "We don''t have time for this, Zhou Ai! How would you take responsibility for this? It would be impossible to handle the crowd outside if they don''t get their signed copies. You totally did this to ruin this event for Guiying, right?"


    Ai stated. "I have no such intention."


    "Then tell us why are you here?" She folded her arms.


    There was silence for a beat.


    "I heard someone talking about a plan to ruin this event. So, I came to check."


    Zhan Yahui narrowed his eyes. "Who?"


    "I just heard the voice."


    She shook her head. "All lies. You cannot prove. You are just making up a story."


    "I am not."


    "Then prove it. Who was this man? Where did you see him?"


    "Hey what''s happening here?" Just then Guiying stepped in, her face marred in confusion.

 Chapter 37 The Book Signing Event (6)

    Chapter 37 The Book Signing Event (6)


    Zhan Yahui hurriedly asked, "Guiying, why are you here?"


    "Well nobody was coming back with the books. The fans were getting impatient. So, I just told them I needed a break, and they agreed," she shrugged. "What''s taking it so long-"


    Her gaze fell onto the box with her books in it, all wet with ink and ruined.


    "Oh no! What happened here?"


    "This is exactly what is taking us so long. I told you, Guiying. We shouldn''t invite Zhou Ai here!"


    "Huh? What''s she have to do with this?" She frowned.


    She glanced at the woman with her face all covered up. "...Ai? Is it you?"


    "Yes."


    As Zhan Yahui quickly told the whole story, Guiying silently listened to it.


    She glared at Ai. "Seriously, Zhou Ai. If you have grievances about not getting selected for this event, you should have taken it to the committee and sorted this in the company. Why take it out on Guiying''s reputation? Guiying deserved this promotion, but you¡­your jealousy finally came in the way."


    Amidst the sharp accusations against her, Ai still maintained her poise. "I am not jealous, and I didn''t ruin anything. It was an accident."


    Zhan Yahui flared her nostrils. "Guiying, will you not say anything? The situation has become so difficult now. There is no time to print another batch of books. The only thing I can think of now is for Zhou Ai to apologize to the fans."


    "No."


    It wasn''t Ai who denied that.


    Guiying stepped forward and critically declared. "Ai will not apologize. If Ai says it''s an accident, then it must be an accident. I know her. She is not a scheming woman to pull up this disgusting act."


    Guiying''s stand on this matter had startled everybody.


    "After all this, will you still believe her, Guiying? She is lying. She had no reason to be here in this room. I know she is your friend, but there is a limit to trusting her."


    Guiying was firm though. "There is no limit to trusting your friends, Zhan Yahui."


    Ai quietly stared at her.


    "I will apologize to the fans saying there has been an unfortunate accident with the books. They will understand."


    "They won''t, Guiying! A few might understand, but the majority will curse you."


    "Whatever the reaction will be, I will face it. Plus, it''s our fault too. We shouldn''t have kept the books with the can of printing ink in the same room. There should have been no liquid substances at all here that would compromise the books. This was our miss too."


    Silence.


    The assistant slowly nodded. "I-I have called Chief Editor Gu Yating here too. Once he is here, he will come up with some plausible reason to give to the fans."


    Zhan Yahui glared at him. "No way! Zhou Ai has to apologize. I am not letting this go! It will take Gu Yating at least twenty minutes to reach here and then we will have to decide on the plan of action. We don''t have that liberty because the fans won''t give it to us. They are already getting so restless!"


    "Enough Zhan Yahui. There is no need to take this matter so far and drag Ai''s name in the mud. I won''t let it happen," she sharply said.


    Guiying then ignored her and firmly held Ai''s hands. With sincerity, she expressed, "You don''t have to worry, Ai. I trust you. I will talk to Zhan Yahui. She is just stressed out."


    Ai said nothing. She pulled back her hand, making Guiying worried. "Ai, don''t take her words to heart. I know you must be feeling hurt by her accusations. But I will sort this out, okay?" She reassured her the best she could.


    Ai faintly nodded.


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Sorry, Guiying. But I am not gonna listen to you on this. Ai will have to apologize-"


    "The books are here!"


    One of the other assistant editors from Dream High just then stepped in carrying a trolley of cardboard boxes.


    Zhan Yahui blinked in confusion.


    "Additional hundred copies of ''To Capture Your Heart.''"


    Naturally, everybody was stunned. Zhan Yahui asked, "Huh? How are there a hundred more copies?"


    The assistant editor didn''t understand. "What do you mean, Miss Zhan? Chief Editor Gu Yating had ordered so."


    Zhan Yahui was taken aback. "Him? When did he order you? Gu Yating and I decided to give a printing order of two hundred copies. We never made it to three hundred."


    "Yes, initially you indeed gave an order of two hundred, but then Chief Editor Gu Yating said to have a hundred extra copies in case anything goes wrong. If any extra books remain after the event, he will take care of distributing those to different bookstores to sell them."


    "He did this¡­?" She was utterly confused. "But he didn''t inform me about it."


    The assistant editor looked just as bewildered. "Oh but he did. He gave me the instructions over the phone."


    Guiying brightened and happily exclaimed. "That''s great! He was well prepared with the extra copies. Now Ai won''t have to apologize, and the event will go smoothly! Let''s just focus on ending this event without any hiccups," she sighed in relief. "Thank God. I almost got a heart attack¡­"


    She signaled the assistant editor. "Alright. I will be back after the event is over. I cannot make the readers wait for longer," she nodded and glanced at Ai, "Ai, don''t leave, okay?"


    The whole time, Ai was patiently standing at her place, not uttering even a single word.


    Zhan Yahui shot her with displeased glares.


    A while later when the event was finally wrapped up, Guiying came back all tired. "My hand is dead."


    Zhan Yahui brought a glass of water. "Have some water and rest."


    "The event is successfully completed," Guiying grinned. "Great job everyone!"


    "That was only possible because of Gu Yating''s insight to order another hundred books. But this doesn''t mean that Zhou Ai''s guilt could be washed away. She ruined the books and even lied to hide her mistake. I still want the Dream High committee to punish her!"

 Chapter 38 The Book Signing Event (7)

    Chapter 38 The Book Signing Event (7)


    Guiying sighed. "I told you that I trust Ai. Let''s leave it at this. Just take it as an unfortunate accident."


    Zhan Yahui furiously shook her head. "But I cannot. It''s not an accident. Zhou Ai just says that she heard someone talking about ruining the event but who? She doesn''t know. She didn''t see that guy. How can we trust her that she is speaking the truth? There are hundreds of people here. I have had a bad feeling about this ever since you won the Best Fiction Award."


    She grimly asked, "Then what do you want to do?"


    "I think it''s for the best that Dream High doesn''t have Zhou Ai anymore."


    Ai remained quiet.


    "If we let her go this time, then this might happen again. We were lucky today that things didn''t go out of hand. But what about next time?"


    Guiying widened her eyes. "No way, Zhan Yahui. This is too much! Kicking Ai out of Dream High? This will ruin her whole career!"


    "And what about your career that was on the brink of destruction today? If she could find that mysterious culprit that she claims to have heard of in such a big crowd outside, then I won''t pursue this matter any further. But otherwise, it''s stupid to believe her if she cannot prove her innocence."


    "I won''t agree to this," a cold shrill came from the back.


    Dream High''s Chief Editor, Gu Yating, stepped in. Dressed in white shirt and jeans, his casual look was worth drooling over, but the impending aura around him failed to match with the tone his appearance gave off. His black eyes were dark and threatening, and his grim countenance lowered the temperature by a few degrees.


    Ai watched him in silence for a few moments and quietly looked away.


    He threw an icy stare at Zhan Yahui. "Zhan Yahui. It''s already enough that you wanted to make Ai apologize that now you want to kick her out too?"


    "And if she says it''s an accident, that means it''s an accident," he alarmingly enunciated, making her cower a step back.


    "You¡­even you will talk like Guiying now?"


    "U-Um¡­Are you from Dream High?"


    Three people slowly stood at the entrance of the room. It was a couple holding a little boy''s hand.


    Ai''s expression changed from indifference to disbelief.


    Why is that child back here?


    Yating narrowed his eyes. "Yes, we are. Who are you?"


    The father of that child nervously cleared his throat. "Um I am sorry¡­but I heard there was an accident here. Some books were ruined."


    Guiying said, "Yes. Indeed that''s what happened. But how do you know that?"


    The husband and wife shared anxious glances. The boy was quite nervous himself as he hid between his parents.


    "Actually, we came here to apologize on our son''s behalf. He caused that accident. B-But I swear, it wasn''t on purpose!"


    The wife furiously nodded. "You see, Yinyin got mad at us because of a game, and he ran away. That''s when he entered this room and crashed onto the shelf¡­"


    Everybody was appalled.


    "Yinyin told us everything. The can with the ink fell, and a kind sister protected him from it."


    Yinyin ran towards Ai and hugged her. "Pretty sister saved me! Pretty sister got all ink on her," he pursed his lips. "She told me to go because I was scared."


    Ai was at a loss. "You¡­"


    The boy lowered his head. "I-I was scared of Mom and Dad. I don''t want them to scold me¡­" his eyes teared up. "Pretty sister said she will make it right!"


    His parents profusely thanked Ai. "I see, you are the one who saved him. We really thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Otherwise our Yinyin would have gotten hurt¡­" the mother had tears in her eyes.


    "No, no. It''s okay. As long as he is safe," she quickly assured them.


    The father awkwardly fretted. "I know it''s my son''s fault. The books are now useless. As his parents, we will take responsibility," he clasped his hands together, "We will pay for the damages¡­We hope that you please forgive Yinyin. We will be more responsible next time."


    Zhan Yahui was speechless.


    "W-What is this all about? How did this child come in between?"


    He looked back at Ai. "Why didn''t you say so before?"


    She patted Yinyin''s head. "...He was already frightened. He was afraid of getting scolded. I just didn''t want that to happen. It wasn''t on purpose anyway."


    Yinyin clung to her. "I was really scared¡­I don''t want Mom and Dad to scold me," he cried. "Pretty sister wants to protect me!"


    Guiying asked, "So that''s why you made up the story about hearing a stranger talking about ruining the event?"


    "Yes. I couldn''t think about anything else."


    The mother apologized. "I-I am sorry! It seems that you were misunderstood because of this. We are really sorry you had to face the accusations. Yinyin! You say sorry too."


    Yinyin bit his lip. "I am sorry."


    Guiying was relieved. "It''s alright. I am just glad that the misunderstanding was resolved. Now, Ai won''t have to leave Dream High, right?"


    Yating sharply replied. "She was never supposed to leave Dream High anyway because of some silly accusation."


    Zhan Yahui stiffened and gritted her teeth.


    The father hastily said, "We will pay for the damages-"


    Yating smiled and raised his palm. "It''s alright. You don''t have to do that."


    "But¡­"


    "I am serious. You came forward and confessed, and your son apologized. That''s enough."


    "Th-thank you so much!" They gratefully bowed.


    Yinyin smiled. "Thank you, pretty sister!"


    Ai softly smiled and patted his head. "Don''t run away from your parents next time, okay?"


    "En!"


    After they left, there was a moment of awkward silence.


    Guiying grinned. "Finally everything is sorted out! I told you, right? Ai wouldn''t do anything like this."


    Ai stared at Zhan Yahui. "Everything is not sorted out. I feel you owe me an apology."


    Zhan Yahui was furious. "You¡­"


    "You wanted me to apologize to the fans even though I kept saying that it was an accident. Then now that it''s proved that I am innocent, you owe me an apology."


    Guiying nodded. "Ai is right. We were all jumping into conclusions, so now it''s not fair that we don''t apologize to her. Imagine her reputation as MissImperfectlyFine would have got affected too!"


    Yating threw a deadly stare at Zhan Yahui. "Where is your apology?"


    Guiying glanced at her. "Zhan Yahui."


    Zhan Yahui was extremely displeased and agitated.


    "...I am sorry. But part of it is still your fault. If you knew the truth, you should have already told us. Why did you want to become a saint and protect that child at the cost of your reputation? You cannot blame me for getting panicked and accusing you if I saw you alone in the room and drenched with ink. Plus, you had those damn shades and mask on!"


    Guiying sighed.


    Ai tilted her head. "Would you have believed me if I had told you the truth?"


    "Huh? Why wouldn''t I?"


    "You said I lied about hearing the stranger. You didn''t believe me. Then you could have also accused that I must have scared Yinyin into lying for me."

 Chapter 39 A Scaredy Cat

    Chapter 39 A Scaredy Cat


    Zhan Yahui was stunned. "O-Of course not!"


    Ai didn''t pursue the matter. "It''s fine. Now that the event is over, I will take my leave," she looked at Guiying. "Unfortunately, I don''t think this is the right time for us to catch up. Let''s meet sometime later."


    Guiying blinked.


    Why is Ai¡­


    "Sure."


    Ai nodded and left.


    ¡ª


    Stepping out of the temporary store room, Ai first went to the ladies'' room to wash off the ink from her face. She wasn''t sure if Jun had left or not, so she still held onto her mask and shades. Coming out, she slowly walked over to the place where the event was hosted. She paused at the desk where Guiying was until a few minutes ago.


    Her fingers brushed along the surface. They slightly trembled as she pretended to sign her book. She pretended that a loyal fan of hers was standing in front of her, excited about her autograph.


    "Pretty sister!"


    Yinyin jumped to hug her, breaking her stu parents came behind him. "Hello. Before we left, we thought we should personally apologize to you. We are sorry for the trouble caused and thank you for helping Yinyin. To think you would bear the accusations for a stranger child to you¡­you are really kind."


    The father nodded in appreciation.


    She shook her head. "There is no need. I am thankful to you that you didn''t scold Yinyin. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have gotten the courage to confess."


    The mother was surprised. "Oh no. That''s not how it happened."


    Ai blinked. "Meaning?"


    "I mean Yinyin was quite nervous. When he came back, we felt that he wanted to say something to us, but he was really hesitant for some reason. I thought he wanted to apologize for running away but was too embarrassed to say it. Then a man suddenly came up to us¡­"


    Yinyin exclaimed. "It was that big brother who saved us!"


    *A few minutes before*


    "Wait," a cold voice came from behind them. Yinyin recognized Jun and stiffened. "There is something your son has to do."


    Yinyin''s father was a little intimidated by his presence. "I-I don''t understand."


    Yinyin lowered his head, terrified.


    Jun smirked. "Your son made a mess somewhere. He needs to apologize for it."


    "Huh? Mess? Where?"


    His mother looked at Yinyin. "Yinyin. What is this big brother talking about?"


    "Um¡­" Tears welled in his eyes as he trembled. "I¡­"


    "Look at me," Jun ordered the child. Yinyin instinctively looked up.


    "You made a mistake and ran away. And now because of you, that sister is going to be blamed. There is no use if you just feel bad about it. If you cannot confess and say sorry, then you don''t deserve to have any friends," he sneered. "Do you know? Nobody likes children who lie and run away because they are scaredy cats."


    Yinyin burst into tears. "Waaaaaaa¡­"


    The mother was displeased. "You¡­Is this how you talk to a little child?"


    Jun evilly smiled. "This is exactly how you talk to a cowardly child. He doesn''t want to get into trouble, but he is fine if the sister who saved him gets it? How can he live with that guilt? Yo, kid. Do you know what''s gonna happen to that sister? She will be scolded for the mess you made. Everybody will hate her. She might even lose her job. All because she chose to save you. It''s because of you that she will suffer."


    "No¡­" Yinyin was terrified now. "Pretty sister is nice," he cried. "She saved me¡­"


    He gave him a cold look. "Then why did you run away?"


    "S-she said she will-"


    "Handle it?" He scoffed. "She is an adult. Her heart is uselessly kind so of course, she will say that. You ran away because you got somebody to clean up your mess, right? Hey I am safe. Why do I care if the sister is scolded?" Jun didn''t leave any chance of taunting that boy.


    Yinyin was scared out of his wits. Suddenly, the burden of running away and leaving Ai alone felt to be too frightening. "I-I don''t want pretty sister to be scolded¡­"


    "Heh. If you don''t want your friends to leave you or a monster eat you up because you were a bad child, then go back."


    Yinyin paled with the threat. "I will say sorry!" He cried. "I-I will go back!"


    When Yinyin began to sobbingly inform about the accident, Jun had quietly left without their notice.


    ***


    Ai was beyond stunned.


    Jun is¡­so evil. Threatening a child like that¡­


    But what was more shocking was that he talked to Yinyin''s parents into confessing the truth.


    Why would he do this for me? She thought. At that time, he looked like he wasn''t interested in helping me.


    The mother sighed. "His way of talking was quite evil, almost like a villain, but it was the truth. It was because of him that Yinyin got the courage."


    "I see¡­Thank you for telling me this."


    Yinyin exclaimed. "Pretty sister, I promise I won''t run away again! If I mess up again, I will always say sorry!"


    She ruffled his head. "En. That''s good."


    She glanced at the parents and said with an urgency in her voice. "Please¡­Please don''t scold Yinyin when you get back home. Children''s minds are really delicate. You might not understand but if you are too harsh then¡­t-they might not be able to bear it¡­"


    Yinyin''s parents assured her. "No, no. We won''t scold him, we promise!" They solemnly nodded.


    Ai felt relieved and smiled within her mask. "Thank you."


    As the trio left, Ai was in deep thought when she heard a voice.


    "Ai."


    She stiffened. She turned and saw Yating behind her.


    Ai immediately turned to leave. Yating widened his eyes. "Wait! I want to talk to you."


    "I don''t."


    "Ai, you are not okay," Yating''s face was marred with worry. Then a layer of ice covered his eyes as he realized. "Ai, I will thoroughly talk to Zhan Yahui. I was hell mad when my assistant told me that she wanted you to apologize! I will not let this matter slide. I will deal with her. Rest assured," his voice didn''t have a single trace of warmth in it.


    "I don''t want any explanation, and I am not mad anymore either," Ai expressionlessly stated.


    He stared at Ai and quietly asked, "Ai, about-"


    "Gu Yating. Can I leave?"


    He froze and blinked. "Ai, you¡­"

 Chapter 40 The Hand That Remained Empty

    Chapter 40 The Hand That Remained Empty


    Yating said, "Ai, you always just call me Yating."


    Ai kept quiet for a moment.


    "I think this is the correct way of addressing you. I don''t want anybody to misunderstand our relationship if anybody hears us."


    He blinked. "Misunderstand? There is nothing to misunderstand about our relationship."


    Through the shades, Ai glanced at him. "What relationship is there between us?"


    Stunned, he replied, "I..!"


    Yating wanted to convey his feelings for her, but he had saved that confession for another special day.


    "Ai¡­"


    She didn''t respond.


    He took a step forward but she promptly stepped back, making him perplexed. He panicked and cautiously asked, "Ai, what happened? Did I do something to make you angry? Please tell me. I will make it right," he said with utmost sincerity.


    "There is nothing."


    "Is it about your story? Are you stressing about the plot? If yes, then don''t. I will help you."


    "And I am the Chief Editor and also¡­"


    Someone who loves you a lot¡­


    He cleared his throat. "I mean I am always there-"


    "It would be in my best interests that you don''t show favoritism."


    Silence.


    Her icy, indifferent voice struck his heart akin to a knife. He clenched his fists, knowing the reason behind her anger.


    "I know¡­it''s because you didn''t get the chance for the book signing event. I know. But I promise¡­One day¡­"


    His eyelashes fluttered slightly with the soft wind, and his gaze held a myriad of unknown and inexplicable emotions swirling within it.


    "I am sorry, Ai¡­" He trembled. "I am really sorry¡­"


    She said nothing.


    "I will leave now, Gu Yating," she turned, but his request stopped her in her tracks.


    "Will you please at least call me Yating, Ai?"


    "It''s better this way."


    Yating stared at her, unable to discern the reason for this source of distance between them.


    He twisted his watch on his wrist with a hint of slight nervousness. "Then¡­Christmas. We had planned to meet on Christmas. I have something important to say to you," he held in his breath.


    Ai softly clenched her bag. "...I will be busy that day."


    He froze. "You had agreed to it before."


    Ai said nothing.


    "Are you lying, Ai?" He asked, almost about to hold her wrist. But he stopped himself, respecting the distance between them.


    She shook her head. "I am not lying. I want to focus on my story, so I will be working."


    "On a Christmas?" He asked in disbelief.


    "I am free to work whenever I want."


    An uneasy and ugly emotion bubbled up in his chest. He tried hard to shake it away, but his heart still felt unsettled. For the whole world, he was a tough and cold Chief Editor but only towards Ai, he showed warmth and care.


    Ai gazed at him and wanting to quickly leave his side, she turned. But in her haste, she lost her footing and was about to fall.


    Her eyes widened in horror. She could see herself getting lighter in the air and the sky above the shopping complex appeared before her eyes.


    Yating froze. His body turned stiff rigid at the sight of her falling.


    Ai watched his expression filled with shock and disbelief. His body didn''t move to help her.


    He is not moving. He is not moving.


    Just like my last life¡­


    He is just standing there¡­


    In that single second, her whole lifetime zapped before her like a flash.


    A life she had already lived before. A life where she had died once before. A life where she fell off a building, but Yating hadn''t held out his hand to save her.


    Tears rimmed in her eyes. The voices resounded in her ears.


    ''Ai¡­I was so tired. You snatched everything away from me. Everything¡­One by one¡­I lost everything¡­''


    She recalled that fateful night of her past life. The terrace of that building where she stood with Guiying and Yating. The sight of Guiying crying miserably in front of her. The bitter words which Guiying spoke tore apart Ai''s heart.


    ''I wanted us to stay together, Ai¡­I wanted us to be friends forever.''


    ''But I couldn''t take it anymore¡­''


    ''Why did everything have to change? Did you ever understand how I felt!?''


    The next thing she remembered was falling from the roof as Guiying accidentally pushed her. The horror on their faces was evident.


    Terrified, Ai had reached out her hand for help. Yating was standing just before her. If he could only extend his arm and catch her¡­


    But he didn''t. He stood frozen at his place. Ai desperately flailed her hand, begging with her eyes to hold onto her.


    "Yating!!! Save me!!!" She cried at the top of her voice


    But until the very end, her hand was empty. She only felt the cold air harshly hitting her palms. Then her whole body felt the chill. The night air fluttered her hair and dress. Her skin was getting cold as she rapidly fell.


    And then came the impact that tore her apart with pain. Her bones shattered. Her body became numb.


    Right now, Ai felt the same sensation creeping in her body once again.


    I am going to fall¡­


    I am going to fall again¡­


    It''s going to be painful again¡­I don''t want it. It hurts a lot¡­


    Tears slipped out of her shades. Even though she knew that she wouldn''t get any help from Yating, her voice wanted to scream.


    Help¡­Somebody please help me¡­


    I don''t want to fall again.


    I don''t want to die again¡­


    Her vision blurred into darkness, as black as that fateful night of her past life.

 Chapter 41 Her Final Moments

    Chapter 41 Her Final Moments


    "Why did you have to do this Ai?" Guiying cried, tired and helpless.


    At the terrace of the Dream High Publishing building where Ai had come up to take a breath of the fresh night air, there was somebody else who had followed her too.


    Ai, who stood in front of the terrace railing, stared at her best friend in a daze. She didn''t know why she was crying when it was her who should have been at that place.


    At the point where Ai stood right now was the most miserable place she had been in her entire life. The man she was in love with and who had a relationship with for five years was standing by Guiying ''s side.


    It was only five years right¡­


    Ai realized the greatest shock of her life when Yating came up to her one day and broke up with her.


    He didn''t provide any reason. Just three trembling and painful words came out of his lips. He looked as if his own heart was crushing to utter those words, yet he remained firm upon them. His eyes looked dead and soulless, yet his stance was decided.


    ''Let''s break up.''


    They fell apart, and then she saw.


    Her best friend and ex-boyfriend were in a relationship.


    Was she cast aside because he fell out of love for her?


    Yating harshly pulled her back without any guilt. "Enough, Guiying. You are drunk. Let''s go back-"


    "So what if I am drunk?" Her loud laughter rang in the air. "What else should I do other than drowning myself in alcohol, Yating!? What should I do when my best friend snatched everything from me! My career, my elder brother''s affection, the man I love¡­everything¡­You think I should be sane at this point?"


    Ai was baffled.


    "Snatched away? Guiying, when did I snatch your career from you? You are the one who has been popular for all these years. I had to scrape by for a living. In the end¡­I had to give up on writing," her own words pierced her heart like a knife as her eyes ached.


    Guiying stared at her and sadly chuckled. "Ah¡­right. I am so popular¡­so popular¡­" She kept mumbling to herself but never gave a clear answer.


    "So why is it that if I was the most popular writer did my brother love you more than me!?"


    "I don''t understand-"


    "Stop it, Ai! It was my brother''s dream to become a writer. But he had to give up on it to raise me. I took that upon myself to make his dream come true," her gaze looked empty. "But what happened? Every time, he praised you more than me. He was prouder of you than me. Why? I wanted to be the one to make him happy¡­I wanted to fulfill his dream. But why is it that he saw that fulfillment in you? Why!?"


    She clutched Ai''s arms, unknowingly digging her nails into her skin. Ai slightly hissed with the pain.


    Yating''s countenance turned deathly icy. "Guiying!" He pushed her away from Ai. "Hurt her once more, and you will have it from me," he snarled.


    Ignoring him, Guiying continued confronting Ai, her heart filled with resentment. She sneered, making Ai feel as if she wasn''t even Guiying anymore who she knew for so many years.


    "Then my career wasn''t enough for you. My elder brother''s praises weren''t enough for you that you took away the last thing I had in my life. The last thing which was keeping me sane. The man I fell in love with. You had to snatch him away too from me, didn''t you?"


    Ai froze. She had given up on her career five years ago because she had been begging Yating for marriage. There were problems and tension in their relationship. But she thought that maybe marriage could bring everything on the right track.


    But in the end, all she got was those three words from Yating.


    Ai stared at her, her light brown glassy with tears. "Who snatched who here, Guiying?"


    Guiying tilted her head before she burst into laughter. "I snatched your love? Ah, Zhou Ai¡­" a tear dropped on the ground. "You really don''t know anything. You really don''t¡­"


    She madly rushed towards Ai again and grabbed Ai even tighter. "Only if you hadn''t chosen to become a writer like me, things would have still remained the same, right Ai? But no! I¡­regret the day I brought you into writing. I regret the day I told how fun it would be if we both became writers? Best friends, best writers¡­Ah, I was so naive," she tearfully laughed. "Actually, it''s not your fault. It''s mine¡­My fault¡­"


    At that point, Yating''s own grasp on Guiying was making fresh bruises on her arm. Watching Ai in pain, in the end, he was forced to slap Guiying, his face marred with rage.


    "Cai Guiying!"


    But nothing affected Guiying. The burning sear on her cheek turned redder, but she didn''t seem to be in any pain.


    "Over¡­everything is over. I was so naive. Why? Why? Why? Only if we hadn''t ever met, Zhou Ai!"


    Lost in her angst, she pushed Ai hard as she cried.


    Ai stumbled. The railing supporting her back harshly shook and got dislodged, and she felt the ground slip from beneath her feet.


    They froze.


    But it couldn''t compare to how Ai felt.


    Falling¡­I am falling¡­


    She extended her hand towards Yating, who was standing just directly opposite her.


    Yating¡­c-catch me¡­Catch me, Yating!


    But he couldn''t move. His eyes were wide in shock. The horror creeped upon his face, but his body didn''t budge from his place.


    Huh¡­? He didn''t catch me? Why? B-But I am falling¡­He was standing there. He could have caught me¡­


    W-What will I do now?


    The thoughts then simply vanished as she felt the cold air striking her body, harsh and fast. She was going down faster and faster with every second bringing her heart closer to her throat for the inevitable outcome.


    When the impact hit her, a piercing pain shot through her body, reaching up to her brain. She felt her bones crush as her organs dislocated. Blood spilled everywhere.


    She collapsed onto a car''s hood on her belly.


    When she fought for her consciousness amidst the shocked screams and shrieks, she saw a man in the car. He was drenched in blood himself.


    But what shook her was not his state but his eyes.


    Ah¡­he looks the same¡­


    A tear slipped out of her eye.


    He looks the same¡­Were you betrayed in love too? Have you also lost everything?


    Are you¡­just like me?


    Feeling a sense of solidarity, she reached out to him. It immensely pained her. Lifting her hand felt as if somebody was running a truck over her.


    But she still did.


    Please¡­hold me¡­at least you¡­please hold my hand¡­


    He didn''t catch me.


    But will you¡­?


    The man inside the car lifted his hand as if he heard her plea. He clutched onto her palm, and then it collapsed upon it as if he had lost all his strength.


    Ai faintly smiled through her tears.


    It''s so warm¡­It was so cold just now. But now¡­it''s so¡­warm¡­


    Ai felt it. Her consciousness was fading away.


    I am dying. But I am glad that¡­in my last moments¡­I met you¡­


    Even if it was for just a moment¡­


    I don''t know who you are¡­But I will be forever in your debt¡­


    Her eyelids then slowly shut themselves, and Zhou Ai took her last breath.

 Chapter 42 Caught By Mr. Liu

    Chapter 42 Caught By Mr. Liu


    Ai saw the same thing happening to her again.


    Just like my past life.


    I will fall and then I will die¡­Once again¡­


    She thought things would change when she woke up to realize that she was reborn. She went back ten years in time.


    I thought I would change my fate. But it''s still the same.


    Everything is over¡­


    Ai retracted her hand, losing all her hope when somebody grabbed it tightly and pulled her up with one fell swoop.


    ¡ª


    Jun had already seen Ai coming out of the room ages ago. She went to the washroom, and he thought he would be able to see her face. But Ai hadn''t removed her mask and shades at all.


    Tsk. Why is she so cautious?


    He saw her taking slow steps towards the desk and dazedly brushing her hand over it. Her expression wasn''t visible from all those things she wore on her face. But Jun could guess what her eyes must have looked like. He saw the movements of her fingers upon the surface.


    MissImperfectlyFine.


    The woman and the writer who troubled his soul since his last life. He had no business helping her by talking to Yinyin and his parents. But he still did.


    He got his answer today. So, he had no reason to stay anymore.


    But he kept watching her lonely figure near the desk. The loneliness that she emanated strangely seemed to be familiar to him. It was as if he could see himself standing at her position.


    All lost and alone. No place to go back to and nobody to show your tears to.


    Then Yinyin and his family came to personally apologize to her. He was far away to hear their conversation, but he could guess the direction in which it must be going.


    His gaze darkened.


    Are they saying unnecessary things?


    When they left, his nemesis suddenly showed up.


    Gu Yating. He finally came.


    His gaze turned chilly. He was the reason behind Sky Publishing''s downfall. Once again, he felt a burning urge to strangle him. Instead, he kept watching them.


    From their interactions, Jun realized that something was going on between them. He tilted his head.


    Huh¡­Is he interested in her?


    It seemed that way from his side. But MissImperfectlyFine didn''t seem to return his feelings. She didn''t even want to talk to him.


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    Never thought I would come to know Mr. Gu''s weakness here.


    Wait a minute. If I remember it correctly¡­wasn''t Gu Yating dating Cai Guiying in my past life? Yunru had told me this one day. This would happen around five years later from the present time.


    He frowned.


    He is pursuing MissImperfectlyFine right now but would be dating CherryBlossom in the future. Hooo¡­


    But did he ever date MissImperfectlyFine?


    Jun didn''t seem to remember any such rumor about MissImperfectlyFine''s relationship with Yating from his past life. For the world, the only woman beside Gu Yating was Cai Guiying.


    MissImperfectlyFine was never in the news at all.


    Watching her reaction right now, MissImperfectlyFine seemed averse to Yating. He kept talking to her, but she didn''t return the same enthusiasm.


    Did he give up on her and move onto Cai Guiying? Is that how it was?


    He saw Yating almost coming forward to hold her wrist, making Jun squint his eyes.


    But then his gaze quickly caught onto the slight movement of MissImperfectlyFine slipping.


    She is going to fall.


    But he is there by her side.


    What happened next made Jun rain a string of curses on Yating.


    What the fuck are you standing there frozen for!? She is falling, not you God damn it!


    He cursed as he ran like crazy towards her.


    Ai had her hand desperately waving for help. But then to his disbelief, he saw her retreating as if she had given up on hope.


    Jun took one abrupt turn and caught her hand fiercely, pulling her into his embrace.


    Ai was badly shaking. He had held onto her, but she kept mumbling that she was going to die.


    "You are okay now."


    She hadn''t seemed to realize that she was safe now.


    Jun took a deep breath and shouted. "I have caught you!"


    That jolted her wide awake. His words rang in her ears till it reached her brain. Ai found herself in his hug, disoriented from the panic attack just now.


    She turned her head and saw the steps behind her.


    I¡­I didn''t fall¡­


    I am not dead¡­I am not dead¡­


    Her vision got blurry as tears spilled out of her eyes. She collapsed on her knees, her chest heaving in breathlessness.


    But Jun, who had tightly held onto her, pulled her up and narrowed his eyes. "Don''t you fall on me."


    This voice¡­Jun? Ai was genuinely bewildered.


    He is here again. Why is he always there when I need him the most?


    Now and even in my past life¡­


    Yating, on the other side, snapped out of his daze. "Y-You¡­"


    He hurriedly took a step forward to touch her shoulder, but Jun pressed his palm on his chest so hard that it almost knocked the air out of him.


    "NOW you finally realized to move?" Jun snarled.


    He stared at Jun, who was protectively hugging Ai. "Who are you?"


    He sneered. "At least not someone who stood like a damn statue when she was going to fall."


    He froze. "N-No! Of course, I¡­I wanted to-" Beads of sweat formed on his forehead, and his breaths got heavier.


    Ai seemed to be trembling even more. She was at the verge of her breaking point.


    "You can give your sorry excuses later," the temperature dropped to a threateningly low degree that Yating wasn''t able to refute.


    Jun grabbed her arm and pulled her away. "Come with me."


    ¡ª


    In one of the cafes where there didn''t seem to be any rush, Jun made her sit on the couch. He slid the glass of water towards her and ordered. "Drink."


    Ai''s movements were painfully slow to watch. Jun recalled something and raised his brow as he smirked.


    "Drink it, MissImperfectlyFine, before I empty the water over your head. I have learned this from a certain woman. Apparently, if you splash water onto someone who is shaking with fear and panic, all your thoughts just disappear from your mind."


    "..."


    "Oh and if you open the window to let the cold air in, then it works even more."


    "..."


    "Too bad the windows here are immovable. I have an alternative though. Why not make the air conditioning run at full speed?"

 Chapter 43 Caring Mr. Liu

    Chapter 43 Caring Mr. Liu


    Ai stopped shaking. She cleared her throat and spoke through the mask. "I see. It seems like an effective method."


    "I know. It is effective indeed but annoying nevertheless. Ever since I became a victim of that, my heart has always thirsted for revenge. I am itching to try it on someone," Jun sneered.


    "You shouldn''t take your revenge on innocent people," she stated.


    Jun smiled. "And when was this world ever fair?"


    Ai agreed. "Yes¡­the world is never fair."


    Slowly, she felt her breaths normalize. She looked up at Jun. "You saved me thrice today. Once from the shelf, then by making Yinyin confess and now¡­I don''t know how I can thank you enough. Especially¡­for the last one," Ai clenched her fist.


    This time, somebody had held onto her. This time, somebody hadn''t let her fall. Strangely, it wasn''t the man she had loved in her past life but someone who she had just met a few weeks ago and for a few moments in her past life.


    Jun stared at her. He had a lot of questions to ask her about Yating, but this wasn''t really the time.


    Tch.


    But then¡­


    "You seem awfully close to that man," he squinted his eyes.


    Well, I saved her thrice as she said. I have every right to ask a few questions at least.


    Some other kind person would have refrained from asking, but Jun was evil through and through.


    Ai was quiet. "...I am not close to him."


    "It didn''t seem like that."


    "You were watching us."


    "Of course, I am not blaming you. I appreciate it."


    He hummed.


    "He likes you."


    "I don''t like him back."


    For the first time, he appreciated MissImperfectlyFine.


    She might not write the stories that I like, but at least we share our hatred for the same person, he icily sneered.


    "You got good sense," he smirked.


    "...I didn''t always have that," she murmured.


    "What?"


    "Nothing. Oh. I wanted to ask you. Why did you talk to Yinyin''s parents? I thought you didn''t want to help me."


    "I didn''t."


    "Then why?"


    "Because you didn''t ask for it."


    Ai was puzzled. "Where is the logic in that? If I would have asked you for help, wouldn''t you have helped me?"


    "No."


    "..."


    His gaze twinkled. "I don''t like people begging. For me, they lose their value if they beg. Beggars are weak and pathetic."


    Which reminded him of how he was one in his past life - A beggar for Shui''s love.


    But what happened in the end? Years of love only to be taken away by his brother.


    Jun stared at her with concentration. "Why did you help that boy at the cost of your career? Taking the blame was disastrous."


    Ai was quiet for several long seconds. "A long time back during my teenage years, I helped a boy in my neighborhood confess to a similar accident in a shop. He was afraid, but I assured him that nobody would scold him if he spoke the truth. The owner made his parents pay for the damages, and they left. The next day, I heard that the boy got into an accident and was severely injured. I came to know that his parents were financially struggling, and they scolded him very harshly at home because of the compensation. He got too affected by it, ran away and got hit by a car."


    She trembled, tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Luckily, he survived. But I always blamed myself. I could have paid for the damages, and the child wouldn''t have gotten hurt. Children''s minds are fragile. I was afraid Yinyin would suffer a similar fate¡­"


    Jun said nothing. Suddenly, he got up from his seat.


    "Are you leaving? I will-"


    "Just sit," he expressionlessly replied.


    Ai watched him casually walk into the cafe''s kitchen, much to the staff''s shock. But with one sharp gaze from him, they immediately stopped all their protests.


    Evil, she thought in her mind. Whether he killed that robber or threatened Yinyin or just walked into the kitchen as if he owned it - Jun always acted like an antagonist in a movie.


    Jun came back, holding an ice pack in his hands. He grabbed her right arm and put the ice pack on it.


    Ai stared at him. "Why are you doing it?"


    He shot her a cold glare. "You should say something if your arm is hurting. You were rubbing your right arm frequently."


    It must have been when I was pushing back the heavy shelf from falling¡­


    It caused strain to her muscles, and now her arm was hurting.


    "You noticed."


    "That person would be blind if he didn''t," he sneered.


    Then he did things like these that made her wonder if he was truly a villain or not?


    He gently massaged the ice pack on her arm. As his fingers caressed her skin, he couldn''t help but wonder.


    Her arm is as thin as Zhou Ai''s¡­That day when I held her hand, it was just like hers¡­


    Then he remembered the kiss, and his face blackened.


    This is the second time¡­First in the elevator and now! Why am I comparing her to Zhou Ai?


    No, why am I even thinking about Zhou Ai in the first place!?


    His gaze fell on her fair neckline and unknowingly, a gulp passed down his throat. Once again he thought about Ai - back when he had been shamelessly feeling up her neck with his cheeks to reduce his temperature.


    Her skin was soft and cold. Her waist was thin when he leaned on her. He couldn''t remember if his lips had brushed on her neck at that time¡­


    He gnashed his jaw.


    Something is fucking wrong with me!


    Ai asked, "You don''t look so good. Are you okay?"


    He glanced at her. "I should ask that question to you. What''s with the mask and shades?"


    Her mouth twitched.


    "I am sick."


    "Or are you hiding from someone?"


    Ironically, it''s you.


    "I am very sick."


    "Yet you came to the event today," he narrowed his eyes.


    "...CherryBlossom insisted."


    "Why would you listen to her?"


    Her eyelashes trembled. "We are¡­friends since high school."


    Jun blinked.


    This is something I didn''t know. This makes it even more interesting. Gu Yating will date her best friend five years later but is now pursuing MissImperfectlyFine. Huh¡­


    He smiled. "Nice. Two good friends, both are writers working in the same company. Life must feel so wonderful."


    She said nothing.


    "Or maybe not."


    "What do you mean?"


    Jun changed the spot of the ice pack. "Are you two still friends? Or competitors now?"


    She stiffened.


    He smirked. "Your silence is the answer. Once competition knocks on the door, it''s never good news. What was your good friend''s reaction to the accusations?"


    "She believed me."


    "Hoo. So life is still wonderful for her. Not for you."


    Ai stayed silent. Jun noticed her left hand slightly shaking.


    How is she looking right now¡­?


    He clicked his tongue.


    It feels so weird when she is like this.


    His hand slowly reached out and squeezed her palm. His fingers intertwined and pressed into her delicate fingers, providing reassurance.


    Surprised, Ai looked down and found his big hand enveloping hers.


    "Your right arm is already in pain. Spare your left hand at least. What would a writer do without her hands? You still have to write many stories that would make my life miserable."

 Chapter 44 Journey Is As Important As The Outcome

    Chapter 44 Journey Is As Important As The Outcome


    Ai wasn''t sure if Jun was insulting her or consoling her.


    It feels warm. Just like how it felt when he held my hand in my past life¡­


    Strangely enough, Jun was also thinking along the same lines.


    The warmth, the softness just felt like when he had clutched Ai''s hand in his dying moments. A flicker passed through his gaze.


    Usually, Jun would give a snide remark about her stories, but this time he quietly asked, "You got a beef with happy endings?"


    "No."


    "Then why don''t you write one?" He moved the ice pack to another spot. His other hand was still holding onto her slightly trembling palm.


    "Because I don''t know what happy endings feel like."


    He slowly widened his eyes.


    "How can I write one when I don''t understand what they look like?"


    "In a way, yes. My first story was about a couple who found love in each other and got happily married. They had a daughter, and they thought that days would pass happily like that. But what looks so beautiful before marriage suddenly changes when you begin to live together under one roof. What you found adorable before becomes irritating later. That was the story about my parents."


    Jun said nothing.


    "My parents got divorced because they realized it too late that they are not meant for each other. The love just disappeared. They went their separate ways. I live with my mother but do meet my father sometimes who lives separately from us. That made me realize my seemingly perfect family was not so perfect."


    He was silent for a moment.


    "Why did you choose this pen name?"


    Ai thought about it as she reminisced about the past. "Because my relationship with my parents is fairly good. They are separated, but it doesn''t mean Mom or Dad hate me. Dad and I have a relationship like any other normal father-daughter would have. Indeed, my family is broken. I would naturally prefer if they lived together lovingly like before. But they found their own happiness, and my relationship with both of them is just fine. Mom doesn''t mind if I meet Dad, and Dad has no issues with me living with Mom."


    She tilted her head. "My world is imperfect, but it''s going fine, right? I am imperfectly just fine."


    Jun hummed. He didn''t give her any sympathy because he felt it was insulting to sympathize. But he understood where she was coming from and even if a little bit, he felt closer to her.


    "It''s going well, but it''s still not a happily-ever-after. That''s why it''s difficult for me to envision one. It made me realize that nothing is perfect."


    "I beg to differ," Jun protested. "My life is-...was perfect."


    Now that he had broken up with Shui and was thrown out of the Liu villa by his father, his life wasn''t perfect like his past life. Nevertheless, he strongly believed in perfection.


    "My family is perfect. Mom and Dad are still lovey-dovey like they always were. I have good parents, good siblings even if they are annoying, good grandparents and good relatives. My relationship with my cousins, aunts and uncles is fairly well. I am good looking and rich too," he proudly smirked, "I have gotten everything that one would want in their life."


    If you minus the love part¡­


    Ai stared at him unblinkingly.


    "I never thought you would be a narcissist."


    "..."


    "I am not a narcissist. We should always appreciate what we have," he coldly retorted.


    "Indeed. But there is one fault in your thinking. You think your life is perfect, but is that true? The world population is around seven billion where everybody has some or the other problems in their life. I don''t think God would be so gracious enough to bless only you with a perfect life," she tilted her head again. "You are not anybody special."


    His face blackened.


    Not anybody special. That was a critical hit to his heart.


    "You are talking about your parents'' good relationship. That may be true now, but was it always true before?"


    He frowned.


    "If you meet them, you would know. They are crazy for each other," he sneered. "So much that it makes me dizzy at times."


    She shook her head. "You are not getting my point. I am talking about when they met. When they fell for each other and when they got married. To you, their relationship now looks perfect. But have you ever asked them what they had to go through in their past to make it like this today? Did you ever get to know their love story?"


    "...I don''t need to."


    "That''s where you are wrong," Ai stated. "You are one-sidedly looking at the result, not the journey. Outcome always looks beautiful. It''s the process of achieving it that is harsh, hurting but where you learn the most."


    His mouth twitched. He didn''t want to agree to her, but he couldn''t retort to her either.


    Damn it!


    Ai said, "My arm is fine now."


    Jun kept the ice pack aside. He coughed and retracted his other hand from hers too.


    "Thank you for everything you did today," Ai smiled within her mask. "I hope I can pay you back for your help sometime in the future."


    "No need."


    "I will take my leave-"


    "Wait."


    She furrowed her brows and sat back. "Yes?"


    From his bag, Jun took three books out. She blinked.


    These are my published books¡­


    Jun handed her a pen and slid the books towards her. "Sign them."


    Ai was utterly confused. "W-What?"


    Jun glared at her. "What part of ''Sign them'' did you not understand? These are the books that you wrote. The author is sitting in front of me. I am your reader, and I want you to sign them. So get to it."


    She stared at him in a stupor.


    "Y-you want me to sign them?"


    "Yes."


    "Me?"


    "MissImperfectlyFine is you. So who else would I be talking to? I wouldn''t be giving you somebody else''s books."


    Suddenly, he saw a tear slip out on her cheek. He choked. "Why are you crying? You are making me look like a villain!"

 Chapter 45 Ai’s Book Signing Event

    Chapter 45 Ai''s Book Signing Event


    The waitresses murmured among themselves.


    "It''s the hooligan who barged into our kitchen!"


    "He is making the woman cry¡­"


    "Should we do something?"


    "But I saw him putting the ice pack on her arm. He cares about her."


    "So what is the judgement? Is he evil or not? Even though he is so handsome¡­"


    They were all in deep thought. Jun''s behavior confused them.


    Jun gritted his teeth, noticing their obvious gazes. He gave them a dangerous smile. "Guess you people don''t have much work here. You wouldn''t mind if I shut down this shop, would you?"


    They stiffened and hastily went back to their work.


    The judgement is that he is a villain indeed!


    Jun sneered. He looked back at Ai, and his mouth twitched. "There is no need to get so emotional. Fine, if you don''t want to sign them-"


    He was about to take the books back when Ai quickly grabbed them again. "I will sign. I was just¡­a bit surprised."


    My very first time giving an autograph¡­


    She remembered practicing her signature in Jun''s condo. Even in her past life, she had done this many times in hopes that she would see a signing event of her own one day.


    But that day never arrived.


    She just wanted a place where she could meet and talk to her readers personally. To see their smiles and feel the love they have for her books was what she always wished for.


    But her dwindling popularity in her past life made it impossible for her dream to come true.


    I am glad I came today, she thought.


    Ai wasn''t going to at first. She knew from her past life what incident would happen today and what accusations she would have to face which even though didn''t kick her out of Dream High, nevertheless still ruined her future writing career. She never got many chances to publish more books after her reputation was affected, so it was a risk coming here today.


    But she also knew that Yinyin would be in danger. Only she knew what would happen to him. There was no point in warning others and preventing it from happening because nobody would believe her. People would think she was crazy to talk about the future.


    It was only to protect Yinyin that she had to come.


    Ai looked up at Jun.


    But I never thought that I would get to do my own book signing. This didn''t happen in my previous life¡­


    Her fingers trembled as she held the pen and opened the first page of her first book.


    She began to write.


    ''To-''


    She suddenly realized that as MissImperfectlyFine, she shouldn''t know his name.


    He will be suspicious, she thought.


    "What is your name?"


    "Jun."


    She nodded.


    ''To Jun,


    Thank you so much for reading my books. I appreciate that you like them. I hope you live a good life. Good luck.


    -MissImperfectlyFine.''


    Ai then gave it a thought.


    ''P.S - Be nice to children. Yinyin was really scared.''


    Then she ended her note with her signature she had practiced so hard for. She beamed, satisfied.


    Jun''s gaze darkened. "You didn''t have to add that last line!"


    She pursed her lips. "I just wanted to make it funny."


    "No need," Jun coldly snatched the book away.


    Ai took the second book, opened its first page and wrote the same note. Except she changed the P.S part.


    ''P.S - Threatening the cafe staff was bad.''


    Jun''s face blackened by several shades. "Cut it out with the postscripts already!"


    Ai''s lips burst into an uncontrollable smile. "I am sorry."


    "That''s it. Forget about the third book!" Jun was furious.


    "No, no!" She quickly said, "I won''t write a funny postscript this time."


    "That means you still want to write a postscript huh?" His expression turned ugly.


    "But not a funny one, I promise," she sincerely reassured him.


    Jun suspiciously looked at her.


    Ai took the third book and wrote the same note again. She wrote a different postscript this time.


    ''P.S - Don''t forget to ask your parents their story.''


    She smiled. "See? I didn''t write a funny one."


    Jun snorted and looked away.


    Ai quickly took this chance and wrote another postscript. She closed the book and slid it back to his side.


    "Thank you," she thanked him from the bottom of her heart. Jun had fulfilled her dream.


    It was strange. The man she spent her dying moments with in her past life was the same person to ask for her autograph.


    Her small smile widened in her mask.


    "Thank you once again for all your help again. I should take my leave now."


    Jun shrugged.


    When she left the cafe, she realized she had forgotten her phone inside. As she came back to fetch it, she faintly saw a message that Jun was reading on his phone.


    She couldn''t read the entire content, but she saw the words ''Sky Publishing.''


    Jun felt a presence and turned. "What?"


    "I forgot my phone."


    "Hm."


    She quickly fetched it and left, wondering about it.


    Sky Publishing. Dream High''s rival¡­


    ¡ª


    Jun collapsed on the couch, tired as he returned. He made himself a cup of coffee and sat back.


    Taking the books out of his bag, he saw MissImperfectlyFine''s notes one by one. He was angry at that time, but now he just sneered.


    When he opened the third book, he saw there was another postscript written below the previous one.


    What has she written now?


    ''P.S.S - Perfection is an ideal not meant to be achieved because the world is more fulfilling when it''s imperfect.''


    It''s similar to what she had said on the chat that day.


    He faintly smiled.


    The world is more fulfilling, you say¡­


    You are wrong. It''s not fulfilling. When the world is imperfect, it''s only a suffering for the heart.


    He remained like that in silence for several moments before his phone buzzed with a message, breaking the quietness.


    [Warlord - Ahhhh I saw my Goddess!! She is an angel¡­ Now, I can die peacefully~]


    [LumiosZ - Then die *smirks*]


    [Warlord - Shut up!]


    [AllAloof - Ugh, now he won''t just shut his mouth for days. I will mute this channel now.]


    [Warlord - How mean! You all should bask in my Goddess''s glory! @MrPerfect and this man is so mean! We could have met today!!]


    Jun didn''t bother to reply.


    Another ding came.


    HS - Hey, what''s going on here?


    He stiffened.


    That was Shui''s username on Reading Point - HS for Han Shui.

 Chapter 46 Ai’s Resolve

    Chapter 46 Ai''s Resolve


    It was Jun who got Shui into Reading Point. It was around three years ago when he made her sign up as a member for this forum chat. Shui couldn''t think of a good username, so she made it just simple. Her name initials.


    I thought she left the group after our breakup, he thought.


    [Warlord - Hey, long time no see! Where were you?]


    [HS - Ah¡­I was a little busy with my college assignments. So what''s up?]


    [Warlord - You won''t believe who I met today! My Goddess! CherryBlossom!]


    [HS - Oh that writer? Yeah. It was her book signing event today, right?]


    [Warlord - Yup! You should have come too! She looked so beautiful. I was *blushes* so close to confessing my love to her¡­]


    [LumiosZ - Creepy *sneers*]


    [AllAloof - He was always creepy LOL.]


    [Warlord - Heyyy!!! You all just shoo! Anyway so @HS, I was talking about her. And do you know what? I could have met @MrPerfect too! But he was busy! We bros could have hung out together!]


    Jun stiffened by the ping. Since Shui was online too¡­


    [HS - ¡­I see. He must be really busy then haha. He is an avid reader, after all.]


    [Warlord - *sighs* Whatever. @MrPerfect is ignoring me. Let''s forget about him. Tell me about you. Have you fought with your boyfriend so that I can finally confess to you~]


    Jun froze.


    [Warlord - Shut up! That''s different! That''s like a love between a fan and his idol. My beautiful HS is different.]


    [LumiosZ - You have excuses for everything, don''t you?]


    [AllAloof - Like I said, he is always creepy.]


    [Warlord - You¡­@HS where did you disappear to?]


    [AllAloof - Maybe her boyfriend is coming to kill you~]


    [Warlord - D-Don''t say such ominous things! As if I am scared of her b-boyfriend!]


    [XY12 - Tell that to your stammering mouth.]


    Jun stared at the chat and wondered if Shui would talk about their breakup. But in the end, she simply diverted the topic. They hadn''t revealed that MrPerfect on Reading Point was her boyfriend in real life.


    He kept the phone aside. He didn''t want to ruin his mood anymore.


    Instead, his mind wandered off to MissImperfectlyFine. He hadn''t expected his meeting with MissImperfectlyFine to be like that, but he surmised it was¡­good enough.


    He thought back to her thin figure protecting Yinyin, facing the accusations, trying to escape from Yating and in the end¡­the moment when she gave up on being saved.


    She had gone through too much for a single day.


    Thinking back to the whole incident made him wonder about something.


    That reminds me. How did they get a hundred extra copies? This hadn''t happened in my past life. It was a mess due to the sudden shortage.


    But it didn''t occur this time.


    Strange¡­


    ¡ª


    Strange¡­


    Ai thought as she laid on her bed, staring at the ceiling.


    Jun wasn''t at the event in my past life. He hadn''t helped me by making Yinyin confess.


    Then what changed this time?


    Ai had taken care of the books by placing an order of an extra hundred copies through Yating''s phone to the assistant editor while he was busy doing some work in this office one day. She secretly did all this, taking precautions of not crossing paths with him at all and then had deleted the call log from his phone.


    But she knew that move wouldn''t really prevent her from getting accused. Nothing could have saved her because it was her decision to protect Yinyin. She took care of the extra copies in hopes that she would be saved from apologizing to Guiying''s fans despite the accusations.


    But Jun protected her nevertheless and was even asked to do a book signing of her own by him - none of the events which happened before, making her truly bewildered.


    Whatever might be the reason, her heart felt at peace today.


    She raised her arm and stared at it, recalling how she had held onto Jun''s bloody hand just before she died in her past life. The last seconds of warmth were her only source of comfort.


    When she met him again at the library in this life, she was sharply taken aback. She couldn''t help but stare at him in bewilderment, which Jun misunderstood as her checking him out.


    It was him¡­


    She couldn''t believe the coincidence that she would meet the same man soon after her rebirth.


    Which also made her realize that he was going to die ten years later in a car accident.


    She was unsure of what to do. She now knew about someone''s fate other than herself.


    Was she supposed to tell him? But would he even believe it?


    Life was precious, and she didn''t want to simply ignore it and let him die if she could help him with the knowledge of her past life. So Ai decided to observe things for now.


    One day, I will tell him for sure whether he would believe it or not, she concluded with determination.


    Regarding herself and her life, a question bogged her mind.


    What should I do now?


    Did she want revenge from Yating and Guiying?


    Ai shook her head. She didn''t wish to get into another cycle of hatred and revenge and waste her precious second chance. Instead, she wanted to focus and live for herself.


    She now knew that her getting into writing was the reason her friendship with Guiying would deteriorate in the future.


    Should I give up¡­?


    Ai''s brows softly crinkled.


    But she never really said it clearly. Why did my career ruin hers? My stories were barely doing any well. I don''t understand.


    Then there was Yating too.


    She clenched her fists. An indescribable sadness welled in her chest, thinking about their breakup.


    ''Let''s break up.''


    ''As if that wasn''t enough, you snatched the man I love too!''


    Her eyelashes trembled.


    I didn''t know you liked Yating, Guiying. If I did, I wouldn''t have come in your way.


    This realization came too late in her past life. But it won''t be this time because she decided to avoid Yating at all costs.


    After much contemplation, she made her resolve.


    I will continue writing, she calmly nodded to herself.


    She had given up on writing in her past life because of her mother''s pressure to secure a better future, but she realized how much she loved it and missed it and regretted abandoning it. She gave up on her love once.


    I won''t do it again. Not in this second chance.


    Deciding to continue writing meant being a part of Dream High and meeting Yating and Guiying. Her goal was to avoid them. So, she was troubled.


    What other good company was there in the publishing industry other than Dream High?


    Which brought her to today.


    Sky Publishing.


    The one whose name she saw on Jun''s phone.


    It hadn''t yet entered into the market of traditional books, but she remembered that Sky was the biggest competitor to Dream High in her past life. Dream High was really troubled by its growing influence.


    Ai pursed her lips.


    But I remember Sky had collapsed five or six years later?


    What was the reason again?


    She tried to recollect but couldn''t. By that time, Ai had given up on writing altogether and didn''t keep tabs on news of that world anymore. It was her way to get complete closure and give up on writing. She only heard the whispers of the collapse before she shut herself out completely.


    That''s why, she never came to know about Jun''s identity as the Sky CEO, which led to its downfall because of his ruined image.


    Ai thought to resign from Dream High and enter Sky but¡­


    If Sky is going to collapse five years later, then won''t joining it be detrimental for me?

 Chapter 47 It Will Be A Lonely Christmas

    Chapter 47 It Will Be A Lonely Christmas


    The next morning at the library was quite busy. As Ai stepped in, she asked, Mrs. Quan Su, "Today is quite crowded?"


    "Oh yes," she kindly smiled. "It''s because Christmas is approaching and then it will be New Year. I keep the library closed for a week because I visit my daughter and son-in-law who live in another city. Of course, there are my cute grandchildren too. The patrons know about it, so those who want to borrow any books are coming in a rush to get them, haha. You should see Jun. He is so annoyed."


    "Oh¡­" Ai was disappointed.


    The place had become a haven for her, and where she wanted to be the most during Christmas.


    She lowered her gaze, remembering how Yating had officially asked her out this same Christmas in her past life, and she had agreed to it too. Their relationship hurt Guiying the most.


    This time, Ai decided not to be with Yating and thus would avoid his confession. She thought the library would be the best place to escape but unfortunately, it would be closed.


    "Is there something wrong? Aw, are you going to miss coming here? Haha, it''s only for a week. It would fly away in no time," she laughed.


    Ai smiled and nodded.


    On the third floor, she almost had a heart attack seeing the crowd. Especially women and young girls.


    Her mouth twitched.


    She glanced at Jun''s direction, who was clearly fanning out flames of anger and annoyance. There was a big queue in front of his desk. She felt sympathetic.


    Ai walked towards her usual seat but paused in her steps.


    Jun helped me a lot yesterday. Should I help him out today? She tilted her head.


    She peeked at Jun and thinking about their accidental kiss, she hesitated. They still hadn''t broken the ice between them after that incident. It was just an accident, but for some reason, they couldn''t bridge that distance.


    On the other side, Jun wished that the earth would just tear apart and gobble him down. The strong perfumes the women wore were making his head ache. Then their bashful smiles just gave him an urge to strangle them.


    When will this be over?


    He heard a cough and looked up to see Ai standing beside him.


    "...Yes?"


    He smelled the scent of her light perfume that brought him relief from all the heavy scents he had to bear until now.


    "I see you have too much work to do. Should I help you out?" Ai asked.


    Jun stared at her and suddenly came up with a great idea. "Sure."


    He pointed towards the long table. "Sit over there and record who has borrowed books and until when. Just note it down. I will fill it in my laptop later," his gaze cunningly twinkled. "You handle the women. I will do it for men."


    The women were displeased.


    "B-But you are the assistant librarian!"


    "Yeah, how can you let her do the job? What if she messes up? In the end, we will have to take responsibility if something happens¡­"


    Jun sneered. "You don''t have to worry about that. I know how to do my job, and I also know who I am giving it to. Somebody here is definitely more responsible than you all drenched in such heavy perfumes."


    "..."


    Ai''s brow twitched.


    "Y-you!"


    "If you want to borrow, take it from her or leave the library. The door is over there," he icily remarked.


    Some left in distaste while some who really needed the books had no choice but to take it from Ai.


    Ai handed him the notes after the rush was over. Absent-mindedly, Jun held her wrist and squeezed it. He froze.


    He slowly glanced up and saw their hands locked in a slightly more intimate position. The sensation of her delicate and tender skin reminded him of how he had held MissImperfectlyFine''s hand in the cafe. The touch of her fingers and the softness was really similar to her.


    Ai stared at him and waited patiently.


    He stiffened and quickly retreated.


    I need to check my brain. When there is MissImperfectlyFine, I think of Ai. When there is Ai, I think of her. What the hell is wrong with me?


    Grabbing her notes, he asked, "What is this?"


    Ai blinked. "The records of patrons borrowing books and when they would return them as you said."


    Jun observed her neat, methodical and organized records that had no question of causing any confusion. It was almost too similar to his style of working which made him extremely pleased.


    He smiled, impressed. "Good! You did it very nicely-" he coughed.


    He realized he got too excited and toned down. "Of course, this level was expected from you."


    Ai curiously raised her brow. "You are not honest at all."


    He shot her a deadly stare.


    "There is no harm in getting excited once in a while."


    His gaze darkened.


    "You should properly praise someone for their good work."


    "Go away!"


    "I helped you escape from the female patrons. It is not difficult to say a few certain words."


    His brow twitched. "...Thank you."


    She smiled, satisfied.


    Unknowingly to them, the distance between them was lessening gradually. Ai felt the discomfort from her heart disappear as well.


    In her past life, she had only ever kissed Yating when they were in a relationship. When the accidental kiss with Jun happened, she hadn''t thought about Yating at all. Later, she felt momentarily guilty as if she had betrayed him. She had never thought of another man. She had no reason to.


    But now, this was her second chance. She wasn''t dating Yating, neither would she be doing so in the future. Yating wouldn''t be a part of her life at all this time.


    But it still hurts¡­


    She was with Yating for five years. To her, it was five whole years of her love and commitment that were gone just like that.


    And now suddenly, she didn''t have Yating by her side. At times she felt alone, empty and lost without him just like now as she thought about Christmas Eve.


    The corner of her eyes slightly stung.


    It will be a lonely Christmas this year.

 Chapter 48 Who Is The Most Important?

    Chapter 48 Who Is The Most Important?


    The day of Christmas.


    Han villa.


    It was a grim atmosphere at the breakfast table. A certain father was in an extremely bad mood.


    Han Xinyi, Shui''s mother, looked at her husband and rolled her eyes. "My dear husband. Will you stop leaking that deadly aura?"


    "You don''t realize the gravity of this situation."


    "Because there is no gravity to realize in the first place," she stated.


    Han Zhiyuan, ex-CEO of the Han Corps and Shui''s father, glared at his wife, aggrieved. "Why don''t you try to understand me?"


    "Because that''s not really good for our daughter''s life. I know what you want to say, but she is grown up now."


    "That Liu Jun must have definitely planned a date with my Shui!" He banged his fist on the table.


    "It''s obvious. They are dating."


    "Don''t say that!" He cried. "I won''t ever accept him for my daughter."


    "Hey! It''s not just me! Liang also refuses to accept Liu Jian for his daughter, Leina!"


    The Xu family was one of the close family friends of the Han family. Xu Liang was the CEO of a pharmaceutical company and Han Zhiyuan''s best friend. His daughter was Xu Leina, who was dating Jun''s elder brother, Jian.


    Xinyi was stupefied. "Oh my God! You men still haven''t disbanded the ''I won''t let my precious daughter date anybody'' group? I need to talk to Ah Cy," she shook her head.


    Xu Ah Cy was Xu Liang''s wife and Xinyi''s best friend.


    "T-that''s not important right now! What if¡­what if that Liu brat is planning to¡­"


    Xinyi curiously leaned. "Planning to what?"


    "You know what I am talking about! Shui is only twenty. As if I would allow any physical relationship when she is so young!"


    Shui and her elder brother Han Siying came down just at that time.


    Siying chuckled. "Dad is being Dad again, I see."


    Xinyi sighed. "Talk to him."


    "Dad. Don''t be like this. Well¡­" Siying cleared his throat. "I have asked out Nuo tonight too."


    Xinyi beamed. "You are finally confessing to her?"


    "That is the plan," he scratched his chin in embarrassment.


    "Oh my! All the best," she kissed his cheek. "We will be waiting for the good news. Don''t forget to bring Nuo here, okay?"


    "That would happen only if Uncle Jinhai would allow her in the first place¡­" his mouth twitched.


    "Haha. You don''t need to worry about that. Nana will handle him. You just focus on giving me the good news," she grinned.


    "I just hope he doesn''t send a bunch of his Underworld men behind me with guns."


    "Again, Nana is there to handle him," she chuckled. "Shui, my dear. Why are you so quiet?"


    "Ah?" She awkwardly smiled. "Nothing."


    Zhiyuan brightened. "Do you not want to go on a date with that brat tonight? It''s okay. Daddy fully supports-"


    One glare from his wife, and he immediately quietened down.


    Xinyi smiled. "What''s wrong? You were going to celebrate Christmas with Jun in a club tonight, right? Haha, you are like your Aunt Zizi who likes clubbing so much."


    "That was the plan¡­but I am not sure. Jun is a little busy," Shui lied.


    Zhiyuan''s expression turned ugly. "Excuse me. Who is he to ditch my precious daughter on Christmas Eve? How dare he?"


    "Zhiyuan, I don''t understand. Do you want the date or not?"


    "Of course, I don''t. But only my Shui has the right to reject it!" He indignantly exclaimed.


    Xinyi smiled. "Zhiyuan. You are too annoying just like Liang."


    "..."


    Siying was curious. "I don''t believe this. Bro Jun never misses any event to spend time with you. He might not have time for anybody else, but he always has time for you. Now he is busy on Christmas Eve when it''s supposed to be a romantic evening for any couple?"


    "Eat your food, Siying. You are talking too much," Zhiyuan forcefully stuffed the roll into his son''s mouth.


    "Mmpf!" Siying protested.


    Xinyi lovingly brushed her palm along her daughter''s hair. "Aish, don''t feel bad. Maybe something might have really come up. You can celebrate it with your Mom and Dad tonight!"


    Zhiyuan wholeheartedly agreed.


    Shui smiled. "Thanks, Mom. You are the best."


    She found it too difficult to raise the subject of her breakup with Jun and explain the many questions that would be asked to her.


    I cannot tell what happened until I talk to Jun properly. I need to talk to him once more.


    She typed on her phone and dropped a message.


    ¡ª


    Liu villa.


    Jin laid on his bed, staring at the wall, thinking about the incredulous news he came to know.


    He broke up with Shui. How is this possible¡­?


    After all these years, your love for Shui cannot possibly end so abruptly like that, right? What has changed you, bro?


    There were so many questions swirling in his mind, but there was no answer for any of them.


    Nana came in, smiling. "Jin, why are you alone in your room? It''s Christmas today!"


    He hugged his mother and rested his head on her lap. "Mom, I don''t know what to do."


    "What do you mean?" She brushed her fingers through his hair.


    "I sometimes chat with a group online," he lied. "There is one friend of mine who is in love with a girl. But he has a brother who¡­loves her too. A lot. They were dating, but now they broke up. What should the brother do?"


    "Well, does the girl love him back?"


    "...He doesn''t really know?"


    "If she does, then he should confess to her, maybe after they heal from their breakup and move on. I know it would be a delicate situation because her ex-boyfriend is his brother, but if two people love each other, they should be together," she smiled. "He has to give it time and approach the matter cautiously. Relationships are complex, after all."


    Jin''s gaze flickered. "But if he confesses, then his relationship with his brother would end."


    "That''s why I said he has to think about it calmly. His brother and the girl, both are equally important to him. If his brother genuinely gives his blessings and wishes to them, then it''s all good.


    But if not, then he will have to make a choice. If he chooses the girl, he will hurt his brother. If he chooses his brother, he will hurt himself and possibly the girl if she has feelings for him. He will have to decide one day. Who is the one person most important to him that he absolutely cannot hurt at all?"

 Chapter 49 Merry Christmas (1)

    Chapter 49 Merry Christmas (1)


    Where the Christmas evening was the perfect occasion for everyone to celebrate and enjoy with their loved ones, Jun on the other hand, was working in his condo all alone. He didn''t have to do work as an assistant librarian for a week now, so he thought about getting some work done related to Sky Publishing.


    On his laptop, he went through the numerous story drafts his cousin Yunru sent him. But Jun wasn''t really impressed with any of them. He sighed in frustration.


    "All bland¡­"


    He pressed his brows and shut his laptop. His phone beeped with a message. He took a glance and stiffened. His gaze flickered with an unreadable emotion.


    ''Jun, I want to talk to you. Can we meet up today?''


    He clutched the mobile in his palm. Recalling the events of his past life that happened on Christmas Eve the same year as this was, he didn''t know what to reply to her. Somehow he also had a feeling that she wanted to talk more about their breakup which he didn''t want to.


    He typed a reply but deleted it. His fingers hovered over his phone''s keyboard for a long time, but he couldn''t come up with anything. In the end, he just threw his phone away on the couch.


    Jun stood on his balcony as he watched the city light up beautifully in the evening. He imagined the couples spending a lovely evening together, and a wry smile lifted his lips.


    All my Christmases now would be boring like this for the rest of the years, wouldn''t they?


    He raised the wine glass and chuckled as he made a toast to himself.


    "Cheers to a lonely Christmas, Jun."


    ¡ª


    Christmas evening for Ai was nothing better than what Jun was having. At home, she was watching news on television and everywhere, there were talks only about Christmas celebrations. Watching couples in the background, laughing and holding hands made her chest ache. A dull pain enveloped her heart.


    Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Yating.


    ''Ai, can we meet? I have something important to say to you.''


    ''I love you Ai. I really love you a lot. Will you be my girlfriend?'' Yating had confessed under a beautifully lit Christmas tree.


    The confession that made her heart flutter in bliss once upon a time felt like a thorn pricking her chest now.


    Ai ignored his message. The news began to make her uncomfortable, so she switched it off.


    She sighed.


    In the past, after Ai had accepted his confession, they had baked a cake together at Ai''s home to celebrate. It was nothing fancy, nevertheless the time they spent together was heartwarming.


    A while later, she got up and decided.


    "So what if we aren''t together? I can still bake a cake for myself. I have resolved to think about my future in this precious second chance that fate has given me," she nodded in determination. "I will celebrate Christmas by myself."


    With a fire burning in her eyes, she opened a recipe on her phone to bake the most delicious cake.


    And a while later...


    Ai stared at the smoke leaping out of the oven''s door slit towards the kitchen''s roof.


    "..."


    "Hey, what was that? Is there smoke coming from somewhere?" One of Ai''s neighbors cautiously stepped out of her house.


    "Yeah, I smell that too. Something''s burning- Hey isn''t that that young woman''s house? What was her name again?"


    "Zhou Ai."


    "Yes, yes. It''s coming from there."


    *Boom!*


    Suddenly, they heard a small explosion. Their hearts almost jumped out of their chests.


    "Oh my God!"


    "What was that blast?"


    They quickly knocked on her door. "Hey! Come out. What''s happening?"


    Ai opened the door, coughing. She pursed her lips. Her face was slightly covered in soot. "I am sorry for the disturbance. There is a slight problem."


    Her neighbor was dumbfounded. "Your house is on fire! That isn''t a ''slight'' problem! Oh my God. Somebody please call the fire station!"


    During the commotion, Ai''s landlady, Mrs. Zhong also arrived after she was informed.


    She gasped in horror. "My house!"


    "I am sorry," Ai sincerely apologized.


    "Ai¡­what is happening?" She asked in disbelief.


    Mrs. Zhong was Ai''s mother''s acquaintance who helped her get this apartment when she moved to the city.


    "A small accident."


    "How is a fire a small accident?"


    Amidst their discussion, the firefighters were quickly called, and after the whole fire was put out, they asked, "Madam, what were you doing exactly?"


    "Baking a cake."


    Their mouths twitched. "Madam, the temperature setting of the oven was wrong. It was way too high and kept switched on for a long time."


    Mrs. Zhong and the neighbors - "..."


    She apologized once again. "I am really sorry."


    Mrs. Zhong softly exhaled. "It''s fine. I know you didn''t do it on purpose."


    "I will pay the full compensation for the damages-"


    "No, no, Ai. I will talk this with your mother and sort this out. You don''t worry."


    The firefighter-in-charge sighed. "Well, it''s not dangerous anymore. But you cannot exactly live there until the repair work is done."


    Mrs. Zhong worriedly asked, "How much time will it take?"


    "I guess around a month? The damage to the kitchen is the most severe that has shaken off the ceiling structure of your living room. It will take a while."


    Ai bit her lower lip. There was the problem of living somewhere for a month¡­


    She glanced at her neighbors, and they quickly looked away. Nobody wanted a young beautiful woman to live with them for a whole month and possibly¡­try to seduce their husbands.


    "I-I am sorry dear. Actually, I have some relatives coming over tomorrow so¡­"


    "Yes, yes, my son and daughter-in-law are also coming."


    Everybody gave some or the other excuse.


    Mrs. Zhong apologetically said, "I don''t have any extra room in my house either, dear."


    Ai smiled and assured them. "It''s alright. I will manage."


    "Are you sure¡­?"


    She nodded. "I am."


    She called her friend and editor, Xing Bi and came to know that she had extended her vacation. She remembered it was the same in her past life too.


    "I am sorry Ai! I would have definitely welcomed you, but I am not gonna be there. Unfortunately, I have only one key to my house and it''s with me," she lamented.


    "It''s okay."


    "Oh wait. Ai, why don''t you stay with Guiying? I know she is out of the city too, but I think her neighbor has a duplicate key. You can talk to her."


    Ai lowered her gaze. "I don''t want to bother her."


    "But isn''t she your best friend? Ai, is it because of what happened during the book signing event? Don''t you worry! I beat the shit out of Zhan Yahui! Nobody will bully you now!"


    She shook her head. "It''s nothing like that. She will get worried about me, and I don''t want her to cancel her vacation because of me. Don''t worry, Xing Bi. I will think of something."


    Ai hung up and then contemplated her options.


    I could stay at a hotel for tonight, but I don''t have the money to stay for an entire month.


    She didn''t have any choice left, so she went ahead to stay the night in a hotel and decide what to do next.


    ¡ª


    "I am sorry, Mam. But all the rooms have been booked," The receptionist apologized. "It''s Christmas and New Year will be coming soon, after all. All our rooms get booked at least three months in advance."


    "...It''s alright," she hid her disappointment.


    Ai had the same luck in all the nearby hotels. No rooms available.


    She travelled quite a far of distance to check all the possible hotels until she reached the complete opposite direction to where her apartment was.


    But she had no luck. Christmas was a super busy evening.


    She sat on a bench in a park, tired. With no alternative left, she put the bag on one side of the bench and rested her head upon it.


    I can make do for one night in the park.


    She closed her eyes but then heard an incredulous voice a few minutes later.


    "What are you doing sleeping at the park?"

 Chapter 50 Merry Christmas (2)

    Chapter 50 Merry Christmas (2)


    Jun wanted to drown in alcohol tonight. It was miserable feeling lonely in his condo. He wanted to drink so much that he would just pass out and wouldn''t have to suffer the emptiness anymore.


    So, he stepped out to bring a lot of booze from the supermarket. But on his way back as he glanced at the park, he recognized Ai''s figure. Seeing her sleeping on the bench made him speechless.


    What does she think she is doing?


    Jun walked towards her and was shocked to see her sleep so defenselessly on the bench of a public park all alone.


    "What are you doing sleeping at the park?"


    Startled, Ai opened her eyes and got up. Her brown orbs slowly widened seeing Jun before her, looking back at her confused.


    "You."


    She didn''t realize when she already reached the area closer to where Jun lived on her way to search for hotels.


    "Yes, it''s me. But what are you doing?"


    "Sleeping."


    He gritted his teeth. "Of course, I can see that. If you have any confusion, then let me clarify it to you that I am not blind. I mean what are you doing sleeping at a park at this time?"


    "My house got on fire."


    "..."


    I don''t feel it was a small accident.


    "The repairs are going to take a month. I have no place to go as all hotel rooms are booked."


    It definitely wasn''t a small accident.


    Jun raised his brow. "Such bad luck on Christmas Eve."


    "Indeed."


    "You didn''t ask your neighbors or friends?"


    "My neighbors cannot accommodate me due to some reasons of their own."


    He chuckled. "Ah. Is one of the reasons being afraid of you seducing their husbands?"


    Ai glanced at him. "I figured that though I have no such intentions. It''s fine. I cannot force them. As for my friend, she is out of the city and won''t be back anytime soon."


    By friend, she meant Xing Bi.


    "And you figured sleeping in a park was a good option?" His brow twitched.


    Ai softly exhaled. "Not my best option, but I don''t have a choice."


    "Idiot! You got loose screws in your head. Sleeping all alone at a park late at night? You are just inviting predators to you. I don''t need to tell you what kind of predators."


    "This is a public park," she defended herself or at least tried to.


    He sneered. "So the public should be present at all times, even at night as bodyguards? There IS a type of public that lurks around, but they aren''t so desirable or reliable. Remember, predators?"


    Silence.


    Ai smiled. "Thank you for your concern, but I- wait, where are you taking my bag?" She hastily asked.


    "Just follow me."


    "But where?"


    "Shut up and just follow me."


    Ai was confused. Until the end, Jun refused to talk to her and only dragged her along. Reaching his condo, he put her bag near the couch and faced her.


    He pointed in a direction. "That will be your room."


    Ai rapidly blinked. "My room? I will be living here?"


    "Why did you think I brought you here?"


    She felt at a loss. "You¡­are allowing me to stay here?"


    He stared at her with his dark gaze. "Until the time your repairs are over. Don''t overthink."


    Ai hesitated. She got help from someone who she expected the least. She gave it a long thought and nodded. "I appreciate the help. Thank you so much."


    Compared to sleeping on a bench in a park which would be unsafe at night, staying at Jun''s condo was the best she could have gotten. Plus, his place was even better than a hotel''s room.


    Jun leaned. "I thought you don''t like to bother people, so I would have a hard time persuading you. But you agreed pretty quickly. Are you sure I am-"


    "You are not my type," Ai stated. "But this is a dire situation for me. Rest assured. I will keep my distance from you."


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    "...Whatever. Now some ground rules for living here. You have seen my place before, so you know that I am a very organized person. You can use whatever you like or whatever you need, but I need you to put it back to its place when you are done with it. No making any mess in my house," he coldly iterated.


    Ai nodded. "I don''t like mess and disorganization either. You don''t have to worry."


    He had seen her taking notes when he had asked so he believed her. Plus, his house was neat and tidy when she took care of him.


    Jun hummed.


    "I don''t like too much noise. I don''t want to hear unnecessary loud sounds or talking on the phone from your room."


    "Me too. I like peace and quiet. I won''t disturb you."


    Jun recalled all the times he saw her at the library sitting by herself reading books without a sound.


    She does keep quiet for a long time.


    "Breakfast will be ready by 8 AM, lunch by 1 PM and dinner by 8 PM. If you can accommodate these times then good, or you will have to arrange your own food. Either cook for yourself or order."


    Ai nodded. "The timings are more or less similar. I won''t have any problem with the schedule."


    Jun was slightly surprised.


    ¡­That''s convenient.


    He added. "Don''t enter my room without my permission. Of course, the same applies to me too. Also, I read in the mornings and at night, and I don''t like disturbance or any form of hyperactivity when I am reading."


    The last line mainly was for his twin elder brothers who never gave him any peace.


    Ai sincerely agreed. "I like silence while I am reading too, or I cannot enjoy the experience. You won''t face any trouble from me."


    Why does this seem so easy? Jun wondered. He couldn''t help but get suspicious. There was nobody he met until now who fit in all his demands and habits.


    "Well then. Do you want to ask anything?"


    "No. But I do want to say something."


    "What?"


    "Merry Christmas."


    He blinked.


    "It was going to be a lonely evening for me, but I am not alone now. I don''t mean it in a romantic way naturally, but I appreciate your company. Thank you for taking me in. I hope we can spend a good month together."

 Chapter 51 It Was A Good Christmas (1)

    Chapter 51 It Was A Good Christmas (1)


    As Jun stirred the curry in the pot, his thoughts wandered off to a while ago. He looked back and saw Ai sincerely writing something in her notebook sitting on the couch.


    It was going to be a lonely evening for me, she had said.


    Jun poured some salt in the curry.


    It was going to be a lonely evening for me too. He smiled sardonically.


    On the other side, Ai was busy making notes about her next story. She still didn''t know what she was going to write about, but she definitely knew she was going to base her story''s male lead upon Jun.


    She looked around, thinking about her story and saw a big swing near the large glass windows. It was shaped like a beautiful crescent of a moon and inside was like a mini bed with a pillow. It was easily big enough to fit Jun''s tall figure.


    This swing wasn''t there when I first came here, she tilted her head. Maybe he bought it later. It is such a pretty swing, her eyes sparkled.


    She had an urge to have a ride on it, but the swing was quite high up from the floor. Her fear of heights promptly made her give up on that idea.


    Resting in the swing and enjoying books in silence with the city view by the side on a rainy day must feel so beautiful...


    Her phone buzzed and her daze broke, seeing another message from Yating. She quietly ignored it and went back to her work.


    She tapped her pen on the points she jotted down.


    His eyes were intense.


    His words were sarcastic.


    His aura emanated possessiveness.


    She recalled Jun killing that thief in cold blood.


    He is dangerous.


    Then she remembered the time at the book signing event.


    But he is-


    Suddenly a plate slid in front of her eyes with the smell of curry wafting up to the tip of her nostrils. There was a good portion of rice beside it.


    She furrowed her brows and looked up to see Jun casually sitting on another couch fiddling with his phone. She looked at the plate and back at him.


    "This¡­"


    "Your dinner," Jun said without looking up from his phone.


    She blinked.


    "But it''s past 8 PM now."


    He narrowed his eyes on her. "It''s just an exception for today since you got your house blown up."


    Oh, so he made dinner for me. I thought it was for himself.


    "Thank you."


    Ai looked down at her notebook and wrote as she softly smiled.


    But he is caring in his own way.


    Jun seemed to be the least bothered and the last person who would ever help her in a pinch, yet it was only him who pulled her out of trouble every time.


    Jun sneered in disdain. "Why are you smiling like that? You are acting creepy."


    Ai''s beautiful brows slightly creased. But then her light brown pupils smiled. "Isn''t it alright? Everybody has a hidden side. Like you. You act indifferent and unapproachable all the time, yet you are the same person who demands an ice cream with chocolate and blackberry scoops when he is sick and secretly gifts chocolate boxes to children he supposedly doesn''t like. You have a hidden cute side."


    Jun''s face turned as black as a burned pot. He didn''t understand if Ai was praising him or getting back at him for his comment.


    Okay, maybe bringing her here was a bad idea, after all, he clenched his jaw. Let''s just get through this month without talking to her at all!


    Ai pursed her lips.


    I was praising his cute side. Why is he mad?


    A few minutes later when Ai was putting all her stuff back in her bag, Jun''s eyes caught a book, and he stared at it. "That book."


    Ai followed his gaze and took out the book he was referring to. "This one?"


    He widened his eyes. "You know about that book?"


    Ai was surprised as well. "Yes. You do too?"


    "The hell I do! They are a late Chinese author who never exposed themselves in the public. To the world, it was a ghost who would just suddenly write a book when it was the least expected. They are not generally known to anyone. That''s why very few people read his or her books or even know about them. They didn''t get that popular either. The one you have is a historical book, right? It''s a story about two people falling in love during a bloody war."


    Ai''s irises sparkled in delight. "Yes. And it''s not a regular war story. Here, it''s the Queen who goes to the war instead of the King. She falls in love with a servant who has feelings for her too. She goes to war, and he waits for her while he manages the kingdom in her absence. Usually, it''s always the other way around."


    Jun straightened up and eagerly leaned. "That''s why I like it so much because it has a different take. The war goes on for three years, and it shows their struggle of how they fight their own battles while waiting to reunite."


    Ai''s fingers trembled in excitement as she clenched the book. "The servant Yao Qiang was so witty. It would be impossible for a servant to take the reins of a nation, but he skillfully handled it without causing a civil rebellion. He used his own class to gain control and peace."


    "What was more amusing was how the Queen, Zhao Su, formed strategies to defeat the enemy! The part about digging a hole under the enemy kingdom''s grounds and they don''t even get a whiff about it was ingenious."


    Ai furiously nodded. "They fought their own battles with such skill and intelligence. In the end, Zhao Su returns victorious and they get married."


    For the first time, Jun had a very different expression on his face. "The author captured the essence of the war really well. The blood, violence and the sacrifices made the story feel so alive. It''s such a fulfilling story!"


    She couldn''t help but smile in helplessness. "I know. People don''t know what they are missing out on just because it''s not popular," she bit her lip in disappointment.


    Jun sneered. "They have their brains in their knees if they cannot find real gems. Real readers don''t just chase after popular books."


    Ai sincerely agreed with Jun.


    He asked, "How did you get this book?"


    "Oh, I found it in an old library in the city where I grew up and went to school. I still remember how I felt when I read it for the first time¡­My heart raced so fast as if I was Zhao Su myself. I always liked books, but this was the one that properly got me into reading," her gaze softened, "That''s why I always carry it with me. It was what secretly inspired me to become a writer."

 Chapter 52 It Was A Good Christmas (2)

    Chapter 52 It Was A Good Christmas (2)


    Jun''s gaze was transfixed at her. He touched his chest and wondered.


    Something felt as if it was tugging my heart¡­


    Her warm and mellow pupils as she shared her excitement over her most favorite book was so infectious that even Jun got pulled in.


    Jun was thrilled as much as he was shocked.


    I never thought I would meet someone who would have read that book too.


    Even in the Reading Point forum, there was nobody who talked about this book from that ghost author. Jun had even mentioned it once, but everybody was clueless.


    It was always the case with hidden gems. They were practically invisible and buried under a mountain of treasures that sparkled like gold. The gems would cast a soft light that might hardly shine among the scintillating presence of other jewels but once you find them, it was impossible not to get sucked into their world. Not many bothered to take their eyes away from the blinding glitter to find the real treasure that would truly shake their hearts.


    Such was that war love story between Zhao Su and Yao Qiang among the sea of other romance novels.


    Ai curiously asked, "I didn''t see this book on your shelf that day though?"


    Jun snapped out of his stupor. "Ah? Oh that¡­"


    There was no doubt Jun had his own copy too, but it was in the bookshelf of his bedroom at the Liu villa.


    Now that he knew Ai read something that he hadn''t expected anybody else to have read, he was even more curious if they read any other books in common.


    Ai earnestly took out some other books from her bag. Jun was speechless. "Do you carry your own mini library in your bag?"


    She proudly smiled. "Amazing, isn''t it?"


    Jun went through her mini collection and realized there were indeed quite a few common books that they have both read. For him, it was like he found his heaven.


    There were some he hadn''t seen before, and Ai didn''t hesitate to convince him to give them a try, which Jun readily accepted.


    "You have good taste. You are weird, but you have good sense in choices," he commented.


    Ai blinked.


    Is he praising me?


    "Yes, I am praising you, so feel honored," Jun snorted. "People don''t get praised by me so easily."


    "Why not?"


    "Because they are dumb."


    "..."


    His sight fell on a particular book, and he froze. He grabbed it and asked, "The hell? How did you get this one?"


    It was a book whose very few copies existed in the country. It was a post apocalyptic love story that was insanely popular many years ago. Not many people had them.


    It was titled - Love Amongst Chaos.


    Ai replied. "From the same old library I talked about. The librarian was quite a collector. He had travelled all over China in his younger days and got a copy of it. He gave it to me as a parting gift when the library closed down," she pursed her lips. "He was too old to manage it on his own."


    Jun gritted his teeth. He remembered how hard he had searched for this book. He even used his father''s connections, but there was no luck.


    Damn it, I am so jealous!


    Suddenly, he got up and left in a hurry. Ai wondered what was wrong.


    He came back and signed a cheque. "Sell me the book."


    "..."


    "You can put whatever amount you want."


    "No!" She replied with indignance. "This book is a gift from that librarian. I cannot sell it to you."


    He tried his hardest to smile. "Any amount."


    "No."


    "I am telling you any amount!"


    "And I am telling you no. Feelings cannot be measured by money."


    Damn it!


    Jun sat back, defeated and furious.


    My library would have been perfect with that book! It feels so annoying now!


    He glared at her. "Why is your luck so good?"


    Ai glanced at him. "Not really. We all get lucky at times. Sometimes we don''t."


    He shrugged. "Luck is useless. It never works when we want it the most."


    "That''s because you are not supposed to get the thing if it''s not in your fate. Personally, I don''t believe in luck much. What is meant to be will happen. If it happens in your favor, people call it being lucky, if not then unlucky. Who knows if fate allows you to get this book one day too?" She smiled.


    He shot her another glare but seeing more books in her bag, his eyes twinkled. "Show those too."


    Ai beamed and nodded. "This one is¡­"


    The next morning.


    Jun''s head lopsided, and he woke up with a jolt. He yawned and was stunned to see himself sleeping on the couch. Ai was on another one with a pile of books all around them. Some were hers while some were from his bookshelf.


    The hell¡­were we talking for the whole night?


    They were so lost in their heated discussions about the stories they read that they had even forgotten to sleep. It was a night long debate where the living room resounded with their excited and thrilled voices.


    Jun stared at Ai whose arm was hanging from the couch''s edge as she soundly slept.


    When did I ever talk so much to someone like this? He scratched his head in confusion and bewilderment. Was it even me?


    But the smell of the musty books and the long conversations they shared last night brought a faint smile on his lips that even he didn''t see coming.


    It felt¡­nice.


    He tilted his head as his brown eyes looked at Ai unblinkingly.


    The soft sunlight shone on her face, and the mellow golden rays made her fair cheeks beautifully gleam under them. A few strands of her hair softly fluttered over her nose and lips.


    Jun stretched his arm towards her, unable to tear his gaze away from her. His fingers tapped on her fair skin like a small drop making a soft ripple in still water. He tucked the few strands of her hair behind her ear.


    It was a good Christmas¡­thanks to you.

 Chapter 53 Switch To Sky?

    Chapter 53 Switch To Sky?


    Ai put her suitcase and bag on the bed and threw a glance over her new bedroom where she would be staying for a month. The ivory painted walls were well matched with the furniture and curtains. Even though it was an unused room, there wasn''t a speck of dust anywhere. She opened the window and a gust of chilly winter air made her slightly shudder.


    She breathed in a mouthful of air and exhaled. Thinking back to last night, she felt puzzled.


    I don''t usually talk so much. But it felt so easy with Jun. I wonder why?


    It was something novel for Ai to find someone like Jun who shared this passion with her. She touched her chest and recalled how fast it was beating during their furious and excited debates.


    She went back and picked the book - Love Amongst Chaos for whom Jun had signed on an empty check.


    She chuckled.


    So silly.


    Her gaze softened, and she brushed her palm along the book''s front cover.


    It was a good Christmas because of you, Jun.


    She stayed quiet for a while as she let the last night sink in.


    Even when I dated Yating in my past life, we never¡­shared such moments together.


    Dream High¡­


    The light in her eyes flickered. Her thoughts were interrupted by her phone ringing with a call.


    She smiled. "Xing Bi."


    "Ai! How are you? Did you find any hotel room to stay in?" She worriedly asked.


    "I didn''t. All rooms were booked."


    "Then where are you staying? Is it at Guiying''s?"


    "No."


    "Then where?"


    Ai wondered how to tell she was staying in a man''s condo who she just met at the library a few weeks ago.


    Living with a man she didn''t know much about¡­


    She will kill me.


    "...The librarian Mrs. Quan Su. She is a very sweet librarian who runs Beijing''s public library. I got acquainted with her since I visit the library everyday. So, she offered me her home to live in."


    "Oh. Ai, are you sure she is trustworthy?" There was a hint of suspicion in her voice.


    "Yes, yes. Don''t worry about me. She is really kind."


    Ai heard a soft sigh. "Okay, if you say so. Anyway I called to check in on your living arrangements. Take this time to rest too, okay? Don''t keep thinking about your story all the time. A break is also equally important. We will talk more about it when I am back."


    "Xing Bi!" Ai quickly stopped her from hanging up.


    "Yeah?"


    Ai lowered her head and fiddled with her fingers. "What do you think about¡­Sky Publishing?"


    "Sky Publishing? Our rival, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Well, all I know is they are currently focussing on webnovels and webcomics. They are booming in that category. There is a rumor that they want to open up for traditional books too. But the President is really strict. He has rejected all drafts up until now," she exhaled. "It''s hard pleasing Chen Yunru."


    "Oh."


    "Ai, are you thinking of switching companies?"


    Silence.


    Xing Bi gently asked, "Is it related to the incident that happened during Cai Guiying''s book signing event?"


    "No, Xing Bi. It isn''t related to that. But¡­I have my own reasons because of which I cannot work in Dream High anymore."


    Xing Bi said nothing.


    "I understand, Ai. I suppose I always expected this to happen. Dream High is currently focussing all its resources and promotions for Cai Guiying, which is good but¡­I want to see you flourish, Ai. Your stories hit right at the hearts and if you just perfect the romantic chemistry between your leads, you will be a star. I believe in you. That''s why I want to see you up there. At the summit."


    Ai''s eyes stung with tears. Xing Bi was always someone who had tremendously cared for Ai in her past life. Even when she was at her lowest point in her writing career, her editor had never given up on her.


    Until the very end, Xing Bi fought for Ai''s rights and against the bias that Dream High showed towards Guiying. She tried her best to convince the management to give Ai equal chances as Guiying and all the resources to develop her. Even Yating did. But in the end, it was all about who was popular at that moment, and it was only Guiying.


    It ended badly for Xing Bi. Because Ai''s performance dwindled, Xing Bi lost her credibility as a good editor too, and she was told to resign as a new resource replaced her.


    Over the next five years, she switched between different publishing companies but could barely fare well. Then a month before Ai died from falling off the terrace, Xing Bi had lost her life in an accident and was found that she had been drinking and driving.


    The employees at Dream High surmised that she was going through a rough depression after getting kicked out and became a heavy drinker after her career failed miserably. In the end, she died because of alcohol.


    Ai clenched her fist as tears filled her eyes.


    I made Xing Bi suffer. She did her best to save my career, but her career got ruined because of me. In the end, she died.


    But not this time. I will leave Dream High, and Xing Bi''s job and reputation won''t take any hit.


    Her gaze blazed in determination to join Sky at any cost. To save Xing Bi''s career and life, to keep distance from Yating and Guiying and at the same time become the best writer¡­


    To make this happen, she had to join Sky at all costs!


    Xing Bi laughed. "Come on, Ai! Why are you so quiet as if somebody just died? It''s okay. I am not mad at you. In fact, I am proud of you. You should think what''s best for you as a writer. You should have a platform that recognizes your talent. Sky is definitely more liberal. I know I shouldn''t say this because I work in Dream High, but it''s the truth."


    "...I don''t want my editor to change. If I go to Sky Publishing, there won''t be you," her voice was downcast.


    She didn''t want to ask Xing Bi to give up on her job for her.


    "Aiyaaa, my Ai is so cute!" Xing Bi chuckled. "So what if I am not there? You will do great even if it''s any other editor. Whether it''s me or someone else, they will simply fall in love with you haha!"


    Ai tried to smile.


    "So! Have you thought about any story to pitch to Sky?" She eagerly asked.


    Ai pursed her lips. "Not yet. I am trying, but I am not getting any ideas."


    Xing Bi gave it a thought. "Well¡­instead of trying for a long novel, why not give it a shot with a short story? That way, you won''t be bogged down by a complex plot, and this way is better to know what Sky is looking for. If they reject one, you can write another. Short stories are relatively simpler to write because you have to make only one point in the whole story."


    Ai''s eyes sparkled.


    As Jun passed from beside Ai''s room, he heard her suddenly say, "This is for the best. I will pitch a short story draft to Sky Publishing."


    He paused in his steps and turned to face her room''s door. He tilted his head as he remembered her saying that day she was looking to become a writer.


    Ai wants to come to Sky?

 Chapter 54 Mr. Liu Won’t Let Her Fall

    Chapter 54 Mr. Liu Won''t Let Her Fall


    ''You snatched away everything from me, Ai! My career, my brother''s affection and even the man I love!''


    ''Why couldn''t things have been the same as before between us¡­?''


    Gasping hard, Ai woke up from her nightmare at the point where she fell from Dream High''s terrace and hit Jun''s car. Her forehead was covered with sweat. She hugged herself as if the pain from the cruel impact was still fresh in her body.


    When will these dreams end¡­?


    Like Jun, Ai frequently dreamt about her miserable past life. Her failures, the betrayal, her death¡­it was hard to bear.


    She rested her forehead on her knees.


    I didn''t dream of my past life last night, so I thought I overcame them¡­


    It was Jun''s company and the good time they shared last night that Ai didn''t have any nightmares. She had slept soundly after many days. But the second night at Jun''s condo didn''t prove to be any different for her. Things hadn''t changed.


    Feeling thirsty, she reached out towards the jar, but it was empty. She sighed and got up when the electricity was cut off. It went completely dark.


    The lights¡­


    Ai pressed the jar to her belly and hesitatingly stepped out of her room. It was pitch black. She couldn''t make out the furniture shapes at all. She inhaled and exhaled and kept on taking slow steps towards the kitchen.


    She took another step but stumbled, feeling dizzy. Fear made her body tremble and her breaths go erratic.


    A flash of light shone on her path the next moment, and she shut her eyes with its sudden brightness.


    Hearing the familiar voice, she calmed down. "Hello."


    Jun''s sharp gaze travelled up and down her shaking figure. "Why are you trembling like that?"


    "Nothing¡­I was just out to get some water."


    "Yeah, so where is your mobile with its flashlight on?"


    "I don''t use a flashlight in the darkness."


    "..."


    "A flashlight is meant to be used when it''s dark, Zhou Ai," Jun smiled.


    "I know. But I get scared."


    "I can understand if you are afraid of the dark, but why are you afraid of the light?"


    "I am not afraid of the light. I just don''t like using flashlight when it''s all dark," she pursed her lips, "I get scared thinking ''What if I turn on my flashlight and it suddenly shines on a ghost or a monstrous creature in front of me, and then I will be dead?''"


    "...."


    Why does her imagination always run so wild?


    "For that matter, can you please switch off your flashlight? What if a hideous monster is hiding behind that curtain? I really don''t want to see that and get a heart attack."


    His mouth violently twitched.


    "Rest assured, Miss Zhou. My house is not haunted."


    "You can never be completely sure."


    He rolled his eyes. "Just sit on the couch. I will get you water. You seem like you would collapse anytime soon."


    As soon as Jun changed the flashlight''s direction, he heard a small thud.


    He focused the flashlight back on her and widened his eyes seeing her collapsed on the floor.


    "You¡­you really did collapse! What happened? Get up," he extended his hand towards her. But she wasn''t listening. He sensed she was trembling more than before.


    Jun observed her. He kneeled before her and noticed her complexion turning pale. Her lips were quivering with fear he didn''t understand. He didn''t know why but she reminded him of MissImperfectlyFine when she was shaking just like this when he had saved her from falling off the stairs.


    He lowered his voice. "Why are you afraid?"


    Ai quickly wiped the corner of her eye. "N-Nothing. It''s just that I am scared of heights¡­"


    He frowned. "I know. But you aren''t at any high place right now."


    She clasped onto her dress. "It got too dark when you moved the flashlight away and I¡­" she uneasily breathed, "when I moved, I felt that I was falling. I couldn''t see the floor and¡­I thought I was not standing upon anything. I got dizzy so¡­"


    The death of her previous life made her often hallucinate and nightmares made it just worse for her.


    He remained silent.


    Jun kept his mobile with the flashlight on near her. "Stay here."


    He took the jar from her and went to the kitchen. As he came back, he said, "Get up."


    She saw the jar filled with water and bit her lip. "I am sorry for-"


    "Just hold my hand and get up," he interrupted her with a serious expression.


    Ai put her hand in his, and he pulled her up in a swoop. They froze in place feeling the proximity as they almost hugged. At that distance, they could faintly smell each other.


    Jun looked down to see the corner of her eyes still slightly moist. Strangely, he had an urge to wipe the tear off her long eyelashes.


    Ai felt the warmth radiate from his chest that drifted away the uneasiness from her heart. She felt lonely and in danger but when his broad shoulders hugged her, she felt all her anxiety dissipate as if nothing could harm her anymore.


    He helped her get back to her room, and Ai quickly jumped on the bed, pulling the blanket upon herself.


    Jun was speechless. "...Why did you do that? I wasn''t going to eat you up."


    She seriously stated. "But the monster hiding under my bed could. What if something suddenly grabs my feet from under the bed and I will be dead?"


    Jun choked.


    "Do you... always climb like that on the bed?"


    "Yes."


    "..."


    "What is with you and monsters? And for the last time, my house is not haunted!"


    "You can never be completely sure."


    He sneered. "Ho. And why do you think you are so safe once you are on the bed? Your hideous monster can still climb out from under the bed and jump on you, and then you will be dead."


    "..."


    "You are not a nice person," Ai softly complained under her breath.


    "..."


    He smiled. "Should I take the jar away and prove that I am really not a nice person?"


    Her brow twitched.


    "You are welcome to sleep thirsty for the entire night."


    She said nothing.


    Jun snorted and turned after keeping the water jar on the bedside table. For a moment, he wanted to ask what he heard her talking in the morning about joining Sky. But seeing her condition like this, he let it go for now.


    "I will check what''s wrong with the power. It will be back soon."


    She nodded. "Thank you for the help again."


    As Jun was about to shut the door, he paused and looked back. Ai gave him a questioning look in return.


    "If you are anywhere near me, you don''t have to be afraid of heights. As long as I am there, you won''t fall. You just won''t fall. That''s it."


    He then closed the door.


    Ai kept staring at the place where he just stood. Unknowingly, her eyes turned a little misty, and warmth enveloped her chest. The certainty in his voice was so unshakeable that it struck the chords in her heart.


    "You are indeed a very nice person," she smilingly whispered.

 Chapter 55 A Warm, Addicting Meal

    Chapter 55 A Warm, Addicting Meal


    The next morning, Ai woke up much earlier than usual. She quickly got ready and left for the supermarket to buy some ingredients for making today''s breakfast.


    Yes, she decided to cook today''s morning meal as a way to properly thank Jun for helping her out last night.


    A gentle smile curled her lips upwards. It wasn''t only because he helped her, but his parting words left a deep impact on her.


    ''As long as I am there, you won''t fall. You just won''t fall.''


    To him, they might be just a few consoling words to soothe her fear. But to Ai, those words meant everything. Someone who saw the love of her life watching her fall into the dark abyss of death when she desperately wanted to cling to his warmth and support - the assurance that somebody would be there this time to hold on to her meant the world to her.


    The sincerity and the resolution in his unyielding voice shook her. His earnest and determined pupils made her feel safe and protected.


    Ai wanted to thank him from the bottom of her heart. This was also a good chance to thank him for saving her during the event, whether it was bringing the little boy to confess or catching her from falling off the stairs.


    She made a quick round to the supermarket and returned with two bags in her hand. In the kitchen she put the pan on the burner and took out the ingredients one by one.


    Jun, who was doing some light exercises in his room, felt an aroma fill in the air a while later.


    "You made breakfast today?"


    Ai joyfully replied. "Yes. This is for helping me out last night and during the event- *cough cough!*"


    "Event? Which event?" Jun was confused.


    Ai wiped her forehead.


    It slipped out of my tongue¡­


    "...event. Christmas event. Yes for taking me in during Christmas when I was homeless."


    Jun raised his brow. "You didn''t have to do that."


    "This is the least I can do."


    The breakfast had good portions of pork buns, dumplings and some wheat curry noodles. The dishes let out a soothing aroma that would make anybody''s stomach grumble in hunger.


    Jun popped a dumpling into his mouth and slowly widened his eyes. "These are good."


    Her ears perked up with the praise, and she felt satisfied. She woke up really early so that she could slowly and meticulously follow the recipe to make the perfect breakfast.


    As he tasted the pork buns and wheat noodles, he slowly nodded his head in deep thought. Being the son of a mother who was an awesome chef herself, Jun was extremely strict when it came to food tasting. Not just him but his siblings too. It was a colossal task for anybody to earn praise from them.


    "Reduce the pork filling by one-third next time. The dough won''t loosen that way. The wheat noodles are slightly overcooked. Keep the timing in check."


    He thought Ai would look dispirited by his comments. Instead, she was carefully writing down the notes. She nodded and closed her notebook.


    "Thank you. I will make it right next time," she sincerely replied.


    Jun kept his gaze on her for a moment and then went back to eating his breakfast.


    It''s not perfect, but it''s still good, Jun silently thought.


    With Nana being the chef herself, Jun had never eaten anything less than a perfect feast all the time. But somehow he felt it was refreshing to have not-so-perfect food.


    Jun, who always yearned for perfection strangely found this warm meal addicting.


    "For someone who blew up her house, this is quite a decent meal," Jun commented.


    Ai pursed her lips. "I realized baking is different from cooking."


    Jun wondered how Nian''s reaction would be if he had seen the ruined cake. Nian was a professional patissier and had opened his own branch of Natsukashi Bakery.


    Natsukashi was a family restaurant where Nana was the owner but right now, it was jointly handled by Jian and his younger sister Nuo, who were professional chefs just like her. Nian had always liked sweets since childhood, so he went ahead and completed his training to become a patissier from Paris.


    Jun''s lips unconsciously curled up.


    Ai blinked. "Why are you smiling?"


    "Nothing. I just thought it would be amusing to see my elder brother''s reaction if he ever learned of your failed baking cake attempt."


    She tilted her head. "You have an elder brother?"


    Jun sneered. "Unfortunately, yes. I have two older brothers. They are twins. One younger sister and¡­a younger brother," his voice got a little grim thinking about Jin.


    Ai looked at him with envy. "It''s so nice. I don''t have any siblings. Growing up all alone was difficult. Sometimes, I wished I had a sibling too."


    Jun made a face. "You are better off alone than having nosy siblings like mine."


    "You shouldn''t say that. Only someone who doesn''t have any siblings can understand their value. You should feel lucky."


    Jun paused.


    I did feel lucky all this time¡­until my own brother brought a crack in my relationship.


    He felt stifling in his chest thinking about Jin and Shui.


    "Why did you say it would be amusing to see your brother''s reaction?"


    Jun discarded the negative thoughts about Jin and replied. "Because he is obsessed with cakes and sweets. If he had seen the mess, he would have grilled you like crazy until you shed tears of blood. Heh. So many girls have tried to win his heart by making cakes for him. Tch. They were all left with bleeding hearts. Either you make it perfectly, or don''t try at all! Is what he says," he scoffed. "If you did a half-assed attempt, then be ready to die in shame. He is a sweets maniac."


    "..."


    It was hard to imagine a person liking sweets so much to speak so harshly.


    Jun''s question brought her out of her thoughts.


    "I heard you talking yesterday to someone," Jun narrowed his eyes. "Are you planning to join Sky?"

 Chapter 56 Ai’s Visit To Sky

    Chapter 56 Ai''s Visit To Sky


    Ai was surprised. "Yes, I do."


    "Hooo¡­" Jun tilted his head. "Why do you want to join Sky? Isn''t Dream High the most famous company as far as traditional books are concerned? I think it would be any budding writer''s choice to go for Dream High."


    She kept quiet for a moment as she lowered her gaze. She couldn''t be at a place anymore where there would be Yating and Guiying.


    She looked up and smiled. "Indeed that should be my obvious choice. But I have heard that Dream High is very particular about the genres that a writer could write in. They follow the tropes that readers want to read the most, which isn''t bad, but¡­it feels restricting to me. They also urge their writers to write fast paced stories, but I don''t think my writing style would fit it. I like to take it a little slow."


    Jun raised his brow and agreed to her.


    Guiying aka CherryBlossom''s books were like that. She had good writing skills, he admitted, but he felt the pace with which she explored feelings was faster than required.


    Ai softly exhaled. "I understand that point too. Mostly, readers are very impatient. They want the characters to fall in love quickly. But love doesn''t work that way. It isn''t something instant. It''s a gradual process of talking to one another, getting comfortable around each other, sharing their fears and inhibitions, understanding each other and then coming to realize that they cannot live without each other. There are so many emotions to go through. It cannot be done in just a few pages and neither do I want to give that message to the readers."


    The fork slipped from his hand and it made a clang sound. Her words struck a chord in his heart. It felt painful and uncomfortable, but he didn''t understand why.


    Ai widened her eyes. "What''s wrong?"


    "... Nothing," his voice got a little chillier. He snapped out of that uneasy feeling and asked, "I wonder how MissImperfectlyFine wrote her books? They are tragic which readers certainly don''t like, and she doesn''t follow tropes either. Why did Dream High allow her to write what she wanted?"


    Ai''s mouth twitched.


    She cleared her throat. "I wonder that too¡­"


    Jun sneered. "Whatever might be the reason, Dream High is a big idiot."


    Ai blinked in confusion. "Huh?"


    Jun took a bite of his noodles. "Of course. MissImperfectlyFine won the Best Newcomer Writer award for her book. Keeping aside my personal tastes of not liking bitter endings, she deserved that award. The book was terrific. In all honesty, she could have won the Best Fiction Award too."


    Ai widened her eyes.


    Best Fiction Award? Nobody has ever said that before to me.


    She tried to smile. "...That''s impossible. Why do you think that?"


    "I don''t know," he touched his chin. "It''s just a feeling. But the point is that a writer won an award even when she didn''t follow any trope. Yet Dream High still focuses on genres that are more popular. Winning an award should have opened their eyes that readers don''t only look for something popular but something different too. That''s why they are an idiot, and that''s why they won''t be able to go far if they stubbornly stick to their ideals," he sneered.


    Well what do I care? I want to destroy Dream High anyway. Gu Yating made a big mistake by targeting Sky in my past life. This time, I will make him pay with interest.


    Jun''s gaze fell back on Ai, and he asked with interest. "So how are you planning to pitch in to Sky?"


    Ai replied with anticipation. "I am planning to submit a few short stories to Sky. I heard the President Chen Yunru is very strict and particular. He hasn''t accepted any traditional author yet."


    That''s not him. That''s me, Jun added in his mind.


    A mysterious glint flickered in his eyes. "He is very hard to please."


    That''s what Xing Bi said too.


    Ai nodded.


    "Do you think you can win him?" He smiled.


    Ai answered with all sincerity. "I will do my best, and I won''t give up until he accepts me."


    Hooo¡­It will be interesting to see what kind of stories you would write.


    He picked up his phone and dropped his cousin a message.


    ¡ª


    In his room, Yunru had hardly woken up from his good sleep when a ding came from his phone. He drowsily read it.


    ''Keep an eye on any drafts you will get from a writer named Butterfly. Send me as soon as you get them.''


    Huh?


    Yunru scratched his head.


    Who is Butterfly?


    ¡ª


    As Ai was working on her first story draft, she got a message from Xing Bi.


    ''Ai. I suggest you visit Sky''s office once and meet one of its editors over there. Get a feel of their company and how they work or what they want from their authors. I really wanted to help you to set up this meeting, but Dream High and Sky are rivals, so it won''t be possible for me.''


    Ai replied. ''Don''t worry. I got this. Thank you, Xing Bi. This is a good idea.''


    She nodded and quickly got ready to head over to Sky''s office. The receptionist there directed her to wait in the lounge area.


    A while later, a woman stepped out, dressed in a formal suit and with spectacles on her eyes. She was in her thirties with a stern look on her face.


    "Zhou Ai, right? Come inside."


    Ai promptly followed her and took a seat in her cabin.


    "I am Sun Bai from the editorial team. Pleased to meet you."


    "The pleasure is here."


    "So, I understand that you want to pitch in a story to Sky?"


    "Yes."


    "What kind of stories do you like to write?"


    "Romance and tragedy. But I would like to try writing a story with a happy ending this time," Ai pursed her lips. "I am lacking in a few areas, and I want to address them with this fresh story that I would write."


    She raised her brow. "Interesting. Do you have any-"


    Her phone buzzed, and she excused herself. "I am sorry."


    Ai shook her head expressing that she didn''t mind it.


    Sun Bai moved to the back towards the window and picked the incoming call.


    "Sun Bai here."


    Ai glanced around the cabin''s decor when she heard Sun Bai ask, "Who is Sparkles?"


    She knitted her brows.


    Sparkles?


    She remembered she was another writer from Dream High, but she wasn''t as famous. Her books were doing mediocre in sales.


    "What? No. Sparkles cannot join Sky. Don''t you remember what President Chen said? No writer from Dream High is allowed to join Sky at any cost."

 Chapter 57 New Year’s Eve (1)

    Chapter 57 New Year''s Eve (1)


    Ai froze. She stared at Sun Bai''s figure unblinkingly.


    Not allowed to join? But I am from Dream High¡­


    Sun Bai shook her head. "Please reject Sparkle''s draft. President Chen will be really furious if we disobey his order."


    Ai trembled. Her fingers clutched onto the draft papers she held in her hands.


    But joining Sky is the only choice I have. If I get rejected here, then¡­what will become of my career? What about Xing Bi?


    I am given a second chance to make things right. I cannot afford to waste it.


    Sun Bai came back to her seat and apologetically smiled. "Sorry for that disturbance."


    Ai uncomfortably took a breath. "...Dream High writers are not allowed to join? I am sorry, I didn''t mean to listen."


    "It''s okay. Yes, you are right. It''s strange though," she frowned. "This wasn''t the rule before. Anybody was welcomed to join Sky. Even we find this decision bizarre. But it''s an order. We can only follow it."


    Ai panicked. This wasn''t the outcome she had expected. She didn''t want to work in Dream High, and Sky''s rule didn''t allow her to. She was in a bad pinch, finding all the doors shutting her out.


    "Where was I? Oh, yes. Is there any pen name you have decided upon?"


    She stiffened. Sky was her only hope to redeem herself. The past life spiralled in her memory lane that fought a war with her ethics and values at this moment. She had a difficult choice to make.


    One which she finally decided upon after a lot of contemplation, her gaze shining with resolve.


    ¡ª


    The last day of the year arrived in the blink of an eye. The whole city of Beijing was decorated to welcome the new year. The sky was covered with a blanket of grey clouds, casting a thin layer of darkness over the city. The weather department had forecasted a snowfall tonight.


    The preparations at the Liu villa were in full swing for the big party tonight.


    Nian proudly puffed up his chest. "Just you wait for tonight''s cake! Tonight will be the finest creation of my ability. Get ready to have your jaws dropped in shock and bow to me~"


    A paper plane flew and hit his head. "Hey! Who threw that?"


    Jian snorted. "Don''t get so cocky, Nian. I don''t think anybody would have any room left to eat your finest creation after they munch onto Nuo and my finest feast that we would make, hahaha! Get ready to see your balloon stomachs because once the dinner will be served, there will be no place for any dessert~"


    "Hey! Haven''t you heard that people have a different room for cake in their stomachs!? Look at our monstrous Grandpa! He is the perfect example. Look, he is sitting there still munching onto a bunch of chocolates."


    Jian glared at Liu Hai. "Grandpa! Control yourself! Have some room left for the feast!"


    Liu Hai, who just unwrapped another chocolate, glared back at him. "You unruly grandson! Don''t tell your grandfather what he should do!"


    Nuo passed by him and shook her head. "Grandpa, stop with all the chocolates. You will really fall sick. Don''t complain later if you won''t get to eat tonight''s feast," she scolded him.


    Liu Hai grumbled and put the chocolate back.


    "Good."


    Jian gnashed his teeth and threw a paper plane at him. "You old geezer! How is it that you always listen to Nuo and not to me?"


    "I don''t want to listen to a bunch of stinky boys! Girls are refreshing."


    "Grandpa, you sound like a pervert when you say that," Nian sneered.


    "Shut up!"


    Nuo puffed up her cheeks. "Stop with all the fighting and help with the preparations! I have to get ready too."


    Jian whistled. "What do you know~ A certain girl who just got into a relationship is oddly excited to get ready."


    Nuo coughed.


    Nian waved his hand. "What do you care, little sis? Siying is head over heels for you anyway. He will worship you even if you are dressed in rags."


    Nuo''s cheeks reddened. "W-What nonsense are you spouting!? I didn''t mean it that way."


    "Suuureeee~~" the twins teased her.


    Nuo grimaced. "Bro Jian, do you really think you should be dilly-dallying? After your Twins Trial of Judgment, you better steal the show tonight or sis Leina might just dump you and find another man."


    "..."


    Nian smirked. "And this is the time when I feel lucky that I don''t have a girlfriend yet."


    Nuo glanced at him. "You don''t have a girlfriend, but you have Mom. If you want to appease her anger, you better be on your best behavior too."


    "..."


    Liu Hai rolled in laughter. "Yes, yes! These brats deserve to get dumped and scolded. I support Leina and Nana!"


    "Shut up, old geezer!"


    "Shut up, stinky brat!"


    "I am not stinky!"


    "I am not old either!"


    Nuo got a headache, so she simply left. She met Jin on her way. "Oh, Jin! Finally! Come here and help me," she sobbed, "Bro Jian and bro Nian are fighting with Grandpa again. They won''t get any work done," she harrumphed.


    Jin laughed and took a few baskets from her. As they set the lighting, Nuo asked, "Jin, did you talk to bro Jun? He is coming to the party tonight, right?"


    He slightly stiffened. He had indeed sent a few texts to Jun about tonight''s party, but he hadn''t replied to any of his messages.


    Jin awkwardly smiled. "I don''t know¡­"


    "Ah? You didn''t ask him yet?"


    He felt uncomfortable. "I did. But I think he is a little busy."


    Nuo was stunned. "What busy? Tonight is New Year''s Eve. How can he not be at tonight''s party? Wait, let me call him."


    She dialed Jun''s number. It went on for rings for a long time when he finally picked it up.


    "...Nuo."


    "Bro Jun! What is this I am hearing? You are coming to tonight''s party, right? Jin said he sent you texts, but you didn''t get back to him."


    "That¡­"


    Nuo narrowed her eyes. "Is there any problem, bro? You didn''t come to the Christmas party either. I also heard that you cancelled your date with Shui. This has never happened before. Are you two fighting?"


    Nuo was quite perceptive just like Nana.


    Jin averted his gaze while Jun remained quiet for a beat on the other side before he chuckled. "Of course not, Nuo. Everything is fine. I was just busy with work."


    "What work? All employees are on holiday today, so why is the CEO working all alone? Bro Jun, this is not done, okay? Close your laptop and come home right now! We are all waiting for you."


    "...Yeah, I will be there."


    "Good," Nuo smiled in satisfaction.


    She hung up and beamed. "Bro Jun will be coming soon. Let''s finish everything up!"


    "Great."


    Nuo hopped away to check on her twin brothers. Jin lowered his gaze. He unlocked his phone and hovered over Shui''s number.


    He paused for a while and typed.


    ''Bro Jun is coming tonight. Talk to him.''


    Jin let out a soft, sad smile.


    I hope tonight everything gets sorted out.


    ¡ª


    In the Han villa, Shui read Jin''s message and silently clutched her phone. Her black eyes were filled with confusion and pain. No matter how long she waited for Jun on Christmas Eve, he never replied to her.


    Jun, are things now so bad between us that you will even refuse to meet me?


    She typed back.


    ''Okay. I will talk to Jun.''


    Tonight, I will get all my answers from you, Jun.

 Chapter 58 New Year’s Eve (2)

    Chapter 58 New Year''s Eve (2)


    Jun felt tired.


    Only a few hours were left until the beginning of a new year, but here he was lying on the bed, his heart filled with anguish.


    He told Nuo that he would come to the party tonight, but he had no plans of going at all. Not only would he meet Shui which he didn''t want to, but he didn''t forget that Jinhai had thrown him out of the family. He didn''t have anything to do with his family anymore.


    Just like this, he planned to slowly cut himself off from his family until nobody would remember him anymore.


    *Knock knock*


    His brows slightly crinkled. He sighed as he opened the door, finding Ai glowing for some reason as she faced him.


    "What?"


    "Today is New Year''s."


    "So?"


    "Do you have any plans?"


    Jun thought about the party at Liu villa. "No."


    "Okay. I don''t have any plans either. I wanted to ask you if I can decorate your house?" She asked in anticipation.


    He blinked. "You want to celebrate?"


    Ai tilted her head. "Why not? We should welcome the new year with happiness and open arms."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Sure you can decorate the house¡­but are you planning for some loud music or that sort of stuff?"


    Ai was slightly taken aback. "No. Loud music gives me a headache."


    He snorted. "Good, because I wouldn''t have allowed you either. I like peace and quiet like I told you before when I explained to you the rules."


    She furiously nodded. "I wouldn''t do anything that you hate. This is your house, and I am just a guest. In fact, I came here to suggest if we can have a small party of our own. It wouldn''t be music and dancing, but I have some more classics to show you," her irises invariably sparkled.


    Jun widened his eyes. Suddenly, all his lethargy flew away from his body. "Damn it, you have more books?"


    "Yes. We talked mainly about romantic novels for the past few days, but I have read many crime and mystery books too. There are some good science fiction books too. I didn''t see those books on your shelf, so I don''t know if you have read them. But if you have, I think it would be fun to talk about them."


    Jun remembered how fun the last few days were. He had talked with Ai to the extent that he hadn''t talked to his own siblings that much if he combined his years from childhood until now. Recalling how thrilling the Christmas night was, he didn''t hesitate. "Done."


    Damn if only I could bring my collection from the Liu villa to here!


    "I will make an early dinner, and then we can set it up in the living room."


    Ai beamed.


    The last few days were tough on her, feeling guilty of lying about her identity to Sun Bai. But it was a necessary decision she had to make.


    Though it took a toll on her, she decided to forget about it and enjoy the New Year''s with Jun and the company of books.


    Her radiant expression, and the soft smile on her pink lips that was slowly widening by his agreement made Jun slightly twitch his brow. Her light brown pupils shone as if she was a child excited for a ride at a theme park. Her smile was so infectious that it inevitably brought a curl on his lips too.


    Jun, on the other hand, had already got the news of Ai''s visit to Sky through Yunru and how she talked to Sun Bai. Thinking that she could be a part of Sky brought a strange energy and anticipation within him.


    Ai offered. "I will help you with the dinner."


    She hopped away to start with the decorations while Jun felt it was amusing to see her so delighted. He thought it would prove to be cumbersome to share his living space with her, who oddly always managed to frustrate him somehow.


    But now he looked forward to spend the evening after how joyful the Christmas evening was.


    On the other side, Ai hummed a tune as she put on the lighting and flowers. Her phone lit up with an incoming call, and she saw it was from Yating. She paused.


    Ever since the Christmas evening, she had been getting continuous calls and messages from Yating, but she always ignored them. She thought he would stop after some time, but he seemed stubborn to talk to her.


    She saw another message from him.


    ''Ai, can we please talk? I am getting worried. You are not picking up my calls and messages. I just went to your apartment and came to know your house is in repairs, so where are you staying right now? Why didn''t you tell me? Are you okay?''


    ''Ai, if you don''t meet me, then I will go to the police because I am really worried about you!''


    She widened her eyes.


    Police?


    That would only be a bother since she wasn''t in any danger.


    She quickly replied him.


    ''I am fine. There is no need to go to the police.''


    A minute later, Yating''s call came. She bit her lower lip and accepted it.


    "Ai!!! For God''s sake, where have you been!? Why are you not replying to my calls and messages?"


    "...I have been busy."


    "So busy that you couldn''t reply to even one of my texts? And how did the accident happen? Where are you living right now?"


    She said nothing, neither did Yating.


    "Ai, can we please meet? I really need to say something important to you."


    Ai thought for a minute and finally agreed. "Okay."


    As she hung up, she heard Jun''s voice from her back. "Going somewhere?"


    Startled, she turned. She hesitated for a moment. "Yes. It would be only for a little while. I will be back by the time you start dinner preparations."


    Jun fixed his sharp gaze at her. "Is there any problem?"


    "No," she smiled.


    He couldn''t put a finger, but an odd and uncomfortable feeling crept in his chest. A moment ago, she was excited, but now she looked as if somebody had deflated that balloon.


    "...Are you sure you would be back on time?"


    "Yes, I will be."


    His brow twitched in dissatisfaction.


    Why am I so worried if tonight''s plan could get cancelled? I don''t care even if it does.


    ¡ª


    Ai stood in front of Dream High building. After her rebirth, she had only once stepped into this place for arranging the extra copies for the book signing event. This was the place where she had died in her last life and thought that she would never visit this place again.


    She looked up and a sudden stab of fear assaulted her as her gaze fell on the terrace. Blood pounded in her ears. This was the same place where she had fallen to her death. A wave of dizziness swept past her as if she was reliving the whole nightmare once again.


    She hugged her bag closer to her and wiped the beads of sweat off her brows.


    I will end this once and for all tonight.

 Chapter 59 It’s Too Late

    Chapter 59 It''s Too Late


    The clock struck seven in the evening, and the clouds in the sky had changed their color to a sinister dark grey. It felt as if it was already night time in Beijing. The temperature had dropped to several degrees, making it chilly and freezing.


    Dream High was empty. All the employees were busy celebrating and preparing to welcome the New Year, while Yating sat in his office alone waiting for Ai.


    The door slowly opened, and Ai''s slender figure stepped in. Yating immediately got up from his seat and rushed towards her. He pulled her in his hug, his brows crinkled with worry and tension.


    "Ai, where were you!? Do you¡­" he breathed uneasily, "Do you have any idea how worried I was?" The relief in his voice was evident.


    Ai froze.


    His scent invaded her nostrils that she very well remembered from her past life. The outline of his broad chest that had hugged her in its warm embrace so many times threatened to bring tears in her eyes. The memories of the sweet time they shared together gushed within her, and she silently gasped, controlling her urge to cry.


    Yating pulled back. After a long time, a cheerful smile lifted his lips as he affectionately gazed at her.


    "Where were you Ai? Do you understand how worried I was to know that you had an accident at home? Then I came to know that you are neither staying in Cai Guiying''s house nor Xing Bi''s."


    Ai averted her eyes and took a step back. Yating blinked.


    She answered without much emotion in her tone, "I am fine. You don''t have to worry about me."


    The contours of her delicate face looked tense which didn''t go unnoticed by him. He felt a foreboding as if Ai was going somewhere far away from him. She behaved like this during the book signing event too, and he didn''t understand why.


    "Where are you staying now? Is it any hotel?" Yating cleared his throat. "Ai, you could have called me if you had no place to stay. You know you are welcome at my home."


    She stiffened and gave a forced smile. "I didn''t want to bother you. It''s alright. I found a place to stay so-"


    "What do you mean you don''t want to bother me?" Yating stared at her, stunned. "Ai, why would it be a bother? After all, you¡­"


    She uncomfortably shifted in her place and felt it difficult to breathe.


    "Ai, that''s why I called you today. I wanted to talk about this on Christmas, but I didn''t hear from you. Ai, I¡­I hadn''t planned it like this," he scratched his head.


    He inched towards her and held her hand in his. "Ai, I love you."


    The confession that had made her the happiest in her past life now felt stifling and suffocating.


    Yating could hear his heart loudly pounding in his chest. "Will you¡­will you be my girlfriend?"


    This wasn''t really the way he wanted to confess to her. He wanted it to be special and romantic. But an uneasy feeling nagged him since a couple of days that Ai was distancing her from him. Even if it wasn''t an ideal way to confess, he still did it anyway to make Ai his as soon as possible and throw that ominous, creeping feeling away.


    Ai gasped agonizingly and shook her hands off. She retreated another step back.


    Yating froze. She didn''t have to explicitly express her rejection now that he witnessed her reaction. What made him aghast was that he thought Ai returned his feelings. But watching her displeasure stabbed his heart ruthlessly.


    "Ai¡­what''s wrong?" His voice quivered in fear as he spoke.


    "N-Nothing. Gu Yating¡­"


    Once again¡­once again she is taking my full name as if I am some stranger.


    Ai never realized it would be so difficult to have this conversation. "I am sorry, Gu Yating. But it''s not¡­" the back of her throat felt painful, "possible between us."


    He shook.


    "W-Why Ai? Why can''t we date?"


    Did I see it wrongly? Ai seemed to be interested in me too. So why suddenly¡­


    She lowered her gaze. "I didn''t attend to your calls because I was afraid you would confess to me. I hoped you would forget about me. But I had no choice but to clear everything out today."


    Yating took a step forward, and she immediately distanced herself from him again. He stared at her blankly. The hand that was about to reach her froze mid-air.


    "Ai, have I hurt you somehow?"


    She said nothing.


    "Even during the event, you were avoiding me. Ai, are you angry because of the accusations? If it''s like that, then it''s indeed my mistake. You can punish me however you like. Dream High made you suffer unnecessarily when you weren''t at fault. I am really, really sorry," a frost covered his eyes as he thought back to the signing event.


    "It''s not because of those accusations, Gu Yating."


    "Then¡­" he clenched his fists, "i-is it because I couldn''t save you from falling off the stairs?"


    Ai paled.


    The visible reaction confirmed Yating''s suspicions. But even if he knew, he didn''t know how to apologize for it. His lips parted and closed.


    "I¡­I am sorry. I really didn''t mean to just stand there and do nothing. Trust me, Ai. I really wanted to save you. It''s just¡­" he rubbed his neck feeling nauseous, "happened too suddenly. I couldn''t react in time. I love you. You are the last person I would bear to see hurt."


    The tears that Ai were holding onto finally slipped out. The horror and disappointment she felt as she fell to her death in her past life plagued her again. It was too agonizing and excruciating to bear.


    Yating desperately clung to her shoulders. "Ai, please don''t cry. Please let me make it up to you. I will do anything you want. I¡­I don''t know what to do. I have been feeling guilty ever since that moment, Ai. I feel pathetic," he trembled. "If you need some time to think it over, then please do. But-but please don''t reject me, Ai¡­"


    She slowly shook her head, her tears falling. "You cannot do anything, Gu Yating. You cannot do anything to make this right anymore. It''s too late."

 Chapter 60 You Will Know When The Time Is Right

    Chapter 60 You Will Know When The Time Is Right


    A feeling of disorientation came over Yating at that moment. A heavy sensation sunk in his stomach. Ai had decided. There was no more room to negotiate. Her voice held finality.


    "Ai, please don''t say this¡­I know I made a horrible mistake. You could have gotten injured because of me. Even I cannot forgive myself for that," his voice was shaky. "But please¡­please don''t be so harsh, Ai. Give me one chance."


    Ai finally looked up and was stunned to his eyes misty with tears. She couldn''t help but laugh inwardly.


    He is crying? Yating is¡­?


    Her lips held a wistful smile.


    "Don''t cry, Gu Yating. Please don''t."


    You left me heartbroken by your betrayal in my past life, and now you¡­why do you look like this? You ended our five years of commitment so easily by choosing Guiying over me.


    And now you make an expression as if this rejection affects you? If you had really loved me even a little bit, then you wouldn''t have stabbed me in the back.


    Her wet gaze pointed accusations at him. She wiped her eyes. "I hope you don''t pursue this any further."


    "Enough!" Ai gasped. Her irises lingered with grief. "Stop this already. I don''t want to talk about this anymore. I know you don''t love me, so please¡­stop saying such things."


    Yating widened his eyes. "I don''t love you? Ai, I just confessed my feelings to you."


    But five years later, that love would vanish as if it wasn''t there in the first place.


    "I am begging you like crazy to give me a chance. I made a terrible mistake, but it won''t happen again. I will protect you even if it costs my life!"


    She gritted her teeth and turned to leave. "I am leaving."


    He hastily blocked her way. "Ai, I feel there is some other misunderstanding between us. Since the past few weeks, even before the event happened, you have been ignoring me. You hardly talk to me, and you didn''t come to Dream High too. It''s as if you are avoiding everything related to me."


    "You are mistaken."


    "Then what is it? I am not hallucinating! You have definitely changed," his chest heaved in anxiety.


    A change which Yating was finding increasingly distressing and confusing.


    Ai felt bitter. "I have already given you my answer."


    "You haven''t given me the complete answer, Ai. You are making me more and more sure that you are hiding something from me."


    The more he talked, the more impatient she felt and the more tears filled her eyes.


    He tightly held her hands and whispered. "If you don''t tell me, then how would I know how I have hurt you?"


    "Please stop¡­" her voice cracked. "Please stop!"


    She harshly shook her hands off. Gritting her teeth, she felt anger rush in her body. Ai was the type who would remain calm even if she was furious. But the pain and death of her past life didn''t let her be tranquil this time.


    "I don''t want to do this! I don''t want to come between you and Guiying. So, you can save your confession for her!" She trembled.


    Yating listened and shock only kept piling in his expression. "What? Where does Guiying come from?"


    She sadly laughed. "She was always there, Gu Yating. Guiying was always there because she loves you. I am not only rejecting you because I don''t return your feelings but also because I know you would be happier with Guiying."


    "Hold on!" Yating stopped her. "Guiying doesn''t like me. Who told you that?"


    Ai was breathing faster in distress. She couldn''t really tell him that he would break up with her five years later because he realized his love for Guiying.


    "...I just know."


    "No, you are misunderstanding it. Guiying doesn''t have any feelings for me. I don''t love her either. There is no possibility of any relationship between us!" He exclaimed, aghast.


    His denial was just pricking her even more when she knew what would happen in the future.


    "I just know! So, please I beg you to stop here."


    Yating exhaled in frustration. "How can I stop here when you are seeing everything wrongly? Guiying and I only have a professional relationship. There is nothing romantic between us, and it never would be either. So you can throw that thought out of your mind. Okay, did Guiying say anything to you?"


    Ai stiffened.


    "I am pretty sure she doesn''t like me that way. Trust me, I am not that of an airhead not to realize if she had feelings for me."


    She clutched the hem of her dress in her fist. "You won''t understand it now, Gu Yating."


    Ai felt regretful that it slipped out of her mouth in a moment of impatience. It became difficult to explain something that would happen five years later.


    Yating took a deep breath. "Okay. I know now. If it''s because of this, then I will call Guiying right and ask her right now. You can hear the answer for yourself. Then you wouldn''t have any doubts anymore."


    Ai froze. Yating was about to dial her number when she hastily stopped him. "No! Gu Yating, please don''t ask me any questions!" She urged. "Don''t ask Guiying either."


    "Why not?"


    He was stunned seeing Ai suddenly break down. "Please¡­don''t ask anything¡­Can you please stop this here?"


    Her knees trembled weakly as if she would fall at any moment.


    "Gu Yating. I don''t like you," her heart burned as it was attacked by poison, "Please don''t make this difficult for me¡­" she gasped. "I am not rejecting you because of Guiying or your mistakes. I simply don''t love you."


    Yating felt as if he was thrown into a pool of ice. He couldn''t move.


    "As for Guiying¡­you will know it when the time is right. But until then," she whispered tiredly, "don''t ask her anything. Please respect my wish if you treat me as your friend."


    Ai pulled her bag up her shoulder and ran away as fast as she could.


    Yating collapsed on a chair, feeling lost. His gaze was empty as he stared ahead. He chuckled as his lips got wet from tears.


    That''s the worst way to end a year, isn''t it?

 Chapter 61 New Year Party

    Chapter 61 New Year Party


    "Cheers!!!"


    Everybody clunk their glasses. It was a close gathering in the Liu villa tonight for the year end celebration. The chandeliers cast a soft golden light that glittered on the colorful lightings. At the centre of the hall, there was a table with rows of glasses filled with wine stacked on top of each other like a pyramid.


    The upbeat music livened the place with its rhythm. Couples danced in the area around the table with the wine glasses. Everybody''s laughter brought more vigor to the celebration.


    "Get your hands off my spring roll, you stupid son!" Liu Hai roared.


    "Shut up, old man! What kind of a father are you stealing his own son''s food!" Jinhai''s younger brother, Liu Jing, scowled at his father.


    "That piece was mine!"


    "Yeah like all the other pieces you secretly and shamelessly stuffed in your mouth?"


    His nostrils flared. "Don''t throw mud at your father!"


    "Then don''t do things that will make me throw mud at your stinky face!" Jing gnashed his jaw.


    As always, any party was incomplete without the father-son bickering pair. They brought a whole new level of cheeriness in the atmosphere.


    Liu Chunhua, Liu Hai''a wife, separated her husband and son. "For God''s sake, stop it you two! Today is the last day of the year. Maintain some peace! You two are so old now, but you still fight like kindergarten kids!"


    Jing mumbled. "Tell that to your husband. He is getting old. He should watch what he eats or he will die soon," he sneered.


    "Your stomach is crying, but you are too deaf to hear it."


    Nuo came to her grandmother''s rescue and took away the plate with spring rolls.


    "Hey!" The whined in unison.


    With a stern expression, Nuo berated. "Nobody gets to eat if you two won''t stop fighting. That includes the feast and the cake."


    Liu Hai and Jing clutched their hearts as if they got a massive shock. Tears pooled in Jing''s eyes. "How can my lovely niece be so mean? You want me to stay hungry? Then isn''t this party completely useless?"


    Her brow twitched. "Are you here only for the food?"


    He gasped. "Parties are only there for filling our tummies! Other than that, they are a waste of time!"


    "..."


    "So spending some lovely time with your family doesn''t matter?"


    "AFTER food!" Liu Hai joined in this time. "Food is more important, okay?"


    Jing covered her mouth in heartbreak. "My niece is bullying me! What has the world come to? How can I continue to live on now? I need my lover''s warmth and embrace. Where are you, my Yukito? I am coming to soak my tears in your shirt!" He dashed away in search of his husband.


    Somewhere as he was getting ready, Yukito, Nana''s younger brother, sneezed. "Achoo!"


    Yukira, his twin brother, asked, "Did you catch a cold?"


    He rubbed his nose. "No. It''s not cold. I think something really annoying is going to happen," he dryly said.


    Nuo sighed at her side. "Am I really his niece?"


    She watched Liu Hai happily licking his fingers as he continued eating.


    "...Am I really your granddaughter too?"


    She looked up and her eyes shone in happiness seeing a certain family arrive.


    "Siying¡­" she looked at Liu Hai. "Grandpa, I will be back. Don''t eat too much, okay?"


    He waved his hand. "Ah young love¡­"


    "Siying!"


    Siying, who was looking for Nuo too, felt his breath stuck in his throat. Donned in a light blue dress with frilly sleeves, Nuo looked absolutely breathtaking. He touched his cheeks that seemed to heat up to give a cherry like blush.


    They were about to hug when something dark and sinister turned down the temperature by several notches. It put an instant brake, and they stopped.


    Nuo didn''t need to turn to know the source of that radiating evilness. Her smile faltered. "Dad¡­"


    Jinhai pulled his daughter to his side and threw a murderous gaze at Siying.


    Siying maintained his smile. "Good evening, Uncle Jinhai. Thank you for inviting-"


    "Other than you, everybody else from your family was invited. Why are you here?"


    His brow twitched.


    This is going to be difficult¡­


    Nuo tried to diffuse the tension. "A-aunt Xinyi, Shui, you two look so pretty! Uncle Zhiyuan is so dashing too."


    Zhiyuan grinned. Xinyi hugged her and cupped her cheeks. "Aish, my future daughter-in-law is so beautiful. I so wish you and Siying could get married right now, haha."


    Siying grinned which he didn''t let it go any further as the murdererous aura surrounding Jinhai only deepened.


    Zhiyuan poked. "Why do you look so salty, Liu Jinhai? Xinyi didn''t say anything wrong."


    Jinhai was about to retort when Nana said, "Of course, she didn''t."


    Nana and Xinyi shared an excited hug. Nana brightened. "I am so happy! Our children are in such a lovely relationship. What else do we want? Right, Jinhai?"


    Jinhai didn''t respond.


    Nana narrowed her eyes. She asked slowly this time, "Right, Jinhai?"


    "...Sure."


    Xinyi chuckled. "Yeah. It''s such a blissful time."


    Zhiyuan chimed in. "As far as Shui and Jun are concerned, it''s not really so-" he immediately shut his mouth facing a dangerous glare from his wife.


    Say anything stupid and be ready to sleep in another room for the whole month.


    Zhiyuan coughed and looked away.


    Shui, on the other hand, felt uneasy with this conversation. She looked around and asked Nana, "Aunt, Jun is¡­"


    Jinhai squinted his eyes. Nana replied. "Oh Jun must be on his way. Nuo talked to him, so don''t worry," she patted her head.


    "Oh, okay," she smiled.


    From a distance, Jin noticed the unease in Shui''s expression.


    Bro Jun is coming tonight, right?


    He stepped away from the crowd and gave him a call. At first, it rang but then he heard a click sound.


    "Bro!" Jin was relieved.


    "Hm?"


    He didn''t fail to notice the lack of enthusiasm in his voice. Jin couldn''t help but clench his fist, feeling the distance his brother was putting.


    "Bro, when will you be here? Everybody is waiting for you and¡­Shui is also here."


    Silence.


    "Bro?"


    Jun replied. "I got a meeting at the last moment, so I am flying out of the city. I am not coming," and he hung up.

 Chapter 62 Mr. Liu’s Suffocating Love (1)

    Chapter 62 Mr. Liu''s Suffocating Love (1)


    Jun kept his phone away and went back to cooking. He let out a mocking chuckle, recalling what happened in the past life on New Year''s Eve.


    *Flashback*


    "Can you please stop this, Jun? Our Christmas already didn''t go as planned," Shui expressed, exasperated. "I want to go to the mall and come home by myself."


    "I am just worried about you! I am your boyfriend. There is nothing wrong with picking my girlfriend!" he narrowed his eyes.


    "There is. Isn''t it already enough that you blamed my friend for harassing me even though it was proved that he didn''t!?"


    Jun stiffened.


    It was indeed a misunderstanding from Jun''s side in gauging her classmate''s intentions who was just trying to save Shui from falling on the floor. The whole party atmosphere was ruined after that.


    She gritted her teeth. "Not only did you accuse him, you even refused to apologize to him. You know, some people at my college still give him disdainful looks as if he is some pervert even though he is innocent. He and his girlfriend even had a huge fight. I don''t want you to accompany me. So, leave!"


    Jun exclaimed in frustration. "Why does it matter if I come with you? I feel at ease when I am by your side. What? Do you hate your boyfriend''s presence now? Have you become sick of me?"


    "I didn''t say it like that! Don''t make me sound as if I am a terrible girlfriend. Sometimes, I feel that you don''t trust me," she curled her fingers.


    "You just what Jun?" She pressed her forehead. "You don''t have to be so protective of me."


    "And is it bad that a boyfriend is protective of his girlfriend?" His voice had a dangerous ring to it.


    "That¡­" Shui didn''t know how to express her point clearly. There grew a nagging feeling the more they spent time together. But she couldn''t put her finger upon it.


    Jun remained adamant. "I will drop you to the shopping mall. It''s not a big deal!"


    Shui was frustrated. "Jun you are not willing to listen to anything! You want to neither apologize to my classmate, nor let me go! Let''s just¡­just leave me alone for now."


    His gaze darkened. "I won''t. I don''t feel I did anything wrong. He touched you, and I cannot tolerate that!"


    "That was to help me!" She angrily laughed. "But it''s okay. If you want to keep behaving like this, then we don''t have to talk anymore. Don''t show me your face!"


    She turned on her heels and rushed away.


    "Shui!"


    *Flashback ends*


    After Christmas, it was their second big argument that happened on this same New Year''s Eve in his past life. Shui had ignored him for the rest of the evening. Even when the clock struck twelve, they didn''t exchange new year greetings.


    That fight was the onset of their rocky relationship that slowly began to deteriorate the more time passed.


    Jun smiled.


    "But there would be no arguments today because guess what? I am not there," he laughed. "Hm. What must she be doing? Dancing with Jin? Holding hands? Or¡­kissing?" He applied more pressure to the knife.


    "It''s better for everyone if Jun is not present to ruin the party. Cheers, Jun," he sneered.


    He looked outside the window and frowned.


    Why hasn''t Ai returned yet? She cannot possibly forget the plan she made for tonight, right?"


    His dinner preparations were already over, but there was no sign of Ai yet. He exhaled and rested on the living room''s couch. Tired, he dozed off to a nap.


    A few hours later, he woke up to the sound of someone''s car''s engine stopping outside. He glanced at the time and was shocked to know that it was already 11.17 PM. Less than forty-five minutes were left for the new year to come.


    Ai still isn''t back?


    He picked his phone but remembered that he didn''t have her number.


    Damn it!


    He was about to find it out when he heard the sound of a car stop outside. Somebody stepped out it and shut the door.


    Is it Ai?


    Jun slid open the curtains and watched his condo''s gate. Suddenly, his body went numb.


    It wasn''t Ai but Shui who was heading towards his condo.


    Why is she here¡­? Didn''t I already tell Jin that I am out of the city!?


    Jun scrambled out as soon as he could. Before Shui could reach his door, he already met her outside in the small garden between the gate and his house.


    Shui stopped in her tracks and slightly stiffened. Her lips parted in disbelief as she stared at him.


    "So, I was right. You weren''t out of the city. You lied to Jin."


    Jun stayed silent. He spoke after a long pause, "Why are you here, Shui?"


    "I should ask why aren''t you at the party?"


    He gave a vague smile. "You shouldn''t care about that after our breakup. Whether I am at any party or whether I lie, it really shouldn''t matter to you anymore."


    Shui blinked her eyes.


    "... What''s the matter, Jun?"


    He said nothing.


    "I don''t understand. Did I do something wrong? You just suddenly came to me one day and announced that we should break up. But we didn''t fight. So what went wrong? I have been reaching out to you for several days now. I wanted to talk about this on Christmas because it was too sudden when you broke up. I felt there was something unresolved between us. If we don''t talk, then I won''t understand anything. But you ignored all my messages! What am I supposed to tell my family about us when I don''t know what is going on?"


    "Enough!"


    His shrill made her jolt.


    "Enough already¡­" Jun sharply inhaled. The string of his patience was close to snapping into two.


    "Leave, Shui. Just leave."


    It was the first time that Jun''s voice had a touch of coldness towards the woman he loved so much.


    Her voice broke, "W-why are you¡­Really, have I become such a terrible person to you now?"


    Jun stared at her and chuckled, which turned into a loud, ironic laughter. "Funny you say that, Shui. It''s not you who is terrible. It is me. I am the most horrible man here who always got in the way of your and Jin''s love. Am I not right?"

 Chapter 63 Mr. Liu’s Suffocating Love (2)

    Chapter 63 Mr. Liu''s Suffocating Love (2)


    Shui felt at a loss. As his words registered, her pulse quickened. Unconsciously, she clutched her purse closer to her chest.


    Her lips broke into a nervous chuckle, and her words faltered. "What are you even talking about, Jun? Where does Jin come from?"


    "Jin was always there!"


    As his patience snapped, so did his voice. Startled, Shui took a few steps back.


    "Jin. Was. Always. There!" He enounced. "You love him. He loves you. I am the one getting in the middle of your beautiful love story, isn''t it!?"


    "Jun, you are mistaken-"


    "No, I am not! In fact, I have been blind all this time!" His laughter grew crazier but at the same time, there was a hint of loneliness in it. "You love my brother, that''s why you find my presence so sickening. That''s why¡­you lied to me that day. You said you had to stay back with your friends for an assignment, but it wasn''t the truth. You were already done with all the work. But you lied because you didn''t want to be with me."


    She froze.


    "Since when have you been lying to me, Shui? Or should I ask since when you started liking my brother?"


    Shui wanted to retort about this nonsense.


    Jin¡­No. T-there is no way I love him. I-I am dating Jun. Why would I have feelings for Jin?


    She tremblingly shook her head in dismissal. But the words of disagreement never escaped her lips.


    "You should be happy that I broke up with you. In fact, now is the good time to ask. Did you confess to Jin? Are you two dating already? You should be. There is no roadblock named Liu Jun in your way anymore," he frostily said.


    Her thoughts were in a complete disarray. Her feelings for Jin were something she had realized a few years later in the past life. The stage at which she was right now, she indeed unknowingly began to feel an attraction towards Jin, but her emotions weren''t clear to her.


    It was causing confusion within her because she was dating Jun until he broke up. She loved him, then why was some other man making a place in her heart?


    Shui was ignoring this onset of new emotions, but then Jun exposed everything. All of a sudden, she felt as if she was standing naked in front of him. The new feelings that were buried deep inside her were out in the open. She didn''t know how to deal with them.


    He was making her realize something, but what she felt more dangerous was the fact that she was unable to condemn that he was wrong.


    Jun smiled. "You are not able to disagree, right? So you have your answer right there."


    A lump formed in her throat. "That''s not¡­" she whispered, "That''s not¡­how it is¡­"


    "Then how is it!?" He exclaimed. "Stop lying already, Han Shui! To me and to yourself too. You love Jin, so go! Hold hands with him, hug him, kiss him or sleep with him! Do whatever the hell you want, but don''t ask me for an explanation anymore!"


    She broke from her trance of her disbelief. Hearing what Jun just said, anger couldn''t help but course through her veins.


    Her nails bit into her palms as she spoke through a clenched jaw, "You are¡­going too far, Jun."


    With a wet gaze, she looked up. "Don''t talk like I cheated on you."


    He let out a dry laugh. "Well choosing someone else over a man who always loved you ever since you stepped into this world¡­what else do I call it then? And more so with my¡­own brother! You are asking me for reasons when you already know it so well! Why, Shui? Isn''t it already enough that you love my brother that now you want to rub it in my face by acting so clueless!?"


    His stinging eyes let out the warm tears they have been holding.


    "Reasons," Shui sniffled. "Yes, I am asking you the reasons for our breakup. You are doing nothing but shouting at me as if it''s all my fault! But did you really think about your own mistakes? I still don''t understand my feelings for Jin. It might be true, and if it is, then did you stop to think why that might be the case!? If I began to like Jin when I was supposed to be your girlfriend, then did you wonder what was wrong on your side instead of only accusing me!?"


    He blankly stared at her.


    "Where was I wrong, Shui? The only thing I ever did was to love you. Ever since you were born, I have been dreaming of the day when you would be my wife. My loving you was not a mistake!"


    "Your love wasn''t a mistake, but your suffocation was!" She exclaimed.


    He froze.


    Shui felt her heart pounding furiously. She was herself stunned by what she just expressed. But then she finally realized what was wrong between Jun and her for a long time.


    She laughed as she cried. "Maybe I do like Jin. And maybe it''s because he is not controlling like you! Maybe because he gives me space to breathe. Maybe because he doesn''t feel he has to cling to my side all the time. With you, it''s as if we have to do everything together! Whether it''s picking me up, going shopping or parties or dropping continuous text messages, I feel¡­stifling! It''s as if you are watching me all the time, and it makes me uncomfortable!"


    Jun felt his ears ring. His heart felt a tight squeeze as if somebody was twisting it.


    "...I suffocate you? Me?"


    "Yes!"


    "If you felt suffocated with me, then I wasn''t any happier either! You are talking as if you put up a lot for me? Then what about the times I had to agree to your stupid parties when what I just wanted was only a peaceful time for the two of us? I hate loudness. I hate when there are people around me, and you know that. But you never once respected my desire to spend some time alone. Did you ever make me feel that we were a couple for God''s sake?"


    Shui stood rooted.


    Heat rushed up to his cheeks. "So what am I doing wrong if I want to be with you all the time? Because hey! You spend all the time with others that you are supposed to do with your boyfriend! I am not suffocating, Shui. It''s how I love!"


    "And that is scary, Jun!" Shui broke down. "Your love is intimidating! At first, I-I felt it was a beautiful fairy tale story. But then your love started to make me feel afraid."


    Jun trembled. The warm tears in the chilly air kept falling which he couldn''t stop no matter what.


    Afraid¡­The woman I loved felt afraid of me¡­


    She cried in despair. "You are too possessive, and a-as we grew, I felt it was dangerous to be loved by you. I couldn''t take it anymore!"

 Chapter 64 Are You Scared Of Me Too?

    Chapter 64 Are You Scared Of Me Too?


    A sharp silence descended in the air. Jun winced. The chilly air didn''t prick him as much as Shui''s words did.


    "You are afraid of me?" He asked in a flat voice.


    Shui softly gasped. Only she knew how hard it was on her. But she couldn''t stop it anymore. He needed to know how he made her feel even if it hurt him. It was why she refrained from talking about this to Jun. He wasn''t just her boyfriend but her childhood friend too. It was a delicate relationship, and this confrontation would have ended both friendship and love between them.


    Even though we broke up, there was a chance we could have remained friends, Shui bit her lip. But this destroys everything, doesn''t it?


    She didn''t answer.


    Jun brushed his fingers along his cheeks to wipe off the wetness from it. Yet the more he tried, the more fruitless his efforts were.


    "Ah¡­I scare you. I never knew."


    This was the first time Jun realized this because in his past life, they never had this confrontation. Until the last moment, Shui and Jin didn''t speak of it so as to not hurt him.


    "I thought I was treating you well. But who knew I was scaring you instead? Was that why it was so easy to discard me?"


    "No, it''s okay," he chuckled, "The truth is out finally. I, who was supposed to protect the woman I love, was terrifying her."


    It was the harshest truth to bear.


    "Your lover should make you feel safe in a relationship. But I didn''t realize I failed in it. You were scared of me¡­" he laughed loudly, "Oh God, you were scared of me. Why?" He faced her with a lifeless gaze. "Did you think I would hit you? O-or I would lock you up in some dark room? Or that I won''t allow you to meet anybody? Did you feel that I will turn into some psycho lover?"


    Shui furiously shook her head. "That''s not it¡­"


    He tilted his head. "Did you really feel that¡­I would hurt the woman I loved so much?"


    She could see her breath forming a white mist in the freezing weather as tears continued to stream down.


    Jun ever so slowly stretched his palm to hold her cheek. But he withdrew the next moment.


    "But Jin isn''t like that, right? He is gentle and so caring. Right¡­we are really different in how we treat someone. Seems that in the end, everybody would prefer Jin more. Oh yeah. You remember, it was always like that in our childhood. People were always more comfortable with Jin than me. I was cold and unapproachable, and he was so sunny and affable. I never cared about that stuff because I thought that y-you¡­" he heaved with grief, "accepted me the way I was. The world didn''t matter to me. But I didn''t know that wanting to be with you would be so scary to you."


    He chuckled in sorrow. "All I ever did was love you. But I scared you¡­I scared you¡­"


    He was mumbling more to himself now rather than talking to Shui.


    "Jun-"


    "Leave."


    She stopped in her steps.


    "Please¡­leave," there was no emotion and no warmth in his voice.


    Shui silently let her tears flow. She found herself unable to move. She watched Jun collapse on his knees, his handsome face stained with moistness. Tremblingly, she turned on her heels and taking small steps, she disappeared into the cold night.


    Jun remained kneeling on the ground. The frosty winds dried up his tears. His dark brown irises were too tired to cry any longer.


    Scary¡­scary¡­scary¡­


    No wonder she fell for Jin. He is not scary. I am¡­


    Amidst the icy silence, Jun heard someone''s soft footsteps. They stopped at an arm''s distance away from him.


    Jun raised his head and watched a trembling Ai crying in front of him. Her eyes were puffy, and her chest heaved as her tears plopped on the ground.


    After leaving Dream High, Ai had been alone for a long time as she cried out all her pain. She was sure that rejecting Yating would be easy. It would be easy to be indifferent to him after his betrayal. But as she peered into those loving eyes once again, she felt herself waver. She was close to accepting his confession yet again.


    She felt stupid.


    I know what is going to happen and still I¡­I am such an idiot.


    It took all of her strength to push him away. It took a heavy toll on her emotionally, so she couldn''t immediately return to Jun''s condo.


    When she calmed down, she realized it had been too late. She had planned an enjoyable evening with Jun, but it had gone to waste.


    Jun will be angry at me¡­


    When she rushed home, she heard loud voices coming from the garden.


    Ai frowned.


    Who is Jun arguing with?


    As she peeked through the gate, she saw a woman. For the first time she saw Shui''s face. For some reason, she felt oddly familiar to Ai.


    Her back¡­she looks like the woman from the coffee shop that day¡­


    Ai instinctively hid near the bushes outside the gate. From the beginning to the end, she heard everything. The tears that Ai tried so hard to stop after meeting Yating came gushing down once again.


    Now she stood in front of Jun, who looked broken and in despair. He was blankly staring back at her. His eyes lost their light.


    His lips curled into a smile which then broke into a disdainful laughter. "Why are you crying, Ai?"


    Ai felt it difficult to breathe.


    "What''s wrong? Oh. You heard everything."


    She said nothing.


    "Tell me, Ai. Are you scared of me too?"


    Ai shook her head. But Jun didn''t see her reaction.


    His painful chuckles grew louder. "Ah, you are scared of me too. Just like Shui. See? You are shaking so much. Look at you quivering."


    He placed his palm on the ground and got up supporting himself somehow. He walked closer to her until her face was only a few inches away from her.


    "Confess it, Zhou Ai. You are scared of me, right?"

 Chapter 65 A Kiss In The Snow (1)

    Chapter 65 A Kiss In The Snow (1)


    Ai wiped her tears and answered as she looked straight at him. "I am not scared of you, Jun."


    "No, no. You can say it," Jun laughed. "You don''t have to be afraid of saying that you are afraid of me. Ah¡­I made a good joke, right?"


    "I am not scared of you," she quietly repeated.


    Jun shook his head. "No. You are lying. After hearing my ex say how I¡­suffocated her with my love, why would you still say that you aren''t scared of me? You are afraid because I am a very dangerous man. I am clingy, possessive, get jealous easily, and I don''t give space to breathe. That''s why she fell for my brother. I am cold, distant and so terrifying. No wonder I made her loathe me so much. Now, it''s your turn."


    He smiled and inched a step closer. "I am scary, right?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "You are not scary to me."


    He stared at her with a squinted gaze until he laughed again. "You saw me killing that thief that night, didn''t you?"


    "Surprised? Of course I knew you were hiding near that shop. If I couldn''t be even that sharp not to notice you, I would have already died by that robber''s hands, wouldn''t I?"


    That makes sense, she thought.


    "I was surprised the police didn''t come knocking on my door the next day. Say, Zhou Ai. I must have really frightened you, right? Suddenly murdering someone in cold blood and not feeling guilty about it at all¡­"


    Ai replied. "Initially, yes. It took me aback. I don''t know your background. You killed that thief, but in the end, you did it for my safety. You knew he was going to harm me. You have your own reasons and from an ethical standpoint, I should have gone to the police¡­" she lowered her gaze, "but I couldn''t do it."


    "It''s because-"


    "I am not scared of you, Jun."


    "What do you understand!?" He exclaimed loudly, making her jolt. "You heard everything she had to say, yet you believe I am not scary? Come on, you should be crying right now. Just like her. Accuse me of what a terrible man I am. Do it already. I am waiting."


    "No matter how many times you ask me, my answer will be the same," Ai remained firm.


    Jun chuckled. He snaked his arm around her waist and suddenly pulled her until there was no space remaining between their chests. He held her chin between his fingers and bent towards her, closer to her lips. The tip of his nose faintly touched hers.


    "Even now?" He whispered.


    Ai shivered, not knowing if it was because of the cold winter wind or the warmth of his body touching hers. His chilly breath fluttered over her eyelashes.


    He was threateningly close to kissing her, a distance which could make any woman uncomfortable if they were not in a relationship.


    "Now will you still say that you don''t find me repulsive?" He asked as if he was challenging her.


    Her eyelashes softly trembled. She met his gaze and parted her lips. "If I was really afraid of you, I wouldn''t have chosen to live with you. You can stop trying to intimidate me."


    Jun froze. He let go of her chin.


    "...Then why is she scared of me?" His forehead softly collapsed on her shoulder. She felt his hot tears plop on the nape of her neck. His back was shivering like a child left alone in a dark room. Behind the mask was a face who didn''t have a trace of his iciness.


    "I only ever loved her, Ai¡­I simply wanted to be with her. I-I cannot change that for anybody because that''s how I love. I am possessive. I wanted her all for myself. But I didn''t mean to scare her. Why couldn''t she understand that?" His voice broke. "We are childhood friends. We have known each other for so long. She should know me better. Then why did she choose my brother!? Why did she choose him? Why did my perfect love story have to end this way¡­?"


    Ai felt her vision blur again. Her eyes ached but not because of Yating this time.


    It was for Jun.


    "Nobody can understand that better than me."


    Jun dryly laughed. "You cannot. Nobody can."


    "I do, Jun. I really do," her eyes seemed hollow as she spoke, "Because the one I loved fell for someone who I held really dear to my heart. He fell for my best friend. It was me by his side for all these years¡­but then it was suddenly her. I didn''t even realize it. I didn''t¡­realize it at all¡­"


    Ai then cried. She cried a lot. It was agonizing to bear the pain Yating gave her.


    She didn''t know why, but she wailed loudly for the first time. Jun lost Shui to his brother. She lost Yating to her best friend who she treated like her sister.


    For both of them, they lost their love to someone who they trusted the most. That''s why the betrayal hit even harder.


    So, when she came to know that Jun went through the same grief as her, she fell apart. The moment of their last breaths of their past life flashed in her mind.


    Ah. He is the same as me¡­


    She now realized why she felt so strongly connected to Jun at that time. It was the pain they shared of losing their love to someone else. His gaze was just like hers - filled with grief and emptiness.


    Jun was struck with the same realization as Ai.


    Ah. That''s why¡­


    As she wailed, so did he. He didn''t stop her, neither did she stop him. The place echoed with the sound of their cries. Right now, they were in someone''s company who understood the other the most.


    Trembling and shivering with tears, Jun slowly raised his head. Their gazes met. They saw their reflection in each other''s eyes that mirrored their broken expressions.


    Tears poured as their foreheads bumped. The dark night sky lit up with colorful fireworks as the clock struck twelve. As the twinkling pure snow quietly fell welcoming the new year, their lips gingerly met.

 Chapter 66 A Kiss In The Snow (2)

    Chapter 66 A Kiss In The Snow (2)


    As the soft, fresh snow gently showered upon them, they closed their tear-filled eyes ever so gradually. Nobody really knew how it started.


    But it was just¡­there.


    The chilliness in the air made their lips tremble, but their warm breaths gave some comfort.


    Was it loneliness? Or was it the pain they shared that led to this moment? They didn''t know. They didn''t want to know it either.


    He kissed her. Tenderly moving his lips across hers in a gentle fluid motion as if a melancholic melody was playing. He slightly tilted her head, pressing his lips firmer upon hers but not making into a passionate kiss at the same time. His heart wasn''t pounding furiously in excitement as he traced her lips but instead, it seemed to feel at peace. His chaotic breaths settled down. His flowing tears came to a halt.


    It had brought immense relief to him when Ai affirmed that she wasn''t afraid of him. Because he felt that if she had, something would have broken completely inside him.


    Ai, on the other side, shared his sentiments. She felt his soft lips washing away all the gloom and anguish that Yating had left her with. She tasted the soft snowflakes that brushed across his lips. Its sweetness dissipated the bitterness that she went through tonight. She reached out her palm and gently tapped his chest as she kissed him back with the same pace as his. She found solace in his cold fingertips that brushed on her cheek.


    Sensing his erratic heartbeats calm down, she felt her own heartbeats relax. She was deathly afraid to realize that she had wavered at Yating''s confession. But now that fear felt so momentary as if it never ha of them considered the kiss as something romantic. But it was a short, fleeting moment where they came to seek reassurance in one another. They knew how it felt to lose someone you had devoted your heart to. That somebody was there in this world who understood their side and cried along with them.


    The glistening snow put a thin blanket on the garden with its pure white luster. Under the drizzling snow, Jun and Ai stood at its centre, sharing a long but delicate kiss. Their bodies were freezing with the chill, but their hearts were melting with warmth as if spring had arrived.


    ¡ª


    *Plop*


    In the cold snow, Shui shed bitter tears remembering Jun''s harsh words. She had never fought with him like this before, and now a sense of loss and sorrow welled in her chest.


    She hugged herself as the snow brought tremors to her body. Her breaths formed a small white mist as she exhaled. But she didn''t care about the freezing temperature. His cold words struck her so hard that the raining snow didn''t matter.


    A few moments later, she felt a warm jacket over her shoulders. Her rigid and tense arms from the cold relaxed. She looked up and met Jin''s eyes through her blurry gaze. She turned her head away.


    Jin sat beside her on the bench in silence.


    "You will fall sick, Shui."


    She wiped her eyes. "I don''t care."


    "Bro does."


    Shui let out a forced smile. "Really now¡­"


    Jin looked up towards the night sky. The snow felt like twinkling stars showering upon them.


    "What did he say?"


    ''Jin was always there!''


    ''I am the one getting in the middle of your beautiful love story, isn''t it!?''


    She clenched her trembling fists.


    How could she possibly reveal that Jun accused them of having feelings for each other?


    But thinking back to what Jun said, Shui couldn''t help but get slightly conscious of Jin''s presence now. She gave a sideway glance and found Jin keenly staring back at her with his deep black eyes. She hastily averted her gaze, sensing her cheeks grow warm.


    Suddenly she felt a crisis coming, realizing what if what Jun said was true?


    Impossible. I don''t like Jin. It was always Jun with me. We were supposed to get married in the future. There is no way I can have feelings for Jin¡­


    For a moment, she wondered if Jin liked her back too.


    Why am I even thinking about this!? It doesn''t matter! Jun is wrong! There is no way I will ever betray him¡­


    The tip of her nose turned redder as she sniffled.


    Jin repeated his question which brought her back from her stupor.


    "What did bro say?"


    Her lips formed a feeble smile. "We fought. It was the most horrible fight. Seems like we were¡­hurting each other all this time¡­" her eyes ached.


    He shook his head. "Impossible! Don''t say that. You know how he is crazy for you, and you love him so much too. Maybe, you two need some time apart to calm down and resolve your differences. One day, it will be all okay. Trust me. Bro and you will be back together."


    After today''s big argument, Shui didn''t have much hope of that happening. But seeing Jin wanting Jun and her back together, she really questioned if Jun was right about Jin''s feelings for her. He didn''t seem to be hesitating in making them get back together.


    She faintly smiled. "You still want us together? If you were there when we fought¡­you wouldn''t be so confident."


    Jin placed his palm on her head. "No matter how harsh it was, I believe this misunderstanding will end one day for sure. You don''t know how much bro loves you."


    "And you will be fine with it?" The question slipped out unconsciously.


    Jin kept his gaze intact. "Nobody will be happier than me."


    ''Who is the one person most important to him that he absolutely cannot hurt at all?''


    It was the question Nana had asked him.


    A tender smile laced his lips.


    There is no need to decide, Mom. It was always my brother. He is the most important person to me. And so does his love for Shui.


    Always.

 Chapter 67 Ai, The Candy Machine

    Chapter 67 Ai, The Candy Machine


    Thick blanket of snow had covered Beijing city as the first morning of the year arrived. The clouds were grey and a light rain of snow was still adding more layers to the already thick blanket.


    Jun served two bread toast slices with full-fried eggs on each on two separate plates. He slid one plate towards Ai''s side of the chair.


    He waited in silence.


    Ai didn''t come out of her room.


    Jun had expected this. He glanced towards her room''s door for a moment.


    To his slight surprise, the door opened and Ai stepped out all showered and dressed. She silently took her seat and pulled the plate closer to her.


    Usually, she would always thank him for making the breakfast. But today, talking to him about anything was a task as huge as a mountain after last night.


    They hadn''t spoken a word to each other since they shared that kiss. They had quietly gone back to their own rooms, but nobody could get a wink of sleep.


    It was as if they had unanimously decided in their minds not to raise the subject or ask any questions about the kiss. They knew it happened in a moment of weakness and vulnerability when they longed for comfort the most.


    The kiss just happened. Nobody felt really guilty, but nobody touched that subject either. But even if it was so, it was hard for the atmosphere between them to go back to how it was before. It was similar to when that accidental kiss occurred.


    It had broken their pace. It took days for the ice to break between them. Now, that layer of ice was forming once again, and nobody knew how long it would take this time.


    Jun hadn''t expected at all that she would even come out of her room today. He lowered his gaze and ate his breakfast in silence and so did Ai.


    Where the world was celebrating the new year with vigor, the first day for these two living together in this particular house was filled with only silence.


    ¡ª


    Two days later, Mrs. Quan Su returned, and the library was reopened. To Jun and Ai, it brought immense relief as things had been quite awkward at home.


    Ai wanted to start on her short story drafts, but she couldn''t concentrate with Jun''s presence in the house. It was the same with Jun. He couldn''t get any work done related to Sky at all.


    Jun opened his laptop and checked all his pending emails since last week. He inwardly thanked his luck that there was a high workload today.


    Great, I won''t keep thinking about Ai anymore.


    He paused and suddenly felt annoyed at himself.


    It wasn''t like I was thinking about her all this time in the first place!


    He mumbled and furiously typed on the keyboard. Its sound reached till Ai''s ears. She looked at him, puzzled.


    So dedicated to get back to work, she thought.


    Ai studied her notes she had made when she was observing Jun for all these days. She tapped her pen on the page, thinking about her story.


    First, she decided to focus on one aspect of Jun''s personality to come up with some plot. She recalled the night he killed that robber. His sheer indifference as he stabbed him to death still made the back of her neck tingle.


    ''You saw me kill that thief that night, right?''


    ''Tell me. You are scared of me, aren''t you?''


    The knip of the pen between her fingers moved on the page, and she slowly began to write.


    A few hours later it was lunch time. Jun stretched his arms after finishing his piled up work. His gaze automatically caught Ai even amidst the crowd rushing out for lunch.


    Among all the confusion that happened over the New Year, Jun had completely forgotten about Ai''s wish to come to Sky.


    Is she working on her drafts?


    Ai seemed to be focused on her work. He then noticed her hand slip inside her bag as she continued writing. A small candy came out. She unwrapped it with the same hand itself and popped it in her mouth.


    Five candies later...


    "..."


    Is her bag a hidden candy treasure trove? He was speechless.


    Jun thought back to the storytelling event held in the library where she distributed candies to the kids.


    His mouth twitched.


    I thought she specially brought the candies for them. Didn''t know she was a candy machine herself.


    A call from Yunru broke his daze. He complained from the other end, "Bro! Didn''t you say a writer named Butterfly will soon submit her drafts? But I haven''t received any! Is this person even going to do it?"


    Jun once again glanced at Ai, who was popping the sixth candy in her mouth.


    ¡­You sure you want to eat that many?


    "Yeah, I think it will be soon. If she doesn''t stop eating the candies¡­"


    "Huh? What? Candies?"


    "Nothing. I will call you back."


    "Hey! Don''t dismiss me so soon! You are cruel. Bro, I think you are not getting any time for me these days!"


    His mouth twitched. "You are talking as if some girlfriend is complaining to her boyfriend."


    "That complaining right is reserved for your dear girlfriend, Shui," he rolled his eyes.


    Jun slightly stiffened. But he didn''t let it bother him for long.


    "I am saying as brothers! As brothers!" He whined.


    "Buy whatever you want. Bill is on me, but stop your whining. It''s creepy."


    "Thank you bro! You are the best! Who says you don''t make any time for me? Your money always does~" his voice took a full one-eighty degree turn.


    "Idiot," Jun snorted and hung up.


    He got up and headed outside to have lunch when he turned and stared at Ai again. He was actually quite curious about her draft.


    Well I am the CEO. I am gonna read it anyway one day¡­


    He put his hands in his pocket and quietly walked along the table''s length. Ai didn''t notice his presence behind her chair at all.


    Jun craned his neck and took a glance at what she was writing from above. His gaze darkened as he read her plot.


    "Rejected!" He exclaimed.


    Ai gasped in shock and jolted upright in her seat. She touched her chest and lifted her gaze to see him giving her a not so friendly expression.


    "Y-You scared me¡­Don''t creep from behind me like that," she let out a breath. "I am already scared of monsters creeping out from under the bed at night. Now, you will make me afraid if somebody is behind me at all times too¡­"


    "..."


    "Why did you suddenly come here?"


    Jun dangerously smiled. "Miss. Zhou Ai. Is that story you are writing based on real events? Particularly about a night when a certain someone killed another certain someone witnessed by a third certain someone?"

 Chapter 68 If It Was Me...

    Chapter 68 If It Was Me...


    Ai kept a straight face. "I don''t know what you are talking about. That''s too many certain someone''s here."


    Jun sneered. "Isn''t it? That''s nice you''re feigning ignorance like that."


    She looked away.


    "Now you make me wonder if the first certain someone should have silenced the third certain someone while he had the chance? But I guess it''s still not too late. What do you say?"


    "I say the first certain someone shouldn''t harm the third certain someone."


    "Why not?"


    "Because the third certain someone is so cute."


    "..."


    "Will that first certain someone''s heart not waver even a little bit by hurting the frail and helpless third certain someone? I question the first certain someone''s integrity in this matter."


    He narrowed his eyes. "The first certain someone doesn''t have any integrity when the third certain someone is using him as a guinea pig."


    Ai seriously retorted. "It''s not called being used as a guinea pig. It''s known as taking inspiration."


    "Yeah, the third certain someone can give flowery names all she wants, but the first certain someone still doesn''t agree to it."


    She pursed her lips.


    "I am not going to write anything that will reveal your identity."


    "Of course, you won''t. But I still don''t like it, and your draft is rejected."


    She furrowed her brows. "The one to reject my draft will be Sky."


    Jun tilted his head. "Who knows if I do know someone from Sky?"


    Ai replied after a pause, "You are pulling my leg."


    He smiled. "Why not try sending the draft right now and see it for yourself?"


    She weighed her options. From the looks of it, Jun seemed serious. Then she also remembered the day of the book signing event. Jun''s phone screen had displayed some information related to Sky. Ai couldn''t read what it was from that distance, but she was beginning to believe him.


    She scolded him indignantly. "That''s wrong to use your influence like that."


    "Grow up. That''s how this world is."


    She gave him an unpleasant stare. "Alright. I will change the scene and rewrite it."


    "Perfect," he smirked in victory.


    "I have some other drafts to send too. I will rewrite it and send them together."


    "Oh. Show me."


    Ai pursed her lips. "So that you reject them too?"


    "Better to cry now than later on. I am saving you the trouble. Now, show."


    Ai shuffled some papers and stacked them in an order. She was going to show them to Xing Bi, but it was good having a second opinion.


    "Here. They are contemporary romances."


    Jun quickly scanned over the first story. His brows crinkled as he read through some lines.


    Somehow this writing style reminds me of MissImperfectlyFine¡­But at the same time, it does not. Strange. Why did I remember her?


    "Your style is similar to MissImperfectlyFine."


    She froze. She parted her lips and said after a long pause. "...I¡­like her books so¡­"


    He cocked his brow in interest. "I see. So, you take inspiration from her. Why don''t I find it surprising?"


    Ai uncomfortably shifted.


    Jun shrugged and looked back at her draft. "Rejected."


    He turned the pages and read the second story.


    "Rejected.


    He continued with the other stories.


    "Rejected."


    "Rejected."


    "Rejected."


    "Rejected."


    As he scrolled over to the last story, he remarked, "And rejected."


    Ai - "..."


    "Are you bullying me?"


    Jun glared at her. "I don''t have that much free time!"


    She lowered her head in disappointment. She had worked hard to write these short stories, but not even one of them was accepted. Dark clouds loomed over her head.


    Jun''s brow twitched watching her shoulders droop as if she was some abandoned dog. He touched his chest questioningly.


    It feels prickly for some reason. Did I eat something wrong?


    His mouth opened and closed a few times. Consoling wasn''t one of Jun''s strong points.


    "A-alright stop with that expression already! The world hasn''t ended. You can still use those stories for submission if you make some changes."


    The gloominess around her disappeared instantly, and the air sparkled like gold glitter.


    "Really?" She asked with a gleaming and expectant smile.


    Jun touched his chest again.


    That prickly feeling is strangely gone.


    "Y-Yeah," he cleared his throat. "Anyway. Is this your first time writing short stories? Your style made me feel that you are more used to writing novel length stories."


    "Yes I have written three-"


    Ai was close to exposing the fact that she had three published novels under her belt as MissImperfectlyFine.


    He knows me as Butterfly. I have entered Sky as Butterfly too. I cannot be careless.


    "Three?"


    "Three¡­ideas¡­I have roughly written three stories just as a hobby before," she cleared her throat.


    Jun hummed.


    "That''s why. You don''t know anything about short stories. Your pace and plot is messed up."


    She blinked. "Like?"


    "Well¡­"


    Jun bent and rested his left palm on the table. His face was just beside hers with a very thin gap parting them. He pointed at some lines with his index finger.


    "Like over there. Here you have started off slow. Readers are gonna be put off by that. Short stories have limited word count, so they should be compelling. Going slow will bore them. Then over here¡­"


    He leaned more to his left to point at the third story. The gap between their cheeks narrowed further.


    "Here. Some sentences are a bit wordy. You can-"


    Ai slightly turned at the same time as he did, bumping their noses. They suddenly realized the proximity.


    Ai sat rooted.


    Too¡­close¡­


    At that distance, she noticed his sharp features like his perfectly shaped jawline. She held in her breath unknowingly, sensing his intense dark brown irises on her. Her eardrums echoed with the sound of her own rapidly thumping heartbeats.


    The air went still as if even the tiny atoms didn''t want to disturb this moment.


    "...distill your¡­prose further," Jun kept his gaze transfixed at her.


    Ai kept her focus on his jaw because she didn''t know where else to look. Which strongly gave him an urge to push her chin up and make her light brown pupils meet his dark ones.


    "Here too," he pointed at another story but wasn''t really looking at it, "There are too¡­many¡­"


    He sharply inhaled as she pursed her lips. His gaze slowly clouded watching her lips turning slightly moist. He had kissed them just a few days back. That sensation was still alive and fresh.


    "Too many¡­pink," he swallowed a gulp.


    He wanted to say characters, but things took a different turn.


    Ai wasn''t really listening to him either. Her ears were busy ringing her own loud heartbeats. So, she only nodded. "Oh."


    "And then here¡­the conflict¡­" At this point, he wasn''t even pointing at any page. It was just empty space on the table.


    Her eyelashes were long and pretty, and her fair skin felt blinding to his eyes. The thought of the kiss made him hyper aware of the sound of her soft, restless breaths and the thin strands of her hair that gently waved back and forth along her cheeks.


    Jun felt sucked in by some invisible force towards her, his lips wishing to catch hers once again just like that New Year night.


    He went quiet and wondered something about her as he locked his gaze into her innocent eyes.


    She is weird.


    But she is nice.


    Why would anybody cheat on a woman like her?


    If it was me¡­

 Chapter 69 Not Easy

    Chapter 69 Not Easy


    If it was me, I would never¡­


    Jun blinked. A sudden dizziness hit his core. The realization about what he just thought struck him like lightning.


    What was I thinking! Why would I imagine myself in her boyfriend''s place?


    He shuffled back two steps instantly and let out a gasp.


    When the warmth disappeared, Ai snapped out of her daze too. She noticed his incredulous expression and froze herself. The memory of her reactions came crashing back to her. She felt speechless and disoriented.


    Jun clenched the handle of the next chair as if he would snap it into two.


    Calm down. It was just momentary. It''s all because of that¡­that¡­kiss. Yes, it''s like that only, he consoled himself.


    Ai did the same on her side.


    Don''t overthink. You just have to focus on your writing. Nothing else¡­


    It was easy to convince their minds, but who would tell that to their frantically beating hearts?


    Jun wanted to break the tension, but Ai cut him to it. "Before you misunderstand, I will repeat it. You are not my ty voice was a bit louder and impatient than how she always used to say it.


    "..."


    His mouth twitched in annoyance. Previously, he would be satisfied to hear that answer. But now that phrase only irked him.


    Yup, she is definitely weird.


    But even if she is, whoever cheated on her is an¡­


    "Idiot," he muttered.


    Ai slightly puffed her cheeks in indignance. "I am not an idiot. You are quick to misunderstand."


    His expression turned ugly. "Hey! Focus on your short stories!"


    "I am."


    "Well then, you have lots of revisions to do. Good luck," he smirked.


    He turned and walked away with large strides.


    See? That went well. I talked to her normally just now. Nothing''s changed.


    Yup. Nothing will ever change¡­


    Ai looked at all the papers and tiredly bumped her head on the desk. She touched her chest and exhaled in relief.


    I talked to him just fine, right¡­?


    ¡ª


    Shui had made her decision after giving it a long and deep thought. Despite Jin''s reassurance, she couldn''t see her and Jun getting back together. The argument that night was so fierce that it tore their hearts apart. Their words hurt each other tremendously from which nobody could step back now.


    The only choice was to accept this breakup and move forward. That''s what she was going to do by revealing it to her family today.


    The more I keep it, the more things would only get complicated. It''s better to end everything today, she thought.


    Taking a deep breath, she stepped out of her room. Her heart raced in nervousness imagining everybody''s reaction. There was never a doubt in anybody''s mind that Jun and Shui would become husband and wife one day. Their relationship was as strong as an immovable mountain.


    But now she was about to drop the bomb upon them.


    Xinyi saw her daughter coming and beamed. "Shui! Come here. Sit," she patted beside her on the couch.


    She smiled. "Mom. You look happy."


    She glanced at Zhiyuan. "And Dad looks grumpy."


    "He is always grumpy. Forget about him."


    Zhiyuan was speechless. "Hey! I am not grumpy. In fact, I am quite pleased."


    Xinyi rolled her eyes.


    Siying came down at the same time and raised his brow. "Ho, why is Dad so pleased?"


    "Why would I not? Shui spent Christmas and New Years with us! She didn''t meet that stinky boy who always threatened to take my daughter away from me even before she was born!" His cheeks reddened with anger. "He haunted us like a ghost!"


    Siying and Xinyi laughed while Shui slightly stiffened.


    "That''s because he is so devoted to Shui," Siying shook his head.


    "It doesn''t mean he has to hover around her all the time! Hah," Zhiyuan snorted. "He will realize it the day he has a daughter and a brat comes and keeps claiming her all to himself!"


    Xinyi sighed.


    Siying chuckled. "Anyway. Lower your pressure, Dad. How about I cheer you up with good news? Hehe, Nuo and I are going to our first date today."


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan beamed. "That''s great!"


    Zhiyuan sternly said, "It''s your first date. I hope you have planned something special for her."


    "Of course. It will be our most memorable date!" Siying declared, elated. "I will bring her home after our date."


    Xinyi clapped her hands in delight. "That''s wonderful! I will prepare a feast today!"


    The atmosphere was merry and cheerful but not for Shui. She came here to talk about her relationship''s end, but she suddenly realized the gravity of the truth she was going to let out.


    This is¡­How could I forget about bro and sis Nuo''s relationship? Not just them but bro Jian and sis Leina too.


    The families had grown very close over the past years because the relationships of their children made it possible in a big way. They weren''t only close but interconnected too.


    She was Siying''s sister and Leina''s good friend. While Jun was Nuo and Jian''s brother.


    Shui felt her body go cold and numb.


    Bro and sis Nuo have just started dating. They are so happy...What if this news badly affects their relationship?


    Sis Leina is so protective of me too. What if she and bro Jian get into fights because of our breakup?


    The interconnections brought them closer, but they were complex at the same time. A problem in someone''s relationship was bound to put the others in a tight spot and make them possibly choose sides.


    So how is Nuo supposed to choose Siying over her brother Jun?


    Or why will Siying stand up for Jun when his sister was hurt?


    Leina won''t hesitate to protect Shui, while even if Jian loved her like his sister too, how long would he be able to see Jun in pain?


    A crack in one''s love story would threaten the existence of other relationships. The ties between the Han, Liu and the Xu family could possibly put a big dent to everything. This could end the happiness and peace between these families they nurtured until now.


    The more she thought, the more the fear tightly clutched her heart. Seeing the big smile on Siying''s face, she trembled.


    This is not easy at all¡­How can I...

 Chapter 70 Move Out Of Mr. Liu’s House?

    Chapter 70 Move Out Of Mr. Liu''s House?


    Few days passed by in the blink of an eye.


    Ai tirelessly worked on her drafts while taking Jun''s help from time to time. The conversation at the library surprisingly had dissipated the awkwardness between them quicker than the first time they kissed.


    But that didn''t mean he wasn''t a spartan. He was ruthless and a tyrant in his remarks as he judged her revisions at the library and back home. Ai was in hell, and she dearly missed Xing Bi.


    At one such time of this torture, she had mumbled, "Not even the Sky CEO would be a devil like you¡­"


    Her complaint caught Jun''s ears anyway. He sneered. "Careful of what you say, Zhou Ai. The Sky CEO might be hearing you."


    "Why would he? Chen Yunru is not here. Also, I am praising him. So, it''s not a problem," she confidently asserted.


    Jun sincerely had an urge to spill out his identity and enjoy the stupefied look on her face.


    Ah, that will be so entertaining. Let''s drop the bomb once she gets into Sky. I will click a picture of her expression and put it as my phone''s wallpaper~


    Although, Jun acted like a demon most of the times, it was him only who would make coffee for her late at night. Whenever Ai saw the coffee mug on the table after waking up from her nap, she couldn''t control the small smile from lifting her lips. Then at one time, he had also lit an incense in the living room whose fragrance was calming and relaxing to help her focus.


    It was her work. Jun wasn''t even her official editor, but he kept himself awake for her anyway and silently did these small gestures that warmed her heart.


    One night, Ai dropped her bag on her bed and laid back, tired. She was almost done with polishing her drafts.


    Her phone rang with an incoming call. She beamed seeing that it was Xing Bi.


    "Xing Bi. I missed you. How was your vacation?"


    "Ah my dear Ai! I am back! I missed you so much! Hawaii was great. That spa was damn amazing. I felt all my soreness fly away. I will definitely take you there sometime!"


    She chuckled. "Sure."


    "Alright, let''s forget about me. Tell me quickly where are you staying right now. I will pick you up."


    Ai blinked her eyes. "What?"


    "What what? I am back in the city now. So you can live with me until your house repairs are done. That would be so great. Also, it would be easier to discuss work if we are together," Xing Bi was clearly enthusiastic.


    "I already feel so guilty that I couldn''t help you while I was away. But worry not. I am back now!"


    She was at a loss. "Oh¡­"


    Now that Xing Bi was back, Ai had an option to move out of Jun''s condo and live with her. That way, she won''t have to bother Jun anymore. As a woman, it was more feasible to stay with a female friend too.


    This is the right choice, isn''t it?


    But strangely, she resisted this idea. She never imagined it would be so fun living with Jun. He seemed so cold at the outside. But inside these condo''s walls, they had shared their love and time for books which had completely changed her perspective about him.


    Jun can also laugh like that¡­


    Was what she wondered during their late night book reading adventures.


    All his small caring gestures towards her were so adorable too. She appreciated all his help to perfect her short stories.


    Now thinking that this time would come to an end brought a sense of dejection in her heart.


    "Ai? Ai?"


    "Yes, I am here."


    "So tell me which hotel you are staying at?"


    Ai opened her mouth but closed it. Then she parted her lips again. "I-I will text you."


    "Cool. I will be waiting."


    Ai slowly walked out of her room. Jun''s back faced her as he was on the couch going through her story.


    She quietly took a seat opposite him.


    "Oh you are here. Great. This draft seems good enough. You can finalize on this one. It''s the most impressive. Oh and¡­"


    His expression now switched from work mode to cheerful mode though there wasn''t much difference overall. But Ai saw through his gaze that always sparkled when he was delighted.


    "Hah! Mrs. Quan gave me this book today. It''s from her secret collection. It''s a very old historical fantasy book. I checked it out and damn it''s good! The author is from Ancient China era. Mrs. Quan has some serious gems I must say. I will give it to you after I read it."


    Ai brightened smelling the book''s musky scent.


    "Some parts of the story are really debatable. It will be fun to know what you think about it."


    This faded away her expectant expression as she remembered what she was here for.


    "Um, I have something to say."


    Jun lifted his gaze off the book and raised his brow questioningly.


    She cleared her throat. "My friend which I told you about on Christmas? She is back from her vacation."


    "Cool. Why are you telling me this?"


    "So¡­" she put her palms on her knees and shifted a bit in her seat. "Now that she is back, she has asked me to come live with her."


    Jun froze. He blinked his eyes, realizing the implication. He quietly put the book on the table and tilted his head.


    "So¡­you will leave?"


    Ai had trouble answering this question. "I¡­"


    Jun didn''t leave his gaze off her even for a moment.


    "So will you leave is what I am asking," His voice rang with bitterness this time.


    "That I-"


    "Was there something unsatisfactory while living here?"


    Ai blinked in surprise. "Of course not."


    "Then why are you hesitating so much to reject her offer?"

 Chapter 71 Consider Your Answer Very Carefully

    Chapter 71 Consider Your Answer Very Carefully


    Ai showed him an incredulous look. "You want me to continue living here?"


    Jun''s dark eyes narrowed. He got up on his feet and took slow steps towards her. He kept his palms on either side of the couch''s headrest and bent closer.


    She blinked. She glanced at her left, then at her right. His muscular arms had covered her sides. His broad chest blocked her front view. Her brown pupils traced his fair neck and up to his heavenly handsome face that approached her dangerously closer in the cramped space.


    Her heartbeats grew wilder, and her cheeks flushed redder. She only raised her gaze up to his nose because his eyes always rattled her. Whether it was in her past life or when she met him again after her rebirth.


    Jun watched her avoid meeting his gaze just like a few days ago at the library. He had an urge to lift her chin then, and so did he now too.


    This time, he made the move. He lightly tapped his index finger under her chin and raised it. Her eyes slightly widened in surprise. But she maintained her poise.


    Yup, it''s much better when she looks at me, Jun thought.


    He tilted his head and with a husky voice, he whispered, "Do YOU want to continue living here?"


    The emphasis on ''you'' made her shift her gaze. But he tugged her chin again. "Look at me when you talk to me."


    "I do."


    "You are not doing it now."


    "Oh."


    "Answer my question."


    Do I want to continue living here?


    "I-"


    "Before you answer, I suggest you to think very carefully," his eyes held a glint of warning in them.


    "Why so?"


    "Because depending on your answer, I would either behave like I usually do when I am in a good mood."


    "Or?"


    "Or I would be very mean to you."


    She pursed her lips, an action that darkened his gaze.


    "You are mean when you help me," she pointed out.


    He smiled a not so innocent smile. "I could be mean in pretty different ways."


    Ai cleared her throat. "Why are you asking me in this¡­way?"


    She meant by him blocking her on the couch with his body.


    "So that you carefully consider your answer."


    "I¡­always decide carefully."


    "So prove it to me right now. What do YOU want?"


    The light sound of him tapping his left index finger on the couch made her feel as if she was answering a life or death question added to his attractive figure looming upon her like a Death God.


    She breathed in and softly exhaled. "I do."


    "You do what?"


    "I do want to continue living here."


    The alarm in his eyes gradually dissipated, and his expression lightened.


    "So why were you hesitating?"


    Ai replied. "It will be convenient for you if I stay with her. I didn''t want to bother you. I thought you would be happy if I left earlier."


    Jun withdrew his looming figure.


    Ai finally released her breath she had been holding onto for so long.


    "If I don''t want you here, you wouldn''t be here. It''s as simple as that," he stated.


    "Oh." She nodded. "Thank you."


    It were simple and straightforward words, but she felt it extremely pleasing to her ears.


    "It''s late. I am going to bed. Text your friend you won''t be moving out."


    "Yes," she smiled.


    Jun went back to his room and shut the door.


    Now that Jun didn''t mind her living here, Ai felt the pressure lift off her shoulders. Her gloomy face had brightened.


    She quickly thought of an excuse and replied to Xing Bi. She felt guilty though.


    Xing Bi was not only her editor, but she also treated her like her little sister. She was protective of her. It was difficult for Ai to explain the current circumstances to her. She knew Xing Bi would panic no matter how calmly she told her.


    I am sorry, Xing Bi. I will definitely tell you the truth later.


    ¡ª


    Jun had claimed he was off to sleep, but he was busy staring at himself in the mirror. He tilted his head to one side and then the other trying to figure out what had just happened by questioning himself and then answering his own questions.


    Why was I so angry at her moving out?


    "Because I offered to help her! It''s just for a month anyway."


    Yeah so whether a month or less than that, what does it matter to you?


    He glared at himself in the mirror. "Of course, it matters. That would feel like she wants to run away from me as soon as possible. She doesn''t have to. I treated her so nicely!"


    Yeah, so what? Plus, you should be happy. You never liked sharing your space with anybody.


    "T-That was because the others were just annoying! She is bearable¡­"


    But living with a woman friend would be indeed much more comfortable to her, right?


    He gritted his teeth.


    "Yeah, I am a man, so what? I am not some pervert she has to be wary of!"


    The way you cornered her on the couch says otherwise¡­


    "Oh shut up already!"


    Having no answer to that, he switched off the lamps and jumped into bed. He pulled the blanket over his head and shut his eyes.


    A moment later, he angrily emphasized to God knows who.


    "I am not a pervert!"


    ¡ª


    The next morning, Jun made the breakfast as usual. But to his surprise, Ai didn''t come. He frowned.


    She is always on time.


    Suddenly, he stiffened.


    Wait, did she actually leave to her friend''s house?


    The way you cornered her on the couch says otherwise.


    "..."


    Sh-she won''t move out just because of that, right? It''s not like I¡­I¡­


    He failed to defend himself.


    Shit!


    Jun sprinted towards her room. He banged on the door. "Hey! You are still here, right?"


    No answer.


    His agitation only worsened.


    "Answer me, or I will open the door myself! Don''t blame me later."


    Still no answer.


    His patience finally snapped, and he barged in. "Ai, you better be here-"


    He froze in his steps, witnessing the scene in front of him.


    Ai was lying collapsed on the floor, unconscious.


    "Ai!!!"

 Chapter 72 Taking Care Of Sick Ai

    Chapter 72 Taking Care Of Sick Ai


    Fuck!


    Jun was already on the floor, kneeling at her side. He patted her cheeks. "Ai? Ai? What the hell happened here? Ai!"


    His face grew paler as a tightening feeling engulfed his chest. He thought as if he was seeing her lying on his car''s hood, all bloodied and wounded just like that fateful night in his past life. He clearly remembered the expression in her last moments and her breaths that were slowly fading away.


    "Hey wake up. I know you are not dead, so wake up!" He exclaimed in a higher pitch. His hands were shaking.


    But Ai didn''t respond.


    Jun leaned closer and heard her softly breathing. They were light but still there. He noticed her weakly moving her hand too.


    Relief washed over him.


    She is not dead¡­Yeah she is alright¡­of course she is.


    "Just wait. I will take you to the hospital right now!"


    He picked her in his arms and was about to rush out of the room when Ai tugged on to his shirt. "Don''t¡­"


    "Idiot! Do you see your condition? What are you saying no for?"


    Ai slowly opened her eyes, softly gasping. "I am okay. Please put me back to bed."


    His gaze was frosty. "Your breathing is so light. You are sweating, and you can barely move!"


    "Trust me. Please put me back to bed. There is no need to go to the hospital," she whispered. "Please¡­"


    Frustrated, he did as she told him. "And now you are suddenly all healthy, right?"


    Jun stared at her for a few long moments. Then he blinked his eyes several times.


    "Wait a minute. Are you¡­on your periods?"


    Ai gently nodded. Periods were natural to any woman. She didn''t feel embarrassed about admitting it to Jun.


    Jun smacked his own forehead.


    I am an idiot. Here I was thinking about the past life and all!


    "You¡­"


    You scared me, damn it!


    Jun forgot about all his discomfort and sat beside her. "It''s your first day?"


    "Yes."


    "I see. Wait."


    He stepped out of the room and came back a few minutes later. He brought a glass filled with a drink. "Have this warm drink. It''s good for a woman during her menstrual cramps."


    He shuffled her blanket to help her get up, but she hastily snatched it away from him. "D-Don''t!"


    "What? I already know you are on your periods. There is nothing to be ashamed of."


    "No¡­" she pursed her lips and looked away. She fiddled with the blanket in her palms.


    "S-stain¡­" she mumbled.


    "Huh? Say louder."


    She bit her lip. "Th-There is a stain."


    Admitting to periods was one part, but a man seeing the red stain was still embarrassing.


    Jun rolled his eyes. "Yeah, so what? It''s not like it''s my first time seeing one."


    "..."


    You have seen period stains before?


    She couldn''t help but wonder if it was related to Shui. That level of intimacy wouldn''t be strange when they were a couple.


    "I have a little sister, after all," he said.


    Her eyes slightly widened. "Oh."


    Why did I feel relieved for a moment?


    Jun shrugged. "Nuo''s condition is pretty bad on her first day like you. Dad even takes the day off from work to tend to her. Not just him, all the men in our family get ready to take care of her."


    Ai blinked. This was the first time she was properly hearing him talk about his family from him. She leaned in, feeling curious.


    "Your family seems wonderful. Everybody helps your sister. That''s so thoughtful."


    Jun snorted. "My family is wonderful if you minus my brothers, grandfather and uncle."


    "..."


    He stirred the drink and handed her the glass. "Plus, the men in our family are strictly taught to take care of women when they are on their periods."


    "Really?"


    "Yeah. So that we can be their servants for five days."


    Ai choked on her drink.


    "Loyal servants who take care of all their wishes and crankiness," he smiled. "We are used to it now."


    She really didn''t want to, but she couldn''t help but ask in the end, "So it''s like you will be my servant for five days?"


    Jun shot her a squinted stare and sneered. "Careful of what you are wishing for, Miss Zhou."


    Her brown eyes sparkled. "But I am a woman in my periods."


    Translation - You should be my servant.


    His brow twitched, and he recalled his mother''s words.


    ''A woman has to go through a lot of pain in her life! It''s not easy being a woman. If she is on her periods and in distress you should do whatever she asks or wishes for. That''s what a good man does!''


    Mom, can I not be a good man anymore?


    He stared at Ai, who was way too excited for this. Her cute, expectant smile was adorable.


    "Fine. I am your servant now for five days," he conceded.


    I will be magnanimous just this once.


    Ai beamed.


    His face blackened. "Don''t look like that. It''s creepy!"


    She coughed.


    After she finished her drink, he brought a warm compress for her. "Place this over your stomach. Your cramps will lighten up."


    "Thank you."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "What?"


    "Well¡­"


    "Spit it out."


    "I am in too much pain."


    He sneered. "Yeah, I can see that. You are in so much pain and having so much fun at the same time."


    "Of course not," she seriously dismissed him.


    "Tell that to your smile that isn''t stopping at all."


    She cleared her throat.


    "I wasn''t smiling. I have a very serious concern. My stomach is hurting badly. So, I cannot step out of the house."


    "That''s a given."


    "But I¡­don''t have more sanitary pads left," she looked away.


    "..."


    He understood the implication.


    "So will you please buy a pack of-"


    "No!"


    "But-"


    "No!"


    "You-"


    "Nope. Not a chance."


    Ai sat back, defeated. "Alright. It seems the servants are not quite serious when it comes to taking care of a sick woman in her periods. It''s just buying a box. How difficult could it be?"


    "..."

 Chapter 73 Mr. Liu’s Difficult Mission

    Chapter 73 Mr. Liu''s Difficult Mission


    Dark clouds were looming over Jun''s head as he stood in front of the counter of a pharmacy shop. His expression was unsightly, and his eyes looked as dead as a fish.


    ''It''s just buying a box. How difficult could it be?''


    Jun''s lips formed a threatening smile.


    How difficult could it be?


    So you call this¡­easy?


    Why does buying a freaking sanitary pad feel like I am climbing some long, treacherous mountain!?


    The female attendant had a radiant flow on her face seeing such a tall and handsome man so early in the morning. Internally, her heart was squealing.


    So handsome! So handsome! I will do my best today!


    She cleared her throat and showed a professional smile. "Sir, what is your choice? Which one do you prefer? Organic pads or regular ones?"


    His expression twisted.


    "How will I know that?" He spoke through a clenched jaw.


    The attendant was floating in the clouds too much to catch the frustration in his voice. She chirped. "Of course, you will know that, Sir. Aren''t you buying for your girlfriend? You are such a thoughtful boyfriend."


    "She is not my girlfriend!"


    "..."


    "So which one does your girl- I mean, your crush uses?"


    His mouth twitched.


    How do I know what Ai uses!?


    In the end, he randomly picked it himself. "Organic¡­"


    She brightened. "Good choice! So thick, regular, thin or ultra thin?"


    "Huh?" He looked like the dumb kid in the class.


    "I mean how much do you want the pad to absorb? That depends on how heavy or light her menstrual flow is."


    He gritted his teeth.


    What the hell I know about her period flow!?


    He took a deep breath and tried his best to smile. "Regular."


    Let''s be on the safer side.


    "Great! With wings or without wings?"


    "What wings?"


    "You know, wings. The wings wrap around the edges of the underwear near the inner thighs, so it prevents any chances of leaking from the sides."


    The look on his face was unbearable. He had no clue buying pads needed so many choices to be made. It was always the maids in the Liu villa who took care of Nuo''s supplies, so he didn''t know anything about this stuff.


    Wraps around the edges of the underwear¡­


    I feel I am learning way too much about this.


    "With wings¡­" his voice was hardly audible.


    Okay, this should be enough-


    "Nice! Which pad size? Small, medium, large or XL?"


    "Do you want day pads or night pads?"


    "Do you want plain pads or with printed designs?"


    "Which brand of organic pads your crush prefers?"


    "...."


    ¡ª


    Jun banged open the door as he reached his condo. He was gasping hard with sweat trickling down his forehead as if he just came out of hell. His expression was indescribable.


    He carried two huge bags in both of his hands filled with countless boxes of sanitary pads. Since he didn''t know Ai''s choices, he just brought one of everything. The attendant''s countenance was inexplicable.


    "Zhou Ai! Just you wait until these five days are over! I will make you pay for this by a hundred fold!"


    He grabbed one box and stomped inside her room. "Damn you, Zhou Ai! How dare you fool me-"


    He put a sudden brake on his words.


    Ai was in the bed, feeling drowsy and sleepy. Her expression still seemed to be uncomfortable seeing her restlessly shift on the bed. Even if he gave her a warm drink and compress, there was no choice but to bear the first day''s pain. The methods could only bring temporary relief. The pain would always be there.


    Jun quietly put the box on the bedside table. Watching her brows scrunch in pain brought discomfort and uneasiness in his heart too. He bent his knee and sat beside her.


    He thought for a moment and gently brushed his fingers through her hair. "It''s okay. You will be fine by tomorrow. Don''t look so weak or how will you have fun giving your orders?"


    Ai was heavily gasping, and she suddenly grabbed his hand. "Monster¡­monster under the bed¡­"


    "..."


    "How many times have I told you? My house is not haunted."


    But Ai seemed to be genuinely terrified. There were tears in the corner of her eyes.


    He stiffened. "H-Hey, don''t get so serious. There are no monsters."


    Is she having a bad dream?


    "Really¡­?"


    Ai was in a delirious state. She was talking more in her sleep rather than consciously.


    "Yeah."


    Jun paused and asked, "Why are you afraid of monsters? They don''t exist."


    "Hm¡­?" Her head was rolling side to side in dizziness. Jun scooted closer to her and raising his arm over her head, he firmly put his palm on her cheek. She remained still after that.


    "Why are you so afraid?"


    Ai weakly opened her eyes. "Oh¡­It happened in middle school. Our class went on a trip. I got my periods¡­" she softly exhaled. "I was resting in my room. Everybody else¡­was enjoying¡­I felt alone."


    Jun felt bitter hearing that.


    "I didn''t have friends because¡­I was a quiet girl. Then that day¡­two of my classmates who didn''t like me¡­played a prank. I was asleep. Then I felt pain in my stomach. I opened my eyes and got up¡­"


    At this point, she was trembling. She squeezed his hand harder.


    "S-suddenly a monster jumped at me from below the bedside and screamed. I was¡­terrified. I cried. It was ugly and bloody and hideous. It was dark¡­and I switched on the light to run¡­but then I saw another monster jump at me from the other side. I got too afraid. Then I screamed and fainted¡­I felt even sicker than before," she choked.


    "Later, I came to know that¡­they were not real monsters but my classmates. But I couldn''t forget that experience¡­So I still get scared of using a flashlight in the dark or¡­think somebody is¡­under my¡­bed¡­" She was getting drowsier.


    But Jun''s expression got chillier.


    "Hooo. What happened then?"


    "...Nothing. The teacher scolded them. They¡­apologized but I could see¡­they didn''t mean it¡­at all. They hated me¡­even more because I complained."


    "What were their names?"


    "Huh¡­?"


    The temperature dropped drastically. "Tell me their names."

 Chapter 74 Revenge From The Bullies

    Chapter 74 Revenge From The Bullies


    Ai raised her head but couldn''t clearly see his face. It looked all hazy.


    But if she could have, she would have realized how perilous his dark eyes looked right now. The air vibrated with the familiar imminent danger that was going to befall.


    "Hmm¡­humm¡­"


    Ai licked her lips and slowly fell asleep.


    Jun was speechless. "Hey! Tell me their names. You told me the whole story. Be awake for two more seconds and spill out their names."


    But she was already knocked out.


    Jun gasped in exasperation and leaned back. "That would have been easier but oh well, I have other methods too," he eerily smiled.


    He called his cousin Yunru.


    "Bro! How did you call me today? Did you miss me?"


    "Shut up. Find something for me. There is a woman named Zhou Ai. She was bullied during a trip in her middle school by two classmates. Around nine to ten years ago. Get me their names."


    "Huh? Who is Zhou Ai?"


    "Don''t ask anything and just do it."


    He whined. "So mean! Let me in the fun too~"


    "I will, I will! Geez, so impatient! What''s the school name?"


    "That you have to find out."


    "..."


    "Give me some starting point, bro!"


    "I already did. Zhou Ai. Middle school. Nine to ten years back. Two classmates. A school trip. They bullied her. How much more do you need?"


    "..."


    "Get me their names in fifteen minutes."


    "What? That''s impossible-"


    Jun hung up.


    Fifteen minutes later, he promptly got their names with a whining message from Yunru that he ignored. One was Su Lingxin and another was Xiong Hui. Coincidentally, both were B-list actresses currently having side character roles in a movie under production.


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    This movie¡­


    He knew someone who worked in that movie.


    Cool. This will be easier.


    He dialed a number and smiled. "Hey. I heard there are two actresses in the movie you are working in."


    An impending glint flickered in his eyes and he sneered. "I want to have some fun with them."


    ¡ª


    A few hours later, Ai yawned and slowly opened her eyes. She furrowed her brows feeling minor cramps in her stomach.


    Stomach¡­


    She blinked as she felt a presence. She lowered her head and saw a hand gently resting on it. She widened her eyes and jerked her head back to see Jun sleeping beside her. His chest was hugging her back. His arm was bent at his elbow over her pillow and his head was propped on his left hand with his eyes shut. His right hand was on her belly, snaking it over her waist.


    Even though Jun was asleep, he was still lightly patting his fingers on her belly. Ai noticed and felt his feathery like movements as if he was trying to ease her pain.


    She slowly looked back at him in a daze. The soft sunlight through the window shone upon his neck and chest and partially over his cheek. The shadow that fell over his handsome facial features made her breath hitch. Even in his sleep, he looked in control and in command as if saying, ''Don''t mess with me.''


    Ai parted her lips in surprise.


    He was here the whole time¡­?


    Jun stirred in his sleep and woke up too. Their gazes met. "You are awake? How are you feeling now?"


    "Huh? M-Much better."


    Jun closely watched her expression and nodded in satisfaction. She didn''t look so tragic as she was in the morning.


    He glanced around and stiffened. He realized the intimate posture they were in.


    There was a long silence.


    Ai was about to say when he exclaimed. "I am not a pervert!"


    He made some distance between them and immediately sat upright. He rubbed his hands together and shouted in his defense. "I heard patting the stomach helps ease the pain! I wasn''t harassing you in your sleep! Nothing happened between us!"


    "I know," Ai quickly answered to calm him down. "I am not accusing you of anything."


    "Oh? Oh-oh¡­That''s good," he cleared his throat, feeling relieved.


    What is wrong with me? Why did I care so much about her that I slept beside her?


    He thought he would leave after she fell asleep, but he couldn''t. Before he knew it, he was embracing her from her back and patting her stomach.


    Ai earnestly thought about Jun''s different sides. When she broke the news of her moving out last night, he seemed so frightening as if she had chartered into dangerous territory. His whole presence was threatening her to not offend him.


    But now he was flustering upon seeing them sleep on the same bed as if last night was all an illusion.


    She clasped her hands together. "Actually, I am grateful. It feels much better thanks to you doing that. So thank you."


    "H-hm."


    The slight awkwardness disappeared by a ding from Jun''s tab. He checked it, and his eyes twinkled evilly. "Come here. Let''s watch some news~"


    Ai tilted her head. "News?"


    "Just come here. No, wait. I will shift to your side¡­" he scooted closer to her, making her slightly swallow her saliva. It was hard to know if she felt hot because she was feverish or due to Jun''s body hugging her.


    "My cousin forwarded me some juicy video," he smirked.


    Ai was puzzled. She never thought Jun would be the kind to enjoy gossip.


    She leaned in anyway and saw two faces flashing in the news video.


    Ah?


    In the video, Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui were running like crazy women on the movie sets and screaming at the top of their voices.


    "Dead body!" Su Lingxin gasped.


    "There is a dead body inside!" Xiong Hui yelled.


    "I-Its head¡­it''s backward!"


    "There is blood everywhere! Ahhhh!!! Help!"


    What caused more uproar was that they claimed the grotesque dead body had jumped on them to attack. Their tears had ruined their makeup such that they looked like ghosts themselves.


    Everything was caught live on a camera, and it was revealed that it was just someone from the staff playing a prank on them. The blood was fake.


    Everybody felt pitiful for them on social media, but they were also laughing at them screaming and running like two crazy people.


    Jun chuckled. "Fun, right?"


    He was extremely pleased. They bullied Ai, so he just made them pay twice the damage. Dead bodies were more frightening than monsters.


    Ai was left speechless. She was too drowsy, so she didn''t remember much about telling Jun about the middle school incident.


    Who knew Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui would face retribution one day? Ai wondered.


    It had been years since the incident, nevertheless Ai felt satisfied in her heart. They were pure bullies, and people like them never changed.


    As they watched the video on his tab, Jun''s phone lit up with Yunru''s message.


    ''Bro! Guess what? Sky just received a story draft from the author with whom you have a love-hate relationship! MissImperfectlyFine!''

 Chapter 75 Guiying’s Crush

    Chapter 75 Guiying''s Crush


    Where Jun and Ai were enjoying watching Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui''s misery, Yating hadn''t slept a wink for a few nights. Ever since Ai rejected him, he had lost all his will to do anything. Sometimes he felt why he was even alive anymore.


    He had buried himself in work so much until dark circles formed under his eyes. He hadn''t gone back home in days.


    The door opened, and he heard footsteps coming in.


    "Yating! Are you still working? Gosh, what''s wrong with you? Zhan Yahui told me you are working like some madman."


    Yating stiffened.


    It was Guiying who came to check on him. He slowly lifted his gaze and watched her staring at him with dissatisfaction. Her hands were on her waist indignantly.


    "What are you doing with yourself? Why are you working so damn hard? Give it a rest!"


    She put down a paper bag with his lunch and sat on a chair opposite him. "Close your laptop right now and eat. Just look at your ghostly face!"


    Yating remembered the New Year''s night as clear as day.


    ''She was always there, Gu Yating. Guiying was always there because she loves you.''


    He clenched his fist and lowered his gaze.


    Guiying sighed. "I came back from vacation and this is what I came to know as soon as I am back? What''s wrong, Yating?"


    She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "You cannot fool me. I have known you less than I have known Ai, but I can still read you. You have never worked like this before. Like a monster. Something is definitely bothering you."


    His eyelids softly trembled. He parted his lips to ask Guiying about her feelings for him. But he stopped himself.


    ''As for Guiying¡­you will know it when the time is right. But until then don''t ask her anything. Please respect my wishes if you treat me as your friend.''


    Ai, you are wrong. Guiying doesn''t like me that way. I want to prove this to you. So, why aren''t you letting me?


    One question¡­if I just ask her one question, everything will be clear.


    He clasped his hands together. He felt at a crossroads. On one hand, he genuinely wanted to keep his promise to Ai about not asking Guiying anything.


    But on the other side, his relationship with Ai was in jeopardy too. Until Guiying''s role wasn''t cleared, Ai wouldn''t believe him. She wouldn''t accept his confession.


    How can I let you go Ai¡­? I really love you so much.


    His eyes once again stung in tears. But he didn''t let Guiying see them.


    He felt a soft hand on his. "Yating? You look so pale. You will fall sick like this. Let me take you home."


    He was startled and quickly shook her hand off.


    Guiying widened her eyes. "Hey! You didn''t have to be so mean. I care about you."


    Yating''s expression turned icier. "I am fine. Don''t touch me like that again."


    Her jaw dropped. "Huh? Don''t say as if I am a pervert! I am a respectable woman!" She harrumphed. "This is what I get for caring for a friend."


    He let out a cold smile.


    A friend. Do you really treat me as a friend?


    Yating raised his head and faced her. He fixed his gaze on hers, his mind weighing his options.


    "Guiying, can I ask you something?"


    She curiously raised her brow. "Sure."


    "Do you¡­do you like someone?"


    Yating knew he shouldn''t be asking this question to her. But he really couldn''t stop himself.


    I could at least ask if she likes someone without taking my name.


    He expected her to shrug him off, but her reaction made his heart stop beating in his chest.


    Guiying''s cheeks flushed red, and she seemed to be fidgety. She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear nervously, feeling a little shy. She was trying hard not to panic and show any ambiguous expression. But she was failing in it.


    "You¡­" Yating felt a lump at the back of his throat.


    This cannot be true.


    "N-No! Where did this question suddenly pop up from? I don''t like anyone."


    She darted her gaze left and right, which was a clear sign that she was hiding something.


    Yating''s gaze got colder. If Ai was right, then that meant Guiying indeed had feelings for him. Him choosing Ai over her would hurt Guiying''s feelings and their friendship too.


    This¡­how did I not realize it? It''s impossible! Guiying cannot like me!


    But Yating couldn''t ask anymore questions. He already half-broke his promise to Ai. Now asking the identity of her crush would only complicate things with Ai even more.


    Guiying quickly picked her bag and got up. "Don''t forget to eat your lunch and go home, okay? I¡­I will head back. I am tired." She shut the door and hastily left.


    Yating could only stare ahead in a daze. He pressed his temples, feeling a headache coming. He clenched his fists, the temperature in the air dropping.


    Ai¡­


    ¡ª


    Guiying slipped out of her heels and rushed in her bedroom, locking her door shut. She took a few deep breaths. She stood in front of the mirror and noticed her pink cheeks.


    Damn, I was so nervous! Did Yating figure it out? Why did he suddenly ask that question?


    No, no! How could he realize it? I haven''t told it to anybody, not even to Ai or Zhan Yahui. It''s my secret.


    "Maybe he just asked it casually? But that was really sudden. For a moment, I was afraid if he came to know about my feelings¡­"


    Guiying opened her cupboard and took out a small box from among a pile of clothes.


    Opening its lid, she glanced through a few items in it. Mostly were cards and some were gifts from a certain fan.


    She softly smiled and took out one of the cards. It held a beautiful pink cherry blossom between its folds. She had received this card a few years ago, so the flower had withered.


    Nevertheless, she cherished it with all her heart.


    The card read,


    ''Congratulations on winning the Best Fiction Award, CherryBlossom. I have become your loyal reader, and I will forever follow you. I am proud of you. Hope to see you win many more awards.


    You like cherry blossoms, right? Please accept this flower as a token of my love for your work.


    I am waiting for your next book.


    Love,


    MrPerfect.''


    Guiying would always feel her heart skip a beat whenever she read this card. She didn''t reveal about her crush for MrPerfect to anybody. He was just an anonymous reader, after all.


    "It''s weird if I tell them that I like my fan, right¡­? I have never seen him or even talked to him. People will laugh at me for being so silly," her shoulders slumped.


    But a warm smile lifted her lips, thinking about him whose support always filled her heart with bliss and encouragement.


    I hope we meet someday, MrPerfect.

 Chapter 76 MissImperfectlyFine’s Story Submission

    Chapter 76 MissImperfectlyFine''s Story Submission


    Four days later, Jun and Ai decided to start going back to the library again. She felt well after the second day itself, but Jun was stubborn to stay at home until her periods were over. He didn''t want to witness her getting collapsed like that ever again.


    Mrs. Quan Su beamed seeing them return.",


    "Oh, you two are back! How are you feeling, Ai? Is it better now?"",


    She cleared her throat. "I am. Jun was a good servant."",


    He clenched his jaw. "Yeah, sure. Now those days are over so you better watch out, Zhou Ai."",


    Ai smiled.",


    Jun seemed to be annoyed, but he had taken really good care of her from cooking to washing bed sheets.",


    Even better than Mom did, I must say.",


    She coughed. But Ai was taken aback as Mrs. Quan''s question dawned upon her.",


    "Do you know that I¡­"",


    "Oh that you are living at Jun''s place? Yeah, I do. Jun called me four days back saying that he won''t be coming to work because you were sick."",


    Jun glared at her. "What do you mean?"",


    "Well¡­you aren''t exactly the type to bother with others'' problems," she sheepishly grinned. "In fact I hadn''t expected you to agree to become the assistant librarian here either to help me out."",


    He sneered. "I see. Then I think you should look for another one as soon as possible. I might have just gotten offended."",


    She quickly waved her hand. "No, no. I was just joking. I know you are a sweet boy."",


    He snorted.",


    Mrs. Quan Su curiously alternated her gaze between them. "You two have gotten so close."",


    They blinked in confusion.",


    "Haven''t you noticed it? You are more comfortable around each other now. I even saw Jun smiling a minute ago when he was talking to you. And you know what? When he informed me about your sickness, I offered that you could stay at my place," she cleared her throat. "Naturally, I felt it would be convenient for you to live with another woman during your periods. But oh my, Jun got so furious!"",


    Jun''s gaze darkened.",


    Ai glanced at him with curiosity. "Really?"",


    "I wasn''t angry!"",


    "Yes you were. You said, ''Hey, back off! Why does everyone want her to move out from my place? I can take care of her just fine! Now, if I heard a third person offering her God damn house to her, I would burn her place down!''",


    And then you cruelly hung up," she sniffled. "So mean, Jun. I was just trying to help you."",


    His mouth twitched. "I didn''t say it like that! You are just making things up, old woman!" He turned and stomped his way to the third floor.",


    Mrs. Quan chuckled. "He is so cute."",


    "...Yeah." Ai touched her cheek and felt it growing warmer.",


    "Did Jun really say that to you?"",


    "Of course! Why would I lie? He said it exactly in the tone which I just expressed. Hehe, he ran away because he got embarrassed. He cares so much about you. I never saw him acting like that for any woman before. You know how he behaves with women here, right? So, it''s really surprising. But I am happy to see him opening up to you little by little. In fact, you too," she kindly smiled.",


    Ai quickly bowed and went up with her lips uncontrollably smiling all the way.",


    ¡ª",


    Jun dumped his bag on his desk and mumbled a string of curses. "Mrs. Quan has too much free time it seems. I didn''t say it that way at all!"",


    The patrons exchanged glances in wonder.",


    Why is he talking to himself?",


    Why does he look so angry?",


    Doesn''t he always look like that?",


    You have a point¡­",


    Jun shot a dangerous glare at them. "What?"",


    The patrons hastily buried their heads in their books.",


    He opened his laptop and started doing his usual work. He got a ding and read Yunru''s message.",


    ''Bro! Did you read MissImperfectlyFine''s work? I did, and man it''s awesome! We should totally select her. I wonder why she would come to us when she works for Dream High though. Anyway, get back to me as soon as you can! I have mailed you her draft.''",


    Oh yeah¡­",


    Jun remembered reading Yunru''s message three days back. He was honestly shocked to learn that MissImperfectlyFine was pitching a draft to Sky. But he kept that work aside and only wanted to focus on Ai''s recovery.",


    I should check the draft now, he opened his mailbox.",


    He was curious to read what she had submitted. Though he had made the rule that Dream High writers weren''t allowed, he made an exception just for her. Usually, any other writer would have gotten rejected, but Yunru knew about the love-hate relationship with that author. So, he passed the draft onto Jun.",


    I hope it''s not another tragic story, he snorted.",


    Jun opened the document and saw that it was a short story.",


    Short story¡­",


    Which reminded him that Ai aka Butterfly was going to submit her story too.",


    Why hasn''t Sky still received any draft from her? She should be done days ago. He frowned.",


    Jun read through MissImperfectlyFine''s short story and froze. He blinked his eyes several times.",


    What, what, what?",


    He quickly scrolled down all until the end and found that the story was exactly the same as what Ai had worked upon. He checked again, and it was indeed sent from MissImperfectlyFine, not Butterfly.",


    What the hell¡­How can her story be the same as Ai''s!?",


    Her face was marred in utter bewilderment, and he quickly dialed Yunru''s number.",


    "Are you sure it''s the draft from MissImperfectlyFine?" He chillingly asked.",


    Yunru confirmed. "Yes! I was passing by four days ago and heard Sun Bai was going to reject her story. I heard her name but because I knew how much you ''admire'' MissImperfectlyFine, I stopped her from rejecting it and sent it to you."",


    "No! I mean is it really from MissImperfectlyFine? Is there a misunderstanding between the drafts? It must be sent by Butterfly!"",


    "Huh? Of course not. Butterfly didn''t send us any story. Sky received MissImperfectlyFine''s short story from her own mail account. It''s the one officially recorded in Dream High too. Why wouldn''t it be her?"",

 Chapter 77 Ai’s Blunder

    Chapter 77 Ai''s Blunder


    On the other side, Ai was waiting for Sky''s response. She had submitted her short story four days back just before she got too sick from her periods and collapsed but was yet to get a reply.


    It''s already been four days¡­What is taking them so long? Have they rejected my story?


    Ai couldn''t help but feel apprehensive. She unlocked her phone and checked her email account to see if there was any update. There was none, and she was disappointed. She casually tapped on her Sent Items box. But a few seconds later, she rapidly blinked in confusion upon not seeing any mail sent from Butterfly''s account.


    But I did send out the mail¡­


    Suddenly, she froze as if lightning struck her, and she hastily opened her MissImperfectlyFine''s Sent Items box.


    The worst she had feared came out to be true, and her eyes widened in horror.


    I¡­sent my story using this account? H-How?


    She recalled she was working that day and was ready to send the story but was feeling slightly dizzy when pain shot up in her stomach. She dazedly opened her email account and with blurred vision saw ''ly'' and chose her mail account, thinking it to be ''ly'' of Butterfly one.


    Ai froze.


    Did I get confused between the ''ly'' from MissImperfectlyFine and Butterfly?


    Suddenly, Jun appeared before her and grabbed her arm. "Come with me."


    Ai looked at him, stunned. "What happened?" She was still in her daze about the blunder she had made.


    He took her to the third floor''s storeroom and locked the door shut. He turned and narrowed his eyes.


    Ai had no clue what was going on. "What''s wrong? Why do you look so upset?"


    He balled his fist. "I am upset. Fuck, I am outraged! How dare she steal your work!?"


    She blinked twice. "Steal my work? Who?"


    "MissImperfectlyFine! She plagiarized your story!"


    Ai stared at him unblinkingly. With what she just heard, she really couldn''t do anything but just throw him a blank gaze.


    The realization of her blunder then dawned upon her.


    "Do you personally know MissImperfectlyFine?" Jun impatiently asked. "Did you ever show her your stories for guidance or suggestions?"


    She stiffened and really didn''t know how to answer this question. She felt an ugly feeling creep in her chest, especially after she just realized what she had accidentally done.


    "I¡­"


    "Did you share it with her or not!?"


    "Yes, I did!"


    The answer just sprawled out of her mouth with the pressure he was building and the panic she was feeling from the gravity of her mistake. She could hardly think straight of what to do next when Jun suddenly dropped this bomb on her.


    He shut his eyes and clenched his jaw.


    He felt it was impossible to happen. But the facts were before him. It was Ai who worked on that story right in front of him. He had himself helped her revise those drafts.


    How could he not know Butterfly''s story?


    Then Ai had mentioned it herself that her pen name was Butterfly. He got the news that Butterfly met Sun Bai at Sky too.


    But now the submission was sent by MissImperfectlyFine?


    Ai asked, slightly breathless with trepidation, "H-How do you know about the submission?"


    "What? Of course, I would know. I am the-" he stopped himself in time.


    He coldly replied. "I mean I have a friend working there. He asks me to look through some drafts in my free time and give my suggestions."


    Ai felt her heart in her throat. It was as if getting zapped by lightning.


    Jun¡­was connected to Sky like that? He had the access to read story submissions?


    Now she understood where the problem lied. He expected the submission to come from Butterfly. But instead, it came from MissImperfectlyFine.


    He helped Ai to revise her stories, so he already knew what her entry was going to be. Instead, it was another writer that came up with the same submission.


    So, he thinks MissImperfectlyFine is plagiarizing.


    She swallowed a big gulp, and her body trembled.


    If I knew Jun had the access to read the submissions, I would have¡­


    Jun punched the wall, making her jolt. "Fuck! How dare she!?"


    Ai froze.


    She parted her lips to confess that MissImperfectlyFine didn''t plagiarize, but it dawned upon her that confessing that would mean admitting that she lied about her identity to get into Sky. She used deceit to enter which was harmful for her either way.


    Ai was stuck between a rock and hard place.


    "I didn''t expect this from her! I met her during the book signing event. She seemed¡­she seemed like a nice person," he clenched his fist. The color of his brown irises were turning darker and darker.


    Did I judge her wrongly?


    The way she saved Yinyin and took the blame. The way her hand was trembling when he had held hers. The way she shared her story about her family to him. The way she put the funny PS notes to annoy him.


    Was that just an illusion?


    The MissImperfectlyFine he knew since his past life was a cheater?


    The MissImperfectlyFine whose books had a place in his shelf and in his heart was a plagiarizer?


    He didn''t wish to accuse a person like her. But between her and Ai, Jun would always and unreservedly stand on Ai''s side, who he knew better and spent more time with than MissImperfectlyFine.


    Ai''s forehead was slowly covered with a thin layer of sweat. She was always straightforward and wasn''t the type to hide things. But now feeling the killing aura emanating from him, she thought as if she was burning in a pot of hell.


    She sensed his extreme displeasure with the way his knuckles cracked and how his veins twitched on his forehead.


    Her heart raced with fear imagining if he would be upset enough to throw her out of his house if he learned that she lied.


    This was the first time for her that she was deathly afraid of telling the truth. It was going well between them, and she had an inherent feeling to protect this little friendship which she had with Jun.


    "I¡­-"


    "I hate liars!" Jun exclaimed. In his past life, Shui had hidden her feelings for Jin and so did Jin for her, and they had lied to Jun. That''s why he hated deceitful people.


    Now MissImperfectlyFine turned out to be one too.


    Ai''s state grew even paler, and tears threatened to escape her eyes.


    Hate liars¡­Hate liars¡­


    Jun observed her pale condition, and he flicked her forehead hard, making her softly gasp. "What are you moping down for? You don''t have to worry about anything."


    Her weak smile faltered while she clasped her hands together. The truth was at the tip of her tongue which couldn''t escape no matter how hard she tried, his words ringing in her mind.


    Watching her face marred in uneasiness and sadness, Jun felt an urge to kill somebody. The temperature just kept dropping.


    You messed with the wrong man, MissImperfectlyFine. You have fucked up this time. You dare steal Ai''s work and fame.


    You will pay for this betrayal. I will make you.

 Chapter 78 Big Trouble

    Chapter 78 Big Trouble


    Ai put down her bag in her room and nervously paced back and forth in front of her bed.


    With this plagiarism sword swinging on her neck, her chances to be chosen to Sky were as good as none.


    Getting into Sky was her first step in becoming a writer she always dreamt of. This was the chance to fulfill her wish that she couldn''t do so in her past life.


    Dream High always focused more on Guiying whereas she got little to none resources. She wanted to change things by moving to a different publishing company, away from Guiying and Yating.


    Although she knew the future of Sky''s collapse five years later, she still decided to choose Sky. She thought now that she knew Sky was going to fall, she would find out the reason why it happened and prevent its collapse. She would secure Sky and her own future.


    But now I won''t even get into Sky¡­


    She had asked Jun what would happen next, and he had answered,


    ''The CEO personally involves himself in the draft selection process. He would deal with her.''


    Ai shivered.


    The way he pronounced ''deal with her'' had a villainous ring to it. She was sure she would be rejected, but why did she feel that¡­


    Something more bad is about to ha something bad was going to happen anytime soon. But what was stopping Jun was the books he held right now standing in front of his shelf.


    They were MissImperfectlyFine''s books. He was looking at the first page where she had signed them. The page almost crumpled between his fingers.


    You¡­were you really fooling me all this time?


    He stared at her award winning work - My time with you. The ending when the leads decided to part ways rather than come together made him feel bitter.


    But even through that bitter feeling, something had resonated in his heart like a loud, crashing wave. It had a huge impact on him which he could never forget. But he couldn''t understand what it was exactly.


    The writer who made his heart swing up and down like a seesaw with an onslaught of varied emotions, was she someone who could steal someone''s work?


    Is she the same person who wrote the book that shook him so hard and whose books had a place on his shelf?


    It was a small meeting with her during the event, nevertheless he had enjoyed it. He liked that he got to know more about her.


    But now he was on the verge of throwing her books away forever. She betrayed Ai''s trust and that was something he couldn''t tolerate. Something burned his very cells with enmity thinking that Ai was used.


    He narrowed his eyes and picked his phone. He opened the Reading Point chat where Warlord and the others were chatting like usual.


    He hit MissImperfectlyFine''s direct message window and typed.


    MrPerfect - I never thought you would be so shameless.


    There was a long silence. Her status symbol was available, so it meant she was online.


    Finally, he saw her typing.


    MissImperfectlyFine - What do you mean?


    Jun clenched his phone harder as if it would break at any moment.


    MrPerfect - You plagiarized someone''s work. If you are not shameless, then what are you?


    There was a pause.


    MissImperfectlyFine - I didn''t plagiarize. How do you know about this? I thought you were a nice person because you helped me before. I enjoyed talking to you whenever we did. But you are accusing me without evidence.


    His gaze turned chilly.


    MrPerfect - You are talking to the Sky CEO. That''s how I know.


    There was even a longer pause than before.


    It wasn''t Jun''s intention to reveal his identity to anybody, especially someone from Dream High. But this time, he wanted to.


    He wanted her to know who she was messing with. He wanted to suffocate her like a fish flopping on land for its life.


    Also, he wasn''t revealing himself as Liu Jun. It was as MrPerfect, his identity on Reading Point. Nobody knew that MrPerfect was Jun or vice versa. So, he was giving him out but not really at the same time.


    He sneered.


    If she does try to expose me, I can silence her anytime.


    Before she could reply, he typed his last message to her.


    MrPerfect - I am not chatting to know your reasons. You have already lost all respect I had for you. I came to say that you are finished. You picked a bone with the wrong person. You plagiarized that means someone else has worked hard for it. You stole everything important to that person and Sky doesn''t take this shit. Prepare yourself.


    ¡ª


    Ai was staring at her chat window. If it wasn''t enough that she came to know that Jun had access to reading submissions, now MrPerfect dropped another bomb.


    Sky¡­CEO¡­?


    The phone almost collapsed from her hand. She wanted to believe that he was joking. But even through his chats, she felt the weight of his words.


    He wasn''t lying. He didn''t even bother to convince her about his identity.


    He just said it. That was it.


    Ai gathered herself and quickly wanted to clear the misunderstanding.


    I will explain what happened, and then he will definitely understand.


    At this point, she didn''t know what else to do but to be ready to face the consequences. She kept typing and sending him messages, but none went through as she got only one reply from the system.


    ''You cannot send anymore messages as the recipient has blocked you.''


    ¡ª


    Dream High.


    Zhan Yahui rushed to the elevator and up towards Yating''s office. She quickly opened the door and saw him working on his laptop. His condition was slightly better than before, but the bags under his eyes were still visible.


    "Gu Yating!"


    He lifted his gaze and went back to his laptop. "What''s the rush? Just keep the drafts aside. I am not in the mood right now."


    She shut his laptop. "Hey!"


    "Gu Yating, why are you so relaxed? Do you even know what''s going on? Dream High is in big trouble and all because of Zhou Ai!"


    That awoke him instantly. "What do you mean?"


    "Just look at the news. Sky Publishing has accused MissImperfectlyFine of plagiarizing!"

 Chapter 79 Negative Publicity

    Chapter 79 Negative Publicity


    Yating snatched the phone from her and hastily scrolled through the news. There was an article in the top trending about Sky''s accusation. Sky''s official social media account posted a statement about how MissImperfectlyFine stole someone''s short story and submitted it to Sky.


    Sky didn''t reveal Ai''s identity because Jun didn''t want any unnecessary attention on her. But his stand on MissImperfectlyFine was clear.


    She was a plagiarizer.


    As soon as the post hit the news, the publishing and reading communities were fiercely responding to Sky''s accusation. Ai had a decent readers base, and some of her fans were indeed defending her.


    But Sky had posted pictures of MissImperfectlyFine''s submission alongside Ai''s draft which she worked with Jun. The story was exactly the same, and some of Ai''s readers were now wavering in their conviction.


    "What bullshit is this?" Yating was outraged. "Somebody is defaming Ai! Has Sky gone crazy!?" He banged his palms on the desk and abruptly stood on his feet.


    Zhan Yahui folded her arms. "Seriously, Gu Yating? You think Sky would do this to defame Zhou Ai?"


    A layer of ice covered his gaze. "Through Zhou Ai, it wants to throw mud at Dream High too. But this is shit! How dare they use Ai for their dirty schemes?"


    "I know Ai would never plagiarize," Yating answered without faltering.


    Guiying came at the same time. "What is happening!? I just saw the news. Sky is accusing Ai?"


    Yating punched his fist on the wall. "Sky has lost it! The hell would Ai even submit any draft to Sky?"


    Xing Bi replied after a pause. "That''s true actually. Ai was indeed working on some stories to submit to Sky."


    Yating blankly stared at her. "What?"


    Guiying widened her eyes. "Huh? But Ai works from Dream High."


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Oh. Is it because she feels threatened by Guiying that she chose to run away?"


    Xing Bi threw her a nasty stare. "Ai is not running away! Why don''t you ask this to the management who have been only giving all their promotions to Guiying?" She looked at Guiying. "I am not blaming you for this, Guiying. You are talented, and you deserve all you get."


    She curled her fingers and gritted her teeth. "But I believe that Ai can become a great and popular writer if we focus on her too. If Sky can give her that chance, so be it. I will support whatever is required to open that path for her."


    Guiying felt she couldn''t breathe. "I¡­"


    Zhan Yahui glared at her. "Xing Bi! Are you trying to make Guiying feel guilty?"


    "It''s not like that, and you know it too. Don''t put words in my mouth that I don''t mean. And what is the problem anyway? Ai isn''t bound with any contract with Dream High," she chuckled. "Isn''t it because Dream High sees no value in her so didn''t bother to offer her one? Guiying is contracted and has a commitment but not Ai. Dream High has no right over her. She is not obligated in any way!"


    Every word pierced Yating''s heart akin to sharp arrows.


    Ai wanted to leave Dream High?


    First, she rejected his confession, and now she wanted to walk out of Dream High too.


    Why Ai¡­?


    Yating couldn''t understand if it was really because of the lack of opportunities or because of how complicated his, Ai, and Guiying''s relationship would become.


    Or is it both?


    Xing Bi said, "We are not here to discuss why Ai chose Sky. The point is that Ai would never plagiarize! I don''t know what''s going on, but they are misunderstanding like hell!"


    "Or maybe it is really not a misunderstanding, and in desperation, Ai indeed copied someone''s work?" Zhan Yahui smiled. "Maybe she feels she has lost her skills, so she had to resort to this. I read the submission Sky posted. I admit the writing styles are similar, but it''s really not the same as how Zhou Ai writes. The emotions the story has conveyed is beyond the level Ai can write."


    "That''s because she is changing! Do you expect writers to be at the same place for their whole lives? Writing is an art. People learn and they improve. They learn to express themselves better. That''s what Ai is doing. This doesn''t mean that she hasn''t written it! It''s ridiculous!"


    "I agree with Xing Bi," Guiying fiercely nodded. "These charges are really bullshit!"


    Zhan Yahui exclaimed. "Guiying! How can you still support her?"


    She gravely answered. "I have known Ai since high school. She is a diligent girl. She would never cheat like this. This isn''t how she wants to become a successful writer. Ai has principles! She won''t break the very foundation of creative art. Plagiarizing."


    "You¡­" she sighed in exasperation. "For God''s sake, don''t make any statement as CherryBlossom about this. The last thing we want to deal with is people lashing out on you for supporting her. They will think you are a plagiarizer too!"


    She glanced at Yating. "We have to take some action against Zhou Ai! Look, how negative publicity we are getting!"


    Xing Bi interrupted. "And here you are again trying to push everything up on Ai without even investigating! You did the same thing at Guiying''s signing event, and you still didn''t learn anything? Do you hate Ai or something?"


    "You! As if I have the time to hate her. It''s just that problems occur whenever Zhou Ai is there! She was at the center of the commotion that time and now as well."


    "It''s not her fault if people like you just want to jump to conclusions!"


    "Oh and you think the Sky CEO jumped to this conclusion too by accident?"


    "Enough!" Yating harshly bellowed his command.


    Zhan Yahui and Xing Bi quietened down.


    He stared at them one by one. "Leave. I will handle this," His black eyes emitted an eerie iciness. "I will have a word with the Sky CEO."

 Chapter 80 Isn’t The Solution Simple?

    Chapter 80 Isn''t The Solution Simple?


    This particular morning at Jun''s condo was unlike all the pleasant mornings Ai had before. Her public image as MissImperfectlyFine was deteriorating rapidly as she read the comments slashing her left and right. Not only her, but Dream High was also implicated.


    I cannot let this go on¡­


    MrPerfect vowed to teach her a lesson and if he didn''t stop, things could take a turn from bad to worse.


    She saw multiple missed calls from Yating, but she didn''t answer any of them. When her phone flashed with Xing Bi''s number, she immediately picked it.


    "Ai! Don''t get stressed because of this nonsense on social media at all. Yating is taking care of it. I cannot believe Sky would do this!"


    Ai pursed her lips. "It''s a big misunderstanding, Xing Bi."


    "I know. I trust you. Ugh! I feel like cursing Sky so much!"


    "No. I mean. It''s because of me."


    "What? I will smack you if you say you really plagiarized!"


    She quickly replied. "No, no. I didn''t plagiarize. But I did something stupid that caused this whole mess."


    Ai sighed. "I am sorry, Xing Bi. I have been hiding something from you for many days now."


    Her voice got sharper. "Out with it, Ai."


    She tucked her hair behind her ear, slightly flustered. "You won''t be mad at me, right?"


    "That depends on the seriousness of what you have been hiding, young lady," she alarmingly retorted.


    Ai could imagine herself guiltily kneeling in front of Xing Bi while she held a big wooden scale in her hand, waiting to strike her. She gulped. "Well¡­"


    Ai confessed everything from the beginning. Xing Bi listened to it patiently in the beginning but the more Ai went on, the more her jaw dropped.


    "What!? I don''t know where to begin scolding you, Zhou Ai!"


    "I am sorry," she lowered her head.


    "You-you¡­so you lied to me for not moving in with me!" She expressed, aggrieved. "No, wait. Before that. The hell you have been living with a man all this time! Unmarried yourself and living under the same roof with another unmarried man! What if he is a pervert?"


    Ai clarified. "Jun is not a pervert. He is a nice, respectful man."


    "Is he violent?"


    "I said he is a respectful man. I wouldn''t have agreed if he was violent."


    "Is he handsome?"


    "..."


    "What does it matter?"


    "I mean it would be a cherry on the cake if he is a treat to the eyes," she shrugged.


    Ai tilted her head, thinking of his sharp and well-defined features. "Well, he is very good-looking indeed."


    Xing Bi smelled something fishy. "So, have things progressed¡­?"


    She furrowed her brows. "Progressed?"


    "Ugh! You are a romance writer. How can you be so naive about love? Things progressed between you two as in looooove."


    Ai coughed hard, and she almost stumbled. "O-of course not. It''s not like that. I am living here only temporarily, and he is just helping me out."


    "Yet you refused to come to my house when I offered you. What should I make of this? My inner romantic senses are tingling. You two are not just friends."


    She opened her mouth but failed to give a comeback. "H-He is¡­not my type."


    Xing Bi grimaced. "Ai, do you even have any type? For all I know, you were always buried in books. Did you ever have the time to wonder what type of man you prefer?"


    Her brow twitched because it was right on the mark.


    "Shit, you diverted me off topic! We have such a serious problem going on. I will have a detailed conversation with you about this later, Zhou Ai," Xing Bi narrowed her eyes.


    "Yes, Mam."


    "But for now, isn''t the solution so simple? It all happened because Jun turned out to be helping Sky which you didn''t know before. Fine. But now, you just have to clarify that you are not Butterfly but MissImperfectlyFine. You and her are the same person, so there is no scope of plagiarizing."


    Ai''s gaze dimmed. "...I know."


    Xing Bi sensed her pause. "Ai, why did you even lie to him in the first place? You were always so straightforward. You even hid things from me now."


    Ai didn''t have an answer to that. She was confused herself. Why was she so affected by all this? Why did it matter to her if Jun hated her about the fact she lied?


    Xing Bi, on the other side, was perceptive and caught on to her silence.


    I was right. There is something going on between them. Otherwise, Ai wouldn''t change like this.


    "Ai, whatever your reasons are, you cannot compromise the trust you have built as a writer. Your career is at stake here. Plagiarism is a serious accusation. You have to stop this before Sky or the community fan more flames on this matter. If he is a really nice and respectable man as you have claimed, then he won''t be disappointed in you. He might get angry at you for lying to him for sometime, but then I am sure he will understand."


    Ai''s crestfallen face glowed. "Really?"


    "Yes. Tell Jun everything, and he would clarify it to Sky in turn. The problem will get solved, and Sky will retract its statement."


    She nodded in determination. "I will. Thank you, Xing Bi."


    ¡ª


    Ai took a deep breath and exhaled. She stood in front of Jun''s bedroom door and knocked twice.


    Jun didn''t respond. She heard some whispers coming from inside. She knocked again, and the door moved. It was ajar.


    Ai paused and slightly widened the gap to check. "Jun?"


    She peeked inside and saw Jun''s tall figure standing near the large windows as he talked to someone on the phone. His right profile faced her. He held a gift box in his left hand. She watched his eyes grow dimmer and somber as he silently heard the other person speak.


    A minute later, Jun answered with a weak smile, "Yes Dad, I know. I won''t show my face at Mom and your wedding anniversary celebration. Rest assured. I won''t be there."

 Chapter 81 Yating’s Threat To Sky

    Chapter 81 Yating''s Threat To Sky


    Jun stared at his phone for a second and put it away. He brushed his fingers along the gift box in silence. In the end, he opened a drawer and tucked the gift inside it.


    Ai studied his figure that exuded a hint of loneliness. His eyes that always looked so acute and cold now seemed faint and dim. Her heart stung watching him keep away that gift.


    He then received another call from Yunru to which he replied to him, "...I am a little busy. Not in the mood to talk right now. Call me back later, okay?"


    A moment later, he tried to give a smile, after hearing Yunru''s question. "I am fine. Just a little tired."


    Ai saw him hanging up the call and lowered her gaze.


    "What?


    Startled, she looked up. Jun seemed the usual as before, his brow raised questioningly at her presence. "Why are you peeking like this?"


    Ai was here to confess about her matter, but she couldn''t when Jun just clearly mentioned to someone that he wanted to be left alone.


    Instead, she asked, "That gift. Who is it for?"


    Jun stiffened.


    "Oh. so you saw that," he shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal. "Nothing important."


    Liar. If it''s not important, then you wouldn''t look so wistful. It is important. It''s for your parents, right?


    Jun seemed to have a good relationship with his family with the way he talked about his siblings and the others. Only not with Jin who fell for his ex-girlfriend.


    So, why would he not be allowed to be part of his parents'' wedding anniversary celebration? Isn''t he already living apart from them?


    Ai noticed a wave of displeasure seeping within her.


    No matter what, he is still their son. It''s not fair for his father to exclude him like this.


    She knew how it felt living a life without a complete family. Her parents were separated, and even if she never expressed it, she wished to live with them together again.


    Jun tilted his head. Ai was making some quite funny expressions as if she was talking to herself. He lightly chuckled and waved his hand in front of her eyes. "Are you even here?"


    She broke out of her stupor and peered into his beautiful dark brown eyes. She tiptoed and patted his head. "You don''t have to look so brave. If something is bothering you, you should let it out. It''s fine if you feel sad and weak. Don''t pretend to be so courageous," her voice was stern at the end as if she was scolding him.


    First, he had to lose the woman he loved to his brother. Now he is not allowed to be at his parents'' anniversary celebration day either. Why is Jun always targeted like this?


    Jun rapidly blinked his eyes. He lifted his gaze and saw her delicate palm patting his head. It was a sudden and unexpected gesture. Sudden, but it was filled with warmth and concern.


    His eyelashes trembled for a moment.


    How did she know I was pretending?


    He caught her hand and slowly lowered it, his hawk-like gaze penetrating hers. The tips of her fingers lightly caressed his cheek, urging him to clutch it firmer. He smiled. "So you got the guts to touch me now?"


    Ai blinked. "You had also trapped me on the couch that day."


    Jun coughed hard. It was a fact that cut his argument as smoothly as butter. She slipped it so naturally like, ''You touched me too. So¡­''


    He let go of her and cleared his throat. "It was just¡­"


    "Just?" She probed.


    He glared at her. "Nothing! Forget it. Why are you here?"


    "That¡­"


    "Hm?"


    She randomly caught a book on his shelf where it showed a couple in a dancing pose on the cover. "Dance."


    "What?"


    She asked, "Can you teach me¡­how to dance?"


    Jun was speechless. "Where did this come from?"


    "Well, I am writing a dance scene for my leads. But I don''t know how to dance. So, I cannot really envision it."


    He folded his arms and narrowed his eyes. "Really?"


    "Of course," Ai looked confident.


    "Why do I feel as if you are lying?"


    "Why would I lie? It''s a sincere request."


    "Rejected."


    Her mouth twitched. "Why?"


    Jun bore his gaze into her. He had an inkling that if he were to be that intimate with Ai, he would let his side out which he showed when he trapped her on the couch. It was a baffling feeling - one which he never felt for another woman. The more chances he would get to be closer to her, the more he would feel pulled towards her.


    He didn''t want his heart to be swallowed by those dangerous feelings again.


    Desire, craving, possessiveness¡­he didn''t want himself to even remotely have these feelings touch him again. Not in this life. He wanted to stay far, far away from love.


    "No reason. I cannot teach you," he answered with finality.


    Ai nodded. "I see."


    It is a lie anyway.


    Even so, she felt bummed out.


    "I will watch some dance videos. That will help me."


    Jun squinted his eyes, noticing a trace of discouragement in her voice.


    She turned and left, giving him an urge to stop her. He almost raised his hand to grab her shoulder. In the end, he couldn''t.


    He gradually retreated his hand, his gaze complicated.


    This is for the best.


    ¡ª


    Sky Publishing.


    Yunru was leisurely watching a video on his mobile when it suddenly rang with a call.


    "Hey! Give me a warning¡­" He complained.


    He didn''t recognize the number and frowned. "Hello?"


    "Am I speaking to Sky''s President Chen Yunru?" A chilling voice pointed.


    Yunru was dissatisfied by the stranger''s tone. "Yeah. Who is it?"


    "I am Gu Yating, Chief Editor of Dream High Publishing."


    Yunru cocked a brow curiously. "Hoo¡­Why would Dream High''s Chief Editor call me?"


    "Retract the statement Sky posted about MissImperfectlyfine." It was a cold command.


    Yunru slapped his palm on his desk. "Never! The nerve of that writer to plagiarize someone''s work and submit it to us! To Sky! Who does she think she is?"


    The temperature on the other side was rapidly dropping. "I won''t bother to explain who she is and what she means to Dream High. Sky only has one option. Retract the statement and apologize to her, or don''t expect me to be merciful."

 Chapter 82 Young Master Yating

    Chapter 82 Young Master Yating


    Yating waited for a few hours. But Sky didn''t take down the statement. On the contrary, Sky CEO, Jun, dragged Yating directly into the hellfire too.


    Sky threw another statement of how Yating threatened the President Chen Yunru to apologize to MissImperfectlyfine. That just added more oil to the already burning fire, and Dream High took another hit to its reputation.


    ''First the writer plagiarized and now the company is covering it up!''


    ''How dare he threaten President Chen?''


    ''He is trying to suppress the truth! That''s detestable! I didn''t expect this from Dream High.''


    Yating was watching the fierce battle of keyboard warriors humiliating him left and right. He read the comments with an unfazed expression.


    So, you didn''t heed my advice, his eyes flashed a glint of coldness and alarm.


    He put the tab aside and picked his phone. The assistant editor came rushing in, panicked. "Sir! Sky is now targeting you!"


    He raised his palm. "I know. I don''t care. Do one thing for me. Find out who is Sky Publishing''s CEO."


    He furiously nodded. "Yes, Sir!"


    Yating made no change in his expression. "Leave."


    "Sir, should we make any statement¡­?"


    "No. Now, I will only make a statement when I slap Sky in the face."


    The assistant editor felt a chill run in his back. Yating seemed expressionless on the outside, but on the inside, it was a whole different story. The winter''s gray clouds had covered the city''s sky, but it felt as if the gloom was inside the office.


    The assistant editor promptly left.


    Yating leaned back in his chair and shut his eyes. Questions occupied his mind. Pain filled his chest about thinking how Ai wanted to leave him and the company.


    But he kept all those questions aside for now. He only wanted to remove this stain from Ai''s image.


    Sky and Dream High were surely rivals, but they kept their distance all this time without poking into each other''s affairs. But now, Sky finally bared its fangs and targeted Ai.


    Of all people, you chose the wrong person.


    Yating slowly opened his eyes which were covered with a layer of ice. He picked his phone and called a different number this time.


    The call clicked, and an emotional but cheerful voice sounded from the other end. "Young master Yating! I cannot believe you called¡­It has been so many years."


    A soft smile etched his lips. "Uncle Mo. Indeed. It has been four years."


    Uncle Mo was Butler Mo, but he always referred to him as his uncle.


    He heard him sniffling, and Yating guessed he might be wiping his tears. "It already feels as if it has been forty years. How are you, young master? How is your health? Are you eating properly? You are not skipping meals, right?"


    "So many questions all at once. I am doing well. I hope you are not working not too hard yourself."


    He indignantly replied. "Of course not. Nothing is too hard for me. My bones are still tough and strong."


    Yating chuckled. "As always. Uncle Mo is a hero." He could imagine his nose growing longer with pride.


    Uncle Mo asked with anticipation, "Young master, you called that means¡­are you coming back home?"


    Yating stared at the empty space ahead. "No."


    Uncle Mo was disappointed. "Master misses you¡­"


    He smiled. "Does he miss Yating, his son or Yating his heir?"


    "You are misunderstanding, young master," his voice was filled with apprehension. "Master is your father. He cares about you."


    Yating didn''t respond to that. "I don''t want to talk about it any further, Uncle Mo. I called because I want you to do something for me."


    Uncle Mo wasn''t ready to drop the subject, but he had no choice. The differences between the father and son weren''t going to be solved in just one day.


    "Please say so, young master," he straightened up his posture.


    "Find who is Sky Publishing''s CEO."


    "Dream High''s rival?"


    "The very same. I want the name."


    "Yes, young master. It will be done."


    ¡ª


    Guiying stood in front of Ai''s apartment the next day. Thinking Ai would be depressed from all the online humiliation, she came to cheer her up.


    It''s strange she is avoiding my calls¡­Is she still mad about the signing event?


    Whatever it was, she thought to clarify everything today.


    When she reached her floor, she heard a neighbor calling out to her. "The tenant is not here for the time being."


    Guiying frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "Her house got on fire last month. It was a huge mess. The fire guys said it would take a month to get the repairs done. So, she is away."


    Guiying was stunned. "How is that possible? Ai didn''t tell me anything."


    "Do you think I am lying? She will be back in a few days, I guess. The repairs are almost done," she shrugged.


    The neighbor left. Guiying stood there in a daze.


    Why didn''t Ai tell me about this accident?


    She quickly called Ai, and it was picked after a long pause. "Ai! Where are you right now? I just heard from your neighbor that you had an accident last month! What the hell, Ai! Why didn''t you tell me? Are you alright? Were you hurt?"


    "You are at my apartment?"


    "Yes!" Guiying was anxious and furious at the same time. "If you had no place to live, why didn''t you tell me before? I was on vacation, but my neighbor has the spare key to my house. You could have lived there."


    "...I didn''t want to bother you."


    Guiying was left dumbfounded. "Bother? Ai, how long have we known each other? We are best friends. As if you will bother me! Where are you staying?"


    "I-"


    "Wait, forget about it. Just tell me the address and pack your bags. I will pick you up, and we will go to my house," she harrumphed.


    Suddenly, an extremely menacing and sinister voice came, "You really want me to burn down your house, don''t you?"

 Chapter 83 I Will Really Burn Down Your House

    Chapter 83 I Will Really Burn Down Your House


    The phone almost fell from her hands. Guiying''s eyes rapidly blinked. She looked back at her phone and saw that it was still Ai''s number.


    Huh? Who is this man then? Wasn''t Ai talking just now?


    The voice was so chilling that it could bring the whole Arctic to China.


    She was caught off-guard but quickly came back to her senses. She cautiously asked, "Who are you? Where is Ai?"


    "None of your business. What matters is that she is staying here," he enforced his statement. "Thanks for your offer but no thanks."


    Guiying narrowed her eyes. She bit her lower lip, displeased with the tone with which he was talking to her. But her forehead also broke in cold sweat thinking about Ai''s safety.


    What''s with that order?


    "Excuse me, but mind your tone. Who do you think you are ordering me like that? Ai is my best friend. You are acting like a kidnapper! Where she stays is her decision, not yours. Give the phone back to her," Guiying icily countered.


    "Oh. Somebody with a spark," the chill in the voice remained but with an addition of amusement in it. "I see. Well, if you want her decision then¡­"


    There was a pause for a moment and the voice came again, "Zhou Ai. Please tell your decision to your best friend about WHERE you want to live."


    It was evident that Ai''s phone was on s was speechless. Even she could discern the emphasis on ''where.'' It was as if he was pressuring Ai with his voice.


    There was a beat of silence after which Ai''s response came, "You don''t have to worry about me. I will stay with him."


    "Are you crazy? Who the hell is that man!? He is acting like some¡­like some villain, yes! The hell will I allow for you to live with such a dangerous man. I don''t know anything about him! Who is he? How and where did you meet him? Why are you living at a man''s house out of all places? Are you even safe!?"


    The voice mocked, "It''s enough as long as Zhou Ai has all these answers. I don''t need a certificate from anybody else."


    Guiying''s body shook in anger.


    This bastard¡­


    It wasn''t like she hadn''t come across mean people before. But something about this man was simply irritating and more so, wicked.


    "You do realize I can go to the cops, right?" She threatened.


    "Oh?" He eerily chuckled. "I would love to see you try." He challenged her as if he had already won even before she could even put her foot ahead.


    The top of her head was close to bursting when Ai hastily intervened. "Please, I am fine. Trust me, Guiying. I am safe with him."


    "Safe? You seriously want me to believe this crap after how he talked to me like some goon!?"


    "Oh, don''t mind that. He usually talks that way with everyone."


    "..."


    She heard the man choke.


    "But he is not evil. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have agreed to his offer."


    Guiying was more shocked to know that the man actually ''offered'' her instead of ''''commanding'' her. But she still wasn''t convinced.


    When did Ai come to meet such a man? How does she trust him so much?


    "Ai¡­" she breathed out warily.


    "Trust me."


    Guiying finally relented, sensing the belief in her voice.


    "Fine¡­But you can come to my house anytime, okay?"


    He sneered. "She won''t, rest assured."


    Guiying gnashed her jaw.


    He answered again on her behalf¡­He is like some possessive maniac!


    Suddenly, a thought struck her cold.


    Is he possibly in love with Ai?


    She gasped and shuddered. The possessiveness seemed too unnatural for someone who was just helping out of goodwill.


    She wiped her temple that was trickling with sweat.


    Shit. If it is true, then Ai cannot get entangled with such a dangerous man.


    But then again, Ai knew what she was doing.


    Do you, Ai? Do you really know? Now she genuinely doubted if Ai was in her senses.


    Guiying breathed in. "Ai, my house is always-"


    "Talk about it once again and I will really burn down your house," his voice was laced with a final warning.


    "..."


    She could speak no more as he abruptly hung up. She felt as if the tension suddenly evaporated, and she could breathe again.


    Really¡­who is that guy?


    ¡ª


    "Who is that woman?"


    At this particular moment, Ai was trapped once again. This time not on a couch but in front of a large bookshelf of the library''s bibliography section, unable to move as Jun''s long and muscular arms boxed her in.


    The shelf was at the back, and his arms were on either side. His handsome face was up close with an expression leaking of impatience and agitation.


    Jun was on his usual library round when he caught Ai speaking to someone. He left her alone when the faint words caught his ear of someone asking Ai to come to her house.


    Needless to say, he snatched her phone the very next instant and took matters in his control.


    He gave an unfriendly smile. "A head librarian, a friend and then a best friend. You seem to have a loooot of well-wishers. I didn''t know there were soooo many good people in this world who wanted to help a poor woman trapped out of her fire struck house."


    Ai met his gaze and nodded. "I am a naturally warm and friendly person."


    His eyes darkened.


    "I feel honored for so many people to think about my concern-"


    "You don''t need that much concern because I am here for that," he sharply cut her off. "I am enough to match this whole damned world''s concern for you."


    Ai stiffened. She studied his eyes, but it seemed that Jun didn''t realize what his words meant.


    Her breath stuck in her throat, feeling his warm breaths and fanning her face. To someone else, it would seem as if they were making out at a library''s lone spot.


    Jun dipped his head to her level and whispered, "Tell me right now if there is a fourth person who would want to ''kindly offer'' her house to you."


    The closeness made her eyelashes tremble. "No."


    He sneered. "Good. It better be that way or else¡­"

 Chapter 84 Invade The Wedding Anniversary Banquet!

    Chapter 84 Invade The Wedding Anniversary Banquet!


    The same evening Jun lied down on his bed and enjoyed the ongoing war against Missimperfectlyfine. He sipped onto his wine, his dark eyes blazing with satisfaction but fury too. He would make it sure that Missimperfectlyfine''s career would be over for good.


    Snatching Ai''s hard work¡­I won''t let this slide at any cost!


    He sighed and leaned back on his pillow. Taking out the gift box from the bedside drawer, he kept it on his lap and stared at it.


    Tomorrow was Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary, which he wasn''t allowed to attend.


    Mom would be sad, right? But Dad will be there to manage it.


    It pained him not to be a part of the celebration. But it was something he brought upon himself.


    Till date, he wondered why he confessed the truth about his rebirth and past life to Jinhai. If he hadn''t, he would have been at home right now with his family. There would have been no wall to separate him from them. Everybody would have been in the dark about his sins. Life would have been perfect if he hadn''t admitted the truth about his rebirth.


    Jun took out a card and wrote Liu villa''s address in it. He stuck it on the top of the gift box and kept it aside.


    He couldn''t go himself to give his parents his wishes, but he could at least send his gift to them. He realized Jinhai wouldn''t be so thrilled. But Nana would be.


    Even if a little bit, he thought his gift could diminish the guilt from him and the sadness from his mother''s heart for her son not being there.


    "I am sorry, Mom. But I hope this will make you happy."


    ¡ª


    "Ai, did you get to talk to Jun?" Her editor and friend Xing Bi asked in concern.


    Ai let out a soft sigh. "No."


    "Why not?" She gasped. "We can''t afford to waste time, Ai."


    She glanced at herself in the mirror and recalled how Jun looked absent-minded ever since he was told not to attend his parents'' anniversary. "I couldn''t say it. I wanted to. But I noticed Jun is going through some personal problems."


    "Personal?"


    "Yes. It''s related to his family. It seems they are not on good terms. It''s been bothering him for a few days. Even during meals, he is very lost and quiet¡­" Ai felt her chest ache whenever she noticed his dull gaze filled with longing and grief. "I didn''t want to add my problems to it. Plus, Jun doesn''t actually work in Sky. I don''t want to make things difficult for him."


    Xing Bi sighed from the other side. "I see."


    "I am sorry," she lowered her head.


    "No. We are in a dire situation, but I don''t want to be insensitive towards Jun''s problems either. Let''s see¡­Let me think about this. I will find a way. Don''t worry about this."


    They hung up, and Ai lied back on the bed.


    What can I do to solve this? I brought this problem and unnecessarily troubling everyone. I cannot let Xing Bi do all the work.


    Neither do I want Yating''s help.


    She only knew Jun, who was connected to Sky, but she didn''t want to trouble him any further.


    First, he helped her with a place to stay and then helped with revising her story too. Jun had already helped her more than she could have asked for. Now, she wanted to take the responsibility.


    Sky¡­


    The only one in higher authority was President Chen Yunru. But there was no way he would give her any appointment after the huge misunderstanding.


    If I could somehow reach him¡­


    ¡ª


    Which was the same idea that Xing Bi was struck with the very next morning as she munched on her toast and eggs and watched the news.


    Liu Jinhai and Liu Nana''s wedding anniversary celebration was making the headlines in all news channels. It was their twenty-sixth wedding anniversary, after all.


    A significant event in their lives. Twenty-six years of marriage and togetherness. It was the biggest highlight everywhere. Liu family being a prestigious family only added to the excitement and frenzy.


    But Xing Bi''s mind was thinking in another direction.


    Liu family¡­Liu family¡­


    Xing Bi pressed the space in between her brows. Then it dawned upon her.


    Yes! The Chen and Liu family are connected! Liu Jinhai and Chen Jianyu are cousins. Which means the Chen family and most importantly his son, Chen Yunru will definitely be in this party too!


    Her eyes slowly widened and sparkled as the idea struck her.


    This is a great chance to meet President Chen Yunru and clarify everything! Once his doubts about the plagiarism are cleared, the problem would be solved. Sky would take the statement down about Ai.


    She recalled Yating did talk to him once, but it bore no fruit.


    "I am briliant!" Xing Bi proudly praised herself. "Such an awesome chance has presented upon me! I will make him talk to me at any cost!"


    She grabbed her phone and furiously dialed Ai''s number in anticipation. She couldn''t wait to share her awesome plan with her.


    But Ai''s number didn''t connect. Xing Bi frowned and sighed.


    Is her battery dead?


    Suddenly, Xing Bi cut the call as a significant point flashed in her mind like an alarm bell.


    "There is one problem¡­How will I get in the party? Only guests with invitations can go. Shit."


    It was a major roadblock, but she wasn''t ready to give up. Her eyes still shone with determination.


    "No matter what, I will make it in anyhow! For Ai''s sake, I will do anything."


    ¡ª


    Yating held his phone to his ear as he heard Butler Mo''s report.


    "Young master. I dug in about Sky Publishing. Unfortunately, I couldn''t come up with the CEO''s name. But there is an important piece of information which could tell you who it might be."


    "Like?"


    "President Chen Yunru and the CEO of Sky Publishing are related. The CEO is most probably one of his cousins."


    Yating''s eyes narrowed. "So somebody from the Liu family?"

 Chapter 85 Just Who Are You?

    Chapter 85 Just Who Are You?


    Butler Mo scratched his chin. "Not exactly, young master."


    Yating raised his brow on the other side. "Why do you sound confused, uncle?"


    "Well, it''s a little complicated. You see, Liu Nana and Chen Jianyu''s wife, Chen Serena are sort of half-sisters. Not biologically but still. So Chen Yunru definitely has cousins from the Liu family not just because of his father''s side but his mother''s side too."


    "Yeah."


    "But Liu Nana also has an elder brother, Liang Shin from the Liang family. Which makes Chen Serena although not biologically but sort of his sister too. And then she herself has an elder brother, Huo Liwei from the Huo family."


    Yating got his point.


    "Ah. You mean to say Chen Yunru has cousins from the Liu, Liang and Huo families. Liang and Huo families because of his mother''s side. So, the CEO could be any one of them."


    "Yes. We cannot be really sure it''s somebody from the Liu family. In fact, I said it might be a cousin, but it could be Chen Yunru''s elder brother too. Chen Zixin, or it could be his father, Chen Jianyu too. I only know that they are related. So the CEO could be a cousin or his own brother or even his father."


    Yating gave it a thought. "That''s enough for me, Uncle Mo. I will find that out myself."


    "Oh! That''s a great idea. Today, all the families will gather for the celebration. This will make it easier. You don''t need to worry about the invitation. Master has already received one."


    Yating stiffened. "Dad is¡­coming tonight?"


    Butler Mo naturally sensed the discomfort in his voice. "Yes."


    He clenched the edge of the couch''s armrest and felt a headache coming. If he could, he wouldn''t want to be anywhere where his father was.


    But Ai held priority right now. His eyes glinted with iciness.


    I won''t let this slide. You touched Ai. This will not end well for you.


    "I don''t care if he is there. I have more important matters to settle with Sky CEO tonight. I will do it even if I could possibly meet Dad."


    ¡ª


    Today, Jun took a day off from the library. Ai decided not to go to the library either as she knew today was his parents'' wedding anniversary and so, Jun must be feeling dispirited.


    She thought about it, and her eyes beamed thinking of cooking the dinner herself. For breakfast and lunch, they had ordered takeouts. Clearly, Jun wasn''t in any mood to cook.


    I will cheer him up with food, she nodded to herself.


    Her gaze softened remembering how Jun stayed by her side during her painful period days. She was physically and emotionally vulnerable and if not for his care, she would have felt even much more worse and sicker.


    Ai hummed and quickly headed to the kitchen. She craned her neck and saw the door to his room was still closed. Jun hardly came out of his room today. She went back to cooking and as she was done a while later, she set the plates on the table.


    I hope he likes it.


    Jun''s food was definitely fancier and tastier than Ai''s.


    Satisfied with her work, she promptly went and knocked on the door. But it didn''t open. Ai waited and opened the door herself to peek.


    "Jun? I made dinner¡­"


    Jun wasn''t inside. Then she heard the faint voice of shower running in the bathroom.


    Oh.


    Ai was about to close the door when her gaze fell on the gift box on the table. She remained unmoved.


    As if something pulled her, she stepped inside his room. She picked the box in her hands and noticed a note on it which wasn''t there before.


    It was his home address.


    Liu?


    Ai wasn''t someone who watched news that much, so she was unaware of the Liu family being the same family where the wedding anniversary was being held tonight.


    She clutched the box in her hands. Jun could have sent it earlier in the day which would have already reached his home by now.


    But clearly, something stopped Jun from doing so.


    Neither Jun was attending the celebration, nor he sent the gift he prepared for his parents.


    Ai felt a strange, an uncomfortable feeling bubbling in her chest as she stared at the box. She imagined Jun torn apart over his hesitation and confusion of sending this small gift box.


    Hesitation towards one''s own parents. Wasn''t it just saddening?


    Jun stepped out of the shower ten minutes later, steam wafting out of his freshly bathed skin and hair and tiny water droplets dripping down his firm, masculine chest. He noticed the door open and frowned in confusion.


    How is it open?


    Buttoning his shirt, he went into the living room. His nose immediately caught the food''s aroma, and his attention shifted towards the dining table.


    Ai cooked dinner tonight?


    He tilted his head as he observed the pots and pans filled with food. The plates were all set, but Ai wasn''t anywhere. He found a note on the table. He opened it and it read,


    ''I hope you like the dinner. I have to run an urgent errand. I will be back in sometime. You can go ahead and eat first. Don''t wait for me.


    Zhou Ai.''


    He put the note aside and faintly smiled.


    "Thanks for the dinner, but I will wait for you."


    ¡ª


    Holding the gift box in her hand, Ai dazedly stood in front of the Liu family gates. Her mouth opened and closed a number of times, trying to digest what she was seeing.


    It wasn''t a small house or an apartment. Jun''s home was a freaking mansion!


    Ai checked the address again in case she misled herself. But it was correct no matter how many times she rubbed her eyes.


    I knew Jun was rich seeing how he lives in a condo, but¡­he is THIS wealthy?


    Her eyes were blinded by the lights and decorations that dazzled the mansion colorful and alive. The large fountain at the garden''s center sparkled with rainbow colors under the night sky, making the air cool and pleasant. The path between the gates and the mansion was adorned with flowers so beautifully as if it was an entrance to a castle.


    Wherever her gaze fell, she saw guests donned in expensive suits, dresses and jewellery, stepping out of a line of Limousines and Porsches. They had an air of elegance and sophistication around them.


    Once again, the question bogged Ai''s mind.


    Just who are you, Jun?

 Chapter 86 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (1) : Breaking Into Liu Villa

    Chapter 86 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (1) : Breaking Into Liu Villa


    Ai was lost in her stupor when an incoming limousine almost knocked her out. She quickly stepped aside, startled.


    A beautiful young woman stepped out who looked as refined and wealthy as the other women. She traced her sight along Ai''s figure and smiled in disdain, noticing her plain clothes and no jewellery at all. Her sandals were slightly worn out, and she had no makeup on her face.


    "What is this maid doing here? Why are you wearing this instead of your maid uniform? Whatever. Take my bag."


    She handed her bag to her, gesturing to do her job.


    Ai blinked. "I am not a maid."


    "Not a maid? Then why are you here?" She was puzzled. "Naturally, someone like you cannot be a guest."


    "I am not a guest either."


    "So?"


    "I have an important thing to give to Mr. Liu Jinhai and Mrs. Liu Nana," Ai sincerely stated.


    The woman stared at her and burst into laughter. "W-what? Seriously? You think just anybody can go inside? Do you know where you are standing and whose celebration is this?"


    "It''s the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary celebration party of Mr. Liu Jinhai and Mrs. Liu Nana. I know."


    Her mouth twitched.


    I understand that now, Ai thought.


    She thought it was just a normal celebration. The grand banquet and certainly, the need of an invitation was beyond her expectations.


    Qin Wen smirked, feeling victorious. She sighed. "Low class people like you can do anything to witness wealth and glamor, right? Did you really think you can just barge inside and meet Mr. and Mrs. Liu?"


    Ai frowned.


    "Unfortunately, that''s the difference between us. I don''t know where you have come from, but you better leave. The guards at the Liu villa are quite stern and unforgiving. They will mercilessly throw you out. So save yourself the humiliation," she ''kindly'' smiled and left.


    Ai remained standing at her place. She looked down at Jun''s gift again and was determined to do what she came here for.


    She was least bothered with Qin Wen''s insults. Instead, her mind was churning on how to get inside without an invitation.


    Ai made up her mind and walked towards the guards at the gate. She politely greeted them. "Hello."


    The guards took a look at her but didn''t seem to recognize her. "Apologies Madam, but I don''t recognize you. Can you show us your invitation?"


    "I don''t have an invitation."


    They blinked in confusion. She was definitely not one of the maids here either because they knew all the maids who worked in the Liu villa.


    "Then¡­"


    "But I still need to go inside. I have an important thing to give to Mr. and Mrs. Liu."


    "What is it?"


    "This gift."


    The guards took a look and exchanged glances. "Who is it from?"


    "Their son, Jun."


    They choked in shock, and their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.


    Third young master Jun!?


    "M-Mam, you cannot be serious¡­How can you have third young master''s gift with you?"


    Does he even talk to another woman besides Miss Han Shui? And why would he send a gift like this anyway?


    Ai stared at them.


    It will be complicated to explain that I live with him. They won''t even believe me.


    "I found this in the library where he frequently visits. I go there too. Unfortunately, I couldn''t return it to him, so I could only come here, reading the address on this note. It''s from their son, so it must be definitely important to his parents. They will be happy getting his gift, especially when it seems that he cannot be personally here. That''s why I request you. Will you please let me in? I will hand this over and leave."


    The guards were troubled. They had seen a lot of women making one or the other excuses as if wanting to claim a connection with the Liu family young masters.


    But somehow Ai''s polite demeanor, voice and expression didn''t make them feel that she was a bad or scheming woman. Her concern sounded genuine.


    Nevertheless¡­


    "Please forgive us. But we cannot let you inside without an invitation. Those are the rules. We cannot break them. You give this gift to us, and we will hand it over to the Master and Madam. Rest assured."


    Ai pursed her lips. "But I have something important to talk to them too. I want to hand this gift myself."


    They shook their heads. "We cannot let you inside, Mam. We don''t mean to insult you, but those are the strict rules."


    Ai''s shoulders slumped in defeat. But she wasn''t ready to give up yet. She thought talking it out might help. But she underestimated the security.


    She bowed. "Thank you."


    As she left, she stood under a tree at a distance, watching other guests enter the Liu villa. She had only one choice left.


    I will have to slip in sneakily without the guards'' attention.


    She felt guilty for breaking in like that, but handing Jun''s gift to his parents was more important to her.


    Ai surveyed the place and found another entrance through the huge and lavish garden. Naturally, there were guards on that side too. But the focus was on the main entrance where guests were pouring from.


    She thought about what to do next and appeared before them clutching her stomach and gasping hard.


    The guards were immediately alerted. "What''s wrong?"


    "Pain¡­" she breathed hard as if she would die at any moment. "It hurts¡­Help¡­please¡­"


    The guards quickly came to her aid. "Are you alright?"


    They took a swift scan of her and deemed it was safe before approaching her.


    Ai pretended to faint, and the guards were aghast.


    Shit, why tonight?


    "Who is she?"


    "I don''t know, but we cannot let this ruin this banquet. The guests are already here."


    "Yeah, you are right."


    They quickly took her inside for a quick medical checkup. They put her on a bed inside a cabin and one of them left to fetch a doctor''s help while the other stayed behind to look after her.


    "Water¡­" she touched her throat and whispered.


    "Oh! Please wait here," he quickly nodded and left.


    As the other guard left too to bring water for Ai, she quickly took this chance to slip out of the cabin.


    Finally, I am inside, she sighed in relief.


    She silently rushed towards the house when she heard some leaves rustle from the side. She turned and saw a figure hiding behind a tree and acting suspiciously.


    She stiffened.


    Who¡­A thief?

 Chapter 87 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (2) : Meeting A Certain Thief

    Chapter 87 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (2) : Meeting A Certain Thief


    Ai knew she was in no position to judge others as she was breaking in herself. But she also knew her conscience was clear.


    She couldn''t say the same about the man, though, who was shifting skeptically in his place. His every action made her only more and more dubious.


    Ai clutched her bag in which she kept Jun''s gift. She could simply ignore the thief and walk away, pretending that she didn''t see anything.


    She looked up towards the mansion.


    This is Jun''s house and his family. How can I let anybody do something bad to them? Especially tonight at his parents'' anniversary celebration¡­


    Ai touched her chest and felt her racing heartbeat. For all she knew, he could be a dangerous man with a weapon. It was easier to tell the guards, but she was a runaway herself. They would throw her out if they saw her.


    Coming to a decision, Ai glanced left and right. She couldn''t find any stick or some sort to help her strike the man, but she did find something.


    Carrying her weapon, Ai took slow steps towards the thief. Every step brought her heart to her throat to the next level. Her hands were trembling as she heard the thief sinisterly chuckling to himself.


    He seems too confident¡­


    Ai reached an arms distance away from the man. She was surprised to see grey hair on his head and overall physique to be that of an old man''s.


    But a thief was a thief despite whatever age he was.


    Ai steadied herself and taking a deep breath, she poked her weapon into his arm.


    "Ow, ow, Owwwww!!!!"


    "Ow, ow! Heyyy! What are you doing!? Stop it!"


    "You should have thought that before thinking of stealing from here," Ai scolded as she kept poking the man''s hand he covered to hide his face.


    "Owww! I am not a thief! Ow ow- stop it! Why would I steal from my own house!?"


    That made her abruptly stop. Her hand hung in mid-air as she blinked several times at the man. "Your house?"


    He slowly lowered his hand and raised his head as her vicious poking attack stopped. His mouth heavily twitched upon seeing the weapon in Ai''s hand.


    A rose.


    It was a damn flower! She was pricking me with those damn thorns!


    Ai asked again, "Your house?"


    He was dumbfounded. "Yes, it''s my house!"


    "But this is Liu villa."


    "And I am Liu Hai!"


    Ai tilted her head. "But this is Mr. Liu Jinhai''s house."


    Liu Hai was speechless. "Who do you think gave birth to that brat?"


    She stared at him. "You¡­are his father?"


    "Yes!"


    That means he is Jun''s grandfather.


    Now that she observed him more closely, she indeed found the resemblance between them.


    Ai promptly lowered her hand. "My apologies."


    "..."


    "That''s it?"


    She didn''t understand. "Anything else?"


    Liu Hai gasped. "Y-you¡­you suddenly started poking me with those thorns and look how you hurt me! I am bleeding! You came out of nowhere! And you just say ''My apologies'' and that''s that?"


    He never imagined in his whole life that he could be attacked by a rose''s thorns someday. Her choice of weapon simply blew his mind away.


    Ai calmly answered. "But you were acting suspiciously first. It''s not my fault I mistook you for a thief. Anybody would have thought the same."


    Liu Hai puked blood.


    "Hiding behind a tree, moving restlessly and evilly giggling to yourself - what else should I think?"


    Liu Hai pointed his trembling finger towards her and opened his mouth to counter, but nothing came out in his defense.


    "You¡­you make a valid point."


    Ai nodded.


    But she still felt bad for his bruises, so she shuffled something inside her bag and took out some candies.


    "Here."


    Liu Hai beamed upon seeing them. "Candies!"


    "Old Master!" The guards came rushing in and panted. "Are you alright?"


    Liu Hai suddenly shook off Ai''s hand with the candies.


    "Yes, I am fine," he cleared his throat.


    They noticed the bruises on his arm and looked as if their soul flew away. "Who attacked you, Old Master!?"


    They glared at Ai and found the rose in her hand. "You! So you were feigning your sickness! How dare you hurt the Old Master?"


    "He was acting like a thief."


    !!!


    The guards looked at her in horror. "You are calling Old Master a th-thief? Do you want to die?"


    "Naturally, I don''t," Ai clearly stated.


    Dying once was enough, she added in her mind.


    "But his actions made me mistake him to be one. Now, the misunderstanding has been solved."


    The guards noticed the candies in her palm.


    By consoling him with candies?


    "Old Master¡­" they doubtfully glanced at him.


    Liu Hai panicked and exclaimed. "I didn''t touch those candies at all! She was bribing me!" He shamelessly pointed at her.


    Ai looked down at the candies and then back at him. "But you were so eager to have them."


    "Of course not! Look at my age. Do you think I am supposed to get all excited like a kid over some candies?" He snorted.


    "You are not supposed to act suspiciously like a thief at your age either, but here we are anyway." She rebutted him, calm and unfazed.


    Liu Hai and the guards - "..."


    He coughed hard, not expecting that response.


    The guards quickly said, "We will take her away immediately. She is not a guest-"


    Liu Hai raised his palm. "Forget about it. I will deal with her. You two go and do your duty."


    "If you say so¡­" the guards didn''t want to but left anyway under his orders.


    Liu Hai craned his neck and as he watched them leave, he immediately lunged onto the candies in her hand.


    Ai was speechless.


    "Now, I can eat them in peace hohoho!" He grinned.


    Watching the confusion marred on her face, Liu Hai explained. "You don''t understand! The guards here are spies! Spies set by my wife to keep an eye on me!"


    "Why would she do that?" She asked with interest.


    "To prevent me from eating sweets!" He harrumphed. "Those guards report to her if they find me loitering around anything sweet. You had almost killed me there! That''s why I was hiding here to eat my pastry. Tch, you caught me though."

 Chapter 88 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (3) : Cupid Grandpa Liu

    Chapter 88 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (3) : Cupid Grandpa Liu


    "Oh," Ai took back the candies again.


    "Hey!" Liu Hai whined. "You gave them to me!"


    "You are not allowed to eat sweets because your health demands that. In that case, your wife is right," she strictly said.


    He stomped his foot in injustice and sobbed.


    Everybody hates me¡­


    Ai put two small candies in his palm. Liu Hai shockingly watched his salvation through his tears and at her as if she was a Goddess.


    "You cannot eat too many candies. But you can have two at least. Plus, these are not too sweet."


    He wiped his eyes and sniffled. "You are such a good girl."


    "I like sweets myself, so I can understand you. It''s hard to restrict yourself from the food you like."


    Liu Hai nodded hard. "You really understand me!"


    Ai added. "But you also cannot trouble your family like that. No hiding and eating stuff. They do this because they are worried about you. You know that."


    He mumbled to himself. "I know¡­"


    She smiled. "Good¡­Sir."


    A stranger was suddenly lecturing Liu Hai on his health, but he didn''t mind it at all. Instead he grabbed her hand and sulkingly expressed. "Don''t call me Sir. Sir sounds too distant. Call me Grandpa!"


    Ai was surprised.


    Wouldn''t that sound too close?


    But if he gave his permission, then Ai had no problems with it.


    "Okay, Grandpa."


    Liu Hai brightened. "Good, good!"


    Then the light in his eyes sparkled further as a great idea struck him.


    "By any chance, are you single dear?"


    She blinked.


    He grew even more enthusiastic now. "You see, I have four super handsome grandsons! Two of them are already in a relationship. So they are out. But I have two more single grandsons! You know, I always complained about having four grandsons, but now I feel lucky that my son and daughter-in-law have four sons! Super convenient!"


    Ai couldn''t understand where he was going with this.


    "I think one of you will be a great match for you! So why don''t you try dating one of them?"


    At that point, she was at a complete loss.


    You are¡­setting me up with one of your grandsons just like that?


    Liu Hai was completely in awe of himself. "I am brilliant! I know what we should do! I will introduce you to them! No time better than now!"


    "No, no. I cannot-"


    But he already grabbed her arm and started pulling her towards the mansion.


    Inside the banquet hall, Liu Hai traced his sight among the crowd from a corner and waved at Nian. "Nian! Call Jin over here right now! You come too!"


    Nian''s expression darkened.


    It''s never good news when he is so hyper.


    Jin passed by him and asked, "Grandpa is calling us, right?"


    "Let''s not go," he rolled his eyes. "It is definitely something stupid.


    "Come on, bro. He is so excited. He is practically hopping up and down," he chuckled and touched his chin, "he looks like he found some treasure."


    "That treasure is definitely something stupid."


    Jin grabbed his arm and pulled him. "Don''t be like this."


    Liu Hai scolded them as they reached his side. "So slow! Couldn''t you walk any faster!?"


    Nian''s mouth twitched. "You have to complain about everything, old man."


    He glared at him. "That''s why you don''t have a girlfriend yet, Nian!"


    Nian was dumbfounded.


    Where did this come from?


    Liu Hai proudly smirked. "But now, you might have one. Or Jin for that matter."


    The two of them were visibly perplexed.


    What is he talking about?


    He pulled Ai''s hand from beside him and made her face them. "Tadah!"


    As Nian and Jin''s gazes fell on the woman before them, they froze on their spot for very different reasons.


    Nian''s eyes widened as if he met a ghost.


    Huh? Huh? Huh? What is she doing here?


    He recalled the Twins Trial of Judgment and gulped remembering how Ai had scolded him and Jian and then Nana.


    No¡­no, no, no, no, no! I am so dead! If Mom sees her, I am so dead! You damn old man!


    He wiped the beads of sweat forming on his forehead.


    But Ai had fixated her gaze upon him. "Have we met somewhere before?"


    Jian and Nian had used makeup to hide their real looks, so she was doubtful.


    Nian nervously laughed and dismissed her. "Y-you are so silly. Why would we meet anywhere? You made a mistake."


    "I don''t think so," Ai tilted her head. "I have seen you somewhere before. I met a man whose name was also Nian."


    Damn your memory! Don''t expose me!


    Liu Hai was displeased. "What? You think you met this brat? And here I wanted to pair you with my youngest grandson!"


    Nian was left speechless. "What is wrong with me?"


    "Hmph! You are too bratty for her. She is so smart, kind and polite. Jin is more suited for her, hahaha!"


    He sneered. "And you think you were suited for Grandma? But aren''t you married to her anyways?"


    Liu Hai smacked him. "Shut up! Chunhua and I are a match made in heaven."


    Nian rolled his eyes again.


    Liu Hai faced Ai. "I wanted you to pick one of them, but forget about this brat. Let him be single for life!"


    His gaze darkened. "Say all you want but isn''t she older than Jin?"


    "Age is just a number. So what if he is younger than her? Compatibility matters the most."


    "And you think I cannot be compatible with her?"


    He smirked. "You could be, but I don''t want to waste such a precious granddaughter-in-law on you."


    Nian clutched his heart. "You big bully! I won''t forgive you for this! I am leaving!"


    Yes, so that she doesn''t recognize me more than she already has!


    Nian disappeared like lightning.


    Liu Hai sneered. "Good that he is gone. I was stupid to think that you two could match," his eyes sparkled. "Nian wouldn''t, but Jin definitely will! Right, Jin?"

 Chapter 89 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (4) : Setup Ai With Jin

    Chapter 89 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (4) : Setup Ai With Jin


    Jun sneezed. He rubbed the tip of his nose and frowned. He felt irked for some reason though he couldn''t point out why. It wasn''t because of thinking about his parents and the celebration, but something still bugged him.


    Why am I feeling so annoyed?


    He read Ai''s note again and sighed.


    Where is that woman? What is taking her so long?


    The dinner had already turned cold, but Jun was in no mood to reheat and eat. He impatiently tapped his index finger on his phone.


    Should I call her?


    They had finally exchanged numbers when Ai had fallen sick.


    He clicked on her number, and it rang. It kept ringing, but Ai didn''t answer.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He felt more uneasy now.


    She is not in any trouble, right?


    Finally, the call clicked. Relieved, he said, "What are you-"


    "Hohoho! I knew it! Jin is perfect for you, isn''t it?"


    Jun froze. Nobody had to tell him that it was his grandfather''s voice on the other end. He suddenly pushed back the chair and stood u is Grandpa''s voice¡­What is this about Jin?


    "My eyes can never be wrong. When I look at Ai and Jin together, you two-"


    The call abruptly got cut.


    "Hello? Hello!?"


    Jun hastily dialed her number again and again but to no avail. He blankly stared ahead, his body trembling and his fingers clenching into a fist. His gaze was unfocused.


    ''Jin is perfect for you!''


    ''When I look at Ai and Jin together, you two-''


    What¡­what was he saying? What is this about Jin and Ai? Look good together? Huh? Where is this coming from? T-they don''t even know each other.


    Why, why, why? What is going on? Why did Jin suddenly come into the picture? How is he related to Ai?


    A million questions barraged his mind one after the other as if a fully loaded gun was set to auto. His breathing became ragged with an onset of a familiar fear twitching every fibre of his muscles. His stomach churned in disgust, and sweat trickled down the side of his ear.


    What is Ai even doing at my house?


    Jun tried to think about the reason for her presence at his house, but he couldn''t come up with any.


    Then he stiffened. Widening his eyes, he ran towards his bedroom. He opened the drawers but didn''t find his gift anywhere.


    I remember I kept it on the table¡­


    Then he recalled the time he came out of the shower. He felt he had noticed as if something was missing from its place, but his attention was more focused as to why his room''s door was left open when it was supposed to be shut.


    No¡­She couldn''t have possibly gone to¡­


    Jun grabbed his keys and scrambled out of his condo the moment the realization hit him.


    ¡ª


    A few minutes before, Jin wasn''t too sure what was happening. The woman he saw Jun accidentally kissing was in front of him for some reason.


    Is it a coincidence?


    Not just that, his grandfather was even setting him up with her. If it was another woman, he wouldn''t have given it much thought.


    But seeing Ai strangely made him uncomfortable. He felt as if there was Jun''s presence lingering around her.


    On the other side, Ai''s expression was somber, too, as she looked at him. This was the man Jun''s ex-girlfriend was in love with, and he was in love with her too. Jun''s confrontation with Shui got refreshed in her mind.


    There was a strange atmosphere between them.


    Ai then noticed her phone flashing with Jun''s number, and she stiffened.


    He shouldn''t know I am here.


    She was about to cut it when Liu Hai''s booming laughter startled her, and she pressed the green option by mistake. She immediately disconnected a few seconds later and sighed in relief.


    I hope he didn''t hear anything.


    Liu Hai patted her shoulder. "How about you consider Jin? He is tall, handsome, polite and well-behaved unlike that Nian brat!"


    Ai wanted to reject it, but he pushed her towards Jin and laughed. "Why don''t you two get to know each other? I know you will definitely like each other! After all, I am the best cupid, hoho!"


    Jin cleared his throat. "Grandpa, it''s-"


    "It''s such a happy occasion, right!?" He gleamed. "It''s Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary, and I also found the perfect bride for you! Double celebration! Let me share this great news with Chunhua! Jin, you show her around and learn more about your future wife."


    Liu Hai winked at them and ran away to find his wife.


    Silence.


    Jin finally faced her. "I am sorry on my Grandpa''s behalf. He gets¡­way too hyper sometimes. Don''t mind him."


    Ai shook her head. "I know he meant well."


    Silence again.


    Jin stared at her with an important question wandering in his mind.


    Why is she here?


    He smiled. "Should I show you around? Of course not in the way Grandpa meant. The banquet will start soon."


    "No. Actually, I am not here to attend the banquet. But, can I request you something?"


    "Sure."


    "Can I meet your parents?"


    He blinked. "Mom and Dad?"


    She nodded.


    "Now?"


    "Yes."


    "Hm¡­right now, it will be difficult. They are getting ready, and then the banquet will start."


    Jin squinted his eyes. Now he contemplated her presence even more.


    What does she have to do with Mom and Dad?


    Their attention shifted as the Han family entered the mansion. Jin stared at Shui, who gracefully stepped in with a beautiful smile on her lips.


    Ai glanced at Jin and noticed his gaze at Shui. She felt a tinge of sadness for Jun.


    She smiled. "It''s okay. I will wait."


    Jin looked back at her and nodded.


    "Jin!" Nuo''s came from afar. "Come here. I need your help!"


    Jin apologetically said, "My sister needs me."


    "Yes, please."


    As he left, Ai gave it a thought.


    There is still some time before the banquet starts¡­


    She knew Jinhai and Nana were busy getting ready now, but she had a feeling she wouldn''t get the chance to meet them privately once the party started. It was inevitable with so many guests tonight.


    My best chance is only right now.

 Chapter 90 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (5) : Prince Charming Xing Bi

    Chapter 90 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (5) : Prince Charming Xing Bi


    My best chance is only right now, Xing Bi thought.


    Right now, she was hiding behind some bushes at a distance from the Liu villa main entrance from where guests were coming in. But things were way too cumbersome.


    The security was tight and as the banquet was about to begin, the flow of incoming guests was also minimizing. Xing Bi was confident that she would be able to slip in with the crowd''s help, but her hopes were destroyed soon enough. There was a difference of heaven and earth between her and the guests'' attire.


    I would look like a sore thumb¡­ Should I dress as a maid?


    But to her disappointment, not even one maid came outside. Everybody was busy serving the guests inside.


    Shit. What will I do now? I got to meet Chen Yunru at any cost tonight!


    Then an idea struck her.


    What if I feign some sickness and get inside on pretext of medical help? I am so brilliant! They won''t leave a sick woman helpless! Hahaha!


    She was about to step out of the bushes when two guards came to meet the ones guarding the main entrance. She hastily ducked back.


    "Be alert of strangers, okay? There was one woman who pretended to faint and then entered the mansion. She fooled us!"


    XIng Bi - "..."


    The guards at the main entrance were naturally shocked and alerted. "Did you throw her out?"


    "No. Old Master Liu said he will deal with her."


    They solemnly nodded. "We will keep an even stricter eye now."


    Damn! As if you weren''t strict enough already! There goes my ticket! She cried. How am I supposed to meet Chen Yunru now?


    Xing Bi noticed that the guards were sincerely busy talking among themselves, especially the two guards of the garden''s side who told them about Ai''s ''vicious'' poking attack on Liu Hai. The other pair was too tuned into their story to momentarily leave their post.


    She narrowed her eyes and crawled from in between the bushes noiselessly, seeing this as a chance to quietly slip in.


    Brr. It''s so cold!


    Keep talking, keep talking¡­


    Xing Bi soon reached the gate, and she heard the second pair of guards heavily sobbing.


    "We are doomed. We let a stranger in who attacked Old Master Liu. Now we will definitely get fired!"


    "We won''t be spared!"


    The first pair were doing their best in consoling them.


    A gulp passed through her throat as she quickly took the intimidating turning point of the gate and disappeared into the bushes from within the mansion.


    The guards turned at once.


    "Did you hear that?"


    "I thought I heard something rustling?"


    "Maybe it was the wind?"


    "Indeed, it''s quite windy today."


    Xing Bi let out a deep, silent breath. She looked around and sobbed.


    I am actually inside the estate! Now it''s just a trip to the mansion!


    She sneakily hopped hiding behind the trees. As she craned her neck, she choked seeing a pair of maids welcoming the guests with a smile on their lips near the door.


    She lowered her head and looked at her messy self. Leaves were stuck on her hair and sleeves, and the soil had stained her dress.


    I cannot go inside like this.


    She collapsed on her knees.


    Come on¡­I have come this far, she sulked.


    No, no! She slapped her cheeks. Don''t give up! It''s all for Ai''s sake!


    With a renewed determination, she started thinking of some trick to get inside.


    Her sight fell on a group of young people at a distance standing and talking among themselves. They were giggling and laughing, and it seemed like they were making fun of someone.


    The man''s back faced her - the one who was being laughed at. From his body language, she felt his anger and displeasure from the taunts the group threw at him.


    Not my problem¡­I have my fair share of troubles.


    But she couldn''t let that man out of her sight even if she tried. Seeing his back slump in cheerlessness made a familiar feeling strike her. The group was clearly bullying him. He was standing up for himself, but it wasn''t working.


    Xing Bi gritted her teeth and unable to bear it any longer, she furiously walked towards the group.


    Grabbing the man''s arm, she pulled him behind her and faced them.


    "You should be ashamed of yourself for bullying someone like that! You think you are all so powerful ganging up on a lone man like that? Fucking pests! People like you disgust me! Before coming to such a classy party like this, tell your parents to teach you some class first!"


    Flaring her nostrils, she turned on her heels and went away as she dragged the man with her.


    The group watched her, dumbfounded with their jaws dropped.


    "Huh? A woman with mud and leaves stuck all over suddenly pulled Bro Nian away?" Liang Meixiu questioned in shock.


    "She was so tall! Did you see that?" Liang Meirong''s eyes sparkled.


    "She even scolded us¡­What did we do?" Her little brother, Liang Bao, scratched his head.


    Soo Yijun raised his brow curiously. "Interesting."


    Soo Zhenya dreamily said, "She took him away like a knight in shining armor!"


    Zhu Xiang touched his chin. "She seemed feisty just like sis and Mom."


    Chen Yubi tugged onto her elder brother, Chen Zixin''s coat. "Bro, did you understand what just happened? Who kidnapped Bro Nian?" She gasped.


    He glanced down at her once and remained quiet. Instead, he let out just one question from his lips. "Yunru?"


    Her mouth twitched.


    You don''t care what you saw just now at all!?


    Chen Yunru came in huffing and puffing. "I¡­I am here¡­Sorry, I got late¡­"


    Liang Meirong clicked her tongue. "You missed something fun! Somebody just took bro Nian away, and we couldn''t do anything!"


    Soo Zhenya was still in her dreamy state. "She was so cool. Did you see Nian''s face?"


    Chen Yunru winced with mental damage. "Ahhhh! How did I miss that? I want to meet her too! I wanted to see that!"


    They gave him their condolences. "We feel sorry for you. But who knows if you will see her tonight?"

 Chapter 91 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (6) : Shattering Illusion

    Chapter 91 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (6) : Shattering Illusion


    Xing Bi finally stopped at a spot behind the huge sparkling fountain as she breathed hard.


    Phew. That felt like a long assed walk.


    She turned to face the man. "Alright. You are okay now-"


    She widened her eyes seeing such a tall and handsome man greeting her sight. He was taller than her, which was a feat not most men could achieve against her five feet and nine inches height.


    The cold fountain drops shimmering with violet and golden light fell upon his well-chiseled face that only added onto his charm.


    Oh my he is one looker, she thoroughly appreciated his beauty.


    She waved her hand. "Don''t bother with their bullying, and don''t let it get to you."


    Nian was only staring at her wide-eyed. His gaze slowly fell onto her hand holding his arm.


    Xing Bi realized it. "Oops, I am-" From the corner of her eyes, she saw the guards taking their rounds deeper into the estate.


    Shit!


    She suddenly pulled him with a force and ducked behind the mountain.


    Nian rapidly blinked. He leaned in and whispered. "Why?"


    Xing looked at herself as if making a point. "Can you not see it from the way I look? I am not a guest here. I have¡­" she glanced left and right and said in a hushed voice, "Don''t tell anybody, but I have sneaked in here."


    He tilted his his, his black eyes twinkling in inquisitiveness.


    An intruder, aye?


    "Oh, oh! Why, though? What are you planning? Tell me, tell me!"


    "Well, I want to meet someone."


    "Who?"


    "Chen Yunru."


    His brow twitched. "Are you sure it''s him? Not somebody else?" He expectantly asked.


    "Of course, it''s him. I have a very important thing to tell him!"


    His brow twitched further.


    "Important thing? Like?"


    Xing Bi rolled her eyes. "It''s a long story. The point is that I need Chen Yunru only at any cost!"


    The twig under his shoe finally snapped into two. She failed to notice the black clouds forming over his head. "I see. You seem quite passionate about him."


    She was focused on the entrance and mumbled. "Yeah. Gosh if I just meet Chen Yunru once. I will pour my heart out to him!"


    And explain everything about Ai!


    Nian suddenly burst into a smile, but it was anything but friendly.


    She snapped her neck towards him and squinted her eyes. "You are gonna help me with it."


    Nian tilted his head. "Me?"


    "Yes. I need to go inside. But I am not a guest. I will stick out like a sore thumb! You seem to be a guest here. So help me out because I saved you from the bullies."


    "..."


    "You are gonna use me?"


    Xing Bi looked as if it was so obvious. "Of course. I almost sacrificed myself for you! Do you know how hard it was to slip inside with this tight assed security? If the guards had noticed me, they would have thrown me out! What if those bullies complained about me? All my efforts would have gone to waste. Pay your gratitude to me, young man! That''s what you do when people help you."


    Nian stumbled on his foot and almost collapsed.


    It''s like his image of hers suddenly shattered. There she was holding his arm and taking him away as if he was a damsel in distress. The whole time, his eyes only watched her back which stood firm and confident. She was covered with mud and dirt, but she still carried herself with poise and strength. Her hair fluttered in the wind as if she was some delinquent gang''s boss. The atmosphere was like bubbles floated in the air as they walked.


    But now¡­


    "So it wasn''t out of kindness?" Nian propped his chin on his palm and questioned her.


    Xing Bi faced him. "I have a very important person to protect. Right now, all my kindness belongs to that person only."


    There was a long period of silence as he stared at her hard. Suddenly, he clapped his hands in delight, and his eyes sparkled with mischief. "I will help you!"


    Xing Bi was taken aback for a moment but nodded in appreciation. "That''s more like it. So, how do we get inside? Do you have an extra invitation?"


    Nian sheepishly grinned. She failed to see the playful glint in his eyes. "How can a humble servant like me have an invitation?"


    She choked. "Excuse me? You take me for a fool? You are not a servant with those clothes."


    Nian pursed his lips and looked down. "This is Madam Nana''s gift to me. I am often bullied, so she gave me this gift to cheer me up."


    "Oh. Bully you how?"


    He grabbed her hand and poured his miseries out. "It''s horrible! They treat me like trash and sneer and taunt me. They step on my dignity! Nobody loves me¡­"


    She winced on his behalf. She sighed and patted his head. "Like I said, if they treat you like trash¡­"


    Nian sniffled and nodded. "I will ignore them-"


    "You should trash them ten fold."


    "..."


    "Bullies will treat you like trash until they get treated like trash," she sneered. "That''s how their brains are wired."


    Nian''s face shone brighter and brighter. "I see! You are so cool!"


    She raised her head higher with his praise. "I know, I know. So, quickly tell me how to get inside before the guards find me!" She urgently whispered.


    His black orbs devilishly shone. "Well, you see¡­"


    ¡ª


    At the same time as Nian plotted his devilish scheme, Yating made his way towards the banquet hall too. The socialites squealed as their gazes fell upon him.


    "Who is he?"


    "I have never seen him at any parties before."


    "He is definitely a young master too but of which wealthy family?"


    Yating hardly cared about his surroundings. Instead, he scanned the place with his narrowed eyes. He spotted Chen Yunru with his family at a distance.


    He cocked his head to the side. If he wanted to, he could just walk up to him and have an in-length ''discussion'' about Sky''s misgivings towards Ai.


    But he wasn''t looking for him.


    The CEO of Sky Publishing¡­where are you, Liu Jun?

 Chapter 92 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (7) : Handing Over Mr. Liu’s Gift

    Chapter 92 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (7) : Handing Over Mr. Liu''s Gift


    When Yating gave it a proper thought, he found out that it wasn''t really hard to figure out the CEO''s identity once one knew that Yunru and the CEO were related.


    Chen Yunru, despite being the President of Sky Publishing, was actually only twenty years old. Very young for this position but capable nevertheless. Yunru had his college studies ongoing while he handled the company too. Naturally, the CEO was someone older than him. Both by age and by position.


    First was his pure instinct. He didn''t look down on women or underestimate them, but his gut told him that the CEO wasn''t any of Yunru''s female cousins.


    That viciousness with which the CEO targeted Ai felt like something he would have done himself had he been in his place. It felt personal and possessive, almost as if someone was fiercely protecting the one they loved.


    So then remain Liu Jian, Liu Nian, Liu Jun, Liu Jin, Chen Zixin and Liang Bao¡­he thought.


    Liu Jian and his sister Liu Nuo are jointly managing Natukashi. Liu Nian has his own established bakery.


    Liu Jin handles the Liu Corps with his father despite being the youngest son.


    Chen Zixin is the CEO of Chen Corps and Liang Bao is undergoing his medical studies in a university to become a doctor.


    None of the professions had anything to do with books or publishing, nor did he feel that one of them also secretly led Sky Publishing.


    The only one shrouded in mystery was¡­


    Yating narrowed his eyes.


    The Liu family had five children, but people always felt as if they saw only four of them. They knew their careers and had seen their faces on multiple occasions.


    But Jun was someone who hardly made any appearances. Nobody would even sense as if he was there. Yet, they would feel a fifth person''s presence. He was there but at the same time, he wasn''t. People didn''t have much recollection of how he looked and certainly, nobody knew what his career was.


    Yating had tried to find out more about his educational background to see if he fit the bill, but he couldn''t.


    All the information about Liu Jun was neatly hidden as if he didn''t want the world to know about him at all.


    So, Yating concurred that the CEO could only be Jun. He couldn''t confirm his background, but he could gauge his personality from this behavior.


    Silent and somebody who didn''t like attention. He gave off a vibe almost similar to Ai, who he was all too familiar with.


    And people like Jun or Ai were often the type who recluse themselves into books and such.


    The CEO himself, just like his background and personality, was hidden from the world. It couldn''t be anybody else but him.


    Yating''s eyes glinted with an iciness as he watched the crowd.


    Where are you, Liu Jun?


    ¡ª


    Jun was stuck in traffic. He exclaimed a string of curses seeing the road blocked back and in front of him.


    Shit!


    Impatiently tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, his heart was overloaded with dread.


    Ai and Jin¡­Ai and Jin¡­


    Why are they together?


    Even while driving, he could hardly focus on the road as his mind was jammed with thoughts about them. His gaze would turn cold but then a trace of fear shone amidst the layer of frost.


    Dead set on reaching Liu villa at any cost, a name softly escaped his lips.


    "Ai¡­"


    ¡ª


    "Jun¡­"


    Ai clasped his gift in her hands as she stood in the corridor.


    Your gift will definitely reach your parents. I will make sure of it, she sincerely nodded to herself.


    The door opened, and two figures stepped out. Her eyes slowly widened upon watching Jinhai and Nana coming out, hand in hand as they smiled at each other. The aura around them made her go into a trance. Her heart skipped a beat observing them.


    Their warm gazes and the loving smile on their lips made her heart flutter. They radiated such pure marital bliss that it would even resonate among someone who might not believe in love. Their hands were firmly intertwined. Even at this age, she could feel the strong love they held for each other.


    Ai felt envious. It was as if her fingers were itching to write down this wave of inspiration flooding within her and express this slight ache tugged at her chest. She wondered how she could put this feeling into words?


    But the thing she deliberated the most was¡­


    Will I find someone just like how they found each other?


    Will a day ever come when I will¡­look like her?


    Her gaze lowered, recalling her past life with Yating.


    Ai hadn''t realized she was holding her breath and a gasp escaped her lips, feeling breathless. Her stupor broke, and she noticed Jinhai and Nana leaving for the banquet hall.


    She rushed after them. "P-please wait!"


    They stopped and turned. Jinhai narrowed his eyes as his jet black gaze traveled to watch her from head to toe.


    Nana''s lips curved into a gentle smile. "Yes, dear?"


    Her voice hummed like a soft melody in Ai''s ears, filled with warmth and concern. She could feel her cheeks blushing pink.


    Mrs. Liu is so beautiful¡­


    Ai stared at her. Now that she watched her from this close distance, she could see where Jun got his beautiful dark brown irises from. His fair skin was just like her too.


    As for Jun''s face, he resembled his father a lot. A shiver passed through her neck as Ai met Jinhai''s deep, contemplating and sharp gaze.


    Now I see why Jun''s eyes are so intense¡­


    He was like Jinhai. Hiding something dangerous and possessive beneath that calculating gaze.


    Ai straightened her back and slightly bowed. "Hello. Congratulations on your wedding anniversary. My deepest wishes that you two keep living in bliss like this for many more years to come."


    Nana beamed. "Oh, thank you so much dear! It means a lot to us."


    She curiously observed her. "I feel like I have seen you somewhere¡­"


    It was in the video which Jun sent her where Jian and Nian were flirting with Ai in the library.


    Ai blinked. "Oh. We might have unknowingly crossed paths somewhere."


    "Haha, yes it could be just that."


    She nodded and softly smiled. She took out a gift box and raised it towards them. Jinhai and Nana looked at it, puzzled.


    "What is this?"


    Ai said, "It''s your wedding anniversary gift from your son."

 Chapter 93 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (8) : Zhou Ai Versus Liu Jinhai

    Chapter 93 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (8) : Zhou Ai Versus Liu Jinhai


    Jinhai and Nana blinked their eyes twice. Nana slowly took the gift and questioned. "From my son?"


    "Yes. From Liu Jun," Ai crisply stated.


    Jinhai paused and then narrowed his eyes. Nana''s gaze widened as she gasped. "Jun?"


    "En."


    Nana jerked her head towards Jinhai in delight. "Jinhai! It''s Jun''s gift! I thought he wasn''t coming tonight¡­" the light in her expression then dimmed. "That boy. He didn''t show up for Christmas nor for New Year''s. Now, he said he was too busy to attend the celebration tonight either. It felt as if he is distancing himself from us¡­"


    Jinhai''s countenance never changed even once.


    Nana brushed her palm along the box and tenderly smiled. "But I see he hasn''t forgotten us. Though I would have felt happier if he would have been here too. Our family is incomplete without him."


    She looked up and smiled at Ai. "Thank you so much dear. He cannot be personally here tonight, so his gift means a lot to us."


    Ai carefully studied them. Jinhai''s reaction was way different and exactly opposite to Nana''s. It was visible that he didn''t seem so pleased receiving this gift. She guessed there was something Jinhai knew, but Nana didn''t.


    Jinhai''s knifecutting question came. "Where did you get Jun''s gift?"


    Ai stood unperturbed. She had this seen this question coming.


    "I found it in the library where he frequently visits. I couldn''t return it to him as I didn''t know his home''s address. So, I thought to bring it here myself on the address written on the note. I read the note and realized it was from your son."


    Then she said the next thing, staring at Jinhai. "I thought it was important you get the gift as soon as possible. It would definitely make you happy, right?"


    Nana nodded hard. "It does! It is from my son, after all," her gaze softened.


    "Jinhai, wait for me! I will quickly open his gift," Nana couldn''t wait to see what Jun brought for them and hopped back to the room.


    Ai and Jinhai stood in silence, which was then cut down by his second question. "How did you get inside?"


    She lifted her gaze to see his dark eyes viewing her with suspicion. She felt as if no excuse could pass his keen-edged scrutiny.


    "Even if you found the gift, you cannot just simply enter this place bypassing the guards," he pointedly stated. "You are not a guest."


    Ai said nothing.


    "How do you really know Jun?" He tilted his head.


    She met his accusatory gaze, undaunted. "You don''t seem to be pleased receiving your son''s gift."


    "I am not."


    Ai stiffened. She hadn''t expected such an instantaneous but harsh response from him.


    "Why?"


    "I don''t think that''s any of your concern," his voice lowered immeasurably, building a strange cold pressure in the air.


    It was crushing and freezing but, Ai, who only thought about the forced smiled on Jun''s lips and his beautiful eyes obscured with sorrow and forlornness refused to crumble under his intimidating presence.


    "It IS my concern," her voice quietly but sharply countered him.


    Jinhai narrowed his eyes.


    "He is not allowed to come tonight. It was upon your order. Mrs. Liu is unaware of this, right? I can see it from her reaction."


    "Are you threatening me?" He raised his brow - danger lurking in that small action.


    Expressionless, she replied. "No. The point I want to make is that you have already disallowed him from coming here, which is saddening enough for him. You shouldn''t hurt more of his feelings by being displeased with his gift too. That would be plain rude even if he cannot see your reaction."


    He coldly smiled. "You don''t even know why I am treating Jun this way. Wouldn''t that typically mean he did something too atrocious in the past for me to stop acting kindly towards him?"


    Ai was unfazed. "He might have made mistakes, but the Jun I know NOW is someone who is kind, warm and caring in his own way. He is a good man. I don''t want to see him hurt. The past should remain in the past. Isn''t it why you are so happy with Mrs. Liu until now?"


    "Excuse me?"


    She blinked once. "You and Jun are very similar. I can see where he got his¡­villainous side from."


    He stared at her.


    "So, I guess there must have been some mistakes that you made in your past too."


    The temperature took a sudden drop.


    "Did I hit a nerve?"


    Jinhai didn''t leave his gaze off her. Her lips weren''t smiling, but her eyes were.


    "But clearly, your wife forgave you for it or the people involved who you hurt once. So, if you can live happily despite the errors you made, then you have no right to isolate Jun like this either."


    Anybody else would have collapsed by now, but she stood firm. Her words brought an impasse which Jinhai couldn''t break apart.


    "I am back!" Nana returned, livening up the deadly atmosphere with presence.


    "Sorry, it took long, hehe¡­Jinhai look! Jun gifted us matching set ot earrings and cufflinks!" She brightened. "Let''s wear this. Remove your cufflinks and put on these ones," she chirped. "I already changed my earrings. It looks pretty, right?"


    Jinhai warmly smiled and nodded. The change in his demeanor was so instant that even Ai took a moment to stabilize herself.


    Nana grinned. She thanked Ai once again. "Thank you for bringing his gift, dear. I will feel as if Jun is here with us¡­" she longingly said.


    Ai smiled back. "Your welcome. I am glad you loved it. Your son would be really happy."


    "Haha, yes. Oh, don''t leave, okay? Do enjoy the party!"


    "N-no. I was just here to hand over the gift-"


    Nana sternly shook her head. "Yes means yes. Stay here until the end! You brought my son''s precious gift to me. Of course, you should be a part of our celebration too. Right, Jinhai?"


    She glanced at him expectantly.


    No matter what feelings he had inside, his outward countenance was the same.


    Smiling and affectionate towards his wife.


    "Of course."


    "See? Then it''s decided!" Nana laughed.


    "Mom, Dad! It''s time already! Where are you two?" Nuo called them out.


    "Oops," Nana stuck out her tongue. "Let''s go. We took too much time."

 Chapter 94 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (9) : The Banquet Begins!

    Chapter 94 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (9) : The Banquet Begins!


    The lights dimmed in the main hall as it got darker. The happy couple, Jian and Leina were thoroughly taking advantage of this as they held hands.


    Jian kissed her cheek. "You look beautiful."


    Leina grinned and kissed him back. "And you look handsome. Look at all the women ogling you."


    "Do you see the men peeking at you? I wish to poke their eyes-"


    "Ssh! No violence talks!" She chuckled. "Tonight is a lovely evening. No bloodshed."


    He narrowed his eyes. "Indeed. What do you say we¡­"


    Her cheeks blushed furiously. "Be careful. Don''t underestimate Dad''s ears."


    "Don''t underestimate your boyfriend either~"


    On the other side, another couple was in their own dreamy land. Nuo was a little shy and nervous as she stood closer to Siying. Siying, on his side, wanted to hold her hand.


    He lightly brushed the back of his palm against hers, making her face turn redder. She softly tugged at his finger, and their hands intertwined.


    Siying cleared his throat. "We will be like this one day too."


    At first, Nuo didn''t understand his meaning, but a second later, she did.


    Her heart raced, and she quickly looked away. Siying chuckled, finding it cute.


    He looked around and asked, "Oh yeah. I don''t see bro Nian and bro Jun anywhere."


    "Ah, bro Nian was here only," she furrowed her brows trying to find him. "Ugh, don''t tell me that he is secretly stuffing food somewhere!"


    "I bet he won''t. He wouldn''t want to incur his little sister''s wrath," he laughed and pinched her nose.


    She harrumphed. "He better not. As for bro Jun, he is not coming."


    "Huh? Not coming? But it''s Uncle and Aunt''s anniversary," he was confused. "It''s such a huge event."


    She sighed. "Yeah. But he said he is busy."


    "What could be more important than this celebration tonight?"


    She shook her head, expressing her cluelessness too. "I am really worried. Bro Jun has never acted like this before¡­"


    Siying wondered the same thing.


    It''s been a long time since he and Shui have met. They were never away for this long.


    His heart ached, noticing Nuo''s downcast gaze. He squeezed her hand, giving her reassurance. "Everything will be fine."


    Though he said that, he couldn''t help but get worried for Shui.


    Bro Jun wasn''t at the New Year''s party and now too.


    He glanced at his right where she was standing with Xinyi and Zhiyuan. He softly exhaled.


    Shui will be so disappointed again¡­


    ¡ª


    Xinyi asked, "I don''t see Jun anywhere."


    Shui stiffened and lowered her gaze. Thankfully the hall was quite dark, so they didn''t notice her expression. She fidgeted with her fingers.


    Zhiyuan sneered. "It''s better if he isn''t here."


    "Zhiyuan! Don''t be so mean!" She scolded him.


    "Shui, did he say anything to you?" Xinyi asked. "It feels as if I haven''t seen Jun in a long time."


    "N-no," her smile faltered. "I don''t know."


    She coughed. "I am thirsty. Let me get a drink."


    "Be careful, okay? It''s dim here."


    "Yeah."


    She walked a short distance and already bumped into someone. A firm hand caught her arm, and a voice breathed into her ear. "Careful, Shui."


    Shui froze, feeling warm and ticklish at her earlobe. Her breath hitched in the darkness.


    "J-Jin¡­"


    "Hm."


    His low throated voice hung in the air with a tinge of huskiness in it, making her crumple a part of his black coat in her fist. Her heart sped unusually faster, and she quickly took a step back.


    A sense of guilt filled her as these questionable feelings enveloped her chest. It was as if what Jun accused was right, which she didn''t want to admit.


    She raised her head and traced the outline of his clean-cut and attractive face. His black eyes felt duskier under the faint lighting.


    "Don''t move around. It''s dark."


    She parted her lips to speak but only bobbed her head in the end.


    Jin took a step closer to her and faced the other side as he waited for his parents to enter. Shui preferred to keep her distance from him, nevertheless she quietly accompanied him.


    ¡ª


    The golden light from above shone on the top of the stairs as Jinhai and Nana slowly stepped down with a graceful smile on their lips.


    Everybody clapped and cheered hard as the main couple for the night made their way towards the center.


    Jinhai took the mike and faced Nana. "It''s a big night for us. Nana, it''s been twenty-six years since the day you became my wife. Twenty-six years, and I still love you to the ends of this world. I always had, and I always will. Forever. I just have one request from you."


    Her eyes were slightly wet, feeling this great milestone sink in her heart. "You know I will do anything for you, Jinhai."


    Jian and the others teasingly whistled at that. They earned a glare from his grandmother, Liu Chunhua.


    "Shoosh! Don''t disturb their moment!" She scolded.


    They grumbled and kept quiet.


    Jinhai smiled. "Well, my hair is getting all gray now. But you are still as beautiful as you were when I first met you. I humbly request to ignore my wrinkly side and keep loving me as always. I will be heartbroken if you find someone else."


    The guests laughed hard. They had never seen Jinhai cracking humor.


    "And that someone else will be heartbroken to die by my hands."


    "..."


    The guests couldn''t laugh anymore. A series of coughs echoed in the hall.


    Nana was left speechless. She shook her head and smacked his forehead. "You are impossible, Jinhai. My heart is filled up with you. All of it. Whether it was before or now or in the future. Even if you start walking with a stick, I will never leave your side. I will never stop loving you even if you get a hunched back."


    "Hahaha," the air was filled with laughter and joy.


    Jinhai''s eyes twinkled, and he kissed her lips. She smiled and softly kissed him back.


    Everybody clapped once again. A butler wheeled in a big table with a beautiful cake sitting atop it, made by none other than Nian.


    Jinhai and Nana cut the cake together as the crowd sang.


    Liu Hai cheered. "Hohoho! Cake! Cake!"


    His wife elbowed him. "You have to control yourself!"


    "You are cruel, Chunhua!" He cried.


    Jinhai raised a toast, and the banquet officially started.

 Chapter 95 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (10) : Time To Hit The Dance Floor

    Chapter 95 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (10) : Time To Hit The Dance Floor


    Ai stood beside a pillar at the back, not sure of what she should do. Nana had urged her to stay in the party but looking at the time, she knew she had to get back home or Jun would get worried.


    She thought for a moment and decided it was best to leave. She turned when she suddenly froze.


    It wasn''t clear but from the corner of her right eye, she felt as if she saw Yating passing by. Instinctively, she took a step back into the darkness not wishing to meet him.


    Then her brows crinkled.


    Why would Yating be here? He cannot be.


    Yating on his side, also felt Ai''s presence for just a second. He stopped and craned his neck but didn''t see her anywhere.


    How would Ai be here? Must be my imagination.


    He casually walked around the hall looking for Jun, but he didn''t see him, neither heard any whispers about his presence.


    "Yating."


    He stiffened upon recognizing the voice.


    His gaze went cold. Yating ignored him and started to walk away when he stopped him.


    "Wait. When will you come back to handle the company? Isn''t this enough already?"


    He shot back. "I think it was clear that you wouldn''t interfere in my career."


    Gu Rong stared at him. "Yating, you are my only son. Who else would take care of it if not for you? Don''t be so stubborn."


    "Are we gonna have this conversation again? Because I don''t want to. We will just go in circles."


    He turned when Gu Rong spoke again, "Indeed, I shouldn''t meddle with your career choice. But you haven''t forgotten the deal between us, right? If you want to be a mere editor for your whole life and disregard your family business, then fine. Do what you want. But don''t forget that in exchange, you promised that you won''t meddle with my choice of bride for you."


    Yating kept quiet.


    "That''s why I want you to meet someone."


    He glared at him. "I don''t have time for this, Dad. I didn''t come here to find a wife for me. I have an important thing to do."


    "You can''t keep ignoring this, Yating," he sharply said.


    "I will marry when I want, Dad. You can choose my bride but not when I am not ready to do this."


    The air became tense between the father and son. Yating felt distasteful. Things were sour between them for a few years now ever since he declared he wanted to join a publishing firm. Gu Rong was forceful about him taking him over the company after his retirement, but Yating didn''t wish to.


    That caused strain in their relationship until it became too suffocating four years ago, and Yating left his house to pursue his career as an editor which he always wanted. He made the deal with him because that was the only way Gu Rong was ready to compromise. But Yating still felt salty about their fight.


    As a father, he was supposed to support his son in doing what he liked, not force him against his wishes whether it was his career or his marriage.


    Yating trembled. Annoyance and irritation filled his heart.


    Even now, you just want me to get married to a woman who would be beneficial for your business, right? I am just a pawn to for your profit, nothing else!


    Even after four years, you think nothing but your damn company!


    He thought the four years of distance might have changed Gu Rong. His heart might have softened towards his son.


    But Gu Rong was still the same. Stubborn and unyielding who would still want Yating to take over the business and marry the woman of his choice.


    Heat rushed to his head. Afraid he would explode and create a scene, he rushed out of the banquet hall to calm down.


    "Yating! Listen to-"


    He was gone. Gu Rong clenched his fists, exasperated.


    Stupid son!


    ¡ª


    Xing Bi peeked from behind a pillar to find Yunru. She adjusted her dress but stiffened.


    Shit, don''t touch this dress Bibi! If you ruin even a thread of it, you would be finished!


    Turning back to thirty minutes ago, Nian said that he would help her get entry in the mansion. She guessed that Nian might bring her a maid''s outfit to disguise as he was a servant himself. He could borrow it from some maid.


    But to her utter shock, he brought some super luxurious dress that Xing Bi had only seen models wearing in fashion shows!


    It was a beautiful and shimmering golden brown dress that fluttered until her knees. Xing Bi had seamlessly blended in the party as a guest herself. Nobody would doubt that she wasn''t a socialite at all.


    But she had other concerns.


    Xinb Bi had never worn something so fancy before. She felt the weight and price of this dress dragging her down.


    Why did he bring something so expensive!? How did he even get this in the first place!? If I ruin it, I don''t even want to imagine the debt that would befall me!


    From a distance, Nian stared up and down at her from all angles and grinned. "Perfect. It''s like it''s just made for her. I knew it. Uncle Jing would definitely have something worthwhile in his collection. He is China''s Godly fashion designer, after all~"


    He didn''t think twice before shamelessly stealing one of his uncle''s works.


    Xing Bi let out a breath. "Forget it. I need to focus on President Chen. I will talk to him, dump this dress and get the hell out of here."


    She found Yunru on the opposite side, seemingly talking to someone older than him seeing his body language.


    Alright. Here we go.


    ¡ª


    "I found you!"


    Ai gasped, startled with the enthusiastic loud voice and stopped. She was just about to leave the mansion. Suddenly a hand pulled her, and she saw that it was Liu Hai.


    "Grandpa."


    He beamed. "I was looking for you this whole time! Good that I found you."


    "What is it?" Ai blinked.


    "It is time to hit the dance floor. You know, for all the couples? Sooo¡­"


    He dragged her someplace, put Ai''s hand in Jin''s and pushed them towards the center.


    "Go and dance!"

 Chapter 96 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (11) : Mr. Liu Is Here

    Chapter 96 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (11) : Mr. Liu Is Here


    Jin didn''t notice when he was spun around, made him hold hands with Ai and got dumped towards the dance floor.


    Shui watched it wide-eyed, who was standing quietly beside Jin when he was suddenly shoved away. "Grandpa? What are you doing?"


    Liu Hai was shining like the sun. "Hohoho! You wouldn''t imagine what happened today! I found a gem. I found my third granddaughter-in-law!"


    The radiance on his face was unmatchable.


    Shui scratched her chin. "Huh? I don''t understand."


    "A bride! I found a bride for my grandson! I played the role of a perfect cupid! Look at her," he pointed towards Ai. "I met her an hour ago. She is such a good girl! The moment I talked to her, I knew she was perfect for Jin!"


    She froze. Everything went blank in front of her. "...What?"


    Liu Hai babbled on. "At first, I was going to make her choose between Jin and Nian. But hmph! Nian doesn''t deserve her! I don''t like Nian for her. But Jin and she match like the perfect couple, don''t they?"


    Shui failed to respond. Something sharp and painful struck her chest. She forgot to breathe because of the sudden agony that grappled her heart.


    "Look at them. They look so cute together, right? Shui? Shui?" He shook her shoulder and whined. "I am talking to you. Join me in my happiness and praise me!"


    Shui stared at Ai and uneasily touched her throat. "She is nice¡­"


    Liu Hai nodded hard. "Of course! My eyes never fail me," his nose grew longer in pride.


    On the dance floor, Jin and Ai stood like two motionless statues. Jin, by nature, was calm and gentle. But now Liu Hai had definitely exasperated him.


    Grandpa¡­You never fail to make things difficult, don''t you?


    They had become the center of attention, and now it was quite difficult to pull back. He glanced at Liu Hai, who was giving him a thumbs-up like an eager child.


    He smiled and held in his urge to beat him up.


    Jin looked back at Ai. "I am sorry once again. He is a lost cause."


    Her lips twitched.


    "We are already here now. Everybody is looking at us. It will be difficult to leave without a dance so¡­" he offered his hand. "Let''s just quickly get done with it."


    Ai was stumped.


    I just wanted to give Jun''s gift. Why am I suddenly here?


    Just like Jun, she disliked being the center of attention. Somehow a dance with Jin, who was the cause of Jun''s broken relationship, seemed too complicated and strange to her.


    But she couldn''t leave and possibly make an embarrassment out of her and Jin.


    She stared at his hand. "I¡­would like to get this over with too. But, I don''t know how to dance."


    Jin smiled. "That''s not a problem. Just follow my lead, and you will be alright."


    Ai hesitated for a moment but then gave up. She wished it could be Jun who taught her, but was helpless before a certain hyperactive grandfather.


    She slowly put her hand in his. Jin stretched his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him.


    Ai stiffened for a moment.


    "Do as I show you."


    She nodded.


    The music changed, and a sweet romantic melody played in the background.


    Ai fumbled at first, but then they gradually got into the rhythm as they danced.


    Liu Hai smirked in victory. "Aish, they look cute!"


    Liu Chunhua came to his side and curiously asked about the woman Jin was dancing with. Her husband gladly told the story without missing a beat.


    She was speechless. "You! Don''t just randomly be a pushover, Hai! At this point, I feel that you practically forced her into this."


    He gasped in shock. "What are you saying! Of course, I didn''t force her. I asked her if she was single, and she is."


    "So, you will just conveniently take her? Did you ask if she wanted to date Jin in the first place!?"


    "What is the problem with Jin? He is a hundred times better than that brat Nian! Look, look, they seem so cute together."


    Liu Chunhua took another glance and indeed felt that they looked good together. She was cute too.


    "They are¡­but you cannot decide for them!"


    "You are talking to the wrong man, sister-in-law," Chen Liling, Liu Hai''s younger sister and her husband, Chen Guiren, joined in.


    "He always forcibly takes matters into his hands," she sneered.


    Liu Hai sneered back. "Oh is that jealousy I see, my dear little sister?"


    Chen Liling''s gaze darkened. "Why will I be jealous!?"


    "It''s because I found her first! Hah! You are jealous!"


    She gritted her teeth. His words hit the nerve. When she saw Ai on the dance floor, she immediately took a liking to her even without meeting her. She had an eye for people just like Liu Hai.


    "You were definitely going to poach her for Zixin if you had met her first, didn''t you?"


    Chen Liling wanted to strangle her brother. "Be careful, big brother or you will get cursed by the sweets you love so much!"


    He waved his hand in dismissal. "It''s just your jealousy talking. You would have done the same thing. Take matters into your and dump her to your eldest


    grandson, Zixin! Pot calling the kettle black!"


    She trembled in rage. Her ever so doting husband, Chen Guiren, patted her shoulder and signaled her to discard the argument. She jumped into his hug and sobbed feeling the injustice.


    The elders kept bickering among themselves, but Shui couldn''t hear anything anymore. She was only watching Jin and Ai dance in a daze with a prickly feeling in her chest.


    But she wasn''t the only one whose gaze was fixed at them.


    At the far end of the crowd behind all the guests and under the veil of darkness stood Jun.


    He just took a step inside the mansion when the first thing that greeted his sight was the light shining on Jin and Ai at the center of the dance floor, who danced as they embraced each other.

 Chapter 97 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (12) : Joining The Dance Floor

    Chapter 97 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (12) : Joining The Dance Floor


    Jun took slow, quiet steps closer inside the banquet hall, his brown eyes staring at only the two figures dancing in front of him. He stood on one side with the blanket of darkness sheltering him while Jin and Ai shone under the light.


    He said nothing. He thought nothing.


    He simply kept his gaze fixed at them, his expression impossible to decipher.


    From his right end, he heard whispers.


    "That woman¡­I saw her outside the mansion''s gate," Qin Wen spoke in disbelief. "That one dancing with Liu Jin."


    "Really? Who is she?" Her friend asked.


    "I don''t know! I don''t even understand how she is dancing with someone like Liu Jin," the fury and jealousy in her voice was unmistakable. "Just look at her. Wearing such plain clothes and having no class¡­I treated her as a maid outside."


    Those words finally earned a reaction from Jun. For the first time ever since he stepped inside the mansion, he tore his gaze away from Ai and turned his head to look at who was exactly talking.


    "Duh! Isn''t it obvious? Does she look like an elite guest from any angle? I handed her my bag to take care of it, but she refused saying she wasn''t a maid."


    "Then what?"


    "Then? Nothing. I advised her to get the hell out of here, or the guards will throw her out. People like her can do anything to cling onto such wealthy families," she sneered. "You should have seen her. She was standing like a dumb woman in front of the mansion gate, holding some stupid gift in her hand. Hah! As if just anyone could enter in a banquet like this just because she pretended to have a present."


    Jun stared at her.


    "Clearly, it was her first time seeing such a luxurious mansion. She looked like such a fool. Typical of a poor person. But I don''t get it! Didn''t the guards throw her out? How is she here then!? I am sure she has cheated her way in," she called her fist. "That bitch¡­"


    A woman getting a chance to dance with the young master of the Liu family wasn''t a small deal. Every socialite''s eyes were on Jin and Ai, speculating about their relationship.


    Jun tilted his head. His very presence leaked a sense of an incoming crisis. A strange iciness seeped in the air, making everybody shudder involuntarily.


    He raised his hand and stopped a maid that was passing by him. She jolted, feeling a cold hand on her shoulder. She raised her head and gasped. Then the shock turned into terror as she observed his eyes.


    "Y-y-y-young master Jun¡­" the poor maid could hardly speak under the mountainous pressure.


    Jun whispered something to her ear that made her gulp.


    "Understood?"


    His tone indicated that her only option was to say yes even though she didn''t understand how Qin Wen offended him.


    "Yes, young master."


    She hurried towards Qin Wen and dragged her in a corner. She urgently conveyed Jun''s message that forced Qin Wen to freeze like a block of ice. Confused and panicked, Qin Wen desperately tried to convince the maid, but she only shook her head. Qin Wen turned pale and looked at all the guests, her face turning red in shame and her body trembling.


    Defeated and afraid, she followed the maid into a room only to come back a few minutes later dressed in a plain maid''s outfit. She carried a tray in her hand that served glasses containing cocktails and juices.


    "Miss. Qin. Please proceed with serving the guests," the maid urged her.


    Qin Wen bit her lip hard with tears in her eyes. "L-Look, there is a misunderstanding. We can still solve this. I cannot go dressed like this¡­"


    "You have no choice. Those are young master''s orders."


    She wasn''t allowed to reveal Jun''s name.


    "If you don''t want your family business to go bankrupt by tomorrow morning because of you, you have to serve the guests in tonight''s banquet as a maid until the end. If you don''t adhere, then the Qin business will be wiped off forever."


    As Qin Wen made rounds ducking her head to hide her ashamed face, some of the socialites recognized her nevertheless.


    "Q-Qin Wen? That is you, right?"


    "What¡­what the hell are you doing as a maid?"


    "Oh gosh, this is hilarious! Just who did you offend so much?"


    One woman chuckled. "Or maybe that is your fetish? I must say the maid dress quite suits you."


    Qin Wen''s face burned in shame. Everybody was stunned with her sudden appearance at first, but they didn''t waste any time to laugh and mock her. Her reputation was tarnished forever. Some were sneakily clicking her pictures.


    Jun didn''t bother with her anymore. He showed Qin Wen her place, but it failed to extinguish the fire within his heart that arose from watching Ai dance with Jin. He felt it - the familiar burning rage that consumed him in his past life when he broke into Jin and Shui''s wedding and killed Jin. His hand was twitching but strangely so, his countenance was dead calm.


    He felt the presence of a soft hand on his shoulder. "Jun?"


    Jun stiffened upon recognizing his mother''s voice.


    "Oh my God, it''s really you Jun! I knew it. I didn''t mistake you," Nana''s beautiful face brightened by several shades. She hugged him, her eyes turning misty. "I thought you weren''t coming. But I am glad that you did. Now, it feels complete," she sniffled.


    "Big bro!" Nuo rushed and jumped into his hug too. She flicked his head. "Everybody was missing you so much! How dare you say you were busy?"


    Siying smiled and relief washed over him. He knew Shui must be feeling disappointed by Jun''s absence. But now, he had no reason to worry about his sister.


    Jun said nothing.


    Jinhai was watching his son thoughtfully. He was supposed to feel displeased by him coming here. But his conversation with Ai left him unsure about his feelings.


    "Oh Jun is here too!"


    Liu Hai joined in only to pull him away from the group. Nuo complained. "Grandpa, what are you doing? Bro has just arrived!"


    "What else?" He rolled his eyes. "Look how Jin and my future granddaughter-in-law are dancing. Shouldn''t Jun and Shui join them as a couple too?"

 Chapter 98 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (13) : Something I Cannot Conceive Happening

    Chapter 98 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (13) : Something I Cannot Conceive Happening


    Liu Hai smirked. "For that matter, what are you and Siying waiting for? All couples should be on the dance floor!"


    Siying and Nuo blushed like teenagers and flustered. Jinhai''s gaze went dark, and he shot pointed glares at Siying.


    Siying felt a chill at the back of his neck.


    Why are fathers like this? Be it Uncle Jinhai or Dad!


    On the other side, Jun felt a sharp silence ring in his ears. He ever so slowly turned towards Liu Hai, his last words making an impact on him akin to a bomb blast.


    More than reacting to dancing with Shui, the part that hit his nerve the most was how Liu Hai asserted Ai to be his future granddaughter-in-law.


    Granddaughter-in-law meant that she was supposed to become his grandson''s wife. But whose?


    Jin''s?


    Was that why they were dancing together?


    Jun guessed that Ai came to this banquet to give his gift to his parents, feeling unjust for him. Which was true.


    Liu Hai cheerfully whistled and brought Jun to Shui''s side. She turned and almost stumbled, seeing Jun appear out of nowhere. Jin had told her that he wasn''t coming tonight. Guilt filled her heart because she knew she was the reason behind him avoiding the family gatherings.


    "...Jun?"


    "Hahaha! Aren''t you thrilled, Shui? Jun gave such an awesome surprise. Now, you won''t have to feel lonely seeing all the couples dance. Your boyfriend is here, hohoho!"


    Jun snapped his head towards her with a sharp questioning gaze.


    You didn''t tell them about our breakup?


    After their confrontation on New Year''s eve, Jun assumed that Shui would reveal it to her family which would naturally reach his family''s ears too. There was no doubt about Jin and Shui''s feelings for each other.


    So why would she keep her silence?


    Shui sensed the question his eyes conveyed, and she lowered her gaze. He felt the conflict behind her expression. Something was bothering her.


    Liu Hai watched the two and harrumphed. "What are you still standing here for! Look, Nuo and Jian are already on the dance floor. Get going."


    He made Jun hold Shui''s hand and gave them a light push. The light focused on them, and everybody clapped in delight.


    ¡ª


    It didn''t come any less of a shock to Jin and Ai either realizing that Jun was here.


    Bro Jun came¡­?


    Ai''s pace to match Jin''s steps slowed down as she bore her eyes into him. Typically, she would have tried to hide herself from him as she never wanted Jun to know about her visit here.


    But watching Jun and Shui dance with such closeness erased all the questions and apprehension from her mind.


    Questions like why is Jun suddenly here?


    What if he sees me and gets angry for meddling in his business?


    She kept staring at them unblinkingly until her eyes ached. Then she slowly swung her head to face Jin again with an unreadable expression.


    Jun, who held Shui in his arms, lightly hung onto her, creating a distance between them. His feet danced in rhythm with her, but his dark gaze was only focused on Ai.


    Not just her but Jin''s hand that was holding onto her waist, her palm clutching his shoulder, her hair fluttering on his coat, his face that was too close to hers, their chests that seemed to almost graze against one another, their eyes who looked at each other - he burned every one of those actions in his heart.


    Silently but surely.


    Shui, too, like Jun, couldn''t help but throw frequent glances towards Jin and Ai. Every time she did so, a strange painful feeling blocked her senses completely. She would forget where she was as if the canvas was all blank. The distance between them along with Liu Hai''s declaration earlier made her difficult to breathe.


    She suddenly felt a tightening pressure on her fingers. "O-ow¡­" she softly yelped. "Jun, you are holding my hand too tightly."


    Jun realized and eased the pressure.


    "Sorry," he said with a flat voice, not really sounding apologetic


    She watched his gaze which seemed familiar to her. His expression didn''t look particularly angry. But she still sensed the deep disturbance from him.


    Jun was extremely calm. At least, it seemed so from the outside.


    But she knew.


    Jun was the deadliest when he was the calmest.


    It was this feeling that he gave off which made her uncomfortable at times around him. Like something was looming upon you which threatened to cage you in his prison forever.


    The music hung in the air, and the couples danced.


    Jin didn''t fail to notice the change in everybody''s demeanors. He himself stared at Shui and his brother the way Shui was looking at them.


    But he knew that their relationship was no more now. This was just a perfunctory dance to keep appearances.


    What puzzled him more was Ai and Jun''s reactions.


    Jun was definitely watching Ai and Ai until now, was staring at Jun and Shui with a complicated expression.


    It reminded Jin of the accidental kiss he had witnessed.


    "How close are you with Bro Jun?"


    His sudden question startled Ai. She blinked at him. "What?"


    "You heard me," he smiled.


    Ai wasn''t sure of how much to reveal. "We are-" she paused for a reason unknown to her, "...not really close."


    Jin tilted his head. He thought she would fluster and dismiss even knowing Jun.


    "We just see each other at the library every day due to our work. Nothing more than that."


    "Yet you came this far to give his gift to Mom and Dad," he didn''t pull any punches. "Seems far more trouble for just acquaintances."


    She said nothing.


    "Do you look at bro Jun? He has been staring at you quite intensely. Something I cannot conceive happening between just two acquaintances."


    Ai stared at him. "Then can you explain why Shui was peeking at us? Or why were you looking at her? Something I cannot conceive happening between you and your supposed future sister-in-law."

 Chapter 99 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (14) : Not Tonight But Not Forever Either

    Chapter 99 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (14) : Not Tonight But Not Forever Either


    Jin''s eyes narrowed.


    She knows Shui''s name. She knows she is Bro''s girlfriend. She knows a lot more about bro than I had imagined.


    Then there was a question she asked. Until now, nobody had sensed the ambiguous feelings between Jin and Shui. Yet the way Ai sharply asked the question surmised that Jun and Ai''s relationship wasn''t so simple. Jin couldn''t really imagine his brother sharing his deepest feelings to a stranger. He wasn''t a person to talk about these things so easily to anyone.


    Yet somehow Ai seemed to know about Jun and Shui''s relationship.


    Yet she had Jun''s gift with her.


    He smiled. "You are wrong. There is nothing between us. There can never be anything between us."


    Ai narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Because it feels like more than telling me, you are trying to convince yourself."


    Jin stiffened.


    "And trying hard to convince yourself of something which might be true otherwise never ends up in doing good for anybody."


    His gaze slightly flickered, but he said nothing. A second later, he smiled. "I will keep that in mind."


    Shui looked away. "I couldn''t because I realized that the news of our breakup could create problems for others. Like Bro Siying and Sis Nuo. Or Bro Jian and Sis Leina. We will put them in a difficult position, and I don''t want them to agonize over taking sides. Though I know that it cannot go on forever."


    Jun paused.


    How could he forget that the strain of his relationship with Shui had broken other relationships?


    Nuo''s heartbroken face was still fresh in his mind. Siying respected Jun a lot but as a brother, he couldn''t bear any hurt to Shui, which brought differences between him and Nuo.


    Jian had completely drowned himself in alcohol when the fights increased between him and Leina, causing constant frustration.


    Their mothers, Nana and Xinyi, were beyond miserable by how things took a turn.


    He took a silent breath.


    "Things are different now¡­"


    "What?"


    Jun looked back at her. The past life was different. This was another life with a different situation.


    "We cannot hide this forever. I don''t want to. Otherwise things will go out of hand, and I won''t tolerate it." His dark gaze landed on Ai, something foggy swirling in his irises. "Not again¡­"


    "You will-"


    "Not tonight," he icily cut her off.


    He didn''t have to explain further as she understood that he didn''t want to spoil the banquet''s atmosphere.


    "But not forever either¡­" he narrowed his eyes, his dangerous gaze landing upon Jin.


    ¡ª


    Xing Bi wasn''t interested in watching the couples dance, and she didn''t bother with them either. Her focal point was Yunru, who was a part of the group which she assumed to be his family. There was a young woman who looked exactly like him, definitely his twin sister. There was another man, taller and slightly older than him, who resembled Yunru.


    That must be Chen Zixin I have heard of.


    Then of course, his parents Chen Jianyu and Chen Serena, were also present who seemed to be bickering with each other.


    The question was how to drag Yunru out of that group.


    "What are you thinking?"


    She gasped and jerked her head back, feeling somebody''s warm breath tickle her right ear. "Y-you!"


    Nian watched her with a sparkled gaze, clearly upto no good. "I will help you, I will help you! Just tell me what you want."


    Her chest expanded in disbelief. "I don''t want any help from you!"


    Nian got the shock of his life. "Why? Didn''t I help you get inside the house? I thought you would thank me with a dance," he showed a hurt expression.


    She glared at him. "Thank you? I want to beat you up! Why did you give me such an expensive dress? I feel like I am falling into a debt trap! One scratch on this dress and I am dead!"


    "Oohh," he waved his hand at her concern, "Don''t be so tense. Nothing will happen. You won''t fall into any trouble. I promise. This dress is designed by my un- *cough* Master Liu Jing. He is a very kind and happy-go-lucky man," he chirped.


    Xing Bi widened her eyes in horror. "Designed? This is a custom made dress!?" She could hardly keep her voice in check.


    "Yeah," he casually shrugged.


    She trembled. "Aren''t you a little too bold for a servant? How could you hand me a custom made dress!?"


    Nian dismissed her worry and asked with his dog ears popping out on his head, elated. "Scratch that. Tell me what you want."


    Xing Bi warned him. "If I fall into trouble, then I swear I will make you wear this dress and force you to loiter around in front of everyone!"


    "..."


    Isn''t that too harsh?


    "Oof. You won''t. Pinky promise. Now tell me," he expectantly waited.


    Xing Bi sighed and pointed at Yunru. "I want to meet him. But how to get him to talk to me privately?"


    Nian''s mouth twitched in annoyance.


    Why is she so focused on that brat? Can''t she see my handsome and charismatic self?


    "I will just look like a seducing bitch if I approach him."


    Nian choked. That was straightforward.


    He gave it a thought, and his dog ears perked up. "I have an idea."


    "What?"


    "Nothing fancy but which works all the time."


    Saying that, he disappeared. Xing Bi couldn''t see him anywhere but a few minutes later, she noticed a maid approaching Yunru. She stumbled, and the wine spilled on his coat. The maid profusely apologized. Yunru shrugged and excused himself towards the bathroom.


    "See?" Nian reappeared behind her with a grin on his lips. "It wasn''t that difficult, right?"


    Xing Bi was speechless.


    He is really too bold for a servant. He didn''t hesitate planning against a guest at all. Though why do I feel that he is enjoying this?


    "Thanks¡­" she gave a questioning smile.


    She turned and rushed to follow Yunru before she would lose this chance. "Okay! I will be back!"


    Nian was displeased with her going after Yunru.


    I will drown that brat''s head in the water once the banquet is over, he sneered.


    ¡ª


    Cooling down his head after the disturbance caused by meeting his father Gu Rong, Yating entered the Liu villa once again. He threw a quick glance for any sign of Jun, and he found him.


    He noticed a man present with the Liu family members. He wasn''t there previously before Yating had left. Jun''s facial features, without a doubt, resembled his father and siblings.


    Yating''s cold eyes narrowed, and he walked towards him with heavy steps. "Mr. Liu Jun."

 Chapter 100 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (15) : No Sense Of Judgment

    Chapter 100 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (15) : No Sense Of Judgment


    Ai immediately disappeared after the dance was done. She didn''t glance left or right and straight away headed outside. She understood it was rude after Nana had urged her to stay until the end.


    But watching Jun and Shui dance unsettled her. His family cheering him on rattled her heart. She wished to leave this place as soon as possible.


    Though a certain someone didn''t want her to.


    Ai''s phone vibrated with a message.


    ''You better not leave. Wait for me.''


    It was a message from Jun. Even through his message, she could sense a bit of hostility from it.


    Is it because I meddled in his business?


    She turned and glanced at the Liu villa once, unsure of what to do.


    ¡ª


    "Alright. Target secured," Xing Bi mumbled to herself watching Yunru step out of the washroom.


    I will go to him, explain the situation and happy ending for all! She nodded to herself.


    Fucking brat! You hardly got any wings and you want to already snatch my prey? Wait till I drown your head in the fountain!


    "Achoo!"


    Yunru rubbed the tip of his nose.


    Who is complimenting this young master?


    Xing Bi was a few steps away from him and extended her arm to touch his shoulder.


    "Hey, you."


    She froze. She turned and at the same time, Yunru turned too. "Oh, Uncle Jing!"


    Nian almost stumbled back.


    What the hell? Why is Uncle suddenly here!?


    Then he noticed his dear Uncle Yukito stepping out of a room too, adjusting his clothes.


    Shit, they were making out in this room!?


    Jing approached Xing Bi with black clouds forming all over his head. "This¡­this is the dress that I have designed," his gaze traveled up and down. "How are you wearing it?"


    Xing Bi wanted the earth to swallow her.


    Yunru furrowed his brows. "Huh. I don''t understand."


    He pointed at her. "This is my dress! I made this dress! How the hell is she wearing it? I don''t know her. I never gave it to her! You thief!"


    Her jaw dropped. "I am not a thief!"


    "Liar! Then tell me, where did you get this dress? No, wait. First tell me. Who are you?"


    Her mouth twitched.


    Jing gasped. "You don''t have an invitation, do you?"


    "No, no. I can explain-"


    "How dare you? You break into this banquet and even steal my dress! Some nerve you have!"


    "I didn''t steal it! Your servant gave it to me!"


    "As if a servant would dare to hand a stranger my precious creation!" He flared his nostrils. "Well then who is this servant you speak of? Bring him to me!"


    ¡ª


    Jun tilted his head and stared at Yating standing before him. It was a shock to see him at the banquet, especially when he knew that Yating wasn''t here in his past life. Yating was never a part of any banquets held by the Liu family.


    So how and why was he here this time?


    After being reborn, the first thing Jun did was break up with Shui. The second thing on his list was to get all the information on Gu Yating, who was behind Sky''s downfall.


    This is news¡­He is Gu Rong''s son?


    The revelation had taken him by surprise slightly. To him, Yating was always just a normal editor working in Dream High. He never made the connection that he was the young master of the Gu family.


    Jun wasn''t the type to involve himself with other rich families. He surely knew Gu Rong had a son but not that he was none other than Yating.


    Seems like someone else is hiding his real identity just like me, he cocked his brow.


    They now faced each other in silence, standing on a balcony.


    "I am in a really bad mood right now. So don''t waste my time," Jun showed no expression, but his voice carried a dark weight.


    Yating took a step forward and icily retorted. "We will talk as long as I want, Sky CEO Mr. Liu."


    Jun''s expression still didn''t crack. Instead, questions arose in his mind.


    He wasn''t supposed to find this out until five years later. Then what changed?


    "MissImperfectlyFine. I see you going to great lengths to defame her," Yating''s cold countenance matched Jun''s. It was as if there was a competition as to who could freeze the place first.


    "Oh. That''s how it is," Jun smiled. "The Chief Editor came here himself to defend a cheater writer?"


    Yating was unfazed. "The problem doesn''t lie if she is a cheater or not. It lies in your eyes. Have you read her books?"


    He said nothing.


    "I assume you have. Your silence says so. Anybody with good judgment will not ignore her work. If you have read her books, then I question how you are exactly running a publishing company if you couldn''t even judge what kind of a writer she is?"


    That managed to irk Jun.


    "Do you seriously think a person like her can plagiarise? That''s why I told you. The problem is in your eyes. You have read her books, yet you don''t understand her at all. You saved her from falling that day after the event, and now you are the only one who is pushing her into the pits whether she doesn''t deserve to be."


    He silently clenched his fist.


    Realizing that Jun was the same man who caught Ai in time that day brought a bitter feeling in his heart. It might be just a coincidence, yet he felt extremely uncomfortable.


    Jun gave a frightening smile and took a murderous step forward himself. "I thought I understood her. I really thought I did."


    The time at the signing event and his meeting with MissImperfectlyFine, her words, her protecting Yinyin and her funny post script notes - everything made him feel that he had come to know her better.


    "But you know what, Chief Editor? If I know MissImperfectlyFine, then I also know the person behind the story who your favorite author cheated on."

 Chapter 101 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (16) : Fun Turned Awry

    Chapter 101 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (16) : Fun Turned Awry


    Yating stared at him and burst into a chuckle. "No such person exists, CEO Liu. There is nobody who can write like MissImperfectlyFine. It''s all just a way to target Dream High, isn''t it?"


    Jun suddenly grabbed his collar and violently pushed him back. Yating narrowed his eyes, held his wrist and equally violently shook it off.


    Jun''s expression seemed like Hell descended. "Don''t you dare question her existence, you fucker¡­" he warned him in an extremely menacing tone. "I will seriously kill you with my own hands."


    "Is that so? Then tell me. Who is she?" Yating challenged him. "Who is this Butterfly author you speak of? She is not affiliated with any publishing company. There is no information about her. A new author with questionable background, and you claim MissImperfectlyFine plagiarized HER work, who is a published and an experienced author?"


    He sneered. "Yes. She plagiarized her work. I already gave all the proof I had to. I don''t give a fuck to proving it to you again. As for who Butterfly is, a cheater and a bastard like you doesn''t deserve to know that."


    Yating squinted his eyes. "Excuse me? A cheater?"


    Jun laughed with a sinister ring to it. "Are you doing this simply as a Chief Editor or¡­you because you have some ambiguous feelings for MissImperfectlyFine?"


    He didn''t flinch at his question at all. "And? Whether my motivation is personal or professional, it doesn''t change the fact that you are making a grave mistake, and you are testing my raised his brow in amusement. "Your words seem like you are a man truly in love, but are you? A man who couldn''t even save his woman from falling off a couple of stairs claims such a deep love for her?"


    And then the fact that you are gonna cheat on her five years later, Jun narrowed his eyes.


    That finally hit Yating''s nerve. He shook hard and lowered his gaze, digging his nails into his palm.


    That''s not true. That''s not true! I wanted to save her. I really wanted to¡­


    This time, it was Yating who almost rushed to grab his collar but stopped himself in time. He swallowed a gulp and calmed himself. He shut his eyes and opened them a moment later.


    "You say that I have feelings for her. But aren''t you the same? The CEO of Sky Publishing going so far for a new and unknown writer is suspicious in itself. Are you defaming MissImperfectlyFine because you are so head in heels over Butterfly?"


    His words struck Jun hard.


    Feelings? Love for Ai?


    He was completely caught off guard. He blankly looked away, trying to make sense of what he just questioned.


    Yating dusted his coat and stared at him. "I didn''t come here to prove MissImperfectlyFine''s innocence to you. A person like you who can''t even judge something as simple as a plagiarism issue is someone I don''t want to waste my time on. I came here to tell you that she is an important person to me. Personally and professionally both. You need to stop what you are doing."


    Jun was still rattled by his previous words. He somehow regained his composure and sneered at him. "And what will the Chief Editor do if I don''t stop?"


    "Then face the consequences. Take down the statement about MissImperfectlyFine, or I will personally tear Sky down to shreds," his voice was filled with a cold resolve exactly like his eyes. "As for proving MissImperfectlyFine''s innocence to the world, I will personally take charge to expose this Butterfly author of yours. Then along with the world, keep laughing at your own stupidity."


    As Yating quietly walked away, Jun leaned his back on the railing, his mind jumbled up and confused. He didn''t care about Yating''s threat or even flinched upon it.


    What resounded in his ears the most was about his feelings for Ai.


    ¡ª


    At Xing Bi''s side, she watched each and every servant very carefully. Upon Jing''s orders, all the male servants were asked to line up.


    Jing coldly asked, "Which one is it?"


    She wiped her forehead. "That servant isn''t here!"


    "Excuses!" He flared.


    "I am not lying! He was a servant, but he had worn very good clothes like a guest!"


    "Huh? All our servants have a dress code here. Can you not see?"


    "He said he got it as a gift from Mrs. Liu," she gritted her teeth.


    Yukito glanced at all the servants. "Did Nee-chan give any gift to any of you?"


    They shook their heads. "Mrs. Liu didn''t give us any gift."


    "Even when she does, she gifts everybody, not just one of us."


    Xing Bi furiously disagreed. "No, no! He said he was bullied, so Mrs. Liu gave him a gift to cheer him up!"


    Jing was speechless. "Our staff doesn''t get bullied, okay? Neither we do it nor among the workers among themselves! You are lying through your teeth!"


    "I am not!"


    Yunru gave her a cold glare. "You are not even a guest here, and you went this far? What is your purpose?"


    "It''s to-"


    "I don''t care about her purpose!" Jing was extremely protective of his clothes. He could never tolerate even a scratch upon it. "You illegally took my precious dress and are now trying to pin the blame on our loyal staff. You dare touch my creation! I will make you pay for this!"


    Nian, who was watching everything from afar, lacked tears to shed. It was a piece of cake for him to resolve the misunderstanding. Even if Jing got mad at him, he would handle it.


    But seeing the ugly and murderous expression on Xing Bi''s face right now made it a tad difficult for him to step in between.


    I was just really playing around. But now I feel that she is an interesting woman. If she knows that I am actually the young master and not some servant, she will cook me alive. Then she won''t look at me anymore, find another man to marry and I will have to kill him because I find her interesting and only I can have her, which will eventually make her sad, and then she will hate me even more, Nian was babbling to himself at a fast pace.


    What have I done?

 Chapter 102 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (17) : Ai Is Not Single

    Chapter 102 Wedding Anniversary Banquet Arc (17) : Ai Is Not Single


    As the banquet came to an end, Liu Hai searched for Ai everywhere, but she was nowhere to be seen.


    "Aiyooo where is my granddaughter-in-law that I chose for Jin? I wanted to introduce her to everyone!" He lamented.


    Nana beamed. "The one who danced with Jin, right? Jinhai and I met her already. She is such a sweet girl. I really liked her!"


    Jinhai kept his silence.


    "I know, right!? She is so cute and just perfect for Jin!"


    Shui lowered her gaze.


    Chen Serena, Yunru''s mother, sighed. "Ah, I really wanted to meet her too. I was so shocked to see Jin dance with a woman. I thought that he had a girlfriend and didn''t even tell us? That''s not fair!"


    Liang Huian, Nana''s sister-in-law, chimed in too. "I missed the chance too!"


    Liu Hai glared at them. "You two! Shoo! I found her for Jin! Don''t even think about poaching her for Zixin or Bao!"


    Their mouths twitched. Their husbands Jianyu and Liang didn''t bother to intervene lest they suffered their wife''s wrath.


    Jian wiped his forehead. He looked for his twin brother and was frustrated to not find him anywhere.


    Idiot! Where are you? We are in deep trouble!


    And you old man! Out of the whole wide world, you only found Zhou Ai to be Jin''s wife!?


    Leina smiled. "Why do I see you sweating, Jian?"


    "O-of course not haha¡­"


    "For your information, I remembered that woman with whom you were so passionately flirting in the library that day."


    "..."


    Jian sheepishly grinned. "I thought we were past that. Leina, you are not mad at me anymore, right? Right? Right?"


    He widened his watery eyes and stared at her pitifully. She sighed and smacked him. "You better not give me any chance to complain or¡­"


    "Never!" He straightened up.


    Siying and Nuo stood on Jin''s side and curiously asked, "So Jin. What do you think about your bride?" Nuo giggled.


    Jin smiled. "Don''t take Grandpa seriously."


    "Whaaaaaat. But I kinda liked her. She seemed so honest and kind. I really wanted to meet her," Nuo lamented. "You looked good together."


    Siying agreed.


    He shook his head. "It won''t happen."


    From the other side, Jun finally appeared. His gaze fell on Jin, and he emanated a chilly aura.


    Nana brightened and pulled him among everyone. "Jun! How do I look? See, I wore the earrings you gifted me. And Jinhai is wearing the cuff links too."


    Jun had already noticed the jewellery upon them and faintly smiled. "As always, you look beautiful, Mom."


    "Haha. It''s because your gift is so beautiful. But you are so silly! You forgot the gift at the library. If not for that woman who regularly visits the library, who knows when we would have got it?" She harrumphed.


    Jun stared at her, his heart shaken to know about Ai. "She¡­gave it to you?"


    She furiously nodded. "She was so nice. She understood that your gift was so important to us. Wait, that reminds me. I didn''t catch her name."


    Liu Hai was struck with lightning. Liu Chunhua helplessly sighed. "You got so excited that you didn''t ask for her name either, did you?"


    He coughed in embarrassment. "I¡­I was about to ask her right now!"


    It was Leina who answered. "Zhou Ai is her name."


    Nana was surprised. "Ah? How do you know?"


    She smiled and shared a look with her boyfriend. "Do you want to step in, Jian?"


    "..."


    Jian cleared his throat. "Sh-she is the s-same woman from that library¡­"


    Nana blinked for a few seconds and gasped in realization. "The one with whom you and Nian acted as hooligans!? No wonder I felt that I had seen her before!"


    "We-we were not hooligans!" He defended himself.


    Liu Hai roared. "What is this I am hearing!? You two brats dare bully my granddaughter-in-law!? Ah¡­now I understood why Nian ran away like a scaredy cat," he sneered. "I was right! That brat doesn''t deserve her! I was right when I chose Jin for her."


    "No!"


    The deadly aura around Jun only intensified.


    Granddaughter-in-law¡­For Jin¡­


    He knew he shouldn''t take Liu Hai seriously. But he couldn''t stop the burning volcano from enveloping his heart.


    Jin again¡­It''s always Jin again and again¡­


    His menacing gaze fell upon Liu Hai as silence reigned after he exclaimed. Everybody was taken aback by Jun''s sudden interruption.


    Liu Hai whined. "What do you mean by no!? And why are you glaring at me like-"


    "Ai is not single," he sharply said.


    He gasped. "T-that''s impossible! I asked her if she was single!"


    He sneered. "Did you bother to listen to her answer?"


    "I-I-I-" Liu Hai honestly hadn''t.


    Jun coldly towered his tall and broad body over his grandfather and looked at him as if he would chew him alive. "Those sweets you secretly munch on are destroying the remaining amount of brain cells that you have, Grandpa."


    "..."


    He lowered his voice to a dangerous level. "Don''t be shameless and poach on committed women. Ai is not available for any other man. Neither bro Nian nor¡­Jin. No.bo.dy," he broke down the last words into three crisp syllables.


    Liu Chunhua glared at her husband. "This is why I tell you not to get so hyper all the time! But you don''t listen to me! You forced the poor girl to dance with Jin for no reason!"


    "But-"


    "And what is this about you secretly munching on sweets?" She narrowed her eyes.


    Liu Hai broke into a cold sweat. "There is no truth to that! Jun is framing me!"


    The iciness around Jun dissipated giving Liu Hai his piece of mind.


    With their bickering, the others got busy chatting among themselves when Jinhai approached him. They were at some distance away from each other.


    Before Jinhai could speak, Jun himself apologized first, "I wasn''t going to come here tonight. I really wasn''t. I am sorry."


    Jinhai quietly stared at him for several long seconds. "You came here for Zhou Ai."


    He said nothing.


    "She had your gift with you. She came this far to give it to Nana and me. Then she scolded me too. I wonder about your relationship with her," his dark eyes carefully studying Jun''s reaction.


    Jun rapidly blinked. "...Scolded you?"


    "Out of the four sentences I just said, that was the thing which caught your interest?" He narrowed his eyes.


    "Anybody else but Mom scolding you is a big deal."


    "Indeed," Then he slowly continued, "She is quite like Nana."


    Jun widened his eyes. For Jinhai to compare somebody to Nana was another big deal.


    "What did she say¡­?"


    "She was quite upset that I didn''t like receiving your gift. She pointed out a lot of flaws of mine, and how I have no right to cut you off from the family. Nana would have said the same."


    Jun stared at him.


    "There are very, very few people who can talk to me in that tone," Jinhai tilted his head. "Whatever relationship you have with her, make sure not to repeat past life this time."


    Jun said nothing.


    Jinhai turned to leave when he stopped as Jun spoke, "I¡­I need to confess something to you Dad."

 Chapter 103 I Will Teach You How To Dance (1)

    Chapter 103 I Will Teach You How To Dance (1)


    Jinhai carefully watched his son. "Is it about how you tried to kill yourself by jumping in front of a car?"


    Jun stiffened. He couldn''t meet his father''s gaze. What stunned him the most was how Jinhai knew about his suicide attempt in the first place?


    He answered as he understood the question in his eyes. "I surely banished you from the family, but you are still my son. I was keeping track of what you were doing with your life. Naturally, I know that you are working in the central library. I got a report one day that you tried to jump in front of a car. The guards were unable to pull you back in time because it happened so suddenly. But they said a woman saved you and even slapped you. She was Zhou Ai, right?"


    Jun nodded with a head lowered in shame.


    Jinhai raised his brow. "There are very, very few people who can slap you in your face, certainly not strangers. She did well because you didn''t fail to disappoint me yet again."


    A painful lump formed at the back of his throat. "I am sorry-"


    His harsh, cold voice cut him off. "Don''t need it. You killed yourself in your past life. You were going to do the same again. I cannot imagine how Nana would feel seeing you toying with the life she gave you if she ever came to know about it."


    Jun carefully heard him speak. The disappointment and fury in his voice was evident as much as how it slightly trembled with fear.


    "I kicked you out because I could not forgive you for hurting your family, especially¡­" he clenched his fist. "Nana. She died because of you, and I can bear anything but not losing her forever. You hurt Nana in the worst way possible to the point she died, and that is my bottomline nobody can cross."


    The temperature took a sharp drop as Jinhai conveyed his parting words. "If you feel you can lighten your guilt by showing your bravery of confessing your suicide attempt to me, then you are wrong. Leave."


    ¡ª


    "Bro!"


    Jin hurried towards Jun outside the mansion as he saw him leaving from the gates. "Bro!"


    Jun ever so slightly turned his head, his eyes carrying a hint of bloodthirst.


    "I¡­" he took a moment to catch his breath. "I wanted to talk to you, but ever since you left home, I couldn''t get the chance."


    Jin stood before his elder brother and peered into his dark eyes. "Bro, Shui told me that you¡­you broke up with her."


    Jun didn''t respond.


    "She told me at the cafe one day we met. I was shocked beyond my wits. There is definitely some misunderstanding, right? I suggested that Shui talk to you again. But even on New Year''s, things didn''t seem to resolve between you two. That''s why I came to meet you. What is wrong, bro? You love Shui to death. H-How is it possible that you break up with her?"


    Jun could see the anguish and worry on his face. But he didn''t focus on what he was saying. He could only remember how he touched Ai. How he danced with her. How he got intimate with her.


    Everything else seemed secondary to him.


    "We have broken up and that''s that," he affirmed without much emotion.


    Jin blinked. "W-what? Bro, didn''t you always claim Shui as your wife? You are so crazy for her. Why did you suddenly¡­change like this then? Couples fight all the time. A break up over one argument seems far fetched. If you two still-"


    "Enough."


    He stiffened, sensing the finality in his icy tone.


    "I don''t want to talk about this," his aura emanated such cold winds that made Jin shudder. "Right now¡­it would be really better if you left my sight."


    Jin''s lips parted in a light gasp, and his eyelashes trembled. His fingers shook as he curled them into his palm.


    "Bro¡­Do you hate me?" His voice broke, "You left home, and it feels to me that you are avoiding me particularly. I just want to see you happy, Bro. Your happiness is in Shui, isn''t it? I just want to see you two together."


    Jun clenched his teeth and looked away. "Shui and I are over. The earlier you accept it, the better."


    Green nerves popped on the back of his fist. The only memory endlessly hovering in his mind was Jin and Ai''s dance. He was afraid he would become violent if Jin didn''t leave his sight.


    "I will announce my break up to the family soon enough."


    Jin''s eyes watched his brother with an incredulous stare.


    Jun took a step forward to leave but stopped himself to leave. He threw a side glance at him, narrowing his eyes.


    "The thing Grandpa proposed about Ai being your wife? Don''t bother to take it too seriously," his deep voice sounded darker and more sinister.


    He tilted his head and warned. "Just treat it as a joke and let it end here. I will say again what I said before. Ai is not available for anybody. So, stay away from her."


    It was hard not to flip out like he did in his past life when he came to know about Shui and Jin. But that memory was what tethered him to control his emotions from lashing out. He didn''t wish to repeat the past life and get violent with Jin which had started all the misery.


    He wouldn''t lash out, but he certainly could put a brake on any useless thoughts anybody might have for Ai.


    Jun pushed the gate and walked out, his face marred with an expression of a deadly threat.


    ¡ª


    Over at Jun''s condo, Ai was seated on the couch, her thoughts lost and in disarray. She returned home first anyway even though Jun had messaged her to wait for him.


    In the end, she couldn''t. But she also knew she couldn''t avoid his questions. So she patiently waited for him.


    The door opened, and she immediately felt the air getting heavier and chillier. With every step that Jun took towards her, the space around her felt turning darker like the night sky.


    Ai got up on her feet and turned to face him. "I know what you want to ask. You must be upset for me meddling into your family business. I had no right to take your gift and appear in front of your family-"


    To her shock, Jun suddenly played a soft tune on his phone and kept it on the table.


    As the music played, he grabbed Ai''s waist and pulled her towards himself, pressing her body against his.


    Stupefied, Ai rapidly blinked. "What are you doing?"


    Intertwining his fingers within hers, he quietly but alarmingly said, "You asked me that day that you wanted to learn dancing, right? Let''s do it. I will teach you how to dance."

 Chapter 104 I Will Teach You How To Dance (2)

    Chapter 104 I Will Teach You How To Dance (2)


    Before Ai could speak, Jun took a step back with her and whispered in her ear, "When I put my foot back, you put yours in the front. We will do this three times, and then you will twirl."


    Ai felt slightly dizzy with the twirl, but she had no time to ponder upon her situation when Jun held her waist again. Her cheek bumped on his chest as he pulled her even closer than before. He entwined his fingers between hers so tightly until she felt the back of her hand squeezed by his scorching heated palm.


    She gasped feeling a ticklish sensation with Jun digging his fingers into her waist. Her dress was there to partition the contact with her skin, yet a shiver passed through the left profile of her body.


    "Jun, I-"


    Jun took a large stride towards the right, coming back to a perfect circle as he guided her along.


    "Your elbow is stiff. Loosen it up like I have. Ease the pressure," his low voice rang huskily between them.


    Ai watched Jun dance elegantly to the tune in a stupor. There was not a single wasted movement. He didn''t miss any beat, neither did he let her skip any. He moved his arms and legs in a soft, fluid motion in rhythm with the song, yet she sensed a harshness in him.


    But despite that harshness, Ai didn''t feel forced at all.


    Jun increased his pace, and she found her heartbeat accelerating with every step.


    He pulled Ai in his arms and as his lips slightly brushed against her cheek, he raspily let his voice in her ear, "Sync your breaths with mine."


    The hair on the nape of her fair neck tingled and stood upright. The warmth from her ear reached all the way to her cheeks.


    Jun lifted her by her waist, and she felt herself float in the air. For a moment, her heart jumped in her chest, feeling nothing underneath her feet. But before his dark gaze that penetrated her soul, she had no chance of feeling afraid of being in the air.


    "Just look at me," he ordered in an extremely quiet but commanding voice. "I won''t like it if you forget what I said before. As long as I am there, you won''t fall."


    Ai shivered.


    Jun gently lowered her until her face reached his level. From her waist, his palms traced to her back until he completely wrapped her around him.


    The only source of light in the room were the city lights that cast their faint brightness inside. It made Jun''s breathtakingly attractive features seem like a handsome devil who captured your soul.


    Ai had encircled her arms around his neck for support. With Jun''s sudden insistence on teaching her how to dance, she was at a loss. Hardly three minutes had passed by since the dance started, but her breaths were already messy.


    She finally regained her composure and met his eyes. "I was talking about visiting your house¡­I don''t want to learn dance right now-"


    "Why? Didn''t you look so happy dancing with my brother?" His head tilted, his voice becoming edgy and rougher.


    Ai stared at him. "I wasn''t particularly happy."


    "Yet you didn''t deny the request."


    Jun looked even more dangerous with an expressionless countenance.


    "Your grandfather insisted."


    "Aren''t you always so clear about your feelings? But you didn''t clarify anything with him."


    Ai calmly replied. "It happened suddenly. He just pushed us on the dance floor."


    "So you just accepted his nonsense whether it was about you becoming Jin''s bride or he pushing you to dance with him? Since when do you go along with the flow, Zhou Ai?"


    The hint of a sharp accusation in his tone didn''t sit well with Ai.


    She coldly said, "Leave me."


    Jun''s gaze darkened, and he pushed her onto the swing near the large windows. There was a beautiful crescent shaped swing in his living room which fit perfectly beside the glass windows. It showed the view of the tall buildings that looked even prettier at night.


    Ai''s eyes widened, and she flailed her feet in fear wanting to grasp the floor.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "I just told you, didn''t I? As long as I am by your side, you won''t ever fall. Don''t make that expression because I am right here."


    He made her feet touch his thighs and bent closer. She inhaled a soft breath and placed her hands on his chest. "Leave."


    He locked her inside the swing using his body which loomed upon her and pinched her chin up. "You surely didn''t say that to Jin, did you?"


    From her chin, his fingers caressed her cheek. The cramp space in the swing forced them to be closer. Recalling the intimate distance between them, the storm in his eyes grew fiercer.


    Incensed by his words, Ai bit her lip and retaliated tremblingly. "You didn''t refuse to dance with Shui either. You have no right to talk to me that way."


    More than she had expected, Jun''s dance with Shui had hurt her. Since they had broken up, it didn''t cross her mind that Jun would still agree with it. Yet he shared that dance with Shui.


    Which made Ai wonder had he truly let go of Shui?


    It wasn''t the dance but his consent that took her aback and riled a sour feeling in her chest. She couldn''t understand why it affected her so much.


    Jun grabbed the back of her head and propped his left knee on the swing''s cushion base. With an angle that left only an inch of distance between them, he said in a hushed tone. "I thought you understood that it was for the sake of appearances."


    Her eyelashes trembled. "Then wasn''t I in the same position as you?"


    "Because¡­!"


    His voice raised with a higher pitch, feeling immensely aggravated. Everything was messed up in his head as if hundreds of threads were entangled within themselves.


    But what peeved him the most was¡­


    "Because it''s Jin. You cannot have anything to do with Jin. I won''t let you be near Jin. I won''t allow you to have any sort of relationship with Jin. Not with Jin ever!"

 Chapter 105 Trapped In The Crescent Swing (1)

    Chapter 105 Trapped In The Crescent Swing (1)


    The sound of his impatient and unnerved breaths echoed in her ears amidst the silence.


    Why was it always Jin?


    His feelings for Shui snatched her away from Jun. He loved Jin the most, and he suffered the defeat by the hands of the same brother.


    Now in this second life that fate granted him, he resolved to stay away from Jin and any kind of emotion that led to love. But he met Ai, and a strange relationship gradually formed between them.


    He couldn''t give a name to it but whatever it was, he unknowingly held it closer to his heart. It was a connection that only he had with Ai. He assumed it only belonged to him.


    But again¡­once again things led to a point where Ai and Jin crossed paths.


    Just how many times do I have to lose to Jin?


    How many times do I have to be afraid of him?


    The agitation in his dark brown orbs felt familiar to Ai as if she was going through the same emotion. She could have stayed back to wait for Jun and come home together.


    But remembering how Jun didn''t protest dancing with Shui, she couldn''t get the courage to remain there any longer. Only one fear had grappled her heart.


    He was trying to move on from Shui and his heartbreak. But will this moment of closeness between them ruin everything and make him run back to her side?


    If it did, then what about her? Will they go back to be mere acquaintances like how they first met?


    Jun grabbed Ai''s hand which Jin had held during his dance with Ai. He tightly intertwined it with his as if trying to wash off his presence from it. Staring straight into her eyes, he lifted her hand and pecked the back of it with his lips.


    Ai shook hard.


    "Tell me, Zhou Ai. You won''t have anything to do with Jin ever again."


    She clutched a portion of his shirt in her fist. "Demanding this from me is unfair. Why do you care if I met Jin again-"


    Suddenly, her body sharply convulsed as she saw his pupils getting clouded with a strange dark possessiveness.


    "Because it''s Jin. As simple as that."


    Jun enunciated the words so agonizingly slowly that she felt as if time had stopped.


    He tilted his head, the dim light from outside shining upon his eyes. "As for Shui and I, I am going to announce our breakup soon anyway."


    She froze.


    Announce it¡­?


    From the heavy bulldozer that delivered crushing blows to her until now, she felt incredibly lighter in an instant. She couldn''t wrap her head around this sudden shift in relief that washed over her heart.


    "Oh¡­"


    Jun pinched her jaw and leaned deeper, purposefully caressing his skin against her neck and whispering into her ear. "Answer me, Ai."


    The warning in his tone felt stronger and more unforgiving.


    Her lips trembled feeling the tickle of his hair. "...I won''t."


    "I didn''t hear," he clutched a lock of her hair and bit her ear.


    A sharp gasp escaped her mouth. "I won''t!"


    The swing roughly swayed from front to back with their movements. The cramped space within which the two were barely fitting got hotter with their ragged breaths. Her answer provided some reassurance to Jun. But it couldn''t completely ease the anguish burning within him.


    He had touched her¡­Jin had touched her¡­


    A raging sensation swelled in his chest. The lips that were so dangerously hovering above her milky skin until now finally made contact.


    Ai stiffened. But she didn''t feel repulsed.


    Jun pushed Ai back farther into the crescent swing, climbing upon it and leaning on her delicate body. The swing shook fiercely again which swayed them hard.


    Ai gasped, instinctively feeling afraid of falling. Jun locked the swing against the pole making it stand steady and grabbed her legs, wrapping them around his waist to ease her fear. His arm snaked around her waist in turn, bringing their bodies in an embrace.


    He kissed her neck first from which he went his way upwards - to her ear and cheek. His right palm cupped her face, his fingers digging into the back of her neck. He left a trail of kisses on her chin until he couldn''t hold back any longer.


    Jun dangerously inched closer to her. Ai shivered and quickly put a finger on his approaching lips. It was a feeble attempt to not stop him but herself from these strange feelings that overwhelmed her.


    It halted Jun just a few centimeters away from her. He narrowed his eyes, staring at her dainty finger on his lips. A low growl echoed in the swing. "It''s not gonna work, Zhou Ai."


    He leaned despite the barrier nevertheless. Their lips met with her finger still blocking the last centimeter. Their lips weren''t actually in contact, yet she felt as if there was nothing separating them. She trembled, feeling the moist sensation of his tongue darting upon her finger.


    Startled, Ai lowered it that allowed Jun to crush his lips upon her with a force that pushed her back all towards the end.


    This time it wasn''t an accidental kiss nor was it a kiss of comfort.


    The kiss was purposeful and unhidden behind any excuses.


    Jun''s towering figure seemed as if it was crushing Ai, but there was a slim void between them which he let it remain to not suffocate her. Her chest heaved as she inhaled, pushing her soft breasts to touch his chest which only further fueled his desire to kiss her harder.


    Ai felt her body burning. The heat reached the tip of her ears. She softly gasped when his tongue went in, and everything went hazy after that.


    Her heart sped uncontrollably. Her body trembled immeasurably. The only sane thought which gave her some semblance was that she didn''t want this feeling to end.


    Whether it was his body that trapped her against his or his lips making a mess out of hers or his fingers traveling on her neck and chest - she wished this intoxicating moment to never end.

 Chapter 106 Trapped In The Crescent Swing (2)

    Jun shared her sentiment with how his hand that reached her chest twitched with an innate desire to cup her breast. And he did.


    His palm gave it a gentle squeeze. It didn''t make a difference if a thin line of Ai''s dress''s fabric obstructed him. The heat that scorched up his hand was the same as it would have if he had caught her breast naked.


    Both took a sharp breath at once. It riled up a desire within them to do something more. To go even further. None of them could understand these feelings soaring within them. They could only hear the messy breaths and see the clothes crumpled and creased due to their proximity.


    pA????[0?)?? The swing was custom made to fit Jun''s tall stature. It was wide enough for him to comfortably rest on the cushion and read his favorite books in leisure. But with two people nestled inside it, the huge swing seemed incredibly constricted. The lack of space forced their bodies to crush and press against each other.


    Jun cradled Ai in his arms firmly as he sucked her neck. His feathery kisses felt hotter with his tongue licking up to her beautiful clavicle. He bit the nape of her neck, lowering his head towards her chest. His heart was consumed with a fiery desire as much as fear.


    He wasn''t supposed to do this. He wasn''t supposed to be ever swayed by another woman ever. He wanted to stop before he crossed the point of no return. His body trembled, wanting to reject this emotion. But watching Jin and Ai together invoked a threat within him that urged him to tightly hold on to Ai.


    He let out a quiet grunt as he dipped his head to kiss her lips again. They felt soft and tantalizing, making him press harder. He left a moist trail at her sensitive spots from behind her ear to her jawline.


    Ai clung onto his shoulders, returning his kiss with a dizziness that made everything blur and spin around her. His hand clutched her shoulder and it ever so slowly ran down, caressing every inch of her smooth skin. He entwined his fingers with her at the end, their palms growing feverish.


    They panted in breathlessness until the inevitable happened.


    Jun felt a reaction. The hardening of his member left him in a deep shock. It twitched incessantly, hungry to claim Ai. He drew his tongue out of her mouth breaking their kiss and collapsed on her neck.


    Ai, who wasn''t even sure if she was breathing anymore, jolted as his hot forehead grazed her skin. She herself was beginning to feel giddy in her stomach when she felt something poke her thigh. Her misty eyes rapidly blinked. Her lips parted in shock. Her voice failed to come out for several long seconds. "You..."


    She heard him noisily breathing and gritting his teeth. His hot breaths fanned her neck. "Don''t talk..."


    She swallowed a gulp. The twitching of his member became sharper and impatient which forced Ai to bring her knees closer as she felt something ticklish and warm threatening to flush between her thighs.


    She was the same as Jun at that moment - fighting the onset of a dangerous desire from consuming her.


    With some courage, Ai finally whispered, "I...should leave-"


    "Don''t you dare!" Jun gasped. Small beads of sweat formed on his temples that trickled down to her skin. His grip grew more relentless and intense, making her shiver. He wanted her to stay by his side. As a reassurance or something else, he didn''t know.


    Ai shifted slightly to breathe, making him growl. "Don''t move..."


    It was only intensifying his reaction, which he was trying his hardest to control.


    Ai stiffened and didn''t move even a muscle later. It proved difficult to not think about the excitement rushing in her body either. It was a frustrating feeling that had no outlet to escape.


    After what it seemed like forever, Jun tore himself away from her warmth and rolled beside her in the swing. His chest heaved up and down. He bit his tongue, forcing himself to calm down. It wasn''t helping much, but he did his best.


    Ai gently raised her head. Her heart drummed rapidly, staring into his dark eyes that were enveloped with a tint of fogginess.


    "Sleep," he muttered through a clenched jaw.


    She stiffened. "L-Like this...?"


    "Yes! Just shut your eyes and sleep."


    "...But you are-"


    Jun cast a dangerous glare at her. "I will be fine."


    Ai bit her lip and shifted to sit upright when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her heads collided on his chest, and he tightly secured her with his right arm enveloping her waist.


    "Get this..." he swallowed hard, resisting the heat crushing him, "Get this straight. You are not going anywhere..." he took a sharp breath.


    Her gaze fell onto his slightly bulging member, flushing her cheeks crimson.


    "It will..." she gulped. "It will be painful for you."


    His head rested back as he gasped. Delirious and not realizing his own thoughts, he whispered, "You leaving my side...will be more painful..."


    Ai stiffened. A tear slipped down her cheek before she knew it. Unconsciously, she hugged him tighter, a sudden ache welling in her heart.


    In a hushed tone, she said, "I see...Then I won''t leave."


    Relieved, Jun nodded his head in a daze. He knew he was torturing himself in this position with how he had wrapped her softness within his arms. Her mellow fragrance made his throat itch. He might not have any decent sleep at all.


    But rather than letting her go, he yearned for her to be with him.


    A long time passed by before Jun finally eased down. His eyes felt heavy, and his head fell on top of Ai''s, who was softly humming a tune to distract him and herself from the tension that built within them. Her own eyes were dozing off to sleep. Inside the beautiful crescent swing, they nestled in each other''s arms just like that as the night grew deeper and colder.

 Chapter 107 Cold Shower

    Chapter 107 Cold Shower


    Ai immediately woke up as soon as the living room was dimly lit with the early morning sunshine. She softly yawned and noticed a sort of roof on her head. Her eyes rapidly blinked, and reality dawned upon her.


    With a heart that threatened to break out of her chest, she found herself enveloped in Jun''s arms. His handsome face was so close to her that she could see his long eyelashes and hear his soft breathing.


    Last night''s events flooded in her mind. Her eyes widened in response, making her question her sanity. They had made out in this very swing. Even if Jun initiated it, Ai hadn''t stopped him.


    She touched her chest, trying to calm her uneven and panicky breaths.


    Why did I not stop him¡­?


    After Yating''s betrayal in her past life, she had resolved to keep distance with these emotions. She had sworn not to get too close with anyone like that again. She promised herself to dedicate her life to only writing and achieving a good career.


    Her only goal behind observing Jun was to get inspiration which she lacked. It indeed helped her a lot as she felt she learnt more being in his company. But at the same time, it was also dragging her into a world which she didn''t want to visit anymore.


    Ai wiped her forehead, breathing hard. Her heart throbbed with desire last night, but now it only thumped with fear. For now, she only wanted to leave and clear her head.


    I cannot¡­For Jun I cannot¡­


    She straightened up but was unable to do so. Jun''s long and muscular arm didn''t leave any space for her to move. At the same time, his breaths that were gently fanning on her neck made her only grow more restless.


    She held his hand and slowly moved it away without waking him up. It worked. Relieved, she silently shifted forward to get down, but there was a new challenge in front of her.


    She looked down, and the floor immediately seemed to spin. She then realized it wasn''t the floor but herself.


    The swing was at a considerable height from the ground level and with the fear of heights that plagued her, she was at a loss. She tried to put a foot down but would instantly pull it back, afraid of falling. She tried that a few times with no result.


    All this shifting and rustling woke up Jun from his sleep too. As he blinked his eyes, he found Ai desperately trying to get down but to no avail. Her back was facing him, so she couldn''t witness the horror his expression exhibited. He got up with a sharp jolt, startling Ai.


    Jun blankly stared ahead with an empty gaze. There was a long stretch of silence between them which neither of them could breach.


    Without saying a word, Jun swiftly climbed down the swing. Ai parted her lips seeing him leave, wondering whether to ask him for help. Instead, he saved her the trouble as he turned back a moment later. He bent towards her, stopping her breath in her throat. He easily scooped her in his arms, lifting her off the swing.


    Ai widened her eyes, feeling herself in his embrace once again and caught into his neck. She felt his gaze at her, and she lowered her own instinctively recalling last night.


    Jun slowly put her down until her feet touched the floor. His hand caressed along her back as he parted away. Even that miniscule moment of touch was enough to make her tremble.


    He moved his jaw in an attempt to say something. Anything. But words failed him. He clenched and unclenched his fist. There was a need for a conversation here. But how could he start it when his own thoughts were so badly muddled up?


    Ai quickly bowed. "Th-thank you."


    Saying the only word which could escape her lips, she rushed inside her room and shut the door.


    ¡ª


    Jun turned on the shower. Cold water rained upon him from head to toe. The winter was still present to spread its chilliness outside, but Jun didn''t care about the freezing cold water drizzling down on him. His clothes got soaking wet. The water drops pitter pattered on the tiles.


    He took a long, silent breath as he combed his wet palms over his face and across his hair. He dug his teeth harder in his lip until it started to bleed.


    The memories of last night flared inside his mind. The dance, the intimacy inside the swing¡­it was if somebody had possessed him.


    Baffled at his actions, he only laughed.


    "Impossible. That couldn''t be me," his laughter grew louder and crazier. "Ah, Liu Jun¡­you cannot be that stupid to repeat the mistake which ended your last life in a tragedy¡­What went wrong with me?"


    He stared towards the ceiling and snickered in disdain for himself. "How could I possibly touch her like that? How can I¡­"


    How did I get a¡­


    He shuddered to complete the sentence.


    A physical reaction towards Ai or any woman for that matter other than Shui was not a thing he could digest so easily.


    "I broke up with Shui, so what? That doesn''t mean somebody else can¡­"


    But he contradicted himself yet again. Ai''s mellow scent, her soft neck, the trace of her clavicles and the press of her pink lips on his - as all these sensations invaded him, he felt that flush of the familiar fever racing in his body and awakening his desires once again.


    He gasped, feeling uncomfortable with an intense urge to pleasure himself. But thinking sexually about Ai shook him to his core.


    The freezing shower provided some relief, but it wasn''t enough. It became unbearable to the point that he saw Ai''s apparition in front of him.


    Jun raised his hand in a stupor trying to touch her. His thumb traced her lower lip in a daze. His gaze clouded, and he breathed harder. What was a dream or what was reality - he couldn''t distinguish anymore.


    Yet only one name escaped his lips.


    "Ai¡­Ai¡­"

 Chapter 108 It’s Time To Leave

    Chapter 108 It''s Time To Leave


    Taking a cold bath herself too, Ai finally felt as if she broke the chain of thoughts that bewildered her. The sensations that Jun invoked within her felt fleeting at this moment.


    She took two deep breaths and regained her composure. Her expression bounced back to her usual self. She paced around her room and dried her hair with a towel.


    Her phone flashed with an incoming call. "Hello."


    She silently heard the other person speak. "I see¡­I understand. Thank you."


    The call ended. She clasped her hands together, seemingly coming to a decision.


    ¡ª


    They skipped the day to go to the library and stayed back at home. Yet the air felt as if the condo was empty. Not a sound came from their rooms.


    They finally showed themselves during dinner. When Ai dragged her feet towards the dining table, her expression cracked seeing so many dishes lined upon it. Each one of them looked exquisite as if cooked in a five-star hotel, and a delicious aroma seeped into the air.


    "...Are there guests coming tonight?"


    Out of all the things, it was food that broke the silence between them.


    Jun stiffened. His movements halted. Without looking back, he answered after a long time, "No."


    "Then it''s just the two of us?"


    Jun gritted his teeth. Staying cooped up inside his room all day made him go crazy. Part of the reason was last night, and¡­


    Part of the reason was that he had pleasured himself while taking shower thinking about Ai. He controlled and controlled but in the end, he gave in.


    It was a great feat that he was able to calm himself last night. But when that desire struck him again, he couldn''t hold back any longer.


    He went into such a deep shock by his actions that the only way he could think of not turning anymore insane was cooking up a bunch of dishes and distracting himself.


    Jun brought two more plates filled with food and kept them beside the other dishes.


    Ai asked the inevitable question, "How are we supposed to finish everything?"


    "I don''t know."


    "..."


    He sat in his usual chair and began gobbling the food like a glutton.


    Ai quietly took her usual seat too and served food for herself.


    The silence struck again.


    A lot of unsaid emotions swirled in their minds like a whirlwind, especially regarding last night.


    Jun felt the responsibility to talk about it since he initiated it.


    But how was he supposed to explain himself? Why did he touch her that way? Why did he kiss her like that? Why did he urge her to sleep with him?


    It was after a while when Ai put her chopsticks down and faced Jun. "I have something to say."


    Jun froze. He pressed the tip of his chopsticks on the plate with such force that it could snap at any moment. A gush of adrenaline pumped in his blood, feeling something impending coming.


    Ai assumed his silence as a yes.


    "I got a call from the repair shop. The workers have finished doing my apartment''s repairs. So¡­I am ready to move back to my home."


    His head jerked to face her, wide-eyed. "Huh? What repairs?"


    She blinked. "I blew my apartment on Christmas, remember? The firemen estimated it could take upto one month for repairs, and it''s done now."


    He finally remembered and looked at her with a piercing gaze.


    "You are moving out?" There was a hint of alarm in his tone.


    Ai stared at him and wondered if she would see that side of his once again - When his pure presence threatened that nobody was allowed to take Ai away from his house.


    Jun felt as if the top of his lid would burst now.


    Why move out when everything is going fine!


    He almost banged his hand on the table when it dawned upon him.


    Everything wasn''t going fine actually.


    Last night was anything but fine between them.


    The realization was like somebody had poured cold water over him. Last night gave them all the more reason to maintain their distance holding onto their own beliefs.


    The repairs were ideally completed at a perfect time just when they needed to be away from each other.


    But neither Jun liked it, nor did it sit well with Ai.


    Ai pursed her lips. "I will move out tomorrow."


    She glanced at him again, studying his reaction. But there was nothing that gave his real expression away.


    He shut his eyes, breathed in and opened them as he stared straight at her. "I see. Okay."


    Ai watched him unblinkingly for a few seconds. She lowered her gaze and slowly nodded her head. She felt something prickly tug at her chest.


    Where was his fearsome self which he always exhibited at the mention of her leaving his house?


    It was the last meal and last night in Jun''s condo. But she suddenly didn''t feel like eating anymore.


    Jun lost his appetite too.


    She wants to leave¡­


    His dark, cold eyes bore into Ai, who was eating at a lethargic pace.


    Is it really because of the repairs or¡­last night?


    O-or does she want to leave because she finds Jin better than me?


    He shivered with an impulse of not letting her go anywhere. He struggled countless times thinking if the dance with Jin changed something within her?


    Does she also prefer Jin now? Ah, it''s just an excuse, right?


    But why do I care? It''s only better that she leaves! Then¡­


    Then I won''t have these stupid feelings anymore. Then I won''t keep thinking about Ai.


    His shoulders stiffened with tension, and he angrily sprung up on his feet. His own conviction consoled him but also sent his heart into a frenzy. Gritting his teeth hard, he rushed inside his room and banged the door shut, agitated.


    Ai jolted. She stared at the empty chair in silence.


    She failed to understand his source of irritation. A similar train of thoughts ran in her mind too.


    Was he beginning to get attracted to Shui again?


    She wasn''t particularly accusing him because she understood it herself very well how painful it was to move on from one''s past love.


    She shook her head. Jun had clarified that he would announce his breakup soon. There was no reason to doubt that.


    But then¡­


    Did he regret touching her like that?


    A faint smile greeted her lips.


    It''s better this way. I will move out, and then I won''t have to worry about these emotions anymore. I will just focus on my career, she calmly and rationally concluded like she always used to.


    This uneasiness will fade away by itself one day, and then¡­


    I will forget all about Jun.

 Chapter 109 Ai’s Denial

    Ai wheeled her suitcase inside her home early in the morning. She glanced around her apartment and appreciated the repairs done. Everything looked as good as new. She took a seat on her couch and stayed in silence for a long time.


    It was only a month from Christmas till now, but so many events transpired in her life. From simply living together to get a roof over her head to last night...


    It was as if she just stepped out from a rollercoaster. She smiled recalling how fun it was spending time with Jun about their favorite books, discussions over plots and the heated debates. Those sleepless nights had a magic of their own.


    Making Jun serve her during her periods was strangely very satisfying. It''s because she knew that he was annoyed by it, so she enjoyed irking him even more.


    The days when Jun helped her like a spartan over her drafts revision made her grimace.


    He was too cruel, she pursed her lips. It seemed as if ''Rejected'' was his favorite word.


    She tilted her head.


    But it was actually ''Perfect.'' Whenever Jun was satisfied with the changes she made, he would smirk and say, "Perfect."


    After all the trials and tribulations he put her through, hearing ''perfect'' for Ai was akin to getting salvation.


    Ai brewed some coffee for herself in the kitchen and got back to the couch. She took out her notebook and spent some time writing down these little experiences and all the feelings they invoked within her.


    But as she came to the events of last night, her hand stopped. She trembled and still felt the lingering presence of where Jun touched her. She clutched her pen, trying to discern her emotions, but she didn''t get any answer. Or maybe she was, but she refused to acknowledge them.


    No!


    She gasped and immediately berated herself.


    It''s nothing. Jun and I...can never happen...Last night was just...


    In the end, the page was left blank.


    *Ding Ding*


    *Ding Ding!*


    Ai frowned with the incessant ringing. She opened the door and froze.


    "Ai!"


    Guiying let out a loud sigh of relief and jumped into her hug. "Oh, God! You are finally back!"


    Ai didn''t move. She stared ahead for a few seconds, staggered by her sudden appearance.


    Guiying withdrew from the hug and carefully looked at her up and down. She turned her backside and then front again.


    "Alright. So you are not hurt," she finally felt the tension ease from her stiff body.


    "Guiying," Ai whispered. "How are you here?"


    Her jaw dropped. "Of course I will be here, idiot!"


    She grabbed her hand and dragged to the couch. "I returned from vacation, and suddenly, I came to know that your house blew up. On top of that, you were living with a man I have never heard of before! Can you imagine my shock? I have so many questions for you, girl!"


    Her jaw clenched, feeling the need to punch something. "Did you hear how he talked to me? How dare he threaten me? I am your best friend! How is it wrong if you stay at my home? It''s perfectly natural. He was talking like some goon. Ai, how did you even meet such a guy in the first place? And you agreed to stay with him? He just leaks danger! I am amazed that you are even alive!"


    Ai gave her a few moments to catch her breath.


    Guiying asked, "Ai, why didn''t you tell me if you needed someplace to live? The hell you said you would bother me. Besties are supposed to bother each other! That''s the essence of friendship," She shamelessly declared.


    Ai lied. "It''s nothing. I didn''t wish to ruin your vacation mood."


    She tremblingly pointed her finger at her. "You-you...Ahhhh! Damn, you had me worried there so much. I was this close to going to the cops had you not stopped me."


    Ai tried to put up a smile.


    Guiying narrowed her eyes. "But you still didn''t tell me who he is. Who is this mystery man?"


    She slightly stiffened. An uneasy feeling brewed in her heart. Something urged Ai not to reveal anything about Jun to her.


    "Just...just an acquaintance I met in the library."


    "And just an acquaintance was ready to let you live in his home?" She touched her chin.


    "He didn''t mind."


    Guiying sighed and pinched her cheeks. "I am pretty sure he couldn''t help it. My Ai is so cute, after all. I was just worried if he was some pervert. It''s dangerous to take up a man''s offer."


    Ai peered into her concerned gaze. There was one Cai Guiying who pushed her off the roof in her past life and snatched Yating from her, and there was this Cai Guiying who was genuinely troubled over Ai''s safety and well-being.


    It sometimes made Ai feel conflicted about her. Neither the past life was a lie, nor Guiying''s distress right at this moment. Her gaze was without any malice.


    So, why did things between two best friends turn so bitter and hateful?


    Ai lowered her gaze.


    In the end, their careers and their love for the same man wedged a gap between them. Their friendship was bound to break apart.


    But it won''t happen now, Ai thought. I won''t give up on writing, but Yating...


    This time, there would be no roadblock to stop Guiying and Yating from dating each other. If not entirely, Ai hoped things would at least remain civil between them.


    Guiying grinned and patted her head. "Well, I am happy that you are back. You might say that you trust him, but I feel more comfortable seeing you moved out. Whatever you think, that man is nothing but a mean person to me. Anyway, now another important thing I wanted to talk to you about is the plagiarism issue that is shitting your name in the public."


    "Don''t worry about it. I will take care-"


    "That is not the issue here, Ai. I know today or tomorrow, your name will be cleared. What I want to know is why you are leaving Dream High? Why did you pitch in your draft to our biggest competitor? Ai, I feel...that there are a lot of things you are hiding from me."

 Chapter 110 Mr. Liu’s Denial

    Chapter 110 Mr. Liu''s Denial


    Ai fixed her gaze at her. "Have you never hidden anything from me, Guiying?"


    Guiying looked away for just a moment, feeling slightly uncomfortable, but she quickly shrugged it off. She shook her head. "Of course not, Ai. Why would I hide anything from you?"


    "I don''t know. Sometimes, even best friends hold secrets among themselves."


    She chuckled and flicked her forehead. "Silly, I would never do that."


    Ai had several questions in her mind. After her confrontation with Guiying in her past life which led her to her death, she was now aware that there were a lot of emotions she had bottled up within her over the course of her lifetime.


    Those feelings exploded one night that ended her life forever.


    Ai faintly smiled. "I see. It''s nothing, Guiying. I just feel that I will get more freedom in Sky. Dream High is very specific about its tropes. I cannot write something that I don''t like or just for popularity. I somehow could publish my books until now. But I know it cannot go on forever."


    In her past life, she could hold onto her style of writing in Dream High only because Yating supported her. As the Chief Editor, he had considerable power and as her boyfriend, he gave her a lot of leeway despite Dream High''s preferences.


    But this time, she didn''t want to rely on him. She wanted to stay far away from Guiying and Yating, so that she wouldn''t interfere in their lives.


    "No," Ai firmly replied with a slight hint of iciness in it. "I don''t want him to use his position and give me leeway. I wouldn''t want that. If Dream High has certain preferences, then it''s the company''s choice. I don''t want others to mend the rules for me."


    Guiying felt helpless. "B-But we have always been together! Now this separation feels so lonely."


    Ai stared at her. "It''s for the best. Sometimes, we feel that ''always together'' is desirable. In love, in friendship - we think we all want ''forever.''"


    A flicker passed through her gaze.


    "But oftentimes¡­the truth is not what we would have ever imagined."


    ¡ª


    Jun stood inside the empty living room. He held a note in his hand which was written by Ai.


    ''I apologize. But I will have to leave early in the morning. It will take the entire day to set up my things at home. I thought I shouldn''t disturb you so early.


    Thank you very much for letting me stay at your condo for this whole month. I am sorry if I caused you any inconvenience, but I really appreciate your help. It was a good time.


    -Zhou Ai.''


    There was a PS at the end.


    P.S - A small gift from me as my gratitude. I hope you like it.


    He crumpled the note in his hands and almost threw it away when he stopped. He stared at the book on the table below which Ai had kept her note - Love amongst chaos.


    It was the same book Jun had tried to snatch from Ai by bribing her with a cheque on Christmas Eve. He held the book in his hand with a complicated gaze. He wanted this book so badly but now that it was in his hands, he felt as if he didn''t desire it anymore.


    It reminded him as if it was Ai''s parting gift, which erupted an unsettling feeling within him.


    A mocking laughter echoed. "So, you left without even meeting me one last time. Nice excuse you gave there, but do you think I am so stupid to fall for it?"


    His words were only met with silence. He glanced towards the dining table. This was the time Ai and Jun would usually have their breakfast together.


    Realizing that he would be all alone now, that this house would return to its state of usual silence once again bubbled up a fury within his heart. Veins popped on his forehead, feeling prickly without her presence.


    "I don''t care. It was just supposed to be for a month anyway. Now, everything is the same as before again. Just the way I want. Perfect. No other people, no unnecessary talking, no cooking food for any extra person, nothing," his voice turned edgy, and the small note from Ai crumpled even further in his fist.


    Though he seemed to make an attempt in consoling himself, a disconcerted feeling clouded his heart, and his gaze turned several shades darker.


    He tilted his head dangerously. "You ran away from me, Ai. I feel I should bring you back here and thoroughly explain what happens when you escape from me¡­"


    Hearing his own words, he jolted and snapped out of that dark territory of possessiveness.


    Shit! What is wrong with me!?


    Jun actually did understand her predicament. It wasn''t her fault if Ai wanted to avoid meeting him after what happened last night. He himself was dodging from facing the situation.


    No, no, no! I don''t care anymore! There is nothing...I feel nothing for her...


    But thinking about Ai as a rabbit running away for her life from a big, bad wolf gave him all the more compulsion to catch her from escaping.


    His gaze fell onto the swing, and he stiffened. He touched his throat, beginning to feel hotter as he recalled him making out with Ai.


    Fuck!


    He gritted his teeth and kicked the crescent swing hard with his foot. "It''s all your damn fault! She is gone because of you!"


    The crescent swing if it had any thoughts of its own - ''...''


    His train of angry thoughts came to a halt hearing his phone''s ringtone. It was his cousin, Yunru.


    "Bro! You meanie! Why did you leave so suddenly last night? I didn''t get the chance to talk to you!" He whined.


    Jun took a few deep breaths. "I was in a hurry."


    "So busy that you didn''t have time to meet your most favorite brother!?" He said, aggrieved. "I have so many things I wanted to talk to you about last night! Do you know that a woman snuck into Liu villa and even dared to steal one of Uncle Jing''s handmade dresses? The nerve of her to even wear it and blame it on the staff!"


    "Really? That happened?" He raised his brow. "Uncle Jing must be so furious."


    "He was! Damn, he was boiling like a volcano. We all know how much of a maniac he becomes when it comes to his dresses. But that wasn''t the only thing that happened! I saw Dream High''s Chief Editor, Gu Yating, at the banquet too! I was stuck with Uncle Jing, so I didn''t know how the hell he was at our party!"


    "Gu Yating¡­" Jun narrowed his eyes. "I know why he came. He threatened me to take down Sky statement''s against MissImperfectlyFine."


    There was a long pause.


    "Shit! How does he know that you are the Sky CEO anyway!?"

 Chapter 111 Sky’s Hidden Enemy?

    Chapter 111 Sky''s Hidden Enemy?


    Jun let a frosty smile lift his lips. "He is Gu Rong''s son, Gu Yating. It seems like he has his own connections."


    "But it''s impossible to learn about your identity!" Yunru was extremely tense. "I thought we hid it well¡­"


    "I think he learned that the President and CEO are related. That''s how he made the connection," his dark eyes squinted dangerously.


    But wait¡­


    Jun was suddenly struck with another thought.


    If Gu Yating could find out about my identity through his influence, then he must have done it the same way in my past life too.


    "Bro, what will we do now?"


    It means that he never needed to send a spy in Sky to learn about me.


    "What if he uses it to his advantage?" Yunru asked, concerned. "Shit, who knew Gu Yating was from a wealthy family? He really didn''t make his presence known like a rich young master."


    Huh? This doesn''t make any sense.


    "Plus, he is only the Chief Editor. He could easily become the CEO of Dream High if he wants. Isn''t it, Bro?"


    If he didn''t need it, then he wouldn''t have sent any spy in the first Are you listening?"


    Then who sent the spy in my past life?


    "Brooooo?"


    "...I will call you back, Yunru."


    "Huh? Okay. But do it quickly! We need to think of something to deal with Gu Yating somehow. Bye!"


    Jun''s hand which held the phone ever so slowly lowered. He stared at the crescent swing, lost in trying to reason out this discrepancy.


    Gu Yating¡­Why didn''t this strike me last night?


    "Something is wrong. It was him who exposed my identity to the world. But sending a spy doesn''t add up when he can just use his influence. The latter is easier. A spy involves more risk."


    Then does that mean¡­it wasn''t him who exposed me?


    He tilted his head trying to understand the sequence of events that occurred in his past life. Until now, he concluded that due to the intense rivalry between Sky and Dream High, Yating leaked out his identity just when the time was ripe. Jun''s reputation was ruined after getting violent with Jin, and soon after, he was revealed as the CEO.


    But considering how Yating figured him out last night, nothing made sense anymore.


    If it''s not Gu Yating, then¡­


    His pupils were shrouded with danger and threat.


    Who else is Sky''s enemy that I am not aware of?


    ¡ª


    Jun arrived at the library the next day as usual. Mrs. Quan Su greeted him with a warm smile. "Jun. Good morning."


    "Good morning," he replied with a flat tone.


    "Where is Ai? Don''t you two always come together?"


    Jun froze.


    Mrs. Quan Su suddenly felt as if the air became darker inside.


    It''s such a sunny day!


    With Mrs. Quan''s question, Jun remembered how he miscalled Ai just before leaving his condo.


    "Ai! Where are you?"


    When he didn''t get a response was when it struck him that Ai had already moved out. He came the whole way carrying an extremely sour mood.


    Now her question only added oil to the fire.


    "...She has moved out."


    Mrs. Quan furrowed her brows, and then her expression changed a moment later. "Oh! Is her apartment''s repair work done? That''s great!"


    Flaring his nostrils, he shot her a lethal, cold stare. "What is so great about that?"


    "..."


    "What do you mean? It was supposed to be only temporary. Now, you and Ai would have your own space again," she chirped. "I know how much you treasure your alone time."


    His brow twitched in annoyance.


    "Unless¡­" Mrs. Quan Su meaningfully smiled. "You have gotten used to living with Ai. Now, you wish you could live with her forever."


    Jun strangely felt like she hit a bullseye, which made him furthermore frustrated.


    "Of course not! Why would I wish for that?" He wanted to say a lot of things but couldn''t find his words. "You¡­you talk too much!"


    "..."


    He swiftly left for the third floor huffing in anger.


    Mrs. Quan Su giggled. "Aish, young love¡­It''s so cute when he tries to deny it."


    ¡ª


    Jun dumped his bag on his desk, opened his water bottle and drank several sips of water.


    Mrs. Quan being a busybody. She doesn''t understand anything! Why would I want to live with Ai forever?


    Jun opened his laptop but glanced at the seat where Ai always worked.


    She always comes at the same time as I, so why isn''t she here yet?


    Realizing that his thoughts wandered off towards Ai again, he slapped his cheeks hard.


    "Focus! Focus, Jun! I don''t care if she comes or not! I cannot waste anymore time. I have more important things to do."


    One of them being finding out the person who sent the spy in his past life.


    The more Jun thought about it, the more he began to feel that Yating wasn''t behind it after all.


    Even now as he checked the news, there was nothing about Sky CEO''s revelation which indicated that Yating didn''t use this information yet. Though it could be possible that he might be waiting for the perfect opportunity to reveal his identity just like it happened in the past life - the compulsion for sending a spy by Yating diminished the chances of him being involved.


    The laptop screen shone bright in front of him, but Jun was puzzled on what to do next.


    If not Yating, then who else is Sky''s enemy? Any other publishing house?


    But the smaller publishing houses wouldn''t have the guts to mess with either Sky or Dream High.


    Jun gave it deep thought, thinking about all possible scenarios. But nobody came to his mind.


    He sighed in frustration and leaned back in his chair.


    For the sake of Sky''s future, it was important to eliminate this unknown threat as soon as possible.


    His phone rang, and he picked it without looking at the number.


    "Yes?"


    "Mr. Liu Jun?"


    "Yes. What is it?"


    As he heard the other person speak, Jun widened his eyes and sat up straight. He spoke after a pause, his expression grave. "I am coming."

 Chapter 112 The Ring

    Chapter 112 The Ring


    Jun stepped into a lavish jewelry store, the sophisticated glass rows scintillating with exquisite and stunning pieces of jewelry right from the delicate diamond earrings to the elegant gold necklace sets. The store belonged to the biggest and most popular jewelry franchise in China. The place was quiet with a few wealthy socialites and couples shopping among themselves.


    Everybody''s heads automatically turned to size up the new customer who just stepped in. Jun''s presence was so powerful and compelling that nobody dared to meet his eye. The women began swooning over his hot figure and the intense aura he emanated.


    Jun ignored all the starstruck gazes and went straight to meet the Head Jeweler, Mr. Shao.


    Mr. Shao noticed Jun coming and beamed. "Mr. Liu! I am glad you are here. Thank you for your patronage. Your order is ready."


    He took out a small red velvet box and placed it on the counter. He gently opened it, and a beautiful diamond ring was gracefully perched upon it. It was so dazzling that the other customers forgot to breathe.


    Mr. Shao was extremely pleased. "Mr. Liu. Your ring is exactly made as you had ordered. Please check it. I hope you are satisfied with the result."


    Jun stared at the ring for several long seconds in silence. He held the ring between his fingers, and a memory from his past life knocked his heart.


    "Jun! What are you doing?" Shui asked in shock.


    "The hell he was holding your waist!" Jun''s voice was extremely frigid. "How dare he touch my girlfriend!?"


    "What!? He wasn''t touching me that way. I slipped, and he was just trying to help me!" Shui was aghast.


    He sneered. "You think I will believe his intentions?"


    The classmate desperately shook his head in fear. "No, no! I was really only helping her! Look, she slipped on this fruit peel."


    Jun cast him an icy glare. "I have seen enough of these tricks people use to cause these accidents."


    The classmate didn''t know how to make Jun understand. "Trust me. I have a girlfriend, and I really love her! I have no intentions for Shui!"


    Shui nodded, exasperated. "Yes, Jun. I know his girlfriend too. She is from another college."


    He gritted his teeth. "You have no awareness, Shui!"


    "Fine! Then check the footage, and we will know if he dropped the peel on purpose or not!"


    They did, and it was proved that indeed some random passerby had dropped it accidentally. He hadn''t noticed it at all. The classmate was innocent.


    Shui asked, "Are you satisfied now?"


    Jun wasn''t, and he went as far as to check if the classmate had bribed that man somehow, but he didn''t get any results. The classmate felt extremely humiliated but in front of Jun''s menacing aura, he was too afraid to speak up for himself.


    "Jun, you¡­you made this such a big of a deal for nothing! The Christmas party was going so nice and you!" She bit her lip in disappointment.


    Jun clenched his jaw. "I¡­"


    "Forget it. I am going home. I am not in the mood anymore¡­"


    He curled his fist. "I will drop you-"


    "No!" Shui warned. "I will go home alone."


    After that incident, Shui ignored Jun for a long time. That and due to many such fights that occurred between them even before Christmas only made Jun more agitated. Out of desperation, he had given an order for a custom made diamond ring several months back. He had planned to propose to Shui on her twenty-first birthday.


    Since she would be still only twenty-one, naturally he didn''t mean to marry her so soon. But at least, he wanted to become her fiance and shake off this discomforting feeling that had been bugging him for quite some time.


    It felt as if Shui was slowly slipping away from his hands, and he needed a reassurance that tied him to her.


    The argument settled down and on Shui''s twenty-first birthday, Jun put the ring in her finger. Shui accepted it, making him the happiest man in this world¡­


    Only for this bliss to remain short-lived.


    Four years later, when Jun proposed again with the intent to marry Shui on her twenty-fifth birthday was when the harsh reality shattered all his dreams. It came like a tsunami that drowned him in the depths of hell forever.


    "Shui, Will you marry me?" Jun asked in anticipation, his heart racing as if somebody was loudly beating a drum.


    Shui stared at him, tears shining in her black irises. "...I am sorry, Jun but I can''t."


    That one word which escaped her lips darkened Jun''s world like a blackhole. His world came crashing down in the matter of seconds. The woman he gave his heart to all this time had rejected his proposal.


    For a long time, Jun didn''t even understand what happened. He simply blankly stared at her. But then in the next moment, he realized the reason behind Shui''s answer.


    "I¡­I cannot see our future together anymore, Jun."


    "Huh? I don''t understand. Cannot see our future? Shui, I am not in the mood to joke around."


    "I am not joking, Jun. I won''t lie to you at such a time," she trembled. "But¡­the moment I realized my feelings, I couldn''t keep going on anymore. All this time, I felt that there was a big misunderstanding. But it''s not. It''s the truth that has dawned upon me."


    Jun blinked.


    "I cannot accept your proposal, Jun. I did so on my twenty-first birthday because I was disillusioned. I thought it was always meant to happen. You and I together. There was no doubt about it. But not anymore. Now, there is no fog in my mind anymore because I have finally realized that I¡­I don''t love you, Jun. I¡­I am in love with Jin."


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter 113 The Alarming Announcement

    Chapter 113 The Alarming Announcement


    *Present*


    Jun stared at the ring he had planned to propose to Shui with. Hell had broken loose after her confession about her feelings for Jin. Everything went into a downward spiral for Jun''s life. Everything had ended for him.


    Realizing that his brother and his fiance were in love with each other made him feel cheated, furious, heartbroken, crazy and lost. He had always treasured his youngest brother but after that single night, that love had taken the shape of hatred.


    Jun let out a feeble smile.


    This ring is of no use now.


    It slipped out from his mind after his rebirth that he had already given this ring''s order a few months ago. When he received Mr. Shao''s call was when it suddenly hit him.


    I would have cancelled it already had I remembered it sooner¡­


    Jun put the ring back in the velvet box and said, "I am sorry Mr. Shao, but I want to cancel this order. I don''t need this ring anymore."


    "Huh?" He widened his eyes. "Mr. Liu, weren''t you so excited-"


    He immediately shut his mouth. It was evident that this ring was meant for a marriage proposal. Now that Jun stated he didn''t need it anymore only meant that he had broken up with his girlfriend.


    "I see¡­" he broke into a cold sweat.


    It seemed unbelievable to him. Who didn''t desire Jun? Every single woman!


    Jun continued without any change in his countenance. "You have worked hard for this ring. It was my mistake. I won''t let your efforts go to waste. You will get your full money."


    "No, no! Mr. Liu. I understand. You don''t need to-"


    Jun remained stubborn. "No. I will pay, so I will pay," he took out his black card and slid it towards him.


    Mr. Shao hesitated.


    "Take it or I will pay double," Jun remarked without a single twitch on his forehead.


    The manager choked hard. "I will take it! I will take it! But please don''t pay double the amount¡­"


    Spare me please! He sobbed and went away to swipe his card.


    Jun waited. But unknown to him, there were two figures who stared at him from a distance outside the jewelry shop.


    Nana was squealing so hard that everybody passing by her gave her weird looks. Xinyi joined in her excitement, and the two were jumping around like two schoolgirls who got their favorite ice creams.


    "Xinyi, Xinyi, did you see!? I didn''t know Jun was planning to propose! Watching him buy the ring confirmed it!"


    Xinyi clapped her hands in delight. "Yes! Aaaaahhh! He is getting the ring! Haha, Shui will be so thrilled. I just hope that Zhiyuan won''t make things difficult for Jun!" Her nostrils flared.


    Nana chuckled. "That''s alright. Jinhai is the same. If he had been in Zhiyuan''s place, he wouldn''t have done anything different. Our husbands are such a pain!"


    "I know!! It''s like a switch gets activated in their brains when it is anything related to their daughters."


    They sighed in exasperation. They glanced back and jumped in excitement again.


    "Forget about our husbands! Jun bought the ring! Jun bought the ring!"


    The crowd was even more speechless.


    What''s wrong with these women?


    Nana sighed. "But when he is planning to propose? Ohhh! Maybe it''s on Shui''s birthday!" She gleamed. "That will be such a perfect occasion. It is almost a month and a half away. Ah, it feels like such a long wait," she whined. "I feel like jumping into a time travel machine."


    Xinyi shared her sentiments. "I feel you. Now, I wonder why didn''t Shui wasn''t born earlier? Then we won''t have to wait for so long!"


    Nana burst into laughter. "Aish, we are so impatient. Okay, I cannot hold this news in anymore! Let''s go and tell this to Jinhai and Zhiyuan."


    Xinyi narrowed her eyes. "Yes. It''s better that Zhiyuan doesn''t cause any ruckus, or he is so dead! If he interferes, I will throw him out of the house!"


    "Let''s go quickly!" She pulled Xinyi''s hand and disappeared.


    Jun just stepped out, and found a message from Yunru to come to Sky. He thought about it. He had a few things concerning Yating and the possible mysterious enemy to talk to his cousin.


    He typed back. ''Coming.''


    ¡ª


    Ai faced the Sky Publishing''s entrance as she raised her neck to stare at the tall and enormous building. At one point, she felt dizzy and afraid of the height illusion, so she quickly turned her head.


    She took a deep breath to calm down.


    I am on the ground. I am on the ground.


    Her motive to come to Sky was only one, and that was to visit Mr Perfect. When she thought back to Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary, she realized missed a huge detail.


    It was a great chance to meet Chen Yunru and possibly Mr Perfect too, who was Sky''s CEO. But Liu Hai had wound her up around the granddaughter-in-law stuff, and then she met Jun¡­


    The thing simply dissipated from her mind. Yesterday, she gave numerous calls to Xing Bi, but there was no answer.


    She might be really busy with work, Ai concluded.


    Since she couldn''t discuss with Xing Bi about the whole mess regarding MissImperfectlyFine and the plagiarism allegations, she decided to come here herself.


    Ai stared at MrPerfect''s message which said how he would ruin her career. It was high time she would meet him and clarify all the mess she had caused.


    A tingling sense of nervousness gripped her heart. With this meeting, it was possible - no, she was sure that Jun would learn her true identity soon enough as he worked part time here and was the one to complain about MissImperfectlyFine to Sky. She later realized that it wasn''t strange. Jun and Yunru were cousins, after all.


    What would be his reaction? He will be disappointed that I lied to him, she pursed her lips.


    She gave it a thought and consoled herself that whatever happens would happen. She couldn''t avoid this confrontation forever.


    Ai nodded to herself and calmly stepped inside. She walked up to the reception, and the receptionist kindly smiled. "How can I help you?"


    "Can I meet President Chen Yunru?"


    "Do you have an appointment?"


    "No¡­"


    "In that case-"


    Suddenly, her words got cut off as a booming voice resounded in the office.


    "Everybody! Gather here!" He dragged Jun in front of everyone, making Ai stunned whose figure was hidden among the gathering employees.


    "Oh my Gosh, who is that hot man?"


    "Such a beauty!"


    "I have never seen him before here."


    "Is he the President''s friend?"


    Jun was clearly displeased with this attention and felt puzzled at the same time as to what Yunru had to announce which involved him.


    Yunru grinned. "I have got great news for everyone!"


    The employees whispered eagerly amongst themselves, speculating what it might be.


    "Hehehe. My dearest cousin, Bro Jun¡­" he leaned, creating tension but also anticipation in the air, "has bought a beautiful ring for his childhood love and girlfriend, Han Shui! He is soon going to propose to her! Give a large round of applause for the soon-to-be fiance!"

 Chapter 114 Like Fate Carved Upon Stone

    Chapter 114 Like Fate Carved Upon Stone


    Jun stood rooted as if lightning struck him. His head ever so slowly turned to face Yunru. He felt lightheaded as the words hit his ears. His eyes rapidly blinked.


    Yunru continued, practically hopping with elation. "The source of this news are two of the most beautiful women in this world - Aunt Nana and Aunt Xinyi, who saw Bro Jun buying the stunning ring for a proposal!"


    The employees burst into loud cheers and clapping. "Congratulations!"


    "Han Shui is so lucky!"


    "He is the President''s cousin? No wonder he is so sexy! The beauty just runs in the family."


    "Aww, a proposal is so beautiful."


    Jun froze.


    Mom and Aunt were there too?


    He was there to cancel the order, but they misunderstood as him buying it for Shui.


    ''As for Shui and I, I will announce our breakup to my family.''


    She lowered her eyes and remained still. Everybody else was cheering and clapping and laughing, but Ai couldn''t find herself doing any of that.


    His words that night had put her at ease. But now, she sensed the pain and stifling coming back to her, gripping and entangling her heart like how vines clutched the trees.


    Not uttering a single word and not making a single change in her countenance, Ai took slow backward steps. She turned and left Sky Publishing without getting to meet Yunru.


    Her career as MissImperfectlyFine was crucial to her, but the feelings that swayed her heart into a disarray brought everything''s importance to zero.


    We are nothing but acquaintances.


    At this point, she began to doubt if Jun and her were even friends?


    Ai looked ahead and kept walking, but her pace was getting heavier and hastier.


    So, I have no reason to feel this way.


    If Shui loves Jin, then why would Jun and her get back together? They have broken up already.


    She knew it didn''t make any sense, and she tried to think rationally about it. But her calmness, which was her biggest strength, was slowly slipping away from her.


    Rationality and emotions were at war with each other with her emotions gaining control over her decisions despite her protest.


    But this is Jun''s choice. I am not anything to him. It shouldn''t matter to me what he does and what he doesn''t.


    Ai put a harsh brake on her steps and let out a deep breath which shivered her with pain. She gently brushed the tip of her finger against her eyelashes and found a pearl of tear latch onto it shining under the sun.


    She remembered their dance, she remembered the night they spent at the swing and now this was the news she heard.


    It shouldn''t matter to me at all¡­


    But why does this still hurt me so much?


    ¡ª


    Jun dragged Yunru into his office and shut the door hard. "Why did you announce it in front of the company, Yunru!?"


    He frowned. "Huh? Why are you so shocked? Isn''t it such good news!?" His face brightened. "My bro is gonna get engaged! Of course, I had to announce it! Aunt Nana told me to. She and Aunt Xinyi were bubbling with such happiness haha. She told me to give a raise to everybody''s salaries with this good news."


    Jun was in disbelief.


    He remembered that his surprise to propose to Shui in his past life was a surprise until the end. It was never announced to Sky''s employees.


    But because the course of his fate was diverted by Nana and Xinyi seeing Jun ''buy the ring'' instead of cancelling it, the outcome changed, and this wasn''t a surprise any longer. His visit to the jewelry shop that coincided with Nana and Xinyi''s shopping trip altered the flow of events.


    Yunru grinned. "But don''t worry, Bro! I have taken all our employees in confidence! If they want the raise, then they wouldn''t leak it to Shui. Your surprise is safe~"


    But there wasn''t any sign of thrill or delight from Jun''s countenance. Instead, he cursed himself.


    "This is wrong, Yunru!" He banged his palm on the desk, making Yunru widen his eyes in shock.


    "Huh? What is wrong?" He was confused.


    "Mom and Aunt Xinyi have misunderstood it! I wasn''t there to buy the ring. I was there to cancel the order!" He gritted his teeth in a fury.


    He could have cancelled the order on phone itself, but since the ring was ready, Jun felt that he owed a personal apology and talk with Mr. Shao. He could have saved all his efforts by cancelling it immediately after his rebirth, but he missed it. Jun wasn''t so harsh to just rudely wrap things up over a call when it was his own fault.


    "Cancel? But why? Aren''t you going to propose to Shui?"


    Jun forced himself to calm down and looked at Yunru. "No. Shui and I broke up."


    "...What?"


    "Shui and I have broken up."


    Yunru gave him a blank stare because it was beyond his comprehension. "You are not Bro Jun, right? Are you some doppelganger of his!?"


    His expression darkened. "I am not joking!"


    "Of course you are! You expect me to believe you? Do you think ANYBODY will believe you? If you and Shui broke up, then the earth is flat!" He declared.


    Jun pressed the bridge of his nose. "Yunru¡­"


    "Bro, how can you say that? You had claimed Shui as your wife even before she was born. Don''t you remember what you used to say to Aunt Xinyi?


    ''She is my future wife.''


    ''I will marry her and nobody else.''


    ''She is only mine.''


    Hell, you even constantly annoyed Uncle Zhiyuan by addressing him as your ''future father-in-law'', and this was when you were just four years old. Then you became her shadow the moment Shui was born. You were there wherever she was. Your whole childhood until now revolved around Shui and only Shui.


    You were so impatient to make her yours that you asked her to become your girlfriend when she was sixteen. At this point, it''s already known that the Liu and Han families are going to be bound by your and Shui''s marriage one day! Your relationship is like fate carved upon stone. And NOW you say that you two broke up? YOU and SHUI broke up? I don''t believe this at all!"

 Chapter 115 Their Brotherhood

    Chapter 115 Their Brotherhood


    Jun wanted to smack his cousin hard on his head. But as he reflected upon it, he understood where Yunru''s incredulity was coming from.


    It was tough to digest this fact. Even in his past life, it came as a massive shock to everybody when Shui rejected Jun''s proposal on her twenty-fifth birthday. Nobody could wrap their heads around it.


    Everything that Yunru said was a hundred percent true. Anything could be a lie but not his relationship with Shui. Anything could break apart but not them.


    Jun faced Yunru and stared straight into his eyes. "No matter how unbelievable it is, Shui and I have broken up."


    Yunru sharply gasped. Watching Jun''s dead set gaze forced him to believe the reality.


    "H-How? Why? Shui and you¡­You love each other so much! What went wrong? Didn''t you always declare that Shui will be your wife? So¡­" He was baffled as much as he was worried for his cousin.


    He knew how crazy he was for Shui. He couldn''t live without even texting her at least three times a day.


    Jun smiled and patted his shoulder. "Don''t look like that, Yunru. I just realized that we aren''t suited for each other."


    Yunru grabbed his hand, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "Bro, how can you say that with a smile? Don''t lie to me! You must be heartbroken like crazy! I¡­I still don''t understand. Not suited for each other? B-But you two look so looks on the outside can be deceiving, Yunru. Apparently, we aren''t perfect for each other. Come on¡­don''t cry like a baby!" He sneered and flicked his forehead. "You are Sky''s President. How can the President cry like that? What will happen to your image if anyone sees you like this?"


    "I don''t care about my image! I care about my Bro the most! And my bro is hurting!" His eyes reddened. "How can you still smile like that¡­? I feel so devastated, so what must you be feeling?"


    Jun slightly trembled with his concern. This was the brother whom he hurt in his past life by ignoring his responsibilities towards Sky. He broke his dream apart. Jun vowed not to make Yunru cry ever again.


    Yet Yunru is shedding tears because of me once again. I am so stupid.


    He leaned in and hugged his cousin. Yunru blinked rapidly.


    Bro never initiates such gestures¡­


    His eyes teared up even more.


    For Jun to hug him like this which was unusual behavior on his part meant just how painful must it be to bear this breakup?


    He squished him back. "Bro¡­"


    Jun shook his head. "Really, don''t cry. It was hard at the beginning, but¡­"


    The memories with Ai flashed in his mind, and his gaze flickered as he whispered, "Now I am fine, Yunru¡­I really am."


    Yunru withdrew and suspiciously studied him, gauging if he was trying to fool him or not.


    "I am not fooling you. Trust me," he said with conviction.


    Yunru rubbed the tip of his nose. "I-If you say so¡­I will believe you. W-wait! Is that why you left the Liu villa?"


    He stiffened.


    "But why would you leave your home because you broke up? It''s not like Shui lives there," his forehead creased with thin lines.


    Jun couldn''t confess that Jinhai kicked him out.


    "Of course, I didn''t have to leave. But I thought I needed a change in my pace. It was difficult to face my family¡­"


    Yunru quietly asked, "When did you break up?"


    "It''s almost two months now."


    He was stunned. "Why keep this until now?"


    Jun lowered his gaze silently.


    He had been through a lot ever since he was reborn. Breaking up with Shui was the hardest part to do. Then there were the memories and guilt of his past life which constantly weighed him down.


    He felt lost.


    Now that he had decided to give up on Shui, he felt as if there was no direction left in his life anymore. He would just continue living until death would naturally end his life one day. Coming to terms to such a sudden change when he had dedicated his whole life and heart to Shui before was excruciating.


    In such a situation when he felt he was losing his sanity and adjusting to his new life, he didn''t have the energy to announce the breakup to his family and face their questioning. They would have reacted just like Yunru, and he couldn''t have explained the reasons to them even if he wanted to.


    That''s why secretly, he was relying on Shui to break this news. He couldn''t have avoided the inevitable confrontation forever. But he wanted to give himself a breather.


    Jun slowly answered. "...There were many things I was going through. I didn''t realize it, but I was subconsciously delaying the confrontation."


    Yunru felt his heart ache. "I understand Bro¡­"


    For someone like Jun who always claimed Shui as hers, it would have been even tougher to suddenly confess this saddening truth. Jun and Shui''s image as a couple was set in everybody''s minds like an immovable rock.


    But Jun seemed determined now. "But it''s enough now. I was going to announce it tomorrow anyway. I will bring this matter to an end tomorrow once and for all."


    He silently curled his fingers. "It''s time they know now."


    ¡ª


    When Ai reached her apartment, she saw a figure pacing back and forth in front of her flat. As Xing Bi noticed Ai, she exclaimed. "Ai!! You are back!"


    She hugged her hard. "I am sorry I missed your calls. It was such a mess because of a certain someone¡­"


    Xing Bi''s expression turned ugly thinking about Nian and the troubles he put her through.


    Just hope that you never cross paths with me, you stupid servant otherwise¡­


    Ai worriedly asked, "What happened? You usually don''t get so furious. Is it related to Zhan Yahui?"


    She softly exhaled. "No. It''s someone else. I will tell you the details later. But first¡­"


    Xing Bi eyed her carefully. "Why do you look so down? Did something happen?"

 Chapter 116 Their Sisterhood

    Chapter 116 Their Sisterhood


    They went inside, and Ai served her a cup of tea. Xing Bi pulled her wrist and forced her to sit on the couch. "You look so pale, Ai. Do you feel sick? Should I take you to the hospital?"


    She shook her head. "No, I am fine."


    She narrowed her eyes. "It doesn''t look like that. Now, spill it out. There is something bothering you."


    Ai relented and confessed that she went to Sky to meet the CEO. Xing Bi''s face shone with hope. "That''s great! Did you get to meet him?"


    "No."


    "President Chen Yunru?"


    "No."


    "Maybe the editor Sun Bai?"


    "I didn''t. I couldn''t¡­" Ai lowered her gaze. "But I don''t need to anymore."


    "Why not?"


    "Because I have decided I won''t go to Sky anymore."


    That took Xing Bi aback. "Really? I understand that Sky is being difficult right now, but it''s because of the confusion you caused. To be honest, we cannot blame Sky. No publishing company will tolerate plagiarism."


    Ai nodded. "Yes. But¡­"


    It was difficult to explain her reasons when she had trouble grasping it herself. She wanted to avoid Sky because of Jun''s connection with it.


    She already wanted to put distance between them after her last night in his condo. What happened today only made her resolve firmer than before.


    I have already come between Guiying and Yating once.


    She was afraid that these unknown emotions within her would make the tragic history repeat. Even as the last thing, she didn''t want to interfere in Jun and Shui''s relationship.


    Ai reluctantly smiled. "I have thought about this carefully. It''s for the best if I don''t go to Sky."


    Xing Bi said, "But you are not comfortable working in Dream High either. And honestly, I don''t want you to work with smaller publishing houses. Only Sky can give you the needed leverage apart from Dream High."


    "I understand."


    "Also, it''s not just about choosing a publishing company. The plagiarism charge against you is still there. Even if you opt for a smaller company, they won''t take you in until the matter is cleared."


    Ai nodded. "That''s why I have decided to publicly admit everything. Until now, I hoped to talk with the CEO¡­"


    Sky CEO, whose identity was MrPerfect on Reading Point, had threatened her to destroy her career. He certainly was doing a good job.


    "I hoped to talk with him and discuss measures we could take to get out of this mess. But I decided not to join Sky. I couldn''t talk to them, but I have to resolve this misunderstanding."


    She took a deep breath and asserted with conviction. "I will confess everything."


    Xing Bi widened her eyes. "Ai, even if you confess that you are MissImperfectlyFine herself, it is going to raise another set of questions. The Sky CEO thinks that this story should belong to Butterfly. Sky will grill you like crazy as to why you posed as Butterfly for this whole time. Sun Bai will testify about this. You faked your identity to enter Sky. Just like plagiarism, you will drown in flames in no time."


    She clasped her temples. "We are in a shitfire no matter what we do. If you confess, you will be in trouble. If you don''t, you are still in trouble."


    "I am sorry, Xing Bi¡­" Ai trembled and clenched a portion of her skirt in her fist. "I was desperate to enter Sky. My only hope was Sky to redeem myself."


    She reminisced about her past life. Her career went into a downward spiral, her hopes of becoming the best writer and proving herself, Xing Bi''s life - everything collapsed being in Dream High. She couldn''t move forward no matter what she did.


    Within the darkness that surrounded her, the only flicker of light shining at a distance was Sky. She wanted to grab that light at any cost. She wanted to make her life right.


    But why did life throw her in such a predicament in her second chance too?


    "No, no!" Xing Bi smashed Ai into her hug like a mother bear hugging her cub. "I am sorry! I didn''t mean to blame you! I know you are a very responsible person, Ai. You dislike lying. It must have been tough when you lied about your identity to Sun Bai and if someone like you forced yourself to do that, then you must have your own reasons. Publishing the story as MissImperfectlyFine was an accident. Don''t be hard on yourself, or I will twist your ear," she scolded.


    Ai''s eyes teared up, and she hugged her back. Being with Xing Bi always provided her with assurance like an elder sister. It was Xing Bi who didn''t let Ai miss her mother, who lived in another city.


    Xing Bi smiled and brushed her fingers along her hair. "Ai, I will always be with you. Even if the world turns against you. That''s what you did for me when you entered Dream High, right? You were the award winner of the Best Newcomer writer. You were given the freedom to choose your editor. You could have chosen any, but you chose me. All the other writers were afraid of me because of my height."


    At five feet and nine inches, Xing Bi was a tall woman among her peers or the society in general. She was always bullied because of her height and given humiliating names in her school and college days. Even the new writers in Dream High used to steer clear from her, finding her intimidating.


    But Ai chose her without a second thought.


    Xing Bi had asked Ai, who was dumbfounded at being chosen, "Are you sure? You can¡­you can choose Zhan Yahui-"


    "I want to work with you only," an eighteen years old Ai answered in front of everyone, who was offered to join Dream High after winning the award.


    Instead of fear or disdain, her pure eyes sparkled with admiration as she studied her.


    "But why?" She awkwardly smiled.


    "Because you are so cute."


    Xing Bi choked and so did the others.


    People find her intimidating, and you say she is cute?


    "You are so tall," her eyes shone brighter, "I wish I could have been as tall as you. Your height suits you so well. You are so beautiful."


    Xing Bi froze.


    What?

 Chapter 117 The Chance Is Over

    Chapter 117 The Chance Is Over


    Tears pooled in Xing Bi''s eyes. She could tell that Ai wasn''t doing any lip service, not that she had any reason to do it either.


    She always kept a strong front that she wasn''t affected by people''s ignorance or their names. But inwardly, she felt alone. It felt lonely to be left out from gatherings or social circles because they judged you for something you didn''t have control over.


    The others smiled in disdain. "Are you sure you want to be with a lamp post?"


    Xing Bi gritted her teeth as she glared at them.


    Mind your own business!


    "She is right. You should pick Zhan Yahui."


    "Women shouldn''t be too tall, you know," they giggled.


    Xing Bi''s heart burned with fury while Ai glanced at them, her brows softly crinkling. "But I never read this anywhere that a woman shouldn''t be too tall."


    "..."


    "Can you provide me with a reference book where it''s stated as such?" She sincerely asked.


    "But I didn''t assume it, which means your statement is not a universal fact."


    "..."


    Ai alternated her gaze between Xing Bi and the others and seemed to realize it. "I see," she nodded. "I understand now."


    The others were relieved.


    Thank God!


    "See? You get it, right? Tall women look so ugh-"


    "You are jealous of her. I understand. I also feel envious of her height."


    Everybody was sharply silenced.


    "You! As if we would be jealous of a lamp post!" The women were furious. "Do whatever you want! Hmph, you are gonna regret choosing her one day!" They left with their chests huffing and puffing with indignance.


    Xing Bi burst into tears and jumped in to hug Ai. "You are shorter than me, but you are way cooler than me! I was never able to speak like that."


    Ai furrowed her brows. "Why are you crying?"


    "Because I am so tall, and people always ignore me. They looked at and treated me differently. Heighted women are uncool."


    She pursed her lips. "Being heighted is the coolest. Your height is God''s gift to you. Everybody is different, and everybody should cherish the aspect that distinguishes them from others. We shouldn''t feel embarrassed about it."


    Xing Bi felt fuzzy like cotton candy in her chest.


    She smothered Ai against her chest and declared. "I, Xing Bi, from today onwards, promise to take care of you as an elder sister! I will always protect you!"


    ¡ª


    At present, Xing Bi smothered Ai just like the day when they had met.


    "You stood by my side when others alienated me. You gave me the confidence to appreciate myself. No matter what happens, I will always be with you! Things will definitely get difficult once you confess. But I believe that if you are sincere and honest, then it will definitely reach your readers out there."


    Ai felt her racing heart gradually calm down.


    She sneered. "Worry not, Ai. If anybody is being overly mean or humiliating, then I am ready to strike them. Nobody can bully my cute Ai!" Her nostrils flared.


    Ai softly chuckled. It was after days since she left Jun''s condo that she laughed for the first time.


    "Thank you Xing Bi. It means a lot to me," she whispered.


    Xing Bi warmly smiled and squished her cheeks. "Come on. I will talk to Gu Yating about this and prepare a statement for you."


    Ai widened her eyes. "Gu Yating?"


    "Yeah, well you are still working with Dream High. Since this issue is blown up so badly, Gu Yating and I would have to discuss this. Dream High''s PR team is currently managing the media. That''s why we have to be careful."


    She hesitated but in the end agreed.


    Xing Bi watched her and slowly asked, "Ai, do you¡­have any problems with Gu Yating?"


    Ai slightly stiffened.


    "I noticed that you don''t seem so comfortable whenever he is mentioned. Is he related to why you don''t want to work in Dream High anymore?"


    There was a beat of silence, but Ai smiled it off. "Nothing like that. Everything is fine."


    "I see¡­"


    She smiled. "For now, just take your mind off everything and relax. Whatever happens, we will come out of it unscathed."


    Ai found assurance in her words and nodded. "We will."


    ¡ª


    Dream High.


    "Yating, did you find a way to end this plagiarism mess?"


    Guiying faced Yating in his office as she questioned him.


    Yating stared at her but didn''t answer.


    "Yating? I am asking you. When will this end? I am really worried for Ai! Zhan Yahui stopped me from making any statement because I believed that Dream High''s PR team would resolve this as soon as possible. But I won''t stop anymore. I cannot see Ai going down like this!"


    He shot her a sharp stare, startling her. He quietly asked, "And you think I want to see Ai going down? Never. She is the last person I¡­"


    Ever since their last conversation, Yating had been consistently ignoring talking to Guiying. Her reaction that day confirmed that she might have feelings for him which led him wanting to put distance between them.


    The only thing stopping him from confronting her was Ai''s promise that he wouldn''t ask Guiying anything. He hated these unresolved differences and wanted to put an end to Guiying''s feelings for him.


    But he was afraid that Ai would hate him more seeing him break his promise.


    His eyelashes trembled.


    She already hates me¡­She already hates me¡­


    Yating couldn''t understand the source of that hatred. Ai started to ignore him suddenly. He couldn''t help but feel that there was more to her rejection than what she was showing.


    He vividly remembered how hurt Ai seemed when he confessed to her. For a moment, her gaze felt as if she was accusing him of something. He sensed her strong aversion towards him.


    But why? What did I do so wrong? Why do you hate me, Ai?


    Guiying snarled, bringing him out of his stupor, "Fine, if you don''t want to answer me! But nobody will stop me now from defending Ai! I have waited long enough. You do what you think is right. I will do what I think is right!" She stormed out of his office.


    Yating let her go without trying to stop her. A frost covered his black eyes as he saw no update from Sky''s side to stop defaming MissImperfectlyFine.


    A cold smile etched on his lips. "I gave you a chance, Liu Jun. And now my patience is over."

 Chapter 118 The Eldest Member Of The Liu Family

    Chapter 118 The Eldest Member Of The Liu Family


    Liu villa.


    It was a happy weekend, but there was a grim silence in the Liu villa today. Two figures were carefully sizing up their opponent and the last piece of dumpling on a plate.


    Jian gravely covered touched his chin, staring between the dumpling and his grandfather.


    Liu Hai''s sharp gaze also refused to leave the dumpling out of his sight.


    It was war.


    Nuo, who was doing some online shopping with her grandmother, Liu Chunhua, helplessly sighed. "It''s just one dumpling. Finish it already."


    Jian exhaled. "You don''t understand the gravity of this situation, Nuo."


    "Indeed," Liu Hai agreed.


    "The only gravity of this situation is that you not freeing up that plate since fifteen minutes now," she scowled.


    She looked around and found Nian lying on the couch all lethargic and lost. "Bro, why are you acting like a tragic Romeo?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about?"


    Jing sneered. "He has landed into deep trouble with his lady love~"


    Everybody''s attention sharply fell on Nian. Jian took the advantage, grabbed the dumpling and popped into his mouth.


    But Liu Hai didn''t bother for the first time. His eyes sparkled. "I am hearing about this the first time! Who is this lady love? Where does she live? How old is she? Are you worthy enough of her?"


    Jin entered, wheeling the eldest member of the Liu family, Grandma Liu. She looked slightly pale and in a daze but hearing upon the mysterious woman Nian liked, she forgot about it and curiously looked at him. "Oh what is this I hear? Nian found himself a woman?"


    Jin narrowed his eyes. "Bro, you got time from eating cakes to actually look at a woman?"


    Nian scowled. "Shut up, Jin! Your brother is in misery, and you are making fun of me?"


    He rolled his eyes.


    Nana came in, carrying a tray of freshly brewed tea for everyone. Jinhai was already at the other side, ignoring all the chatter. Instead, he was quietly staring at his phone.


    Nana asked, "What are you all talking about?"


    Jian answered as he licked his fingers, "Nian fell in love but his love story already ended before it could even begin. He is modern day''s Romeo now."


    Nian - "..."


    "Jian!"


    Liu Hai clicked his tongue. "I knew it. You always get yourself in trouble. Useless."


    Liu Chunhua smiled. "You are the last person to say that, Mr. Liu. You haven''t been any less of a troublemaker. At one point, I even wondered if I was doing right marrying you."


    The attack straight hit at his heart, draining all his HP in a single blow. "My wife, how can you¡­"


    Nana was speechless. "Nian, what did you do!? You finally did something decent for the first time, and you messed it up too?"


    "Pfft¡­" Nuo burst into laughter.


    Nian was cornered by all sides. "I¡­I¡­didn''t know it would turn into such a mess!"


    Jing sneered and gave a short account of what transpired in the wedding anniversary evening between Nian and Xing Bi.


    Everybody - "..."


    Jing laughed. "He is dead. Once she learns that he is the young master and was fooling around that got her into trouble needlessly, she is gonna kill the shit out of him. She looked so mad that night too~"


    Grandma Liu pinched his ear hard. "Stupid great-grandson!"


    "Owww!" Nian cried. "It hurts!"


    "Hurts? I wanna slap you!" She glared at him.


    Jin sneered. "Pinch it harder, Grandma. He deserves it."


    Nana asked, "Jing, I hope you-"


    "Worry not sister-in-law. Nian paid the debt with interest~ He dared to use my dress without my permission. Of course, he should pay the price. I didn''t punish her once Nian confessed the truth. But oh boy, she is never gonna forgive Nian, muahahahahah!"


    Nana was relieved as long as Xing Bi wasn''t in trouble.


    Nian gritted his teeth. "Just wait you all! I will definitely turn the tide around!"


    At that point, a figure stepped inside and Nuo brightened as she saw him. "Bro Jun!"


    She ran towards him and hugged him. Everybody else cheered up too. Only Jinhai was the one who was quietly staring at his son.


    Nana beamed. "Jun!" She kissed his cheek. "You finally got the time to visit your family?"


    Jun tried his best to smile. He glanced at everyone once and as his gaze fell on Jin, Jin eagerly raised his hand to wave at him, but Jun glazed his sight over so quickly that Jin froze mid-air.


    His gaze dimmed and he lowered his hand, a pang of sadness enveloping his heart.


    Jun said, "I¡­I have something to say to everyone."


    Grandma Liu beckoned him to her side, her eyes slightly misty. Jun widened his eyes and quickly bent on his knees to her wheelchair''s level. "Why are you crying?"


    "Then what else should I do? You suddenly left this house. Even if it was to focus on your company, couldn''t you do it from here?"


    Jun trembled.


    It wasn''t possible, Grandma. I couldn''t live here anymore not only because it was Dad''s decision.


    But I felt ashamed to face everyone after how I hurt everybody in my past life.


    When Jun thought about it, he realized that maybe he confessed to Jinhai not only to share his burdens and guilt but somewhere in his heart, he wanted his fury.


    He wanted Jinhai to punch him. He wanted his father to throw him out of the house. He wanted him to punish him the worst possible way.


    He left because he felt he deserved to live a lonely life.


    Jun softly held her hand, tears threatening to slip from his dark brown pupils. He remembered how she passed away in his past life. It was natural death that happened due to her age. It occured an year later after Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday.


    By that point, Jun had turned into a complete mess and disregarded everybody''s feelings. He was thrown out of the Liu villa as his obsession towards Shui grew instead of accepting the truth.


    After he was reborn, what he regretted the most was Grandma Liu and Nana''s deaths. Nana''s death was directly linked to him. But he wished Grandma Liu didn''t have to witness such tension and sadness in her family before she passed away.

 Chapter 119 A Bad Dream

    Chapter 119 A Bad Dream


    There were still six more years until her death, and Jun was sure that Jinhai would do everything in his power to possibly stop it from happening. He might have already reached out to Nana''s elder brother, Liang Shin who was an acclaimed doctor, to keep a track of her medical reports and scrutinize it even more carefully.


    Death was inevitable one day, and they didn''t know if these efforts would pay off. But Jun knew that Jinhai would try until the very end.


    Grandma Liu''s hands trembled, and she lovingly held his face. "You¡­you didn''t come to the Christmas party, nor in the New Years! Even at the wedding anniversary celebration, you didn''t meet me! You don''t love your great-grandma anymore?" She coughed a bit and breathed hard. "You suddenly left and then¡­and then broke contact¡­"


    Nana and Liu Chunhua hurriedly went over to her side, "Grandma, don''t cry. Jun is here now."


    She wiped her eyes and seemed pale. "But he doesn''t meet us anymore. Sometimes I feel¡­that he is avoiding us¡­"


    He stiffened.


    Jian and Nian grinned. "Should we beat him up?"


    Nuo smacked their heads. "No beating and fighting!"


    Grandma Liu wiped her cheeks again. "Jun, don''t you love your family anymore?"


    She trembled. "But you didn''t celebrate Christmas and New Year''s with us. When did work get so important to you, huh? Then you didn''t bother to meet me during the anniversary too. I miss you so much. But you¡­Now tell me, when will you come back to live here?" She coughed again. "I had a bad dream last night, you know? I was calling you so many times. But you weren''t a-answering me¡­"


    Her eyes teared up, and she softly sobbed. "I saw that the whole family was on one side, but you were alone¡­a-and you weren''t coming to our side either¡­"


    At this point, her breaths got ragged and restless.


    "Grandma!" Jun patted her back. Everybody anxiously got up from their seats and helped her.


    Liu Hai sighed. "Mom, you were just fine until now. Why are you worrying so much?"


    She glared at him. "Shut up, you brat. I didn''t want to make you all worry. But then I saw Jun, and I couldn''t hold it in anymore¡­*cough cough*"


    Nuo quickly brought water for her, but Grandma Liu seemed to be trembling even more.


    Jun held her hand and said with an urgency in his voice, "Grandma, I am here. You don''t have to worry."


    "B-But in my dream you were not¡­It was such a nightmare¡­" she touched her chest, feeling uneasy and in pain, "I am old. I don''t want my family to break apart¡­" her eyes ached. "I felt so lonely, Jun. You-you seemed to be going farther and farther away¡­I was so scared that you would never come back¡­"


    She suddenly gasped and coughed hard, making everyone panic even more.


    Jinhai immediately said, "I will call brother-in-law, Shin. Take her to her room right now."


    Jian and Nian didn''t waste a second further and quickly placed her on the bed in her room.


    Jing and the others stayed by the bedside, doing their best to console her. Nana fed her some water and said, "Calm down, Grandma. It was just a bad dream."


    In her gentle and soothing voice, she tried to reassure her.


    Jing nodded. "Yes, Grandma. Nobody is going anywhere."


    Jun stood rooted at the back, seeing her in such a fragile state. This hadn''t happened in his past life.


    But because he left home, the chain of events changed, causing Grandma Liu to have bad dreams. He quickly asked Nian to shift and sat beside her. "Grandma¡­"


    She dazedly looked up, still tired and restless. "Everybody is here now¡­Good¡­"


    He slightly squeezed her hand. "Don''t fall sick, Grandma. You have to live a long life."


    She weakly smiled. "I will if everyone is happy like this¡­"


    ¡ª


    A while later, Nana''s elder brother, Dr. Liang Shin and his son studying medicine, Liang Bao, quickly got busy in taking her checkup. Hearing the news, Shui, Siying and Leina and her little brother, Yuhan also came to visit.


    Leina stood beside Jian and entwined her hand against his. "Don''t worry, okay? Grandma will be fit in no time."


    Yuhan patted his arms. "She is even stronger than my muscles! Nothing will faze her."


    Jian gave them a solemn nod.


    Siying consoled Nuo on his side, who was sobbing, deathly worried about Grandma Liu. He patted her head. "Grandma Liu is very strong. As if something like this can take her down. So, don''t cry. If you cry, then she will get more worried."


    The tip of her nose turned reddish, and she nodded.


    On the other side, Shui herself was on the verge of tears. She had played in Liu villa countless times in her childhood. Out of everyone, she liked to play with Grandma Liu the most. She used to tell her the best stories.


    Now hearing that she almost got an attack made her worried sick. She quietly stood beside Jun, keeping aside all the differences between them at this moment. "She will be fine."


    Jun clenched his fist. "Yes¡­She will be."


    When Shin came outside, he assured. "She is fine. There isn''t any problem with her blood pressure or pulse either. The nightmare has given her a bad scare."


    Bao said, "That''s why she panicked and was overthinking. Just make sure not to make her tense about anything. She will forget the nightmare and eventually settle down."


    Everybody heaved a great sigh of relief. "Thank God¡­"


    When Grandma Liu saw them gathered around her, she smiled. "En. Indeed¡­it feels good to see you all together like this¡­"


    She looked at six people and asked them to sit by her side, "Jian, Leina. Siying, Nuo. Jun, Shui. Come here."


    They obediently sat around her, and she lovingly gazed at them one by one. She sighed in satisfaction, her gaze hazy. "This feels so nice. I never imagined I would live to see my great-grandchildren in such happy relationships too. You¡­all stay together like this, okay?"


    Jun and Shui stiffened.


    "Always love each other, support each other. Even if you fight¡­don''t fight for too long," she gazed at her two lovely great grandsons and smiled. "Jian. Jun. Can I ask you two a favor?"

 Chapter 120 Predicament

    Chapter 120 Predicament


    Jian and Jun immediately held her wrinkly hands and scooted closer to her.


    "Yes, Grandma?" They gently smiled. Jian softly patted her head while Jun tapped his palm upon hers. "You know that it''s not a favor, right? You just give the command, and we will fulfill it."


    She coughed a bit and pinched Jian''s cheek. "Jian, you rascal. Aren''t you already twenty-six? When will you marry Leina and bring her home as your wife?"


    Leina''s face reddened in embarrassment. Her brother, Yuhan, teasingly grinned at her. Leina elbowed him hard, glaring at him.


    Don''t give me that reaction!


    Jun slightly trembled. Glancing at Jian and Leina once, he recalled the past life. He brought differences in their relationships. If not for him, things would have gone well between them. They would have gotten married and had children.


    But their relationship broke apart. Jian became a mess. He took to drinking and became an alcoholic as he could never forget Leina.


    But the past life won''t repeat this time. Jun wholeheartedly wished for Jian and Leina to marry as soon as possible.


    He smiled. "Yeah, Bro. What are you waiting for? If you wait too long, then Leing might find another man."


    Jun was the cause behind their broken lives, and now he wanted to take this chance and mend the mistakes he made.


    Jian glared at him, making everybody laugh.


    Grandma Liu softly nodded. "If not marry, then at least get engaged. You all young people want to marry late nowadays¡­The generation has changed so much¡­" she tiredly complained. "Think about your great grandmother. Can I live that long really?"


    She weakly slapped his cheek. "Shut up. Don''t try to butter me up," she coughed. "If I have lived this far, then at least let me see you two couples getting engaged¡­"


    Jian smirked. "I am ready for it anytime."


    Leina cleared her throat, feeling a little shy. "I am ready for it too, provided I can live here for a few days because Dad is gonna explode like crazy."


    "No kidding," Yuhan coughed.


    Liu Hai waved his hand in dismissal. "As if that Liang will dare trouble my granddaughter-in-law! You have your handsome grandfather''s protection!"


    Grandma Liu''s eyes teared up, and tremblingly patted his head. "Good, good¡­"


    She then glanced at Jun. "You too Jun. I heard from Nana you bought a ring for Shui."


    Jin''s gaze ever so slightly flickered.


    Shui froze, and her eyes widened.


    Ring?


    Siying beamed.


    "Woah! Bro Jun bought a ring for Shui! That''s incredible. Though Dad is gonna explode like crazy if he hears this¡­" he touched his chin.


    Leina and Yuhan shared his sentiment.


    Nana bit her tongue.


    Aish, it was supposed to be kept secret from Shui until her birthday.


    But in this condition, Nana didn''t blame Grandma Liu.


    Jun stiffened.


    Grandma Liu was faintly displeased with Jian. "Look. He is¡­he is your younger brother but already bought a ring. What are you doing?"


    "Hey!" He whined. "It''s hard finding a perfect ring, okay-"


    Now, he bit his lip.


    Shit, it was supposed to be a surprise!


    Leina was speechless, at first.


    He was planning to buy a ring for me¡­?


    She quickly looked away, trying to hide her crimson flushed cheeks.


    Jian sheepishly grinned. "Nobody heard that, right?"


    Jing smirked. "We all heard that perfectly. Wow, Jian. You had your own secret tucked into your sleeve aye?"


    "..."


    Nian felt aggrieved and betrayed. "You bastard! How dare you hide it from your best twin brother!?"


    "Because your mouth doesn''t stop yapping!" He shot back.


    "You!"


    Liu Chunhua gritted her teeth. "Stop fighting or leave the room!"


    They immediately shut their mouths.


    Nana clapped her hands in delight. "So wonderful! Jian is not hopeless. Right, Jinhai?"


    He smiled and nodded.


    "I was never hopeless!" Jian defended himself.


    Grandma Liu expectantly asked, "Where is the ring you bought, Jun? Since your ring is ready, why don''t you put it on Shui?"


    Their expressions didn''t look so thrilled as one might have expected.


    Grandma Liu noticed the tension and asked, "Why do you look so worried? Did you two have a fight?"


    Jun and Shui quickly shook their heads. "No, no! Of course not, Grandma."


    She felt relieved and faintly nodded, "Good¡­Jun, even if you don''t visit us so frequently, I hope you are not ignoring Shui like that."


    His smile cracked. He came here to tell everyone about his breakup but now with Grandma Liu''s state, he found himself unable to put her in any possible danger by giving her any tension.


    She warmly smiled at Shui. "My dear. Don''t get afraid. I¡­" her breaths were a little shallow as she spoke, "You are only twenty. Of course, I don''t want to make you leave your parents'' house so soon. But seeing you two engaged will make me happy¡­I might not live for another four or five years until you two get ready."


    Shui shook her head. "I understand, Grandma."


    Nana scolded her. "Grandma, no talking about death and all."


    She gave a feeble chuckle. "I cannot help it dear. Sometimes I hear your grandfather calling me. He is¡­so jealous that I¡­That''s why I wish to see my great grandchildren settle down until I have the time. Oh but¡­Not Nuo o-okay? Nuo won''t leave this house anytime soon¡­"


    Siying gently smiled. "Yes, Grandma. We will do as you wish."


    Grandma Liu asked Jun, "What are you waiting for?"


    "I¡­don''t have the ring with me right now¡­" Jun lied.


    She sighed. "I see."


    Liu Hai laughed. "That''s fine. Isn''t Shui''s twenty-first birthday coming soon? They can get engaged at that time!"


    Liu Chunhua and Nuo clapped their hands in delight. "That''s wonderful!"


    Jinhai kept his silence. Watching Grandma Liu''s state right now, he carefully decided not to reveal why Jun was here for today.


    Amidst the cheers and excitement, the only ones with conflicting expressions were Jun and Shui.


    What am I supposed to do now?

 Chapter 121 Attack On Sky

    Chapter 121 Attack On Sky


    Shui fell back on her bed as soon as she reached home. She let out a deep breath, her heart aching to see Grandma Liu in such a sickly state. She wiped the corner of her eyes, twinkling with her tear drops.


    She knew the purpose behind Jun''s visit and the reason for his silence too. But everything became even more complicated now.


    A furious stream of dings made her jolt up. She unlocked her phone and saw that it was Warlord continuously messaging Reading Point''s chat.


    She facepalmed.


    This man¡­


    [Warlord - Hey hey hey! I heard some awesome news! It''s about the Author''s Summit that is going to be held on 14th February! Hohoho! And guess what? My Goddess is participating in the Summit!]


    He then entered a string of proud and happy emojis.


    Shui tilted her head.


    [HS - On Valentine''s?]


    [Mimic - That''s just perfect for female authors isn''t it?]


    [Sandrios - Oh cool! I am excited!]


    Valentine''s¡­


    In normal circumstances, Jun would have planned a date to celebrate this day.


    [GotoHell - Will MissImperfectlyFine be participating too?]


    There was silence in the chat.


    Shui didn''t understand why it felt so awkward. She wasn''t always active on Reading Point. From Jun, she already knew that MissImperfectlyFine was a talented author.


    But then it struck her. She also read the news that Sky pressed charges against her. Naturally, it wouldn''t have happened without Jun''s consent.


    This is really so shocking, she thought. I have seen him read her books so many times. Her books are even there in his own library which means he respects her talent.


    [Candywoman - Don''t even talk about it! She is a cheater!]


    [Sandrios - She plagiarized someone''s novel and still has the guts to be on this server!]


    [Warlord - Hey, Hey calm down. I might not read her books, but I feel she cannot cheat like this.]


    Suddenly, the chat became too active and readers came popping out cursing MissImperfectlyFine. They even pinged her, dissing her like crazy.


    But despite all that fury, some of her loyal readers still came to defend her.


    [I trust my favorite author! MissImperfectlyFine can never cheat!]


    [Yes! @MissImperfectlyFine Don''t worry at all! I support you!]


    [Hmph! Just you see! She will win this Author''s Summit!]


    One of CherryBlossom''s fans retorted.


    [How? By stealing another''s story again?]


    [She is not a cheater!]


    [Sky even gave the proof you blind!]


    [Okay, let''s bet who will win! It will be CherryBlossom versus MissImperfectlyFine! Obviously, my money''s on CherryBlossom!]


    [I believe in MissImperfectlyFine! She will definitely win this!]


    Just then, a notification popup came from CherryBlossom''s official social media accounts. It read as-


    ''I know there are some serious allegations against my fellow author, MissImperfectlyFine. But I take this chance to put forth my stand. MissImperfectlyFine is not just a writer from the same company as I. We are best friends. I know her better and longer than Sky and all of you who are defaming her. She is the most honest and sincerest person I know. I feel incredibly lucky to have a best friend like her. No matter what, I stand by her side. She is not a cheater. That''s all.''


    There was a stunned silence for a long time, but it soon exploded by a fury of comments.


    ''CherryBlossom has spoken!''


    ''So they are best friends?''


    ''Well¡­if she says so, then I will believe MissImperfectlyFine.''


    ''Yeah my Goddess will never stand on a cheater''s side!''


    Shui opened her direct message window and dropped a message to Warlord. Among all the readers and members, only he seemed to be calm about this despite being CherryBlossom''s fan. Over the course of time, Warlord was the only member of the group to become good friends with her.


    [HS - I saw CherryBlossom''s message.]


    [Warlord - Yes my Goddess has spoken! Hahaha! Now all MissImperfectlyFine''s haters will be shut off!]


    She smiled.


    [HS - You are a nice person. You don''t like her books, but you are not being mean about this.]


    [Warlord - Well that doesn''t mean I will jump on her to humiliate her *shrugs*]


    But it''s so shocking to see this charge against her.


    Shui nodded and typed.


    ''Yeah. Even Jun-''


    She widened her eyes and quickly erased Jun''s name.


    I am still not used to calling Jun by his username, she shook her head.


    [HS - MrPerfect is also extremely furious at MissImperfectlyFine *sigh* Even though he has read her books so many times.]


    There was a long pause.


    [Warlord - ¡­]


    [Huh, huh, huh!? You say as if you know personally know him?]


    Shui raised her brow.


    [HS - I do.]


    [Warlord - Whaaaaaaat!? I never knew this! You know my best buddy? My best bro!? So unfair! You two chatted like you didn''t even know each other!]


    He let out a string of shock emojis.


    ]HS - We had our reasons. But MrPerfect is a very good friend of mine.]


    He will cry even more if I say that he is my childhood friend and was my boyfriend, Shui thought.


    [Warlord - Damn!!! We are best buddies! You shouldn''t have hidden it from meeeee!]


    Her mouth twitched.


    I don''t think Jun treats you as his best buddy though¡­


    [Warlord - And here I wanted to meet him on the signing event day! If I knew earlier, I would have asked you to butter him up!]


    "..."


    This man¡­is hopeless!


    ¡ª


    The direction had changed. The events had taken a steep and a sharp turn after CherryBlossom''s statement. Her army of readers began to attack Sky for defaming MissImperfectlyFine.


    Her readers were so loyal to her that they knew she wouldn''t take anybody''s side who was a cheater and liar. Charging on Sky was inevitable.


    But apart from this ongoing slaughter of the massive reader community against Sky, another threat had already knocked on its door.


    Late at night, Jun received a call from Yunru. Even through the ringtone that sounded as usual, Jun sensed an urgency behind. He thought that it was related to the CherryBlossom''s readers attacking Sky, but the news that awaited him was something else.


    "Bro!"


    Jun said, "I will deal with CherryBlossom''s readers tomorrow," the air was already icy just like his deep gaze.


    "It''s not about her readers! It''s our app where our readers read webnovels and webcomics. It has crashed!"

 Chapter 122 Bounceback

    Chapter 122 Bounceback


    Jun got up with a jolt. "What? Our app?"


    "Yes! Our IT department is getting a flood of angry complaints that readers are not able to access our app at all. They cannot read anything. Many were purchasing chips when the app suddenly crashed, and they lost their money."


    Chips was Sky app''s currency through which readers accessed the web novel''s paid chapters.


    "The authors are sending another bunch of complaints. They are not able to update their chapters they regularly post, and their readers are also getting dissatisfied by this. It''s chaotic everywhere."


    "How did the app suddenly crash?" He coldly asked. "Put me with the IT team right now!"


    "But bro, your identity¡­"


    "I don''t care. I will deal with it later. Solving our readers'' and authors'' issues is more important here."


    "I will connect you right away!"


    He opened his laptop and joined a conference with them.


    "I am Sky CEO. Keep your shock and questions for later on. Just tell me what the fuck is happening with the app?"


    The members of the IT department had their jaws dropped. Among them, the women who worked in the team lost all their sense of professionalism.


    H-H-Ho-Hottttt!!


    Wait, when did we have a CEO!?


    "Who. Is. Responsible. For. This?" The iciness in his voice was raised by several notches, and the IT team was reduced into a bucket of sweat.


    The IT team manager spoke up, "Sir, we investigated, and it seems like a bug shut down our app out of nowhere?"


    "Out of nowhere?" He lowered his tone, making the pressure in the air denser. "Nowhere? Does the bug have wings? If there is a bug, then restore our app with the previous version."


    Another team member quickly added, "Yes, Sir! We tried that as soon as we identified this bug, but even the backup load is not working!"


    He narrowed his eyes.


    ''Then face the consequences. I will tear Sky down to shreds.''


    Green veins popped on his forehead.


    Gu Yating¡­


    The team was shit scared as his gaze kept darkening with threat and possibly murder.


    Yunru furiously chimed in. "It''s not only the bug. We got an anonymous message on our server too! Read this, bro."


    The IT manager swiftly put up the message on the screen.


    ''I hope you got my message Sky CEO.


    PS - I feel bad for the readers who might have lost their money while buying your chips? So here''s a compensation tip from me.''


    "That bastard sent money! To us! He brings the bug in our systems first, and then he compensates!?" Yunru''s body was twitching for some action. "I will kill that man!"


    Sky''s official social media account was beginning to get spammed by its furious readers, especially the ones who lost their money. They were demanding to refund the money they lost in the chip transaction.


    Jun dangerously sneered.


    "He thinks he can take down Sky by a mere bug attack?"


    He took the controls of the app''s software code. His fingers flew on the keyboard, the sound of his rapid typing echoing in the call. All the backup versions on the server had gotten corrupted. Without a backup, it was impossible to load the app back to normalcy.


    Jun squinted his gaze, a disdainful smile curling his lips upwards.


    He opened another site which was loaded exactly like Sky''s server. The IT team and Yunru watched in amazement and speechlessness.


    The manager couldn''t stop himself from asking, curiosity filling within him. "Which server is this?"


    "My basement," Jun sneered.


    "..."


    "It''s a replica, a backup of the Sky server."


    "B-But we just have three servers. One main server and two as backups, all three of which are not working."


    "I made a fourth server and hosted it in a separate environment."


    He rapidly pulled in the latest app''s backup and loaded it. His movements were so fluid that they could only admire it.


    Yunru frowned. "But since when did we have a fourth server! I didn''t know about this!"


    Jun shot a deadly glare at him, making him slightly cower. "W-what¡­?"


    "I told you about this server because as the President, you should know. I taught you the process too if not for you sleeping with your eyes open."


    "..."


    The IT team threw questioning looks at their President.


    You knew about this, President?


    Yunru scratched the back of his head, grinning sheepishly. "Oh¡­So that''s what you were teaching me that day? The code looked so jumbled! I couldn''t make any sense of it¡­I-I felt sleepy."


    Jun sneered. "Don''t sleep now, or I will shut your eyes forever."


    "Yes!"


    The backup load was complete, and the IT team quickly tried opening the app with their hearts beating faster.


    "It opened!"


    "The app is working!"


    "I just logged in!"


    They all shed tears of happiness.


    "Thank you CEO!"


    The first thing Jun did was pull out the list of users who lost their money while buying the chips.


    "Send a refund to all these users," he coldly ordered.


    "Yes, Sir!"


    A haunting gleam then shone in Jun''s pupils as he gave it a thought.


    A bug was too easy. Is he¡­


    ¡ª


    "Sir, Sky''s app is working now again," the hacker hired by Yating reported. "We were right. We shouldn''t have attacked their system with the virus. They had another server hosted in a completely different environment. The virus would have been useless."


    The hacker had done an exhaustive analysis, yet he didn''t find a trace of a separate server. But his instincts told otherwise which Yating shared as well.


    Yating raised his brow.


    "I did have an inkling that he won''t be this stupid of just using two backup servers. He had another one hidden. That''s why I told to simply insert one bug which would force him to use his hidden server," he narrowed his eyes. "I don''t care if their app is working again. This was the last warning. He knows. If he doesn''t apologize, then I will launch a full blown attack on Sky''s systems from which he can never recover."


    Then he tilted his head and ordered icily. "Do one more thing for me. Find out everything about Butterfly."


    ¡ª


    On the other hand, Ai was ready. Xing Bi was by her side, nodding her head.


    "Whatever happens, happens, okay?"


    Ai took a deep, silent breath, emptying her mind of any thoughts and worries.


    "Yes, Xing Bi. I will face whatever is to come now."


    Ai stared at her mobile screen and finally pressed the ''Post'' button.

 Chapter 123 MissImperfectlyFine’s Statement

    Chapter 123 MissImperfectlyFine''s Statement


    Back at his condo, Jun collapsed on the couch after getting things sorted out on the app''s end.


    He realized that this wasn''t over. Yating was playing with him. He gave a teaser by inserting a bug in their app''s software. But if he didn''t back down, then Sky might face another graver attack on its systems.


    Jun had already taken measures to up the security. If Yating could hire a hacker to do his job, then so could he.


    He called a number, and it rang. "Chyou."


    The voice from the other end beamed. "Jun."


    "I am gonna need your hacking skills now," he sneered.


    "Whaaaat? Why do you always call me when you need my help? First, you needed my acting skills to deal with those C grade actresses - Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui."


    Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui were the ones who had bullied Ai in their middle school trip when she was sick during her periods.


    "Ah, but I have to thank you for that~ That was fun seeing them running around like clowns. I was gonna deal with them anyway because they were bullying the staff on the movie set. They always pollute the air. Ah, the set is so peaceful now," she chuckled.


    She was the most popular A listed actress in the entertainment industry but as a side job, she was fairly capable in hacking too. Her father was the CEO of S3 company, a technology company that provided security services to their customers. Working with him for a spell made her proficient in this area too.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Somebody attacked Sky''s app with a bug causing it to delete all the backups and making me use my different server."


    "Ohhh~ Wow, that hacker must be quite skillful."


    "Why aren''t you so surprised by this? By any chance, are you the hacker behind this mess?"


    Her sweet laughter rang from the other side. "Of course not. I won''t bully my friend. But I must say that guy has the guts to attack Sky."


    He sneered. "Those guts won''t remain for long. If he can play this game, then so can I. Prepare to attack Dream High. He was kind enough to give me a warning, but Liu Jun doesn''t show kindness."


    Chyou sighed. "Fine. I will do it. You do realize that I am older than you, right?"


    "Oh really? I never noticed. Anyway, message me when you will be ready."


    "This is not how you talk to your elders," her voice sounded displeased.


    "Then how do you talk?"


    "You talk with money. That''s showing respect," she teased him.


    "The daughter of Zhu Xiaosi needs money?"


    "Shopping is a wonderful activity, you know~"


    Jun rolled his eyes. "You should be ashamed of yourself, looting from a younger man."


    "And you should be ashamed of yourself too for calling me only when you need me. Otherwise, I don''t even see you," she sharply complained.


    His brow twitched. "I hope you don''t get the lead part in the next movie!"


    "So petty!"


    Jun hung up and threw his phone aside. He got up and passed through the crescent swing when he stopped. He slowly walked towards it, recalling the time when¡­


    The back of his throat suddenly felt uncomfortable and itchy. He slightly scratched the skin with his nails, trying to soothe the uneasiness gripping him.


    What must she be doing right now?


    He lowered his head and and stared at his palm. With these same fingers he had held onto Ai''s delicate skin and traversed them along her slender body. He remembered the lingering sensation of her breasts pressing on his chest, making a sharp gulp pass down his throat.


    Fuck!


    Annoyance, irritation and anger surfaced within him for himself as the familiar sexual heat tingled his body like crazy. The touch of her soft lips and the entwining of their fingers brought forth the same reaction that tortured him that night.


    Jun''s expression was indescribable. He stared at the bulging member visible from his jeans, and he had an urge to strangle himself.


    "What am I!? A sexually depraved ape!? The fuck I am getting excited like a pervert!" He punched his fist on the wall, but it failed to soothe him.


    He stomped his way towards the bathroom for a cold shower, but he abruptly put a brake on his steps.


    "..."


    "I. Don''t. Need. A. Cold. Shower. I. Am. Fine!!"


    He sat on the couch, breathing hard. Pressing the space between his brows, he looked beside him. It was the place where Ai usually would work on her story in the evenings with him.


    There was the dining table where they ate their meals.


    The bedroom behind him was where Ai used to live.


    The whole space around him reminded him of Ai incessantly. Wherever he glanced at, he felt as if Ai was still there. Or at least, he wanted her to be.


    He didn''t know if she was still coming to the library. He himself skipped a few days because of his problems.


    Tomorrow¡­


    Tomorrow, there was a possibility that he would meet Ai again at the library.


    But Jun could have never imagined that the time to meet her again was coming even sooner than tomorrow.


    Wanting to divert his mind away from Ai, he checked his phone and randomly scrolled down the news feed.


    CherryBlossom''s statement was still on fire and second top trending in news.


    The topmost trending news post was from MissImperfectlyFine.


    Jun jolted up and narrowed his eyes. Ever since the plagiarism charge against her, this was the first time that she was making a public statement.


    He swiftly opened it and read her post.


    ''Hello. I understand that there has been a plagiarism charged against me. I take this chance to clarify all the misunderstandings for which I am the sole reason.


    Everything started when I visited Sky to pitch in my story draft.''

 Chapter 124 To Find Answers

    Chapter 124 To Find Answers


    ''For some time now, I have been meaning to leave Dream High. It was a great experience working in Dream High, but I wished to challenge myself by working for a different company and in a different environment.


    I wished to join Sky, but I couldn''t. I was desperate, so I Iied about my identity. I entered Sky as an author with the pen name Butterfly. I wrote my story as Butterfly, but I accidentally posted it as MissImperfectlyFine when I was sick one day. Sky, who knew me as Butterfly, read the story and thought that MissImperfectlyFine had plagiarized.


    I don''t blame Sky for the accusations against me. I hid my identity, and this misunderstanding happened. I could have come out with the truth sooner, but I was afraid. Even if the plagiarism charge against me dissolved, I had still lied to Sky. I was still to be blamed nevertheless.


    But I came to the conclusion that this couldn''t go on anymore. Tensions between Sky and Dream High needlessly increased because of me. I felt guilty and ashamed of myself. That''s why, I decided to speak up the truth today.


    MissImperfectlyFine is Butterfly and Butterfly is MissImperfectlyFine. I sincerely apologize to Sky for causing this commotion. I know I must have disappointed Sky and my readers a lot. I can only humbly ask you to please forgive me and give me another chance. I won''t fail you ever again, I promise.


    Thank you so much for hearing me out.


    Love,


    MissImperfectlyFine.''


    Jun sprung up on his feet with his eyes widened in utter disbelief. He read the post again and again until he felt a headache coming, but he still refused to believe it.


    "Both are¡­Ai?" He muttered the question to himself.


    Jun stared ahead with a blank gaze. He tried to put the pieces of puzzle into their places, but he couldn''t figure out how it happened and why?


    But Ai said that she is Butterfly. Why would she lie about her identity?


    He remembered the time Jun met Ai as MissImperfectlyFine and the time they spent after the book signing event.


    Ai or MissImperfectlyFine didn''t seem like somebody who would be dishonest.


    Then when he and Ai lived together, he learned that she wanted to join Sky. She even visited Sky but even so, the fact never came out that she was MissImperfectlyFine. The one who visited Sky was still the author Butterfly.


    Why?


    He couldn''t wrap his head around it, but it made more sense as he kept thinking about it. Ai said that she had posted her story accidentally when she was sick.


    Was that the time when she was sick with periods?


    That added up because immediately a few days after that, he had received the draft from Yunru and hell broke loose.


    He had confronted Ai at the library but even so, Ai didn''t confess the truth at that time.


    "But why did this even happen in the first place!?" He exclaimed to himself.


    Jun ran to his bedroom and opened MissImperfectlyFine''s books. He read through the pages and recalled how he had slightly felt that her and Ai''s writing styles were similar. But she had dismissed it saying that she admired MissImperfectlyFine and took inspiration.


    Even when Jun read the draft, for a moment, he had wondered if they were the same person. But after spending time with Ai for all this time, it never crossed his mind that she would lie.


    Jun trembled.


    He stared at the books again. He brushed his palm along the pages.


    The writer who had left such a deep impression on him in his past life was someone so closer to him. She lived with him for a month, yet he didn''t have a clue. The author who had affected him with her stories and who unknowingly drilled her place in his heart was right beside him all along.


    Why Ai¡­Why?


    ¡ª


    To get answers to his questions, Jun left his condo and headed straight towards Ai''s house. He didn''t care if it was late at night, but he wanted his answers at all costs.


    He reached her apartment but abruptly stopped in his steps when he noticed a familiar figure just coming out of the building''s gate.


    Jun froze. He kept his gaze fixed at Yating who left the apartment, his face marred with tension and anxiousness. He didn''t notice Jun standing at a distance.


    What the fuck is he-


    He stiffened as it dawned upon him.


    Ai was MissImperfectlyFine. She worked in Dream High and in the past life, she and Yating seemed to have had a special relationship. From the way Yating behaved towards Ai after the book signing event, it only meant that he had feelings for her.


    Realizing the connection between Ai and Yating made his heart burst with fury. He tightly and dangerously balled his fist, his dark brown pupils glinting with an alarm.


    Ai and Yating¡­


    ¡ª


    On the other side, Ai took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. Yating rushed to her home without giving a heads-up as soon as the post got viral. He wanted answers just like Jun wanted to. Ai briefly talked to him and also apologized for causing trouble to Dream High, all professionally and by keeping a distance from him.


    In the end, she sent him back without telling him why she wanted to move to Sky. Yating could only respect her decision and leave.


    Her phone buzzed with a message from Xing Bi again. This was almost the twentieth time she had asked for her well-being.


    Naturally, Ai was receiving a lot of hate once her post was published. Xing Bi was worried sick about her mental state.


    ''Just stay calm and don''t look at the comments, okay!''


    Ai softly smiled and replied. ''I won''t. I am fine Xing Bi. Trust me.''


    She softly exhaled.


    *Bang bang bang!*


    Ai sharply jolted, hearing loud banging from her door.


    Who¡­? Is it Yating again? But he already-


    *Bang bang!*


    Ai quickly rushed, afraid that the person would wake up the whole apartment complex. She opened the door and immediately felt a chill run in the back of her neck.


    She slowly lifted her gaze and stiffened.


    "Jun¡­"

 Chapter 125 Questions And Answers

    Chapter 125 Questions And Answers


    Ai took in a silent breath. She knew that Jun would also realize the truth after the post. But she hadn''t expected that he would come to meet her so late at night.


    She remembered the last time she had seen Jun in Sky where Yunru had announced his engagement with Shui. A feeling of bitterness and discomfort encased her heart.


    Ai was looking at him but her voice was quiet as she spoke, "...Hello."


    Jun tilted his head and stared at her as if he was piercing her very soul. "Won''t you invite me inside?"


    Ai cleared her throat. "It''s a little late-"


    "Won''t. You. Invite. Me. Inside?" He narrowed his eyes, icily enunciating his question.


    Silence.


    Ai saw one of the neighbors peeking through the slit of their door to know what was going on. She said, "Please come in."


    He sneered. "Good. Because you didn''t have a choice."


    Ai quietly closed the door and walked to the living room where his tall and sturdy frame seemed to occupy the entire room. The house suddenly felt fuller than before. His presence was silent and commanding akin to a Demon King stepping into the human realm.


    Silence rang in the air for several long minutes.


    Ai tapped with her fingers, looked left and then right and finally asked, "You are-"


    She froze when Jun''s figure towered in front of her out of nowhere. Just a second ago, he was at a distance from her, but now her eyes were staring straight right at his chest. Her breath stopped in her throat with this sudden proximity.


    Jun''s frost-covered gaze peered into her as he asked in a threatening voice, "What the fuck was he doing here?"


    The question snapped her out of her trance. "Who?"


    The look in his eyes turned even icier. "Gu. Yating. What was he doing here?"


    It was a pressure that would have crushed anybody else miserably, but Ai stood unaffected. She figured that since Jun worked in Sky, he must have come to know who Gu Yating was.


    She maintained her poise and said, "You must have read my post. As Dream High''s chief editor, he came to talk to me."


    Though Ai couldn''t understand why he was asking about Yating. She had expected him to shoot questions about her dual identity.


    Jun took a step forward even though there was no space which made Ai stumble a step back. She looked up and her eyelashes trembled as he bent his face closer towards her.


    "As Chief Editor or somebody else?"


    Her brows crinkled.


    If not as Chief Editor then as what?


    "I don''t understand."


    "Will a Chief Editor bother to come to an author''s house at such late night just to clarify about the misunderstanding?" At the end, she faintly heard the sound of his teeth gritting against each other. "Did he come here just as a colleague or somebody else?"


    She felt the anger and danger emanate from his aura and his gaze throwing daggers at her.


    Ai stared at him. "Then why are you here? Didn''t you come here at such a late hour too? What relationship is there between us?"


    In the end, her voice also turned a little sour, recalling about Jun buying a ring for Shui. That one moment had clearly drawn the line between them.


    The danger oozing out of Jun''s aura sharply reached the max level.


    He coldly smiled and grabbed her arm, bridging the narrow gap between them. "What relationship is there between us, you ask? Have you forgotten that night we spent in the swing or should I remind you?"


    Even though nothing had happened between them that night, Jun twisted his words as if something more intimate had indeed occurred rather than just making out.


    Ai narrowed her eyes. "I do remember. But it seems that you don''t."


    That''s why you could buy a ring for Shui even when you had said that you would break up with her.


    She left it unsaid, realizing that she had no right to feel this way and have such thoughts. But at the same time, she also wouldn''t bear Jun''s accusing tone as if she was the one in the wrong.


    "I don''t remember¡­?" He stared at her in a daze.


    Fuck, I have been thinking nothing but that ever since it happened! The hell my body-


    Jun stiffened, his heart burning in anguish. He recalled how he had gotten a reaction just before he read Ai''s post. His nostrils flared, feeling furious at himself.


    Ai noticed the rapid changes in his expressions. One moment he was troubled and the next moment, he would be all angry and riled up.


    Jun let go of her arm and took deep and sharp breaths. He shut his eyes, forcing the desire within them to dissipate. He was afraid that if he got a reaction once again in front of Ai, he would really end his life here once and for all.


    He wanted to thoroughly drill her about Yating''s visit, but the conversation had taken a dangerous turn. So, he dropped that subject. For now.


    Jun glared at her. "Please explain the post."


    He finally asked the question which Ai was expecting.


    She pursed her lips. "It was my fault. I lied."


    Jun rapidly blinked. Among the million questions and what-if scenarios running through his mind, he wondered if it was possible that Dream High was forcing Ai to take the blame and protect the company''s image.


    "You are really¡­"


    "I am indeed MissImperfectlyFine," she glanced up at him. "The same woman who wore the mask and shades at CherryBlossom''s book signing event and the same writer whose signature you had asked. I am the same author whose tragic endings you hate the most."


    Silence.


    "Why did you lie? Don''t you dislike hiding stuff?"


    Ai answered. "At first, I lied to protect my privacy. The first time I said I was Butterfly when you asked my pen name. Apart from Dream High and my family, I didn''t want anybody else to know my identity. But then I felt I had no choice but to lie to enter Sky."


    "Why!?" This question bogged him ever since he read the post.


    "Because I heard that Sky will never take any writer from Dream High."

 Chapter 126 Ai’s Efficient Methods

    Chapter 126 Ai''s Efficient Methods


    Jun blankly stared at her. He stood rooted as if ten thousand bolts of thunder just struck him.


    Ai continued. "The day I met Sky''s editor, Sun Bai, I heard her talking that it was an order from the President that Sky wouldn''t take any writer from Dream High at any cost. She rejected one small author from Dream High right in front of me. Her pen name is Sparkles. I¡­" she lowered her gaze. "I had my own reasons to enter Sky. I was really desperate. I couldn''t afford Sky not to take me in. So, I lied and said that I was Butterfly."


    She quickly added. "But I wasn''t going to lie forever. Once I would gain their trust, I was going to confess and request them to forgive me. It was a risk, I know. But I was willing to take it."


    That''s how desperate Ai felt to join Sky to change her career in this life. She had died with regrets in her past life. No way she wanted to lose this chance just because of Sky''s one rule.


    "I started writing as Butterfly. But that day when I was sick at your home, I accidentally submitted my story with MissImperfectlyFine''s account. Everything went downward after that¡­"


    Ai looked away. "You confronted me at the library, and I realized the grave error I made. I wanted to confess that MissImperfectlyFine didn''t plagiarize at all. But it would have brought out my lie in the open. It would have compromised my position as Butterfly. I was conflicted on what to do. That was the time I was shocked to learn that you worked in Sky part time."


    Jun shut his eyes.


    "That''s how Sky accused me of plagiarism because you had worked with me on the drafts, so you informed them."


    Ai clasped her hands together. "Then one day, I decided to tell you, but you were looking lost and sad over something. It was about your parents'' wedding anniversary, right?"


    "I heard your conversation and didn''t feel it was the right time to add to your stress. So, I changed the subject."


    That was an excuse she gave that she wanted to learn how to dance from Jun.


    Ai bit her lip. "Then after your parents'' anniversary¡­"


    The passionate time in the crescent swing had changed the dynamics between them and the very next day, Ai left his condo. There was no time and no place to bring that topic up again.


    Ai wanted to add that she came to Sky once again to talk to Sun Bai or Yunru. But after the announcement, she couldn''t stay there any longer.


    "No¡­" Jun finally whispered after a long time. "No, no, fucking no!"


    He covered his face with his palms, his body trembling with frustration.


    Ai blinked at him, confused about his reaction.


    Why does he seem so troubled when I have made a mistake here?


    Jun was cautious about not letting anybody from Dream High come to Sky because of the spy. But he never thought that his one order would make things spiral out of control so much for Ai.


    Anger bubbled inside him, shaking his body even more. He had an urge to scold Ai for hiding her identity, but he wasn''t any less innocent on this matter either.


    If he knew that she was MissImperfectlyFine or if she knew that Jun was the Sky CEO himself, then this whole chain of events would have never happened.


    "Nooooo!!"


    Ai was startled, witnessing him strangely and repeatedly mumbling only ''No'' and nothing else. She felt as if she could see flames of fury bursting from him.


    Ai pursed her lips.


    Now, he would never want to talk to me again. Not that I want to talk to him either after he went back on his words.


    Though the sentiment was shared, she didn''t want her house on fire because of Jun this time when it had just been repaired.


    Jun breathed hard. He wanted to punch someone really badly. At this time, he wished the twins to be here so that they could be his punching bags.


    He finally gathered his thoughts and faced Ai but stumbled two steps back in shock. He forgot all his frustration caused by Ai''s confession only to be replaced by another kind of resentment.


    "What the hell is this!?"


    He asked as he speechlessly stared at the thing in Ai''s hands which she just shoved right in front of his face.


    "Why are you shoving a cactus plant in front of my face!? Do you want to stab me with the thorns!?"


    Ai blinked. "I didn''t have that intention."


    His expression darkened. "Then what intention you might possibly have?"


    "To calm down your anger."


    "..."


    "Seeing something green in color is good to soothe your rage. It calms down your nerves," Ai sincerely stated with the purest of intentions.


    "..."


    "Ignore the thorns and feel the greenness of the plant cool your fury. There," she brought the cactus plant closer to him.


    "..."


    First, the cold water and cold wind, then the feather stick and now a cactus plant¡­


    Jun angrily laughed, his fingers twitching with an urge to do something to her. He didn''t know what though.


    "May I know, Miss. Zhou Ai, which planet have you been born on and what species are you?"


    Ai frowned. "Naturally, it''s the earth and naturally, I am a human."


    "Then why don''t you use human-like methods!?" He glared at her.


    "Because my methods work more efficiently," she said with a hint of pride in her voice.


    "Do they? Do they!? Because clearly, I am still angry! You could have poked my eye out with those thorns!" He steadied himself, still shooting deathly beams at her.


    "I was being careful. I wouldn''t have poked your eye."


    He sneered.


    "At the most, it would have poked your cheeks or chin. That isn''t as dangerous as hitting on the eyes," she nodded.


    "..."

 Chapter 127 Hold Onto That Thought

    Chapter 127 Hold onto that thought


    Jun snatched the small cactus plant from her hands and placed it on the table with a bang. He almost felt terrible for unknowingly marking things difficult for Ai when he had no issue with MissImperfectlyFine joining Sky.


    But now with a cactus plant shoved at his face, a feeling welled in his chest to take revenge from her.


    He took a deep breath and sneered.


    "So, Miss. Zhou Ai. Now that the truth is out, how are you planning to join Sky? Do you think Sky will take you after how you lied?" He folded his arms and sexily cocked his eyebrow up.


    Well, partly it was my fault for hiding my identity too but that''s what you get for shoving a cactus on my face!


    Ai stared at him and slowly replied. "I will not be joining Sky anymore."


    He froze and felt at a loss for words.


    "What? You mean, you are giving up?" His gaze alarmingly turned blacker.


    Technically, no company would take someone who lied and was dishonest. It was natural for Ai to think that Sky would never accept her now.


    But for Jun, Ai was a strong woman. A weird woman with a strange train of thoughts which always bugged and irked him, nevertheless she was a tough woman. He had an image of Ai imprinted on his mind.


    She was calm, confident and wise who was in control of her life. She knew what she was doing. Even if she had broken her own ethics for the first time, she was the person to accept her mistake and move forward to achieve her goal no matter how difficult the road might become.


    But afraid of the circumstances right now, was Ai giving up?


    "This isn''t who you are," Jun sharply said. "Or I imagine that this isn''t how you deal with stuff if it gets tough. You are not a coward to run away."


    He is right. I don''t like turning my head to the other side, Ai clenched her dress in her fist.


    But if she worked in Sky, she would meet Jun. She would keep hearing things about him and Shui. She would see them together. Even though the relationship between them shouldn''t affect her, she felt she wouldn''t be able to bear these conflicting feelings if she had to watch Jun with Shui.


    Ai calmly answered. "I have given it a serious thought. I am not running away. But I think it is better that I don''t join Sky."


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    "Oh? Then what are you planning to do? What will you do about your career?"


    Ai nodded. "I have thought about it."


    He smiled. "Ho~ Please let me know too."


    "I will submit a new story in the upcoming Author''s Summit. A lot of publishing companies and editors come to the event to scout for writers for their companies. I understand it could be next to impossible for any company to take me in given my image now. But, I will do my best."


    In her past life, Ai couldn''t be a part of this Summit as she fell sick right on that day. To participate in this Summit, there was a rule that the writer must be physically present with their story submission. Arrangements would be made in case the writer wished not to reveal their face. But the physical presence was mandatory. Otherwise, the story submission would be rejected.


    It was a prestigious platform for any writer to make their presence known to the editors in hopes of getting into a good publishing company.


    Jun too recalled that he was a part of this Summit in his past life, albeit hiding within the shadows. He wasn''t present for the whole event but only for a short time. He never revealed his presence at all. Instead, Yunru did all the work of meeting new writers and the employees of different publishing companies.


    He had hoped that he would be able to meet MissImperfectlyFine in this event and get a glimpse of just who this writer was. But she neither came nor participated in the Summit with any story.


    Now that Jun thought about it, he remembered that he was mildly disappointed and a teensy tiny bit annoyed. She was the sole reason he even bothered to attend the Summit, but the reason herself never made any appearance.


    The Summit was organized on Valentine''s Day and naturally, Jun had made plans with Shui for a lovely date. But he thought why not have a glimpse at the author who troubled her for all this time?


    He snapped out of his trance and tilted his head. "I see. I have a suggestion for you."


    Ai blinked. "What?"


    "Hold on to that thought of never joining Sky. Who knows, if Sky does take you in at the Summit?" His voice held a bit of mystery in it.


    She pursed her lips and looked away. "I know that the President is your cousin and you can talk to him about this, but please don''t. I don''t need any favor."


    She wouldn''t like it if she got on through Jun''s connection.


    His expression turned ugly. "Who is doing you a favor here? Don''t spoil my reputation! Anything can happen, so stay put," he snorted.


    She furrowed her brows. "You mean you are not angry at me for lying to you?"


    Jun squinted his eyes. He tapped his finger on his thigh. "No. It''s shocking how I met you though now that I think about it. But I am not angry or disappointed at you."


    He hid his identity as the CEO from her too, so he thought he had no right to judge her for doing the same for her own reasons.


    ''I was desperate to join Sky.''


    Jun knew how it felt to be desperate. You would lie. You would hurt others. You would be forced to do things which you wouldn''t have ever thought of doing in your life.


    Desperation was dangerous.


    Compared to how I was in my past life, your lie is nothing, he sadly snorted in disdain at himself.


    Ai felt the burden lift off her chest. Her lie had caused a lot of trouble for Jun and to Sky through him.


    Even so he stood before her, talking to her just like before.


    "Thank you for understanding," Ai politely showed her gratitude.


    Jun smirked.


    Heh. Brace yourself for the shock of your life. Wait for the Summit, and you will know.


    He could reveal his identity right here and now, but the Summit was only a few days away anyway. They had come this far playing hide and seek like a cat and mouse.


    Might as well let her learn during the Summit itself just who Liu Jun is~

 Chapter 128 Sky’s Statement

    Chapter 128 Sky''s Statement


    Jun took a step towards her and narrowed his eyes. "So, MissImperfectlyFine. What story are you planning to put forth at the Summit?"


    His gaze was transfixed at her. This was the woman who had made a place in his heart through her stories. The woman who always managed to irk him.


    Strange¡­


    She was there in my past life as MissImperfectlyFine and now I met her as Ai in person. He had a long conversation with her at the shopping complex that day. But he felt as if he still had tons of things to say to her.


    This revelation still felt surreal to him.


    Ai slightly lowered her gaze. "I have a story in my mind. But I still have to organize my thoughts over it."


    Jun waited if she would share her idea with him, but he let it go when she seemed to be in some deep contemplation.


    Well, I will learn it at the Summit anyway, he squinted his eyes.


    But until then¡­


    Jun royally sat on her couch and bent his right knee over his left as he unlocked his phone. As expected, the storm that arose after her post was quite fierce.


    ''What? So they are the same person? She might not be a plagiarizer. But she is still a liar!''


    ''I know why she is so desperate. CherryBlossom is a rising author in Dream High, and MissImperfectlyFine cannot take it. That''s why she is running away like a coward from her rival hahaha!''


    ''You are right. She thought she could stand a chance if she switched companies, but she is such a loser.''


    ''Companies should just ban her! She doesn''t deserve to be a writer!''


    Jun''s irises turned frighteningly cold.


    Who the fuck are you to decide if she deserves to be a writer or not?


    There was a similar chaos going on Reading Point chat too. The members were flooding Ai with direct pings, demanding an answer from her and expressing their dissatisfaction. But Warlord and some other neutral members along with her few loyal readers were trying to fan down the flames.


    Ai slightly widened her eyes as Jun made himself at her home and was now oozing out killing aura for some reason.


    Jun jerked his glance towards her and she straightened up, waiting for him to speak.


    "Where is my coffee?"


    She blinked.


    Coffee?


    "Am I not a guest here?" He questioned.


    "Yes¡­"


    "You are not a very good host," he smiled in disdain.


    Her brow twitched.


    "I will bring coffee right away," she headed towards the kitchen, mumbling to herself thinking about the ring he bought for Shui, "You are not a good person either¡­"


    His ears twitched, and he narrowed his eyes. "Did you say something?"


    "You are mistaken."


    Jun sneered and turned his attention back towards his phone. He logged into Weibo using Sky''s official account.


    He stared ahead for a second before looking back at his screen and typing on his phone.


    Ai returned carrying a small tray with a cup brewed with fresh and hot coffee for him. "Here."


    "Hm."


    She sat on the other couch, quietly waiting for him to finish his cup of coffee. Then she began to feel restless and opened her phone. She knew she would come across many hateful comments, but she had prepared her heart.


    Ai took a silent breath and scrolled down the feed. All this time, her post was at the top trending position. But now, it dropped down to second place with a new post from Sky that had fired up the community once more.


    So, they have finally responded to my post.


    She tapped on Sky''s post, bracing herself for their reply. But she could only look dumbfounded as she read the post.


    ''After hearing what MissImperfectlyFine has to say, there is something important that Sky wants to clarify. It was under my, that is the Sky CEO''s order and rule that no writer or employee from Dream High was allowed to join Sky. I won''t delve into the reasons, but that''s how it was.


    I had my own concerns, but this incident opened my eyes to the fact that an innocent writer needlessly had to suffer. The plagiarism charge almost killed her career because Sky''s rule and Dream High''s tag behind her forced her to assume a different identity. I realize my extreme measures were detrimental for those who truly wanted nothing but to progress and move forward.


    There is no plagiarism case to be made when Butterfly and MissImperfectlyFine are the same people. For that, Sky takes full responsibility and sincerely apologizes to MissImperfectlyFine. As for the defamation that she had to suffer because of us, Sky will pay 5 million Yuan to her as compensation.


    Last but not the least. MissImperfectlyFine. Sky have caused you a lot for trouble, but I hope you don''t change your decision to join Sky. We welcome you with all our heart.''


    The statement was plain, simple but sharply direct.


    Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. She read it over and over again, disbelief filling her. Her lips parted and closed a number of times.


    How was it possible? Here she apologized to Sky for lying but there Sky apologized to her back instead of blaming her? She was fully ready to face the respurcussions and here Sky responded opposite to her imagination. And they even announced the compensation of 5 million Yuan!


    5-5 million¡­


    She still couldn''t wrap her head around it.


    Ai peeked at Jun and asked, "Did you talk to your cousin-"


    "No," he cut her off with his reply.


    She pursed her lips and thought about MrPerfect, Sky CEO.


    Why would he do this for me when he doesn''t know me that well?


    She recalled how MrPerfect had threatened her to ruin her career forever. But now his statement was in her favor rather than destroying her future.


    Despite the confusion, her heart bloomed in joy. With Sky''s supporting statement, there were now mixed reactions from the readers. Some still blamed her, some felt pitiful for her and her circumstances while some accused Sky of having such a biased rule against Dream High''s writers.


    It was a weird situation where the community really didn''t know who to blame exactly. But all in all, the situation against MissImperfectlyFine was toning down rapidly.


    Jun''s pupils were fixed on Ai whose lips had blossomed into a beautiful smile filled with relief and joy. He tilted his head, staring at her like that.


    Ai felt his gaze, and she lifted hers too to meet his eyes. Jun''s breath got stuck in his throat and he slightly coughed, feeling his heart race faster.


    Ai''s heart internally skipped a beat too. She looked at the empty coffee mug and then peeked at him.


    Technically, Jun got all his answers and he should be leaving but¡­


    Ai waited. Five minutes, ten minutes and then twenty minutes passed by, but Jun remained seated, not even budging from his place.


    She asked, "Is there anything else?"


    Jun narrowed his eyes and sneered. "Yes. I am staying the night here."

 Chapter 129 You Are Avoiding Me

    Chapter 129 You Are Avoiding Me


    Ai was taken aback.


    "Staying the night here?"


    "Is there a problem, Miss. Zhou?" Jun pointedly asked. "I came this far to meet you. It''s late in the evening, and it''s snowing outside. You won''t even offer your place to stay for one night?"


    "..."


    "Look outside. It''s snowing so heavily. What if I get into an accident?" He sneered.


    "..."


    "Then all the blame will be on you. I could have been safe here, but you forced me to leave in the dark and on a snowy night."


    Why is he talking as if he is a helpless child going out without his parents?


    "And then I remember that I left my keys to my house inside. How will I enter? You want me to sleep in the garden on a heavy, snowy night?"


    Her mouth twitched. Ai uncomfortably shifted in her seat. She wouldn''t have had any problems before but now¡­


    Seeing Yating step out of Ai''s apartment felt as if somebody had dropped him into the Arctic. His heart burned with fury, and his fingers flexed with an urge to beat the shit out of him. Thinking about their relationship and intimacy between them made his body tremble with a dark, possessive emotion roaring inside him.


    Yating had left, but Jun didn''t feel at peace. The only way to quench this uneasiness was to stay near Ai. He felt a sense of emptiness ever since she had left his house.


    But the moment he saw her again tonight made the discomfort vanish from his heart. Meeting her again, talking to her again reminded him of the one month whose importance was gradually growing more and more precious in his heart.


    Ai blinked. "Where did he come from? He won''t be staying here."


    Jun broke out of his trance, and his eyes held an impending glint. "Of course, he won''t. That was never an option."


    She swallowed a gulp, his low growl sending tingles down her spine.


    "You can stay the night here," Ai had no choice after seeing Jun in a pinch. Also, he was right. He helped her when she was in a dire need of a place to stay. It was only fair that she offered her help too.


    "But there is only one bedroom. I will sleep on the couch-"


    Jun interjected. "I will sleep on the couch."


    Ai shook her head. "The couch is small for your height. You will only feel uncomfortable."


    He coldly glared at her. "I said I will sleep on the couch, so I will. End of the matter."


    She frowned in dissatisfaction. "I cannot accept this. You are my guest. I cannot let a guest sleep on a couch. I had such good arrangements at your house. It''s only fair that you get the best too. It''s only for one night, so it doesn''t matter."


    He gritted his teeth. "Do you hear loud? How many times should I repeat? I am sleeping on the couch!"


    Ai squinted her eyes and gave up. "Fine. If that''s what you want. I won''t bother you anymore."


    She got up, took the empty coffee mug and headed towards the kitchen, her chest puffing up with resentment. "It''s not like you listen or keep your words¡­" she mumbled to herself thinking about Shui and Jun again.


    His ears twitched again. "Did you say something-"


    "No."


    "..."


    Jun watched her back in speculation. He thought she was behaving oddly because of that night, but he felt that her reason was perhaps different. He couldn''t put a finger on it.


    He walked towards the kitchen and saw her washing the cup. As she kept it back in its place, she said without meeting his eyes. "I cooked curry and rice tonight for dinner. If you want something more too, I will-"


    She gasped as she was pushed back at the kitchen''s counter when Jun''s stature towered closer to her. His dark eyes watched her carefully. "You are avoiding me."


    She slightly stiffened. "I am not."


    Jun''s face blackened. "You are."


    He took another step even though there was no space to take one. The chill in the air evaporated as she was covered by the sight of Jun''s broad chest. The warmth touched her face, making her tremble. He was about to ask her again when the doorbell rang.


    His expression turned extremely ugly.


    Is it Gu Yating again¡­?


    Ai said, "I have to-"


    Suddenly, a chill enveloped her as she noticed his icy gaze. "I will open the door. You stay here."


    "But-"


    "Stay," he coldly ordered.


    With every step that carried a deadly and intimidating pressure, Jun walked towards the door. He opened it and saw a delivery boy standing outside. "It''s a courier-"


    That delivery boy got the scare of his life the moment he looked into Jun''s eyes.


    W-what did I do? I did nothing wrong! I-I am just here for the delivery! Am I going to be killed?


    The frost in Jun''s eyes slowly disappeared. As long as it wasn''t Yating, it was fine.


    Ai quickly came forward and took the parcel. "Thank you so much."


    Mam, you have a terrifying boyfriend! He lacked tears to shed.


    Ai had to sign on the delivery receipt, but Jun''s aura was so dangerous that he didn''t have the courage to stay there any longer. He handed her the parcel and ran for his life.


    "Wait-"


    Shouldn''t he take my signature? Ai was bewildered.


    She then peeked at Jun. "It was just a delivery. Why did you want to open the door?"


    "No reason," he coldly retorted.


    "..."


    They went inside, and Ai kept the parcel aside. She set the plates on the table and served Jun''s dinner. "I hope you like it. Let''s eat."

 Chapter 130 Turmultous Emotions

    Chapter 130 Turmultous Emotions


    Jun stared at Ai, who sat on a chair opposite him. There was dinner served on the table and together, it felt just like the time when Ai lived with him in his condo. They had their meals together. They talked about books and random stuff. The atmosphere was warm and fuzzy just like that time.


    Both shared the same feelings right now.


    Jun tasted the rice dipped with curry, and his gaze softly flickered.


    "It''s delicious."


    Her ears perked up with his praise. She could cook but was nowhere near Jun''s level. Jun was a stern critique too. If he didn''t like it, he wouldn''t sugarcoat things.


    If he said it was delicious, then it was really delicious.


    "Thank you," Ai felt proud at being praised.


    But these moments also brought a melancholy in her chest. Her heart was in turmoil. She was trying her best to get used to living alone again, not thinking about Jun at all.


    Now only a few days had passed by, and he was here in front of her once again, having dinner together just like before. She had never expected that it would be so difficult to forget those thirty days spent with him.


    Jun wasn''t any different. He was trying to enjoy his dinner but remembering about Yating made his expression ugly. The conversation he had with him at Jinhai and Nana''s wedding anniversary night continuously rang in his mind.


    He hadn''t backed off from admitting his feelings for Ai, and a strange sense of irritation engulfed him. It was similar to when he witnessed Ai and Jin dancing together.


    He clenched the chopsticks.


    That was only because it was Jin! Only because Jin danced with her¡­


    The scar of losing Shui to Jin had made Jun extra sensitive and alert whenever it came to him. So when he saw Ai dancing with Jin, he felt threatened and on contemplation, he figured it was because of his past life that he didn''t want anybody close to him in this life to have anything to do with his brother.


    That was how he had consoled himself. That was how he gave a reasonable explanation to himself about these inexplicable feelings for Ai which he wasn''t supposed to have.


    But now realizing Yating and Ai''s connection invoked the similar and intense possessiveness he felt when he had seen her with Jin.


    Why was he having these feelings?


    Towards Jin, he could soothe himself. But what reason was he supposed to give for Yating?


    Jun looked up and found Ai burying her face into a plate as if doing her hardest to avoid Jun.


    Green veins popped on his forehead.


    Then there was this where Ai was seemingly avoiding him for some reason.


    Was it only because of that night they spent on the swing? Or something else was the reason too?


    Whatever it was, he was getting irked by it.


    She wasn''t like this¡­


    They had kissed twice, but Ai had never given him such a cold shoulder. Even though things that night had turned several degrees hotter, he hadn''t expected Ai to behave like this when¡­


    Jun cleared his throat.


    She seemed to have wanted it too. Then why is she being like this?


    Ai jolted as he banged his fist on the table. She saw imaginary dark fumes oozing out of his head as he glared at her.


    She blinked.


    Why is he glaring at me? Didn''t he like my food?


    Ai took the plates to wash after dinner, but Jun snatched it from her. "I will wash them."


    He didn''t give her any chance to refute and headed straight towards the kitchen.


    Ai sighed and thought to take a quick shower until Jun was done.


    Once inside her room, she got a call from Xing Bi who furiously exclaimed her happiness about Sky''s statement.


    "Oh my God! I never imagined that Sky would forgive you! It was pretty much grilling you this entire time but with Sky''s support now, the situation has taken a one-eighty turn added Guiying''s statement to that. And damn you will get 5 million Yuan compensation too! This was beyond my expectations!"


    Ai softly smiled. "En."


    "Good, good! I will catch up with you tomorrow! You have been stressed out a lot lately. So go to sleep and have a good rest."


    "Thank you, Xing Bi for staying with me."


    "Of course, silly. We are sisters, after all!"


    They hung up, and Ai stepped for a bath.


    Outside, Jun was done with the cleaning and washing the plates. He walked back to the living room, taking a good look at her apartment. It was just like his condo.


    Simple and minimalist. Everything was neatly organized. It gave off a feeling that a responsible and wise person lived at this place. It was a small living space, but Ai had arranged the furniture in such a way that it looked warm, spacious and welcoming. The window opened to the street view outside.


    He raised his brow.


    She must have seen me going to that alley when I killed that thief that night.


    His gaze then fell on something shiny at a distance. He tilted his head and realized that it was a trophy on a glass shelf. He gently held it in his hand and read the carving upon it.


    Best Newcomer Writer - MissImperfectlyFine.


    A soft smile formed on his lips. A sense of pride filled his heart as he brushed his fingers along her name. He wished she could have won the Best Fiction Award. To him, her novel deserved to win that award.


    He heard a soft yelp from her room, and his eyes immediately narrowed. He kept the trophy back on the shelf and rushed towards her room.


    "What happened?"


    He only heard the sound of shuffling and some running around.


    "Eek!"


    Jun was confused. "Ai! What is happening inside!?"

 Chapter 131 Only In A Towel (1)

    Chapter 131 Only In A Towel (1)


    "Ai!" He banged his palms on the door. "What is going on?"


    "There is a cockroach!" Ai cried.


    "..."


    "You are afraid of a cockroach?" He asked, speechless.


    *CRASH!*


    His eyes widened, hearing a loud, crashing sound.


    "Come out! What the fuck are you doing!? You will topple your room upside down like this!"


    "It''s between me and the door!" Ai''s voice was shaky and panicky. "I cannot come out."


    His expression turned ugly. "Fine. Then I will come inside!"


    "You cannot come inside either," Her voice held a tinge of more anxiety now.


    He coldly sneered. "Unlike a certain someone, I am not afraid of cockroaches."


    The sight of Ai''s naked body flashed in his mind even before he could stop it from coming. It was instantaneous and automatic. The imagination of a naked Ai standing across him, merely separated by a door was enough to make his body grow feverish. He touched his throat, swallowing a gulp. Fantasizing about the time when he had pinned her soft body beneath him inside the swing made his palms itchy.


    "Jun?"


    At that time, Jun had cupped her breast with the fabric of her dress which put forth a barrier against his contact with her delicate skin.


    It would feel even softer to caress them without any clothes, wouldn''t it¡­?


    "Jun¡­?" Her voice from inside the room was trembling with fear.


    His fingers moved with a gesture in the air as if Ai was right in front of him, and he was cupping her breast to his heart''s content. He breathed hard, heat flushing towards a certain member of his body.


    "J-Jun! It''s moving!" She gasped.


    Her desperate cry finally snapped him out of his sexual fantasy.


    "....."


    Jun stared at his hand that was raised awkwardly in the air in a not so very innocent position.


    At that point, Jun wanted to kill himself.


    Towel¡­She is wearing a Goddamn towel! She is not naked, you idiot! You are not some horny teenager!


    He took a few, deep breaths to calm himself. His body refused to listen to his breathing techniques though. It still trembled with a yearning to push Ai down and make a mess out of her. Desire was lurking within his dark brown irises.


    He shut his eyes and spoke through a clenched jaw, "Wear some damn clothes, and then I will come inside-"


    "My cupboard is on the same side as my door," she sniffled. "How will I dress up?"


    Jun wished to bang his head on the wall and pass out.


    Don''t play with fire, you woman!


    "Then don''t blame me for coming inside!" He yelled.


    "But I am in my towel!"


    "Then deal with the cockroach yourself!"


    "Don''t leave me here all alone!" She exclaimed, terrified.


    "JUST WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!?" Jun was at the end of his patience.


    "Can you deal with the cockroach without coming inside?" Ai seriously asked.


    His mouth heavily twitched.


    "How about you take a looooong jump from wherever you are and escape from your room?" He sneered.


    "That''s physically impossible."


    "Then what makes you think that I can kill the cockroach without coming inside!? Am I a ghost to pass through the door!?" The expression on his face was unbearable.


    There was silence which was quickly broken by another soft scream from Ai. Then he heard her sharply gasp as if she had really seen a ghost. Her sobbing became louder.


    Jun finally lost it and banged open the door.


    "Okay, I am coming inside! Where is the fucking-"


    Before he could complete cursing the cockroach, Ai jumped and leapt into his arms, shaking and burying her head in his chest.


    Jun froze hard. His eyes remained unblinking and widened in shock for a long time. Ai''s soft sniffles reached his ears, but his mind was too occupied feeling and smelling her freshly bathed body. He ever so slowly lowered his gaze, and it sharply obscured with desire as her porcelain white naked shoulders came into his view. Her moist hair was fluttering upon it with tiny drops of water perching upon her clavicle.


    His gaze traveled down to the point where the towel barely reached her knee. From there on, part of her thighs and her legs were fully visible. The sweet scent of the rose soap wafted up his nostrils, and the heat which he just controlled while standing outside her room flared inside him once again.


    "I-I think it can fly¡­" she choked miserably. She was always scared shit of cockroaches and now seeing a flying one was akin to a death sentence.


    Her hands were tightly holding onto his shirt. Ai''s eyes were tired from crying, but Jun''s eyes were not so tired even after staring at her exposed shoulder for several long minutes.


    Ai fearfully glanced towards where the cockroach was and seeing it wriggle brought tears to her eyes. She hid her face in his chest once again, grabbing him even tighter this time.


    A sharp gasp mixed with a low groan escaped his throat.


    This is¡­


    "Q-Quickly! Or it will escape into the living room!" Ai begged.


    Jun wanted to tear her apart from him, but a part of him also wanted this sensation to linger. He glowered at the cockroach.


    It''s all because of you! She is hugging me because of you! And now I am now having these weird feelings because of you! It was just fine before! But you had to fucking ruin everything!


    As if the cockroach sensed his immense hostility, it scurried towards the other side of the room, took a flight with its wings and escaped through the window.


    Jun exhaled a deep breath. "...It''s gone."


    Ai blinked in confusion. "B-But you didn''t even move."


    "It escaped through the window."


    Ai looked back and saw that the cockroach had really escaped. She wiped her eyes and let out a deep sigh of relief.


    "I should quickly close the window or else-"


    Ai sharply stiffened as their position finally dawned upon her.

 Chapter 132 Only In A Towel (2)

    Chapter 132 Only In A Towel (2)


    Ai swiftly took a step back and stood rooted at her spot. Her hands were aimlessly wandering on and around her face, unsure of what to say.


    "I am¡­I am sorry."


    Embracing a man while donned in only a towel made her feel ashamed.


    "I know it''s silly, but I am really afraid of bugs and insects, especially cockroaches. I freaked out when I saw one, plus it was a¡­flying one," her countenance didn''t look so good. "I apologize for hugging you-"


    When she finally found the courage to meet his gaze, she trembled. Jun stood absolutely silent, but a storm was brewing in those dark pupils.


    Now that she stood at a distance, he could see the tiny slit between her breasts that was thinly visible from where the towel covered her chest. He drew his knuckles in, trying to stop his palms from shaking. From her neck to her shoulders and until the point where her chest bulged into her two lovely breasts, he stared at her like that, unable to tear his gaze away.


    Under his sharp scrutiny, Ai shivered. She looked left and right, and her lips trembled as she whispered, "Y-you can leave-"


    Fueled and consumed by his desire, Jun took a step forward, not listening to her words.


    Startled, Ai looked up and watched the distance between them gradually lessening. She bit her lower lip, an action that only enticed Jun further.


    A wish that shook Ai from within as she realized that she wasn''t supposed to harbor such thoughts for Jun. She knew, yet she felt strongly attracted to him.


    What was it in him?


    Was it his eyes? His smile? His kindness beneath that cold exterior?


    The way he cared for her even though he might hide it behind his taunts? Or was it his presence that made her feel reassured and safe?


    Were it his words that rang into the depths of her heart? Or was it his support which always stood beside her like an immovable rock?


    She felt a current sizzle through her body as Jun''s fingers traced the curve of her jaw, wanting to cup her cheek.


    She wanted it too. She wanted Jun to hold her. She wanted to feel the heat of his palm against her skin. She wanted their faces to lean closer and closer until their lips would touch.


    But her heart was torn apart, recalling the day she went to Sky. That and¡­


    No. I have promised myself that I won''t let myself have such feelings again. In this second chance, writing is the only thing that matters to me.


    Love had only led to a tragic end in her past life. This time, she had no intention to repeat the same mistakes.


    And even if in one in a million chance I choose to repeat that mistake, it won''t be with Jun who is¡­


    Her heart ached.


    Who will soon confess to the woman he¡­


    Ai placed her palm on his chest and slightly pushed it, trying to put distance between them.


    Jun, whose jaw hovered over her forehead, narrowed his eyes dangerously. He stared at her hand trying to push her away which he grasped and locked within his fingers.


    "You are avoiding me once again," be icily barked. "And I told you¡­"


    He held her chin up. "Look at me when you talk to me."


    Ai stared straight at him and said, "You should leave."


    Instead, he held the back of her head and pulled closer to her until their lips almost crashed. "Then you shouldn''t avoid me."


    Irked, irritated, angry and frustrated - he hated how she was putting distance between them.


    His deep, husky and cold voice held alarm and threat. "I have been watching you since I came here, and you have been avoiding me. Now, you are pushing me away. Do that again, and I will-"


    "You will what?" Ai sharply questioned. "This is my house."


    Jun stared at her and burst into a chuckle. "Oh," his index finger traced the curve of her chin, making her jolt, "Your house? Until when?" He tilted his head, a cold smile stretching his lips, "I can buy this whole building with a snap of my finger. Then I would like to see how you will avoid me," he squinted his eyes.


    He pushed her with his body until she was forced to bend her knees and sit on the bed. His arms locked her from escaping anywhere as he leaned on top of her. His breaths fanned her face.


    She peered into his eyes, her heart drumming in her chest. But her expression was unfazed. "You can buy this apartment but not my attention. Money can only go so far."


    The temperature took a sharp drop.


    "So, leave. Don''t do anything that will¡­that will jeopardize your relationship with Shui."


    "Huh?" Jun''s eyes rapidly blinked. "Excuse me? Where did she come from?"


    With a bleak voice devoid of any emotion, she said as her eyes shone with pain, "Congratulations. I feel happy for you and Shui. Things seemed to have patched between you two."


    Jun was getting more and more bewildered.


    What the hell is she talking about?


    "What happy? What patch up?"


    Ai''s brows crinkled. The more Jun denied and asked questions as if it was something unbelievable, the more her heart ached.


    "You don''t have to look so surprised. I heard the announcement President Chen made that day on Sky."


    He blinked.


    "You bought a ring for Shui," Ai stated without a twitch in her expression. "I was there that day and heard the announcement. So my hearty congratulations."


    Jun slowly widened his eyes, remembering the day crystal clear. "You were at Sky that time?"


    Her gaze dimmed, but she didn''t respond. Instead, she took a deep breath and pushed him as he was lost in his shock. She got up on her feet, slightly trembling. "Now if you will leave-"


    "There is nothing between Shui and me!" Jun exclaimed as he pushed her back.

 Chapter 133 Only In A Towel (3)

    Chapter 133 Only In A Towel (3)


    Ai jolted and stared at him in a daze.


    Jun gritted his teeth, his eyes turning several shades darker. "Is that why you were avoiding me? You thought I was getting engaged to Shui?"


    His tone held a mixture of disbelief and shock. Feeling wronged, Ai slightly curled her fingers into her palms. "Did President Chen''s announcement have a different meaning to it that I didn''t understand?"


    Jun stiffened.


    On face value, only one conclusion could have been drawn from the announcement, and Ai wasn''t wrong with that.


    Hearing his silence on the matter, Ai faintly smiled. "So, I wasn''t wrong. You don''t have to keep denying it. I understand how painful it was for you to stay away from her. I heard everything on New Year''s evening, after all. I am happy that you could resolve your differences. So-"


    Jun coldly grabbed her, pinching her jaw with his fingers. "Hm? Is there resentment I sense from your voice?"


    Her gaze flickered.


    "I get the feeling that you are angry at me."


    "I am not," Ai calmly replied. "There is nothing to be angry about this. It''s your life and your relationship."


    He pressed his arm on her waist, digging her fingers and leaning closer to her. "You ARE angry at me. But then what about me, huh?"


    She furrowed her brows.


    Him?


    "At the book signing event, you said to me that you aren''t interested in Gu Yating," he possessively brushed his thumb along her cheek, making her feel ticklish, "But that message didn''t seem to have reached that man."


    He sneered, inching closer to her, the touch of the tip of his nose faintly teasing her. "At my parents'' anniversary, he didn''t even flinch once as he accepted his ambiguous feelings for you."


    Ai froze.


    Yating¡­was there at the banquet?


    She thought as if she had seen his figure but felt she was imagining things.


    "He threatened that he will ruin Sky if I don''t stop attacking MissImperfectlyFine. He came to meet me personally just for that reason."


    Her lips parted in shock, and her light brown eyes widened.


    When did this happen¡­?


    "Now you tell me," Jun''s deep voice rang graver and colder, "Why is he going this far for you when you were supposed to have clarified your stance that you aren''t interested in him? That''s what you were telling him at the shopping complex, right? Along those lines? Then why the fuck was he at your house tonight so late in the evening when you and he shouldn''t have anything to do with each other!?"


    With a slight push, they collapsed on the bed with Jun on top of Ai. Their breaths grew quicker and messier as they locked gazes.


    Jun traced his fingers through her hair to the back of her neck and dipped his head where he bit on her soft skin.


    Ai immediately clutched onto his arm as a stinging but pleasurable sensation fired up at the place where bit.


    "I don''t have anything to do with Shui. I was at the shop to cancel the order, not buy the ring. Mom and Shui''s Mom misunderstood that and told Yunru. Shui and I have broken up for good. There is nothing between us anymore!"


    Ai''s gaze blurred. Words failed to describe how the chaos in her heart instantly disappeared. A burden was lifted off, and a tear slipped out of her right eye.


    "But what about you and Gu Yating? He comes to the anniversary banquet to warn me. He comes to visit you at your house as if¡­" his jaw furiously clenched. "As if he is your fucking boyfriend! He is not, right? Tell me. He is not your boyfriend, right?"


    The anger and jealousy escaped through his hot kisses which he showered on Ai''s neck. He pinned her slender body between his long arms and trapped her waist between his knees.


    Ai shut her eyes and gasped, her lips trying to speak, but her words were drowned by the intensity of Jun''s kisses traveling from her neck down to her chest.


    "I didn''t hear any answer yet¡­" his voice held a frightening ring to it.


    The ''No'' was at the tip of her tongue when


    she sharply sucked in a mouthful of air, feeling his tug at her towel''s knot.


    "No¡­" her voice squeaked inaudibly.


    "Louder," he ordered as he nipped the fabric of her towel between his teeth and gently pulled it upwards, loosening it around her chest.


    "N-No! He is not my boyfriend. There¡­" her chest heaved in breathlessness, "there is¡­nothing between us."


    Ai exerted a small force on his shoulder with her fingers as if trying her hardest to stop him. But it was so weak that Jun didn''t even sense it. She wanted to grip harder, but her own feelings that desired him refused to put up any resistance.


    The panicky feeling within Jun eased after her confirmation. There was no man in Ai''s life, and that assurance comforted him.


    Nothing between them¡­Yes, there cannot be anything between them.


    But then¡­


    His eyelashes trembled as the towel slipped, revealing her naked breasts. Heat and excitement pulsated through his body. His member throbbed with the beautiful sight of her bosom moving slightly up and down as her chest heaved.


    But then¡­what is¡­


    As if intoxicated by her, he inclined his head in between the valley of her breasts, enjoying the warmth it provided.


    But then what is between us¡­?


    He softly pressed his lips on her fair, smooth skin. He had fantasized countless times like now. Ever since they spent that passionate time in the crescent swing, he could think of nothing else but holding Ai intimately like this.


    Naked in his arms where he could admire her beauty. His lips that stroked her chest and his fingers that caressed her breasts¡­

 Chapter 134 The Battle Of Emotions And Promises

    Chapter 134 The Battle Of Emotions And Promises


    Ai shook hard. Her breasts were in Jun''s sight. The tip of his sharp nose and his lips teasingly hovered and kissed her skin, making her cling to his neck. Feeling the heat of his palm reaching out to cup her breast, she shuddered.


    They wanted to stop. They wanted to discard this desire which was grappling them until they felt insane. They wanted to throw away these ambiguous feelings.


    Neither of them wanted love to knock on their doors. Jun wanted to focus on Sky, and Ai resolved to give all her energy to her career. The emotion that had broken them apart in their past lives - they had no desire to bring it back to their lives and suffer again.


    But they felt like moths getting drawn towards the same fire once again that had burned them miserably once before. So much that it led to their deaths.


    Stop Jun¡­You have to stop¡­


    A voice in his mind urged him to stop before it was too late.


    But the voice in his heart threw him into a disarray, making his lips capture hers into a fiery kiss. His left hand held her head and his right hand gently massaged her breast as he dove in deeper into her mouth.


    Jun parted and broke the kiss after a long time. He bit his tongue in order to stop himself from going any further but found himself dipping his head once again to mesh his tongue against hers. He groaned and his member twitched harder, making him firmly squeeze her breast even further. Ai bit her lip, feeling sensitive as the pleasure tingled and cascaded all up to her scalp.


    A deep sigh of satisfaction escaped as he bit on her earlobe and proceeded to leave his teeth marks on her shoulder. His hand from her breast then traced her waist and reached her thighs.


    Their hearts were in turmoil to push away from each other, but the fever rushing within didn''t allow them to end this intimacy. The fervor was more intense than the night in Jun''s condo.


    But a battle was being fought.


    "Stop¡­"


    Jun''s forehead rested between her neck and shoulder, whispering and begging to himself to stop touching Ai. His hot and ragged breaths heated her neckline too.


    "Stop¡­"


    He was urging himself to put a brake on his actions, yet he couldn''t stop himself from caressing Ai''s face.


    She lowered her head, slightly gasping. Watching a tiny teardrop wet his eyelash, her eyelids trembled. Her own feelings were not in her grasp either to the point that she began to resent herself for breaking the promise she made.


    She lifted her hand to shake Jun''s fingers away from her cheek, but the warmth was so addicting that she gave up midway. Instead, she scooted closer to him, wishing to engulf herself as he surrounded her by all sides.


    Ai, you are an idiot¡­You are really an idiot¡­


    I wanted to stop Jun. I really wanted to. Then why did I not? Why is this happening between us¡­?


    The strife in Jun''s eyes was the same as Ai''s. Between their physical desire and their emotional resolve, they couldn''t seem to find an answer that extinguished this fire within them.


    Their determination was wavering. They knew what the onset of these emotions meant, but they were too afraid to accept it.


    Because with one acceptance, the walls they built to keep love away from their hearts would come crashing down in an instant. It would crumble into dust, and they would lay bare. Vulnerable.


    Jun softly kissed her cheek and let out a sad chuckle. Tears fell from his eyes, feeling helpless and furious.


    "I¡­am a bastard, Ai," he finally whispered after a long time.


    Ai, whose moist eyes were shut, slowly opened, and she stared at him.


    "I have no right to demand an answer from you. I have no right to do this to you¡­I am a¡­fucking bastard¡­" His brown pupils reddened, but he made no attempt to wipe his tears. His lips pinched together to form a wry smile.


    His despair-filled laughter echoed inside her small bedroom.


    "Ah¡­I don''t know how to look at myself in the mirror anymore," he chuckled in disdain at himself. "I must be looking like such a hideous monster¡­Doing this to you¡­Really, I should just¡­disappear¡­"


    Ai stared at Jun.


    He was crying. After the New Year''s night, it was now that she witnessed him sobbing like a child. The distraught, the pain was so glaringly visible in his expression that it shredded her heart into pieces.


    She stretched her arm and wrapped it around the back of his neck, pulling him closer to her chest. She cried along with him as she hugged him harder.


    Jun trembled and embraced her naked back as his tears plopped on her breasts. They laid like that for a long, long time.


    After an unknown amount of time passed by, Jun found his resolve to tear himself away from Ai. But his arms felt numb as he lacked the strength to support himself. Even so, he forced himself to get up and leave when Ai held his hand back.


    He stiffened and waited. His heart pounded in his chest, anxious of what Ai had to say.


    Ai loosely covered her chest with the towel and slowly sat upright. Her silence was eating away Jun''s sanity.


    "You don''t have to say anything. I will-"


    Suddenly, he took a noisy and sharp gasp, shuddering hard. He lowered his head and saw Ai''s dainty hand on top of his pants, touching his hardened member.


    "...What are you doing?" He asked as he sat frozen like a block of ice.


    Ai asked, unperturbed and composed, "What were you going to do about this?"

 Chapter 135 Ai’s Help To Mr. Liu

    Chapter 135 Ai''s Help To Mr. Liu


    Jun inhaled a sharp breath. "That is my problem. Leave."


    "Last time, you slept just like that in the swing," Ai mentioned without feeling ashamed.


    "Zhou. Ai." His gaze darkened, and his voice lowered as he precariously enunciated, "Take. Your. Hand. Away."


    She remained unmoved. "I am not unaware or indifferent about this. I know what you want, and it would be painful to bear it, so I will help you."


    Jun stared at her unblinkingly. "HELP me?"


    Ai nodded.


    "Do you know what that HELP means?" He growled in a quiet tone.


    She frowned. "Didn''t I say that I am not unaware about this?"


    The corner of his mouth twitched. He grabbed her hand which was pressing onto his member, making him almost lose his mind. He tried to shake it off. "It''s none of your business! You really don''t know what you are babbling about!"


    Ai slightly narrowed her eyes. "I do. Also, don''t talk like this is only your problem. You got a reaction because of me. But you are bearing it all alone even though I¡­" she slightly trembled, "I wasn''t against what happened between us. It happened because I wanted it too. If I didn''t, I wouldn''t have let you touch me. I saw how miserable you were the last time, and I don''t want to see you like that again," she firmly stated. "Last time too, I was against how you dealt with it. This time, I won''t listen to you."


    "I don''t want you to suffer because of me," Ai was stubborn. "Either you will bear it or take a cold shower, both of which are not good for your health."


    Jun gritted his teeth. His chest heaved harshly as Ai unzipped his pants.


    Fuck!


    "Zhou. Ai!"


    Ai slightly winced with pain as he gripped her hand harder with his palm. But she continued.


    His teeth clenched harder, and a series of warm and chaotic breaths escaped his mouth.


    "I am not really experienced in this so-"


    Jun shot her a deadly glare.


    Who cares if you are experienced or not!? Just touching me is already making fucking crazy!


    "If you¡­talk¡­" he inhaled, "I will kill you¡­"


    Ai pursed her lips. "Do that after you feel better. Focus on getting relief first."


    "..."


    The pace of her strokes on his member got faster, making Jun crave to kiss her senseless. His fingers clenched and unclenched, trying to control his desire to pin her down to bed.


    The pleasure of her hand working across his length reverberated in his body, and his forehead collapsed on her shoulder, tired and exasperated. He wanted to stop Ai, but he also didn''t want to stop her and the whole internal battle exhausted him, added with Ai''s adamance. Small beads of sweat from the tip of his hair hopped onto her skin.


    "Haah¡­hah.. "


    Ai''s cheeks were slowly tinting in red, feeling his disheveled breaths on her neck and by caressing his searing hot member that throbbed with frenzy and passion.


    Time ticked by and a while later after Jun climaxed, he felt his body easing up. His messy breaths came back to normal, and he took several gulps. His focus returned, and his length retracted, satisfied.


    His member was super happy, but Jun was super angry.


    "Zhou. Ai! What do you think you were doing!? Do you have any idea how dangerous it was!?"


    Ai slightly blushed as she wiped her hand but overall, her countenance was placid. She didn''t feel she did something wrong or shameful.


    "Indeed it was dangerous for you to hold it in," Ai replied.


    Veins popped on his forehead. "Dangerous for YOU I mean, idiot! You shouldn''t approach a man so carelessly in that state!" He exclaimed as his thread of patience snapped. "You test me like this one more time, and you will have it from me! You touched me like that¡­you¡­you¡­"


    His trembling fingers pointed at her.


    Ai stared straight at him. "I only cared about your relief. I know how hard it is to control, yet you were thinking of doing that for a second time. There is a limit to enduring something."


    Jun''s face blackened. He adjusted his pants and sprung on his feet while glaring at her. "You still don''t know what I could have done to you!"


    "I know and you would have done it already by force if you wanted to," she challenged him. "That''s why I did what I did because I cannot see you in pain."


    Jun felt as if he wanted to keep scolding her for the entire night but at the same time, he was at a loss for words too.


    "Don''t talk to me!"


    He stomped his way out of her room and settled on the couch, huffing and puffing in anger. His body was twitching with an urge to punch someone.


    How can she¡­?


    He breathed hard.


    Ai came out of the room, dressed up and taking soft steps towards the living room.


    "This is my couch! I am asleep! Leave!" He didn''t allow her to speak.


    He heard some shuffling noise, and he opened his left eye to see what was happening.


    Ai placed the cactus on the table in front of his couch. "Your anger will dissipate with the cactus plant by your side."


    "..."


    "Also, a blanket for you."


    "..."


    "Are you sure you want to sleep on the couch? It''s uncomfortable," she pursed her lips.


    Seeing the lid on top of his head close to bursting, Ai quickly turned and left. She mumbled. "I was just asking out of concern."


    Few hours passed by, but Ai couldn''t get any sleep. She was tired of tossing on the bed left and right. Her mind was filled with questions.


    Now that she thought about it, Sky CEO''s post seemed really coincidental with Jun''s entry in her house. Even the contents of the post felt intimate for some reason to her.


    Can Jun and MrPerfect¡­?


    Then her heart battled with her emotions too, and her body could still feel the heat of Jun''s kisses and touch. Sleep failed to visit her tonight.


    Sighing, she got up and peeked outside. Tiptoeing over to Jun''s side, she saw him soundly sleeping who was barely fitting on the couch. She wondered how anybody could sleep like that.


    She coughed.


    Maybe it''s because of my help¡­


    Her heart ached as she recalled the tears and pain in his eyes. She brushed her hand along his hair and whispered as she bent, "You are not a bastard, and you are not any hideous monster. You are a man I¡­" her eyes flickered in the dark, the expression in them unreadable, "I¡­

 Chapter 136 Receiving A Bouquet

    Chapter 136 Receiving A Bouquet


    Ai trembled.


    She straightened up after a beat and turned when Jun caught her wrist. She stiffened and looked back only to see him still sleeping.


    Jun hummed in his sleep and pulled her. She collapsed on top of him and rapidly blinked. Biting her lower lip, she tried to noiselessly leave. But Jun had firmly held onto her back and pressed their bodies together. His lips lingered on her forehead. Her hair grazed his chin, and her hand was on his shoulder.


    Ai had no space to move. Her ear that was pressed to his chest could clearly hear his heartbeat. Embraced by him felt warm and comfortable.


    "Jun¡­" she whispered his name, sleep finally greeting her eyes that failed to visit her before.


    "Ai¡­"


    A name escaped Jun''s lips too as he ever so slightly opened his eyes. He lightly flicked his thumb over the corner of her lips as he tightened his hold over her.


    ''You are not a bastard, and you are not any hideous monster.''


    "Ai¡­"


    He slowly shut his eyes, a soft smile faintly curving his lips u the same time in the dead of the night, Yating was aimlessly driving his car. Tears reddened and blurred his vision.


    From the hacker, Yating came to know about Ai being Butterfly herself. That rattled him so hard that he refused to believe the hacker.


    "How can she be Butterfly!? Are you crazy?"


    But then Ai''s confession on Weibo took him by such a shock that he immediately rushed to meet her in her apartment.


    "Ai, why did you lie? Were you so desperate to leave Dream High that you faked your identity even though it went against your principles?"


    "It was my decision, Gu Yating."


    He stared at her, his eyes aching. "Ai¡­even though you have rejected my confession, we can still work in Dream High together. Why¡­ Do you want to leave it so badly? I promise I will do anything I can to make you a great writer! You will have what Guiying has too," his eyes shone with determination. "But-"


    Ai raised her palm in indifference. "I already said so before. I cannot work at Dream High anymore."


    Yating asked with an icy gaze, "Is it because of Guiying''s feelings for me? If she is making you uncomfortable, then please let me clarify it to her that I don''t love her in the slightest! If it''s because of Guiying''s rising popularity, then I assure you that you will get the same things as her¡­You will get the same opportunities as her," his gaze flickered, "I won''t let anybody come in the way of your success. Even if¡­"


    He clenched his fist whispering something to himself that Ai couldn''t catch onto.


    "Please leave, Gu Yating."


    He froze.


    It was just like before. Whether it was the book signing event or the New Year''s evening when he confessed, Ai was aloof and apathetic. There was a gap between them that he couldn''t seem to bridge no matter how hard he tried. What made him feel the most helpless was that he didn''t even know what caused that distance between them in the first place.


    Her eyes were cold. Her voice was detached.


    The woman he loved so much was going farther and farther away.


    At present, he put a hard stop on the brakes, and the car came to a noisy, screeching halt. He clasped the steering wheel until his palms turned glaring red.


    Ai¡­


    No matter how tough the road ahead is, I will make you the best writer ever. I will let the world know how awesome you are, a prideful smile formed on his lips.


    "I will make you a star, Ai. Even if you don''t return my feelings, I will do what it takes to make you reach the peak."


    He trembled. "You might not love me, Ai¡­But I will always keep loving you."


    He chuckled as his tears kissed his cheeks. He wiped them and took a deep breath. His black eyes glinted with resolve.


    To make way for Ai''s career, the next stepping stone was the Author''s Summit. If Ai could win that, then her reputation would soar. He rested his head on the seat and narrowed his eyes. He had full confidence in Ai''s ability. Whatever story she might write, she would win the hearts of everybody present for sure whether Guiying participated or not.


    But it was slightly problematic now considering how she was attacked because of the plagiarism issue first and then her confession about lying about her identity though Sky''s statement had reduced the damage.


    Yating clenched his jaw.


    Liu Jun¡­He was talking about Ai. He was fighting for Ai all this time.


    His body trembled with a deep resentment taking root in his heart thinking about Jun''s possible feelings for Ai.


    Not you Liu Jun. Not you¡­


    ¡ª


    The next morning, Guiying worriedly brewed herself a cup of coffee. Ever since she read Ai''s post, she couldn''t get decent sleep. She had been trying to reach out to her, but Ai had simply replied that she would talk about this later.


    I hope Ai is okay¡­


    At first, she was terrified with how everybody harshly lashed out at Ai for lying and fooling Sky. Reading some of the comments made her so furious that she logged in with an alternate account to fight back for Ai''s sake.


    Fucking idiots! As if they know anything about Ai!


    She gritted her teeth.


    Talking nonsense about her!


    But after Sky gave its statements, relief washed over her seeing how the tide was slowly turning. Things didn''t completely turn into Ai''s favor but even if a little bit, the situation was calming down. Dream High also issued a statement later on indirectly pointing fingers at Sky. Many were still pissed why two reputable companies would side with a liar. But she didn''t care.


    Guiying sadly smiled as she read her last message. Her gaze dimmed.


    ''I will talk about this later.''


    Ai before you would always share your worries with me. But now you¡­


    Her daze broke as the doorbell rang.


    She opened the door and saw a delivery man carrying a big bouquet of cherry blossoms.


    "For Miss. Cai."


    She widened her eyes. "This bouquet is for me?"


    Surprised, she took the bouquet and thanked the man. She shut the door and placed the bouquet on the table.


    Who sent this?


    She found a card amidst the petals and quickly took it out.


    ''All the best for the Summit. Hope you win it. I will be watching you.


    Your most loyal reader,


    -MrPerfect.''

 Chapter 137 You Two Are My Favorite

    Guiying beamed upon reading the note.


    It''s from him...He would be coming to the Summit?


    A flutter set in her chest, and she jumped up in the air in joy. Her heart raced as she read the note again.


    A bright smile lifted her lips as she picked the bouquet. The pink cherry blossoms were beautiful and breathtaking. Just their sight alone made her feel as if the day got brighter.


    She brushed her fingers along the petals, her gaze softening. She felt even more fired up now to aim to win the Summit.


    He will be so proud of me if I win, right? She scratched the top of her head sheepishly. I wonder what expression he will make?


    Her phone buzzed with a call, and she slightly paused reading the caller''s name.


    Cai Lingyun.


    She kept her thoughts aside and picked up. "Bro! You are back from your trip? How was-"


    "Guiying! I just saw all the mayhem about Ai! What is going on!?"


    She stiffened.


    A loud sigh escaped from the other side, "I was on a business trip all this time, and the network was pretty bad there. I came here and opened the news and suddenly saw all these accusations and bashing on Ai! What is happening?"


    Guiying touched her chest, feeling uncomfortable. "It''s all just a big misunderstanding."


    "Plagiarism is a serious charge, Guiying! How can anybody accuse Ai of that? And I didn''t understand Ai''s post," he sounded confused. "What is she confessing about and what about leaving Dream High?"


    "It''s a long story, Bro. I will tell you when everything gets sorted out. But it will be fine. Sky and Dream High both have talked in her favor so..."


    "Well, it better be fine! Ai is such a talented writer."


    Her eyelashes trembled.


    "If these baseless charges affect her career, then it would be over for her. I want you and Ai to become the most popular writers. You two are my favorite. I wish I could be there to support Ai but this damn job of mine..."


    She smiled. "Don''t worry, Bro. I am here with her. She is my best friend. I won''t let anything bad happen to her."


    "Good, good, my little sister. She is your precious friend so always look after her just how she looks after you."


    "Of course."


    "And you are living alone, but you are not ignoring your health, right?" He sternly asked.


    She chuckled. "We just met during my vacation, and you are already asking me that?"


    "Hahaha. Time flies so fast. It feels as if it has been months already. Anyway! I just read about the Author Summit happening on Valentine''s Day. You must be participating, right?"


    "Yes," she rubbed her chin. "It will be a tough competition. I don''t know if I will win though."


    "Bah. Apart from Ai, nobody can match my sister!" He laughed.


    A tremble passed through her body unknowingly.


    "I wish I could make it to the Summit and show my support for you two, but the workload is really high here," he tiredly exhaled.


    "Don''t take stress, bro. Even if you are not here, I know you always support us."


    "En. My best wishes are always with Ai and you. Do your best!"


    "Thanks."


    They hung up after chatting for a bit, and Guiying immediately collapsed on the couch. She pressed her forehead, feeling pain enveloping her temples.


    ''And you still want to be friends with Ai? Aren''t you so naive?'' A laughter echoed.


    Her eyes widely opened with a jolt, and she gasped. She took short, shallow breaths. But as her gaze fell back on the pretty cherry blossoms, her heart felt at ease.


    Guiying softly smiled and hugged the bouquet.


    MrPerfect...


    ¡ª


    Ai was the first one to wake up. She softly yawned and dazedly opened her eyes. She felt Jun''s breaths gently blowing on her forehead. His arms were still at the same position as last night. His grip hadn''t budged even an inch from her waist, securely and firmly holding her.


    She peeked upwards and noticed how peaceful he looked as he slept. There wasn''t any trace of anguish in his expression that had brought tears to his eyes last night.


    She slightly shifted, but her face almost fell atop him. The tip of her ears turned redder as their lips accidentally brushed past each other.


    Ai moved her hand back and gently tried to make space by slightly pushing his arm upwards. She squinted her eyes, wishing that he wouldn''t wake up.


    A hoarse voice blew in her ear. "What are you doing?"


    She froze. She shut her eyes, lamenting on failing to do her task.


    She slowly lifted her gaze to find his dark eyes watching her with an unreadable expression.


    p????-?0???,??m Ai pursed her lips and softly said, "I was just trying to get up without disturbing your sleep."


    Jun tilted his head on the armrest. "Shouldn''t the main question here be as to what you are doing sleeping on top of me?"


    She blinked twice. "It was you who pulled me to sleep like this."


    He sneered. "Are you sure?"


    He clearly remembered that he had pulled her to his side last night, but he felt an urge to tease her.


    "Why would I lie?"


    "Heh. After the stunt you did last night...I cannot be really sure about you anymore."


    The flashes of memories of Ai stroking his length to pleasure him rushed into her mind, and her face reddened. That was a bold move from her side, she had to admit. She didn''t know what took over her but once she knew that Jun was going to torture himself again, she was determined to help Jun at all costs.


    Ai coughed and quickly got up. "You were asleep, so you might not remember," she said indignantly.


    Jun raised his brow. He recalled how troubled he felt last night getting any decent sleep. His thoughts always wandered off to Ai. The feelings he was repressing were on the tip of his tongue but he failed to admit it, afraid of sinking into the same abyss that destroyed him in his past life.


    But when Ai whispered the words he needed to hear the most, his heart felt incredibly lighter.


    She didn''t think of him as a hideous monster. She still chose to approach him fearlessly.


    ''You are the man who I...''


    His hand slightly shivered.


    I am the man you what, Ai? What did you want to say last night?

 Chapter 138 It’s Valentines Week!

    Chapter 138 It''s Valentines Week!


    This time, Jun made the morning breakfast since Ai prepared dinner last night. He already took his shower in her small bathroom and immediately headed to the kitchen. He thought he would have to wear the same clothes as last night but surprisingly, Ai had provided him with a fresh set of shirts and pants.


    His countenance turned sour and ugly. He coldly asked, "How do you have men''s clothes with you?"


    His mind formed a number of scenarios, all leading up to Yating somehow, which only boiled his blood in anger.


    How dare that fucker-


    Ai answered with a straight face. "These are my father''s clothes."


    Pssshhhh¡­


    The furious balloon that was puffing up until now deflated instantly.


    "Oh."


    "Sometimes, Dad comes to visit me and stays here for a few days. So, I always have his set of clothes ready. I have some extra stuff for Mom too."


    The menace from his eyes disappeared as well.


    "I see," his mood turned better. "That''s good."


    Ai furrowed her brows. "What were you thinking?"


    "Nothing," he refused to answer her question.


    "Just sit. I am already done."


    Ai pointed out. "You didn''t have to do it. I would have made the breakfast-"


    "Where is the tape here?"


    "Tape?"


    "Yes, so that I can stick your lips shut. You talk too much," he sneered.


    "..."


    As they ate their meal, Jun glanced up and narrowed his eyes. "You are coming to the library today, right?" It was more of getting confirmation rather than asking.


    She paused. She hadn''t visited the library since she left Jun''s house, unsure of how to face him.


    Even now, she couldn''t gauge the distance she could keep from him. She felt she was closer to him but on the other hand, there was also a restriction that didn''t allow to go any further than this.


    Especially after last night¡­


    Ai decided and faced him. "For the Summit, I have to prepare for my story-"


    "Prepare all you want in the library," He growled in a gruff voice. With Ai''s absence for all these days, he was on the verge of going berserk. Who knew what would happen if she continued to avoid him?


    Not seeing Ai on her regular seat made him fidgety and annoyed.


    Ai lowered her gaze and looked away. "I think it''s better I stay at home and focus on my writing."


    "You can focus in the library too."


    "But-"


    Jun cut her off before she could speak further. "If you stop coming to the library, then forget about me leaving your apartment," he sneered.


    "..."


    "This is childish," Ai remarked.


    "Heh. What will you do? Childish? So be it. Aren''t you being childish too by not coming to the library?"


    She maintained her poise. "I wasn''t childish. I just¡­"


    She wondered how to explain herself.


    Jun scowled. "I don''t care. We are heading straight to the library after breakfast."


    She probed. "You don''t want to head to your house first?"


    He narrowed his eyes and gave a scornful smile. "So that you run away while you have the chance? No, thanks. Library is our next destination, or I am staying right here."


    He wanted Ai to be within his sight as much as possible. He still couldn''t shake off the frustration of seeing Yating walk out of her house last night.


    I will see how that bastard hovers around Ai!


    Jun hadn''t admitted his emotions for Ai, yet he didn''t want to bear another man even thinking of claiming Ai as his.


    He gritted his teeth.


    It''s not because I think of her¡­of her anything more! She is an idiot! She doesn''t realize how fucked up the world is!


    He clenched his fist.


    "We are going to the library, that''s it!"


    In the end, as they walked out of the apartment, Ai met one of her neighbors along the way. The neighbor rapidly blinked her eyes seeing Jun and Ai together. She clearly saw Jun stepping out of her house.


    "Ai¡­Good morning."


    She suspiciously studied them, especially Jun from head to toe. She then suddenly felt a shiver, feeling Jun''s sharp gaze at her.


    She gulped and met his eyes which seemed to say, ''Yeah, I came out of her apartment. So, what? That''s none of your judgmental business.''


    Even without moving his lips, she clearly got his message.


    Ai politely greeted her. "Good morning, Mrs. Hao."


    "G-Good morning, Ai," she wiped her forehead. "It''s such a lovely day. H-hope you enjoy it with your boyfriend."


    Ai froze.


    Boyfriend¡­


    Terrified of Jun glowering at her, Mrs. Hao quickly rushed away. "I-I will be on my way."


    Ai parted her lips, wanting to clarify. "Um, Mrs. Hao-"


    Jun grabbed her wrist. "We are getting late. I don''t like to be late. Don''t bother with nosy neighbors."


    "...She was misunderstanding something."


    "Let her misunderstand," his deep gaze was fixed at her.


    Her breath stopped in her throat.


    He pressed his palm against hers and pulled her away.


    ¡ª


    Reaching the library, Mrs. Quan Su beamed upon seeing Ai. "Ai, you are back! Aiya, I missed you so much," she sobbed. "Especially when Jun was getting angrier day by day!"


    He glared at her. "When was I angry?"


    "Don''t lie! Ever since Ai stopped coming to the library, you frequently used to gaze at the spot where she would sit to read books. You treated the patrons extra coldly all these days. I got numerous complaints regarding the assistant librarian!"


    Ai''s heart raced in her chest.


    Frequently used to gaze at my seat¡­


    Jun''s expression was frighteningly cold. "I never did that!"


    "You think an old woman like me would lie?" She sniffled.


    He clenched his jaw. "Go get your eyes checked! I was behaving as usual. And what the fuck is wrong with this library? Why is it decorated with red balloons?"


    She gasped. "Because it''s Valentine''s week! How can you forget? Today is chocolate day!" She forgot all her anguish from a moment before and chirped like an excited child. "So, Ai. Have you made any chocolate for Jun?"

 Chapter 139 Don’t Let Go Of Ai

    Chapter 139 Don''t Let Go Of Ai


    Ai burst into a light cough. "Chocolate¡­?"


    "Yes. For Jun. After all, you two¡­" Mrs. Quan sheepishly grinned. "I don''t need to say it out loud, right?"


    They stiffened.


    Jun grimaced and gave a sardonic smile. "Mrs. Quan. I think you are too bored."


    "..."


    "Should I take over as the Head Librarian because clearly, your attention is somewhere else rather than books," he sneered.


    Mrs. Quan flared her nostrils and grabbed Jun''s arm. She kindly smiled at Ai. "Give us a moment, okay?"


    "Sure," Ai smiled back but internally, her mind was occupied with the thoughts of chocolates and Jun.


    "Hey! Where are you taking me!?"


    Mrs. Quan dragged him into a corner and checked that Ai wasn''t within the hearing range.


    "What am I doing?"


    "Don''t act so ignorant! Why are you still behaving so coldly? I am not blind."


    Jun sneered. "Are you sure?"


    She gritted her teeth. "I mean to say when will you confess to her?"


    He froze.


    "What¡­what the hell are you talking about!?" He glared at her. Her question sent his heart into a frenzy.


    "Jun, you cannot be so dumb that you haven''t noticed your feelings, right? Ever since you have met Ai, you have changed so much."


    "I don''t think so," he shot cold jabs at her.


    "Hmph. You won''t notice it but as a third person, I have. You treat Ai differently than other women. I mean, how many women regularly dream of catching your attention? But you never spared them a glance. But towards Ai, you change. You get anxious when she is not around. You let her stay at your house for a month. You come and go to and from this library so many times! Does any other woman have that liberty?"


    Every word struck his heart, at the place where he didn''t wish to. It wasn''t that he was unaware of this growing attraction he felt for Ai. But the grief from his past life didn''t let his heart accept the fact that¡­


    "You have a special place for Ai in your heart," she eagerly exclaimed in a hushed voice, "I am sure Ai feels the same way for you."


    He stiffened.


    "And it''s Valentine''s week. You shouldn''t let this chance go. She is such a nice girl. Polite, responsible, wise and calm. Whenever I look at you two, my heart feels so happy. You two are really compatible. You two look so good together. You won''t meet another woman like Ai, Jun."


    He trembled. His chest tightened at her thought.


    I know¡­There is nobody like Ai¡­Nobody can be like Ai¡­


    But I¡­am flawed. I will only suffocate her. Just like how I suffocated Shui.


    Just the rememberance of his relationship filled him with self-loathe. He felt hollowed out as if he was nothing but an empty shell. He was supposed to cherish the woman he loved, but he made her hate him to the point that he drove her away towards his own brother.


    If one day Ai also says that I stifle her then¡­


    He took a strained, silent gasp, his face turning slightly pale from imagining a future where Ai would begin to loathe him too. He envisioned her leaving him but what frightened him the most that he might not her go.


    If he fell in love once again and if history chose to repeat itself, he was afraid he would be obsessed with Ai just how he had made everyone''s lives miserable in his past life.


    Mrs. Quan pinched his cheek. "Don''t be so terrified, Jun. Ai is a very strong woman. She can take the love you have to give her."


    His eyes shot open in disbelief. But soon, a sense of numbness enveloped him as he mockingly chuckled in sadness. "You don''t know how I am, Mrs. Quan."


    "I think I know, Jun. You are a passionate man. Possessive and a little controlling at times perhaps?" She smiled. "Everybody loves differently. Some may find your way frightening."


    He stiffened, thinking about Shui.


    "But some accept it wholeheartedly. Because that is your way of loving. Ai is the kind of woman who won''t ever run away from you, Jun. You don''t have to chase after her to prevent her from escaping you because you will always find her beside you."


    He inhaled sharply.


    "Ai is a gem. If you realize your feelings too late, you will lose her forever," she gave it a thought and said, "Do you know what I like about you two the most? When you are all by yourself, you seem lost and alone. But when she is by your side, it feels that you have found a place to belong to. When you get restless or angry, she calms you down. Her presence tethers you that won''t ever make you lose your way."


    His gaze flickered. His expression was indecipherable. But his heart beat loudly in his chest.


    Mrs. Quan ruffled his hair.


    "H-Hey!"


    She harrumphed. "That''s why you should listen to me. Don''t let go of Ai. You might not realize the importance now. But one day, if another man stepped into her life and took her away, your heart would be only filled with regrets."


    He froze.


    She grinned. "Now, I will be back to my work. Oh, by the way. There are women eagerly waiting for you. They want to give chocolates to you~"


    His expression turned ugly.


    "I don''t like chocolates," he coldly warned. "If women come crying to you, don''t blame me."


    He turned to look for Ai but found her missing from her place.


    "..."


    Did she go ahead without me?


    He climbed up to the third floor and stepped in. Immediately, women gasped and squealed and shyly looked away. Everybody held a small packet which definitely had chocolate in it.


    He is coming! He is coming!


    But Jun was only focused on finding Ai. Which he didn''t.


    His gaze darkened.


    Did she use the chance and escape back to her home!?

 Chapter 140 Natukashi Bakery

    When Jun and Mrs. Quan were having their secret conversation, Ai had quietly slipped out of the library, thinking of the question she had asked.


    ''Have you made any chocolate for Jun?''


    Ai pursed her lips and clasped her hands together.


    We are not in a relationship. It''s not like I have to give him a chocolate with that meaning.


    She contemplated.


    But Jun has done a lot for me. I can give him some as my gratitude.


    Or so she consoled herself with that motivation.


    Ai had no time to make any chocolates and considering her baking experience, she decided against trying to even think of doing anything to make sweets.


    At the very least, I can buy some good chocolates.


    She searched for some good bakeries and found one with the highest reviews and popularity. None of the other bakeries could match up to it. So, Ai decided to visit the shop.


    She stood in front of the shop named - Natukashi Bakery. But there was a huge rush inside. It was Valentine''s week and Chocolate Day at that. Plus, it was super popular.


    The result was a huge queue in front of the shop. Even from outside, she could see the staff working like crazy to manage the rush hour.


    Disappointment hung on her face.


    This might take the whole day.


    But there was one way of salvation.


    There was an announcement hung at the bakery''s entrance which stated that whoever managed to solve the owner''s aka the Head Patissier''s problem would be allowed to enter the bakery without worrying about the queue. The customers inside the store would be able to shop for free if they won.


    So, the ones at the very back outside the shop were trying their luck with this challenge. If they had any solution to give, they were to write on a piece of paper and display it in front of the camera fit at the entrance, and the owner would accept or reject it.


    Until now, everybody was rejected.


    Ai blinked.


    This is weird.


    She took two steps forward and read the problem in question.


    ''I have pissed off the woman I am interested in! I was just playing around and having fun, but it got her into trouble. She got really, really angry and doesn''t want to see my handsome face ever! But I am interested in her, so I want to make it up to her without dying anytime soon! Give me a sensible solution, and the winner will be able to cut the line hahaha! The ones inside will get their sweets for free!''


    "..."


    Ai watched the other ladies in the queue eagerly showing their answers.


    ''Give her flowers! Girls really like flowers!''


    A certain owner sneered in disdain. "She will kill me and then use the same flowers to put on my tombstone! Out!"


    ''Sing a song for her!''


    "She will strangle my throat before I even get to sing," he sobbed. "Out!"


    Nian was munching on a pastry and watching the ladies outside the store hastily scribbling on papers. The customers from inside the shop forgot what they were here for and instead focused on the challenge. If they win, they could get the sweets for free!


    Every single item in Natukashi Bakery was exquisite in taste and costly in price. Getting it free was like a big boon on everybody''s pockets.


    Nian then suddenly choked as he saw a familiar figure in front of the camera.


    The hell...what is she doing here!?


    Ai displayed her writing at the camera. It wasn''t a solution, but a question instead.


    ''What do you mean by playing around?''


    "..."


    He spoke through the mike. "Playing around is playing around. What kind of a question is that?"


    Ai pursed her lips and wrote again.


    ''How? Did you lie to her? Did you make fun of her? Did you have fun at her expense? Did you pay not attention to her when she might be talking to you?''


    His mouth twitched.


    "...First one. I lied about my identity and pretended to be a servant because it seemed fun."


    Ai wrote again.


    ''Isn''t the solution simple? Confess that you lied and apologize."


    His gaze darkened. "You think I didn''t think of that? She will kill me if I confess!"


    Ai blinked.


    She wrote another question.


    ''Other than asking us, what solution had you thought of?''


    Nian sheepishly grinned. "I would act pitiful and say that my owner fired me while begging her to let me stay at her house as I am homeless! Living together under one roof, and she would be bound to forgive me one day!"


    The others praised.


    "This is so cute!"


    "Living together sounds so romantic..."


    "You will definitely melt her heart!"


    Nian proudly glanced at Ai through the camera only to find her giving a judgemental stare through it. She took another piece of paper and wrote.


    ''If you want to ask for forgiveness for lying to her by telling another LIE to her about homelessness, then good luck.''


    "..."


    He saw Ai walking away, but he screamed. "Hey! Wait! Don''t just leave like that!"


    Amidst the dissatisfaction of other customers, Ai was finally brought in where Nian was, and she blinked at him in surprise. "You..."


    He is Jun''s elder brother.


    She recalled Jun saying that one of his elder brothers was a patissier and a sweets maniac.


    "You are the owner?"


    He proudly smiled. "Behold my excellence."


    "There is nothing to behold about your excellence who thought lying once again was a good option," she calmly stated which drilled big holes in his heart. He burned like charcoal.


    "..."


    Nian sighed in frustration. "You don''t know! You didn''t witness it with your eyes. She was so furious that she would have eaten me alive! If I meet her again, she is going to kick my ass so bad..."


    Ai tilted her head. "Then apologize after that."


    "..."


    "If she figures you lied to her again to cover up for your first lie, she will twice kick your ass."


    "..."


    "Why do you want to agitate the already bursting volcano?"


    He choked. After a pause, he asked, "Do you really think she will forgive me if I am honest?"


    Ai nodded.


    Nian raised his hands in defeat and mumbled. "...Fine. But if it doesn''t work, then just see!" He harrumphed.


    "If you sincerely apologize, then I don''t see why it wouldn''t work. Women like honesty. I do and so does my close friend who treats me as her sister," she softly smiled thinking about Xing Bi.


    Nian gave it a thought and acceded. He then curiously looked at her up and down and asked, "So. Here to buy chocolates for a special someone?"

 Chapter 141 Ai’s Handmade Chocolates For Mr. Liu

    Chapter 141 Ai''s Handmade Chocolates For Mr. Liu


    Ai''s brow ever so slightly twitched. She averted her gaze for just a moment, hearing Nian say ''a special someone.''


    Nian lazily propped his chin on his palm and asked, his eyes sparkling with delight. "Oh, oh. Don''t tell me that that arrow which Grandpa shot that evening hit its place?"


    She frowned.


    "Which arrow? I don''t understand."


    "You and Jin, of course. Are you buying chocolates for him?" He gasped. "Are you two meeting secretly!?"


    Ai stared at him. "No. That was just a misunderstanding. I have nothing to do with him."


    "Tsk. And here I thought you would be my sister-in-law," he sighed in disappointment.


    "..."


    Nian gave a wide grin and spoke with a gleam shining in his eyes. "Do you want me to market my youngest brother to you? Now that I think about it, Grandpa''s idea is not bad. I like you! It would be awesome if you become my sister-in-law, hahaha! I am sure Jin will also definitely like you! You are so cool!"


    Ai slightly narrowed her eyes. "I think you should ask Jin''s opinion on that first."


    Nian tilted his head.


    He peered into her serious and calm irises that looked firm about her feelings. "Well, if that''s your decision. Then what is your crush like?"


    Ai stiffened.


    "He is not my¡­I am buying chocolates to show my gratitude-"


    Nian waved his hand in dismissal and chuckled. "Sure. You think you are the first one to give that excuse?"


    She lowered her gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.


    "It''s like how teenage girls act. They pretend to give obligatory chocolate to their crush but in their hearts, the meaning is different."


    She cleared her throat.


    He got up on his feet, elated. "Anyway! Since I have agreed to your solution, I will keep my promise! You can buy anything for free. But~ I will go one step ahead since we are good friends!"


    Ai blinked.


    We are friends? We just met once at the wedding anniversary banquet.


    "I will give you special treatment and make chocolate for you myself!" His nose elongated in pride.


    Her ears perked up on that. "You will make chocolate?"


    "Yes. Not many have that honor~"


    Ai gave it a thought and politely asked, "If you don''t mind, can I make the chocolate with you teaching me?"


    I will surely cause a disaster if I try it by myself but with a master patissier by my side, it is possible, right? Her eyes gleamed with hope. There won''t be any accidents as long as he is with me.


    Nian stared at her, his eyes squinting and twinkling. "And then you say that it''s just a gratitude chocolate. Who will work so hard unless the chocolate has a special meaning to it?"


    She froze. Her lips parted, wanting to reject his claim but she felt her throat go dry.


    He chuckled. "Whatever. You can keep fooling yourself, but I hope by the time Valentine''s Day arrives, your denial won''t have any place in your heart anymore."


    She gripped her wrist and looked away.


    "Anyway! I will accept your request! But mind you, I am extremely strict, okay?" He narrowed his eyes. "I will grill you like crazy if you make any mistakes. If you start crying, I will throw you out."


    "..."


    Jun was indeed right. He drastically changes when it comes to sweets.


    But Ai was determined. "I won''t cry. I will do just as you instruct me."


    ¡ª


    A few hours later, a sobbing Nian pushed Ai out of his store. His black eyes reddened with sorrow and pain. He pointed his trembling fingers at her. "You¡­you¡­You shouldn''t ever be allowed to make sweets! You are a bane when it comes to sweets!"


    Ai, who carried a small gift bag with chocolates, furrowed her brows. "But, I finally made them."


    Her lips lifted into a proud smile as she showed him the fruit of her efforts.


    He clutched his chest while his assistants were holding onto him to prevent him from collapsing. "That is all thanks to me!"


    "Naturally. That''s why I asked you to teach me because I didn''t know how."


    Nian lived up to his spartan nickname when he was teaching Ai.


    ''Stop that! You will ruin the taste!''


    ''Are you an idiot!? Why did you put so much sugar into it?''


    ''Now why did you put in so little sugar!? Don''t you know what ''right quantity'' is!?''


    ''Oh my God, have you never stepped into the kitchen before!? Why are you so hopeless!?''


    ''Why did you cut it like that!! Have you dumped your brain somewhere!?"


    Nian gasped. "There is a limit of not knowing! Who beats cocoa that harshly as if a monster is cooking you in a pot of hell!? You look so delicate, but your hands are monstrous! Sweets need delicacy, patience and tenderness. Your hands are anything but that!" He wiped his eyes. "Ahh how they have suffered today¡­We need to give a proper burial to all her failed attempts," he sniffled.


    The assistants only nodded their heads. They were shocked to see that she was even alive after the hell she brought into his kitchen. But what stunned them the most was that Ai wasn''t affected no matter how harshly Nian scolded her. Many interns had shed tears of blood from his spartan training.


    They promptly pulled him back before he would get a heart attack for real.


    Ai bowed and thanked him. "Thank you for your help."


    His face blackened. "Leave! And you are not allowed into my bakery anymore! You shouldn''t be allowed into any bakery for that matter!"


    The door shut on her face with a loud bang.


    She ignored Nian''s outburst and looked at the chocolates in her hand. She hugged the small bag to her chest. It was time to give them to Jun now.


    ¡ª


    Jun, who was on the verge of exploding at any moment, was continuously emitting black fumes in the air. All the women who were anticipating to give him chocolate only ran away with blood tears in their eyes as he brutally rejected all of them.


    His chest burned with indignation at Ai''s betrayal.


    He sneered.


    The moment I took my eyes off her, she ran away. And the nerve of her not to respond to my calls and messages!


    It was almost the library''s closing time and Jun was impatiently tapping his foot, still waiting if Ai might show up.


    There were not many patrons left now. Among them, a woman walked up to him with determination, confident that Jun wouldn''t reject her chocolate.


    She shyly smiled. "This is for you¡­"


    Jun let out an alarming smile. "I think my message wasn''t clear when I rejected all the other women shoving their chocolates at my face. I. Don''t. Want. Any. Chocolates! I hate chocolates. Leave!"

 Chapter 142 Is That Chocolate I Smell?

    Chapter 142 Is That Chocolate I Smell?


    Ai, who had just arrived, witnessed his harsh dismissal towards that woman''s chocolate. She stared down at her own chocolates in her hand.


    ''I hate chocolates!''


    Her shoulders drooped, feeling bummed out. A trace of discouragement flickered in her eyes.


    Jun hates chocolates¡­


    All her hard work had gone to waste. It would only be an embarrassment now if she showed him the chocolates she made.


    Suddenly, the woman came running out, tears wetting her cheeks. "So mean! How dare he reject my chocolate!"


    She met the same fate as countless other women who died at the hands of Jun''s cold rejection.


    The remaining patrons also slowly left, afraid of being in the same place as Jun. His black aura was only intensifying.


    Ai softly sighed and was about to put the small bag of her chocolates in her handbag when her vision was suddenly blocked by a towering figure. A hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her inside in one swift motion.


    Jun shut the door behind her and cornered her until her back bumped on the door. His arms put a barricade on her left and right sides.


    Ai''s breath stopped in her throat, and her heart jumped loudly in her chest. She slowly lifted her gaze. His eyes shone dangerously under the light, and the smile on his lips was anything but welcoming.


    "Miss. Zhou. You finally found your way back to the library? I thought you got lost in this big city."


    Jun bent his head to her level, his dark eyes watching every inch of her face with concentration. "Didn''t I warn you that if you run away, then there will be consequences?" His muffled voice was edged with threat as the tips of their noses touched.


    Ai slightly licked her lower lip. She met his eyes level headed even though the flush on her neck failed to hide her pounding feelings.


    "I remembered I had something to do."


    "That something being as?" The tone of his voice turned a notch lower and denser.


    How could she say that she was at Natukashi Bakery to learn how to make chocolates for him?


    Her silence irked him. "I am waiting."


    "I¡­"


    Jun''s brows suddenly twitched along with his nose. He rapidly blinked his eyes and looked around her. "Is that chocolate I smell?"


    She stiffened.


    "You are mistaken," she replied without any hesitation. "Weren''t there so many women who brought chocolates for you? It must be that smell still fresh in the air."


    "No. It''s coming from you. Very closer from you," Jun was adamant. He leaned and his sharp eyes observed her.


    He grabbed her hand and studied her palm with interest.


    Ai gulped, and her eyes slightly widened. She retracted her hand, but Jun didn''t let her. "There is nothing on my hand."


    His pupils constricted, noticing her reaction. "There is nothing on your hand that I can SEE, but there is some that I can SMELL."


    Her brow twitched. "It''s a misunderstanding."


    His lips glinted with a smile. "Why don''t I confirm it?"


    He raised her hand and brought it closer to his nose. Her fingers trembled as his lower lip teasingly brushed on her palm. Her mouth opened and closed, but she could only nervously exhale. Her hand felt hotter when Jun sniffed the tips of her fingers and grazed his thumb along her skin.


    "I¡­I said that there is nothing¡­"


    Jun blinked. "I don''t think so."


    Ai pursed her lips. "It''s impolite to hold a woman''s hand like that."


    "..."


    "You are saying that AFTER you have touched you know what of mine with this very hand?"


    Her ears flushed crimson, and she was rendered speechless recalling how she had pleasured him.


    "That¡­that was different¡­" her voice squeaked inaudibly.


    Jun ignored her and continued sniffing her hand. "It is chocolate. Why do you smell like chocolates?"


    Ai slightly panicked.


    His gaze fell on her bag, and he thought back to a few minutes ago. "What were you keeping in your bag before I pulled you?"


    "Nothing."


    "It''s definitely not nothing," his eyes squinted further.


    Jun grabbed her bag, but Ai hastily pulled it back. "What are you doing?"


    "I want to see what''s in your bag."


    "There is nothing in my bag."


    He sneered. "I will confirm that with my own eyes."


    He pulled her bag again, and Ai dragged it back to her side. The tug-of-war continued for quite some time.


    Jun''s gaze darkened. "Leave!"


    She shook her head. "Let go of my bag. It''s impolite to peek into a woman''s bag," she indignantly expressed.


    He snorted. "Yeah, I don''t care about ethics right now. I want to see what you were hiding."


    "I didn''t hide anything."


    "Then prove it to me."


    In the end, Jun dislodged the bag from her grasp. Alarmed, Ai stretched her arm upwards to grab it again. But Jun had raised it high up in the air. She tiptoed on her heels but failed to reach the height.


    Jun shamelessly ruffled inside her bag, not bothering about her resentment.


    "D-Don''t!" She flustered and tried to stop him.


    He found a small, beautiful pink cloth bag whose mouth was tied with a golden ribbon. There were five chocolates neatly wrapped and stacked inside.


    Jun glanced back at her, whose cheeks were tinted in red now.


    "There are chocolates indeed," he pointed out.


    After a few shallow breaths, Ai took a deep, calming breath and made an expression as if she was unfazed. "Is that so? I wonder how it got in my bag."


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    "Maybe, it accidentally landed in my bag."


    Jun chuckled with a villainous ring to it. "And your hands accidentally smell like chocolates too?"


    "..."


    Ai had no answer to that.


    The clock ticked in silence, and then Jun asked, "Who are these chocolates for?"


    She rubbed her fingers together and lowered her gaze.


    Jun pushed her chin up and as their breaths tangled with each other, he whispered impatiently, "Who are these chocolates for, Ai?"

 Chapter 143 Mr. Liu Loves Ai’s Chocolates

    Chapter 143 Mr. Liu Loves Ai''s Chocolates


    There was no place to escape. In defeat, Ai finally replied. "You¡­don''t have to accept it. You hate chocolates, after all. I wasn''t aware."


    Jun''s eyes slowly widened. He had exclaimed in frustration that he hated chocolates when the women refused to leave him alone.


    She heard that¡­


    Ai quickly tried to take back the chocolates, but Jun moved his arm away. The space in between her brows crinkled in confusion.


    "You brought it for me, so it''s for me. Take your paws away!"


    He untied the golden ribbon and took out one chocolate.


    Ai said, "You don''t have to force yourself. The women-"


    He shot a sharp stare at her. "Don''t compare yourself to them."


    She froze.


    "I will accept whatever you have to give me," his voice held such finality and intensity that made her feel as if butterflies were tickling her stomach.


    The chocolate touched his lips as Jun took a bite.


    Her shoulders tensed and jitters spread within her, apprehensive about his reaction.


    The sweet chocolate melted onto his tongue but with a slight touch of bitterness in it. His chest fluttered with warmth, and his gaze softened. He popped in the whole chocolate and like that, all the chocolates quickly disappeared from the pink bag into his stomach.


    Ai watched the chocolates vanish one after the other, and her heart danced with joy. Her eyes shimmered with delight.


    "You liked them?"


    Jun kept his gaze intact. "That''s why I ate them. All of it."


    But at the back of his mind, a faint feeling of annoyance also crept in his chest. It wasn''t related to Ai''s skills or that the chocolates were bad. But the imaginary radar on his head was twitching for some reason.


    Ai''s heart thumped, and she felt pleased and satisfied. "I see. Thank you. Then I wonder why your brother was shouting unnecessarily? My chocolates turned out to be just fine."


    He blinked. "My brother?"


    "Yes, your brother Liu Nian. I went to his bakery to buy some chocolates for you. He was in some trouble. I helped him, and he offered to make the chocolates himself as a reward. But I requested him to teach me instead."


    She pursed her lips. "Though I only remember him shouting and crying in the kitchen more than him teaching me."


    "..."


    "In the end, it seemed he would get a heart attack. He was crying miserably. I don''t know why."


    "..."


    Jun''s mouth heavily twitched. He remembered her house getting blown up by her ''baking'' skills and instantly concluded why his brother would have reached that state.


    "No wonder I felt annoyed eating your chocolates."


    Ai blinked. "You didn''t like the chocolates?" Anxiety gripped her once again.


    His gaze clouded with resentment. "Not like that. It''s because I felt the taste was similar. Turns out that you went to Bro Nian''s bakery," he sneered. "Whenever the twins are anywhere near me or are involved in anything, I get extremely displeased."


    Ai stared at him in wonder.


    "You felt that connection even through my chocolates?"


    Jun glared at her. "When you have lived with them from childhood until now, that radar automatically develops! You don''t know how they are. It''s better you never get to know how they are¡­" his expression turned ugly, recalling all the traumatic experiences his brothers put him through.


    He dismissed his thoughts about Nian and instead focused on Ai. "Why did you make chocolates for me?"


    Ai replied with the answer she had practiced countless times in her mind. However, she still found her body trembling as she spoke, "It''s for helping me all this time. Whether it was letting me stay at your house or helping me with my stories, I a-appreciate everything you have done for me."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "So, it''s a gratitude chocolate?"


    "...Yes."


    "Are you sure?"


    The tone of his question made her fluster slightly. "Yes."


    Jun''s head slightly tilted, and he stepped closer to her. Her chest rattled with a flurry of emotions swirling her heart. The tips of his fingers slowly reached her wrist, and he pulled her until her ear was just a centimetre away from his lips. Her eyelashes trembled with how his breath blew on her ear, turning it hotter and redder.


    "Did you make chocolates for anybody else?" His hushed voice vibrated in her eardrums, rattling her heart even further.


    Her head bobbed sideways. "No."


    "It''s only for me?"


    Her chest heaved in breathlessness. "Yes¡­"


    Her soft whisper of an answer settled peace in his heart. "That''s good," A smile curled on his lips. Ai made chocolates only for him. She tried hard only for him.


    He felt special and treasured.


    Ai could only release her breath once he stepped away. She quickly said, "I-I will head back now."


    Jun hummed.


    Stepping out, she realized that he was going in the same direction as her walking beside her.


    He noticed her questioning gaze and answered. "I will drop you."


    Her eyes immediately sparkled with joy, thinking that she would get more time to spend with Jun though she also had mixed emotions about the distance lessening between them.


    "Thank you," she sincerely said.


    Jun abruptly stopped in his steps and stared at her wide-eyed. Ai didn''t understand why he seemed so shocked.


    "Anything wrong?"


    With an unreadable countenance, he slowly retracted his gaze. "Nothing."


    He thought she would reject his offer, and he would stubbornly persist to drop her home anyway, one of the many things that had caused arguments between him and Shui in his past life.


    Jun peeked at her, her eyes glowing in delight. It inevitably warmed his gaze too and brought a tender smile on his lips.

 Chapter 144 The Determination To Win

    Chapter 144 The Determination To Win


    Coming back to his own condo after dropping Ai back home, he sat on his couch. It was his dinner time and he was hungry, yet he didn''t wish to eat anything.


    He touched his lips in a stupor where he could still feel the light taste of chocolate lingering on them. Unconsciously, he licked his lips and swallowed the faint traces of chocolate in his mouth.


    His stomach was rumbling with hunger, but he was afraid to lose the taste of Ai''s handmade chocolate still present at the tip of his tongue. He wished to eat more of them.


    Once again, her chocolates weren''t perfect. In fact, it was a blend of sweetness and bitterness. Yet, he found it strangely addicting. Ever since Ai stepped into his life, the imperfections in things that she brought with her felt appealing and enjoyable.


    His phone buzzed with a message, and he saw it was a message from Chyou.


    ''I am ready.''


    A glint passed through his eyes. Yating had attacked Sky''s systems, and Jun wanted his own revenge to drag Dream High down too.


    When he thought about how Yating did it for Ai''s sake, his body trembled in rage. He threatened him openly at the wedding anniversary banquet, and then attacked Sky - all because he wanted to protect Ai.


    The feeling that another man fought for Ai didn''t sit well with him because he knew how Yating felt about Ai. At least for now, he liked her though five years later, he would dump Ai.


    But at this moment, Yating challenged Jun to protect the woman he loved.


    His trembling fingers dug in his palms.


    You are nobody to her. You have no right to fight for her¡­


    Jun took a slow, deep breath and gave it a long thought.


    But he thought that now wasn''t the right time.


    The Authors Summit is coming closer, he narrowed his eyes.


    There were already tensions about Ai''s name and reputation. He didn''t want others to drag Ai unnecessarily between Sky and Dream High''s war. He wasn''t afraid of the keyboard warriors because he could shut them up with a snap of his finger.


    But this was a crucial time for Ai to prove herself at the Summit. Any tension in Dream High or Sky would inevitably affect her concentration too, and Jun wanted her to give her very best.


    Jun typed.


    ''Don''t do anything. For now.''


    Chyou''s reply came a minute later. ''Sure?''


    ''Hundred percent.''


    Jun sneered.


    Once Ai comes to Sky, I will have all the time in the world to deal with Dream High. Slowly but surely.


    ¡ª


    Liu villa.


    "Jiaaaan~~"


    Jian, who was grinning to himself while texting his girlfriend Leina, made an annoyed face.


    His twin jumped upon him with a wide smile on his face. Jian narrowed his eyes. "What do you want?"


    "Aww, you know me so well~"


    "Is this about the mysterious woman you met that evening?"


    Nian coughed. "Yes."


    "Hey, you created that mess. You solve it on your own!" He snorted.


    "You are my twin! We are supposed to help each other! Don''t make me remind you just how many times I disguised myself as you to suffer Uncle Xu''s wrath! You made some pretty good use of our same faces."


    Jian cleared his throat in embarrassment.


    He harrumphed. "Anyway. Do you remember Zhou Ai?" His gaze darkened.


    "How can I forget the woman who jabbed popsicles in our mouths?" He chuckled.


    He burst into tears. "She¡­she murdered my sweets today!"


    "Ah?"


    Nian sobbingly told him the entire story, and Jian only laughed like crazy. "Oh¡­oh my God¡­That''s hilarious! Ah, how I wish I was there," he lamented.


    "Shut up!" Nian glared at him. He reigned his anger and continued. "The point is that she told me to confess my mistake and apologize to Xing Bi."


    "Xing Bi?"


    Nian grinned. "It''s her name. Even the name is so cute. Just like her."


    "So cheesy," Jian sneered.


    He rolled his eyes. "As if you are any less cheesy with Leina. So where was I? Yes! I feel that Ai is right. So, I have decided to do as she says."


    "Cool. Good luck."


    "What good luck!? I need your help! I have planned to apologize to her on Valentine''s Day. She works in Dream High as an editor, and there is going to be an Author Summit on 14th Feb. She is going to be there."


    Jian was taken aback in surprise. "Isn''t Dream High Sky''s rival? Interesting."


    He shrugged. "Yup. Well, that''s where she works."


    "So what do you need me for?"


    Nian scratched his chin. "You see. I will do my best. But she was quite¡­quite furious. I am not sure if she would really forgive me or strangle my neck. So, I need you to back me up in case I fail to appease her, hehe. Butter her up for me please~"


    Jian widened his eyes. "Dude, are you crazy? It''s Valentine''s Day. I have plans with Leina."


    Nian grabbed his arm and begged him. "Jian, please! You have to do this for me! Just once! I really need your help!" He cried. "You atleast have a girlfriend! I can kiss my beautiful love life goodbye if I fail!"


    Jian shrugged off his arm. "Nope. My plans with Leina are fixed. She will kill me and dig my grave if I cancel our plans."


    "I will talk to her-"


    "Don''t even think about it," he warned. "You have no idea just how I passed her Trial of Judgment by hair''s breadth," he sweated. "She was pretty mad. If I screw Valentine''s Day, I will kiss MY love life goodbye."


    Nian felt extremely aggrieved. "You¡­you! You have no place for your brother anymore! Fine then! I will ask Jun-"


    "He will throw you out before you get to complete your sentence. He must definitely have plans with Shui too."


    "..."


    "Then my lovely sister Nuo! She will definitely help her big brother!"


    Jian chuckled. "Forget about it. Obviously, she has plans with Siying too. Plus, it''s their first Valentine''s as a couple. No way she will come with you."


    "..."


    "But I need a backup! I know!" His eyes gleamed.


    Just at that moment, Jin stepped in. "Bro Jian, here is your-"


    "Jiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnn!" Nian hopped into his brother''s hug. "My sweetest brother of all! My cutest brother of all!"


    Jin stared at him and then turned to leave. "I am not-"


    "No, no!" Nian grabbed his elbow and dragged him back. "You are the only single sibling available right now. You have to come! That''s my order as the eldest brother! You will come to the Author Summit with me! That''s final!"


    ¡ª


    On the day before 14th, Ai could feel her heart hammering in her chest, thinking of the important day to come.


    Tomorrow¡­


    She clenched her fists and took a deep breath. Her phone buzzed with several messages. Dream High wanted to meet all their authors before the Summit would begin tomorrow, especially Guiying and Ai.


    But Ai declined all their requests. She refused to step into Dream High, especially since the Authors'' Summit was just tomorrow. She thought back to her past life.


    I got sick after returning from Dream High and couldn''t participate in the Summit anymore. I won''t do anything to jeopardize it this time, her eyes narrowed with determination.


    I have to win tomorrow''s Summit. I will win the Summit.

 Chapter 145 The Valentine’s Day Arc (1) : Commence The Authors’ Summit!

    Chapter 145 The Valentine''s Day Arc (1) : Commence The Authors'' Summit!


    14th February. Valentine''s Day.


    A day meant for lovers to express their affection for each other. A day marked as the beginning for the spring to come soon. A day where no matter where one glanced, they would only see the place decorated with red hearts and balloons. Couples held hands with each other. Some confessed, some hugged while some kissed. Love and passion reverberated in the air.


    The Author''s Summit was to start at 7PM sharp. Thirty minutes prior to that, spokespersons of various publishing companies were beginning to arrive at the location, eager and hoping the authors from their company would win the Summit. Winning the Summit not only boosted the author''s image but also the publishing companies to which the writer was associated.


    It also served as a great networking event for authors to form connections with companies and other authors. It was not only a competition but also a conference for authors to learn and improve their writing skills and marketing skills.


    The Summit had a number of authors participating, so the rule was for everybody to submit a short story which would be then sent to a panel of judges in three batches. Each batch had their own judging panel. Out of each batch, one top story would be selected by the judges. The final three authors from all three batches would then recite their short story in front of the Summit''s audience and also to the millions of viewers watching the Summit live.


    The final judging panel will have three judges different from the ones who were included in the batches to avoid any bias to select the story of their own batch. The judges will decide among themselves and then announce the results about the winning work.


    One of whom was Ai. She looked down and rubbed her hands together, her heart beating faster.


    Today was a decisive time for her career. If she could win everybody''s hearts at tonight''s Summit with her story, then she could completely salvage her reputation. She took a few deep breaths and calmed down.


    "Ai!!!"


    Xing Bi came rushing and hugged her, who pressed her head against her chest. Ai recalled the time she was smothered by her when she first met her.


    Ai hugged her back and felt her anxious heart further calming down. She looked up at her with a soft smile on her lips. "Xing Bi."


    Xing Bi beamed and furiously ruffled her head. "I know you will do great! You have worked hard. I have read your story, and I¡­" she sniffled. "I cried the whole night. You have improved a lot, Ai! I am so proud of you."


    Her expression was just like a doting elder sister, and her warm gaze was filled with pride.


    "Don''t give a crap about what others say, okay? You are gonna hear a lot of dissing against MissImperfectlyFine, but don''t let it get to you! I am with you!" Her nostrils flared. "I will knock out everybody who dares to bully you!"


    Ai stared at Xing Bi, her eyes slightly moistening. Recalling how Xing Bi died in her past life in a drinking and driving accident, her heart was gripped with pain.


    She remembered when the news of her death had reached her, how devastated she had felt. She had left the writing world, but just a year before her death, she got her courage to write a new story. She decided it would be her last story ever based on her own life and the betrayal she got from Yating and Guiying. She would pour out all her emotions in this last piece of work.


    Six months later as she continued working on her final story, she learned about Xing Bi''s death. What more shocked her was the fact that she died by drinking and driving.


    Ai could never believe that Xing Bi would be an irresponsible woman who would put her and other''s lives at risk like that. She knew her family circumstances too.


    Xing Bi''s father had abandoned her and her mother very early on. She was left to pay his huge debts, and her mother became a heavy drinker and ignored her responsibilities. Due to extreme alcohol consumption, her mother''s liver was damaged, and she died a few years later.


    That''s why Xing Bi detested consuming alcohol. She hated alcohol and being in debts. But Xing Bi lost her job from Dream High and couldn''t get much success in other companies, forcing her to step into her mother''s path, which Ai couldn''t ever accept.


    Xing Bi was a strong woman. If she could overcome her father''s debts, her mother''s alcoholism and later her death too, then she wouldn''t be the kind of woman who would be dragged down by her career and drown herself into alcohol.


    Xing Bi was a fighter.


    Refusing to believe the circumstances, Ai recalled how she had tried investigating a bit more about her death, but she never learnt anything more than what was already disclosed.


    Xing Bi widened her eyes seeing the tears in her eyes. "Why are you crying? Did you hear anybody bullying you? Tell me their names!"


    She shook her head and buried her face in her chest. "Xing Bi. You are the best. You are always¡­always by my side. But I couldn''t do anything for you."


    "Huh? What do you mean? You do so much for me! I love your stories, and more than them, I love your pure heart and cuteness! Your cuteness is what gives me the motivation to do my best!" She squashed her harder, making Ai breathless, but she didn''t mind.


    Instead of seeing Xing Bi''s cold, dead body, she rather preferred to get strangled by her hugs and kisses.


    Ai blushed with her appreciation.


    Suddenly, the crowd went into a slight frenzy seeing Guiying, aka CherryBlossom walk into the venue. She was accompanied by Zhan Yahui, who was giving her professional smile to everyone.

 Chapter 146 The Valentine’s Day Arc (2) : Resentments Against MissImperfectlyFine

    Everybody immediately broke into applause and appreciation for Guiying. After her book signing event, her popularity had soared even higher.


    There was CherryBlossom on one side who was the star of Dream High and MissImperfectlyFine on the other side, who was facing resentment from the writing community.


    Both lied at polar opposite spectrums of admiration and popularity.


    "It''s CherryBlossom!"


    "Shit, now I am getting even more nervous!"


    "She is definitely gonna win the Summit."


    "She is so beautiful and talented at the same time."


    Some of the writers were also her fans so the squeals in the air were louder.


    Xing Bi snorted. "Hmph. Praise all you want. But in the end, it''s my Ai who is going to win!"


    Ai smiled.


    From a distance, Guiying saw Ai standing with Xing Bi. She beamed and wanted to rush to her side, but she remembered that nobody knew she was MissImperfectlyFine, neither did Ai wanted anybody to know.


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "Focus on yourself, Guiying. Forget about Zhou Ai. She will lose miserably."


    Guiying shot her a squinted stare. "Enough Zhan Yahui. Don''t make me angry."


    "Then what do you expect? You know Ai''s reputation is taking a hit day by day. Do you think her story will even pass her batch? Everybody knows the plagiarism charge against her, which even if she is denying or Sky gave a statement, would be hard to overlook. Didn''t she also say that she lied about her identity? You think she got a chance despite everything against her?"


    "I have faith in her! Ai is already facing more than enough troubles. So stop it already."


    Zhan Yahui glared at her. "Stop being so childish, Guiying. Don''t forget that I am still mad at you for making that statement on Weibo in her favor. You didn''t even discuss it with me."


    "Because I knew you wouldn''t allow it. There was no point in talking to you."


    She clenched her jaw. "Forget it. You will realize it tonight itself. Zhou Ai has no chance of winning this Summit."


    Ai watched Guiying smiling and waving at everybody. Realizing the distance between them, she couldn''t help but feel a bit melancholic.


    Xing Bi held her hands and let out an assuring smile. "Ai, don''t be afraid. Have faith in your abilities."


    Ai nodded with resolve. She didn''t have time to feel intimidated by anybody because her career was at stake.


    I will win today. No matter what, I will definitely win this Summit tonight.


    ¡ª


    A while later, the Summit''s venue was once again filled with cheers when first Yating and then Yunru made their presence known to everyone.


    The prominent members of two most influential publishing companies, Sky and Dream High were finally here. But not only that, Sky and Dream High were in war ever since Sky exposed MissImperfectlyFine, and Dream High accused it of only trying to damage their reputation through Ai.


    The moment they arrived, they were jumped on by a few reporters, asking about the statements that the companies made about MissImperfectlyFine.


    The same question was asked to Guiying who showed her full support with her own statement.


    p¡¢and a-n¡¢o¡¢vel Guiying had narrowed her eyes. "I think it was clear that MissImperfectlyFine and I are best friends. I know her better than all of you. If I won''t stand up for her, then who will?"


    She refused to answer any further questions or hear anything against Ai.


    Yating and Yunru were in a similar position as her, but they had made their stand clear.


    "Mr. Gu. What do you have to say to Sky? It all started when they filed the plagiarism charge against MissImperfectlyFine."


    "And why is Dream High supporting her after her confession?"


    "She lied to get into Sky. Shouldn''t that be-"


    One cold and alarming glare from Yating instantly made not only the reporters but everybody else too step back in fear. He looked just like Guiying - protective about Ai who would not tolerate any nonsense from anybody against her.


    "When she will prove you wrong is when your mouths will be shut."


    Everybody was sharply taken aback by Yating''s words. They never thought that the Chief Editor could defend MissImperfectlyFine to this extent. He was practically threatening them.


    "Does that mean he is openly supporting MissImperfectlyFine instead of CherryBlossom?"


    "But this is so unfair..."


    "Yeah, CherryBlossom should deserve such treatment."


    "Why is a liar being protected?"


    The crowd whispered amongst themselves in dissatisfaction.


    Not only Yating but when Yunru was shot with the same questions, he only smiled and said, "If there are any answers to be given, the Sky CEO will do so."


    The look on their faces was indescribable.


    CEO? Sky also has a CEO?


    Naturally, every company had a CEO, but Jun was hidden from the limelight so adeptly that everybody felt that the Sky CEO was just a myth. It was always Yunru''s face in the media as the President. People even thought that he was the CEO himself.


    The reporters and the people from other publishing companies eagerly glanced at the entrance to see if the Sky CEO was making his way in. But to their disappointment, nobody did.


    Yating narrowed his eyes.


    Liu Jun...


    He had accused him of having feelings for Butterfly but when he realized that Ai was Butterfly herself, his own accusation stabbed his heart just like it did to Jun.


    No way...There is no way that Ai and Liu Jun possibly know each other.


    His heart shook with fear and uncertainty.


    Is that why Ai wants to go to Sky?


    His eyes scanned the crowd and found Guiying standing with Zhan Yahui, meeting with other writers and reporters. The air around him turned frigid, accusing her to be the reason behind his and Ai''s difficult relationship.


    He shut his eyes and took a deep breath.


    Tonight, he only wanted Ai to win this Summit, and he would make sure that nothing would come in her way.


    ¡ª


    The Summit was going to begin, and Ai threw frequent glances at the entrance. Yunru was already here. She thought that Jun would accompany him too.


    But she was yet to see him.


    Her face was marred with a tinge of confusion, nervousness and disappointment. She clutched the hem of her dress.


    Is Jun not coming?


    But unknown to her from three floors above, a pair of dark brown irises shrouded in darkness was already watching her intently.

 Chapter 147 The Valentine’s Day Arc (3) : The Murderer Of Sweets!

    Chapter 147 The Valentine''s Day Arc (3) : The Murderer Of Sweets!


    "Bro!"


    Yunru hopped to Jun''s side, who unlike his casual wear at the library, was donned in a classy black business suit on top of a navy blue shirt, fitting to emanate the aura of a powerful CEO. His dark gaze stared at only Ai and nobody else. He noticed her fair fingers fidgeting with nervousness, and he clicked his tongue.


    "Why are you nervous?" He whispered to himself. "You are gonna win," his voice held finality.


    Yunru tilted his head as he watched Jun staring down. "Bro."


    He caught him keenly observing Ai and wondered what was going on. First, Jun himself recommended looking out for Butterfly''s drafts which he never did before. Then he became fiercely protective of her and accused MissImperfectlyFine of plagiarism. It was hard to believe that he personally got involved in this situation.


    When MissImperfectlyFine''s post came, and it was revealed that Butterfly and MissImperfectlyFine were the same people, he retracted all his accusations and stood by her side nevertheless, even though it was Ai''s lie who started the whole mess.


    Then when Yunru learned that the author was Ai, he recalled Jun telling him to find the two bullies who had troubled a woman named Zhou Ai in her middle school days.


    No matter what Jun''s actions were, he did everything for Ai''s sake. After Shui, it was the first time that Jun thought so deeply for another woman.


    Jun slowly retracted his gaze off her and looked at Yunru, who gulped for some reason.


    "W-what? Why are you looking at me as if I disturbed your concentration!"


    Yunru parted his lips as if a question was at the tip of his tongue. He closed his mouth, thinking it was better not to ask.


    But in the end, he finally couldn''t resist. "Bro, if I ask you something, promise that you won''t get mad at me."


    "That depends if your question is stupid," he ruthlessly retorted.


    Yunru shook his head. "It''s not stupid. It''s a serious one."


    "Then ask."


    "What do you think of Zhou Ai?"


    A long silence fell.


    "Why do you care about Zhou Ai so much?"


    Jun''s eyelashes ever so slightly trembled. His gaze caught Yating''s figure, and it didn''t take even a second for the temperature to drop.


    "I¡­"


    The atmosphere broke with the emcee coming on stage. "Good evening ladies and gentlemen. The Authors Summit will now begin!"


    The venue roared with claps and cheers.


    Jun cleared his throat. "It''s beginning. We will talk about this later."


    Yunru stared at him.


    But your silence already seems to have given the answer, Bro¡­.


    ¡ª


    Ai, who sat at one of the tables with Xing Bi, watched the emcee announce the rules of the Summit. She felt the presence of someone else looming by her side, and Ai turned her head.


    She saw a young woman around her age with a ponytail and wearing a light green dress expectantly staring at her. "If you don''t mind, can I sit with you? All other tables are occupied."


    Ai nodded. "Sure."


    Xing Bi politely smiled at her. "We don''t mind."


    "Thank you so much," she gave a nod in appreciation and took a seat on a chair.


    The emcee continued. "Thank you to all the lovely authors for participating in this Summit! As we speak, your entries have already been divided into batches and are submitted to the judges for their selection. It will be a fierce competition, and only one entry will be selected per batch. The results will be announced soon.


    Until then, there will be a small segment of our top, experienced writers who are here to give a seminar. This segment will help a lot of budding writers here and who are watching the Summit live to know more about the writing world and the tips and tricks to craft the beautiful stories that you like to read so much! So without further adieu!"


    ¡ª


    On the far side of a corner where a table was partly shrouded with darkness, Nian shook his brother''s arm hard. "Jin! Jin! Look! That woman is my Xing Bi. She looks so beautiful, isn''t it? I think she looks even prettier than when I saw her at the banquet," he seriously touched his chin.


    Jin looked at him, annoyed. "Bro, why am I here with you again?"


    "Didn''t I say! I want to apologize to her. I needlessly let Uncle Jing accuse her when she wasn''t at fault. If my sincerity doesn''t reach her then¡­" his eyes sparkled, "I want you, my dearest brother, to pitch in some good words about me and save my love story!"


    His mouth twitched. "I never knew you would be interested in an older woman."


    "I thought I wasn''t, but Xing Bi is so cool!" His black orbs glinted with certainty and resolve. "I want only her and nobody else," he squinted his gaze. "I screwed up our first meeting, but nothing after this. It will be a smooth sailing ship~ And you, my brother, will help me with that."


    Jin sighed and glanced at Xing Bi again when his sharp gaze caught Ai''s figure.


    "What is Zhou Ai doing here?"


    Nian blinked and craned his neck. Her face was hidden because of the other table between them. But his eyes widened upon recognizing her.


    He gasped, recalling the crime she committed in his Bakery. "Zhou Ai! The murderer of sweets!"


    "That is not important right now, Bro. What is she doing here?"


    Nian tilted his head. "Xing Bi is an editor at Dream High. Wait¡­Noooo! Does that mean that she is a writer?" He gasped in shock. "What the fuck!? The world is so small! Xing Bi and Zhou Ai know each other!?"


    "...Seems like it," Jin gave a long and thoughtful stare.


    Is she perhaps¡­MissImperfectlyFine?


    Nian was still in a daze.


    That means my buttering machine was right before me! Why did I bring Jin when I could have asked her!


    He remembered the time at his bakery and his treatment towards Ai that day.


    Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Will Xing Bi kill me for that!?


    Okay, everything will be fine. Everything''s gonna be cool!


    In the end, he forced himself to calm down from his panic mode and sighed. His question brought Jin back out of his daze. "Oh that reminds me. Yunru must be here too, right? I forgot about Sky hehe¡­"


    Jin smacked his head. "Sky is Bro Jun''s company. You shouldn''t forget your own brother and his work."


    "Hey I am more worried about my love story here, okay? He is already set!"


    Jin paused and smiled. "Indeed. Nothing can separate Bro and Shui."

 Chapter 148 The Valentine’s Day Arc (4) : The Three Winners From Each Batch

    Chapter 148 The Valentine''s Day Arc (4) : The Three Winners From Each Batch


    "Anyway. Where is Yunru? Oh, do you think Jun will be here too!?" A wave of excitement burst in Nian''s heart. "That will be so cool! You, Yunru and Jun can help my sinking love story."


    "..."


    "Can you think of something else other than that?" Jin asked, grimaced.


    Nian shot him a cold stare, making him straighten his back. "I want Xing Bi to let go of all her resentment against me, and I want that to happen tonight. At all costs. You will help me with that."


    That was what Jin never liked about Nian. One moment he would be goofing around and the next moment, he would suddenly turn into a vicious beast who would destroy the whole world if something didn''t go his way.


    He sighed in annoyance. "It will be fine."


    "Great!" The coldness disappeared from his eyes as if it was never there. "Should I search for Yunru and Jun? I will involve them in my awesome plan!"


    "Yunru will be busy with tonight''s Summit. Let him be. Also, Bro Jun won''t be here."


    Nian stuck out his tongue. "Oops. I forgot. He must be enjoying his date with Shui~~"


    Jin seemed expressionless. That wasn''t the case, and he knew that.


    But even if they weren''t on a date, he knew that Jun wouldn''t be here anyway. Public appearances at such events were always handled by Yunru. Jun always steered away from such gatherings.


    ¡ª


    After the wait was over, the emcee came back on stage, carrying a small envelope in his hands. The crowd immediately hushed into silence, and everybody waited in anticipation about the results.


    From the third floor, Jun narrowed his eyes, burning his gaze towards the envelope and so did Yating from the place where he observed the event.


    There would be only three names in that envelope. One author per batch. Jun didn''t care who the other two were, but if one of the names wouldn''t be Ai, then¡­


    I swear I will burn this place down!


    He had full faith in Ai''s abilities, yet he still felt his fist trembling. Ai needed this win the most. He knew how much this meant for her.


    Yunru studied every slightest change in Jun''s countenance. He seemed to be unaffected on the outside, but his reactions were telling a different story.


    The emcee smiled. "Time to announce the results. The judges have reviewed all the entries, and it was a tough pick indeed. Every story was wonderful, but there could be only one winner. So, are you ready?"


    "Yes!!!"


    Everybody held in their breaths. The reporters, too, had stopped the camera clicking sounds. There was a deep silence in the atmosphere, but everybody inwardly was screaming and panicking.


    Zhan Yahui rolled her eyes. "Don''t be so nervous. You are CherryBlossom. There is no way your name isn''t there."


    Guiying felt her heart drum louder and louder, not only because of the results but she knew that MrPerfect was watching her too. She didn''t wish to disappoint him by not winning this Summit.


    Xing Bi firmly held Ai''s hand and gave her a reassuring nod. "You will definitely be there. I just know it because if you aren''t, then the judges are blind."


    Ai''s body was stiff with tension, yet Xing Bi managed to make a soft chuckle escape her lips. "Thank you, Xing Bi."


    The emcee said, "Okay, there is too much tension in the air already. Let me diffuse it with the names of the winning authors. From the first batch of submissions, the winner is CherryBlossom! Congratulations!"


    Guiying stiffened for a moment, still in a daze about her name being announced.


    I am there. I am there¡­


    She touched her chest with her trembling hand and heaved a big sigh of relief.


    Zhan Yahui was thrilled and hugged Guiying. "You got it! I told you, you were worried over nothing!"


    Guiying nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Zhan Yahui."


    She got up and bowed. "Thank you so much. I feel honored."


    "Go CherryBlossom!"


    "You deserved it!"


    "Congratulations!"


    The claps rang louder and louder like thunder rumbling in the clouds.


    Guiying sat back on her seat, not knowing that a pair of irises gazed at her from the dark, his lips ever so faintly curved up.


    Ai smiled and clapped as well. Keeping aside her personal differences, Guiying was a talented writer and professionally, she appreciated her.


    The emcee continued. "Let''s move on to the winner of the second batch which is¡­MysticMidnight!"


    Everybody was puzzled. Nobody had ever heard of the MysticMidnight author.


    "Hey, who is MysticMidnight?"


    "Never heard about her."


    "Which company does she belong to?"


    Xing Bi was extremely curious. She glanced at Ai and asked, "Have you heard about this author?"


    Ai gave it a thought and tried to recollect from her past life if she knew this writer. She faintly recollected some parts here and there but not much. MysticMidnight wasn''t much in the limelight just like her.


    "I don''t-"


    Suddenly, the woman who was seated with Ai and Xing Bi all this while - with the ponytail and light green dress, stood up on her feet. The light focused on her, and she bowed.


    "Thank you so much for selecting my story. I am honored," she thanked with poise and a soft smile on her lips.


    Ai and Xing Bi stared at her, stunned. Then they exchanged glances.


    The one sitting with us all this time was MysticMidnight?


    Ai observed the woman and found her strangely staring at a particular table. When she followed her gaze and found that she was looking at Guiying''s table with an unreadable expression. Something flickered in her eyes, but it disappeared soon enough.


    She sat back amidst the clapping and Ai said, "Congratulations."


    Xing Bi nodded too. "Congratulations."


    She glanced at them and bowed. "Thank you."


    The emcee took out the third card. "Time to announce the third and the final author."


    Jun narrowed his eyes and impatiently waited for him to announce Ai''s name.


    If it is not Ai''s name then¡­


    His brown eyes darkened by several shades, emitting danger and alarm.


    Ai swallowed a gulp and shut her eyes. She opened them a moment later, ready to hear the results. Xing Bi had held onto her hand and was trembling more than her, making Ai helplessly smile.


    The emcee took out the card and blinked at it. "The third and the final writer who will proceed is¡­"

 Chapter 149 The Valentine’s Day Arc (5) : Reveal MissImperfectlyFine

    Chapter 149 The Valentine''s Day Arc (5) : Reveal MissImperfectlyFine


    "The third and the final writer who will proceed is¡­"


    At that moment, Jun and Ai''s hearts were in perfect sync as they awaited.


    "MissImperfectlyFine!"


    The second her name was out, Ai''s face bloomed with joy. The light in her brown irises gleamed brighter than the golden lights in the venue.


    I got through¡­


    Xing Bi was shining the brightest of all, proud of Ai that she won.


    "Ai!" She could hardly contain her voice. She hugged and kissed her cheek. "You are the best!"


    From above, Jun''s tense muscles visibly relaxed as a smirk formed on his lips. He watched her beautiful face glow with pure bliss. Her smile was so infectious that the chilliness from his gaze settled down.


    The judges made the right decision. That''s good, otherwise I would have shown them what the consequences of a wrong decision could be, he sneered.


    Yunru peeked a glance at him and cleared his throat. "Bro. She won."


    Jun''s lips formed a smile filled with pride. "Of course, she did. She is talented even though she writes annoying stories."


    He noticed Jun''s gaze that was transfixed at Ai for a long time with warmth in his eyes that he had only ever seen for Shui. For another woman to make Jun look like that¡­


    Yunru smiled with mixed emotions. He wasn''t sure if he felt melancholic over his and Shui''s break-up or happy that Jun seemed to be moving on in his life and possibly¡­in his love too.


    Yating, on his side, clenched his palm victoriously.


    Yes! I knew it! Ai would easily win the batch. Now only the final round¡­


    He saw Ai on the other table, smiling brightly with Xing Bi. His gaze softened, watching her joyful expression.


    It feels like it has been so long that I have seen Ai laughing freely like that¡­without any inhibitions¡­


    He dreamt of the day when he would become her boyfriend and bring this smile on her lips that he was seeing right now. Every day, he would make Ai happier than the previous day.


    He clapped in delight.


    Guiying also joined him eagerly. "Did you hear that, Zhan Yahui? Ai also got through!"


    Zhan Yahui stared at her with a squinted gaze. "...Yeah, she did."


    She gazed towards Ai''s table with a thoughtful expression, slightly digging her nails in her palm.


    Though Jun, Ai, Xing Bi, Yating and Guiying celebrated her victory, the same sentiments weren''t shared by others present at the venue.


    MissImperfectlyFine didn''t receive the same round of applause as CherryBlossom and MysticMidnight had. Contrary to that, pure silence ruled the venue.


    The murmurs filled with dissatisfaction slowly reached the ears of the other tables.


    "What? MissImperfectlyFine won?"


    "But she is the one who lied to get to Sky!"


    "How can the judges pass her submission through?"


    "Yeah, what if she is really a plagiarizer?"


    "I don''t accept this."


    "Yeah, somebody more deserving should win!"


    When Jun noticed the unrest in the atmosphere, he immediately sprung on his feet to give everyone a piece of his mind.


    How fucking dare they badmouth Ai!?


    The iciness was quick to replace the warmth in his eyes.


    Yunru grabbed his arm. "Bro! Where are you going!?"


    He snarled. "To remove the garbage from their brains! She won fair and square, and now these worthless people are judging her capabilities? Who the fuck they think they are!"


    Yunru slightly panicked. It was the first time he saw him so riled up and furious.


    "So what do you want to do? Take her side and insult everyone else?"


    Jun sneered. "That''s my plan. Who will stop me?"


    "I will stop you, Bro!"


    "Yunru¡­" his quiet voice was like a death sentence.


    Yunru remained firm. "Bro, if you want Zhou Ai to win this, then she has to prove this herself. You will only agitate people if you blindly take her side."


    "She has already proved herself!"


    "No! She will prove it when she recites her story in front of the audience. She will prove it when she wins this Summit," Yunru sharply countered. "Don''t the judges know her reputation? They do. Even so, they selected her story to be the best in the batch. Why they selected her despite her bad reputation is something the others will understand only when they hear the story MissImperfectlyFine has written. If she can move the judges'' hearts, then she can move the hearts of everybody present here! Don''t you have that faith in Zhou Ai?"


    Jun gritted his teeth, and his chest huffed in indignance. "Of course, I trust her!"


    "Then you cannot take her side when she hasn''t shown her merit yet. It wouldn''t affect you, but it will to Zhou Ai because everybody will feel that maybe your influence is the reason why she got selected."


    He shut his eyes. On one hand, he agreed with Yunru but on the other hand as he heard the crowd gossiping against Ai, made his blood boil.


    "...Once. I will let this go only once. If anybody speaks even a word against her after she wins, nobody - not even you will stop me," Jun coldly warned him.


    ¡ª


    Ai had expected this response from everybody, but she wasn''t deterred.


    Xing Bi softly said, "Don''t worry about other people. Your story will shut everybody''s mouths. Remain put for now."


    "Xing Bi. I have decided to reveal myself."


    She was taken aback. "Really? You don''t have to. The Summit doesn''t force any author to show their face if they don''t want to."


    "I know. But after everything that has happened, I feel it is only right that I show myself instead of hiding."


    Xing Bi hesitated and was worried a lot. "If that is what you want¡­"


    The emcee cleared his throat to dispel the awkwardness in the air. "MissImperfectlyFine doesn''t wish to reveal herself so-"


    Ai got up from her chair and faced everyone. The crowd looked at her in surprise.


    She bowed. "I am MissImperfectlyFine. Thank you for selecting my story."


    Sharp gasps echoed in the air.


    "OMG, she is the one!"

 Chapter 150 The Valentine’s Day Arc (6) : Shutting Mouths

    Chapter 150 The Valentine''s Day Arc (6) : Shutting Mouths


    Accusatory and resentful gazes instantly fell on Ai, especially from authors who couldn''t get selected. They felt it was unfair that a liar like her won instead of the others who worked hard.


    "We are against this!"


    "Yes! MissImperfectlyFine should not be selected at all."


    "After all the ruckus she caused, how can the judges select her?"


    Yating watched everybody with a cold gaze, and his knuckles cracked.


    Even though Ai clarified the matter, they still¡­


    In face of all the animosity, Ai stood confident and calm. Her gaze shone with resilience that she won''t waver or back out.


    "Don''t even think about it, Cai Guiying."


    She scowled. "Do you think I should-"


    "Yes," she narrowed her eyes. "You should not be so stupid in standing up for her. This is a mess which Zhou Ai has created for herself. She has to face the ramifications for it. If it was some other author, would you have stood up for her?"


    Guiying gritted her teeth. "Zhan Yahui¡­"


    "No, right? You are only doing this because she is your friend," she sneered. "And for hell''s sake, I have told you a million times to think professionally, not personally! She is a rival!"


    Yating had enough of it and was about to face the crowd when Ai spoke it herself, "I understand you all have concerns against me. But I am here to redeem myself through my story. I appreciate the judges keeping an open mind about me, and I will feel gracious if everybody here can grant me one chance too."


    One of the writers scoffed. "How can we believe you? What if you plagiarized the story?"


    Ai faced the writer in question, and set her gaze dead straight at her, making her slightly jump in her seat.


    "I have already clarified through my post that I am not a plagiarizer. That misunderstanding occurred because I lied about my identity, which is my fault. Sky is not to be blamed for the misunderstanding because they didn''t know that I was Butterfly as well as MissImperfectlyFine. I had my own reasons for lying about my identity, but I am not a plagiarizer," she narrowed her eyes. "Sky knows that I am Butterfly, and Dream High knows that I am MissImperfectlyFine. Both are me. A writer cannot copy one''s own story, can they?"


    Her expression turned ugly.


    "If you have any doubts, you can ask the editor-in-charge of Sky, Sun Bai, whom I met as Butterfly."


    The writer sneered. "This might be the case now, but who knows if you have not plagiarized before?"


    Ai blinked. "I don''t think I would have won the Best Newcomer Writer award five years ago if I had been a plagiarizer. The judging committee does a thorough plagiarism check for each and every story. The process is extremely stern and unforgiving. If I had copied, I would have been instantly caught."


    Her mouth twitched.


    "Also, I have published three books so far. The story is out there for everybody to read, yet nobody came claiming that I snatched anybody''s story in the last five years, have they now? That means everything I have written until now solely belongs to me. Not just that, I worked with Dream High until now. They have their own process to check if an exact story has been written before, and only after my editor, Miss Xing Bi''s approval did I go ahead with my second and third books. Not just them but the one I accidentally submitted to Sky and the one I chose for tonight''s Summit too."


    Xing Bi nodded.


    Ai stated plain facts which added with her composure and elegance in speech felt even more burning for the writer who was raising the accusations against her.


    In normal circumstances, it is detrimental for any writer to recover from a plagiarism charge. But Ai knew it was only a misunderstanding. Her heart was clear as were her stories. She had nothing to fear when she hadn''t used any deceit in crafting her stories.


    A plagiarism charge could be easily proved once the other writer comes forward from whom it is copied. But that never happened with Ai, so she was confident that this charge wouldn''t hold water for much longer.


    Jun smirked in the darkness as he watched Ai slapping that writer''s mouth shut. For once, he felt grateful that he wasn''t at the receiving end of the conversation where he felt as if he was burning with the words she spoke.


    For a moment, he thought that he would have to protect Ai, but he forgot that she was strong enough to protect herself. Even in face of all the resentment, her shoulders were straight, and her posture was firm.


    She might have made a mistake, but she wasn''t the one to let it drag her down forever like some helpless woman.


    The edgy atmosphere seemed to settle down after the writer withdrew. Hearing what Ai said, most of the other writers and the employees of publishing companies agreed with her.


    A writer couldn''t survive in this fierce industry for five years if they had plagiarized at any point in time. The platform where she won the award was also the most prestigious. If she could win an award in that competition, then she definitely had skills.


    The emcee cleared his throat and quickly continued before somebody else raised any more questions and brought a halt to this Summit.


    "Now that all the three winners are announced, we will head to the final segment where the winners will recite their story. But it will be after a short break! Please take this time to enjoy some refreshments."


    Ai sat back and breathed out. Xing Bi hugged her and smiled. "You did well, Ai. It required guts to face them, but you did a fine job. You are so brave!" She cried with happiness and pride.


    The author, MysticMidnight observed Ai and slowly nodded. "That was courageous. I commend that."


    Ai glanced at her, surprised. "Thank you. I appreciate your understanding. Nice to meet you, I am Zhou Ai."


    "Nice to meet you too. I am Shi Huan."

 Chapter 151 The Valentine’s Day Arc (7) : Mr. Liu’s Assurance

    Chapter 151 The Valentine''s Day Arc (7) : Mr. Liu''s Assurance


    Ai tilted her head. "Shi Huan."


    Xing Bi blinked and asked, making a wild guess, "From Shi Publishing?"


    She nodded.


    Shi Publishing was another publishing company with considerable influence after Sky and Dream High. If Sky and Dream High had duopoly over the market, then Shi Publishing came third in line which had some power of its own.


    "I am CEO Shi Shuren''s daughter."


    They looked at her, surprised.


    Shi Huan smiled. "Nepotism at its finest, don''t you think?"


    Ai replied. "I don''t think that way. He is your father. All parents naturally want to support their children the best they can, and that is fine as long as they don''t hinder others'' growth selfishly. My mother helped me get an apartment in Beijing at a reasonable rent price as she had an acquaintance here. Forms of nepotism with varying levels are everywhere in this world."


    Xing Bi coughed. She didn''t think Ai would give an example out of herself.


    Shi Huan rapidly blinked her eyes, watching her in bewilderment. She was at a loss of words for a few moments but in the end, she only answered with a soft smile. "Indeed."


    He chuckled. "Well, she is a powerhouse. Reminds me of the time when she scolded Jian and me. And of course, Xing Bi is there with her too!" His eyes shone mysteriously with a glint of amusement, "She is a powerhouse herself too~"


    Jin shrugged. "Anyway, it''s a break now. Isn''t this a good time for you to talk to her?"


    He coughed. "I know."


    Jin lifted his brow, a smirk forming on his lips, "Is Liu Nian nervous?"


    "I am not! Shut up. I am just revising my apology in my mind."


    "This is not an exam."


    Nian wiped his forehead. "It is for me."


    Jin shook his head. He watched their table again and said, "Look, Zhou Ai and that other writer is going somewhere. Xing Bi is alone at the table. So¡­"


    Nian recalled Xing Bi''s threat she made at the banquet and felt his heart thudding. He took a few deep breaths. "Okay, let''s do this."


    ¡ª


    After having some refreshments, Shi Huan spent five minutes in the ladies'' room. Ai accompanied her too before the last segment would begin. As Ai started to leave, she noticed Shi Huan turning a little pale as she sweated.


    Ai immediately asked, concerned, "Are you feeling sick?"


    Her brows uneasily scrunched together. "It''s just a little stomach pain."


    "Oh. Is it your period?"


    She shook her head. "It was over last week already. Don''t worry. You go ahead. It''s minor cramps. I will rest here for a bit. Then I will be fine."


    Ai hesitated, but Shi Huan gently nudged her to leave. She pursed her lips and nodded. "Don''t hesitate to call me if the pain worsens. I will leave my number with you."


    Shi Huan sincerely thanked her. "I really appreciate it."


    Ai stood outside the ladies'' room for a few moments and started to walk back towards the venue. She paused in between and threw a quick glance around the place, standing near a pillar at the corner.


    Jun is still not here¡­


    She thought of some scenarios.


    Maybe he is running late because of the traffic?


    Or what if he is sick?


    The second question made her more worried.


    A soft gust of wind blew her hair from the back as she felt a presence looming behind her. Her breath hitched and without even turning back, she felt extremely sure that it was¡­


    "Ai."


    She froze.


    Jun''s deep and hoarse voice chimed in her ears. There was a narrow space between her back and his chest, yet it felt as if he was embracing her.


    Her lips trembled, and so did her heart. With a flush appearing on her face and neck, she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear with her shivering fingers. She felt extra conscious today.


    Was it because it was Valentine''s Day today? Or was it because of the story she was going to recite?


    She couldn''t judge the reason, but the end result was that her heart was beating furiously in her chest.


    "You are here," she whispered, which only reached Jun''s ears.


    His eyes glinted and narrowed in the dark. "You think I won''t be?"


    "...I didn''t see you."


    His lips formed a smile. "Rest assured. You might not see me. But I always watch you."


    She licked her lower lip that she felt becoming drier. The possessive ring from his voice made her shudder involuntarily. She was about to turn to face him when he placed his palm on the pillar and obstructed her. "Not now."


    Her brows crinkled for a moment, but she didn''t think much of it. "I see."


    There was a pause before Jun said, "You shut that writer well."


    Ai frowned. "I was just stating facts."


    He sneered. "Yeah your ''stating facts'' is not any less damaging than getting burned in a pot of fire. Speaking from experience."


    She tilted her head slightly, exposing a part of her fair neck which darkened his gaze.


    "Then it just means that reality struck you hard," Ai answered with all seriousness.


    "..."


    His fingers twitched with an urge to¡­he didn''t know what. He stared at her for a few long moments. "I am waiting for your story."


    Ai momentarily took a gasp that stopped in her throat. Her gaze was conflicted and apprehensive.


    "I¡­" she curled her fist, "don''t know if you will like it."


    Jun watched her figure slightly shaking, making him slightly widen his eyes. His gaze flickered and holding the side of her waist, he nudged towards him. Her back finally bumped on his chest, making her stiffen.


    He bent and answered with a hushed tone that expressed his certainty, "I will. It doesn''t matter even if you have written a tragic ending. If it''s your story, then I will definitely like it. You will win this Summit, Zhou Ai. You will for sure."

 Chapter 152 The Valentine’s Day Arc (8) : MysticMidnight Disqualified

    Chapter 152 The Valentine''s Day Arc (8) : MysticMidnight Disqualified


    The final segment for which everybody was anticipating was finally here. Ai got back to her seat and quietly sat down.


    Xing Bi, who noticed some difference in her expression, narrowed her eyes. "Why is your face looking so red?"


    She jumped in her seat but calmly said, "I am fine. Nothing."


    "Really?" Her tone sounded like she wasn''t convinced as she observed her carefully.


    Ai cleared her throat and nodded.


    Xing Bi sighed and then asked, "Oh, where is Shi Huan? You two went together, right?"


    Ai was taken aback. "She still isn''t back? She said she was having slight stomach pain, so she will take some rest and come back."


    "Ah? She isn''t back though."


    Ai seemed worried. "I will go check on her."


    Everybody gasped in disbelief, and some of them expressed their sympathies.


    Guiying widened her eyes and softly sighed. "That''s sad. It''s not easy to reach the final round with such tough competition. Right, Zhan Yahui?"


    Zhan Yahui cocked her brow and shrugged. "That''s her bad luck. Feel happy that you have one less competition."


    Her gaze darkened. "Zhan Yahui, sometimes you¡­you are too heartless! She lost such a good opportunity. Even if we are competitors, I feel so horrible!"


    She snorted. "It''s a dog eat dog world. Grow up. Also, don''t waste your sympathies on her. She is the Shi Shuren''s daughter and practically Shi Publishing''s heiress. What does it matter if she lost here? She has her father to back her up," she smiled. "Do YOU have that privilege?"


    Her expression twisted. "I don''t care about that privilege. No matter how much money she has, a competition is a competition. This is important for any writer, but she lost the chance to tell her story. Her father cannot buy the experience or prize for her, can he now?"


    Zhan Yahui stared at her and chuckled. "You are so gullible, Guiying. You won''t even realize how you would be fooled one day. You would be only left with tears and heartbreak."


    Guiying pressed her brows and gave up. "It''s impossible talking to you."


    ¡ª


    On the other hand, Ai was even more heartbroken than Guiying to see Shi Huan withdraw. They knew for only an hour or so, but Ai liked her. Shi Huan was a decent woman with a good heart.


    Xing Bi pursed her lips. "That''s really unfortunate. She seemed so sincere."


    Ai thought about it and raised her hand. The emcee coughed, seeing MissImperfectlyFine wanting to say something.


    I just hope it doesn''t cause another scene, he internally sweated.


    He smiled. "Yes author MissImperfectlyFine?"


    Ai promptly got up and asked, "Can we not disqualify MysticMidnight? It''s an honor to reach till here. I feel that physical sickness shouldn''t stop her from competing. That will be too unfortunate."


    Everybody stared at her in disbelief.


    "Is she really saying that?"


    "Isn''t it good for her if that writer is out?"


    They gauged Ai, who was requesting this chance with utmost sincerity. At first,


    Xing Bi smiled.


    Aish, that''s my Ai for you.


    At that point, Guiying also got up and joined her. "I agree with her. I also feel that it''s too harsh."


    Zhan Yahui glared at her.


    You!


    The emcee smiled. "I appreciate your stand on this. Trust me. Not many competitors can do this. But these are the rules of the competition. The writers need to be physically present at the Summit for their entries to be considered. We have witnessed plagiarizing cases where some dared to pose as some other writer during batch submissions or even alter their pen names and do fraud. That''s why the rule of physical presence was mandated."


    A few people from the crowd gravely agreed. They had heard of such cases.


    Ai pursed her lips. "But there are no doubts about her identity at this point."


    "Indeed. But rules are rules. We cannot change them for one writer. Otherwise, there are others who couldn''t make it to tonight''s Summit for some reason or the other. How will we answer them? Won''t they demand to be given a chance too? That will be such a mess, won''t it?"


    Ai and Guiying slumped. Guiying shook her head. "That''s just unlucky."


    "Luck is also a part of any competition as much as hard work," The emcee smiled.


    Ai nodded in defeat. "I see. I understand. Thank you for hearing out."


    Guiying smiled. "Same here."


    Even though the outcome wasn''t in their favor, Ai and Guiying''s image in front of her surely had improved. Especially for Ai, who stood up for Shi Huan first.


    The emcee continued. "That means there will be only two finalists in this segment. CherryBlossom and MissImperfectlyFine. I would request CherryBlossom to please come up on the stage."


    Zhan Yahui was furious at Guiying and still breathing hard that she was stupid enough to stand up for Shi Huan. But seeing her chance arrive, she calmed herself. "Please don''t think about anything else and only focus on your story."


    "I know. I will do my best."


    "You have to because you have to win."


    Guiying''s heart thudded faster as she made her way to the stage amidst the loud cheers and claps. Millions of her fans were watching her, but the one who she thought about was MrPerfect.


    He must be looking at me now, right? I hope I look good¡­


    She faced everybody with her short story in her hand. Nervousness gripped her heart. MrPerfect was here watching her tonight. She wanted to give her best performance.


    Taking a deep breath, she said, "I will begin."

 Chapter 153 The Valentine’s Day Arc (9) : CherryBlossom’s Story

    Chapter 153 The Valentine''s Day Arc (9) : CherryBlossom''s Story


    If Guiying was being honest to herself, then she wanted to write a story about her and MrPerfect. A sweet story of admiration culminating into love between a star and her fan.


    But Zhan Yahui wasn''t really thrilled with this idea.


    ''A story between a fan and a star? It does have a sense of mystery. But the fan''s identity will play a major role. Is he secretly a rich heir? Or you can show that he poses as your enemy but is actually your well-wisher. As long as he is not ''just'' a regular fan having a normal job.''


    Guiying had disagreed. She didn''t know who MrPerfect was, and it didn''t matter to her if he was rich or not. She could write that MrPerfect was secretly a billionaire. But she didn''t want to lie about him or her expectations from him.


    This was her real story. She didn''t want to make it one big lie.


    In the end, Zhan Yahui urged her to write that story for some other time but not as a submission to something as important for the Author''s Summit and risk her chances.


    So, Guiying wrote another story, discussing with Zhan Yahui.


    "''Ah, today is the blind date!''"


    She began her story of a woman who went on a blind date. But the guy turned out to be a total jerk. She was too polite to get up and leave, only making her time more miserable. But fortunately, she was rescued by a handsome stranger who bails her out at the right time.


    The CEO she fell in love with wasn''t a Prince Charming at all. He was a hideous antagonist who used women for his pleasure and killed them. He was the mentally deranged, secret serial killer hiding behind the facade of a CEO.


    Not only Guiying played with his identity, but it was revealed that the jerk of a blind date she went with wasn''t a jerk in the first place. His sister had been one of the CEO''s targets and using her, he had thrown the brother out and usurped his CEO''s position.


    There was a lot of background and mystery as to why he acted like a jerk, and it seemed impossible to show it all in a short story. But Guiying had skillfully handled it. She set a nice tone and background after the revelation of the fake CEO too and how her heart found love in the date she had dismissed as a resentful experience and how he overcame the grief from his sister''s death.


    Her story sent a strong message that looks are deceptive, and first impressions are not necessarily the right benchmark to judge someone. One needed to understand their past and their story to know what molded them to become the person that they were at present.


    All this was difficult to pull off in a short story without making the readers bogged down, but Guiying managed it extremely well, earning praises from the judges.


    Guiying ended the story on a sweet but melancholic note where the couple go to meet his sister''s grave where he introduced her as her soon to be sister-in-law.


    After Guiying finished, everybody clapped hard. Some had tears in their eyes, feeling bittersweet at the ending part.


    "It was wonderful."


    "I can see why CherryBlossom was selected."


    "She is not Dream High''s star for no reason."


    The viewers watching the Summit live from their home also furiously praised Guiying''s story and delivery. Her fans cheered hard for her and sent a string of appreciation messages on social media.


    At the Summit, Guiying watched everyone satisfied and happy by her story. She felt her heart at ease.


    She wondered MrPerfect''s reaction on her story, and her chest drummed with anticipation and excitement.


    Just like she thought, a certain figure clad in a dark suit was indeed watching her with pride. His lips formed an affectionate smile as he clapped for her too.


    Guiying stepped down, and the emcee came back on the stage. "Thank you, CherryBlossom! It was beautiful. Ah, I still have tears in my eyes."


    Guiying chuckled and sat back.


    Zhan Yahui grinned and gave her a thumbs up. "You have bagged this for sure."


    Guiying paused. "It''s Ai''s turn now."


    She shrugged. "She won''t be able to match you."


    She parted her lips to speak but for some reason, she kept quiet. "You are wrong about that¡­" her irises flickered with an unknown emotion.


    "Did you say something?"


    She shook her head. "Nothing."


    ¡ª


    From her past life, Ai already knew what her story was going to be. Even so, she felt the tears slip into her orbs.


    Xing Bi patted her hand. "Now it''s your turn. Don''t be nervous and just give your best! You will definitely win this!"


    Ai wasn''t so sure. Guiying had won the Summit in her past life. She had pledged to herself to win this Summit but thinking about the past life''s results, her confidence dwindled at times.


    ''You will win this Summit, Zhou Ai. You will for sure.''


    Jun''s resilient words rang in her heart, and the jitters within her calmed down.


    "Now, for the second and the last entry, I would request MissImperfectlyFine to come to the stage," the emcee announced.


    From above, Jun watched Ai walk with poise. He clenched the wine glass in his hand, his gaze fixed only on her straight back.


    Yating straightened up and only


    Nian, too, watched her with interest. He liked CherryBlossom''s story so was looking forward to what Ai had to tell.


    Jin''s countenance didn''t change much. He only wanted to leave from here, but Nian lost his confidence at the last moment to confront Xing Bi during the break. Now, they were back to square one.


    Nian ignored Jin''s accusing stares and exclaimed. "It''s Ai''s turn!"


    "And you are gonna meet Xing Bi after this is over," Jin declared.


    "...I know. This time, I have mentally prepared myself!"


    "You did that last time too. It didn''t give any results," he ruthlessly stated.


    Nian glared at him. "Just enjoy the Summit!"


    Jin sighed.


    Ai climbed on the stage and as she watched everybody from a height, she froze.

 Chapter 154 The Valentine’s Day Arc (10) : MissImperfectlyFine’s Story (1)

    Chapter 154 The Valentine''s Day Arc (10) : MissImperfectlyFine''s Story (1)


    She felt her mouth go dry and eyelashes tremble, feeling herself standing above others physically. She gasped softly and felt slightly dizzy.


    Jun jumped on his feet but seeing her gain her composure, he stopped. Worry marred on his face, and he still restlessly shifted his weight from one foot to another.


    Yating, on his end, was about to rush to her side too but stopped in time, feeling relief that she was okay.


    Jun wondered if he should order the organizers to remove the stage altogether. That way, Ai won''t have to face her fear and confidently do her job.


    Yunru adjusted his tie, alarmed of what he was planning. "Bro, just stay put, okay?"


    Jun sharply jerked his head towards his cousin and narrowed his eyes. "She is afraid of heights. I don''t want her to feel petrified while telling her story. What if she faints? I will burn this place down if they disqualified her because she became sick just like the other author!"


    He choked.


    Why are you going so far?


    "S-She seems in good shape now¡­"


    Ai watched the crowd in silence. Some of them watched her with interest while some with disdain. Many simply showed neutral expressions.


    "Good evening. I am MissImperfectlyFine. Once again, I would like to thank the judges for giving me this chance in such a prestigious Summit. I hope you like the story I have to tell¡­"


    The air had turned completely silent. Jun quietly kept his brown irises fixed at her, his heart strangely pounding in his chest to hear her story.


    Xing Bi had also clasped her hands together and prayed hard for everything to go well.


    The soft glimmer in Ai''s pupils shone as a tranquil smile lifted her lips. Until this moment, she felt timid and flustered. But now a sense of serenity sheathed her heart as she felt herself sink in the depths of the story and let the emotions overwhelm her with which she had penned the words.


    "She didn''t know what love was.


    Every time she got closer to discovering love, her illusion shattered into pieces. For a long time as a child, she watched her parents and thought, ''Ah, this is love. They laugh together. They live together. Happily.''


    To her, love at first, meant family.


    But one day, that family fell apart, and she realized it.


    That was not love because if it was, then that love wouldn''t have culminated into an ugly separation.


    She had based the definition of love on what she had observed in her family. But when that answer proved to be wrong, the question found its way back to her once again.


    What was love?


    Time passed. From a little girl, she grew up to become a quiet teenager who liked books. In high school when she met a certain bubbly girl her age, she felt she learned what love was.


    Love was friendship.


    The friendship where you laughed together, cried together and shared all your secrets with each other. A friendship where you always stood by your friend in their toughest times.


    That was love.


    Her heart was filled with joy because she finally knew what love meant. She loved her dearest friend a lot because she brought her into a world where she always dreamed to be. She thought that they would fulfill their dreams together.


    Then one day, a certain person stepped into her life. He became her friend just like her best friend. She found friendship in another person. But the more they spent time together, the more she couldn''t stop herself from thinking.


    ''This is more than just friendship.''


    She began to feel the difference between friendship and this feeling that enveloped her heart with sweetness and joy. Her heart ached with an emotion she had never felt before. A different form of love shaped within her.


    She wondered if she was the only one who felt this way. Was she the only one whose stomach tickled with butterflies whenever she saw him?


    She got her answer when that certain person confessed his love to her under a beautifully lit Christmas tree. She felt she was the happiest woman on this earth.


    With his confession, she conceived the meaning of love as togetherness. A love where she would marry that person and live with him forever just like how her parents used to.


    Even though her parents'' relationship had fallen apart, she wasn''t afraid because she knew her love would be different. She won''t end up like them. She couldn''t ask for anything more in this world.


    She had love as friendship as her best friend and love as togetherness as her boyfriend who treasured her.


    But that didn''t last for long.


    Once again¡­everything proved to be a deception. A fallacy.


    Love wasn''t friendship. Love wasn''t togetherness. Love was nothing but an illusion. Family, friendship, togetherness - everything was a lie.


    She was betrayed by the very same people she had given her heart to for so many years.


    The love she felt for her best friend and the love for that certain person led her to fall to her despair one fateful night. She kept falling and falling in that cold, chilling night until that despair mercilessly killed her.


    Her heart felt empty, but her eyes were clouded with tears.


    The betrayal had killed her. She thought she would never see the light again. She was forever pushed into the depths of darkness from where there was no return.


    But then¡­


    Life gave her another chance to stand up on her feet and fix her life. Their betrayal had killed her.


    Yet she felt she was reborn.


    The moment she realized it, her thoughts and questions plagued her once again.


    Why? Why was it always so difficult? Why did love have to slip away from her hands the moment she felt she grasped it?


    She failed to understand love. Every single time. She vowed to herself to never search for love ever again.


    Until he came."

 Chapter 155 The Valentine’s Day Arc (11) : MissImperfectlyFine’s Story (2)

    Chapter 155 The Valentine''s Day Arc (11) : MissImperfectlyFine''s Story (2)


    "He came and when she looked into his eyes, the first thing that came to her mind was, ''It is dangerous to be loved by this man.''


    His eyes were what had made a strong impression upon her.


    Deep, silent but dangerous.


    One look was all it needed to tell her that it was wise to keep her distance from her man. But she couldn''t. His dark eyes carried threat and iciness which didn''t allow anybody to approach him. He lived in his own space - alone and devoid of any warmth.


    She met him the second time when he tried to give up on his life. She had saved him that day. But she was disappointed in him that whose eyes carried such immense intensity could be so weak and selfish to end his own life.


    She felt resentful, but there was a strong feeling that also resonated in her by his actions.


    He was lost. Just like her.


    He was a man with a cold, dark, and distant demeanor. But as days passed by, she felt the incredible warmth his aura emanated. He looked indifferent on the outside, but his heart carried immense concern and love.


    He said to her that he didn''t like children because they were too annoying. Yet he was the one who secretly gave them a basket of chocolates to make them happy.


    He preferred to shut everyone off. Yet he was the one who asked her to bring an ice-cream with a chocolate and blackberry scoop on top of it one day when he was too sick.


    He always looked like he would never bother to help anybody. Yet he was the one who had helped her countless times in need whether it was to save her from an accusation or kill a dangerous thief one night who threatened to rob her of her dignity and life.


    He seemed like he would never want anybody else to invade his space. Yet he was the one to offer her his home to live in without any hesitation when she had no roof over her head.


    He was a man who treated his words preciously like gold. Yet he was the one who could talk and laugh for hours over his favorite books with her.


    He was a man whose cruel words sounded akin to poison to others. Yet he was the one who resolutely assured her that as long as he was there, he would never let her fall.


    She, who began to be afraid of falling ever since the betrayal pushed her to despair, felt like his words were music to her ears.


    She lived with him. She began to understand him. She felt that he was a man whose love would hold no boundaries for the woman who would make a place in his heart one day.


    And she¡­


    She didn''t realize it when along the way she started to wish herself to become that woman in his heart.


    She, who had promised to herself that she would never search for love, found the answer to the question.


    Yes, she fell in love. Once again.


    Because he was the one who taught her what it felt like to be loved. He gave her the answer she was looking for a long time.


    Love is unconditional.


    She was afraid of falling in love because that one time was enough to disillusion her from that emotion. Yet she was standing here once again on the same path.


    She tried hard, very hard to shake this feeling off her chest. She tried to put a brake on her ramping emotions and her heart that jumped up and down every single time she saw him. She wanted to stop the flutter of her heartbeats that she felt whenever his fingers brushed her face.


    In the end, everything proved to be fruitless. The more she tried to deny it, the harder the feelings knocked on her heart''s door, refusing to leave her.


    She was in love so much that it ached. So much that she wanted to live her entire life with him. But she didn''t know his feelings because he was lost just like her. He had suffered the same pain as her.


    She didn''t know if his scarred heart can make a special place for her.


    And now she had two options.


    She could either confess or hide her feelings forever. She could admit that she loved him and possibly ruin the friendship they shared if he didn''t feel the same way.


    Or she could keep her love to herself and protect what they had right now.


    After a long, long debate with herself, she decided to let him know even though it might jeopardize everything built between them. Everything was at a risk.


    But she took the chance.


    Now, he knew.


    And now as he watches her, she waits for his answer, her heart feeling as if it would jump out of her chest at any moment."


    Ai trembled and softly let out her breath as she finished reciting her short story. Her eyes were slightly shining with mistiness as her body shook hard.


    This story was her life''s story. In an abstract way, she decided to tell the events of her life and let it out to the world.


    But more importantly, this story was a medium through which she wanted to confess her love for Jun. If not now, then she knew wouldn''t ever be able to confess to him. Tears threatened to fall because she knew Jun was watching her. He heard everything, and she knew he understood everything too.


    She had an urge to escape, but her legs were shivering so badly that she didn''t find the strength.


    Her lips quivered as she spoke, "T-That''s all. I know¡­it might sound strange that the story ended on an open question. It''s not the proper end. But I kept it that way because this is just the first part of the series that I am planning to write. I hope you liked it. Thank you."

 Chapter 156 The Valentine’s Day Arc (12) : Wave Of Agreement

    As Ai left the stage, the whole Summit fell into deep silence. Her story was shorter than Guiying''s yet strangely, everybody felt as if they had been shaken hard.


    The characters were nameless, the plot was abstract, yet everybody had tears in their eyes. At one glance, it would seem like such a story would hold no water. But they couldn''t put a finger upon the emotion they felt.


    The protagonist didn''t have a name. It wasn''t mentioned in detail how she was betrayed. But they strongly guessed that it was an affair between her best friend and boyfriend.


    There was melancholy and contemplation shining in everybody''s expressions.


    "They surely cheated, right?"


    "I-I feel the same."


    "Though it could be two separate betrayals. Maybe her best friend cheated her in some way and her boyfriend in another way?"


    "That''s also possible..."


    "Though my instinct says that they had an affair!"


    "And what about her falling into despair?" One of the perceptive ones in the crowd pointed out. "You know...She said she was reborn. But like, did she actually die and was reborn? Or she didn''t physically die but was reborn as a new person?"


    The people surrounding her gasped in wonder as it struck them.


    "Oh gosh...that''s so deep! It could be totally possible either way. I thought she never died, but the betrayal made her become a new, strong person. But what if the cheating couple actually plotted against her and killed her!?"


    That set a new wave of eager discussion. Everybody got hyper, wondering and telling their own views on the story.


    One of the writers wiped her eyes and sniffled. "I just loved the part of the male protagonist."


    "He is totally cute, right!?"


    "Yeah, he sounds like a cold person but is actually very caring!"


    "I can see why she fell for him!"


    "She confessed to him but what was his answer? I so wanna know!"


    "Of course it''s a yes! Didn''t you hear that part? He spouts poison towards other people but only for her, he speaks warmly and takes care of her!"


    "So much that he even killed a thief!"


    One was trembling with excitement. "Do you think that the male protagonist could be someone from the dark Underworld?"


    "Yeah, otherwise how could he be daring to kill a thief?"


    "Maybe it was just defense-"


    "Oh shut up! You don''t have a romantic heart at all!"


    "What if he is a policeman?"


    One of them grimaced. "Well...not that he couldn''t be, but I want him to be someone from the Underworld. That would be so cool!"


    "Plus aren''t the dark world''s people possessive?"


    "Aaaaahhh my heart is squealing!"


    "A dark possessive man who asks for ice-cream like a child when he is sick!"


    "And he even let her in his home when she was homeless!"


    "That melted my heart."


    "They are so perfect for each other. He also went through the same pain as her so he definitely understands the most!"


    "But I still wanna know the answer!"


    It simply felt like it was a story that made its point without explicitly stating what exactly happened in the protagonist''s life. Even more than actually knowing what happened, there was a sense of mystery to guess how the events unfolded in the story.


    How did the betrayal happen? What did they do to betray her? Did she actually die or not? How did the two protagonists meet?


    And the main question...


    What was the male protagonist''s answer to her confession?


    Even though people could guess that it would definitely be a yes, there was an innate urge to actually know the answer.


    There was a lot of open-ended questions in the story. It evoked sadness, frustration and also a lot of heartwarming moments that melted them. The part about not naming the character resonated even more.


    It felt like any woman could be the protagonist. Leaving the character nameless brought a personal touch for many people who imagined as if they were the character in the story.


    The emcee finally came to the stage, who was crying himself until this moment. "Please give a round of applause for MissImperfectlyFine! That was...simply marvellous!"


    "..."


    Everybody suddenly realized that they forgot to clap. A series of coughs echoed followed by loud cheers and clapping that threatened to burst everybody''s eardrums.


    Xing Bi watched the joy on their faces that were filled with disdain and mocking until an hour ago. Her heart was filled with pride and her eyes with tears.


    Hah! I told you all! My Ai will leave you speechless! Behold and sing her praises now!


    When Ai came back to her table, she quickly said before Xing Bi could even hug her. "I-I will be back..."


    Her pupils darted left and right in nervousness, her cheeks and ears were tinted with crimson and her body was trembling.


    Ai bowed and ran away from the Summit to outside.


    Xing Bi was speechless.


    It is your moment to shine! Where are you running away?


    The emcee announced. "Now that both entries are heard, it''s time for the judgment. There will be a short break after which I will have the results from the judges. So stay tuned!"


    "I cannot wait!" One of them giggled.


    "Who do you think will win? CherryBlossom or MissImperfectlyFine?"


    "Well I must say that both stories were fantastic."


    "Guiying handled her story very well despite it being risky to become muddled and longer."


    "The twist she put was well thought of too."


    "I loved the message in her story."


    "But MissImperfectlyFine''s take and execution was different and good different!"


    "Yeah, how many stories have we read where the characters are mentioned as simply pronouns?"


    "To be honest, she took a risk too which she handled flawlessly!"


    "I loved the part about how she left double meaning open questions! Like about the betrayal and her rebirth! It was crafty and too good!"


    "So true! There was not much information about what actually happened? But I also felt that I didn''t need to know!"


    "In fact, the guessing part made it even more thrilling!"


    There were a lot of mixed reviews and discussions. Some favored CherryBlossom while some MissImperfectlyFine. But then it would feel like the wave of agreement was tilting towards Ai.


    Guiying slightly trembled, her gaze turning unfocused and her breathing uneven.


    No...No...

 Chapter 157 The Valentine’s Day Arc (13) : Mr. Liu Chases After Ai

    Chapter 157 The Valentine''s Day Arc (13) : Mr. Liu Chases After Ai


    Guiying touched the base of her throat and faintly scratched it with her nails.


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes and shook her hard, noticing her condition. "Stop shaking like that, Guiying! CherryBlossom don''t have to be afraid of anybody. You are Dream High''s star. Zhou Ai cannot beat you no matter what anybody is saying."


    Guiying stiffened and nervously laughed. "W-what are you talking about? I am fine. I am really fine¡­I loved Ai''s story! I really wondered if it was her!" Her eyes sparkled. "She has improved so much, hasn''t she? Gosh, it''s unbelievable!"


    "You-"


    "I will come back in a moment, okay?" Guiying quickly got up from her seat, making Zhan Yahui widen her eyes. "Guiying!"


    She watched her walking hurriedly towards the washroom, her eyes glinting with suspicion.


    Guiying¡­


    ¡ª


    On the other side, Yating was shaken up just like anybody else but in a different way. His eyes strained towards the stage where Ai was just standing until a few minutes ago.


    Where everybody else was seriously thinking hard about Ai''s story and the suspense she had built, Yating wondered if the woman from her story was meant to be Ai herself.


    There was a best friend she met in high school who would be Guiying and promising to fulfill their dreams together. There was a man who she fell in love with who should be him who was supposed to propose to her under the Christmas tree.


    But it didn''t make sense because there was no way he was going to betray her.


    So what did she mean by betrayal? What despair?


    Yating clenched his fist, fear gripping his heart. What unnerved him the most was the part when Ai had begun talking about the male protagonist - the nameless man just like her.


    He had observed how her mood and tone had changed. A soft and gentle smile was lit on her lips that reached all upto her eyes. The joy that permeated from her expression was genuine and just like how one looked when someone was in love.


    When the protagonist did confess how she wished to be the woman in his heart, Yating had seen her trembling. It was faint where Ai was trying her hardest to control herself. But her quivering lips and the blush on her neck gave her away.


    He felt as if not the female protagonist in her story but Ai was herself confessing her love. She looked skittish as if the man was right in front of her. The nervousness when somebody confessed their love was distinctly visible on her face.


    That was when Yating paled.


    Ai¡­you cannot¡­


    The eeriness crippled him as if he lost his ability to talk and walk. The question if Ai loved somebody else pierced his heart and tore it into shreds. Just the imagination made him unsettled and agitated.


    This cannot go on. No, this cannot go on!


    He had to clarify this and throw away this seed of doubt that had taken root in his heart.


    I cannot bear to lose Ai. I don''t want to lose you, Ai¡­


    His eyes ached with tears threatening to spill but shining with a resolve too. He knew what he had to do before talking to Ai.


    He stared at the direction in which Guiying had left. With an extremely frigid expression, Yating followed the way, adamant to end the feelings Guiying had for him once and for all.


    ¡ª


    On the third floor, Yunru sharply breathed in, sensing the silence in the air. Jun had strangely gone reticent during the whole time Ai was on the stage but even more so as she was reaching the end of her story.


    Something had changed in him. His lips parted and shut. His eyelashes trembled. His dark brown gaze stared unblinkingly ahead. His expression was indecipherable.


    Without speaking a word, Jun turned on his heels and headed straight out.


    "Br-Bro where are you going¡­"


    Why am I even asking that question? Yunru thought to himself. I know where he is going.


    Though Jun and Shui had broken up, Yunru held complicated feelings in his heart. Everything still felt unreal to him about Jun and Ai.


    A different woman besides Jun¡­nobody was used to see anybody else but Shui.


    He never imagined that things would take such a turn one day. But now that it did, Yunru only hoped that all would go well.


    As long as Bro is happy¡­


    ¡ª


    Ai ran outside as fast as she could. There was a lavish garden in the premise where the Summit was held. Her chest heaved rapidly, taking short and messy breaths. Sweat trickled down the sides of her ears and she frequently swallowed her saliva down her throat.


    Her heart was hammering in her chest with the double dose of her confession and all the running around the garden.


    He finally heard it¡­He knows now.


    She touched her warm and red cheeks with her trembling fingers.


    This was the reason why Ai was so jittery about tonight''s Summit. It was not only important to redeem herself through this competition, but it was also a way to confess the deepest feelings for Jun hidden in her heart which she decided to pour all out tonight.


    After this, everything would change for better or for worse. Either Jun would accept her or reject her.


    If it was the former, she would be the happiest woman on this earth.


    If it was the latter, then she had broken the friendship between them tonight.


    She jolted sharply when a message ding sounded from her phone. She let out a deep breath which stuck in her throat soon enough when she read that it was a message from Jun.


    ''Where are you?''


    Ai stared at his message with mixed emotions. Her heart skipped a beat but then she felt as if there was an ominous ring to the question.


    Is he mad at me?


    She couldn''t help but let her thoughts go in the negative direction. She was way too apprehensive about his reaction and way too of a coward to face him now.


    She quickly typed her reply and hit the Send button.


    ¡ª


    Jun, who was waiting for her reply, heard a ding. He quickly opened it, and his gaze darkened dangerously. His mouth twitched heavily, and his face contorted in a grimace.


    ''Where are you?'' was his question.


    To which Ai''s reply was,


    ''Nowhere. I have merged with the infinite cosmos now.''

 Chapter 158 The Valentine’s Day Arc (14) : Catching An Elaborate Plot

    Chapter 158 The Valentine''s Day Arc (14) : Catching An Elaborate Plot


    Inside the hotel, Xing Bi was hella bored. Without Ai, she felt like she would die. She heavily sighed and thought to head to the washroom to spend the spare time until the break would be over and Ai would be back.


    On her way, she heard an excited squeal coming from one of the rooms followed by a sharp hushing sound.


    "Sssh!! Don''t get too excited! You will land us in deep trouble!"


    Xing Bi paused in her steps. Her brows furrowed with suspicion and confusion, but she shrugged it off.


    At first.


    Then she heard the broken words of ''Summit'' and ''judgment'' which made her sharply turn and snap her head towards that particular room.


    There were also other parties held in the hotel tonight, but only the Author Summit was referred to as a Summit and not some banquet or a party.


    Xing Bi put two and two together.


    Deep trouble plus Summit and judgement words equaled to something fishy!


    She squinted her eyes and tiptoed towards the room while hiding her shadow that could be visible from inside the room. She then strained her ears to catch any hints of a conversation but felt frustrated to hear only inaudible whis What are they talking about? I am getting a bad feeling about this!


    Her gaze fell on the keyhole, and she beamed. She looked left and right and when nobody was watching her, she spilled the contents of her purse noiselessly on the floor.


    She pretended to kneel down and ''collect'' her stuff but was actually pining her ear to the keyhole to hear the conversation snippets more clearly.


    Good thing that doors still have a keyhole in case of emergencies!


    Nowadays, every room was equipped with card locking and unlocking system attached to the door. But a keyhole was still present to unlock any room with a key if the card system failed or crashed.


    Xing Bi finally started to hear some broken pieces of a conversation.


    "...Are you sure¡­do this?"


    "Idiot! ¡­So much money¡­"


    "That person¡­lots of money¡­to do they have said."


    "The final winner¡­"


    She straightened up on hearing winner but couldn''t catch on to the later part. She bit her lip hard in annoyance.


    "Cannot¡­CherryBlossom should be¡­" the second man whispered.


    "But MissImperfectlyFine¡­"


    Xing Bi widened her eyes.


    They are talking about Ai!


    "...Shut up! Only¡­ssom can win¡­"


    "Just have to¡­alter¡­then we have all the money!"


    Xing Bi stared ahead in horror. It wasn''t a conversation she heard without hiccups, but she wasn''t so foolish not to understand what was happening.


    Somebody has bribed two judges to alter the results!


    She was getting surer and surer that Ai was the real winner of the Author Summit, but somebody was pumping these crooked judges with money to alter the results in Guiying''s favor.


    Shit! How dare you take away what belongs to my Ai!?


    Her knuckles cracked as her eyes clouded with rage. In the moment of her anger and envisioning strangling the two judges for this corruption, she didn''t notice when the door opened and the two judges stepped out.


    It happened so fast and quickly that Xing Bi was still kneeling on the floor, her hands frozen in air. The judges almost crashed into her when they abruptly stopped.


    The expressions on their faces stiffened. Initially, they didn''t recognize her. But one of them elbowed the other. "Hey! Isn''t she one of Dream High''s editor?"


    The second one took a sharp gasp. "She is MissImperfectlyFine''s editor! They were sharing a table earlier."


    There was a deep, long silence. They exchanged glances, sure of the fact that she must have heard something.


    Xing Bi knew it was useless to pretend, so she got up on her feet and gritted her teeth. "You two¡­you two want CherryBlossom to win, don''t you!? Even though it is my author MissImperfectlyFine who should be winning!"


    She looked for the third judge but didn''t see him anywhere. There were only the two of them.


    They paled.


    "You¡­this is nonsense!"


    "Yeah how dare you accuse us?"


    Xing Bi stomped her foot. "I heard your conversation! You were clearly talking about money and altering the winner! You two should be ashamed of yourself. You are esteemed judges who have been invited to make a fair decision. But you are a filthy bunch of corrupted people!"


    They broke into a cold sweat deathly afraid that somebody passing by might hear them.


    One of them quickly tried to clear the misunderstanding. "You are taking it all wrong. We didn''t talk about any such things."


    Xing Bi sneered. "Save your talk for the officials. You two have been bribed and you dare stomp upon my Ai''s success! I will make you pay for this!"


    One of them panicked and grabbed her arm, breathing hard. "You won''t go anywhere-"


    He almost collapsed when Xing Bi suddenly jabbed her foot on his precious member. His jaw parted in slow motion as the pain set in.


    She smirked. "I have dealt with lots of goons during the days I lived a life of debts my useless father left upon me. I can deal with you two peasants too easily. And don''t touch me you filthy bastard!" She shook her arm off harshly.


    The other judge witnessed in horror. He felt as if his own member was in pain watching his partner writhe like that.


    It was not only painful but humiliating too.


    Xing Bi threw a glance at the remaining one. "Now your turn."


    He already started to shit himself badly. "I-I will¡­"


    She sneered again. "Let me make you a handicap too."


    But she underestimated the first judge a little too soon. He was gasping in pain with tears in his eyes and kneeling on the floor, but the humiliation and resentment was so strong at being hit on his masculinity that it overcame his pain for a few moments.


    He grabbed the hem of her dress and laughed. "You bitch will pay¡­I will fucking tear your dress!"


    Xing Bi widened her eyes and tried to shake his hand away, but he held too tightly. The fabric of her dress was about to tear off when a foot suddenly crashed onto his head with a vicious blow.


    "You touched the wrong woman you fucker," Nian snarled, his eyes blazing with danger and rage.

 Chapter 159 The Valentine’s Day Arc (15) : Yating And Guiying’s Confrontation

    Chapter 159 The Valentine''s Day Arc (15) : Yating And Guiying''s Confrontation


    Guiying was badly shaking in one of the bathroom stalls. She drew in a sharp breath, her body convulsing and her forehead breaking into sweat. Her lips were quivering as she was mumbling something to herself. Tears streamed out of her eyes despite her resistance. Her fingers were drenched with the wetness by continuously wiping her cheeks, but more tears came to replace them.


    She once again touched her throat, scratching her fair skin slightly with her nails. It started to turn reddish the more repeatedly she kept scratching. She took several deep breaths to calm down.


    Guiying then heard some voices of a few women who just stepped in.


    "Tonight''s Summit is so crazy! I really thought nobody would be able to match CherryBlossom. But I must say that MissImperfectlyFine is giving her a tough competition."


    A second woman said, who was also a writer from a small publishing company, "Yeah! Her story had just a different feel!"


    "It''s really hard to choose. CherryBlossom did an amazing job too."


    "Indeed. But I feel MissImperfectlyFine was better. I really cannot explain it, but her story touched me harder."


    "I know right!? I feel the same."


    Guiying heard their conversation and felt even more breathless. She clutched her head, pain gripping her from her temples. The women talking among themselves was akin to loud, annoying noises from which she wanted to run away.


    Guiying bit her lower lip and slowly picked the call. "Bro¡­"


    "Guiying!" Cai Lingyun chirped from the other end. "I just saw the Summit through the live stream! My sister did such an amazing job! You are awesome, Guiying. I am proud of you!"


    Guiying blinked and a moment later, her eyes beamed. "R-really¡­?" She did her best to hide her choking voice.


    "Of course! I loved your story. Hehe, I proudly said to my colleagues that you are my sister! They were so impressed, haha!"


    She trembled with joy bursting in her heart.


    "But what I am more shocked about is Ai!"


    She stiffened.


    "I mean¡­I don''t know how to say it, but Ai has changed so much. Her writing felt so different and deeper. I am so happy for her! All this time, everybody was accusing shit at her. But now they know how capable she is. Hah! That''s a slap in their faces! I am so proud to have two amazing sisters!"


    Guiying couldn''t reply to that. Her lips parted in an attempt to ask something, but she couldn''t.


    "I told you, Ai will be amazing! She is like an unpolished diamond right now. Once she hones her skills, she is going to be a prolific writer!" The excitement in his voice filled the atmosphere.


    "Ahh, it will be so difficult to choose a winner," he lamented. "Can you both not win?"


    Guiying shook. Feeling slightly dizzy, she quickly wanted to wrap up the call. "I-I have to go back, Bro. I will call you back later."


    "Oh yeah! Give my best wishes to Ai too. I have been trying to reach her mobile, but she isn''t picking up," he sighed.


    Her smile faltered. "S-Sure¡­"


    She took another deep, uncomfortable breath as soon as she hung up. Tears flowed endlessly, but she finally coped with the sudden onset of these negative emotions building inside her.


    Adjusting her appearance and makeup, she quickly stepped out of the washroom only to be bumped into Yating.


    She widened her eyes in surprise. From the corner of her eye, she felt as if she saw a shadow leave. But she took it as her imagination.


    "Yating. What happened? Why are you outside the washroom?"


    With a gaze mixed with uneasiness and iciness, he grabbed her wrist and pulled her to a corner. "I want answers."


    Her face was marred with confusion. "Answers? What answers? And why do you look so scary?"


    Yating narrowed his eyes. "Because I am on the verge of losing someone precious and tonight, I need to clear the misunderstanding that has been separating me and Ai for all this time."


    Guiying was totally bewildered. "Huh? You and Ai?"


    "Yes."


    Yating took a step forward and squinted his eyes. "Tell me honestly, Guiying. I will ask you a question, and you will have to answer me truthfully."


    "Yes¡­?" She blinked. She felt the air freeze for some reason.


    "I will be blunt with you. Do you like me?"


    Her eyes shot out wide in shock. "What!? What, what, what? Where is this coming from?"


    "Just answer me! Do you like me or not?"


    Guiying dumbly watched him. "No! I mean, I like you as a friend and a colleague. But not as a romantic partner."


    Yating gauged her expression and tried to discern if she was saying the truth or not.


    Guiying was still confused over the sudden question that he popped. "What''s happening? Why did you suddenly ask about my feelings for you?"


    He took a deep breath and asked again. "You are not lying, right?"


    She glared at him. "Why will I lie? I don''t like you that way. Plus¡­" she contemplated and finally admitted. "I have someone else who I like. I cannot tell you who it is, but I do like someone. So, it''s impossible for me to like you that way."


    The more he listened, the more he believed her. Guiying genuinely didn''t seem to be interested in him.


    She folded her arms. "Where did this misunderstanding even come from?"


    Yating felt as if his shoulders got lighter with her confirmation. He pressed his forehead, easing the tension between his brows.


    "It''s¡­"


    Yating explained in short about what happened during New Year''s Eve when he confessed to Ai.


    She gasped, not able to understand if it was because of learning his feelings for Ai or about what Ai said to him.


    "I¡­I don''t get it. Why would Ai say that I like you? I never talked to her about this. Not you, not even about the person I like. I never said to her that I have feelings for you."


    Yating trembled, his heart bursting with joy. "I don''t know, Guiying. But right now¡­I only want to meet Ai and remove this doubt and misunderstanding from her heart because once it does, there would be nothing in her way to stop her from accepting me."

 Chapter 160 The Valentine’s Day Arc (16) : Mr. Liu Entertains Ai’s Hide And Seek Game

    Chapter 160 The Valentine''s Day Arc (16) : Mr. Liu Entertains Ai''s Hide And Seek Game


    The break was about to end, but Ai had yet to head back to the hotel for the results announcement. There was a small problem with her trip back.


    Which was Jun''s reply to her reply.


    Ai pursed her lips, feeling the threat seep from his message.


    ''If you don''t tell me where you are right now, then I will break apart the infinite cosmos inside which you are hidden. Before I do that, it''s better that you come out of your hiding place wherever it is or else¡­''


    Jun didn''t complete his sentence after that. He didn''t need to because she could already imagine the consequences.


    She genuinely wondered if he was furious at her confession or the fact that she used him as a character in her story which she was told by him not to do.


    Ai was hiding behind a tree and contemplating her options. It definitely seemed like Jun was keeping an eye out on her somewhere. If she went out in the open, then she will be dead.


    It wasn''t like she wanted to avoid Jun but right now, she felt too overwhelmed to face him. The tiredness from running like a marathon had already disappeared from body, but her heart was still drumming in her chest, imagining what would Jun''s answer be.


    J-Jun¡­He found me¡­


    Her heart sped even faster now as she trembled. She shut her eyes and steeled her heart for this moment whether it was his acceptance or rejection.


    Ai slowly turned and lifted her gaze. But she stiffened upon recognizing someone else stand on before her.


    "...Gu Yating?"


    She felt calmer now knowing that it wasn''t Jun. Her expression came back to normal as she faced him. "Yes?"


    Yating looked at her, his fingers clenching and unclenching. "Ai¡­I need to talk to you."


    ¡ª


    Jun impatiently kept tapping his foot on the other, waiting for her response. But after not getting one for several minutes, his lid of patience finally snapped. He oozed menaced and intimidation into the air, turning it darker and cloudier.


    He sneered.


    So you have chosen death, Zhou Ai. Fine. If you want to play a game of hide and seek, then I will entertain you.


    His gaze darkened.


    But beware of the consequences once I find you.


    He was about to head deeper into the garden to find Ai, but the corner of his right eye noticed Yating coming out of the hotel''s exit door and rushing in a hurry towards somewhere.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He wasn''t in any mood to meddle in his affairs now. But his senses tingled with an annoying feeling that it might be related to Ai.


    Ever since he knew that Ai was MissImperfectlyFine and realized Yating''s connection with her, his presence irritated him even more than when he thought of him as just Sky''s rival. Yating''s whole existence irked him immensely.


    Jun decided to follow him just to confirm if he was meeting Ai or not. If he wasn''t, then Jun would continue playing Ai''s hide and seek game.


    He noiselessly followed him and after a certain distance, he finally saw the person he was looking for. His countenance instantly turned frigid upon realizing that Yating was indeed looking for Ai.


    You¡­


    Jun headed closer and the snippets of the conversation reached his ears.


    "Ai, you have been misunderstanding the whole time!"


    Ai looked confused.


    Yating continued. "Ai, on New Year''s when I confessed to you, you said that it''s not possible between us because Guiying likes me. But it''s not true! She doesn''t! She said so herself! Guiying doesn''t feel anything for me!"


    Jun froze. His dark brown irises stared at them unblinkingly. The words which Yating spoke rang in his ears as if it bled him.


    On New Year''s when I confessed to you¡­


    He recalled that night vividly. It was the same evening when he had shared the kiss with Ai as they both cried over their fates and lost love.


    He had confessed to her¡­? He had confessed to Ai?


    He trembled, unable to comprehend his emotions. There were two very distinct feelings riling within him.


    One was anger over the fact that he confessed.


    And one was fear about imagining what would have happened if Ai had accepted Yating?


    At the other side, Ai stiffened for a different reason. "You¡­you asked Guiying about this?"


    "I had no choice, Ai! I had to clarify this! Because if Guiying indeed had feelings for me, then I couldn''t have let her stay in that bubble for any longer. It''s because I love you, Ai."


    Jun stared at them blankly.


    "I love you, Ai," Yating shook. "I thought you love me too. But then you said that Guiying likes me? I couldn''t believe you at all. I never thought she looked at me that way. At first, I tried to fulfill my promise to you that I wouldn''t ask her anything about this until the time came like you said. But tonight¡­tonight, I just couldn''t. I just had to ask her. And she confessed it herself! She doesn''t like me, Ai. She convinced me that she wasn''t lying to me. Ai, Guiying really doesn''t like me. There is no need for you to think about her or sacrifice anything here."


    Ai watched him in a daze. "How¡­How could you do this, Gu Yating? I told you-"


    "I know, Ai, Yating grabbed her shoulders and said, "You can punish me however you want for this. But isn''t it more important here that Guiying doesn''t feel anything for me! I am not sure how you got this misunderstanding, but it''s really nothing just a misunderstanding!"


    Ai felt at a loss. If what Yating said was right, and Guiying genuinely meant that she didn''t have any feelings for him, then why did they get into a relationship in her past life in the first place and betray her?


    Yating trembled. "That''s why, Ai¡­Now that you know that Guiying doesn''t like me, will you¡­will you accept my confession? I really love you, Zhou Ai. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. There is nothing to separate us now. Will you accept my love for you?"


    Ai had only just parted her lips to speak when Yating was suddenly knocked off his place as a punch landed on his face.

 Chapter 161 The Valentine’s Day Arc (17) : Mr. Liu’s Answer

    Chapter 161 The Valentine''s Day Arc (17) : Mr. Liu''s Answer


    Jun was losing his mind.


    The more he listened to Yating talk, the more his fingers itched with a bloodthirsty aura surrounding him. His gaze that looked Ai with love gave him the urge to tear off his eyes from his body. The hands with which he was holding Ai''s delicate shoulders made him want to cut off Yating''s arms. The closer he stood to Ai, the more violence braced his heart.


    Fury and fear gushed into him like adrenaline as he recalled Mrs. Quan Su''s words.


    ''Ai is a gem. And if you realize it too late or your feelings, you will lose her forever.''


    ''When you are all by yourself, you seem lost and alone. But when she is by your side, it feels that you have found a place to belong to.''


    ''That''s why you should listen to me. Don''t let Ai go. You might not realize the importance now. But one day, if another man stepped into her life and took her away, your heart would be only filled with regrets.''


    It was happening just the way she had said. Yating''s each and every word felt like a knife stabbing his heart. The feelings that slowly began to overwhelm him from fury and fear were jealousy and possessiveness.


    Huh? You cannot look at her that way. Only I can.


    You cannot hold her that way. You cannot touch her that way because only I can touch her.


    The realization shook him hard. Ever since that night they spent in the crescent swing, Jun illusioned himself that these feelings erupted within him only because he saw her dancing with Jin.


    Jin was Jun''s sore point. Whenever Jin came into the picture, Jun felt afraid and insecure to lose anymore than he already had. So when he saw them together, he felt Ai slipping away from his hands.


    He just didn''t want Ai to lose to Jin. He thought his feelings were only due to Jin and the trauma he suffered by losing Shui at his hands. He would be fine if it was anybody else. As long as it wasn''t Jin, it wouldn''t matter if it was anybody else in Ai''s life.


    Just not Jin.


    But he felt those intense emotions once again that reminded him of the banquet watching Yating confess his feelings to Ai.


    It''s not Jin. It''s not just Jin¡­I¡­


    I cannot see her with anybody else. I don''t want Ai to be anybody else''s but¡­mine.


    She is mine. She is only mine!


    Not Jin''s! Not Yating''s!


    Ai is only mine. Liu Jun''s!


    And so the moment Yating asked for Ai''s answer, his fingers had already clenched themselves into his palm, and the raging fist struck Yating with all its force, carrying his possessiveness in it.


    Yating was knocked off his balance to the side but somehow supported himself with his left foot that firmly held the ground. His face was tilted to the left side, a searing pain covering his cheek where Jun had punched.


    Ignoring the pain, he sharply jerked his head to where Jun was, who was watching him with an icy but fiery gaze at the same time.


    Ai failed to understand what just happened for two seconds. Then Jun''s cold aura permeated in the atmosphere, making his presence known. The air had turned so heavy as if one was climbing a mountain higher and higher where it would be difficult to breathe.


    They both stared at him, one stunned and one furious.


    "Jun¡­" Ai whispered.


    It was only a whisper, nevertheless Yating caught it. He rapidly blinked his eyes in bewilderment.


    Saying Jun''s name meant that she knew him. The fear that he had locked deep in his heart surfaced once again.


    Is that why she wanted to go to Sky?


    When he learned that Ai was also Butterfly, he made the connection with what Jun was talking about. Which meant that they knew each other, but he wanted to shrug it off.


    They knew each other. Ai submitted a draft to Sky, and then Jun fought for her sake.


    Impossible¡­


    Jun grabbed Ai''s arm and pulled her behind him in a fast and fluid motion, rendering Yating helpless to stop him.


    "That''s the wrong person you are pouring your useless heart to," Jun''s voice laced with a lethal ring to it. "Touch her again, and I will wring that sorry life out of you with my own hands."


    Ai shivered. There were times she had seen him angry. Whether it was outside the coffee shop or when he confronted


    Ai about her and Jin dancing together.


    But tonight, the level of the murderous aura he poured out was unlike any other times.


    Yating stared at them blankly. Then his expression became just like Jun''s. Deadlier and dangerous.


    "Liu Jun. Ai is not the wrong person I am confessing to. You are the wrong one who shouldn''t be grabbing Ai to his side as if he owns her," he snarled. "Get the fuck out of her way!"


    Jun leaned, his dark gaze straight at him. "And if I don''t? What will you do? What a pathetic man like you can even do?"


    Ignoring his jab, Yating tilted his head. "I don''t understand the meaning behind your presence here, Mr. Liu. There is nothing or nobody of interest to you here."


    Jun stared at him and chuckled. "Nobody of interest? That''s a misconception you are having, isn''t it? Didn''t you hear Ai''s story?"


    He stiffened.


    "I assume you did. You claimed that you understood her and her stories."


    Ai frowned. Then it struck her as she recalled Jun telling how Yating met him during the banquet night.


    "So tell me. Did you understand the story that Ai told tonight? Did you get it who she was talking about? If Mr. Gu doesn''t understand, then I will spell it out for you. Ai was talking about herself. It was her story. The ''She'' was Ai and the ''He''..." Jun smiled with an ominous ring to it, "Was me."


    Yating froze.


    "At the end of the story, ''She'' confessed to ''He'', and is now waiting for ''his'' response. That''s why ''He'' is here to find her to answer her confession. I think it will be of great interest to you to hear¡­no, watch that answer with your own eyes."


    Saying that, Jun grabbed the back of Ai''s head and pulled it towards him, capturing her lips in a deep and fiery kiss.

 Chapter 162 The Valentine’s Day Arc (18) : Mr. Liu, The Sky CEO

    Chapter 162 The Valentine''s Day Arc (18) : Mr. Liu, The Sky CEO


    Jun pressed his lips against hers as tightly as he had pressed her body against his as well. Biting her soft lips with his teeth, he traversed across every inch of them from the left side towards the right. Her head bent backwards the more pressure Jun applied and the more he leaned towards her.


    Not leaving even a tiny void between their lips, Ai felt breathless with the air stuck in her throat. The passion with which Jun claimed her felt incredibly hot and moist. He didn''t leave her with any chance to respond because right now, Jun only wanted to overwhelm her with his answer to her confession.


    When he felt that Ai struggled to keep up with his height, Jun bent more to her level, pushing their lips deeper and farther.


    Ai could only weakly clutch onto his coat as she was smothered by his heated kiss. When they finally parted, she stared at him with her misty gaze but his devilishly handsome face only seemed blurred and hazy to her. Yet she felt the intensity with which Jun penetrated his gaze at her.


    Jun snapped his head towards Yating, who witnessed him kissing the woman he loved right in front of him. Anger akin to a volcano raged in his chest, and he grabbed Jun''s collar, pushing him back.


    "YOU FUCKING BASTARD! How dare you¡­How dare you touch Ai with your filthy hands!?"


    Ai froze and hastily grabbed his arm to pull him away from Jun. "Don''t fight!"


    But her strength wasn''t enough to match Yating, especially when his senses were overcome with outrage and violence.


    Yating gnashed his jaw with hatred.


    "I kissed her right in front of you, but did you see her stopping me?"


    "You fucking forced yourself on her and you have the audacity to say that she didn''t stop you!? Are you out of your fucking mind, Liu Jun!?"


    Jun burst into laughter. "If you think I am out of my mind, then why don''t you ask Ai yourself? Ask her if she hated me kissing her."


    Ai quickly tried to pull Jun away, taking the chance. "Don''t fight. It''s not-"


    Jun then snapped his dark and possessive gaze at her and pointed out with a grimace in his countenance, "If somebody wouldn''t be playing hide and seek with me, then I wouldn''t have had to bear this fucker''s face right now," he sneered.


    Ai''s mouth twitched.


    Since it was useless talking to Jun, she brought her attention to Yating. She quickly stepped in between them before either one of them charged at the other once again.


    "Jun. Yating. Please stop this."


    Yating stiffened. "You¡­Ai, he kissed you forcibly and you don''t have anything to say to that!? You don''t have to bear this. Leave my way, and I will teach him the fucking lesson he should have learned ages ago!"


    Jun cocked his brow with interest and disdain.


    Ai let out a breath and said, "I didn''t retaliate because I wasn''t angry. There is¡­" her cheeks flushed, "nothing to get angry when Jun¡­"


    Yating stared at her with a blank gaze.


    "He is right. The protagonist is me and I was confessing to Jun through my story. B-But I was too nervous and conscious to face him, so I ran away. I¡­" she lowered her gaze, now really wanting to merge with the infinite cosmos, "I love Jun¡­"


    Jun stared at her trembling back, watching the tips of her ear and the back of her neck growing crimson. His own heart skipped several beats but then drummed and pounded harder in his chest. His hands wanted to grab her waist. His lips wanted to kiss her over and over again. He desired to consume her until there remained no distance between them.


    But as opposed to what Jun felt, Yating felt his heart shattering into pieces. His worst fear turned out to be true.


    He felt helpless. He felt hopeless.


    The genuine love Ai''s expression showed and glowed through her face squeezed his heart painfully.


    "Ai¡­You¡­T-that is¡­"


    Jun broke out of his passionate stupor that wanted to claim all to himself and sneered at Yating. "Did you get your answer, Mr. Gu? My kiss, her words¡­anything more you need to hear or is your heart crushed enough for the night?"


    Jun''s poisonous words were nothing as compared to the poison that spread within him because of Ai''s admittance.


    "Ai¡­You cannot be fooled by him! Liu Jun? Of all people, Liu Jun!? You love the man who is responsible for bringing you into this plagiarism mess in the first place!?"


    Jun slightly stiffened.


    "You love a man like him who is the cause of your misery!?"


    Ai replied. "It was not Jun''s fault."


    Yating looked at her speechlessly, "Not his fault? You are saying that the CEO of Sky Publishing who defamed you and put your career at such a risk is not at fault!?"


    Her eyes rapidly blinked.


    CEO of Sky?


    Jun glowered at him dangerously.


    Fuck, I wanted to break that news to her!


    "You didn''t know this, did you? He started this whole mess and dragged MissImperfectlyFine''s name in the mud. You are in this situation because Liu Jun brought it upon you. How can you fall in love with a man like that!?"


    There was a deep silence.


    Sky CEO¡­Sky CEO¡­


    She felt dizzy with the sudden revelation because everything that happened until now started to make sense to her. All the events that culminated to this point began to fit like pieces of a puzzle.


    So he read my story not because he worked part time but because he was the ultimate Boss.


    Though it made sense, she also couldn''t wrap her head around the fact that all this time, she was showing her drafts to the Sky CEO himself! The highest authority in Sky was right beside her all this time. Hell, she even shared a roof with him for a month!


    So, I was¡­


    Yating coldly smiled. "Ai, after all this, will you still say that you love him?"

 Chapter 163 The Valentine’s Day Arc (19) : Mr. Liu Leaves No Place To Escape

    Chapter 163 The Valentine''s Day Arc (19) : Mr. Liu Leaves No Place To Escape


    Jun''s shoulders slightly stiffened with tension. His innate desire was to shut Yating''s trap or punch him so hard that he wouldn''t be able to speak. But more than anger, he suddenly felt unsure of Ai''s reaction. She was keeping way too much silence.


    Speak up something! Jun got a little jittery.


    After what seemed like forever Ai met Yating''s gaze, unfaltered. "First of all, I already knew."


    Both were dumbfounded.


    "What?"


    "I mean, I had an inkling that Jun was Sky CEO, but you confirmed it today. When Sky''s post came in my defense, Jun was there with me at that time though he denied he had to do anything to do with the post. I found it suspicious that the post was so understanding when the CEO himself had threatened to ruin me. That''s when I had my doubts."


    Jun choked.


    So, she already kind of knew¡­


    Her crisp defense rendered Yating with no means to rebuke her. The more she took Jun''s side, the more he could hear his heart shattering into pieces.


    "Ai¡­" he trembled, a tear trickling from his eye, "he cannot keep you happy, Ai! You are choosing the wrong man! Do you even know that he is already in a relationship with a woman!?"


    Jun froze. Even though Ai knew that he and Shui had broken up, he couldn''t help but panic when Shui''s name was suddenly thrown at him. Now that his feelings were crystal clear to him, he feared if his past relationship with Shui would bother Ai. He totally forgot that it was Ai who confessed to him first, which meant that she accepted him with his past.


    For Yating, it was harder to dig about Jun''s life. He wanted to know more about Jun, who would pose a threat to Dream High and Ai. He landed on a piece of information quite easily that Jun was dating the daughter of the Han family, Han Shui.


    But because the breakup between them was never announced, Yating was unaware that Jun and Shui were now single.


    Ai blinked. "I know. But to correct you, Jun ''was'' dating Han Shui. They already broke up two months back."


    Yating stared at her and smiled. "Then why do people still consider Han Shui in a relationship?"


    That made Jun clench his fists. He himself wanted to put it out in the open as soon as possible had not Grandma Liu''s health taken a turn for the worse.


    "Han Shui is a rich heiress, and Liu Jun always made it a point to make everybody around her know that they were dating. Everybody knows who her boyfriend is. But even now, there is no news about her breakup. If they have been broken up for two whole months, why isn''t it clarified to the world? Do you want to be with such a man? Are you even sure that he is over her? Will he love you the way he loved Han Shui? You will only get hurt if you choose him, Ai! And I cannot see you in pain! Don''t waste your feelings for a man who could waver in his emotions for you!"


    Jun threateningly took a step towards him when Ai, who remained calm all this time, finally said with a tinge of coldness in her voice, "I know it better than anybody else in this world that Jun is over her. I am not wasting my feelings over Jun because I know that Jun would never betray me. If he had even a tiny bit of anything remaining for Shui, then he would never reciprocate my feelings."


    She stared at Yating, her countenance serious and unforgiving.


    You say that Jun might waver in his emotions for me. But what did you do in my past life? Didn''t you waver in your own feelings? Didn''t you leave me and choose Guiying?


    You are the last person to say that about Jun, Gu Yating.


    The sharpness and resolve in her voice shook Yating hard. He wanted to snatch her away from his side, but he couldn''t. There was nothing left to steer her away from him.


    "Ai¡­"


    "Please leave," Ai gave her ultimatum. "This is my life. I know what I am doing," her gaze never left him as she said, "It was before that I was naive but not now."


    Yating took several shallow breaths, pain crushing his heart like never before. He had envisioned his future with her. He was so happy to learn that Guiying had no feelings for him. He was sure that there would be no roadblock in their way now.


    Ai would be his¡­


    But that future looked bleak.


    Don''t¡­Don''t leave me Ai¡­Please¡­I cannot live without you.


    No matter how much he revolted against Ai choosing Jun, there was nothing much he could do right now when Ai was so adamant with her decision.


    He shut his misty eyes and opened them, his lips curving into a smile. "I will¡­leave."


    Yating threw one last but murderous gaze at Jun.


    You are not right for her, Liu Jun. You are not. One day, Ai would definitely realize it. I will make her.


    He turned and left, his heavy steps carrying gloom and grief with them.


    When only Jun and Ai were left alone in the garden, silence reigned once again. The situation dawned upon Ai. She was shocked to know about Jun''s identity but right now, the graver thing to focus upon was her confession.


    Recalling his kiss, her face heated up. With Yating''s presence, her thoughts were in disarray. But now that the coast was clear, her train of thoughts ran back to her confession.


    Jun kissed me. He said that was his answer s-so¡­


    "Miss. Zhou Ai."


    She stiffened with his dark voice sounding too close to her ear, his breath tickling it.


    "I appreciate you showing that bastard his place. But you have to pay the price for merging with the infinite cosmos when I was so desperate to meet you."


    "..."


    "You made me work to find you so prepare for the consequences because now¡­" his eyes narrowed, "there is no place for you to escape from your boyfriend, Miss Zhou."

 Chapter 164 The Valentine’s Day Arc (20) : The Kiss That Feels Different

    Ai blinked her eyes several times. The heat radiating in her face went off the charts. She wasn''t sure if her heart palpitated in her chest so rapidly because of Jun''s raspy and hoarse voice invading her hearing senses or because Jun declared himself as her boyfriend.


    "Boyfriend..." she mumbled inaudibly to herself.


    "Yes. Boyfriend," Jun tilted his head. "Do you have any doubts remaining in your mind after the kiss or should I prove it to you again? I have been quite itching to punish you for a while now."


    Her mouth twitched.


    "Turn towards me," he ordered.


    "No."


    Jun''s expression turned ugly. He threatened. "Turn by yourself or..."


    Ai gulped. "T-The results are going to be out, so..."


    She just moved her foot by a centimeter when Jun twirled her and locked his arm around his waist. He gripped her so fiercely that would leave her no chance of running away from him. Her gaze faced his chest, but it didn''t remain like that for longer when his fingers cupped her cheek and lifted it upwards, making their eyes meet.


    His dark eyes that watched her with scrutiny made her hair on her skin tingle. She felt as if her heart forgot to beat. Her mind went blank. She had bravely confessed to him while she recited her story. But now facing the object of her affection in question made all her thoughts vanish like how steam dissipated in the air.


    She pursed her lips. "That''s why I wanted to merge with the cosmos..."


    Jun slowly bent forward, forcing her to go backwards until her back bumped on the tree where she was hiding until Yating showed up.


    All the memories he spent with Ai right from meeting her the first time in his past life, the first time in this second chance to this moment he held her in his arms - everything played as a slow motion movie in his mind.


    The day they met, the times when he felt himself growing attracted to her, their kisses, his jealousy, the night in the swing and in Ai''s apartment, his feelings that slowly but surely grew stronger and stronger as a large wave akin to a tsunami and crashing the walls and promises he built to himself - every single thing, every single emotion raided his heart once again as he peered into her beautiful light brown orbs


    Jun shut his eyes for a moment and opened them again.


    "You..." He sensually pressed his thumb on her chin, "Tell me once again."


    Ai, who was trapped by Jun on all sides, whispered, "What should I tell you?"


    "Your confession. I want to hear it once again."


    With tremulous lips, she feebly protested, "It''s...It''s your turn to say it now."


    Jun stared at her. "I gave you my answer..." his finger caressed her lower lip, making her shudder hard, "right here..."


    The pace of his words he spoke was slow and agonizing that only made her heart beat faster and faster.


    "But I will do it again and again no matter how many times I have to say it."


    Jun pulled her head until their noses bumped and as his lips teasingly hovered over hers, he affirmed gazing straight at her with a husky voice, "I love you, Zhou Ai. I love you so damn much."


    She trembled.


    "I don''t care now what I had promised to myself or what I was supposed to do. Love was not in my plans, but you...You came and messed up with my heart like never before," his deep voice growled. "I tried to run away from love. From you. But you didn''t let me. So now, you have to take responsibility. Now..." he lightly kissed her upper lip, "you have to be mine. Only mine."


    A jolt passed through her spine as his palm caressed over her back. Her ears buzzed with his sweet and passionate profession of his love. The way with which he declared that she belonged to only him felt sultry and binding that sent her heart into a frenzy.


    As she heard the three golden words she yearned to listen to, she felt as if she won a treacherous battle. The tears from her eyes slid down uncontrollably, feeling extremely lighter at this moment.


    p????-?0???.??? Jun narrowed his eyes and pinched her jaw. "I don''t like seeing you cry. So don''t dare or I will punish you!"


    She stared at him and finally burst into tears.


    "..."


    I just said that you are not allowed to cry! Why doesn''t she ever listen to me!?


    Jun dangerously smiled. "Guess I need to set up some rules the way I did when you came to live in my house. First rule is that you cannot cry!"


    Ai took soft gasps. "It''s not my fault. I was scared...that if you don''t feel the same way for me, then I will lose everything. Even our friendship which we had built. If you don''t love me, then you will start distancing yourself from me. I was afraid of that happening..."


    He glared at her. "How can you? Isn''t it supposed to be me feeling that? I...I..." he cleared his throat, "I touched you those nights, and I...thought you would even refuse to see my face."


    She blinked her teary eyes. "Why will I do that? It happened because I wanted it too. I wouldn''t have let you touch me if I didn''t want it. Why will I be angry at you?"


    "Because I started it!"


    "But-"


    "Shoosh. No more logical explanation to which I cannot rebuke!"


    "That''s just running away from the argument and sound reasoning," Ai seriously nodded.


    Jun sneered. "Miss. Zhou. I realized that sometimes you talk too much. But you know what? I have just the perfect method to stop you."


    With that, he crashed his lips onto hers once again, taking her along a wave of passion and fever. His lips and tongue went deeper and deeper until the kiss poured out the compensation of all the distance they had to suffer until now.


    The kiss tonight felt different. And it was because they laid everything bare in front of each other. The hidden feelings were finally out in the open, breaking all the barriers.

 Chapter 165 The Valentine’s Day Arc (21) : Happy Valentines Day

    Ai gradually put her arms on his shoulders, kissing him back. She welcomed his tongue that invaded and ravished her mouth. They shared a deep, long and breathless kiss, conveying the love they felt for one another. Their hearts beat in sync as their fingers caressed each other''s cheeks.


    Jun bit her lower lip, smudging the lipstick outside. The temperature grew hotter and hotter and soon, Jun felt that just kissing wasn''t enough.


    More...I want more...


    He tightened his grasp over her waist, and his throaty sounds and moans escaped into her mouth. He kissed her more and more until Ai finally parted to take a mouthful of breath. She could hardly maintain her composure, her gaze glassy and her lips trembling with the ardent kiss.


    Jun felt dissatisfied and bumped his forehead on hers. "I don''t want to stop."


    Expressing his strong desire with a low voice, Ai clutched his shirt in her fist. "The...The Summit is not over yet."


    Indeed, it wasn''t finished. The results declaration was still left to be done.


    Jun frowned. Suddenly, the Summit seemed to be the biggest roadblock in his union with Ai. He had an urge to lift her and directly take her to this condo.


    "It was a short break. I think it''s already been announced."


    Slowly coming back to her senses, she now felt nervous about the results.


    Jun narrowed his eyes and pinched her cheek. "Don''t you get afraid of the results. Of course, you are going to win! There is no doubt about it."


    The confidence in his voice cheered her up, and a soft smile bloomed on her lips. "Did you like my story?" She expectantly asked.


    For a few moments, he quietly stared at her. His heart ached to know about her childhood. Though as MissImperfectlyFine, he already knew about her parents'' separation, hearing it once again through her story vexed him.


    Why wasn''t I there for you?


    He wished if they could have shared their childhood together. Then he would have never let her be sad.


    His own family was perfect. But on the other spectrum was Ai who felt lonely and had to struggle through her circumstances.


    Jun leaned and kissed her forehead. He let his lips remain for a few seconds before he pulled back. "It was beautiful."


    Joy blossomed in Ai''s heart. Her eyes looked brighter, feeling satisfied.


    "Thank you."


    He smiled as he added. "Though a certain someone has to take revenge for adding him in your story which you weren''t supposed to."


    Her brow twitched.


    "But..." Jun raised his brow, "I will let this go since it made you confess your feelings to me in front of the whole world. That is as good as declaring me as yours, and I like it. So, you are pardoned."


    She let out a breath of relief. "Thank you for understanding."


    He sneered. "What I won''t understand is you playing hide and seek game with me. I don''t like you escaping from me, so that punishment still counts. I will thoroughly make you understand so that you won''t think about running away from me anymore."


    "..."


    "Can you not let it go?" She sincerely asked.


    "I hold grudges."


    She pursed her lips. She resigned to her fate in the end and said, "Let''s go back."


    "Hm."


    She took a step forward when Jun pulled her wrist. She looked back questioningly.


    "You forgot something."


    Ai blinked. "I did? I am sorry. What is it?"


    Jun pulled her back in his arms and dipped his head to kiss her lips. As he withdrew, his deep brown eyes looked at her. "Happy Valentine''s Day."


    Her eyes slowly widened.


    Since the Authors'' Summit fell on Valentine''s Day, she found it to be the perfect chance to confess her love. Not only did she confess, she also got the answer she wanted to hear. She received the reciprocation of her feelings.


    Tears filled her eyes that expressed the bliss in her heart. She tiptoed and kissed him back. "Happy Valentine''s Day."


    Jun smiled in satisfaction with her wish and more so with the kiss.


    "Now, let''s go."


    ¡ª


    Coming back to the hotel, Jun headed to the third floor again where Yunru was while Ai walked up to her table where Xing Bi was waiting for her. But the difference being that she wasn''t actually there. Then Ai noticed the tension in the atmosphere. There was chaos and people were furiously talking to themselves.


    "What is happening with the results?"


    "It''s so long already! It wasn''t supposed to be such a long break."


    Ai blinked.


    The results aren''t out yet?


    The emcee was trying to calm things down, but the more people waited, the more restless they became.


    Just as the lid of everybody''s patience was about to break, two men were thrown out in the open. They were beaten into a pulp with their faces hardly recognizable.


    The emcee and all the others were horrified. Several shocked gasps were heard.


    W-what is happening?


    Ai was clueless just like everybody else but when she saw Xing Bi coming out, she widened her eyes.


    "Xing Bi!"


    But another shock awaited as she noticed another man accompanying Xing Bi, his expression marred with killing intent.


    Ai paused.


    Liu Nian...?


    Beside him, Ai didn''t understand what sort of expression Xing Bi held at that moment.


    The emcee gathered himself and stammered. "W-what is going on? Who are they?"


    The smile on his lips brought a tremble in everyone.


    "Your so-called judges who were supposed to judge tonight''s Summit."


    The emcee stumbled backwards.


    Judges!? They are the judges!?


    He bent down to look. He never would have guessed that the men were two of the three judges for tonight. Their condition was miserable. They were not even recognizable.


    Everybody looked at Nian as some devil''s incarnate.


    But his brother, Jun on the third floor, had his jaw dropped.


    "What the fuck is he doing here!?"


    Just now, he was in a good mood after his and Ai''s confession when his gaze fell on Nian, and his good mood disappeared instantly.


    Annoyed, he asked Yunru, "Did you know he was coming?"


    Yunru himself was at a loss. He wanted to ask Jun what happened outside when he saw Nian too.


    He shook his head. "I don''t understand why Bro Nian would be here either."

 Chapter 166 The Valentine’s Day Arc (22) : Nian’s Outrage

    Chapter 166 The Valentine''s Day Arc (22) : Nian''s Outrage


    Nian tilted his head and shot a stare at the emcee, making him straighten his back. "Some nice judges you choose."


    "I-I don''t understand¡­"


    "Judges who take bribes to alter the results and even¡­" his countenance was extremely deadly and ferocious, "fucking dare to lay their hands on a woman."


    *A few minutes before*


    As Nian crushed the second judge''s head under his foot, Xing Bi finally let out a sharp gasp. She raised her head and was dumbfounded to recognize the servant who had landed her into trouble that night.


    She tremblingly pointed her finger towards him. "You¡­the bastard servant who got me into the mess! How dare you show your face in front of me!?"


    Ever since that night, Xing Bi wished to meet Nian once, just once, to make him pay for making her suffer that humiliation. He blatantly stole Jing''s handmade dress and the owner in question made her life hell.


    Instead, she strangely felt suffocating and afraid. His eyes looked different than before. At the times they were filled with playfulness, but now death loomed in the light of his pupils.


    The banquet''s incident disappeared from her mind, and her sight returned to the way his foot was on top of the judge''s head. There was even a splatter of a little blood from his temple.


    Both of the judges were terror stricken.


    Nian tilted his head, a sense of madness enveloping him. "You touched the wrong person, and you have chartered into the wrong territory. You dare hurt her? YOU? Who are you? What are you? If I want and I will, I can end your whole existence right here. Right now."


    The first judge started to pee in his pants. He had never witnessed such a demon before. Nian looked crazy. It had suddenly turned so cold that he could hardly breathe. His whole aura screamed that nobody should even bother standing anywhere near him for at least fifty feet.


    Xing Bi stiffened as Nian grabbed the judge''s wrist and snapped it without a sweat. He, who was already heavily bruised in his private part by Xing Bi, then on his head by Nian''s foot was now suffering another injury on his wrist. He couldn''t even begin to describe just how much pain he felt from the three parts of his body.


    Nian then left his sorry body aside and went to deal with the first judge who had just finished shitting his pants when he felt an urge to throw up as Nian''s body loomed over him.


    This whole time, Xing Bi stood totally bewildered.


    Is he really the same man? How can that night and this night be so different?


    The judge was desperate to plead for forgiveness, but the command Nian exhibited added to the madness in his eyes didn''t let him.


    "Here I was trying to make up with her but what do I see?" He asked in an extremely quiet voice, "I see two fuckers who I can crush like ants anytime trying to hurt Xing Bi. And I question, just how, who and when you got the guts to do something like this?"


    Without letting him answer, Nian answered himself. "Don''t worry if you don''t know. I will make you understand the gravity of the mistake you have made tonight."


    He threw the two men back into the room. He entered and as he was about to shut the door, the alarming fogginess was replaced by excitement as he saw Xing Bi. "Do you remember what I asked you before? If people treat me like trash¡­You replied that we should trash then ten fold. Otherwise, the bullies never understand their place."


    Xing Bi blinked and then stared at him.


    "But Liu Nian doesn''t stop at ten fold," his eyes twinkled with menace. He chuckled which sounded eerie. "I pay back a hundred times worse because there are some boundaries one cannot cross, and my boundary is you."


    "Y-you¡­"


    She didn''t know why but she gulped, and her heart stopped to beat for a moment.


    The door closed, and the only sounds she heard for a long time were the cries of the two judges as they were punched and kicked. Even from outside, Xing Bi could feel the power into those fists that Nian must be firing upon them.


    Finally the door opened, and Nian came out dragging the two judges out.


    Xing Bi gasped and covered her mouth. They were all bloody and messed up.


    Nian dusted his hands and chirped as he looked at her. "Things got a little violent. I don''t often get angry. But when I do, it''s usually not a good sight to see. I didn''t want to make you see such a side of mine~"


    Her jaw dropped.


    I didn''t see the process, but I am definitely seeing the result, am I not!? Just¡­who are you?


    Nian said, "It''s time to expose these fuckers. The world should definitely know what these two were planning to do, right? Let''s go!"


    *Present*


    Jun''s expression was extremely ugly and frightening.


    Bribe?


    The thought of them plotting against Ai and making her purposely fail made his blood boil. He wasn''t the one to bear any injustice against Ai.


    Who the fuck has the guts to do this?


    He ordered. "Yunru."


    Yunru didn''t even need to hear the full sentence as he already understood his command. "I will investigate this."


    Down at the stage, the revelation took everybody by shock. The emcee asked, "Miss. Xing. Is this true?"


    She nodded hard. "I heard them talking to each other! I don''t know who bribed them, but they definitely accepted money to change the result. It is MissImperfectlyFine who has won the Summit, but they were talking about taking CherryBlossom''s name!"


    Guiying stiffened. She blankly stared at Xing Bi, her ears ringing. Her fingers tremblingly caught her dress as she sweated.


    What? I¡­I didn''t win?

 Chapter 167 The Valentine’s Day Arc (23) : The Unanimous Decision

    Chapter 167 The Valentine''s Day Arc (23) : The Unanimous Decision


    I didn''t win¡­I didn''t win¡­


    Xing Bi''s words kept buzzing in her ears.


    They chose Ai. N-Not me. But then MrPerfect¡­He is watching me. He came here to support me. But I lost? W-what would he¡­?


    Her expression turned white and pale.


    "Guiying. Guiying?" Zhan Yahui shook her hard.


    Guiying snapped out of it and sharply jolted as she jerked her head towards her. She seemed disoriented and shaken.


    "You are not looking good, Guiying," Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "Calm down."


    Guiying realized that she was at a public place and immediately took a few deep breaths while she trembled.


    Xing Bi''s expression turned ugly while Nian tilted his head as he narrowed his eyes.


    "I don''t have to make any plans, Zhan Yahui because I believe in MissImperfectlyFine! Her capabilities and her stories speak for herself. She doesn''t have to cheat!"


    Zhan Yahui chuckled. "She doesn''t have to cheat, yet she lied to get into Sky. Hiding her identity¡­what else is it if not cheating? If she can do it once, why can she not do it again?"


    Xing Bi gritted her teeth. On the contrary, Ai was calm. She had already expected this backlash and also understood that it wouldn''t be so easy for everybody to just forget her mistake.


    Zhan Yahui said, "You hearing them conspiring against her doesn''t mean anything. But if you have evidence, then you can talk about it."


    "Evidence? Then I have evidence!"


    She squinted her gaze.


    "Indeed, I cannot prove that they were talking about MissImperfectlyFine, but I can prove that they were violent with me when I confronted them. They got afraid that I would spill the beans, and they forcefully tried to stop me! He is the witness," she pointed at Nian, "He saw them manhandling me. Why would they try to do that if they were innocent!?"


    Ai widened her eyes. "They tried to hit you? Xing Bi, are you okay?" She asked, concerned.


    The emcee was speechless.


    You can clearly see who is beaten into a pulp here and who is not!


    Xing Bi hugged her. "They were so vile, I tell you. That left one caught my arm, and I kicked him in his crotch but even so, he grabbed my dress to stop me! He wanted to tear it off. That was so traumatizing."


    Everybody - "..."


    You hit him in his crotch!?


    Then they noticed that the left man was indeed writhing in far more pain than his companion on the right.


    Nian sneered at Zhan Yahui. "If you want evidence, then they can confess right here. They will admit to taking bribes."


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "That won''t count anymore, Mr. Liu."


    She was shocked at first to see Nian supporting Xing Bi and even went as far as beating the judges so badly. She didn''t know what connection Xing Bi could ever have to someone from the Liu family, but she didn''t care either.


    "Just look at their state. They will admit to anything you want. Robbery? Murder? Rape? Anything. That''s because they are petrified. Who won''t be after getting such a treatment? Honestly, they look like they need hospitalization as soon as possible."


    Everybody murmured in agreement.


    "What if you purposely did this to defame CherryBlossom and make MissImperfectlyFine win?"


    Nian blinked. "Does she really need to? Because as far as the competition was concerned, I think Zhou Ai was already declared the winner. The announcement of the results was just a formality."


    Guiying stiffened and so did Zhan Yahui.


    "You saw everybody''s reaction after her entry, right? People were speculating about her story more than CherryBlossom''s. That''s an indication of the public''s majority opinion, which if the judges are doing their job fairly, would be their opinion too. If you ask me, I would choose MissImperfectlyFine in a heartbeat. Even I, who isn''t really interested in stories or books, felt intrigued by her."


    Ai and Xing Bi stared at him in surprise for very different reasons.


    To Ai, he was the spartan who had screamed and yelled at her so much during her sweets training.


    Xing Bi was now really at a loss of what to think about Nian. One day, he would be a mischievous brat, then he would act like a crazy villain beating the shit out of two men, and now he was standing by Ai''s side so resolutely.


    This man is¡­


    Ai was thinking about the course of action when somebody stepped in. It was a woman in her forties, carrying a dignified air around her.


    The emcee quickly greeted her. "Mrs. Qing."


    She nodded at him.


    Mrs. Qing was the third judge who was a part of choosing the winner of the final round. She was an acclaimed writer and had many successful books in her belt.


    Jun narrowed his eyes as he watched her coming. It was him who sent her at this time to state an important fact. People were only focussing on the two judges. But there was a third one who everybody seemed to have forgotten. He personally met her and had a quick chat with her after which he told her to clarify how the judging took place.


    Mrs. Qing stepped on the stage, and her brows crinkled as she saw the two judges in a very bad shape.


    Nian narrowed his eyes. He was just about to mention her when she was already here. He had the same train of thought as Jun.


    Mrs. Qing took the mic from the emcee''s hands and brought it near to her mouth. "I am being informed about the commotion that is happening around the judging process. It''s saddening to come to know this as I thought all three of us were unanimous in our decision and that was to make MissImperfectlyFine as the winner."

 Chapter 168 The Valentine’s Day Arc (24) : Congratulations, MissImperfectlyFine

    Chapter 168 The Valentine''s Day Arc (24) : Congratulations, MissImperfectlyFine


    A series of gasps echoed in the hall with Guiying feeling the most dread. To hear all three judges choose Ai with not a single vote on her side was a crushing blow to her heart.


    Jun smirked as he placed his palms on the railing as Mrs. Qing delivered the news that shut Zhan Yahui right up. His brown eyes glinted with iciness, determined to give Ai justice.


    Mrs. Qing, with a stern countenance, continued, "CherryBlossom and MissImperfectlyFine indeed had a tough competition. They both executed their stories very well. The strong message that CherryBlossom gave through her story resonated and made its impact. Don''t judge a book by its cover. We have heard this many times, but she has demonstrated through her story effectively.


    There were a lot of details and plot that could have gone wrong with the limitation to put everything in a short story. But she did a good job. I loved the strong protagonist. Despite the betrayal, she didn''t fall weak, neither did she lose her faith in love and closed her heart. That''s what we all need to know. One bad experience shouldn''t dictate our decisions."


    Everybody slowly nodded their heads. Guiying faintly smiled with her words.


    "However, I felt MissImperfectlyFine''s story had a great edge over hers. The life of the protagonist wasn''t explicitly stated with the events which arose open questions and an open ending, making me anticipate what happened next. The use of nameless characters was striking. The duality of rebirth was interesting. The way she described the male protagonist was charming. And how she confessed was heart pounding. It felt as if MissImperfectlyFine was confessing herself to someone present here."


    For such an acclaimed and respected writer to speak such good words about her work, there was nothing else that Ai wanted more.


    "There were a lot of elements she covered in her story, carefully binding each thread to one another perfectly without messing it up. The journey of the female protagonist in her quest to find what love meant and how she discovered different forms of love is what I loved the most," she softly smiled.


    Mrs. Qing observed the confused expressions. She randomly pointed at a woman and asked her, "Who do you like?''


    She flustered and answered. "I-I don''t. I haven''t fallen in love yet¡­"


    Mrs. Qing smiled. "This is what I meant. I didn''t specifically ask from a romantic point of view. Don''t you like your parents? Don''t you like your siblings? Friends?"


    "Of course, I do."


    "Yes. When I asked the question, you could have said that you like your family and friends. But people assume that love always has to mean romance. That is not true. Today is Valentine''s Day. But does this day limit only couples to express their love? Or for only two lovers to come together?


    Can two friends or two siblings not express their affection for each other? Can parents not have a good time with their children? Valentine''s Day signifies love. But it''s not only romantic love. It is meant for all forms of love. That''s what ''She'' discovered. Love is family. Love is friendship. Love is togetherness. That struck my heart the most. It''s what we tend to forget which ''She'' reminded me that tonight."


    As the realization struck everyone, their hearts were filled with guilt. Everyone was guilty of assuming Valentine''s Day for only couples. But when Mrs. Qing pointed out, they agreed that this day was meant to express love whichever form it came. They missed this part in Ai''s story which after realization struck them hard.


    Mrs. Qing was satisfied as everybody seemed to hold the same opinion. "That''s why, for me, I voted for MissImperfectlyFine. These two¡­" she lowered her gaze to look at the two judges, "also were of the same opinion as me. When MissImperfectlyFine was telling her story, they were praising her too. During the short break, I went outside to attend a call, and I assumed we would unanimously choose her as the winner. But they disappeared and after I returned, I haven''t seen them since. Now, I came to know that they wanted to choose CherryBlossom? That wasn''t what it seemed to me when we were discussing. I don''t know what changed their minds. Both of them at once."


    Xing Bi heaved a big sigh of relief. With one judge on their side, it was now impossible to twist the incident any other way. She beamed at Ai.


    "Did you hear what she said? All three of them wanted to choose you!"


    Ai touched her chest and felt it rapidly beating. Her face turned redder with how Mrs. Qing praised her story.


    "Yes¡­"


    Xing Bi smirked and glanced at Zhan Yahui. "Now will you still say that we are plotting? Or will you accuse that we bribed Mrs. Qing?"


    Mrs. Qing narrowed her eyes. "I hope nobody comes to this conclusion."


    The emcee and the others shivered with the iciness in her voice. She wasn''t a person who could be bribed. Her reputation only held humility and dignity.


    Zhan Yahui gritted her teeth but kept her silence. There was no way anybody could offend her.


    "I am quite disappointed to know this," Mrs. Qing sharply accused the two judges. "You betrayed the integrity of such a prestigious Summit for money. You don''t deserve to be in this industry at all. On top of that, you got violent with a woman. That''s shameful."


    Everybody was now furious at such blatant cheating.


    "Yes! Throw them out!"


    "It''s horrible!"


    After Xing Bi and Nian''s testimony and Mrs. Qing''s witness too, there was no doubt about the guilt. Furthermore, Nian also ordered the camera footage from outside the room where it was clearly seen that the judges tried to forcefully grab Xing Bi.


    The emcee apologetically said, "It''s unfortunate how the event turned out today. I have received a message from the management and assure you that we will fully investigate this matter and release a statement to the press. Until then¡­Mrs. Qing, can we take it as that the winner of the Authors'' Summit is MissImperfectlyFine?"


    Mrs. Qing smiled and nodded. "Indeed. That was our decision from the beginning had not two judges gotten corrupted," she walked up to Ai and said, "Congratulations, MissImperfectlyFine for winning the Authors'' Summit."

 Chapter 169 The Valentine’s Day Arc (25) : Mr. Liu Makes His Appearance

    Chapter 169 The Valentine''s Day Arc (25) : Mr. Liu Makes His Appearance


    The announcement was accompanied with loud claps and cheers. When Ai had entered this Summit, she was eyed with disdain. But now, everybody held respect for her. It seemed as if the accident that had maligned her name was washed away with her victory.


    Ai thanked Mrs. Qing from the bottom of her heart. "Thank you so much."


    She nodded. "You deserve it. There are areas of improvement, but if you continue like this, there is nothing that could stop you from going higher."


    She bowed. "I appreciate it."


    Mrs. Qing then went over to Guiying''s side and talked to her. "You did well, CherryBlossom. Don''t let this night dishearten your spirit. Losing here doesn''t mean you lost as a writer."


    Guiying smiled. "Thank you, Mrs. Qing. It''s more than enough that you appreciate my story."


    Mrs. Qing nodded with satisfaction. As she left, Zhan Yahui expressionlessly said, "Let''s go, Guiying."


    "...You go ahead," she weakly said, "I will leave later."


    Guiying stared at the crowd gathering around Ai, not able to understand what her mind was thinking. She felt all of her thoughts come to a silence. Yet a smile was at her lips as she approached Ai. She hugged her tightly. "Congratulations, Ai! I am so happy for you!"


    Ai slightly stiffened, but she kept her smile. "Thank you, Guiying."


    Some felt that CherryBlossom would feel sour about this loss but with her reaction right now, it didn''t seem to be that case.


    Though some thought that she was definitely acting. After all, MissImperfectlyFine was a nobody in Dream High, and she was the star. It would be a great hit that a star suddenly lost and that too with all votes.


    But somebody else''s eyes were filled with tears too.


    Nian wanted to curse his fate.


    They seem to be so close. If Zhou Ai ever tells Xing Bi of my spartan sweets training, I will be so dead! He wiped his forehead that had begun to sweat.


    Xing Bi snapped her head to his side and narrowed her eyes. "Thank you for all your help. I appreciate you standing with us. But¡­we still need to talk."


    Nian shook. The last word ''talk'' had a very ominous ring to it.


    Okay, this is the time I need Jin''s help. Jin, where are you!? It''s your time to shine now!


    From the third floor, Jun was pleased at the fact that Ai won but displeased at the fact that so many people were hovering at Ai''s side now. His gaze darkened at people of different publishing companies trying to poach her to join their company.


    Jun eyed his cousin dangerously. "Come with me."


    "Y-Yes, Bro!"


    As soon as they rushed out, Yunru cleared the area around Ai and raised his palms. "Alright. Calm down, everybody. I know you are all excited to take her in but my apologies. MissImperfectlyFine is joining Sky."


    Xing Bi''s brow twitched seeing Yunru, and she shot a deadly glare at Nian.


    Guess what meeting him is reminding me of?


    Nian''s smile faltered. "Hehe¡­hehehe¡­"


    One of the men was clearly displeased after Yunru''s announcement. "How can Sky claim MissImperfectlyFine now? Hmph!"


    "Yeah, you cannot steal her now that she has won."


    But the air then went still as Jun entered with the click of his boots echoing the regal but villainous aura he carried. Everybody''s jaw dropped by suddenly seeing a drop dead gorgeous man arrive at the scene, especially women. People suddenly forgot how to breathe.


    Ai slightly widened her eyes in surprise. She glanced at him and noticed his ugly expression at the people surrounding her. Her heart thumped at his unexpected entrance.


    Nian stared at Jun in shock.


    He is here? Wasn''t he on a date with Shui?


    Jun cast a murderous glare towards everyone. "How can Sky claim MissImperfectlyFine? You dare ask that question?"


    The poachers were dumbfounded. "Y-You¡­who are you to talk like this?"


    He sneered and took one dangerous step towards them to which everyone promptly took a step back. "Liu Jun. I am the CEO of Sky Publishing."


    Sharp and shocked gasps were heard. It was the first time that Jun was making his presence known to everyone.


    C-CEO!? The one who never made any appearance in the public!? Wait, wasn''t it President Chen himself?


    "And for your kind information, I was the one who brought Mrs. Qing to the stage to clarify the judging process. Otherwise, you all had conveniently forgotten about the presence of a third judge altogether. Sky apologized and compensated MissImperfectlyFine and protected her unlike you all who were still busy pointing fingers at her even after she had clarified the truth. So, back off," he quietly but threateningly warned.


    The poachers coughed hard in embarrassment. His words shut them right up.


    Jun then faced Ai straight and cleared his throat. "I know we had some differences in the past for which I will apologize to you once again in front of everyone. I am really sorry for all the humiliation you had to face because of me. Despite everything, Sky will be thrilled to have you as a part of its family. Will you be willing to join us?"


    Ai''s heart skipped a beat, and she bowed. "Please don''t apologize. Like I said before, everything started because of me. Sky tried to protect me as Butterfly, and I sincerely appreciate it. It''s not Sky''s fault. And yes. It will be my honor to join Sky. Thank you so much."


    His gaze shone with joy and he almost pulled her to hug him, but he stopped himself in time.


    Fuck, when will be out of here!? He cursed.


    The others could only give up in defeat after Ai also confirmed that she was indeed joining Sky.


    The CEO personally invited her! So nice! The other authors couldn''t help but feel envy.


    Yunru smiled in satisfaction from the side. As his gaze fell on Xing Bi and he closely watched her, he frowned. Then he gasped. "Thief!!" He pointed his finger at her.


    "..."


    Xing Bi coldly smiled, icy flames spewing from her aura. "Thief¡­and ME?"


    Ai blinked in confusion.


    Nian snapped out of his daze and was horrified. He wanted to dig a hole and bury himself in it.


    I don''t want to die so soon!


    He grabbed Yunru and smiled, which for some reason, didn''t sit well with him.


    "My dear cousin," he whispered. "Say one more word and I will end your life right here, right now."


    "..."


    He burst into tears. "Bro Nian, you don''t know! She is-"


    Nian squished his cheeks, albeit painfully. "Talk anymore, and you are dead."


    "..."


    Why am I suffering like this?


    Everybody was confused for a moment, but they quickly ignored it. The emcee ordered the judges to be taken away. Their career was over.


    The emcee finished the Summit by rewarding Ai with her award and a cash prize.


    Yating, who stood at the darkest corner, smiled as he saw the smile on Ai''s lips. She had won just like he wanted. Even though she didn''t stand by his side at this moment, there was no doubt how happy he was for her.


    His heart trembled upon hearing that Ai was joining Sky. That was the end. It brought tears to his eyes to get separated from her, whether personally or professionally.


    But he vowed that it won''t be for long.


    His heart was hurting, but he had another important task to do. To find out who had bribed the two judges against Ai.


    His eyes flashed with coldness.


    The one who tried to snatch your happiness from you¡­I won''t forgive that person. I will expose the one who dared to plot against you, Ai.


    On the other side, Nian looked for his brother after bullying Yunru to his heart''s content.


    Where is Jin by the way?

 Chapter 170 The Valentine’s Day Arc (26) : Mr. Liu Is MrPerfect

    Chapter 170 The Valentine''s Day Arc (26) : Mr. Liu Is MrPerfect


    After the Summit ended, Xing Bi and Ai practically floated in the sky. The victory gave them immense happiness. Xing Bi squashed Ai against her well-gifted chest as she danced with her.


    Nian, who was watching them from a little distance away, felt jealous.


    I also want to get smothered like that in her chest.


    He drooled.


    They must feel so soft¡­


    Xing Bi kissed her cheek. "I am so proud of you, Ai! Haha, did you look at Zhan Yahui''s face? That was pure gold," she smirked.


    Ai thought about how Guiying had won the Summit in her past life. Now, she changed fate by winning it this time. She was slightly tense about the repercussions as when fate was altered, the future would be affected too.


    But for tonight, she didn''t let those thoughts ruin her mood.


    She checked the social media and was ecstatic to see the public''s opinion shift in her direction. Those who watched the Summit live were engaged in a furious conversation about her story, victory and the bribery of the judges.


    Reading Point was the same. The readers who once cursed her were now impressed by her story a lot. She was getting a lot of pings on the main channel.


    Xing Bi gave the proudest and the most brightest smile. "Aish! As expected of my lovely sister!"


    Ai slightly blushed. Then she noticed Nian hiding at the corner and blinked. "Hello. We meet again. Thank you for helping Xing Bi."


    Nian, who was dreaming of a sexual fantasy with Xing Bi, snapped out of his stupor. He choked at Ai calling him out and feigned ignorance.


    "Hello," he greeted with distance in his voice.


    Nian patted his forehead again. "Of course not-"


    Ai sincerely nodded. "He is Jun''s elder brother, Liu Nian."


    Xing Bi had a dumbfounded expression.


    Jun''s brother?


    She sharply gasped.


    "Jun!? Liu Jun!? The Sky CEO who just personally invited you? Wait a minute. Now that I think about it¡­Shit, the man you were living with for a month when your house got burned was him!?"


    "Yes."


    Xing Bi wanted to faint.


    "Wait, what?" Now, Nian was dumbfounded. "She¡­lived with Jun? In one house? Under one roof? For a MONTH?"


    Huh, huh, huh? How is this possible?


    Ai said, "I forgot to tell you actually. Many things happened during the time I left his condo. Jun is from the Liu family. I had attended the wedding anniversary banquet of his parents¡­for some reason."


    "..."


    She got the biggest shock of her life, making her jaws drop.


    What!?


    "You¡­you were there at the banquet too!?"


    Ai tilted her head. "Too?"


    Xing Bi calculated in her mind.


    Jun is from the Liu family. Nian is his brother.


    So that equals¡­


    At that moment, Nian felt as if he was dropped to hell. Xing Bi looked akin to a death warrant herself.


    "I¡­I can explain."


    Xing Bi smiled, which was in no way any sign of a heartwarming welcome for him.


    "Oh¡­So he is Jun''s brother. That means, he is the young master of the Liu family. Definitely NOT a servant."


    Ai bobbed her head. "Yes. He is also a patissier. Oh, he was the one who gave me a spartan training to make sweets on Chocolate Day. It''s thanks to him that I could make good chocolates," Ai smiled, satisfied.


    Now Nian felt as if the descent in hell was going deeper and deeper.


    Why did you have to mention that!?


    Xing Bi alarmingly asked, "What do you mean spartan?"


    Nian nervously laughed. "Haha, that was nothing-"


    "Spartan is spartan. He is very particular about sweets, and I was making many mistakes. So he was being a strict teacher," Ai seriously said, "Though I can remember only screaming and yelling," she frowned.


    "..."


    Xing Bi was aghast. Her expression which was radiating happiness turned extremely sour.


    "You¡­" she faced Nian, the ferocity in her voice unmistakable. "You scolded my Ai? Did you just yell at Ai? Did you act rudely with my Ai?" She squinted her eyes dangerously.


    Nian furiously shook his head in dismissal. "No, no! That was a misunderstanding! I was very sweet to her. Just like the actual chocolates!"


    "So first you fool me by acting like a servant, and then you also scream at my precious little sister!?" She cracked her knuckles. "I see. You really don''t want to live¡­"


    Ai couldn''t follow their conversation.


    Fool as a servant? When?


    She was about to ask when Ai received Jun''s message.


    ''I am waiting for you.''


    The tip of her ears turned red. She quickly said, "I will be leaving."


    But it seemed like Xing Bi didn''t listen to her, lost in dealing with her and Ai''s culprit.


    "Xing Bi?"


    "Don''t worry, Ai! You go ahead! I will give you justice tonight!"


    Ai still didn''t understand what was going on. But she left since Xing Bi didn''t mind.


    With her heart pounding in her chest, Ai ran outside. She saw Jun''s car parked at a distance and rushed to the side.


    She peeked left and right but didn''t find him. Suddenly, she was pulled into a hug from her back as a pair of strong arms encircled her.


    "Congratulations, Miss. Zhou," his deep voice resounded sexily in her ear.


    The moment she felt his presence, a soft smile bloomed on her lips.


    "Jun."


    Jun''s brown orbs shone in the dark, and he pecked her ear with his lips. "I see somebody is getting famous. There were too many people to my liking surrounding you," he tilted his head.


    She beamed. "En. I was happy to know everybody liked my story."


    His gaze darkened. "Yeah, I can see that. Even the ones on Reading Point are praising you so much. I don''t like it."


    Ai couldn''t help but chuckle.


    Then she widened her eyes as something struck her. She turned to face him and asked him, "That means¡­you were MrPerfect all this time?"


    Jun raised his brow and smirked. "You finally realized. Yes, I am MrPerfect."


    Ai couldn''t believe it. She had her suspicions from that night Jun stayed. in her apartment though hearing it from Jun''s lips still felt surreal.


    Ai facepalmed.


    "This is so silly. Remember, when I was asking what was wrong with my story that day? And MrPerfect answered me. It was you after all. We were in the same library¡­"


    Jun pinched her cheek. "Yeah and imagine how I felt knowing that the woman at the book signing event was none other than you. So, it means that you wrote those post scripts," he sneered.


    "..."


    She coughed.


    "I remember I have to leave."


    Jun narrowed his eyes and stopped her. "Not so soon. Valentine''s night has just started. As a couple, we should be celebrating it together, right?"


    He dumped her in his car and sat in the driver''s seat. He smiled. "Let''s go."


    As he sped the car away, Guiying, who was at a distance blankly watched the car leave.


    "MrPerfect¡­and Ai¡­?"

 Chapter 171 The Valentine’s Day Arc (27) : The Voice Within Her

    Chapter 171 The Valentine''s Day Arc (27) : The Voice Within Her


    Under the darkness of the cold night, Guiying remained frozen on her spot. The loss at the Summit was already a big setback for her.


    But now as she came to talk to Ai about clarifying what she told Yating, she had never imagined that she would see her so intimate with a man.


    And not just any man¡­


    Of all people, it had to be MrPerfect.


    Guiying''s tear stained eyes kept gazing at the way even after Jun''s car had left long back.


    ''So you are MrPerfect?''


    ''You finally realized it.''


    Ai''s question and Jun''s answer kept bugging her mind.


    Guiying turned on her heels and blankly walked towards the road. She signaled for a cab and as soon as she got one, she jumped into it hurriedly.


    The driver asked, "Mam, what is your address?"


    He observed her shaking, and her eyes didn''t look focused. He heard her mumbling and talking to herself.


    For a second, the driver gulped and felt scared for some reason watching her so lost and dazed.


    "Ma-Madam?"


    Guiying snapped and as she realized she was in a cab, she gave him her address.


    The driver quickly nodded and drove off. He wanted to drop off the passenger as soon as possible.


    As the cab left, there arrived a figure who rushed after her in the darkness. But Guiying was already gone.


    His eyes flickered with a trace of anxiety, worry and sadness. He had watched Guiying lose the Summit. He didn''t care if she won or not. It would never change her place in his life.


    But as a writer, he also understood how important this Summit was to her. She might have smiled as she congratulated Ai. But only he knew how her body trembled, and how she fought back her tears.


    He wanted to be there for her tonight. He wanted to talk to her. He wanted to convey that no matter what, she would always be the winner for him. He loved her story the most no matter what the judges said or what results were declared.


    His fingers curled into his fist as he pursed his lips, his heart aching for her. His black business coat fluttered with the wind, and his regal figure exuded poignancy.


    Guiying¡­


    "You¡­"


    His daze broke as he heard an incredulous voice. He turned and raised his brow.


    "What are you doing here?" Yunru asked, his eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡ª


    Guiying threw away the heels and ran to the bathroom. She turned the tap on and splashed cold water on her face. She choked and gasped and coughed, severely feeling dizzy.


    "Impossible¡­He cannot be¡­He cannot be MrPerfect¡­" she breathlessly said to herself.


    She then stepped outside, not bothering to dry herself up. She opened the cupboard and the small box where she had stored all the cards and other small gifts she had received from MrPerfect from time to time.


    Her quivering hand brushed on the things gently.


    "Impossible¡­H-How can he and Ai¡­T-They don''t even know each other. All this time¡­All this time, he was talking to me. He doesn''t know her. Then how can they be in a relationship?"


    Then suddenly a chuckle burst out from her lips.


    "See? I told you so many times. You are so naive, Guiying."


    From shock and pain, her eyes flashed with iciness and menace.


    "I told you, I kept telling you that you need to be careful of that woman."


    She threw away the box and casually opened a drawer from the bedside table. From inside, she took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one of them.


    She put one end in her mouth and took a long puff with a smile on her face.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. My cute, naive Guiying. I told you so many times. You need to stay away from Zhou Ai. And look what happened? She snatched your award AND your man too. How do you feel about losing two important things all at once? The star of Dream High lost to someone who could never match her. And now the one person who you trusted your heart with also gave up on you. He also chose Zhou Ai over you. And do you know why?"


    Her question was met with only silence.


    "Because everybody only chooses winners~ Nobody likes losers. That''s why your brother favors her more than you. That''s why MrPerfect chose her over you. I warned you so many times not to fall for this shit. You will only hurt yourself. And every single time, you kept trusting Zhou Ai and this unknown card man," she puffed out another ring of smoke.


    She shook hard, and tears streamed out of her eyes.


    "No! No, no, no! That''s not true! That''s all¡­it''s all my misunderstanding!" She clutched her head and buried it in her knees. "Impossible¡­"


    Her body shook again as if something was trying to gain control of her. She jerked her head up from her knees and wiped her tears with disdain.


    "If you cry one more time, I will bang this head on the wall until you get knocked out. Crying over things that I warned you not to do. That''s why I like your editor, whatever her name is. She understands the threat. But you are the one who keeps clinging onto people who only hurt you. Zhou Ai, your dearest brother and then MrPerfect. You are a fucking idiot. Look how slickly she took everything from you, and you could only watch helplessly."


    "N-No¡­That''s not true-"


    "Shut up! I had enough of your nonsense! You need to think about yourself. You need to get selfish. That''s how this world works! That''s how everybody is. That''s how Zhou Ai is. Otherwise why would she say to Gu Yating that you like him? You never told her about your feelings about him or anybody else, so there is no basis to assume this," she sneered. "She did it purposely. Maybe she got to know your feelings for MrPerfect, so she tried to create an illusion as if you aren''t in the picture with him at all."


    Her expression paled from the mockery and disdain, and her chest heaved in breathlessness once again.


    She recalled how he embraced Ai. How he kissed her. How he spoke so lovingly to her.


    The tone of her voice changed once again as her eyes narrowed. "That all belonged to you, but she took it away from you."

 Chapter 172 The Valentine’s Day Arc (28) : The Dark Truth

    ''Guiying'' picked the scattered cards from the floor and lazily flipped it open.


    "Oof. Such heartwarming words," she chuckled. "Who could imagine that this same man would embrace your arch rival? So romantic. Today is Valentine''s Day. Zhou Ai is enjoying her victory and love on this beautiful day while you are crying miserably here," she clicked her tongue.


    She crumpled the card in her fist but found a force resisting her.


    "No! Don''t ruin it!" She cried. "That is precious to me! He...He gave it to me."


    She hastily gathered all the gifts and cards and put them back in the cupboard. She collapsed on the floor, not knowing what to do anymore.


    pa??? ?<0>??? She saw an incoming call from her brother. The fear of talking to him gripped her so hard that she took several steps away from her phone as if running away from it.


    "Don''t...don''t want to talk to him. No...Don''t want to listen..." She covered her ears and shut her eyes, wanting to separate herself from the world.


    Amidst that fear, a peal of laughter broke in the air.


    "Come on, why are you so afraid, my dear? Isn''t he your brother? He is family. You should be thrilled. He is definitely calling to console you...or maybe sing Zhou Ai''s praises of how he is proud of her more than you?"


    "No...No...This is all a lie," she swallowed several gulps, feeling thirsty. Yet she didn''t want to drink water. Her hunger, thirst, thoughts - everything had come to a standstill.


    But someone hadn''t.


    Guiying shook and stood on her feet. She ignored the phone and the incoming call from her brother. Instead, she took another cigarette from the pack and lit it.


    She crossed her legs and sat on the couch, staring at the ceiling, a stream of smoke filling the air.


    "Enough is enough, my dear. You have suffered a lot. Now MrPerfect showed his true colors. Everybody betrays you in the end. And I am tired of saying the same things over and over. I cannot let you be in charge anymore, otherwise you will only keep destroying your life like this. Not anymore..."


    The shades of her pupils kept growing darker and darker. Her cheeks were wet with the traces of tears, but her expression didn''t resemble that of any sadness or grief.


    Instead, a fierce fire burned in her eyes. She crinkled the cigarette in her hands, and she slightly hissed with the pain as the lit part made a dark spot at the center of the palm.


    She heard the sounds of tears and betrayal breaking her heart apart. She felt the grief of watching the man she loved embracing another woman. She felt her thoughts and emotions having no place to go.


    That''s where ''she'' came in.


    She smiled. "Take rest, dear. Take a good rest. You have been an idiot all this time, so from on...let me handle this."


    ¡ª


    Nian, who was thoroughly beaten into a pulp by Xing Bi, was lying akin to a dead body in his car. His heart and spirit was crushed with the way how Xing Bi spat fire out of her mouth and fists.


    Though at the back of his mind, he felt as if he was missing something super important detail that he was supposed to confront about.


    But once Xing Bi''s punches landed upon him, he was dead meat.


    Ah, my love story...my poor, poor love story.


    As if his fooling around wasn''t enough that the one person who could have helped him extinguish her anger was the very person he messed up with.


    Why? Why oh God why? Why did Zhou Ai have to be connected to Xing Bi!? Why!?


    The car door opened and Jin stepped in.


    "Jin! You bastard! Why did I bring you here? To help me butter up Xing Bi and save my love story! Where did you disappear off!? I didn''t see you anywhere."


    But Jin didn''t reply.


    "Jin? I am talking to you!"


    He snapped from his stupor and glanced at him. "What?"


    Nian''s expression turned ugly. "How dare you disrespect your eldest brother? So many things happened. Where were you all this time?"


    "Nowhere," he flatly replied, his gaze expressionless.


    Nian watched him carefully and asked, "Is something bothering you?"


    "Hm? Why do you think so?"


    "You seem different," he stated.


    Jin smiled. "It''s nothing."


    Nian heavily frowned. He couldn''t point his finger on it, but Jin seemed a little different from when they had arrived at the Summit.


    He released a sigh.


    "I don''t know what to do anymore. Zhou Ai gave me the biggest shock of my life. Who knew she would be connected to Xing Bi!"


    Then he suddenly widened his eyes and exclaimed. "I remember what I was missing out on! Jun and Zhou Ai! The other biggest shock I got tonight was when Xing Bi said that Jun and Zhou Ai lived together!"


    Jin paused and narrowed his eyes. "Bro Jun and...Zhou Ai?"


    "Yes. How is it possible? Jun would let another woman stay in his house?" Nian said with an incredulous expression. "Zhou Ai also agreed to this, but I don''t understand how this can happen? Jun doesn''t even let any woman touch him. I agree she is a good person, but still...It feels unbelievable. I need to talk to Jun about this..."


    Then he had also seen Jun personally inviting Ai to Sky.


    "And what is he doing at the Summit anyway? I thought he and Shui will be on a date tonight," Nian narrowed his eyes. "Something is...not right here. Jun has changed."


    Jin said nothing.


    "Let''s go back home, Bro."


    Nian thought to have a good word with Jun later. He then recalled his failed attempt to get Xing Bi back and burst into tears. "Ah...I think the only way remaining is for me to kill her future lover whenever that would be," he shook his head.


    ¡ª


    Liu Villa.


    Jin walked into his room, darkness enveloping his figure. He didn''t bother to switch the lights on. He poured himself a glass of whisky and sat on the couch, his head leaning back.


    He took a sip and stared at the ceiling, his eyes never blinking once.


    "This isn''t supposed to happen, Bro. This is not how you should be living your life. No matter how good Zhou Ai is, you cannot hold any future with her," his quiet voice reverberated in the air.


    "The only woman by your side can be Han Shui. Isn''t that why..." he tilted his head, an unreadable glint passing his dark eyes, "I had to die by your hands?"

 Chapter 173 The Valentine’s Day Arc (29) : The Most Dreaded Answer

    Chapter 173 The Valentine''s Day Arc (29) : The Most Dreaded Answer


    Nian might not have noticed it, but Jin did. There were many parts in Ai''s story which pointed out that the ''He'' she was talking about and who she confessed was none other than Jun.


    Jun didn''t like children that much. But he regularly donated and gave gifts to various orphanages, especially the one where their mother had grown up - Sun orphanage.


    So, Ai was right. He didn''t particularly like children, yet he secretly spoiled them from time to time.


    Being his brother, Jin naturally knew Jun''s tastes in ice cream. Chocolate scoop with blackberry on top. In the whole Liu family, only he had this particular liking.


    Jun was very reserved with his words. Nobody knew that better than Jin. But the only time Jun would genuinely converse was when he talked about books.


    Jin knew that because Jun had read a lot of stories to him when they were children. That was the only time when Jun would have a genuine smile on his lips.


    Connecting all this to the fact that Ai especially came to the wedding anniversary banquet to deliver Jun''s gift to Nana and Jinhai meant only one thing.


    Ai was talking to Jun. Ai was confessing to Jun.


    For a moment, he was in disbelief about the coincidence.


    During the Summit, he came to know about the whole mess with the mistaken identities regarding Butterfly and MissImperfectlyFine.


    But the thing that took him completely off guard was that Jun personally involved himself in this matter. He charged at Dream High and tried to protect a certain someone.


    For whose sake? Butterfly?


    She was a nobody.


    Until he learned that Butterfly was Ai herself.


    Why would Jun do this? It was Yunru''s job to handle matters like these. Yet Jun came in between to protect Ai. Once again, everything came back to Ai.


    Ai came to the banquet to give Jun''s gift.


    Jun tried to protect Ai with the plagiarism scandal.


    Both were protecting each other in their own way. That''s when Jin realized that something was not only going on with Ai''s side but Jun''s side as well.


    At first, he was confident that Jun wouldn''t be a part of this Summit. He refrained from being a part of any banquet or party. But knowing that Ai was here, he began to doubt that was Jun really not present at the banquet?


    He could have dropped a message to Yunru, but he didn''t want Yunru to accidentally spill it to Jun that Jin was asking about him.


    So, when Ai left the Summit after her story, he quietly followed her from the shadows. And through that, he saw his brother.


    Jun was indeed at the Summit. He was rushing outside with an expression that sent shockwaves from within him.


    Jun had understood who Ai was confessing to, and now he chased after her to confront her.


    But confront what?


    Would he tell her that it was impossible between them and that he didn''t love her?


    Or¡­


    That presence of ''or'' and doubt in Jin''s heart unnerved him. Jun''s answer should be a resounding rejection because nobody could take Shui''s place in his heart.


    But Jin didn''t feel so sure about it, and he didn''t like that feeling gripping his chest.


    Jin followed him and witnessed the whole conversation that went down with Ai, Jun and Yating. Jun had punched Yating. He saw the anger and jealousy erupting in his eyes as Yating asked Ai out. He witnessed Jun kissing her, giving him the answer that Jin dreaded the most.


    At present, Jin took another sip of the whiskey as the whole turn of events slowly rolled in his mind like a movie.


    "Not done¡­This is not done."


    He kept the glass on the table, releasing a breath. Without looking, he stretched his hand and took a photo frame from beside the glass.


    His gaze was fixed at the picture. A picture of him and Jun when they were around teenagers. In that picture, Jin was hugging his brother, his arm around his neck with the brightest smile on his face. The smile on Jun''s lips was not very noticeable as he didn''t like to take pictures. But since Jin had insisted, he agreed to it.


    Jin stared at the picture silently with an unreadable gaze.


    "Why¡­did things have to turn this way, Bro?"


    He lifted his hand, and the tips of his fingers grazed along his chest.


    "Was it here where I was hit with the bullet?" He tilted his head. "Feels like it was just yesterday."


    A wry and forlorn smile laced his lips. "There was this time between us when our bond was the strongest," he said as he brushed his thumb along the picture. "Then there was the time when your bullet struck me. It might be accidental, but the fact that you brought a gun meant that at one point, you really wished to kill me, didn''t you, Bro? Which really doesn''t matter honestly. What matters is¡­your feelings for Zhou Ai that shouldn''t exist in the first place. It''s supposed to be you and Shui and you together."


    A glint of fury passed by his eyes which swiftly vanished as well.


    "Isn''t that why I tried so hard until now to bring you two together?" He tilted his head and smiled. "I made Shui talk to you so many times to resolve all your differences. When that didn''t work out, I sent Mom and Aunt Xinyi shopping around that jewelry store area to catch you ''buying'' the ring that day though I knew you were there to cancel it. It was a good way to make them misunderstand your intentions, right?"


    Jin''s eyes flashed a calculated glint. "But I knew that it wasn''t enough. I had to corner you from all sides. So, I urged Mom to tell Yunru to announce your engagement in Sky. Everything only to pressurize you from not talking about your breakup with Shui. But it seemed you had made up your mind to come out with it at all costs."


    He shook his head. "Seriously, Bro. Why were you so stubborn? If I had not seen your message on Dad''s phone, I would have never known that you were coming home to announce your breakup. Even Great-Grandma. She stirred the conversation to make you and Shui get engaged, but all my efforts to make her do so went to waste."


    Jin sighed and bored his gaze at the picture again. "Why do you always take me by surprise, Bro? This won''t work. You love Shui so much. Do you want to change your fate just because you are also reborn? That cannot do. After all this time and after all that happened in the past life, there cannot be another woman beside you. And if there is then this¡­is what I won''t stand for."

 Chapter 174 The Valentine’s Day Arc (30) : Celebrate Victory

    Chapter 174 The Valentine''s Day Arc (30) : Celebrate Victory


    Stepping into Jun''s condo once again instantly brought back all the memories to Ai. To her, that was nothing less than a golden time she spent with Jun. It felt as if she never left his home in the first place.


    The loneliness and the sense of loss that had filled her heart seemed to dissolve into nothingness, enveloping it once again with warmth.


    Her gaze fell on the crescent swing and her cheeks flushed red, recalling her passionate makeout with Jun. In the car while coming to the condo, she asked Jun where they were heading to.


    "My home," he resolutely answered and at the same time carrying a tinge of huskiness in his tone.


    Jun stood behind her, his dark eyes narrowing as he observed her crimson cheeks. He leaned forward, placing a soft kiss at the center of her blush.


    "Miss. Zhou. There are many things for which I want to punish you. Right from leaving that morning without even having a word with me to tonight for trying to escape from me and merge with the cosmos. Tell me, where should I begin?" His quiet growl tingled her cheek.


    Ai felt as if she was trapped into a wolf''s den. With a calm expression and tranquil gaze, she replied. "I left you with my favorite book."


    Jun sneered. "Was that an attempt to bribery? Don''t get angry because I am leaving the book with you?"


    She sincerely retorted. "I don''t believe in bribery and corruption. That was my pure gratitude."


    Ai pursed her lips. "Shouldn''t you be celebrating with me because I won and also because it''s Valentines tonight? How can you talk about punishments? That''s not how a good boyfriend acts with their girlfriend especially when they have just started out," she probed in order to change his mind.


    "And you think that challenging my ethics is gonna diffuse the situation here?" He smirked. "I don''t like you running away from me, nor when you don''t look at me while talking. You ran away that day and then tonight."


    His palm caressed her waist which began to slide towards her belly. "I have scores to settle with you."


    Wanting to avoid his punishment, Ai suggested. "You don''t want to celebrate?"


    Jun paused and tilted his head. "Not that I don''t understand that you are trying to run away from the punishments¡­"


    Ai cleared her throat.


    "But I can postpone those for sometime."


    "..."


    Only postpone? Not cancel?


    He sneered. "Don''t even think that I will cancel them."


    Her mouth twitched.


    "Anyway. So how do you want to celebrate?"


    Ai beamed at that question. "We should celebrate by making sweets," she said with pride, "I am good at making chocolates now."


    He stared at her and somehow found it hard to believe her. He tried to imagine Nian''s expression, knowing how the baking accident had caused a fire in her house.


    "Is that so? Cool. Let''s make some chocolates then."


    "No. I will make them. I want to show you how good I have become," Ai nodded. "All by myself."


    Jun raised his brow. Watching her look so confident made him curious. "Fine then. The kitchen is all yours."


    Ai happily hopped away to the kitchen while Jun took a seat on the couch. He rested his chin on his palm, his elbow propped upon the couchrest as he fixed his gaze at her.


    He thought he would observe her making chocolates, but his eyes selectively only focused on the back of her neck and her slender waist. Her dress was soft in fabric.


    It will easily tear apart with just one tug¡­


    Imagining touching her white, smooth skin brought a gulp and itch to his throat.


    But that fantasy suddenly broke apart as he heard a loud noise. He blinked and craned his neck, his jaw dropping in shock. To the point that he had to walk up to her and watch her cruel method of beating the chocolate.


    "...Why are you whisking it so hard?" His mouth violently twitched. "Are you taking revenge?"


    Jun couldn''t believe the sight. He always thought that Ai was a delicate woman. But studying the strength she exerted as she mixed the ingredients made him have second thoughts.


    When did she have so much power in her hands?


    But then he remembered the slap across his face she gave him when he wanted to jump in front of the car.


    He touched his cheek in a daze.


    Now that I think about it¡­that slap had hurt like hell.


    Ai''s brows softly crinkled. "You talk so much like your brother. Liu Nian had asked the same question and in the same tone as yours on Chocolates Day. As expected of brothers."


    His gaze darkened. "What brothers? Don''t talk as if we are so close. Ew! That just made my skin crawl."


    "..."


    "It''s not that we are close as brothers. The point is your method. Why are you whisking it so harshly? You are exerting too much strength."


    Ai tilted her head. "But this is how I work normally."


    "Huh? You don''t cook like that. You don''t use that much strength when cutting veggies."


    "Veggies are different. But whenever I try baking or making sweets, this is how I normally do it."


    He looked at her in horror. The fire at the house made more sense now. Ai wasn''t whisking the chocolate and the mixture. She was beating it into a pulp as if a lone person was ganged up by thugs.


    For the first time and for just a moment, Jun felt sorry for Nian. Even he couldn''t bear this treatment. For a patissier like Nian, it would have only brought death to him.


    It also made him realize why Ai''s chocolates tasted weird. It was good but¡­it was weird.


    Jun smiled and offered. "How about I show you?"


    Ai politely declined. "I can do it. It''s almost done."


    "No. What you are doing is murder, which the tiny chef inside of me cannot watch it happening. So, I INSIST that I help you."


    "..."

 Chapter 175 The Valentine’s Day Arc (31) : Show Me Your Kissing Skills

    Chapter 175 The Valentine''s Day Arc (31) : Show Me Your Kissing Skills


    Ai pursed her lips and mumbled. "You two are indeed similar. I am doing it just fine¡­"


    Jun smiled and stood behind her. He gripped her arm, and his palm slowly traveled his way until her hands that held the bowl.


    "Don''t feel so down," he whispered as his eyes twinkled with mischief and desire, "I won''t be a spartan like my Bro. I will be a good teacher."


    Somewhere faintly in her mind, alarm bells were ringing which made her heart pound in her chest.


    The word ''teacher'' made her recall the banquet night when they danced in this very condo. Jun was supposed to teach her how to dance and he did, but the situation took quite a passionate turn.


    Will the teaching here lead to a similar result? She couldn''t help but anticipate.


    Jun''s eyes narrowed and stuck his body closer to her until there was no space between her back and his chest. He firmly pressed her hand and loosened her grip over the whisk. He started whisking the chocolate and cream, guiding her hand to go along with his pace. The sweet smell of chocolate wafted up to the tips of their nose. But Jun felt intoxicated by Ai''s scent rather than the chocolate''s fragrance.


    His lips hovered her ear that rained gentle pecks of his kisses, making her hold her breath.


    "And tonight is Valentine''s night. So we are supposed to be doing much more than just making chocolates," he answered in a hushed voice as he placed a kiss on her neck.


    Jun''s special ''chocolate making'' class continued for some time as the air reverberated with sounds of Ai''s raspy breaths.


    When it was time to pour the chocolate mixture into a mold and put it in the freezer to make them ready, Ai fumbled with the bowl, spilling some chocolate mixture onto her fingers. The tickling feelings his kisses left her with blew away all her concentration.


    "That is not fair¡­" she softly complained. "I wanted to show you that I am good at making sweets too. But¡­you did all the work."


    Turning her body to face him and biting her earlobe, Jun replied, "How about you show me how good you are at kissing? Then we will be even."


    She was rendered speechless, and her cheeks and neck felt hotter.


    "The chocolate is not ready yet¡­"


    Jun paused from his kissing spree and raised his brow. His lips lifted in a charming and devilish smile as he raised her hand and licked her finger which was coated with liquid chocolate mixture. Putting her index finger into his mouth, his tongue licked the sweet chocolate clean off her finger.


    Ai inhaled a sharp breath. She looked into his deep eyes that penetrated hers as if he would suck her soul away.


    "Perfect."


    She trembled.


    "I think the chocolate is ready," Jun tilted his head, "Doesn''t this mean we are celebrating your victory just like you wanted?"


    Ai blushed. This wasn''t how she had imagined celebrating, but she wasn''t complaining either.


    Jun pushed her against the kitchen counter and withdrew her finger from his mouth. He leaned his face closer to hers as held the back of her head as he said, "Now it''s your turn to taste the chocolate."


    "Indeed¡­" Ai whispered. She reached out towards the bowl, but Jun grabbed her wrist and stopped her.


    He narrowed his eyes. "Didn''t I say you should show me how good you are at kissing too?"


    Ai felt her skin tingle.


    He smirked. "Then taste the chocolate AND display your kissing skills at the same time."


    "I d-don''t understand¡­" The temperature in the kitchen was growing dangerously hotter.


    "I tasted the chocolate from your finger which means my tongue still has some chocolate lingering on it. Understand now?" His voice carried a hint of amusement.


    Realizing his meaning, Ai couldn''t look at his eyes anymore.


    Jun chuckled. "You are a romance writer. You should be pretty much ready to at least imagine this stuff. I am giving you the chance to experience it in reality. So, don''t waste it¡­" He tugged her chin closer to his jaw.


    Ai slowly put her hands on his shoulders and tiptoed, her heart pounding with every millimeter lessening between their lips. At first, it was a light, feathery peck. Then she pressed her lips against his, firmer and harder. She shut her eyes, shyness making her tremble.


    Taste chocolate¡­taste chocolate¡­


    She was chanting the two words in her mind as darted her tongue out.


    Jun''s gaze darkened, watching his rabbit kissing him with all her might. Her gentle kiss burst his heart into a fuzziness he never felt before. He wasn''t kissing her back because he wanted to let the sensation of her soft lips sink in every cell of his body.


    But it was getting increasingly difficult for him to just stand still and do nothing as her tongue slowly kissed his. In response, his fingers dug into her waist, trying to control his desire from claiming her.


    Ai gasped with the tightness of his fingertips that gripped her waist. Her tongue accidentally hit deeper in his mouth, and hell broke loose.


    She felt the taste of the chocolate settle on her tongue when Jun took charge and kissed her back with an intensity that made her breath stop. He pinched her jaw, biting and deepening the kiss. He withdrew to let her take a mouthful of breath before crashing his lips once again.


    At first, her shyness restricted her movements. But as Jun expertly wrapped her around his passionate kiss, that embarrassment soon faded away, leaving her heart with the desire to lose herself in his kiss. Clutching onto his collar, she slightly tilted her head and kissed him back.


    After a few long and wet kisses, it was evident where things would lead tonight. Jun wanted more. He was clear about that.


    But did Ai reciprocate that feeling to go further?


    "Tell me¡­" he placed a firm kiss on her forehead and asked, "Do you want me to make love to you?"

 Chapter 176 The Valentine’s Day Arc (32) : Answering Mr. Liu’s Insecurities

    Chapter 176 The Valentine''s Day Arc (32) : Answering Mr. Liu''s Insecurities


    Ai, who felt delirious after the string of kisses ended, was zapped with lightning as the question registered in her mind. Jun''s question was so direct and to the point that made her heart flutter rapidly as if a thousand butterflies took flight at once.


    "I don''t want to scare you, but I don''t want to hide my desire either," Jun cleared his throat.


    Shit!


    Now that he thought about it, he immediately felt stupid for asking about making love in the heat of the moment. He wished he could just strangle himself.


    "No, wait. Forget that I asked¡­" he averted his gaze with a strange fear that gripped his heart.


    Fast¡­too fast¡­


    Ai''s stupor broke, and she furrowed her brows. She observed a sense of terror shining in his beautiful dark brown irises. She held his head between her hands and made him face her. "Why are you looking like that?"


    "...Like what?"


    "Like you are afraid of something. Also, why should I forget your question?" She didn''t understand.


    "Nothing."


    Ai narrowed her eyes. "This will be the first rule of our relationship. We won''t hide anything. If there are any concerns, we will share it with each other and look for a solution together."


    Jun felt stupid once again, realizing that she was right. He forgot what hurt the most in his past life was that Jin and Shui hid their feelings from him.


    Lying, hiding¡­


    How could he do the same with Ai which had broken his heart in the past?


    Taking a long breath he answered, feeling slightly ashamed. "I am sorry I suddenly popped such a question to you. I don''t want to scare you."


    Then he fell silent.


    Ai frowned. "But I am not afraid-"


    The conversation between Shui and Jun on New Year''s Eve flashed before her eyes instantly, and things fell in place for her. She remembered how much Shui''s words had hurt him. To know that his ex-girlfriend was afraid of him¡­what could possibly be more of a blow than that?


    Jun gritted his teeth and combed his hair in frustration. "Okay, I know tonight is not the right time to talk about¡­about Sh-Shui, but I don''t want to make you feel like how she-"


    Ai tiptoed and sealed his mouth with a kiss.


    Jun blankly stared at her in a daze, his eyelashes trembling.


    Ai pursed her lips and said, looking straight into his eyes, "You are right. Tonight is not the time I want to hear about your ex-girlfriend Han Shui from you."


    He clenched his fist. "I-I didn''t mean it like that¡­"


    "Neither do I want to hear you say that you make me feel afraid because you don''t."


    She expressed it like a plain, simple fact instead of trying to convince him. Her soft voice was peaceful to listen to which was filled with her sincerity and calmness.


    "I was never once afraid of you, Jun. Whether it was that night you killed that thief or that night when Shui confronted you - I never once thought that you made me uncomfortable. Your different sides surprised me for sure. But I was never and I am not scared of you."


    "That-that is because we were just strangers back then. But now we are in a relationship. My love¡­from her, you have that idea about how I love," this was the part where Jun''s heart raced with apprehension. He wanted to have this conversation with her at the Summit after she confessed. But watching Yating ask her out made him flip out and throw that thought out of the window. Before he could talk to her, he kissed her, sealing his answer and their relationship.


    Ai blinked. "I can imagine, and I accept it. I want you to love me the way you want to without any reservations, otherwise what''s the point of this relationship if we cannot be ourselves?"


    Jun thought about his past life and parted his lips as he spoke, "...Even if I message you many times a day if or when we will be away?"


    "I will feel lonely if you don''t," she stated. "I missed you a lot when I left this home¡­" her gaze dimmed, "I will never be annoyed by your messages because rather than having silence, I prefer you shower me with tons of messages."


    He trembled.


    "Even if I want to be with you wherever you want to go?"


    "Apart from the women''s restroom, yes. We will always be together," she nodded.


    He choked.


    I didn''t mean it that far¡­Anyway¡­


    "E-Even if I tell you not to talk to some people? Mostly men¡­" his gaze darkened thinking about Yating.


    Ai tilted her head. "I will only talk to them if they are connected to me professionally and by keeping a proper distance. Personally, I won''t do anything that will make you feel uncomfortable because I wouldn''t want that either from your side."


    That was fair enough¡­Jun thought.


    He then mumbled, "You won''t be angry if I get jealous and possessive?"


    Ai smiled. "That is a part of being in a relationship, isn''t it? It would be sad if you don''t feel jealous because that would mean that I don''t matter to you."


    "I-I mean if you find it too much¡­" he coughed.


    "How is too much? Will you hit me?"


    His expression turned ugly. "Of course not! I will never hit you. If I did so even in an impossible event, just cut off my arms without a thought!"


    Her jaw dropped, but his words filled her heart with warmth too.


    "Then will you be so possessive that you will lock me up in a room?"


    "Are you an idiot? You are my woman, not my prisoner. Why will I lock you up!?"


    "Then why will I be angry at you?"


    Jun was stumped at her counter question. "I don''t know¡­"


    Ai shook her head and hugged him. "You don''t have to ask me these questions. If I had any doubts about you, I wouldn''t have fallen for you and confessed to you. I love you, Jun. Whoever you are, however you are - I love Liu Jun just the way he is. I don''t want you to change anything for me."

 Chapter 177 The Valentine’s Day Arc (33) : Their First Night (1) *

    Chapter 177 The Valentine''s Day Arc (33) : Their First Night (1) *


    Her words sounded like the sweetest melody in his ears that brought mistiness in his eyes. This was what he had wanted from Shui. His love might be overwhelming at times, but he truly wanted her to accept him as he was.


    To Shui, Jun''s love was suffocating.


    But to Ai, Jun''s love was just love.


    "Your love is a part of who you are. If I don''t accept that, then it means that I don''t accept you as a person and that won''t be love," Ai said. "You give me security, not suffocate me. That''s why I will never leave your side. Jun, don''t ever say again that you intimidate me. It hurts to hear that¡­"


    Jun stayed unmoved for several long moments before his arms embraced her back. He buried his face in her hair, feeling incredibly lighter at that moment. A tear slipped out as a smile formed on his lips.


    A tear slid from Ai''s eye too. For Jun to feel so insecure about himself made her wonder just how much his relationship with Shui might have hurt him. Grievance filled her heart, and she hugged him tighter.


    Ai pressed her forehead against his chest and answered, "I love you too, Jun. I love you very much. I love everything about you."


    Jun cupped her cheeks and dipped his head to capture her pink lips again. Their lips and tongues clashed as Ai responded with the same fervor as his. She clasped onto his shirt as she whispered, "Jun¡­Make love to me."


    He froze.


    Those five words exploded his heart with such delight and bliss which was inexplicable. Breathing hard, he softly bit the tip of her nose. "You don''t¡­have to feel pressurized."


    Ai glanced up at him with her crimson cheeks, "I am not pressured."


    He swallowed hard. "Don''t¡­I mean it''s okay if you want to take time."


    Ai blinked. "Why would I want to? I have already given you my heart. All of it."


    "You won''t¡­won''t think it''s too soon? We just got together."


    Not that Jun thought it that way. He wished badly to take her to bed, but it would be meaningless if their feelings won''t be on the same page.


    "There is nothing for me to hesitate about giving you my body. Time isn''t necessarily a measure to make a judgment. We might know someone for years, yet we might feel as if we don''t know them at all. We might know someone for only a few months, yet we might feel that we have known them forever."


    Jun froze.


    Her words felt so true that pierced his heart like an arrow.


    Shui and he were childhood friends. But what did it lead to in the end? Just because they knew each other for longer didn''t mean that their love or relationship was smooth sailing.


    Ai said, "We might have met only almost three months back. Certainly, it''s a short period. But I don''t need anymore time to decide that you are the only man I want to spend the rest of my life with," she slightly blushed, "I only want you, Jun. I see my future only with you. So, I don''t have to think if I want this night or not. Not just this night, I want to spend all my days and nights with you for the rest of my life."


    Her eyes widened, and a soft gasp escaped her lips as Jun suddenly picked her in his arms. Biting his lip hard, he growled. "I will punish you for making my heart flutter like that. Remember, you have agreed now. I won''t let you take your words back. Tonight, you will be mine and I will be yours."


    He kicked the door to his bedroom open and shut it with the same foot. From his arms, Ai felt her back hit the softness of his bed. The faint scent of musty books reached her nostrils which was soon overwhelmed by his masculine scent as he climbed on top of her.


    Ai''s gaze traveled across his spacious room where she once took care of a sick Jun at this very place. She had changed his clothes on this same bed, and now she was the one Jun would be undressing.


    With the tip of his finger, Jun lifted her chin to make their eyes meet. His towering and well-sculpted body hitched her breath. That was when he was still wearing clothes. Whether her heart would be able to take the sight of his fully naked body was a question that burned her face in redness.


    Just inches away from her lips, he smirked, "I have to settle a lot of scores from you right from the time you poured that cold water on me. Be prepared."


    Ai gulped and suddenly felt that she shouldn''t have engaged in those tactics.


    Jun''s lips found his way to hers, while his hand aptly located her breasts. He kissed hard, giving a firm squeeze that jerked her body upwards. Not wanting to wait any further, he tugged her dress and just as he had expected, the fabric snapped with a harsh pull.


    He really didn''t wish to ruin her dress, but ever since watching Ai making chocolates, he only thought of his urges to rip the dress apart.


    The sound of the dress tearing echoed loudly in the room, accompanied by the sight of Ai''s lovely, fair breasts. She inhaled the sudden chilliness, but it wasn''t for long when Jun put her left breast in his mouth.


    "Ahhnn¡­!"


    She gasped and breathed heavily, attacked by his moist kisses and licks that captured her bud. Jun took off his coat and shirt, leaning half-naked in front of her.


    A sharp exhale escaped her lips seeing his toned abs that pulsated up and down as he breathed in and out. Her palm automatically moved to touch his bare chest that slid down to his abdomen.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Impatient, huh?"

 Chapter 178 The Valentine’s Day Arc (34) : Their First Night (2) *

    Chapter 178 The Valentine''s Day Arc (34) : Their First Night (2) *


    Ai bit her lower lip, the tips of her ears blushing. It was addicting to touch his abs. The firm texture of his skin and his strong muscles heated up her palms. She recalled all those times when he dealt with the pervert college boys in the library and then the thief in the dark alley.


    "You are so strong," her eyes sparkled.


    It wasn''t like she wasn''t aware of his physical strength before, but she just wished to comment on it for some reason.


    Jun blinked with the strange compliment and burst into a chuckle. He kissed the tip of her nose. "You are stronger than me."


    Ai tilted her head. "I cannot defeat a man in a fight."


    He smirked. "You can surely kill him with your words."


    Her ears perked up, and she felt happy at being what if he gets more agitated? Bad people cannot stand getting insulted."


    Jun sneered. "You kill him with your words, and then I will kill him with my fists. Perfect, isn''t it?"


    She softly chuckled at first but then laughed.


    Jun liked the sound of her laughter. He traced his thumb along her jawline and whispered, "All my strength is only to love and protect you."


    Her heart loudly thumped. The sincerity in his gaze made her tremble within which danger silently lurked. Threat shone in his eyes for anybody who would dare to hurt his woman.


    Jun grabbed her wrist that was feeling up his abs and lifted it near his lips. He pecked and placed soft kisses on her palm and delicate fingers. Entwining his fingers against hers, his kisses trailed upwards towards her arm, shoulder, neck that reached the valley between her breasts.


    Ai inhaled softly through her mouth as she felt his mouth doing wonders on her breasts. A wave of pleasure and satisfaction tickled her chest. She wanted more of it - his kissing, his licking, his kneading. With her free left hand, she slid it across the back of his neck and urged him to keep continuing.


    A sharp tremble passed his body with her tug, and he bit her breast harder than he intended.


    "Ahhh!"


    Her breast throbbed with a slight stinging sensation which he tried to soothe by slurping and flicking with his tongue.


    "Fuck, I love your breasts!" Just like Ai, he couldn''t help but comment on the loveliness of her breasts too. He felt as if he could make love to her beautiful chest forever, and he won''t get tired of it.


    Her face and neck turned tomato red. "You¡­"


    Jun smirked as he looked at her but without stopping his hand that was thoroughly massaging her right breast. "Why so shy? Didn''t you ogle and feel my abs just now?"


    Feeling the need to take revenge for his teasing, Ai lifted her head and chomped on his jaw just like he would bite her nose and earlobe. Which only ignited his awakening desire even further.


    "That is not helping¡­" he fiercely growled and flipped her to let her back face him. His gaze traveled across her slender curves, and he stopped for several moments only to appreciate the sight of her beautiful naked back that invited him to make a mess out of it. Her silky black hair partially spread over her back, which he let aside with the tips of his fingers that also grazed on her fair skin.


    Ai''s breath stopped in her throat as she couldn''t see Jun anymore. She didn''t know what he would do next and that feeling of unknown made her excited and anticipating.


    Jun felt his member bulge in his pants as he stared at her blushing neck. He pecked it at first, making her shiver.


    "Ai¡­" he lovingly hushed her name out of his lips. He showered kisses all over her neck and bit it at several places, making it even redder than her shades of her blush. His hands traveled down her back, making him feel as if he was going across a gentle slope. His kisses grew increasingly fierce and relentless from the top of her neck to the bottom of her waist.


    He wanted to relish every part of her body instead of only making love to her core. The more their intimacy grew, the more Jun felt his body shaking with the desire to enter her.


    But no. This was a precious night for them. This was their first night. He wanted to make her feel treasured. He wanted to love everything about her. Her eyes, her lips, her cheeks, her breasts, her waist, her thighs - everything. Before penetrating her, he wanted to kiss the hell out of her.


    Ai clutched the pillow in her hand, feeling him cup her breast from her back while his lips left wet kisses on her cheek. She moaned with the heat and the sensation making her delirious.


    "Jun¡­"


    "Hm?" He hummed questioningly, getting busy licking her ear.


    "Kiss¡­"


    "I am kissing you."


    She softly shook her head. "I want to kiss your lips."


    His eyes widened, and his ears felt a buzz with her boldness. His brown eyes clouded alarmingly, and he turned her on her back.


    "Say that again," his rough voice ordered her.


    "I want to kiss you," she stared at him, her clear eyes expressing the desire.


    Gripping her jaw between his fingers, Jun bent and pressed his lips on hers in a swift, passionate dive.


    Ai shut her eyes in satisfaction and initiated to slurp her tongue with his, her heart pounding harder in her chest. Her past life had left her with scars that she thought would never heal. She had already mentally prepared herself to live her life all alone. But Jun broke those tightly shut doors in her heart and broke inside.


    Jun wrapped his hand around her back, pressed his chest against hers and ravaged her lips so hard he wished their mouths would never separate.


    Her soft moans and sighs of ecstasy escaped in his mouth. She brought her knees closer, feeling her core tremble with wetness. His bulging member that poked her between her thighs only added to the fire lit in her body.

 Chapter 179 The Valentine’s Day Arc (35) : Their First Night (3) *

    Chapter 179 The Valentine''s Day Arc (35) : Their First Night (3) *


    Jun carried out a long kissing session with her thighs as his next destination. The sheets shuffled under them as he pinned her ankles on the bed and left his marks wherever his lips attached to her skin. Their hearts beat in sync with the temperature growing hotter despite the chilly Valentine''s night outside. They knew the moment of their awaited union was soon approaching.


    Jamming his thumb under the strip of her panties, Jun slid it off her legs in one fell swoop.


    Ai shut her eyes, feeling embarrassed as he parted her legs further and thoroughly inspected her most intimate part. She trembled when his fingers teasingly made their way towards her wet entrance. She held in his breath as he gradually slipped his index finger inside, making her back arch into a beautiful curve.


    Her messy breaths made a ragged sound that reverberated in the air and made the air even warmer. Tiny beads of sweat shone on her forehead when he didn''t hesitate to enter another finger inside, twisting and turning her walls. The squelching sounds of her moistness turned harsher and louder and with it her cries of ecstasy too.


    Something was building up in the pit of her stomach. The gratification, the tightness - everything was threatening to gush forth with a momentum as Jun pleasured her. But at the last moment, he drew out his fingers, earning a cry of grievance from her. Her hazy eyes watched him smile with a tease on his lips.


    "Why¡­" she whispered hel unzipped his pants and the sound of rustling and falling of his clothes echoed that burned her cheeks with shyness. Suddenly, his broad chest blocked her vision. She felt an ardent kiss on her lips and then his fierce sucking on her breasts.


    "I will drive you crazy tonight," his hoarse voice rang deep in her ears. "I stopped because I will take you to even greater heights of euphoria you would have never felt before. I told you, right? I have scores to settle with you."


    She shivered hard, feeling the edge and roughness in his voice. Her shoulders tensed not only because of his declaration but also the urgent need to orgasm was making her insane.


    But then she immediately got her answer as his hot member squeezed in between her thighs, ready to enter her. She gasped with the searing heat that throbbed her thighs. She instantly remembered the time when she had held his member and relieved him of his heat.


    She was on the verge of her climax, and Jun chose to penetrate now¡­


    At his side, Jun observed all the lovely expressions Ai''s beautiful face made. The confusion was evident and then the realization of what was going to happen was even more enjoyable.


    He placed his hands on either side of her head. He bent and dipped his nose in her hair to smell the fragrance.


    "Relax. Hug me."


    Ai, whose fingers were on his chest, followed his sweet words and embraced him as she tightly wrapped them on his back.


    "Good."


    He then nudged the tip of his member near her throbbing entrance and entered her in one, deep stroke.


    A gasp escaped her mouth which Jun blocked with his lips. He kissed her senseless, trying to divert her attention from the pain of her hymen that tore apart. The pleasure of the orgasm that built up until now clashed with the prickly feeling of her hymen that was no more. It was as if the ecstasy was drowning the pain within it, which was what Jun had planned for. Added to it was his hot length which made her unable to think about any pain.


    From emptiness, it suddenly felt fuller and hotter. Her chest heaved, and her breasts bumped on his chest.


    Control¡­


    Jun chanted in his mind endlessly. He needed to give her some time to adjust to his length, or sex would only be painful for her which he didn''t want.


    She sighed and squirmed under his body that had firmly pinned her beneath him.


    Jun growled and spoke through a clenched jaw. "Don''t make this difficult for me¡­"


    Ai stared at him with her misty brown eyes. "I didn''t do anything¡­"


    "Then why am I getting harder? Just stay put and don''t test my limits," he bit her lower lip.


    Ai was slowly beginning to feel more comfortable and at ease. The pain was gradually washing away and watching her tense brows relax, Jun smiled in victory. He whispered near her ear, "Let the fun begin now~"


    Jun was already at his tipping point and finally the moment arrived when he could move inside her to his heart''s content. He pulled back and penetrated her with a deep thrust that shook both to their core.


    He grunted in satisfaction as he was finally one with the woman he loved the most. He inhaled and exhaled deep breaths as he stared at Ai. He paused his movements for just a few seconds as the warmth of her body seeped in his heart.


    He never thought that he would ever find a woman who he could love even more than he ever loved Shui.


    A woman who accepted him for who he was.


    A woman who embraced his possessiveness instead of running away from it.


    A woman who didn''t wish to change a single thing about him.


    "I love you, Ai. I love you so much, Ai. Don''t ever leave me. Please don''t¡­"


    He felt a soft peck on his forehead, and he opened his eyes, gazing into Ai''s determined irises. "I won''t."


    Just two words were enough to melt his heart. He reciprocated and appreciated it by thrusting harder inside her. He loved every moment of it - the friction, the resistance that her core put as he intruded. The deeper he hit, the more his pace increased and the harder his breaths went haywire. The blush that hit Ai''s cheeks only plunged his member into her depths so much that he wished they remained intertwined like this forever.

 Chapter 180 The Valentine’s Day Arc (36) : Their First Night (4) *

    Chapter 180 The Valentine''s Day Arc (36) : Their First Night (4) *


    Ai clenched her grip on his shoulders for support. Every thrust made her tremble harder than before so much that she forgot to breathe. The small gap between their chests filled with their warm, entangled breaths which made them sweat even more.


    She shuddered, fireworks lighting within her like a Christmas tree. It was not only Jun''s thrusts that short-circuited her brain, but she was already close to her climax when he was fingering her. Now as he pounded inside her, the stimulation and intensity was beyond her capacity to handle. The more he hit her pleasure spot, the more her insides coiled around him.


    "Fuck!"


    She heard a groan from his throat and felt him hardening and bulging even more.


    "Aahhhh¡­" her eyes shot wide open in shock. She thought there was no space left anymore to fill her, but she was wrong.


    Her lips quivered, and she panted heavily as she felt herself growing feverish, especially her core where the grinding of their nether regions increased the heat exponentially. At one such point, she couldn''t hold onto her climax anymore, and she released with a sharp tremble.


    Jun halted his thrusts for sometime as he let the sensation of her orgasm sink in. At the same time, he felt her juices coat his length. His gaze darkened seeing her expression as if she was floating in the clouds. He held her chin, parted her lips and pushed his tongue in her mouth.


    "Mhmnn¡­"


    As their tongues made wet noises, Jun resumed moving and pushing himself into his source of bliss. He himself was close to his climax too.


    Ai slowly opened her eyes, who was lost in the world of pleasure and ecstasy. Her gaze expressed a question to which Jun chuckled breathlessly. He tucked the messy lock of her hair behind her ear and kissed her forehead. "We are not using protection."


    She blinked once, and her face flushed scarlet. "Oh¡­"


    She seemed to think something and then said, "It''s alright if you," she cleared her throat, "come inside¡­I will take contraceptive-"


    "No," Jun darkly cut her off with a solemn countenance. "You don''t have to take any meds. Either I will come outside, or I will use a condom. I missed it this time. It won''t happen next time."


    It didn''t seem to her that Jun would budge upon this. Ai was surprised to know that Jun even remembered this fact especially with how they were lost in their passion. She had completely forgotten about using protection. She felt the traces of his semen on her thighs, making her blush.


    Her trance broke as Jun peppered soft kisses on her neck. She thought that they would be going for a second round. Instead, after having his fill of kisses, Jun shifted from above her and laid beside her, pulling her into his arms.


    She stared at him in silence with another question bewildering her.


    Jun caught her confused gaze and asked, "What?"


    She choked. "You are asking me?"


    "Who else should I ask if not you? Do you see anybody else here?"


    Her mouth twitched. She was at a loss of how to put forth the question. "We¡­we are *cough* do-do¡­"


    In the end, she couldn''t complete it.


    Jun blinked. "Are we done? Yes."


    "..."


    She hadn''t expected the night to be over so soon, especially after Jun''s declaration of settling scores with her.


    "Why?"


    He cocked his brow in amusement. "Do you want to die?"


    Ai frowned. "I don''t."


    He sneered. "Good. That''s what I want too. If you don''t want to die, it''s better I stop at just one round. This is your first time. I want you alive tomorrow morning."


    Ai coughed hard in disbelief.


    "If we do it more times, it will be only more painful for you."


    She looked at him, stunned. Warmth filled her heart with his concern. "You¡­you are so cute."


    His expression turned ugly. "Hey! Don''t call me cute! I detest that word!"


    "But you are cute."


    He gritted his teeth and turned to the other side, clearly furious at her. "Don''t talk to me!"


    Ai was taken aback. He was pouting like a child, which she felt was even cuter. She smiled and hugged him from his back.


    "Thank you so much for your concern. But, I can continue¡­" she buried her embarrassed face in his back.


    Jun felt his anger evaporate, feeling her breasts pressed against his back. He cleared his throat. "You cannot. You think like that now. But tomorrow, it''s gonna hurt like hell. I don''t want to see you collapse the way you did during your periods."


    She widened her eyes. She noticed his voice had turned softer when he said the last line.


    "That really scared shit out of me. You looked like a train ran over you or something¡­" he trembled. He couldn''t say that watching her in that state reminded him of her death in her past life. It felt like she would never wake up again.


    Tears pooled in her eyes that ached upon hearing his caring words.


    Jun heard the sniffles, and he turned. He froze seeing her cry. "Hey. Why are you crying? Is it hurting already?"


    Shit! Maybe I did it too hard! He cursed himself.


    Ai hugged him hard and shook her head. "It''s not hurting."


    That brought him immediate relief. "Then why are you crying?"


    "Because¡­because you care so much for me. Also, I am really sorry for making you worry that day."


    She didn''t realize her fainting would have made such a deep impact on Jun. Her heart broke to sense the fear in his voice.


    Jun flicked her forehead. "Idiot. Why are you crying over that now? And who would I care for if not you? You are my girlfriend. I love you. To love and protect you is what I have promised myself, and I will fulfill it even if I have to die for it."

 Chapter 181 The Valentine’s Day Arc (37) : Their First Night (5) *

    Chapter 181 The Valentine''s Day Arc (37) : Their First Night (5) *


    The moment Jun uttered the word ''die'', Ai felt a lump at the back of her throat. The flashes of that painful night barged in front of her eyes when she had witnessed him lying all bloodied in the car without any will to live.


    "Don''t say that you will die. I will only accept your love and protection if you live," Her lips trembled and pinched together in an attempt to not let her tears fall.


    As she recalled the accident that would happen ten years from now, panic filled her chest. Jun was going to die in that accident and thinking that only ten more years remained of his life, she felt the fear of losing him creep in her chest.


    She didn''t know how that accident had happened, but she vowed to herself that she won''t let anything happen to Jun. Since she knew the future, she will use that knowledge to protect his life.


    She scooted closer to him. "I will protect you too. I won''t let you die."


    Jun observed a strange sense of determination in her, which he couldn''t understand. But until a few moments ago, his thoughts were on a similar trajectory.


    He pressed her against his chest, his gaze turning murderous at the thought of Ai''s death in his past life.


    Falling from a building¡­


    She is already afraid of heights and that''s how she was supposed to die?


    He angrily laughed, thinking of how fate played so cruelly with her life by ending it with something she feared the most.


    When he recognized that the woman was Ai who fell on top of his car, he had his suspicions that maybe her death was not so simple. Certainly, it wasn''t suicide.


    That only left him with two options. Either it was an accident or a murder. Both of which only raged his heart with more outrage and violence. He remembered the tears in those beautiful eyes and her hand that had reached out to her in her last moments. He shuddered, recalling that moment when he faintly saw her eyes shut forever.


    Whether an accident or a murder, somebody was responsible for pushing her off that night and he promised that whoever he or she was, Jun won''t let the tragedy happen once again.


    A chilled smile lifted his lips.


    I will end your life before you could even touch my Ai.


    "I won''t let anybody hurt you¡­" he whispered, his lips hovering near her forehead.


    Ai lifted her head and noticed the iciness and danger that his aura and gaze emitted. She slightly raised her chest and pressed her lips on his.


    The bloodthirst dispelled from his eyes, bringing him back to reality.


    "You look so evil."


    Jun narrowed his eyes and kissed her back. "I don''t just LOOK evil. I AM evil. If there is anybody who will try to even touch a strand of your hair, I will be so evil that they will regret ever thinking of hurting you," he sneered. "My evilness will have no bounds if someone hurts the one most precious to me."


    His words brought goosebumps and at the same time overwhelmed her too. To be loved by Jun''s intense feelings was a notion where she found solace and security. She loved his promises and his possessiveness.


    Ai cupped his cheek and stared at him. The image of Jun''s blood-stained face from her past life overlapped with the present. She caressed his face with the tips of her fingers as if trying to wipe the blood off his face.


    "Jun¡­"


    Jun pressed his cheek against her warm palm and kissed it. He smiled such a beautiful smile that shook her hard. His desolate expression from that night and his smile greeting his lips tonight was at two extreme poles. It made her heart burn with a wish that she never wanted to see that look on his face again - devoid of hope and light.


    She kissed him again, not breaking that contact for a long time. Her trembling hands traced his neck and chest, making him draw a sharp breath. He could feel his member twitch and rise with this intimacy that she initiated.


    With great strength and resolve, Jun broke the kiss and breathlessly warned her, "Don''t tempt me¡­"


    She pursed her lips in annoyance and bit his jaw.


    "..."


    Jun gritted his teeth. "Ai!"


    She hugged him. "Jun, I love you."


    Jun paused, feeling his anger deflate. "I love you too."


    Ai slightly clenched her fingers on his chest and whispered, "So please¡­don''t stop here. I promise I won''t collapse."


    His mouth twitched. "You are talking as if the pain is in your control."


    "I will try my best."


    "..."


    "Please?"


    It wasn''t like Jun didn''t want to have more rounds with her. He just didn''t wish to see her miserable in pain the next morning. But he didn''t have the heart to reject Ai''s sincere request either, more so because he sensed Ai feeling emotional and vulnerable for some reason. He hated seeing her like that.


    Jun grabbed her waist by his muscular arm and pulled her towards him. In the same position as he laid beside her, he parted her thighs and slowly entered her.


    Ai gasped with the unexpected surprise. She thought he would climb on top of her again.


    This time, Jun was gentle with his thrusts as he pushed and pulled his member out of her. He stared hard at Ai, her face making exquisite and delightful expressions. He loved the muffled moans that escaped from her lips and the crimson hue on her cheeks. He cupped her breast and squeezed and pinched her bud while kissing her lips as he pounded inside her albeit tenderly and patiently


    "Ahhh¡­ahh¡­" Ai bit her lip, enjoying every bit of Jun''s attack on her senses. They breathlessly made love over and over again with Jun climaxing outside every single time.


    After a long, long time, Ai mumbled, satisfied. "Sleepy¡­"


    Jun sneered. "So you finally know that sleep exists."


    Her brows slightly crinkled, but she shrugged and ignored his comment though she had an urge to make a comeback.


    "Tomorrow¡­I will answer¡­back¡­"


    Jun raised his brow. He pulled the blanket over them and chuckled, "If you don''t collapse first."

 Chapter 182 The Sweet Morning After

    Chapter 182 The Sweet Morning After


    When the early morning sunshine hit the bedroom walls with its mellow golden light, it was Ai who woke up to the brightness first. She stretched her arms and yawned.


    She felt a weight on her waist and found Jun''s hand firmly wrapped around her stomach. Under the blanket they were completely naked, bringing a blush on Ai''s face which flushed only harder feeling the stickiness on her thighs. It was the evidence of Jun''s release and their lovemaking on the beautiful Valentine''s night.


    She faintly recalled that Jun was cleaning her up with tissues last night after their passion ended but Ai didn''t bother much, so she simply pulled him back to sleep with her.


    Ai covered her face with her palms.


    Was I always so bold?


    But then again, she thought that she did the right thing. Men craved intimacy too as much as women did. A little boldness from her side was healthy for their relationship, she surmised.


    She looked up and found Jun peacefully sleeping. Her breath hitched, observing his handsome face up so close. But then a while later, she noticed that Jun was indeed still sleeping.


    She blinked twice and upon a certain realization, her face beamed with joy and pride. She slowly unwrapped his arm from her waist and got up, covering herself with the blanket. She lowered her head and almost choked seeing the kiss and bite marks on her skin. They were everywhere right from her breasts, waist, arms and thighs. She didn''t dare to imagine how her neck and back would look at the moment.


    Ai quietly stepped off the bed and stood on her feet. She saw the pitiful state of her dress on the floor which was torn apart mercilessly. It was as if she could still hear the sound of it ripping apart.


    She coughed and went to the bathroom for a good, hot shower. Stepping out freshly bathed fifteen minutes later, she had a grave question in her mind.


    She glanced at Jun with a hint of grievance and complaint in her eyes.


    That was a good dress you tore apart¡­Why didn''t you undress me normally?


    She looked around and found Jun''s shirt on the floor. Her eyes strangely sparkled with amusement and curiosity as she thought of something.


    Ai picked up his shirt and after a deep contemplation, pushed her arms along its sleeves and wore his shirt. She looked at herself in the mirror.


    The shirt was naturally too loose and baggy for a woman of her size. It almost reached upto her knees. She flapped her arms wide to the side and turned around.


    She didn''t know why, but she grinned while wearing his shirt. She brought her hand close to her and smelled it. It was as if she could smell traces of his scent lingering on his shirt.


    "I didn''t know you have fetishes."


    She stiffened and her eyes widened in shock. She jumped back with the scare. She saw Jun staring at her with a hint of amusement in his smile.


    "You¡­" She took a breath and calmed down. "Since when are you awake?"


    "Ever since you wore my shirt and were jumping around in it as if you found a treasure."


    Her ears turned red with embarrassment.


    I must have looked so silly¡­


    "Why didn''t you say anything?"


    Jun shrugged. "It was entertaining to watch you try your new dress."


    Her mouth twitched.


    Jun pushed away the blanket and jumped out of bed. He was completely naked as he faced her with his member directly in line with Ai''s sight. His bare muscles and abs were droolworthy. She coughed and looked away, her neck heating up recalling last night''s moments.


    But Jun held her chin up and questioned. "Isn''t it too late to feel shy, especially after how you took charge of all our rounds later on?"


    "I-I didn''t take any charge."


    He sneered. "You didn''t let me stop. That for me is taking charge."


    She blushed.


    "Anyway," she beamed with pride, "I woke up first today."


    Jun blinked. "When was there a competition between us to see who will wake up first today?"


    Ai said, "I mean I woke up first after how last night went and look¡­" she took a twirl around herself and stared at him expectantly as if her message was very clear.


    Jun waited for her to make her point but when she still kept quiet, his brow twitched. "You twirled. And?"


    Ai pursed her lips in disappointment. "Why didn''t you understand?"


    He sneered. "How about you use words instead of dancing?"


    She gave up on giving any hints to Jun. "I didn''t collapse. It doesn''t hurt. I am fine," her face radiated with a sense of pride that showed that she wasn''t so weak. Jun had assumed that she would be miserable the next morning, but here she was already twirling and hopping.


    Jun tilted his head. "Oh."


    Ai nodded. "Yes. See? I didn''t make you worry this time."


    He smiled. "How about you twirl again?"


    Ai was dissatisfied. "You don''t believe me?"


    "Just twirl."


    Ai mumbled a complaint, nevertheless she twirled to prove him wrong only to stumble this time.


    Jun easily caught her in his arms and chuckled seeing her dizzy expression. "And you ask why I don''t believe you?"


    Ai held onto him and straightened up. Then she felt a slight ache in her waist.


    "This is because you twirled and hopped around too much. Who told you to do that just after your first time?" His gaze darkened. He picked her up and placed her on the bed again.


    "I am fine¡­"


    "You are not. Shut up and just rest. I will make breakfast. So stay put. If I see you hopping around again, I will punish you."


    Her ears perked up. "Punish me how?"


    She knew he wouldn''t make love to her until she would properly heal.


    Jun sneered. "You underestimate me."


    He bent and slipped his hand between her thighs from under his shirt that she wore. He found the place he was looking for and teasingly pinched her pink pleasure spot just above her core.


    Ai choked and jolted when that pinch suddenly broke her body into a sharp tremor.


    He smiled. "I can do many things without entering you."


    He kissed her cheek. "So rest. Otherwise, I will make you suffer."

 Chapter 183 The Discrepancy Between The Past And Present

    Chapter 183 The Discrepancy Between The Past And Present


    In the kitchen, Jun was cooking a piping hot breakfast with lots of meat and lots of veggies to fill Ai''s tummy. Last night would have left her extremely hungry by now, so he decided to prepare a breakfast feast for her.


    He sneered. "You are too thin. Now that I am your boyfriend, I will feed you till you become fat."


    More fat translated to more energy for their future love making rounds. Jun had his own hidden agenda.


    As he cooked, he simultaneously checked the news feed too. He smirked seeing the applause Ai was getting after last night''s Summit. She was praised in all communities, and she gained a huge fan following overnight. Her short story was also uploaded as a digital copy for making it available for the readers community to read.


    Jun was pleased seeing everybody''s reactions. It was an impactful, powerful short story. Since Ai confessed her feelings through this story, it was all the more special for Jun.


    He hummed and his thoughts wandered off to her story and as he recalled what she had written and spoken last night, he felt a little odd as he contemplated it. It was something that bothered him last night too but after Ai''s confession, he forgot all the doubts that arose in his mind.


    Ai said about the man confessing to her on Christmas night under a Christmas tree, he thought.


    The air turned chilly.


    It was Gu Yating, right? She was talking about him¡­


    But what Jun didn''t understand was the discrepancy in the events that had transpired.


    Didn''t he confess to her on New Year''s Eve like I heard last night? And Ai had rejected him.


    But why did she write in the story that it was Christmas night and that she had also accepted his confession? This doesn''t match with what actually happened.


    She was with me on Christmas. Obviously, that bastard didn''t confess, so Ai never accepted any confession either. Instead, he confessed on New Year''s, and she rejected him.


    How is it different from what she wrote in the story?


    Then he also didn''t understand the implication of Yating and Guiying betraying her later on.


    This hasn''t happened either. Not yet. It was supposed to happen five years later-


    Jun abruptly paused. He rapidly blinked his eyes and tilted his head. He slowed down the gas flame.


    Now that I think about it¡­


    There were a whole lot of things that weren''t supposed to happen either according to the knowledge that he had of his past life.


    In the book signing event, he surely turned the fate for Ai by making Yinyin confess. But there were extra copies of Guiying''s books in which he had no hand. Till date, Jun still wasn''t sure how those extra copies got there. The lack of copies should still have been a problem, causing chaos among the fans.


    Instead, 300 extra copies were ordered. It was exactly 300 copies needed, and there were 300 copies indeed.


    Jun loved perfection, but he wondered if the perfect 300 number was a coincidence?


    Then there was the biggest incident which Jun didn''t realize then, but now he did after hearing Ai''s story.


    Ai had never joined Sky in my past life. She worked at Dream High the whole time. Then why did this time, Ai said that she wanted to come to Sky?


    The whole plagiarism issue never happened in Jun''s past life, and it wouldn''t have happened this time either if Ai was still working at Dream High.


    Instead, she wanted to come to Sky this time. Why? What changed?


    Jun remembered the few sentences from Ai''s story.


    ''She kept falling and falling in that cold, chilling night until that despair mercilessly killed her.''


    ''Her heart felt empty, but her eyes were clouded with tears.''


    ''Life gave her another chance to stand up on her feet and fix her life. Their betrayal had killed her.''


    ''Yet she felt she was reborn.''


    Jun shook hard. He remembered when he was rushing to chase after Ai, he had heard bits and pieces of people discussing Ai''s story. One part they highlighted was her rebirth.


    Was it a metaphor? Or was she really reborn?


    The part about falling in the cold, chilling night was too familiar with how she had actually died in the past life. She had fallen from a building, and it was a cold night. Her eyes were filled with tears.


    Jun felt his heart strangely beat hard for some reason. It was true that Jun was reborn, but his rebirth had nothing to do with Ai''s life. Even though they did meet in this life which didn''t happen last time, it shouldn''t have changed Ai''s trajectory of life unless he interfered, and he hadn''t apart from the book signing event.


    My actions did protect Ai from getting accused, but would they have affected her decision to change the company? It had nothing to do with the 300 extra copies either.


    It also fit that Ai introduced Jun''s entry in her life after the betrayal and the rebirth happened.


    It cannot be possible that Ai is also¡­


    He felt stupid for thinking that. But the more things didn''t make sense to him from how Ai''s life should have been, the more he strongly felt the incidents weren''t coincidences.


    He was about to rush back to Ai''s side when his phone rang with a call. He would have ignored it if it wasn''t for his mother''s name flashing on his phone.


    Mom?


    He slid through the green button and smiled. "Mom."


    "Jun¡­"


    He blinked, sensing distress from her voice. "Mom, are you okay?"


    "I am fine, Jun. But¡­are you okay?"


    "Huh? I am just fine. What would have happened to me?"


    "It''s just that¡­I wanted to ask if everything is fine between you and Shui?"


    Jun widened his eyes. "What do you mean?"


    He heard a sigh from the other end. "I mean I got to know from Xinyi that you and Shui had no plans last night. It was Valentine''s Day. I thought you would have definitely planned a date with her. You two were not together on Christmas or New Years either. This is not like you, Jun. That''s why I was worried if there was something wrong."


    Jun understood where Nana was coming from. There was not a single event in his past life where Jun hadn''t organized something special for Shui right from childhood till he became an adult.


    He had already decided to come out with his breakup after he and Ai got together last night.


    Jun took a deep breath and said, "I am coming home, Mom. There is something important that I need to tell the whole family."

 Chapter 184 Mr. Liu’s First Conversation With His Future Mother-In-Law

    Chapter 184 Mr. Liu''s First Conversation With His Future Mother-In-Law


    Back in Jun''s bedroom, Ai was having her own conversation with her mother, who had called her after a considerable amount of time. She did keep a track of Ai''s life and regularly had conversations via chat and messages with her which were always short and simple.


    During the whole plagiarism scandal, Ai''s mother was relatively calmer than Ai herself because she knew that the accusation was nonsense and that the truth would come to light soon enough.


    Naturally, she had questioned the whole matter when Ai came out with her post. She didn''t understand when did her daughter take another pen name to which Ai only replied that she would explain everything in detail later as she wanted to focus on Summit.


    Her mother didn''t mind. She wasn''t the type to make a fuss. Right now, her mother called her to talk about an important matter with Ai.


    "Mom."


    "Ai."


    Then there was silence.


    Xie Nuying and Ai were cut from the same cloth. Quiet and humble by nature. They spoke very little and only what was necessary.


    Xie Nuying spoke from the other end, "I saw the Summit last night on my tab," her mellow voice was pleasing to hear.


    "You won the Summit. Congratulations."


    To anybody else, it might have felt that she spoke very plainly and without emotion, but Ai sensed the hint of pride in her tone.


    Ai beamed and softly smiled. "Thank you, Mom."


    "You did a good job. I loved your story. I didn''t know why, but it brought tears to my eyes. Perhaps because I strongly felt that you were talking about yourself."


    Ai slightly stiffened. She hadn''t told her mother about her rebirth.


    Xie Nuying''s voice turned somber. "I don''t know why I felt that way. Maybe it was because of how you delivered the story. I have read many stories and heard many recitations. Your emotions as you told your story felt different. The part about parents'' separation¡­you were talking about our family, right?"


    Ai pursed her lips and remained silent. Her mother got her answer anyway.


    "There are actually many things I want to talk about since I feel you were the protagonist of your story. But the one because of which I called you is to know about the man who you confessed to through your story."


    Ai slightly cleared her throat.


    Xie Nuying continued with her soothing voice and gentle pace, "I saw you trembling when you read the last part. You seemed to be oddly emotional and nervous especially around the ending. I surmise that man must be either watching you like me through a stream or was actually present there. Nevertheless, it felt like your confession was real. Am I right?"


    Ai softly admitted. "Yes. It was real. He was there at the Summit."


    "I see."


    Xie Nuying then took a long pause. "What was his answer?"


    A smile bloomed on Ai''s lips. "He returns my feelings too."


    She couldn''t guess what her mother must be looking like right now.


    She replied. "As much as I have heard through your story, he seems to be a nice man."


    "Yes. He is kind and caring. He loves me a lot."


    "Indeed. Though that is how you feel about him which is fine. But I need to have that assurance too. I need to see it with my own eyes."


    Which simply meant that Xie Nuying wanted to meet Jun.


    Ai thought about it and nodded. She would need to ask Jun about it, but she knew he wouldn''t have any problem with it.


    She was about to respond when Jun climbed on the bed and snuck his arms around her waist, pulling her body against his. "Ai."


    Ai stiffened. The phone was in her left hand and wasn''t clearly visible with the angle she had held it on her ear.


    "I have made breakfast. You must be hungry. Let''s go. Also, I need to talk about something important with you."


    Ai coughed. With the phone still on, she felt slightly nervous.


    Jun frowned. "Why do you look so tense?"


    She slowly revealed her phone and showed the caller ID to him.


    It displayed ''Mom'' and the call was ongoing.


    He blinked, and his mouth formed a small O. But overall, he looked the same. He wasn''t fretting or panicking at all.


    There was a long silence from the other end and when Jun couldn''t take it for any longer, he took the phone from her hand. "Hello."


    "...Hello."


    Jun felt as if he was listening to Ai version 2.0. Ai and her mother''s voices felt too similar to him.


    Xie Nuying calmly said, "I wasn''t aware that my daughter and you were together."


    "We are," he confirmed without feeling any shame or embarrassment.


    "I see."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He felt her silence to be irksome. "Very respectfully, if you want to say something, please say it."


    "...I understand she has feelings for you, but I didn''t expect Ai to be so hasty with her relationship," her voice was tranquil but sharp at the same time.


    Jun''s gaze darkened. "Once again, very respectfully. You can judge me or talk to me however you want. That''s your right because you don''t know me yet, and you haven''t met me yet. I understand if you blame me for whatever has happened. But don''t speak to Ai like that, or don''t imply that she has done anything wrong."


    There was a pause. "Why so?"


    "Because she is wise and mature. She knows what she is doing better than anybody else her age. I expect her mother to be even wiser and more mature because you have given birth to her. I expect some amount of wisdom to be reflected in the genes. You should know your daughter even better than me. It won''t sit well with me if you accuse Ai of anything. Nobody can talk to my girlfriend like that. Neither will I allow anybody from my family to hurt her nor her own."

 Chapter 185 Something Important To Tell You

    Chapter 185 Something Important To Tell You


    Ai stared at him, speechless. Jun was extremely displeased, and she could feel that with the ominous aura he was emitting.


    Jun continued. "Since you know I am her boyfriend, I understand you would want to meet me. Today, I will be meeting my family to declare my relationship with Ai. After that, I will visit you to give my greetings soon. I hope it''s fine with you."


    Xie Nuying said nothing for several long moments after which she agreed. "Sure. I will be waiting."


    Jun hung up and saw Ai staring at him with great amazement.


    "What?"


    Ai coughed. "Nobody has talked to Mom like that."


    He sneered. "Nobody has talked to my Dad like that either the way you confronted him on that banquet night."


    Her mouth twitched. "How do you know?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "I didn''t like him isolating you from the family like that. He also forbade you from coming to the party which I didn''t like that either."


    Jun trembled seeing her concern, and he leaned to kiss her on her lips.


    "As for your mother, nobody can talk to you like that," he narrowed his eyes. "I didn''t like her tone. If she wants to accuse someone, then she can accuse me. I popped the question first last night. I won''t tolerate anybody pointing fingers at you, even if it''s your mother," his icy voice sounded unforgivable.


    Ai felt her heart thump for several beats. Normally, a boyfriend would panic if he is being caught by his girlfriend''s parents. But not only did Jun not panic, he even lectured Ai''s mother.


    She softly chuckled and hugged him. "It''s alright. I understand where she is coming from too."


    "You can understand all you want but still, nobody can be disappointed at you!" He declared.


    Ai smiled and kissed him on his lips. "You are so cute."


    "Shut up. Don''t call me cute! First Mom and now you¡­" he grimaced.


    Ai then held a serious countenance. "You said to Mom that you will be meeting your family today."


    That made him remember Nana''s call, and he solemnly nodded. "I ignored the whole topic until now because I¡­" he sighed, "I really didn''t want to face them. When I decided I will come out with it, my great-grandma fell sick, and I couldn''t confess it anymore seeing her health deteriorate. But now I don''t want to hide it."


    He possesively grabbed her waist and shared a deep kiss with her. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and pressed his forehead against hers. "Now, I have you. No way do I want anybody to associate me with Shui. You are my girlfriend, and only you can be by my side."


    Slightly breathless with the kiss, Ai blushed. His words and resolve made her feel as if she was floating in the sky.


    He kissed her forehead. "I will be back in sometime."


    She furrowed her brows. "You are going alone?"


    "Yeah."


    She blinked. "No. I will come with you too."


    "No. You stay here. It''s gonna be a big mess and a whole lot of confusion. Plus, I have told Mom for having Shui''s family come over too. I need to have a good conversation with them."


    "I don''t want to leave you alone to handle it. If we are in a relationship, we should do it together," Ai firmly stated.


    He smiled and pressed her head against his chest. "I love you so much, Ai."


    She hugged him back. "I love you too, Jun."


    "I understand you are worried me. Trust me, I will be fine. I want them to meet you when the situation would calm down. Right now, it''s just going to be a big shock for everybody. I don''t want your and my family''s first official meeting to be under such tension."


    Ai still seemed dissatisfied and unconvinced.


    "I promise I won''t take much time," he tapped on her nose.


    He then stared at her, not forgetting about the whole incidents that made him suspicious about Ai''s rebirth.


    "Ai, you¡­"


    Ai slightly raised her head from his chest and tilted her head. "Hm?"


    "It''s out of context but¡­why did you want to join Sky?"


    Ai blinked twice.


    "Why did you want to leave Dream High?"


    She trembled lightly. She had made an excuse in the post that she wanted to challenge herself by working in a different company. But she knew the truth and the reasons better than anybody - Her past life which she didn''t want to repeat it this time.


    But those reasons were for the world. For Jun¡­


    The truth about her rebirth was her tightly guarded secret. She didn''t feel like sharing it with anybody not that anybody would have believed her anyway. Her mother, Xie Nuying might have, but Ai decided against it nevertheless. She thought that she would take this secret to her grave but now that Jun asked this question, she wondered if she should tell him the truth.


    He might find it bizarre but however unbelievable it was, she didn''t want to hide such an important fact about her life from him. That''s what love meant for her. She also believed that somebody else might laugh at her for talking about a fantasy concept like rebirth happening in real life. But Jun would never make fun of her. He would never take it lightly.


    Jun was also thinking along similar lines. When he realized the course of Ai''s fate changing, he started having questions in his mind. But his own rebirth also dawned upon him and the fact that Ai was unaware of it.


    Which she shouldn''t be anymore, considering that she was his girlfriend, and he vowed to live the rest of his life with her. There should be no secrets hidden between them.


    "Jun. When you come back, I have to tell something important to you."


    Jun didn''t break his gaze from her and slowly nodded. "I have something important that I want to share with you too."

 Chapter 186 Announcing Breakup

    Chapter 186 Announcing Breakup


    Liu villa.


    The atmosphere in the Liu villa was strangely tense and brooding. Just as Jun had asked, Nana called the Han family over. In the Han family, only Shui knew what was going on and what Jun had to say.


    Xinyi smiled as she stood beside Nana, "Why do you look so distressed?"


    Nana awkwardly smiled. "Nothing..."


    She couldn''t say that Jun''s behavior over the call had made her worried. He had something important to say and deep down she felt that it wasn''t good news.


    Nuo and Siying were on the other side as he asked, "Do you know anything about what Bro Jun has to say?"


    Nuo shook her head. "No idea. He just told everybody to gather."


    Siying felt it odd. He glanced at his sister, who was fidgeting for some reason. He observed her getting anxious and jittery ever since they left home, and now she felt even more shaky as if something inevitable was approaching.


    Zhiyuan was by his daughter''s side, who held Shui''s hand and smiled. "Why are you nervous, dear?"


    She tried to smile but couldn''t. "I-I am fine, Dad."


    He stared at her with squinted eyes. "Doesn''t feel like that to me."


    "No, really. I am okay."


    Zhiyuan sighed. "If you say so. Do you know why that brat has called us today?"


    She stiffened.


    "...I do. But it''s better if he says it."


    On the other hand, Jian and Nian were too uneasy with the tension.


    "Why is everybody acting like somebody has died?" Jian questioned.


    Nian was in his own tragic mode. "Because somebody has. Me. Me! I am dead. I am dead in my Xing Bi''s eyes. I am dead for her. She beat me up so badly. She will never look at me again. That Zhou Ai. She turned out to be someone who Xing Bi treated as her own sister. I screwed up. I screwed up!" He sobbed.


    Jian sneered in disdain. "You are pathetic, Nian. You had one chance to make it right, but you lost it too. Now be single for the rest of your life."


    He then ignored his twin brother and noticed Jin looking expressionless. "Why are you acting the same way as all the others? You are so unusually quiet!" He smacked him on the back of his head.


    Jin glanced at his brother once and then retracted his gaze without much emotion. "Nothing really. I just think something interesting is about to happen."


    "People are looking so tense here. What can be interesting?"


    He smiled. "We will only know once Bro Jun comes here, right?"


    Grandma Liu, who was in her wheelchair beside Liu Hai and Liu Chunhua, was the only one in a hopeful mood. "Maybe Jun is coming here to talk about his and Shui''s engagement!"


    Zhiyuan scowled at that.


    "At that time, Jun didn''t have the ring with him, but this time he must be bringing it with him. That''s why he asked the Han family to come over too," she clapped her hands once in delight.


    Jinhai narrowed his eyes and kept quiet.


    A while later, Jun finally arrived amidst everybody''s impatient waiting.


    "Jun!" Nana brightened and hugged him. "You are here."


    He stared at her and nodded. His eyes cast a glance at everybody once. It settled on Shui for just a second who seemed to have prepared herself.


    He came forward and smiled at Xinyi. "Thanks for coming, Aunt."


    Xinyi chuckled. "Of course we will."


    Jun nodded at Siying and Zhiyuan too.


    He then came forward and said, "I wanted everybody here because I want to say something important to all of you. It''s something that you should have all known two months ago itself. But it kept delaying for some reason or the other. It''s really a high time now that you know this."


    Everybody frowned in confusion.


    What was so important that made Jun so serious about it?


    Liu Chunhua warmly smiled. "Go ahead, dear. We are listening."


    pa?,??-?0???,cm Jun took a silent breath. "Shui and I have broken up."


    The silence rang so deep that nobody could wrap their heads around it. The statement dropped like a big bomb where nobody could brace themselves from the impact.


    "Broke up...?" Nana asked in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan exchanged glances that expressed how shocked they were like everybody else. He swiftly sprung up on his feet and faced Jun with a grave countenance. "What do you mean?" He dangerously narrowed his eyes.


    Shui quickly pulled him back and said, "Dad."


    He glanced at her and asked, "What is he saying?"


    Shui let out a breath and nodded. "We broke up around December."


    "What!?"


    Xinyi was stupefied. "Shui! You and Jun broke up? In December? I-I don''t get it. Are you two serious or having fun with the adults here?"


    Jun said, "No, Aunt. This is absolutely serious. Shui and I have broken up."


    Nuo rushed to his side, her face uptight. "But why? You and Shui...You have been together since childhood. You were in such a happy relationship. Then how did this happen?"


    Siying confronted his sister as well. "Shui, something like this happened so long ago, and you didn''t say something so important? Why? And weren''t you two so happy?"


    Liu Hai, who always seemed jolly and hyper excited, gazed at his grandson, his eyes deadly serious and in no mood to joke around. "What is happening, Jun?"


    Jun faced his gaze straight on and said, "I realized that Shui and I are not compatible with each other. It was better we ended our relationship sooner than later."


    "Not compatible? Where did this come from?"


    Jun tightened his fingers in his palm. "We are not meant for each other."


    "That''s even more bizarre," His uncle Jing pointed out. "You two have been best friends since childhood. You have known each other for the longest. You two always wanted to be together. Then how are you not meant for each other?"

 Chapter 187 A Strange Enmity

    Chapter 187 A Strange Enmity


    Jun wasn''t sure how to explain, and he knew that he was completely at fault here. Since childhood, he was obsessed with Shui. He followed her everywhere, declaring her his wife at every chance he got. He molded the situation around himself and Shui to the point that it could never strike anyone that one day would come where they might fall apart.


    It was the same in his past life. Shui''s rejection on her twenty-fifth birthday to his proposal had come as a huge shock. For a long time, nobody could believe that Jun and Shui would never marry now. Whether Shui broke up or Jun, the news was bound to rattle everybody hard because that''s how Jun had built that future over the years.


    He now knew how his past life led to such a miserable end for everybody. But it was hard to explain his decision without any context, especially when they seemed happy in their relationship.


    Nana worriedly asked, "Jun, have you and Shui fought perhaps? If it''s like that, then we can talk and sort it out."


    Xinyi agreed. "Yes. There is no argument that cannot be solved by a good conversation with each other."


    Jun stared at them and faintly smiled. He shook his head. "We have not fought Mom, Aunt Xinyi."


    Grandma Liu was slightly trembling in the wheelchair. "Jun¡­how¡­how is it possible? Everything was going so well¡­" she looked at him with her misty eyes.


    Jun hastily bent on his knees and held her hand. "Grandma, please. Please calm down. I really don''t want to give you or anybody else tension about this matter. I just came here to tell the truth because I cannot keep fooling both the families anymore. It''s¡­a hard thing to explain, but that''s just how Shui and I feel. That''s why we couldn''t say it immediately."


    Her hands slightly shook as she held his head between her palms. "H-How can we not stress about this? You have always loved Shui so much. You couldn''t wait to m-make her your wife¡­How can you be happy? How can she be happy¡­?"


    Grandma Liu muttered to herself in a daze in a very low voice, "So¡­what Jin said was true¡­"


    Jun furrowed his brows. "What did you say? Grandma?"


    Grandma Liu snapped from her stupor and shook her head. "Jun, dear. It''s definitely a misunderstanding! I-I heard you and Shui had a few arguments in the past months. But that happens between every couple. There is no need to break up over this. I¡­just want to see you happy, Jun¡­"


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan looked at Shui and so did Nana at Jun in bewilderment.


    "Fights about what?"


    They didn''t expect that they should know every single thing about their relationship but if there were frequent fights which possibly brought them to the point of a breakup, then they felt that as parents, they needed to know where things went so wrong.


    Jun and Shui hesitated. To the world, they may seem as really small fights, but only Jun knew how these small incidents had cascaded into a tragic future in his past life.


    Jinhai, who kept quiet until now, spoke up, "It''s a matter between them. Both are adults to understand what they want and what they do not want from their relationship."


    His words incited a shocked reaction from everybody. How could Jinhai accept it so easily?


    Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes. "I do want to know. It''s bizarre. He never stopped chasing after Shui for all these years and now suddenly he says that it''s over? Did you forget that he even ordered a ring for Shui?"


    Jun clarified. "I did. But then I cancelled it."


    Nana and Xinyi widened their eyes. "But¡­"


    "You had misunderstood that day. I wasn''t there to collect the ring. I was there to cancel the order. That day, I came to admit that I broke up with Shui. But Great grandma fell sick, and everybody thought I was going to propose to Shui. I felt it wasn''t the right time."


    Siying walked upto Shui and gazed at her silently. "Shui, what do you think about this? Are you and Bro Jun really happy with this? Have you really thought this through?"


    Shui recalled right from the very first moment when Jun broke up with her to the New Year''s Eve that had turned things ugly between them. It was the biggest confrontation that had made her realize many things to which she was unaware before.


    She slowly nodded. "Yes, Bro."


    There was a deep silence. For years now, everybody assumed that Shui will be the daughter-in-law of the Liu family one day. But now that the most awaited marriage was never going to happen, it was difficult to digest such a huge setback.


    Nana rubbed the corner of her eye and asked, "Jun¡­are you really sure? Tell me the truth. Are you really happy?"


    Jun stared at her. He thought about Ai, and his gaze turned warm. "I am happy, Mom."


    He knew that it would be another bomb dropped upon them if he came out about his relationship with Ai at this moment. But now that things have reached this point, he wanted to be clear about everything, whether it was his broken relationship with Shui or his new relationship with Ai.


    He wanted everybody to know that he was in love with Ai, and the only woman in his life was Ai.


    Jun took a deep breath and said, "Mom, there is something-"


    "I wonder if Bro has really thought things through."


    Jun''s next words were sharply cut off by Jin''s interruption. He blinked at Jin, who was gazing at him with a strange enmity in his eyes that he never saw before.


    Jin smiled. "Have you really thought things through, Bro Jun? Or are your actions a result of getting enamored because of a certain woman?"

 Chapter 188 Twist The Implication

    Chapter 188 Twist The Implication


    Jun stared at him unblinkingly. "What?"


    Jin''s black eyes carried a hint of menace in it, but his smile was as charming as a devil. He walked up to his elder brother and faced him. "I think you know what exactly I am talking about, Bro. Did you break up with Shui because you think you are not compatible with her or because you found someone else?"


    Liu Hai didn''t understand and asked, "What are you even talking about? Found someone else?"


    Jin tilted his head. "Indeed. You know, Bro Jun? You were not the only one in the Author''s Summit last night. Bro Nian and I were also there."


    Jun''s eyes slowly widened. He immediately put two and two together and guessed what might have happened. But what he didn''t understand was why Jin would be there. He knew Nian was present because he was the one who beat up the judges and stood by Xing Bi.


    But Jin?


    "I saw an interesting thing last night. Actually, many interesting things happened. Somebody confessed to you last night, and you even responded to that confession with such a passionate kiss."


    That brought upon a sharp silence for several moments.


    Nana exclaimed. "Jin! Are you even in your senses!?"


    "I am very much in my senses, Mom. In fact¡­it brought me completely to my senses," his voice at the end sounded darker and vicious.


    But the one around whom the aura was even more deadly was none other than Zhiyuan. "What the hell is going on!? First, Jun tells us that they broke up because he feels Jun and Shui are not compatible, and now you say it''s because of a woman?"


    Jun stared at Jin and warned him. "Jin. I don''t know how much you saw, but don''t give things any different meaning which doesn''t even exist."


    "What meaning does not exist, Bro Jun? What other meaning should be taken when I come to know that you allowed Zhou Ai to live with you in your condo for a whole month?"


    "Huh?" The others could only question with utter confusion.


    "Zhou Ai?" Liu Hai''s ears immediately perked upon hearing her name.


    Jin said, "Yes, Zhou Ai. The same woman you introduced to me as my future wife."


    Hearing Jin associate Ai as his future wife made green veins pop on the back of his hand which trembled silently.


    "But we didn''t know that Grandpa didn''t have to choose her as my wife because apparently, Bro Jun had already done so for himself."


    Jin looked back and shot a stare at Nian. "Bro Nian also heard it, right? From Zhou Ai''s editor, Xing Bi. She admitted that Zhou Ai lived with Bro Jun in his house for a whole month."


    Nian clearly remembered it. It had just happened last night and knowing that Jun could do something like this for another woman besides Shui had shocked him deeply.


    Jian snapped his head towards his twin brother and narrowed his eyes. "Nian?"


    Nian said nothing.


    Nana was exasperated with all the confusion surrounding Jun and Ai and asked, "Will somebody tell me clearly what is going on? I only know that Jun and Zhou Ai are acquaintances because they meet in the library frequently."


    "It''s not frequent, Mom. It''s everyday. She came to the banquet to give his gift to you and Dad. But it''s not because she found it accidentally in the library as she had claimed. She lied. She got his gift because she lived with him. Which makes me wonder just how and when you two got so close that you offered her your house to live in?"


    Jun opened his mouth but for some reason, he couldn''t find the right words. He only heard a loud sound of something shattering in his chest.


    Zhiyuan sharply asked Shui, "Did you know about this, Shui?"


    Shui herself felt at a loss. This was something which she was unaware of as well.


    When did Jun and Zhou Ai¡­?


    "Shui! I am asking if you knew about Jun and Zhou Ai?"


    "Dad, I didn''t know about them," she faced him, "but I don''t think the way in which Jin is implying their relationship is true¡­Jin. You must be misunderstanding-"


    But Jin completely ignored her to her disbelief.


    Xinyi pulled his arm. "Zhiyuan, calm down."


    "''Calm down? You are telling me to calm down?" He laughed, his teeth gritting in anger and disbelief. "This brat who always claimed Shui as his now suddenly tells me that he broke up with her. He gives a reason that they are not compatible but on the other side, I get to hear that there is another woman involved. Xinyi, if it''s what I am thinking-"


    "What is it, Zhiyuan?" Xinyi glared at him. "We have seen Jun grow up in front of our eyes. We know him better than anybody!"


    Jun watched his brother in a daze and asked, "Jin¡­You cannot be implying that I¡­" he chuckled, his heart gripped with a tight pain, "That I cheated on Shui, right?"


    Jin narrowed his eyes. "No, Bro. How can I imply that? You didn''t cheat on Shui. Since Zhou Ai lived with you after you broke up with Shui, it won''t be cheating. You were single, after all. What I am saying is that your reason for breaking up with Shui was not as innocent as you claim it to be. You didn''t want to cheat on Shui which is why you gave the reason that you two are not meant for each other. But it''s actually Zhou Ai, right?"


    Grandma Liu trembled. "This cannot be true, right? Jun, did you really find someone else? Impossible¡­This is impossible! After all this time, you are saying that you won''t be with Shui but somebody else?"


    "Grandma-"


    "No, tell me, Jun. First you tell me. Is what Jin saying is true? Is there another woman in your life?" She glared at him.


    Jun clenched his jaw. "Yes. There is. I came here to not only announce that Shui and I broke up but also to declare that I am dating Zhou Ai. But it''s not like what you are thinking or how Jin is implying! Ai is not ''another'' woman as if she is some homewrecker. She is my girlfriend. I chose her because I love her!"

 Chapter 189 Pleased To Meet Everyone

    Chapter 189 Pleased To Meet Everyone


    Jun''s declaration left everybody aghast except Jinhai.


    "You cannot be serious, Jun!" Zhiyuan exclaimed in fury.


    It was hard reining Zhiyuan''s temper that was flaring up with every moment. No matter how much he seemed to oppose Jun and Shui''s relationship on the outside, he did support them from the bottom of his heart because he knew that nobody could love his daughter as much as Jun did. Jun''s whole world started and ended with Shui, which was what he wanted for his daughter.


    A man who would treat her precious and closest to his heart. A man who would give her all the love he had to give.


    If he was being honest to himself, Zhiyuan knew that Jun would never even think about cheating on Shui. The Liu family hadn''t raised their son like that. He had seen him grow up from a little brat to a responsible adult. He didn''t want to believe it, but listening to Jun''s confession that he now loved some other woman made him feel unjust for Shui.


    Grandma Liu curled her fist. "Love her? Love someone named Zhou Ai? You suddenly love Zhou Ai now?"


    "It''s not sudden! You¡­"


    "Then what should I make of this, Liu Jun?" She took deep, restless breaths. "You never got tired of saying how much you loved Shui. Nobody could replace her in your heart. And now you want me to believe that someone who you might have met just two months ago made such a deep place in your heart that you forgot all about Shui? You want me to accept this woman as your girlfriend or someone you want to marry? Is it really love or has she bewitched you somehow!?"


    "Then tell your brother to stop speaking nonsense! I am telling you, Jun. I-I won''t accept Zhou Ai for you!"


    The temperature took a sudden drop, Jun''s countenance turning frighteningly cold. "Not accept her? I accept her as my woman, and that is enough!"


    Jin squinted his eyes. "When did you become so possessive of Zhou Ai? Just over a matter of two months, and you are head in heels for her? And then you say she is not the reason for turning everything into a mess?"


    "What nonsense are you spouting, Jin!?" Jun''s loud voice roared in the villa akin to a beast let out from his cave. "I hadn''t even met Ai back when I broke up with Shui! I didn''t even know her! Why will I break up because of Ai!? Don''t you fucking dare drag Ai into this when it''s got nothing to do with her!"


    Nana intervened between them. "Enough for now! You two-"


    Jin ignored his mother''s intervention and incredulously questioned him back. "Nothing to do with her? You let a woman into your house and life for a whole month. You personally stepped in between as the Sky CEO to fight for her during the whole plagiarism scandal. She came all the way to the anniversary banquet to hand over your gift. You attended the Authors Summit even though you dislike events like such. Why? Because Zhou Ai was going to be there. And you say that your breakup has nothing to do with her?"


    Jinhai warned. "Jin, you should stop it. Don''t go too far."


    Shui quickly came forward. "Jin, Even if Jun and Zhou Ai are together, I don''t think it''s like what you are-"


    Jin smiled. "It''s exactly like that, Shui. You have been fooled so what you say doesn''t mean anything."


    She stiffened.


    What¡­Why does Jin feels so different today?


    The twins grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. Jian was on his left while Nian was on his right.


    Jian narrowed his eyes. "This is not like you, Jin. I know things have taken a steep turn here, but calm down."


    Nian''s eyes showed no signs of what he was exactly thinking. "Jin, enough."


    Jin tilted his head. "Enough? He broke up with Shui, and he already found someone else. Isn''t he so quick to jump over to the next ship?"


    Jun froze. He didn''t realize what happened after that, but he only felt a light feathery wind touch him and then heard a loud slap echo in the hall.


    Shui gasped in shock while the others could only look, speechless.


    That sound of a slap broke his daze, and he saw a figure standing between him and Jin. His lips parted, appalled.


    "Ai¡­?"


    Jun stared at Ai, whose figure looked smaller before him, yet her small shoulders were straight. Her back faced him, so he didn''t know what expression she wore right now.


    The slap that resounded in the hall had hit Jin, tilting his face to the right by the impact. Silence followed for several moments after the slap''s sound diffused.


    Liu Hai and Nana widened his eyes. "You."


    Jin slowly raised his head and stared at her figure who stood still and poised, but her eyes were anything but calm. They held hostility that Ai had never felt before, not even when Yating and Guiying betrayed her.


    Ai parted her lips to confront Jin, but she stopped and turned to face Jun. "I thought about it a lot, and I concluded that you are wrong Jun," she stated. "You shouldn''t be alone in facing anything. I disagree with you that I should meet your family when everything has calmed down. If I am not with you when the situation is tough, then I shouldn''t be there when it''s settled down either. That''s not how a relationship works."


    He stiffened. "You¡­Didn''t I tell you to stay back!"


    Jun felt utterly helpless. Things had reached the point where people were misunderstanding Ai as a homewrecker, and he didn''t want her to bear such accusations at any cost!


    "You did. But I disagreed. So, I came here."


    "..."


    "Leave, Ai!" He glared at her. "You¡­please just leave."


    Ai stared at him. "Sure. If you want it so much, then I will leave. But then you won''t accompany me to meet my parents either."


    His gaze darkened. "Of course, I won''t let you go alone!"


    "Then be quiet now."


    "..."


    Ai turned and as her gaze fell on everybody, she bowed. "Hello. I am Zhou Ai. I would like to formally introduce myself as Jun''s girlfriend. Pleased to meet everyone here though I understand you don''t return the sentiments. I will ignore that for now."

 Chapter 190 Ai’s Counter Arguments

    Chapter 190 Ai''s Counter Arguments


    Liu Hai choked in his throat. Jian and Nian coughed hard.


    Water¡­somebody please give us water¡­


    Jinhai cocked his brow as he gazed at her sharply.


    Liu Hai, Jinhai and the twins had first hand experience of how it felt with getting confronted by Ai. Her words were so sharp and lethal that it could make your heart bleed without any mercy.


    The twins recalled how she looked when she had jammed the popsicles in their mouths that day outside the library.


    Ai didn''t look angry. But she was angry, and now that sentiment had only been amplified by several folds.


    Ai raised her head and faced Jin, and the animosity in her light brown pupils returned. "You should understand that I am pleased to meet everyone here except you."


    "And I hope you also understand why I slapped you."


    Grandma Liu trembled. "You¡­How could you just barge in and slap my great grandson!?"


    Ai glanced at her. "I will come to you later. First, I want to talk to your great-grandson."


    The twins shuddered.


    Bro. Why does the ''I will come to you later.'' part sounds like she is some assassin giving a death threat to her target?


    She froze. "You¡­"


    Nana came to her side and gently said, "Grandma, please calm down. Let her¡­" she looked at Ai with a complicated gaze, "Let her say what she has to."


    Ai looked back at Jin and asked, "Do you know why I slapped you?"


    Jin said nothing.


    "You have been uttering nonsense about your brother. You are asking him if I am the reason why he broke up with Han Shui. Then let me answer you. No, Jun did not break up because of me. I have nothing to do with their breakup. My job is letting you know my stand. I don''t care if you believe me or not. Then you asked how Jun could jump to another ship so soon? Which means that you are implying that he never loved Han Shui that much or that he didn''t care much about her that he could find another woman so soon, isn''t it?"


    Jin said nothing.


    "Then let me tell you. Firstly, if you could accuse Jun of not loving Han Shui with all his heart, then you don''t know Jun at all, and you are not fit to be his brother."


    His brow ever so slightly twitched, and his eyes faintly flickered with a tinge of peril.


    "Secondly, I don''t understand why you are quantifying love like that. He loved Han Shui since his childhood, so does it mean that Jun should only fall in love with someone else after another twenty years or so have passed? Will it only then prove that he loved Han Shui enough? That is simply bizarre. Whether he falls in love within two months after breaking up or after twenty years, it doesn''t have any connection to the love he held for Han Shui, and it certainly doesn''t give you any right to question his feelings."


    She tilted her head. "Love cannot be restricted in a time frame like that. You or anybody here cannot define when a certain someone should fall in love or when he shouldn''t."


    Ai slightly leaned and narrowed her eyes. "How easily Jun could fall in love with someone is basically what you are asking. But have you stopped in your tracks and ever wondered what you define as ''easily'' and how actually ''easy'' it was for Jun could hold a difference as large as the sky and the earth? You really don''t understand what Jun went through all this time, do you? You are all just looking at the end result and judging him, but you didn''t stop to think how hard it would have been for Jun to open his heart for a second time and give love a second chance, right? That, for me, is incredibly selfish and demeaning."


    Her voice was calm and unhurried, but the weight of those words she spoke fell heavily on everybody.


    "That''s¡­that''s preposterous!" Grandma Liu exclaimed. "Jun and Shui are perfect together. I don''t know why Jun would suddenly feel that they are not meant for each other. It''s definitely because of you," she wiped her eyes, "Otherwise, we know Jun! He would never say things like this."


    Ai frowned. "Jun and Han Shui are not perfect together."


    Shui widened her eyes. That was the first time somebody expressed that notion about Jun and her relationship in all these years.


    Grandma Liu was dumbfounded. "What do you mean? Who are you to say that!?"


    "I mean, Jun is imperfect as a person. Han Shui is imperfect as a person too. I don''t see why two imperfect people will come together and make a perfect couple? Two imperfect people is a recipe of only bringing more imperfections in a relationship. The concept of perfection simply doesn''t exist."


    At that point, Jun had an urge to say, ''But I am perfect'' though he thought it was better to keep his mouth shut and not voice his opinion. So, he remained quiet as Ai told him to.


    "You can say that Jun and I are most compatible with each other. But we are not perfect as a couple. Perfection is a totally different notion."


    Once again Jun begged to differ, but he kept his mouth shut.


    "On what basis are you defining them as a perfect couple? Because both are childhood friends? Because both are from rich families? Both their families are good friends? Because both look beautiful and so they look good together? These are all external factors, and they don''t have anything to do with their relationship. It needs compatibility and understanding, not the status of wealth and childhood friendship. Right, Liu Jin?"


    Jin smiled. "It''s very easy for you to say these things because you have Bro Jun by your side, don''t you?"


    Ai blinked and stood unfazed. "It is irrelevant if he is by my side or not. This is what I firmly believe in, and it won''t change even if Jun doesn''t hold the same opinions as me. Whether Jun loves me or not, whether he stands with me or not, what I feel is what I feel. You talked a lot until this point. Now, I would like to ask you some questions, Liu Jin."

 Chapter 191 The Reason Behind Jin’s Concern

    Chapter 191 The Reason Behind Jin''s Concern


    Jin raised his brow. "Ask me questions? What questions do you have to ask me?"


    Shui clenched her hands together tightly. She was uncertain as to why she felt this strange tension in the air.


    Ai didn''t pull any punches as she said, "I can understand why the Han family may feel bitter about this. Han Shui is their daughter after all."


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan exchanged glances.


    "But why are you so particularly invested in this matter? You might feel uncomfortable like the rest of the family because it is sudden. I understand that. But aren''t your words a little too personal and harsh for a matter that is between Jun and Han Shui?"


    He stared at her coldly with the air turning chillier.


    "Why are you confronting Jun over this so earnestly? Because you feel bad for Han Shui? At this point, everybody does though I am against it because nobody is trying to understand Jun here. But keeping that aside for now, aren''t you feeling a little too bad for her? Is it because you feel hurt on her behalf as a friend or as someone who loves her?"


    Everybody focused their gazes on Ai after listening to the last four words of her question. It made their breaths stop in their throats.


    Someone who loves her?


    Jun widened his eyes, seeing her pop that question without any hesitation at all. He was trying to avoid going down that path because he didn''t want to open another can of worms. Explaining Jin and Shui''s feelings to the whole family was even more challenging than explaining his breakup with Shui or his relationship with Ai.


    Jian blinked. "Jin loves Shui? That''s not the case."


    Ai cast a sideway look at him. "It is quite so. That is why he is particularly affected by this the most and why he came forward to confront Jun. He loves Shui and to him, Jun has hurt her feelings. So, he cannot stand that."


    Jinhai observed Ai with his narrowed eyes wondering something in his mind.


    Xinyi shook her head. "It''s not like that. Jin and Shui have been the closest friends till now. Jin also used to come frequently to our house along with Jun to play with Siying and Shui. That''s why they are a lot closer."


    Shui trembled.


    Ai said, "A lot closer, yes but that also makes room to develop feelings, isn''t it? More so for them because they are only one year apart in age. So, they will probably bond much more compared to Jun. Five years'' age gap may not feel like much but between five years and one year, it does make a lot of difference."


    She shot a sharp stare at Jin. "Isn''t it why you are doing all this?"


    Nana felt her heart pound in her chest because if what Ai said was true then¡­


    Liu Hai glanced at Jin. "Jin. Why are you keeping silent over this?"


    Jin''s black eyes glinted with an indecipherable emotion that made Jun uncomfortable for some reason. Jun expected that he would get all panicked and flustered because that''s how it went down in his past life on Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday.


    Jin was desperate to prove to Jun that he didn''t love Shui or that he never meant in coming between him and Shui. He cried and begged for his forgiveness. But compared to that night, Jin''s reactions and mannerisms looked really different now.


    Jin''s lips finally curved into a light smile. He took a step towards Ai, and he looked straight into her eyes as if he was staring right through her soul.


    "Why I am doing all this shouldn''t necessarily link my actions to Shui, right? Indeed, I am more concerned here than anybody else, but it could also be because of you, right?"


    Ai blinked.


    "I think you have forgotten that Grandpa wanted to match us together on Mom and Dad''s anniversary night. He thought we suited each other and when I gave it a thought later, I felt the same."


    Shui stiffened. She felt as if her body was thrown into a block of ice.


    Jun stared at his brother unblinkingly. He had a feeling he knew where Jin was taking this conversation and if that was the case then¡­


    "I felt it wouldn''t be bad dating you. At first, I thought it was bizarre or that Grandpa was just fooling around. But later on, I thought why not give it a try? I know we didn''t get to spend much time, but you seemed to be good enough to give it a shot. That''s why I am so salty about this. Naturally, I feel bad for Shui but if you think about it from my perspective, then didn''t Bro Jun steal the woman I had interest in-"


    Suddenly a punch sharply landed on Jin''s face, and he fell backwards with the brutal impact.


    Nana gasped. "J-Jin!"


    Shui shrieked in terror and pulled a sharp breath. "Jin!"


    She rushed to his side and cried. "Jun, stop!"


    Jun grabbed his collar and was about to land a second punch on his face when the twins pulled him back. "Jun! Get back!"


    But Jun pushed them away and dropped another punch on his face.


    Jian and Nian''s expressions turned extremely frigid. "Jun, we told you to stop."


    But Jun didn''t heed to their words. Not just them, it was as if Jun couldn''t hear anything else. His eyes held madness and rage. His fists trembled as he hit Jin. His body shook with an urge to kill him.


    "Liu Jin¡­" his icy words were extremely quiet and marred with bloodlust. "You like Ai? You¡­have an interest in Ai? You? You?"


    Veins popped on the back of his hand, and he raised his fist to land a third punch on his face. "You like Ai?"


    Then his lips curled into a smile and his voice turned into a sinister laughter, "That is impossible, Jin. You cannot like Ai because she is mine. You cannot like Ai¡­" his words almost turned into a whisper that nobody could hear, "because I won''t let you snatch the woman I love from me a second time¡­"

 Chapter 192 The End Of Discussion

    Chapter 192 The End Of Discussion


    Jun felt like his entire world fell silent. When Jin uttered those words that expressed an interest in Ai, he felt like something in his mind flipped.


    His gaze lost focus, and all those painful memories of his past life began gripping and twisting his heart cruelly. He felt the darkness surrounding him once again. He felt the fear stabbing him yet again. His whole life had changed the moment Shui affirmed her feelings for Jin. He suffered a miserable life after that. The loss of his love made him go crazy and insensitive.


    But this time, it was different. This was Jun''s second chance. He stayed away from Shui, making way for Jin and her to unite one day whenever it would come. Things were supposed to be different this time. He would stay far away from their lives, and Jin and Shui would get together one day.


    Then why¡­Why does he like Ai now?


    Jun felt blank. It was incomprehensible. There was no doubt about it that Jin liked Shui. So if he loved Shui so much, why would his object of affection suddenly change to Ai this time? Only because Liu Hai briefly brought them together? Only because he suggested that they looked fit to be a couple?


    That didn''t make sense to him. He never thought Jin''s feelings were so fickle. It was nonsensical. It was ridiculous. But no matter how much Jun felt off with that logic, he just couldn''t bear Jin saying that he liked Ai.


    He is not allowed to say that anymore¡­he chuckled with a trace of craziness in it. He took Shui away from me once already. Now, he wants to take Ai away from me too? Again? Again? Again?


    His body moved before he could stop himself, and his fist hit Jin before he could think anything else. A murderous intent filled his heart upto the brim.


    "Jun! Stop it," Nana tried to stop him, her eyes getting wet with tears.


    Shui witnessed the scene unfold in horror. Jin''s lip was cut and blood trickled down his cheek. "Jin, stop it! Why are you doing this?"


    He chuckled. "Isn''t it clear why he broke up-"


    She gritted her teeth. "Jin, we broke up because I wanted it too!"


    Silence.


    Zhiyuan watched his daughter. "Shui¡­"


    "Yes, Dad. Jun is right. We are not compatible. I¡­realized I wasn''t comfortable with our relationship when Jun g-grew more possessive¡­" her heart thudded faster. "It was getting difficult for me, and I was starting to avoid him unconsciously. That''s why when Jun said he wanted to break up, I felt it was for the best," her eyes were moist as she spoke.


    She looked at Jin. "So, please don''t blame Jun. I also¡­wanted this relationship to end. Please stop fighting! Why are you speaking so harshly to him? You¡­you also know he would never think of cheating on me."


    The two families watched her in shock. Jin gave her a cold stare.


    Ai didn''t agree with Shui''s take on their relationship, but she appreciated that she came forward and clarified it too.


    Jun grabbed Jin''s collar and laughed. "Are you satisfied now? Do you want to hear anything else!?"


    Jinhai sprung on his feet and along with the twins, they were ready to pull Jun back when they saw he was going to hit again. But at that moment, Ai grabbed his wrist and poured all her strength in her grip to stop him. When he felt that somebody stopped his hand, the rage inside him only intensified and worsened.


    "Who fucking dare-"


    When he felt Ai''s arms gently wrap around him, he stirred a little. Her scent reached the tip of his nose, and the fumes of danger and insanity his aura emanated slowly seemed to calm down though the madness hadn''t completely dissolved.


    "Why are you so angry?"


    "Are you really asking me that question?" His voice sounded detached.


    "Yes. There is no need to get angry because no matter what he has to say, I will always be your girlfriend."


    She peered into her eyes, who were staring back at her with a hint of coldness in them. They were threatening as if saying that there was no choice for Ai to choose Jin at any cost. His gaze was vicious and frightening.


    But Ai didn''t even flinch with that pressure. She gave it some thought and then leaned to place a soft peck on his lips.


    That scene simply short-circuited everybody''s minds. Nobody had any clue what to say next. The twins coughed hard while Nuo gasped.


    Jun felt the touch of her lips against his, and his daze snapped. He blinked several times at her. He didn''t know what just happened, but the resentment piling up in his heart just flew away miraculously.


    Ai beamed seeing the focus return in his eyes. "Good," she patted his head. "Don''t be angry anymore."


    Inwardly, she was actually blushing furiously for kissing him in front of so many people. But she somehow hid her embarrassment.


    Jin touched his cheek that was stinging with the impact of Jun''s punches. He felt the taste of his warm blood. Nuo and the twins helped him get on his feet, but he refused their help. "I am fine."


    He got up on his own and dusted his shirt, staring hard at Jun and Ai.


    Jinhai spoke with an untraceable coldness in his voice, "Go back to your room, Jin."


    Nana agreed. "E ough fighting. Jin. You have spoken enough."


    She watched her two sons at each other''s throats for the first time like this. Jun and Jin were closest to each other and seeing them fight like this broke her heart.


    "Nuo, go take care of Jin''s bruises."


    Nuo bit her lip and nodded. "Jin. Come with me."


    Grandma Liu gritted her teeth. "See! This woman already caused such a big argument between them! I have never seen them fight before. And now in just one day, Jun went as far as to hit his own brother¡­"


    Jun heard her words and chuckled inwardly.


    Just in one day¡­It''s not just in one day, Grandma. An entire lifetime has passed by. It''s not just now¡­


    Nian''s unemotional eyes fell on his youngest brother. "I will talk to you later."


    Jin eyed him. "I will not-"


    "Leave," Nian cut him off.


    "Bro-"


    "Get. Out." The threat in his voice was unmistakable. If Jin opposed him one more time, then he would have it from him.


    Jin remained silent and then quietly left when Nuo urged him. "Come, Jin."


    Nian stared at Jun and Ai and narrowed his eyes. "Take him back, Zhou Ai."


    Jun raised his gaze. "I won''t go back. Not unless I make Jin understand that he can never have Ai. He cannot think about Ai because she is mine. How dare¡­how dare he say that he is interested in Ai? There is no way-"


    "Leave, Jun," Nian gave an ultimatum. "This discussion ends here."


    Jun clenched his fists to which Nian''s dangerous aura only peaked higher. "When I said leave, you should listen to me, Jun. Don''t make me angry by not listening to me."


    Ai understood the need of calmness here. She held onto his arm and softly said, "Let''s go."

 Chapter 193 Mr. Liu’s Rebirth Confrontation

    Chapter 193 Mr. Liu''s Rebirth Confrontation


    The ride back to Jun''s condo was extremely silent. When they reached home, Jun straightaway headed into the kitchen and randomly started pulling stuff out of the fridge.


    Ai remembered that after the night they spent in the swing, Jun had similarly prepared a feast the next morning. She figured it was his way of distracting himself from all the confusion and stress piling up within him.


    She stood by his side and saw him cutting the veggies in complete silence. His gaze and expression seemed devoid of any emotions or thoughts that might help in understanding what he felt at that moment.


    Ai kept quiet for several moments and asked in a hushed tone, "Do you want to talk to me?"


    Jun didn''t reply. He switched on the stove and poured oil into the pan resting upon the flame. The sizzling sound of the chopped onions frying in the oil echoed in the air. His hand swiftly moved as he marinated the chicken with yogurt and spices.


    Ai thought it was better to let him cook as he pleased. She could then talk to him once he felt lighter.


    "We will talk once you feel you want to," she whispered gently.


    Ai smiled and tiptoed softly to kiss on his cheek. She turned to leave when she felt Jun''s hand on her wrist slightly tugging her. She looked back and noticed that Jun had stopped cooking as he put off the gas flame. He washed his hands and stared at the empty space ahead. Jun did stop her from leaving, but he wasn''t talking about anything. She noticed his shoulders faintly trembling and his eyelashes quivering.


    "Ai¡­" He spoke after several long minutes.


    She pulled Jun towards the crescent swing and made him sit inside. Then she wanted to sit beside him, but she hesitated to climb seeing the height.


    Jun softly smiled and pulled her up easily.


    "Thank you."


    "I am your boyfriend. You shouldn''t thank me for little things like these."


    "I don''t like taking anything for granted, especially relationships," Ai seriously replied.


    He stared at her and faintly smiled.


    Ai scooted closer to him and intertwined her fingers against his. She softly asked, "What is bothering you?"


    Naturally, there was the whole chaos of Jin expressing his interest in Ai, but her gut said that there was something else too.


    She felt his hand slightly trembling in hers. "Honestly¡­I don''t know what is bothering me more, Ai. I am angry that he said he was interested in you. I am angry that he eyed the woman I love once again. But it hurts to see him acting like this, especially Jin out of all people."


    He gave a tremulous smile as his gaze seemed faraway. "Of all the five siblings, Jin and I were the closest. As far as I remember, he always used to follow me around and stick to my side as much as he could when we were kids. There was that Jin, and¡­there is this Jin now who accused me of cheating. He-he has changed so much, Ai. He doesn''t look the same Jin I knew from before anymore."


    It was true that Jin''s words and actions truly gave a setback to Jun. Even in his past life when all the chaos ensued, Jin never really acted the way he did today. Today was different. The insensitivity and the malice in his words had shaken his heart not just as a man whose woman was targeted but also as a brother.


    "I don''t understand. He loves Shui. I know that. Why would he¡­" he clenched the fingers of his other hand, "why would he say that he likes you?"


    Ai thought about it and asked, "Why are you so sure that he likes Shui?"


    He tilted his head.


    "I mean I know that he was lying. Jin doesn''t like me. Also, I saw him throwing subtle glances at you and Shui on anniversary night when you two were dancing. I had a feeling he looked at Shui more than just a friend or his future sister-in-law and not just because I heard you talking to Shui on New Year''s Eve. But how do you know that Jin likes Shui because Jin doesn''t strike me as a person who reveals his feelings, especially in a complicated relationship where his brother likes the same woman."


    Jun looked somber, and he lowered his gaze. "Ai, do you remember that I said that I want to talk about something important to you?"


    She nodded. She herself wanted to reveal the truth about her rebirth to him.


    Jun let out a deep breath and partially turned his body to face her. "You will think that I am crazy after you hear what I have to say."


    Ai answered, unfazed. "I also want to talk about something important to you, and I don''t think your thing can be as crazy as what I have to tell you. You will think I have lost it."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Well, you are weird."


    "..."


    "But trust me, you will feel like I am concocting a fantasy story. It is so unreal that sometimes I still feel if it''s really happening or I am still dreaming."


    Ai frowned. "Tell me. I will believe anything you will say."


    After dying once and going through rebirth, Ai was mentally prepared to believe any story or incident even if it might be impossible.


    Jun exhaled and stared straight at her. "Will you believe me if I say that I have died once and have been reborn to have a second chance to live my life? That I died in my past life but woke up to realize one day that I have gone ten years back in time?"


    Ai fixed her gaze at him for a long time. Her eyelashes refused to blink. She felt as if she heard what he said but at the same time, she didn''t.


    Jun observed her dazed expression and sighed. "I knew you would feel it''s ridiculous."


    "No. It''s not ridiculous. I believe you because that''s what¡­has happened to me too."

 Chapter 194 [Bonus Chapter]Fate Is Something

    Chapter 194 [Bonus Chapter]Fate Is Something


    Jun blinked several times until it could register in his mind. "Happened to you too¡­?"


    Ai trembled as the situation dawned upon her. She took a sharp breath, and her heart pounded louder and louder in her chest. She stared into Jun''s eyes and thinking about what he just said, she compared it parallely to her own life. That raised goosebumps on her skin.


    "Yes. You have died once and have been reborn¡­it means that this is your second life as Liu Jun, and you have all the memories of your past life, doesn''t it?"


    He slowly widened his eyes.


    How-how does she¡­?


    "How do you know-"


    Ai met his gaze and confessed."It''s because this is my second life as well. I¡­" she trembled, and she felt heat rush to her neck and cheeks. "I died when I was thirty-three years old from falling off the Dream High building''s terrace."


    Jun stared at her.


    "I thought I died at that time, but¡­" her voice turned into a hushed whisper, "I suddenly woke up with a gasp. It was unbelievable to see myself still alive. There was no blood. It was a day outside instead of that night when I fell to my death. I was supposed to be dead. But when I came to my senses and saw the date, I found that time had turned ten years back. I was twenty-three once again."


    With a tear that formed in the corner of her eye, she watched Jun looking back at her with an incredulous expression. His dark brown irises were wide as he quietly listened to her.


    "This was what I wanted to reveal to you today. I thought I would keep this secret forever. But now that we are in a relationship, I didn''t want to hide this from you even if you might think that I sound crazy. But I could have never guessed that y-you also¡­"


    She didn''t know why, but an ache enveloped her chest coming to know that Jun suffered the same fate as her. She felt an indescribable emotion.


    She was reborn. She thought it was a phenomenon that only happened to her. But Jun was reborn too. The man whom she spent her last moments with and coincidentally met again in this life was someone who was reborn just like her.


    Jun, on the other hand, was at a complete loss of what to say. He had never expected that instead of disbelief, Ai would answer him with her own account of rebirth. Everything that happened until now bounced up and down like crazy in his mind.


    He saw her in his dying moments.


    He met her once again in this life as well and fell in love with her.


    And now she was reborn just as him?


    Jun wondered if life was playing an elaborate scheme with them because all these coincidences seemed too good to be true.


    He slowly raised his hand, and his trembling fingers lightly held onto her cheek. He whispered in his breath, "Y-you are reborn¡­"


    Ai shivered and quietly nodded.


    "That means¡­Do you recognize me?" He felt his heart stop beating in his chest.


    She looked up at him and parted her lips. "Yes. You are the same man upon whose car I fell that night. You are the same man who I held hands with as I took my last breath. I know you. That''s why, when we met in the library that day, I couldn''t believe that I met you again. It was so surreal."


    She softly smiled. "I wasn''t staring at you because I was interested in you but because I recognized you from my past life."


    His mouth twitched, and he coughed.


    Ai thought back to a certain day and asked, "That time when you suddenly woke up from your nap and staring at me in disbelief¡­was it because-"


    "Yes. I recognized you are the same woman. I was having recurring dreams about you, but it was hazy. At that time, your face and everything that was blurred got cleared in my mind."


    Jun pulled her in his embrace and hugged her hard. "Ai¡­Ai¡­"


    They didn''t know what to say. To think that both died at the same time and were reborn to live a second chance at the same time too was something they couldn''t find the right words to express for.


    "Fate is really something huh¡­"


    Ai buried her face in his chest and felt it couldn''t be truer. "Yes."


    She clutched his shirt in her fist and softly asked, "H-How did your accident happen?"


    Right now, Jun was alive and in front of her. She could touch him and hug him. But thinking about his death made her heart race in fear.


    Death was forever parting. Even if it was in their past life, Ai didn''t wish to hear that Jun had lost his life once.


    Jun whispered, "...You will be angry at me."


    She blinked. "Why?"


    "Because it-it wasn''t an accident. I killed myself. I crashed my car into the building."


    Her eyes widened in disbelief. She jerked her head up and stared at him, stunned.


    Jun averted his gaze, feeling ashamed. "I know you will be furious at me. That day you slapped me when I tried to jump in front of the car."


    Ai bit her lip hard. Her gaze was full of resentment and grievance. "Yes, I am angry. I was disappointed at that time itself that you took your life so lightly. But to know that you were about to throw your second life too just like that¡­" Her incredulous countenance was mixed with anger and grief. "Jun, you call others idiots, but you are a big idiot yourself!"


    "..."


    This was the first time Ai had raised her voice. The usual tranquility was nowhere to be seen.


    "Fate blessed you with another chance to live a life without regrets, to not repeat the mistakes you made in your past life and to live a happier and fulfilling life this time. You have the power to change your fate with the memories you have. How many truly get that chance? How could you think of ending your precious life just like that?"

 Chapter 195 [Bonus Chapter]Mr. Liu’s Past Life (1)

    Chapter 195 [Bonus Chapter]Mr. Liu''s Past Life (1)


    Ai fumed with anger and turned her body away to the other side. She refused to see Jun''s face anymore.


    Jun could see the imaginary steam of displeasure coming out of her ears. He knew it was a serious conversation, but he couldn''t help but find Ai too cute at this moment.


    No, she is always cute. Well, sometimes she is weird but generally, she is cute.


    He had seen her getting angry, but it was the type of anger that was calm and composed. She wasn''t the one to throw fits or raise her voice or point fingers. This was the first time she was reacting like this, and Jun couldn''t feel happier to witness a new side of hers.


    He poked Ai on her shoulder. "Ai."


    "Don''t talk to me."


    "I am still not talking to you," Ai was firm.


    He pursed his lips and wrapped his arms around her waist. "I am sorry."


    Ai said nothing.


    He whispered, "I am really sorry. You can slap me again if you want. My cheek is all yours."


    Her brow twitched. She tried to shake him away, but Jun only tightened his hold. "Don''t leave¡­I know I did wrong. You made me realize that day. I promised that I would never take my life lightly again."


    Ai pursed her lips.


    "Please forgive me?"


    She narrowed her eyes at him. His brown eyes looked sincere and pitiful, which was a new side of his Ai witnessed too. She never thought that Jun could make a pitiful face. Even against her mightiest resistance, his eyes melted her heart. "Fine. I forgive you."


    Jun''s lips blossomed with a beautiful smile, and he kissed her cheek. "My girlfriend is the best."


    Ai turned back to face him again. "Why did you kill yourself in your past life?"


    Jun froze. His gaze automatically lowered, afraid to let her know the part of him that made him disgrace himself.


    "Ai, I have done many wrong things in my past life and have hurt many people, especially my family," He shivered, fear gripping his heart. "If you¡­you learn that side of mine, you will not love me anymore."


    Ai felt his resolve shaking and saw the genuine fear in his beautiful eyes. She held his hands and asked, "Is that only how much you believe in my love for you?"


    "No! I trust you. I trust you more than anybody else," he choked, "but it''s me. My past actions will make your belief waver in me. I don''t want that to happen. I don''t want to lose you, Ai. Anything¡­but not you. Not again."


    She cupped his cheeks and forced him to face her. "Jun. Nothing will make my feelings waver for you. There is nothing that will shake my resolve to live my life with you. Even if you have done some wrong things in your past life or have hurt your family, I still won''t leave you. Whether it''s your past, present or the future, I accept you with all my heart with all your mistakes and imperfections just like how you have accepted me."


    Jun shook his head and faintly smiled. "You are perfect, Ai."


    "I am not. I have my own flaws. But we accept each other. This is how love always is. That''s why you don''t have to be afraid."


    Her staunch and tenacious words provided comfort to his heart. He found his strength in them to admit everything just like the way he confessed to Jinhai.


    Jun stared at her and slowly nodded. "Alright¡­" he took a few moments to gather his thoughts. "Ever since my childhood, I had declared that I would marry Shui. I declared her as my wife even before she was born. Then when she did, I spent all my time with her from childhood till we grew up. I followed her everywhere. When she was sixteen, I asked her to become my girlfriend, and she agreed. Our relationship was going great. All this time, Jin was always by my and Shui''s side."


    He faintly smiled remembering all those precious memories of the past when everything was still fine between them.


    "But later I realized why he was always with us. Maybe¡­maybe he started liking Shui too. So, he couldn''t help but be wherever she was," he shook his head. "Anyway. At first, things were well between us. But then we started to have fights. Shui was getting increasingly dissatisfied, and I didn''t understand why at that time. On her twenty-first birthday, I proposed to her because I was afraid that she was going farther and farther away from me. She accepted it at that time but¡­"


    "But?" Ai asked.


    "But then a few days later, she said that wanted us to have some distance for some time," the back of his throat felt a little uncomfortable. He felt as if it was just yesterday. "She wanted us to stay away to have some space. She said everything was overwhelming for her¡­That made me really upset. I didn''t even know for how long she wanted that."


    "What did you do?"


    "I did my best for sometime. I did not text her. I did not meet her. But I began to feel restless when she wasn''t around me," he clenched his fists and continued, "Soon, it began to feel like she wasn''t missing me or that my presence didn''t matter anymore. She was just¡­fine without me. I got even more frustrated by this. I felt like I am the only one getting affected by this. So, even if she didn''t wanted, I secretly began to follow her."


    He noticed her gaze and quickly corrected. "I wasn''t stalking her!"


    "I didn''t say anything," Ai blinked. "I am just listening to you."


    "Well then¡­" Jun felt greatly relieved. "I think it was during that time when Jin and Shui got closer. I used to frequently see them together. It was usually through Jin that I would get to know how she was doing."


    Jun wryly chuckled. "It reminds of one day when Jin came to me and said that I should rethink about my relationship with Shui," his dark eyes were filled with resentment. "When Shui rejected me on her twenty-fifth birthday was when I realized why Jin said that. He himself loved Shui. Everything made sense to me that night. Shui loved Jin, and he loved Shui."

 Chapter 196 [Bonus Chapter]Mr. Liu’s Past Life (2)

    Chapter 196 [Bonus Chapter]Mr. Liu''s Past Life (2)


    "I had a big argument with Jin that day when he implied that I should break up with Shui. That was the first time I rebuked him so harshly," he shook his head, "I was already at my limits because of this distance between Shui and me that on top of which he said such a thing to me."


    "How did Jin react?" Ai asked.


    "He panicked and apologized to me after which I let that matter go. When Shui got to know that I was secretly following her, she got super pissed off at me, and we had another big fight again. It was Jin who intervened at that time and calmed things down."


    "He did that?" She blinked.


    Jun frowned. "Which I found strange later on. He should be happy that Shui and I were fighting. But he somehow diffused the situation."


    He slowly nodded. "Yes," he faintly smiled. "I was an idiot. I should have gotten my clue at that time when our relationship became even more rocky. But I refused to leave her alone. I held onto her stubbornly. The more she tried to get away from me during that time, the more I followed her everywhere even when she didn''t want it. Sometimes things would be good between us but only because Jin would be there. Otherwise, it was chaos. I thought things would eventually settle down. After all, we were going to get married one day. She would be my wife. I would have my perfect love story just like Mom and Dad do."


    Jun noticed Ai''s thoughtful gaze strangely felt different for some reason. "W-what?"


    "Nothing."


    "I feel you have something to say."


    "I think I do, but I want to first know everything that happened."


    Jun inhaled a shallow breath. "Everything that happened after Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday was nothing but hell. I punched Jin hard and accused them of betraying me. The party got ruined and so did my image. I¡­I disregarded everybody who tried to talk to me. I thought they were siding with Jin, but I was too furious to listen to anything. I just wanted Shui at all costs and when I refused to budge, Dad threw me out of the house."


    He took a pause and then continued. "After how the party went, I ruined my own reputation. Then one day, it got leaked that I am the Sky CEO. You can imagine the repercussions. But I didn''t care about Sky. The company was going down, but I selfishly only involved myself with Shui. I practically gave up managing it."


    His eyelashes trembled with his brown orbs reflecting pain and sorrow. "Yunru suffered a lot because of me. He did the best he could do as the President. But every single time, I kept ignoring him and all his efforts. He cried and begged in front of me, but it was as if I was possessed. I couldn''t bear seeing my life crumble like that. I had a perfect family and by marrying Shui, everything would be just right. But I hurt Yunru a lot. One day Sky collapsed, and with it my relationship with Yunru too."


    There was a long moment of silence. The memories of watching Yunru''s heartbroken face filled his heart with guilt once again.


    Jun stared at Ai. "That''s why I made the rule this time that nobody from Dream High was allowed to join Sky. I remembered Yunru telling me about some spy, and I had my suspicions on Dream High, who basically got the monopoly in the publishing industry once their fierce rival Sky was out."


    The understanding dawned upon Ai, and now she realized why Sky was so adamant about this rule. It was natural to be alert of the enemy who was behind the downfall and take necessary precautions now that he knew the future.


    Jun brought Ai''s hand closer and squeezed it a little tightly. "Then¡­Mom and Nuo came to meet me one day. It was a few months after I was already living separately from my family. Mom tried to talk to me about the whole situation, but¡­I pushed her away in the cruelest way possible¡­"


    *Flashback*


    "Jun¡­" Nana held his arm as she cried before him. "Please¡­please come back home. We will talk about-"


    Jun, who was drunk with empty bottles lying around the room, chuckled, "Talk about what Mom? Are you here to say that I should be understanding and let Shui go? Or let Jin have her? My brother who betrayed me? Tell me, Mom. Are you here to talk because you are on my side or Jin''s?"


    "You both are my sons! How could I take sides, Jun?" Her shoulders trembled and she broke down. "Jun¡­please listen to me. I know how you are feeling. But-"


    "But what?" Jun tilted his head and laughed. "But what, Mom? You are here to tell me to be mature and let Shui go, right? She doesn''t love me, so what''s¡­what''s the point of this relationship?" His own words pierced his heart. "But no. I won''t¡­I won''t let her go. I have dreamt my future with her, Mom! I have been waiting for years to make her mine, and now you want to talk to me about understanding stuff!?" He harshly shook her hand away.


    Nana was slightly pushed back with the force, and she froze.


    Nuo caught her and exclaimed. "Bro!" She glared at him with tears in her eyes. "Don''t forget that you are talking to Mom! Do you have any idea how much this is hurting her the most out of all people!? She loves you. She cannot see you hurt like this and you are pushing her away?"


    Jun smiled. "Well, if she cannot see me hurt, then surely she would want to see me with Shui, right? But I don''t see her doing any of that. Such a good mother she is."


    Nana trembled hard. Her vision turned blurry.


    Nuo clutched his shirt, her gaze exuding resentment and disbelief. "How¡­can you say that, Bro? H-How can you talk to Mom like that? She came to meet you even when Dad forbade her from doing so. Why? Because you are her son, and she cares about you! How can you question her love like that?"

 Chapter 197 [Bonus Chapter]Mr. Liu’s Past Life (3)

    Chapter 197 [Bonus Chapter]Mr. Liu''s Past Life (3)


    *Flashback continued*


    Jun stared at his sister and forcibly shook off his shirt from her fist. "I think you should be doing something else if you really care about me. My years of love and devotion for one woman ended in a single night¡­and you¡­all of you want ME to understand? All of you want to talk to me instead of talking with Jin and Shui. If this is the shit care you want to give me, then get out!"


    Nuo stiffened. She stared at her brother in daze who had changed so much just within a span of a few months.


    "No-nobody wants to see you like this, Bro. We are all helpless¡­" Nuo wiped her eyes.


    Nana felt a stabbing ache in her heart as she saw the tears in Jun''s eyes. She lifted her hand to hold his cheek, but Jun shook it away once again. He pointed his finger towards the door. "Leave. I don''t want to see any of your faces. Just leave!"


    "Mom¡­" tears slipped on her cheeks seeing her hand shiver.


    Jun saw Nana''s back growing farther away from him and in that moment, he felt that her figure was becoming smaller and weaker.


    *Flashback ends*


    A tear fell from his eye. Jun''s eyes reddened, feeling ashamed of talking to Nana like that in his past life. "I acted pathetic, Ai. I¡­I disrespected Mom and my sister. I threw them out of my house. I still remember their hurt expressions. Mom didn''t shout at me. But her eyes looked pained. Her figure that always stood upright looked so small and defeated that day all because of me."


    Ai watched the remorse in his eyes over his actions. She gently placed her palm over his head and patted in a soothing motion. "It''s in the past now, Jun," she whispered. "I know you might feel it''s hard to forgive yourself, but take pride that you accepted your mistakes because it means that you won''t do it again. Humans make mistakes, but what''s more important is that you learn from them."


    Jun shook. "I learned it too late, Ai. Everything was over until I realized how blind I had become in my obsession for Shui. Around eight months after that meeting, my great-grandma passed away. But I couldn''t even meet her one last time. I wasn''t even allowed to attend her funeral.


    And why not? After how I acted with Mom and Nuo, nobody wanted me to hurt Great-grandma too, especially when she was already so sick¡­But I didn''t understand that. I only selfishly thought that they started hating me so much that I didn''t even deserve to be with my Great-grandma in her last moments."


    Ai felt her eyes growing moist and warm with tears. But she didn''t want to cry because she wanted to be strong for Jun. She looked at his tears that made his cheeks wetter, but she didn''t make any attempt to wipe them off. Jun needed to let this grief off his chest by sharing everything with her. Only by crying would Jun feel lighter, and Ai knew that.


    Jun continued in a weak voice, "I never gave up on Shui. Even when she rejected me and said that she loved Jin, I refused to let her go. At one point, her father, Uncle Zhiyuan, had to force me away from her. He was really furious. I was selfishly forcing Shui to be with me. I was hurting her and everybody else. I refused to accept my fate and move on. I ignored Sky and in those four years, even the company crumbled. Yunru began to hate me. I lost everything. In the end, I became all alone.


    One day, I got into an accident and when I woke up, I got the news that Jin and Shui were getting married on that day. That news shook me hard. They finally decided to marry¡­I felt betrayed just like the night Shui rejected me. I was devastated. I couldn''t believe that my family agreed to it. I hated Jin so much that I wished to kill him. Just for a few moments, I couldn''t help but get that thought. I crashed into their wedding and pointed the gun at him. But I felt pathetic to realize that I stooped so low that I wanted to kill my brother."


    He took a few uneasy breaths as the memories came flashing by. It was the fateful day that had ended everything for him.


    "Shui¡­she was wearing a wedding gown. Jin was in a wedding suit, and that''s when I simply gave up. I suddenly lost all my strength seeing them together. It was supposed to be me by her side. But everything had changed. She was looking at me with horror and fear, and I pointed the gun at myself instead of Jin. I wanted to shoot myself.


    Jin grabbed my hand before I could pull the trigger and averted the nozzle''s direction towards his direction in panic. Others grabbed me from the back and in that tuff, my finger pressed the trigger, and the bullet hit Jin''s chest."


    Ai slowly widened her eyes. She felt him trembling even harder.


    His voice shook, and he seemed to curl into a ball. "Jin died¡­I saw blood on his chest, and he collapsed. Shui''s wedding gown was also splattered with blood. I could do nothing but watch. It was loud when that bullet rang but deadly silent after Jin collapsed. I killed Jin¡­I killed Jin, Ai."


    "N-Not just Jin. I killed Mom too. It was that day I came to know that her health had extremely deteriorated. The family had fallen apart. Everything was miserable, and then she saw Jin''s death with her own eyes. The shock gave her an attack in her already sickly state, and she¡­"


    Jun couldn''t complete the sentence. The attack was so severe and sudden that nobody could help her in time just like how everybody was helpless was Jin.


    "I killed two most important people in my life that day. My mother and my brother. I am a murderer Ai¡­I am a murderer¡­" finally broke down, unable to hold his tears any longer.

 Chapter ?198 Ai’s Conviction

    Chapter ?198 Ai''s Conviction


    Ai felt helpless. Her tears plopped down as she saw Jun crying his heart out. She had no idea that he was carrying such a huge burden in his heart all this time.


    How guilty and ashamed must he be feeling over their deaths? How did he bear that brunt of losing them?


    Jun''s feeble voice was full of remorse and regret. The pain and the past tore apart his heart into pieces. The memories of seeing their cold, dead bodies was still fresh in his heart. The lifeless expression on Jinhai''s face when they passed away still brought chills to his spine.


    "Everybody was devastated. I could only stand and watch everything crumbling before me. My family and I got cut off, and I could never bridge that gap. The only thing I could remember was how I talked to Mom the last time we met. I had pushed her away and told that she wasn''t a good mother. That was the last thing she heard from her son, and then I saw her dead...I cannot forget her lifeless body. I can never forgive myself for that Ai. I was a horrible son! I failed Mom, and I failed my whole family."


    His laughter rang with grief. "I thought I would die and suffer in hell. That was my punishment. My soul would be tormented even after my death but it took an opposite turn, and I was reborn. Reborn? Why? I couldn''t understand. What was I supposed to do with this second chance? I only knew that my obsession for Shui became everybody''s bane in the end.


    That''s why...I vowed to separate from Shui and my family and never have anything to do with them again. I-If I won''t be there, then history won''t repeat, right? Mom will be alive. Jin will be alive. Shui and Jin will get married one day. E-everybody will be happy. That''s what I did. I left home to live here. I broke up with Shui and began my new life."


    Jun slowly lifted his head and faced her. His tear stricken eyes widened seeing Ai shedding big drops of tears too. "You...Why are you crying?"


    Ai trembled harder and harder. Her cheeks had flushed redder, and they shone when her tears slipped down. "Jun..."


    She gently wiped his eyes and leaned to softly kiss on his forehead.


    Jun let out a helpless chuckle. "You wiped my tears, but look at your face."


    He did the same as Ai did. His thumb brushed off the tears from her cheeks. "Tell me the truth, Ai. You...you hate me now, right? I should have been an understanding boyfriend, but I didn''t listen to Shui''s request for space. Maybe, it wouldn''t have turned out so bad. Bro Jian and Nuo''s relationship got affected because of me and towards Mom...I behaved the worst. Even if it was for just a moment, I re-really wanted to kill Jin. I snatched everybody''s happi-"


    "Sshh," Ai placed her finger on his lips and firmly said, "Don''t say anymore. Don''t punish yourself anymore or keep blaming yourself. I told you, Jun. Even if there are mistakes that you might have made, I won''t hate you."


    He stared at her, his eyes aching. "How can you say that? Don''t you feel that it would be suffocating to be with me? Just like Shui said? What if...what if I hurt you the same way I hurt her? That''s why I didn''t want to fall in love ever again. I swore to only focus on Sky and just...die like that one day. My way of loving is just too painful, isn''t it?"


    "No," Ai looked straight at him and answered. "I will tell you over and over again. I don''t find you suffocating. I find joy in your love Jun not pain. There won''t ever come a day when I will regret falling in love with you. I love everything about you, even your possessiveness and jealousy. Please, don''t think that I will hate you..." she pursed her lips, "Otherwise, I will feel that you don''t trust me."


    Jun watched her eyes grow dimmer and quickly shook his head. "It''s not like that, Ai! I trust you. I trust you more than anybody else..."


    "Then don''t question my love for you," Ai stated and pinched the tip of his nose.


    His heart felt incredibly lighter as her melodious words rang in his ears. He lifted her chin and kissed her lips, wanting to melt into that sweetness and warmth which Ai provided.


    "It took me a lifetime to realize that I was a villain in Shui and Jin''s life, and when I woke up to my new life, I realized that I will never get my happy ending. Villains don''t, right? But fate had mercy on me, and I met you."


    Ai shook her head. "You are not a villain, Jun. You didn''t kill Jin. Jin''s death was an accident. You are not a murderer because you didn''t went out to kill him."


    "But I thought of-"


    "Thought doesn''t equal actions. If that was so, then so many people would be labelled criminals because almost everybody gets negative feelings of hurting someone in their life at some point in time. You might have thought of killing him in the rush of emotions, but you actually didn''t. So, don''t blame yourself."


    She narrowed her eyes. "But I won''t say that about your mother because she would have met the same fate if it had been your death instead of Jin. Whether it''s Jin or Jun, both are her sons. When I saved you that day, I told you. Your suicide would kill and devastate your parents because they love you so much. Even if you had shot the bullet to your head, Mrs. Liu wouldn''t have been able to bear it."

 Chapter 199 Wrong Motivation Behind The Obsession

    Chapter 199 Wrong Motivation Behind The Obsession


    Jun froze. It was a harsh truth that cut his heart straight like a knife, but he also knew that Ai was right.


    Nana loved all her children equally. Any harm to either of her children would have pained her.


    Ai softly said, "I don''t want to make you feel guilty, but I don''t want to sugarcoat things either. If you are wrong, you are wrong. She would have been as miserable over your death as Jin''s. I really understand what you must have been going through at that time, but killing yourself wasn''t an option either."


    Jun pursed his lips. "You are right. Everything wouldn''t have happened if I had backed off sooner and freed Shui from me when she asked for space in our relationship. I didn''t let her figure things out and instead kept forcing myself on her," his gaze dimmed.


    "No," Ai interjected. "Everything wouldn''t have happened if you had understood that your whole motivation for chasing after Han Shui was wrong from the beginning."


    "..."


    Jun parted his lips feeling utterly speechless. "Huh? What was wrong?"


    Jun frowned.


    Why did I want Shui?


    "...I really don''t know."


    Ai blinked. "There must be something that made you so determined, right? Your obsession for her wouldn''t just pop out of thin air."


    He coughed. "Well as far as I remember, it was that day back in my childhood when I saved Siying from a kidnapper. He is Shui''s brother. I was four at that time. At that time, I met her family - Aunt Xinyi and Uncle Zhiyuan. I talked to Aunt Xinyi, and...oh. I think it''s because of her," Jun found his realization, "I liked talking to her. She is kind and gentle so..."


    "Oh, so you had a crush on Mrs. Han," Ai nodded as she concluded.


    Jun suddenly choked hard. He watched her in disbelief. "What? No!"


    "Yes, you did. It''s okay. There is nothing to be embarrassed about."


    Jun stared at her, thinking if she was really serious about this. "I...I didn''t like her that way! She is Aunt Xinyi for God''s sake. She is Mom''s age!"


    "Yes, so?" Ai asked, "Boys can have crushes on their mothers or older women just like girls like their fathers or a particular male teacher in their class. It''s a temporary crush or infatuation. You wanted Han Shui AFTER you met Mrs. Han. So, I feel that you actually wanted to have a girl in your life that was her shadow. In simple terms, you wanted a girl like Mrs. Han."


    Jun tremblingly pointed his finger at her. He wanted to rebuke her claims but somehow, he was unable to counter her. "That''s...that''s not..."


    Ai smiled. "You don''t have to deny it so hard. It''s normal and nothing shameful."


    He cleared his throat, and the tip of his ears turned redder despite his protests.


    "Your expression says it all," Ai was ruthlessly wedging the truth deeper and deeper into his heart, marking him more embarrassed.


    Was it really like that? Jun wondered.


    "You didn''t notice it, but that''s why you were so fixated on Han Shui. You must have thought that Mrs. Han''s daughter would be just like her. That whole notion is wrong. You cannot decide how Han Shui would grow up to be based on how her parents were. How could you declare that she would be your wife even before she was born?"


    Jun furrowed his brows. "But I was serious about her. I knew I wanted her."


    Ai disagreed. "No. You wanted someone like Mrs. Han. You assumed that Han Shui will grow up to be like her with her personality or traits. That is where you are wrong. Han Shui wasn''t even born. You don''t know anything about her. What her likes would be, what her dislikes would be, what her personality would become - you didn''t know anything. So, how can you declare to give your life to someone when you didn''t know if she would be even compatible with you in the first place?"


    His brow twitched. "Wh...I...It-it wasn''t like that..."


    Ai squinted her eyes. "It was exactly like that. Jun. There are a whole lot of years that go by from birth to adulthood. There are many factors affecting how someone''s personality would become. You like books. Does she also like books as much as you do?"


    "...No."


    "You like silence and prefer being alone. You don''t like parties and gatherings. Is she someone who shares this aspect with you?"


    "...No."


    Ai nodded. "So basically, you are opposites. Your tastes don''t blend with each other. I am not saying that two people in a relationship should have everything in common. That is impossible. No two people are identical. But there should be some common point of interest where you can meet.


    You should have realized that you and Han Shui have opposing personalities, and opposites don''t really attract because we feel more comfortable when we are with like-minded people. There might be very few exceptional cases of otherwise. But generally, we want to spend our life with someone who understands our tastes and personality because it''s not tiring and cumbersome that way. That''s why clusters forms in social media where like-minded people gather and form groups because everything have something in common."


    Jun rapidly blinked his eyes.


    Ai softly exhaled. "It''s not like you were wrong or Han Shui was wrong. You are just someone who was not compatible as a couple. Also, you are not thinking about this whole situation from Han Shui''s perspective."


    "Her perspective?"


    "Yes. I keep hearing that you always declared her to be your wife. But did she want that same thing?"


    He widened his eyes, stunned. "Of course, she did."


    Ai tilted her head. "I don''t think so because from what I saw today at your house, your and her family were really eager for your marriage with her. Everybody was dead set to see you two as a couple and were too shocked when it didn''t happen that way. I could imagine how your and her childhood must have been. That kind of environment, how should I say...can put pressure on someone subconsciously. That''s why I asked you.


    Did Han Shui really want to marry you too, or did she want it because everybody else wanted it?"

 Chapter ?200 The Boundary Between Friendship And Love

    Chapter ?200 The Boundary Between Friendship And Love


    Jun was bewildered. "What pressure? I don''t understand where this is coming from."


    Ai tilted her head, trying to find her words. "It''s more of a psychological thing. Since childhood, you said that she will become your wife one day. Your family was happy. Her family was happy, and they repeated what you said. No matter where Han Shui looked, there were people who only supported your relationship, but there was nobody to tell her that she could refuse this decision."


    He was stunned. "Wait. Nobody forced her. She wanted it too."


    "That''s where I am saying that you are wrong. You ''think'' that you gave her a choice but actually you didn''t. Not consciously. You one-sidedly declared your future with her. Everybody was excited to see you two together, and when she saw so many people favoring one thing as she was growing up, her mind was inclined to believe that this was her only choice, or that this was the only right thing to do.


    Jun froze as he was beginning to understand what Ai was meaning to say.


    Ai continued. "So in effect and without ill intentions, you and your families kind of snatched that power from her to decide if she wanted this relationship or not. Unknowingly. That explains why you two started fighting later on. Because she was growing up. She was beginning to understand herself, what she wanted and what she didn''t. Her nature clashed with yours, but she kept insisting to herself that,


    ''I am supposed to marry Jun. This is what has been decided for years. Jun had said so. Our families want it too. Everybody is so happy with our relationship. How can I think otherwise?''


    Your and everybody''s future expectations to see you as a married couple blocked her vision of what she really wanted."


    Jun touched his throat. "I...I understand I might have been a little pushy, but I really didn''t mean to force her..."


    Ai watched his panicking gaze. "Of course, you didn''t. I am not saying you forced her at gunpoint. But expectations are also a way that influences decisions. Do you know that my Mom is against my writing career?"


    Jun was taken aback. "Against? She doesn''t like that you are a writer?"


    "Not really. She is a professor at a reputed university. Naturally, she wanted me to become a professor like her too. When I said that I wanted to become a writer, she was against it. Even my neighbors weren''t in favor saying that a writer''s career is too volatile. I won''t have a good future. I will earn less. It''s very risky. Basically, they didn''t view that option as something stable. They wanted me to work in a big, reputed company or a university."


    She pursed her lips. "When I heard so many opinions against writing, I was on the verge of giving up on being a writer and do what everyone wanted me to become. I didn''t feel confident anymore. But it was Guiying who urged me to keep writing. There would be no point in working for something that I don''t like, and I would only suffer was what she had said."


    She glanced at him. "So, you see? It''s not like Mom had bad intentions to force me to choose my career. But at the same time, I didn''t want to let her down either. So, there was a spell where I felt pressured from her and everybody''s expectations from me."


    Silence.


    Ai touched her chin in deep thought. "I think that''s why Han Shui asked you to give her space. She wanted the time to figure out if she truly saw her future with you or not. It was a hard decision to make because everybody was looking forward to the day when the two families would be tied together by marriage. It would be disheartening to declare that she might not want this relationship, so she wanted to take her time in giving it a proper thought and not hurt others unnecessarily.


    And I can understand why now that I met both families today. From your great-grandma''s reaction, I could see that it was a big blow to know that you two won''t be together anymore. That''s why Han Shui must have been hesitating a lot to have such conflicting feelings about you and also why you couldn''t confess your breakup for two months either."


    Jun took a deep, silent breath. He had never really thought of these things in this perspective but now that Ai pointed them out, he couldn''t help but feel that she made sense.


    Ai seriously said, "I am not saying Han Shui is not at fault. She did hurt you with her indecisiveness. But it was that background your families built that she misunderstood the boundary between friendship and love. It was through Jin that she realized that difference. You have both hurt each other in different ways because of your limited understanding about love. I think along the way, you also treated her just like a friend but because she was Mrs. Han''s daughter, you forced yourself to believe that you really loved her."


    Jun widened his eyes. His heart pounded faster in his chest. He didn''t want to compare Ai and Shui but now that he gave it a thought, he felt that his emotions for Ai were much stronger and deeper than what he ever had for Shui. He was indeed possessive about Shui but towards Ai, it was as if he strongly felt that he was meant to be hers. Something resonated in his heart about his feelings for Ai.


    Towards Shui, it was his obsession but for Ai, it was only his love.

 Chapter 201 A Mystery

    Chapter 201 A Mystery


    Jun glanced at her and asked, "You figured that all out from my story? You are amazing."


    Ai blinked. "I am not amazing. I think it''s easier to see what is happening from an outsider''s perspective. Also, I know about your obsession for perfection, so I knew it must have something to do with your relationship with Shui."


    He choked. "How does that come in my way? I just wanted to have a relationship like Mom and Dad have," he defended himself.


    "You still didn''t ask your parents about their love story, right?"


    He coughed and averted his gaze.


    Ai thought back to the time when she met Jinhai and slowly said, "You really should. You will definitely get to hear an interesting story I feel. You will realize that their love story wasn''t perfect either. You see it that way because they have worked to overcome their differences. Once again I am telling you. You are judging their marriage by the result, not the process."


    Jun rested his forehead on her shoulder and exhaled. "How do you understand so many things so easily?"


    Jun raised his brow. "I didn''t know you were a narcissist."


    "One should appreciate their qualities and what they are blessed with."


    Jun wanted to puke blood. It was similar to what he had said in the book signing event.


    With a grim countenance, she looked at him. "But I understand your shock about Jin. He was your closest brother but this time, his words and actions were¡­"


    He faintly smiled. "Of all people, I never thought that Jin would betray me. And today, he even implied that I was cheating on Shui."


    He trembled, thinking of all those childhood memories with him that was in stark contrast with his actions today.


    Ai''s brows softly crinkled. "I don''t understand Jin. Honestly, he is a mystery¡­"


    Jun felt irked. "What do you mean? I don''t like the way you call him mysterious."


    She glanced up at him, and a soft smile greeted her lips. "You are really cute when you are jealous."


    His expression turned ugly. "I told you not to call me cute¡­" he spoke through gritted teeth.


    She shook her head. "What I mean is that I don''t understand what he is thinking at all. When I saw him at the library for the first time, he genuinely seemed worried for you. I don''t think his concern was a lie. But then today he spoke such harsh words¡­


    Then in the past life, Jin suggested that you break up with Han Shui. If he did that because he liked Han Shui and wanted to separate you two, then why didn''t he get married to her sooner after she rejected you? He should have been happy that you were gone. There was no reason to wait for those years."


    Jun frowned. "Isn''t it because I was getting in their way?"


    Ai couldn''t put a finger on it. "I don''t think so. Maybe for some time because they felt guilty? But their feelings were clear towards each other. They would have gotten married eventually but five years is not a short time, especially when his roadblock was gone¡­That also¡­"


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "That also what?"


    Ai''s gaze turned somber. "That also reminds me of my past life. Gu Yating and I dated for five years and then he¡­He came up to me one day and said that he wanted to break up with me. When I saw him and Guiying together, I thought they would soon get married because of how they declared their relationship to the world. It was just a matter of time. But until that night I died, it didn''t seem that things hadn''t progressed between them at all."


    Jun stiffened. Hearing her talk about her and Gu Yating and their relationship made him feel sour. But to know more about Ai''s past life, he had to know about Yating too.


    "How did you listen to me talk about Shui and me so calmly? I feel like killing that bastard!"


    Ai''s lips twitched into an uncontrollable smile. "That''s why you are so cute."


    He glared at her. "I am telling you. If you call me cute one more time, I am gonna severely punish you!"


    Then he toned down his expression and growled in a low but alarming voice, "Tell me everything about that night when you¡­How did you fall from the building''s terrace!? Who pushed you?"


    His knuckles cracked dangerously. "Whoever it is, I will¡­"


    Ai lowered her gaze. "It was an accident. Guiying pushed me, and I fell."


    He froze. "Guiying? CherryBlossom?"


    Ai slowly nodded and told how that night transpired. The more Jun listened, the more his eyes got darker and murderous.


    "The hell!" He exclaimed after Ai was done. "The nerve of her to blame you for snatching everything from her!? Who does she think she is fooling!? She had a great career, and then she seduced that fucker Gu Yating who was your boyfriend and after all this, she dares to blame you!? I will kill her! And I will kill that bastard too for just standing like a Goddamn useless statue when you were falling! What is his problem? Even at the book signing event, he didn''t do anything to catch you and just kept standing!"


    His chest heaved restlessly, and he had an urge to let out the bloodthirsty emotions riling within his heart. The thought about Ai suffering by their hands in the past was enough to bring out the villain inside of him.


    Ai watched the anger and alarm swirling in his pupils for her sake, making her feel warm by his concern. "Calm down-"


    "The hell I will calm down!" Jun narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is that why you are afraid of heights? Because of how you¡­"


    Ai bit her lower lip. "Yes. When I was reborn, I used to get nightmares about that night. I realized I was getting afraid of being at high places because that always reminded me of how I fell. I would get dizzy and scared that I would fall."


    Jun clenched his fists with the green veins popping visible on the back of his hand. That was post traumatic stress disorder. The death at that night instilled the fear of heights in Ai. Nightmares, fear¡­it was all signs of PTSD.


    How dare they¡­


    "Tell me everything from the beginning."

 Chapter ?202 Ai’s Past (1)

    Ai''s gaze seemed far away as she started. "It was Guiying who brought me into writing. It was in high school. She always wanted to become one and then one day, she eagerly said that I should try it too. At first, I wrote only because she urged me to. But then I realized it wasn''t so bad. I randomly wrote the scenes that came to my mind and the more I did, the more I began to love it. The craft, the process - I liked it," a gentle smile curled her lips reminiscing the past. "That was the period when we bonded the closest. During breaks and after school we would meet and share ideas and write together. It was so much fun."


    Jun felt the sense of melancholy and loss from her voice, and he gently squeezed her hand.


    "Two years later, we participated in an inter-high writing competition. We were nervous because it was our first time. We worked really hard for it, spent sleepless nights, and our efforts paid off. Guiying won the Best Fiction award, and I won the Best Newcomer award."


    Jun scowled. "I don''t accept it. Why didn''t you win the Best Fiction award? I have read your story. It deserved to be won!"


    Ai blinked at him, surprised. She remembered him saying this before. "I am happy to win at least an award. Tragedy wasn''t one of the themes of the competition. But I wrote in that theme anyway because I loved the story that was in my mind. Guiying scolded me a lot when we were preparing for it. She said the judging team would never consider my entry because it doesn''t adhere to the theme."


    Jun snorted and mumbled. "I would have given you the award anyway."


    She chuckled and felt warm by his words. She shook her head and continued. "Our happiness knew no bounds when we won. It was our first competition after all. We celebrated a lot," her gaze softened. But it quickly dimmed as well as she said, "Then a week later, Yating came to our school."


    The mention of Yating soured Jun''s expression by a hundred fold. Blood rushed to his head in anger.


    That bastard...


    "He wasn''t officially working in Dream High back then. He came with the then Chief editor Mrs. Yu and was like her assistant in training. That was the first time we met."


    Jun had an urge to erase the first meeting and everything related to Yating from Ai''s life. Then his heart wouldn''t burn with so much anguish.


    Ai noticed his trembling body and clouded gaze. She leaned and kissed on his lips. "It''s only you in my heart now, Jun. I have no place for Yating in my life anymore."


    The burning sensation in his heart cooled down, and he felt pleased. He kissed her back and smiled. "En."


    Ai coughed.


    He looks so cute when his anger deflates.


    She cleared her throat and continued. "Mrs. Yu and Yating had come to invite me to work in Dream High and become a professional writer. Naturally, I was thrilled. I didn''t expect the offer. Yating said I could work part-time since I was still studying and then convert full time after my education. I ran to Guiying to share this exciting news, and I was so happy to learn that she had received an offer too," her brown irises shone with delight, "We were going to work together as writers. Even after school and college will be over, we will be together. That was such an exciting prospect for us."


    Jun smiled.


    "Though when I shared this to Mom, she was skeptical and against it. Like I told you, she didn''t think the career would sustain me. So, she was against it. But with Guiying''s encouragement, I convinced her as much as I could. Dad helped me too and finally, she agreed. But she had a condition that I had to complete my Majors in Education and English, which I was going to do anyway. So, it wasn''t a problem."


    Ai softly exhaled. "When I entered Dream High, we were made to choose our editors, and that''s when I met Xing Bi for the first time. She was so tall and cool and beautiful. I immediately liked her and chose her to be my editor."


    "Hm," Jun said, "I can see she really loves you a lot."


    Ai''s small face beamed with radiance. "Yes. She treats me like her little sister. After Mom and Dad, I always thought of her to be my closest family. She took care of me the most in my past life. She did everything she could to help me become a great writer."


    He gently nodded.


    Ai took a pause and said, "The next few years passed by peacefully. I worked part-time and published two more books with Dream High. It was the time when..." she coughed, "Yating and I got closer too."


    His gaze darkened.


    She hugged him and softly whispered, "Don''t get mad."


    "I am trying," he spoke through a clenched jaw.


    Ai smiled.


    He took a few deep breaths. "Continue. I won''t get angry."


    At least, I think I won''t...


    She knew he was lying, but she went on anyway, "Yating soon became the new Chief Editor after Mrs. Yu retired. We worked together and got closer and then on last year''s Christmas Eve, he confessed to me. I accepted, and we started dating."


    Jun''s lips were smiling but internally, his heart was raging. "I see."


    "I still remember...Guiying was really happy when she came to know about it. She cheered us with all her heart."


    Jun blinked. "So people at Dream High knew your relationship?"


    "Yes. But it wasn''t known outside of Dream High mostly because nobody knew that I was MissImperfectlyFine, and it was kept that way."


    "But then what about the book signing event!? How could Gu Yating agree to make you apologize in front of CherryBlossom''s fans!"


    "He wasn''t there at that time when the incident happened. Zhan Yahui wanted me to apologize, and he was still on his way to the event. But the fans were angry, and we couldn''t wait. Guiying tried too but she couldn''t stop her either. So, I went ahead and apologized, albeit hiding my face."

 Chapter 203 Ai’s Past (2)

    Chapter 203 Ai''s Past (2)


    "When Yating arrived, he was really furious with Zhan Yahui. But what was over was over. He wanted to make a statement in my favor, but it would have been seen as hiding my crime and giving an excuse to save my reputation, so the PR team wasn''t in favor. It would negatively impact Dream High too. But he went against everybody and made a statement anyway."


    Jun remembered that Dream High did make a statement but after the chaos, it hadn''t helped much. Guiying''s fans were too unforgiving until the end.


    "You didn''t tell him about the Yinyin?" Jun asked.


    Ai shook her head. "I didn''t want to implicate them or drag them into this. So, I kept it to myself. This is exactly why I took the blame in the first place. If I had told Yating, everything would have gone to waste."


    He pursed his li incident passed, and then Yating confessed to me. Many of the people in Dream High weren''t happy with it, especially after the signing incident. But Yating was fierce and intimidating and very pissed off after how the company didn''t do anything to save me. The other employees were also against me. So in front of his anger and resentment, nobody dared to speak a word against our relationship. Only Guiying and Xing Bi were truly happy for us."


    Jun gritted his teeth. He now really wished to turn time back even more so that he could rewrite the past for Ai.


    "Our relationship was going well. At least, that''s what I thought," her eyelashes trembled, "But I soon felt the distance Yating was putting between us. He seemed to be busier, and we didn''t have time for any more dates. We hardly met, and when we did, he seemed really tired and in a bad mood. I asked on many occasions if something was wrong, but¡­he never said anything to me. The distance only widened between us. One day, Mom said that he wished to meet Yating. But he seemed afraid of something and kept making excuses to avoid meeting her."


    Jun widened his eyes.


    Ai pursed her lips. "Mom was dissatisfied. I somehow convinced her that Yating was really busy as the Chief Editor, but she didn''t buy it. A while later, she asked me to break up with him. She didn''t like how things were going between us."


    He sneered. "Wise woman. I like her."


    She helplessly chuckled, but then her smile faded.


    Pain shot in Jun''s heart, and he pulled, and he embraced her tighter, giving her his reassurance. "I am here with you. You are a very strong woman, Ai," he kissed her forehead.


    She felt her vision become blurry.


    "What happened then?"


    Ai took the strength from his warmth. "Nothing much really. It was a hard phase in my life. My career was going nowhere and along with it, my relationship too. Both were going downhill, and I didn''t know how to save any of it. Xing Bi fought a lot for me seeing how Dream High heavily promoted Guiying. But everything went to deaf ears. When I was twenty-eight, Mom was absolutely serious about me breaking up with Yating and stopping my writing career too. Nothing was helping me grow, and my life was only growing more unstable, whether personally or financially.


    But I remained stubborn. Mom got furious and gave me an ultimatum to decide things once and for all. Dad too, who always supported me, agreed with Mom for the first time that I had to end things with Yating. I got afraid, and that''s when I¡­I went to Yating and proposed to him to marry me. I wanted to show Mom and Dad that everything wasn''t over yet. But¡­"


    She felt her warm tears slide down as she stammered, "He re-refused. He rejected me. I-It was the same day when he said that he wanted to break up with me. I just stood there. I couldn''t think of anything. I came to ask him to marry me, but he was there to end our relationship. I was devastated. It felt like my whole world just crumbled."


    She felt Jun''s body tremble and his hold on her tightening. She looked up and saw his eyes growing moist with tears too.


    "That fucking bastard¡­Who the hell is he to reject you!?"


    At that moment, he really wished to burn this whole world who did nothing but hurt Ai in the worst way possible.


    She lowered her gaze and took a deep breath. "...I felt so stupid. Mom was right. She kept warning me, but I didn''t pay any heed to it. I was standing in front of a reality from which Mom and Dad wanted to protect me. But I was an idiot and kept being stubborn. Even more so when I learned that," she softly gasped, "Guiying and Yating were dating now. I couldn''t understand what was happening. Why¡­Why would they be together? Guiying was so happy for us. Then how could she become his girlfriend now?"


    She bit her lip. "That was the last straw for me. When I confronted Guiying, she was smiling at me. A smile that I had never seen on her face before. It was evil and mocking. She was laughing as she said that she always liked Yating but kept away because of me. Sh-she told Yating to break up with me, and he did. I couldn''t make sense of the things happening in front of me. Guiying looked so different. We were best friends, but at that time¡­she looked at me as if I was her enemy. Our years of friendship broke just like that in a single day."


    Ai cried harder as she clutched onto Jun''s shirt. "I had lost everything, Jun. My friendship, my love, my career¡­I had nothing beside me anymore. It felt like all the years until then were a lie. I could only stand and watch everything slipping from my hands like sand¡­I tried holding onto it, but nothing worked.


    Xing Bi also lost her job, and I could do nothing to save her. I was useless. She did everything she could to help me, but I couldn''t reciprocate her kindness. I begged Dream High to let her keep her job, but nobody listened to me. Then I had no other choice. I left Dream High. I left the writing world. I left everything behind me and returned home to my city where Mom and Dad lived."

 Chapter ?204 Ai’s Past (3)

    Chapter ?204 Ai''s Past (3)


    Ai took several long minutes to calm down. Even if this was her second chance and her life was different than before with Jun by her side now, nevertheless she felt as if the wounds inflicted upon her were still fresh. They bled her heart and the old memories invoked the same grief which she tried so hard to overcome this time. The ignorance, the betrayal, the loss - was even heavier than what she felt at that night she fell.


    The nauseous feeling within her settled down, feeling Jun''s gentle pats and his soft kisses on her forehead and cheek. He wiped the traces of tears off her face. As she felt relaxed, she said, "For four years, I didn''t hold my pen again for writing. Instead, Mom arranged a job for me in the university where she worked. She was retired, but she had connections. I became a professor in college and spent the next four years teaching, trying to forget everything I suffered," her eyes stung, "It was hard, but Mom and Dad were there for me."


    There was silence for a beat. Jun then slowly said, "But you resumed writing again. You published one last book before¡­"


    Ai nodded. Her dim and sorrowful gaze brightened for a few moments as she spoke, "I would never have had the courage. But there were two students in my class. They were a couple and when they read my book, they came to tell me how much they loved it," she softly chuckled, "I was really shocked to know that somebody still read my books. But I felt so happy seeing their appreciation for my work. It was after so long that I had experienced that feeling¡­"


    "After much contemplation, I told them that I was MissImperfectlyFine. It was the first time I had revealed my identity."


    He widened his eyes in surprise, "Oh."


    "Yes. They were very sweet. We talked for hours. They wanted to know why I quit, but I couldn''t tell them the truth. I just made up an excuse. They really urged me to give writing another shot. At first, I declined. But they were really persistent," she helplessly shook her head. "In the end, it was them who gave me the courage, and I decided to write a book which would reflect my life in it. Just like how I wrote my short story."


    "I see¡­"


    "I told my Mom and surprisingly, she wasn''t against it. She advised me to do what I felt was right. Dad was worried but overall, he supported me too. So, I began writing my draft. Around six months later, when I was a little more confident with my draft and my desire to go ahead, I thought of contacting Xing Bi. I wanted to let her know that I was writing another book. But¡­" she trembled and tears flew once again.


    "H-Hey what happened?" Jun was bewildered to see her crying.


    She sobbed, and her lips quivered. "I came to know that X-Xing Bi was no more."


    Jun stiffened. "What? She¡­"


    "Yes. She died in a drunk driving accident. I couldn''t believe it. The one and only person who was dear to me left from my writing world was gone too. Xing Bi¡­left me, Jun. B-But I couldn''t understand how? She hates alcohol as her mother died because of it. She told me she swore never to touch alcohol. And she died through that? I couldn''t believe she would break her vow. I know life was tough, but I also know that she wasn''t the one to succumb to her pain. I felt restless and after much thinking, I approached a private investigator. But there was nothing much to lead on."


    Her heart pricked as if stabbed by thorns. "I didn''t even get to be there at her funeral¡­I didn''t get to see her one last time," she burst into tears, her heart breaking into immense sorrow.


    "Ssh¡­" Jun was continuously brushing his palm along her hair, but her tears that gushed out of her eyes refused to stop. The pain of losing Xing Bi had struck her the hardest.


    She drew in deep breaths. "It was then that I finally decided. I would complete my book and dedicate it to Xing Bi in her honor and respect. Any last doubts in my heart vanished after she passed away. Parallely, I asked my investigator to keep working on her case because somewhere in my heart, I couldn''t accept the reason behind her death. Since I wasn''t a part of Dream High or any publishing company anymore, I self-published my book after it was complete. I didn''t expect much, but it became a huge success."


    Jun felt proud. "Of course. My Ai is the best."


    She softly smiled, and her gaze seemed faraway. "I returned to Beijing for a few days, partly because I wanted to collect Xing Bi''s things and partly because my investigator wanted to meet me. That evening, I stepped into Dream High for the first time in five years. I didn''t want to, but I just wanted to check if they still kept any of Xing Bi''s stuff in storage after she left or threw it away. If they had, then I wanted to take her things with me. The staff said they did have a few things and asked me to collect it the next evening.


    Until they packed the things, I went to the terrace where I usually liked to be during the time I worked there. I liked to spend my time there to take a breath of fresh air and watch the city from above. It was then that¡­Guiying and Yating came to meet me. Guiying was drunk, and Yating was in disbelief to see me after a long time."


    She clenched her fists. "Then you know what happened. Guiying cried and blamed me for stealing everything from her. Her career, her brother''s affection and the man she loved. She was too agitated and pushed me after which¡­my life came to an end that night."

 Chapter 205 An Accident Or A Murder?

    How fucking dare they!?


    Jun sprung on his feet abruptly from the swing and rapidly paced back and forth in front of it.


    Ai asked, "What are you doing?"


    He angrily sneered. "Trying to calm myself, or I am afraid I would go to those cheaters'' places and kill their sorry lives right now! I think that''s not a bad idea. My hands are itching for revenge."


    Ai noticed the twitch of his fingers and his beautiful gaze that was growing increasingly darker and threatening.


    "Can you take me out of the swing?"


    Jun obediently lifted her and helped her on her feet.


    Ai tiptoed and kissed his cheeks. "Thank you so much Jun for getting angry for my sake," she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head in his embrace. "I love you."


    Jun tightly pressed her soft body against him and kissed her hair. "I love you too. I..."


    He shut his eyes that were threatening to grow misty. He remembered the impact with which Ai had fallen on top of his car. The blood, the sound of bones breaking...


    Falling from a building...It must have hurt like hell...


    "I really want to kill them. You have nothing but suffered, and they dare to stand above you!?"


    He trembled with rage and resentment clouding his heart. "I won''t forgive them for this. I will give them pain a hundred fold more than what you suffered!"


    Ai softly smiled. "We don''t have to forgive them. But I don''t want revenge either. When I was reborn, I decided not to dwell in the past or with revenge. I will focus on myself and my career and stay away from them."


    "You have a kind heart, but I don''t! If Gu Yating was your boyfriend, then how the hell your career remained at a standstill like that? Why didn''t he do anything to make you the best writer? On top of that, he got seduced by your best friend and shamelessly broke up with you. Who the hell is he to break up with you? You should have dumped him, not otherwise! And your so-called best friend? She had everything in her life and still cursed you for her misery!? She...she was the one who pushed you..."


    He sneered. "How about I push her from a terrace and let her know how it feels to fall and die like you did?"


    His gaze faced the balcony of his condo as he imagined the scenario of taking revenge from Yating and Guiying. But as he stared outside, something struck him.


    Jun slowly said, "Ai. When I realized that it was you who I had seen that night, I thought there was some conspiracy against you. You weren''t the type to kill yourself, so I surmised that somebody murdered you."


    Ai widened her eyes. "It''s wasn''t a murder. Although you may feel that Guiying pushed me on purpose to kill me, it wasn''t like that. I know...she didn''t want to kill me. Not intentionally. It happened by accident because when I slipped, I saw the horror on her face. It was real. That clearly showed that she realized her blunder, and she didn''t mean to push me off and kill me."


    "If it was an accident, then how did you fall in the first place?" Jun spoke in an extremely chilling voice. "How hard did she push you?"


    Ai furrowed her brows and tried to remember that feeling. "I stumbled backwards, and my back hit the railing. Then I fell. It wasn''t that hard."


    Jun stiffened. "That''s exactly my point." He took a step back from their embrace and stared at her. "No wonder I was feeling that something was odd in the back of my mind with how you fell down. Dream High is a big company, and big and reputed companies have good security in place. Usually, there are good precautions in all houses and offices.


    That includes a tall and sturdy railing on the terrace and balconies. One cannot easily bend over and fall from above the railing with its tall height. It''s designed in such a way that you won''t fall even if you stumbled a bit here and there at the border. Otherwise, what''s the point?


    Even if Cai Guiying pushed you, you shouldn''t have fallen anyway because the railing should have supported you and taken that force. It would be impossible for her to exert that much strength to make a human of her size topple from above the railing. Plus, she was drunk. That''s the main point. Alcohol robs you of your energy. She couldn''t have used that much force to bend you over the railing. Maybe for Gu Yating but not for her."


    She blinked. "But I wasn''t toppled from above. I slipped backwards and fell."


    "That''s why I asked how hard did she push you? If you only stumbled backward, that was not enough for you to fall. What happened to the railing? You couldn''t have passed THROUGH the railing and fell, right?"


    Ai tilted her head.


    He grabbed her shoulders and squinted his eyes. "I am smelling something fishy here. Try to remember. What exactly happened at that moment when she pushed you?"


    At first, Jun thought if he was thinking too hard about it. But his instinct didn''t agree with him. There was something wrong that had happened and hidden from everybody''s sight.


    Ai shut her eyes and recalled that night. It was hard and her heart sped fast but with Jun at her side, she felt comforted and confident.


    She ran the whole scene in slow motion in her mind, and then she opened her eyes, feeling bewildered. "I remember the railing broke down when I bumped into it."


    His eyes slowly widened. "Broke down?"


    "Yes. I remember now. My back hit the railing, and I instinctively held it for support. But instead, the railing loosened and collapsed. I heard a metal crash before I fell the next moment."


    "Wait a second. The entire long railing which covered that terrace''s side fell at once?"


    Ai slowly shook her head now that she was beginning to have suspicions too, her heart racing faster. "No. That''s the strange part. Only one part of the railing had collapsed. It was the part around where I was standing."

 Chapter ?206 Two-Faced

    The air went still. Jun had his doubts about Ai''s death, but his spidey senses that tingled said otherwise. Now her confirmation was all that he needed.


    "As I thought...It wasn''t an accident! You were fucking killed! There is no way that specific part of the railing would just tip over like that."


    When Jun said it that way, Ai''s own mind churned with suspicions and disbelief.


    Murder?


    Until now, she believed that it was an unfortunate accident and even if she wanted to, she couldn''t hate Guiying because she knew that she didn''t do it on purpose.


    "That''s not possible...Guiying wouldn''t go so far..." she trembled.


    "She can!" Jun''s gaze turned dark and lethal. "She was jealous of you and jealousy...Jealousy is a dangerous emotion. It can take you to any lengths."


    Thinking about the past life, he wondered about himself.


    Wasn''t I the same? I got so jealous of Jin that I thought of killing him.


    "Jealousy and desperation is deadly," his fingers curled, and his fist reddened from the anger coursing in his veins. He angrily laughed. "I know what must have happened. Cai Guiying wanted to make it look like an accident. She must have already made preparations in place to loosen the railing sometime before and at the right time, she pushed you!"


    Preparations...


    A sharp shudder passed through her mind.


    Jun narrowed his eyes at her reaction. "What? Did you remember something else?"


    Her voice stammered. "I-I remembered that during the time I was there, some workers were doing some repairs and maintenance in Dream High building," she bit her lip, tears blurring her vision, "I had caught a glimpse of them working on the terrace too before I went up..."


    Her heart drummed faster in her chest. The repairs getting done on the same day matched with the suspicions Jun was having.


    Jun gnashed his jaw. "I knew it. The railing was tampered with! It won''t just fall off on its own. Cai Guiying went too far!"


    Is that really...


    Ai stared ahead blankly.


    Did she really hate me so much that she would want to kill me?


    "She did it exactly like I thought. You would die, and then she would blame the accident on the company from where the workers came to do the maintenance. She wanted to pin the hazard on them and run free. And that Gu Yating...Of course, he supported his so-called girlfriend," his gaze darkened. "It''s not difficult for him. After all, he is Gu Rong''s son. He is the Gu family buisness''s heir. He is rich and influential too to handle the mess and escape."


    Ai snapped out of her daze and looked at Jun, bewildered. "What? Rich? Influential? He is a young master?"


    Jun gave her a confused look in turn. "Why are you asking me that? Don''t you know? You two were..." a vein popped on his forehead, "dating after all."


    "We were. But he never told me that he came from a wealthy family," she was stunned. "I...never knew. I only saw him working as the Chief Editor."


    "He is rich. His father is Gu Rong and the CEO of Gu Corps right now. His son is Gu Yating, which makes him the heir. That''s how he was able to come to Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet. Mostly, all wealthy families were invited, Gu Rong being one of them. He is not some average man."


    It was hard processing all this information at once for Ai.


    Jun frowned. "Gu Yating never told you about his family?"


    "He-he did but not much. He just mentioned once about his father. He didn''t speak about his mother."


    Which made her wonder just how much she was kept in the dark about the people closest to her in the past life? Guiying was her best friend and Yating was her boyfriend. Yet, both of them kept so many things hidden from her. Right now, she felt as if she knew nothing about them.


    "As expected from him," Jun cursed Gu Yating, "Both are a bunch of liars! Cai Guiying felt jealous of you, and she roped in her boyfriend to end your life. And I know why. You had published your last book a month before that night happened. It was successful. It was after five years that you came back to the writing world, and she must have felt threatened by your return. That''s why..."


    His eyes glinted with fury as he thought about the Summit, "That''s why I am sure now that Cai Guiying had something to do with bribing the judges against you. Didn''t Xing Bi say that they would vote for her despite you being the winner? It must be her!"


    Ai felt her throat go dry. "But why would she defend me? She did put up a post as CherryBlossom and stood up for me when everybody was blaming me. Even during the book signing event, she had disagreed with Zhan Yahui to make me apologize to her fans. This was the case in the past too."


    Jun chuckled. "Do you think a woman who could snatch your boyfriend, push you off the terrace so cruelly and plan your murder will be a simple woman? Of course, she did it to be in everybody''s good books. She wanted to show how big of a heart she has who stands up for her best friend. She was always two-faced! It was all an act. Secretly, she was celebrating to see you in misery!"


    He held her face and brought her closer to him. "But I won''t stand for it. Somebody fucking plotted against your life. It''s unforgivable. Liu Jun won''t let it go," his laughter was enveloped with eeriness and danger, "Ai, no matter what happens, this time...I won''t let the past life repeat. I won''t let her or Gu Yating or anybody else even touch a strand of your hair. I will make those bastard judges spill out the truth at any cost. Once...Just once I know that Cai Guiying is behind all this, I will make her regret messing with you!"

 Chapter 207 Full Support To Mr. Liu’s Relationship

    Back at the Liu villa, the atmosphere had gone extremely silent after the huge confrontation. Nana anxiously paced back and forth in the room, creases appearing on her forehead and tears meeting her eyes.


    "This has never happened before, Jinhai. J-Jun and Jin have never fought like that," her eyes ached. "I don''t understand what is going on. First Jun and Shui breakup, then Jun says that he loves Zhou Ai and then Jin declares that he likes her too..."


    Her face paled. "Jinhai, when did things take such a turn? I didn''t even know when Jun got so much closer to Zhou Ai. And Jin...I don''t know about his feelings for Ai, but he went too far."


    If two brothers liked the same woman, then it was natural somebody was going to get hurt and as a mother, she didn''t want to see either of her sons in pain. But she couldn''t stand Jun disrespecting his elder brother either.


    "He doesn''t," Jinhai''s low voice sounded close to her ear.


    Nana turned and looked into her husband''s eyes. They seemed strangely resolute for some reason.


    "How are you so sure? Jin wouldn''t bring this up in front of everyone if he didn''t like Zhou Ai."


    Jinhai''s black eyes narrowed. He patted her head and smiled. "I mean it''s not really love at this point. He is just interested in her because Dad introduced them. I didn''t see him meeting her after the banquet or talking about her in any way, so I am sure it''s nothing serious."


    He tilted his head. "Don''t worry, Nana. He is not serious about Zhou Ai..."


    Nana pursed her lips. "I really hope so, Jinhai. I don''t want their relationship to grow painful or complicated. But after today, I don''t know how things will get better. I...I never saw Jun so agitated."


    Jinhai said nothing.


    "I mean I don''t know how to put it. I understand he would be naturally uncomfortable with Jin coming forward and saying that he likes the woman that Jun does. But Jun''s anger felt really...deep and resentful for some reason. His eyes looked so different. I am worried, Jinhai. I am worried this will put a crack in their relationship."


    Jinhai kissed her forehead and assured her. "It won''t happen like that. You don''t have to stress about this."


    Nana said, "...What about Xinyi and Zhiyuan? And Shui?"


    "I think they know what to talk to her. They are mature and understanding. They will know how to deal with it. If you are worrying that this will bring a problem in the relationship between our families, then it won''t."


    Her gaze dimmed. "I hope so too."


    Then she looked up and asked, "Jinhai, what do you think about Jun and Zhou Ai?"


    He stared at her with a deep gaze. "I don''t see any problem with it. Didn''t you say that you liked Zhou Ai as well?"


    She softly smiled. "Yes. She is a good girl. She is so calm and poised and very mature for her age."


    He chuckled. "You were just like her at twenty-two."


    Nana coughed hard. "I don''t really think so."


    "You were," Jinhai said with resolution in his voice, "Isn''t that why I fell for you so hard?"


    Her cheeks reddened furiously. "You...We are talking about Jun and Zhou Ai! Why are you bringing our time in between?" She cleared her throat and averted her gaze.


    "And I like how you still get shy," his eyes twinkled.


    Her mouth twitched. "You..."


    Jinhai shook his head and stopped teasing his wife. "You don''t have to worry about Jun. He has chosen a fine woman. As his parents, we just want to see him happy, right?"


    Nana slowly nodded.


    He smiled and patted her cheek. "I will be back."


    "Hm."


    Jinhai closed the door behind him and walked towards Jin''s room, his eyes squinting with an unreadable expression. When he reached near his door, he saw Nian just stepping out of his room.


    "Yo, Dad!" He chirped.


    Jinhai raised his brow.


    Nian watched his gaze and shrugged. "I just thought to talk to Jin about what happened."


    "And what did he say?" He calmly asked.


    Nian sighed. "He was insisting that he likes Zhou Ai. Though I don''t feel that is the case. Jian feels the same. I don''t know what is going on, so I wanted some answers. But Jin was stubborn, so I might have gotten a little violent with him~"


    Jinhai paused. "You hit him?"


    Nian smiled. "Come on, Dad. You know me~ I don''t like it when us siblings fight. I thought of making Jun and Jin talk together to sort out their differences. But he didn''t wanna go," he shrugged. "And I don''t like it when my cute siblings don''t listen to me. When the elder brother is saying something, they should just do as I say, or I get angry."


    He said it casually with a grin on his lips, but his eyes were anything but smiling.


    Jinhai stared at his son. "You better not have that attitude with Nuo."


    Nian broke into a cold sweat. "Of course not. She is my sweetest sister. Also, I don''t want to be fed to the sharks by you. I want to be alive, marry my cute Xing Bi and have lots of cute children with her!"


    "What does she do?"


    "...She is Zhou Ai''s editor. Zhou Ai is a writer. She won last night''s Authors'' Summit and will work in Sky Publishing from now on."


    Jinhai cocked his brow. "Interesting."


    Since Ai and Xing Bi were related, he knew why Nian was invested in this matter.


    "What do you feel about Jun and Zhou Ai''s relationship?"


    Nian glanced at him. "Sure, I was shocked like everybody else. It''s still hard to believe that Shui won''t be my sister-in-law. But Zhou Ai is a good woman too, though she is a sweets'' murderer," his gaze darkened, "Anyway. I feel regretful for Jun and Shui. Jun has found himself a great woman. I like her. I am sure Shui will find herself a great man too. I know our family will have a difficult time accepting Zhou Ai and since she is so close to Xing Bi, Xing Bi won''t like it if we have reservations about Zhou Ai."


    He smiled. "But I am not gonna let that affect MY relationship with her. Jun likes Zhou Ai, Jian and I like Zhou Ai and most importantly, Xing Bi treats her as her sister, so their relationship has my full support."

 Chapter ?208 Jinhai’s Warning

    Chapter ?208 Jinhai''s Warning


    Jinhai quietly stepped into Jin''s room and saw him rubbing his cheek as he was seated on the bed.


    "It has become quite purple," Jinhai commented. First Ai had slapped him, and now Nian hit him too. But Jin seemed unfazed and unaffected even though blood trickled down his wound, a proof of Nian''s violence.


    Jin raised his head and narrowed his eyes.


    "Was that Nian who slapped you?"


    Jin smiled. "I expected that. Bro Jian and Bro Nian don''t like it when somebody is too stubborn not to listen to them."


    "Why did he hit you?"


    He glanced at his father. "Is it so difficult to understand or trust me when I say that I am interested in Zhou Ai?"


    "It is because you don''t like her."


    Jin paused his movements. "So you will say the same thing as him?" He then spoke, slightly rattled and agitated, "What? Is everyone an expert on what goes on in my heart?"


    "I have no use for provoking him."


    "You have and that''s why you did and that''s why Nian hit you. He wanted you to say the truth but you didn''t, and it short-circuited his fuse."


    Jin asked, "How are you so sure? Grandpa introduced us with the intention of us dating. Can I not get interested in her?"


    Jinhai sat on a chair opposite the and propped his arm on the armrest. "You can, but you didn''t. You don''t look like someone who is in love. Definitely not with Zhou Ai."


    He wasn''t saying this because he knew about the past life from Jun and that Jin and Shui held feelings for each other. Even without having that knowledge, Jinhai could gauge that he didn''t like Zhou Ai as a woman.


    For that matter¡­


    Jinhai was in deep thought about something. Questions seemed to be swirling in his jet black irises as he gazed at Jin.


    "Your smile, your expression, your eyes when you confessed your interest in Zhou Ai¡­they weren''t genuine at all," Jinhai said, "Jun''s eyes were sincere about her. What Jun showed was genuine. Not you. You only did that to rile up Jun. Why?"


    "I did nothing of that sort."


    He fixed his gaze at Jin. "Do you like Shui?"


    Jin squinted his eyes. "You won''t believe when I say that I like Zhou Ai, but you will believe her words if she says that I like Shui? I don''t think you know her that well."


    "But I know you well. That''s why I am asking you. Do you like Shui?"


    He smiled and stated. "I don''t like Shui. I don''t have any feelings for her."


    Jinhai quietly scrutinized his gaze and ever so slowly nodded. "I see."


    He got up and got ready to leave. "So you still won''t say why you lied?"


    "I didn''t lie," Jin remained firm.


    "And if you didn''t lie, then what are you planning to do next? Even if it''s the ''truth'', it''s beyond your control because Jun and Zhou Ai are together. Your feelings have nowhere to go. That is, if they are even there in the first place."


    Jin looked away. "What can I do? Bro Jun had Shui, but he broke up with her. And the next woman he found had to be Zhou Ai unfortunately. I am helpless. Guess I have to let her go."


    Jinhai''s icy voice rang in the air dangerously. "It better be that way. Don''t come in between Jun and Zhou Ai. You will hurt a lot of people with that. You have already hurt Jun quite a lot today and frankly, I would have slapped you myself if not for Nian. Not only Jun, you implied Zhou Ai to be a homewrecker. She is a good and respectful woman, and that''s not how men in our family treat women like her. So I am warning you, Liu Jin. Stay within your limits."


    He said nothing.


    "A long time back, I hurt a lot of people to get what I wanted at any cost. I don''t want you to repeat history," Jinhai tilted his head, "If you remain stubborn and cause discord in Jun''s life, then you will have it from me. Take it as my warning or threat, whatever you wish."


    Jin smiled at him though his fists were silently clenched.


    When Jinhai left, he took a deep breath as his eyes showed a hint of anger and cruelty. "Hurt¡­I am not hurting anybody here, Dad. I am only doing what is right."


    ¡ª


    Where Jinhai had a conversation with Jin, a similar situation was going on in the Han villa too.


    Shui was seated on the couch with her parents and brother surrounding her on either side with a grim expression on their faces.


    Xinyi said, "Shui, something like this has been happening for a while now, and you didn''t tell us anything?"


    Siying saw his mother getting agitated. "Mom, calm down."


    "How can I calm down? It''s not a small issue, Siying. We suddenly came to know this today. If there were problems going on between you and Jun, why didn''t you tell us?"


    Shui trembled. She was listening to Xinyi''s questions but at the same time, there were a lot of questions of her own about what had happened today.


    Jun''s relationship with Ai did come as a shock to her. But she didn''t believe it even for a moment that he broke up with her because of Ai or that he cheated on her. Jun wasn''t that kind of a man. Since they had broken up, she didn''t feel it was wrong of Jun to find someone else either.


    As much as Jun''s relationship shocked her, so did Jin''s declaration that he was interested in Ai. When Jin expressed his interest in Ai, that was when Shui truly felt herself going blank. She had felt her heart stop and shatter into pieces.


    "Shui? Are you listening to me?" Xinyi shook her shoulder.


    Shui snapped out of her daze and stared at her. "Huh?"


    "I am asking you. Why¡­why were you holding these things in your heart?"


    "I¡­I don''t know!" She exclaimed, making the trio jolt with her outburst. "I don''t have to give you any answers, Mom! What should I have told you when it was hard figuring things out for myself!? I thought things would go well between Jun and me because that''s how it was supposed to be, right? But I don''t know when and why we started fighting. I don''t know why I didn''t like being with Jun like I always thought it would be¡­" her eyes reddened, and tears slipped on her cheeks.


    Zhiyuan widened his eyes and quickly held her hand. "Shui, it''s alright dear-"


    "No! It''s not alright! Nothing is alright, Dad¡­Nothing is fine¡­"

 Chapter 209 Failed As Parents

    Chapter 209 Failed As Parents


    "I feel miserable. Like I have let down everybody. I feel that something was going wrong in our relationship. I was growing more and more distant from Jun. I was making excuses to avoid meeting him! I felt horrible, a-and I really didn''t want to do that...I wanted to talk to Jun, but I don''t know what and how? We were in a relationship, so how was I supposed to tell him that I preferred my time without him? I didn''t know how to explain that. I didn''t know why I was feeling that way. Everything was fine when we were children...


    B-But the more possessive he became after we started dating, the more uncomfortable I got. He wanted to be everywhere with me but many times, I didn''t share those sentiments, and I felt pathetic!" She wiped her eyes. "I was failing as his girlfriend, and I didn''t want to..." she shook hard.


    Siying hugged his sister and whispered, "Ssh. Shui, it''s okay. Just don''t cry..."


    She teared up more, feeling the warmth of her brother. "I-I d-didn''t know how to say these things. Ever since I remember, I had always been with Jun. I loved playing with him. I loved spending time with him. He always said that he would marry me one day...and I was so happy because that made everyone happy around me. Even though Dad looked like he wasn''t, I knew deep in his heart, he liked and accepted Jun. I also thought I wanted to marry him, but I didn''t know why things started to change...and it was frustrating to handle these feelings."


    And then there is Jin...


    It was very faint, but the feelings for him were beginning to take root in her heart. She was forced to face them when Jun tore it out in the open on New Year''s Eve. Yet, Shui kept ignoring those feelings. But she had no place to hide when she saw Jin and Ai dancing that night and now today too when Jin said he liked Ai.


    That shook her to her core. He said that in front of the whole family which meant that there must be some truth to it perhaps. But that truth brought only pain to her heart. Now she knew why.


    I like Jin.


    She realized this on the same day when Jin already rejected her unknowingly. She accepted her feelings only to know that Jin wasn''t interested in her but Ai. Even though he might not be able to do anything because Jun and Ai were in a relationship now. But it didn''t mean that the feelings wouldn''t be there.


    Shui''s fingers trembled as she curled them into her palm. "It''s all my fault..." she broke down, "I couldn''t accept Jun and his love, and I let him down. I let down our families...It would have been better if we had remained as just friends! Then I wouldn''t have made everyone unhappy like this!"


    She ran towards her room, not wishing to talk about this anymore.


    "Shui!" Siying exclaimed and he wanted to chase after her, but he felt anxious and helpless. He said, "I will try talking to her


    Don''t worry," and with that, he left to follow her.


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan didn''t stop them either. Instead, Shui''s confrontation left a deep question in their minds.


    "Zhiyuan..." she trembled, tears threatening to spill out of her eyes, "A-all this time...Were we unknowingly putting pressure on Shui?"


    Zhiyuan clenched his fists, blaming and cursing himself.


    "Jun was a good and sincere child. I felt so happy to know that Shui would marry him and have a good family in the future. But did our families'' excitement to see them together form expectations within her? Was she with Jun because she was just following what we wanted? Maybe...maybe she always wanted Jun just as her friend, but everybody''s insistence made her feel as if she really loved him..."


    Zhiyuan shut his eyes. "You are right, Xinyi. It''s all our fault. We as adults and parents have failed. How..." he gritted his teeth, "How couldn''t we see this? Friendship and love are two very different feelings, but we blurred that difference for her. She was right. Even though I might complain about Jun, I really wanted to see them together because I knew nobody could love Shui as much as him. I wanted Shui to be happy, and I...I thought her happiness would be in him. But really...I didn''t even once ask what she wanted. I...why did I assume that Shui will love Jun the same way he did?"


    He trembled, and he banged his fist on the table.


    "Zhiyuan, stop! Hurting yourself is not the solution!" She wiped her eyes and held his hand, rubbing over the slight redness.


    "Then what should I do? How could we make such a mistake? Just because Jun liked Shui didn''t mean that Shui had to like him back. But we failed to understand it! We unnecessarily hurt our children when we could have avoided all of it. Jun, Shui...we just made everything difficult for them. She just said she would rather be Jun''s friend. Those were her true feelings always. But we pushed her with our expectations and made her feel that she will let everyone down. How can I force my daughter into a corner like that, Xinyi?"


    "I am her father for God''s sake! How did it happen that I am the reason behind her tears right now? Why did we have to fail like that, Xinyi...?"

 Chapter ?210 We Will Live Together!

    Chapter ?210 We Will Live Together!


    The next day as Jun prepared breakfast, he was also simultaneously on call with his cousin, spewing his dangerous aura through the phone.


    "What happened with the fucker judges?"


    Yunru, who was just awake from his peaceful sleep, sobbed. "Bro, can you not use a gentler tone? I am your beloved brother after all!"


    "Yunru..." he warned.


    He coughed. "I checked and the two men are unconscious."


    His expression contorted in anger. "What the fuck are the doctors doing!? I want them awake! I want to know who dared to bribe them against Ai!"


    "I am already on it, Bro! I have ordered the doctor to inform me as soon as they are awake."


    Jun wasn''t so pleased but at this moment, there was no other choice but to wait.


    From the corner of his eye, he noticed Ai already freshened up and ready to leave somewhere.


    "Where are you going?"


    Yunru said, "Ah? I am going to brush my teeth. You called me before I could even wash my face!" He clicked his tongue. "I am not asking you. I am asking Ai."


    "...."


    He cleared his throat. "She is with you?"


    Jun, who was walking towards her, paused and said with his dark voice, "Who else should she be with if not me?"


    Yunru choked on the other end. "Of course, she should be with you!"


    He smirked.


    Yunru took a moment and said, "I heard you revealed your breakup with Shui and also your relationship with Zhou Ai...A-Are you okay, Bro?" Yunru''s restless voice was filled with concern, more so after how he came to know about Jin and Jun''s fight. It was the first time they fought like this, making him extremely worried.


    Jun thought about Jin and immediately his heart felt unsettled and disturbed. But his gaze softened with his cousin''s consideration. "I am fine," he looked at Ai and smiled, "As long as Ai is with me, I will be fine."


    Yunru observed his tone for a moment. He wanted to ask about Jin but refrained in the end. He smiled. "En! That''s like my cool Bro! By the way...hehe...When will you officially introduce me to your girlfriend~?"


    Jun raised his brow. "Soon. Ai will join Sky soon. You can have your first official meeting there."


    "Yes! I will be waiting!" He chirped. "Now, I am hungry! I am going! Bye!"


    His mouth twitched.


    Jun then narrowed his eyes and folded his arms as he stared at Ai. "Where are you going?"


    "To my apartment," Ai promptly answered.


    Black clouds immediately hovered over his head. "Why? Don''t tell me you are going back to live there? I won''t agree to this!"


    She blinked.


    Jun grabbed her wrist and pulled her in his embrace. He looked into her innocent irises and felt an itch in his throat. "You don''t think that we will be living separately now, do you?"


    Ai parted her lips to reply, paused and then said, "Oh. I didn''t think of that."


    "..."


    She looked thoughtful. "Maybe, it''s a good idea. We should live separately-"


    "No!" Jun cut her off with a resounding rejection. He pushed her until her back bumped and slightly leaned over the couch. "Don''t even think that we will live away from each other. Not when I know how Cai Guiying schemed your death in the past life!"


    Thinking about Guiying, she felt puzzled. "I still don''t get it, Jun. Yating said that Guiying told him that she doesn''t love him at all. She even said that she has somebody else who she likes. I never knew she had someone like that already. Then why would they get together in the past?"


    Jun seemed thoughtful. "It is puzzling indeed. Right now, I think that maybe she doesn''t have any such man at all and perhaps lied to hide her feelings about Gu Yating? Then something happened later or jealousy overwhelmed her, and she decided to snatch him from you. It could also be that she snatched him as a way to take revenge from you. But revenge from what? Nothing happened around that time that would make you her threat, right?"


    Ai shook her head. "Nothing. Everything was just like usual..."


    He pinched his jaw and squinted his dark brown eyes. "We will find out whatever her reasons might be. If she likes Gu Yating, then there is nothing to stop her from pursuing him. You are not in the way anymore. So, we will learn what happens anyway. But whatever her reasons might be, she and that fucker still harmed you! That''s why we will live together so that you are always by my side! No ifs and buts."


    Her lips twitched which finally burst into a smile. She softly said, putting her hands around his neck. "I wasn''t thinking of moving out of here. I am just going back to get my things from my apartment."


    Jun blinked, and then it dawned upon him. "So you were teasing me."


    "I couldn''t help it when you were misunderstanding. You looked so cute panicking like that."


    His gaze darkened. Then he sneered. "I see. You have gotten quite bold now."


    Ai proudly said, "I was always courageous."


    Jun smiled. "Then I should give you a proper reward for your courage, don''t you think?"


    He completely pushed her towards the couch and smothered her lips and cheeks with his passionate kisses. Bending on his knees, he leaned on top of her as he tugged her dress to expose her clavicle. His lips hungrily attached themselves and sucked on her skin, earning a melodious moan from her.


    But their makeout was abruptly cut off with a loud and incessant ringing of the doorbell accompanied by a more than necessary hyper and chirping voice. "Delivery~~ Open the door!"


    The person loudly banged on the door after ringing the doorbell several times.


    They froze as their quality time was interrupted, especially Jun who recognized the all too familiar voice.


    "It''s delivery~~ I know you are hiding inside, little brother~ Open the door~"


    Jun shut his eyes.


    Ai tilted her head. "That sounds like Liu Nian, right?"


    Veins popped on his forehead, and he had an urge to strangle his brother. "Unfortunately, yes."


    Nian kept banging on the door. "Where are you little brother? Oh, are you perhaps having some mushy time with your girlfriend whose things are with me right now?"


    Ai furrowed her brows. "My things?"


    Jun glanced at her. "Yeah. You didn''t have to go to your apartment to collect your stuff and bring it here. I had already arranged for that. But..." his lips curved into a murderous smile, "Where is the actual delivery boy who was supposed to do it?"


    As if Nian sensed his question, he answered, "Oh as a good Samaritan, I asked the delivery boy to hand all the stuff to me. I thought of personally delivering it to you, otherwise you won''t let me inside. Now, I have Zhou Ai''s things as hostage with me. So, open the door or I will take all the stuff with me~"


    Jun took a deep, furious breath.


    Ai curiously asked, "Why won''t you let him inside just like that?"


    The air turned gloomy. "Because I don''t want to do anything with the notorious twins! They do nothing but cause trouble!"


    Nian reminded them of his presence by banging again and again. "Open the door, little brother~"


    Agitated, Jun stormed towards the door with extreme hostility in his expression.


    Nian immediately felt the black fumes coming out as he saw Jun''s twisted face. He sparkled. "Your most favorite brother is here!"

 Chapter 211 Nian’s Buttering Machine

    Chapter 211 Nian''s Buttering Machine


    Before Jun could even curse his existence to death, Nian swiftly passed by him and treated him as if he wasn''t even there. Which only added fuel to the already burning fire in Jun''s heart.


    Instead, Nian ran to Ai''s side at lightning speed and jumped onto hug her. "My dear future sister-in-law~ How are you?"


    Ai, who was hugged out of nowhere, stared at him blankly.


    "Bro. Nian! Get away from her!" Jun exclaimed and charged towards him at lightning speed too.


    Nian pulled Ai in front of him and grinned. "How can you be so heartless to hit your girlfriend?"


    "Ai. Get aside," Jun ordered in a quiet voice.


    Ai said, "I cannot move."


    Nian had firmly held onto her shoulders to restrict his protection cover from moving an inch. "Don''t be so mean, Jun. Can a brother not come to visit his brother?"


    "No. That rule is not applicable for you or Bro Jian. Now, get out."


    Nian harrumphed. "I didn''t come here to meet you anyway. I came to give my greetings to my cute future sister-in-law, Zhou Ai!"


    Jun''s mouth twitched.


    Ai blinked once and replied. "Thank you for the offer but if I have any concerns, I will directly talk about them to Jun."


    Jun smirked, feeling pleased.


    Nian''s brow twitched. He waved his hand. "You don''t have to be so reserved with me. Didn''t we have such a good time making chocolates that day? That reminds me! So you were making chocolates for Jun!"


    Ai frowned. "Good time? I remember you only crying and yelling."


    Jun shot deathly beams at Nian which clearly said, ''I know she is super bad at making sweets, but how dare you scream at her? I should cut off your voice.''


    "Hehe...Hehehe..." Nian made her sit on the couch and gave her shoulders a good massage. "I wasn''t screaming. I was just teaching you. You enjoyed our class so much. Right? Right? Riiiiiiight?" The last ''Right?'' was really desperate.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "What are you really here for?"


    "I just came to meet Zhou Ai. She is family now!" Nian declared.


    Ai widened her eyes and looked up at him. "Even after what happened yesterday?"


    "Of course. Everybody is rattled a bit, but they will soon accept you~ It just needs some time. In the end, everybody wants Jun''s happiness and if that is in you, then they will welcome you with open arms."


    Jun looked somber and faced Nian with a wry smile. "That everybody doesn''t include Jin."


    Nian stared at him. "He will come around too. You don''t have to worry about what he said. He doesn''t really like Zhou Ai that way."


    Ai asked, "Then why would he say that?"


    Nian lowered his head and met her eyes with a complicated gaze.


    For the first time...I don''t know what my brother is thinking either, Zhou Ai.


    He smiled. "Forget about it."


    Ai felt as if he was avoiding answering her question, but she didn''t press on.


    Nian laughed. "Forget about the family drama for now! Let''s talk about important stuff."


    Jun coughed.


    Such a big confrontation happened and you are labeling it as a family drama? He shook his head.


    He sneered. "What is this important stuff? I know it''s not about meeting Ai. You have some hidden agenda."


    Nian scratched his head. "You know me so well."


    "Out with it."


    Nian, who was grinning until now, burst into tears as he hugged Ai. "Zhou Aiiii! You are the only one who can be my savior!"


    Jun emanated an even deadlier aura now. He looked like a hurricane ready to gobble his brother. "First of all, stop hugging her like that, or I will break your arms."


    "Hey! This is brother and sister bonding time! Stay away from us!" He glared at him.


    "..."


    Nian ignored him and focused his attention on Ai. He cried. "You were my buttering machine all this time, and I didn''t even know! Life is so unfair."


    Ai was clueless. "I don''t know what you are talking about."


    "I am talking about the one and only woman who has made a super important place in my heart! I want to marry her and have lots of cute children with her!" He sobbed. "But my love story has a lot of roadblocks!"


    Jun''s jaw dropped. "You...you have someone you like?"


    "Why are you giving me that strange look!? Yes, I am in love!" Nian scowled.


    "That pitiful woman..." Jun sighed.


    "..."


    Ai asked, "Who is this woman? Oh. I remember. You made a poster outside your bakery that a woman you were interested in was angry at you."


    "Yes! I am talking about that same woman!"


    "What''s the problem? She didn''t forgive you after you confessed and apologized?"


    Nian sniffled. "No. In fact, she beat me up."


    Jun''s eyes sparkled. "She did that? Who is that powerhouse? She is awesome!"


    "Shut up!"


    Ai brought his attention back to the important discussion. "Why did she beat you though?"


    "Because of you! Because I scolded the person who she treats as her sister! Xing Bi!"


    "..."


    Jun - "..."


    Ai blinked several times and her only response at the end was, "Huh?"


    Nian wiped his eyes. "Listen to my story!"


    And then he proceeded from the beginning and told everything that happened between them until now.


    Ai was at a loss. She remembered she heard Xing Bi saying that she was at the banquet too. But she had no idea she had landed into such deep trouble.


    No wonder she didn''t pick my calls when I tried reaching out to her the next day...


    There was a stretch of long silence when Jun burst into loud laughter. "Shit. That''s gold what you did there! Bro, for the first time I am so happy that you played your pranks," he spoke while clutching his stomach as he laughed, "because now I can see you in deep shit, and I am so happy! You deserve it. I told you. Your pranks are gonna get to you one day," he sneered, "But you never listened to me. Now, pay the price!"

 Chapter ?212 Clear All The Debt

    Chapter ?212 Clear All The Debt


    Nian pointed his trembling finger at Jun. "You...! Your brother''s love story is at stake here, and you are enjoying it!?"


    Jun lazily retorted. "Didn''t you enjoy my misery since childhood? Now, it''s my turn."


    Nian wanted to smack Jun, but he couldn''t do so when a certain woman was emitting dark aura. His gaze fell on Ai, who was staring back at him with her light brown irises filled with iciness. She looked exactly like Jun when he would emit black, dangerous fumes of anger. "You bullied Xing Bi?"


    "..."


    She looks even angrier than the time at the library when she scolded Jian and me!


    "I-I wasn''t bullying Xing Bi! I was just having some fun!" He sobbed.


    "And that fun led Xing Bi to trouble?" Her voice lowered lethally.


    An arrow struck right through the center of Nian''s fragile heart.


    "N-No...Well yes...But I clarified it with my Uncle! Zhou Ai! I really troubled Xing Bi a lot! And now she hates me because I lied to her."


    Nian burst into tears. "But I really want to make it up to her! I want her to forgive me, but I had no idea you two knew each other!"


    Jun looked at him in disdain. "Even if you knew, what would you have done anyway?"


    Nian gasped as if it was so obvious. "Of course, I would have welcomed Zhou Ai in my bakery showering her with flowers!"


    "..."


    "Hell, I would be her personal p?¡étissier if she wants me to be! If she knows Xing Bi and can help me butter her up, then I would gladly make her the exclusive customer of Natukashi Bakery!" His dam of tears refused to end. "Only if I knew sooner...But it''s still not late!"


    Nian hopefully looked at Ai and shifted closer to her, making Jun''s face blacken. "Hey! Keep your distance!"


    Instead of doing that, Nian grabbed her hand and begged her. "Zhou Ai. You have to help me. I beg you. I want Xing Bi to forgive me. How can I bear to live a lonely life without her? I have already thought of our cute childrens'' names!"


    Jun and Ai gave him a blank look. He exclaimed, feeling speechless. "You haven''t even dated her, and you have already planned your kids'' names?"


    Ai frowned and gave Jun a quiet look after which she said, "You are not in a position to say anything when you declared Han Shui to be your wife when she wasn''t even born."


    "..."


    Nian swore he would have puked blood if hadn''t stopped himself in time. He couldn''t imagine the damage to Jun''s heart.


    Jun was rendered utterly speechless though he later sheepishly grinned thinking that she was feeling jealous. He liked seeing a jealous Ai too.


    Nian clutched his stomach and rolled in laughter. "That was savage. I could feel Jun''s embarrassment. I like it."


    Jun glared at him.


    Ai glanced at Nian and narrowed her eyes. "You don''t have to laugh so much because I am not helping you."


    "..."


    This time, Jun smirked at his brother''s misery. "Please continue laughing."


    "Why!? Do you not see my sincerity!?" Nian demanded. "I really, really like Xing Bi. She is amazing. She is strong. She is so cool! I fell for her the moment she took me away like a Prince Charming."


    "Yet you had fun at her expense," Ai was unforgiving.


    Nian couldn''t meet her gaze. "I-I really understand I was wrong. Please, Zhou Ai! You have to help me," he cried. "Now that she knows that I scolded you like a spartan that day, she hates me even more! She thought I was bullying you. But that''s not the truth! You were the one who were bullying me with your horrifying and not-so-pleasing-to-my-heart sweet making skills! Who bullied who here?" He asked, aggrieved.


    Jun''s gaze darkened. "Hey!"


    Ai pursed her lips. "It wasn''t so horrifying. You were crying unnecessarily."


    Jun looked away and refused to comment on that.


    Nian sniffled. "Sure, if that''s how you want to soothe your heart."


    "..."


    "But you have to help me! You are my only hope!"


    Ai sternly gave him a hard look. "You really like Xing Bi?"


    Nian nodded hard.


    "You will keep her happy? You won''t ever hurt her? You won''t betray her?"


    Nian''s eyes shone with utmost sincerity. "Never. The moment I realized my feelings for Xing Bi, I swore I only wanted her and nobody else. I will give her all the happiness she deserves. She has all of my heart. I will always protect her. I won''t betray her. I won''t hurt her, and I won''t let anybody else hurt her either."


    Ai peered into his black eyes for several long moments and was satisfied with his earnestness.


    "I see. Then I support you," she softly smiled.


    Nian''s face illuminated like the sun. His eyes radiated pure bliss. He was now crying tears of happiness. "You are the best, Zhou Ai!" He hugged her again. "Thank you so much!"


    Jun''s fingers twitched to tear him apart from her.


    Ai nodded. "Indeed I will support you, but you started in the worst way possible."


    Nian mumbled guiltily, "I know I shouldn''t have fooled around like that..."


    Ai shook her head. "I mean by scaring her with debt trouble. That''s the last thing Xing Bi wants to deal with."


    She gave a short account of Xing Bi''s life and how she despised alcohol and debt.


    Nian froze, his expression turning dark and cloudy. Thinking how Xing Bi suffered and bore all the debts by herself made his heart clench.


    "She still has her last installment of debt to pay. That''s why adding more debt is not welcoming."


    Nian stiffened. Now, he felt even more horrible and ashamed for troubling Xing Bi with the thing she sincerely detested. But he was resolute. "I will make it up to her. I will clear all her debt," he gleamed. "Then she won''t have to suffer anymore."


    "No," Ai rejected his idea, "That will hurt her pride. Instead, she will think you are a rich brat who has too much money to spare. Xing Bi is frugal, and she also doesn''t want anybody else to take her burden. I have tried to help her too, but she has always declined. Even if you help her with good intentions, it will only hurt her."

 Chapter 213 Need Answers

    Chapter 213 Need Answers


    Nian''s eyes glinted with mischief, and he chuckled. "Clearing debt doesn''t mean just paying back the money, dear~"


    She eyed him in confusion. "Then how else will the debt get cleared?"


    Nian threw his brother a questioning glance.


    ''How much does she know about our family?''


    Jun shrugged and replied. "She has pretty much seen me killing a robber."


    "Oohhh~ She has already seen the spicy part. Then this makes it easy."


    He looked back at Ai and said, "Liu family is the leader of the Underworld. So loan sharking, gambling, casinos, gold - everything comes under us. I can find out in a jiffy about the loan sharks who are collecting debt from my Xing Bi. I will have a ''good word'' with them, and they will set Xing Bi free! Hahaha!"


    Ai slowly widened her eyes. "You can do that?"


    Nian''s nose grew longer with pride. "That''s why we rule the Underworld. I will eradicate all the trouble that hangs around my woman!"


    If...If I had Jun or Liu Nian''s help in the past life, then maybe...maybe I would have gotten some leads to Xing Bi''s case. Perhaps, I might have been able to avoid her death altogether...


    Jun sharply noticed the mistiness in her eyes, and he knew what she was thinking about. He pulled her to his side and whispered in her ear. "Don''t cry. What happened in the past won''t repeat in this life."


    The confidence in his voice reassured her.


    Nian blinked. "What? What? Am I missing something here?"


    "Nothing," Jun replied.


    Ai glanced at Nian. "It will be really helpful if Xing Bi doesn''t have to face anymore debts," she pursed her lips, "though I am not sure if she will appreciate it. She is used to doing everything all alone without anybody''s help. She doesn''t tend to depend on others...I want to help her, but I don''t want to hurt her either."


    Nian smiled. "She won''t because technically, this debt is not hers to begin with. It''s her father''s. The gang seems like a bad apple who is breaking the Underworld rules. So, I will set them straight. That''s a good thing actually. I hadn''t had fun in a while~"


    Ai smiled in relief. "Thank you so much," she then smiled. "Though you will still have to work hard. She won''t forgive you so easily."


    She looked at Nian whose balloon of excitement just got deflated. She softly exhaled and said, "But I will talk to Xing Bi and convince her to forgive you. I will do my best."


    Nian stared at her with his glittering gaze as if she was some Goddess who descended on earth just to help him. "Goddess Zhou Ai..."


    "You can just call me Ai."


    Jun''s meter of anger rose. "No need to be so chummy with him! Let him call you by your full name."


    Nian sneered. "You have got no say in this, little brother, if she has given me her permission! Ai, you can also call me Nian! Same with Jian!"


    Ai agreed. "Sure."


    "Enough! Now get out of my house. You already ruined Ai and my time together!" Jun showed no mercy and dragged him out of his condo, kicking him out.


    "Hey!"


    "No hey, only bye. Get out!"


    "Wait! I have something else to say to you too," Nian harrumphed and whispered something to Jun.


    Jun cocked his brow up. "I have already taken care of that."


    Nian beamed. "Really!? That''s why you are my little brother. I love you, Jun!"


    Jun clutched his chest and wanted to puke. "Please stop that...You disgust me."


    Nian winked and grinned. He craned his neck and furiously waved at Ai. "Bye, Ai! Your most favorite brother is leaving."


    Her mouth twitched and so did Jun''s.


    "Don''t worry about my family or Xing Bi! I will take care of everything. You have my full support!"


    Ai chuckled. "Thank you."


    Jun banged the door shut and rained a string of curses on Nian. He turned and walked back to Ai''s side, pressing his brows together. "You look too happy for someone who interrupted us."


    "It was nice talking to him," she sincerely said.


    Jun smiled and blocked her way on the couch. "It would be nice if we continue where we left off too."


    She coughed while her cheeks reddened. "I have things to unpack..."


    Kissing her lips and unbuttoning his shirt, he sexily hushed into her mouth, "Yeah sure but after we finish what we had started..."


    --


    Dream High.


    Yating called at the hospital and asked the doctor on the other side with a chilling voice, "Are those bastards awake?"


    After getting lethally beaten up by Nian and Xing Bi in the Summit, there was no other option but to admit the corrupted judges in a hospital.


    The doctor wiped his forehead on the other end. "N-Not yet..."


    Yating shut his eyes, trying to rein his temper. "How long will it take? They have been there for a whole night now!"


    "B-But they were beaten too badly. Whoever brought them to this condition was a beast! Just how much did he torture them?"


    Yating recalled Nian''s appearance and frankly, he was shocked by it. He could understand Jun and Yunru''s presence in the Summit, but why Nian and even go so far for Xing Bi?


    "Beaten too badly? If it was me, I would have fucking killed them! They are not innocent, so cut it with your sympathies. I just want to know when they will be awake. They have to answer my questions..." he warned in a low voice.

 Chapter ?214 Dream High And Gu Rong’s Connection

    Chapter ?214 Dream High And Gu Rong''s Connection


    The doctor assured him. "I will call you as soon as they get conscious."


    "You better do it," he coldly ordered him.


    The doctor cried with his threat.


    Why are two people chasing after me? And both are so intimidating!


    Not only Yating, but Jun was also keeping tabs on the two men to squeeze the answers from them. The doctor was sandwiched between two dangerous men who wanted nothing but judges to wake up from their pathetic state.


    Yating hung up and rested his head on the back of his chair. His eyes glowed with threat.


    How dare manipulate the results and try to make Ai lose?


    "Mr. Gu, i-it feels too cold here. Can you please calm down?" The hacker sweated and requested. "I am freezing here."


    Yating hired the same hacker who attacked Sky''s systems to take revenge from Jun. Right now, Yating gave him another mission and that was to track down the cul threw him an icy and perilous stare. "I won''t calm down until I get a name. That''s why you are here, and you haven''t given me a name yet."


    Even though the judges were admitted to the hospital, Yating refused to lie low.


    The hacker gulped. "Because there is no name yet. You told me to track if there was any transfer in those corrupt judges'' bank accounts, but there isn''t any suspicious transaction of any bribe money. Neither before nor during the Summit. Even now, there is nothing."


    Yating narrowed his eyes.


    So whoever bribed them decided to transfer the money after the results were confirmed. Or maybe¡­that person never intended to give any money and simply threw a bait to make them greedy.


    But then couldn''t the judges just expose that person if they didn''t fulfil their side of the deal?


    "Did those fuckers meet anybody before the week of the Summit or during the Summit itself?"


    The hacker''s fingers flew on his keyboard, and he tracked down their movements as much as he could. He shook his head after going through some camera feeds. "Prior to the Summit, they didn''t meet any such suspicious person. Not that I can see from their phone records or in all the places they went to during that week. It was all work related stuff."


    "During the Summit?"


    "No. I have the Summit''s footage too. They didn''t meet anybody who seemed to be giving them any instructions. There is only the part where I can see them entering a room and then a woman later sticking her ear to the door."


    That is Xing Bi, he thought.


    Yating sighed in frustration. "Then how did they meet that culprit!? They should have met him somewhere where he told them to make Ai lose in exchange for money. He couldn''t have just popped out of thin air."


    He got up. "I am heading out. You keep finding any clue you might get about the one who bribed the judges."


    The hacker shuddered with the coldness and bobbed his head.


    Yating went out to take a breath of fresh air.


    If the hacker cannot find that culprit, then my only option is to wait for those fuckers to wake up and confess, he clenched his hands in his pocket.


    The staff passing by Yating were shocked to see him in such a bad mood.


    What happened to our Chief Editor? Isn''t he always so amiable?


    Yating ignored their gazes and headed to the President''s office to meet him to talk about getting Ai back to Dream High by some or the other way.


    The secretary smiled. "President will be back at any moment. Please wait, Mr. Gu."


    Yating sat on one of the chairs and exhaled as he was left alone. He was waiting for the President when a phone on the desk rang with a call.


    Did he forget his phone? He frowned.


    At first, Yating didn''t bother but when his gaze fell on the caller''s name, he snapped his head back to it, blinking hard. The name was upside down, but he could still make it out.


    The President then stepped in and smiled. "Hey Chief Editor. My secretary told me you were here. I hope I didn''t make you wait for long."


    He sat on his President''s chair opposite him and faced. "What''s wrong? Why do you look so sullen?"


    Yating lifted his gaze and asked, "Why is my father calling you?"


    The President froze and when he noticed his phone flashing with Gu Rong''s number, he quickly hung up. "Ah¡­what? I think you are mistaken."


    "That was my father''s name," the temperature rapidly dropped, "Why was he calling you? What do you have to do with him?"


    He stiffened and broke into a cold sweat. "That''s¡­"


    "Do you two know each other?" Yating asked with a chill in his voice.


    "No, Yating. That''s not how it is."


    "Then why would my father, Gu Rong, call you out of nowhere? What would he have anything to do with you?"


    The President was in a pinch.


    Yating dangerously smiled at his silence. "Fine then. I will ask him myself."


    "Yating, wait! Don''t go! I-I will tell you everything!"


    Yating stopped, who had almost stormed out of his office. "What is going on?"


    He sighed. "Well¡­your father and I indeed know each other. Gu Rong was the one who told me to arrange a job for you at Dream High here."


    He froze. "What the hell¡­Why would he do anything like that? He hated me for not agreeing to take over his business. He never supported my dream of working in the publishing industry!"


    "Well, he doesn''t. So he wanted to make sure that you are within his reach even if you don''t inherit his business."


    "Excuse me? Within his reach? I don''t understand," Yating tilted his head.


    The President wiped his forehead. "He arranged a job for you here and also became the secret shareholder of Dream High. Right now technically, Dream High is Gu Rong''s company."

 Chapter 215 Ai’s Idol

    Chapter 215 Ai''s Idol


    Jun asked Chyou, who was on the other line with a grave voice, "Are you sure?"


    A deep, frustrated sigh escaped her lips. "Yes. The only suspicious action about the judges is that they entered a room together to discuss the whole bribery issue. But I find no evidence of anybody approaching them before that. Their texts and calls are also clean. I don''t know how Cai Guiying contacted them. Ugh! How could this be.?"


    Jun lowered his gaze and watched Ai whose head was resting on his lap as she slept. She was naked under his white shirt that covered her upper body. He himself sat upright on the couch, half-naked with his bare chest in full view. His fingers were gently brushing across her soft hair strands.


    Her face lit his lips with a loving smile, but his eyes carried frostiness in them. "Is that so¡­"


    Chyou asked, "Are you sure this woman is the culprit? She didn''t do anything skeptical during the whole Summit. During the first break, she was at her own table. In the second break she did move, but it was towards the ladies'' room. Then outside at a distance, I saw Yating talking to her when she stepped out. So, I am not sure when she got the chance to talk to the judges."


    Jun let out a breath. "I don''t know how she did it, but it''s definitely her. She¡­She is Ai''s enemy."


    "It''s only her doing. Her so-called friendship in the end just turned out to be a big facade, and I won''t forgive her for this. It''s fine if there is no evidence of her crimes," he eyes flashed with hostility, "the judges will puke her name. I will make them until they gut out every single thing."


    There was a pause.


    Chyou then said, "I heard about everything that happened at your house. It''s sad and shocking to see you and Shui breakup," there was a lament in her voice, "but also happy to know that you found someone you love. It''s not easy to move on after how you had¡­" she sighed, "But I am glad everything worked out for you in the end. Hehe, so when will you introduce Zhou Ai to me? She must be someone really special that could make such a place in your heart."


    His gaze softened as he traced the back of his fingers on her cheek. "En. She is really special."


    They hung up after talking for a bit, and Jun rested his head back, closing his eyes softly.


    "Who was that?"


    Jun opened his eyes in surprise and looked down to see Ai staring at him curiously. He coughed. "Sorry, did I talk too loudly and disturb your sleep?"


    She shook her head. "No."


    Jun smiled and lifted her to make her sit on his lap. Their bare chests were only separated by Jun''s shirt. He felt an itch seeing her exposed shoulders though.


    "*Ahem!* Well, she is Zhu Chyou. She is Zhu Xiaosi''s daughter. The Zhu family is friends with the Liu family like the Han and Xu families. She is an A-listed actress and as a side business, a hacker too. I asked her to check if she could find evidence against the culprit."


    Ai tilted her head and blinked as she realized. She softly gasped. "I have seen her movies. She is a brilliant actress. I love all her works," her eyes twinkled like stars in the night sky. "You know her?"


    Jun raised his brow. "You seem to be her fan."


    Ai nodded hard. "I wasn''t always interested in movies that much but once I saw one of her movies on¡­Guiying''s insistence."


    Jun''s expression darkened.


    Cai Guiying¡­


    Ai quickly brought his attention back. "Anyway so I watched one, and I really liked her from then on," Ai was in full fangirl mode. "Her expressions are so spot on. Her dialog delivery is so amazing. She has given me a lot of inspiration for how my characters should act in my novels," she shone eben brighter now, "Even after winning so many awards and with her A-listed actress reputation, she is always so humble and down-to-earth. I appreciate that about her. She is really amazing."


    An arrow struck right through Jun''s heart watching her innocent fangirling for the first time. He pinched her cheeks. "I see."


    She twiddled with her fingers and expectantly asked, "Since you know Zhu Chyou¡­can you ask her if I can get her autograph if possible?" She slightly blushed.


    A second arrow pierced his heart, and he almost died with cuteness overload.


    This is not good. She looks cute whatever expression she makes.


    He chuckled. "Why just autograph? You should meet her too. In fact, she just said now before hanging up that she wants to meet my girlfriend," he proudly smirked.


    Ai blossomed like a beautiful flower at that and held in her breath. "Zhu Chyou wants to meet me?"


    She felt a rush of excitement as that of any fan who would meet their favorite star. Here, the star herself said that she wanted to meet her.


    "Yeah. Then you can talk to her as much as you want."


    Ai''s ears perked up in delight. She hugged Jun in happiness. "I always wanted to meet Zhu Chyou in my past life at least once or at least get her autograph. But I never got the chance. And now I know she is a hacker too. That''s so cool. I feel so happy that I will get to meet her!"


    Jun was really surprised to see this side of Ai''s. He never thought she idolized anybody like this. His heart ached to know that her wish never got fulfilled in the past life.


    He held her head, placing a firm kiss on her lips. "Ai. This time, there won''t be any unfulfilled wishes. I will give you everything you want. Just name it, and you will have it."


    A warm, fuzzy feeling flurried in her chest, bringing tears to her eyes, "Thank you, Jun."

 Chapter ?216 The Corrupt Culprit (1)

    "Dad!"


    Yating stormed into the Gu villa, his body trembling in rage. After hearing the truth from Dream High''s President, he couldn''t believe that Gu Rong would still interfere in his life.


    Butler Mo widened his eyes upon his arrival. "Young master..."


    "Dad!" Yating yelled once again. "Come out!"


    Butler Mo hurried towards him. "What''s the matter, young master? You are suddenly here after four years and..."


    You also seem so furious.


    "Where is Dad?" He coldly asked.


    "Master is in the study. Young master, I don''t know what has gone wrong, but please calm down," he anxiously tried to convince him.


    Yating angrily laughed. "Calm down? After how Dad keeps interfering in my life, how should I calm down?"


    Gu Rong''s figure just then alighted down from the stairs, who had heard his son calling out his name. "You come back after four years, and the first thing you know to do is shout in the house and disrespectfully call me like this?"


    He faced him, his eyes boring into him with fierceness.


    Yating took a step towards him dangerously and faced him, his eyes holding bitterness in them. "Then what should I do after I learn that you arranged my job at Dream High, that you became the largest stakeholder of Dream High just to keep an eye on me and that you disrespected our agreement first! The President told me everything. Not only you wanted to control my life, but you also wanted to make sure that I don''t get entangled with any woman that you won''t approve of!"


    Gu Rong said nothing while Butler Mo panicked.


    I see. Young master learned that...


    "Dad. I think I was really clear when I left this house. I will do whatever I want in my career, and you won''t interfere in it. But what do you want to prove by secretly taking over Dream High!?"


    Gu Rong gritted his teeth. "Shut up! What do I want to prove? First, you went against me to not become my heir and become some puny editor in a publishing company. Sure, it was a deal between us. But if you could disregard taking over the business, then you could have disregarded the deal too. And that''s exactly what you did. At first, I only got involved because I wanted you to have a better position at Dream High. You are my son. As if I will let you do a meager job in some company!"


    Yating stared at him in disbelief. "Don''t tell me...that all my achievements over these four years I worked in Dream High was not because of the hard work I put in but because you pulled the strings from the back!"


    "Of course, it''s your hard work too. But what is wrong in it if I give a little push? I just wanted to help you. And what do I get to know in return? You had promised me that in exchange for letting you do as you please with your career, you will agree to the woman I would choose to be your wife. But then I learned that you were getting cozy with some small-time author. Zhou Ai, right?"


    His eyes slowly widened.


    Gu Rong pointed his finger at him, his veins popping on his forehead in resentment. "Gu Yating, just how much will you disrespect me? I only agreed for your career, not for you finding your bride! That will be my choice, not yours!"


    "Dad!" Yating exclaimed.


    "What? Will you not acknowledge that you have feelings for Zhou Ai? That you didn''t want to break the agreement between us?"


    ? Yating curled his fingers and shut his eyes. The deal was the truth between the father and son. Yating was never interested in family business, but Gu Rong only wanted to see him inherit it after him. That caused a lot of clashes between them and after a lot of back and forth arguments, they decided that Yating will be allowed to pursue the career of his choice in exchange of Gu Rong choosing Yating''s wife in the future.


    At that time, Yating didn''t care much. He only wanted his freedom to choose the line of work he wanted. As for love, it was never his priority that much, so he didn''t care if Gu Rong chose the woman for him.


    But when he fell in love with Ai, it was the moment he technically broke the deal between them.


    Butler Mo intervened. "Master, please..."


    "Don''t tell me. Tell him who always keeps rebelling me!"


    Yating confessed. "Yes, it''s true that I love Ai! I know that wasn''t how we planned, but I-"


    "Gu Yating! Do you think that I will accept Zhou Ai? She is nowhere near our family, and you only found a woman like her!? Are you out of your mind?"


    The black aura around him only deepened. "A woman like her? She is the perfect woman I could find, Dad. Don''t say anything against her!"


    "That woman has really hypnotized you! You want to go against me because of her who can never match up to our social class?"


    "You-"


    Gu Rong shook his head. "And you are wasting your feelings over which woman? I saw her dancing with Liu Jin at the banquet night. Clearly, she has set her sights on not only you but other rich heirs as well. Otherwise, how could someone like her be a part of the Liu family''s banquet?" He smiled. "I am glad that she is not a part of Dream High anymore. I don''t care if she goes to Sky or Shi Publishing or wherever - At least, she won''t be in Dream High and hover around you!"


    He froze. "You...you hate her that much?"


    His phone rang and even though he wasn''t in the mood to attend it, he did so. He took a deep breath. "What is it?"


    It was the hacker he hired on the other side, "Sir. I have news about the judges."


    Yating instantly became alert. "Did they cough out the name?"


    "Yes. Well..."


    "What?" He impatiently asked.


    "One of them is dead."


    His eyes widened, stunned.


    "And the other judge who is conscious now said that the one who bribed them was...your father, Gu Rong."

 Chapter 217 The Corrupt Culprit (2)

    Chapter 217 The Corrupt Culprit (2)


    City X hospital.


    Jun faced the doctor in the hospital with his calm but icy gaze, "One of them is dead?"


    The doctor nodded. "It was unexpected but just an hour ago, his vitals weakened and his condition worsened. Before we could do anything to help him, he was already gone."


    Yunru, who had also accompanied Jun as soon as he got the news, gulped hard with tension. He pulled Jun to the corner and said, his voice panicking, "Bro. This is bad. Everybody knows that Bro Nian beat the shit out of the judges, and now one of them is dead! Won''t this implicate him badly?"


    That was exactly what Jun thought too the moment he got the news of one of the judges'' death.


    "We will think about what to do about that. Let''s go and meet the other judge first."


    The other judge was awake but deathly afraid. He jumped in his bed as he saw Jun and Yunru approaching. His face was pale, and his body was trembling hard. "I-I-I¡­."


    The doctor squeaked, "M-Mr. Liu Jun. I understand that you have questions to ask him, but I hope you don''t stress out the patient. He is already quite rattled, and it may have a negative-"


    "I know what to do," Jun cast a warning glance at him.


    He promptly backed out.


    He gasped and stiffened with sweat forming on his forehead. "Yes. He-he wanted us to choose Cai Guiying instead of Zhou Ai¡­I-It''s the truth."


    "Why would he do that?"


    The pressure Jun enforced upon his retreating body was too much to handle. "We d-don''t know much, but he only s-said that he hates Zhou Ai. Something about seducing his son¡­"


    "Bullshit!"


    The door banged upon and Gu Rong stormed in in rage. "What the hell are you spouting nonsense for!? I bribed you against Zhou Ai?"


    The judge didn''t know what happened when he suddenly barged in, but he jolted in terror.


    Behind Gu Rong came Yating, whose serious but deadly expression brought a chill in the air.


    Gu Rong pointed his finger at the judge. "Who the hell are you to accuse me of something like this? I don''t have anything to do with the bribery!"


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Gu."


    He then finally noticed Jun and Yunru''s presence. "Liu Jun? Chen Yunru? What are you two doing here?"


    His lips formed an icy smile. "What do you think? Two judges plotted against the author belonging to Sky Publishing who is my girlfriend. Naturally, I want answers."


    Yating threw a dangerous glint at Jun.


    Girlfriend¡­


    Gu Rong looked at him blankly. "...Zhou Ai?"


    "Yes."


    "Your girlfriend?"


    "I don''t need to spell it out again."


    Gu Rong was left speechless.


    When did this happen?


    He chuckled. "I see. So she thought that she could trap another man because she didn''t get Yating? Oh. Is that how she got into your company?"


    "Dad!"


    The whole place fell silent when Jun''s dark brown eyes turned frighteningly cold. "Mind your tongue, Mr. Gu. Don''t expect respect from me just because you are an elder. I won''t tolerate shit about Ai at any cost. And for your kind information, she doesn''t need to trap your son when he already got rejected by her on Christmas night," he sneered.


    The reminder of that night stabbed Yating''s heart.


    Gu Rong gritted his teeth. "Liu Jun. You think I don''t know women like her? So what if she rejected Yating? Middle-class women like her only know how to play tricks on people," he balled his fist.


    Jun tilted his head. "I see. You really hate Ai a lot. I feel maybe there is some truth to this man''s words."


    Jun actually wanted the judges to spill out Guiying''s name but when Gu Rong''s name got exposed, it greatly shocked him. He was sure that she was behind this plot, but it didn''t turn out to be that way. That set frustration within him because he wanted to punish Guiying at all costs.


    Gu Rong exclaimed. "The hell there is any truth! You¡­"


    He almost lunged at the judge to grab him. "Tell the truth that I didn''t do any such thing. I don''t even know you!"


    The doctor and the nurse quickly pulled him back. "Mr. Gu, please be calm. It will only deteriorate his condition if you act like this."


    Which everybody could see with the way the judge was shaking hard. "I¡­I-I am telling the truth! Gu Rong bribed us!" He cried.


    Yating bored his enraged gaze on his father.


    To think that Gu Rong would go so far out of his hatred for Ai that he wanted to make her lose purposely¡­


    Gu Rong was beyond enraged. "I will sue you for defaming me like this!"


    Jun eyed the judge and asked, "How did he contact you?"


    The judge trembled and spoke, his voice stammering, "M-message. He sent a message to us."


    Yating intervened. "But there are no messages on your phone," he recalled the hacker saying that all their calls and messages were clean.


    Jun agreed because that''s what Chyou had said too.


    "There is no message be-because it got automatically deleted after a minute we read it¡­" he breathlessly said.


    Gu Rong stomped his foot in anger. "All lies! You are trying to frame me!"


    Yating blinked and gave it a thought of this auto delete mechanism. His gaze turned icy upon a certain realization. "Is it now, Dad? It''s not like you don''t know of this facility. Don''t you work closely with the Zhu family''s S3 company?"


    Yunru stepped closer to Jun and whispered, "Is that true, Bro?"


    Jun squinted his eyes. "I have heard that Gu Corps and S3 have been partners for a few projects."


    Yating confronted him. "Since you work so closely with them, naturally you must know all these tricks through S3. After all, they are the top tech company in China providing security services."


    Gu Rong stared at him. "You¡­you are accusing me too!? Gu Yating, don''t cross your limits!"


    "Then what should I do if not accuse you? If you could hide your involvement with Dream High for so long, then why can you not do it again with this bribery!?"

 Chapter ?218 The Corrupt Culprit (3)

    Chapter ?218 The Corrupt Culprit (3)


    That snapped Jun''s attention instantly.


    "Involvement with Dream High?" He watched them sharply.


    Yating icily said, "It''s none of your business, Liu Jun."


    Yunru glared at him. "Hey! Don''t you dare talk to my brother like that!"


    "Yunru. Calm down," Jun held his shoulder, "I don''t care what shit he says to me. But if it involves Ai, then I will hunt anybody right down till hell if I have to. What is this about Mr. Gu''s involvement with Dream High?"


    Gu Rong gave him an angry stare. "As if I am afraid. I am the largest stakeholder of Dream High. So what?"


    Jun stared at him, his thoughts immediately wandering off to what Ai had said about her past life. She worked in Dream High but never got the chance to really shine as a writer. She never got the promotions and resources she should have. Even when Jun had heard it, he felt as if something or somebody was pulling her back and hampering her career on purpose.


    Jun now looked at Gu Rong with extreme enmity.


    Coming to this realization, Jun''s level of rage was off the charts. Yunru sensed the displeasure and hostility seeping out from him.


    "Bro, what happened?"


    Jun took two steps towards Gu Rong and gritted his teeth. "You are one hell of a bastard. Tell me. Is that why Ai never got the chance to do her book signing event?"


    Yating inhaled a deep breath. His heart was rattled with these doubts too. But now that Gu Rong''s name was shed to light for this bribery, Yating hated his father even more if he would have anything to do with messing with Ai''s career.


    "Since you hate Ai so much and since you are technically Dream High''s big boss, wasn''t it easy for you to block that chance for her?"


    Gu Rong stared at Jun in shock. "I didn''t do such a thing at all! I had nothing to do with the book signing event."


    Though Gu Rong knew he didn''t have a pure heart.


    I didn''t interfere with the signing event, but if Zhou Ai would have continued targeting Yating, then I wouldn''t have kept quiet either.


    Jun sneered angrily. "Yeah, sure. I can see how much you wouldn''t have misused your power."


    Gu Rong was frustrated and confronted the judge. "Tell me, you liar! Who is feeding you money against me!? Who told you to take my name and entangle me in this mess? I will sue you for this defamation!"


    He tremblingly shook his head. "I-I am not lying! It''s you who sent us that message!"


    "And how do you know that?" Jun asked. "Did he reveal his identity?"


    He nodded hard. "He did! He wanted us to believe that we are not getting fooled by a random message from a stranger. Without a name, of course, we won''t believe it and take such a huge risk¡­He-he said that he wanted Zhou Ai to lose so that his son will distance himself from her seeing she is unworthy¡­"


    Jun and Yating narrowed their eyes.


    It was impossible for the judges to know this much unless Gu Rong himself had admitted it.


    "All lies!" Gu Rong''s anger mixed with panic now.


    "Dad. The President also knows your distaste for Ai! Didn''t you tell him to keep an eye on her and our relationship?" His eyes blazed with fury. "Don''t¡­don''t portray yourself to be innocent now!" More than anger, he felt hurt by his father''s betrayal. "It''s as if you are an enemy of my happiness! Are you really my father!?" He exclaimed with grievance.


    Gu Rong froze. He took an uneasy gasp and gnashed his jaw. "Gu Yating! How¡­How dare you question me like that?"


    "Enough," Jun icily intervened. "I am not interested in witnessing the fight between a father and son. I just want justice for Ai, and I will have it."


    "But he is lying!"


    The judge jolted and tried to hide in the blanket. The doctor quickly said, "Please, I would like to ask you to leave this ward. The patient has already answered your questions."


    Gu Rong pointed his trembling finger at him. "Leave? This bastard is framing me!"


    Just then, two cops arrived at the scene and the chief officer said, "Let''s talk about that outside."


    Jun and Yunru recognized the second officer. Yunru beamed. "Yijun!"


    Soo Yijun was the assistant officer in training who had accompanied the lead cop on this case. He was Soo Yunru and Soo Zizi''s son. Soo Yunru was Xinyi''s twin brother whereas Soo Zizi was Zhiyuan''s younger sister, making Yijun Shui''s cousin. Just like his father, he followed his footsteps to serve law enforcement.


    Outside, Yunru jumped into his hug. "You are here!"


    He coughed with his tight hug. "Yeah. Well, I came to know that Bro Nian is kind of involved in this mess," he sighed, "This makes it harder."


    Jun asked, "Will Bro Nian be really in trouble?"


    "He was very vocal about messing with the judges at the Summit. One of them has died, so fingers would be pointed at him," he said.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "It''s not his style. If he wants to kill, then the person has no other option but to die. He doesn''t leave anybody alive or half-dead if he has the killing intent."


    Over the years, the cops and Underworld had come to a cooperation which involved exchange of favors from time to time, so Yijun wasn''t surprised about Jun talking openly about Nian killing people, which held true for any Liu family member.


    "That won''t justify anything," Yijun exhaled a breath.


    Yunru quickly said, "But this Gu Rong can, right!? What if he secretly killed the other judge?"


    Jun answered. "That came to my mind too, but why would he leave this judge alive? Then there is no use in killing the other judge if his name is out anyway."


    Suddenly, Gu Rong screamed from the other side, "How dare you take me to custody!?"

 Chapter 219 Change Of Plans

    Chapter 219 Change Of Plans


    The lead officer said, "Calm down, Mr. Gu. We are only following the protocol. Right now, you will have to come to the police station with us. We cannot dismiss the death of Mr. Wang and Mr. Zheng''s testimony against you. We will question both of you to reach the truth. But till then, you will have to cooperate."


    Mr. Wang was the surname of the first judge who died, and Mr. Zheng, who admitted that Gu Rong bribed them.


    Gu Rong stared at him incredulously, "You are charging me with murder accusation too?"


    "I am not saying it''s murder. We are only covering all the angles here, Mr. Gu. It has been already proved that they were corrupt, and now one of them has died. We cannot take it lightly so until that suspicion is cleared, please cooperate with us."


    Yating pressed his brow.


    Things were complicated with bribery and now a murder charge too? Though he thought that Gu Rong could bribe the judges if he disliked Ai so much.


    But will he really kill a warned, his hands itching to be violent. "You better don''t throw a fit, Mr. Gu or it won''t be good to mess with Liu Jun. And don''t worry. I will see to it that you never see the light of the day. Whoever hurts Ai in any way, I will cut off that person''s wings."


    "You..."


    The lead officer looked at Yijun. "Yijun, take Mr. Zheng''s statement and also of the staff here regarding Mr. Wang''s death."


    He nodded.


    Gu Rong was taken away despite his protests while Yating and Jun were at a standoff.


    Jun sneered. "So, Mr. Gu Yating. What do you have to say about this? The one who claims to love my girlfriend so much, yet his own father has seemingly caused a big trouble here."


    Yating curled his fist. He had vowed to punish the perpetrator but with his father interfering with his life first with involving himself with Dream High and now during the Summit, he couldn''t feel more ashamed. He wanted to cherish and protect Ai but seeing his own family against her, stabbed his heart with humiliation.


    "I wonder who Mr. Gu will protect now?" He smiled.


    Yating stared at him. "There is no need to question this, Liu Jun. Ai is precious to me. Even if...even if I will have to go against my father, I will do it. If he is guilty, then I will make sure he is punished. You don''t need to interfere," he left, clenching his fingers into a fist.


    --


    Ai was patiently waiting for Jun return when the door clicked. She hugged him. "Jun."


    Jun inhaled her scent and felt the tension dissipate. He pressed his lips on her forehead. "Ai."


    She noticed his brows easing up and asked, "What happened at the hospital?"


    Jun gave the whole account to which Ai could only throw him a gaze filled with disbelief. "His father?"


    "Yes. He bribed those fuckers to change the result," he gnashed his jaw. "Not only that, he is also Dream High''s boss. He had the power to influence your career in the past life. Plus, he hates you because he thinks that you seduced Gu Yating. I can very well see him misusing his power. He declines having anything to do with you not getting a book signing event, but I know he pulled the strings and interfered with it! He must be behind why you never got promoted in Dream High and your career suffered such a trajectory."


    Jun trembled with an urge to punch someone. He wanted to burn every single person who harmed Ai in the past life and caused her doom.


    Ai kissed his chin and patted his head. "Don''t be angry anymore."


    He scowled. "How can I not be angry?"


    "Because the past life has already gone. As for this life, his crime is exposed now, and he will get his due punishment. So, everything is fine."


    Jun sighed. "Everything is not fine. Bro Nian is in a lot of trouble because of Wang judge''s death. He beat them into a pulp, and one died. Though..."


    "Though what?"


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Though I feel something is suspicious. Bro Nian did beat him miserably but not to the point he would die. We know how to kill people and how to not kill people too."


    Ai felt goosebumps on her skin, not in fear but curiosity.


    "He cannot die due to the injuries inflicted on him by Bro Nian, and as for Mr. Gu Rong...It doesn''t make sense that he killed one and not the other. If he wants to shut mouths, he will kill both, not just one."


    Ai coughed. "You know a lot."


    Jun smiled. "I have shut the mouths of many people, so I know how it works~ But there is no need to worry. The cops are investigating and I know one of them, Soo Yijun. He is Shui''s cousin. He will be questioning everyone related to the case, so we will eventually know. Bro Nian will also handle it," he sneered, "I would be more than happy to see him spend a night in jail. Good riddance for sometime."


    Ai helplessly shook her head.


    Jun pulled her closer and wrapped his arms around her. "By the way, change of plans."


    "About?" Ai tilted her head.


    "Well, you were supposed to join Sky from tomorrow officially. But Iet''s postpone that for a day so that we can go to meet your parents. I did promise your mother that after meeting with my family, I would give her my greetings. I don''t want to delay it."


    Ai brightened. "I see. En. Mom and Dad will be very happy to meet you."


    He touched his chin. "I am not so sure about that considering how our first conversation went down. What if she doesn''t want me for you?"


    "That won''t happen. I know her. Even if it does, I will rebel," She slightly flared her nostrils, "Because I won''t choose anybody else but you."

 Chapter ?220 Appreciate Mrs. Quan’s Kindness

    Ai''s sweet determination triggered Jun''s heart, overwhelming it with fluffiness to the max level. He grabbed the back of her head and pushed his lips onto hers. He narrowed his eyes and dove his tongue inside her mouth, slurping everything that came in his way. He tugged her silky hair with his fingers that hung on her neck and caressed her waist with his other palm.


    Her words always managed to stir his heart to the point that he couldn''t hold himself back. Jun recalled her expression of when she said she would rebel. Her puffed up cheeks looked so adorable and cute that he wanted to suck and bite them.


    That''s not a bad idea...


    His lips curved into a smirk, and his lips found his way to her red tinted cheeks. At first, he dropped light kisses but soon, his teeth took a chunk of her cheek and dug into his feast.


    Ai flinched with the pleasure and heat igniting within her, making her gasp. When his tongue flicked over her cheek and he bit onto her skin, the delirious sensation caused her to jump. It wasn''t helping that his hand was wandering inside her dress and tugging the straps of her bra.


    "Jun..." she whispered. As she lightly held onto his neck, she shuddered with how hot his skin felt. She sighed in ecstasy, feeling his hot palm cup her breast. She bit her lip hard and said, "L-library..."


    Jun wasn''t really listening to her and continued his sweet onslaught of her cheek and breast. He then traced his kisses towards her neck and when he was finally satisfied, he looked at her flushed face. "This is what happens when you make my heart skip beats," he gave a firm squeeze to her breast, weakening her knees.


    Ai said in protest, "I did nothing."


    "Hooo..." Jun smiled. As his thumb played with the soft bud on her breast, making her brain sizzle with blankness, his raspy voice sexily said, "How about we discuss this thoroughly in bed? I will properly explain the things you do to my heart which makes me do things to your body."


    She blushed hard and looked away. "I...I have to go to the library..."


    "Don''t try and run away," he bit her lower lip.


    She vigorously shook her head. "I am not m-making any excuses..." It was hard to concentrate with Jun playing with her chest, "I-I have to continue with my story and want to refer to some books for that. It''s the truth."


    "Oh..." He finally let go of his breast, making Ai sigh in relief. She was sure she would have fainted with pleasure had he not stopped. Her breaths came back to normal.


    "I will come with you too. I want to meet Mrs. Quan," Jun said, "I want to thank her."


    Ai asked as she hooked her bra again and straightened her disheveled dress, "Thank her? For what?"


    He hugged her waist and tapped on her nose. "She was the one who made me realize my feelings for you. She brought it out in the open on Chocolate Day until I had no place to hide. She gave me the push to confront my love for you. I am indebted to her."


    Ai beamed. "Oh. Indeed, she is a very kind woman. She offered me her house even though we really didn''t know that well," she cleared her throat, "Even though I never went to stay with her..."


    Jun dangerously narrowed his eyes.


    "I appreciate the offer and kindness. Jun, why don''t we thank her with a gift?" She asked in anticipation.


    Jun liked the idea. "Sure. Let''s do that."


    ¡ª


    At the Beijing Central Library, Mrs. Quan was piling up some old books for donation when she saw Jun and Ai coming in.


    "Jun! Ai!" Her small face brightened. She hugged them and chirped in excitement. "Ai, I watched the Summit. Congratulations for winning it! I am so proud of you," she wiped the corner of her eye, "I loved your story so much. You were wonderful."


    Ai''s gaze softened. "Thank you, Mrs. Quan."


    "I had no idea that you were a writer. Oof, I am so excited! Oh, oh! Will you continue your short story? Ever since I watched you, I wanted to ask this. You ended it on an open note, so I was wondering the reply of the man the protagonist confessed to," Mrs. Quan was squealing in excitement. "I have been thinking of it the whole time. So much so that I couldn''t get any sleep!" She pouted.


    Jun said, "Well you don''t have to wait anymore now. The reply is a yes."


    "Ah? How do you know? Did Ai reveal her next story to you?" She sparkled. "Tell me too, Ai! I want to hear it too!"


    His mouth twitched. "Not like that! I mean that the man is in front of you to whom the protagonist confessed."


    Mrs. Quan was confused. "Ah? I don''t understand. Are you bullying this old lady?" She harrumphed.


    "..."


    Ai quickly explained. "Of course. You are the sweetest," she cleared her throat, "he means that the story I wrote was actually...me confessing to Jun..." her ears turned red, "And Jun accepted it so..."


    Mrs. Quan gasped. "What!?"


    The other patrons gave her weird looks by her sudden exclamation.


    Jun chuckled. "This is a library, Mrs. Quan."


    "Who cares? Tell me all the details!" She hastily pulled them towards her desk and intently leaned to hear it.


    Ai shook her head helplessly and recounted what happened.


    Mrs. Quan covered her mouth, feeling a mixture of shock, thrill and disbelief. "Oh my gosh! You are a couple now!? That''s...that''s such great news!" She clapped in delight, "I am so happy for you..." she felt emotional, "this idiot finally told the truth."


    Jun''s gaze darkened. "Hey!"


    "Shut up. You were so stubborn. Hmph. But whatever it is, I am so glad to see you together. I knew it. My eyes cannot deceive me. You two are made for each other!"

 Chapter 221 Surrounded By Fans

    Chapter 221 Surrounded By Fans


    Mrs. Quan was so elated that she wanted to hop around the whole library and announce their relationship.


    "I am so proud of you two," she sniffled. "I loved the way Ai confessed! So unique and¡­" she teased, "declaring in front of the whole world. You must be so pleased, Jun."


    Jun smirked. "That was the best part indeed. But¡­it''s all thanks to you, Mrs. Quan."


    "Ah? What did I do?" She asked, puzzled.


    Jun smiled. "You made me aware of my feelings or I might have always been in denial. You have helped me a lot since the beginning. You hired me to work here, and I cannot thank you enough for it. I¡­" his gaze flickered, "I really needed a place to belong to, and you gave me that. That was a hard spell for me and if not for you by my side, I wouldn''t have been able to come this far. I love and respect you a lot. Thank you very much, Mrs. Quan," Jun stood and bowed.


    Ai smiled.


    "Y-You don''t have to do that!" She hastily waved her hand, "Oof. You are the CEO of Sky Publishing. What will people think seeing you bow like this?"


    Mrs. Quan was bewildered to see Jun at the Summit too. When he showed his face as the Sky CEO, she thought she would faint. She wanted to collapse with a heart attack.


    My assistant librarian was a CEO all this time!?


    Mrs. Quan was taken aback. "You are?"


    "..."


    "You are firing me?" His expression twisted in a grimace.


    She was at a loss for words. "Of course not. B-But won''t you be working in Sky now? You are the CEO, after all¡­" her voice held a trace of lament.


    "Aww, will you feel sad without me? Is that loneliness I sense from your voice?" He teased her.


    Ai''s mouth twitched.


    Jun¡­


    Mrs. Quan blushed. "You¡­! You have become too bold to make fun of me now. Of course, I will miss you. I treat you like my son. I enjoyed having you as my assistant. You are such a hard and dedicated worker. Though I shouldn''t say this as the head librarian, it was fun to hear patrons complain about you."


    "..."


    Ai choked.


    Jun sneered. "You have odd tastes, Mrs. Quan. I didn''t expect anything less from you."


    That earned him a glare.


    "Anyway. I won''t be leaving this library. I will be working as the assistant librarian."


    Mrs. Quan was delighted but also realized the situation. "But don''t you have your own company to work at?"


    "Of course, I have. Sky Publishing exists. But that doesn''t matter. I was always the CEO yet I worked here, right? The Summit doesn''t change anything. I don''t have to be in Sky at all times," he shrugged, "I am the Boss. I call the shots. I love this place. So, I will continue taking my salary from you. Also, Ai would be frequently coming here for her own work. Naturally, I will be there where my girlfriend is. I have two strong reasons to be here so you better not fire me because I will fight for my employee rights," he sneered.


    Mrs. Quan teared up as she covered her mouth. "Jun, you are so cute¡­"


    Ai nodded hard. "I always tell him that, but he always gets angry."


    "He is an Idiot! Ignore him," she harrumphed.


    Jun banged his palm in distaste. "I am not cute! Hey! Stop crying like that. Ai¡­why are you getting emotional?" He was dumbfounded.


    Mrs. Quan hugged him hard and pinched his cheeks, "I cannot help it. You are so cute that my heart cannot bear it. To hear that you want to keep working here makes me really happy¡­" she wiped her eyes, "I didn''t want to see you leave, but you are the CEO and have so many responsibilities. How could I be selfish?"


    Jun sighed.


    These women¡­


    He hugged her back and patted her head. "Okay. No more tears. Cheer up with the gift we have brought for you."


    Her expression was elevated with joy, and she quickly forgot all her sadness. "You brought a gift for me? Where is it?"


    Jun sneered. "Your tears dried up too soon, Mrs. Quan. Suddenly, I feel cheated."


    Her mouth twitched. She coughed and ignored him. "A-Ai, why don''t you show me the gift, dear?"


    It was a beautiful traditional silk cheongsam dress, fitting for Mrs. Quan age with light floral design on it. She touched the fabric and drew in a deep breath. "This is so pretty. But it must be so expensive! Why did you spend so much money?"


    Ai shook her head. "It''s nothing against your kindness."


    Jun squinted his eyes. "You better not resist. Your assistant is quite capable and loaded with cash. Use it as much as you want."


    "You¡­" Mrs. Quan took the dress with trembling hands. She whispered, "Thank you so much. It''s really beautiful."


    They nodded, pleased and satisfied. When they went up to the third floor, they expected for a peaceful day to pass as they worked and maybe a bit of flirting here and there but as soon as the patrons saw them coming, they rushed towards them in full swing.


    "Oh my God! You are MissImperfectlyFine, right?"


    "You are the winner of the Author Summit!"


    "And he is Sky CEO! Oh God, I cannot believe I met them here!"


    "The CEO and the author are together!"


    "MissImperfectlyFine, your story was wonderful!"


    "It brought tears to my eyes¡­"


    "I cannot wait for the continuation!"


    "Please give me your autograph. I have become your fan!"


    "Me too!"


    Ai was suddenly and completely surrounded on all sides to her shock. The patrons wanted to surround Jun too, but seeing him leak a dark and displeased aura made them side with Ai even more.


    Jun was naturally happy seeing Ai get the attention she deserved, but he disliked their quiet and flirty time would be compromised.


    Damn!

 Chapter ?222 He Is My Boyfriend

    Chapter ?222 He Is My Boyfriend


    Ai wasn''t used to this attention, and she found her heart drumming faster. There were people asking for her autograph and expressing how much they liked her story. She saw the joy in their eyes and the anticipation to read the continuation of her short story. She hadn''t experienced this intimacy with her readers in her past life, nor got the chance to make her place in their hearts as a good writer.


    She had received congratulatory messages on Reading Point and in the writing community, but this was the first time that she was personally meeting her readers and watching their love for her with her own eyes.


    "Th-thank you¡­" It was sudden and she didn''t have the time to prepare her heart, but she was doing the best she could.


    Jun was amused to see her flustered. He folded his arms and lifted his brow. When she saw her looking back at him, he eyed as if saying, ''Hoooo¡­somebody is popular now~''


    Ai coughed and blushed.


    Though Jun lamented the loss of his beautiful time with her in the library, it wasn''t as important as watching Ai as the center of everyone''s attention.


    He smiled.


    My girlfriend deserves it. A lot. I will make you popular, Ai. The best writer in the whole world. All that fame and recognition you deserved in the past life but never got¡­you will have a hundred folds in this life. I will make sure of it!


    "Please sign, MissImperfectlyFine! I will frame it on my wall."


    "Tell me when your next book will be ready! I will pre-order it!"


    "I have read your other books, and they are so good too!"


    "But I must admit that your short story is even better. I can see your style has improved so much."


    "I am so glad I came to know about you!"


    Ai''s little heart burst with joy with all the appreciation. The Summit was the first step towards her successful career, and she couldn''t feel happier seeing the results in front of her.


    She signed on the books one by one with a soft but bright smile on her lips. "Thank you for liking my work."


    The crowd stared at her in a daze.


    So¡­so cute!


    Damn, I am falling for her and I am a woman! How can this be? But she is so pretty¡­


    Jun observed the starstruck expressions on everybody''s faces and gritted his teeth


    Hey, back off! She is mine. Keep your admiration to yourself. Don''t fall in love with her!


    One of the young college going students cleared her throat and asked, wanting to satisfy her curiosity, "So, so! What is your relationship with the Sky CEO? I have seen you together here a few times here and even in the Summit, he personally came to invite you! Oh gosh I cannot believe that the assistant librarian was a CEO all this time! This is what we call a real twist, hehe~"


    The question hit the nail on the head that was on everybody''s minds. The whole world might not know but those who frequented the library had seen Jun and Ai together many times, and now Ai was a part of Sky. They couldn''t help but want to dive deeper into the nature of their relationship.


    Jun''s sharp ears didn''t fail to catch the question.


    Damn, we didn''t talk about that part¡­


    He wasn''t sure if Ai wanted to disclose their relationship to everyone. He had no problems with it but parallely, he was thinking about Ai''s career too. He didn''t want her to have a negative reputation because she was dating the CEO. Though she won the Summit by her own merits, there were still people who would question their relationship and the connection to her win.


    Jun didn''t wish Ai to suffer any of that. Otherwise, there would be a bunch of corpses lying around. So until Ai''s career would become more stable and people would judge her by her work rather than her relationship, he thought of putting off that announcement on hold. But he was yet to discuss that with Ai.


    Jun took a step forward and was about to speak when Ai answered the question herself, "He is my boyfriend."


    Jun froze, watching her with his jaw dropping.


    The patrons gasped in disbelief. "You admitted it¡­?"


    Ai blinked. "What is there not to admit in it? Jun and I are dating."


    His jaw dropped even further, and his mind went blank.


    Hey wait a second. Aren''t we supposed to hide things here? Though we were yet to discuss¡­


    Everybody broke into loud cheers and squeals. "Oh God! So it''s really true. I was just really guessing¡­"


    "Congratulations! You two look so good together."


    "You two will be working together. That''s so cool."


    Ai beamed and thanked them. She was suddenly pulled out of the crowd by Jun, making everybody speechless.


    Where are you taking her?


    One of them coughed. "I think we are taking too much of their time."


    "He is jealous of us? Ahhh that''s so cute!" One giggled.


    "For now. It won''t be cute anymore if he throws us out. Let''s quickly go our way."


    They agreed and dispersed to do their own work.


    Jun took her in one corner and anxiously asked, "Are you sure of admitting our relationship? I don''t want it to affect your career or people pointing their fingers at you."


    Ai studied the genuine concern in his eyes and smiled. "I don''t want to hide our relationship, Jun. We are not doing anything wrong. Just because you are the CEO and I work in Sky doesn''t mean that we cannot date. There is no such rule and even if there might be, I don''t agree with it. Our relationship and career are separate. I don''t want us to compromise on either. Why can we not have both?" She questioned. "I want to have a good career but with you, not by hiding you from everyone."

 Chapter 223 The Topmost Trending Topic

    Chapter 223 The Topmost Trending Topic


    Jun kept staring at her dumbly. He felt his heartbeat ring loudly in his ears, and he covered his face with his hands. "You..."


    Ai curiously took off his hands and was taken aback to his blushing face. "You are...blushing?"


    "Sh-Shut up! It just feels too hot in here. And even if I am blushing, so what? It''s your fault for always taking me off guard! Why do you always say such sweet things that rile up my heart!?" He spoke in a manner as if he was complaining but his heart was actually bursting with immense joy.


    He wanted the whole world to know that Ai was his woman and seeing that she reciprocated this feeling made his heart squeeze and flutter.


    To all the patrons'' shock who were secretly eyeing them, Jun pulled her face and kissed her lips right in front of everyone. A series of coughs and gasps echoed mixed with hyper squealing from young college girls.


    "He kissed her!"


    "Hot! Hot! It''s way too hot here!" A girl fanned herself.


    "I am gonna faint..."


    A wide smirk formed on his beautiful lips. "Well, everyone already heard you claiming me to be your boyfriend. Let them see me claiming your lips now. We are a couple after all," he whispered as he pulled her waist, staring deep into her eyes with his loving gaze.


    The same young girl who was squealing with enthusiasm and probed Ai about her relationship with Jun came forward and asked, "C-can I take a picture with you two and upload in my moments? Please, please? You two look so good together! Maybe I will get good luck in finding an amazing boyfriend too!"


    Jun''s ear pointed at the second last sentence, and he felt extremely pleased. For Jun, they were already a perfect couple but others asserting this same fact only added more joy.


    Usually, he wasn''t the type to engage in any activity that would lead him to gaining more attention. But if it concerned Ai, he was more than happy to.


    He thought about Yating and sneered.


    This is a good chance to show some people their place. Not only Gu Yating but all the other men too.


    The picture would be his message of ''BACK OFF. SHE IS MINE.''


    Jun smirked. "I don''t have any problem. Ask Ai."


    Ai smiled. "Sure, I don''t mind."


    She had revealed herself as MissImperfectlyFine anyway, so taking a picture didn''t matter.


    The young girl beamed. "Thank you so much!"


    She hopped to their side and obviously stood beside Ai because standing beside Jun was not an option. She raised her phone to take a selfie and brightly smiled. "Ready?"


    Jun pushed Ai''s body even closer to his chest as if they were cozily snuggling. Ai''s gaze averted for just a second, her face blushing. Jun''s brow cocked up with a chuckle escaping his lips as he looked at her reddish cheeks.


    *Click*


    "Cool!"


    "..."


    Ai quickly said, "S-Sorry I wasn''t looking at the camera."


    "Hehe~ This picture is actually more perfect. It''s so natural!"


    Jun and Ai took a peek. He was satisfied while she only wished to hide from everyone.


    "You blush for the strangest things. You had no problem admitting our relationship, but your face turns red when we cuddle."


    Ai cleared her throat.


    The young girl thanked them again and eagerly uploaded the selfie with the caption, ''This is my good luck charm in finding an awesome boyfriend!''


    She wrote a message below - ''The man is none other than Sky CEO and she is MissImperfectlyFine and they just admitted they are dating! The handsome CEO and my idol author are in a relationship! Gosh, aren''t they so cute? They are my most favorite couple now!''


    At first, the message was visible to her contacts and friends from her moments, but it didn''t take long for this news to go viral. Not only the young girl, the other patrons were also actively commenting on Weibo and in a matter of a few minutes, the whole China knew about Jun and Ai''s relationship, becoming the most trending topic on social media.


    As the picture was now viral, two certain people naturally saw the news too as everybody else.


    Yating, who was busy with the matter of Gu Rong''s arrest, peeved only more with such an intimate picture. But the anger was nothing as compared to the torment his heart felt by seeing Ai smiling and blushing in Jun''s embrace. His clenched fist trembled, watching Ai at a place where he could never reach. She was so far away that no matter how much he chased after her, he couldn''t even touch her shadow. The jealousy that brewed in his heart was unimaginable.


    He was currently at the Gu residence on Uncle Mo''s insistence.


    Uncle Mo studied the grim expression on his young master''s face and said, "Young master. Master is definitely innocent."


    Yating''s stupor broke, and resentment filled his eyes. "Innocent? You knew he was keeping an eye on me, right? I always treated you as my family member, but you also...in the end, you also stood by his side and never told me anything."


    He pursed his lips and lowered his head.


    Yating chuckled. "It feels like I am in jail, right? Even if I left this house, I never truly left Dad''s control. And now..." he gripped the phone harder in his hand, "If that wasn''t enough, he wanted to meddle with Ai''s life!? I can tolerate anything but not a single harm to her. He can use his power to achieve his means. Isn''t that how he gained control of Dream High? But not anymore..."


    It hurt his heart to know Gu Rong was behind this plot. He was his father, after all.


    "I won''t forgive him. No matter how much it will hurt me, if he is the culprit, I won''t let him take a step out of jail!"


    Yating noticed an incoming call and picked it up. "Yes?"


    "I am Assistant Officer Soo Yijun. From our investigation, we have found the nurse who might be behind Mr. Wang''s death. Can you come to the police station?"

 Chapter ?224 The Brother’s Affection

    Chapter ?224 The Brother''s Affection


    The other person whose eyes glinted with menace as she stared at Jun and Ai''s picture was Guiying or more precisely, the other ''Guiying'' who had taken over her.


    A sardonic laughter escaped her lips. "This is your MrPerfect that you loved so much. Look at all the gifts he gave you and now look at him holding your best friend in his arms so intimately. Are you enjoying this?"


    Her question was met with silence, but a part of the real Guiying''s answer was visible through the tears rolling down her cheeks.


    ''Guiying'' wiped the tears in disdain. "Pathetic. Crying even now after seeing the evidence right in front of you."


    ''She'' gritted her teeth, her heart filled with anguish and outrage. She wanted to wipe that smile off Jun''s face which was there at the cost of Guiying''s heartbreak.


    "But this smile...won''t be for much longer."


    The sound of the doorbell snapped her from her daze, and she narrowed her eyes. She threw away the extinguished cigarette in trash and lazily opened the door.


    "I am finally back! How are you, Guiying?"


    The real Guiying felt thrilled with her brother''s homecoming, a sentiment which the other ''Guiying'' didn''t share. ''She'' slightly pushed him away, earning a shock from him. ''She'' felt a resistance from the real Guiying by this rude treatment towards him, but ''she'' ignored it.


    "What happened? Why are you acting so distant? Aren''t you happy that your brother is back?" He grinned.


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow.


    "Come, come! I have brought a lot of gifts for you! Let me show you!" Cai Lingyun eagerly pulled her, and they sat on the couch.


    ''She'' saw him taking out all the gifts, and there was one particular gift bigger and brighter than the others. But there wasn''t her name on it.


    "For Ai, huh?" ''she'' asked in a mocking tone which Cai Lingyun didn''t catch.


    His eyes brightened. "Haha, yes. She won the Summit, after all! I cannot tell you how excited I am to meet her. Look at everybody fawning over her now," he snorted, "Just days ago, they were talking nonsense against Ai, and everybody is now her fan!"


    "You have nothing to say to your sister who lost?"


    ''Her'' question came so sharp, direct and cutting that Cai Lingyun was dazed for several long moments. He was rendered speechless for sometime, but then he finally found his words.


    "What? Of course I feel bad for you Guiying! I told you before. Whether you would lose or Ai, I would definitely be sad. I treat both of you so dearly."


    "Yet I couldn''t see any ounce of sadness over my loss. You were too busy celebrating Ai''s victory that my loss just got drowned in it, isn''t it?" ''She'' sneered.


    He blinked his eyes rapidly. "Why are you talking like that, Guiying? You look so different. You are my sister. How could I not feel bad? But it''s a competition. Either you or Ai would have won and if you had won, then Ai would have been so happy for you too, right? Her best friend won, after all. Aren''t you happy for her likewise?"


    ''Guiying'' clenched the couch''s armrest, her nails digging into the fabric.


    "Isn''t that expectation a little cruel, big brother? Even if she is my best friend, can I not feel sad over my loss? You are right. It''s a competition, after all. So if I lose, then I am allowed to feel bad and hurt, right? I worked hard, and I was serious about winning the Summit."


    Cai Lingyun pursed his lips and held her hand. "I am sorry, Guiying. You are right...I was insensitive. I just thought that you two are such good friends. Even if there is a competition, it won''t come in the way of your friendship. But I realize I am wrong."


    ''She'' shook her hand away. "If I had won and Ai had lost, I think your reaction would have been very different. Anyway, I guess you are more excited to meet Ai rather than me, right?"


    He widened his eyes. "Of course not. You are my family. I missed both of you!"


    ''Guiying'' chuckled. "But I don''t think Ai missed you that much. She won''t either since...she has a boyfriend now~"


    Cai Lingyun froze. "...Huh?"


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "Actually, you should have bought two gifts. One for Ai and one for her boyfriend to greet him."


    His face turned paler and paler, and he anxiously laughed. "I-I don''t understand what you are saying...Ai doesn''t have a boyfriend."


    "Seems like you didn''t check social media today," ''she'' smiled. ''She'' unlocked her phone and showed the picture the young girl took in the library.


    He read the caption and message with a blank gaze.


    "My best friend is dating the CEO of Sky Publishing, Liu Jun. The same company where she has joined as a writer. Such good news, right? Look, how happy they are."


    Cai Lingyun trembled hard. Since he was on a flight to return to Beijing, he didn''t have the mobile reception to check the news.


    "T-This..."


    ''Guiying'' smiled. "It came as a shock to me too, big brother. I didn''t know when she grew so close to him. But this is the fact now. Aren''t you happy for her? You always are when Ai is happy, right?"


    "H-huh?" He looked at her in a daze, his breathing turning heavy and sweat forming on his forehead. He was trying his best to smile and agree but for some reason, he couldn''t.


    "But this time you aren''t because how can you bear to see the woman you love with someone else?"


    Cai Lingyun stiffened. It felt as if ''she'' suddenly opened his chest and laid his heart bare.


    "N-Nonsense! I don''t..." he inhaled, "I don''t look Ai in that way. I treat her as my sister," his hands were shivering just as his words.


    "Then why isn''t the happiness of this news reflecting in your eyes, big brother~?"

 Chapter 225 Flowery Police Station

    Chapter 225 Flowery Police Station


    Cai Lingyun stared hard at the picture and watching Ai blush and smile in Jun''s arms indeed invoked an uncomfortable emotion within him. He suddenly felt afraid of losing her, a feeling which had never crossed his heart before. It was suffocating and nauseous.


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "I was right. You like Ai as a woman. You see her as a woman rather than your sister. That''s why, it''s coming as such an ugly shock to you."


    "That''s not..." he swallowed hard. He wanted to refute her, but words failed him.


    ''Guiying'' patted his hand. "I understand you, big brother. Seeing someone you love dating someone else must feel so prickly, right?"


    He uneasily shifted in his seat.


    When did this happen? When did Ai...?


    "This is too sudden. I mean...wasn''t Ai focusing on her career haha...H-How can she enter into a relationship?"


    "Love changes you, big brother," ''Guiying'' leaned back on the couch, observing every single change in his ex was shock and disbelief mixed with a trace of anger and jealousy that he was trying his best to hide.


    "But this is the same man who charged the plagiarism case against Ai! He was the one who drove her into a corner. How can Ai join the very same company and even..." Green veins popped on the back of his hand, "d-date a man like that? This is stupid!"


    "It feels unreal indeed, but it''s true. But...I don''t think they are suited for each other," ''She'' frowned. "Liu Jun is a rich CEO. There is a world''s difference between their lives and families. Will their relationship truly last I wonder...?"


    Cai Lingyun quickly said, "You are right! Ai is disillusioned. That Sky CEO...he cannot be really serious about her. Rich families like his will never accept Ai, who comes from a middle class family like us. What is even Ai thinking by getting entangled with a man like him?"


    A glint of coldness flashed in ''Guiying''s'' eyes, and she whispered, "Yeah. I wonder too. Just what...was he thinking?"


    ''She'' brought her attention back to him. "That''s why I think we shouldn''t let this go on. You love Ai, right? I think you are perfect for her. After all, who can be happier than me seeing my brother and best friend together?"


    And who could be happier than me watching Liu Jun completely miserable with a heartbreak? ''She'' gnashed her jaw.


    Cai Lingyun stiffened. Anxiety had gripped him a moment before, but now he couldn''t help but feel hopeful.


    "Can...can it really happen?"


    ''Guiying'' smiled. "Of course, big brother. Ai will come to your side, and you can have a happy future with her. I am here with you. I will do..." ''she'' tilted her head, "whatever I can to help you."


    And to destroy you, Liu Jun.


    --


    "Why am I hereeeeeeee?" A certain man was sobbing his heart out in the police station after being forcibly dragged away from his beautiful dream with his future wife.


    Yijun sighed. "Bro Nian. Be serious. You wouldn''t have been here if you hadn''t beaten the shit out of the judges. One of them has died."


    "So what? I didn''t kill him. I know how not to kill~ For the sake of proving my Xing Bi''s innocence, I let them live. Here, I am working my ass off to win my woman''s heart, and you pull me away for such useless and trivial things?"


    His mouth twitched.


    Somebody''s death is useless and trivial for you?


    "Well, it won''t-"


    "Wait, don''t put him in jail!" Xing Bi''s hurried and uptight voice came from afar that jolted Nian upright.


    Xing Bi?


    Her sweet, melodious voice fell on his ears, and he felt he was dreaming. It was as if the police station and all the background just disappeared, and he could only see Xing Bi running towards him in slow motion, stretching her arms to hug him with golden light shining behind her back.


    "Xing Bi..." he sniffled. "You have come for me? Xing Bi, I have suffered...But now that you are here-"


    He extended his arms to hug her back, but instead they caught nothing but thin air.


    Huh?


    Xing Bi passed right by him and stood before Yijun, her chest huffing and puffing breathlessly. "Don''t...put him in jail."


    "..."


    My dear, where is my hug? Where is our emotional union? Where is your chest on which I have to bury my face and cry?


    Yijun was speechless.


    Why is he standing like an idiot?


    Xing Bi hurriedly said as she gasped in between her breaths. "I...I came to know from Ai that Liu Nian was taken away. I came here to tell you that he is not at fault. He only beat them because they were violent with me!"


    Nian stared at her with his teary black eyes. "Xing Bi...you are defending me?"


    Her expression twisted. "Don''t misunderstand me! I will never forgive you for fooling me on that banquet night and also how you treated my precious little sister!" She shot deadly beams at him. "But I also cannot see you getting into this mess because of me. You got entangled while protecting me. I won''t accept you going to jail."


    "Xing Biiiiii..." Nian wiped his eyes. He conveniently ignored the first part she said and only concentrated on the part of her protecting him. "Just look at him. He is so cruel. I keep telling him that I am innocent, yet he wants to drag me to jail," he dramatically sobbed.


    Yijun - "..."


    Bro Nian, aren''t you afraid of lightning striking you?


    "No, no," Xing Bi hastily tried to convince Yijun, "Please listen to me. He is really not at fault. I-I know it''s really serious that Mr. Wang died but if you want to put anybody in jail, then please put me in. I kicked his balls first. That was really painful for him."


    "..."


    "Liu Nian was only protecting me. That''s why, please let him go. If you want to punish someone, then please punish me!"


    Nian tilted his head. "Hm? I don''t think anybody will have the guts to put you in jail, my dear. Not when I am here."

 Chapter ?226 Medical Negligence

    Chapter ?226 Medical Negligence


    Xing Bi suspiciously furrowed her brows and shot a narrowed glance at him.


    Nian sheepishly grinned. "I am rich. I have power. I have influence. I am very useful, Xing Bi~ That''s why nobody is ever in a position to offend me."


    Her brow twitched. "So have I offended you Mr. Liu by beating you up after the Summit that night?"


    Yijun was keenly interested.


    Hoo. Somebody beat up Bro Nian?


    Nian gasped in shock. "Of course not dear! You are not included in that sentence. I will never be offended by whatever you do," he chirped.


    Xing Bi had a lot of questions about what he said but for now, she reverted her attention back to Yijun. "Officer. Like I said, please consider my request. Don''t charge Liu Nian with murder¡­"


    He shook his head. "It won''t come to that. Before I say anything further, I am waiting for Mr. Gu Yating - Ah, there he is."


    Yating stiffened and recalled the intimate picture of Jun and Ai circling in social media all over the country. His expression became unsightly that only brought satisfaction to Jun.


    Usually, Jun hated the sight of Yating anywhere near him or Ai. But today, he was especially looking forward to meeting him because he was sure that Yating would have seen the picture. It was impossible not to.


    "Good evening, Mr. Gu. You seem to be in a good mood~"


    Yating threw him a nasty glare. He was in no mood for a comeback when he was being cornered on all sides, first by Ai''s relationship with Jun and then with his own father in jail.


    Nian beamed. "Juuuuunnn! My dear little brother! Have you come to save your big brother here?"


    Jun scowled. "Save? Save who? I will be happy if you and Bro Jian are dumped into jail even without any charge."


    "..."


    "So mean! Is this the only respect you have for your big brother?"


    Jun sneered and refused to comment.


    Xing Bi quietly stared at Jun and observed him. Naturally, she had seen the picture too. She already had an inkling that their relationship would definitely take this turn one day ever since she learned that Ai lived with Jun under one roof. But now he was in front of her officially as Ai''s boyfriend.


    Jun held his gaze at her for a moment and nodded. She was the only one among Yating, Nian and Xing Bi herself whose presence he acknowledged.


    He then looked at Yijun and asked, "I heard you found some nurse who might be related to that judge''s death?"


    Yating took his seat and narrowed his eyes. "What did she tell you? Did she¡­did she take Dad''s name?"


    "No."


    Yijun sat opposite them and said, "I questioned the hospital''s staff and found that one nurse had been missing since Mr. Wang died. She didn''t report to duty the next day and apparently, she sent her resignation."


    "She was running away," Jun stated.


    "Indeed. We caught her while trying to flee from her house though. After interrogating her here, she broke down and said that she accidentally injected a wrong dose of medicine in the saline bottle. She was new to her job, so the confusion happened. I confirmed this too. Indeed, she joined City X hospital just two months back. She was still under nurse''s training. After the wrong injection, Mr. Wang''s condition worsened, which was already weak¡­" he eyed Nian, who was sneakily trying to inch closer towards Xing Bi, "due to a certain someone here¡­"


    Nian didn''t catch the accusation in Yijun''s tone. He was too busy catching Xing Bi''s attention.


    Yijun''s mouth twitched. "Anyway. When Mr. Wang died, she panicked because she knew she would be charged with medical negligence, and so she fled. Or at least tried to."


    Xing Bi''s serious expression lightened. "So, Liu Nian won''t be held accountable for his death anymore?"


    "No. Though he will still have to process some formalities to be completely free of the assault charges."


    She was relieved. This whole time, she felt guilty for dragging Nian because of her problem. "That''s great¡­"


    Nian eagerly asked, "Xing Bi, Xing Bi! How about we celebrate my freedom with a lovely d-d-date?" He blushed.


    Xing Bi blankly stared at him. "Is ''FOOL'' written on my face that I will agree to it? You don''t need a date, you need a brain checkup! Also, I am not interested in liars! And those who scold my lovely Ai!"


    It was a brutal strike through Nian''s heart.


    Jun ignored their banter and asked after a moment of silence, "So, it was medical negligence after all?"


    "Yes."


    He squinted his eyes. "But what if she is threatened to take the blame and say it was an accident?"


    "I did check from that angle too. But footage says otherwise. I saw her stepping out of the ward all flustered and panicked. Then I checked the register, and she had taken a half day leave too. So she did realize the blunder she had made. She hasn''t met anybody suspicious either to give her any instructions."


    Jun clicked his tongue in anger. He thought Guiying might be behind it but just like bribery, she had no connection to the case.


    Fuck! Why is this happening?


    Yating said, "So, Dad is not involved in it."


    Yijun glanced at him. "Yes. But he is still involved with the bribery case because Mr. Zheng''s testimony still stands."


    "I know."


    Xing Bi was irked. "Gu Yating. What is the meaning of this? Why would your father hate Ai so much?"


    The temperature chilled down as Jun slowly retaliated. "Not just his father. Seems like my Ai has many enemies¡­" his curled fist shook with an urge to punch Yating thinking how Ai died because of him and Guiying in the past life.


    Yating gazed at Xing Bi. "I am sorry, Xing Bi. Nobody¡­" he clenched the edge of his seat''s handle, "is more disappointed than I am. But no matter how much it hurts me and even if Dad is my family, he will be punished for plotting against Ai. I won''t do anything to help him."


    Jun laughed. "Help? As if you ever had that choice. Don''t be in an illusion, Gu Yating. Whether it''s you, your father or any so called best friend," his dark brown eyes shone with murderous intent, "I won''t let anybody escape once they dare to touch my girlfriend. You better get that straight in your head."

 Chapter 227 Nian’s Confession

    Chapter 227 Nian''s Confession


    Outside the police station, Xing Bi called out, "Liu Jun!"


    Jun halted in his steps and turned. His mouth twitched to see Nian hopping behind her.


    "Xing Bi, we are free now! How about we get to..." he sheepishly grinned, "know each other?"


    Xing Bi ignored him and kept her eyes focused on Jun. "I wanted to talk to you."


    He stared at her in silence. "I know. Why not come to my house? Ai is also there."


    She blinked. "Oh. So you are officially living together as a couple?"


    He smiled. "Yes. We wouldn''t have it any other way."


    "I see. Okay. Let''s go," she nodded.


    Nian brightened. "Yay! Let''s go!"


    Jun''s expression turned ugly. "Who said you are coming?"


    Of course I would be there if Xing Bi is there too! Don''t you dare disallow me or I will haunt you!


    Jun wished to drown him in the sea forever.


    Such a nuisance!


    --


    "Xing Bi," Ai''s face blossomed into a beautiful smile seeing her at their condo. She hugged her but pursed her lips as she apologized. "I am sorry, Xing Bi. I didn''t want to let you know about Jun and me through social media like that. I wanted to personally tell you but before that at the library-"


    "Oho! Why are you apologizing to me?" Xing Bi harrumphed. "You are so cute, Ai. I am not disappointed at all! Really, you worry over the strangest things," She shook her head.


    "And blush over strangest things too," Jun lazily added.


    Ai looked back at him with complaint which urged Jun to pinch her pouty cheeks.


    Ai held her hands and smiled like a beam of sunlight illuminating a dark room. "Xing Bi. I would like to introduce you to Liu Jun. He is my boyfriend. We..." her cheeks flushed, "We confessed on Valentine''s Day at the Summit and since then, we are dating."


    Nian cheered and clapped in delight. "Congratulations!!! You are my future sister-in-law!"


    Which made Xing Bi extremely worried for Ai. She grabbed her head and pushed it against her chest. "Ai! I know you are a wise woman, and I trust your choice. If you love Liu Jun, then I support it. But what I cannot support is this man becoming your brother-in-law! You have no idea how much of a liar he is! I am worried about the family you will be marrying into!"


    Jun and Nian - "..."


    Jun grabbed a pillow and hit it towards Nian. "I cannot even blame her for getting scared like that, stupid brother!"


    Xing Bi looked like a demoness at that moment. "You don''t know how Nian fooled me. And then he even had the nerve to scold you! I want to kill this bastard!"


    Jun sneered. "I have some good sets of knives in my kitchen. Pick one to your liking and just end his sorry life once and for all."


    Xing Bi stared at Jun, her expression gleaming. "I like you more and more now. I am so glad that you are not like your brother! Such a good younger brother...You must have suffered a lot."


    Jun stiffened, and he watched her with great respect. "You can tell...?" His eyes ached. "You are right. My childhood was hell because of Bro Nian and Bro Jian!"


    She blinked. "Hm? Who is Jian?"


    "His twin brother."


    "..."


    There was a long pause. Then a sharp gasp escaped her mouth as she jerked her head towards Nian in disbelief. "There are two of you? One wasn''t enough!?"


    Nian gritted his teeth, feeling aggrieved. "Hey, hey! Aren''t you two bonding over the wrong thing here?"


    "We are bonding over the right thing here!"


    "We are bonding over the right thing here!" Jun and Xing Bi exclaimed at the same time as they shot deadly glares at him.


    Tears filled his eyes, and he pulled Ai towards him, who was his only source of salvation. "Ai, tell her something. Please tell her that I am not such a bad guy," he looked at her with his big, black watery eyes filled with pity to the max.


    They said, ''You promised to help me to win over Xing Bi!''


    Ai nodded and looked at Xing Bi. "Xing Bi. Please don''t be mad at Nian anymore. I know everything he did at the banquet. He confessed to me and said how really sorry he felt for tricking you. He regrets his mistake."


    Nian bobbed his head up and down. "Yes, yes!"


    "As for the time he taught me to make chocolates, I don''t mind him getting harsh with me. He was just trying to help me," she looked away, clearly having trouble saying the next part, "My skills in baking and making sweets are questionable indeed..."


    Jun raised his brow. "Oh, so you finally admit it?"


    Ai looked away.


    Nian seriously agreed. "She is a sweets murderer."


    "What did you call her?" Xing Bi''s face twisted.


    Nian panicked. "I-I mean she just lacks practice hehe..."


    Yeah, I don''t think any amount of practice is really gonna help her, Jun thought.


    Ai coughed. "Nian helped me make chocolates for Jun, and I appreciate all his help even after bringing him to a state of a heartattack."


    Nian sniffled and wiped his eyes.


    Ah that cruel time of my life. How my poor chocolates suffered by her hands...


    "So, don''t mind him scolding me. He was just being a good teacher. My mother is a professor herself, so I know how teachers are."


    Xing Bi pursed her lips. "Don''t take his side, Ai. He is nothing but a troublemaker!"


    "But he really regrets his actions. That''s why I am asking on his behalf to forgive him."


    Nian gave her a pleading look as well.


    Xing Bi folded her arms and narrowed her eyes. "Why do you want my forgiveness anyway? I am just a random person you met by coincidence."


    Nian widened his eyes. "How could you say that, my dear!? You are not just a random person in my life. You are my dearest woman who will be my wife in the future!"


    He moved past Ai, grabbed her hand and said, "I have fallen in love with you ever since we met that night. That was a fateful night for me. Ever since then, I have been dreaming of my future with you. I want to date you, I want to kiss you, I want to marry you, and I want to make lots of babies with you. I, Liu Nian, is in love with you, Xing Bi!"


    "..."

 Chapter ?228 Xing Bi’s Minus Points

    Chapter ?228 Xing Bi''s Minus Points


    Xing Bi glanced at Ai, her expression blank. "What is he talking about?"


    Ai cleared her throat. "Well, Nian does like you very much. He is very sincere about you. So, if you could give him a chance as your boyfriend¡­"


    Nian sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.


    "Like me?" She was flabbergasted. "How? When? Why? Wait, what?"


    A confession was thrown at her out of nowhere and more so from a man whom she resented the most. She couldn''t process the sudden feelings he attacked her with.


    "Yes, I really love you, Xing Bi! You are so strong, cool and charming. You have such a beautiful but sassy heart. I love all of it! I-I only tricked you because I wanted to spend some time with you¡­"


    Her mouth twitched. "Seeing me in debt trouble is your definition of spending time with me?"


    He coughed hard. "T-that wasn''t how it was supposed to happen. Uncle Jing really ruined it actually by appearing at the wrong time!"


    "Shut up! Don''t make excuses!" She glowered at him. "Is this another way of you making fun at my expense? Confessing to me? Find someone else who is fine with it!" She stomped her foot, carrying the weight of her rage.


    "No, no! I am really serious about you!" He sobbed.


    Jun smirked watching his miserable condition. He pulled Ai beside him. "This is what life should be like. My woman at my side and my brother getting his ass kicked. What more will anybody want?"


    He sneered. "Don''t waste your pity on him."


    Nian kept begging her. "Please believe me!"


    "Well, you haven''t left a very good reputation for making me do that," Xing Bi spat in anger. "Not even in a million years will I agree to become your girlfriend! I don''t like you!"


    Nian beamed. "No problem! Leave that to me. I will definitely make you love me back!"


    Xing Bi raised her brow. "Don''t be too confident. You are younger than me. Younger men are not my type."


    Nian''s irises twinkled. "Types are not set in stone. Once I sweep you off your feet, age won''t matter to you at all~ You will be mine even before you realize it."


    Ai beamed and clapped at that.


    Jun and Xing Bi grimaced at her.


    She coughed. "I like his confidence."


    Xing Bi studied Nian with great scrutiny. "I see."


    Nian found hope in the change of her tone. "So, so! Will you give me a chance and go on a date with me? Will you forgive me?"


    Yes, yes just a little more¡­


    Xing Bi smiled. "Of course."


    Nian cast off a golden light-


    "Not."


    "..."


    The golden brilliance of happiness vanished instantly.


    "Why!?" He cried.


    She glared at him. "You still ask me that!? How dare you use my cute Ai as a weapon to make me forgive you! You thought of buttering me up through Ai? Unforgivable!"


    "..."


    "You confessed to Ai first so that she will be ready to convince me. Instead of facing your mistakes head on, you planned of winning me over through Ai because you thought I won''t be able to say no to her," she sneered. "Minus points!"


    "..."


    Nian felt himself falling deeper into the pit.


    Debt trouble, scolding Ai and then using her as a buttering machine - everything Nian did only led to a deduct in his favorability points instead of enhancing them.


    Jun raised a toast. "That''s how you do it."


    "Shut up, Jun! If you are not helping me, then atleast stay quiet!" Nian threw daggers at him.


    Jun simply shrugged. "Anyway. Cry your tears later. Let''s have dinner."


    Xing Bi harrumphed. "Gladly. I am hungry now after using my brain cells on him!"


    "..."


    It was a wholesome dinner with Jun''s cooking filled with a lively atmosphere except for a certain Liu Nian looking dead. But Jun and Xing Bi didn''t bother. Ai was the only one who was putting food on his plate.


    "There, there. Don''t lose hope. Xing Bi is fierce but if you are sincere, you will definitely melt her heart one day."


    Her words brought a dead Nian back to life and hope. He burst into tears. "Ai¡­Ai¡­you are the best!"


    But Xing Bi''s heart was melting because of another reason. "Oh my gosh¡­this food is so yummy! Jun, you are amazing!"


    "Thanks."


    "Ai, you are so lucky! A handsome boyfriend, a super lavish condo to live in and an awesome chef too!"


    Jun smiled. "It''s not Ai. I am lucky to have Ai."


    Xing Bi proudly said, "That''s true too. Nobody is cuter than my Ai."


    Nian chimed in. "I am also handsome. I live in a super lavish villa, and I am an awesome chef and patissier too!"


    "All that gets negated because of your troublemaking personality, so don''t even try," Xing Bi ruthlessly burst his balloon of hopes.


    Ai patted his shoulder, who was crouching like a curled ball in a corner all alone with an imaginary leaf rolling past him.


    Jun put his chopsticks down and faced Xing Bi. "Ai told me about your debt."


    Nian''s ears perked up at that.


    "Oh? It''s nothing much," She waved her hand in dismissal, "I am managing it."


    Then she quickly said as she realized something, "Did you bring this up because you want to help me? It''s not necessary. I will handle it."


    Ai lowered her gaze, thinking of the past life.


    Jun said, "I can, but I won''t if you are against it. But I brought it up because¡­I want you to be careful."


    She blinked. "Hm?"


    "Loansharks are dangerous men though¡­" he smiled, "they are nothing in front of us. I just want you to be careful at all times even if Bro Nian might not be hovering around you like a damn fly."


    "Hey!"


    "My point is, just be alert."


    She smiled. "I will."


    Jun nodded.


    I don''t want you to face the same fate as in the past life. You are precious to Ai. I don''t want to see her crying over your death yet again.

 Chapter 229 A Trip To Ai’s Home City!

    Chapter 229 A Trip To Ai''s Home City!


    As Xing Bi was about to leave, she asked Ai with anticipation, "So, you will be officially joining Sky from tomorrow, right?"


    Ai replied. "Ah. We are postponing it by a day. Mom said she wanted to meet Jun, so we are going to my hometown tomorrow to introduce him."


    Her eyes sparkled. "Wow! You two are gonna meet your parents already? Hehe, that''s a fast development~ Have you met Jun''s parents?"


    "Yes¡­"


    "So, what about them? Does Jun''s family like you?" She asked with a trace of uncertainty and concern in her voice, "Well, I can see that this dumbo here does¡­" she was talking about Nian, who was talking to Jun on the other side. "But parents are different. Jun is from a reaaaaally rich family, and I don''t want to see them belittling you just because you don''t share his status!" She harrumphed.


    Ai felt warm with her concern, and a soft smile bloomed on his lips. "His parents are good. They are not discriminating at all."


    She sighed in relief and patted her head. "That''s good then. I am happy you found Jun. He seems really cold and unapproachable from outside, but he is very good to you. That''s all that matters to me. As long as he treats you well."


    Ai''s gaze flickered with warmth and fuzziness. "Yes, Xing Bi. Jun treats me really well. He loves me a lot. I love him a lot too."


    She pressed her against her chest again and cried. "You are so cute!"


    Why is Zhou Ai hogging all the love? Where is my part!?


    "Listen to me, Bro!" Jun shook him, annoyed.


    "I am listening. I will take care of Xing Bi''s debt like I told you before."


    Jun paused to find his words. He knew about the past life and about Xing Bi''s death. Though it was supposed to happen ten years later, he couldn''t be so sure anymore because many things were changing since Jun and Ai''s rebirth. The fate was changing - of themselves and the people around them.


    "It''s not just about her debt. Just¡­be there for her," he scratched his chin. "We don''t know who might suddenly become our enemy."


    Nian frowned. "You are sounding so cryptic. Is Xing Bi in trouble that I don''t know of?" He narrowed his eyes.


    You act so goofy all the time, but why are you so uselessly sharp in these matters? Jun cursed him.


    Outwardly, he smiled. "Nothing. You just pay attention to be careful to not let Xing Bi make you as her enemy."


    "..."


    "That won''t be for long! I will win Xing Bi''s heart in no time!" He puffed his cheeks.


    "Well, good luck with that," Jun shrugged, "I hope your path may not be smooth sailing at all."


    "You¡­" Nian gritted his teeth.


    When he saw Xing Bi leaving, he immediately hopped to her side with imaginary dog ears perking on his head. "I will drop you home!"


    Xing Bi ruthlessly declined. "No, thanks."


    "But it''s such a great time to be cuddly~~"


    "Don''t even think about it!" She glared at him.


    They went away while bickering the whole way.


    Ai felt Jun hug her from her back. "Finally, we are alone."


    She kissed his cheek. "What do you think of them? Will Xing Bi give Nian a chance?"


    Jun sneered. "Yeah, I hope she doesn''t. I want to see him suffer."


    She chuckled but then a sigh escaped her lips. "I am so jealous of you and Nian. You have such a good relationship."


    Jun''s pupils looked dead. "With what eyes do you see a good relationship between us?"


    "Don''t complain. You might bicker and argue, but you care for each other too. That''s how siblings always are. I don''t have a brother or sister," she pursed her lips, "so I always feel envious of you having siblings and cousins."


    "But now you don''t have to feel envious anymore," Jun made her turn and held her face, "My family is your family. So my siblings and cousins are your siblings and cousins too. You have got a biiiiiiig family now," he laughed. "Bro Nian already treats you as his sister. That''s how he acts with Nuo at home too, just like how he behaves with you. You have many brothers and sisters now~"


    Ai felt warmth flush in her heart. "It feels nice¡­"


    A mischievous glint passed by his eyes. "Say¡­how about I make you feel even nicer?" He bit her ear and hushed his desire to her. "Tomorrow, we might not have the chance so let''s have our fill tonight."


    He carried her in his arms and walked towards his bedroom, shutting the door behind him and the sounds of their lovemaking soon reverberating in the condo.


    ¡ª


    Xuanhua.


    Jun and Ai arrived in the city two and a half hours after leaving Beijing. Ai watched the familiar buildings and roads of her neighborhood which hadn''t changed much since she left for Beijing to pursue her career. The gleam and shine in her eyes was unmistakable.


    Jun could see her body radiating pure bliss as she looked out of the window. He silently chuckled and focused his attention back to driving.


    A few minutes later, Ai said, "Stop, stop."


    Jun did so and asked, "Isn''t your house a little further ahead?"


    "Yes. But I want to drop by the convenience store. Mom likes the crackers from this store. It''s really tasty. So, I want to buy it for her."


    "Cool. I will come with you."


    "It''s fine. I will be back in two minutes."


    "Okay."


    Ai hopped out of the car while Jun waited for her. He leaned back on his seat. But a moment later, a figure caught his attention from the corner of his eye.


    A middle-aged woman had her back facing him, and he could see that she was intensely staring at the dog in front of her who was playing with a few dropped apples. Clearly, she wanted the apples back.


    Jun looked away but for some reason, his body twitched restlessly when the woman didn''t budge an inch after some time. Annoyed, he stepped out of his car and crossed the street to stand before her. "Can I help you?"


    The woman then slowly lifted her gaze towards him and stared at him in silence.

 Chapter ?230 Xie Nuying

    Chapter ?230 Xie Nuying


    She retracted her gaze and pointed at the apples. "I want my apples back."


    Jun blinked and felt his ears buzz. Her voice and tone strangely felt very similar to Ai''s. He noticed the torn brown paper bag through which the apples must have fallen.


    "Just shoo away the dog. Plus, it''s actually just a puppy really."


    *Woof!*


    The puppy was merrily playing with the apples without a care in the world.


    "I cannot," the woman calmly replied. "I am scared of dogs."


    His mouth twitched. "I-It''s a puppy really...He won''t bite you."


    "Nevertheless, there is still a chance of it jumping on me."


    "The puppy is harmless."


    "My reaction to his enthusiasm might not be harmless."


    He asked, "Then why are you staring at the puppy if you don''t want to shoo him away? You can buy new apples."


    "I thought that if I looked at him hard enough, he would back off on his own, sensing my concentration."


    "Are you Ai''s mother?"


    She blinked and tilted her head. "How do you know?"


    Jun smiled. "Well, the genes are quite strong between the mother and daughter. Plus, I kind of recognized your voice but didn''t want to guess wrong."


    I can now see why Ai is like this.


    Jun''s gaze traveled from her head to toe, and he noticed the elegance and poise from her figure. She looked around Nana''s age, and her eyes exuded the same serenity and softness that Ai held in hers. But apart from her voice, there wasn''t much resemblance with her physically. Ai''s eyes and facial features didn''t quite match with her mother''s.


    Only her voice and the weirdness in her personality were in perfect tandem with Ai''s.


    Xie Nuying said, "Oh. As I guessed from your voice too, you must be her boyfriend. Liu Jun, is it?"


    "Yes, I am Liu Jun. I am Ai''s boyfriend. Pleased to meet you," he bowed.


    "The one who lured my innocent daughter at his house on Valentine''s night," she spoke unhurriedly.


    "..."


    Why are you saying as if I was some big bad wolf who caught an innocent rabbit?


    Jun gave it a thought.


    That analogy isn''t really wrong if I think about it.


    Jun wasn''t sure how to exactly answer that sentence. He bent down and picked up the apples while rubbing the puppy''s head gently.


    *Woof!*


    He happily nudged his head against his leg.


    "Your apples," Jun handed it to her.


    "You didn''t answer."


    Jun thought about Valentine''s night and all the times Ai took charge of their rounds. "Your daughter and my girlfriend is really not as innocent as you are thinking her to be," he smiled.


    "Mom!"


    Ai hurried towards them and called out with a beam in her smile. "You are here. I thought you were at home," she alternated her gaze between them, "So, you two already met. What a coincidence."


    "Indeed," Xie Nuying replied. "I thought of baking an apple pie for you two. So, I went out to buy some fresh apples. Then I met him."


    Jun looked at her in horror.


    Are you sure you have the right skills for baking a pie?


    Xie Nuying showed a tinge of pride. "I am confident now."


    The ''now'' didn''t really sit well with Jun. So, he promptly offered for the sake of everyone''s wellbeing. "How about I bake the pie for you?"


    Ai''s lips twitched.


    "Oh. You know how to bake? Baking is really hard, you know," Xie Nuying looked interested.


    "Yeah, I will be fine. Let''s go, shall we?"


    --


    Jun stepped into her modest home and felt a sense of warmth and belonging as he looked around. It was just like Ai''s apartment where the furniture was perfectly placed and matched with the house''s decor. The light colors of the walls and curtains felt homely and welcoming.


    His brown orbs shone with tenderness as he saw Ai''s pictures hung on the walls from her childhood and teenage years.


    "It''s a lovely home," he quietly said with an affable voice.


    "Thank you," Xie Nuying sincerely felt pleased with his appreciation.


    Ai coughed and felt a tinge of nervousness as she stood beside Jun, holding his hand. "Mom, I want to properly introduce you to Jun. He is my boyfriend, Liu Jun. We c-confessed on Valentine''s night and are now in a relationship. He is also the CEO of Sky Publishing, and I will be working in his company from now on."


    She looked at Jun and said, "She is Mom and works at XY University as a professor of English and Literature. She is very well reputed in the college and in this area," her expression shone with pride.


    Jun nodded and respectfully bowed. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Xie. I am dating your daughter Ai with the intention of marriage in the future. Hope you like my presents."


    With the intention of marriage...


    The tips of Ai''s ears turned redder.


    Xie Nuying took his gift. "Thank you. Please take a seat. I will bring water for you."


    "No, I am fine."


    "You are a guest. Naturally, I should be a good host. Please wait," she promptly left towards the kitchen.


    Jun finally let out his breath he had been holding for a long time. "Okay, I am pretty sure she doesn''t like me."


    Ai furrowed her brows. "What are you saying? She does like you."


    "She doesn''t like a man who lured her innocent daughter to his house right on the first night of their relationship and slept with her."


    "Did she say anything about it?"


    "She surely made it a point not to hide it. I am screwed."


    She stared at him and burst into a chuckle. "This is the first time I am seeing you not so confident. Didn''t you confront her when you talked to her the first time?"


    Jun kissed her hand. "That was because she was accusing you. I wouldn''t stand for it. Now she is confronting me, which is fine as long as she doesn''t say anything to you. But it might be hard to change that opinion of me being a bad wolf."


    "Oh. So Liu Jun is giving up?" She curiously asked.


    He glared at her. "Nonsense! Nothing will deter me. You are mine, and nothing will change that!"

 Chapter 231 The Mother-In-Law’s Approval

    Chapter 231 The Mother-In-Law''s Approval


    After the pleasantries were done, Jun asked if he could use her kitchen to make the apple pie.


    "I should be really making it as I am the host," Xie Nuying insisted.


    "It''s fine. You are meeting Ai after a long time. So catch up with her until I make the pie. You must have a lot to talk about."


    "Indeed. Okay then."


    "Thank you."


    Jun went ahead in the kitchen while Xie Nuying sat beside Ai. "Congratulations on winning the Summit. I loved your story."


    Ai''s pupils held a beautiful light in them. "Thank you Mom."


    "You have been working hard. I am proud of you," she patted her head.


    Ai held her hand and softly asked, "Mom, are you...are you still against me writing?"


    Xie Nuying glanced at her. "I just wanted you to have a good and stable future, unlike your father."


    Her brow twitched.


    "Your financial stability depends on your popularity in this field and how much your books sell. It is not a steady flow of income like other jobs, and it''s a challenge to maintain your place constantly. It''s risky. I just didn''t want you to have a stressful life."


    "It''s not stressful for me, Mom. Indeed, there are times when it gets difficult but that is with any other job too, isn''t it? Also, Jun is with me now. My life feels even more colorful ever since I met him. I know as long as we are together, nothing can be too difficult to handle," Ai said with sincerity.


    Ai nodded.


    "I see."


    The smell of the sweet apple pie wafted in the air, and the mother-daughter pair''s attention shifted to Jun.


    When it was finally ready and Xie Nuying took a bite, her expression blossomed with joy. "This is so good. It just melted on my tongue."


    Jun was nervous about her reaction, but now relief filled his heart. "I am glad you like it."


    Ai added. "Jun is a really good chef! He makes delicious food."


    "Is it?"


    Jun shrugged. "It''s nothing really. That credit goes to my Mom. She is an awesome chef and has her own restaurant. It is now run by my elder brother and younger sister. It is because of her that we all siblings became good at cooking."


    "I see."


    She observed Jun and asked, "When did you two meet for the first time ?"


    Jun cleared his throat and answered. "In December."


    "Oh. So only around three months it is. Yet you are absolutely sure of marrying my daughter?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "Mom, don''t be like this."


    "Ssh. Don''t interrupt me. Eat your pie."


    Dejected, Ai went back to eating her pie.


    This was the first time that Jun saw somebody managing to stop Ai from talking.


    Mothers are always amazing, he thought.


    He narrowed his eyes as he stared at her straight and unflinching. "I am absolutely sure. I don''t need to have second thoughts. I only want Ai and nobody else."


    "You don''t feel it''s too soon to judge that?" She sharply questioned. "It''s only the beginning of your relationship. When you get to know more about each other, you may feel you are not suitable for each other. What will you do then? I don''t want Ai to face the same fate as me and my ex-husband. We also felt that we did the right thing at that time when we got married."


    Jun shook his head. "Even if there is more to know about Ai, there is nothing that will convince me to break up with her or think that we are not suitable."


    Thinking about the past and this life, Jun confessed with resolution. "Ai and I are meant to be with one another. I know it might sound cheesy to you, but it''s fate to me that we met and fell in love. My heart wants only Ai, and I will only marry her. Nothing can shake that emotion within me. Trust me. I love Ai with all my heart. I love everything about her."


    Ai felt her heart pound in her chest, and she wished to hop into his tight hug and kiss him on his lips.


    Xie Nuying and Jun''s staring competition went on for a few seconds before she finally said, "That''s good. I feel assured."


    Ai probed. "So, do you accept Jun?"


    "Yes. He is a good man. I like his eyes the most," she smiled. "They are beautiful."


    Jun coughed in embarrassment.


    A''s face radiated with excitement. "I know, right? I also like his eyes the most."


    "S-stop it!" Jun wanted to hide. "My eyes are just normal."


    Xie Nuying blinked. "Oh you are cute too."


    "..."


    Ai nodded her head even harder. "He is really cute though he doesn''t like me calling him that."


    "We can ignore that."


    "..."


    Jun''s brow violently twitched.


    These two are really the same!


    Xie Nuying glanced at Ai and asked with anticipation, "So, when will the good news come?"


    "What good news?"


    "About my grandchild. You two already slept together."


    *Cough! Cough!*


    Jun choked hard and had difficulty in breathing.


    Aunt, you threw that out nowhere!


    Ai''s face flushed harder. "M-Mom!"


    "Did you use protection?"


    !!!


    Jun''s choking only increased.


    Xie Nuying looked concerned. "Oh dear, you seem sick. Are you okay?"


    Jun stared at her dumbly.


    Do I look okay!? What''s with the sharp change in trajectory of the questions!?


    Jun tried to smile the best he could. "You were just disappointed at me for luring your innocent daughter right on the first night and now are asking about a grandchild?"


    Xie Nuying tilted her head. "I was never disappointed in you. I already liked you the day we talked on the phone. I liked the fact that you didn''t hesitate to set me straight when you felt that I hurt Ai. You are a good and fearless boyfriend. I like it."


    "..."


    "S-so what happened on the street..."


    "I was just teasing you. I didn''t know what else to tease you about," she nodded.


    "..."


    That was teasing me? You got nothing else to tease me about? And here I thought I was screwed!


    "So can I expect a grandchild?"


    Jun coughed. "Well...no."


    "So you used protection?" Disappointment hung on her face, "A pity."


    Jun - "..."


    Ai - "..."

 Chapter ?232 Her Father’s Way Of Life

    Chapter ?232 Her Father''s Way Of Life


    Back in Ai''s bedroom, Jun collapsed on the bed with his arm over his forehead. "Your mother¡­is something else really¡­"


    "I told you. She likes you. There was no need to worry," Ai chuckled.


    He narrowed his eyes at her and pulled her beside him. "So, your mother was teasing me. Since I cannot punish her, let me settle that score with you."


    "That''s unfair," Ai protested.


    "You are not innocent either," his gaze darkened, "What''s with you ganging up on me with your mother and calling me cute?"


    "But that''s the truth."


    The need of revenge lit in his heart, and he chomped upon her lips. He pushed his lips and tongue deeper, pressing his body against hers and earning a stifled moan from her. They felt the sound of their thudding heartbeats, and their shared breath provided them with warmth. He felt her breasts bounce on his chest, and his kisses grew only fiercer.


    To his utter shock, Ai took charge of their kiss and took courage to bite him on his tongue. She wanted to return the overwhelming fluttering of heartbeats that his words caused her and make a mess of his heart and lips too.


    Dizzy and breathless as Ai parted, she hung her arms around his neck and whispered, "If this is my punishment for calling you cute, then I will always call you cute."


    "You¡­" He was still wrapping his head around Ai''s boldness she displayed just now. He felt a light stinging sensation on his tongue from her bite, but he relished that feeling. His body shuddered with a craving to tear her dress a like your kisses," Ai confessed straightforwardly.


    She placed his hand on her chest. "Look, my heart is beating so fast because of your sweet words."


    Then she placed his palm on his chest. "Now, your heart is also beating fast because of my kiss," she gave a proud smirk, "We are equal now."


    Jun stumbled on his knee but somehow balanced himself. "You better not seduce me! I don''t want to eat you at your mother''s house."


    "I don''t mind."


    "..."


    "We still have some time before we meet my Dad."


    "..."


    He took deep, long breaths to control the fever from rampaging any further. "You seriously want to kill me¡­" he muttered under his breath.


    He laid beside her and asked, "Speaking of your Dad, what does he do? What kind of a person is he?"


    It will be a pain if he is like how Dad is possessive of Nuo, Jun grimaced.


    Ai thought about it. "The last that I know of, he was working in some sales and marketing of a perfume brand."


    Jun blinked. "What do you mean by ''the last that I know of?''"


    "Oh. That''s because he keeps changing his jobs."


    "Huh?"


    Ai nodded. "He always says that life is short, and there are so many things to do and explore in this world."


    "I see. That''s admirable-"


    "But that is just him trying to look cool. He cannot stick to one job for long, so he fools us with philosophical reasons," she ruthlessly threw shade at her own father.


    "..."


    "He also gambles but strangely enough, he never got in debt. He hangs in bars and casinos all the time and figures out what he is interested in doing next. That''s how he lands in another job most of the time."


    His mouth twitched. "But what about the money when he is not doing any job?"


    Ai replied, unfazed. "He lives off the money he would have earned from gambling."


    "..."


    "He is charismatic, which he does use to lightly flirt with women at times. But he is not a womanizer or a player. He knows his boundaries. He drinks occasionally. But he doesn''t smoke. But he wants to look cool like the men smoking cigarettes so instead, he holds a small twig between his lips like a cigarette to look the cool part."


    The level of speechlessness that Jun reached was off the charts.


    What''s with this man?


    Somehow, Jun could form the picture in his mind as to why her parents would have gotten divorced.


    Ai''s mother was calm, elegant, liked discipline and worked in a reputed university with a respectable job.


    Her father on the other hand seemed rash, doing things at his own pace and certainly not having a stable job.


    "Did he remarry?"


    Ai shook her head. "He did not. I thought it was because of me, and I told him that I don''t mind if he remarried. Same with Mom. But neither of them were really interested, so I dropped it."


    Were they not interested or do they still have some feelings for each other? Jun couldn''t help but wonder.


    "I see. Your father¡­" Jun brought his lips together, "seems to be an interesting person," he found it hard to find the correct words.


    Ai chuckled. "I know what you are thinking. He is a little eccentric."


    Jun stared at her.


    You don''t have any right to say that for him when you are eccentric yourself, my dear girlfriend.


    "So when are we going to meet him?"


    "I have texted Dad. He wants us to meet him at the park. It''s where I usually played as a child with them. Then he will take us to his home from there."


    Jun cleared his throat. "Is he hard to please? Dads are the biggest hurdle to get approval."


    "He is good. He is not unreasonable at all," Ai said.


    Yeah, we will get to see about that part soon.


    ¡ª


    Jun and Ai reached the park where her father asked them to wait for him. The place chirped with kids singing and laughing as they played on the rides. Some of them curiously glanced at them and giggled.


    Jun saw an ice cream parlor near the park and smiled. "Wait here for me. I will bring some ice cream for you."


    As he held two ice cream cups in his hand and walked back to the park, he noticed a flashy guy with shoulder length hair tied in a small pony behind and a lock of his hair dangling in front of his cheek. He wore pants and a shirt with some weird design.


    But what ticked off Jun was that man flirtatiously smiling at Ai and leaning too close to be comfortable. He crushed the ice cream cups in his palms and clenched his jaw hard.


    "Get. Off. My. Girlfriend!"

 Chapter 233 Zhou Yichen

    Chapter 233 Zhou Yichen


    Jun''s every step with which he stomped on the ground carried the deadly weight of his boiling anger and possessiveness. The kids in the park gasped and huddled together watching him ooze out a killing aura as his hand flew to grab the man by his neck.


    "What do you think you are doing to my girlfriend!?" Jun exclaimed with an urge to strangle him.


    The man widened his eyes and whistled. "So hot blooded."


    Ai hastily stepped in between and stopped his fist from punching the man. "Jun, stop! What are you doing?"


    "You are asking me that? What is he doing getting so close to you?" The murder and chill in his eyes froze the air around them. "How dare he fucking harass you!? I will kill him!"


    "No! He is not harassing me!" Ai looked bewildered.


    "That flirtatious smile and that leaning over you is not harassing?" His gaze darkened. "Move out of my way! I will fucking kill him today-"


    "He is my Dad!" Ai exclaimed.


    Zhou Yichen tilted his head and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Boyfriend."


    "..."


    Jun felt lightning strike him that very moment. The rage in his eyes dissipated which looked dead right now as he stared at Zhou Yichen. He then noticed a small twig between his lips.


    ''But he wants to look cool like the men smoking cigarettes so instead, he holds a small twig between his lips like a cigarette to look the cool part.''


    Jun shut his eyes. "Why¡­?"


    Zhou Yichen burst into laughter. "Ahahaha. Is that Why? as in ''Why I turned out to be Zhou Yichen?'' or is it ''Why is my luck so bad that I was about to kill my girlfriend''s father and lose my brownie points?'' Or ''Why did fate have to play such a cruel joke on me on my first meeting with my girlfriend''s father?'' or like ''Why did he act like that and make me misunderstand his intentions? Now I am screwed!''"


    "..."


    Jun''s expression looked unbearable. "How about all of it?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t make fun of him, Dad. Also, Jun wasn''t totally wrong. To someone else, you would totally look like a pervert."


    Jun stared hard at her father, and words were not enough to describe his state.


    Zhou Yichen didn''t seem to look like a father figure at all. With his hairstyle and dress up, he looked anything but a father. His hair looked messy with the small pony, nevertheless it didn''t affect his charm. With a goofy smile on his face, he looked more like a brother than a father.


    But Jun understood why Ai didn''t resemble her mother because she resembled her father. The face and the light brown eyes were just like him.


    Zhou Yichen laughed even more heartily. "Ai-chaaaaaan. As always, your words hit where it hurts the most, but I like it anyway. You are my lovely daughter, after all."


    "Ai-chan?" Jun''s mouth twitched.


    Ai answered that. "Dad once went to Japan and got caught onto the ''chan'' honorific that Japanese people use for their dear ones. He found calling Ai chan cute. So since then, he calls me like that."


    "Ah¡­like how my Uncle''s call Mom Nee-chan. They are half Japanese."


    Zhou Yichen pointed his finger at him. "I need to find a name to address you too. Hm, what should I use?"


    "Just call me Jun¡­" Jun tried to smile, still trying to recover from his blunder of attacking his future father-in-law.


    "That''s boring. Need to spice it up. Ai-chan! What do you like about him?" He casually hung his arm around her shoulder as if they were more of friends rather than father and daughter.


    Ai didn''t need to think twice about it. "He is cute."


    That earned her a glare from Jun.


    Zhou Yichen clapped once. "Great. Then it''s decided! I will call you Jun-cute from now on."


    "....."


    Ai''s smile widened as if it was a super great idea. "That''s wonderful!"


    But that name was nothing but a torture to Jun. "Like I said, Jun is fine-"


    "Let''s go to my home Ai-chan and Jun-cute, hahaha!" Zhou Yichen pulled Ai and merrily walked forward while Jun could already feel his HP draining.


    On the way to his home, many high school girls passing by waved at Zhou Yichen. "Mr. Zhou! How are you?" They giggled.


    Jun could see the girls were totally charmed by Zhou Yichen.


    "Hey, you all! I am great. My Ai-chan is back! She has brought her boyfriend," he winked.


    They glanced at Jun and felt an arrow squeeze right through their chests.


    That tall and handsome figure, that cold, piercing gaze and the royal aura he emanated¡­


    The high school girls squealed hard at his sight. "Your daughter is lucky! He is hot but you are still the best, Mr. Zhou!"


    Jun''s brow twitched.


    "Hahaha, thank you beautiful ladies. Be safe on your way. Study well for exams, but be on a lookout for a good boyfriend too~"


    "We will~"


    Not much time had passed, but Jun observed that Zhou Yichen seemed to be an easygoing man. At least, he was nowhere like Jinhai who was always ready with guns behind Siying''s back at all times.


    Stepping into his house, Jun noticed that it was way different than Xie Nuying''s house. Where her place was organized and welcoming, his house seemed far from it.


    It wasn''t messy as such, but there were many things jam packed in all nooks and corners of the house, so it looked more filled and occupied. The colors of the walls were bright and more cheerful.


    Guess this is the evidence of him hopping between multiple jobs¡­


    "So Jun-cute. What do you think about my house? It''s definitely more interesting than Nuying''s, right?"


    Jun got off-guard by that question. He expected him to ask about his relationship.


    Ai sighed. "Dad¡­"


    Jun answered. "It''s more interesting indeed, but her home is more welcoming. I guess you both win then."


    Zhou Yichen rapidly blinked. "Hey, Jun-cute is cute and also smart! I like it."


    "..."


    Ai complained. "Don''t live in such a mess."


    Zhou Yichen ignored that comment and brought a tab before her and chirped. "Check out my blog channel. I have been working as a career consultant since last week," he proudly said.


    Ai stared at the blog articles and then back at him. "But you need career consultation yourself. What advice could you possibly give others?"

 Chapter ?234 The Father-In-Law’s Approval

    Chapter ?234 The Father-In-Law''s Approval


    Jun was absolutely sure that he could see blood forming at the corner of Zhou Yichen''s lips.


    He hugged her. "Ai-chaaan, as always, you don''t mince your words at all. You are so much like your mother. Your father doesn''t know if he should feel happy or sad about it."


    He really wants to cry, Jun thought. He really does. But he doesn''t want to break down in front of her boyfriend.


    Zhou Yichen said, "Make yourselves at home. I will bring some coffee. Jun-cute, you are more than welcome to look around."


    He dashed away, and Jun finally got the chance to properly look like a dead fish. He covered his face. "I was so close to punching your father. I am screwed."


    Ai kissed his cheek. "That''s not it. He won''t judge you over this. Plus, it was his fault."


    His head collapsed on her shoulder. "Both of your parents like giving heart attacks¡­"


    She patted his back.


    He then looked around and at a distance found some oil paintings. He curiously checked out the paintings hung at the wall. Some were abstract, some had human figures drawn in them and some were sceneries. At the desk, there were notes which seemed to look like a song composition. There were pieces of handmade art like flowers and small cute sculptures made out of paper and clay. There was a guitar case resting against the wall and some other notes, seemingly of music com slowly commented with praise. "I can see why you became a writer. You got the creativity from him. These are not bad at all."


    "Dad likes to try out different things, so it''s filled with all kinds of stuff," Ai looked displeased. "But he doesn''t organize it."


    She bent down and collected all the fliers lying on the table and stacked them neatly.


    "Ai-chan!" Zhou Yichen popped in. "Perfect timing. Do you feel like cleaning up a bit? That''s good. You get busy here, and I will take Jun-cute with me for a shopping trip."


    "..."


    "I didn''t offer to clean-"


    "Let''s go Jun-cute," he grabbed Jun''s arm and rushed out, "we won''t get a discount at the supermarket if the pretty receptionist left."


    The door shut in front of her, and Ai remained standing, expressionless.


    "I thought we were supposed to have coffee together¡­" she mumbled. Though he shamelessly dumped the work on Ai, she still went ahead and started to clean around.


    While outside, Jun finally realized that he was dragged away. "Um¡­"


    "It''s okay. I won''t eat you up," Zhou Yichen laughed. "I just wanted to talk to you alone."


    He took him to a casino where he frequently visited. It was a bright day outside but inside, it felt as if it was the middle of the night. The casino owner greeted him. "Hey, Yichen. Ready for another win?"


    He winked. "As always. Make the special drinks two. I got a guest with me."


    "Oooo. That''s nice."


    "Sit here," Zhou Yichen patted the seat beside him furiously.


    Jun raised his brow and looked around. People were dancing to music, and some couples were openly making out. Women were waving at Zhou Yichen but were not necessarily pushy. Some were seductively eyeing Jun too, but he didn''t even bother.


    Why did he bring me here?


    "Yichen! Today, I will definitely win!" His long time rival took a seat opposite him and smirked. A crowd gathered around them, whistling and cheering. "I will make you cough out all the losses that I had to bear!"


    Zhou Yichen laughed. "Well, let''s see."


    A few games later, Jun was genuinely amazed to see him win it all while his rival was throwing curses at him.


    He is really good at these games. He has an art of manipulating and throwing people off guard, he narrowed his eyes.


    The curiosity in his gaze was suddenly replaced with a dangerous chill as he grabbed a hand approaching him from the back and ruthlessly shook it off. He simply glanced at the waitress who brought the drinks for them and coldly spoke with an agonizingly slow pace, "Try to touch me again, and I will cut off your hands. Go find another man to feel up, not me otherwise¡­"


    The waitress got such a huge scare that tears escaped her eyes. "S-sorry! I was just¡­"


    Zhou Yichen''s rival clicked his tongue. "Why so edgy? It''s normal here-"


    Jun cut him off. "It''s not normal for me. I have a girlfriend. I won''t tolerate any other man touching her or any other woman touching me or trust me, there will be a bloodbath."


    The rival was just joking, but he gulped in fear and quietly backed out. "S-Sure. My bad¡­"


    Zhou Yichen whistled and grabbed all the money he won proudly. "Jun-cute, let''s go! I have won a good chunk, so I will give you a treat."


    From the casino, they went to the supermarket, and Zhou Yichen dumped whatever he saw edible on the shelves into his shopping cart. Jun could see how he was popular even in the supermarket. Almost all the workers knew him.


    Then he saw his other side when he openly but softly flirted with the counter woman for a discount.


    "Hello, dear. Can this beautiful lady give a beautiful discount to this good customer? I am quite in a pinch now," he grinned.


    "..."


    Didn''t you just win a chunk of cash from gambling? How are you in a pinch?


    The counter woman blushed. "Of course. Did I ever say no to you, Mr. Zhou?"


    "You are the best," he winked.


    Exiting the supermarket, Zhou Yichen smirked. "Got such a good deal! Perfect time to make a hotpot with these ingredients~ Let''s go back. Ai-chan must be waiting for us."


    As they walked back, Jun finally asked the question bothering him, "I thought you wanted to talk to me."


    "I already did."


    He blinked.


    When?


    He stopped in his steps just beside the park and faced him. "You know, Jun-cute. I have changed many jobs. I have worked in many fields. I have been in the casino for like ever. I have met many rich and spoiled brats who change women like they are changing bed sheets. Honestly, I don''t want a rich guy for my Ai-chan. Wealthy people''s lives are too messy. I don''t want my Ai-chan to become someone''s spare blanket," he narrowed his eyes.


    "I asked that waitress to feel you up and those women to give you seducing looks. I have only one child, Jun-cute, and she is very precious to me. And I say you pass! You have beautiful eyes. They showed pure indifference to those women. Even disgust. Just what I want for my Ai-chan. You are a good man, Jun-cute! I approve of you!"

 Chapter 235 A Different Jin (1)

    Chapter 235 A Different Jin (1)


    Jun was amazed to see Ai and her whole family in sync with two things. First, they liked to call him cute despite his resistance and secondly, all three of them loved his eyes the most.


    Jun thought about Nana and warmly smiled. They were his mother''s eyes, and she was the prettiest.


    He faced him and bowed. "Thank you for accepting me. Please forgive me for my behavior before. I sincerely apologize. I didn''t realize you were Ai''s father, or I would have never raised my hand against you."


    Zhou Yichen chuckled. "Raise your head, Jun-cute. I was never angry at you for that. In fact, I was happy to see you so protective of her."


    He gazed at the park, reminiscing the times he played with Ai here. "Ai-chan is very important to me. I might have disappointed her with the way I live, but she always unconditionally loved me. Nuying took Ai-chan''s custody after our divorce. I had no problems with that because I feel a mother''s presence in a child''s life is more important. But she refused to take her surname. When I asked why, she said,


    ''I am already living with Mom, so why should I take her last name? That will be unfair to you. I want to be Zhou Ai, or I will feel that there is no father in my life. If I am living with Mom, then I want something to connect me to Dad too.''"


    Zhou Yichen burst into tears. "My Ai-chan''s heart is so beautiful...I still cry whenever I remember her words."


    Jun let out an affectionate smile.


    That''s so like Ai.


    Zhou Yichen sighed. "But we still hurt her with our separation. It aches my heart to remember her childhood."


    Jun smiled. "I won''t say it wasn''t hard on her. But it also gave her perspective and made her more mature as a person. I think she appreciates whatever she learned from you two and about relationships. She tries to look positive in all situations, and it''s a good quality."


    He grinned. "Naturally, my Ai-chan is the best! Nobody can match up to her."


    Jun smirked and nodded.


    "Sooo..." he then put his arms around his shoulders, "how far have your relationship progressed~"


    "..."


    Why did the conversation take this turn?


    Zhou Yichen widened his eyes and gasped. "Your silence says that you have done the deed!"


    "Well..." Jun was close to getting a heart attack again.


    "So can I expect my grandchild soon?" His eyes looked starry with expectation.


    !!!


    His jaw dropped in shock.


    "How can you both be so lax about this? Aunt asked me the same thing. Are you sure you two should have gotten divorced?" Jun asked suspiciously.


    Zhou Yichen''s gaze darkened. "Let''s not talk about her. We have set the hotpot mood, so let''s get to it!!"


    --


    Beijing.


    Jin opened the door to his car and stepped out to walk towards a restaurant where Shui was waiting for him. He had received a message from her that she wanted to talk to him. Heading into a private room they booked, he saw Shui already seated and fiddling with her mobile. Jin narrowed his eyes.


    Shui looked up and straightened up. "Jin."


    Jin sat opposite her and lazily propped his arm on the table. "What is it? Let it be quick, otherwise I will be late to the office."


    Shui blinked twice. His voice as he spoke to her strangely felt cold and detached for some reason.


    Must be my imagination...


    "What did you call me here for?" He sharply asked, making her jolt.


    Shui awkwardly smiled. "I am so-sorry. If you are busy, we can meet later-"


    "Nah. Let''s get done with it right now," he shrugged.


    She felt slightly more uneasy and guilty for bothering Jin. But she quickly chucked out that uncomfortable feeling. She saw the trace of the faint bruises still visible on his cheek. "Jin. Did you talk to Jun after that day?"


    He raised his brow. "What is there to talk about?"


    "I mean..." she clasped her hands together, "After the whole confrontation that day, I thought about it a lot and came to the conclusion that I should meet Jun once and apologize to him. Even though we broke up because we might be incompatible, I have still hurt him a lot," her gaze lowered that was beginning to turn wet. "I lied to him to stay away from him, and my indecisiveness has hurt him the most. That''s why I want to properly talk to him."


    "So?" He asked, bored.


    Shui felt her heart thud in anxiety. "I-I am feeling a little nervous. I don''t know how to face him. So..."


    Jin smiled. "So you want me to tag along with you?"


    "Not like that! I thought that you would want to apologize to him-"


    "Why should I apologize to him?"


    Shui blankly stared at him. "Why? Jin, did you forget how you talked to him?"


    Jin tilted his head. "What do you mean? I didn''t say anything wrong."


    Her lips slightly parted in shock and bewilderment. "Jin. You insulted Jun. You implied that he cheated on me when you knew that Jun would never do that to me. You certainly realize how much your words must have hurt him, right? Just like..." her gaze dimmed, "how my actions hurt him. How can you say you weren''t wrong?"


    "I don''t want to get into this discussion with you. But I am not apologizing to Bro. Go alone if you want to."


    "Jin!" She raised her voice. "Why are you being like this? Are you really so angry at him because you..." he eyelashes trembled, "you like Zhou Ai, and he is dating her?"


    Jin remained quiet. Then he got up from his seat and walking around the table, he leaned his tall figure over her, placing his palms on either side of the walls.


    Her eyes widened, and she stiffened with the sudden proximity. "W-what..."


    Jin smiled and ever so slightly grazed a lock of her hair. "Say, Shui. Would you not like it if I like Zhou Ai?"

 Chapter ?236 A Different Jin (2)

    Chapter ?236 A Different Jin (2)


    Jin''s closeness came so suddenly that Shui''s breaths got out of sync. Now that she had admitted to herself that she liked Jin, she was even more conscious around him, especially when the distance between them would be so narrow like what they had now.


    She inhaled to calm herself and looked up at him. His deep black eyes were staring right back at her with concentration but also with an indecipherable emotion. "What?" Her question was more of a whisper.


    "Would you not like it if I like Zhou Ai?" Jin repeated.


    Shui stiffened, and the discomfort in her eyes was discernible but only for a few moments. "Why...why are you asking me that?"


    Jin bent closer to the point that she could smell his scent and feel his breaths on her forehead. She was noticeably trembling, which she was trying her best to stop.


    He chuckled. "It looks like you are not in much favor of my feelings for Zhou Ai. Do you want me to apologize to him because you think I hurt him or because you want me to give up on her?"


    Shui blinked and said after giving it a thought, "Can it not be for both? You were harsh to Jun. You...you made it sound like his feelings were fickle for me, and they never were. It must have crushed his heart to hear such words from his brother. As for Zhou Ai, it would be for the best if you give up on her. Jun and Zhou Ai love each other. They are happy with each other. There is no point-"


    He cut her off, a mocking laughter escaping his lips. "There is a third secret question too. Do you want me to apologize to him because you want me to give up on Zhou Ai so that...you would feel relieved since you like me?"


    "Hm? Will you say that it''s not the truth?"


    It caught her off guard, and she was unable to speak.


    How does he know...? Did Jun tell him? No, no. He wouldn''t do that.


    She gasped when his finger lightly brushed the tip of her ear.


    Jin bored his eyes into her panicking gaze. "You don''t want me to be with Zhou Ai because you like me. You like me, right?"


    "I..." her mind was in a disarray. Sure, she had admitted it to herself that she liked Jin, but she wasn''t ready yet to confess her feelings. Not when there were such tensions between Jun and their families.


    The gap between them kept only lessening with how Jin pressed his body against hers. "Say it already. I just want to hear it from your lips."


    He laid her feelings bare, and she had nowhere to escape. It wasn''t her intention to bring her feelings into this discussion today. But her heart couldn''t help but anticipate his response if she did admit it.


    Since Jin br-brought it out, does that mean he wants to give us a chance? She breathed hard, clutching the hem of her dress.


    "I am waiting."


    His husky voice echoed in the air, and she blushed harder. "I...I...do."


    It were just two words, but it was incredibly difficult getting them across. It felt like a mountainous task to her.


    "I li-like you, Jin..." she had an urge to run away, but she couldn''t with Jin blocking her way.


    There was complete silence. She was so jittery and tense that she had no courage to meet his eyes and face him. She waited and waited, but there was no response from him, making her heart burst into more apprehensiveness.


    The silence finally broke with a peal of his laughter.


    Shui blinked. Her countenance was marred with confusion. She slowly raised her head to see him chuckling at her.


    "Why are you laughing?" She didn''t know why but that uneasy feeling gripped her heart again. Jin looked different to her. His gaze and words felt as if he was mocking her.


    Jin pinched her chin and lifted it towards him. "But I hate you, Han Shui."


    She froze.


    The smile on his lips vanished only to be replaced by an iciness and cruelty that she never witnessed before. The grip on her chin tightened, making her yelp in pain. "Jin..."


    "I hate you, Han Shui."


    The words fell on her for a second time.


    "You like me. But I hate you. I hate you from the bottom of my heart."


    She shuddered hard.


    "Jin..." she nervously laughed, "What are you-"


    "Sshh," he squinted his eyes, "Don''t annoy me with your interruption. It will only make me hate you even more. So, be quiet and know this. Throw away all your feelings you have for me. I hate you. Even if you are the last woman on this planet, I won''t ever be with you."


    Her vision blurred, and a lump formed in her throat. She felt the hatred from his words that pierced her heart like thorns. All her thoughts came to a halt.


    "That''s why don''t tell me what I should do and what I shouldn''t. This is the last time I came to meet you because I don''t want you bothering me with your nonsense again and again. Since I can clearly see that you and Bro Jun won''t be together, I don''t need to keep on my ''nice'' act with you anymore."


    She trembled.


    Jin let go of her chin and withdrew his towering figure from above her. He dusted his hands and smiled. "It was nice knowing you, Han Shui. But I hope you don''t call me again, or I will break your heart into even more pieces than I did today."


    He glanced at the eatables she had ordered. "I don''t think you would be in a position to pay, so the bill is on me. Goodbye."


    "Ji-Jin..." she found her strength to speak his name amidst her tears, but it was already too late as Jin turned on his heels and left.


    She blankly stared at the emptiness and collapsed back on her seat, defeated with the five cruel words resounding in her ears.


    ''I hate you, Han Shui.''

 Chapter 237 The In-Laws’ Catfight

    Xuanhua.


    It was in the evening when Zhou Yichen came whistling back home with Jun. "Who is ready for some spicy hot pot~?"


    But instead of only Ai, there was another person accompanying her in the living room who threw a crisp stare at him.


    His mouth twitched. "Has the sun risen from the west today? Because I see someone else who is not really supposed to be here. What are you doing here, my ex-wife?"


    Xie Nuying gave him an expressionless look. "I came to know that you are secretly throwing a hotpot party with Ai and Jun. The dinner is at my house. Since I know you so well, I thought of coming here and taking them back."


    Jun wondered what was going on here.


    "Mom," Ai intervened.


    "Don''t interrupt, Ai."


    Zhou Yichen was dumbfounded. "Okay first of all, it''s not some secret party. I don''t need to hide anything! And second of all, Ai-chan and Jun-cute will have dinner at my place."


    She narrowed her eyes. "Don''t try to hog them."


    He grimaced. "Excuse me, but Ai-chan is also my daughter and Jun-cute is my future son-in-law too."


    "And I don''t want my future son-in-law to learn anything untoward from you. He is decent as he is," she retorted. "It''s better that he stays away from your interesting life."


    "..." Jun eyed Ai, who looked totally helpless.


    He glared at her. "Well at least it''s interesting and colorful, unlike a certain professor''s company where you feel you will be thrown out of the class at any moment."


    Her brow twitched. "At least my life is stable, unlike someone who jumps from one job to another and uses gambling money and flirting with young women to pass his days."


    "That''s not gambling and flirting. That''s called enjoying life," Zhou Yichen''s gaze darkened.


    "Enjoying life which causes nothing but trouble," Xie Nuying didn''t back off either.


    "Well at least it''s better than teaching the same syllabus every freaking year," he snorted.


    "Which gives a stable income."


    "Which is boring nevertheless."


    Jun cleared his throat to put a brake on their arguments, but that didn''t have any effect.


    "You will always say that because you are too noisy."


    "Home is not a classroom where I should stay quiet!"


    "Forget home. Just look at your clothes. Do you think it''s appropriate to look so flashy at this age?"


    "That''s being cool, not flashy. But I don''t blame you because you are not up with the trends!"


    "Your whole life is an up and down trend, and you think you can give career consultation to young students? Don''t you need that yourself?"


    "I don''t need any career consultation, but you definitely need an orientation to know what fun feels like."


    She calmly bounced back. "First you learn how to organize a house before you talk about the need for my consultation."


    "You don''t live here, so why do you have a problem with my organization!?"


    "Okay, stop already," Ai used a firmer and stricter tone this time, and the mother-father fighting duo finally calmed down.


    Zhou Yichen harrumphed. "You tell her. Jun-cute and I already bought all the ingredients for a hotpot. So, we will be having a hotpot! And they already had apple pie at your place so shoo. I am amazed that they are even alive after eating your pie."


    "..."


    Jun choked.


    Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t fight today."


    Xie Nuying slowly nodded. She glanced at Jun. "I sincerely apologize. You came to meet us for the first time today, but we showed you such a sight.


    Zhou Yichen looked embarrassed too. "Sorry Jun-cute."


    He quickly smiled. "No, no. You don''t have to. Also, there is no need to argue over dinner. How about we all have dinner together?"


    Silence.


    Lightning crackled between Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying but for the sake of their daughter and her boyfriend, they formed a truce just for today.


    pA????[0?)?? "Fine," both agreed.


    Ai nodded in satisfaction. "Good."


    Fifteen minutes later, a delicious hotpot was simmering on the portable stove, and the delicious fragrance of the spices wafted in the air.


    "Yummy yum yum!" Zhou Yichen grinned. "Let''s dig in!"


    Jun promptly put the good parts of the meat on Ai''s plate. "Eat all up."


    Ai stared at the mountain of the meat pieces. "It''s too much."


    "Eat all up."


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen laughed. "Jun-cute is right, Ai-chan. Since you are living together, you need to eat a lot of food~"


    Ai caught onto his meaning and flushed.


    Xie Nuying pointed out. "No dignity at all."


    He scowled.


    It was a good and fulfilling dinner except for the parts where Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying didn''t leave any chance to throw shades at each other.


    Jun stared at them and thought hard about something. Finally coming to a decision, he faced them and said, "I want to say something to you."


    They turned their attention towards him. "Yes, dear," Xie Nuying softly smiled.


    Ai noticed him acting odd and frowned.


    Amidst his heart thudding faster with nervousness, he confessed. "I don''t want to keep you in the dark. Before Ai, I had a childhood friend who I loved a lot and wanted to marry her."


    Ai''s eyes widened, and she looked stunned. "Jun..."


    "No, Ai. Let me tell them. I don''t want to hide anything. Even if they do not like me for it, I still don''t want to give them a false image of mine."


    He looked at them and continued. "Her name is Han Shui, and our families have been close for years. I promised to marry her, and we spent our childhood together. I was obsessed with her. We dated for four years but broke up three months back because we realized we were not compatible. It was around that time I met Ai, and I slowly fell in love with her."


    He clenched his fists. "I know that in front of my years of friendship with her and our relationship, my feelings for Ai would seem shallow to you, or you might think that I will waver for Shui in the future. But I won''t. I don''t feel anything for Shui anymore. She doesn''t have a place in my life other than just a friend. The only woman my heart wants is Ai. I...I know it''s difficult to trust me now that you know this. But I really mean it."


    He bowed a full one-eighty degree and touched the floor with his forehead. "I want Ai with all my heart. My past would look questionable to you, but I have already determined my future with her. There is nothing that I want more than spending the rest of my life with her. That''s why I humbly ask you to trust me. I promise that I will die, but I won''t let Ai suffer any grievance!"

 Chapter ?238 The Source Of Ai’s Anger Management Tactics

    Chapter ?238 The Source Of Ai''s Anger Management Tactics


    Jun wholeheartedly wanted their approval. He couldn''t measure the happiness when Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen accepted him for Ai. But he knew that something was missing. He couldn''t feel at peace, and a strange anxiety tugged his heart.


    That''s when Jun decided that he had to come out with his relationship with Shui. It wasn''t supposed to be hidden anyway so before they learned it from somebody else and doubted Jun''s sincerity for Ai, he confessed it himself. He wished them to accept him with his past just like Ai did.


    The silence was deafening as Jun still kept his head bowed. After listening about Shui, Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying might not approve of Jun anymore. As parents, he knew it was understandable. Even if they would say now that they don''t want him for Ai anymore, he had steeled his heart to not give up.


    His heart hammered in his chest, imagining their disappointed looks.


    "Raise your head," Jun heard Zhou Yichen''s voice.


    He did so and found them gazing straight at him with a solemn expression. Ai on his side was trembling with tears in her eyes. Her cheeks were reddish as she sniffled.


    Jun quickly wiped her cheeks. "Why are you crying?"


    She pressed her lips together. "You don''t know? Then you are an idiot."


    "You are really gutsy, I must admit that," he narrowed his eyes, "especially after we already accepted you. Is that your way of tricking us? Confessing after getting our approval so that we feel in a pinch?"


    Jun swallowed a gulp and hastily shook his head. "No. I didn''t plan anything like that or meant to fool you. I will accept your decision even if it might be rejecting me. But I won''t give up on Ai."


    Xie Nuying grimly asked, "So, you will keep meeting Han Shui in the future as well?"


    "Our families have known each other for years, so I might see her from time to time in banquets and parties, but-"


    "What if I say to cut off everything with her? Even your friendship?"


    "I will do it," Jun answered without hesitation. "The only distance between us is that of friendship. I will cut it off as well. I will do anything to reassure you that my love for Ai won''t waver at any point in time. I will do anything you ask me to. I just want Ai and nothing else. If that means cutting off my relations with Shui and the Han family, then I will do it."


    "Hmmmmm¡­." Zhou Yichen scrutinized Jun with a thoughtful and pensive gaze.


    Jun noticed the doubts and uncertainty surfacing in their eyes, which led him to believe that he was honestly screwed this time.


    That was before Zhou Yichen finally burst into a loud laughter. "Hahahahaha. I am so sorry for bullying you, Jun-cute. But you were just too adorable not to tease~"


    Jun blankly looked between them. "B-Bully?"


    Xie Nuying softly chuckled as well to which Ai was dissatisfied. "Stop it. You two are really mean."


    Zhou Yichen cleared his throat. "Don''t be mad, Ai-chan. He is family now. A little bit of bullying here and there is permissible hehe¡­"


    Ai narrowed her eyes, and he shut his mouth.


    Jun asked in a stupor, "I don''t understand. Are you not angry at me?"


    Zhou Yichen shook his head. "No, Jun-cute. All the stuff we babbled after you raised your head was just a bluff! Hahaha!"


    "..."


    Xie Nuying nodded. "I was just joking as well. I don''t demand you to break your friendship with her. You already proved your sincerity by bowing your head. You were not asked to, yet you genuinely did it. Your voice was trembling as you spoke. It showed how much you treasure Ai and how much you want her. That gave me all the assurance I needed."


    Zhou Yichen smiled. "Though I don''t want to agree with her, she is right."


    "I am always right," she countered.


    His brow twitched.


    "Moving on¡­"


    Her brow twitched this time.


    "I understand you had someone else in your life before. That is your past and everybody has one. Nobody has control over it. What matters is how you live your life in the present and future. I want Ai-chan to be your present and your future unreservedly. For a rich, young master who can get any woman if he just asks for it to show such respect to us by bowing your head cannot make me any happier, Jun-cute."


    Jun shook. He still found it unbelievable that they agreed to let him date Ai.


    "Hahaha! You are really cute. I get it why Ai-chan says you are cute!"


    "..."


    Jun''s heart was filled with anger and grievance.


    This whole family¡­


    "I am sorry. It was a serious talk but¡­but, it''s really fun to tease you so much!"


    Xie Nuying couldn''t control the twitch of her lips that was forming a smile.


    Fun to tease you¡­


    Jun remembered Jian and Nian''s faces, and his gaze darkened.


    Zhou Yichen waved his hand. "Aish, you look angry. Here, take this balloon and blow air into it."


    Jun was utterly baffled but did as he was told anyway. The pink balloon slowly took a round shape, and he felt breathless by the end of it.


    Zhou Yichen laughed. "See now you don''t feel angry anymore, right? Why would you? You used all your anger into blowing up the balloon, so you have no energy left to be angry anymore! Brilliant, isn''t it?"


    "..."


    Jun stared at him dryly. He glanced at Ai and said, "I now understand who is the source of your weird anger management tricks."


    Ai blushed. "Thank you."


    He gritted his teeth.


    It wasn''t a compliment!


    Suddenly, Jun lamented upon his fate.


    Ai with her weirdness was already enough for me that two more weird people are added into the mix now.


    Why? Why, God, just why?

 Chapter 239 Ai’s Tour For Mr. Liu

    Chapter 239 Ai''s Tour For Mr. Liu


    Jun and Ai were supposed to return to Beijing after dinner, but Xie Nuying insisted on spending the night at her home before which they could only agree. Zhou Yichen protested heavily against this but since the dinner was at his house, she was stubborn that the sleepover would be at her place.


    "Tomorrow''s breakfast is at my house. Jun-cute and Ai-chan would have breakfast at my place before leaving for Beijing!" He declared.


    Since Xie Nuying had to check some of her students'' assignments and other pending university work to do, she went ahead first while Jun and Ai decided to take a stroll along the neighborhood.


    They had an early dinner, so it wasn''t completely dark yet outside. The sun''s orange-golden hue covered the sky with its gleam.


    Holding Jun''s hand, Ai took the lead and fervently took him to places where she used to visit as a child and a teenager.


    "You must have already seen the park. Mom, Dad and I used to play there all the time. I will take you to the shop where I used to eat steamed buns! They make the most delicious buns!"


    With her eyes sparkling with delight, she took him to a local shop in the street where the owner sold delicious steamed buns.


    "Ai, is it? Aiya, you have grown so much!" The owner of the shop recognized her. "Long time."


    Uncle Peng looked at Jun and asked, "Hoho, is he your..."


    "Yes. He is my boyfriend."


    Jun smiled and gave his greetings.


    "Excellent! We missed you so much Ai. Hehe, I remember how you and Guiying used to hop here all the time after high school. Wait here a bit. I will make your usual order! It''s a treat from me!" He chirped.


    She beamed. "Thank you, Uncle Peng."


    After talking with him for a bit and carrying a freshly steaming bun in her hands, she eagerly asked Jun to take a bite. "It''s tasty, right?"


    Jun watched the glee on her beautiful face and chuckled. "The one feeding me is tastier."


    She broke into a cough, and her cheeks turned rosy. "I am talking about the steamed bun."


    "And I am talking about you."


    She complained. "You are teasing me."


    He pinched her nose. "It''s nothing compared to your parents teasing me and giving me back to back heart attacks today."


    Ai guiltily cleared her throat. "L-let''s head over to the next destination."


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    The next place was her highschool which she attended. The school was empty apart from a few students who were behind to do club activities. Jun glanced across the school campus and imagined a teenager Ai quietly studying here. He had a sudden desire to know how she must have looked as a teenager.


    She pointed at three windows. "Those were my classrooms for the years I was in."


    His gaze warmed up, and he thought of a serious Ai studying. "Cute..." he whispered.


    Then he cocked his brow and bent towards her. "I wonder how it would have been if we had studied in the same school as a senior and junior?"


    Ai blinked and imagined a senior teenage Jun. Her irises were filled with hearts as she spoke spellbound, "You must have looked so cute with a high school uniform."


    Jun''s face blackened. He was hinting about their possible love story, and her brakes were jammed at adoring his cuteness.


    It''s useless talking to her!


    One of the teachers noticed Ai and called out in delight. "Zhou Ai!" He was one of his homeroom teachers. "You are back?"


    "Teacher San," Ai bowed. "I came back for a day to meet Mom and Dad with my boyfriend. He is Liu Jun."


    Teacher San gasped. "You...You are Sky CEO, right? I watched the Summit. I was so happy to see Ai win! Congratulations! For winning the Summit and for getting such a handsome boyfriend too!"


    "Thank you," Ai scratched her chin in embarrassment.


    He clapped once. "We are so proud of you! One of our school''s students won such a prestigious Summit. The principal and our staff celebrated it so much haha! Aish, you were always such a diligent student. Oh by the way how is Cai Guiying? Her entry was also great," he nodded in appreciation. "You two make us feel so proud."


    Ai faintly smiled. "She is doing good too."


    She felt Jun squeeze her hand, not wanting her to feel down.


    "My girlfriend was in your care. It''s nice to meet you," Jun said.


    After leaving the high school, he hugged her as they walked. "Don''t think about her and feel depressed, or I will punish you."


    Ai rested her head against his shoulder. "I don''t feel sad when you are there with me."


    "Good."


    As the last place of the day, Ai took Jun to a very special place that was dear to her heart. She softly smiled as she looked at the dilapidated building. "This is the library I told you about. The old librarian here used to give me his collections. He was a very kind person. I used to come here to study and read books."


    "Why is it not operational?"


    "The old librarian, Mr. Xiong passed away. His children and grandchildren settled in different cities. So, it slowly shut down. He is still well respected in this area, so the library is still in place, and it wasn''t sold. The books inside were donated to orphanages."


    "I see..."


    Ai''s gaze looked pleasant and tender as she stared at the now worn out building, reminiscing the good times she spent with Mr. Xiong.


    They stood in silence, giving respect to Mr. Xiong.


    Jun entwined his fingers against hers and whispered, "Thank you for showing me where you grew up. I am really happy to see the places and meet the people that were a part of your growing up years. Ai. You lived a good and warm life here. I promise you that the days filled with warmth and peace will always continue because I won''t let anything or anybody take that away from you."

 Chapter ?240 Astonishing Coincidence

    Chapter ?240 Astonishing Coincidence


    Coming back to Xie Nuying''s house after their stroll, Jun and Ai were about to head inside when one of the neighbors saw them going in.


    "Oh, you are back?" Duan Ren raised her brow.


    She was a woman in her mid-fifties with a lock of grey hair near her ear.


    Ai politely greeted her. "Hello, Mrs. Duan."


    She smiled. "You are back after so long. Oh I heard that you won some competition?"


    Jun narrowed his eyes and was disgruntled with the tone she used. It felt as if she didn''t regard the Summit as something important.


    "Ai has become so famous now. I am surprised you remembered your parents," she chuckled, "You know kids these days are quick to forget their roots. Don''t get too lost in Beijing''s sparkle and glitter, or girls like you meet a sad fate in the end," she sighed.


    Jun''s fingers twitched with a thirst to kill her. At the same time, he felt the name Ren and her face oddly familiar.


    Ai was hardly perturbed. "Shouldn''t you give that suggestion to your daughter? I heard that she is dating some rich guy from the neighborhood college and doesn''t come back home for days. Shouldn''t you be more worried about her? She is already forgetting her roots living in the same city as you."


    Her expression twisted. "You¡­it''s a misunderstanding. Her exams are near, so she is a part of a study group. She is working hard for her exams."


    Feeling irked, she said, "Don''t be so arrogant because you have just won a competition or that people are singing your praises, Ai. It''s easier to fall than rising to the top."


    "Oh. That''s why you are so edgy because people are singing my praises," Ai shot back and revealed her jealousy.


    "You¡­!"


    Her gaze fell on Jun, and her eyes widened seeing such a handsome man with a charming aura. From a glance, she could tell that his clothes, watch and shoes were expensive.


    "He is¡­"


    "My boyfriend."


    Duan Ren''s gaze seemed bitter.


    Why did she land such a capable boyfriend? If my Tingting could get a man like him¡­


    "Are you¡­" Jun tilted his head and stared at her, "Ren¡­as in Ding Ren?"


    She froze. She watched Jun, horror enveloping her pupils.


    Ai pressed her brows. "Ding Ren?"


    "That''s her maiden name. I have heard of the Ding family. They were once part of the rich socialite group. Not really rich but fair enough. I was very young when it happened. Three or four I guess? But I heard the ugly divorce you went through at that time, and then your family disowned you."


    I don''t remember who she was married to though. What was his name again¡­?


    "I remember reading an article about you with your picture on it. It was a nasty divorce¡­"


    Shit that husband''s name is just on the tip of my tongue. Something from G¡­


    Duan Ren trembled hard and wiped her forehead. "Nonsense! I don''t know what you are talking about. What Ding Ren? That''s not my last name! Don''t go on spreading rumors!"


    Even though he is from a rich family, I never thought that he would recognize me. It''s impossible!


    Jun''s eyes slowly widened. "Gu Rong?"


    She stiffened, and her face whitened as if she saw a ghost.


    "You are Gu Rong''s ex-wife, right?"


    Ai snapped her head towards Jun. "Mr. Gu Rong as in¡­Yating''s father?"


    "Yes. I remember now."


    "Shut up!" Duan Ren stumbled back. "You are bluffing. Don''t make things up as you please!"


    Jun icily replied. "Liu Jun doesn''t have to make things up."


    Duan Ren blankly stared at him.


    Liu¡­Jun? From that prestigious Liu family!?


    "So you came here after your divorce," Jun narrowed his eyes.


    Her face turned even paler.


    Duan Ren hastily said, "You are really misunderstanding. I don''t know Gu Rong. Please don''t spread rumors about me! I-I have to head back."


    She stepped into her house and loudly shut the door.


    Ai asked, incredulous. "Is she really Yating''s mother?"


    "I believe she is. She is- or was Gu Rong''s wife for sure. Even I am quite astonished to know this. Gu Yating''s mother has been living as your neighbor this whole time? That''s some serious coincidence¡­"


    Ai still had trouble believing it. In her past life, Yating had never mentioned much about his family, especially not his mother. To know now that she lived right next door to her house all this time was baffling.


    Recalling her past life, she slowly said, "I remember that around the time I broke up with Yating and came back to live here, I found that she had moved away from here later. She suddenly got a lot of money and moved with her family to a richer area."


    Jun squinted his eyes.


    This seems fishy.


    "Before that happened, there was also a spell where she urged me not to break up with my boyfriend. She never took Yating''s name, but she was quite persistent though. She kept telling to give it another chance and get back with him. I felt she was really being nosy."


    Jun narrowed his gaze.


    Getting rich overnight and asking Ai to continue her relationship before¡­


    He gritted his teeth. "Fuck! She was definitely trying to use you to get close to Gu Yating. She must have learned somehow that you were his girlfriend. She thought it was a stroke of luck that you turned out to be her neighbor and her son''s girlfriend. Through you, she wanted to go back to the Gu family! That fucking woman!"


    "But she is divorced from Mr. Gu Rong and has her own family now."


    He sneered. "Money. Don''t forget that she belonged to a rich family once. She had to resort to living this average and mediocre life because of the ugly divorce with Gu Rong. Her family disowned her. Then when she learned about your relationship, she figured it was a good chance to use you and Gu Yating and get hold of Gu family''s wealth."


    Ai furrowed her brows. "But I never agreed to go back to Yating. So, she could never use me. Then how did she get that money?"


    His eyes swirled with questions. "She must have found another way to get what she wants. But what?"

 Chapter 241 Officially Joining Sky (1)

    Chapter 241 Officially Joining Sky (1)


    The next morning, it was time to bid goodbye and after having a hearty breakfast at Zhou Yichen''s house, they talked to Xie Nuying before leaving.


    Ai hugged her mother. "Take care of yourself. Don''t overwork."


    Xie Nuying nodded and patted her head. "You too."


    She glanced at Jun and softly smiled. "See you soon."


    Jun bowed. "Thank you for your care yesterday. Don''t hesitate to call me if you ever come to Beijing. I will return your care by ten fold. Same goes for *cough* Uncle too."


    "Even if Yichen comes to Beijing, you can just leave him alone," she saltily expressed. "It''s better than turning your house into a circus."


    His eye slightly twitched.


    Ai glanced once at Duan Ren''s house. There had been no movement since their conversation yesterday.


    "Mom. Keep your distance from Aunt Duan."


    If Jun''s theory was right and Duan Ren had tried to use her to get close to the Gu family in the past life, then she didn''t want her mother to get entangled with her or in her schemes.


    Xie Nuying sternly gazed at her. "Did you meet her yesterday? Don''t bother with what she would have said. You know she is a troublesome person in our neighborhood. She doesn''t talk nicely, especially after you have won the Summit."


    "I don''t. Talking to people like her is a waste of brain cells anyway."


    Jun was impressed.


    As expected from Ai''s mother.


    The journey from Xuanhua to Beijing took two and a half hours. They had come to meet Ai''s parents, but this short trip raised questions about Duan Ren and the Gu family and her connection to Ai''s life. During the ride back, they tried to think of how Duan Ren must have gotten rich without Ai''s influence, but nothing substantial came to their minds.


    Jun clenched the steering wheel, his heart ablaze with fury. "She dared to scheme through you in the past but this time, I won''t let it happen! I will keep my eyes on her so that she never approaches you," he narrowed his eyes, "The moment she tries to do anything suspicious, we will nab her. That might also give us a clue as to who or what helped her get that money."


    "You are right," Ai nodded.


    If not for Jun and his background, she would have never come to know about Duan Ren''s identity or about Yating''s family even in this life.


    With the bribery case and now Duan Ren''s identity revelation, she felt an inkling that something was going to happen. The fate was changing with every step they took and the more it changed, the more difficult it would be to gauge the outcome. She wasn''t sure how much the past memories and that knowledge. would be able to help them.


    But as long as Jun was beside her, she had full faith that they would weather any storm.


    After reaching back to the city, Jun asked, "What do you want to do?"


    Ai''s eyes shone. "How about going to Sky? Today is my first day after all."


    "Are you sure? We have just returned. Don''t you want to rest? We can go tomorrow."


    "It was a short ride back, so I am not tired," she shook her head. "I cannot wait to officially join," her eyes shimmered with eagerness.


    Jun pinched her nose and chuckled. "Fine. Yunru is also really excited to meet you. Let''s go to Sky then."


    ¡ª


    Sky Publishing.


    The employees who noticed them coming gasped and gathered around the entrance.


    "It''s the CEO and MissImperfectlyFine! They came together!"


    "They are not just that, they are boyfriend and girlfriend! Didn''t you see their picture?"


    "She is finally joining today?"


    One of them whispered, "Hey but I don''t get it. Didn''t President Chen announce that the CEO would be engaged to Miss. Han Shui? So how did she become his girlfriend?"


    "Well, I don''t know either¡­"


    "When did they break up?"


    As soon as Jun and Ai stepped into Sky, the employees coughed and straightened up. "Sir!"


    Jun threw a glance at everybody and studied their gazes.


    Ai slightly bowed. "Hello. I am Zhou Ai or you might know me as MissImperfectlyFine. I will be joining Sky from today. It''s a pleasure to meet you all."


    Her soft and mellow voice was really pleasing to hear. She wasn''t overly smiling or too eager to introduce herself. Her calmness and poise made the employees strangely feel relaxed too.


    "Hello, Miss. Zhou. Welcome to Sky! We are glad to have you here."


    Jun said, "Now that I am here, I will clarify this. The announcement President Chen made that day was a misunderstanding. I am not getting engaged to Han Shui. I never was. It was an unfortunate mixup. Han Shui and I have already broken up."


    That gave everybody a strong urge to choke, but nobody dared to even let a syllable out in front of the CEO.


    "She is Zhou Ai. She is not just MissImperfectlyFine who will be working here from today, but she is also my girlfriend," he narrowed his eyes, "So-"


    "So nothing," Ai interjected and looked at everybody. "You don''t have to give me any special status because of our relationship. Please just treat me as as your normal colleague."


    Mam, it will be very difficult to do that, you know!


    "..."


    Jun glared at her.


    How dare you?


    Ai scolded him. "Don''t threaten them. I don''t want them to be afraid of me."


    His mouth twitched.


    Well you are my girlfriend. They should be afraid of me strangling their necks if they did anything to disrespect you!


    The scene blinded the employees.


    Did she just scold the CEO? And Sir seems to be really angry, but he somehow is only listening to her scolding so obediently! Is our cold CEO actually a doting boyfriend?


    That''s so cute!


    Going up the elevator, Ai tightly held onto Jun''s hand as she felt the acrophobia set in.


    Jun touched his chin and seriously pondered. "I should shift my office to the first floor. That way, it will be easy for you."


    "..."


    She tapped on his head. "Don''t take so much trouble. I will be fine. Also, I want to overcome my fear. So, don''t spoil me."


    "I cannot help but spoil you," he kissed her forehead.


    As the elevator doors opened and they stepped out, a figure dashed towards Ai at lightning speed and bounced to hug her. "You are finally here!"

 Chapter ?242 Officially Joining Sky (2)

    Chapter ?242 Officially Joining Sky (2)


    Ai stumbled back, but Yunru had tightly squeezed her in his teddy bear hug, so he didn''t let her fall.


    "I was waiting for you yesterday, but you postponed it. You two are so mean! I was so excited!" His cheeks puffed up like two small balloons. He had wrapped his hands around her neck and squished his cheek against hers.


    Jun facepalmed. "Yunru¡­At least let her come inside the office."


    He stuck out his tongue. "It''s all your fault that you made me wait for so long!"


    Ai suddenly remembered the feeling that was too similar to when Nian had rushed to hug her and smothered her in his embrace. Yunru was the same.


    The siblings and cousins really resemble each other¡­


    She was quite surprised to see that President Chen Yunru of Sky Publishing had this childlike side to him.


    "He-Hello."


    "Hello, sister-in-law! I am Chen Yunru! I am Bro Jun''s one and only most favorite cousin! I am also the President here! Nice to meet you finally!"


    Ai could see fluffy clouds floating on top of Yunru''s head.


    "Oh! Hehe, sorry for that~" Yunru loosened his hold but didn''t completely didn''t let go of her.


    Jun shrugged and took a seat on the couch to which Ai stared at him, bewildered. She hadn''t expected this reaction from him.


    "You behaved so differently when Nian was hugging me. You were throwing murderous glares at him."


    His gaze darkened. "Obviously! He is Bro Nian. He, Bro Jian, Uncle Jing and Grandpa are nothing but big fat troubles in my life, so I stay away from them! Naturally, I don''t want you to have anything to do with each other so that peace prevails in our life."


    "..."


    Jun stared at Yunru. "As far as Yunru is concerned, I treat him more like my son at times rather than my cousin. That way, you become his mother sort of. A son hugging his mother is no big deal. But an annoying brother-in-law is!"


    "..."


    Yunru''s nose grew longer in pride. "Also, I am the closest to Bro Jun! We are a team! So I am allowed to do anything, including hugging my sister-in-law!"


    Ai couldn''t help but chuckle. "I see. It''s really nice to meet you too, Chen Yunru."


    "You can just call me Yunru!"


    "Alright. It''s nice to meet you, Yunru."


    His smile was like a golden beam of sunshine brightening the room. "You are so pretty, sister-in-law. I can see Bro fell for you so hard! I am so thrilled to work with you."


    "Same here."


    "Sky Publishing has always focused more on webnovels and webcomics, but this is the first time we will delve into traditional writing. You are the first author we have contracted with. I am so excited! I will give you a tour of our company later. It''s an awesome place to work at," he proudly said.


    Ai''s orbs shone with warmth. "I can see that. If the CEO and President are such cute and warm people, then the company will definitely reflect that."


    Jun coughed.


    Yunru beamed and hugged her even more. "You are so nice!"


    Jun said, "Before taking her around the company, I want her to meet some people first."


    "I know, I know. I have already called them here.


    A woman in her thirties and dressed in a sophisticated black business suit stepped in first, carrying grace and tact with her steps. Her gaze was professional and no-nonsense. She was a figure Ai was all too familiar with.


    Jun stood up and introduced her. "You have already met her, but I will formally introduce now. She is Sun Bai. She is the Chief Editor and oversees all the authors and assistant editors here. She was an editor before, but I recently promoted her."


    Ai greeted her. "Hello Miss. Sun. It''s nice to meet you."


    Sun Bai politely nodded. "It''s a pleasure to meet you too, Miss. Zhou. Congratulations on winning the Summit."


    "Thank you," she bowed, "I would like to apologize for lying about my identity the day we met. I am sincerely sorry."


    She shook her head. "I am not offended, Miss. Zhou. I appreciate you came out with the truth and clarified it in the end."


    Ai really liked the elegance in her voice. Her expression looked stern, but there was also a hint of softness in her eyes.


    Yunru chirped. "If you have any problems in case your editor is not available, then don''t hesitate to contact Sun Bai."


    "Indeed. That''s my job."


    The second person who came in was a man who Ai had never met before. He was in his late twenties and dressed in a white shirt and black suit.


    Jun glanced at him and said, "He is the Chief of Secretary, Hou Lin, overseeing Sky''s management and coordinating with all the departments here. He is like Yunru and my assistant. He was also present at the Summit managing the talks with other publishing houses."


    "I see," Ai smiled. "Hello, Mr. Hou."


    Hou Lin respectfully bowed. "Welcome to Sky, Miss. Zhou. Congratulations on winning the Summit. It''s an honor to work with you."


    "Thank you."


    Like Sun Bai, he looked calm and poised.


    Yunru said, "If you have some ideas about your book marketing or promotion or anything like that, then apart from Sun Bai, you can also talk to him."


    "Oh. Got it."


    Jun smiled. "And the last person now. I think you will be over the moon to meet her."


    Ai blinked in confusion. "Is that so?"


    The click of the heels echoed as the door opened the third time, and a woman stepped in.


    Ai''s lips parted in disbelief and her eyes widened. "Xi-Xing Bi?"


    She blinked her eyes several times to check if it was true.


    "Aiii!" Xing Bi''s face blossomed with pure gleam. She was about to dash to her side and smother Ain her chest.


    Sun Bai cleared her throat and gave her a stern glance.


    Professionalism.


    Xing Bi straightened up and coughed. "I am sorry."


    "How are you here?" Ai was at a loss. She looked at Jun in a stupor, "I don''t understand¡­"


    Jun chuckled. "Well, Miss. Xing Bi will officially start working in Sky too just like you. I hired her after the Summit. She will be your editor."

 Chapter 243 Invitation To Shanghai Fest

    Chapter 243 Invitation To Shanghai Fest


    Ai felt it was a dream. The only reason why she regretted leaving Dream High was because she was leaving Xing Bi behind. She felt terrible at the notion of working without her. Even though she sincerely wanted her to join Sky too, she didn''t want to act selfishly and force Xing Bi.


    But now even that last wish was fulfilled today.


    Jun whispered in her ear. "I told you, right? I won''t let any of your wishes remain unfulfilled this time. You will get whatever you want."


    She softly trembled with tears threatening to escape her eyes. "Thank you, Jun..."


    Xing Bi said, "I was really shocked with CEO Liu Jun''s offer after the Summit. He asked me if I wanted to join Sky and be Ai''s editor."


    Ai was speechless.


    She grinned. "I was so excited that I wanted to fly. To work at the same place as you and be your editor once again...what else did I want? I agreed in a jiffy and put my resignation in Dream High. But he told me to keep it a secret from you, so I kept my silence. He wanted to surprise you on your first day!" Xing Bi sobbed. "He is such a-"


    "*Ahem!* Sun Bai cleared her throat.


    Xing Bi got her cue and turned into a professional mode. "Good boyfriend."


    Sun Bai politely disagreed with him. "I beg to differ. In the CEO and President''s presence, I strive to maintain decorum and professionalism."


    "So strict," he stuck out his tongue.


    "Decorum, President. Don''t stick your tongue out like that," she scolded. "It''s unprofessional."


    "..."


    He cried. "You are mean too!"


    Sun Bai was unfazed.


    Xing Bi gasped.


    She scolded the President! She is so cool!


    Yunru then sheepishly grinned as he looked at Xing Bi. "Well, Xing Bi. I...I am sorry for accusing you as a thief for all this time. But now I know the truth!"


    Her gaze darkened recalling Nian''s prank.


    "It''s okay. It was a misunderstanding. Glad it is cleared up now," she smiled.


    "You are the best!"


    Ai''s delight to work in Sky increased by tenfold now. Two most important people would be by her side. She couldn''t ask for anything more.


    "Thank you, Jun."


    "How could I not bring her here when I know how close you two are?" He bent and hushed so that nobody could hear, "When I learned your past and how she supported you through thick and thin, I knew my decision was all the more right."


    All this and the fact that Bro Nian wanted her here too.


    The day when Nian was cuddling Ai as his buttering machine was when he asked Jun a favor to bring Xing Bi to work at Sky too. He wanted to hog his brother''s usefulness as the Sky CEO and the fact that Ai was his girlfriend.


    Xing Bi working at his brother''s company equated Nian to getting more chances of getting closer to her. Jun already took care of it, so Nian went home happy.


    Sorry, Xing Bi. I mean well for you, but Bro Nian won''t leave you anytime soon.


    "I suddenly felt that you gave me a pitiful look, CEO Liu," Xing Bi blinked.


    He coughed. "It''s nothing. Today is your first day so take this time to get familiar with Sky and its employees."


    He then glanced at Hou Lin. "Is there anything next in the plan?"


    Hou Lin opened the file that he was carrying. "Yes, Sir. Miss. Zhou is invited to give a writing seminar organized by Shanghai''s central talent community, The Creative Sense. Under that, they have The Writer''s House, which is their own writing community. Since she won the Summit, Sky has received many requests for Miss. Zhou to give seminars. I selected Shanghai from the list as it has one of the largest communities alongside Beijing. It will be beneficial for her promotion as an author."


    "I see."


    Xing Bi beamed. "A writing seminar for inspiring new authors? That''s so great!"


    "They are also offering to host a book signing event for Miss. Zhou where she will be giving signed copies of her short story which she told in Summit."


    Ai took a few moments to grasp his words. "My...my own book signing event?"


    "Yes. The profit from the event will be shared between Sky and The Writer''s House."


    Sun Bai added. "It''s a good opportunity, even bigger than Cherry Blossom''s signing event. It was hosted by Dream High. But an event hosted by a popular writing community is on a bigger scale. There will be more exposure and a large scale of fan meetings. Also, you would get to meet people not just from the writing world but from other forms like artists, illustrators, painters, drama, music, influencers, etc. Basically people from all creative fields. It''s a good learning opportunity too."


    Ai trembled with excitement. She remembered that in her past life, this opportunity to go to Shanghai naturally went to Guiying, who had won the Summit. It gave a huge boost to her career, and the gap between her and Guiying only widened.


    Jun was pleased to hear about this. After the Summit, this was another step towards Ai''s bright writing career.


    Yunru nodded. "It will be so much fun! So many cool and talented people to meet!"


    Her face blossomed with bliss. "Indeed. I would love to meet people from other creative sectors too."


    Hou Lin continued. "It''s like a fest. It will be a stay of three days and three nights. The day allocated to you will be when you give the seminar and for the other two days, you are free to visit other creative communities if you like. The Creative Sense will sponsor your stay and all the expenses. Do you want to accept the request?"


    Ai nodded hard. "Yes. I will be really pleased to visit."


    Xing Bi coughed. "C-Can they accommodate one more person?"


    Yunru merrily answered. "The editor is also invited with the author so you can," he winked.


    Yes!


    But she controlled her excitement in front of Sun Bai. "Thank you, President Chen."


    Jun felt the enthusiasm in the air and smiled too. But there was another grave matter unsettling his heart.


    The fest in Shanghai. It was around this time when...

 Chapter ?244 ’MrPerfect’s’ Request

    Chapter ?244 ''MrPerfect''s'' Request


    Yunru grabbed Ai''s hand and said, "Now that all the introductions are done, let''s start our fly in the Sky! I will give you an amazing tour~"


    Xing Bi raised her hand. "I am ready!"


    Ai said, "You two go ahead. I will come in a few minutes."


    "Oh, okay. Guess, Bro Jun needs to privately welcome you too~" he teased.


    Sun Bai and Hou Lin bowed too and left.


    "Yunru, wait," Jun stopped him.


    "Yes, Bro?"


    He took a pause and asked, "Does Bro Zixin have any plans to go somewhere?"


    He blinked. "Hm?"


    "Oh! He has actually. Bro will be also going to Shanghai for a business trip," though he averted his gaze a second later.


    "I see..."


    "How do you know?" Yunru curiously probed.


    He smiled. "Nothing. Take Xing Bi and show her the office."


    "Yeah!"


    Once left alone, Ai wrapped her arms around his chest and buried her face into it. "Thank you for everything, Jun. Thank you for bringing Xing Bi here. You make each day brighter and brighter for me."


    Seeing Xing Bi in Sky today made her really feel as if she was flying in the sky.


    Jun dipped his head and captured her lips into a deep kiss, striking right through her soul.


    A smile lifted her lips, and she let Jun invade her mouth as he pleased. The heat of his kiss spread across her body, and she gradually felt herself getting dissipated with the sensation of him sucking her lips.


    With her cheeks turning cherry red, they parted. Ai watched his dark brown pupils and asked, "Is there something bothering you?"


    "No. I mean...yeah," Jun pulled Ai beside him and took a seat on the couch. "I was thinking about Bro Zixin. He is Yunru''s elder brother and one of my cousins too."


    "Oh. Why are you worried about him?"


    "Because of the past life."


    "Past life?"


    He nodded. His expression swirled with a sense of crisis recalling the past. "It was during the time of the Shanghai fest that Bro Zixin met with a very dangerous accident."


    Her eyes widened. "How?"


    The peril in his eyes expressed the anger his heart was overwhelmed with. "It was an accident when a truck crashed into his car. It was cited as break fail in the truck which was why it crashed but upon our investigation, it was a planned accident against Bro Zixin. Currently Bro Zixin is competing against a company for a big bid, and we found that the culprit was from that company who plotted this when Bro won the bid. He bribed that truck driver to do this!"


    He balled his fingers into a dangerous fist. "It was a horrible accident. A freaking truck smashed his car. The driver and Bro both suffered severe injuries. The driver''s legs were badly crushed, and he could never walk on his own. He had to be in a wheelchair for a long time.


    As for Bro...Bro Zixin lost all his memories. His head suffered the most serious impact. When he woke up, he remembered nothing about his identity or his family. Uncle Jianyu, Aunt Serena, Yunru, Yubi, Grandaunt and Granduncle...everybody was crushed by this news. We tried everything, but Bro Zixin never got his memory back, at least not until the day I died."


    Ai held his hand and squeezed it reassuringly.


    "He slowly accepted us and gelled into our family, but he never really remembered us. He was told who his parents were, who his siblings were, but he still couldn''t completely become a part of us. The memory loss had formed a wall in his heart. Even if we showered him with all the love we could, he still felt the gap between him and us because he remembered nothing."


    Even now recalling the eyes of his gentle cousin who felt torn apart by the memory loss, pricked his heart with pain.


    "How it must have felt...to lose all his memories? He must have felt so helpless."


    Ai noticed her own vision blur. She gently wiped the corner of his moist eye.


    Jun took a deep breath. "Naturally, we gave that fucker the worst punishment possible! You don''t mess with the Underworld families. But even with his punishment, we could not prevent the pain Bro Zixin suffered..."


    Ai brought his hand closer to her chest and squeezed his palm. "But this time, it won''t happen, Jun. You will protect Bro Zixin from this accident. You know what is going to happen. There is no way that he will suffer the same fate this time," she said with absolute certainty.


    Jun''s eyes shone with resilience. "Yes. That bastard Feng Wuhan! He was the one who brought Bro Zixin and the Chen family''s driver to such a pathetic state!"


    He sneered. "But not anymore. I have already captured Feng Wuhan under the pretext of suspicion. He and that truck driver are in our base right now. As for his company, I have made all the preparations to make it go bankrupt. He won''t be able to harm Bro this time!"


    Ai nodded in satisfaction. "Good."


    Jun rested his head on her lap and hugged her waist. "Ai. This time, I will protect everyone dear to me. I won''t let anybody suffer any grievance. My family, Bro Zixin, Yunru, you...I will protect everybody."


    Ai bent and placed a gentle kiss on his temple. "Yes. And I will always be on your side."


    --


    Dream High.


    ''Guiying'' clutched the card in her hand and crumpled in her fist. Today, she had received another card from MrPerfect which read,


    ''How are you? Ever since the Summit, I feel a strange silence from your side. I know the loss must have hit you hard. But know this.


    I, MrPerfect, shall always be your loyal fan. Nothing can change that. You will always have a special place in my heart no matter if you win or lose.


    I know it''s a selfish request from my side. But will you be willing to meet me? There is going to be a festival in Shanghai, and I know you will be there.


    If you don''t want to, then feel free to throw away this card. But if yes, then I will be waiting for you in front of the lake near Hotel GrandCastle.


    Yours truly,


    MrPerfect.''

 Chapter ?245 You Seem Different Today

    Chapter ?245 You Seem Different Today


    ''Guiying''s'' gaze burned with resentment and mockery. She felt a tremble within her as the real Guiying shook to receive a card from MrPerfect.


    "You don''t learn your lesson, don''t you?" She clenched her jaw.


    ''Guiying'' tore apart the crumpled card and threw it in the dustbin. Her body tingled with an urge to punch someone.


    "You bastard! I guess my best friend isn''t enough for you anymore. You hugged her. You kissed her. But you are still sending cards to CherryBlossom?" She burst into laughter. "What a joke! What do you want, MrPerfect? Aren''t you living a cozy life with your girlfriend?"


    ''She'' remembered the picture going viral where Jun and Ai embraced in an intimate pose.


    "When you have MissImperfectlyFine, why is CherryBlossom needed? Wasn''t this dumb girl inside me always being used by you? The nerve of you¡­to ask me to meet you¡­" ''she'' narrowed her eyes.


    "I wonder what you will have to say to me? Isn''t your relationship already public now? Or do you wish this dumb girl to become your mistress? Screw up two friends together? Hahaha!"


    ''She'' felt an annoying headache when she felt a protest inside her.


    ''She'' smiled. "But it''s okay if he wants to meet us," she chuckled as she rested her head back on her chair, "I want to see how far can MrPerfect degrade himself? I want to hear what he has to say to me after declaring his relationship with Zhou Ai. It will be so amusing~"


    The door then opened, and Zhan Yahui stepped in. But as soon as she did, she coughed, feeling the burning smell of cigarettes. "W-what is this?"


    She waved her hand in the air, trying to dissipate the smoke and kept coughing. "What is going on here?"


    Her gaze fell on ''Guiying'', who was casually holding the cigarette between her fingers that touched her lips. She stared at her hard before she spoke, "Since when do you smoke, Guiying?"


    ''She'' raised her brow and smiled. "Zhan Yahui. I always smoked."


    "What nonsense. I never saw you smoking before," she looked at her dumbfounded.


    "That''s because I never smoked in front of you before. Does it really matter? It''s not against Dream High rules or anything like that," she smiled.


    Zhan Yahui slightly squinted her eyes. She felt Guiying acted differently from before. Her expression and her posture seemed odd compared to how Guiying used to normally behave.


    She glanced at her from top to bottom. "...Are you okay? You seem different today."


    ''Guiying'' shrugged. "Why won''t I be? Life is going so amazing, isn''t it? My best friend won the Summit, and she also has a boyfriend now. All are singing her praises. She is the becoming the face of the writing world now. She must be so happy. So tell me, what''s new? Is Dream High giving up on me because I lost the Summit?"


    "Bullshit! As if I will let them. You are CherryBlossom," Zhan Yahui pointed out. "Nothing can shake your position so easily. Don''t think about useless things."


    She tilted her head and watched her.


    She never really talked that way. What''s wrong with her?


    "Anyway, I came to tell you about something."


    "About the Shanghai festival?"


    She blinked. "How do you know?"


    ''Guiying'' peered at her and lazily smiled. "Nothing. I just know. So what about it? Am I invited?"


    Zhan Yahui flipped out the request from The Creative Sense. "Yes. They want you to give a seminar. You didn''t win the Summit, but you still qualified for the finals. Naturally-"


    ''She'' chuckled. "You pulled some strings, didn''t you? I am not invited. Don''t bother lying."


    Zhan Yahui said nothing. But she was surprised to see her so sharply asking that question. Even if she wanted to, she couldn''t bluff that Guiying wasn''t really invited.


    "Winners get it all."


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "You better don''t bring your self-respect here. Even if I have arranged it, you will go to the fest."


    ''Guiying'' waved her hand. "Chill. I didn''t say that I won''t go. In fact, I have a very strong reason to be there. Seems like somebody else wants me to be there too," she mysteriously smiled.


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "You are¡­really acting differently today."


    "People change, Zhan Yahui. They don''t stay the same for their entire lives. Otherwise, people keep fooling us the entire time. It''s better to change at the right time rather than regret later," ''she'' sneered.


    "I told you many times before not to underestimate Zhou Ai, but you were too busy playing your friendship game. At least now, I hope you come back to your senses."


    Zhan Yahui kept the flyer on the table and said, "Go through it. I will create a plan for your seminar soon."


    "Sure."


    Zhan Yahui kept her gaze fixed at her for a moment and left.


    ''Guiying'' never even glanced at the flyer. Instead, her mind was somewhere else.


    "I wonder¡­just how many women have you played with? I remember something. Wasn''t there someone else who knows you too, MrPerfect? Another women who claimed that you two were good friends. But I wonder how much of that is true?" ''she'' mocked in disdain. "After all, MrPerfect''s words look good only on cards but in reality, they are nothing but poison."


    ''Guiying'' lazily took her phone and unlocked it. She stared at a certain app on her screen and opened it. The app was updated a day ago, so it asked for the user ID and password again to login for security measures.


    Staring at the Reading Point app, ''she'' typed the username on the screen - Warlord.

 Chapter 246 It Will Be Fun

    Chapter 246 It Will Be Fun


    Warlord. A username which made people think that it was a guy on the other side of the screen. But the truth was way different. The name and the mannerism belonged to a man, but the gender was that of a woman''s. It had its own history behind its creation which both Guiyings knew.


    ''Guiying'' opened the personal chat between Warlord and HS - which was Shui''s username on Reading Point. ''She'' went through the chat history and found the part where HS wrote that MrPerfect and her were good friends.


    "I don''t really think so,'' she laughed. "Who are you trying to fool? I am pretty sure you must you were more than just a friend to him, right? I remember it was MrPerfect who brought you on this forum. Plus your conversation tone reeks that you are a woman. I want to believe that you could be a man, but I don''t think a man like MrPerfect would waste his time on one."


    ''Guiying''s'' eyes seemed calculating as she thought of something, staring at the chat. She then typed on her keyboard and hit the Send button.


    ¡ª


    Han villa.


    Ever since the meeting between Shui and Jin yesterday, she had hardly stepped out of her room. Apart from eating meals that was too light for it to be even counted, Shui hadn''t met anybody much.


    ''I hate you, Han Shui.''


    As soon as she had returned from the restaurant, she had locked herself in the room and buried her face into the blanket, crying hard. She spent a sleepless night where she could think of nothing else but Jin''s eyes filled with hatred and his words that only struck her heart with poison. The sudden change in Jin''s behavior was unfathomable.


    Jin¡­He was always so gentle and smiling. He always looked at me so affectionately. We always laughed together. Then w-why does he hate me?


    So why this sudden hate for her would erupt in his heart?


    The tears that left her eyes refused to stop. By now, her irises were swollen and reddish. She thought to call Jin countless times, and she tried too.


    But Jin never picked her calls. Instead, she received his cold reply, ''Don''t call or message me again.''


    That crushed her heart akin to a glass shattering into pieces. She silently wailed, her heart filled with pain and grievance. She liked him, but Jin hated her. She would have understood if he might not return her feelings.


    But hate¡­?


    That one word brought nothing but immense agony.


    Her then phone lit up with a message, and widening her eyes, Shui jumped up in expectation.


    Jin!


    She hastily unlocked her phone, but that smile soon faded from her lips when she noticed a message on Reading Point.


    It wasn''t a message from Jin but from Warlord.


    Her shoulders visibly drooped, feeling let down. She wasn''t in the mood to talk to anybody on chat, but Warlord seemed persistent.


    [Warlord - Hey, hey! Are you ignoring me!?]


    Releasing a soft sigh, Shui replied.


    [HS - Hey¡­Um, if it''s okay, can we talk later?]


    [Warlord - No, wait! What happened by the way? You don''t seem to be in a good mood. Did you fight¡­perhaps with your friend MrPerfect?]


    Shui stiffened upon remembering the meeting with Jin yesterday.


    I don''t know what to call it¡­


    [HS - It''s nothing. I didn''t fight with him. It''s just I am a little busy these days, so I am tired.]


    [Warlord - Haha, of course I knew it! You cannot fight with my best buddy! But that man is so busy! We are bros! How dare he ignore me!?]


    She faintly smiled.


    [Warlord - Anywayyy. I wanted to ask if you would be free in the upcoming days~]


    Shui thought about it.


    [HS - I guess so¡­Why are you asking?]


    [Warlord - That''s cool! You heard about the fest that will begin in Shanghai? I wanted you to invite to come over! I am gonna be there too! The members of our group are planning visit. It will be so much fun! And you know what? My idol, CherryBlossom gonna be there too woohooo!]


    [HS - Oh. It''s nice, but I don''t think I can make it.]


    [Warlord - Don''t be like thisssss. It''s a fest! It''s gonna be tons of fun. What about MrPerfect? I am sure he gonna be there too? It''s a heaven for us! He was there at my idol''s book signing event too!]


    Shui wondered about it. As far as she knew, Ai was a writer who won the Author Summit, and there was a good chance she would be a part of the fest. And if his girlfriend would be there, she was sure that Jun would be there as well.


    [HS - I guess so.]


    [Warlord - Then you come with him as well~ I will finally get to meet a pretty woman too, hehe¡­]


    Shui rolled her eyes.


    [Warlord - Please, please? Everybody is comingggg!]


    Shui''s gaze dimmed. After what happened with Jin, she was in no mood to enjoy and have fun. But she also thought about Jun who would be there.


    It will be a good time to talk to him¡­


    Shui sincerely wanted to apologize to him and even if she could easily meet him at his condo or at Sky, she hesitated. She felt it silly to meet him all the way in Shanghai when they lived in the same city. But she thought that the fest atmosphere might make it easier to break the silence between them.


    [HS - Fine. I will be there.]


    [Warlord - Woohoo! Awesome! Will see you in Shanghai then.]


    [HS - Yeah.]


    Shui slept back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. A tear trickled out of her eye, thinking about Jin once again.


    ¡ª


    ''Guiying'' stared at Shui''s message. She then dropped a message to Cai Lingyun.


    ''Be at Shanghai fest, big bro.''


    She threw her phone on the desk and smiled in satisfaction.


    "Shanghai will be fun."

 Chapter ?247 Shanghai Fest Arc (1) : Landing At Shanghai

    Chapter ?247 Shanghai Fest Arc (1) : Landing At Shanghai


    The plane landed at 8.17 AM in Shanghai. Three people stepped out of the airport.


    Xing Bi was the first to get excited over the upcoming Shanghai fest. "We are here! I cannot wait to see my Ai shine on the stage!"


    Yunru, who came after them, carried three luggage bags with his chest huffing and puffing breathlessly. "It''s just a three day trip. Just what have you two women packed in these suitcases?"


    Xing Bi was quite reserved at first as Yunru was the Sky President but over the few days before they left for Shanghai today, they had actually grown fonder just like Ai and Yunru. With his chirpy personality, he had himself reduced the distance between them.


    "Hey. Being a woman is tough," Xing Bi righteously said, "From clothes to skin care to hygiene care to emergency supplies, there is a lot of stuff to pack."


    Ai seriously nodded.


    Yunru sobbed. "Wish Bro Jun would have been here. He would have helped me. You two are bullying this cute and handsome young man!"


    Xing Bi laughed.


    Ai checked her phone which buzzed with a message from Jun.


    ''Have you landed? Are you okay? Are you feeling sick? Do you need to go to the hospital? Tell Yunru anything you need, and he will do it for you.''


    But he was restless. With Ai''s fear of heights, he wanted to stay by her side. But Ai reassured him that with Yunru and Xing Bi around, she would be fine. Though she did face dizziness as the plane took flight and throughout the whole journey, Jun hardly let her feel any of it by his continuous string of messages.


    That was Jun''s way of diverting her mind from her fear. She thought it was so cute that she wished to rush back to his side and hug him.


    Xing Bi and Yunru shamelessly peeked into her phone and saw the onslaught of Jun''s back to back messages. "Oh my God, you are so lovey-dovey! You were just talking to him during the whole flight. And look at this message? It''s so cute and thoughtful!"


    Yunru grinned. "Bro Jun is the sweetest!"


    Xing Bi asked, "But why is he so worried about you getting sick? It was just a flight."


    Ai coughed. "I...I am a little afraid of heights."


    She widened her eyes. "Huh? Really? Why don''t I know this? And here I thought I knew everything about you! Jun knows, but I don''t...That''s not fair," she pouted.


    Ai quickly hugged her. "It''s not like that. I-I just couldn''t bring that up until now."


    "Oof. I was just kidding. I can never be mad at my Ai," she hugged her back. "Aish, I feel envious. Wish I had such a handsome man to be lovey-dovey with."


    "I am here, Xing Biiiiiii!" A hyper excited voice came from behind them.


    The trio stiffened.


    Why do I feel I heard a very, very familiar voice?


    Nian dashed and appeared before them in a flash with a wide and cheerful grin on his lips. "Xing Bi, you asked for me and I am right here! You don''t have to feel jealous of Jun and Ai anymore because we will have our own lovey-dovey time, hehe..."


    The trio - "..."


    Ai asked, surprised, "You are here too?"


    "I am there wherever my Xing Bi is~"


    Yunru puked three litres of blood. He stared at him, aghast.


    "W-what? Are you really in love with her?"


    Nian glared at him. "Do you have any doubts?"


    Xing Bi watched him with her jaw dropped. "How...Just how are you here?"


    "By taking the same flight as you!" He beamed. "Though I hid myself so that you don''t catch me and get off the plane."


    "..."


    "I was sitting two aisles behind you," he narrowed his eyes as he shot a glare at Yunru, "and I haven''t forgotten how chummy you acted with my Xing Bi! Yunru, you are dead meat! Don''t forget that she will be your sister-in-law in the future! Keep your distance!"


    Yunru and Xing Bi were left speechless.


    "Hey! Who said I will marry you?" She flared her nostrils. "Get out of your dream!"


    "How can I? Isn''t this such a beautiful chance for us to go on a date and get all cuddly with each other?" He shyly said.


    She sneered. "And how many times have I rejected your date requests? You don''t learn."


    "It''s called not giving up," Nian defended himself. "You got angry when I took Ai''s help to cajole you. So, I have decided to do things my way without relying on Ai to win you," he proudly said.


    Xing Bi smiled. "And how will you do that?"


    Nian sheepishly grinned. "Well for now, I can only think of stalking you till I make a very special place in your heart~"


    "..."


    Xing Bi had imagined an awesome time with Ai, but now there was a huge roadblock in front of her who was totally grinning as if nothing was wrong.


    Ai cleared her throat. "Well-"


    Her phone rang with a sudden call from Jun. Somehow from the ringtone, she could sense Jun''s displeasure seeping through it.


    I forgot to reply to him...


    She quickly picked up, and he immediately fired back-to-back questions. "Why didn''t you reply? Did you feel so sick that you fainted? Where are you? Where are Yunru and Xing Bi? Are they not beside you? Are you alone?"


    "..."


    Ai felt heavily guilty. "I-I am fine, Jun! You don''t have to worry. I just forgot..."


    "...How can you forget!?" Jun answered as he scolded her, "I was waiting for your reply but you didn''t give one, and I wondered if something was wrong. Do you know how worried I was?"


    "I am really sorry," Ai sincerely apologized. "It''s just that Nian suddenly popped in front of us, and it flew-"


    "Who?"


    "Nian."


    "Who?"


    Her brow twitched. "Your brother, Liu Nian. He is also in Shanghai. He was on the same flight as us, stalking after Xing Bi."


    There was a long, long pause after which Jun yelled, "The hell you doing there, Bro Nian!?"

 Chapter 248 Shanghai Fest Arc (2) : The Seminar Schedule

    Chapter 248 Shanghai Fest Arc (2) : The Seminar Schedule


    It was quite an ugly confrontation between Jun and Nian over the phone. It was actually ugly only on Jun''s side. Nian was laughing without a care in the world.


    Yunru sighed. "Ah. Bro Nian is gonna be buried in hell. Bro Jun will make sure of it."


    Xing Bi raised her hand. "I am all in favor of that! How dare he stalk me?"


    Nian came back all cheery after talking to Jun and handed the phone back to Ai. "Done!"


    "What did he say?" She asked.


    "What will he say? What can he say? I am staying right here," Nian winked. "You see, dear sister-in-law. People often forget that I am the elder brother here~"


    "That''s because you mostly don''t like one in anybody''s eyes," Ai mercilessly stabbed his little heart.


    "..."


    Yunru laughed hard. "Ahahaha! That was cool!"


    "Shut up, Yunru! You want me to beat you up?" He grabbed him by his neck.


    "Ah, ah! This is violence!"


    It''s gonna be a tough three days¡­


    "Xing Bi, it''s gonna be an awesome three days! I will definitely make you love me back!" He declared. "Just wait and watch."


    ¡ª


    They stepped into the GrandCastle hotel where The Creative Sense had already made reservations for their stay. Normally, Xing Bi and Ai would have shared a room but with Jun coming later, it was pretty much obvious that he and Ai would stay together.


    Ai put her luggage on the side and went to the bathroom to freshen up. Patting her face with the soft, moist towel, she sat on the bed and unlocked her phone. She contemplated for a moment and then grinned as she raised her phone up.


    *Click*


    She clicked a selfie, showing the room in the background and put the caption, ''This will be our room for the next three days. It''s so pretty.''''


    "And send."


    It was hardly fifteen seconds later that Jun already replied. ''I see pretty comfortable spots there for making out~''


    Ai choked in her throat and coughed hard. Her ears turned red, and she swiftly pressed her fingers on the keyboard.


    ''You¡­We are here for work.'' She conscientiously nodded to herself.


    *Ding*


    ''My girlfriend who was openly seducing me at her mother''s house hardly has any right to speak righteously.''


    "..."


    She could imagine the sneer on his lips as he must have replied.


    ''Don''t worry. We will have all our fill here which we couldn''t do over there.''


    The redness from her ears spread to her neck. She thought that making love in a hotel room would be a different experience, and her mind wandered off to not so innocent thoughts.


    Ai pursed her lips and typed in complaint. ''Don''t corrupt me. I need to go now. Bye!'' She softly harrumphed.


    She stepped out of her room where Xing Bi, Yunru and Nian were already set to leave.


    Xing Bi''s gaze glimmered with excitement


    "Let''s go! The car is all ready to take us to The Creative Sense! There, we will get your schedule too. Ah, I cannot wait."


    Yunru quickly said, "Wait, wait! I will be back in a moment."


    He quickly walked towards the reception desk and spoke to the receptionist for a minute. Then he nodded and came back.


    Nian raised his brow. "Hooo. What''s with this secret talk? Let me in too!"


    He coughed. "It''s nothing."


    Nian strangled his cousin. "Don''t dare to hide anything from me. I am your big brother!"


    "You will¡­kill me!" He breathlessly complained. "Well¡­I cannot reveal it now. Somebody else is coming to Shanghai too, and he will come out on his own once his work is done."


    Ai''s ears perked up in curiosity. "Oh? Is it a surprise?"


    He scratched his chin. "Even I don''t really know. Br- *cough cough!* I mean he didn''t give me much information. But, he is definitely excited about it."


    "Spill out the name!" Nian smacked him hard on his head.


    "I promised him I won''t! I won''t bend to your tyranny, Bro Nian!"


    Xing Bi separated them. "Oof! Let him do as he pleases. If he has promised, then it''s not good to break it. Now, let''s go. The driver is waiting for us!"


    ¡ª


    The Creative Sense was a huge skyscraper building which made Ai feel as if it touched the sky. She felt dizzy with the height illusion and quickly looked away.


    As they stepped inside, they witnessed a sea of people darting from one place to another. Some had a guitar case on their back or holding some sort of a musical instrument while some carried a drawing case. At one corner, there was a whole setup of cameras and shooting equipment where people were posing and reciting lines. The place was bright, colorful and cheery and filled with artistic enthusiasm and vigor.


    Xing Bi collected a file from the organizing committee and eagerly brought it forward. "Hmm. Let''s see¡­" she scanned through the pages and found the section for The Writer''s House. "Got it. Ai''s seminar is tomorrow! That means, today you are free!"


    Yunru beamed. "Cool. Then today is a fun day!"


    Nian nudged his arm on her elbow. "That means today is our date day!"


    "No. Today is your funeral day," she shot back.


    "..."


    Xing Bi randomly flipped the page and widened her eyes as she recognized a name on the list too. "This¡­"


    Ai asked, "What happened?"


    "Cai Guiying''s name is also here."


    "Huh? Guiying?"


    "Yeah. It says here that CherryBlossom will also give a seminar. That will be on the third day. I guess she was also invited then¡­" she felt a little bitter about that though she didn''t have any personal beef with her.


    Did Zhan Yahui play some connections from the back?


    Ai scrunched her brows. As far as she remembered, only the Summit''s winner was invited in the past life. But this time, it changed.


    "I see."


    Nian frowned. "Oh. So that other author and that other editor is also here? Xing Bi. You stay by my side. I didn''t like the way the other editor talked to you that night. So, I will protect you!" His eyes sparkled.

 Chapter ?249 Shanghai Fest Arc (3) : Meeting Cai Lingyun

    Chapter ?249 Shanghai Fest Arc (3) : Meeting Cai Lingyun


    "I will be just fine," she smacked the file on Nian''s head. "She is just Zhan Yahui. Don''t be so dramatic. You just want a reason to get cozy with me! Do that, and I will throw you away!"


    "In your heart?" Nian dreamily grinned.


    "..."


    Yunru gave a disdainful look. "Bro Nian. Your cheesiness is disgusting."


    "Shut up. Don''t act Jun part two!"


    Ai chuckled. "Anyway. Since we are here, let''s not waste time and look around."


    Which proved to be a tad difficult when Ai got lost. Everything was going smoothly, and they visited floor by floor to enjoy the fest. There was music and dancing and it was chaotic, but it was fun.


    Ai being the curious cat, stopped at several places wherever she found something interesting. It was not just a great place to enjoy and relax, but with so much energy in the air and the different forms of art and creativity flowing in the atmosphere, it was a great source of inspiration for her as a writer.


    She had a small notebook and a pen in her hand which she used to jot down any flash of imagination she got. Somewhere the music touched her heart, somewhere the dance clicked her heels in rhythm and somewhere a beautiful picture brought tears to her eyes. Along the way, she met many people who recognized her as the Summit''s winner and chatted with her.


    This was when Ai got left behind as she admired a painting on the wall. She got so mesmerized with it that she failed to realize when Xing Bi, Nian and Yunru already left. The trio also didn''t notice and assumed that she was following them.


    Ai at the moment - "..."


    Where did everybody go?


    She looked around but found them nowhere. Sighing, she took out her phone to call Xing Bi but failed to see any network. She then noticed that a few others too were complaining about the coverage area.


    She thought it was better to wait rather than moving around and causing more confusion.


    Maybe Yunru or Nian will come back looking for me?


    So she stayed put.


    "Ai?"


    She turned and as her eyes fell on a particular figure who called her out, her eyes widened with shock.


    "Bro...Lingyun?"


    She was taken aback by Cai Lingyun''s sudden presence. She blinked her eyes rapidly. She thought back to the past life and remembered how Cai Lingyun''s affection and bias towards her resulted in Guiying''s worsening hatred for her. She was accused of stealing his affection that Guiying deserved. It was one of the reasons that brought a crack into their friendship.


    It was the first time in this life that Ai was personally meeting him. "...Hello."


    Why is he here? Oh...is he here to support Guiying with her seminar?


    Whatever the reason was, Ai decided to keep her distance from him. She didn''t want Guiying to see them together and misunderstand that her brother was playing favorites. This time, she won''t let the tragedy repeat.


    Cai Lingyun''s demeanor brightened upon seeing Ai. "Ai! I finally get to see you. It''s been such a long time...How are you?" His voice held a trace of longing and warmth.


    Ai nodded. "I am doing well."


    "Haha, I can see that. Oh! Congratulations for winning the Summit! I am so proud of you!"


    "Thank you," she eyed him, "What are you doing here?"


    "Guiying told me about her seminar and that you will be here too," he grinned. "I just returned from my business trip and wanted to meet you anyway. So we came to Shanghai together."


    He glanced around searching if he could see Jun anywhere, but he didn''t. He couldn''t help but feel relieved.


    Cai Lingyun smiled. "What are you standing here for? Come with me. Guiying is on the other side. Let''s watch the fest together," he chuckled.


    Ai politely declined. "No, it''s okay. You carry on. I am already here with somebody. We got separated, so I am waiting here for them."


    He slightly stiffened and felt an uneasy itch in his chest. "Oh? Oh! It must be Xing Bi," he laughed. "Guiying is also with Zhan Yahui after all. No worries. Why not have a coffee over there?"


    "Xing Bi will get worried if she doesn''t find me-"


    He waved his hand. "Come on. You are not a child. The cafe is right beside this area. She will find you easily. We have met after such a long time! I want to talk to you."


    Ai pursed her lips. With so much insistence, she found it hard to refute. She couldn''t exactly say that she was avoiding him because of her past life.


    "I..."


    "Why are you hesitating so much? We have known each other since you and Guiying were in high school," he laughed. "I am the same Cai Lingyun, not a ghost."


    In the end, Ai agreed but only temporarily. She decided to give an excuse later on to quickly leave.


    Giving the coffee order, Cai Lingyun asked, "So, what''s going on? I am sorry I couldn''t watch the Summit. It was too hectic at work. But I am so glad that you won. You deserve it."


    "Thank you."


    "Oh yeah! I bought a gift for you. Good that we met."


    He eagerly took out the gift from his bag and slid it across the table.


    Ai stared at the gift. "No. I cannot accept this."


    "Of course you do. You won the Summit after all," he gasped. "Take it. I have always bought gifts for you and Guiying, haven''t I?"


    "That was before," she replied without any reservation, "That was when we were only high school students. But now, I really cannot accept it. Your wishes are enough for me."


    Cai Lingyun looked at her in disbelief. "You don''t have to be so shy. You are important to me as much as Guiying is to me."


    Ai glanced at him. "...Guiying should be more important to you, bro Lingyun. She is your sister. I am just her friend. You don''t have to keep me in the same position as hers. She is your family first. That''s why all these gifts and attention...Guiying should have it rightfully. As for me," she smiled with warmth and tenderness, "I have a very special person in my life to take care of me."

 Chapter 250 Shanghai Fest Arc (4) : Mr. Liu’s Jealousy

    Chapter 250 Shanghai Fest Arc (4) : Mr. Liu''s Jealousy


    Cai Lingyun watched her eyes and felt a stifling sensation grappling his heart. He just felt relieved that the supposed boyfriend was nowhere here. But Ai''s words said otherwise.


    The waiter brought the coffee mug, and Cai Lingyun thanked him. He subconsciously held the mug handle a little tighter.


    "A special person..."


    Ai nodded. "Yes. He is my boyfriend. Liu Jun."


    At that moment, he felt as if he was dropped into icy, cold water. He had already heard and seen it from Guiying but listening to it from Ai''s mouth felt a sharp jab to his heart.


    "So it''s really true..."


    She looked up and furrowed her brows. "What do you mean?"


    "Yes."


    "A-and that picture in the library..."


    "Oh. A college student asked if she could take one," she smiled.


    "Ai. You...are you really sure about this?"


    She blinked. "What do you mean?"


    "I mean your relationship. Isn''t it going too fast? I don''t know how you and Liu Jun got...closer, but I don''t think he is not right for you. Ai, you two are from totally different worlds!"


    Ai frowned. "It''s not different at all. We are actually from the same world. We have so many things in common. That''s how we slowly bonded in the first place."


    He shook his head. "You are not getting it, Ai. I don''t mean by your likes and dislikes. Your families, your status. There is a whole world of a wide gap between you two. He is from a wealthy and influential family. How can you ever match up to him? Do you even know how young masters like him act? He might be infatuated with you right now, but he will dump you the very next moment he finds a more suitable woman! They don''t treat people from our class with high regard, certainly not for marriage!"


    Ai narrowed her eyes. "You are totally wrong, bro Lingyun. I know you might be worried about me. But I know Jun. That''s why I chose him. I also know his brothers and cousin," she thought about Yunru, Jian and Nian, "They are far from your assumed image of young masters. If you ever meet them, you won''t even recognize that they are from any rich family. They are just like us. I am not saying there aren''t such families that discriminate. But Jun or his family isn''t one of them."


    He became more restless. "Ai, you are getting blinded by him. What has he promised that you are acting like this? Money? Status?"


    "No," she calmly stated. "He has promised me a life of love, warmth and protection. That''s what I want. I am not chasing after his money or status."


    "No. I am not accusing you, Ai. I am saying that all that glitters is not gold."


    "But the love that sparkles in his eyes for me is."


    He froze.


    "Bro Lingyun. You cannot judge Jun without even meeting him. That''s not fair. You are just imposing your assumed image upon him."


    "Then what about the whole plagiarism scandal?" Cai Lingyun pointed out. "You chose such a person to be your boyfriend who brought you into such a mess!? Your whole career could have gotten ruined!"


    She seriously countered. "That was my mistake. Jun only reacted that was in my best interests, and that was expected. He didn''t put me in any trouble. In fact, my lie troubled him and Sky."


    "Is that why you left Dream High? Because of him? Because he is your boyfriend?" He felt bitter and uncomfortable. "Do you know how shocking it was for me to know that you left Dream High? Guiying and you always stayed together. High school, starting your writing career and then you two joined Dream High together. Suddenly, you left all of that for a man?"


    Ai''s pupils ever so slightly flickered. "No, bro Lingyun. I didn''t leave all of that just for Jun. It''s because I realized that Guiying and I are not high school students anymore. It''s fun to imagine that we would live doing everything together. It was an innocent wish. But it''s impossible to achieve. Sometimes...distance is more necessary than togetherness. Sometimes, that''s what saves a friendship rather than destroying it."


    She trembled thinking about the past life and the grief she had gone through.


    Ai said, "I will leave. Xing Bi must be looking for me."


    His eyes widened. "Wait! Ai, if Jun is really so special and good that you claim him to be, then why isn''t he here with you now? Was it because he thought it''s too low for the Sky CEO to be a part of this fest for a small seminar?" He expressed with denunciation.


    "It''s because I had to come with the next flight. There is no way that Jun won''t be there where his Ai is," A chilling voice immediately dropped the temperature of the cafe, filling it with a freeze.


    Jun''s dark brown and angry gaze fell on the back of the man who was seemingly pestering Ai and refusing to let go of her. His finger bones cracked with an itch to grab his neck and bang his head on the floor until he bled to his death.


    Ai looked up, and the whole dimness from just a moment ago dissipated as if it was never even there. "Jun!"


    Her small face lit up with delight, and she blitzed her way to hug him. "You are here."


    He narrowed his eyes at her and pinched her cheek, hugging her back. "I am. And the first thing I see is you having coffee with a strange man I have never seen before. I think you would have figured out my jealousy meter by now and how I absolutely detest somebody else hovering around you."


    She defended herself. "I just accompanied him. I didn''t have coffee with him. I was just waiting for Xing Bi."


    He sneered. "And that''s supposed to cajole me somehow? Clearly, you still don''t understand how my jealousy works exactly."

 Chapter ?251 Shanghai Fest Arc (5) : Mr. Liu Slapping Dream High

    Jun narrowed his eyes and bored his gaze at the man''s back. "Who is he who thinks he can act so close towards you?"


    Ai patted his head. "Don''t be mad. He is Cai Lingyun, Guiying''s brother."


    That only turned his expression uglier and his gaze several shades darker. "Her brother? What is he doing here?"


    At that moment, Cai Lingyun turned and faced him. As Jun met his gaze, he stared at him, his eyes slowly widening.


    Cai Lingyun stiffened as he noticed Ai clinging onto his arm. Jealousy erupted in his heart, and his expression slightly twisted.


    Ai said, "He is Liu Jun. My boyfriend. He had some work to do, so he came with a later flight."


    "I see..."


    He glanced up at him and tried to smile. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Liu."


    But Jun didn''t respond. He just kept staring at him silently with an unreadable expression.


    Cai Lingyun wasn''t sure why he was so deathly quiet. He could feel that Jun was thinking hard about something as his gaze was fixed upon him.


    "Jun?" Ai tilted her head, observing his solemn expression.


    He stirred out of his daze. "You are...Cai Lingyun?"


    "Yes. I am Guiying''s older brother and have known Ai since she was in high school. We are quite close," he made it a point to point that out.


    Jun narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Sure but you cannot be as close to her as me. After all, I am her boyfriend which is way different than being a brother to her, right? Ai always told me how you always took care of her as an older brother. I appreciate that. But now I am here with her, and her boyfriend is very capable."


    Cai Lingyun stiffened. His words struck right through his heart like a poisonous arrow.


    "Since Ai has me now, you are free to focus on your sister," Jun''s voice turned chilly and full of warning. "Look after her. I just don''t want the competition to ruin their friendship. Ai will be very hurt if Cai Guiying grows distant or...does something inappropriate."


    He widened his eyes. "You are talking about my sister. She and Ai are best friends. Of course, nothing will come between them."


    Ai remained silent at that while Jun smiled. "Hope so. You never know when people change. Sometimes what we hold dearly to us turns out to be fickle for the other person."


    Jun took another chair opposite him and studied him from head to toe. "What do you do, Cai Lingyun?"


    He frowned at his inquisitiveness. "I work in a company as the Senior Analyst."


    "Do you know anybody named Tang Gengxin?"


    Cai Lingyun looked more and more bewildered. "Never even heard of that name."


    Ai was also wondering why Jun was asking these questions.


    Jun squinted his eyes. "Are you sure? That name doesn''t ring a bell at all?"


    "No. What are you getting at?"


    Jun observed his facial expression and said, "Nothing. Anyway, I heard you two were talking about me," he folded his arms and stared at him. "Seems that you are dissatisfied about something."


    Cai Lingyun glanced between Jun and Ai and smiled. "I was just concerned about Ai. Her relationship with you came as a shock to me."


    "What is there to be so shocked about?" Jun tilted his head. "Is it so strange that we love each other?"


    "...Not strange. But I cannot help but get worried. You are the CEO and a rich young master while of course, you know Ai''s background which doesn''t really gel with your world. The future seems..." He left it unsaid, a doubtful expression cast on his face.


    Jun raised his brow.


    "Bro."


    Jun and Ai watched Guiying and Zhan Yahui arrive. Though Ai already knew that she was going to be a part of this fest, Jun was angrily surprised that Guiying made her way here as well.


    "You are here. We were searching for you on the third floor." ''Guiying'' also noticed the couple and smiled. "Ai."


    Ai kept a polite smile and nodded. "Guiying."


    "And...Mr. Liu Jun," ''She'' tilted her head. "I think this is the first time we are properly meeting like this. I did see Ai and your picture on Weibo. Haha coming to know that Ai was dating you was so shocking. I didn''t even know when she got a boyfriend."


    ''She'' thought she will MrPerfect like he requested near the lake, but she didn''t expect to meet him sooner.


    Ai said nothing.


    Jun silently clenched his fist remembering all the injustice Ai had to suffer because of her. "You two siblings are really so similar. Both of you find our relationship questionable when it''s just perfectly fine."


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "Perfectly fine you say...but at what cost I wonder?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "Nothing."


    Jun despised her sight and sneered. "It''s surprising to see you here. Guess the management team decided to let in the Summit''s finalists too apart from the obvious winner."


    Ai slightly coughed.


    That was a direct insult said indirectly. He clearly expressed how only Ai deserved to be here and not her, which also pointed out a possible backdoor connection for Guiying to come here.


    Zhan Yahui expressionlessly countered. "Don''t you think that the finalists of such a prestigious Summit deserve to be invited too?"


    "Don''t you think that my girlfriend should have gotten a chance to do her book signing event which somehow Dream High never bothered to host?" Jun dryly shot back.


    Zhan Yahui said nothing.


    Jun chuckled. "You won''t say anything because CherryBlossom was DreamHigh''s star then. She deserved it, right? So it was okay if Dream High never bothered with Ai. But now that the situation has reversed, you will conveniently say that Cai Guiying still deserves to be invited to the fest.


    Nice. Whether she wins or loses, she should have everything and get all the chances to shine. But for Ai, the rule suddenly changes. And then people ask Ai why she left Dream High? Because clearly something and somewhere is going wrong. Or...somebody is purposely making things wrong for my girlfriend," his voice lowered with a deadly ring to it.

 Chapter 252 Shanghai Fest Arc (6) : We Already Accept Zhou Ai

    Chapter 252 Shanghai Fest Arc (6) : We Already Accept Zhou Ai


    ''Guiying'' stared at Jun with wonder and appalled. ''She'' had no romantic interest in MrPerfect. But ''she'' couldn''t believe that the man who sent her a card and asked to meet in Shanghai was blatantly humiliating her in front of Ai.


    Rage bubbled in her heart as her nails dug the soft flesh of her palm.


    So, there was no meaning behind calling me to meet me. You just wanted to insult me. You have crossed all your limits, MrPerfect¡­


    Zhan Yahui noticed her trembling and whispered, "Calm down, Guiying. You don''t have to take his words to heart. You are still a star."


    Don''t take his words to heart? How can I when this very man sitting right in front of me is showing how true-faced he is!


    Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth. "You are going too far, Mr. Liu. Guiying is my sister. Ai," he anxiously shifted his gaze at her, "Will you not say anything to him? Guiying is your best friend, and he is openly humiliating her. Do you think you can be happy with a man who insults your friend and your dear ones?"


    Jun felt irked at the phrasing of his words.


    Dear ones¡­Are you pointing at yourself?


    Ai was about to answer when Cai Lingyun spoke, "I told you, Ai. His world is very different. Today, he is not respecting the ones you care about and tomorrow, he won''t respect you. Forget about him. What about his family? Such a wealthy family like theirs will never accept you!"


    The trio of Nian, Xing Bi and Yunru who had lost Ai came back in search of her. But they had an additional member with them as they came.


    It was Nian who spoke as he lazily took a chair and sat beside Ai.


    "Sister-in-law!" Yunru jumped to hug her. "Where were you? Do you know how worried we got when we didn''t see you? And then we couldn''t call you either! Xing Bi''s condition was even worse!"


    Xing Bi turned her head left and right and nodded in satisfaction. "Good. There is such a huge crowd here. You scared me there," she sighed in relief.


    Ai quickly assured them. "I am fine. I am sorry. I got lost in admiring a painting."


    Nian looked up and down at Cai Lingyun and smiled. "I don''t know who you are and neither do I want to know. But you don''t have to worry about the Liu family not accepting Ai. I am Liu Nian, her future brother-in-law and from the Liu family''s behalf, I say that we already accept her."


    He stiffened.


    Ai stared at Nian with warmth enveloping her heart.


    Xing Bi''s ears perked up by the way he defended and stood up for Ai and cleared her throat.


    Good that he said that or I would have thrown him out from the balcony¡­


    Yunru puffed up his cheeks and harrumphed. "I am Chen Yunru, Bro Jun''s cousin and the Chen family accepts sister-in-law Zhou Ai too! My grandmother even wanted to pair her with Bro Zixin."


    Jun''s mouth heavily twitched. Ai gave a similar reaction.


    Grandpa Liu wanted to match me with Jin. Grandma Chen had similar thoughts?


    Ai looked at Jun. "Yunru''s grandmother¡­"


    He replied. "She is Grandpa''s younger sister."


    "..."


    No wonder.


    Nian smiled. "So you see, you don''t have to worry about Ai''s happiness. She has a big family to look after her. You say that our worlds are different, but I guess you are ignorant of who our mother is."


    Cai Lingyun blinked.


    "She wasn''t from an influential or wealthy family. She ran her own small restaurant which my brother and sister have taken over now. Even my grandmother wasn''t rich. But you don''t have any idea just how much Grandpa and Dad dote on them. They are wife slaves. There is no concept of rich and poor in our family, so there is no way that we will reject Ai based on her status. Hah! If we do that, Mom and Grandma will throw us out of the house! They are the cool Bosses, and we are at their mercy."


    Cai Lingyun smiled uncomfortably. "I¡­I see."


    Ai''s eyes glistened with thrill. "That feels so wonderful."


    Jun looked at her disdainfully. "You look too excited for some reason, my dear girlfriend. Is the ''slave'' part that interesting?"


    She sincerely defended herself. "What do you mean? I think the Bosses part is cooler."


    Nian snorted. "Ignore him. He just acts like that, but he is already your slave."


    "Shut up, Bro! You are not even supposed to be here!"


    "Hey! I am always there wherever my Xing Bi is!"


    That earned him a smack on his head. "Stop addressing me as ''my Xing Bi.''"


    He grinned. "But you looked so happy to be in my arms just a few minutes ago~"


    "That was because somebody pushed me, and I slipped. Don''t think of any ideas," she smacked him again.


    "Ow!"


    ''Guiying'' and Cai Lingyun witnessed the banter and chitter and chatter with their hearts burning in resentment.


    For Cai Lingyun, Ai seemed as if she had already gone far away and formed her own world where he wasn''t a part of it at all. He didn''t even realize when this distance suddenly formed between them.


    As for ''Guiying'', she wished to tear Jun''s smiling face apart.


    That won''t be for long, Liu Jun. Your happiness won''t last for long!


    Ai then noticed a familiar presence standing behind Yunru and was taken aback in surprise. "Shi Huan¡­? MysticMidnight. You are here too. I am sorry I didn''t notice you there."


    She observed her gaze which was watching in Guiying''s direction and was reminded of the time when she was similarly staring at her table during the Summit.


    Shi Huan broke her gaze and looked at her. "Hello. You don''t have to apologize. It''s nice to meet you."

 Chapter ?253 Shanghai Fest Arc (7) : MysticMidnight

    Chapter ?253 Shanghai Fest Arc (7) : MysticMidnight


    Ai beamed. "It''s a pleasure to meet you too. How is your health now? I am sorry that you couldn''t be a part of the finals," she pursed her lips in disappointment.


    Shi Huan took a pause and smiled. "I am much better now. And I don''t lament being disqualified. It''s an honor to even reach the finals."


    ''Guiying'' was getting annoyed at their interaction and more so because they were completely ignoring them.


    Zhan Yahui held her arm. "Let''s go. We don''t have any more time to spend here."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. His gaze fell on Cai Lingyun again, seemingly feeling disturbed by his presence.


    Cai Lingyun didn''t want to leave, but it was clear that Ai won''t be coming with them. The light in his eyes flickered with distaste and discomfort.


    Ai stared at ''Guiying'' who was looking back at her with hostility in her eyes. It was the same resentment that caused a rift between them in the past life. But she didn''t understand why she looked so different?


    Guiying feels different today...Until the Summit night, she was smiling and friendly. But now she looks indifferent. Is it because of Bro Lingyun?


    Worry filled her heart. It wasn''t that she yearned for Guiying''s friendship anymore, but she also didn''t wish for them to have any differences and be neutral and civil.


    Zhan Yahui finally pulled them away, throwing a squinted gaze at their group before leaving. Cai Lingyun also followed them reluctantly.


    Ai brought her attention back to Shi Huan who looked visibly more comfortable now that Guiying had left.


    Strange, Ai thought. Do Shi Huan and Guiying know each other?


    "Thank you. How did you all meet?"


    Nian laughed. "Hahahaha!"


    Jun grimaced. "What is so funny about that?"


    Xing Bi coughed while Yunru blushed furiously. He exclaimed. "It''s nothing at all! We just bumped into each other!"


    Nian chuckled. "But how is the main question~"


    "Shut up Bro Nian! If you say another word, then I will curse your love story!"


    "Hey! Respect your elders!"


    Ai and Jun curiously leaned in. "Now, we want to know what happened. I never saw Yunru acting so flustered."


    "I-It''s nothing!"


    Shi Huan shrugged and answered. "Indeed it''s nothing much. He just accidentally grabbed my chest."


    "..."


    "..."


    Yunru felt the silence that crushed his heart. "It''s not like what you are imagining!" His cheeks reddened like a tomato. "Listen to my story!"


    *Flashback*


    "Where is Ai!?" Xing Bi was looking around everywhere but couldn''t see her. "She got lost? I didn''t even realize!" She gasped.


    Yunru quickly said, "Calm down. Let me call her."


    But the call didn''t connect. In the end, they had no choice but to go back and fetch her. Along the way, a woman bumped into Xing Bi, who tripped and landed directly into Nian''s arms. He effortlessly held her waist and supported her, a garden of flowers instantly surrounding his head.


    Xing Bi is in my arms...Ah, she is so soft...


    A silly and perverted smile lifted his lips, but it soon disappeared when she stepped on his foot. "How dare you take advantage of me!?"


    "But I was just holding you!" He cried.


    "More than you should have," her nostrils flared, "And I felt your hands wandering on my waist. Pervert!"


    "N-no, I was just protecting my Xing Bi. How could I let you fall? So, I was tightly holding onto you," he nodded sincerely.


    Yunru rolled his eyes and left them to bicker while he searched for Ai. From a distance, he noticed someone''s back and hair that looked similar to Ai''s figure. Even the dress color matched.


    He beamed and rushed towards her. "Sister-in-law!"


    Then two things happened.


    The woman turned, and a passer by''s bagpack hit Yunru, making him lean over the woman. His hand accidentally touched her chest, making Yunru gasp in horror.


    I-I-I...What I am touching!? I am so dead!


    "S-S-Sorry-"


    But as he looked down, he noticed that she wasn''t Ai at all.


    Shi Huan glanced at his hand that was on her chest and then back at him, who was staring back at her with his jaw dropped.


    "Well..." she said.


    He immediately pulled his hand back, steam escaping from his face. "I...I...I..."


    She...she is MysticMidnight, right? The third author to reach finals in the Summit and who is from Shi Publishing?


    "It w-was an accident...I wasn''t trying to harass you! I respect women a lot!" He wanted to kill himself. The touch of her chest against his palm made his ears burn.


    "It''s alright. I saw what happened," Shi smiled. "It''s not your fault. There is just too much crowd here."


    "Tsk, tsk. You have a dirty mind, Yunru," Nian teased as he walked to his side.


    "It cannot be dirtier than you who was clearly taking Xing Bi''s advantage! Back off! Leave me alone!" Yunru cried and ran away, unable to shake that embarrassing incident off his mind.


    *Present*


    Ai burst into laughter when she finally couldn''t hold it in. "I see. Indeed, our dress colors are similar. It''s not your fault if you mistook her for me, Yunru."


    Jun chuckled and shook his head.


    Yunru wiped his eyes. "Sister-in-law...."


    He cleared his throat and said without looking at Shi Huan, "I will apologize once again for outraging your modesty! Y-you can slap me if you are angry."


    "..."


    Shi Huan was speechless. "It''s alright already. I know you didn''t do it on purpose."


    Ai smiled. "It''s really good to meet you here."


    She gave a dry smile. "I wasn''t supposed to be here, but Mom insisted I do. I didn''t even qualify for the finals, but...she can get very persistent."


    Clearly, Shi Huan wasn''t in favor of coming here through her connections.


    Ai shook her head. "I am glad that she was. I wanted to meet you again."


    She smiled.


    Ai then curiously asked, "By the way, do you know Guiying personally?"


    Shi Huan blinked. "Cai Guiying? No, I don''t."


    "You don''t? But I thought you were looking at her as if you knew her already. Even at the Summit and now. So..."


    She tilted her head thoughtfully. Then it clicked her, and she said, "You thought I was staring at Cai Guiying? I wasn''t. I was looking at Zhan Yahui."


    Jun asked, "Her editor? Why?"


    Shi Huan took a pause after which she said, "Because we know each other. She is my half-sister."

 Chapter 254 Shanghai Fest Arc (8) : The Shi Family’s Secret

    Chapter 254 Shanghai Fest Arc (8) : The Shi Family''s Secret


    "Huh?" Ai stared at her with confusion written all over her face. "Half-sister?"


    Yunru and Xing Bi also didn''t hide the disbelief in their expressions. "Zhan Yahui? Zhan Yahui? Your Half-sister?"


    "Yes," Shi Huan replied. "Though I am not supposed to tell this to anybody."


    "..."


    "Then why did you tell me?" Ai asked.


    She stared at her. "Honestly, I don''t know. But I felt like I could reveal it to you. I liked talking to you at the Summit. I also heard how you stood up for me to let me have the chance to be the finalist," her gaze and smile was filled with gratitude, "You have my deepest thanks. I really appreciate it. I also loved your story. When you asked, I just felt like you are the type of person I can share this with. It might sound silly though."


    Ai solemnly replied. "It''s not silly. I understand that feeling very well."


    She was someone who vowed to take her rebirth secret to her grave and never fall in love again, yet she was here with Jun with whom she had shared her deepest pain and secret.


    Jun knew what she was thinking about and slightly nodded his head in agreement.


    "That''s okay. It was my choice to tell you."


    Xing Bi asked, "But her last name is Zhan."


    "I think that''s her mother''s last name. We have the same fathers. I don''t know much about her."


    Silence.


    "I am sorry for asking something insensitive-"


    "No, no. I wasn''t offended," she politely smiled.


    Jun tilted his head. "So you work in Shi Publishing whereas she works in Dream High."


    Two half-sisters working in different companies, Jun thought. Don''t siblings usually fight for power?


    Shi Huan remained silent for a few moments. "Yes. It''s a complicated matter, but I find it really silly."


    "You don''t seem to hate Zhan Yahui," Ai remarked. "Zhan Yahui seemed as if she didn''t even acknowledge you."


    "I don''t hate Zhan Yahui or her existence. If anybody is at fault, then it is my father. As for Zhan Yahui, I don''t think she likes me. But that is to be expected given the circumstances."


    Nian and Jun exchanged glances. They knew about the Shi family, and it was one of the fairly elite families. But little did they know that Shi Huan''s father had such a shameful secret of his mistress.


    Ai held her hand and sincerely expressed. "Thank you for trusting and telling me this. You don''t have to worry. We won''t talk about it to anybody."


    Yunru and Xing Bi furiously bobbed their heads. "Yes. Rest assured."


    Shi Huan beamed. "Thank you."


    Yunru stared at her radiant smile for a second longer and quickly averted his gaze, coughing lightly. That earned him a whistle from Nian.


    "W-what?" He accusingly asked.


    "Nothing," Nian chuckled.


    ¡ª


    After lunch, everybody went back to their own rooms for a short nap after getting tired from all thr running around.


    Jun shut the door and pushed Ai against it, capturing her lips in a deep and fierce kiss. Clutching the back of her neck, he trapped her within his arms and slurped across her tongue. As they separated, their lips looking redder and moist, he bit on her cheek and jaw, making her tremble.


    He lifted a lock of her hair and played with his fingertips as he stared. "So, how do you explain yourself, my dear girlfriend?"


    "Explain what?" She feigned ignorance.


    He tilted her chin up and narrowed his eyes. "Your memory needs refreshment. I am talking about the part where you were enjoying your time with that brother."


    "I wasn''t enjoying. I was just talking to him."


    "Knowing that that man clearly likes you?" His voice coldly growled.


    "Ah?" Ai rapidly blinked her eyes. "Who likes me?"


    Jun peered into her light brown eyes which looked completely clueless. "Ai."


    "Yes."


    "You do realize that Cai Lingyun likes you, right? And when I say like, I mean it as a woman, not a sister."


    She looked at him dumbfounded. "He doesn''t like me that way. What are you saying?"


    "I want to ask what are you thinking? Isn''t it so obvious?" His gaze darkened. "One look and you can tell that he likes you. Ai, I thought you are perceptive about these things."


    It was still hard for her to believe. "I¡­But he is like a brother to me. He always was since I met him through Guiying."


    He gritted his teeth. "But you are not a sister to him. Plus, didn''t you say that he was always more affectionate to you than Cai Guiying in the past life? That''s because he is biased due to his feelings for you. I want to kill that man! How dare he harbor feelings for my woman? That''s also why he was talking shit about our relationship and giving excuses that my family won''t accept you! He is jealous."


    This was like a serious bomb dropped upon Ai. To her, Cai Lingyun was just a dependable big brother. She never saw him in a different light other than just a sibling, and she assumed that he treated her as a sister too.


    Was that really why he favored me all that time?


    "But he never told me in my past life at all."


    "That''s because you were dating Gu Yating," he clenched his fist, "and then you left the city when you broke up. He never got the timing right or simply, he was a coward. Whatever it was, it doesn''t change the fact that he likes you! That''s why stay away from him. Also, I have another reason to say this."


    "What?" She blinked.


    "I was quite shocked to see him and even more shocked to hear that he is Cai Guiying''s brother."


    Ai furrowed her brows. "What is shocking in that?"


    Jun squinted his eyes. "That''s because I have met him in my past life."

 Chapter ?255 Shanghai Fest Arc (9) : What Tied Their Lives In The Past *

    Chapter ?255 Shanghai Fest Arc (9) : What Tied Their Lives In The Past *


    Ai widened her eyes as a second bomb was dropped upon her. "Huh? You have met him?"


    "Not just met him. He has worked for me."


    "Worked? But as far as I know, Bro Lingyun never worked in Sky. Though I cannot be sure after I left Beijing..."


    Jun shook his head. "Not in Sky but as a sort of my attendant or a butler you can say when I stayed away from my family after Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday. I clearly remember his face. He was Cai Lingyun. But that wasn''t the name he told me when he worked for me. He said his name was Tang Gengxin then."


    Her lips parted in shock. "That''s why you asked him about that...I wondered who Tang Gengxin was."


    "When you introduced us, I couldn''t believe that I was seeing my attendant in front of me. And as Cai Guiying''s brother? I don''t understand where this is going at all. Why would her brother work for me and under a false identity?"


    She asked, "How did you meet him?"


    Jun thought back to his past life. "I don''t remember much honestly. I never really paid much attention to him. I just know that I was drunk one night. I had talked to Shui again after her birthday night, but she was adamant about her decision of not going back together. I..." his gaze dimmed. "I felt the worst and drank heavily in the bar that night. The next thing I knew that he had brought me back to my house from the bar. He said he was Tang Gengxin. I just thanked him perfunctorily, and then he requested me if I can keep him on a job. He was broke and said he was ready to be my butler for money."


    The more Ai listened, the more she could only feel more bewildered. "Broke? Bro Lingyun''s financial condition was never that bad. He worked in a good company with a good salary. He even lied about his name..."


    Jun continued, a swirl of suspicion and anger shining in his eyes. "At first, I didn''t want anybody to invade my space. But then he kept begging me. He didn''t have a proper apartment to live in. In the end, I agreed since he also helped me. But now after meeting him...I cannot be sure anymore! Just what does Cai Lingyun have to do with me? Knowing that he is Cai Guiying''s brother, it doesn''t seem to be a coincidence..."


    He pressed his brows. "The hell is going on. The more we get to know things, the more complicated it becomes. Cai Guiying was your best friend who betrayed you, and her brother worked for me?"


    He couldn''t help but think if everything was connected. Until this point, he only considered that Ai and he were connected because of their deaths at the same time and the same place. That was the only moment in their past lives which was common and shared.


    But now their lives felt more interwoven than they thought before. It wasn''t just their last moments connecting them but something much larger had happened that inevitably associated them in more ways than one.


    Apart from their deaths, one more thing - or one more person was now a source that tied them together.


    Guiying.


    Guiying, who was Ai''s friend and Guiying, whose brother worked for Jun.


    And this realization rattled their hearts. Even though Ai and Jun never actually met in their past lives, their lives were still somehow and largely related to each other in some form or the other.


    Ai pressed her head against Jun''s chest and softly said, "I also don''t understand what is going on. It seems fate found its way to connect us even though we never met. Now I feel that...our past lives weren''t so simple, Jun. You had your own life, and I lived my own, yet something kept bringing us back together. But whatever hidden things there might be, we will face everything together. It feels scary but as long as we are with each other, nothing can hurt us this time."


    Jun''s gaze softened. His heart was at unease by meeting Cai Lingyun today, but just a few words from Ai comforted his heart. He felt the warmth of her embrace melting away his negative thoughts.


    Ai tiptoed and kissed his lips and the last strand of discomfort, if any, also dissipated. He lifted her soft body, his long arms firmly enveloping her. He laid her atop the fluffy mattress and pinned her beneath him. He gently lifted her hand and placed a tender kiss on the back of it.


    "Ai, you always make my heart feel so much lighter," he whispered.


    A soft and placid smile greeted her lips. "I feel the same when you are by my side. I feel like I can overcome anything, no matter how difficult the path might be."


    Jun smiled and leaned to kiss her forehead. "Say my girlfriend. Why don''t we inaugurate our time in this room by doing something special?"


    Ai blushed, knowing what he was hinting at. "E-En..."


    *WARNING - MATURE SCENE*


    A second after her approval, Jun lifted her dress to reveal the fair skin beneath it. He got undressed himself with his lips soon finding his way on every inch of her naked body. The sound of her melodious but messy breaths and moans fell onto his ears, urging him to go faster.


    Her bra fell next in line after her dress, and Jun dipped his head between her lovely and soft breasts, kissing and sucking on it. His tongue licked the pinkish bud, earning a shiver from her as he parted her thighs.


    Ai swallowed a gulp, knowing what was to come and as soon as Jun entered her with deep thrust, her back arched with the pleasure tingling in every cell of hers. Her lips trembled as he began to pound inside her, and she hugged him closer to feel his warmth.


    "Jun..."

 Chapter 256 Shanghai Fest Arc (10) : Mr. Liu Holds Grudges *

    Chapter 256 Shanghai Fest Arc (10) : Mr. Liu Holds Grudges *


    Jun clutched her knees with his palms and kissing the top of her forehead that was slightly damp with her sweat, his length nudged inside to claim her walls. His fingertips traced the shape of her jaw that traveled towards her arched back sensually. Watching her expression of ecstasy made him exert a force that threatened to devour her whole.


    His hungry and cloudy dark brown eyes examined the red hue of the blush appearing on her cheeks. The shivering of her lips forced him to bend and capture them. Thinking about Cai Lingyun and his feelings for Ai and the way with which he eyed her with not so innocent emotions smoldered his heart with rage.


    He knew that Ai didn''t feel anything for Cai Lingyun. Jun was the only man in her heart. But the thought of another man dreaming his future with Ai stirred his heart with a chiling and murderous intent.


    But soon, the ominous and dark emotions got swept away from within him as if a gentle breeze brushed past him. He felt Ai''s hands wrapping themselves around his back, urging him closer to her. He saw his reflection shining in her beautiful pupils and her lips that were curved with a satisfied smile as he made love to her.


    The bloodthirst in his eyes faded away, replaced by warmth and affection. With his thumb, he lifted her chin and pressed his lips on hers harder and deeper. When he felt her feeling breathless, he let go for a few moments before diving to enter her mouth with his tongue.


    "Mmnn..."


    It was a bright afternoon outside but with the curtains drawn, the darkness hid their they climaxed and laid breathless after their first round, Jun flipped with his back on the bed, bringing Ai on top of him. They were still connected and flicking away her hair dabbed with sweat, he stormed hot kisses on her neck and shoulder.


    At one point Ai slightly yelped, feeling a burning sensation on a spot as Jun dug into her soft flesh with his teeth deeper than ever. She felt his tongue licking over the faint bruise, soothing the pain.


    She knew he had left a hickey on her neck, and she became curious too to leave one on Jun. So, she chomped upon his neck, but it was nowhere like a hickey, making her brows crease into a questioning furrow.


    His laughter echoed in her ear. "That''s not how you do it."


    Judging from his expression, Ai was sure that he was having a lot of fun seeing her failed attempt of leaving a kiss mark. But she knew how to take revenge too.


    "Jun, you are very cute."


    "..."


    That immediately turned his expression ice cold. "You know, cute will now be the word that might not make me desire you anymore," he sneered. "I can already feel my little brother resigning."


    Ai raised her brow, watching him with interest. "For how long though?"


    She bumped her forehead against his, inhaling the scent from his hair and rubbed her breasts against his chest.


    He shuddered. A deep groan escaped his lips and instead of resigning, his member twitched even more. He took a sharp gasp, feeling the press of her lovely chest. It made him want to take her breasts into his mouth once again and ravish them.


    "That''s not resigning, you know?" She innocently said.


    His brow twitched, and he grabbed her waist, starting to thrust his awakened and hot length deep inside her until he heard her helpless moans and cries.


    "You will pay for riling me up like that," his voice howled like that of a triggered and dangerous animal. "Don''t worry. We have all the time in this world for me to teach you a lesson," he smiled, "Didn''t I say before that there are a lot of places to make out here? Let''s try them one by one."


    Ai gulped and before she could sincerely apologize, she trembled hard as she felt his member hit the pleasurable spot inside her. He kept plunging himself inside her faster and faster until she released for the second time. But he didn''t let her rest and continued his thrusting onslaught by pinching another sweet spot just above her haven with his thumb.


    "Ahhnnn!"


    She had already climaxed but with the way he teased her sensitive and hidden place, both inside and outside, she felt a burst of shivering sparking in her stomach that led her to release another orgasm once again.


    Her head collapsed on top of his chest as she panted hard. She never thought she would experience two back to back orgasms. But that experience nevertheless was out of the world.


    Jun wiped the sweat off her forehead and chuckled. "Did you like it?"


    She was too tired to say anything. Her body was still trembling with the after effects with her vision still being blurry.


    Jun kissed her upper lip and thrusting a last few strokes inside her, he came as well. He withdrew himself and discarded the used condom.


    But Ai''s eyes popped out of her sockets when she saw him tearing a second pack of a condom and pulling it on his member. "That..."


    He smirked. "We just finished on the bed, my dear. We still have lots of places and positions to explore in this room. Do you want to do it on the couch or in a standing position next? I am fine with anything as long as I get to enter you."


    "..." Her face blushed a furious crimson.


    "Are you taking revenge for calling you cute?"


    "I hold grudges."


    "But I am your girlfriend," she pointed out.


    "No exceptions, darling. Also, we had way more rounds than just two on Valentine''s night. I trust my skills. I am feeding you quite well, so you definitely have the energy to do a lot more," he gave a meaningful smile.


    Ai faked a yawn. "What is this? I am feeling so sleepy..."


    Jun rolled his eyes. He lifted her off the bed and walking up to the window, he pushed her back against it where she felt the soft curtain''s fabric.


    "Your sleepiness won''t exist for longer, dear," he sneered, "Also, I will punish you for faking that yawn, so ge


    t ready."


    "..."


    He tilted his head and smiled. "Let''s begin, shall we?"

 Chapter ?257 Shanghai Fest Arc (11) : Shui And Warlord’s Meeting

    Chapter ?257 Shanghai Fest Arc (11) : Shui And Warlord''s Meeting


    Outside the entrance to The Creative Sense, Shui looked at her watch as she waited for Warlord. She sighed for the tenth time.


    Where is that idiot? He said he would wait for me here.


    Her foot tapped restlessly on the ground. Through the transparent glass doors, she could see the hustle and bustle going on inside. It sparked the curiosity within her too to take a look but not before meeting Warlord.


    She dropped him another message on the Reading Point direct messages chat.


    [HS - I am here already. Where are you?]


    "I am here," a chuckle sounded from behind her.


    Turning her back, Shui noticed a woman standing before her. She blinked at her several times, feeling as if she had seen her somewhere before.


    "Hi. I am the author CherryBlossom."


    Shui''s eyes widened. "Oh yes. I have seen you in the news before. Hello."


    Isn''t she Zhou Ai''s rival from Dream High?


    Though she didn''t understand why CherryBlossom suddenly came forward to meet her.


    "..."


    Shui stared at her, her lips parted in shock as felt speechless. "Huh? Say that again?"


    ''Guiying'' laughed. "I expected that reaction from you. I know you thought that I must be a guy."


    Shui was still dumbfounded, but when she saw ''Guiying'' showing the app on her mobile screen and logged in as Warlord, she took a sharp gasp. "You are really Warlord. You were a woman all this time!?"


    "Yes."


    "H-How¡­I mean why?" She still couldn''t wrap her head around. The goofy and funny guy who she always thought to be silly and a little annoying was actually disguised as a man. But actually, it was a woman on the other side of the screen.


    "Well, it''s nothing," she smiled. "I just thought it would be fun that way. Also, once everybody knows that you are a woman, you can face online harassment too which I didn''t want to get myself into. So making a fake male identity was easier."


    "I see¡­It''s still hard to believe," Shui shook her head. "Gosh you are a narcissist. You praised yourself so much to the point of being your own idol."


    ''Guiying'' laughed. "So what? We should be our own fans first~ At least it''s better than¡­having none," she dryly chuckled. "But I request you not to reveal my gender to anybody or the fact that I am Warlord. Please?"


    Shui thought about it and nodded. "Sure. If you are not comfortable with it, then I won''t say anything."


    "Thanks."


    "Where are the others by the way?"


    "Well, I have told them that Warlord won''t be able to make it. They are quite pissed off since I made the plan, and now I disappeared. But I came here because I really wanted to meet you."


    "What if I was a man too?" She chuckled.


    "Na. I was sure you were a woman by the way you chatted. Plus¡­I now remember that there were times when MrPerfect would pitch in and yell at others when anybody tried to be cheesy with you. That also made me more sure."


    Ah¡­


    That was the time when Jun would get possessive and bash any men trying to flirt with her online, guessing she was a woman.


    "Yeah haha¡­"


    ''Guiying'' tilted her head. "It seems like you and MrPerfect were really close for him to act so¡­"


    Shui gave an awkward smile which ''she'' didn''t fail to notice.


    "He is actually my childhood friend. That''s why we are close."


    "Of course, you did say that. I remember. Hehe¡­"


    ''Guiying'' inwardly sneered.


    Just a childhood friend? I don''t think so.


    "But have the childhood friends turned into lovers? It''s so romantic, right?"


    Shui widened her eyes. "No. We are not like that."


    Not anymore.


    "We are just friends."


    Then Shui remarked. "By the way, if you are CherryBlossom aka Cai Guiying, then it means that you know Zhou Ai, right?"


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "Well, yes. She is not just someone with whom I worked in the same company but we are¡­best friends too. You can say like you and MrPerfect but just that we met in high school."


    Her eyes slightly widened. "Oh."


    "Why do you ask?"


    Shui shook her head. "Nothing."


    ''Guiying'' clapped her hands once in delight. "Oh where is MrPerfect by the way? Of course, I don''t want to meet him as Warlord, but I surely want to see him~"


    She cleared her throat. "I don''t know. I mean, I think he is here."


    "How are you not sure? Weren''t you going to come together with him? Don''t tell me he is not here!" ''She'' pouted.


    Shui scratched her chin. "L-let''s talk about him later. How about we head inside first? It''s feeling too hot outside."


    ''Guiying'' didn''t miss how she was trying to avoid the subject. But she let it go. "Sure~"


    They were about to head inside when Shui caught a familiar figure from the corner of her eye. She turned her head and froze as she saw a man''s figure walk past her from a distance.


    How is he¡­


    Shui quickly said, "I-I will be back. Wait here for me, okay?"


    ''Guiying'' tilted her head and saw her hurrying towards the opposite side.


    What happened to her?


    Shui ran behind the man and caught his arm hastily before he went any further. "Jin!"


    Jin stopped in his steps and narrowed his eyes. He turned and noticed her clinging onto his hand as she felt slightly breathless.


    "Jin¡­"


    Shui recalled the time at the restaurant and his cold gaze coupled with his harsh words. She found her own words at a loss, but her heart felt happy seeing him again.


    "Jin¡­" Tears threatened to escape her eyes.


    Jin stared at her and burst into a mocking smile. "Han Shui. Such a bad surprise to see you here. I arrive in Shanghai and the first thing I see is your face. I am so unlucky."


    She froze.


    "Did you seriously stalk me all the way from Beijing to Shanghai because I wasn''t replying to your calls and messages? I thought I was very clear about my feelings for you that day," he smiled, "Or do you want to hear that again?"

 Chapter 258 Shanghai Fest Arc (12) : The Piano’s Melody

    Chapter 258 Shanghai Fest Arc (12) : The Piano''s Melody


    "Jin, why are you talking like this? What has happened to you?" Shui''s heart sank at his distant and unfeeling voice. "I just felt happy seeing you¡­"


    Jin looked down at her hand clutching his coat. He quietly lifted it and shook it off from him. "But I am not happy at all. Didn''t I tell you to stop bothering me?"


    She stiffened.


    "Seriously, Shui," his voice turned several notches colder, "I have better things to do than entertaining you right now. So leave my way. Better go back to Beijing if you don''t want me to humiliate you anymore. I can push you away if I want, but I don''t wish to in front of so many people."


    Jin didn''t say a word further and turned on his heels, leaving a gust of chilly air that made her shiver.


    Shui remained standing there until his back disappeared. She trembled, feeling frost in the afternoon sun.


    She felt a hand on her shoulder, and jolted as she turned.


    "Hey. What''s wrong?" ''Guiying'' asked.


    Shui quickly shook her head. "Nothing."


    "I saw you talking to somebody. Is he your friend?"


    Shui clenched her fist and was unsure of how to respond.


    With the way Jin looked, are we even friends now?


    Strange. She looked as if¡­


    "A-Anyway. How about we go inside?" Shui wanted to divert the topic away from Jin.


    ''She'' smiled. "Sure."


    Well, I will get to know about it sooner or later.


    ¡ª


    After taking some rest in the hotel, everybody came back to The Creative Sense to check out the remaining floors and events hosted in them.


    Ai was walking slower than usual, throwing aggrieved glances at Jun from time to time, who remained indifferent to her gazes.


    Yunru asked, "Sister-in-law, are you not feeling well?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "I had a heavy lunch¡­"


    Nian whistled. "Was it a heavy lunch or ~~ Ow, ow!"


    He felt Xing Bi pressing her foot upon his and glaring at him. "Speak another word, and I will break your foot."


    Nian wiped his tears. "How can you be so violent with your future husband, my dear?"


    Yunru was looking around and as he saw Shi Huan''s figure at a distance, he eagerly waved his hand. "We are here!!"


    Nian sneered. "Aren''t you a little too excited?"


    "You are the most hyper here, Bro Nian! Watch out, or you will never win over Xing Bi''s heart."


    "Don''t you dare curse my love life!"


    Jun grimaced at his tactics and sighed. He held Ai''s hand and gently pulled her towards him. "Hey."


    Ai pinched his cheek which didn''t faze him at all. "You are mean."


    "What can I do? You were just too sexy for me to control."


    Her mouth twitched.


    "Should I carry you in my arms?" He smiled.


    "No, thank you," she softly harrumphed.


    Shi Huan came to their side and smiled. "Hello. Where are you going?"


    Yunru cleared his throat and answered. "We are heading towards the music gallery. D-Do you want to come with us too?"


    "Oh," she beamed. "Sure. That was my next destination too. If you don''t mind-"


    "We don''t!" He quickly said.


    Xing Bi grinned. "Yes, yes! The more, the merrier."


    Ai asked in anticipation. "What will be there at the music gallery?"


    Jun answered. "I heard many talented musicians are invited to play a piece. It''s up to the artist''s choice if they want to use the piano, violin, etc."


    Xing Bi was thrilled. "I love piano."


    Ai nodded hard. "Me too."


    Jun chuckled. "Should I play something for you?"


    Ai was taken aback in surprise. "You know how to play the piano?"


    "Yes. A little bit of violin too."


    Nian scooted closer to Xing Bi. "I also know how to play the piano. How about I play a lovely melody, commemorating our beautiful time together?"


    Xing Bi smiled. "No, thanks."


    "..."


    This won''t do. I would definitely win you over with my piano charms!


    Yunru eyed Shi Huan and casually asked, "What instrument do you like?"


    Shi Huan replied. "I think I like the guitar''s sound the most."


    His ears perked up with delight. "I know how to play guitar. My elder brother had taught my sister and me. I am quite decent at it. D-Do you want to listen to me playing?" His cheeks slightly flushed.


    She seemed excited too. "Sure! I would love it too."


    And thus, a fire lit in the hearts of all three men to impress the woman they liked with their music.


    Jun smirked. "Get ready to be swept off your feet."


    As they reached the venue, a soft melody coming from the piano hung in the air. It was so sweet and magnetic that it felt timeless. Everybody stood extremely still as if enjoying the warmth which the elegance from the notes provided them.


    But to Jun, it felt anything but warm because he crisply recognized that music. Nian as well.


    Jun stepped in front of the venue''s entrance and his gaze was fixed upon a certain back, who was calmly sitting on the piano with a gentle smile on his lips.


    Jin''s fingertips tapped on the piano''s keyboard with grace and gentleness. His black eyes felt warm but with a trace of loneliness settled in it. The crowd hearing him play had tears in their irises.


    So beautiful¡­


    Ai''s eyes slowly widened.


    What is Jin doing here?


    Jun watched his brother''s figure with a faint tremble in his eyelashes. It was as if the music transported him back to his childhood days.


    ''Bro, bro. I like hearing you play," A six years old Jin came to Jun''s side all elated. "Will you teach me how to play the piano too?"


    Jun, who was ten at that time, tilted his head. "You want to learn?"


    "En!" Little Jin bobbed his head hard.


    Jun smiled. "Sure. Let''s begin tomorrow."

 Chapter ?259 Shanghai Fest Arc (13) : Meeting Jin

    Chapter ?259 Shanghai Fest Arc (13) : Meeting Jin


    It was an enjoyable time for Jun to teach his little brother how to play the piano. The twins mostly goofed around all the time even during their classes. Nuo was also quite naughty in that aspect, or it could be said that the twins'' mischief got rubbed onto her. But it was only Jin who sincerely ever focused.


    The melody that Jin played right now was the same which Jun had taught to him back in their childhood. It was one of Jun''s own compositions which everybody liked the most.


    Nana had even commented once.


    "Jun could become such a great music composer too! Aish, all my children are so talented," she proudly said.


    It was later on that Jun slowly lost interest in music, so he played less frequently. But the warm memories with his brother remained.


    Ai gently asked, "Do you remember something?"


    Jun''s stupor broke, and he said with a slightly hoarse voice, "That melody. It was me who taught Jin that melody. I used to teach him how to play the piano during our childhood."


    She could feel how precious those sweet memories were for Jun, especially now when there was a rift between the brothers in this delicate time. Even so, Jun forgot all his resentment for these few finite moments only to cherish the happy childhood they had shared.


    Xing Bi and Shi Huan looked at them and wondered why they seemed so serious. Even Nian and Yunru who always merrily chirped, had a grave light in their eyes. They both were unaware of the sour relationship between Jun and Jin.


    Is everything alright? Xing Bi thought to herself. Even this goofy Liu Nian suddenly fell so silent¡­


    When he was done and the music stopped, everybody broke into loud cheers and claps as they sniffled.


    "It was so beautiful."


    "Did you see him playing? His movements were so light."


    p<???>?-?0???¡¢??? The organizers came to shake hands with Jin as they thanked him. Jin''s gaze fell on the group standing at the entrance, and he smiled. He walked towards them and stared at Jun. "Such a pleasant surprise seeing you here, Bro Jun."


    Jun stared at him and said nothing. He recalled the last violent confrontation that happened between them, and he felt a sense of burden pressing upon his heart.


    Nian narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing here, Jin? Because if you are here to cause trouble then¡­"


    Xing Bi was surprised.


    What are they talking about? But this man really resembles them. Wait, he called Jun as Bro Jun¡­Is he their little brother?


    But more importantly, why does it feel so tense?


    Jin smiled. "Don''t be so suspicious, Bro Nian. I was simply invited here to play. I did participate in music competitions in the past, right? The word got around, that''s all."


    "It got around or did you make it that way?" He sharply countered.


    "You are way too cautious, Bro. I just came here to enjoy since the fest organizers were requesting so much. But yes. I do have to say that I have another motive. I came to know that Zhou Ai would be here too for giving a writers'' seminar. I thought it would be a nice chance to meet her."


    Jun''s dark brown irises slowly turned clouded and dangerous.


    Ai glanced at Jin. "If that is so, then this meeting is over. You saw me. I saw you. We can move on."


    "Not so soon. Now that we have already met, why not have a small snack time together?"


    Jun coldly answered. "No, thanks. You be on your way, Jin. You better not cross paths with us again."


    "It''s just a small meal. How hard can it be?"


    "Jin¡­" Nian warned him with his perilous gaze.


    One of the organizers recognized Jun and Nian and brightened up. He came up to them and gave a welcoming smile. "Oh, I didn''t know that Mr. Liu Nian and Mr. Liu Jun would be here too. Oh, I see! Of course, you came to accompany Miss. Zhou. She is giving a seminar tomorrowz after all. As her boyfriend, of course you are here to support her haha. By the way, I heard Mr. Liu Jin talking about a meal."


    Jin smiled. "Yeah. Since we brothers are all here, I thought it would be a good idea to have some fun."


    Yunru glared at him.


    You just want to cause trouble!


    The organizer suggested with enthusiasm


    "In that case, how about I take you all to our private diner above? There is a sumptuous buffet going on. Mr. Liu Jin gave such a wonderful performance. I want to sincerely thank him."


    Ai didn''t wish for any commotion to happen, so she tugged onto Jun''s arm and gave a slight nod.


    Jun agreed through gritted teeth.


    Let''s just get done with it, and I won''t ever see him again!


    ¡ª


    When they arrived at the diner, the group settled on a big table but even with seven people on board, there was complete silence. The air felt too stifling, and nobody wanted to talk.


    Xing Bi finally broke the ice, feeling suffocated. "Haha. Look outside. The chefs are cooking live. That''s so amazing, right? I have never seen live cooking before," she tried to ease the tension.


    Shi Huan added. "Indeed. It''s so amazing."


    Yunru took the cue and chimed in. "Yeah, it''s really cool! Hah, this is nothing. Bro Jun can cook even faster than those chefs. Aunt Nana is the best chef after all. They have learned from the Queen hoho."


    That gave Jun a good idea.


    Since I couldn''t play for Ai in all that confusion, how about I cook something delicious for her?


    He also felt secretly guilty about tiring her with their lovemaking.


    Even if Jun was the guest, who would dare stop him if he wanted to be the chef?


    He smiled at Ai. "Wait for me. I will make something for you."


    "Ah? But-"


    "Ssh. Just wait."


    Nian felt left out. "Hey! I will come too. Let me show my patissier skills. Xing Bi will then definitely fall in love with me."


    "..."


    He never gives it a rest, does he!?


    Then Yunru got the same idea, and he rushed behind his cousins to join them. "W-wait for me!"


    Which left only Jin and the ladies at the table all alone.

 Chapter 260 Shanghai Fest Arc (14) : Hiding Behind A Mask

    Chapter 260 Shanghai Fest Arc (14) : Hiding Behind A Mask


    Once again, silence reigned. Xing Bi fidgeted with her fingers with the awkward atmosphere surrounding them. She glanced at Ai, who seemed to be cold and not bothered about talking to Jin at all. There was definitely a sense of distance she felt in her gaze.


    She talks to President Yunru and that annoying Liu Nian in a friendly way. So why not with him? She wondered.


    Jin flashed a warm smile. "I am Liu Jin, Bro Jun and Bro Nian''s younger brother. I saw you two at the Authors'' Summit, but I guess this is the first time we are officially meeting."


    Xing Bi was visibly surprised. "You were there?"


    "Yes. With Bro Nian as his buttering machine to speak some nice words about him to soothe your rage in your heart," he ruthlessly disclosed Nian''s secret plan.


    "..."


    That fool wanted to use his brother too!? How shameless!


    Her smile cracked and so did her fingers with a violent urge to strangle him. "I see¡­It''s nice to meet you."


    Shi Huan slightly bowed. "I am Shi Huan or the author MysticMidnight. Nice to meet you too."


    He nodded. "So Miss. Xing Bi. Does my brother have any chance?"


    "Cool. Keep torturing him like that," he shrugged.


    Wow, even he seems to be like Liu Jun who is annoyed by Liu Nian. Hoho~ good for me. I have a big team.


    Jin eyed Ai and pointed out. "How cruel, Zhou Ai. They are your friends, and you know me too. But you didn''t even bother to introduce us."


    "There is no need for them to know you," Ai didn''t mince her words at all.


    He chuckled. "Why not? Don''t you remember how Grandpa paired us together as a couple? Sure, you are dating Bro Jun now, but it hurts if you ignore me so blatantly."


    Xing Bi, who was sipping her water, almost spat it out as she coughed hard.


    Say what!? Liu Jin and Ai together? Wait, wait. Does that mean that Liu Jin likes Ai?


    She gasped.


    Shit, is this a love triangle!? Is that why the atmosphere was so awkward?


    p¡¢and a-n¡¢o¡¢vel Shi Huan blinked and cocked her brow.


    Ai remarked. "That is the only way to open your eyes to the fact that I will never look at you more than anything but simply as Jun''s brother. Also, I know that you don''t like me, so you can stop lying."


    "I do like you. Why is it so difficult to believe in that?"


    "Perhaps because your real face is hiding behind a mask. What you think and what you act lies on polar opposite sides of a spectrum. Until you are willing to let go of that mask and reveal your true feelings, nobody will believe you," she replied, unperturbed.


    Jin stared at her with an expressionless gaze.


    My true feelings you say¡­


    "Am I not expressing my true feelings?" He tilted his head and raised his hand towards her gradually.


    Ai straightened up in attention and thought he was going to touch her cheek. "Don''t you-"


    Instead, he went further back and dusted off something from her hair dangling on her shoulder. "There was a small leaf stuck inside. What did you think I would do?" He smiled.


    A moment of silence later, Shi Huan said in a stern voice, "You could have just told her."


    Jin narrowed his eyes and looked at her.


    Since Ai stood up for her during the Summit, Shi Huan wanted to help her too today. She could also see like Xing Bi that something tense was going on where Jin was concerned.


    Xing Bi also frowned with this behavior. He kept saying that he liked her, but she couldn''t feel his sincerity at all.


    How dare he play with my Ai as if she is some toy!? Her body burned with imaginary flames of anger as she glared at him.


    At that point, the trio returned with their cooked dishes.


    Jun has made a delicious chicken spaghetti with barbeque sauce, Nian was grinning while holding a chocolate tart on his plate, and Yunru was really nervous with the fried rice he had prepared. The drooling fragrance coming from the dishes dissolved the stiffness from the atmosphere.


    Ai beamed. "This is the first time I will be having Spaghetti cooked by you."


    Jun smirked with pride. "You will definitely like it. I have perfected this dish like a pro."


    Jin stared at his brother, serving the plate with chicken spaghetti in front of Ai and subconsciously clenched the fork in his hand. It was an action that didn''t go unnoticed by Ai. His black pupils seemed icier and cruel as opposed to the fake smile.


    Nian hopped towards Xing Bi''s side and slid the chocolate tart towards her. "Xing Bi. This is my creation where I have poured all my love and heart into. Now eat it and fall in love with me!"


    "..."


    Yunru just quietly sat down and nervously offered Shi Huan his plate of fried rice. "Do you want to try it? I am a good cook too¡­" his forehead broke into a cold sweat.


    Shi Huan blinked at him in surprise. "Are you sure?"


    "Yes!" He nodded hard until his neck threatened to break.


    Xing Bi grudgingly took a bite of the chocolate tart because Nian refused to leave her side.


    It cannot be that good-


    "Damn this is delicious! It just melts on my tongue," She blurted out in amazement.


    "..."


    She stiffened, wanting to bite her own tongue.


    Why did I say that? But damn he has skills! I never tasted such fluffy sweets before¡­


    Flowers bloomed around Nian''s head. "I knew it! Hehe from now on, I will feed you delicious cakes every day until you will be forced to say yes to me," he blushed.


    She was speechless.


    Make sweets for me everyday and make me gain weight?


    Shi Huan took a bite of the fried rice, and Yunru awaited her judgement. Her eyes widened in delight. "This is really splendid. Very flavorful. I love it. You are a good cook."


    Yunru sobbed with happiness. All the days I trained to become a good chef paid off!


    He was dazzled by her smile and stared at her as she continued to stuff more rice into her mouth.


    She looks cute like a squirrel, he giggled.


    But where there was a warm atmosphere between the four of them, a different cold war was being fought between Jun, Ai and Jin.

 Chapter ?261 Shanghai Fest Arc (15) : An Elder Brother Teaching A Lesson To His Younger Brother

    Chapter ?261 Shanghai Fest Arc (15) : An Elder Brother Teaching A Lesson To His Younger Brother


    Ai took her chopsticks and took a bite of the piping hot spaghetti dipped in the barbeque sauce.


    "Delicious!" She exclaimed with glee.


    Jun was pleased to hear the compliment. He loved watching the satisfied and fulfilled expression on her cute face. "Eat all up."


    Jin was the only one in the group who wasn''t enjoying the meal. Instead of his own food, his attention was solely focused upon Jun and Ai. The more they laughed, the more of an ugly and distorted feeling enveloped his heart with darkness. He displayed a stoic and deadpan expression on the outside but inside was a whole different level of resentment brewing up.


    Everybody was enjoying their food without focusing on Jin at all.


    Ai happily dipped her chopsticks into her plate again to take another bite when Jin rose from his seat. "I have something to attend to."


    Jun noticed the untouched food on Jin''s plate and was about to say something when he held his tongue back. In the end, he remained silent.


    As Jin got up, the table suddenly and violently shook. The glass of water on Ai''s side of the plate tilted, and the water spilled all upon the spaghetti and trickled down to soak her dress wet. The glass slightly fractured as well with its tiny and sharp shards scattering towards her.


    Xing Bi hastily asked, "Ai, are you okay? You are not hurt, right?"


    Yunru called for a waiter to clean up the mess on the table.


    Shi Huan quickly offered her a tissue. "Wipe it with this."


    Jun anxiously checked her fingers and hands, "The glass didn''t prick you, right?"


    "No, I am fine, Jun. I am not hurt," she assured him. She pursed her lips in disappointment. "I just feel bad for the ruined pasta. It was so delicious and you worked hard for it," her shoulders slumped.


    "Idiot. What are you worrying over such a simple thing? I can make it for you anytime you want. Your safety is more important."


    Jin said, "Oops. My bad. My knee accidentally struck the table. I didn''t know the impact would be like this."


    Jun eyed him with a dangerous glint. "Be careful Jin! You would have hurt Ai!"


    p??(?)? ?o??? "I apologize. I am really sorry, Zhou Ai."


    But Ai neither accepted nor rejected his apology.


    As Jin stepped out, he felt a hand clutch his shoulder, forcefully pulling him back. "My dear little brother."


    He stiffened upon hearing Nian''s voice laced with alarm and coldness. There were very few people passing by, so Nian was free to display his hostility.


    "You are stooping too low. I think I warned you before that if you don''t stop doing what you are doing, then it will be really bad for your health," he remarked by lowering his voice and simultaneously tightening his painful grip on Jin''s shoulder.


    Jin faintly pressed his brows. "I already told you it was an accident."


    "Lie to me once again, and I will slap the shit out of you. Since when did you become so gutsy to stand against me?" The dark pressure his aura emanated would have brought somebody else on his knees. "I am still very lenient, Jin. Trust me, if Jian comes to know about this, then¡­let''s not talk about how miserable he will make your life," Nian smiled. "You know how we can get if somebody flips our switch to the wrong side, right?"


    Jin involuntarily shuddered and just for a moment, his gaze expressed the deep and innate fear towards his older brothers.


    "You know, it''s such a good time to sort out your differences but here you made Jun angry again. I told you, I don''t like us siblings fighting," Nian yawned lazily and from his shoulder, he held Jin''s ear, pinching it tightly. "Why don''t you learn when I say something for the first time, Jin?"


    Jin''s complexion suddenly paled. "Leave!"


    "Then don''t do things that make me angry," he sighed helplessly. "You know I am not a good man when you tick me off like that."


    "You don''t understand anything!"


    "I don''t want to either," Nian shrugged. "Just behave as you are supposed to, and everything will be fine."


    Nian was about to twist his ear harder when a hand came in between and stopped his fingers. "Enough, Bro."


    Nian took a sideway glance and stared at Jun. "Ah my other dear little brother."


    Jun saw Jin''s ear turning redder and pressed his hand firmer. "Ai is alright, Bro. Take your hand off his ear."


    "You don''t tell me what I should do and what I shouldn''t, Jun," he iterated casually, but Jun didn''t miss the menace in his tone. "Don''t forget that YOU are also my little brother. Follow the age hierarchy here. I wouldn''t like it if you step out of your line either. Do you want me to pinch your ear next?"


    Jun said nothing.


    "Also, what if Jin did it purposely? Will you still be soft towards him? If so, then you are pathetic."


    Jun glanced at Jin, who wasn''t meeting his gaze. He studied the animosity and fear In Jin''s eyes.


    "Even if Jin did it purposely, I will punch and punish him. Nobody can hurt my girlfriend, and I will make sure he won''t do that again. So, leave him. I will deal with him."


    Nian pouted. He then let go of Jin''s ear but not without tugging it harder one last time, making Jin gasp. "You better do, or I will take matters into my own hands. And that will be veryyyyyy ugly," he smiled.


    Nian turned on his heels and left, whistling a merry tune.


    Jun left for a minute and brought back a medical kit with him. "Put the ointment. It will hurt less. You should know better that you should just hang your head low and apologize when you are standing in front of Bro Jian and Bro Nian. They don''t like it when we challenge their authority."


    Jin snatched the ointment tube from him and gritted his teeth. "You don''t need to care about me!"

 Chapter 262 Shanghai Fest Arc (16) : Discipline Is Necessary

    Chapter 262 Shanghai Fest Arc (16) : Discipline Is Necessary


    < Jin scowled at him. "Bro Nian was right! I shook the table purposely," he mocked at him, "but it''s only because you broke your promise first."


    "What?" Jun looked bewildered. "Which promise did I break?"


    Jin laughed angrily. "It''s no use telling you if you don''t remember it. But know one thing that I will never accept your and Zhou Ai''s relationship. As long as I am there, I will never let you leave in peace!"


    "Jin!" He clutched his collar and pushed him back furiously "Enough! This is my life and who I choose to live with is none of your business. I had enough of you meddling into my life!"


    For a moment, a flash of hurt and sorrow flickered in Jin''s eyes. "Meddling? And what will you do if I don''t stop meddling? Kill me?" He sneered.


    Jun froze. The memory of his bullet piercing Jin''s chest in his past life made him uncomfortable and shiver. His grasp weakened, and he let go of him.


    "Right? I don''t think you would hesitate to kill me if you got the chance," he balled his fist.


    Jin studied his brother''s eyes which looked increasingly dim and lifeless. Since he knew that Jun was also reborn, he also knew that he must be thinking of the past.


    "You...you and Zhou Ai will never be happy, Bro," he then left taking large strides.


    Ai had seen how dangerous Jian and Nian looked when they had separated Jun and Jin from fighting each other that day of breakup announcement.


    Whereas Xing Bi had witnessed it first hand how alarming he could become when he had beaten the shit out of those judges to the point that they had to be admitted to the hospital.


    At that moment, she felt her heart pounding faster. The menace in his eyes was real. She thought that if Jun hadn''t stopped him then Nian would have definitely tore Jin''s ear apart.


    Yunru shuddered and whispered. "Yeah he can crazy if he gets angry. Same with Bro Jian."


    Shi Huan asked, "Are you also afraid of them?"


    Yunru didn''t want to look like a scaredy cat in front of her, but he had to admit the terror. "No kidding. They can be really vicious. You have no idea. Bro Zixin is also like that. He is not goofy like them. Gentle and calm. But if somebody annoys him too much..." he wiped his forehead. "Rest is history."


    They saw Nian coming back, behaving as if nothing had happened. He beamed upon seeing the love of his life. "Xing Biiiii!"


    He was about to hop into her hug when she cleanly moved away. "Don''t be so touchy!"


    He sobbed, feeling hurt. "How could you? Didn''t my chocolate tart win over your heart?"


    "You will need to work a lot harder than just making me a chocolate tart."


    "Then let''s go on a date!" He suggested. "I will work my ass off to impress you and then we happily get into a relationship!" He chirped.


    "..."


    He is becoming an expert on how to bring date in any conversation...


    Ai cleared her throat and brought his attention back to her. "You were quite strict there."


    For a moment, even she felt bad on Jin''s behalf for some reason.


    "Oh with Jin? You saw that?" He shrugged. "That''s necessary you know. Siblings should live united, but he is making things difficult. I don''t like that. I really wanted to tear his ear off."


    Xing Bi gulped. Ai and Yunru''s mouths twitched.


    Nian collapsed on the couch, sighing. "But that damn Jun always comes in the way. He is just too softie."


    Ai gave it a thought. "...Yes. I actually didn''t expect that he would step in to help Jin."


    Especially considering how sour their relationship is now...


    "He was always like that. You know there was once a time when Jian and I punished Jin for being a troublesome kid. He was four I think? He wanted to eat something made by Mom, but she was sick that day. Even so, he insisted that she make food for him. He acted like a selfish brat. So Jian and I locked him in a dark room because he was afraid of the dark. We were pissed off. We told Jun and our sister, Nuo as well not to help him at all."


    Ai, Xing Bi and Shi Huan - "...."


    "That was fun. He was crying so much and begging us to let him out. But we didn''t listen to him, haha. He was miserable."


    "..."


    Nian clicked his tongue. "But turns out that he was not so miserable after all because Jun was beside him the whole time."


    Ai blinked her eyes.


    "When Mom felt better, she scolded us really badly for locking Jin like that. When we came to bring Jin out, we saw that he was laughing with Jun. It was still dark. Jun hadn''t switched on the lights because he knew that if he did that, then we will punish him like hell. When we give a punishment, nobody is supposed to interfere in that."


    Ai was speechless.


    "Whatever but Jin was quite happy and relaxed," he sighed again. "See? Jun is such a softie. Even though we told not to help Jin, he still didn''t listen to us."


    Ai was afraid to ask the next question but she did so anyway. "Did you punish Jun for helping him?"


    "We smashed his most favorite video game into pieces and also made it sure that he didn''t get to buy back again through Mom or Dad or another family member," Nian said nonchalantly.


    "..."


    Xing Bi was horrified. "W-weren''t you going too far?"


    "Discipline is necessary and a certain amount of fear too," he smiled. "Jin is also the youngest. Youngest siblings tend to be more spoiled so Jian and I wanted to set that boundary of not crossing the line. You cannot excused just because you are the youngest."


    "But what if getting locked in a room would have impacted Jin in a negative way? Like trauma?"


    Nian shrugged. "Not Jian or my problem. If he was afraid of having a trauma, he shouldn''t have acted so selfishly and troubled Mom in the first place. Do you know how Mom felt so guilty for not being able to cook for him? She was literally forcing herself to make food despite being sick. We couldn''t see that. That''s why we punished him. If you are so afraid of the consequences, then you shouldn''t act wrongly in the first place."


    "Well...children tend to be like that sometimes," Xing Bi coughed.


    Nian smiled. "And that''s when you set the boundaries as soon as possible to make them know what they can do...and what they cannot."

 Chapter ?263 Shanghai Fest Arc (17) : Mr. Liu Is Totally A Softie

    Chapter ?263 Shanghai Fest Arc (17) : Mr. Liu Is Totally A Softie


    Late at night as Ai tossed in bed and turned towards Jun, she kept thinking of what transpired throughout the whole day. The first day of the Shanghai Fest had just come to an end, but she already met Guiying, Cai Lingyun, learned about Zhan Yahui''s half-sister relationship with Shi Huan, Cai Lingyun''s hidden feelings for herself and then the whole scene with Jin.


    There were so many things to process. But what she felt the most striking was Jun and Jin''s relationship. When the whole thing happened during the meal time and then the conversation between Nian, Jun and Jin, she felt as if something was bugging her, but she couldn''t quite put her finger upon it. She wasn''t able to reach a realization she should have.


    "What are you thinking so deeply?" Jun rested his head on his palm and watched her with interest. With his other hand, he tucked the lock of her hair behind her ear.


    "Just about the day but particularly about you and Jin. Nian told me of the time when he and Jian had locked Jin into a room when he was four."


    "Ah that. I remember that clearly."


    "He also said that you are a softie always standing up for Jin."


    .?O? She nodded.


    "I am not a softie. Jin was just four at that time. I know he was being selfish when he asked Mom to cook for him despite her being sick, but I thought that locking him in a room was too much of a harsh punishment. He was just four. It would have been fine if they had just scolded him a bit. That''s why I secretly stayed with him without switching on the lights. Actually, I did. I brought a small toy with me that would light up when you switched it on. It ran on battery. It also didn''t shine too brightly that the twins would catch the light coming out of the room through the door slit."


    "You did that so that Jin wouldn''t be afraid of the dark?"


    "Yeah. He was terrified of the dark. That fear faded away as he grew up but in childhood, darkness really scared the shit out of him. He would cry endlessly. That''s also why I thought that it was a very harsh punishment," he grimaced.


    Ai stared at him and smiled. "I see. Nian also said that they smashed your favorite video game because you helped him."


    Jun still felt the pain as he thought of the past and recalled how they ruthlessly broke his game into pieces. "Well, I had expected that. They had already warned me not to help Jin. Yet, I did. They are not very nice people when you go against them. Like when they are totally serious and angry."


    Ai coughed.


    "You should know something about them," Jun seriously remarked. "For most of the time, the twins are simply idiots."


    "..."


    "But no matter how much they trouble us siblings, they know that they are the eldest brothers. They greatly value that age hierarchy. They feel proud that they are the eldest because being the eldest gives them the most authority. They really like authority and being in control. That''s something they learned from Dad. They could never go against him. Even when playing tricks and having fun, they were very careful around him. They respect him, but they also fear him. That''s the same feeling the twins want to invoke within others. You can be casual with them, but they always want to stay in charge."


    Ai remembered Nian threatening Jun the same way.


    ''Follow the age hierarchy here.''


    "And if you go against them¡­"


    Jun cleared his throat. "Then be prepared for a few punches. If you are in the wrong, then they don''t like themselves to be challenged. When they seriously say that one is wrong, they should ideally just shut their mouths and apologize. Plain simple. Just apologize and get it over or if you force them to drag the issue, the consequences are very severe.


    That''s why you see that I don''t bother with them most of the time, and they don''t mind if I ignore them or taunt them. But when shit gets serious, they are quick to show that they are the eldest brothers. Even in my past life after Shui''s rejection, they had hit me quite a few times because I remained stubborn."


    Ai felt saddened to hear the past. She knew Jun was wrong with his obsession, but still imagining him to be hurt pained her.


    He sighed. "Trust me, their punches are no jokes."


    Ai said, "I can see that. For a moment, even I felt bad for Jin when he twisted his ear. It looked really painful, and Jin seemed genuinely terrified for the first time."


    Jun replied. "Well there''s the fact that they had locked him up once. So, he is always wary of them subconsciously since that day because he knows how dangerous they can get. Plus Jin is the youngest, so the age difference hits him the hardest. He does feel the five years age gap between them and with that, their authority too."


    Ai came closer to him and patted his head. "I feel bad for your video game."


    "Things could have been much worse actually," he coughed.


    "How?"


    "Because I cooked for Jin what he wanted to eat. I went into the kitchen and tried my best. I did fail a few times because I wasn''t getting the exact taste right like how Mom used to make. It took a few tries, but I finally made it. Jin was very happy. I made it secretly for him. I even asked the maids not to leak out that I was cooking in the kitchen. If the twins had come to know that on top of staying beside Jin the whole time and consoling him, I also cooked what he wanted, they would have wrecked my room apart. They wouldn''t have stopped at breaking just ONE video game."


    Ai was completely speechless. "You¡­brought a lighting toy so that he won''t get scared of the dark, you stayed beside him the whole time and you cooked for him. Nian is right. You are totally a softie."


    "..."


    "By the way, what was the dish you made for him? I mean, what was it that he was so excited to eat?" She curiously asked.


    "Oh. It was chicken spaghetti with barbeque sauce. What I made for you today."

 Chapter 264 Shanghai Fest Arc (18) : From Educational To Love Talk

    Chapter 264 Shanghai Fest Arc (18) : From Educational To Love Talk


    The second day of the Shanghai Fest was the main event for Ai which consisted of her seminar and book signing event. The seminar had many new and blooming authors who wanted to make a name of their own in the writing world. Meeting Ai who was still relatively new in the field as well but who already won the Summit was like a dream come true for them.


    The one and a half hour seminar passed by without their realization. Ai stood poised and calm, and her voice was pleasing to the ears. Her tips and process of writing proved to be useful for many budding authors. Talking to her made them see her in a new light.


    Xing Bi was also beside her, giving insights to proofreading and editing. Ai focused on storytelling while Xing Bi concentrated on polishing their writing.


    Jun and Nian''s chest were puffed up with pride as they watched them from the back.


    My girlfriend is amazing, Jun grinned.


    My future girlfriend is amazing, Nian grinned.


    Yunru clapped for both of his sister-in-laws. He glanced at Huan who sat on the chair next to him. She was softly smiling as she listened to Ai on the podium.


    He asked, "Do you also have a seminar?"


    She faced him and shook her head. "I don''t. I mean," she tilted her head, "My mother had arranged it for me. She insisted on me coming here."


    "The organizers canceled it. I came to know when I arrived here."


    His eyes widened. "Why?"


    "They already had a jam packed schedule. They could only accommodate Zhou Ai and at most squeeze in one more writer. Mom...well, she had pulled some strings to get me a place here, especially when I couldn''t participate in the Summit because I fell ill. But when I came here, I saw that CherryBlossom took the second spot."


    His nostrils flared.


    The one with her half-sister!?


    "How could they do this? Doesn''t Mrs. Shi know about it? Didn''t she do anything about it?"


    "I came to know after I arrived here. I didn''t tell her. I decided I would lie that I gave the seminar to save the trouble, otherwise she would get really mad."


    Yunru felt extremely aggrieved and unjust upon hearing this. "Don''t you feel bad?"


    Huan looked back at Ai. "No. It''s fine. I am not really doing it for fame. I just write because I want to. It''s for fun. Mom just gets too serious about it that I have to succeed and become the best. I just don''t share that motivation, so I don''t feel bad."


    Then she quickly clarified. "Wait. I didn''t mean it like other authors are doing it for popularity."


    "I know," he smiled.


    She nodded. "Thank you. Since I was here anyway, I decided to enjoy the fest."


    "I see..."


    "Miss. Zhou!" A young girl raised her hand, albeit with embarrassment. That was the last question after which the seminar would end. "I-I have a question."


    "Yes?" Ai kindly smiled.


    She coughed. "D-Do you know how to...how to write...mature scenes? Like kissing or m-more than that..." she felt embarrassed again. "That''s also an important part of writing a romance story s-so...I don''t have experience either so I don''t know how to write..."


    Jun cocked his brow in amusement and watched Ai blush with the girl too.


    Why are you blushing? You are quite wild at times too, you know.


    Ai felt a super strong gaze from Jun as if he really wanted to hear what he had to say. She could also feel that he was enjoying this.


    "*Ahem*" Xing Bi coughed. "Yes, Ai is perfect to answer that question," she dragged Ai into the fire because she wanted to save herself from embarrassment.


    Nian pouted. "Xing Bi doesn''t seem to know anything which is good or I would have killed all those men she was intimate with."


    Jun - "..."


    Then he thought that he had no right to judge him when the thought of Yating and Ai''s relationship had made him jealous too.


    "But worry not! I will teach my Xing Bi everything there is about intimacy. Then she can confidently answer these questions too in the future~"


    Jun grimaced. "You think she is keeping quiet because she doesn''t know anything? She is older than you. Of course she knows how kiss and sex works. She is just embarrassed."


    Nian glared at him. "You have to ruin my beautiful imagination, don''t you?"


    You have to know your character well for that. Kissing or sex isn''t just about physical pleasure. There are a lot of emotions someone feels other than just ecstasy. You have to grasp and express those as well apart from the actual process. Focus on what the characters are going through, and the words will automatically form in your mind."


    The young girl thought about it and beamed. "You are right!"


    One of the authors jokingly asked, "Miss, Zhou, you have such a hot boyfriend. Hehe, you definitely must have experience kissing and a lot more things, right?"


    Xing Bi loudly cleared her throat.


    Yup time to end the seminar.


    Ai''s cheeks lightly turned pinkish, and she agreed. "I do..."


    The author and Xing Bi stumbled in her chair. She had just jokingly asked and didn''t think that Ai would answer that.


    Nian sneered at Jun. "What little brother? You are a beast!"


    "Shut up!"


    "Heh, wasn''t Ai limping yesterday? That just proves you are a beast!"


    Jun coldly said, "Should I wring your neck, Bro?"


    The women squealed in excitement. Suddenly, the seminar turned from educational to having love talk.


    "Miss. Zhou, tell us more about Mr. Liu, please?"


    "How is he as a boyfriend? He looks so cold and detached."


    Ai quickly shook her head and corrected them. "Jun is not cold at all. He is warm, caring and very cute," her small face radiated happiness.

 Chapter ?265 Shanghai Fest Arc (19) : Stuck In An Elevator

    Chapter ?265 Shanghai Fest Arc (19) : Stuck In An Elevator


    "Awwwwww!"


    Jun looked utterly displeased at being called cute again.


    I should just delete that word from the dictionary!


    "Miss. Zhou, *ahem* I know it''s a really personal question," one young author trembled with excitement, "But how is Mr. Liu in bed?"


    Ai choked. Her face turned instantly beet red.


    Jun''s ears immediately pointed out to hear her answer. He didn''t know why, but the nervousness gripped him when asked about his performance.


    Nian nudged his elbow and grinned. "Don''t worry, Jun. Even if you are not upto the par, this big brother will teach you all the tricks~"


    Jun gritted his teeth. "Sew your mouth shut, Bro," he then sneered, "If Xing Bi heard about you teaching tricks, then she might think that you have had other women in your life. What if she doesn''t like that?"


    "..."


    Xing Bi quickly stood up and pulled Ai aside. "Well, thank you so much for being a part of this seminar. We conclude it here."


    "Booooooooo~" They thoroughly expressed their dissatisfaction.


    Once the seminar was over, the book signing event quickly started fifteen minutes later. Ai gave signed copies of her short story she told at the Summit with a massive crowd standing in queue to get a glimpse of her.


    There were even some readers from Reading Point who were MissImperfectlyFine''s fans that came to Shanghai all the way from their home towns and cities to meet her.


    "MissImperfectlyFine, I love you!"


    "It was so touching," one sniffled.


    "Have you started working on the sequel?" One reader eagerly asked.


    "Yes, yes, I cannot wait to know the ''He''s'' answer!"


    "I will even pre order your book online!"


    "Hehe, can you give me a spoiler?" One whispered, "I promise I won''t leak it."


    "Hey, I heard what you asked! That''s not fair. We wanna know the spoilers too~"


    Ai was so overwhelmed with their love that she couldn''t help but choke. A pleasant and warm feeling slowly encapsulated her heart, watching their eyes shine with glimmer. Her fingers trembled as she signed the books and handed them to her readers.


    "Thank you very much," she sincerely expressed her gratitude.


    ¦Ñ?n?a (n?)????? Her smile and gaze was so earnest and genuine that it melted their hearts.


    Her boyfriend is really lucky to have her!


    "Achoo!" Jun sneezed and rubbed his nose.


    Yunru grinned. "Maybe somebody is talking about Bro''s handsomeness."


    Nian touched his chin. "They should talk about my handsomeness."


    Yunru laughed. "Haha, I have recorded this! Let Xing Bi hear this and know how Bro Nian is vying for other women''s compliments."


    "..."


    "Of course, I didn''t mean it like that! I only want to listen to my Xing Bi''s sweet words. You and Jun are the same!" He glared at them. "Cursing my love life." He dragged Yunru and started beating him.


    "You violent cousin!" He cried.


    Jun shook his head. He glanced at Ai''s side once again, feeling happy to see her smiling.


    It doesn''t seem like this will get over any sooner, he sighed, I want to hug her.


    "Excuse me, Sir? Mr. Liu Jun, right?"


    He turned back to see a lady wearing the staff uniform and politely smiling at him.


    Jun raised his brow. "Yes?"


    "Sir, there is a lady who wants to meet you," she pointed at the other side of the corridor. "She asked me to-"


    Jun grimaced. He had seen women hitting on him but calling him out like this was new.


    "Not interested," he coldly answered. "Leave."


    "Sir, but Miss. Han Shui told that you would-"


    "What? Shui?" Jun widened his eyes.


    "Yes. She said her name is Han Shui."


    Jun stood confused.


    Shui is here? In Shanghai?


    Then he thought about Jin and wondered if she came with him.


    But I didn''t see her with Jin yesterday.


    Jun checked his phone and saw that there were no messages or calls from Shui.


    Why would she call me through a staff member? He frowned.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "First show me if she is really here."


    He walked with the staff lady and from a distance, she pointed out. "There."


    He stared at the place she pointed and was taken aback to see that Shui was really standing near the elevator. She had a small black purse hanging from the right arm, and it clearly seemed that she was waiting for somebody.


    "Sir?"


    "Leave."


    She nodded and left.


    Jun remained standing at his place for several moments.


    On the other side, Shui waited for Guiying for a long time, but she was yet to arrive.


    She sighed.


    I will just head to the fourth floor and wait for her there...


    The elevator door opened, and she stepped into it. As the doors were about to close, a hand slipped in between and Jun walked in too.


    Shui''s eyes widened as she saw him suddenly appearing in front of her. Her heart almost lept out of her chest.


    "J-Jun?"


    "Shui," he spoke monotonously. He observed her eyes which looked tired and puffy for some reason.


    The elevator doors closed with a ding, and it started moving upwards.


    "Fourth floor has a good balcony with privacy. Let''s talk over there," Jun commented without much emotion.


    Shui came to her senses, but she immediately became nervous once again.


    Jun wants to talk to me?


    She wanted to have a conversation with Jun too, but it just so happened suddenly that she had difficulty arranging her thoughts.


    "O-okay..."


    They waited in complete silence as the elevator went up. But a few seconds later, the elevator shook hard and came to a sharp halt.


    Jun grabbed her wrist and prevented her from tripping. "Are you okay?"


    "Y-Yeah..."


    That gave me a heart attack!


    "What happened to the elevator?" She looked around in a daze.


    Jun pressed the buttons, but the doors didn''t budge. He frowned. He picked up the receiver to call the emergency, but that wasn''t working either. He then banged on the door.


    "Hey! Anybody out there?"


    There was no response.


    Jun pressed his brows, feeling frustrated. "Looks like the elevator got stuck between two floors."


    "What!?"

 Chapter 266 Shanghai Fest Arc (20) : Mr. Liu’s Apology

    Chapter 266 Shanghai Fest Arc (20) : Mr. Liu''s Apology


    Jun kept banging on the door but to no avail.


    "We are definitely stuck in between two floors. That''s why they cannot hear us."


    He pressed the emergency call button a number of times but everytime, it automatically got disconnected. He tried calling Nian with his own mobile, but there were no network bars to get the call through.


    "Wait, let me check too." Shui did the same and felt disappointed at being unable to connect to anyone.


    p<???>?-?0???¡¢??? "Damn!" Jun cursed under his breath.


    Shui worriedly asked, "How will we get out of this jam now?"


    "It''s fine. The staff will notice it soon enough that the elevator is not working. They will do something about it. Let''s just wait for sometime. There are so many people at the fest. We won''t remain stranded for long."


    "Hm."


    Silence fell. The air felt so quiet that Shui could hear her breaths. After the Christmas night''s confrontation, it was the first time that they were alone like this.


    Jun walked back towards the back of the elevator and sat down. He glanced at her and shrugged. "Sit down. You will just tire yourself out standing like that wearing heels."


    Shui pressed her lips together and sat beside him, keeping a distance between them. She fidgeted with her purse and idly looked around.


    A minute ticked by and Jun asked, "How are you in Shanghai?"


    Should I tell him about Cai Guiying? But she doesn''t want anyone to know that she is Warlord. Then¡­


    "Actually, Warlord and some other members from Reading Point invited me here."


    Jun blinked. "Warlord? That goofy guy? He is here?"


    Her mouth twitched.


    He is not a guy actually¡­


    "Yeah. He insisted that I come with you. In one previous chat, I told him that you and I were friends, so he was excited to meet you too."


    Jun remembered how he was eager to meet him during the book signing event.


    "I see. Don''t let him meet me. He gives me vibes like Bro Jian and Bro Nian and those two are enough for me already. I don''t want another hyperactive person around me."


    "..."


    Well from the chats, Cai Guiying did give that impression¡­


    Her lips burst into an uncontrollable smile, and she finally laughed. "You¡­seriously, the twins'' trauma will never leave you for life I think."


    Jun gritted his teeth. "It''s impossible. I thought I will have some peace with Ai at this fest. But damn Bro Nian came here stalking us!"


    "Huh? Bro Nian is also here?" She asked, puzzled.


    He smiled in disdain. "Following his lady love."


    "..."


    "B-Bro Nian is in love?" She asked with her jaw dropped in disbelief. "Wait, I remember Sis Nuo telling me this one day. How Bro Nian keeps acting like a tragic Romeo in the house."


    "Yeah because he messed up big time," he sneered. "And now he is following behind her like an annoying dog."


    Shui was speechless on what to say.


    When did love change him so much?


    "Who is that woman?"


    "Xing Bi. She is Ai''s editor."


    Shui tilted her head. "An editor and a patissier. Where could they possibly have met?"


    "At Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet. It''s a long story," for which Jun quickly gave her a shorter version.


    "....."


    Bro Nian¡­Why¡­? Seriously, why?


    She facepalmed and pressed her brows in helplessness. "I can understand why Xing Bi must not be so¡­thrilled at the prospect of having Bro Nian as her boyfriend," she wanted to wholeheartedly support Nian, but she couldn''t bring herself to do that.


    Shui let out a sigh. Then she softly chuckled, imagining how distraught Nian must be right now.


    I feel like teasing him. Well, he brought that upon himself.


    "Xing Bi shouldn''t forgive him so easily."


    He sneered. "She couldn''t forgive him at all. Let him be single all his life."


    She coughed.


    I thought you would say that.


    She gave a sideways glance at Jun and softly spoke after a pause, "It''s been a long time since we have talked like this¡­I mean so c-comfortably."


    "...Yeah," he quietly acknowledged.


    Jun''s gaze flickered with warmth.


    I thought I wouldn''t be able to face you, Shui. But with Ai beside me¡­everything feels so easy.


    Their relationship had affected their friendship too but in this elevator as they say beside each other, talking to each other, they felt as if nothing ever went wrong between them.


    "I-"


    "I-"


    They spoke at the same time.


    Jun said, "Go ahead."


    "No, no," Shui quickly shook her head. "You go first. It''s okay."


    He let out a silent breath and asked, "First, I want to ask how Uncle, Aunt and Siying are after that day?" He wryly smiled. "Do they¡­hate me?"


    Shui slightly widened her eyes. "What? No! Nobody hates you, Jun. Don''t even think like that."


    "How can I not? Especially Uncle Zhiyuan. I hurt his princess after all."


    "No. It''s not like that. Seriously, nobody hates you, and nobody blames you. Not Zhou Ai either. Please don''t worry about that. They always considered you their son like Bro Siying, and you are still their son."


    Jun faintly smiled. "Is that so¡­?"


    "Yes. The Han family will never hate you," she seriously said.


    He looked into her eyes and felt relieved. "That''s good to hear then." He genuinely felt a burden lift off his chest.


    He then stared ahead at the empty space and clasped his hands together. Thinking of what Ai remarked about his and Shui''s relationship, he slowly said, "I am sorry, Shui."


    She stiffened and disbelief filled her to hear his apology. "What are you apologizing for?"


    "For everything. Right from the beginning when I arrogantly claimed that you will be my wife. For putting you into a position where I left you unable to decide for yourself. I got so immersed with the idea of marrying you that it just didn''t occur to me whether you wanted that in the first place. I was blinded and obsessed, and I hurt you a lot in that process. I troubled you with my possessiveness and made your life difficult. I always thought I faced the most injustice because of you avoiding me. But I was wrong. It was you who faced the most unfairness since childhood where we all just forced our marriage decision upon you."


    He clenched his fists. "I was too blind to realize that. I am really sorry, Shui. It all started because of my ignorance, and I made you unnecessarily suffer because of my whims. If possible, then I would like you to ask you to please forgive me."

 Chapter ?267 Shanghai Fest Arc (21) : Shui’s Apology

    Chapter ?267 Shanghai Fest Arc (21) : Shui''s Apology


    Shui couldn''t express the shock she felt upon listening to his words. Where Jun blamed her on Christmas night, today he was apologizing to her. The shift in his thoughts and attitude overwhelmed her.


    "I tried to force my ideals on you. My idea of a perfect relationship which I had no right to do," Jun pursed his lips.


    His heartfelt words and apology stung her eyes with tears. "Please¡­please don''t apologize, Jun. Why are you asking for my forgiveness when it should be me?" She trembled, and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I hurt you the most. I behaved selfishly and ignored you. I hurt your feelings. I brought pain to you. I couldn''t become a good girlfriend. I feel horrible for lying to you. I-I wanted to talk to you since the day you announced our breakup, but I felt too ashamed to face you."


    She rubbed her eyes as she sniffled, slightly rubbing her nose. "The first reason I came to Shanghai was not because Warlord invited me but because I knew you would be here to support Zhou Ai. I wanted to face you, that''s why I am here today. I felt doubtful and indecisive that only made things worse. You loved me wholeheartedly, but I couldn''t give you any happiness. I utterly failed as a girlfriend. So, you don''t need to ask for my forgiveness. It should be me asking you."


    "Don''t be silly, Shui!" Jun disagreed with her and shook his head. "Our relationship was always meant to fall apart and that''s not because of you. Ai¡­it was her who made me realize how wrong I was to chase after you because I didn''t understand the first thing about love. I put you in a difficult position and everything cascaded after that."


    Shui was surprised. "She said that?"


    "Yes. She scolded me for my obsession for you because how I liked Aunt- *ahem!*" He put a brake on his words and shut up.


    She blinked. "Liked Aunt? Liked who?"


    Jun looked away. "It''s nothing."


    She felt even more curious now. "Tell me. What is it?"


    "Nothing."


    She was taken aback.


    "Why are you hiding it?"


    "Nothing."


    "..."


    Her brow twitched. "Fine. If you don''t want to say it, then I will ask Zhou Ai myself."


    "..."


    "Don''t ask her!"


    "Then just tell me!"


    Jun gritted his teeth. "Just give up!"


    "No! I feel¡­you are about to say something very interesting. I am more curious now."


    He glared at her. In the end, he grudgingly gave up. "It''s just that¡­that Ai said that¡­I¡­"


    "You?" She probed.


    He looked away and mumbled. "I had a crush on Aunt Xinyi when I was little and so I wanted to marry you because you are her daughter."


    Silence.


    "....."


    "Crush on¡­Mom?"


    Jun wanted the earth split up and bury himself in it.


    Gosh this is so embarrassing!


    "You had a crush on my Mom?" Shui asked again because it was too hard to believe.


    "That is what Ai says, but she is weird. Her theories are as weird as her. You don''t have to believe everything she says!" He exclaimed with a blushing face.


    "..."


    You will throw shade on your own girlfriend just because you don''t want to accept the truth?


    Shui tried not to laugh. She tried her hardest, but then she laughed very loudly. "Oh¡­oh my God. You had a crush on Mom? That''s so cute."


    "..."


    "Ahahahaha!" Shui clutched her stomach and leaned over to the other side, literally rolling with laughter that was too much to handle.


    Jun sneered. "You are laughing too much, Shui. Be careful or you will hurt your stomach."


    Shui waved her hand and dismissed him. "Go away. Just¡­.just let me laugh¡­"


    He gnashed his jaw.


    That''s why I didn''t want to tell her! I am an idiot for letting that slip out!


    At first, she shed tears of grief and guilt. But now tears were falling because her stomach was hurting due to laughter.


    "Seriously, that''s so cute¡­" she wiped the corner of her eyes.


    "You don''t have to laugh so much! It''s precisely because of that I messed up our lives."


    "I understand where you are coming from but I cannot just help it. Never¡­never did I think that you chased after me because you actually liked my Mom. I don''t know if I should feel jealous of Mom or not?" She seriously pondered over it.


    "Forget about it!"


    "Sorry, but this is the one thing that I won''t forget," she chuckled.


    Jun felt too frustrated and simply refused to talk to her anymore.


    Shui finally had her fill and cleared her throat. "I am sorry. I see. Since Dad snatched Mom away from you, you wanted her daughter as your future wife."


    "..."


    He threw daggers at her. "I know you are teasing me."


    "I am absolutely serious," she grimly stared at him.


    "I don''t feel your sincerity, Shui," he sneered.


    "That''s not my problem."


    He scowled. Nevertheless, he felt lighter after having this talk with Shui. They surely weren''t dating anymore, but he still cherished their friendship and if possible, he wanted to remain as a friend to her.


    Jun smiled. When he met her, she looked tired and in pain. But now she just looked like the usual Shui he always knew.


    "Shui?"


    "Hm?"


    "I am¡­sorry for lashing at you during Christmas Eve. But I really mean what I said about Jin. I know you like him, and he likes you too."


    She froze. Jin''s mention brought goosebumps on her skin. Her expression paled.


    "What''s wrong, Shui? You suddenly don''t look well¡­"


    The tears that had dried up were beginning to fill in her pupils once again. "You are¡­you are right and wrong, Jun."


    His brows crinkled. "I don''t understand. And why are you crying?"


    Shui broke down as she answered with a trembling voice, "You are right that I like Jin. I really like him. I¡­realized it when he said that he was interested in Zhou Ai. I realized that I didn''t want to lose him. I was afraid of his feelings for her. That''s when I knew that I saw him as more than a friend. But¡­"


    Her palms clutched onto her knees as Jin''s icy words cruelly echoed in her mind. "Jin doesn''t like me, Jun. In fact¡­he said he hates me¡­"

 Chapter ?268 Shanghai Fest Arc (22) : You Should Feel Ashamed

    Chapter ?268 Shanghai Fest Arc (22) : You Should Feel Ashamed


    "What?" Jun couldn''t believe what Shui just confessed. "Jin said he hates you? That''s impossible."


    Shui let out a wry and helpless chuckle. "It''s true."


    He shook his head in dismissal.


    I know how the past life went, Shui. I cannot tell you, but you and Jin were going to get married. You two were so happy.


    "It cannot be like that."


    She bit her lip hard, and tiredness and hopelessness set inside her once again. "Jin and I met before coming to Shanghai. I asked Jin if he could meet me and..."


    She cried and told the most painful day of her life. "I am not lying, Jun. He hates me the most. I saw his eyes. They were so cruel and cold as if e-even my sight disgusted him. He told me never to contact him again. Yesterday too, I met Jin. Did you meet him yet? He is also here at the fest. I wanted to talk to him, but he shook me off," she broke down, her heart twisting in pain, "He pushed me away. He asked if I stalked him all the way from Beijing to Shanghai...What more proof do you need Jun?"


    Jun only listened to her, feeling incredulous.


    What the hell...


    But he also loved Shui in the past. They were going to get married! Then how is it that he hates her now?


    Shui''s tears refused to stop as he hugged her knees. "I don''t know...w-why he is acting like that. We didn''t fight either. We had no clashes recently. So why..." her eyes reddened, and her voice turned into a hoarse, "Jun. It''s fine if he doesn''t like me back...I-I won''t force him to return my feelings. But why does he hate me so much...? I kept asking what I did wrong, but he always...gives me a cold look and walks away."


    Jun felt restless.


    What the hell is happening? Jin isn''t supposed to act like this. I thought they would get together once I left their world.


    Then why is the opposite happening?


    He glanced at Shui and then understood why she looked so low when he saw her outside the elevator. It pricked him to see her defeated like this.


    Jun pursed his lips and slowly raised his hand. He hesitated for a second but then went ahead and placed his palm on her head. He lightly patted her and said, "Shui. I also don''t get why he is acting this way. I will talk to Jin about this."


    Feeling Jun''s pats on her, Shui remembered the days when they were little. Whenever she cried, Jun would always console her with his pats, and she always felt better.


    "No, Jun. Don''t talk to him. He is against you too. I don''t want you two to fight..." she laughed sadly, "He will think that I sent you to sort things out, and he will hate me even more."


    His gaze hardened. "Bullshit. I want to talk to him, and that''s my choice. I won''t let him misunderstand anything about you-"


    Suddenly, the elevator shook hard with a sharp jolt, and it started to slide down.


    "J-Jun, is it going to crash!?"


    --


    Ai and the others rushed towards the elevator and heard some violent sounds coming from above. The crowd around them took three steps back, terrified.


    "Is there going to be an accident?"


    "I heard the elevator was stuck for quite some time."


    While waiting for Jun, Nian came to know that Jun had headed towards the elevator and a man from the crowd had seen him step inside it too. But the elevator never reached the top floors. When they learned that the elevator was stuck between two floors, he and Yunru immediately called for the staff.


    Ai was extremely anxious the whole time as they waited for the elevator to get fixed. Xing Bi and Huan were constantly assuring her about Jun''s safety.


    "Jun..." she felt nauseous, thinking about Jun in danger.


    Nian patted her head. "He will be fine. As if a puny elevator can get him."


    The elevator came to a sudden halt at the floor, and the doors opened.


    "Jun!" Relief washed over her.


    But they stopped abruptly in their steps as they witnessed the scene in front of them.


    Jun was lying on top of Shui as she was pinned beneath him. The people slowly came forward and peaked what was going on. They gasped.


    "What are they doing?"


    "Don''t tell me that they were trying to...*ahem*"


    "In the elevator? That''s shameless."


    "But isn''t he Liu Jun who is dating MissImperfectlyFine? I saw their picture once!"


    "Oh yeah!" That caused even more whispers and gasps.


    "If he has a girlfriend, then why is he acting so intimately with another woman?"


    "It''s not just some other woman, it''s Han Shui!"


    "What? From the Han family?"


    Amidst all the incessant talking, Jun slowly stood up and helped Shui on her feet too. "Are you alright?"


    It happened too fast and suddenly, but she nodded in a daze. "Yeah. What about you?"


    "I am fine."


    They stepped out and instantly felt everybody''s sharp and suspicious gazes at them.


    Shui looked left and right and didn''t understand why everyone was looking at them with disdain.


    Jun didn''t even notice them and headed straight towards Ai. "Ai. I am really sorry. Were you worried about me?"


    One woman from the crowd poked him with her words. "You should feel ashamed. You are worried about your girlfriend when you were busy getting cozy with your ex-girlfriend in the lift?"


    p<???>?-?0???¡¢??? That brought forth even more shocked gasps.


    "Ex-girlfriend?"


    "Yes. Hmph. My daughter goes to the same college as Han Shui, and she told me how her and Liu Jun''s relationship was always the talk of the college. She heard that they broke up, but what does it mean now that they were in such a position in the lift?"

 Chapter ?269 Shanghai Fest Arc (23) : Ambiguous Feelings

    Chapter ?269 Shanghai Fest Arc (23) : Ambiguous Feelings


    Jun''s face twisted with a precarious emotion lurking in his eyes. "Excuse me?" His voice sounded so lethal and icy that the woman shuddered and subconsciously took a step back. "Are you implying that I am two-timing with my girlfriend? Be careful before you answer yes to that question because offending me is not a choice you can afford to make."


    She broke into a cold sweat. "I was just saying. H-How can you threaten me like that?"


    "Yeah, she is an elder. That''s so rude of him to do that," one whispered.


    "Maybe he is really guilty. That''s why he wants to shut her mouth..."


    "So scary."


    "Seriously, these rich young masters..."


    Ai glanced at everybody and narrowed her eyes. "Don''t talk about Jun like that. I also saw what everybody saw, and I know that there is some misunderstanding behind it. Please refrain from judging the situation too quickly to suit your convenience."


    Jun''s gaze softened seeing her protect him so fiercely.


    Yunru glared at everybody. "That''s right. Don''t talk about Bro Jun like that! How dare you all question his loyalty for sister-in-law?"


    Shui frowned. "Yes. It was a coincidence that we got stuck inside the elevator. As for what you saw, he stumbled upon me when the elevator suddenly moved with a jerk. There is no need to give such a deep thought about it."


    There was a large TV screen mounted on a wall which lit up with video footage. Everybody''s attention went towards where they saw Jun and Shui sitting beside each other in the elevator.


    Jun''s gaze darkened.


    The hell...


    Shui was taken aback as well. She looked at Jun in confusion.


    Why is this video suddenly playing?


    There was no audio coming from the video, so everybody could only see their actions and expressions. Which was suspicious for many people.


    Jun and Shui were quiet at first, but then they eventually started talking and laughing together. Even Yunru and Nian were quite surprised to see them opening up comfortably after all that had passed between them. But at one point, Shui started to cry and Jun was seen coming closer to her and patting her head.


    To anybody else, it would look like the old love between them was getting rekindled.


    Shui watched the video, dumbfounded.


    What the hell!? The video without the audio is giving a totally different meaning!


    People started to whisper again.


    "Hah. Did you look at Han Shui and how she was crying?"


    "It looks like she regrets the breakup and now wants Liu Jun back."


    "Maybe she is jealous of Zhou Ai and wants to act pitiful to get him back."


    "But even so, how shameless Liu Jun is. She just shed a few tears, and he already melted for her. I think he still has feelings for her."


    "Just look how he is looking at her so softly. If he really loves Zhou Ai, then would he waver towards Han Shui?"


    Shui couldn''t believe that the crowd was labeling her as a white lotus.


    The temperature took a steep drop, and Jun''s eyes turned frighteningly cold. "Who the hell played this video!? Who fucking dare!? Come in front of me!" He roared. "Where is the staff!? If you want to play a video then why not play it fully so that everybody can HEAR what we talked too?"


    He angrily laughed. "But no. You wouldn''t do that because whoever did this knows that there is nothing scandalous we talked or acted. That''s why you are only showing the picture to make it look all ambiguous!"


    Through the crowd, Cai Lingyun came forward and gritted his teeth as he glared at Jun. "It''s your feelings that are ambiguous, not the video, Liu Jun. You still want to defend yourself now that you are caught?"


    Nian and Yunru frowned.


    pAn,dan0vel.c0m This man again...


    Ai narrowed her eyes as well.


    Shui blinked.


    Who is he to barge in and talk like that!?


    Jun stared at him with his murderous gaze. "So you are the one who played this video," he laughed. "I see. I get it now."


    Cai Lingyun ignored him and worriedly looked at Ai. "Ai, do you still want to be with him? Just look how they were acting when left all alone!"


    Jun stiffened and didn''t know why his heart felt uneasy.


    Shui furiously exclaimed. "Shut up! Who are you and are you out of your mind!? Sure, Jun and I have broken up. But does that mean that we cannot even talk or meet as friends anymore?"


    He sneered. "From the video, it doesn''t really seem that you talked as just friends. And cut the crap! Liu Jun was crazy and obsessed with you. I heard your marriage was all set from your childhood days. A man like him would forget about you and treat you just as his friend? Such a deep love and relationship...Hah! I should ask, are you out of your mind?"


    Yunru spat on anger. "You are stepping out of your line!"


    Jun glanced at Ai, his heart thudding with trepidation. He held her shoulders and said, "Ai. There is nothing that happened that will make you doubt my love for you. We got stuck and then we were really just talking."


    "Jun..." Ai stepped towards him and pursed her lips with disappointment.


    Cai Lingyun felt more confident that Ai must have definitely lost trust in Jun. Who wouldn''t after seeing her boyfriend getting cozy with his ex-girlfriend?


    Watching that expression form on her face made him seem paler than before. "Ai, really I-"


    "Do you really think that you have to explain yourself to me?" She questioned him. "Did you think I would misunderstand you?" She looked downcast.


    "N-No!"


    "Then why are you panicking like that?"


    He didn''t know. He knew Ai trusted him, but it was hard not thinking whether she would feel hurt. If it was some other woman, Jun wouldn''t have felt so unsure. But of all people, it was Shui who Ai saw him in a compromising position with.


    "I just..." he curled his fingers into a fist. "Be-because it was Shui. I just..."


    "So what?" Ai pinched his cheek hard as if she wanted to punish him. "Jun, you confessed your past relationship with Han Shui to my parents and bowed in front of them when you asked to place their trust in you. I don''t think I or anybody else will ever question your feelings for me after seeing that. And those who do..." she narrowed her eyes at Cai Lingyun and the entire crowd, "are ones who are ignorant and brainless who just want to enjoy throwing mud at your face."

 Chapter 270 Shanghai Fest Arc (24) : Make Jobless And Penniless

    Chapter 270 Shanghai Fest Arc (24) : Make Jobless And Penniless


    Cai Lingyun stared at Ai, stupefied. "Ai, you¡­"


    She gave a sharp and pointed look towards him, her voice filled with a tinge of coldness. "Bro Lingyun. I respect you as an elder brother. I also understand if you might be worried about me. But I won''t stand for anybody humiliating Jun like this. You are not only questioning his love but also his character. Who gave you that right? You or anybody else here?"


    The people whispered among themselves. "Is it true? Liu Jun already met Zhou Ai''s parents?"


    "If he met them, then isn''t their relationship serious?"


    "She said he even bowed in front of them and confessed his past himself."


    "Is Liu Jun really sincere towards Zhou Ai? After all, who would dare to bring up their past in front of his girlfriend''s parents?"


    Cai Lingyun helplessly said, "Ai, you are being blind in his love! I care about you. Who knows if he really won''t waver in the future?"


    "I know, he won''t," Ai squinted her eyes. "And that is enough. I don''t need anybody else''s certificate."


    He stiffened. The roughness in her voice shook him hard. He never saw Ai talking to him in that piercing tone. But only for Jun''s sake, she was ready to go against him.


    She glanced at the crowd and commented. "And you all. I think everybody will fare much better in their lives if they focus on improving themselves instead of pointing fingers at others. You should also be afraid of karma hitting you. You are now enjoying someone else''s drama. I know more than half of the people here don''t even care about Jun possibly cheating on me or fighting for my justice. You just want entertainment, but be careful. Today, you are laughing at us. Tomorrow, you will become somebody else''s laughing stock. What goes around, comes around."


    "..."


    Nian clicked his tongue, feeling the poison in her words.


    It''s really so much better when I am not in the direct line of her attack.


    Xing Bi gave her a thumbs up.


    That''s my Ai~


    Ai looked at Shui and continued. "If anybody has any decency here, please apologize to Jun and especially Han Shui."


    Shui glanced back at her, surprised.


    "She doesn''t deserve all the insults you gave her. Compared to Han Shui, Jun would go pretty much unscathed by these accusations. For a man, it''s always fairly easy. But for a woman, once her character is judged, the world refuses to forgive her even if she is innocent."


    Some of them felt ashamed and lowered their heads while clearing their throats.


    Ai held Jun''s hand and said, "We don''t have any reason to be here anymore. I was worried about you, and you are safe. So, let''s go."


    Jun wanted to hug Ai really badly. It was just like that time when she stood up for him during his breakup announcement.


    "We will leave but before that¡­"


    Jun seeped out a deadly and chilling aura as his dark gaze fell upon Cai Lingyun. He grabbed his shirt and gritted his teeth. "It was a very pathetic way to make me stoop low in Ai''s eyes," he sneered, "What? Did you think that this would work? Or¡­" he leaned and whispered, "that Ai would fall in love with you because you came as a knight in shining armor for her?"


    He froze.


    "N-nonsense."


    "I know you have feelings for Ai. That''s why you are doing all this shit," he smiled, "But it''s hopeless Cai Lingyun. Ai is only mine. You will never have any place in her heart even if I die, so forget about even trying because trust me if you don''t, then I will gouge your eyeballs out myself. I can squash you like a bug anytime."


    He felt his hair stand on the back of his neck. Jun''s threat brought goosebumps on his skin.


    "I won''t tolerate another man eyeing my girlfriend," he pushed him away with such force that he fell on his back.


    "Get lost."


    ¡ª


    Everybody returned to the hotel where they were staying with an addition of Shui in their group too.


    Yunru eagerly jumped up and down. "Sister-in-law, you were so amazing! You shut everybody''s mouth so damn well! Hah! That''s what they deserve."


    Huan nodded with praise. "What you said was right. People are really getting nosy these days."


    Xing Bi proudly smirked. "Ai''s counterattack never fails. She can make people cough blood."


    Jun and Nian had absolutely no doubt about that, having the first hand experience of her verbal assaults.


    Yunru said, "But I am surprised to see Shui here. Is everybody from the family coming one by one? Yesterday it was Bro Jin and now you."


    Shui smiled. "I just came at somebody''s invitation."


    Oh yeah! I forgot about Guiying! We were supposed to meet on the fourth floor.


    She quickly typed a message to her and hit Send.


    She then frowned.


    Her last name is Cai and that man''s name was Cai Lingyun¡­Both surnames are the same.


    "By the way, who was that man who made the ruckus?"


    Jun''s expression twisted. "Just a useless bug who thinks he will win Ai''s love if he pulls such shit."


    Xing Bi was speechless. "Cai Guiying''s brother likes Ai?"


    Shui rapidly blinked.


    "Brother?"


    "Yeah. I don''t know if you know her. Cai Guiying is CherryBlossom, and he is her brother. Even I met him today for the first time. But I didn''t know he liked Ai that way! How dare he eye my cute Ai?" Saying that, she smothered Ai''s face in her chest as usual.


    And once again, Nian felt extremely jealous.


    When will this time come for me!?


    "I see¡­"


    Guiying is a nice person, but her brother¡­she frowned with distaste.


    p¡¢a,nd a-n¡¢o¡¢ve,l Nian lazily asked, "By the way, how are you going to punish that man?"


    Jun sneered. "Seems like he is too busy plotting these games, so he doesn''t need his job, right? I think making him jobless and penniless will be a good start. As for the staff of this fest who helped him play that video, they will suffer too."

 Chapter ?271 Shanghai Fest Arc (25) : Nian’s Scandalous Flirting Video

    Chapter ?271 Shanghai Fest Arc (25) : Nian''s Scandalous Flirting Video


    Now that Ai knew that Cai Lingyun had some connection to Jun in the past life and seeing him humiliating Jun today, she agreed with Jun''s revenge. Whatever respect she had for him vanished today. Usually, she refused to delve into revenge. But he needed to learn his lesson and stay in his line.


    Shui came forward and faced Ai. "I did see you at Liu villa twice, but I think this is the first time we are properly meeting each other today. I am Han Shui," she smiled. "For today, thank you very much for defending me. I really appreciate it. I...didn''t expect you would do that, considering my past with Jun."


    Ai tilted her head. "The past is the past. It doesn''t have any bearing on what is right or wrong. I didn''t like people accusing you of faking your tears. I will never stand for people wrongfully behaving in any way."


    Nian nodded hard. "I know it the very best."


    Reminds me of the time when Jian and I played that prank on her in the library...


    Shui beamed and sincerely thanked her. "Thank you so much! You are such a nice person. I am really glad that Jun found you."


    Jun was inwardly quite shocked. He thought that Ai and Shui''s first meeting would be awkward or uncomfortable. But here they seemed to talk as if their past relationship wasn''t a matter of concern at all.


    I was getting worried for nothing, he shook his head. Ai has her ways of making her place in anybody''s heart, he proudly thought.


    Ai softly said, "It''s me who is lucky to find Jun."


    "Nah. It''s pretty much Jun who has scored here," Shui chuckled.


    Nian agreed unreservedly.


    "And I wanted to meet you more when I heard from Jun how you made him realize about his crush for my Mom."


    Jun puked blood. "Shui!"


    Yunru and Xing Bi were filled with speechlessness.


    "Bro Jun, you...you had a crush on Aunt Xinyi?"


    He blushed hard. "Of course not!"


    Nian waved his hand in dismissal and snorted. "Oh come on. You were totally all over Aunt Xinyi ever since you rescued Siying and met her for the first time. You even hated Uncle Zhiyuan for marrying her."


    Jun made a fist with his hands. "Bro Nian, you better shut your mouth."


    Everybody burst into laughter.


    "Bro Jun loved Aunt Xinyi?"


    "That''s so cute," Xing Bi remarked.


    Huan was also secretly laughing.


    Shui grinned. "Yes, Jun. You don''t have to feel embarrassed. Everybody goes through a phase like that. Hmph. And just because you wanted to deny it, you called Zhou Ai weird."


    Ai - "..."


    She pursed her lips and frowned at him. "You called me weird for pointing out the truth?"


    Jun''s mouth twitched. "Not...not like that."


    "Then how?" She folded her arms.


    Nian brightened. "Yes, yes answer her Jun."


    It was clear that he was enjoying his misery.


    Jun glowered at him and sneered. "Careful, Bro Nian. You cannot afford to sink your love ship with Xing Bi more than it already has."


    "Hah! What do you mean? As if anything can come between us now!"


    Jun evilly chuckled and played a video on his phone. It was the time in the library when Jian and Nian were flirting with Ai.


    Which made Nian''s heart stop in his chest.


    "Stop that!!! You didn''t delete that video!?" He gasped, aghast.


    He suddenly felt a gust of chilly air poking his back. "Liuuuuu Niaaaaaan...What is this I am watching? You...you were acting a hooligan towards Ai? You were flirting like a pervert with her!? The likes of you confessed to her!?"


    With every word, her voice sounded more sinister and unforgiving and so did her eyes from where he could see two bursts of angry flames burning ferociously.


    Nian violently shook his head. "No, no! This is not a real video! Jun faked this. He edited it to make us look like the villains!"


    cO,m Jun rolled his eyes.


    Yunru countered. "Don''t be silly, Bro Nian. Bro Jun doesn''t waste his time with such pranks. Only you and Bro Jian do."


    Shui was beyond shocked. "Cornering a woman like that...you should be ashamed of yourself. Especially Bro Jian. He is dating Sis Leina!"


    Nian sobbed. "We already got our punishment. Xing Bi, believe me. It''s not what it looks like. I didn''t misbehave with Zhou Ai at all!"


    "Then is this video lying!?" She cracked her knuckles and looked like a demoness at this point, "How dare you bully my Ai!? First you flirt with her, scold her and then use her to butter me up! Liu Nian, you are going too far!"


    She ruthlessly started beating him up. "Tell me, how much more are you hiding from me? How much more did you bully my Ai? I will make you puke every crime today!"


    "Help me somebodyyyyyyy!" Nian burst into tears. "I didn''t do anymore crimes!"


    Jun and Yunru shrugged and completely ignore their brother''s cries for help.


    "You traitors! Shui, dear at least you..."


    She cleared her throat. "Well, I am on their side. You were totally acting like perverts and hooligans."


    "..."


    Xing Bi twitched her fingers more ready for another round of violence. "Get ready..."


    "Noooo!"


    --


    "Damn it!" ''Guiying'' angrily threw stuff here and there. ''She'' had planned the timing so carefully so that Shui and Jun would get locked up in an elevator. She knew she could use that to sow discord between Jun and Ai and tarnish MrPerfect''s reputation at the same time. Two birds with one stone.


    But ''she'' never expected that Ai''s trust in Jun would be so strong. It was so easy to misunderstand Jun, but she underestimated Ai''s belief in him. Even Cai Lingyun couldn''t hold on the manipulation for too long.


    ''She'' pressed her brows and gritted her teeth, fuming and bubbling in anger.


    The door opened and Cai Lingyun stepped in. His eyes widened seeing the mess in the room and the dark and twisted expression on her face.


    "Guiying, what happened here? What is with this broken mess?"

 Chapter 272 Shanghai Fest Arc (26) : I Will Teach You A Lesson

    Chapter 272 Shanghai Fest Arc (26) : I Will Teach You A Lesson


    Cai Lingyun had never seen Guiying in such a state before. She looked restless and angry with a sinister light glinting in her eyes.


    "Are you okay?"


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes on him. "Am I okay? Bro, shouldn''t I ask YOU that question? You just wanted to help Ai, and I feel so bad that she chose to trust a newly made boyfriend rather than you who has known her for years."


    He stiffened.


    "Of course¡­of course, I am hurt. You saw Liu Jun smiling in that video, right? He still hasn''t forgotten Han Shui! And yet he pretends to love Ai. Just how much has he blinded her in his love!? Ai is being fooled. She refused to listen to a word against him!"


    His clenched fists trembled in anger as he remembered her standing up for him.


    "That Liu Jun¡­he must have felt so arrogant. He was caught red-handed, yet Ai made him go unscathed on a silver platter!"


    ''Guiying'' tilted her head. "Indeed. He escaped unscathed of the consequences," the air turned darker and denser as she thought of all the cards and flowers MrPerfect sent.


    "He plays around with women as if they are his play toys. That Han Shui¡­" she sneered. "Even she is too blinded by her friendship. Liu Jun seems to know how to manipulate women well like puppets. He uses them, but they still defend me."


    But I won''t be like that, MrPerfect. I will make you pay for making me a target of your pathetic game!


    This plan might have failed. But not the next one.


    Cai Lingyun asked, "But Guiying, how did you get access to the video? Isn''t it supposed to be restricted?"


    ''Guiying'' squinted her eyes. "I had some help. You don''t need to get into the details. We just have to focus on destroying Liu Jun until his¡­all so perfect and colorful life doesn''t get dyed with despair."


    ¡ª


    pan,da-n0vel,c-o-m Since GrandCastle was the most nearby hotel from The Creative Sense, it was not unusual that all who were a part of the fest would be staying at this hotel for their trip. Or at least how much the hotel could accommodate.


    Including Jin and Cai Lingyun.


    The second night in Shanghai had fallen, and Cai Lingyun was smoking a cigarette near the lake. He stared into the distant water ahead, seemingly lost in his memories as the cold wind made him shiver.


    He wasn''t getting sleep. Everytime he tried, he would always remember what happened today. He couldn''t digest the feeling of Ai acting so far away from him as if they were strangers. The more he thought about Ai and Jun together, the more his chest tightened with an ugly feeling. It was not until this moment that he realized how truly important Ai had become a part of his life.


    But he wasn''t an important part of her life anymore, and that stabbed him like crazy. As if he was going insane. While he was away because of work, Ai had already formed her own world and found someone she loved.


    Love¡­


    Impossible¡­Liu Jun is not suited for her! I won''t give up. I won''t give up on you, Ai. Soon, you will realize that you don''t belong to that world.


    His gaze softened.


    You belong here. Where Guiying and I are. You will be happier here. That day won''t be far.


    Unknown to him, a shadow was sinisterly lurking and approaching him ever so slowly. The steps were silent as if not even a fallen leaf rustled on the ground. But the shadow was inching closer and closer.


    Cai Lingyun took his last drag when he suddenly felt a sharp and painful jerk at the back of his knee. His eyes almost popped out with that vicious attack. "Ahhh!"


    Before he could properly react, the man grabbed his wrist and twisted it at his back, which brought only more pain. "W-who are you!?"


    He sweated instantly, terrified.


    "Did you plot that against my brother?" A shrill voice reverberated in the air.


    He gasped breathlessly as he raised his head. What he saw was a man who resembled Jun a lot.


    Jin was staring down at him with his expressionless gaze, but the more it looked that way, the more Cai Lingyun felt his blood freeze. It was truly an expression that made him feel as if Jin came from hell just to torture him.


    "Wh-who are you?" He stammered.


    "The man''s brother who you tried to defame today. It was you who played that video? Seriously?" He tilted his head that shone him with an even more of a dangerous streak.


    Liu Jun¡­?


    Jin gazed at him up and down as if he was looking at some pest. "Who the hell do you think you are to mess with him? Who are you to question him? Sure, I have questioned him too, but I can do that because I am family. But you are not."


    Without a warning, Jin landed a punch on his abdomen that made him fall backwards. Cai Lingyun coughed hard, and a thin line of blood trickled down the side of his lips.


    "S-stop! Why are you hitting me like this?" He clutched his stomach in pain.


    "Because I am pissed off. You don''t come even close to his foot for you to humiliate Bro Jun," he kicked his thigh with his foot, his eyes turning cloudier. "Plus, you tried to defame him using Shui? That''s even worse of a mistake you could have made."


    He clutched his hair, making him yelp in pain. "That has pissed me off even more. So I should teach you a lesson, right?"


    Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth. "You are going to beat me up just because I tried to bring out your brother''s dirty truth in front of everyone? I knew it. Liu Jun and his whole family is-"


    He got punched right at his face, forming a big red mark on his cheek. "At this point, you should know you should have stopped talking, but you refuse to. Guess I will have to teach you a lesson," Jin sneered.


    He was about to punch him again when a hand caught his wrist. "Jin! What are you doing!?"


    The coldness in his eyes turned up several notches. "Han Shui. Let go of my hand."

 Chapter ?273 Shanghai Fest Arc (27) : You Can Stoop To Any Level

    Chapter ?273 Shanghai Fest Arc (27) : You Can Stoop To Any Level


    Shui separated him from Cai Lingyun. "Stop it Jin. Why are you beating him up? Jun will already take care of what happened. If anybody sees you acting so violent-"


    cO,m "So? What''s it to you?" Jin spewed out rigid and unyielding words.


    Shui gritted her teeth. "What''s got into you, Jin? One moment you say that you don''t want to apologize to Jun for how you behaved and now you are getting furious at Cai Lingyun for insulting him? Why do you care about him now?"


    "None of your business," he coldly rebuked.


    Shui balled her palm. She stared down at Cai Lingyun with displeasure. "Leave. Do you want to stick around for him beating you even more?"


    He stiffened.


    "Also, don''t act like a jerk for everybody''s sake. Don''t mess with our families. You are already in deep trouble for targeting Jun and me like that," she icily remarked. "Trying to bring me and Jun into a bad light won''t get you anywhere, and you will soon face the consequences for doing that."


    Cai Lingyun felt agitated and irked by her tone and threat. But before the pain which shot up in his stomach and arm, he had no energy to retort or fight back. He struggled to stand on his feet. Giving Jin a nasty glare, he limped and left.


    Shui let out a breath. She then stared at Jin and exclaimed in frustration. "People still pass by this lake. Did you want to cause a ruckus by beating up a man for no reason?"


    Jin sneered. "I don''t need to explain myself to you."


    "You do! You have a lot of explaining to do! Why are you acting with Jun like that? Why are you suddenly ignoring me and saying that you hate me? You don''t have to love me back if you don''t feel the same way for me, but why so much hatred for me?" Towards the end, her eyes were beginning to tear up.


    "Bro Nian told me how you ruined Zhou Ai''s meal purposely yesterday that Jun cooked for her. Clearly, you have some enmity with Jun. But now you wanted to punish Cai Lingyun for messing with him. Just what do you want, Jin? Sometimes you behave one way and other times, you behave completely differently!"


    Jin turned the other way and headed to leave when Shui blocked his way. "Jin, I am talking to you!"


    "But can''t you understand that I don''t want to talk to you? Get out of my way."


    "Jin please¡­tell me what''s going wrong. I know that Grandpa chose Zhou Ai for you and you¡­" her heart ached to admit it, "You might have developed an interest in her. But isn''t this going too far? You just met her only once. You don''t even know anything about her. Will you really hate Jun so much because he is dating her?"


    "Heh so does it automatically mean that I should date you?" Jin mocked her.


    She clenched her jaw tightly. "You know I don''t mean it that way! Why are you giving things a different direction? I mean that your interest in her cannot be so deep enough for you to resent your own brother, especially Jun whom you always followed since childhood more than Uncle, Aunt, Bro Jian, Bro Nian, Sis Nuo or anybody else in the family."


    Jin stared at her in deep thought. He then slowly approached her with light steps, making her heart skip a beat. It reminded her of the time when he leaned closer to her at the restaurant.


    "Even after telling you so many times, you refuse to stop interfering in my life. Do you like me so much that even after my rejection, you continue to bother me? You already stalked me to Shanghai. What more do you want?"


    Shui slightly trembled. She was unsure if it was because of the chilly wind or Jin''s heartless words.


    "I didn''t stalk you here."


    "Oh? Then what is the purpose of your great presence here?" He chuckled.


    "That I-...I came here to meet my online friends who invited me to the fest."


    "And who is this online friend?"


    She wanted to say Warlord, but Guiying didn''t want that secret to be out.


    "Heh. Some imaginary excuse of yours?"


    She glared at him. "I met him at the fest! Just because you didn''t see him with me doesn''t mean that I am lying! If you want, I will show you the chat!"


    But her phone had already run out of battery.


    Damn it!


    "It got switched off, but I will show my chat. Do you really think I will stoop so low to stalk you?" More than anger, she felt hurt for his distrust towards her.


    Jin laughed. "Do I really think that? Yes, I do. You can go to any lengths," he emanated even more of a deadlier aura as he trembled. "Even if it would hurt others, as long as it got your work done, you would go as far as you could."


    She looked at him, bewildered.


    "Say Shui¡­" he smiled as he twirled her hair. "What will it take for you to get the hell out of my life?" He bent and whispered, "Will it be enough for you if we slept together?"


    She froze hard.


    "That should satisfy your-"


    The sound of a loud slap thundered in the air, forcing Jin to separate from Shui.


    "Is it that you don''t understand things until you get a slap on your face?"


    Jin faintly touched his cheek and chuckled as he recognized Ai''s voice. He faced her, narrowing his eyes. "Can you not barge in with slaps whenever you wish?"


    Ai dangerously stepped forward, not looking away from him. "Then you have to stop acting like a despicable man first."


    She glanced at Shui, who was trembling hard with what she had just listened to Jin asking her.


    It was fine if he said he hated her.


    It was fine if he was ignoring her.


    But asking to have sex just so that she could let him go? It was as if he was implying that¡­


    Ai firmly held her hand and pressed her palm against hers. "Please snap out of it, Shui. You don''t have to waste your tears on a man like him who doesn''t respect your love."

 Chapter 274 Shanghai Fest Arc (28) : Bonding

    Chapter 274 Shanghai Fest Arc (28) : Bonding


    Jin cocked his brow and sneered. "Respect needs to be earned if you want respect in return."


    "And you think you did good deeds that will make people respect you?" Ai sharply countered. "On the other hand, it seems that you are worsening day by day. Today, you went too far with your words."


    Shui couldn''t help but let the tears slip down. It was too much to take. The man she loved not only rejected her feelings but also accused her of stalking and then made a one-night stand deal with her. This was beyond humiliation that she could bear.


    Ai ordered. "Apologize to her."


    Jin chuckled. "And what will you do if I don''t? Run over to Bro''s side and complain to him? Make him hate even more?"


    "Even more? Your actions are the only ones that cause the people around you to keep their distance from you."


    "Is that so? My actions? Or..." Jin squinted his black eyes and looked straight at her, "are they my reactions?"


    Her brows furrowed. "Nobody has done anything to provoke you to act so miserable and cruel. Don''t try to justify your actions."


    "Not in this life..." he mumbled a whisper that was impossible to hear. "Whatever. I am leaving."


    Ai stopped his way, and the expression on her face was chillier than the cold winds blowing past them. "Apologize to Shui."


    "No. Do whatever you want. You want to slap me? It''s like your signature reaction, isn''t it?" He smiled. "Go ahead. I don''t care."


    Silence.


    Shui cold palm held onto Ai''s hand, and she shook her head. "I...I..." her voice was hoarse and was filled with pain, "it''s okay. I-I don''t need to h-hear it."


    Jin watched Shui''s eyes and the moistness in them shimmering under the moonlight. For just a fraction of a second, his hand trembled. But that feeling disappeared soon enough, enveloping his heart with hatred again.


    Cry, Shui. I want to see you cry. Until I let you suffer every last bit of pain you made me go through...you will keep on suffering.


    pan,da-n0vel,c-o-m Jin didn''t hold onto a minute longer and left by taking large strides.


    Shui finally lost the strength in her knees as if something had sapped the vitality out of her.


    "Shui!" Ai bent down and pulled her into her hug. She patted her head and whispered. "It''s okay."


    "It''s not...It''s not okay..." Shui broke down into loud sobs that threatened to tear her heart apart. She felt like all the painful emotions that she had bottled up inside her broke through. She hadn''t shared the conversation between her and Jin to anybody. Not even to her family. She was handling it all alone, and she didn''t know who she could talk to.


    The warm tears endlessly flushed on the soft grass as she poured her heart out. "How could he s-say that to me? A-am I so despicable in his eyes? He spoke about a o-one night stand so casually...as if it didn''t mean anything to him...When did I become that kind of a woman in his eyes?"


    Ai held her face and said with conviction, "You are not despicable, Shui. It''s Jin who has become too blind, chasing after something that only he knows what it is. He doesn''t have any right to demean you, and you don''t have to listen to him. I know you love him, and I understand it is hurting you a lot to hear such a thing from him. But if he said that, then you should also realize that you shouldn''t waste your precious love on him anymore. Someone who treats a woman like that doesn''t deserve it."


    Shui cried harder, feeling a jab on her heart every time she remembered Jin talking about a one-night stand between them.


    Ai sat beside her and softly said, "I know it''s hard to move on. I...I have experienced that feeling."


    Shui looked at her, surprised. "You had a boyfriend before?"


    Not in this life but in the past life...


    But Ai couldn''t clarify that.


    "...Yes. It felt crushing to forget about him. It was really...really hard. But then..." her light brown irises brimmed with tears, "Jun stepped into my life and that pain wasn''t so painful anymore. Jun keeps me so happy that sometimes I feel that that whole phase was just an illusion. That man...I loved him just like you love Jin. It was hard, but time eventually healed that scar. That day will come for you too, Shui, but only if you steel your heart to let go of Jin. The more you think about him, the more you will want him and the harder it will get for you."


    Shui''s gaze looked empty. "I...I don''t think I can love anybody other than Jin. I know I sound stupid after what he said. I should hit him, I should feel angry at him, and I should throw him out of my life but...a part of me doesn''t want to...Jin is not like that. He-he never acted in such a way. He is not raised that way. Aunt Nana...has raised her children really well. S-something has changed within him, but I don''t know what."


    She wiped her cheeks. "Even towards Jun, he is acting very strangely. Sometimes it feels as if he cares about him and sometimes he pushes him away as if he is his worst enemy. And Jun out of all people? Jin...really liked Jun the most. He used to follow him all the time when we were kids. It was always Jun, Jin and me who played the most. Even now...he came here to beat up Cai Lingyun."


    Ai widened her eyes. "He did?"


    "Yeah. He was angry that Cai Lingyun tried to set Jun up and humiliated him. He would have beaten him to death had I not stepped in between."


    Ai frowned.


    What is going on? Why would Jin go so far? Ever since the breakup announcement day, Jin had only been acting hostile towards Jun. And now he wants to protect him?


    But he likes Shui. They were going to get married in the last life. There is nothing to stop him from having Shui. Then...


    Why is saying that he hates her?


    "Everything was fine until a few days ago," Shui sniffled, "but now he suddenly hates Jun. He hates me. He is the last person we thought...would hate us."


    Ai was in deep contemplation. Something was not adding up, and she had a feeling there was more to know about Jin''s actions. But how?


    She held her hand and softly assured her. "There are a lot of unanswered questions. I know everything is confusing. But even so, Jin has no right to trample over you like this. I know he is important to you and maybe you cannot believe that he would act this way. But you have to be strong. Even if you might not feel angry at him right now, you also cannot let yourself get hurt by him again and again or your pain will never end."


    Shui pursed her lips and slowly nodded. "You...you are right." She glanced at Ai and smiled through her tears. "Jun is really lucky to have met you. And if Jin really likes you, I don''t think I can blame him either. You are a really nice person. I didn''t think you would treat me so well after all that has happened."


    She clasped her hands together. There was Ai who was being kind towards her despite her being Jun''s ex-girlfriend and when she didn''t know much about Ai at all.


    Then on the second hand, there was Jin who she knew since childhood and was her good friend but was now hating and hurting her.


    Ai exhaled a deep breath. "Jin doesn''t like me. He is only doing that to hurt you."


    "Maybe he really-"


    "No," she shook her head, "he really doesn''t like me that way. I am sure of it."


    Shui stared at her and gently nodded. After a pause of a few minutes, she said, "I want to apologize for this morning. I know you trust Jun. I really appreciate that you didn''t misunderstand us, but y-you must have felt hurt when you saw us together. Especially us together when you are his girlfriend. I am really sorry. I didn''t even know Jun would enter the same elevator."


    Ai sighed. Then she softly flicked on her forehead, making Shui dumbfounded.


    Did she just flick me? She dazedly touched her forehead.


    "You and Jun are really similar. He was also worried about the same thing. Trust me, I didn''t feel hurt at all. It''s very difficult to doubt Jun considering how he loves."


    Shui slightly choked.


    Well, that''s true...


    It was also the reason why she never believed Jin that Jun cheated on her and broke up with her because Ai came into his life. It was just impossible.


    "You got a point there," a chuckle escaped her lips after a long time.


    She looked at the night sky and felt her chest getting lighter. "Thank you, Zhou Ai. We just met today but I never thought I would feel...so much better than the past few days."


    Especially with you. Are the present and ex-girlfriends of a guy supposed to be on such good terms so easily? She thought.


    Shui carefully studied her and touched her chin. "I think you have magic."


    Ai sincerely replied. "I am a human."


    "..."


    Then she cracked into laughter. "Hahaha, you answered that so earnestly. Aish, you are cute. I can see once again why Jun fell for you. You have magic and then you are also cute." Her eyes sparkled as she thought of an idea. "Hey, do you want to see Jun''s childhood pictures?"


    Ai''s ears perked up, and she instantly shone as if a golden light surrounded her. "Childhood pictures? Yes!"


    "Cool! Hehe. Get ready to squeal hard because Jun was really cute, especially with glasses."


    "Jun had glasses?" She beamed.


    "Yeah, when we were kids."


    Ai imagined Jun wearing glasses now.


    He will look so handsome. I want to see him wearing glasses now.


    In their room, Jun sneezed hard. "Achoo!" He shuddered too and suspiciously thought to himself, "Why do I get this bad feeling that somebody is having fun at my expense?"

 Chapter ?275 Shanghai Fest Arc (29) : I Am Coming

    Chapter ?275 Shanghai Fest Arc (29) : I Am Coming


    Beijing.


    Zixin put on the black coat and adjusted his shirt as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. He stared at himself for a few seconds before taking a deep breath.


    "Hey, somebody is getting dressed up~" Zixin''s mother, Chen Serena, stepped in carrying a tray with a cup of coffee. "Hmm, you always dress your best, but today you look different, even nervous for some reason."


    Zixin didn''t show much of an expression, but his heart was indeed racing faster in his chest. "Nothing."


    "Nooo. My radar is sensing something," Serena pouted as she looked at him up and down. "Is it a woman?"


    "No," he instantly denied.


    "Liar liar pants on fire! It''s definitely a woman! So, so who is she?" Serena sparkled and between the mother and the son, she looked more like a child right now. "How did you meet her? What is her name? What does she do? You have to tell me everything!"


    Zixin said nothing, but the tips of his ears were clearly blushing.


    Serena sobbed. "You are just like your grandpa. My father-in-law is really cute, but he is so silent that it''s impossible to know what he is thinking. You make the same expressions as him. By the way, where are you heading? Can you tell me that or is that a secret too?"


    "Shanghai."


    "Oooo to meet a woman?" She eagerly hopped.


    Zixin said nothing.


    "Bro, don''t be like this!" Yubi dashed into his room and crashed to hug him. "Why are you keeping secrets from us? Even if there is a woman you like, what''s wrong in sharing it with us? You clearly told Yunru. What is this partiality!? Yunru and I are twins! How could you favor that puppy idiot over me?" She shed fake tears.


    "Yunru doesn''t know anything," Zixin plainly countered her.


    "That''s not true. He is in Shanghai and now you are going too. You definitely told him something. How could you leave your pretty and dearest sister out of the loop like this?"


    Serena gravely nodded.


    "Don''t worry. You can tell me. I won''t leak it to Mom or Dad."


    "Hey!" Serena complained. "I thought we were in this together!"


    Yubi seriously said, "Siblings trust is more important."


    Serena flared up her nostrils. "Children forget all filial piety once they grow older."


    She ignored her daughter and sheepishly grinned at her son. "Zixin, tell me no! Who is that woman? Why are you feeling so shy to admit it?"


    Zixin kept his silence. But Serena and Yubi kept drilling holes into him with their searing eyes that wanted to know the truth at any cost.


    He looked impassive but inwardly, he was sweating secretly. It was hard to ignore their gazes. He looked away, but the mother-daughter pair popped up in front of his vision wherever he moved his eyeballs. This happened a couple of times, but he never lost patience.


    Eventually, he pursed his lips. "I am only going to meet her."


    Their eyes illuminated like stars in the sky. They had tons of questions in their mind. "Oh my God! You really have someone you love? What is she like?"


    He said nothing.


    Serena''s mouth twitched.


    "Well, does she live in Shanghai?"


    No answer.


    Yubi asked with anticipation, "How did you meet her?"


    Silence.


    "Oh come on!" They exclaimed in unison helplessly. "You seriously are like your grandpa. Why are you hiding it from us?"


    "I don''t know if she will say yes," he quietly spoke.


    "Yeah well but-" Serena choked and jerked her head in shock as she just realized what she heard. "You are going to confess to her?"


    Silen-


    "You dare keep your mouth shut, and you will have it from me Chen Zixin!" She glared at him.


    That was his mother''s ultimatum and that was it.


    Yubi cleared her throat and eyed her brother secretly.


    You know not to mess with Mom now.


    Zixin pressed his lips together again. "Yes."


    Serena clapped her hands in delight. "That''s so wonderful! What was there to hide in this?"


    "I don''t know if she will agree," he calmly repeated.


    Yubi wrapped her arm around his and hugged him tightly. "How can she not agree? You are the most dashing, handsome, caring and coolest guy in the whole world! Any woman would be blind not to say yes to you!"


    Serena pinched his cheeks. "I hope things go well for you. But even if she doesn''t say yes, you don''t have to keep it from us. I am your sweetest mother. Whether you succeed or fail, I should know everything about my son. I just don''t want to see your smiles but your pain too. It''s not good to take in everything by yourself."


    Zixin thought about it and nodded.


    Yubi asked, "So, so! Will you bring her here for us to meet?"


    Clearly, they were excited for this more than anything.


    "If she says yes first."


    "Oof! You are worrying too much!" Yubi flicked her elder brother''s forehead. "If she knows you well, she will never reject you. I have full faith!"


    Zixin ever so softly smiled, shooting an arrow right through her heart. "See, this is what I was talking about. Your eyes and smile are so beautiful. How can anybody bear to reject you?"


    "You are getting cheeky," he commented.


    p¡¢a,nd a-n¡¢o¡¢ve,l "I was always cheeky," she stuck out her tongue.


    Serena tiptoed and kissed her son''s forehead. "I wish you all the best. Go get her!"


    His gaze softened. "I hope so."


    "It''s not just hope. It will definitely happen."


    Yubi said, "So you will meet Bro Jun and that idiot Yunru too. Oh by Bro Jun I remember! I heard that he secretly kidnapped Feng Wuhan, Bro Zixin''s competitor. Why so?"


    Serena wore a solemn countenance. "Jianyu told me that Jun told him that Feng Wuhan was planning to harm Zixin. He had his suspicions, so he brought him in. But until now, he hasn''t confessed anything."


    Yubi harrumphed. "Doesn''t matter. Since Feng Wuhan is in the base, there is nothing to worry about. Bro Zixin will be safe," she grinned.


    Serena nodded. She worriedly said, "But still. Be careful on your way, okay Zixin?"


    He smiled and hugged his mother and sister. "I will be fine. It''s just a one day trip. I will be back by tomorrow."


    "En."


    As they left his room, Zixin let out a breath and looked at a certain picture in his phone with a gentle gaze.


    "I am coming, Guiying."

 Chapter 276 Shanghai Fest Arc (30) : Jin’s Accident

    Chapter 276 Shanghai Fest Arc (30) : Jin''s Accident


    Shanghai.


    Jun woke up with a silent yawn and opened his eyes from the lovely dream he was having about himself and Ai. Last night was also just as lovely as they passionately made love. But this time, he spared her from having more rounds with her as they were going to return to Beijing tomorrow.


    His ears perked up as he heard Ai faintly giggling. She laid beside him, her naked back facing him as she was checking something on her phone.


    What''s so funny early in the morning? He cocked his brow with interest.


    He quietly raised his head and peeked into her phone. Looking at Ai scrolling through his childhood pictures made his brows twitch incessantly. Even more so when he noticed that she was chatting with Shui.


    He sneered. "You seem to have grown very close. I must say, too close to my taste."


    Ai gasped in shock and looked back. "Don''t just pop in like that suddenly."


    His gaze darkened. "You tell me what secret conversation you are having with Shui first!"


    She furrowed her brows. "There is no secret conversation. She is sharing your cute childhood pictures. Jun, you looked so cute wearing glasses," she peeked at him with hope, "I want to see you in glasses again."


    "No. How could she share my pictures like that? I have no privacy at all!"


    "Why do you need privacy from your girlfriend?"


    "You just want to see me in glasses, don''t you?" He dryly asked.


    "I also want to see you wearing Pikachu ears," she pointed at a picture where the twins were grinning beside him. Jun was forced to smile in that picture, wearing a Pikachu ears headband.


    His dark brown eyes shone with violence. "I didn''t put those damn ears on by choice! Those annoying twins forced it upon me!"


    Ai nodded with appreciation. "They did good. You look so-"


    He shot her a glare as if expressing the severe consequences she would face if she uttered the word cute again.


    "Moving on¡­" she cleared her throat and scrolled through the other pictures. Most of the pictures had Jun either reading a book or playing some video game. Then there were many other pictures of various celebrations held but Jun didn''t look interested in any of them. It was as if he wanted to be left alone.


    pan,da n<0,>v,el Jun snatched her phone away. "That''s enough."


    "Hey! Give me my phone back. I haven''t seen all the pictures," she pursed her lips.


    "What is there to see other than my miserable expressions?" He grimaced.


    She chuckled. "Not all are miserable. You looked happy in all those pictures clicked with Mrs. Liu and Mrs. Han."


    "..."


    "I can see the crush in your eyes for Mrs. Han," she teased him.


    "You¡­No more pictures!"


    Ai protested. "But I want to know how you were as a child."


    "It was nothing special."


    "It''s special for me. In that sense, I do feel jealous of Shui because she has seen that side of yours. She has spent her whole childhood with you. I haven''t. So, at least I want to know your life through the pictures," she gave him an extremely sincere look.


    His mouth twitched. It was hard to ignore her when she said it like that.


    "Fine¡­" he gave her phone back. "But no calling me cute! That''s my condition."


    "Sure."


    I will call you cute in my mind, Ai thought.


    They went through his pictures together, giggling and laughing. She slowly pointed out after seeing through most of the photos. "Jin is with you in almost every picture."


    Jun tilted his head and raised his brow. "Now that you say it, it is like that indeed."


    "Shui told me that Jin always stuck around your side wherever you went."


    "Yeah, pretty much," he weakly smiled, "We were always together. Or atleast most of the time. That''s why¡­it was hard to imagine that Jin would snatch Shui away from me like that. But you know what is even stranger? In the elevator, Shui said that Jin hates her. She confessed her feelings and he said that he hated her."


    "I know," Ai looked grim, "Last night when I was near the lake, I heard Jin talking to Shui. He thought that Shui stalked him in Shanghai and¡­"


    "And what?"


    "Jin said a terrible thing to Shui. He wants to get rid of Shui, so he asked¡­if she would leave him after a one-night stand."


    "What!?" Jun exclaimed loudly. It gripped him by such disbelief that he wasn''t able to process it.


    "I got angry and I slapped him."


    "You bet you did!" Confusion, anger and shock were all over his face. "What the hell Jin is thinking suggesting such a pathetic thing like that!? He cannot degrade Shui like that! Did he really ask that?"


    "Yes. That''s why I slapped him."


    He gritted his teeth. "I have to talk to Jin. This is going out of hands! I am already out of his way. Shui also loves him. Then what does he want? How dare he say such a thing to her? Trust me, if Bro Nian gets to hear about this, he will torture him and bury him alive!"


    Jun then pressed his brows and asked, "How is Shui?"


    Ai lowered her gaze, feeling wistful for her. "Naturally, very hurt. But I talked to her, and she is fine now."


    Jun drew out a long and angry sigh. He balled his fist and spoke through a clenched jaw, "I will talk to Jin. Hell, he cannot act like this!"


    ¡ª


    "Jin!"


    Outside the hotel where some were doing some painting and maintenance work, Jun grabbed his brother''s shoulder and harshly made him face him. "Are you out of your mind? What the hell did you say to Shui last night!? Is that what Mom has taught us? I don''t know what is going on in your mind, but is that how you are supposed to behave to a woman? Your childhood friend at that!"


    Jin clicked his tongue. "Your present and ex-girlfriends are such tattletales, Bro. Don''t they have better work to do?"


    "Jin!"


    But he forced himself to calm down and took a deep breath. "Tell me. What is going on?"


    Jin sneered and shook off his question. Without answering anything, he was about to leave when his gaze fell on a heavy paint can above falling towards Jun''s head.


    "Jin you have to answer-"


    Suddenly, Jin gave him a hard push and screamed. "Bro, get out of the way!"


    As he stumbled back, the can hit on Jin''s temple and he collapsed on the floor, unconscious.

 Chapter ?277 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Yunru’s Small Gift

    Chapter ?277 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Yunru''s Small Gift


    Forty-five minutes earlier.


    Back at The Creative Sense, Yunru brought Huan to the venue to show her something.


    "Why did you bring me here today? I thought that since Ai has no work today, we all will be touring Shanghai."


    Yunru cleared his throat. "Indeed, we will do that. But there is a small thing that you have to do."


    Huan tilted her head questioningly but also curiously.


    When they were going to step into a room, ''Guiying'' and Zhan Yahui just came out after ''Guiying''s'' seminar was done. Zhan Yahui slightly stiffened and narrowed her eyes, seeing Huan''s presence.


    ''Guiying'' was also slightly surprised.


    What are they doing here?


    Huan didn''t show much change in her countenance, but Yunru was quite expressive as well as vocal too.


    Zhan Yahui eyed Huan and asked, "What are you doing here?"


    Instead of Huan, Yunru answered her and in a not so pleasant tone. "Do you have a problem with it? Or what? Can you only arrange your writer''s seminar here by pulling some strings?"


    Zhan Yahui alternated her gaze between him and Huan. "I didn''t pull any strings."


    Yunru sneered. "Yeah sure. Whatever, I don''t want to get into proving myself right."


    "Then why are you here? I thought your tour over here was done."


    Yunru smirked. "Since CherryBlossom got a chance - or you gave her one - we all know what it was. If she could give a seminar despite not winning the Summit, then why not MysticMidnight? She lost the Summit too but she was able to reach the top three. If your writer deserved that chance, then she does too."


    Huan stood, stupefied as she faced him. "You mean to say¡­you arranged for my writing seminar?"


    Yunru hesitated. "Yes. I-It''s actually not as long as sister-in-law''s or Cai Guiying''s. The schedule was tight, so I could only squeeze forty-five minutes for you¡­B-But still, I thought it was better than having nothing. There are readers out here too who are your fans, and you should meet them."


    ''Guiying'' wasn''t really bothered with Huan getting her platform or not. She could care less of that. But as she glanced at Zhan Yahui, she could faintly see her gaze flickering for just a second. She stood absolutely still, and even she didn''t know what she was thinking.


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "I see¡­"


    Yunru didn''t hide his displeasure at all. "Why are you staring at us? Whether you don''t like it from a professional standpoint or something else¡­" By something else, he meant the fact that they were half-sisters, "Huan will also shine as a writer."


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "Good for her. Good luck, Shi Huan."


    Huan paused and then said, "Thank you."


    Zhan Yahui then glanced at Guiying and said, "We are done here. Let''s go."


    As they left, Huan finally confronted Yunru. "Why did you do this? I don''t even work for Sky."


    Yunru coughed. "I know. But we are¡­friends right? Friends are supposed to help each other. I know you said that you don''t mind that your spot was stolen. But it''s not just about popularity," he pursed his lips, "Don''t you want to feel how it''s to meet new authors and your readers? It''s awesome, I tell you! You will really like it and then you will thank me a lot!" He grinned.


    Huan stared at his radiant and beaming smile and for a moment, her heart thudded in her chest thinking he looked cute. Then she suddenly realized her train of thoughts and snapped out. "Th-thank you¡­"


    She didn''t ask, yet she felt really touched by his thoughts.


    "B-But like I said, it''s a little short," Yunru nervously reminded her.


    She shook her head. "I don''t care about how long or short it is. It already matters a lot to me that you did this for me."


    "Oh. That''s great then."


    Their gazes met for a brief second and they quickly averted their gazes, slightly coughing.


    "You should go inside," he cheerfully smiled.


    "Yes," Huan nodded.


    ¡ª


    When she stepped out forty-five minutes later, her face was beaming with bliss.


    Yunru grinned. "I told you that you will enjoy it! Look, you even made so many new fans!"


    She nodded hard. "I-I really did¡­"


    Yunru''s phone buzzed with a call from Nian, and he frowned.


    Why is Bro Nian disturbing me? He always has to bully me at important times!


    "What is it, Bro Nian? Right now, I am-"


    "Jin is in the hospital."


    His eyes widened. "What!? Bro Jin¡­in the hospital?"


    That took Huan aback too.


    "W-what happened?"


    p-n0vel¡¢com He heard Nian talking at the other end, and he turned pale. "Shit! How is Bro Jin? And Bro Jun? Is he hurt? Wait, we are coming!"


    He hung up and anxiously pulled Huan. "We need to go to the hospital!"


    "What''s wrong? I heard your brother is hurt," she worriedly asked.


    "It''s Bro Jin. He got hurt while protecting Bro Jun from falling a paint can over his head."


    Huan gasped and covered her mouth. "Let''s go quickly then!"


    As they rushed off, ''Guiying'' who was hiding behind a pillar came out. She watched them leaving in a hurry.


    An accident with Liu Jun? But his brother got hurt¡­


    From the corner of her eye, she saw her brother approaching her. "Hey."


    ''She'' frowned as she observed something different about him. His smile faltered, and his gaze looked nervous.


    "Are you done with your seminar?"


    "I was done long back. Where were you all this time?"


    He looked away. "I just woke up late. I am sorry I couldn''t be there at your seminar."


    ''She'' smiled.


    That was expected. If it had been Zhou Ai''s seminar, then you wouldn''t have missed it at all.


    But still¡­why does it feel he is lying to me?


    ¡ª


    As the doctor came out of the ward, Jun rushed towards him. "Jin! How is Jin? He was bleeding a lot a-and suddenly fell unconscious. He is fine, right?"


    The doctor reassured him. "Yes, Mr. Liu. Liu Jin is out of danger. He had a concussion, and its effects might last for a while like faint dizziness and pain in his temple. But he will recover in a few days. Thankfully, the paint can didn''t hit his head or eyes or we don''t know how severe his condition might have become. Don''t worry. He will regain consciousness in a few hours."

 Chapter 278 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : Little Jun And Little Jin

    Chapter 278 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : Little Jun And Little Jin


    Everybody sighed in great relief. Ai sat beside Jun, who wiped the corner of his eye. She held his hand and smiled. "I told you he will be fine, and he is."


    "It''s my fault-"


    "It''s not your fault," Ai cut him off. "It was an accident. Please don''t blame yourself. Nobody saw it coming."


    "It doesn''t matter!" Jun broke down and whispered, "Jin, he¡­protected me just like he did in my past life. He took the bullet for me. This time, he got hurt again. The whole time he was inside, my thoughts only wandered off if he would¡­die again" he shuddered, "No matter what he did or is doing now, I don''t want him dead," a tear slipped from his reddened eyes. "If something had happened to him again, I would have never been able to forgive myself. It''s al-already enough that I killed Jin and Mom once. I don''t want to see anybody hurt because of me once again."


    Ai felt helpless. She wanted to help him and throw away all the guilt from his heart. But considering what happened in the last life, she knew she couldn''t blame him for feeling sensitive at this time.


    Shui was on the other side who was crying and staring hard at Jin through the ward''s window. Huan was by her side consoling her.


    Yunru jumped to hug his cousin. "Bro, are those tears what I see!? Why are you looking like you are blaming yourself for this!"


    "Because he is," Ai agreed with dissatisfaction.


    "How dare you! I protest!"


    Nian folded his arm. "The one who should blame himself should be the one who caused the accident. It''s not your fault for standing at that place. So quit it with any guilt or I will slap you."


    Xing Bi hit his arm. "Don''t be like this to him! Can''t you see he is already in distress?"


    "O-of course not, Xing Bi. I am being a good brother!"


    He patted Jun''s shoulder and said, "You stay here. I will look into how the accident happened."


    Yunru stood up flaring his nostrils. "I will come with you too! How could the hotel be so irresponsible!? I will sue them!"


    Nian glanced at Shui''s side once with a hint of worry in his eyes. But Xing Bi shared a gaze with him and nodded.


    I am here with her.


    He smiled. "Thanks."


    ¡ª


    *Flashback*


    A four years old Jin was crying in the dark room where his brothers, Jian and Nian had locked him up. Nuo had tried to stop them, pulling Jin to her side, but they didn''t listen to her and dumped Jin into this room.


    His heart thudded and he felt a knot in his stomach, feeling dark all around. Sometimes, he hallucinated as if shadows were creeping onto him.


    "N-No¡­" he sniffled hard and kept wiping his tears, "I want to¡­to be out¡­I don''t want to be here¡­Waaaaa¡­Somebody help me¡­I will die. I am scared¡­"


    He covered his ears with his hands and shut his eyes, sobbing loudly. His small body was trembling hard with fear. He didn''t know how much time had passed, but he felt a hand on his head.


    "Jin. Open your eyes."


    He froze. He slowly raised his head which he had hidden between his knees. He looked at Jun with his eyes and cheeks stained with tears.


    "B-Bro Jun¡­" he squeaked with a tiny and helpless voice.


    Jun, who was eight at that time, adjusted his spectacles and sat beside his brother. He wiped his face and said, "Don''t cry."


    Jin burst into tears again and begged him. "Bro please¡­Take me out! I-I don''t want to be here. I hate the dark¡­" he sniffled. "I don''t want¡­to be here," he cried.


    "I cannot. You made them really mad."


    Jin''s face lost more color.


    "I cannot let you out. But I will stay here with you," saying that he took out a small toy from his pocket that lit up with a dim light as he pressed a button. He kept it in front of him. "Is it better now?"


    Jin gasped through his tears, whose fear of the dark was slowly disappearing as he stared at the toy that faintly illuminated the room. His teary eyes beamed, and he hugged Jun.


    cO,m Jun patted his head. "Mom is sick. You shouldn''t have been stubborn."


    Jin bit his lip hard. "I-I just wanted to eat Mom''s spaghetti¡­"


    "But she is sick. Do you like to play when you catch a cold?"


    "...No."


    "It''s hard right if you force yourself to play? You feel weak and just want to sleep."


    Jin nodded.


    "It''s the same with Mom. She is also weak right now and has to rest."


    Jin lowered his head with shame as he understood his mistake. "I am s-sorry¡­I am really sorry."


    Jun bobbed his head and ruffled his hair. "Good that you understand. When Bro Jian and Bro Nian will let you out, apologize to Mom."


    "Yes."


    Then he panicked. "When will Bro let me out? I d-don''t want to be here¡­" tears pooled in his eyes once again.


    "I don''t know. But it doesn''t matter," Jun smiled and wiped his tears again. "Because I will stay here with you as long as it takes."


    *Flashback ends*


    As the memory resurfaced in his mind, Jin slowly opened his eyes. He recognized the white ceiling of a hospital and looked around to find Jun beside him.


    His eyes slowly widened and for a few moments, he felt as if it was just like the time when they had spent in that dark room where Jun stayed with him. He felt as if he was seeing little Jun''s apparition in front of him.


    "Jin!"


    Jun noticed he regained consciousness and leaned. "Jin, how are you feeling now?"


    Jin stared at him hard for a longer time until a tear slipped down on the pillow through his right eye.


    Jun looked at him shocked. "Jin, what''s wrong? Is your temple hurting too much?" The concern and worry in his voice was distinct.


    Jin crumpled the sheet in his fist, remembering how it was Jun''s bullet that had killed him.


    "Bro¡­"


    "Yes? I am here. Should I call the doctor?"


    "Bro¡­" a weak snide curled his lips, "Why are you here? It''s¡­not like those days anymore where we were always together. You hate me. So do your part and¡­" he became slightly breathless, "leave. You don''t have to care about someone who snatched everything from you."

 Chapter ?279 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Jin’s True Feelings Inside Out

    Chapter ?279 Shanghai Fest Arc (31) : Jin''s True Feelings Inside Out


    Jin gasped and felt a sharp headache tearing the left side of his head apart. Sweat formed on his forehead, making Jun panic. "Jin, wait! I will call the doctor for you!"


    The doctor immediately arrived but by then, Jin had fainted again. He checked his stats and vitals and said, "The wound was deep, so he will be in and out of consciousness for some time. Plus, there might still be some lingering effects of the anesthesia kicking in."


    "So he is okay, right?" He tensely asked.


    He smiled. "Yes, Mr. Liu. Like I said, your brother isn''t in danger. He will fully wake up in some time."


    As the ward fell silent, Jun felt a hand on his shoulder. "Jun."


    pAn,dan0vel.c0m "Hey," he quickly wiped his eyes and tried to hide his shaky voice from Ai. "The doctor said he is fine."


    "Hm."


    She stared at Jin and thoughtfully said, "Jun. I have something in my mind. Will you listen to me?"


    --


    When Jin came around the second time, he felt the pain in his head much lighter and better and his mind working more clearly.


    But the moment his eyes fell on a certain woman beside him, he felt as if that headache would return.


    "Zhou Ai. You do realize that you are the last person I want to see after waking up, especially the woman who doesn''t know anything other than slapping me?"


    Ai''s composure only irked him further. "It''s not like slapping is my hobby."


    He sneered. "Sure it doesn''t look that way."


    "Then you can only blame yourself," her sharp words made him grit his teeth.


    "Get out."


    "No. Before that, I want to talk to you."


    "Yeah, I am not exactly in the mood to chit chat here with you," he gave her sardonic smile.


    "Doesn''t matter."


    His gaze darkened.


    Ai bored her eyes straight into his as if she wasn''t leaving him any place to escape. "Jin, you are a very complex person."


    "Excuse me?"


    "You are very different from Jun. He doesn''t hide whatever it is in his heart. But you do. That''s why I said before that you wear a mask to hide your true intentions. It''s very difficult to know what''s inside YOUR heart."


    "Your point?" He asked, bored.


    "Jun told me once that you like Shui. When we met at the library for the first time, you were really worried when Jun suddenly fell sick. But I doubted your concern when you were staring at Jun and Shui dancing at the banquet night. Then your whole tone changed when Jun announced his breakup. You openly became his enemy. Then here in Shanghai, you ruined my meal that Jun prepared for me. But you beat up Cai Lingyun for revenge and saved Jun from getting hurt today."


    Jin yawned. "I am sleepy. Get out."


    Ai ignored him and continued. "It was really hard to decipher your feelings, but it finally occurred to me when Nian told me that incident in your childhood when he and Jian locked you up in the room."


    This got Jin''s full attention.


    "And then I was completely sure when Jun also added to that incident."


    "And exactly what did you decipher, Miss. Zhou?" Jin mockingly asked.


    "Who is more important to you? Shui or Jun? Tell me."


    He narrowed his eyes.


    "I want to know."


    "You are not getting any answer from me."


    "I already know. I just want to hear it from your lips."


    He shrugged.


    Ai said it herself. "I had everything backwards. It was always Jun from the beginning."


    He froze.


    "You, Jun and Shui were always together during your childhood not because you liked Shui too but because you wanted to spend time with Jun. You...have a brother complex towards Jun, right?"


    Jin curled his fist, and his gaze with which he looked at Ai only became darker and icier. He wanted to cover her mouth and stop her from talking.


    "You disliked Shui because Jun loved her so much that you thought she was snatching his affection that was meant to be yours. But then you began to hate her when their relationship fell apart because she blamed Jun and his possessiveness which you couldn''t tolerate. You cannot tolerate anything against Jun. That''s why you beat Cai Lingyun. You really care about him. That''s why you took the hit for him today. You ruined my meal because spaghetti was the first dish that Jun cooked for you, so it has a really special place in your heart. That''s why you didn''t want me to eat it."


    The more she talked, the more rattled he got. It was as if she was exposing his deepest secrets which he never wanted to come to light. He wanted to fight back, but he was too tired with the mild headache he was having.


    He exhaled a restless breath. "Why are you talking so much?"


    "Because I think that things will become easier if you and Jun had a proper conversation. But you don''t want to do that because you don''t want to let him know that you care about him more than what he had expected."


    Jin chuckled wryly. He laughed for a long time but as opposed to his smiling lips, Ai could gauge the sorrow reflecting in his eyes. Then he stopped laughing and quietened down.


    "It''s very easy to like Bro Jun, right?" He said as he looked outside the window.


    "Yes," Ai didn''t hesitate to answer.


    "Say, Zhou Ai. What do you like about him the most?"


    Ai took a moment to answer. There were so many things that she loved about Jun. But if she wanted to name one thing, then it would be...


    "Jun is very kind. I like his kindness the most," she answered with the purest of her smile and the softest of her gaze.


    Jin showed no change in his expression, neither did he accept or reject her answer. Instead he said, "Brother complex you say...Do you know why it''s like that?"

 Chapter 280 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : The Promise Between The Two Brothers

    Chapter 280 Shanghai Fest Arc (32) : The Promise Between The Two Brothers


    cO,m "I have four siblings. As five siblings together, we are united and we love each other. But at the same time, there was also an invisible division between us."


    Ai tilted her head questioningly.


    "Among the five of us, Bro Jian, Bro Nian and Sis Nuo seemed to have formed their own group. They were quite mischievous, and it became more pronounced when all three of them wanted to have a career in cooking. They spent most of their time together in the kitchen, experimenting stuff and making new dishes. I loved cooking too but not as much as them. I felt I couldn''t really fit in over there. Also, Bro Jian and Bro Nian are the eldest. So, I couldn''t come over that gap between us quite often."


    Ai remembered what Jun said the night before.


    ''Jin is the youngest so the age gap hits him the hardest.''


    Jin faintly smiled. "Bro Jun was different and opposite. He would be cooped up in his room the whole day, either reading books or playing video games or playing with Shui if he went out. He talked very little, and I really couldn''t figure out if he even liked me or not. At times, I felt really lonely because I couldn''t connect to anybody until the day the twins got furious at me and locked me up. I still remember that day clearly.


    I had cried and cried, but they didn''t let me out. I begged them, but they didn''t listen to me. I thought...I would be locked there forever, or that a ghost would eat me up. Silly, right?"


    "It''s not silly," Ai explained. "I am still afraid of monsters under the bed attacking me from underneath."


    His brow twitched.


    Whatever...


    "But then I suddenly saw Bro Jun in front of me. He brought a small toy that lit up the darkness, and I wasn''t so afraid anymore. But what shocked me the most was that it was him out of all the people. He was there when I was begging the twins. But he just remained standing there, reading his book and didn''t even bother to look at me. He ignored all my cries, and I lost all hope of any help from him. That''s why it was so puzzling to see him helping me. But it wasn''t just that he kept me company."


    *Flashback*


    Little Jin''s stomach grumbled loudly. Jun glanced at him. "Hungry?"


    He nodded.


    Jun stayed silent and then said, "I will bring something for you."


    He caught his hand in panic, tears brimming in his eyes. "Don''t leave me alone, Bro. D-don''t go!"


    "I am not leaving. I will bring some food for you and return," he patted his head. "The toy light is here. It won''t go out, so you don''t have to be afraid."


    "O-okay..." he hesitated but agreed.


    Jin waited in silence. Time ticked by, but Jun didn''t return. He was on the verge of tears, thinking that Jun left him alone.


    "Bro..." he trembled.


    But soon, he smelled something delicious. He saw Jun, and his eyes brightened. "Bro!"


    "Sshh. Don''t talk loudly," Jun seriously warned. "Or you will alert the twins."


    Jun put the plate in front of him. "Eat."


    Jin''s moist eyes blinked as he saw steam wafting from the spaghetti and barbecue sauce that he wanted to eat the most this whole time.


    "This is spaghetti."


    "Yes. Eat up."


    "Mom made it for me?"


    "...No. Just eat."


    Jin slowly took a bite, and his eyes sparkled immediately. "This is just like Mom''s! It''s the same!"


    "Really?"


    "En!" He nodded hard.


    "Good," Jun smiled. "Eat up."


    Jin''s happiness knew no bounds. It was so delicious that he gobbled everything up in a few minutes, and his hungry stomach was satisfied.


    Jun went out to keep the plate back and opened the window of the room to let out the spaghetti smell so that the twins wouldn''t catch onto it.


    "Thank you, Bro!" Jin giggled and jumped to hug him.


    "En."


    They spent the rest of the time together with Jun reading him a story from the book. Jin listened to him with full attention and the seemingly scary time passed by without a hitch. When the twins finally let him out, the first thing Jin did was to apologize to Nana just like Jun said.


    Then he went to the maid next to thank her for making spaghetti for him. "Thank you!"


    "Aiya. It wasn''t me, young master Jin."


    Jin was confused.


    The maid chuckled. "Young master Jun told me to keep it a secret from the twins, but I can tell you. It was actually him who had cooked the spaghetti for you."


    Jin widened his eyes.


    "He tried really hard. He even got his fingers hurt while making the barbecue sauce. I told him many times that I will make the dish, but the young master insisted he would do it. He wanted to make it exactly like how Madam Nana makes it. He failed eight times before he finally perfected it during his ninth time," she sobbed, "Young master Jun is so adorable. He loves you so much."


    The moment he heard this, Jin ran towards Jun''s room and noticed the bandages on his fingers. In the dark room, he was hiding his hands inside his pockets. But now he could clearly see them.


    "Bro..." he burst into tears and hugged him hard. Y-you...got hurt because of me..."


    Jun pursed his lips and mumbled, "The maid said something unnecessary." He wiped his eyes. "You cry too much."


    "Why did you..." he gasped, "make spaghetti for me? I was bad..."


    He smiled and ruffled his hair. "Because you were hungry and you wanted to eat spaghetti. You felt sorry for acting like that to Mom, so you are good. It''s good to realize your mistake. There was no reason not to make spaghetti for you."


    Jin couldn''t understand why, but the tears fell even harder. He saw the band-aids wrapped on his fingers, and he felt warmth gush in his little heart.


    "Bro, I like your spaghetti the most! It was the best! Bestest than Mom''s. I will only eat your spaghetti from now on!" He gleamed.


    Jun chuckled. "Is that so?"


    "En! Will you promise me, Bro? That you will cook spaghetti only for me? Only for Jin! Not anybody else. Please? It will be our own special dish!"


    Jun pinched his cheek and smiled. "Sure. I will make spaghetti only for my little brother from now on. That''s a promise."


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter ?281 Shanghai Fest Arc (33) : Jin’s Revelation (1)

    Chapter ?281 Shanghai Fest Arc (33) : Jin''s Revelation (1)


    *Present*


    Ai stared at Jin who seemed to have lost himself in a trance of the past. The past where the days were blissful and without any worries and the days which he felt like living them once again.


    "Bro Jun became my most favorite person after that. The most important person in my life. I used to sleep with him in his room and he would tell me all kinds of stories at night. It wasn''t Mom who used to do the storytelling part. I loved hearing stories only from him. I loved playing with him the most. I used to sit beside him silently when he was busy reading books or playing games because he didn''t like being disturbed.


    He treasured his silence and his alone time the most and I never did anything that would bother him. But then he would always stop doing his stuff and asked what I wanted to play. Then we would have lots of fun together. Even though he hated playing with the twins¡­" he smiled, "he never sent me back. He treated me differently from them."


    He smiled. "He used to take care of me whenever I got sick. He used to deal with the boys who would bully me sometimes in school. He always helped me study for my exams and make notes of all the important questions. I really¡­really treasure him the most. The days when we grew up are really precious to me. But¡­I was also selfish. I know I should support Bro''s love for Shui. But I hated the fact that he paid attention to her. Sometimes¡­sometimes, I felt that he liked her more than me."


    p¡¢a,nd a-n¡¢o¡¢ve,l His expression was marred with disdain and apathy. "The more he treated her with affection, the more I felt lost and jealous. Sometimes, I used to secretly bully Shui just to take my revenge, and she never knew who the person was. If she hadn''t been in the picture, then Bro''s attention from me would never have wavered. It was hard telling him that I didn''t like Shui and secretly, I didn''t support their relationship when he loved her so much."


    He chuckled reluctantly. "But I also knew that I couldn''t continue like this forever. I would have to accept them one day or the other. So even though I hated it, I came to terms with the fact that Shui will always be the most important person in his life. She was his choice, and I couldn''t do anything about it."


    Ai let the silence sink in for sometime. Then she quietly asked, "From what point did everything change? If Jun is so important to you, then why do you hate him so much now?"


    Jin narrowed his eyes. He glanced at her and sneered. "You know, Zhou Ai? You claim that you love and trust Bro Jun so much. But I wonder for how long? How far would that trust go?"


    "I don''t understand."


    "Heh. What if I say that Bro Jun is hiding something from you? His most hideous side that might change your impression of him. Maybe you wouldn''t love him so much anymore."


    "That would never happen," Ai shot him a cold and acute stare.


    "Really? Even though you two are in a relationship, I am pretty sure he has missed telling you a most important detail of his life. He isn''t being completely honest with you. Which makes me wonder if this is a perfect chance to break you two apart?" He laughed, expressing his evil intentions. "Yup, it''s definitely the perfect chance. I hate Bro Jun and I hate you and you two would never be together!"


    "No matter what you say, nothing will break us apart," she remained firm.


    "Even if I say that he has killed me with his own hands?"


    Ai froze.


    He shook with an angry tremble. "Even if I say that I did nothing but care for him and love him for my whole life and in the end what I got was a bullet in my chest!?"


    He suddenly heard a click coming from the side and the door to the washroom slowly opened with Jun''s frame visible in front of him.


    Jin''s eyes widened, and he was left bewildered to see him here. But he quickly connected the dots and threw a deadly glare towards Ai. "You wanted him to listen to me."


    "Because there were things he should have listened to from your own mouth and some feelings that he needed to know which you were hiding," she answered, unperturbed.


    "Jin¡­" Jun slowly and noiselessly walked towards him and stared at his brother. His chest tightened with a feeling he didn''t know how to make sense of it. "What¡­what did you just say?"


    Jin quietly but sharply met his gaze, not hiding his animosity at all. His chuckle turned into a laughter as he spoke, "Well, who cares if you heard everything? Actually, it''s a good thing that you came, Bro. This way, you can confess to your crimes in front of your girlfriend who you love the most, and I would witness your relationship shattering. Who would want to live with a murderer? That''s what I want. To see you suffer!"


    He grabbed the tubes and needles which were inserted into him during his treatment and tore it away forcibly. He hissed slightly in pain.


    "Jin! What are you doing!?" Jun intervened and grabbed his shoulders to stop him from getting up, but Jin pushed him away.


    "Leave!" Jin gasped with pain and breathlessness, and his feet trembled as he struggled to maintain his balance. With his black pupils filled with hatred, he said as he studied the panic in Jun''s eyes, "Why do you look like that, Bro? Why do you care if I am hurt or in pain now?" His vacant smile made Jun shudder. "This¡­this pain is nothing as compared to the pain your bullet brought me. YOUR bullet of all people, Bro¡­"


    Ai felt a chill run in the back of her neck.


    What is he talking about? Bullet? Isn''t that how he died in the¡­


    She stiffened, thinking about the conclusion she just came to.


    Impossible¡­

 Chapter 282 Shanghai Fest Arc (34) : Jin’s Revelation (2)

    Chapter 282 Shanghai Fest Arc (34) : Jin''s Revelation (2)


    Jun blankly stared at him, the words which Jin just uttered hammering in his mind as if somebody was loudly beating a drum.


    Bullet¡­?


    Jin watched the priceless expression forming on Jun''s face and laughed. "What''s wrong? Are you wondering which bullet I am talking about? How could you kill me when I am alive at this moment right now? But I am sure you do know which bullet I am talking about."


    His eyes slowly widened as he was struck with the only realization that could explain this bizarre turn of events. "That''s¡­That''s not-"


    Jin tilted his head, his vicious words stabbing Jun right through his heart. "The same bullet with which you took my life¡­in your past life."


    Jun froze. He couldn''t articulate what he felt at this moment. It was as if he was in the middle of a dark and dangerous storm from where he had no way to escape. His breath got stuck in his throat, and a suffocating feeling enveloped him from within. The mention of the past life from Jin made his body shiver non-stop.


    "Jun!" Ai tightly held onto his arm and gripped it to provide her assurance.


    Jin smiled. "I know it must be beyond your comprehension, Zhou Ai. A bullet, a past life where I already died once,¡­wouldn''t make so much sense to you. But it would make all sense to Bro Jun. After all, isn''t he also reborn just like me?"


    Jun jerked his head towards him, his heart almost stopped beating in his chest. "Jin¡­you¡­"


    "Yes, Bro. I thought I died when your bullet struck me. When everything turned black before my eyes, I felt myself floating in a never-ending black void. The next thing I knew I had come ten years back in time. So yes. I remember everything from our past lives just like you do," he gripped his fingers into his palm, "I remember every single moment where you pushed me away. Where you refused to look at me. Where you said you hated me. And where you eventually killed me! I remember everything!"


    Jin is reborn like me¡­?


    Jun recalled everything that happened ever since he opened his eyes to his new life. But as far as Jin''s behavior was concerned, nothing struck him out of the ordinary. The only thing different was the fact that he hated Shui and showed an interest to date Ai.


    Jin said, "Are you wondering how I know about your rebirth? Of course, I did. The moment you left the house, I knew you had been reborn too because if you hadn''t, then the timeline wouldn''t have changed. You never left to live in your condo in our last life, so why would you do that now? I became even more sure when Shui said that you broke up with her. It was impossible considering your obsession with her so the only conclusion was that you were reborn too."


    Jun raised his trembling hands and clutched his shoulders. His moist eyes let out a tear on his cheek. "If-If¡­Jin, if you knew that I was reborn then¡­why didn''t you come to me? W-Why didn''t you say anything to me? I¡­"


    Jin took a step near him and spoke in a deathly somber voice, "What should I have said to you, Bro? That the brother you killed with your own hands was alive? That the brother you failed to kill got a second chance in life? You would have felt so disappointed that your most hated enemy vaas back," he sneered.


    He stared at him, stupefied, "Disappointed?"


    "Then what else should I say!? Ever since Shui rejected you, you did nothing but hate me! You did nothing but cast me away! You only cursed my existence! Why? Why!? Why did you hate me so much when I¡­I kept begging you to believe me that I had no feelings for Shui!? I kept crying and pleading with you that you were misunderstanding me, but you never chose to believe me!" His eyes slightly reddened as he crumpled Jun''s shirt in his fist.


    "You got so blind in your obsession that you threw everything important away from you! Just because of a single woman, you left your family, hated your family, you hated me and you hated the whole world! The¡­the kind Bro Jun who I always idolized had changed within a single night. You¡­" he gritted his teeth, "you had the kindest heart of all, but you behaved the cruelest to us all."


    Jun shook hard. The guilt and his wrongdoings of his past life which he was trying hard to bury in his heart, resurfaced as Jin shed light onto them.


    Jin wiped his tears and chuckled. "Do you remember, Bro? I once told you that you should break up with Shui. I once told you that she wasn''t the right woman for you. But you didn''t listen to me. Instead, you got furious at me and stopped talking to me! Bro¡­I could see that Shui wasn''t into you. She didn''t love you the same way you loved her. And I just wanted to protect you! But you got so mad at me that I had to apologize to you. Because¡­I didn''t want to lose you. I didn''t want to make you hate me¡­" he trembled.


    Jun felt it difficult to breathe.


    It was the time when Shui had asked Jun for some space after her twenty-first birthday when he had proposed to her. He thought that Jin said so because¡­


    "I didn''t say that because I liked Shui. I said that because I had understood that you would never be happy with her! You two were constantly fighting with each other, and I was disliking Shui more and more! How dare she think that your love was suffocating? How dare she push you away? There was nobody else in this world who could keep her as happy as you. You spent your whole childhood loving her and waiting for the day when you would marry her. But who was she to throw everything away? Who was she to reject you when you dedicated your whole life to her!?


    That''s why I wanted you to end your relationship with her. Because she didn''t deserve you! If she found your love suffocating, then I didn''t want to see you with a woman like her who didn''t respect your love. But what did I get? Only your fury and nothing else!"

 Chapter 283 Shanghai Fest Arc (35) : Jins revelation (3)

    Chapter 283 Shanghai Fest Arc (35) : Jin''s revelation (3)


    Jin slightly faltered in his steps with a headache gripping his temple.


    Jun held his brother steady and anxiously said, ¡°Jin, sit down-¡°


    But he shook off his hand and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡±


    Jun stiffened. The loathe in his eyes was so deep that made Jun feel as if somebody was strangling him.


    Ai watched the grief of Jin¡¯s hate reflecting in his wet eyes, and his pain brought tears in her own irises. She hated the thought of seeing him suffer Jin¡¯s bitter words. But she also knew that this conversation was important to bridge their differences.


    A little pain now was necessary to prevent a lifetime of misunderstandings and sorrow.


    On the other side, Jun¡¯s mind was a complete mess. What he thought was way different to what the reality was.


    Jin drew in a breath and clenched his jaw as he faced him. ¡°That was my way of telling you that Shui didn¡¯t love you. I couldn¡¯t outrightly confess that she didn¡¯t love you because that would have hurt you a lot, and I¡­the last thing I wanted to see was you getting hurt. I wanted you to realize the truth yourself, but you refused to look at anything that meant you and Shui getting separated!¡±


    Jun felt an ugly feeling arise in his chest, questions swirling in his mind. ¡°If you¡­you didn¡¯t love Shui then on her twenty-fifth birthday¡­she rejected me. Then the fact that you and Shui cheated-¡°


    ¡°Was a lie!¡± Jin exclaimed, his every cell bursting in a fury. ¡°We never cheated on you! We never had any relationship behind your back! Whether in the last life or in this life¡­you still think that we cheated on you,¡± he tiredly laughed. ¡°I never once¡­¡± tears plopped down as his voice broke, ¡°thought about betraying you, Bro. I can do anything, I can stoop to any lengths, but I never thought of hurting you. Even if I had loved Shui by any chance, I would have never come between you two. You were everything to me, Bro. Even in my dreams, I would never think of bringing pain to you.¡±


    *Flashback*


    ¡°I have made my decision, Jin,¡± Shui affirmed as she stared at Jun just a few days before her twenty-fifth birthday. ¡°I finally realized where I was going wrong. Jun and I are not meant for each other. I thought that this period of space I asked from Jun would help me reaffirm my feelings for him. But I cannot.¡±


    Jin laughed with a hint of panic in his voice, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Shui. What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That I cannot continue my relationship with Jun anymore,¡± her fists trembled and her voice shook. ¡°Ever since Jun proposed to me four years back, I couldn¡¯t help but think that this isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to be. I became afraid of our future instead of feeling any happiness. I wanted time to sort my feelings out. I wanted space because I wanted to know what was going wrong between us. And I realized now that it¡¯s really impossible between us because I¡­I like you Jin,¡± she shut her eyes as she confessed her deepest feelings.


    Jin tilted his head as his black eyes watched her expression with a cold scrutiny. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I like you, Jin,¡± The back of her throat felt uncomfortable and only she knew how fast her heart was drumming at this moment. ¡°A-and after coming to this realization now, I cannot keep Jun in the dark anymore. Now that I know that I don¡¯t love him, I cannot¡­continue our relationship. That will be cheating, and I won¡¯t ever cheat on Jun.¡±


    ¡°You cannot be serious, Shui!¡±


    She jolted back as his loud and angry voice sharply reverberated in the air.


    He grabbed her shoulders and gritted his teeth. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting!? You like me? Are you crazy!?¡±


    She looked at him, stupefied. ¡°I am not crazy, Jin. This is the truth. I like you-¡°


    ¡°But I don¡¯t!¡±


    She froze.


    ¡°So throw any thought out of your mind that I will ever accept you! Wake up, Shui. It¡¯s a misunderstanding. Your feelings for me are a mistake! Bro Jun and you have always been together. He has pr-proposed to you,¡± he chuckled with beads of sweat forming on his forehead. ¡°He wants to marry you, Shui. You¡­you are his everything. You cannot back out right now!¡±


    Startled, she slowly parted her lips to answer, ¡°Cannot back out? Jin, so you want to say that I should lie to Jun? That I keep fooling him even though I don¡¯t love him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! You¡­¡± tears threatened to escape his eyes, ¡°You cannot break my brother¡¯s heart, Shui. He has given his everything for you. He will be¡­devastated if you leave him. We all will lose him forever. You cannot do this, Shui.¡±


    ¡°And I do feel heartbroken Jin!¡± She broke down into tears as she stammered, ¡°No-Nobody knows it better than me how much he loves me. But it doesn¡¯t mean that I keep him in an illusion! You want me to marry Jun while having feelings for you in my heart? Isn¡¯t that cheating!? You are being the cruelest one here, Jin!¡±


    ¡°Cruel?¡± With a scornful laughter, he mocked her. ¡°My brother devoted his entire life for you and you want to abandon him. And you say I am the cruel one?¡±


    ¡°I know!¡± She cried, ¡°I know I have hurt Jun a lot. I know I cannot answer his years of love and devotion. I know¡­he will be devastated. But he will be even more destroyed if I married him knowing that I had another man in my heart. He waited for years for this day, and I cannot give him what he wants. I am horrible, Jin. I am pathetic. I will suffer any punishment Jun would give me. His hate, scorn, revenge¡­I will take everything,¡± tears kissed her cheeks as she sadly smiled. ¡°But I cannot lie to him, Jin. Not when I now know what I want.¡±


    She gently shook off Jin¡¯s hand from her shoulder and sniffled. ¡°You care about Jun, and I care about Jun too. But what you are suggesting is the way I will never walk onto.¡±


    Green veins popped on the back of his clenched hand. Silence fell for a few long minutes. The only sound spinning in the air was of the wind fluttering their hair.


    ¡°Shui,¡± Jin said in a deathly quiet voice, ¡°If this is your final decision, then remember one thing. You say you like me. But the only thing you will ever get from me is hate. If you reject my brother, then I swear your love for me will become your greatest curse. You will regret having feelings for me. This is my promise to you.¡±


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter 284 Shanghai Fest Arc (36) : Jins revelation (4)

    Chapter 284 Shanghai Fest Arc (36) : Jin''s revelation (4)


    *Present*


    No¡­


    Jun felt his head spin. For his entire past life, he hated Jin¡¯s sight because he had snatched Shui away from him. He had kept his heart burning with resentment for his brother for taking away the woman he cherished more than anything in his life.


    But now his whole reason for which he had pushed Jin away from him shattered in just a second. The sound of that shatter was so sharp as if he felt his ears bleeding.


    He was under the assumption that Jin and Shui had an affair, and she rejected him when he proposed to her. He didn¡¯t want to believe that she would ever do this. But his heart arrived at the same conclusion over and over again.


    ¡®I am in love with Jin,¡¯ was what Shui had confessed to him as she cried.


    But now when that scene replayed in his mind, he realized that she never said that Jin liked her back too. Or that they both were in love with each other. She only one sidedly affirmed her feelings for Jin.


    It was enough to break his whole world apart and enough for him to not care what Jin¡¯s real feelings were this whole time. He saw his love slip from his hands like sand, and he simply assumed that Jin loved her too. Everything ended with that single assumption.


    It didn¡¯t matter how much Jin kept begging him to listen to him and to believe him, Jun never paid any heed to him. He had made up his mind.


    Jin was guilty. He was the culprit.


    Every word that came from Jin¡¯s mouth as he rejected Jun¡¯s accusations against him only made him feel as if he was acting like a pitiful white lotus. Instead, he felt as if was the villain this whole time, who forced two lovers to be apart.


    ¡®Bro, I don¡¯t like Shui! You are misunderstanding me.¡¯


    ¡®I cannot ever think of hurting you. Please trust me¡­I didn¡¯t betray you, Bro.¡¯


    ¡®Please Bro. Don¡¯t hate me¡­I beg you. Please don¡¯t hate me¡­¡¯


    Jin¡¯s chest heaved up and down. His eyes reddened with pain and fury. He saw the realization and remorse hit Jun. Jin felt as if somebody was tearing his heart apart. His eyes brimmed with tears, watching the hopelessness settle in his gaze.


    He wanted to hug him, but he was also crushed by the pain Jun had inflicted upon in his past life, which still felt fresh in his mind.


    ¡°I thought you would definitely believe me one day. Once you calmed down, you would realize that I could never betray you. But that day never came! And what happened instead? Shui¡¯s one rejection changed you forever! You were not the same Bro Jun anymore whom I had loved the entire time! You kept on hating me and our family with every passing day! You threw us away from your life because you couldn¡¯t have Shui. You humiliated Mom and Sis Nuo, who only cared about you and nothing else!¡±


    Jun shook. He looked down at his shivering hands with which he had pushed Nana away. He had questioned her love for him. He spoke the cruelest words to his mother that broke her heart.


    ¡°Even when Great-grandma wanted to meet you one last time, you selfishly refused to see her even though you knew she had not much time to live!¡±


    Jun suddenly jerked his head towards him and stared at him blankly. ¡°What? Great-grandma had ca-called for me?¡±


    Jin angrily laughed. ¡°Are you feigning ignorance now? She got so sick after you left home that none of the treatments worked on her anymore. How could she bear her great-grandson resenting his family? The only thing she wanted¡­¡± he clenched his fists, ¡°was to see her family together one last time. That was her dying wish. But you never came to see her no matter how much we called you!¡±


    His eyes slowly widened. The more he spoke, he only got more confused. ¡°Impossible, Jin¡­When did you or anybody from the family inform me about Great-grandma¡¯s wish to meet me? The only thing I knew was that she was no more one day and when I went to her funeral¡­nobody allowed me to see her.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Dad didn¡¯t allow you! Did you expect that anybody would let you in when you didn¡¯t even bother to meet her during her final moments? That¡¯s how cruel you had become for Shui¡¯s sake¡­¡± he trembled.


    ¡°No¡­no, no, no!¡± Jun hastily replied. ¡°Jin, I wasn¡¯t aware of this at all. I really didn¡¯t know that Great-grandma wanted to meet me!¡±


    Ai quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, Jin. There is definitely a misunderstanding here. I know Jun had behaved wrongly, and he did hurt his family. But he would never become so cruel to reject his dying great-grandmother¡¯s wish. He would never go that far.¡±


    Jin stared at Ai in a daze.


    How does she know¡­


    For that matter, he wondered that he and Jun were talking about the past life for such a long time, but Ai hadn¡¯t dismissed it at all or expressed her disbelief over this whole rebirth thing.


    Shouldn¡¯t it have been impossible for her to believe this fantasy?


    Ai noticed his gaze and understood what he was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s a long story, but I know everything about Jun¡¯s past, including that he is reborn. He told me this himself.¡±


    ¡°¡­And you believed it?¡± He jolted and sincerely couldn¡¯t hold his shock.


    She pursed her lips. ¡°That¡¯s another long story but yes, I believed it. I have no reason not to.¡±


    Jin stayed silent. He never thought that Jun would reveal this truth to anybody because it was just too bizarre to accept.


    ¡°¡­Dad also knows,¡± Jun quietly said.


    That came as another massive shock to him. Jin widened his eyes. ¡°You told Dad!? And he believed you too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡­told him because I wanted him to punish me for all the sins I did,¡± he wryly chuckled, ¡°I wanted him to hit me and throw me out of the family because that¡¯s what I deserved.

 Chapter 285 Shanghai Fest Arc (37) : Jins revelation (5)

    Chapter 285 Shanghai Fest Arc (37) : Jin''s revelation (5)


    ¡°Deserved?¡± Jin scoffed. ¡°Yes, you deserved to be punished! Because for Shui¡¯s sake, you threw each and every last one of us. You let Great-grandma die with regrets-¡°


    ¡°Jin, I told you I never came to know about her wish at all!¡± He shook his shoulder and pleaded. ¡°Believe me, Jin. She is my great-grandma¡­¡± his eyes stung with tears, ¡°How could I have not fulfilled her last wish? I really didn¡¯t know she wanted to meet me.¡±


    He chuckled as he leaned. ¡°Why should I believe you, Bro? Did you believe me when I was screaming that I was innocent?¡±


    His eyelashes trembled.


    ¡°Look at you all begging me to trust you. Why¡­why should I trust you now when you didn¡¯t believe me in the past!? Where were you when I cried for you to trust me? Where were you when Grandma was dying? Where were you when Bro Jian and Sis Nuo¡¯s relationship was falling apart!? You know what, Bro? Even when you had thrown us away, everybody still cared about you.¡±


    He took a deep, tired breath. ¡°Sis Nuo. You had harshly rejected her concern when she came to meet you. But you know? She still fought with Shui for your sake even though she always treated her as her sister. She was angry at her that she rejected you when you had devoted thirty years of your life to her, which eventually brought cracks into her relationship with Bro Siying.


    Bro Jian, who always took her side over you to tease and annoy you, also¡­stood by your side in those five years when you were not there. He was torn apart to see his brother in pain. He still respected Shui, but he had stopped talking to her after her rejection. He cut off his relations with Shui which strained his relationship with sis Leina.¡±


    From the last to this life, a whole lifetime had passed, but Jin felt as if the pain and tears of the wounds everybody got were still there, fresh and bleeding.


    ¡°Bro Siying and Sis Leina¡­They wanted to support you too. But when you refused to let go of Shui, they inevitably stood against you. See? Everybody got divided in the end. Did you ever get to see how miserable Bro Jian became when he broke up with Sis Leina? Did you ever witness how thin Sis Nuo had become when she simply refused to eat anything? Grandpa and Uncle lost their vigor. The ones who brought smiles on others¡¯ faces with their annoying chatter had lost their own smiles. Nothing was the same anymore.¡±


    Jun gasped, feeling the knot around his neck tighten. When he crashed Jin a d Shui¡¯s wedding in the past life, he came to know how miserable his family had become. But listening to it in detail from Jin was like he was being dragged to hell.


    ¡°Jun¡­¡± Tears spilled from Ai¡¯s eyes as she slowly held his hand.


    Jin mocked. ¡°Don¡¯t show your sympathies to Bro, Zhou Ai. I cannot believe that you still refuse to hate him after how he cruelly discarded his family.¡±


    Ai pressed her fingers and tightly intertwined them against Jun¡¯s hand. ¡°I already know the truth, Jin. Jun had confessed everything to me, and I know how much he regrets-¡°


    ¡°Who cares how much he regrets!?¡± He roared.


    Jun froze with the sharpness of his voice cutting his heart.


    ¡°Is it going to change anything?¡± Jin gritted his teeth. ¡°Can he undo all the pain he caused? Can he undo the fact how Mom¡¯s health deteriorated seeing her whole family collapse? Bro Jun left the house and hated us, Bro Jian and Sis Nuo¡¯s relationship had fallen apart, Great-grandma left us ¨C the family had become like a funeral house! Nobody laughed anymore. Nobody even properly ate anymore. It was as if our entire happiness had disappeared without a trace and because of whom? Your boyfriend who is standing right next to you!¡±


    Jun shut his eyes, letting the tear escape his eyelash.


    Jin wiped his cheeks rigorously that were stained with tears, but more tears fell. ¡°He wasn¡¯t there. He didn¡¯t see how everybody had become an empty shell. But I was there! I saw everything. I lived through the suffocation that you left by your decision! Dad¡­he just stayed by Mom¡¯s side the entire time, praying hard that she would recover. The fearsome man had become so weak. But her health only sank more and more¡­¡± he broke down.


    The stretch of silence prevailed for a long time.


    Jun blankly raised his hand to touch Jin¡¯s head but in the end, he couldn¡¯t gather the courage. His fingers paused mid-air, feeling the void widen in his heart.


    He had misunderstood Jin and his feelings and because of that one mistake coupled with his obsession for Shui, he had destroyed the happiness of his family with his own hands.


    Jin never loved Shui. He never betrayed him by snatching Shui from him. Which meant¡­that something was wrong about Jin and Shui¡¯s marriage too.


    ¡°Then¡­your and Shui¡¯s wedding¡­¡±


    The fateful day which made Jun kill his own brother. From the bottom of his heart, he didn¡¯t wish to know the truth behind it because then he had no idea how he would ever be able to recover from that guilt.


    The mention of the wedding flickered Jin¡¯s eyes with a sinister bloodthirst. His body shook with anger.


    ¡°Wedding¡­oh that wedding which Shui forced upon me?¡±


    Jun stared at him, bewildered. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The wedding which Shui forced upon me by threatening to end her life.¡±


    Jun and Ai listened to this revelation in disbelief.


    ¡°What did you think, Bro? That Shui and I were getting happily married? No. The truth was far from it. I didn¡¯t even want to see her face anymore and I would marry her by my own choice? No. That¡¯s not how it happened. She came to me one day and said she wanted us to get married.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°Can you believe it? She wanted to marry me. I thought she had lost some screws on her head. Because why would she talk nonsense otherwise? But then it wasn¡¯t suddenly nonsense anymore when she threatened to cut her wrist with a knife.¡±

 Chapter 286 Shanghai Fest Arc (38) : Jins revelation (6)

    Chapter 286 Shanghai Fest Arc (38) : Jin''s revelation (6)


    *Flashback*


    ¡°Why did you call me here?¡± Jin angrily demanded an answer from Shui, who had suddenly contacted him after a long time to meet her. ¡°Is there still anything left for you to destroy? Or¡­¡±


    With a malevolent sneer, he mocked her, ¡°Is it that you aren¡¯t satisfied enough seeing me sleep with other women?¡±


    Shui didn¡¯t respond, but she had silently held on to her breath.


    ¡°I told you, right Han Shui? I promised I will make you regret having feelings for me. You broke Bro¡¯s heart and with it, you drove him away from us forever. You ruined everything, and you had the nerve to say that you love me? You thought you deserved happiness with me after how you ended everything!? Look what you did Shui¡­Bro Jun doesn¡¯t believe me anymore¡­even after five years, he refuses to believe that I did not betray him. All because of you¡­¡± his knuckles cracked. ¡°He hates me¡­¡± his gaze turned empty and blank. ¡°He hates everyone¡­¡±


    Everything that ensued after Shui¡¯s rejection triggered the deep resentment in Jin¡¯s heart for her even more. She made Jun¡¯s life miserable, who was the most important person to him. She made Jun lose all his trust in him, making Jin look like a cheater in his eyes. The last thing Jin wanted was for his most beloved brother to hate him, but Shui did just that.


    So, Jin wanted revenge. He wanted to punish Shui in the worst way possible. And what was the best way other than targeting her love for him?


    She broke Jun apart, so he decided to break her apart too. He had flings with women right when she would be in front of him. He made it a point for her to know that he slept with other women only so that she would spend all her days crying miserably.


    ¡°So why did you call me here?¡± He sneered. ¡°Do you want to see me kissing another woman again? Have you developed a taste for it I wonder?¡±


    Shui spoke after a long, long time. ¡°I want to marry you, Jin.¡±


    He stared at her unblinkingly. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get married, Jin.¡±


    After a period of brief silence, Jin burst into laughter. ¡°Marry you? Are you hearing yourself? Maybe you have finally totally lost it.¡±


    ¡°I am serious, Jin. I want to marry you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for wasting my time,¡± he smiled and took off to leave when Shui blocked his way.


    She said once again, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Oh I heard you alright. But you are not listening to yourself. Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°You have to marry me, Jin!¡± She shook hard as her voice trembled. ¡°You¡­you have to marry me.¡±


    ¡°And you think that becoming my wife would change me or my feelings for you? You dream quite boldly, I must say.¡±


    ¡°I am not joking!¡± She exclaimed. ¡°You have to listen to me¡­¡± she bit her lip hard as she faced him.


    ¡°Oh? And what will you do if I don¡¯t. I thought I was quite clear of my hatred for you.¡±


    Shui chuckled with tears brimming in her eyes. ¡°Yes¡­I am quite clear about that, Jin. You have always made it so very clear to me. But that ends now. You have to marry me or else¡­¡±


    A sharp object shone in the darkness of the night as she pointed it at her wrist. ¡°I will kill myself if you don¡¯t agree.¡±


    Jin merely raised his brow. ¡°Really? After thinking so hard, that is what you came up with? Threat? Shui, you do realize that I don¡¯t give a damn about you or your life, right?¡±


    She snickered. ¡°You do. But you think I am not serious.¡±


    Jin narrowed his eyes as he saw the edge of the knife dig in her skin. ¡°Suit yourself. Do whatever you want.¡±


    He pushed her harshly that made her stumble, but he didn¡¯t look back. But soon, he heard painful gasping sounds from his back. When he turned, he froze to see that Shui had really cut her wrist. Blood trickled down on the ground as she collapsed.


    ¡°Shui!!!¡±


    He rushed towards her and held her head. ¡°Shui! What the fuck! Are you crazy!?¡±


    Shui weakly smiled. ¡°Jin¡­please¡­you have to ma-marry me¡­Please¡­I won¡¯t leave you with,¡± she sharply gasped, ¡°another choice¡­you have to¡­marry me¡­at all costs. E-even if you save me now, I will kill myself again. Over and over¡­again¡­until you agree¡­¡±


    Jin trembled. His heart surged with a rush of anger, but he was helpless to do anything. The only thing he could grudgingly do was take her to the hospital.


    When their families came to know about this, Xinyi and Zhiyuan had completely fallen apart.


    ¡°Shui¡­¡± Xinyi held her daughter¡¯s hand with tears streaming down her eyes as she laid on the hospital bed. ¡°Shui¡­¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± she smiled at her.


    Zhiyuan gritted his teeth. ¡°What do you think you are doing, Shui!? You actually¡­you actually tried to end your life!?¡±


    ¡°Because I want to marry Jin. I will¡­go to any lengths for that¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Shui please!¡± Xinyi cried hard. ¡°Please¡­don¡¯t do this¡­You are our daughter. We cannot lose you, Shui.¡±


    ¡°And I cannot lose Jin, Mom. Tell him to agree to marry me or next time, nobody will be able to save me¡­¡±


    ¡°Shui!¡± Siying exclaimed in rage. ¡°Why do you want to go so far!? You cannot force Jin to marry you! Even if you did become his wife, do you think you will ever be happy in such a marriage?¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°My happiness or sadness is up to me, Bro. I only know that I don¡¯t want to wait anymore. I thought¡­things would settle down after some time. But they never did. If I don¡¯t do this, I will lose my future with Jin-¡°


    ¡°You won¡¯t have any future with him with this forced marriage either, Shui!¡± Zhiyuan roared.


    Xinyi broke down. ¡°Shui, I know you love Jin. I know it¡¯s really painful¡­but this is not the way. Please try to understand. Won¡¯t you think about your family even once? You love Jin, but doesn¡¯t our love matter to you at all?¡±


    Silence.


    Shui gave her final answer. ¡°I have made up my mind, Mom. I want to marry Jin and that¡¯s it otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t see me alive anymore.¡±

 Chapter 287 Shanghai Fest Arc (39) : The fateful wedding (1)

    Chapter 287 Shanghai Fest Arc (39) : The fateful wedding (1)


    *Flashback continued*


    The day of Jin and Shui¡¯s wedding was unlike any other normal wedding. A wedding was supposed to be filled with brightness and laughter, but the bleak atmosphere rang with nothing but hopelessness.


    Jin, who was ready in a white tuxedo, had an expression completely devoid of any joy. He blankly stared at himself in the mirror, plotting how he would punish Shui for forcing him into his marriage.


    He felt a hand on his shoulder, but Jin didn¡¯t react.


    Nian watched his little brother¡¯s blank eyes and felt helpless. ¡°Jin¡­It¡¯s time.¡±


    Jin chuckled. ¡°Time for what? To make that bitch my wife-¡°


    ¡°Jin!¡± He sighed in frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t¡­don¡¯t curse her like that.¡±


    ¡°Oh? But she is cursing my whole life here, Bro, and I cannot even give her names?¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Strange, right? Everybody is against this marriage, but nobody can even lift a finger against her. Just to save her pathetic life¡­I have to marry the woman I hate the most,¡± his eyes reddened.


    Nian pulled his head against his chest and patted his hair with his trembling fingers. ¡°I am sorry, Jin¡­I am sorry that I cannot help you¡­¡±


    Outside, the gloomy atmosphere kept worsening, especially when Siying and Nuo crossed paths. They froze and remained silent.


    But soon, Nuo mockingly smiled. ¡°I guess you must be happy now, right? Your precious sister is getting married after all.¡±


    Siying balled his fist. ¡°Nuo¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± she wiped the corner of her eye as she chuckled, ¡°It was completely wrong when Bro Jun acted selfish and possessive. But it¡¯s fine when Shui acts the same way for Jin. How rules change.¡±


    He trembled. ¡°Nuo, even we are against-¡°


    But she didn¡¯t give him any chance to speak as she passed right past him, cutting him off.


    The same chilliness crackled in Jian¡¯s heart too as he met Leina. The only question he asked her was, ¡°I wonder who you stand with now?¡±


    She said nothing.


    ¡°Oh, I am sorry. Whether Shui rejects Jun¡¯s more than thirty years of his love or whether she threatens Jin into marrying her, you would never see any fault in her, right? Everything was Jun¡¯s fault before, and now it must be Jin¡¯s.¡±


    Leina met his cold gaze and said, ¡°I never supported Shui in this, and I still don¡¯t. Nobody does.¡±


    He faintly smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter anymore. But hey, be happy. Even if everything is broken between us and our families, Shui wins today. At least somebody is winning. You should celebrate.¡±


    His sarcastic words twisted her heart with pain she felt unable to bear.


    The skirmishes between the Liu and Han families echoed in the eerie silence.


    Nana, who waited for the inevitable to happen as she sat on a wheelchair, weakly coughed.


    ¡°Nana!¡± Jinhai rushed to bring a glass of water for her and bent on his knees. He anxiously helped her hold the glass in her hand. ¡°Here. You haven¡¯t drank anything yet.¡±


    She looked at her husband with tears from her eyes falling atop his fingers. ¡°Can I when I am watching my children suffer like this?¡±


    Jinhai pressed his hands against hers and tried to smile. ¡°Everything will be fine, Nana. One day¡­everything will turn alright.¡±


    She stared at Jinhai, her sobs echoing between them. ¡°I don¡¯t see that day coming, Jinhai. My children¡­everybody is broken and I¡­I cannot do anything to help them. I cannot do anything to ease their grief. I am their mother, but I am not able to protect them at all. Jun, Jian, Nuo, Jin¡­they are in so much pain,¡± she trembled with her cheeks turning wetter, ¡°But I am so useless. This wasn¡¯t the future¡­I wanted to see.¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t you dare take the blame for all this! I won¡¯t allow you to!¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°Nana, I will fix everything. I will definitely¡­¡±


    Nana pressed her forehead against his and let out a helpless smile at his attempt to reassure her. Not only her children¡¯s grief pained her but seeing her mighty husband reduced into accepting defeat like this was simply unbearable for her.


    When the time arrived for the wedding to begin, Jin and Shui stood opposite each other. Both families were present, but none of them were smiling. Jin stared at her wedding gown with hostility and disgust, and his hand shook with rage to strangle her.


    You wanted to marry me, right Shui? Fine. You win today. But not for long¡­Your victory won¡¯t remain forever.


    As the ceremony began, Jun¡¯s enraged voice roared as he barged in. The air suddenly went still as he walked towards Jin and punched him on his face. ¡°JIN!!!¡±


    The strong impact from the punch knocked Jin out of balance, and he stumbled. He stared at Shui¡¯s wedding gown in a stupor and a broken chuckle escaped his lips. ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Jun¡­¡± Shui¡¯s gaze fell back at him, filled with disbelief. ¡°Y-You are¡­¡±


    ¡°I am here. Yes, Shui. I am here. But¡­¡±


    Jin slowly got up on his feet and slowly walked towards him. ¡°Bro.¡±


    Jun alternated his gaze between him and Shui and tilted his head, his eyes shining with the moistness left by their betrayal. His heart felt like an empty shell to him. ¡°That was some nice game you played¡­¡±


    ¡°Bro¡­¡± Jin¡¯s heart raced in trepidation as he anxiously tried to explain, ¡°T-this is not what it looks like-¡°


    Gasps then echoed as Jun suddenly pointed his gun at him.


    ¡°J-Jun!¡± Nana shrieked as she cried. ¡°What are you doing? Put the gun down!¡±


    Jinhai and the twins rushed forward, but Jun warned them. ¡°Don¡¯t take a step near me, or the bullet will really fire off.¡±


    They froze.


    He stared at his mother, who shed tears and smiled. ¡°Why are you telling me to stop, Mom? I thought¡­¡± he blankly stared into the distance, ¡°you still cared about me. But seeing them ready to marry today¡­Ah, I finally got my answer.¡±


    ¡°Bro¡­?¡± Jin dazedly tried to reach him. ¡°Y-you want to¡­¡±


    You want to really kill me?

 Chapter 288 Shanghai Fest Arc (40) : The fateful wedding (2)

    Chapter 288 Shanghai Fest Arc (40) : The fateful wedding (2)


    ¡°Kill you?¡± Jun completed his question. ¡°After taking every last happiness away from my life and after seeing you getting married to the woman who I had vowed to marry ever since my childhood¡­what do you expect?¡± He mocked. ¡°Did you expect me to forgive you?¡±


    Jian slowly said, ¡°Jun, calm down. Lower your gun. We will talk-¡°


    He emptily answered. ¡°There is nothing left to talk about anymore, Bro Jian,¡± he glanced at Shui again, and her wedding gown only added more despair to the already looming darkness in his heart.


    Jin tried to reach him, his eyes begging him to listen to him. ¡°Bro¡­please believe me. I never betrayed you, Bro. I-I never tried to come between you and Shui.¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!!¡±


    Jin sharply stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°Enough with your lies. Enough already¡­¡± Jun broke down, ¡°Everything is ruined, Jin. Everything is over¡­¡±


    Nana tried to stand on her feet from the wheelchair. ¡°Jun. Jun, dear. Please listen to me. You are misunderstanding things,¡± she cried.


    Nuo nodded hard. ¡°Yes, Bro! Please put your gun down,¡± she sniffled. ¡°Th-This wedding-¡°


    Jun raised his palm, signaling her to stop talking. ¡°Like I said, enough Nuo.¡±


    His gaze was fixed at Jin for a long time. The gun trembled in his hands and in the end, his lips curved in a defeated smile. The memories of little Jin following Jun everywhere around brought tears to his eyes.


    He smiled and then slowly pointed the gun at his temple.


    ¡°Jun!!¡± Nana shrieked. ¡°What are you doing!?¡±


    Shui scrambled on her feet. ¡°Ju-Jun stop¡­please stop!¡± She slipped and fell on her knees. ¡°Jun, put the gun away!¡±


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan paled as well. They tried to talk him out of suicide as well, but their words fell onto deaf ears. Same as with Grandpa and Grandma Liu and his Uncles¡¯ cries.


    Jun touched the trigger with his finger and chuckled. ¡°You won, Jin. I lost.¡±


    Jin gave him a hard stare.


    Jian and Nian shared a glance and before Jun could react, they jumped upon him to stop him.


    ¡°Get away from me!¡± He exclaimed angrily.


    The scuffle went for a while. Jun¡¯s anger and resentment added to his strength, and he didn¡¯t let the twins overpower him.


    ¡°Drop the gun, idiot!¡± Nian shouted. ¡°Listen to us!¡±


    Jinhai and Siying took quick and large strides to stop Jun too but suddenly, Jin appeared in front of Jun out of nowhere. Seeing Jin trying to stop him only agitated his fury further and in that skirmish, the finger touching the trigger pressed harder.


    Jin grabbed his gun and without a second thought pointed it towards himself. A loud bang resounded and tore the air with its violence and blood.


    The bullet pierced Jin¡¯s heart, making the atmosphere deathly still. Shui and the others stared unblinkingly at the horror unfolding before them.


    Jin shuddered with a sharp gasp, and an excruciating pain erupted in his chest. With a vision that was blurring slowly, he lifted his gaze to look at Jun one last time.


    Bro¡­You¡­wanted to kill me¡­


    If the brother most important and dear to me hated me so much that he wished I didn¡¯t exist then I¡­he smiled amidst his tears, I don¡¯t have any reason to live anymore.


    I cannot see you die, Bro. E-even if I resent you for not believing me, I still cannot see you end your life.


    That¡¯s why¡­it¡¯s better that I die and give you some relief. Then¡­then you will be happy, right?


    Bro, once I take my last breath, you will finally be happy¡­right?


    Jin collapsed on the floor with the crimson blood seeping into his white tuxedo and slowly staining it with his death.


    In his last moments, Jin couldn¡¯t hear any screams nor see the tears in everybody¡¯s eyes. Everything had turned hazy but amidst that, he saw two figures crystal clear as he gasped.


    Little Jun was ruffling little Jin¡¯s head as he hugged his elder brother. The warmth and affection in Jun¡¯s eyes brought the faintest smile on his lips. It was as if he was transported back to their golden childhood days where everything was still right between them.


    Bro¡­Bro Jun¡­


    Darkness enveloped his irises, and they slowly closed themselves forever.


    *Flashback ends*


    Jun collapsed on his knees, learning the truth behind Jin¡¯s feelings and the fateful wedding day that had changed their lives forever. The day which stained his hands with his brother¡¯s blood. Hot tears uncontrollably left his eyes, the pain and guilt of his blunder cruelly tearing apart his heart.


    Jin asked, ¡°Tell me Bro. What happened after I died? Especially¡­Mom. She was already so weak. How did she-¡°


    ¡°Mom died.¡±


    Jin froze.


    ¡°She¡­¡± Jun answered with his face losing all its color, ¡°She suffered an attack after your death, and she¡­passed away.¡±


    He stared at his brother, unable to grasp the reality of the past life. ¡°Mom¡­died¡­¡± he burst into a sad laughter, ¡°Ah the only woman who could hold our family together had died¡­Mom¡­¡± his eyes were tired but the news of Nana¡¯s death in the past broke his heart into pieces. ¡°How could she have seen a brother killing his own brother? Dad must have gotten so miserable. Mom was always his lifeline,¡± he chuckled. ¡°I cannot even imagine what Dad would have looked like after her¡­¡±


    He looked down at Jun who looked as if somebody had sucked out his soul. ¡°Were you happy, Bro? Bringing doom and despair to our once happy family, did you finally get your happiness that you wanted? How do you feel, Bro? Losing yourself in obsession over a woman and destroying your family because of it, how do you even look at yourself in the mirror?¡±


    Ai glared at him. ¡°Please stop, Jin! I know Jun had made irreparable mistakes in his past life, and they cannot be forgiven. But that¡¯s why, he got a second chance so that he would choose a different path this time and fix his mistakes. He might have brought sadness in the past, but he is reborn only to secure the happiness of his family this time. That¡¯s why¡­¡± she blinked amidst the tears blocking her vision, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to blame Jun anymore.¡±

 Chapter 289 Shanghai Fest Arc (41) : Nians punishment delivery

    Chapter 289 Shanghai Fest Arc (41) : Nian''s punishment delivery


    *Knock Knock*


    Cai Lingyun, who was pacing back and forth in his room, felt startled and paused in his steps. He let out a breath, trying to calm himself.


    Maybe it¡¯s Guiying¡­


    He turned the knob and opened the door. As soon as it just moved slightly ajar, it banged open with its force throwing him back. He fell and then in a state of confusion staggered to get up.


    ¡°What the hell¡­¡±


    He looked up and widened his eyes, seeing Nian whistling as he smiled at him. Behind him was Xing Bi, who was just as confused as Cai Lingyun.


    ¡°Liu Nian, what are you doing?¡±


    ¡°To punish the one who bullied my brother, right Mr. Cai?¡±


    Cai Lingyun noisily breathed. ¡°Punish? What are you talking about, Liu Nian? And what is this way of barging in my room like that!?¡±


    ¡°Well what do you expect after bashing my brother¡¯s head with a paint can?¡± He raised his brow.


    Cai Lingyun froze.


    ¡°It was you, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, Liu Nian! What do I have to do with Liu Jin¡¯s accident?¡±


    Nian¡¯s pupils twinkled with malice. ¡°Everything.¡±


    He took two steps, and Cai Lingyun¡¯s posture immediately and instinctively straightened up. It was involuntary. Nian placed his hand on his shoulder and smiled. Xing Bi got a really bad feeling about it. The expression he wore was the same as that of the Summit¡¯s night when he beat up the judges and when he punished Jin.


    Nian patted his shoulder. ¡°You know, Cai Lingyun? Jun and Jin are my dear little brothers. I am their elder brother, and I am very proud of the fact that I was born first. Since I am their elder brother, I do two things. First, I trouble them a lot and that¡¯s fine because I am their brother. I have every right to make their life hell. The problem comes when somebody else tries to take that role away from me.¡±


    The quieter his voice became, the more fidgety his movements turned.


    ¡°Which you tried to do today by trying to harm my brother. I don¡¯t like that. And when somebody tries to hurt them, I do the second thing. That is to protect them. They are my cute little brothers, after all,¡± his fingers slowly but agonizingly dug in the back of Cai Lingyun¡¯s shoulder, making him gasp in pain.


    Nian chirped. ¡°No matter how old they get, it will always be my responsibility to protect them. So, that wasn¡¯t really nice what you tried to pull off with Jin,¡± he frowned. ¡°Accordingly, I need to deliver your punishment.¡±


    Cai Lingyun tried to move, but Nian¡¯s grip was so iron tight that he couldn¡¯t even budge an inch. ¡°Liu Nian. You cannot accuse me like that!¡±


    Nian ignored him and continued. ¡°I wonder who was your target? Jun, because you felt jealous of Ai being his girlfriend or Jin, because you wanted to take revenge from him for beating you up. It could be either one, but I bet on the first option.¡±


    Cai Lingyun tried to intervene, but Nian only almost dislocated his shoulder, which was a clear warning not to try and interrupt him.


    ¡°Now you will ask why. So apart from the whole jealousy thing, I have another good reason. I found something interesting on CCTV and that was you roaming in the corridor, passing across Ai¡¯s room.¡±


    He stiffened.


    Nian chuckled. ¡°But I observed that your expression wasn¡¯t looking quite good after some time which I presume is because¡­you realized that Jun and Ai were sharing a room. You kind of didn¡¯t expect that, did you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Now I don¡¯t need to tell you what they must be doing in a room together at night, right? I could tell you heard some not so innocent voices coming from their room.¡±


    Xing Bi cleared her throat.


    Cai Lingyun clenched his fist.


    ¡°Is that why you got so agitated that you planned to hurt Jun? But Jin took the hit for him and regardless of how much he is being a pain in the ass right now, he is still my brother, and you put him to a hospital,¡± he pouted and narrowed his eyes. ¡°That won¡¯t work. We put people into hospitals, not the other way around.¡±


    Xing Bi was speechless.


    This man¡­


    Nian sighed. ¡°So now¡­¡± he punched his nose so hard that the sound of bones cracking echoed in the air.


    ¡°Liu Nian!¡± Xing Bi pulled him back. ¡°Stop it!¡±


    He glanced at her. ¡°But he put Jin in the hospital. So I want to see his blood. It¡¯s as simple as that.¡±


    Cai Lingyun felt the room spinning in front of him. Dizziness set in, and blood trickled down his nostrils. ¡°You are¡­you are crazy! You don¡¯t even have any evidence and,¡± he gasped, ¡°you hit me. That bastard of your little brother did the same last night-¡± he choked when a sudden and brutal kick landed on his stomach.


    ¡°Don¡¯t call Jin a bastard,¡± his cheery expression froze just like how the temperature of the air suddenly dropped. ¡°He is my brother. I don¡¯t like it when random bugs humiliate my siblings,¡± he raised his foot and crashed it on his shoulder.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± His brows tightened in pain.


    ¡°As for the evidence, isn¡¯t it right there on your shoulder that I almost broke just now? Or should I say your coat? When you pushed the ladder upon which the worker was working with his paint can, a drop of that paint fell on your coat when the can tilted. You were there, you pushed the ladder, the worker just slightly got off balance but enough for the can to slip from his hands.¡±


    Cai Lingyun¡¯s expression turned white with fear, and he immediately checked his shoulder. He did feel some paint mark upon it.


    ¡°Now¡­¡± Nian whispered, ¡°How do you suggest I punish you?¡±


    He felt his vision darkening but even through it, the danger Nian¡¯s voice instilled was unshakeable.


    Xing Bi sighed in frustration and pulled his arm back, glaring at him. ¡°Liu Nian, are you planning to beat him up like the judges and get yourself in police trouble again!? Because I won¡¯t let you do that. He deserves punishment for sure, but don¡¯t get into trouble because of him!¡±

 Chapter 290 Shanghai Fest Arc (42) : Xing Bis date offer

    Chapter 290 Shanghai Fest Arc (42) : Xing Bi''s date offer


    Xing Bi tried to make him understand. ¡°He tried to hurt Jun, which is obviously a crime. Let the police handle it.¡±


    Then she glared at Cai Lingyun. ¡°And you! I thought you would be a good person since Ai used to talk highly of you as an elder brother. But now I saw how far you could stoop. You claim that you care for Ai? If you did, then you wouldn¡¯t have tried to hurt the man she loves the most! Because if Liu Jun is hurt, then Ai will be in pain too.¡±


    Cai Lingyun froze.


    The man she loves the most¡­


    That sounded like poison to his ears.


    ¡°So stay away from Ai! Even if you might have feelings for her, she is in love with Liu Jun and is happy in her relationship. Don¡¯t try to intervene and mess with that otherwise, if Liu Nian is an elder brother, then I am also like an elder sister to Ai. I won¡¯t forgive you if you hurt her in any way!¡±


    Saying the piece of her mind, Xing Bi dragged Nian away. ¡°Let¡¯s go and inform the police.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Oh come on! Did you forget the mess you got into by beating up the judges?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°They deserved it because they tried to hurt you. Cai Lingyun deserves it too because he hurt my brother. Nobody must mess with the people I hold very dear to me or there are dire consequences. I am not very forgiving.¡±


    The people I hold very dear to me¡­


    Xing Bi was absolutely clueless about how to handle this side of Nian. It was just like the Summit night. She could easily talk to him and even beat him up when he was being goofy and funny and annoying.


    But when his gaze looked like a looming death sentence upon somebody, she would suddenly feel at a loss.


    She touched her face and felt it growing warm for some reason.


    W-what? What is there for my face to become so hot? It¡¯s still Liu Nian only! It is just that he looks more serious right now. So what?


    She coughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I want to put him in the hospital too just like Jin is,¡± he plainly remarked without much emotion.


    Damn he is so stubborn!


    She smiled. ¡°Look, right now, Liu Jin needs you by his side as his brother. How will you support him if you get into unnecessary trouble?¡±


    ¡°My family name is enough to stop any trouble from reaching me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    That confidence¡­I feel like beating him up.


    ¡°You did break his shoulder and nose and punched him in the stomach. He is already writhing on the floor. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡±


    ¡°Nowhere near enough,¡± he smiled again.


    ¡°Till yesterday, you were pinching Liu Jin¡¯s ear so hard¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course. He acted out of line. As his elder brother, it was my responsibility to teach him what he can and cannot do. But that is the thing,¡± he chuckled dangerously, ¡°Only Jian and I can punish or hurt him, not anybody else. Certainly not pests like him.¡±


    She sighed. She was sure that Nian wouldn¡¯t face much issue but still, she didn¡¯t wish to see his hands stained with blood even though that was second nature to Nian. Being in debt left by her father for a long time, she had seen her fair share of threats and cruel methods that the loan sharks resorted to. So it became her instinct to stay away from violence as much as she could.


    Xing Bi suggested a solution after thinking hard. She somehow dragged him out of Cai Lingyun¡¯s room and said, ¡°How about¡­¡± she cleared her throat, ¡°we have the date you were talking about in exchange for leaving him to the police in one piece?¡±


    Nian choked on his saliva and watched her wide-eyed. ¡°A date?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± she averted her gaze for some reason.


    Nian tilted it back to his side, lifting her chin towards him. He closed the distance between them, narrowing his eyes. ¡°You are giving me a hard choice to make, dear.¡±


    Seeing his gorgeous face suddenly up close and his husky voice whispering into her ear made her hold her breath back in her throat.


    Those genes are not good for my heart! Damn these siblings are all so handsome¡­she gritted her teeth.


    ¡°D-don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself. It¡¯s just a date, not like I accepted your confession. Also, I have not forgiven you yet. So hold your horses!¡±


    With his unblinking gaze staring straight at her, she didn¡¯t know where to look. Nian pointed his index finger and hovered it over her upper lip. She felt as if he would touch her at my moment, and she couldn¡¯t help but stand extremely still in all that nervousness. Even she was unsure what she was waiting for exactly, and it felt like ages.


    Nian smiled a mischievous smile and placed his finger on the tip of her nose. Their faces came closer and closer until his scent invaded her nostrils.


    H-Hey wait wait! Is he going to ki-kiss¡­


    Instead, Nian slightly deviated from his path and reached her ear, brushing past her cheek. He chuckled. ¡°Considering how loud your heart is beating right now and the breath you have been holding in your throat with just how close I am standing to you, I guess I can get a teeny tiny bit ahead of myself, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    She froze.


    ¡°Also the fact that you were expecting me to kiss you, but didn¡¯t move away from me,¡± his eyes twinkled.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Wait, why didn¡¯t I move?


    Xing Bi felt that she was being played at the dance of his fingertips. She was older than him but felt helpless at the flirtations of a younger man.


    ¡°You¡­Don¡¯t l-look like that when you are with me!¡± She tried to manage her messy breaths.


    ¡°Look how?¡± Nian tilted his head questioningly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Just act like how you always do. Goofy and annoying.¡±


    Because I don¡¯t know how to handle you when you get all serious¡­her mouth twitched.


    Nian wanted to tease her a bit more, but it got interrupted by a phone call.


    Tch.


    He saw Jian¡¯s incoming call and raised his brow. ¡°Yo, Jian. Don¡¯t worry about Jin. I will handle it.¡±


    Jian¡¯s grim voice answered him after a long time. ¡°I know Jin will be fine. You and Jun are there. But you need to come to Beijing right now.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Xing Bi was finally back to normal but frowned upon noticing Nian¡¯s eyes slowly turning darker and graver as he listened to his twin talking.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±

 Chapter 291 Shanghai Fest Arc (43) : The grim news

    Chapter 291 Shanghai Fest Arc (43) : The grim news


    Back in the hospital, there was a standstill between the brothers. The elder brother looked guilty while the younger brother looked in contempt.


    Jin glanced at Ai and smiled. ¡°You say not to blame him, but can I really not now? When I realized that time had turned back and I was reborn, I thought a lot about what I should do. A new life. A new chance. But as long as Shui liked me, history would just repeat itself. And since¡­¡±


    Jin bore his vicious gaze at Jun. ¡°Since Bro was so desperate to have Shui even at the cost of everybody¡¯s happiness, then I felt obliged,¡± he gnashed his jaw, ¡°to unite him and Shui in every way possible. But then I saw Bro Jun leaving home one day. He just suddenly disappeared and broke off all contact with us and especially with Shui. I thought it shouldn¡¯t be possible. That is¡­IF only I was reborn. I did nothing to change the timeline and events, but they still changed. Why?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°That¡¯s when I slowly realized that he was given a second chance too. He had his past memories and so he left. And I thought that was such a joke,¡± he laughed.¡±


    Jun stayed silent with his lifeless gaze.


    ¡°You wanted to forget everything and just disappear from our lives? J-Just like that?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°I wondered for a long time if this was for the best. Maybe I should move on too? But I couldn¡¯t. The pain your words, actions and distrust caused to everybody in the past¡­how could I just forget that move on? For God¡¯s sake how could I let go of the bitter reality that you wanted me dead!?¡± He grabbed his shirt and forced him to face him.


    ¡°Jin!¡± Ai cried.


    She tried to stop him, but Jun gently raised his palm. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Ai,¡± he let out a defeated voice, ¡°Let him.¡±


    Jin crumpled his shirt in his fist hard upto the point that his knuckles turned redder. But the tremor that faintly shook his hand gave a peek into the agony that his eyes reflected.


    ¡°Do you know how I felt when I saw you pointing the gun at me? Do you¡­have any idea how painful it was to feel the killing intent in your eyes for me? For me¡­I loved you so much, Bro. I idolized you. Out of everybody, I made you my most favorite. Even more than Mom,¡± tears fell from his eyes, ¡°You were really special to me, and I wanted to be special to you too, but I couldn¡¯t. Heh, I could never compete with Shui¡¯s place in your heart and in the end what I saw was a bullet waiting for me.¡±


    Jin smiled. ¡°If YOU wanted to kill me, then I wondered why I should be alive anymore? Really¡­first you never believed me, you loathed my existence and then you wanted to kill me. And you wanted to walk out of all that as if it never happened? I should just forget the grief you put everybody through and the fact that you pointed a gun at me? That¡¯s what hurts the most Bro! And I can never forgive you! My brother I love so much despised me to no end. How can I ever bear that?¡±


    Jun¡¯s lips trembled to speak something, but nothing came at the tip of his tongue.


    What was he supposed to say? Sorry?


    He felt that a mere sorry for everything he did was too little and too late.


    Jin laughed evilly. ¡°That¡¯s when I thought that since you love Shui so much, you had to have her this time at any cost. I still hate Shui, and I never wanted to see you with her. But it was your desperate wish to have her, right?¡± He tilted his head. ¡°So I decided to ensure that you would get what you want. Then you would finally let everybody live peacefully, right?¡±


    He shook.


    ¡°I tried making you two patch up so many times, but nothing worked. When you went to cancel the ring order, it was me who sent Mom and Aunt Xinyi around that corner so that they would misunderstand your intentions. I influenced Mom to say to Yunru to announce your engagement in Sky.¡±


    Jun slowly raised his head and met his gaze in disbelief. Ai, too, stared at him wide-eyed.


    Jin chuckled. ¡°Shocked? You shouldn¡¯t be though. I just wanted to unite you with Shui because of whom you made our lives so miserable. But then you wanted to announce your breakup and I had no choice but to take Great-grandma by my side. That was some nice pressure she put on you there, right?¡±


    Jun froze. ¡°¡­That was an act?¡±


    ¡°Not completely. But I just influenced her a little bit in the right direction, and she wanted to see you getting engaged to Shui no matter what. Her health threat worked beautifully.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too low, Jin,¡± Ai didn¡¯t shout, nevertheless the seriousness and anger in her quiet voice was evident.


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you expect after going through hell in my last life and dying by my most beloved brother¡¯s hands? I didn¡¯t want to go this far. He made me choose this path. Unfortunately, everything changed after the Summit when you became his girlfriend. That¡¯s why I made people question your relationship that day. How could I see Bro living a happy life, after all? The wounds he inflicted upon us are not¡­easy to forget. For me, they still bleed.¡±


    Jun took a long, deep breath. He hesitated and trembled a lot but finally stood up on his feet and reached out to hold Jin¡¯s hand. ¡°Jin¡­I-¡°


    The door suddenly opened, and Nian came in, breathless. His sharp eyes immediately caught that something was wrong with how Jun, Ai and Jin faced each other and observed the tears in their eyes.


    What happened here?


    Jin looked away, making himself seem normal.


    Jun snapped into his senses and cleared his throat. ¡°Bro Nian.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why do you all look like that? Did Jin do something-¡°


    ¡°No,¡± Jun instantly denied. ¡°We were just talking. It¡¯s nothing. You tell me. Why are you in such a hurry?¡±


    Nian knew it wasn¡¯t nothing, but he let it go for now. ¡°We need to leave for Beijing right now.¡±


    ¡°We are leaving tomorrow anyway.¡±


    Nian grimly relayed the news. ¡°We need to be back home right now. Jian called me. Zixin got into an accident and is in the hospital now.¡±

 Chapter 292 Shanghai Fest Arc (44) : Its going to happen again

    Chapter 292 Shanghai Fest Arc (44) : It''s going to happen again


    ¡°¡­Say what?¡±


    ¡°Zixin got into an accident,¡± Nian repeated. ¡°He was leaving for the airport when a truck¡­¡± he gritted his teeth, ¡°smashed into his car. The driver and Zixin are heavily injured. It¡¯s¡­¡± his voice cracked, ¡°a horrible accident.¡±


    Behind him stood Yunru who looked deathly pale. His face was as white as a sheet with tears continuously rolling down his cheeks. He also just received the news from his twin sister, Yubi, who was crying hard on the phone.


    ¡°Bro¡­My brother is in the hospital¡­A-accident¡­¡± his knees felt weak, and he almost fell when Huan firmly caught him.


    Looking at his pale face unnerved her. She felt a knot tighten her heart seeing the tears in Yunru¡¯s eyes and felt her eyes brimming with tears too. Just an hour ago, he was brightly shining with his beautiful smile.


    ¡°St-stay calm,¡± Huan was at a loss of how to console him. The news wasn¡¯t easy to digest. She hesitated for a moment but then gently rubbed his arm to reassure him. ¡°He will be fine,¡± she whispered.


    Jun blankly stared at Nian unblinkingly. ¡°Bro Zixin¡¯s accident? I-It¡¯s not possible, Bro Nian.¡±


    Xing Bi anxiously replied. ¡°It¡¯s true. That¡¯s why we need to go back.¡±


    Jin and Ai, too, shook hard.


    ¡°No, no!¡± Jun grabbed Nian¡¯s shoulder and exclaimed with a mixture of disbelief and fear in his voice. ¡°How did this happen? Why¡­? This accident is not supposed to happen! Isn¡¯t Fang Wuhan in the base?¡±


    ¡°He still is. But he has nothing to do with the accident. How can he when he is in our base? We are investigating who the shitty truck driver is who crashed into Zixin¡¯s car,¡± his eyes displayed revenge in full light. ¡°But we need to leave for Beijing right now. I have already arranged our private jet. It will be here in a few minutes. I have taken care of Jin¡¯s discharge procedure too. Shui is also outside. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Nian turned, and his heart ached seeing Yunru¡¯s state. He patted his shoulder and softly said, ¡°Come, Yunru. Zixin needs all of us.¡±


    Yunru broke down. ¡°Bro i-is¡­hospital¡­¡±


    ¡°He will be fine,¡± Nian sternly said, ¡°Don¡¯t cry like it¡¯s over! He is your strong brother and nothing can take him down! Got it?¡±


    The four of them quietly left, leaving Jun, Ai and Jin standing frozen at their place.


    ¡°How is this possible¡­?¡± Jun questioned and mumbled to himself. ¡°How did I fail?¡±


    Even Jin couldn¡¯t make any sense of it. ¡°It was Feng Wuhan who had planned Bro Zixin¡¯s accident in the last life. When I heard that you captured him and the driver, I knew it was to prevent the accident from happening and protect Bro Zixin. You already took care of them so why did this accident still occur? The timeline should have been changed!¡± He exhaled in frustration.


    Ai held Jun¡¯s hand, who looked to be sinking more and more in despair. ¡°Jun, it¡¯s not your fault. Don¡¯t make that expression as if you are blaming yourself.¡±


    His eyelashes trembled as he looked at Ai. ¡°Then what else should I do? I-I failed. I couldn¡¯t protect Bro Zixin. I¡­I knew what was going to happen. I know from past life. But I still failed, Ai. He still got into an accident. Then,¡± his eyes slowly widened with realization, ¡°does that mean in this life too, he will¡­lose all his memories?¡±


    ¡°Jun, it won¡¯t happen again-¡°


    ¡°No¡­Bro Nian said it¡¯s a horrible accident. The driver and Bro are heavily wounded. Just like the past life. Nothing changed. It¡¯s going to happen again.¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ stared at the lake in front of her. She stood near a tree beside the lake situated in front of GrandCastle hotel. It was this same place where MrPerfect had asked her to wait for him. ¡®She¡¯ had no interest in meeting him but at the same time, she wanted to know what he wanted to talk to her after making his relationship with Ai public.


    ¡®She¡¯ smiled. ¡°Are you excited dear? The day has finally arrived. You finally get to see him or should I say his true face as he would lie through his teeth. I seriously wonder what excuses he will give us for all those little sweet nothings with which he won your heart? Let¡¯s wait and watch.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯ waited and waited, but nobody came. It was close to three hours. The sky turned dark, but there was no sign of MrPerfect ever coming to meet her.


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ burst into laughter while clenching her fist. ¡°So it was a joke, after all. All that sincerity in your message was fake. I knew it. I thought you would feed me with some lies but never did I expect that you won¡¯t even show your face.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯ felt tears in her eyes and the pain in her chest which didn¡¯t belong to her. The real Guiying inside her was crying.


    ¡°You still cry for him!? Stop that! You disgust me!¡± ¡®Guiying¡¯ ruthlessly scolded her other self.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A voice came from her back.


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ heard a pair of footsteps clicking on the grass approaching her.


    Zhan Yahui stood before her and asked, ¡°Why are you crying?¡±


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ smiled. ¡°Those are not my tears. Apparently, the fool inside me still held hopes.¡±


    ¡°So I guess he didn¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that certainly but then again I know how cruel MrPerfect aka Liu Jun is. If he didn¡¯t want to meet the fool inside me, then why bother sending any letter?¡± Her eyes shone with a malicious glint. ¡°But it¡¯s okay. It only strengthens my resolve even more to completely destroy Liu Jun one day. That day¡­will come soon.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯ turned and left with the need of revenge burning furiously in her heart.


    Left alone, Zhan Yahui watched her back and smiled. ¡°Sure, Guiying. Destroy Liu Jun. I will help you with everything.¡±


    She saw an incoming call on her phone and picked it up with a smile. ¡°You did great with arranging the accident. Now with him in the hospital, I am rest assured. It would have been a big problem if Chen Zixin came to Shanghai and met Guiying. The cat would have been out of the bag. Guiying shouldn¡¯t know that the MrPerfect sending her all the sweet gifts and letters is not Liu Jun but Chen Zixin. But he was coming and I,¡± her eyes flickered in the dark, ¡°had to stop him.¡±

 Chapter 293 Rude concern

    Chapter 293 Rude concern


    Beijing.


    Even from far away, the still and grave air stabbed Jun hard as he rushed towards his families. He abruptly stopped in his tracks, watching Serena and Yubi trembling and crying as they waited in front of the operation theatre.


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Yunru dashed towards them and bent on his knees. He held her face with his reddened eyes bawling out tears. ¡°Bro. W-where is Bro? He is o-okay, right? Bro Nian said that he will be just fine. He is very strong!¡±


    Yubi jumped into her brother¡¯s embrace and sobbed loudly. ¡°Yunru, you are back¡­Bro is st-still in the operation¡­¡± she gasped as she cried. ¡°Why is it taking such a long time?¡±


    Chen Liling hushed her granddaughter and gently caressed her head, wiping her eyes continuously. ¡°Th-there is nothing wrong with taking more time. We want to see Zixin all fine and safe, right? As long as¡­¡± tears brimmed in her eyes, ¡°he stands on his feet safe and sound, I-I don¡¯t care how long it takes. We should be patient.¡±


    Jianyu watched his family agonizing, and he couldn¡¯t do anything to assure them. His son was battling for his life and his wife and twins were distraught over the whole tragedy that had befallen upon them. The fear for Zixin¡¯s life ran deep in his heart too, but he had to stay strong. If he broke down too, then who would give them the strength?


    Chen Guiren quietly put his hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back your tears, Jianyu. You are his father. You have every right to cry.¡±


    Jianyu took a silent breath and trembled. It was excruciating to control his tears from falling. ¡°¡­There is n-nothing to cry for, Dad¡­Zixin will be¡­He will be alright¡­¡±


    Shui and Nian were already over at the Liu family¡¯s side, talking to Jian and Nuo. Nana was by Serena¡¯s side as she consoled her while Jinhai was at the other corner, talking to somebody on the phone with a chilled countenance on his face.


    Huan pursed her lips and clasped her hands together. She stared at Yunru and wished to stay here with him, but she wasn¡¯t really close to their families. She had hardly met him three days back, so she thought it was inappropriate to be here at such a sensitive time.


    ¡°I think I should leave¡­¡± she lowered her head.


    Xing Bi felt a bit awkward too. She naturally wanted to be with them at this difficult time, but she had similar concerns as Huan.


    They wouldn¡¯t want a stranger hanging around them at this time¡­


    ¡°You two aren¡¯t strangers,¡± Jun quietly said as if reading their minds, ¡°Stay.¡±


    It was just a few words from him, but Xing Bi and Huan felt overwhelmed and emotional. They silently nodded and slowly walked towards Nian and Yunru.


    Jin stared hard at the lit red bulb which indicated that Zixin¡¯s surgery was still in progress.


    Why did this still happen¡­?


    He glanced at Jun and with the way his eyes looked dead and bleak, he knew he was inwardly blaming himself for this tragedy. His trembling fist expressed the storm that was messing his heart.


    Ai entwined her fingers against his and threatened Jun with a steely voice, ¡°I won¡¯t forgive you if you spiral yourself in guilt and blame. You did nothing wrong. So stop whatever you are thinking or I won¡¯t talk to you anymore.¡±


    Jun slowly lowered his gaze and faintly smiled at her. He kept his silence but pulled her head against his chest.


    Jin took off with two large strides, not wanting to stay beside Jun anymore. But he stopped. With numerous thoughts swirling in his head, he finally said without looking back at him. ¡°Stop wasting your time with the blame game, Bro. If you have so much energy to be depressed, then pour at least half of it into finding the culprit,¡± he then whispered after a pause, ¡°I am also reborn, and I also knew what was going to happen. But I couldn¡¯t protect Bro Zixin either. Does that mean you blame me too?¡±


    Jun widened his eyes. ¡°Of course not, Jin-¡°


    ¡°Then don¡¯t blame yourself either,¡± he cut him off mid-sentence. ¡°Rebirth or having past memories gives us an advantage for sure, but it doesn¡¯t make us invincible against fate. We are still humans. There is only so much that we can do.¡±


    He sneered and walked away.


    Jun watched him leave with his lips slightly parted in shock.


    Ai peeked at Jun and softly smiled. ¡°He said it rudely but you sensed it too, right? His concern. He doesn¡¯t want to see you feeling guilty over Chen Zixin¡¯s accident.¡±


    ¡°Jin¡­hates me.¡±


    ¡°Then he wouldn¡¯t have cared about you and tried to ease your guilt. He wouldn¡¯t have taken the hit for you otherwise. He still loves you a lot though he won¡¯t show it.¡±


    A tiny ray of hope illuminated his heart.


    Was it really possible for them to reconcile?


    ¡ª


    The surgery got over with Nana¡¯s elder brother and a prestigious doctor, Liang Shin, conveying that Zixin was out of any fatal danger. It brought great relief to everyone and they only needed to wait for a few more hours until Zixin would wake up.


    Which he finally did after nine hours had passed by. He groggily opened his eyes and looked at the blurry shapes and the outlines of the figures standing next to his bed.


    ¡°Zixin¡­!¡± Serena tremblingly held his hand, smiling through her tears. ¡°Y-you are awake¡­You are finally¡­¡±


    Jianyu softly pressed her shivering shoulders. ¡°Sshh.¡±


    Yunru and Yubi stood on either side of his bed. Zixin slowly raised his gaze and noticed the tears in their eyes.


    ¡°Bro, we missed you!¡± Yunru wiped his cheeks. ¡°I-I am here now, Bro. I won¡¯t let anybody hurt you!¡±


    ¡°Me too!¡± Yubi flared at her nostrils.


    Chen Liling scolded the twins. ¡°Oof, don¡¯t talk so loudly. He has just woken up! Sshh!¡±


    Standing in front of his bed, Jun watched every single expression with extreme scrutiny that Zixin made as he saw his family. His heart raced faster, waiting for Zixin to speak.


    Zixin took a glance at everybody and weakly parted his lips. ¡°Who are you all¡­?¡±

 Chapter 294 Interrogation

    Chapter 294 Interrogation


    ¡°Who are you all¡­?¡± Zixin questioned.


    Jun stiffened and so did Jin. He slowly shut his eyes, feeling crushed and defeated. The thing that he most feared happened.


    Serena and Jianyu blinked at him in confusion. ¡°Zixin, what do you mean? It¡¯s us. Your family.¡±


    Zixin¡¯s brows tiredly furrowed. ¡°Zi¡­Zixin? Is that my name?¡±


    Coming to a certain chilly realization, everybody froze. Serena¡¯s breath stuck in her throat, and she asked with terror striking deep in her heart, ¡°You d-don¡¯t remember us?¡±


    Zixin threw another glance at everybody and tried to recall any faces that might know. But his memories all felt to him blank like a white clean slate. He started to panic and forced himself to remember anything about himself, but even the name Zixin didn¡¯t ring a bell.


    ¡°I¡­¡± he was breathless. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know anybody here. What is going on?¡±


    When Liang Shin came in, he sent everybody out for some preliminary tests and scans of Zixin¡¯s brain.


    Ai hurriedly walked towards Jun, who was waiting for him outside. ¡°What happened, Jun? Is Chen Zixin alright? Also, why did Dr. Liang head inside again?¡±


    Jun massaged his temples that were beginning to ache. He pulled her closer and rested his forehead on her shoulder.


    ¡°Jun?¡± She worriedly whispered.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s just what I had feared, Ai,¡± he trembled, ¡°Bro Zixin doesn¡¯t remember anyone.¡±


    Her eyes slowly widened. She felt his hot tears on her neck and with it, the sense of loss that was going through.


    ¡°Jun. You have to be strong because only you know about the true nature of his accident. We have to find the culprit.¡±


    She held his face and tiptoed to kiss him. ¡°Jun, you don¡¯t have to take everything on yourself. You are not alone. I am here with you. Always. I love you.¡±


    Jun stared at her with an unreadable gaze and kissed her forehead. ¡°I love you too. Ai, I will be back in some time. Stay with Xing Bi and Yunru.¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    His dark brown eyes were filled with a dark chill. ¡°To get some answers.¡±


    ¡ª


    *Splash!*


    ¡°Hhaaaaa!¡± Feng Wuhan gasped in shock with the sudden and harsh splash of water on his face. He breathed heavily, looking confused at the man standing before him.


    ¡°You¡­Liu Jun! You have forcibly locked me up here for ages! Let me go already!¡± His fear laced voice echoed in the base.


    Jun clutched his hair and grabbed his head up, pulling them harshly at his scalp. ¡°Ahhh! Hurts-¡°


    ¡°Hurts?¡± Jun icily cut him off. ¡°Does it hurt when I pull your hair like this?¡± He tugged them harder again, making him yelp. ¡°This much pain is nothing compared to what my brother is going through right now.¡±


    Feng Wuhan felt the hair at his back tingle with terror.


    ¡°If you want me to spare your sorry life, then tell me. Before I brought you here, did anybody contact you about any plan to hurt Chen Zixin?¡±


    Feng Wuhan couldn¡¯t concentrate at all with his scalp burning with pain. He felt his hair getting torn off his skin. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t understand what you are talking about.¡±


    He gave a frosty smile that rang all kinds of alarm bells inside Feng Wuhan. ¡°A bit more torture here and there and you will understand what I am talking about. You were planning Chen Zixin¡¯s accident because you lost the project deal to him, right?¡±


    Feng Wuhan widened his eyes. ¡°What? N-No!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Jun gave him a hard slap across his face. ¡°Trust me, I am not in the best of my moods right now. So if you lie to me, then you will suffer hell.¡±


    He shook his head hard. ¡°I-I am telling the truth! I never planned anything against Chen Zixin!¡±


    ¡°But you lost to him.¡±


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s true. He is my biggest competitor, a-and he has been winning many deals back to back.¡±


    Jun dangerously lowered his voice, ¡°So you wanted him out of your way.¡±


    ¡°No! I didn¡¯t plan anything! You have trapped me here for so many days!¡± He shivered. ¡°What can I even do if I wanted to do anything against him!?¡±


    Jun studied his eyes and got frustrated. It was true that Feng Wuhan was in no position to harm Zixin, but he didn¡¯t know who else to question. The driver who smashed his truck into Zixin¡¯s car in this life was still on the run. Jun only had Feng Wuhan to whom he could ask questions.


    ¡°Did anybody contact you before we locked you up here? Who wanted to hurt Chen Zixin?¡±


    ¡°No-Nobody-¡°


    ¡°Remember about the lying part. I have many tools at my disposal to torture you,¡± he warned.


    Feng Wuhan paled. ¡°It¡¯s the truth! Really, nobody called me regarding Chen Zixin at all! Chen Zixin won the deal and then I was suddenly dragged here¡­I don¡¯t have any idea what¡¯s going on¡­¡± he begged.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Jun cursed and pushed him away. He banged the door shut behind him in anger but stopped upon seeing Jin in front of him. He slightly stiffened.


    ¡°You are here too.¡±


    ¡°I want answers too naturally,¡± Jin narrowed his eyes. ¡°If Feng Wuhan was unable to lift a finger against Bro Zixin, then it means that we were wrong in the past life. The real culprit was someone else.¡±


    Jun frowned. ¡°I understand that now. But why did he take the blame in the past? He had confessed it himself that he planned the accident against Bro-¡± He paused after the possibility dawned upon him. ¡°Unless he was¡­¡±


    ¡°Forced to do so,¡± Jin completed his sentence.


    Jun came to the same conclusion. ¡°But who? Who hates Bro Zixin so much that they will go to such lengths?¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°But I guess we will get an answer to that soon.¡±


    Jin replied. ¡°Pretty much. If the same thing will happen in this life too, then whoever the culprit is will surely find another scapegoat to take the blame for the accident just like they did with Feng Wuhan. Somebody else will confess, most likely another one of Bro Zixin¡¯s rivals.¡±


    ¡°But this time, we will know that he would be lying and through him¡­¡± his eyes glinted with peril, ¡°we will learn the culprit who forced him to confess. This time, I won¡¯t let that bastard get away with this.¡±

 Chapter 295 A nightmare

    Chapter 295 A nightmare


    It was a moonless night with chilly winds rustling the air around Jun. He found himself standing on a terrace with the city night view glimmering beyond him.


    What is this place¡­


    He shuddered, thinking about the past life. The night tonight felt eerily similar to the night he died in his car crash of suicide.


    He took a step back when suddenly, he saw Ai standing right before him. But she wasn¡¯t inside the terrace. She stood outside the terrace¡¯s railing, upon a narrow platform that barely fit her feet together.


    ¡°Ai?¡±


    He took slow steps towards her. ¡°Ai? What are you doing here?¡±


    When he reached closer and realized that she was actually standing outside the railing, the color drained from his face. ¡°Ai¡­No! It¡¯s dangerous over there! Come inside! W-wait. Don¡¯t move. I will help you!¡±


    ¡°You cannot help me, Jun.¡±


    Jun stopped abruptly. Her quiet voice coupled with her impassive expression made his heart pound in his chest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be an idiot, Ai!¡± He extended his arm and anxiously urged her. ¡°Hold my hand, Ai! Quickly!¡±


    Ai stared at his outstretched hand but didn¡¯t make any attempts to move at all. She softly shook her head. ¡°You cannot help me. I am supposed to fall.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense! Just stop talking and give me your hand!¡±


    ¡°I am supposed to fall, Jun. It¡¯s fate. Just like how Chen Zixin was hurt.¡±


    Jun froze.


    ¡°You cannot win against fate. I died by falling from this place in my past life. I will die once again just like that.¡±


    ¡°No¡­Don¡¯t talk like that, Ai. I won¡¯t let you die. I won¡¯t let you die!¡±


    Ai showed a pained expression. ¡°Nothing can stop it, Jun. I am sorry.¡±


    Her body started tilting backwards, and Jun scrambled towards her. ¡°No! Ai!¡±


    He stretched his arm once again to catch hold of her, but he narrowly missed by an inch. It was empty air in his palm, and he could do nothing but watch Ai fall and vanish into the darkness.


    ¡°Ai¡­¡± tears fell from his face and he screamed. ¡°AI!!!!!¡±


    Ai opened her eyes and woke up with a jolt, hearing a loud scream. At her side, she saw Jun was restlessly moving in bed, sweating and breathing hard.


    ¡°Jun?¡±


    ¡°Ai! Ai!¡± Jun kept screaming her name in the dead silence of the night.


    ¡°Jun, I am here,¡± she quickly held his hand and patted his cheek to wake him up. She then gave his shoulders a hard shake and loudly called out his name. ¡°Jun!¡±


    His eyes snapped open, and he gasped wide awake. He woke up with a start and looked around the room, confused.


    ¡°Jun,¡± she wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    ¡°T-this is our room¡­¡± he mumbled in a daze. ¡°I was there¡­¡±


    She turned his head to make him face her. ¡°You were having a bad dream. It¡¯s okay now. I am here with you,¡± she gently whispered to soothe him.


    Jun grabbed her head and looked at her cautiously from head to toe. His hands trembled as he touched her cheeks and hands. ¡°You are¡­alright.¡±


    You are not dead. Not dead¡­


    Ai felt the fear in his gaze, and her heart ached. The corner of his eyes were moist, and she could imagine how horrible of a nightmare Jun might have seen.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of Chen Zixin, right?¡± She slowly asked.


    The failure of preventing his accident from happening had taken a huge toll upon Jun¡¯s heart. He thought everything was in control but then suddenly, it wasn¡¯t.


    Jun felt deathly tired. He ever so slowly pulled her into his embrace. It was the first time that Ai felt his hug so weak, shivering and diffident.


    ¡°Ai, I saw you fall in my dream. You were standing outside the terrace railing. You fell, but I couldn¡¯t save you. I couldn¡¯t pull you back¡­¡± his hoarse voice was filled with gloom and self-doubt. ¡°You said that I cannot change fate. That I cannot help you, and then you fell.¡±


    Ai pursed her lips. ¡°Is that what I said? Then that woman in your dream cannot be me. Because I never say hopeless and sad things like that. I will never say something like that to you. It must be somebody else.¡±


    ¡°¡­It was you.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to look at me a little harder. You misunderstood another woman as me. I am hurt,¡± she tried to lighten the mood.


    Which did make Jun burst into a soft chuckle involuntarily. ¡°What?¡±


    She beamed hearing his chuckle and continued her drama. ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t know you were dreaming of other women when you have such a cute girlfriend. And here you get possessive if I even look at another man. Isn¡¯t that unfair?¡± She questioned the sincerity of his love.


    Jun knew what she was trying to do and hugged her tighter. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s unfair. I am sorry.¡±


    Ai seriously nodded.


    ¡°Ai.¡±


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    ¡°Can I really protect you?¡±


    ¡°If not you, then nobody else can protect me either,¡± Ai spoke without any hesitation. ¡°And I don¡¯t want anybody else protecting me either. It has to be you.¡±


    He trembled.


    ¡°Jun. Chen Zixin¡¯s accident doesn¡¯t reflect your failure. You already did what you could based on your previous life¡¯s memories. Nobody knew that somebody else had pulled the strings, and you cannot act on something that you don¡¯t know about. How is it your fault? You are being too hard on yourself,¡± she scolded him.


    ¡°¡­Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°I am scared, Ai. I promised you that you never have to be afraid of falling ever again. What if I failed that promise?¡±


    Ai pinched his cheek. ¡°You have never failed me before, and I know that you will never fail me in the future too. Jun, don¡¯t take everything on yourself. Don¡¯t feel that it¡¯s only your responsibility to protect everything and everyone. I want you to rely on me too. But you don¡¯t. When it comes to your problems, you take everything by yourself whether it was announcing your breakup to your family all alone or right now with the accident.¡±


    Jun cleared his throat.


    ¡°I can hear your guilt with that cough.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ai thought about something and quickly got off the bed. ¡°Wait here for me.¡±

 Chapter 296 Following the tradition *

    Chapter 296 Following the tradition *


    Jun heard some shuffling noises coming from the kitchen and was alarmed. ¡°Are you in the kitchen?¡± He called from inside the room.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Why? If you are hungry, I will cook for you.¡±


    There was a long pause.


    ¡°I have trouble with baking, not cooking,¡± she replied with grievance.


    ¡°*Ahem..*¡±


    ¡°Just wait for me.¡±


    Ten minutes later, Jun noticed her coming inside the room, carrying a tray in her hand and with a candle lit at the left side of the tray. Ai placed the tray between them and sat on the bed. The plate had freshly steamed and delicious dumplings perched upon it.


    Jun tilted his head. ¡°What is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tradition.¡±


    ¡°What tradition?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Late-night candlelight meal to shoo away the fear and anxiety left by a bad dream.''¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a long name.¡±


    ¡°Courtesy ¨C my Dad.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a really long name.¡±


    ¡°Courtesy ¨C my Dad.¡±


    His brow twitched.


    Uncle Zhou?


    Ai said, ¡°When I was a child and used to have bad dreams, Dad used to cook me such meals at late night. He says it¡¯s a sureshot way of driving away all the negative emotions. Food is the best distraction.¡±


    ¡°With a candle?¡±


    ¡°I added that for a romantic atmosphere.¡±


    Well, it does feel like a candlelight dinner, Jun smilingly thought.


    Ai took the first dumpling and brought it near his lips. He opened his mouth and gobbled the dumpling. He nodded in appreciation. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    Thankfully, she can cook safely¡­


    Jun took a second dumpling from the plate and fed it to her. ¡°I think Uncle is a bit wrong. For me, it¡¯s my girlfriend who is feeding me is the distraction, not the food.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± The yellow light from the candle did a good job in showing the red tint of her cheeks. ¡°I think you are right. Even for me, Dad¡¯s presence felt more reassuring than eating the food.¡±


    I guess I have to thank Uncle for this.


    This candlelight dumpings meal in the middle of the night felt more special to him compared to a candlelight dinner at a fancy restaurant.


    After finishing the dumplings, Ai kept the tray aside with the candle still burning with its soft warm flame atop it.


    ¡°Now, we will do the second part of the tradition.¡±


    Jun choked. ¡°The tradition has steps?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Next step is to dance,¡± Clearly, she was eager to fully follow the tradition.


    Ai held his hand and pulled him in front of the bed. She placed his hand on her waist and intertwined her fingers with his other hand.


    Jun smiled. ¡°Last time I checked, I taught you how to dance.¡±


    ¡°And your student has improved a lot,¡± she looked proud.


    There was no music playing in the background, yet they softly danced in silence in the candle glow. Ai was very cautious so that she wouldn¡¯t step on his foot. Her sincere and serious expression to show her dancing skills gave him an urge to pinch her cheeks.


    He raised her hand, twirled her around herself and grabbed hold of her waist. He pressed her fingers on her back and pushed her against his chest until she felt his breath on her forehead.


    ¡°Is there another step in your tradition?¡± He hushed near her ear.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. ¡°As the final step, Dad used to sing a song and sleep beside me. But instead of singing a song, I can do this¡­¡±


    She tiptoed and gently pressed her lips on his. She closed her eyes and gingerly deepened the kiss, wanting to ease the doubts in his heart.


    She moved away after a few seconds, not daring to meet his eyes after her bold kiss. ¡°Time to sleep now.¡±


    Ai hastily turned but Jun pulled her back equally hastily. He returned her kiss with his own that made her breathless within just a few seconds. When he closed his eyes, the sight of Ai falling from the terrace invaded his mind again, which only rattled his heart and urged him to kiss her fiercer.


    ¡°I won¡¯t lose you, Ai,¡± he whispered between the kiss, ¡°I won¡¯t lose you¡­at any cost.¡±


    He clutched her hair in his fist and narrowed his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let anybody take you away from me. Not even death.¡±


    Their kisses turned wetter and messier as their naked bodies soon embraced each other. Tonight felt different to Ai. She felt the change as Jun made love to her. She sensed the lingering traces of his fear of the nightmare through the way he fiercely pounded inside her. She felt his need to feel every inch of her to assure himself that she was alive.


    Her neck burned with the pleasure of his bites, and her breasts shuddered with the intensity of his caresses. Her knees were tightly held by his hands and his thrusts in the deepest part of her core was an ecstasy that was beyond her ability to put it into words. Her fingers could barely hold onto his shoulders for support.


    Jun lifted her chin and the watching the gasps and moans escaping her lips urged him to hit her walls harder. He gently kissed her lips. His tongue licked her chin, cheek and jaw. He soaked in her warmth which was way better than feeling the chilly wind on the terrace in his nightmare.


    He pressed her body against his until there wasn¡¯t even a centimeter of space left and his length claimed every part of her walls until he filled her completely. It was a night where they made love in silence, yet every breath that escaped from his lips told Ai how much he treasured her and how much he feared of losing her.


    His climax hit her harder than ever, and she gasped with the warm pleasure driving her insane. She felt him burying his head in the nape of her neck. She smiled and combed her fingers through his hair. ¡°Jun,¡± she uttered his name, breathless. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    ¡°I will never leave your side.¡±


    He hid his smile as he whispered, ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡±

 Chapter 297 How MrPerfect came to be

    Chapter 297 How MrPerfect came to be


    The next day at the hospital was even gloomier than yesterday. When the news broke out that Zixin had lost all his memories, the Chen family felt devastated. Zixin remembered nothing and the sense of loss and confusion he felt was heartbreaking to bear for everyone.


    Yunru was outside the ward, sobbing in silence. He and Yubi tried their very best to make him remember something. Anything. But Zixin only returned their efforts with a blank gaze.


    He felt a soft pat on his shoulder and saw Jun and Ai standing before him. ¡°Bro¡­sister-in-law¡­¡±


    He jumped into his hug, breaking down into tears.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Jun patted his head. ¡°Don¡¯t cry.¡±


    ¡°Then what should I do, Bro? I am not able to help him at all. He looks at us like¡­strangers. It hurts, Bro.¡±


    ¡°Yunru.¡±


    He sniffled and looked at Ai.


    ¡°I know it hurts a lot. Seeing the one you love not remember you is a painful feeling,¡± she lamented. ¡°But that¡¯s why you have to be stronger. You know everything. But Chen Zixin doesn¡¯t. Imagine not knowing anything about one¡¯s own identity must be so frightening.¡±


    He blinked.


    ¡°You wake up and you realize you don¡¯t know anything about yourself. Suddenly, there are strangers all around you, claiming that they are your family. It is really difficult to trust others when you are in such a state. It feels like an existential crisis. Chen Zixin is suffering even more than us. That¡¯s why we have to be stronger for his sake.¡±


    He softly gasped in realization. ¡°Y-you are right. I didn¡¯t think of it this way¡­I am stupid.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°You aren¡¯t. You are his cute little brother.¡±


    Yunru wiped his eyes. ¡°Why did things turn out this way? Who hates my brother so much!? If this accident didn¡¯t happen, then Bro would have been in Shanghai with us.¡±


    Jun furrowed his brows. ¡°With us? Wasn¡¯t he on his own business trip?¡±


    ¡°No. He was going to stay at the same hotel with us. I even confirmed his booking on the first day of our trip.¡±


    Ai recalled him talking to the receptionist on that day.


    He blinked. ¡°Really?¡±


    Yunru nodded. ¡°Bro was mean. He didn¡¯t tell me much about it. Just that he was going to meet someone special.¡±


    Jun widened his eyes. ¡°He has someone he likes?¡±


    ¡°I think so. He was there at the Summit too.¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°I know right? I was just as shocked as you! But I did see Bro outside the hotel. I asked him what he was doing, and he said he was attending the Summit too. Bro was so secretive! He is not really interested in reading books, so I couldn¡¯t believe that he was at an event like that.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Jun said, ¡°Does that mean the one he likes is a writer?¡±


    ¡°I thought so too. Isn¡¯t that why he wanted to come to Shanghai? Because of the fest. Maybe that writer was at the fest too.¡±


    Ai asked, ¡°He revealed nothing about this person?¡±


    Yunru pursed his lips. ¡°No. He just said that if everything went alright, then he was going to introduce that person to us.¡±


    Jun tilted his head as a faint memory resurfaced his mind. ¡°Wait, wait. Now that you say that¡­I remember Bro Zixin coming to me one day. It was about making his account on Reading Point. What, maybe it was around one year ago?¡±


    Yunru stared at him, speechless. ¡°Reading Point? That chat forum for readers?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    He remembered that day Zixin had come to Sky to meet him.


    *Flashback*


    One year ago, Sky Publishing.


    Jun lifted his gaze off his laptop and was surprised to see Zixin in front of him. ¡°Bro.¡±


    ¡°Jun.¡±


    ¡°How come you are here today?¡± He asked, interested.


    He calmly sat on the chair opposite him. ¡°I want your help.¡±


    ¡°With what?¡±


    ¡°I want you to make an account for me on Reading Point forum.¡±


    Jun stared at him hard. ¡°Reading Point? You read books?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you want to become a part of a forum? They are also so noisy which we both hate so much. We are not exactly chatting types.¡±


    Zixin stayed silent as if he was contemplating something hard, most probably an excuse.


    Now Jun was even more interested. ¡°Hoo¡­Is it someone special?¡±


    His expression gave out nothing.


    ¡°What? Is it seriously a woman? You want to join Reading Point because she is there?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    Jun laughed. ¡°Ah so it¡¯s definitely a crush. Wow, Bro. You didn¡¯t even let us know that you found someone you liked. But why are you asking me? Can your cute little twins not help you with it?¡±


    Zixin answered, unfazed. ¡°They cannot keep anything in their stomachs for too long. They will babble everything out.¡±


    Jun choked.


    They will be so heartbroken to hear you say that.


    He shook his head. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    Zixin said, ¡°Create an account for me. I tried, but it¡¯s not letting me do it. I don¡¯t know much about these things.¡±


    Jun frowned. He opened the forum on his laptop and asked, ¡°What were you typing?¡±


    ¡°Chen Zixin.¡±


    Jun coughed. ¡°You were typing out your real name?¡±


    ¡°I cannot? It¡¯s simple.¡±


    ¡°Well you can, but it¡¯s advisable not to,¡± he shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s always better to use a random username than a real name and not compromise your identity.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°I think you were putting a space in your name. That isn¡¯t allowed.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Then what random name should I put?¡±


    ¡°Anything that you like or something that matches your personality.¡±


    Zixin gave him a blank look, making his mouth twitch.


    He is not really good with this creative stuff¡­


    ¡°Forget it. I will choose one for you. Hmm¡­¡± he touched his chin thoughtfully, ¡°what name should I choose?¡±


    Then he smirked a minute later. ¡°Found a good one.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°MrPerfect,¡± he proudly said.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Zixin blinked. ¡°I am not obsessed with perfection as much as you.¡±


    ¡°Hey. You are unable to choose, so at least appreciate my help rather than complaining, Bro,¡± he snorted. ¡°What is wrong with the name I chose? You are perfect in every sense. Looks, money, family.¡±


    Zixin didn¡¯t give much further thought on it. He simply wanted his account created.


    ¡°Done,¡± Jun smiled. ¡°You can chat now.¡±


    ¡°How does this work?¡±


    He showed him. ¡°There are different channels here. Mainly it¡¯s readers discussing their favorite books.¡±


    He slowly asked, ¡°How do you search for another user here?¡±


    Jun raised his brow and chuckled. ¡°That search bar above? If you know the username of that person, you can find it here and send her a friend request.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡±


    Jun curiously asked, ¡°Who is that person?¡±


    Zixin paused and ever so softly smiled. ¡°You will know one day.¡±


    *Flashback ends*


    Jun now remembered it clearly. To others, it might have been only a year back, but to him there was his whole past life years he went through.


    Yunru complained with grievance. ¡°That was mean of Bro to do that¡­I could have kept his secret very well!¡±


    Ai seemed to be thinking about something as she asked, ¡°But I was talking to you on the forum, right? Not Chen Zixin?¡±


    Jun replied. ¡°Yes, that was me.¡±


    ¡°How is it that you were using the same username?¡± She tilted her head.


    ¡°Oh? That was because Bro told me one day to delete the account from Reading Point. He sounded quite low that day. When I urged him, he said that that person left the forum. So, he had no need anymore to remain on the forum. He said he only chatted with that person, and if she wasn¡¯t there anymore, he saw no point in being there.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡±


    ¡°As for why I am using the account, I asked his permission. Since the account was already created and he didn¡¯t want to use it, I thought I could use it instead to chat up with potential good authors and search for new talent for Sky¡¯s benefit. It was a good place to explore. He had no problem with it. He literally chatted with only one person, so it wasn¡¯t like others really knew who MrPerfect was. He was just another member of the forum.¡±


    Ai nodded with understanding.


    Yunru asked, ¡°That means that you must have seen the chat history, right? You didn¡¯t come to know who the mystery woman was?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t work like that. Reading Point has a policy that if you delete your account, your associated chat histories also get deleted for security reasons. Also,¡± he smacked on his head. ¡°It¡¯s not nice to peep into someone¡¯s messages like that, Yunru. If he wanted to take time to reveal it to us, we shouldn¡¯t pry our way and invade his privacy.¡±


    Ai nodded at that too.


    ¡°S-sorry¡­¡± he scratched his chin. ¡°So Bro left Reading Point and then yesterday, he was coming to Shanghai to meet someone. Was that the same woman?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°You know how he is. She must definitely be the same woman. I was just wondering if she knew that he was coming or he kept it as a surprise?¡±


    Ai said, ¡°Indeed. If he told her that he was coming, then wouldn¡¯t she have been waiting for him? How will she know that he got into an accident?¡±


    Jun gave it a thought. ¡°I will see if I can find anything about her. If he really likes her then, I wouldn¡¯t want her to misunderstand Bro Zixin.¡±

 Chapter 298 Who is the real puppet master

    Chapter 298 Who is the real puppet master


    Jun shook his head. ¡°Anyway. How is Bro now?¡±


    ¡°He is recovering,¡± Yunru pursed his lips, ¡°Mom, Dad, everybody is¡­just putting up a strong front. But watching that he doesn¡¯t remember anyone is¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Jun ruffled his head. ¡°Just stay by his side. As for who is behind this accident¡­¡± his eyes glinted with pure menace. ¡°I will find out who he is at any cost. He won¡¯t be spared. Not this time¡­¡±


    ¡°This time?¡± Yunru asked.


    ¡°Nothing. Where is Driver Chi?¡±


    ¡ª


    In one of the other wards, Zixin¡¯s driver, Driver Chi, who was taking him to the airport yesterday was lying on the bed, weakly breathing. His wife was by his side, sniffling and trying to control her tears.


    Jun quietly stepped inside and Driver Chi¡¯s wife raised her head. ¡°Young master¡­¡± she hastily got on her feet, but Jun raised his hand and urged her to be seated.


    Driver Chi slowly opened his eyes. ¡°Young¡­master¡­¡±


    Jun saw the state of his legs and clenched his fist in his pocket. It was the same as last life. His legs were barely hurt and he wasn¡¯t able to walk for a long time. He lied helpless on a wheelchair with his wife diligently taking care of him day and night.


    A tear dropped from the corner of his eye. ¡°I¡­Please forgive me, young master Jun,¡± he said in a hoarse voice, ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect young master Zixin. I-¡°


    ¡°Enough. Did anybody from the Chen family blame you?¡±


    He tiredly shook his head.


    ¡°Then why do you think I came here to point fingers at you?¡±


    He gasped and trembled. ¡°He-he is young master Zixin¡­I heard what h-happened to him. He has forgotten everybody. How can I not blame myself?¡± He softly cried. ¡°If o-only I could turn the car¡­at the right time¡­this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡­Please forgive me¡­¡±


    His wife begged Jun. ¡°Yes, young master, please forgive my husband. I know-¡°


    Jun stopped her. ¡°I already told you I am not blaming him.¡±


    She felt relieved hearing that. ¡°Thank you¡­¡± she wiped her eyes.


    ¡°Young master, Jun,¡± her face was a little pale, ¡°He is not able to feel his legs. The doctors are not c-clearly saying what is happening. My husband¡­will be okay, right?¡±


    Jun stiffened. Watching the state of his legs ignited the fury within his heart even more. Two innocent people suffered in this accident.


    He smiled with assurance. ¡°He will be fine. And don¡¯t even think about worrying about the bills. We will take care of it completely. You just only focus on recovering.¡±


    Driver Chi¡¯s eyes reddened.


    Jun slowly asked, ¡°Can you tell me what happened? I know it¡¯s difficult to recall that horror. But we need to punish whoever that person was that brought you and Bro to this state.¡±


    Driver Chi spoke while taking pauses in between. ¡°I was just driving as usual¡­when a truck suddenly arrived from the left. I panicked and to-took an abrupt right turn to avoid it. I screamed at him. But¡­it still crashed into us. It felt like the driver did it purposely¡­¡± his eyes teared up. ¡°The car crashed backwards. It was horrible¡­¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°Did you catch any glimpse of that driver¡¯s face?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± he tried to recall. ¡°There was a tattoo on his forehead. I-I saw it when I was screaming at him. I don¡¯t remember anything after that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± he smiled. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡±


    When he stepped out, his expression returned to that of a frosty one that didn¡¯t have any ounce of mercy. He dialed Nian¡¯s number and coldly said, ¡°It will be easier to find a man who has a tattoo on his forehead.¡±


    ¡ª


    After Zixin¡¯s accident, everyone¡¯s one and only mission was to find the culprit behind the accident. To find the one who put Zixin and Driver Chi through such an ordeal and the one who dared to mess with the Underworld families.


    With the Underworld on the chase of that driver, it didn¡¯t take much time for Jinhai and Jianyu to find him, especially when Jun relayed the mark on his forehead.


    In the darkest world of the Underworld base, Jianyu, Jinhai, Jian, Nian and Jun were all present to get their answers. Jin was at the far back, listening to every detail.


    The driver¡¯s face was beyond recognizable with how Jian and Nian personally dealt with him. They used all sorts of tools to submit him to all sorts of torture. The mark on his forehead was burned due to acid.


    Jianyu, whose heart was lit with revenge and rage after seeing how helpless his son has become, took chilly and heavy steps towards the man.


    ¡°You do realize that my fingers are itching to kill you, right? And I can give you the worst possible death that you would have never imagined. You have no idea whose son you have touched. My son is lying in the hospital, unable to recognize anyone and it¡¯s all because of you,¡± His black pupils were glimmering with animosity.


    He kicked hard on his abdomen, making him puke blood and gasp with pure terror.


    ¡°Now tell me. Who told you to target Zixin? Who gave you the order to hurt my son? And I warn you, if I hear any nonsense, I will make your life a living hell. I just want to hear the name. Anything other than that and you will¡­¡±


    The driver trembled.


    Jian raised his brow. ¡°Did we perhaps go too far? We should have kept him in a good condition until he told us a name.¡±


    Nian shrugged. ¡°Hurting any of our family members is a big no-no. I am not really a fan of being patient,¡± he dangled and swirled the knife close to his face that kept on cutting his cheek every time the blade touched his skin.


    But he wasn¡¯t even given the liberty to scream. If he did, the next pain would come tenfolds.


    He gulped and spoke with trembling lips. ¡°Mao Yong¡­¡±


    Jinhai and Jun narrowed their eyes.


    Jianyu tilted his head. ¡°Mao Yong?¡±


    He furiously nodded. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know anything other than that. Just that he gave me money to hurt Chen Zixin.¡±


    Jian gave it a thought. ¡°I remember that family. Didn¡¯t the daughter of that family ¨C what was her name again? Mao Jingyi, yes. She was quite infatuated with Zixin if I remember. She had even confessed to him, but he rejected her. Mao Yong is her brother.¡±


    Nian frowned. ¡°I remember. Mao Yong had even fought with Zixin for rejecting his sister. He was furious with him.¡±


    Jianyu gnashed his jaw. ¡°Is that why he targeted Zixin?¡±


    Nian smiled. ¡°We will know once we bring him here. Let¡¯s not wait.¡±


    ¡ª


    Within a matter of thirty minutes, Mao Yong was dragged from his home and brought to fall on his knees in front of Jianyu.


    ¡°What the hell is going on!?¡± He raised his head and immediately his body ran cold after seeing Jianyu¡¯s figure looming over him. ¡°Mr. Chen Jianyu¡­¡±


    ¡°I think you know very well why we forced you to make your presence here, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! Your guards just showed up and ¨C aahhh!¡±


    Jian crushed his hand by pressing his foot upon it. A crisp cracking sound was heard as his boot smashed the bones of his fingers. ¡°We are not in any mood to hear any nonsense right, Mao Yong. Just say yes or no. Did you tip this ugly driver to crash into Zixin¡¯s car?¡±


    Mao Yong shuddered.


    ¡°He took your name and now you have to just a teensy tiny thing and that is to nod your head.¡±


    Nian smiled. ¡°I must warn you that lying will have deadlier consequences. So think very carefully before you speak. Two people are in the hospital who battled hard for their lives so no bullshitting, okay?¡±


    Mao Yong shut his eyes and each one¡¯s icy gaze only increased the chill running in his spine.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Jianyu punched his face, almost breaking his jaw. ¡°Why!? How dare you plot against my son?¡±


    Mao Yong threw him a deadly glare. ¡°That¡¯s what he gets for rejecting my sister! He rejected my precious sister¡¯s confession. Does he have any idea how much she suffered? She went into depression and refused to eat! She liked Zixin so much but he heartlessly rejected her. Your son¡¯s pain is nothing compared to what my sister went through. I could never forgive him for that and he had to pay!¡±


    Jianyu angrily laughed. ¡°So you mean to say that he should have accepted her even though he didn¡¯t love her? Destroy his own life and hers too?¡±


    ¡°I only know that Jingyi has suffered. She begged him for just one chance, but could Chen Zixin not even give her that?¡±


    Jun observed him from the dark.


    It¡¯s happening the same way¡­


    Feng Wuhan had the rivalry reason on the surface to attack Bro.


    Mao Yong has his own reason to be wanting to hurt Bro.


    Jun stepped out from the darkness where he stood and asked in an alarming voice, ¡°Mao Yong. The driver said that you bribed him. So then¡­who bribed you to take this accident¡¯s blame? Tell me who is the real puppet master.¡±

 Chapter 299 What was the purpose?

    Chapter 299 What was the purpose?


    As Jun popped that question, everybody glanced at him with a doubtful look except Jinhai who had realized where he was getting with this.


    Jianyu asked, ¡°I don¡¯t understand, Jun. Mao Yong is behind this.¡±


    Jun bent on his knee and watched Mao Yong with an acute stare. ¡°That¡¯s what we are made to believe so that we stop with finding the culprit right here. But somebody else is expertly pulling the strings. Right, Mao Yong?¡±


    Mao Yong stiffened.


    Jian tilted his head. ¡°How do you know this, Jun?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­know. I just had a feeling. If Mao Yong really wanted to harm Bro Zixin, then he wouldn¡¯t want to be caught naturally. But we easily found the driver, and he easily pointed at Mao Yong. He cannot be so foolish that he would let the driver know his identity so that once we catch him, we can easily capture Mao Yong.¡±


    Nian touched his chin. ¡°This does make sense. We didn¡¯t even break a sweat while catching them, and it all looks too easy now that I think about it.¡±


    Jianyu shook hard. ¡°But who would else have any reason to hurt Zixin? Who can it be that can plot such a vicious trap?¡±


    Jinhai narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what Mao Yong will say.¡±


    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know what you are talking about. It-it¡¯s all my doing.¡±


    Jun smiled that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°You should know that Underworld people have very limited patience. Somebody did tell you to nod your head to the accusation. Just tell me who that was and what he offered you?¡±


    Nian yawned. ¡°You remember our no-nonsense policy, right?¡±


    Mao Yong shuddered. Sweat trickled down the sides of his ears, and he weighed the odds in his mind.


    Jun snarled. ¡°Give me a name.¡±


    With the final warning that definately meant his doom if he didn¡¯t answer his question, Mao Yong blurted out. ¡°I don¡¯t know who he is!¡±


    Jianyu widened his eyes.


    That means there is really somebody else¡­


    He clutched hair and pulled them until his scalp slightly bled. ¡°Zixin is in the hospital, and you say you don¡¯t know who bribed you to do this!? Are you shitting me!?¡±


    He shook his head furiously, trying to make everyone believe him. ¡°It¡¯s the truth! I don¡¯t know who that person is. I just know that he¡­has my sister with him.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Jian narrowed his eyes. ¡°Has as in kidnapped?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. I got pictures of Jingyi trapped somewhere. Her eyes were blindfolded, and she was tied on a chair at some dark place. If I want them to give her to me safe and sound, then I would have to take the blame of Chen Zixin¡¯s accident when the time would come. Once that person sees me punished, he assured that he will release her without any harm. If I tried to be smart and inform the cops about it, I will never see Jingyi again.¡±


    He anxiously said, ¡°Look, I-I am only doing this to protect Jingyi! I cannot see her in danger. I¡­I admit that I was indeed angry at Chen Zixin for betraying Jingyi. But I wouldn¡¯t go so far as to kill him.¡±


    Silence.


    ¡°I just want Jingyi back at any cost. Once this matter settles down, he will automatically release Jingyi.¡±


    Jun asked, ¡°You never met him?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t. I just got the pictures and the message of what I had to do with a warning of not to investigate in Jingyi¡¯s disappearance or¡­¡± he bit his lip harder.


    They left Mao Yong inside the room and came out.


    Jinhai declared. ¡°I will take care of finding Mao Jingyi.¡±


    Jianyu clenched his jaw. ¡°Once¡­just once I catch that person who is playing this game with Zixin¡­I will wring his neck with my own hands!¡±


    The twins sneered. ¡°Of course, we will join in too.¡±


    Jinhai glanced at Jun and said, ¡°I want to talk to you. Come with me.¡±


    The twins looked at them with interest. ¡°Hey hey what is this all about? Why so secrecy?¡±


    Jinhai gave them a cold look. ¡°Get going onto find Mao Jingyi.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you will take care of her?¡± They demanded.


    ¡°That meant you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Inside the main area where Jinhai always carried out his Underworld work, he stared at Jun and quietly asked, ¡°What had happened to Zixin in the past?¡±


    Jun¡¯s eyelids trembled. ¡°He never regained his memories. At least¡­not until the day I died.¡±


    Silence.


    Thinking of Jianyu and Serena, Jinhai felt a tinge of ache in his heart. They were hoping for Zixin to regain his memories but instead, he hadn¡¯t even after ten years had passed by in Jun¡¯s past life. As a parent himself, he could understand how heartbreaking it must have felt.


    Jinhai then narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did this culprit use Feng Wuhan in the past?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the nerves on Jun¡¯s forehead twitched with anger, ¡°that¡¯s why I locked him up in the base so that he doesn¡¯t get to attack Bro. But even so¡­¡±


    He studied the flash of guilt in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. You did what you could. Anything more than that wasn¡¯t in your hands.¡±


    Jun stiffened. But just like Ai, his father¡¯s reassurance gave some comfort to his heart.


    Jinhai asked, ¡°When was Zixin attacked again? We need to be prepared to prevent any further-¡°


    ¡°Again? No. Bro wasn¡¯t attacked again. Just like what is happening now, he slowly recovered. Physically. He had no memories but with everyone¡¯s help, he slowly got closer to his family.¡±


    Jinhai blinked. ¡°Then how about his life in general?¡±


    ¡°Nothing really. He gradually started to handle the business again and carried on with his life. He never got married. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Jinhai tilted his head. His keen eyes seemed to be thoughtful. ¡°Then isn¡¯t it strange?¡±


    He blinked. ¡°What is strange?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand the purpose of this accident. Did that culprit want to kill Zixin out of hatred? But he survived. Even though he lost his memories, he was still alive. If whoever is responsible really wanted to end Zixin¡¯s life, then why wasn¡¯t there another attack on him? Or ruined his life in some other way? Throughout the ten years after that accident, the culprit did nothing else to hurt Zixin. So, I don¡¯t understand what was the whole point of this accident if everything later was so peaceful?¡±

 Chapter 300 Beneath the cherry blossom tree

    Chapter 300 Beneath the cherry blossom tree


    Jun stared at his father, slowly beginning to understand what he was getting at.


    Jinhai propped his arm on the armrest of his seat. ¡°You are not looking at the bigger picture here, Jun. I have trained you, Jin and the idiot twins in the Underworld myself. If you want to take revenge on someone, what would you do?¡±


    Jun answered in a calm but firm voice. ¡°Finish them completely.¡±


    ¡°Yes. There is no leeway. There is no kindness. It¡¯s applicable for other people in general too. If they hate someone so much that they want that person dead or see him completely destroyed, then they would stop at nothing to achieve that. But strangely enough for Zixin as you said, his life after the accident didn¡¯t have any hiccups and I question why? He went so far to bring Zixin on the brink of his death and then what? Did that culprit not hate him anymore? What happened that he didn¡¯t interfere with his life anymore?¡±


    Jinhai squinted his eyes. ¡°Or should I ask, what changed after the accident that he just didn¡¯t feel the need to target Zixin anymore?¡±


    Jun froze.


    The only thing that changed¡­


    ¡°His memories¡­¡± he whispered.


    Jinhai thought so too. ¡°Yes. Zixin doesn¡¯t remember anything. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s how it was planned or was it a convenient byproduct that worked for the culprit¡¯s favor, but there was a reason why he didn¡¯t bother with Zixin because he simply wasn¡¯t a threat anymore. I think there was something Zixin knew, knowingly or unknowingly, that threatened to jeopardize the culprit in some or the other way. Something¡­is there within his memories that is the answer to our questions.¡±


    ¡ª


    Zixin slowly opened his eyes and saw the white ceiling of his room once again. He blinked his eyelids to wake himself up from his nap.


    ¡°Zixin!¡± Serena quickly came to his side and gently held his hand. Her tear-rimmed eyes looked at him with concern. ¡°Are you okay? Do you need anything, dear?¡±


    Zixin stared at her in silence and hesitated. He was told about his family but calling her Mom was still uncomfortable to him. There was this strange sense of barrier he felt between him and everyone else.


    ¡°¡­I am a little tired of staying in this room. Can I go outside for some fresh air?¡±


    ¡°But you are still weak,¡± Serena¡¯s heart broke. ¡°Wait, let me check with the nurse.¡±


    The nurse came in a few minutes later, bringing a wheelchair with her. ¡°Mr. Chen can use this wheelchair to go outside. He is still too weak to walk on his own until he completely recovers.¡±


    The male nurses helped Zixin on the wheelchair, and Serena took him outside.


    The atmosphere was a little cloudy today with beams of soft sunlight passing through the clouds at times. The gentle breeze felt cool and pleasant.


    Serena softly smiled and brushed her fingers through his hair. ¡°I know it must feel lonely in the hospital. But don¡¯t worry, Zixin. I am here. Yunru and Yubi will be here too soon. They went back home to fetch some stuff for you.¡±


    He nodded in silence.


    Serene affectionately smiled but mixed with a tinge of a strained smile too. More than anybody else, she understood that Zixin was suffering the most. She caught his hesitation to call her Mom just before. Zixin didn¡¯t express it, but it was frightening to live like this knowing nothing about himself. All blank and clueless.


    No, no. I cannot cry in front of him, she quickly wiped her eyes that were beginning to tear up.


    She softly said, ¡°I will bring some juice for you to drink. You will enjoy it in this nice weather.¡±


    Zixin paused and nodded again. As she left, he exhaled a long and tired breath. He looked around him with families of other patients spending time with them. But it was something that he couldn¡¯t connect to. No matter how much he tried, he couldn¡¯t remember anything about anyone.


    It was all white in his mind. A long stretch of desolate and lonely white and as such, he was slowly beginning to detest the color white.


    Zixin took a deep breath with a slight pain numbing his head. His gaze fell on a faraway cherry blossom tree. The warm color of the pink cherry blossoms felt refreshing to his conflicted heart.


    He slowly strolled the wheelchair with his hands, taking it nearer to the tree. He glanced up at the branches and the blossoms and felt mesmerizing. Unknowingly, a soft smile came upon his lips.


    Zixin saw many cherry blossom petals scattered on the ground. They rustled in the direction where the wind took them. He thought about it and leaned.


    He stretched his hand to pick one blossom. But the nearest one was a little farther away from his feet. He bent more but couldn¡¯t do more than that in his weak state. His fingers kept stretching to grasp the cherry blossom when somebody else caught it.


    Zixin slightly widened his eyes in surprise and looked up. The moment his gaze fell on the woman staring at the blossom she just picked, he felt a new and an odd feeling enveloping his chest. He didn¡¯t know why but he couldn¡¯t break his gaze off her, who stood silently in front of the cherry blossom tree with a beam of sunlight illuminating from behind her but which didn¡¯t match with the sense of melancholy etched on her face.


    Guiying stared at the cherry blossom petal with an unreadable expression. Her daze broke, and she looked at Zixin. She smiled and offered the blossom to him. ¡°I think you wanted this.¡±


    Zixin slowly took the petal from her. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Do you like cherry blossoms?¡±


    He neither accepted nor denied it. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Guiying blinked. ¡°You don¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t remember anything. I was feeling lost but when I saw this tree, I just¡­felt like holding a cherry blossom. I don¡¯t know why.¡±


    Memory loss¡­


    Looking into his eyes that looked doubtful, confused and in search of answers, pain swelled in her chest at his helplessness.


    She looked at the cherry blossom tree and smiled. ¡°I know why. I think you like cherry blossoms. Your mind may not remember it, but your body does. That¡¯s why you reached out towards it.¡±


    Zixin slowly nodded at that conclusion. ¡°Maybe.¡±


    He then asked in his low, soothing voice, ¡°Do you like cherry blossoms?¡±


    Guiying couldn¡¯t immediately answer. She slightly lowered her gaze. ¡°It¡¯s strange that my answer is the same as yours. I don¡¯t know. Not anymore¡­¡±


    Zixin detected the sorrow reflecting in her eyes, making him strangely feel uncomfortable.


    Guiying noticed a middle-aged woman coming towards Zixin. Thinking her to be someone from his family, she said, ¡°I will take my leave. It was nice talking to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­what is-¡°


    ¡°Zixin,¡± Serena came to his side and smiled. ¡°I brought juice for you.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Thank you.¡±


    Zixin looked back, but she was already gone. Serena noticed his gaze searching for someone. ¡°Was somebody here?¡±


    He softly blinked. ¡°Yes. A woman.¡±


    But¡­what was her name?

 Chapter ?301 For the third time

    Chapter ?301 For the third time


    When Guiying was at some distance from Zixin, she felt her head spin with the voice inside her taking over her.


    ''She'' raised her brow with amusement. "Strange that you suddenly appeared after so much time and out of nowhere for a complete stranger."


    ''She'' looked back and watched Serena tending to Zixin. A few minutes ago as ''she'' was passing by this place, she saw a man in a wheelchair staring at the cherry blossom tree. The soft smile that appeared on his lips was so serene that the real Guiying inside felt like looking at him for sometime longer.


    When Zixin struggled to touch the cherry blossom petal, her steps automatically moved towards him to help him. Even she didn''t realize when she repressed her other personality and revealed her true self.


    ''She'' shrugged. "Guess there is at least one person that didn''t make you cry. I was so sick of your tears."


    Silence.


    ''She'' smiled. "Whatever. Let''s go back to my brother dearest."


    ¡ª


    On the other side, Ai waited for Yunru to return to the hospital. She wanted to meet Zixin once and thought that it was appropriate to do so through Yunru introducing her.


    "Ai?"


    She turned to find Cai Lingyun standing behind her and frowned. She didn''t understand why there were more bruises on his body. She had seen Jin beating him up but now there were fresh wounds on his face.


    After how he tried to defame Jun and Shui and coming to know his feelings for her, she was particularly more distant from him. She stared at him with suspicion, wondering why he worked at Jun''s place in the past. She wanted to know the answers but unfortunately, the Cai Lingyun in this life would be unable to give her any.


    Ai had no interest in chatting with him, so she was about to leave.


    "Ai!" Cai Lingyun quickly stopped her. "Why are you leaving just like that? Won''t you even ask me why I am in the hospital?"


    "I can clearly understand your reason judging from your wounds. Also, this is a hospital. People come here to get treated."


    "And won''t you ask me who put these wounds on me?" The hostility in his eyes was clear.


    "I suppose it was Liu Jin."


    "No! It was Liu Nian! He just barged into my room and suddenly turned violent! He accused me without any evidence."


    Ai furrowed her brows.


    Accused of what?


    "Without any proof, he said that I was behind Liu Jin''s accident. Is this seriously the family you want to marry into? The bunch of brothers are nothing but spoiled and arrogant brats. Just because they are rich, they think they can do anything as they wish! Ai, do you really think I would go so far to hurt anybody? You know me, right?" He urged with his gaze.


    She narrowed her eyes.


    I thought before that I knew you. But not anymore.


    "How should I answer that? I never thought that you would throw Jun into such a situation to humiliate him. There is a very thin line to cross after that."


    Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth. "Ai, how can you say that? You are being completely brainwashed by Jun and his family! I just wanted to show you Jun''s true face. I care about you. But his brothers think that they could just beat up anybody they wish. They only know how to suppress others if things don''t go their way. You will never be happy with a family like them!"


    Ai didn''t mince her words. "I am perfectly capable of thinking of my own happiness. I know now whom I can trust and¡­whom I cannot."


    "Ai, you-"


    "Is that my future granddaughter-in-law I am seeing!?"


    Ai had just barely moved her face by a fraction when she noticed someone dashing towards her with lightning speed. Before she knew it, a certain hyper active man took her into his giant teddy bear hug, and her vision was completely blocked.


    "..."


    Thrice. This was happening to her thrice.


    "Hohoho! Just when I was searching for some fun and look who I found? My future granddaughter-in-law!"


    Ai felt suffocated, and she signaled the same with her coughs.


    But a certain hyper active grandfather was too happy to meet Ai and ignored the feeble resistance was putting.


    With the brightest beam of radiance sparkling on his ever so handsome face, Liu Hai laughed heartily.


    The nurses passing by them furiously whispered among themselves.


    "What is that old man doing hugging a young woman like that?"


    "Is he a pervert?"


    "Don''t tell me he is eyeing that woman in that way¡­"


    "That''s so creepy. We should report him to the security as soon as possible!"


    The security guards came in no time and sternly coughed. "Sir, leave that woman. We need to take you with us. You have to answer some questions."


    Liu Hai watched them with his jaw dropping. "Excuse me? What is all this fuss about?"


    "A few nurses complained about an old man harassing a beautiful, young woman."


    "..."


    "Now we can clearly see it too by that hug," they narrowed his eyes.


    "..."


    "You are all blind!" Liu Hai glared at him. "How can you call this beautiful and handsome man creepy? And for your kind information, I am hugging my future granddaughter-in-law! I am not a pervert! I am very much in love with my wife!"


    "Sir, please leave her alone or we will have to use force on an elder."


    "..."


    Liu Hai hugged Ai even tighter in response. "Ai, tell these stupid idiots that I am not any creepy old man! You know me as your fluffy handsome grandpa!"


    Ai wanted to speak, but her face was too smothered against his chest.


    "Sir, if you will let her talk¡­"


    "Oh?" Liu Hai sheepishly grinned and loosened his embrace. "I am sorry, dear. I got too excited."


    Ai could finally breathe. She looked at the guards and clarified the misunderstanding. "I am fine. He is not a pervert."


    "Are you sure, Mam? You don''t have to feel threatened by him," they suspiciously asked.


    Liu Hai gritted his teeth. "How can I bear to bully my granddaughter-in-law? Don''t talk such things or if my wife hears it, she will bury me alive!"


    "She doesn''t trust you?"


    "She has long lost her trust in me!" He cried. "Isn''t that too harsh?"


    "..."

 Chapter 302 A friend of the past

    Chapter 302 A friend of the past


    The guards left after Ai''s reassurance with Liu Hair''s reputation still intact somehow. Liu Hai harrumphed and beamed once again as he saw Ai. But he frowned noticing an annoying presence.


    He narrowed his eyes at Cai Lingyun. "Why are you standing like that and leering at her? Are you possibly having some dirty intentions towards her? Then let me tell you right now to scram before I beat you up!"


    Cai Lingyun was dumbfounded. Liu Hai arrived like a storm and this strange man suddenly grabbed Ai as if he knew her since ages. "Excuse me but who are you?"


    He scowled. "Do you have hearing problems!? I said so many times that I am her fluffy handsome grandpa! What does that make her? My future granddaughter-in-law!"


    Granddaughter-in-law...? Is he...


    "My handsome grandson Jun is her boyfriend. But who are you?" He coldly squinted his eyes. "I can tell very well that you feel something for Ai. But I tell you I already chose her first! Even before Jun did!"


    Ai''s mouth twitched.


    Cai Lingyun widened his eyes.


    Liu Hai?


    Until now, he had a complete different image of the Liu family''s elders. But how was it that Grandpa Liu acted so...out of his supposed character?


    "She is already a part of the Liu family. You dare target someone from my family!? Some nerves you have! But this handsome grandpa still knows how to drive away such pests like you."


    Angry veins popped on his forehead.


    How dare he...And when did he grow so fond of Ai?


    "Are you leaving or should I beat you up with my stick!? Be careful what you wish for. Your face is already such a mess."


    Cai Lingyun saw Guiying from afar and didn''t want her to witness his humiliation. He forced a smile. "I will talk to you later, Ai."


    Liu Hai was displeased. "There is no chance for you to talk to her again! Hmph. Jun is not doing a good job in keeping my future granddaughter-in-law safe...Will need to teach him everything from the beginning," he muttered to himself.


    Cai Lingyun finally stomped his way out unable to bear anymore.


    Liu Hai sneered. "Good riddance."


    He then focused his attention back on Ai. "My future granddaughter-in-law! It''s such a long time since I saw you."


    Ai studied his chirpiness which was exactly like the night she met him for the first time during the banquet. Even after everything that happened through that time, Liu Hai didn''t feel any different.


    "Grandpa," she softly said.


    Liu Hai patted her head. "Good, good. You are such a good girl calling me grandpa. Who was that noisy man from before? He was so annoying! If he troubles you again, just dial your grandpa''s number!" His nostrils flared. "I have many methods to make such men disappear."


    Her light brown irises beamed. "Thank you. I didn''t expect that you would accept me so easily."


    Liu Hai tilted his head. "I had already accepted you the evening we met. You forgot how I offered Nian and Jin to you?" He sheepishly grinned. "I-I was a little off mark there by offering you the wrong grandson hehe..."


    Ai coughed.


    "You are still my future granddaughter-in-law. It''s just that the target grandson has changed. No biggie."


    "..."


    No biggie...


    "Once upon a time, I had chosen my sweet daughter-in-law Nana for my younger idiot son, Jing. But she got married to my first idiot son instead," He then gravely said, "I think I have the knack of choosing the right girls but for the wrong men."


    Her mouth twitched into a smile and then she finally laughed. "You are cute and funny. I think I know why Jun is so cute too."


    His eyes teared up, feeling emotional. "You are such a good child. I always told everyone that all my grandchildren take upon me! But that Jun! He has no respect for his grandfather at all!" He wiped away his imaginary tears.


    Ai smiled. "Thank you, Grandpa. I thought it would be difficult for everyone to accept me after Jun and Shui''s breakup."


    Liu Hai pouted. "It did come as a shock to us, but Jun and Shui''s happiness is what matters the most," he pursed his lips, "To be honest, it made me also realize how I failed as a grandparent. But I cannot express how happy I am to see you and Jun get together! As long as you become Liu family''s granddaughter-in-law, you are welcomed to choose any grandson of mine~"


    "..."


    He is quite easy going in many ways...


    "But what are you doing here all alone!? How is Jun not here with you?"


    "He said he will be back soon. I am waiting for Yunru so that he can take me to meet Chen Zixin."


    "Why do you need that brat when I am here with you?" His eyes shone with immense happiness. "You should definitely meet him and the rest of the family."


    He sighed. "I know it''s a difficult time for Liling and everybody else. I understand their pain. Zixin is like my grandson too. But so many tears will only make look everybody ugly. The last thing Zixin wants is an ugly family."


    She choked.


    Stepping into Zixin''s room, she saw him getting back to bed with Serena''s help.


    "Uncle," Serena faintly smiled and nodded at him.


    "Serena! Did you miss the handsome me?" He grinned.


    "How could I not?" She glanced at Ai and blinked. "Zhou Ai."


    Ai bowed. "Hello. I am Zhou Ai. I wanted to meet Chen Zixin. I hope you don''t mind."


    She smiled. "Of course not. You are welcome here."


    Serena looked at Zixin and said, "Zixin, she is Zhou Ai. Your cousin Jun''s girlfriend."


    Ai greeted him with a smile. "Hello."


    Zixin slowly nodded.


    Ai caught the sight of a small cherry blossom in his hand. "A cherry blossom."


    Zixin stared at the small blossom in his hand. "Yes. I found it outside."


    Thinking of the past days, Ai slowly said, "It''s pretty. I have-...had a friend too who liked cherry blossoms a lot. So much that she chose her penname after that. CherryBlossom."

 Chapter 303 Just speculation

    Chapter 303 Just speculation


    ¡°Cherry¡­Blossom?¡± Zixin slowly whispered the name, his gaze seeming faraway.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I see. Pen name as in¡­¡±


    ¡°A writer. She is a writer and so am I. Her pen name is CherryBlossom,¡± she smiled, remembering the good memories between them once upon a time. ¡°The petal blossom in your hand reminded me of her.¡±


    Zixin lowered his gaze. He had lightly held onto the petal between his thumb and index finger. Guiying¡¯s face flashed in his mind for a moment.


    Liu Hai commented. ¡°The same author who was in the Summit and competed with you, right?¡± He then proudly said, ¡°The Summit which my future granddaughter-in-law won.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The same author.¡±


    Zixin seemed to be in a trance. Serena held his shoulder and asked, ¡°Zixin? What are you thinking?¡±


    Covering the cherry blossom in his palm, he said, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui returned to her apartment after her day¡¯s work at Dream High. She sat back on her couch and pouring some wine in a glass, she breathed out. She took a sip and stared at the ceiling, narrowing her eyes.


    Chen Zixin is out of the way. He won¡¯t bother with approaching Guiying anymore. Now MrPerfect¡¯s identity will be safe, she smiled.


    Her phone rang, and she furrowed her brows in displeasure. She stared at the name displayed on her incoming call log.


    ¡°What?¡± She asked, coming to the point without any emotion.


    ¡°Yahui,¡± a hesitant voice came from the other end. ¡°You are back from Shanghai.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°Yes daddy dearest. I am back. Why? You wished I didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°O-of course not, Yahui!¡±


    ¡°Then how is it that daddy dearest is remembering his illegitimate child?¡± She sneered.


    There was a beat of silence.


    ¡°Can you come to the Shi residence?¡±


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. ¡°Oh? Quite novel for you to ask that question. What about your wife? I don¡¯t think she will welcome me with open arms.¡±


    ¡°Yahui¡­¡± his voice was strained.


    She chuckled. ¡°Fine. I will come. I cannot miss any drama, now can I?¡±


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui watched two grim faces with great interest as she entered the Shi residence. Shi Shuren, the head of the household, awkwardly smiled while averting his eyes from Zhan Yahui. His wife, Shi Zhelan, didn¡¯t make any attempts to hide her hatred and disdain for her.


    Zhan Yahui was about to sit on the couch when Shi Zhelan sharply poked her. ¡°This is not your home. Who gave you the permission to sit as if you own this place?¡±


    She stopped and narrowed her eyes.


    Shi Shuren widened his eyes and hastily pulled back his wife. ¡°Zhelan! Stop it¡­¡±


    ¡°We just called her to meet us here. That doesn¡¯t mean she gets to act like a part of our family. Shi Shuren. I think I had already made it clear what I feel about her and¡­¡± she dug her nails in her palm, ¡°you don¡¯t have any right to question me after how YOU cheated me with her mother. So, don¡¯t tell me what I should and what I shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    He stiffened and remained silent. As Huan came down, she was surprised to see Zhan Yahui in the house. ¡°Hello.¡±


    Zhan Yahui threw her a glance but didn¡¯t bother to reply. ¡°I am not sure why I am called here? This is the same old conversation we had before. I am crystal clear about your feelings for me, Mrs. Shi. So, why am I here today?¡±


    Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t act as if you don¡¯t know why I called you! You are making trouble for Huan at every single step and you expect me to say nothing?¡±


    ¡°Mom,¡± Huan pursed her lips. ¡°Please. Don¡¯t fight because of me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, Huan.¡±


    Zhan Yahui tilted her head. ¡°Making trouble?¡±


    ¡°Yes, making trouble! I know that Huan couldn¡¯t participate in the Summit¡¯s finals because of you. You mixed something in her drink, and she was forced to fall sick so that she would get disqualified. You plotted against her, Zhan Yahui. You didn¡¯t want to take the chance of Huan winning the Summit, so you made sure of clearing your writer¡¯s way by making my daughter disqualified! I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s a coincidence that she fell sick right at the time of such an important competition.¡±


    Zhan Yahui smiled. ¡°What you think or not is hardly relevant, Mrs. Shi. What matters is the evidence. Your theory sounds plausible but only on paper. What proof do you have against me?¡±


    Shi Zhelan angrily laughed. ¡°Proof? What more proof do I need that you interfered with Huan¡¯s seminar in Shanghai! It was Huan who was supposed to give the seminar, but it was cancelled at the last moment. And who replaced her? Your writer, CherryBlossom. Your writer reached the finals, not Huan and she got to give the seminar and not Huan once again. You were present at both places and every time, Huan has suffered. Doesn¡¯t that obviously mean that you are interfering with Huan¡¯s career!?¡±


    Zhan Yahui chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s just speculation on your part,¡± she folded her arms, ¡°It¡¯s not wise to put accusations without proper evidence. Of course, I will be at the same places as Shi Huan. We work in the same industry, after all. Naturally, our paths will cross.¡±


    Huan sighed. She was getting a headache with all this mess. She wanted to leave as soon as possible to visit Yunru in the hospital.


    She continued. ¡°Huan not able to participate in the finals could be just her bad luck.¡±


    ¡°You think only she would fall sick by drinking the juice? Do you take me for a fool!?¡±


    Shi Shuren tried to calm her down. ¡°Zhelan¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, Shi Huan was always so delicate. Maybe the juice didn¡¯t quite fit her. As I said, bad luck. As for what happened in Shanghai,¡± Zhan Yahui mockingly smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nice that she has the whole Shi Publishing backing her, but Shi Publishing still cannot beat Dream High. Dream High is more influential and certainly ranks higher than Shi Publishing.¡±


    Shi Zhelan trembled.


    ¡°For Dream High, Cai Guiying is a star. It was the management¡¯s decision to make space for her.¡±


    ¡°And you say you didn¡¯t have any hand in influencing that decision? Especially after the deal between us?¡±

 Chapter 304 Not coincidence but scheming

    Chapter 304 Not coincidence but scheming


    Shi Zhelan narrowed her eyes. ¡°Considering the deal between us, anybody with common sense will be able to say that you are behind all these schemes!¡±


    ¡°And anybody with common sense will also say to prove your claims,¡± Zhan Yahui calmly shot back.


    Shi Zhelan fumed.


    ¡°You say that Shi Huan fell sick because of me, but did anybody say that they saw me mixing something in her drink?¡± She questioned.


    ¡°Obviously, you definitely hired somebody to do your dirty work!¡± She pointed her finger at her.


    ¡°Then bring that man before the whole world and make him say that I told him to harm her. That is, if that man exists in the first place.¡±


    Shi Zhelan banged her palm on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t be so arrogant, Zhan Yahui! Not just the juice, but I know that you are behind the bribing of the judges too,¡± she sneered, ¡°Since you didn¡¯t want that other writer to win, you bribed the judges to make the result in CherryBlossom¡¯s favor. Do you think so many things happening in one night is a coincidence and you have nothing to do with it? You have some nerve trying to steer clear away from these obvious problems brewing for everybody else but CherryBlossom!¡±


    ¡°Mom¡­¡± Huan pressed her hand. ¡°Please stop. Stop fighting over all this already-¡°


    ¡°Stop fighting?¡± She looked at her daughter, incredulous. ¡°My husband cheated on me.¡±


    Shi Shuren clenched his fists and had no face to say anything in his defence.


    ¡°He slept with another woman while being married to me,¡± she trembled. ¡°If that wasn¡¯t enough, there was a daughter out of that affair too and then that daughter came to this house one day, declaring that she wants her rights in the family and the company. You think I should stay silent and bear all this?¡± Her eyes reddened. ¡°One affair¡­one affair ended everything for us¡­¡± her contempt filled gaze didn¡¯t spare her guilty husband. ¡°My marriage, my happiness was destroyed in a single night.¡±


    Huan¡¯s gaze dimmed.


    ¡°And the product of that affair suddenly came before us, demanding her rights. Why? Why should I let her have her way? Shuren already did what he wanted.¡±


    ¡°Zh-Zhelan¡­¡±


    ¡°Now I should bear his illegitimate daughter to wreck our lives too!? No! This family, company and all the assets belong to you, Huan. An illegitimate child has no place here! I won¡¯t yield to her having anything that belongs to you!¡±


    She laughed as she threw a dirty look at Shuren. ¡°Your father claimed that he was guilty of his mistake and wanted to repent. But when Zhan Yahui made demands, he didn¡¯t speak a single word against it. In fact, he supports her wholeheartedly. Is this what his repentance means? Goes to say just how much he cares for his real family.¡±


    He froze.


    His throat went dry. ¡°Zhelan that¡­¡±


    ¡°Indeed,¡± Zhan Yahui raised her brow, her voice making him twitch. ¡°I wonder why he would go back on his words when he wanted to repent.¡±


    Shi Shuren wiped his forehead and met his daughter¡¯s eyes, whose pointed question made him feel jittery.


    Shi Zhelan expressed with indignation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter why he did that. Once a cheater always a cheater,¡± she laughed. ¡°I should have expected this. After all, he is a father. In the end, his heart melted for his daughter even if that meant destroying his family in the proceeds. But no matter what his decision was, I would never stand for it! Zhan Yahui, I will definitely prove one day that you were behind Huan¡¯s misfortunes. It wasn¡¯t bad luck or a big company¡¯s influence but your scheming!¡±


    She glared at Shuren. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that our deal was off if I found even a whiff of Zhan Yahui plotting against Huan!¡±


    ¡°I know. She¡­she won¡¯t do anything like that¡­¡± he tried to convince her.


    Seeing him take her side made her even more agitated.


    Zhan Yahui exhaled. ¡°There is no point in catching a whiff if you cannot prove anything.¡±


    Shi Zhelan sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t feel victorious so soon. If you think your plans are hindering Huan, then your writer isn¡¯t faring any better, especially after the Summit.¡±


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°If it was before, then her name would have been enough to get a place at the fest. But Dream High had to use its influence now to get her a ticket. That means something, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nice of you but you don¡¯t have to worry about my writer. I can take care of her and make sure she becomes the biggest author,¡± she eyed Huan. ¡°Bigger than anybody else.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Your whole deal depends upon your performance after all. But don¡¯t think that you can take things too far, Zhan Yahui. I won¡¯t sit idle and let you tarnish Huan¡¯s career.¡±


    She felt bored. ¡°Give your best, Mrs. Shi,¡± saying that, she left.


    Shi Zhelan got up, boiling with anger and walked away.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Huan tried to stop her but to no avail.


    Shi Shuren stepped towards Huan. ¡°Huan¡­¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but I cannot talk to you right now. I have to leave,¡± she replied without much emotion. ¡°Mom is already riled up enough for today. Don¡¯t talk to her or try to make her understand anything and worsen the situation. You have already hurt her enough as it is.¡±


    He stiffened and could only swallow her words with embarrassment.


    ¡ª


    Stepping out of the residence, Zhan Yahui chuckled and sneered. ¡°So foolish to think that there would be any evidence against me. Mrs. Shi is so naive. All eyes are on me for me to make one mistake and lose. Did she really think I would be so careless?¡± She clicked her tongue.


    She got a call on her mobile and cocked her brow. ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to get some good news.¡±


    She slid her finger along the green button. ¡°Did Mao Yong confess to Chen Zixin¡¯s accident?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s bad news. Somebody rescued his sister, Mao Jingyi. Right now, we have no collateral against him. We are in trouble.¡±

 Chapter 305 An odd feeling

    Chapter 305 An odd feeling


    Jun collapsed on the couch as soon as he reached the condo. He felt a hand on his forehead and smiled. ¡°Ai.¡±


    He pulled her on the couch and placed his head on her lap.


    ¡°You must be tired,¡± Ai pursed her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t overwork.¡±


    He pinched her cheek. ¡°I won¡¯t. I am tired because of the whole deal with those Mao siblings.¡±


    ¡°You said that you found Mao Jingyi, right? Is she safe?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, she is okay for now. A little bit in shock but she will come out of it. But she couldn¡¯t say anything useful against the one who kidnapped her. She was blindfolded the whole way. She heard nothing much either. They made sure not to talk about anything in front of her.¡±


    ¡°Was there nobody guarding her?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t find anybody apart from Mao Jingyi in that room. That guard must have escaped. Now that she is rescued, the culprit knows that we are onto him. I don¡¯t know what he will do next. I am getting worried. I need to find him as soon as possible. I don¡¯t know what Bro Zixin knows that forced him to do this¡­¡± his anxiety was clear with how lines creased on his forehead.


    Ai shook her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty, Jun. We make more mistakes when we act rashly. We have time now. The culprit knows that we know that Mao Yong is innocent and he tried to frame him. He won¡¯t do anything that will threaten his identity. At least for now, he will stay quiet for sometime. It was already a risk of kidnapping Mao Jingyi and compromising his exposure. We can use this time to figure out the truth.¡±


    Jun agreed with her. He held her hand and kissed the back of it. ¡°You are right. But that¡¯s what I don¡¯t understand,¡± he sighed, ¡°How to find out the truth? Dad thinks that Bro wasn¡¯t harmed later on because he forgot everything. But what does he know that is of danger to that fucker? I am so mad that I want to squeeze his neck right now! Just thinking of how heartbroken the Chen family is, I¡­¡± he ground his teeth in a fury.


    Jun felt a familiar tickling sensation on his forehead, and his mouth twitched upon seeing the object in her hands.


    ¡°What is this feather duster doing here!?¡± His gaze darkened.


    She earnestly said, ¡°I always had it with me. It¡¯s very effective to calm down your anger. I am speaking from experience. Remember how I tickled you outside that cafe?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ai kept the feather duster aside and kissed his forehead. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Anger is not good for your health.¡±


    He sneered. ¡°Do you perhaps ever wonder that that feather duster might be the cause of my anger?¡±


    ¡°Of course that is not the case. It¡¯s a cute and fluffy feather duster. How can anybody get angry because of it?¡±


    He warned. ¡°Ai¡­¡±


    She said, ¡°I mean to say that getting furious is also a type of a victory for that culprit. You are angry, and you are restless. This is good fodder to feed the culprit¡¯s ego. He is doing everything from within the shadows. Calmly and calculating everything. We should be the same.¡±


    Jun agreed once again.


    She has a point¡­


    ¡°I am always right,¡± Ai chuckled, reading his mind.


    He looked at her in disdain. ¡°Not always.¡±


    He grabbed the back of her neck and pressed their lips together in a passionate kiss that reached her very soul. ¡°If you want to calm the anger in me next time, I find this method very effective. Remember our first kiss outside the cafe?¡±


    She still felt her heart pounding in her ears. ¡°¡­Not fair,¡± she mumbled.


    He stayed like that in her lap in silence, hugging her waist. Ai smiled and brushed her fingers through his hair.


    A while later, Ai said after much contemplation, ¡°I was thinking. If Chen Zixin knows something that the culprit wants him to forget, then¡­maybe there must be something in his room that could point us towards it. His bedroom or maybe his office? He must have kept something about it somewhere. It cannot just exist solely in his mind.¡±


    Jun narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s true. We don¡¯t know what we are finding, but it¡¯s a good start. Doing something is better than nothing.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Got it. I will visit Chen villa tomorrow and take a look in his room. Maybe, I will find something.¡±


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui kept tapping her finger on the table as she emanated a dark and sinister aura. Her pupils displayed full hostility.


    ¡°If Liu Jun and his family managed to secure Mao Jingyi, it means that Mao Yong opened his mouth,¡± she gritted her teeth. ¡°The nerve of him opposing my orders even when his sister¡¯s life was at stake.¡±


    Her companion on the other side of the phone was silent. ¡°I should have been more careful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Rather I wonder what is going on? I am getting an odd feeling about this whole matter.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. On the table, there was a pile of some photographs. Out of those, her finger touched Jun¡¯s picture. ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I cannot shake off this feeling. I have been feeling this way ever since Feng Wuhan disappeared and that truck driver I had planned to use. I wanted to make Feng Wuhan as the scapegoat to take the blame but just around that time, he disappeared. How? And why only him?¡±


    She slid her nail around Jun¡¯s face in the picture. ¡°Then Mao Yong came in handy, and I was pretty sure he wouldn¡¯t open his mouth at all. He loves his sister very much. So, I cannot fathom that he would put her in risk and babble out the truth. Then the Liu family set in motion and rescued her before we could do anything about it. It happened so suddenly. For both Feng Wuhan and Mao Yong, the plan went awry. It feels¡­it is impossible, but sometimes I feel as if somebody already knows what I am doing.¡±

 Chapter 306 An additional member for breakfast

    Chapter 306 An additional member for breakfast


    The voice on the other side immediately rejected that claim. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Nobody can connect you to Chen Zixin. They have no idea about us. That¡¯s why they cannot predict anything we will do. If they had even a trace of doubt, they wouldn¡¯t have let Chen Zixin leave for Shanghai.¡±


    She listened in silence. She couldn¡¯t argue about the logic, but that uneasy feeling didn¡¯t settle in her heart.


    ¡°Trust me. They don¡¯t know about us.¡±


    ¡°Now, they do,¡± Zhan Yahui raised her brow. ¡°I don¡¯t mean literally. But the knowledge is enough that somebody is pulling the strings secretly. They won¡¯t sit still until they catch the real culprit.¡±


    ¡°¡­What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Not now. It¡¯s too dangerous. Kidnapping that useless Mao Jingyi was already a risk. I don¡¯t want to leave any traces behind.¡±


    She exhaled a deep breath and rested her head back on the couch.


    The voice on the other end pointed out. ¡°Let¡¯s wait then. But regarding Chen Zixin, we are not completely out of the woods yet.¡±


    She slowly opened her eyes. ¡°I know what you¡¯re talking about. CherryBlossom¡¯s books. Chen Zixin will definitely have them. He has lost his memories, but if he comes across those books¡­it¡¯s likely he might start to remember about her. He might or might not, but it¡¯s a risk for sure. Before he returns home, we need to dispose of them. He cannot see them again.¡±


    ¡°But outside-¡°


    ¡°We will worry about that later. I don¡¯t want anything in his immediate vicinity for now.¡±


    It said after a pause, ¡°Okay. But we don¡¯t have any way to enter the Chen villa.¡±


    Zhan Yahui tapped her finger, thinking of the possible ways to get in without notice. Then a smile formed on her lips. ¡°I think I have a way. The Chen family will open their doors for us themselves.¡±


    ¡ª


    Jin woke up the next day with light bags under his eyes. He yawned and stretched his arms. He saw the door to his room open as Nana stepped in. ¡°Jin.¡±


    ¡°Mom. Good morning.¡±


    She smiled and put his cup of coffee on his bedside table. ¡°Good morning.¡± She frowned, looking at the laptop beside him on the bed. ¡°And why do your eyes look so tired? Were you awake for the whole night?¡±


    Jin wanted to lie, but he knew it would be fruitless. ¡°Just some work.¡±


    She shook her head and scolded him. ¡°Don¡¯t mess up your sleep,¡± she then glanced at the injury on his forehead and said, ¡°I will change the dressing once you freshen up.¡±


    ¡°Cool.¡±


    She softly asked, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡±


    He smiled. ¡°Not anymore.¡±


    She nodded. From Nian, she already knew the story of how he got hurt while trying to protect Jin.


    Nana stared at her son. ¡°It would have hurt you more if Jun had gotten hurt.¡±


    He didn¡¯t reply to that statement.


    She inwardly sighed.


    This boy¡­


    ¡°Anyway. As always we do every year, we will be donating all the things we don¡¯t use anymore to orphanages. The workers will come later to collect them. So keep all those things ready before you head to the bath.¡±


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s that day already¡­¡± he nodded. ¡°I will gather all my stuff.¡±


    She smiled and pinched his cheek. ¡°Get ready and come for breakfast.¡±


    Jin saw her leave and stared at his laptop, sighing. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to work again but first, I am damn hungry.¡±


    ¡ª


    As Jin walked along the corridor, he heard the loud and booming voice of his grandfather. ¡°Hohoho! Eat up more!¡±


    Not just him, but the twins were making a bunch of chatter too.


    He frowned with disdain. ¡°Why does this old man have so much energy at all times of the day?¡±


    When he reached the breakfast table, he finally learned the reason behind his loud and booming voice. He froze upon seeing a particular woman on the breakfast table as if nothing was wrong.


    Ai lifted her gaze and stared at Jin, and he stared back at her.


    Silence. A deep, long silence.


    Jinhai had no expression on his face while Nana and Nuo were clearly curious to talk to her. Jian and Nian were on a whole different level of hyperactivity. Liu Chunhua was scolding her husband to rein in his excitement.


    As for Ai who was completely surrounded by the Liu family, she seemed as if she was still processing the reason behind her presence here.


    ¡°¡­What is Zhou Ai doing here?¡± Jin slowly asked.


    Liu Hai brightened. ¡°I brought her here!¡±


    Liu Chunhua gritted her teeth. ¡°Brought? Or kidnapped!?¡±


    Ai wondered the same.


    I was going to the library as always, but¡­


    *Flashback*


    As Ai walked towards the library early in the morning, a black Porsche suddenly stopped beside her. ¡°Ai! Ai! It¡¯s me!¡±


    Liu Hai waved his hand from inside the car with full vigor.


    ¡°Grandpa?¡± She was surprised. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Morning walk!¡± He chirped.


    She stared at the luxurious Porsche. ¡°From a car?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at the minor details~¡±


    Your big and luxurious car is not a minor detail, Grandpa.


    ¡°What a coincidence to see you here. Hey, I know! How about having breakfast with me?¡±


    Ai politely smiled. ¡°Jun already made the breakfast-¡°


    The door opened, her hand was suddenly grabbed, and she was pulled inside in a flash. ¡°Hoho, isn¡¯t it such a great idea to have breakfast with your grandpa?¡±


    ¡°I already had-¡°


    ¡°We will have so many delicious dishes~ This old man is getting bored.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    His expectant expression was hard to reject. Even if Ai was full, she couldn¡¯t really go against him.


    ¡°¡­Sure.¡±


    *Flashback ends*


    Ai stared at all the family members.


    ¡®How about having breakfast with me?¡¯


    I thought he meant just the two of us in a restaurant. Clearly, I misunderstood him, she pursed her lips.


    Jian sneered. ¡°I am surprised nobody lodged a complaint against him, seeing how he grabbed a young woman off the street.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, you brat! Eat your food!¡± He glared at her. ¡°There is nothing wrong in taking my future granddaughter-in-law home!¡±


    The vein on Jin¡¯s forehead violently twitched. His gaze shot deadly beams at Liu Hai.


    This old man¡­

 Chapter 307 Not welcomed here

    Chapter 307 Not welcomed here


    ¡°Hello,¡± Ai looked up and calmly greeted Jin as if she had never slapped him in Shanghai.


    Jin had no clue how to answer her.


    Nana cleared her throat. ¡°Sit down, Jin.¡±


    He remained unmoved.


    Nian smiled. ¡°The food is getting cold, Jin. I don¡¯t like eating cold food.¡±


    With Nian¡¯s looming threat, he silently took his seat while cursing the hell out of Liu Hai. After how Jin had once declared his ¡®interest¡¯ in Ai, the atmosphere was a little odd at the table. But not for a long time though.


    Liu Chunhua glared at her husband. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you bring Jun too?¡±


    ¡°Hey! Ai was all alone,¡± Liu Hai defended himself.


    Ai smiled. ¡°He is at the Chen villa today.¡±


    ¡°Oh! I see,¡± she nodded. ¡°And why aren¡¯t you eating anything?¡± She pouted. ¡°You have hardly touched the food.¡±


    Liu Hai gravely said, ¡°I think she needs more egg rolls.¡±


    That immediately triggered Nana. ¡°I will make some more.¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Ai hastily stopped her. ¡°I am actually a little full.¡±


    Jian gasped. ¡°Preposterous! How can anybody¡¯s stomach get full? Is that even possible?¡±


    Her mouth twitched. ¡°I already had breakfast. Jun made it as usual so¡­¡±


    ¡°Oooooooo~~¡± Liu Hai and the twins whistled teasingly. ¡°That reminds us¡­¡±


    They put their chopsticks on the table and giggled. ¡°How is it living together with Jun? All alooooooone under one roof~¡±


    ¡°Shameless¡­¡± Nuo muttered.


    ¡°Do you work together?¡±


    ¡°Do you cook together?¡±


    ¡°Or is your whole day consumed in doing mushy mushy stuff in the bedroom~¡±


    Nana gritted her teeth. ¡°Shameless!¡± She threw an accusing look at Jinhai. ¡°It¡¯s all your genes.¡±


    Jinhai, who was just silently eating his food, looked at her blankly.


    I didn¡¯t even speak. Why did I get dragged into this?


    Ai looked at the trio and concluded that the trio were the male version of gossiping auntys. ¡°All of the above.¡±


    ¡°Ooooooooo!!!¡± Their excitement had no bounds.


    Liu Hai asked with a sparkled gaze, ¡°Are you using protection? If not, then can I expect a great-grandchild?¡± They were more interested in digging deeper about the third answer.


    ¡°Hai!¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± Nana gasped in horror. ¡°It¡¯s too personal¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Don¡¯t you want a grandchild too?¡±


    Nana imagined holding her grandchild, and flowers blossomed around her head. ¡°Th-that¡­well¡­¡±


    Ai choked on the water she was drinking.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Nuo scolded him. ¡°Let her eat her food in peace.¡±


    He grumbled. ¡°Fine. I will grill about my great-grandchild later¡­Anyway! I heard that Jun met your parents. Did they agree to your relationship?¡± He probed.


    Ai beamed. ¡°Yes. They like Jun a lot.¡±


    Nana clapped her hands once. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful.¡±


    Liu Hai brightened. ¡°Great! I would love to meet your parents one day~¡±


    The twins wondered if they would be grilled by Ai¡¯s version 1.0.


    We don¡¯t feel like meeting Aunty¡­


    Ai thought about Zhou Yichen and stared at Liu Hai and the twins. She compared the four of them together. ¡°I think you my Dad and you would bond really well.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho! That¡¯s obvious.¡±


    She then threw a consoling look at Jinhai. ¡°I think you won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Nuo finally burst out with her grievance. ¡°Okay, okay enough about their relationship. I want to know more about your work!¡± She sheepishly grinned. ¡°I read your books, you know. And of course your short story too! And I loved it! So, I want to know if you have already started to write the next volume?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I will start today. I was going to jot down a few ideas in the library.¡±


    ¡°Will you let me take a look at your draft?¡± Nuo squeezed her way for spoilers.


    Nian sneered. ¡°Shameless.¡±


    ¡°Shut up. You worry more about your sinking love story,¡± she frowned.


    This time, Nian was not a sad Romeo. ¡°Hah! Those sinking days are far behind me! I have finally scored a date with my Xing Bi~¡±


    Ai gave him a suspicious look. ¡°Are you possibly mistaking another woman as Xing Bi?¡±


    Jian choked with laughter. ¡°Damn Nian, you are so pitiful.¡±


    ¡°I can never mistake another woman as my Xing Bi!¡± Nian glared at them. ¡°We will really go on a date soon~¡±


    ¡°When did this happen?¡± Ai asked.


    ¡°In Shanghai~ She offered to go on a date herself,¡± he proudly smirked.


    She gave him another look and nodded. ¡°It¡¯s definitely someone else.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°You can call Xing Bi and confirm it for yourself!¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°I am not lying!¡±


    Nana sighed. ¡°Okay, enough. Let her eat her breakfast, and then she can go see Jun¡¯s room. Hehe, you would want to see his room, right?¡±


    Ai¡¯s expression perked up as if a child got the most delicious treat. ¡°Can I?¡±


    ¡°Of course, dear.¡±


    Jian giggled. ¡°His room will become your room one day anyway.¡±


    The chopsticks in Jin¡¯s hand almost got crushed.


    Liu Hai was displeased. ¡°What is there to see in that brat¡¯s room anyway? It¡¯s boring. Ai, why don¡¯t you come to Grandpa¡¯s room?¡± He asked with anticipation. ¡°Grandpa has many fun things to show you~¡±


    Nian sneered. ¡°You are creepy, Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Nian glanced at Jin. ¡°Jin, why don¡¯t you take Ai to Jun¡¯s room?¡±


    Silence.


    Jin smiled. ¡°I am busy today. I got to pack stuff for donation too. Our house is not a maze. She can find her way herself,¡± he didn¡¯t remain seated a second longer and left, throwing a mocking look at Ai.


    Nana sighed.


    ¡°That insolent brat!¡± Liu Hai harrumphed. ¡°Talking to my cute granddaughter-in-law like that¡­¡±


    Ai didn¡¯t mind. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Jun told me about today¡¯s donation day too. Everybody must be busy. I will take a quick look at his room and leave.¡±


    But on her way along the corridor, she totally lost her way.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Which one was Jun¡¯s room again¡­? Was it the second or third one?


    She thought of checking both of them and stepped into the second room first. The decor of this room was like Jun¡¯s condo. Simple, minimalist and appealing.


    This must be Jun¡¯s room-


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± A cold voice snapped at her. ¡°You are not welcomed here. Get out.¡±


    She recognized Jin¡¯s voice and turned her head to meet his inhospitable black eyes.

 Chapter 308 Swallow the pride

    Chapter 308 Swallow the pride


    Ai looked at Jin and then glanced around the room. ¡°I thought it¡¯s Jun¡¯s room-¡°


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not,¡± Jin sneered. ¡°Get out.¡±


    Her gaze fell at a picture on his bedside table, and she curiously walked towards it. She picked the photo frame and saw a picture of a teenager Jun standing with a teenager Jin. Jin had a bright smile on his face while Jun wasn¡¯t smiling much, but she could see the warmth in his gaze.


    Jin snatched the picture from her hands, his voice getting several shades lethal. ¡°Seems your parents forgot to teach you some manners that you shouldn¡¯t enter into someone¡¯s room and on top of that, touch their stuff without permission.¡±


    Ai smoothly replied. ¡°I surmised you wouldn¡¯t let me see the picture if I had just asked you normally.¡±


    ¡°Obviously.¡±


    ¡°So, I made myself at home,¡± she replied, unfazed.


    The sound of his angry knuckles cracking echoed, but Ai wasn¡¯t much affected.


    ¡°I can see how much you love Jun. Your room is really similar to how the condo looks. I guess Jun¡¯s room will be just like this,¡± she smiled.


    ¡°Why are you talking to me as if I am even a least bit interested in chatting with you?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°What gave you that impression?¡± He dryly asked.


    She said with full sincerity, ¡°You didn¡¯t talk to me during breakfast. I thought you might be feeling shy and perhaps wanted to talk to me alone.¡±


    Jin stared at her. Like really stared at her as if she was an idiot. ¡°You have some high level of misconceptions, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Ai tilted her head. ¡°Not really. You see, you like Jun.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like Bro-¡°


    She ignored him. ¡°So as I was saying, you like Jun. I like Jun too.¡±


    Getting cut off mid-sentence made him clench his jaw.


    ¡°So if we both like Jun, I don¡¯t see any reason why we should be so hostile to each other.¡±


    He sneered. ¡°I am not supposed to like the person who has slapped me twice.¡±


    She shot back. ¡°That¡¯s because you are supposed to say sensible things. Like I said before, slapping is not my hobby.¡±


    Jin shut his eyes and breathed out. ¡°Leave.¡±


    Ai pursed her lips. ¡°Do you not like me?¡±


    A vein popped on his forehead. ¡°Are you realizing that NOW?¡±


    ¡°No, I know. But I am a naturally lovable and warm person. I don¡¯t understand why people might not like me,¡± she truly seemed confused.


    He gritted his teeth.


    Oh my God! Just what the hell Bro saw in this woman!?


    ¡°Get out! You are weird!¡±


    ¡°Oh. You say the same things as Jun too.¡±


    ¡°Anybody will say that!¡±


    Ai smiled. She gazed at him earnestly and said, ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    Jin narrowed his eyes suspiciously, wondering what switch got activated in her mind now.


    ¡°I am sorry for eating that spaghetti. I didn¡¯t know that dish held a special meaning for you. It¡¯s also Jun¡¯s fault for forgetting his promise and hurting you. He will apologize to you, but I want to personally do it too. Rest assured. Jun will never make that dish for me again, nor would I ask him. If it¡¯s something special between you two, then it shouldn¡¯t be shared with a third person. I agree why you got angry that day, and you had the right to be angry.¡±


    Silence. His eyelashes ever so faintly moved.


    Jin chuckled. ¡°You cannot be seriously thinking of buttering me over with this apology, right?¡±


    Ai blinked. ¡°I don¡¯t need to do any buttering as I am a naturally lovable and warm person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Also, I am only apologizing for how I hurt you. That doesn¡¯t mean I agree with how you behaved with Shui and spoke harsh words to her,¡± she narrowed her eyes. ¡°You still owe her an apology.¡±


    He sneered and ignored her. ¡°She doesn¡¯t deserve an apology. After how he brought everything to ruin in last life, she fucking doesn¡¯t deserve any mercy.¡±


    She thought about the time she spent with Shui compared to what Jin revealed about her.


    Still feels so strange imagining Shui forcing a marriage like that¡­


    His impatient voice brought her out of her stupor. ¡°Are you done or do you need me to escort you out? I don¡¯t want to see your face anymore.¡±


    ¡°Even though I am a naturally loving and-¡°


    ¡°O.U.T!¡±


    She pursed her lips. ¡°I will be your sister-in-law one day. You should get used to seeing my face¡­¡±


    Jin got busy working on his laptop and as she turned, she saw something about Zixin¡¯s name displaying in it. ¡°What is that?¡± She curiously leaned in to read clearly.


    ¡°Nothing to do with you,¡± he coldly said.


    ¡°Why not? Jun is at Chen¡¯s villa today to check if he could find something in his room against the real culprit. Were you doing the same?¡±


    Jin narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°¡­I was just trying to track down all the possible things Bro Zixin knew which got him into an accident.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Then what is this list?¡±


    Jin said that he had compiled a list of all the projects that Zixin undertook while he worked in the company. ¡°Did you find anything suspicious here?¡±


    Jin glared at her. ¡°Why should I tell you anything?¡±


    ¡°Because as someone who Jun is close to and respects a lot, I care about Chen Zixin too. I also want to help.¡±


    He snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t need it. I will find out everything that I have to. I know I can do something. I know the past life,¡± he then whispered to himself, ¡°There must be something in those memories that will help me¡­¡± he clenched his fist, ¡°I just need to look harder.¡±


    ¡°I-¡°


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    ¡°You are not very accommodating,¡± she pointed out with dissatisfaction.


    Jin sneered. ¡°I hate you. I don¡¯t have to be accommodating towards you.¡±


    ¡°Chen Zixin is family. We should keep our differences aside.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right. Bro Zixin is family. You are not, nor will I treat you as one. I don¡¯t need your help to know anything about him. Get out.¡±


    Ai then thought about any leverage that she could put in her favor. ¡°So you must know about MrPerfect too, I think.¡±


    ¡°Why are you bringing Bro Jun in between?¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you don¡¯t know that Chen Zixin-? Forget it. It¡¯s not important,¡± she nodded and turned to leave.


    ¡°Wait!¡± He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. ¡°What about Bro Zixin?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    He squinted his eyes. ¡°Tell me.¡±


    She pressed her lips together. ¡°But you don¡¯t need my help. You are throwing me out of this room.¡±


    He gritted his teeth.


    This woman¡­is doing it on purpose¡­


    But Zixin was more important. So, swallowing his pride and anger, Jin smiled through his clenched teeth. ¡°¡­Please stay.¡±

 Chapter 309 Search for any clue

    Chapter 309 Search for any clue


    Chen villa.


    Inside Zixin¡¯s room, Jun was methodically going through all his stuff one by one.


    Yunru, whose head was going to explode, cried. ¡°Bro, what are we exactly looking for here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know.¡±


    His brow twitched.


    ¡°Then how will we find it?¡±


    ¡°Keep looking,¡± he put one of the files back on the shelf and picked another one.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°This is not an efficient method, Bro.¡±


    His sister, Yubi, smacked his head. ¡°You complain so much, Yunru. Just do what Bro Jun is saying. If there is something here that will give us a clue to Bro Zixin¡¯s accident, then we have to keep searching for it!¡±


    He collapsed on his back. ¡°But we have been looking for an hour already¡­We don¡¯t even know what it looks like.¡±


    Jun ran his fingers through the shelf and stared ahead.


    There must be something here.


    Yunru said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it much easier if we check Bro¡¯s laptop?¡±


    Jun smiled. ¡°Do you know the password?¡±


    He coughed. ¡°W-well¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have already asked Chyou to unlock it for us.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah!¡± He brightened. ¡°She is awesome. She will unlock it in no time. Then Bro¡­¡± he sheepishly grinned. ¡°Since she is gonna unlock Bro¡¯s laptop anyway, can we not wait and directly check his laptop?¡±


    Yubi¡¯s mouth twitched. ¡°You are so lazy, Yunru!¡±


    ¡°W-what? I am just saving everybody¡¯s energy!¡±


    Chen Liling stepped in just then and smiled. ¡°Here kiddos. Have some coffee. You have been at it for an hour now.¡±


    Yunru said, ¡°I am not a kiddo.¡±


    She ruffled his head. ¡°Yes, yes. My grandson is all grown up now.¡±


    Jun thanked her and took the coffee mug from her. ¡°Uncle and Aunt are¡­¡±


    She sighed. ¡°At the hospital with Zixin. I worry for them so much. Serena hasn¡¯t eaten properly for two days¡­¡±


    He hugged her. ¡°She will be fine. Aunty is very strong.¡±


    She sniffled. ¡°Yes¡­Why did this have to happen with Zixin?¡± She couldn¡¯t hold her tears back.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. ¡°That¡¯s what I will find soon.¡±


    Chen Liling smiled. ¡°Aish, you are such a good child. Hehe, I can see how Zhou Ai has changed you. You are so happy with her.¡±


    His gaze softened. ¡°Very.¡±


    She complained. ¡°Even though you are my sweet grandnephew, I am still mad at you. Hmph. I wanted Zhou Ai for my Zixin¡­¡±


    His brow violently twitched.


    Chen Liling¡¯s gaze dimmed. ¡°Jun, will¡­Zixin ever get his memories back?¡±


    He stared at her hopeful eyes glistening with tears. In his last life, Zixin had never gotten his memories back. He felt his heart stab with those memories.


    Jun smiled and kissed her forehead. ¡°Of course, he will. Our Bro Zixin will be back one day. He will remember all of us for sure.¡±


    The twins furiously bobbed their heads too while hiding their wet eyes.


    A maid knocked on the door. ¡°Madam, the workers are here to collect the things for donation.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes,¡± she wiped her eyes. ¡°Yunru, Yubi. Have you sorted out your stuff?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Good. Bring all those boxes in the hall.¡±


    Yubi pushed her brother¡¯s back. ¡°Get to work, Yunru.¡±


    He was dumbfounded. ¡°Why should I carry your boxes!?¡±


    ¡°Because that¡¯s what brothers do. I am not free, okay? I will be helping Bro Jun here,¡± she harrumphed.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Chen Liling ignored their banter. ¡°What should we do about Zixin¡¯s room?¡±


    Jun thought about it. ¡°Guess we can collect Bro¡¯s old clothes and shoes. There should be no problem with that. But no books and bags and other stuff until I get what I am looking for.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Yubi chirped. ¡°I will start with all the old clothes. Bro really needs a wardrobe makeover anyway.¡±


    Chen Liling and Yunru left to attend to the workers while Jun went back to his work. He browsed through his shelf and files but didn¡¯t find anything of much interest that would be potentially harmful to anybody.


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    Jun casually turned halfway and saw a worker standing outside the room. He had his hat partially covering his face. ¡°Madam said there are some things to collect from here.¡±


    ¡°Hm. Go help Yubi over there,¡± he said while glancing through a file.


    ¡°Yes, Sir.¡±


    Yubi breathlessly took out a bunch of Zixin¡¯s clothes and dumped them all on his bed. ¡°Oof. These are all so out of fashion now¡­¡± she mumbled.


    She looked at the worker and asked, ¡°Put that cardboard box here. I will fold all the clothes and you stack them in.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mam.¡±


    From the shelf, Jun focused his attention on the bedside table. He opened the first drawer and checked all the papers inside. Then the second and third, but there was nothing useful. When he reached for the fourth drawer, he found that it was locked.


    He frowned. ¡°Yubi, do you have the key to this drawer?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No. There should be its key somewhere¡­¡±


    Jun checked around the table and the bed but didn¡¯t find the key anywhere.


    ¡°Maybe there is nothing special anyway.¡±


    He furrowed his brows. ¡°If there is nothing special, then why is it locked? The other three aren¡¯t.¡±


    He let out a sigh. ¡°Let me check with Grandaunt if she knows something. You check the cupboard if you find the key.¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    Jun walked towards the hall and asked Chen Liling. ¡°Grandaunt.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Jun. Are you done?¡± She smiled.


    ¡°Nope. I want to ask if you ever saw Bro putting his keys anywhere?¡±


    Chen Liling tried to recall but then shook her head. ¡°No, dear.¡±


    He glanced at Yunru.


    Yunru pouted. ¡°He hardly ever let me inside his room because I liked bugging him all the time.¡±


    His mouth twitched.


    Chen Liling asked, ¡°Is it something important?¡±


    ¡°Yeh fourth drawer of his bedside table is locked-¡°


    *THUD*


    A slightly loud noise came from above as if something had crashed on the floor.


    She gasped. ¡°Oh dear. What happened?¡±


    Jun rushed towards the room and his eyes widened seeing Zixin¡¯s laptop on the floor with water from the jar spilled on it.

 Chapter 310 Same realization

    Chapter 310 Same realization


    Jun asked in disbelief, ¡°¡­What happened here?¡±


    The laptop lay broken on the floor with a glass jar shattered into pieces beside it.


    ¡°Oh dear!¡± Chen Liling covered her mouth.


    Jun hastily walked towards Yubi and pulled her aside. ¡°Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?¡±


    ¡°¡­No,¡± Yubi burst into tears. ¡°I am really sorry Bro. The laptop fell because of me¡­¡± she hung her head guilty, tears rolling down her cheeks. ¡°I-I-¡°


    Jun wiped her cheeks. ¡°First, you stop crying. Your safety is more important. You are not hurt anywhere, right?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Yunru looked at her ankle and glared at her. ¡°What do you mean not hurt? There are scratch marks on your leg from the glass shards.¡±


    Chen Liling quickly said, ¡°Oh god! I will bring the first aid kit quickly!¡±


    After Jun quickly disinfected the blood and put a bandaid on her scar, he said, ¡°All done. Thank God it¡¯s not something major,¡± he sighed in relief, ¡°What happened though?¡±


    Yubi sniffled. ¡°Sorry, Bro. I was searching for the drawer key, and I found it behind the laptop. I got excited and I bumped into the worker when I turned¡­Th-then my hand hit the laptop and it fell with the glass jar. I am sorry, Bro! The laptop was important-¡°


    ¡°Sshh. You don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s not your fault,¡± Jun patted her head.


    The worker bowed and profusely apologized. ¡°I am sorry Mam! I just wanted to tell you that I was done stacking all the things in the box. But I didn¡¯t know this accident would happen¡­I was careless and you got hurt! Please forgive me. You can cut off my wage if you like¡­¡±


    Chen Liling said, ¡°No, no. It¡¯s okay. You didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡±


    ¡°Mam¡­¡±


    ¡°No. Do one thing. Take all the boxes outside.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mam.¡±


    He quickly took the boxes and left.


    Yubi cried. ¡°Sorry, Bro. This laptop¡­¡±


    Jun bent on his knee and picked the laptop dripping with water. Not only that, the screen had cracks in it too. It looked in a pitiful state.


    ¡°Will this get repaired? It could have information about what Bro knew¡­and I ruined it¡­¡±


    Yunru pouted and gave her a tight squeeze of a hug. ¡°You look ugly when you cry.¡±


    ¡°Broooo¡­¡± she looked at Jun with grievance.


    Jun pinched her cheek. ¡°Well, he is right. I don¡¯t want an ugly cousin. Don¡¯t worry about the laptop. Let¡¯s give it to Chyou if she can do something about this. It¡¯s not the end of the world, silly. I will still find the truth anyhow,¡± he chuckled.


    Chen Liling hugged her. ¡°Yes, dear. You are thinking too hard.¡±


    Yunru nodded. ¡°You already have limited brain cells. Don¡¯t exhaust them.¡±


    Yubi gritted her teeth and smacked him. ¡°You are mean!¡±


    Jun asked, ¡°You take rest now. Oh and where is the key?¡±


    ¡°Key¡­¡± she looked left and right, ¡°It must have fallen somewhere here when I bumped into him¡­¡±


    ¡°Got it,¡± Yunru found it near the bed.


    Jun took the key from him and unlocked the drawer. He opened it to check inside, but it was empty. There wasn¡¯t even a single sheet of paper inside.


    ¡°Ah? There¡¯s nothing inside,¡± Yunru scratched his head.


    Jun frowned.


    Strange¡­


    Yubi sighed. ¡°I worked hard for nothing.¡±


    Jun tilted his head. ¡°No. If it was empty, then why was it locked?¡±


    ¡ª


    ¡°My stomach feels so empty now,¡± Jin mumbled to himself, tired.


    He had studied all of Zixin¡¯s projects in detail until his eyes burned with fatigue, yet he didn¡¯t get any conclusive results.


    I cannot see anything suspicious in these projects. And on top of that¡­


    Jin secretly shot deathly beams towards Ai, who had completely made herself at home right in Jin¡¯s room. She even had his laptop on her lap as if it was her own.


    Damn she fooled me!


    ¡°Give me back my laptop!¡± Jin snatched it away from her.


    Ai furrowed her brows. ¡°I am still reading.¡±


    ¡°Now you are not. Since you proved to be useless, you can leave now,¡± he sneered.


    ¡°How was I useless? I told you about MrPerfect.¡±


    ¡°And how is it relevant here? Bro Jun said that he is using the ID now, not Bro Zixin. The matter ends there itself. And Bro Zixin has a woman he likes, but we don¡¯t know who. How does this help? Didn¡¯t you say that Yunru said that he was going to confess to that woman?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But nobody knew about it until he said it himself on that day to Aunt and the twins. If his own family got to know at the very end, naturally, that woman or anybody else would have no idea at all. Plus, it was meant to be a surprise. Also, even if she did know, so what? If she loved him back, she would accept him or else reject him. There is no need to orchestrate such a violent accident against him.¡±


    Ai pursed her lips. She knew Jin made sense. She had only pointed out about MrPerfect to get to stay in the room anyway.


    Jin scowled. ¡°You only wanted a reason to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Of course, not. MrPerfect is or was related to Chen Zixin at one point, so you should know about it.¡±


    ¡°He just has a woman he likes who he hasn¡¯t told anybody about. I don¡¯t see how it can be deadly to him.¡±


    Ai stared at him and remarked. ¡°Jun also just had a woman he liked in his last life. We all know what deadly turn it took. Love is not always so simple.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jin smiled. ¡°Except that I wasn¡¯t really a rival to Bro Jun-¡°


    He suddenly froze and so did Ai as a realization struck them simultaneously.


    Jin straightened up and slowly said, ¡°A rival¡­What if¡­What if Bro Zixin had a rival who knew that he would be confessing to that woman and wanted to stop him?¡±


    Ai had exactly the same thought. She wondered. ¡°Will he really try to kill him over that? He didn¡¯t even know what her answer would be.¡±


    Jin sneered. ¡°If Bro Jun could point a gun at me over something I didn¡¯t even do, then why cannot this rival do something similar? As you said, love is not always so simple. I think we need to know who this mystery woman is.¡±

 Chapter 311 The revelation of that fateful night

    Chapter 311 The revelation of that fateful night


    Ai felt hope rise in her heart.


    Maybe this woman could definitely lead us to something, she thought.


    She quickly dropped a message to Jun to check if he could find something in Zixin¡¯s room that would point to or belonged to a woman.


    Jin got energized with a new vigor and started making some calls to Zixin¡¯s assistant in his office.


    Ai tilted her head. ¡°I still wonder how he would have come to know about Chen Zixin¡¯s confession when he had kept it a surprise¡­¡±


    She peeked at Jin and beamed with pride. ¡°I proved to be useful in the end.¡±


    His gaze darkened.


    ¡°It¡¯s also fun doing things together.¡±


    Jin shot her a murderous glare. ¡°With which face did you see me having fun here with you?¡±


    ¡°But I had a lot of fun. It was good doing something other than slapping you,¡± she seriously nodded.


    Jin almost reached his hand to strangle her. The truth was bitter but if she hadn¡¯t told him about MrPerfect, he wouldn¡¯t have thought of a love rival connection.


    Ai said, ¡°So since Chen Zixin was a part of Reading Point, attended Authors¡¯ Summit and had presumably planned to go Shanghai for the fest, does it mean the woman he likes is a writer?¡±


    Jin ignored her and kept working on his laptop and in response, Ai poked him on his shoulder. She kept poking him until he finally turned his head. ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    ¡°Which is a cue for you to understand that I don¡¯t want to!¡±


    ¡°But talking about it will help us reach the solution faster,¡± Ai started poking again.


    He felt the top of his lid bursting. ¡°I can take it up from here. Get out.¡±


    She pursed her lips. ¡°So you want to throw me away after using me to your advantage?¡±


    Jin puked blood. ¡°Don¡¯t say misleading things!¡±


    ¡°Then answer my question.¡±


    He took several deep breaths, but he couldn¡¯t even concentrate on that with Ai¡¯s constant poking. He tried his best to smile with his facial nerves twitching continuously. ¡°A writer is one of the possible options. She could be a reader, editor, publisher or anyone belonging to this industry. It¡¯s common to have all these kinds of people in such events. Were there only writers in the Summit and Fest?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°There is your answer. Now if you poke me again, I won¡¯t spare you,¡± he threatened.


    Ai nodded. She got a call from Jun and she quickly picked it up. ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    Jun drew a long sigh on the other side. ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    He gave her the account of how Zixin¡¯s laptop was broken, and how he didn¡¯t find anything useful in his room. ¡°I thought there might be something in the locked drawer, but it was empty.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± she softly lamented.


    ¡°Why did you ask me to find something that would point to a woman?¡±


    ¡°Jin and I think that there could be a love rival who didn¡¯t want Chen Zixin to confess. Maybe he likes the same woman and wanted to stop him.¡±


    There was a long pause. ¡°¡­You are with Jin?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Working together for Bro Zixin?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Where are you exactly?¡±


    ¡°Liu villa.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing at the villa? Aren¡¯t you at the library?¡± He was speechless.


    ¡°I wanted to, but your Grandpa brought me here. He was on his morning car ride.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And then¡­you just naturally went into Jin¡¯s room?¡±


    Ai denied. ¡°Of course not. I was searching for your room but landed into his accidentally.¡±


    ¡°¡­And he let you in? Just like that?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°I am a naturally lovable and warm person.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jin¡¯s body was shaking with anger.


    ¡°And then you casually started to talk about Bro Zixin?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Just how?¡±


    ¡°I am a naturally lovable and warm person.¡±


    Silence.


    Ai said, ¡°I know there is a history between us, but don¡¯t feel jealous,¡± she assured them, ¡°we are purely working here for Chen Zixin¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think I am feeling jealousy at this point.¡±


    ¡°Then what might you be feeling?¡±


    ¡°How about shock?¡±


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we chat in detail back in the condo?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    Jun asked after a few moments, ¡°How is Jin?¡±


    ¡°He is fine. We are getting along very well,¡± she spoke with a beaming happiness, a sentiment which Jin didn¡¯t share from the bottom of his heart.


    Jun replied. ¡°Yeah I think we need to talk about the getting along part.¡±


    They hung up, and Jin lashed out immediately. ¡°You are such a liar!¡±


    Ai frowned. ¡°What part of the conversation was a lie?¡±


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°The whole of it?¡±


    ¡°Preposterous. I don¡¯t lie.¡±


    He threw his laptop aside and once again, took several long breaths. Calming down, he asked her a question he had wanted for a long time, ¡°How are you so chill about this whole rebirth thing?¡±


    ¡°Chill?¡±


    ¡°How can you believe Bro and me so easily? People will call us crazy if they hear this,¡± he narrowed his eyes.


    She smiled. ¡°Firstly, I am his girlfriend. I love him, and it¡¯s my responsibility to believe him if he is talking about something serious and not dismiss it as a joke. Jun is not the kind of a person to fool around with a lie like this. If I don¡¯t believe him, then who will?¡±


    He snorted.


    Trying to act all great.


    ¡°Secondly, it¡¯s actually easier to believe him even more when I have gone through the same thing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ai observed his confusion and revealed. ¡°I am also reborn. I had died in my previous life by falling off Dream High¡¯s building and woke up to realize that I had gone ten years back in time.¡±


    Jin blankly stared at her in silence. She dropped the bomb so swiftly that he didn¡¯t have any time to react. It felt absolutely still. ¡°¡­Reborn? You?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she stared at him hard. ¡°I died the same night as Jun. At the same time.¡±


    He froze.


    ¡°I crashed on his car¡¯s roof after I fell ¨C Jun¡¯s car which had crashed into the building.¡±


    His eyes widened, a million questions instantly barraging his mind like missiles.


    She then slowly emphasized. ¡°Jun¡¯s car which HE crashed into the building on purpose to commit suicide.¡±

 Chapter 312 An apology through death

    Chapter 312 An apology through death


    The words that fell upon Jin¡¯s ears made his gaze hollow and vacant. He felt the nausea creeping in his throat that made his heart drum loudly.


    Suicide¡­


    His expression looked haggard which was turning paler by every second.


    Ai¡¯s soft voice said with grief laced in it, ¡°Jun¡¯s bullet surely hit your chest. But what did you think would happen after seeing his brother dead?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± he shook hard, unable to breathe. His chuckle echoed the sound of his disbelief. ¡°Heh. Are you trying to play an emotional card on me? There is¡­¡± his eyes looked extremely menacing and unforgiving, ¡°a limit of lying, Zhou Ai. I will seriously kill you for this joke.¡±


    ¡°I said I don¡¯t lie. If you think I am lying, then why is your voice shaking?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°He saw you die right in front of his eyes. He saw his mother taking her last breath. Did you think that Jun would be able to live a happy life? Or did you think that Jun would have gotten married to Shui? What did you think would have followed after the tragedy that ensued at your wedding? Guilt and grief-stricken, Jun killed himself.¡±


    Jin lowered his gaze and saw his hand trembling. His palms grew wet with the drops of his warm tears falling upon them. The presence of all thoughts had simply vanished from his mind. Yet the suicide of his most beloved brother couldn¡¯t fully settle in his heart.


    Ai¡¯s gaze looked distant. ¡°You think that Jun hated you. It might be true too. He might have hated you blinded by his obsession but not enough to kill you. That¡¯s why he wanted to shoot himself. He feels guilty even now to think that he pointed his gun at you. Jin, you have no idea what he has suffered after your death. I know¡­¡± her voice trembled, ¡°because I had seen him taking his last breaths. There was only pain, remorse and suffering in his eyes. He was crying, Jin.¡±


    She rubbed the corner of her eye and glanced at Jin. ¡°If he held Shui so important and above everyone, then he wouldn¡¯t have chosen to give up on his life. If he felt nothing for you, then he wouldn¡¯t have looked so heartbroken that night.¡±


    Jin felt a choking sensation at the back of his throat. He crumpled the bedsheet in his fist, wishing not to hear anymore.


    ¡°¡­Leave,¡± he uttered with much difficulty.


    Ai felt the battle he was fighting. His teary, black pupils showed the reflection of the struggle he was trying to win but was helplessly losing. He had steeled his heart to never forgive Jun, but she could see the wall of ice cracking and melting despite his resistance.


    ¡°Jin, your brother really loves you a lot.¡±


    His teeth clashed against each other. ¡°Stop talking¡­¡±


    ¡°I know he has hurt you and this family in the past. None of you deserved such a treatment from Jun. But even if only a little¡­¡± her lips quivered, ¡°and even if I am against it, he tried to give his apology through his death.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore,¡± he breathed hard.


    But she went on. ¡°And now that life has given him a second chance, he has only acted as such not to repeat the tragedy. He left his home to suffer alone and punish himself. But Jin¡­¡±


    ¡°Please stop,¡± he covered his ears.


    ¡°If fate has given him another chance to correct his mistakes, can you not give him one too?¡±


    He clutched her arms and exclaimed. ¡°STOP!!¡±


    Ai kept quiet. His sharp and restless gasps showed how much uncomfortable he felt. She knew he had tons of things to say, but nothing reached the tip of his tongue.


    Jun¡¯s suicide shook him hard. Jin had always wondered what happened after his death? How did Jun and everybody else lived their lives from that point?


    But this was the answer that neither he expected nor he wanted to hear.


    Ai felt his fingers gripping her arms tighter, but she didn¡¯t show an ounce of discomfort. She asked after much silence, ¡°Are you crying because you feel you will lose the reason to hate Jun or because you never wanted this end for him?¡±


    Jin angrily laughed through his tears. ¡°This changes nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°No. This changes everything because in the deepest part of your heart, you want those days back. You want to love your brother once again. If you had carried pure hatred, then¡­¡± she softly tapped the bruise on his temple, ¡°you wouldn¡¯t have done this for Jun. In fact, you would have rejoiced to see him getting hurt because you were hurt by his bullet in the past. It was time for perfect revenge, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You talk too much,¡± he gripped her jaw and leaned in with a sinister smile, dangerously narrowing the distance between them. ¡°How about I shut it up with a kiss? I won¡¯t care how much Bro Jun or the twins will beat me up for this harassment. I won¡¯t care even if they throw me out of this house.¡±


    Ai stared at him, unfazed. ¡°If you think you can do it, go ahead. I won¡¯t scream.¡±


    He said nothing.


    She waited.


    Time ticked by and frustrated, Jin harshly let go of her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to punish me?¡±


    Silence.


    She faintly smiled. ¡°I knew you won¡¯t because you don¡¯t want to cross that line with the woman your brother loves so much. That¡¯s why you never slept with Shui in the past, right?¡±


    He stiffened.


    ¡°You said you slept with other women but not her. She loved you and it was easy for you to seduce her, sleep with her and then throw her away to take your revenge. That would give her the most pain. But you never touched her because she was someone important to Jun.¡±


    Silence.


    Ai picked her bag and hung its handle around her shoulder. ¡°A precious life has already gone in hatred and tears. Please don¡¯t waste this life in that same cycle. Jun wants you back, and I know you do too. There was once a time when Jun had pulled a scared Jin through the dark by his love.¡±


    Jin remembered the day he was locked up in a room by the twins.


    Her eyelashes trembled. ¡°This time¡­can you pull a grieving Jun through the dark by your forgiveness?¡±

 Chapter 313 The Queen of the entertainment industry, Zhu Chyou

    Chapter 313 The Queen of the entertainment industry, Zhu Chyou


    Jun, who was cooking dinner, rushed to Ai¡¯s side as soon as she returned. He stared at her carefully up and down and asked, ¡°Are you fine?¡±


    She blinked. ¡°Why won¡¯t I be?¡±


    ¡°First, Grandpa brought you as per his whims and then with Jin¡­¡± he coughed. He pulled her and finally asked what he was itching to for a long time. ¡°How did you manage to work with Jin?¡±


    ¡°I am a naturally-¡°


    Jun narrowed his eyes and signaled that he wanted to hear her true answer.


    Ai pursed her lips. ¡°I can be really persuasive when I want to.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if he should praise her for it or not. He himself could only stop her persuasive skills by a kiss. He couldn¡¯t imagine Jin¡¯s experience.


    Ai touched her chin. ¡°He also called me weird. You two are so similar. I could see him questioning your choice of falling in love with me.¡±


    Jun choked hard.


    ¡°But,¡± she beamed, ¡°We are closer than before now.¡±


    ¡°And I am pretty sure that it¡¯s just a misunderstanding of yours,¡± he smiled. ¡°Jin. His heart will be harder to melt.¡±


    His gaze showed a trace of sadness. ¡°Especially how I have¡­¡±


    She wrapped her hands around his neck and smiled. ¡°It won¡¯t be for long. He is angry with you, but he doesn¡¯t hate you. I am sure the day will come sooner than you think when your relationship will be just like before.¡±


    Jun couldn¡¯t return the same smile as hers. ¡°I can only see it as a dream.¡±


    ¡°It will turn into reality soon,¡± she remained firm. ¡°I just know it. So, believe your cute girlfriend.¡±


    Jun chuckled and kissed her forehead. ¡°As you say. Oh, yes. By the way, your dream will come true tomorrow.¡±


    She tilted her head. ¡°Which dream?¡±


    He pinched her nose. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to meet Chyou? I am meeting her tomorrow. I told you Bro Zixin¡¯s laptop broke, right? I will be handing it to her if she could still get something out of it. So you come with me, and you get to meet your idol too.¡±


    Ai shone so brightly that Jun could see the golden sparkles around her head. ¡°I-I get to meet the movie star Zhu Chyou? Really!?¡± She covered her mouth in a gasp.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    She trembled with anticipation and joy.


    He shook his head. ¡°Control, my dear girlfriend. For now, let¡¯s have dinner-¡°


    Ai hopped towards their bedroom and chirped. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for dinner. I need to pick up a good dress to meet her,¡± she thoughtfully said, ¡°I need to make a beautiful diary ready for her autograph too. But do I have a good dress for tomorrow? There are so many things to choose from!¡±


    She disappeared into the room, leaving Jun speechless.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Why is she acting like she is going on a date?


    Then he had a question of existential crisis as her boyfriend.


    Will she be excited the same way for our date too?


    ¡ª


    The next morning, Jun took Ai to a movie set. The whole area was busy with cameramen moving from one place to another and assistants flocking from here to there. The background scene was set where Jun recognized a few of the movie stars but just hardly.


    He glanced at Ai and saw her checking her dress and touching her hair every now so often. His brow twitched. ¡°You are looking beautiful, Ai. You don¡¯t have to be nervous.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t understand,¡± she complained. ¡°Do you have an idol you adore?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why. It¡¯s the first time I am meeting Zhu Chyou¡­¡± she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, feeling jittery, ¡°you cannot imagine how nervous I am. What if I fumble and embarrass myself?¡±


    ¡°YOU are worried about embarrassing yourself?¡± Jun still couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. ¡°Aren¡¯t you always so confident?¡±


    ¡°Not in front of my idol. Now tell me. Do I look okay?¡±


    Jun exhaled a deep sigh. ¡°For the two hundredth time now, you are looking great. Chyou will definitely like you.¡±


    ¡°What if she doesn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°She will.¡±


    ¡°What if she really doesn¡¯t?¡± She insisted.


    ¡°Then I will leave and spare myself the torture of hearing your grievances.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She mumbled under her breath. ¡°Boyfriends are supposed to be supportive.¡±


    He sneered. ¡°Girlfriends are not supposed to ask how they look two hundred times.¡±


    The light dimmed in the set as a scene was about to begin.


    The director said, ¡°Rolling and action!¡±


    Immediately, silence ensued. From the dark, a beautiful woman dressed in an Empress attire moved ahead with grace. Her eyes looked serene despite seeing the wounded dead body of her husband, the Emperor who had lost his life in the war. Since the emperor had fallen, the kingdom was in the enemy¡¯s hand now, and the empress was supposed to become the concubine of the enemy who would become the new king.


    Chyou, who was the lead actress as the empress, addressed the mourning of her kingdom¡¯s citizens.


    ¡°This is just the beginning,¡± she said in a soft voice but which carried a deadly weight of its own.


    She bent on her knees, her gaze never leaving her husband. ¡°The kingdom that you built shall rise again. Neither will your wife bow to the enemy, nor will she let the kingdom.¡±


    She leaned and pressed her forehead on his, a tear dropping on his cheek. ¡°You protected your citizens until the very end, my husband. Now, it¡¯s my turn. I will protect the kingdom and¡­avenge you.¡±


    Everybody shuddered in silence as her gentle smile took a sinister turn.


    ¡°Ah, he wants to make me his concubine¡­¡± she chuckled. ¡°So naive. He has no idea what is coming for him, isn¡¯t it?¡± She smiled. ¡°He is so¡­going to regret laying his hands on you and his eyes on me. This war has just begun.¡±


    The lights came back as the scene came to an end. It was a short scene but which was kept like that for a strong focus on the empress¡¯s emotions.


    ¡°C-cut! Perfect!¡± For a moment, even the direct left spellbound by her performance and forgot to say cut.


    Chyou let out a silent breath and took a few moments to come out of her character and the emotions she built up in her heart. Her vengeful and chilling gaze slowly returned to normal.


    As she raised her head, she caught two figures standing at a distance, who were watching her performance. Her eyes brightened with delight. ¡°Jun!¡±

 Chapter ?314 The idol fan bonding

    Chapter ?314 The idol fan bonding


    Chyou lifted her heavy costume and effortlessly ran towards him without tripping even once.


    "Juuun!" She hopped to give him a warm hug.


    "Hey, hey. Careful. You are wearing high heels," Jun''s gaze darkened. "Do you want to twist your ankle?"


    She pinched and squished his cheeks to her heart''s content. "This queen isn''t afraid of falling. Even if I fall, I will stand right back up because I am born to shine~"


    Jun rolled his eyes. "Drama queen."


    "That''s my job," she winked. "How could I control when I finally see you at my set? I invited you so many times before, but you never agreed."


    "I hate people and commotion and activity. This set is just that. And you have thoroughly made me compensate you with my money," he sneered. "I know you secretly wanted me to reject your invitation just to grab at my black card."


    "Money is a very beautiful asset to have you know, especially when you get it for free~"


    Jun dryly commented. "You can get it for free from the money tree in your house who is your father."


    Chyou pouted. "Looting from my cute Jun is a different feeling altogether."


    He glared at her and then snorted. "Enough about me. Don''t thank me for coming here. It''s to fulfill my girlfriend''s wish, who I want to introduce you to."


    Jun looked at Ai to introduce her but was speechless to see her frozen like a block of ice at her place.


    "Ai, I really cannot tell if you are a human or a mannequin at this point," his mouth twitched, "At least smile and let me know that I am not talking to a statue."


    Ai could hardly hear him talking. She was so mesmerized by Chyou''s performance that it was alone enough to drown her into a trance. Then her beautiful idol suddenly flew at her side like the most breathtaking angel. Chyou looked so stunning in the empress costume that Ai couldn''t take her eyes off her. The woman she saw in movie theatres was right in front of her, breathing and talking.


    Jun felt this strange sense of crisis arise in his heart. He shook her hard. "Ai! You better not forget you are my girlfriend. You are straight for God''s sake!"


    Ai finally mumbled out a few words. "I don''t know anymore..."


    "..."


    Chyou clutched her stomach and laughed out loudly. "Oh my, she is so cute!"


    He gritted his teeth. "Of course, she is. How about you make your face a little ugly?"


    "Why?"


    "I have serious concerns about my girlfriend''s sexuality now."


    "Pfft..."


    Chyou pushed him away and scolded him. "Don''t get in the way of an idol fan bonding time."


    A vein popped on his forehead. "Right now, you are getting into the way of my happy relationship."


    She shrugged. "It''s not my fault that I am more charming than you."


    "..."


    Chyou ignored him and eagerly held Ai''s hand. "So you are Zhou Ai! I was dying to meet you."


    Ai gasped, feeling her hand in hers. She looked at Jun. "Sh-she is holding my hand..."


    He sneered with disdain. "Yeah I can see that. How is it that I never saw you get so excited when I hold your hands?"


    "Can you compare yourself to Zhu Chyou?"


    "..."


    Ai cleared her throat and was finally coming to her senses. "He-Hello...I am Zhou Ai. I have watched all your movies, and I want to tell you that I really love all of them," her cheeks flushed crimson, "You are a great actress, and you express yourself so well. Every character you have played is beautiful and inspiring. Even now, I felt the chills as you acted as the empress. I really a-adore you. I always wanted to meet you and finally I am, but..." she took a deep breath, "it still feels like a dream."


    Chyou stared at her dumbfounded and seriously looked at Jun. "Can I keep her with me?"


    Jun pulled Ai to his side and exclaimed. "Don''t even think about it!"


    "B-but she is so cute!" She cried. "I have met many fans before, but her sincerity is just so...just so...Can I at least kiss her on her cheek?"


    "No way!"


    She already looks like she is ready to hop into your ship and leave me. Do you think I am an idiot to let you kiss her!?


    Chyou grabbed their hands. "Oof, we have taken too much time here. Let''s go into my makeup room to chat!"


    Stepping into her private room, Jun and Ai took their seats. Ai was still busy grasping the experience of being with her idol.


    Chyou complained. "You still haven''t paid me generously for taking care of Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui that day."


    Ai snapped out of her stupor.


    The bullies from my middle school?


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "It''s not my fault if your greed is never-ending."


    "It''s not greed. It''s called giving respect to your elders."


    Ai asked, "Su Lingxin and Xiong Hui?"


    Chyou chuckled. "Yeah. They were the bullies from your school who played a prank on you during your school trip, right?"


    She was taken aback. "How do you know...?"


    "Because I played a prank of my own on them~ A prank directed by your boyfriend. It was such a picture perfect scene. Remember how they were in the news screaming and running here and there over a ghost and dead body? That was all planned by Jun to take revenge from them for hurting you in the past?"


    Ai widened her eyes. She stared at Jun, stupefied. "You did that for me?"


    Jun harrumphed. "Yes, I did that. So rejoice and remember that you are very happy with your BOYFRIEND."


    "..."


    Chyou clicked her tongue. "So jealous. Learn to have a big heart."


    "No, thanks. It already feels like the whole world is eyeing my Ai."


    His heart burned with the thought of Yating and Cai Lingyun.


    "I don''t need any more additions to it, man or woman."

 Chapter ?315 Born to shine

    Chapter ?315 Born to shine


    "So, so! Tell me the spicy story of how you two met~ I am all ears!" She leaned in with her eyes glittering with curiosity.


    Jun snorted. "We only came here so that I introduce her-"


    "We met in the library for the first time," Ai answered Chyou''s question while trying to rein in her emotions and control her trembling excitement. "I was having trouble fetching one book, and Jun helped me."


    "Oh so that''s how the sparks flew!" She beamed.


    Jun - "..."


    He gave her a stare. "Why are you answering her question?"


    Ai frowned. "It is rude not to answer questions especially when Zhu Chyou is asking. How can you be like that?"


    Chyou chuckled. "Come on, Jun. You didn''t expect that you would just introduce us, and I won''t even ask any questions? It''s you, after all. How can I not be curious?"


    Ai nodded.


    Jun glared at her. "Don''t nod your head too much!"


    It was a mistake bringing her here. Maybe this time, just this time I shouldn''t have fulfilled her wish...


    "Ahahahaha..." Chyou trembled with tears in her eyes a few minutes later. "You used a feather duster on Jun? That''s so awesome!" The more she tried to imagine it, the more she laughed. "Ah how I wish I could have seen that...But damn Ai. I have become your fan now! First cold water, feather duster and then cactus...You have some cool methods to deal with Jun''s anger. That''s it! The first thing I will do after leaving this set is buy a good feather duster!" She earnestly bobbed her head.


    Without a doubt, Jun''s expression was unsightly.


    Ai''s face radiated with bliss and blush. "Yes. They are all proven methods. But a feather duster is my most favorite one."


    "Me too. I seriously feel like using one on Jun now..." she covered her mouth twitching with laughter.


    Before Jun could violently protest, Ai added joyfully. "Oh and he is Jun-cute. My father gave him his nickname. Just like I am Ai-chan."


    Jun smiled with danger and anger leaking through it. "My dear girlfriend, you are talking too much."


    Chyou choked in her throat. "Jun...c-cute...?"


    Ai nodded sincerely.


    Chyou brightened and grabbed Jun''s hand. "Jun-cute!"


    "..."


    "Finally your girlfriend''s family fulfilled my wish. I always knew that you were so cute. You pretend to be a cold person but have such a warm heart inside. That''s the definition of cute. But now we finally got an official name. Ah, my heart is melting," she sniffled. "This calls for a celebration~"


    This is torture...This pairing remind me of the twins, he shuddered.F


    Before his friend and girlfriend could damage his delicate heart anymore, he covered Ai''s mouth to stop her from talking.


    "Mmpf!" Ai complained and resisted this violent behavior.


    Unaffected, Jun smiled at Chyou. "Zhu Chyou. You are incessantly talking about Ai and my relationship, but what about yours? Isn''t it time for you to find a good boyfriend too? What is the status of the Queen of the entertainment industry''s relationship?"


    "Hey, don''t divert the topic to me," Chyou glared at him.


    He sneered at first, but then his gaze slowly dimmed as he stared at her.


    "What?" Chyou tilted her head. "Why are you looking at me like that? Don''t tell me you got a guy you can set me up with?" She harrumphed. "I don''t need anybody right now."


    Lie. You are secretly seeing someone. But that is a relationship which will never give you happiness...


    Chyou then noticed that even Ai''s eyes looked solemn and painful for some reason. "Hey, what virus have you spread to her? Why is my cute fan looking at me so sadly?"


    Ai''s smile faltered for the first time. Just like Jun, she knew what had happened in the last life. She had left the writing world, but she didn''t stop following Chyou. She watched her movies and always supported her as a fan. But the trajectory that Chyou''s life had taken was filled with a lot of grief.


    She remembered that Chyou had gotten married to the A-lister actor, Cheng Yin. They were in a blissful relationship and soon tied the knot. But the marriage faced hardships when she found out. that he was into drugs.


    Chyou and Cheng Yin looked like a picture perfect couple, but...


    Perfection is just an ideal...Ai smiled with a trace of sadness.


    Jun, too, recalled what had transpired.


    Naturally, Chyou was beyond shocked by this revelation. But as an understanding wife, she tried her best to drag Cheng Yin out of that hell and darkness of drugs. But he didn''t want to. The more she insisted for him to live a clean life, the more their marriage became rocky. They had constant fights and arguments. Frustrated from her, he had secretly begun to cheat on her too.


    That was the tipping point when this truth came out. Chyou was pregnant with his child at that point, but she suffered a miscarriage due to extreme stress.


    Her father, Zhu Xiaosi, was already hell furious and wanted her to leave him the moment he learned that Cheng Yin was into drugs. But with cheating and his daughter''s miscarriage, there was no stopping him anymore.


    Within a single day, he destroyed Cheng Yin''s entire existence and career as an actor. He uprooted his popularity and reputation and made his life miserable. He had his revenge from Cheng Yin for hurting Chyou.


    But what was gone was gone.


    Chyou''s child was no more. Her marriage has broken apart, and her career was in shambles because she focused all her energy on helping Cheng Yin. That was the darkest period in her life she had to cope with.


    But Chyou slowly and steadily stood up on her feet once again. She accepted the loss of her child and the ruin of her marriage. Little by little, she re-entered the entertainment industry. It was a difficult journey as her golden era was long left behind. But she made her place back in the film industry as the top soaring actress once again.


    "This queen isn''t afraid of falling. Even if I fall, I will stand right back up because I am born to shine."

 Chapter 316 Small world

    Chapter 316 Small world


    Chyou acted upon those words and shone once again as the top actress. Despite all the setbacks, she had made her way back. It was the biggest achievement of her life. All her rivals who laughed at her misery and thought she could never return to her former glory were thrown like garbage by her dazzle.


    Chyou proved that a queen will always remain a queen.


    But no matter how much accolades she received for her performances, her heart had become an empty shell. She drowned in her work to forget the pain of her child loss. To forget how much she loved Cheng Yin, who returned her feelings with a betrayal. She rose in her career, but her heart had fallen forever.


    She never remarried and neither did her family force her to. Her heart was so shattered that she had no courage to fall in love once again.


    Jun remembered everything as if a movie was playing in his mind. Even with this second life, he felt as if it just happened yesterday.


    Only if Cheng Yin had taken her seriously and made an effort to stop using drugs, her life wouldn''t have turned out the way it had.


    Ai glanced at Jun and caught the small tear drop at the corner of his eye. With his expression, she knew that he knew more about Chyou''s life. She was just a fan, and she only learned what was shown in the media and news. She saw everything from afar. But Jun and her families were close, so he had personally seen what really happened and how Chyou truly suffered.


    Ai''s gaze burned with resentment, thinking of the past. She was afar and just a fan, but that didn''t mean she kept quiet. When the whole world was pitying Chyou and her lost career because of Cheng Yin, it was Ai who first stood up and spoke against Cheng Yin.


    People took it to be normal that actors used a little bit of drugs here and there. It was nothing serious. But that''s exactly what Ai raised her voice against this bullshit of an excuse. And since she herself had suffered betrayal from Yating, she resonated with her even more when Chyou was cheated.


    It was because of Ai that masses slowly thought of the matter in the right direction and supported Chyou wholeheartedly instead of pitying her.


    Chyou watched the couple''s eyes with bewilderment. "What has happened to you two? Why did the atmosphere suddenly turn so glum? We were having so much fun with Jun-cute."


    This time, Jun didn''t get furious. Instead, he wondered what sort of torture he should make Cheng Yin go through.


    Drugs, cheating and child loss...that bastard made Chyou go through hell...


    Ai cleared her throat and smiled. "Nothing. Jun must be thinking of how to separate us."


    Chyou sneered "He won''t dare. I am the elder one here and elders rule. If he tries to do something funny, I will kiss you on your lips."


    "..."


    Ai blushed furiously and buried her face in her palms.


    Jun was left speechless. "The hell are you talking about kissing my girlfriend right in front of me!? And Ai, you! Stop blushing! Only I can claim your lips, remember that! She is a woman. A WOMAN!"


    Ai shyly twirled the lock of her hair. "I-If it''s Zhu Chyou, then I-I don''t mind..."


    Jun gritted his teeth. "Okay, that''s enough. We will go straight out after I hand this laptop to her!"


    He put the bag on the table and took out Zixin''s laptop. "This is Bro Zixin''s laptop and what I came here for ORIGINALLY. Can you take a look and see if you can recover the data inside?"


    "Hmph. Coming between Ai and my lovely time..."


    His brow twitched.


    Chyou then looked stern. "But yes, this is important. His accident was horrible. I want that culprit punished as much as you do. What about Zixin and the driver Chi?"


    Jun softly replied. "Bro Zixin will be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, but Driver Chi has to remain for sometime..."


    She pursed her lips. "I understand. Hope he gets his memories back soon. It reminds me of the time when Dad had lost his memories..."


    Ai was taken aback. "Mr. Zhu lost his memories?"


    "Yes," she gave a sorrowful smile. "He had a brain tumor and one incident made him lose his memories. He didn''t remember Mom or me. That was a difficult time. I was just six back then and to see that he didn''t remember me was painful."


    Ai quickly said, "I am sorry..."


    She chuckled. "No, silly. What are you apologizing for? That is the past now. We overcame it and thankfully, Dad''s memories returned one day though not in an ideal way..." her gaze darkened, thinking of how her grandma had planned an accident against her own son.


    Chyou smiled. "I know Zixin''s memories will be back too once again."


    She then ran her fingers across the laptop and studied the laptop''s condition. "Water seems to have entered quite deeply. The main motherboard must be definitely corrupt by now. It''s all cracked too. The fall impact has damaged the circuit."


    Jun anxiously asked, "Can it be fixed?"


    Chyou winked. "You are talking to me, Jun-cute. I can fix this, but it will take sometime, especially data recovery."


    He nodded. "That''s fine. As long as I get any hint of what Bro knew..."


    There was a moment of silence.


    "Anyway, I will let you know once I get any leads on this."


    *Knock knock*


    "Come in."


    An assistant opened the door and asked, "Mam, are you free now? There is a man outside waiting for you."


    Chyou blinked and then widened her eyes. "Oh, yes! I totally forgot that he was going to come today to meet me."


    Jun said, "No problem. We are done here anyway. You can go ahead and meet him."


    "I think you know that man very well..."


    Jun and Ai were confused. "Who?"


    They heard footsteps that halted as the man came into the room. Jun and Ai turned their heads and froze.


    Jun gnashed his jaw and furiously exclaimed. "Gu Yating!?"

 Chapter 317 A last chance

    Chapter 317 A last chance


    Yating was equally appalled seeing Jun and Ai together in Chyou¡¯s set. Meeting Ai¡¯s eyes, he slightly trembled as his heart thumped in his chest.


    Ai¡­


    He stared at her for a few seconds more with a longing gaze. Only he knew how much he missed Ai and only he knew how much it pricked him to see her with Jun. It felt like forever since he had last seen her.


    ¡°A-Ai.¡±


    Ai politely nodded with formality. ¡°Gu Yating.¡±


    Gu Yating¡­Even now, she takes my full name.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. ¡°Take your melancholy somewhere else, Mr. Gu. People will judge your character if you stare at someone else¡¯s girlfriend for far too long.¡±


    Yating smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be concerned about my character judgement, Mr. Liu. I am capable of taking care of myself.¡±


    Thinking about all the grievances Ai had to face because of him, he mocked. ¡°Sure. But only yourself. Not others.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to imply, Liu Jun?¡±


    ¡°That you are being a nuisance here so how about you leave this set and purify this set again?¡± He sneered.


    Yating sharply countered. ¡°This place doesn¡¯t belong to you and for your kind information, I had already made a prior appointment with Miss. Zhu. Right now, you are being a nuisance in my appointment and wasting her and my time. So how about you leave this set?¡±


    Ai pulled Jun¡¯s arm and shook her head. ¡°We are done here anyway.¡±


    ¡°I know but why the hell is he here?¡± His voice turned cold.


    Yating snorted. ¡°The last time I checked, I didn¡¯t need your permission to be anywhere. I am here with Miss. Zhu¡¯s permission.¡±


    Jun eyed Chyou. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Why?¡± He widened his eyes. ¡°You know his father plotted against Ai and is in jail now. Why do you want to meet him? He and Gu Rong are upto no good.¡±


    Yating threw him a dangerous stare.


    ¡°His father is in jail, and that¡¯s exactly why he wants to meet me,¡± Chyou glanced at him and asked, ¡°Right?¡±


    He quietly nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    *Flashback*


    It was one day when Yating was working in his office as usual when he received a call.


    ¡°Is this Mr. Gu Yating? I am assistant officer Soo Yijun from the police station.¡±


    Yating became alert and asked, ¡°Is it about my Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He is saying he wants to meet you.¡±


    He coldly rejected. ¡°Tell him that I don¡¯t want to and neither bother asking for it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Gu Rong is really insistent. If you could visit the police station just once, this matter will be over.¡±


    Yating pressed his temple. His eyes expressed the conflict he was feeling. Gu Rong¡¯s actions against Ai had extremely hurt his heart. Ai was an important person to him and to plot against her aas something he couldn¡¯t bear.


    But Gu Rong was also a father who had raised him single-handedly. They had their own share of differences but as a family¡­


    You were only what I had Dad. Neither you are with me today, nor Ai.


    This was the grief he was bearing all alone this whole time. He was helpless to bring either of them back to his side. Gu Rong was the culprit, and Ai was with someone else now. Even if he desperately wanted her by his side, he could bring himself to do anything that would vanish the smile off her lips.


    Yating drew out a silent breath. ¡°I am coming.¡±


    In the police station, Yating faced his father through a glass partition, who looked tired and haggard but still brimming with anger.


    ¡°Why did you call me?¡±


    Gu Rong stared at him. ¡°Can you not see my condition here, Yating!?¡±


    ¡°And that is something you brought upon yourself.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t!¡± Gu Rong was completely frustrated. ¡°Yating, you have to believe me. I didn¡¯t bribe those judges against Zhou Ai!¡±


    Yating didn¡¯t show any mercy. ¡°But you were very vocal about your dislike for Ai and how you would have ruined her career if she didn¡¯t leave me.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    He knew Yating had a fair point, and that statement was a part of the whole reason why Yating never refused to help him


    ¡°Yating,¡± he gave him a helpless look, ¡°I know what I said and I still stand by it. I don¡¯t like Zhou Ai for you, and I would have done everything in my hands to stop her from getting close to you. But I didn¡¯t bribe the judges. I know this sounds contradictory to you, but I didn¡¯t plan that against Zhou Ai. I don¡¯t know why that freak judge took my name, but I have nothing to do with it! Please believe me. Somebody else is behind all of this!¡±


    Yating said nothing.


    ¡°It was you who interfered with Ai getting a book signing event.¡±


    ¡°What? What book signing event?¡±


    Yating¡¯s gaze turned colder. ¡°Don¡¯t feign ignorance. The book signing event that Cai Guiying got, but didn¡¯t.¡±


    Gu Rong was stunned. ¡°I have nothing to do with it either! I didn¡¯t interfere in any decision-making process against Zhou Ai regarding the event!¡±


    Yating narrowed his eyes. He didn¡¯t wish to trust his father¡¯s words when his dislike for Ai was so crystal clear. But today, he found himself unable to stand his conviction. His eyes were genuinely pleading for his son¡¯s help.


    ¡°Yating, you have to do something. I am not behind this. Somebody else is using me. This is a big mistake! Putting me in jail isn¡¯t going to solve anything. The real person who planned all this is out somewhere, and this won¡¯t stop until he is caught. It will be too late before this misunderstanding goes out of hand!¡±


    Yating answered after a long time. ¡°Fine. I will look into this again.¡±


    Gu Rong beamed with hope.


    ¡°But only this once. If everything points at you once again, then this is the last time you will see my face,¡± he warned.


    ¡°As you say,¡± he agreed.


    ¡°Let me see what I can do.¡±


    Gu Rong quickly said, ¡°There is one person who can help you.¡±


    Yating raised his brow. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The Zhu family, or Zhu Chyou.¡±

 Chapter 318 That person was me

    Chapter 318 That person was me


    Yating blinked. ¡°Zhu Chyou? Isn¡¯t she an actress?¡±


    ¡°Yes but her father, Zhu Xiaosi, is the CEO of S3 company and as such, Zhu Chyou has all kinds of experience working with technology and these things.¡±


    ¡°I had already hired a hacker to investigate the Summit, Dad.¡±


    Gu Rong snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t compare him to her. Zhu Chyou has superior skills. In his days, Zhu Xiaosi was just as capable. Even his son, Zhu Xiang, is not less talented. Look, I feel if you ask for her help, she will definitely be able to find something. Please.¡±


    Yating grimaced. ¡°I don¡¯t even know her. I cannot just knock on her home¡¯s door and ask her to help me.¡±


    ¡°But Zhu Xiaosi and I do,¡± Gu Rong said. ¡°It won¡¯t be a problem. If we earnestly ask for their help, I know they won¡¯t deny us.¡±


    Yating thought about it and said, ¡°Fine. I will contact her. But remember our deal. This is the last time.¡±


    He nodded. Then he said, ¡°Yating, about the Gu Corps¡­you don¡¯t have to worry about the work. I will talk to-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret over it. I am handling the work as the CEO.¡±


    Gu Rong slowly widened his eyes. He couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard. Yating had always detested working for the family business, so he didn¡¯t have any hope that Yating would take responsibility and manage the company until he was in jail. So, Gu Rong had plans for somebody to temporarily take charge.


    But to know that Yating himself stepped up, he couldn¡¯t be happier than this.


    His gaze softened. ¡°I-I see¡­Thanks. Working for Dream High and Gu Corps at once must be tiring.¡±


    Yating watched him unblinkingly. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t waste your time worrying over me when you look so haggard yourself. I know jail is difficult, but you still have to eat.¡±


    The faint trace of concern in his voice shook him. ¡°I will.¡±


    Yating turned his back. ¡°I am leaving.¡±


    Gu Rong felt as if he had something else to say too, but he didn¡¯t and left just like that.


    ¡°Take care, Yating,¡± he whispered.


    *Flashback ends*


    Jun squinted his eyes. ¡°I see. So your father is refusing to give up. Such deep father-son bond,¡± he smiled.


    Yating was indeed affected by his words. He was worried if Ai would misunderstand him regarding Gu Rong¡¯s side over hers. But her gaze didn¡¯t show any such disappointment, which made Yating faintly smile with pain.


    What I do and what I don¡¯t, do you really not care anymore¡­?


    Chyou said with understanding, ¡°Jun, I know how you feel and trust me, I won¡¯t help anybody who is against Ai either. But let me just hear once what he has to say.¡±


    Jun pursed his lips.


    Ai nodded and held his hand. ¡°She is right. Zhu Chyou knows what she is doing. Mr. Gu is his father and family. If he wants to look into the matter a little more, there is nothing wrong with it. Anybody would do that for their family.¡±


    Yating trembled. He felt his heart pounding loudly, but it equally thudded with helplessness.


    See, Ai? It¡¯s things like these you say and do that makes it so difficult for me to give up on you¡­


    Jun sighed. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s go. But mind you, I don¡¯t like you being so understanding towards other men.¡±


    Yating balled his fist in a fury.


    I will seriously kill this man one day¡­


    Ai¡¯s mouth twitched. She bowed towards Zhu Chyou and smiled. ¡°Thank you so much for today. It was fun meeting you.¡±


    Chyou grinned. ¡°Same here. Though I am sorry I couldn¡¯t give you a tour of the set,¡± she lamented. ¡°But definitely, next time!¡±


    Ai brightened and agreed. ¡°Yes!¡±


    As Yating and Chyou were left alone, she smiled at him. ¡°Please have a seat.¡±


    ¡°Thanks. I apologize for such short notice.¡±


    ¡°No problem. My schedule was free anyway after my shooting.¡±


    Chyou studied him for sometime, making Yating conscious of her stare. ¡°Is there anything on my face?¡±


    ¡°No. Actually¡­yes.¡±


    Yating patted all over his face. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Chyou cleared his throat. ¡°Not physically but your eyes.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, I know it¡¯s not my business, but you should move on from Zhou Ai. I can see that you still like her.¡±


    He stiffened.


    ¡°I am not telling this from Jun or Ai or their relationship¡¯s perspective or implying that you are a threat to them. It¡¯s more about your heart.¡±


    Yating blinked once. ¡°You awfully seem to know my heart too well.¡±


    He realized his tone and immediately said, ¡°I am sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to talk to you that way.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I know. I am not offended. I am sorry too. I mean well for you. As for the earlier part, I don¡¯t know your heart that well actually, but I could take a guess. You didn¡¯t seem to change after the wedding anniversary banquet night.¡±


    ¡°Wedding anniversary¡­¡± he tilted his head.


    ¡°Uncle Jinhai and Aunt Nana¡¯s wedding anniversary banquet.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that. Wait, you were there?¡± He clicked his tongue. ¡°Stupid question. Liu and Zhu families know each other well, so of course you were there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and I saw you at the banquet.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°Yup, I was there too.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t think you recognize me.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t think I understand you.¡±


    Chyou chuckled. ¡°I think I know why Uncle Gu told you to meet me.¡±


    ¡°Because you have awesome skills as a hacker. Dad told me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a part of it, yes. But mainly, I think he wanted to set us up.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he ask you that night that he wanted you to meet somebody?¡±


    Yating stared at her. He faintly had a recollection that Gu Rong was indeed insisting him to meet somebody at the banquet. But he was too furious after their argument and had no interest in meeting anybody. Plus, he also thought that they might be some business associates, so he had further no interest at all.


    ¡°¡­Yes. I think he said something along those lines.¡±


    Chyou smiled. ¡°Well, that person he wanted you to meet was me.¡±

 Chapter ?319 Not used to it

    Chapter ?319 Not used to it


    His lips parted in shock. Needless to say, Yating was startled to know this revelation. He had no idea that Gu Rong was cooking a marriage idea in his mind. He knew he was harping about choosing his wife for him, but he didn''t give any hint that Yating was supposed to meet a woman.


    Chyou continued. "Uncle Gu brought the proposal to Dad one day and said it would be nice if we could meet at the banquet."


    Yating shut his eyes and wished for the universe to swallow him whole.


    Damn!


    He sincerely apologized. "I am really sorry. Dad didn''t say a word about this to me or I wouldn''t have stood you up like that. It was rude of me not to meet you."


    "No, it''s okay. I kind of saw some argument happening between you two. I figured you wouldn''t do anything after that your Dad tells you to. Sometimes, my brother is like that too when he fights with Dad haha."


    Yating sighed. "...Yeah, that''s pretty much what happened."


    She leaned back. "It''s okay. I had a feeling you would reject me anyway."


    Yating paused. "Certainly, I would have told you that I liked another woman, but I would never refuse to meet you at least. You deserved a proper answer."


    Chyou beamed with appreciation. "Thanks. I am glad you think this way. Actually, this is also why I brought this topic up. First, like I mentioned before, the more you delve into Ai, the more you will only hurt yourself. You deserve to find a good woman too, and that won''t happen unless you move on."


    Yating slightly lowered his gaze. "I am trying."


    She sadly shook her head. "You aren''t, and I felt that. You are still clinging onto hope."


    He said nothing.


    Chyou scratched her chin. "I don''t mean to be intrusive but when Dad told me about you, I just did a little bit of research on you out of curiosity," she coughed.


    He raised his brow.


    "For your kind information, I didn''t hack into anything," she said in her defense.


    "I didn''t imply anything of that sort."


    "Good. So I found many things about you. You are talented, hard-working and dedicated, but what I really appreciate the most is that you decided for your own career and started from the bottom. Uncle Gu was against it. But you stood firm and I like that. Not every child can stand up to their parents and do something other than what they set for them. I respect people like that and from the bottom of my heart, I really do want to see you happy."


    He felt at a loss.


    "Th-thanks..." Yating suddenly felt embarrassed. "Sorry, I am not used to this."


    "You are not used to getting praises?" Chyou asked, bewildered.


    "Not the way you praised me."


    "Is it different?"


    "Yes and in a good way of course. That''s why I don''t know how to react."


    Chyou studied him with more curiosity. "Strange."


    Yating smiled. "But I understand your concern. Thanks. I really appreciate it. What is the second reason?"


    "Second is that I don''t want to hurt Uncle Gu. You see, I understand that he made us meet hoping for something to happen between us. But that''s exactly what I don''t want to happen. I don''t want to give him any hopes because...I haven''t told this to anybody yet, but I do have a person I like."


    "Oh. That''s great. He is a lucky man," Yating earnestly nodded.


    Chyou smiled. "Uncle might think that I would perhaps say yes, but it won''t be like that. Actually, I was also going to say the same thing as you if we had met at the banquet that I have a man I like. Right now, Uncle is in jail. He is already stressed out, and I don''t want to stress him more by giving him any hopes."


    Yating widened his eyes. "Please don''t worry about that. I understand now what you are saying. It will be fine. Dad might feel disappointed for a while because things didn''t happen his way, but he will bounce back. He is very stubborn in that sense. Rest assured. I just want your help with his case. You can forget about the marriage meeting and be comfortable."


    Chyou felt greatly relieved.


    Yating inwardly gritted his teeth.


    Dad you...making things difficult like this. The hell you had a secret agenda in sending me here. Even in jail, you have the time to think about setting me up!


    Chyou laughed. "It''s fine. Don''t feel guilty. I can guess what you are thinking. After a certain age, our parents become too invested with our marriage topic."


    "Is Mr. Zhu like that?"


    Her eyes widened. "No way! He wants to keep me by his side as long as possible. That''s also why I haven''t told him about the man I like yet."


    "Lucky you," Yating grimaced. "Why can''t my Dad be like that? Anyway, you can be at ease. The secret of your crush is also safe with me," he smiled.


    She clapped once. "Cool. So tell me. What can I do for you?"


    Yating brought his focus to the topic. "You know the history and the present. Dad is insisting that he is innocent. That''s why I thought if you could help dig a bit more about that judge Mr. Zheng."


    "I already have. Jun had come up to me with the same thing. I had investigated the Summit''s footage too, but there they never met anybody suspicious."


    Yating hesitated.


    There must be something that could help him. He thought about the other judge Mr. Wang and slowly said, "Dad thinks that somebody else is behind this who is framing him. If it''s like that, then Mr. Wang''s death doesn''t feel like a coincidence to me."


    Chyou tilted her head. "I could look into his rivals if anybody has any connection to it."


    "Can you do that? Thanks."


    They talked a bit more about the case and settled on the things Chyou had to look into.


    He shook her head and smiled. "I won''t take more of your time now. See you soon."


    "Same here."


    As he opened the door and stepped out, he bumped into a man. "I am sorry."


    "No problem. Who are you though?"

 Chapter 320 Slowly and steadily but surely

    Chapter 320 Slowly and steadily but surely


    Yating looked at the man thoughtfully and felt as if he had seen the man somewhere before. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you introduce yourself first before asking me that?¡±


    The man blinked at him, surprised. ¡°I thought you knew me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Should I?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Yin,¡± Chyou peeked out to hear what the fuss was about. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    He waved his hand and smiled. ¡°Just wanted to invite you for lunch,¡± he glanced at Yating. ¡°But I think you are busy.¡±


    ¡°Nope. Our meeting just got over.¡±


    ¡°Cool. By the way he¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh yes. He is Gu Yating. He needs my help for something. Gu Yating, he is Cheng Yin, my friend and coworker,¡± she introduced them.


    Yating still looked doubtful as if he didn¡¯t really recognize him.


    Cheng Yin chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think you watch movies that much. You see, if Zhu Chyou is the most sought out actress in the entertainment industry, then I am the A-listed actor.¡±


    ¡°What a narcissist,¡± Chyou snorted.


    Cheng Yin studied his expression and looked dumbfounded. ¡°Come on, you would have at least seen me in some commercial. I cannot believe that you really don¡¯t know my name.¡±


    ¡°I do feel like I have seen you somewhere before,¡± Yating tried to recollect.


    ¡°At long last!¡±


    ¡°Not in any movie or commercial though.¡±


    Yating couldn¡¯t remember anymore, so he shrugged.


    ¡°Come on, don¡¯t give up.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think one man not knowing you should be a big deal for you.¡±


    He looked at Chyou. ¡°Thanks for your time. I will call you later.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    When Yating left, Cheng Yin said, ¡°I thought your meeting was over.¡±


    She smacked his head. ¡°Did you not hear me? He needs my help for something. Of course, we will be in touch till then. Why are you asking? Do I smell something burning?¡± She asked with amusement.


    Cheng Yin sneered. ¡°It¡¯s your misconception.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°You are so not honest. Let¡¯s go for lunch. I am damn hungry and you are paying.¡±


    ¡ª


    Dream High.


    Zhan Yahui leaned back on her chair in her office with her eyes closed.


    I need to do something to bring Guiying¡¯s popularity back. If this goes on, then it won¡¯t be long before Mrs. Shi targets me again. Guiying needs to be winning¡­


    Just then, ¡®Guiying¡¯ entered her office and took her seat as she smiled at her. ¡°You called for me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Are you working on any new book? Or maybe it¡¯s a stupid question because you are not her.¡±


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ raised her brow. ¡°I am not much of a writer. That¡¯s not the purpose for which I was born inside her anyway,¡± she shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. But I need the other Guiying back to start thinking and writing. Zhou Ai¡¯s popularity is soaring, and we need to do something to bring her back on track. She needs a successful book to boost her.¡±


    ¡°At this point, I only want revenge from-¡°


    ¡°Revenge is fine,¡± she cut her off, ¡°But you cannot compromise your career. In fact, a bright career is even better when you will bring Liu Jun to his knees. It will make him regret playing with you,¡± she smiled.


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ narrowed her eyes. ¡°Bring him to knees¡­I already tried a part of it in Shanghai using that Han Shui.¡±


    ¡°Then try harder. Don¡¯t expect to break Liu Jun in just a first strike. You have to go step by step. Glass needs to crack before it¡¯s shattered into pieces. The cracks gradually form and when it cannot bear the burden, it will finally break apart.¡±


    ¡®She¡¯ clicked her tongue. ¡°I would rather bring his real face in front of the whole world.¡±


    A glint passed through Zhan Yahui¡¯s eyes. ¡°Useless. He is from the Liu family. They will discard you like trash with their power. My way is slow and steady, but it¡¯s sureshot.¡±


    ¡°It will be a pain to plan all this,¡± ¡®she¡¯ grimaced.


    ¡°Your goal is not getting changed. Just the method to arrive at it,¡± she swirled pen around on her desk, ¡°Your goal is to ruin Liu Jun, and your plan is to hit him where it will hurt the most. Zhou Ai.¡±


    ¡ª


    A few days later at Sky Publishing.


    Ai and Xing Bi were working together on her new book when she got a message that the Sky CEO requested her presence.


    Xing Bi giggled. ¡°Go. I think your boyfriend is missing you.¡±


    Ai cleared her throat. ¡°It cannot be. We are working here.¡±


    She rolled her eyes. ¡°And you think office romance is not a thing? Go, go!¡±


    Stepping into Jun¡¯s office, Ai furrowed her brows upon not seeing anybody. Suddenly, a pair of arms grabbed her from the back and pulled her. Jun kissed her cheek. ¡°It hurts when you ignore me.¡±


    ¡°When did I ignore you?¡±


    ¡°Since so many days?¡±


    She earnestly said, ¡°I am working on the new book. You know about it.¡±


    ¡°You are working too hard. Maybe¡­¡± he played with her hair and softly chomped on her ear, ¡°I should lessen Xing Bi¡¯s work a little. How about I become your editor?¡±


    Ai felt ticklish on her ear. ¡°I don¡¯t think I would be able to work then.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Wrong. Didn¡¯t one of the authors in Shanghai ask you about your inspiration for mature scenes? I think some good time on the couch will help you as a writer a lot. Real life experience is more useful~¡±


    Her ears reddened. ¡°I already have experience¡­¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t hurt to have some more.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    *Knock knock*


    Ai quickly pulled away when Sun Bai stepped in. ¡°Sir.¡± She eyed them and said, ¡°I came at the wrong time-¡°


    Ai smiled. ¡°No, no. It¡¯s nothing anyway.¡±


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    You are not getting out of this, my girlfriend.


    Sun Bai adjusted her spectacles and said, ¡°Sir, these files need your signature. I will keep them on your desk.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    As Sun Bai shut the door, Ai asked Jun, ¡°Did Zhu Chyou tell anything about Chen Zixin¡¯s laptop?¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Yup. I just got her call. She said the repair is almost done, and she will start with the data recovery soon. She is confident she will be able to find something. Let¡¯s hope for the best.¡±

 Chapter ?321 A withered petal

    Chapter ?321 A withered petal


    Ai was elated with this good news. "Zhu Chyou is so awesome. I didn''t think it would be possible looking at the laptop''s condition. As expected of my idol," she said with pride.


    "You are praising her too much," Jun remarked with distaste.


    "Because she deserves it. Finally, we can get some clues about the woman Chen Zixin liked."


    Jun nodded. He hopped on the couch and pulled Ai on his lap. "There is another piece of good news. Bro Zixin is discharged from the hospital and is back home."


    She beamed. "That''s great. Yunru and everybody else must be so happy. The past few days were so difficult."


    His gaze softened. "Yes. Driver Chi is also getting better though it will take some time for his legs to heal. Oh yes. Yunru just called me. Since Bro is back, we all siblings are throwing him a welcome back party. It won''t be anything flashy. Just a warm get-together."


    "It''s a good idea. I think Chen Zixin will also like it. When will you be going?"


    "It''s not just me. We will be going together."


    She blinked. "Me too?"


    "Aren''t you family too?" He smiled. "I am pretty sure Bro Nian will be inviting Xing Bi too. You should not hesitate anymore for such things," he narrowed his eyes and pinched her cheeks.


    Ai thought about it and nodded. "I will be happy to be there."


    She then softly pressed her forehead against his. "Everything will be fine, Jun."


    He inhaled her scent and softly smiled. "I know. You are here with me."


    "Always."


    She looked at the time and widened her eyes. "Xing Bi must be waiting for me. I will leave-"


    She shuddered, feeling Jun''s hand wandering inside her dress. "W-what are you doing?"


    "What I called you here for."


    "This is the office."


    "And I am the CEO."


    "She is waiting for me."


    "Considering that she knows our relationship, I think she has a fair idea that she will have to wait for a while."


    Ai blushed.


    His hand caressed her thigh from inside the dress, teasingly reaching her sensitive parts. He tugged her panties and gently inserted his finger inside her.


    She sharply gasped, feeling the pleasure from his intrusion resonate within her. She clutched his shoulders, her breaths turning messier. Feeling him squelching her insides expertly, she released with whispering her soft, pleasing moans in his ear.


    Jun placed a kiss on her neck. His hushed voice asked sensually, "Do you want me, Ai?"


    Her lips trembled. "I¡­need to g-go¡­"


    She heaved when he pressed his finger on her sensitive spot inside her.


    "I don''t think you can go in this state. So, I will ask you again," Jun showed his familiar villainous expression but for a very different reason. "Do you want me?"


    The tip of her tongue had a different answer, but Jun''s finger working inside her was urging her to give another answer.


    "Yes¡­" helplessly gave in.


    Kissing her hard on her lips, he praised her. "Good girl."


    Ai still feebly tried to escape. "I will get late¡­"


    Jun chuckled. "Nice excuse, but you won''t be."


    Ai heard some shuffling noises while her face was buried in his neck. As she soon felt his length poking her entrance, her mouth twitched with speechlessness. "You¡­Don''t tell me you keep condoms in your office too¡­"


    Squeezing her breast that perfectly fit into his palm, he smiled. "You keep seducing me everywhere. I have to be ready. I take good measures."


    "..."


    "I didn''t do anything right now."


    "You don''t have to. One look is enough to make me feel pinning you beneath me," he said as he entered her with a deep thrust.


    "Ahhnnn!"


    He tightly hugged her and adjusted her position on his lap. His tongue licked the red blush on her cheek. "It will be a quickie, so you will feel it harder. Try not to get unconscious because I want to keep hearing your moans."


    She gulped.


    He smiled evilly. "Are you ready?"


    ¡ª


    "Bro, this is your room!" Yunru and Yubi gave him a grand welcome.


    Zixin cautiously stepped in, his eyes taking in the room''s layout as he studied it.


    His family was slightly nervous with his silence. Serena asked in concern, "Does he remember something?"


    Jianyu studied his son''s expression. "I don''t think so."


    Chen Liling pursed her lips. "I thought he might recollect if he gets back home."


    Chen Guiren patted his wife''s shoulder. "We shouldn''t be hasty. I know we all want his memories back, but let''s give him his time."


    Jianyu squeezed Serena''s hand. "Smile."


    "Yes¡­"


    He looked at the twins. "Let''s leave him alone for sometime."


    Their shoulders slumped. "Okay¡­"


    "Bro, if you need anything, call me right away!" Yunru chirped.


    Yubi grinned. "Call me first because he is useless."


    "Shut up, Yubi."


    Serena dragged them out. "Okay, okay. Fight outside, not here. Zixin, I will make all your favorite dishes today!"


    Zixin softly smiled. "Thank you."


    As he stood in silence, he exhaled a breath. Everything was confusing and spinning for him. He appreciated that he had a supportive family but not remembering anything about them made him feel uneasy.


    He slowly walked around and casually browsed the shelves and cupboard in his room, hoping to understand what sort of a person he was before the accident. Reaching to the bedside table, he checked the drawers but apart from work related stuff, there was nothing else. The fourth drawer was completely empty.


    Zixin sighed.


    He was about to close the drawer when he caught something lying at the corner inside the drawer. He tilted his head and pulled it out.


    A small, withered cherry blossom petal lay between his fingers.


    Zixin blinked and immediately recalled the blossom he picked outside the hospital. Guiying''s face came to his mind as she had handed him the petal.


    ''Do you like cherry blossoms?''


    ''I don''t know.''


    This petal in the drawer won''t come out of nowhere¡­


    He didn''t know anything about himself, but now he realized one thing.


    I guess I really like cherry blossoms.

 Chapter ?322 The welcome back get-together

    Chapter ?322 The welcome back get-together


    The small get-together for Zixin get-together was held in one of the luxurious hotels owned by the Han Corps, which was dominating the hospitality industry.


    "Cheers!"


    With Zixin as the focus of the whole party, everybody raised a toast for Zixin''s recovery. There were unsolved questions about his accident but today all the worries were left behind only to cherish his health and safety.


    Jian smirked. "To Zixin who came back to us safe and sound. Well, he had to or else I would have killed him myself."


    Leina hit his elbow. "No talking about killing or violence today."


    "Yes, Mam," Jian didn''t argue.


    "Jian is a such a slave," Nian snorted. "For that matter..." he waved his hand at Xing Bi like a dog furiously wagging his tail. "I am my Xing Bi''s slave too!"


    She gave him a smile. "Since you are my slave, how about I order you not to talk to me for this whole evening?"


    "..."


    "So cruel, Xing Bi," he cried. "What is crueler is that you are sitting opposite me with Ai! Why? You should sit beside your future husband!"


    Xing Bi protectively pulled Ai towards her. "It''s so that you and your brother don''t target my Ai! You have done a lot of questionable things with her and no way do I want you to use her to butter me tonight! So stay where you are."


    Leina eyed Jian. "How can I forget that Trial of Judgment where you so passionately confessed to Zhou Ai?"


    Jian rapidly gulped down his drink, not meeting her eye.


    Yubi laughed. "Hahaha. Poor Bro Nian. We finally meet you by the way!" She said to Xing Bi, "You are the one who had pulled him like a Prince Charming away from us, right?"


    Soo Zenya leaned with her eyes sparkled. "That was so cool."


    Chyou was speechless. "Did that really happen? Our goofy Nian was taken away like a princess? Hahaha! Ah, I so wish I had been there to watch this!"


    That was another shock that Xing Bi received tonight. The ones who she took as bullying Nian at banquet night when she breaking in actually turned out to be his cousins and friends who were just teasing him.


    Xing Bi angrily laughed. "But you told me that they treat you like garbage. I felt bad for you. Liu Nian, you are not even a little bit afraid of lying, are you!?"


    Soo Yijun was speechless. "That''s so low, Bro Nian."


    Nian wiped his forehead. "You were definitely all making fun of me!"


    "Not like you portrayed us to her!"


    Nuo sighed. "Just how many times have you dug your grave, Bro?"


    Xing Bi sneered. "That comes to the part where I should have second thoughts about the date we were going to have."


    "Ooooo~~"


    Nian choked. "What? Nooo! I earned that date from your after so many trials and tribulations!"


    "What trials and tribulations? The only things that I remember are you lying to me again and again and stalking me all the way to Shanghai! I called that harassment, not your trials, you idiot!" She threw a pillow at him.


    "Yes, reject this date. He needs to suffer more," Jun said in disdain while also adding food into Ai''s plate.


    "You are putting too much," she pursed her lips.


    "Just eat."


    On the other side, Yunru pouted and brought another plate for Zixin. "You are eating so less, Bro."


    Zixin smiled. "I have already eaten so much."


    "Nothing is so much when it comes to food," he slightly blushed as he looked at Huan, who he had also invited tonight. "R-right, Huan?"


    She nodded. "He should eat more to build his energy."


    He beamed. "Yes! That''s what I was saying. Oops, hehe I forgot to introduce her. Bro, she is Shi Huan. We met in Shanghai. She is-"


    "Your girlfriend?" He innocently asked, making Yunru cough hard.


    "..."


    "What? Our doggo Yunru has a girlfriend now?"


    "The hell you didn''t tell us!"


    "When did this happen? Tell us all the details!"


    "N-N-No! She is just a friend..."


    They eyed him suspiciously, clearly not believing him.


    Nian sneered. "Will you grab just a friend''s chest in public?"


    Yubi gasped. "You...Yunru, you pervert!"


    Siying coughed. "You took quite a leap there, buddy."


    Yunru bit his lip. "That was an accident! Somebody pushed me, and I stumbled into her... i had no other intentions!"


    Siying laughed. "Alright, alright. Of course, we believe you." His gaze fell on his sister and he asked, "Shui, you alright? You look troubled."


    "Yes," she quickly said, though she wasn''t okay because Jin was sitting right opposite her, who was clearly looking at everywhere but not her.


    Nian hopped on his feet. "Time to celebrate with some dessert made by yours truly!"


    A piece of delicious chocolate cake was put on each plate and kept on the table.


    "Dig in and let me bask into your praises~"


    Shui stretched her hand and pulled one plate when she saw Jin pulling the same plate towards him. She froze and glanced at him, whose expression looked darker and annoyed.


    "I will take another-"


    Instead, Jin let go of the plate and picked another one.


    She stiffened, dazedly holding the plate. She felt as if he detested even the things she held that he rather chose something else.


    Nuo tapped on her shoulder. "Shui? Take your plate or somebody else will gobble it."


    "Y-Yes..." she pressed her lips and said, "I will be back in a minute," She quickly left.


    The scene between Shui and Jin happened so quickly that nobody really noticed the oddity except Jun and Ai. Ai had observed her lips slightly trembling too.


    "I will talk to Shui."


    Jun quietly nodded. He looked at Jin, who didn''t seem bothered by Shui leaving at all. He thought for a moment and pulled out his phone.


    Jin looked at his phone with a message notification from Jun. He narrowed his eyes as he read it.


    ''Can we talk?''

 Chapter 323 The past and now Shui

    Chapter 323 The past and now Shui


    In the restroom, Shui had locked herself in a stall, wiping her eyes. Seeing Jin ignore her so blatantly crushed her heart.


    "Shui?"


    She heard Ai''s voice and straightened up. "Oh, Ai. What happened?"


    "I know you are crying inside. Will you please come out?"


    Silence.


    Ai waited for her outside. The door slowly opened, and Shui came out with slightly red eyes. Without saying anything, Ai took a step forward and gently hugged her.


    Shui couldn''t hold her tears back and broke down silently. "I am sorry¡­"


    "Why are you apologizing?"


    "Because I thought I won''t let Jin affect me anymore, but I always fail in the end. Heh, even now, I was happy that he sat opposite me. But when he took another plate, I realized it was so stupid to feel that way. He doesn''t even want to touch anything that I have touched already."


    She awkwardly said, "I wanted to ask Jin about his injury and if he was okay. I guess he doesn''t need my concern."


    Looking into her sincere gaze mingled with sorrow, Ai felt a stark contrast in the Shui that stood before her and the Shui who Jin described as a selfish and obsessive woman in her last life.


    "Shui," she held her hand. "If Jin doesn''t accept you, will you really give up on him?"


    Shui rubbed her eyes. "It''s okay, Ai. I am fine. I understand that it''s hard, but I feel that one day I will be able to forget him."


    "Will you not¡­" she didn''t know how to put forth the question. "Do you think that love will change you to take any extreme steps?"


    "Extreme? Like having Jin at all costs?" She sadly smiled. "That won''t make Jin love me back, right?"


    Ai shook her head.


    "So, no. I won''t do any such thing. I don''t want Jin just physically beside me. What''s the point if I don''t have his heart? It will feel so lonely."


    She said nothing.


    Shui hugged her. "Thanks for coming here, Ai. You are really so sweet. I will go back or Bro will worry about me."


    "Yes."


    Watching her leave, Ai wondered to herself.


    If Shui cannot think of being so obsessive about Jin, then why would she threaten Jin to marry her in the past?


    ¡ª


    At the balcony of the corridor where Jun waited for Jin, he breathed in the nice, cool air. He exhaled, his brown eyes dimming. He had no hope now that Jin would meet him. Twenty minutes had already passed without a sign of him.


    "What?"


    He heard his voice and turned. Jin had his hands in his pockets as he peered into Jun''s eyes.


    "Jin¡­"


    He looked away. "Why were you so shocked when you called me here?"


    Jun coughed. "I thought you wouldn''t come."


    "I didn''t want to, but who cares? Whatever. What is this about? If you want to ask about my injury, then it''s already healed. My head is functioning properly."


    "...That was indeed the first question I wanted to ask you."


    "What is the second question?"


    "About Shui-"


    "Ah, so you came to talk to me about her. Is it because I refused to take the same plate as her? Did you see that?" He clicked his tongue. "As always, your focus is always Shui. Your girlfriend will feel so hurt. But what else do I expect? You never saw anything apart from Shui anyway before and even now, it is the same."


    "It''s not that, Jin. I care about her as a friend just like Ai does. You might not like Shui back, but you didn''t have to do that either."


    "Considering what she did in the past, I think this is very little embarrassment," he narrowed his eyes.


    Jun''s brows furrowed with a feeling of doubt arising in his heart.


    Jin understood the meaning of his look. "You will take her side even after knowing the stunt she pulled in the past? Looks like¡­" he laughed, "Even after being reborn and even with this second life, you still don''t believe anything I have to say. You think I am making all this up?"


    "No, Jin. No¡­" Jun helplessly held his hand, his eyes softly shining with tears. "I am already guilty of not believing you once. I don''t want to repeat that mistake this time."


    "Then why are you looking like that?" Jin sharply asked.


    "Because I equally believe in Shui. Shui threatening you to marry her like that¡­I just don''t see that happening, Jin."


    "Who cares what you see and what you don''t! It won''t change the truth! Heh, and you talk about whether she can do something or not? Then what about you? Nobody ever thought that you would go so far to hurt your family for her either, but you did it anyway," he sneered. "Who are you to judge Shui?"


    Jun gritted his teeth. "What I see matters Jin! I know I am the last person to talk about Shui¡­" he trembled remembering how he ruthlessly pushed Nana away, "But I also know that I had been blind to too many things in my last life. I ended up hurting you and everybody. I don''t want to be blind this time and mess everything up. I don''t want you to make the same mistake I did and that is accusing an innocent person."


    Jin looked at him incredulously. "Innocent? Shui cutting her wrist happened right in front of my eyes and so did she threaten me with marriage! You think I was hallucinating?"


    "No. I am not saying you are lying. But I also feel that there is something missing about all this. Tell me. Why did she wait for five years?"


    "Because she had lost her patience!" He angrily exclaimed.


    "That doesn''t make sense, Jin," he shook his head. "You said you never liked her. That means you rejected her confession. She already knew you would never be with her. She might have thought of waiting for sometime but how long? Five years is a long time, and she doesn''t need that long to understand this, Jin. Why would she threaten you after five years out of nowhere?"

 Chapter ?324 It Hurts Too Much

    "You are seriously not saying these things, right?" Jin asked in disdain.


    "I am. I want you to believe me when I say I really didn''t know that Great-grandma wanted to meet me. This is just as weird as Shui threatening you. Tell me. In those five years, did Shui ever keep bothering you into accepting her? Did she refuse to give up on you? Or let me ask you this way. Did she act towards you the way I acted obsessively with her?"


    Jin stared at him in silence.


    With a troubled and distraught look, Jun said, "My obsession for her was exactly what drove her away from me. That''s why it''s hard to think that she would do the same thing to you when she has herself...suffered from it because of me."


    Jin smiled. "Love changes people, Bro. It changed you into a completely different person. So much that I couldn''t even recognize you anymore. If it can happen to you, then why not Shui? Is she some Goddess? I did say to you before that I was fooling around with women to hurt her. Maybe, she really lost her screws with that. I don''t care why she turned out like that, but I will never forgive her. If that''s all, then I will leave."


    There were still things left uncertain about Shui, so Jun didn''t insist further.


    When he turned, Jun quickly caught his hand and stopped him. "I..."


    He wanted to apologize for all his wrongdoings, but there were so many things he had hurt him with that he couldn''t find his words. He shut his eyes for a moment and recalled Jin dying in front of him.


    "...I am so glad that you are okay," a tear slipped out.


    Jin faced him and gave a sardonic smile. "Really now? It''s hard to believe coming from you who pointed a gun at me in the past."


    He froze.


    "Jin..." his shivering fingers balled into a fist, and he looked into his eyes. "I didn''t mean...I never meant to kill you. I really didn''t. I could never kill my brother..." his eyes ached. "I know it''s hard to trust me. But Jin...really...I didn''t want to shoot you."


    "I know. The person who let the twins break his favorite video game because he helped me with my punishment cannot possibly press the trigger and kill that same brother. You are not listening to me properly, Bro. But then again, when did you ever listen to me in the past?"


    He said nothing.


    "The bullet that hit my chest didn''t hurt as much as your desire to erase my existence. You didn''t act on that desire, but that desire in itself is what led me to let you take my life. You say you didn''t mean to kill me, but then you wouldn''t have brought a gun to the wedding in the first place."


    Jun took a deep, suffocated breath. With a hoarse voice, he said, "You are...right. I am the worst brother anybody could have. I was selfish in the past and," he chuckled as if mocking himself, "I still am because I really want you to forgive me. Ever since I am reborn, I am only...selfishly wanting to be forgiven. One bullet made it impossible, yet here I am shamelessly standing in front of you. I know it won''t mean anything to you but please let me apologize, Jin."


    Jin looked blank, his eyes too tired to even cry.


    Tears plopped on Jun''s cheeks. "I am sorry for not believing in you. I am sorry for unjustly hating you. I am sorry for pushing you away. I am sorry for forgetting my promise to you that I will make spaghetti only for you. I am sorry if I made you feel that you were less important to me than Shui. I am sorry for turning my back on you. I am..."


    His wet eyelashes trembled, "I am sorry for wanting to kill you. I am sorry for putting you through so much pain. I am sorry I couldn''t be a good brother to you."


    Jin inwardly bit his tongue hard, not wishing to show his weakness and tears in front of him.


    Jun lowered his eyes and stared at his trembling hand. He raised it and placed it on top of Jin''s head, slowly ruffling his hair. His smile to Jin was affectionate just like a loving elder brother in those times that they spent together. "I know it''s impossible to forgive me. You hate me, and I deserve it. That''s why if you want to see me dead, I will gladly take your bullet this time."


    He froze.


    Jun took a step and passed by his side. As he was about to leave, he heard a question whispered from Jin. "How did you die in the past?"


    He stiffened. The question hung in the air for a while.


    A forced smile formed on his lips. "I...died just naturally many years later. I lived separate and alone from everybody until I took my last breath. Quite a fitting death for me, right?"


    I am sorry for lying to you, Jin, his vision blurred. I don''t want to disappoint you anymore than I already have and see me as a weak man who gave up on his life like a coward.


    Jun didn''t want him to find him suspicious, so he quickly left.


    Jin stared ahead with an empty gaze.


    ''Jun''s car which he crashed into the building on purpose to commit suicide.''


    He laughed with tears falling from his eyes. He slowly fell on his knees as he covered his face and let his tears kiss his palms.


    "Aaaahhhhhh....!" He cried with an agony that tore his heart apart. "I hate you...I hate you, I hate you, I hate you! I will never...forgive you..."


    pa(nd)a novel His fingers dug on his temples, and the bruise which had started to heal reddened and trickled with blood again. He tiredly gazed at the night sky.


    He couldn''t decide what he should do and what he shouldn''t. Jun had moved on and found new love in Ai.


    I am the only one living in the past. Do you think I don''t want to move on?


    I do too, but it hurts too much, Bro. It just hurts too much...

 Chapter 325 The Canceled Surprise Plan (1)

    At the entrance of the same hotel where Zixin''s party was held, two figures stepped in to have a small party of their own.


    Yating sighed and asked, "Guiying, why did you bring me here?"


    ''Guiying'' cocked her brow with a smile at the corner of her lips. "Because somebody was moping in too much sadness in his office. It was so depressing that assistants were complaining about mushrooms growing wherever you walked."


    His mouth twitched. "It wasn''t that serious. I was just tired," he looked away. "You know Dad is in jail, and I am working in Gu Corps. It''s just exhausting."


    Such a good actor, she sneered. If I hadn''t heard the real reason behind your odd behavior, I might have believed you too.


    ''She'' shrugged. "It''s exhausting and that''s why I brought you here. You are working too hard, and you need some time to chill."


    He weakly smiled. "I really don''t."


    If I relax, then it just gets harder to forget Ai...


    ''Guiying'' could read his emotions like an open book. She pulled his arm towards the counter. "I say you do and that means you do. Let''s have some drinks and unwind."


    Heading straight to the counter, ''Guiying'' placed a order of their drinks. As they held their wine glasses, Yating asked, "By the way, how are things going with him?"


    "Him?"


    "The person you like. You told me at the Summit that you like someone, right?


    The sip she was going to take stopped just at her lips. "Ah."


    ''She'' clenched the glass in her palm, with fury reflecting in her irises. "Nothing really. He turned out to be a cheater. All the little things he did for me were just a lie."


    Yating widened his eyes. "What? That''s awful. Fucking bastard..." he whispered in anger.


    He pursed his lips and patted her hand. "I know it''s tough, but I am glad you learned it sooner than later. Don''t lament for a cheater like him. You will find someone who will love you a lot. I am sure of it. Seriously, cheaters like him should burn in hell."


    ''She'' chuckled. "I am very vengeful. Who knows if I really show him hell?"


    "That''s much better."


    ''She'' caught a figure walking at the far and narrowed her eyes. "I will be back in a minute."


    "Sure."


    --


    On the other side, Ai was walking with slow steps back to where the party was, contemplating about the past and Shui.


    "Hey, Ai."


    The long trance of her thoughts broke, and she looked at her right. She blinked. "Guiying? What are you doing here?"


    "Hey. Quite a coincidence to see you here. Just brought Yating here to relax. He has been..." ''she'' tilted her head, "quite low today."


    Ai furrowed her brows questioningly.


    Low? Is this about Mr. Gu?


    "Why don''t you come with me for a while? You can meet him too."


    "Sorry, I cannot. I am here for-"


    ''Guiying''s'' gaze dimmed. "Ai, I know that you have left Dream High, but does it mean that Yating and I cannot be friends with you anymore?"


    p-n0vel¡¢com She said nothing.


    "Or is it because of what Bro did in Shanghai?" ''she'' held her hands with a remorse filled gaze. "Ai, please let me apologize on Bro''s behalf. I don''t know what got over him. You know he is not like this. He has always adored you so much. But still, he was wrong in how he behaved."


    Ai shook her head. "It''s not your fault. It''s Bro Lingyun who should apologize, not you."


    ''She'' smiled in relief. "Thanks. I knew you would understand. I have already talked to him," she then said after a pause, "It feels like a long time since we have talked like this, right? Things are Summit changed so much..."


    "Indeed."


    Ai was maintaining her distance with her since she was reborn but after the Summit, it felt like they were just two strangers who never met before.


    ''Guiying'' sighed. "I am sorry for stopping you. I saw you and thought that we trio can spend some time just like the old days..."


    Ai gave it some thought and said, "Okay. Let''s go."


    --


    Yating stared at his own reflection on the wine glass as he swirled it in his hand.


    Was I really looking that depressed?


    He took a breath and shut his eyes, thinking of the project he had just canceled. As he opened his eyes, he couldn''t believe the person standing beside Guiying.


    "Ai?"


    "Surprise!" ''Guiying'' grinned. "Ai is here for some other party, but I dragged her here for sometime, haha."


    Yating fumbled on his seat and straightened up. "I see. You shouldn''t have bothered her."


    "Hey, you might know her for a little time, but I am her friend since high school. I have the right to be a little bothersome at least."


    He quickly said, "Please sit," as he ordered a fruit punch for her.


    After a period of short silence, he slowly asked, "Are you here with Liu Jun?"


    "Yes," she nodded.


    He slightly shifted in his seat uncomfortably, but he tried to mask his pain.


    "...I see. I hope he knows who brought you here because I don''t want him accusing me of kidnapping you," he sneered, thinking of Jun.


    Ai''s brow twitched. "That won''t happen."


    She then observed the light bags under his eyes and his complexion that didn''t shone with the vigor he had before.


    He really looks so tired.


    "You shouldn''t work so hard."


    ''Guiying'' snorted. "That''s exactly I am saying. But he doesn''t listen to anybody. Forget about listening to me, he doesn''t even share stuff with me anymore. Like the new publishing company project that he just canceled today."


    Yating froze. He shot her an astonished gaze mixed with panic.


    "Right, Yating?"


    Ai looked at him in confusion. "New publishing company that he canceled? I don''t understand."


    "It''s nothing!" With an uneasy smile, he swiftly ignored that topic. "It''s not something so major-"


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "Not major? But that wasn''t what I heard when I came to meet you. I was standing outside your office today when I heard your conversation with somebody on phone."


    He stiffened.


    "From what I understood, you were working to build on your own publishing company. Ai Publishing."

 Chapter 326 The Canceled Surprise Plan (2)

    Ai Publishing¡­


    From the name itself, it was crystal clear what it meant.


    ''Guiying'' felt it was a stroke of good luck that she accidentally heard him talking. That was enough to make her understand the context of what Yating wanted to do and enough to know what she had to do tonight.


    Ai could only stare at him, not knowing what to think of what she just learned.


    My name¡­


    Yating''s shoulders tensed with the sharp silence that befall. He silently glared at Guiying for bringing this up.


    "Don''t give me this look, Mr. Gu," ''Guiying'' sneered. "It''s not because of your father or the additional responsibilities that you were so down today, but because of how you had to stop this project. You wanted to build a whole company just for Ai, and I don''t need to say why you decided to give up on it."


    Silence.


    ''Guiying'' glanced at him and then eyed Ai once. "As a friend, Ai wanted to know the reason too. I just told her. But well, it looks like you will strangle me any second, so let me have my drink somewhere else."


    Left alone at the counter, Yating was sweating hard. He took out his handkerchief and wiped his forehead. "Oh, your fruit punch is here," he clumsily placed the glass before her.


    "Ai Publishing?" Ai asked the question which he was avoiding to answer.


    Yating jammed a thin slice of lemon on the glass''s mouth. "It will feel more refreshing with a lemon."


    "Ai Publishing?"


    "Do you want some snacks? I have heard the garlic bread is tasty here."


    "You are avoiding the topic."


    "Of course not," he felt his heart thudding in his ears. "There is just nothing to talk about it."


    Ai said with a certain weight in her voice, "I think you have a lot to say about a company you were going to name after me."


    Feeling her keen and acute stare that was not giving him the luxury to hide anywhere, he could only succumb to his fate.


    Yating smiled and shook his head. "It''s really nothing, Ai. It''s just a thought I had."


    "...Since when?"


    "We don''t need to focus so much-"


    "Since when?"


    Yating sighed. "Since you didn''t get the book-signing event."


    Her light brown pupils watched him with disbelief.


    "I was furious that you didn''t get a signing event of your own. You deserved it as much as Guiying. I was hell mad at the management, I fought with them, but I could change nothing. Well, I could have if I had used my status as Gu Yating and put pressure on them, but I didn''t want to. I came to Dream High to make my own career without any influence. There would have been no point if I used Dad''s or my family name''s connections. And I know you wouldn''t have agreed with this method either. You would have wanted it on your merit."


    He drank the last sip and put the glass down. "Looking at the state of the matters, I had a hunch that this would continue. They seemed focused on Guiying. They might never give you fair promotions, and I would never bear that. So, I¡­I decided to build my own publishing company. I wanted it to be on your name because I¡­" he left it unsaid and neither did Ai had to explicitly hear it.


    "Now that you¡­" he felt a choke in his throat, "you are with Liu Jun, I couldn''t continue with this plan. Ai Publishing made by Gu Yating would only embarass you, who is dating Liu Jun. I don''t want to put you in an awkward position, so I scraped off this project."


    Ai didn''t know what to respond, but she felt her heart sharply pulsating in her chest. This didn''t match with what happened in her last life.


    I never had a book signing event in the past either. Does that mean¡­


    She remembered all those times when Yating looked tired and exhausted and when he couldn''t give her time in their relationship. Those canceled dates coupled with how lethargic he looked - those memories flashed in her mind. At times, she felt as if he was keeping something from her.


    Was it that he was working on this company for all that time?


    "...You didn''t tell me," she whispered, wanting to ask the Yating of the past life.


    But the Yating before her caught her question and said, "I wanted it to be a surprise. It doesn''t matter now."


    She stiffened and also remembered how Yating refused to meet her parents many times. He always looked awkward and hesitant whenever she brought that topic.


    Was he perhaps¡­waiting to meet Mom and Dad after he would have successfully built the company like an accomplishment?


    If he was a thoughtful boyfriend who had planned such a grand thing for her sake, she couldn''t believe that he would put off meeting her parents for no reason.


    Her thoughts were all jumbled up, and she could hardly make sense of it. But if this was true, then Yating''s behavior had some explanation to it.


    Then she also wondered how a capable man like Yating needed five years to build the company? Considering his qualifications and intellect, it shouldn''t have taken him so long.


    Recalling the anxiety and worry he showed a few times when they worked together, she questioned if something was holding him back?


    But then if he loved her so much that he was working hard for five years to build Ai Publishing, why did he break up with her and choose Guiying? How did that love fade away so easily?


    She trembled with all these questions making her feel dizzy and breathless.


    What was exactly going on in the past?


    ¡ª


    Standing in a corner, ''Guiying'' chuckled as she saw the realization and confusion hit Ai from afar. This wasn''t a thing Ai could ignore.


    Hit it right at the aim, ''she'' thought and took out a cigarette. She exhaled a grey smoke as she enjoyed Ai''s state.


    Suddenly, she heard a deep voice say from behind her, "Cigarettes are not good for your health."


    Startled, ''she'' turned and widened her eyes as recognized Zixin standing in front of her.

 Chapter 327 The Deal

    The dessert party at Zixin''s side had taken quite a wild turn when the mischievous twins Jian and Nian started to decorate people''s faces with cream and icing instead of eating it. Zixin being the center of today''s get-together became the very first sacrificial lamb.


    Now that his cheeks, forehead and chin were laced with chocolate cream, he had to step out to wash his face. It was on the way when his gaze casually fell on a woman, whose back faced him. He blinked his eyes rapidly when she slightly turned her head to exhale the cigarette smoke.


    That woman...


    He stared at her quietly and compared to how she looked under the cherry blossom tree, she felt a little different tonight. Her eyes and expression felt sharper and fiercer than before when she wore a gentle smile on her lips as she handed him the cherry blossom petal.


    Zixin never thought he would meet her again after that day. For some strange feeling that knocked on his heart, he couldn''t dismiss this coincidence and walk away.


    He approached her and whispered closer to her. "Cigarettes are not good for your health."


    ''Guiying'' took a few moments to scrutinize him, and the real Guiying took over just as naturally as she had that day. The transition from her alter was smooth without any resistance.


    But now that she had taken over, she started coughing badly because of the lingering cigarette''s smoke in her mouth.


    "So-sorry..."


    Without wasting a second further, Zixin left her side out of the blue, shocking her.


    He returned a few minutes later and said, "This is a lozenge pill. It''s sweet and will help to stop your coughing. Also some warm honey water for you. It''s good for smoker''s cough."


    Guiying looked at the things he brought, befuddled. "Thank you so much."


    He nodded.


    "Did you go looking like this?"


    "Like what?"


    "The cream on your face."


    "Oh. I didn''t realize it. Not that it matters anyway."


    "..."


    She widened her eyes. "It does. People would have laughed at you," she coughed again.


    "Doesn''t matter. First you drink the honey water."


    Guiying swallowed the pill and drank the warm water. She felt eased in her throat as the smoke''s rough sensation slowly washed away.


    "Thank you. It feels much better."


    Zixin stared at her. "Just a minute ago, it seemed that you were used to smoking, but now it doesn''t look that way."


    She stiffened. "I..."


    "Nevertheless, it''s bad for your lungs," he seriously suggested.


    Guiying averted her eyes and smiled. "I am trying to quit."


    "That''s nice."


    She looked back at him and quickly said, "Oh, wait a minute."


    She unzipped her handbag and shuffled some things inside. She took out two wet wipes and offered it to him. "Wipe the cream off your face with this."


    Zixin was surprised. "You keep tissues with you?"


    "Women usually keep many things with them," she smiled.


    "That''s true."


    After wiping off the cream off his face, he threw the wipes in the dustbin and thanked her.


    She looked at him and commented. "Your health seems much better now. I am glad you are out of the hospital."


    His gaze was complicated as he replied. "Yes, I am well physically. Though I don''t remember anything yet."


    "You will get your memories eventually."


    "Really?"


    She earnestly nodded. "Yes."


    Zixin softly smiled. "Thank you."


    He then asked, "Are you here with somebody?"


    "Yes. I am with a friend."


    "Oh. Then I shouldn''t take up more of your time."


    Guiying quickly waved her hand. "No, no. Don''t worry about it. He is talking to somebody else anyway..." she slightly lowered her gaze.


    "I see. In that case, can I offer you a drink? It''s my thanks for helping in the hospital."


    She smiled. "It was nothing much. I just helped you pick up a cherry blossom."


    Zixin was serious. "Still."


    "Well, you already thanked me with the pill and honey water. So, we are even."


    "You offered me tissues too, so we are not even yet."


    She blinked at him and burst into a chuckle. "It doesn''t seem like you like to be in debt no matter how small it is."


    "It''s not a debt," he said with a low, pleasing voice, "But I would still like to do something for you."


    She eyed Yating and Ai for a moment and thought about what she should do. She smiled and nodded at him. "Okay."


    --


    "Ai, are you alright?" Yating anxiously asked with concern.


    His hand instinctively went to touch her shoulder, but he stopped just in time. With mixed and complicated emotions, he let his hand sit still in the air for a few seconds before he gradually withdrew it.


    "Look, you don''t have to think too much about it, okay? It''s already over, so don''t fret over it."


    Ai said nothing.


    Yating pressed his brows. His heart was filled with guilt and remorse. "I am sorry. I didn''t want to make you feel uncomfortable. If I knew Guiying had heard my conversation, I would have told her to ignore it."


    "And how many things will you not tell me?" Ai asked.


    "How many?"


    She was asking more to the Yating of the past life. "You never told me about your family either. I never knew you were from the Gu family and had a complicated relationship with your father."


    He stared at her with a slight tremble. "I didn''t tell you because I knew Dad wouldn''t like you. Also..." he murmured.


    "Also?"


    He released a helpless sigh. "Dad and I had a deal some years back. I never wanted to be Gu Corps heir, but he was adamant about it otherwise. We fought a lot over that. Then we finally settled on this. If I choose to pursue my career, he will let me do it but then, he will choose my wife for me in the future. That would be his decision, not mine."


    Ai slowly widened her eyes.


    He hesitated. "Naturally, he wouldn''t have agreed with you because of the deal and also because you are not of a wealthy status though I never cared about that. But it was difficult to tell you. Not having Dad''s approval or seeing him dislike you...I didn''t want you to know about any of it and feel hurt. I would be also basically breaking the deal if I chose my wife instead of him. So until things sorted out, I would have kept it from you had we...dated."

 Chapter 328 Drown sorrow into food, not alcohol

    Chapter 328 Drown sorrow into food, not alcohol


    ¡°I just wanted to get out of his shadow as soon as possible and do something for myself,¡± Yating faintly smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t give much thought over the deal. I was twenty-two and too young to think about marriage anyway. That was a faraway event for me, but my career was right before me. So I agreed to it.¡±


    Ai parted and shut her lips numerous times, bewildered about what to think of all this.


    He shook his head. ¡°But I regretted the deal when I met you and started to like you. Dad would have caused a big ruckus if I dared to choose my wife as well. It was really frustrating and complicated. It was a trouble I made for myself, and I didn¡¯t want you to be involved in it and needlessly let Dad clash with you. But none of it matters right now. You are¡­¡± his trembling fingers formed a fist, ¡°happy with Liu Jun, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­nice,¡± he chuckled with a ring of defeat to it. ¡°After the Summit, I thought many times that I wanted to snatch you away from him. I wanted to believe that he wouldn¡¯t keep you happy but unfortunately, he is not so bad for you.¡±


    Only he knew how much his own words stabbed his heart. His eyes were on the verge of showing his tears to her.


    He cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, he better continue being nice to you or don¡¯t blame me if I think about having you all for myself again.¡±


    A weak smile formed on her lips.


    ¡°I will take my leave¡­¡±


    Yating quickly nodded. He said with disdain, ¡°Yes or your boyfriend will be too much of a pain in the ass. See you later.¡±


    As she turned, she heard Yating speak again, ¡°Ai.¡±


    She stopped.


    ¡°I¡­I am glad we got to talk like this again.¡±


    Her beautiful eyes reflected a whirlpool of many emotions. ¡°Yes. Me too.¡±


    He tapped his finger on the counter and suggested it after much thought. ¡°I know you work in Sky now, and you have Liu Jun¡¯s full support. But if you ever need my help for anything at any time, please don¡¯t hesitate to ask me. Let me¡­at least be a good friend to you.¡±


    Ai¡¯s shoulders shivered. She couldn¡¯t speak for a long time. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Feeling a big burden lift off his chest, he thanked her sincerely.


    Watching her leave with the distance increasing between them, the tear he had been holding onto for this whole time gently slipped across his cheek.


    ¡°Bye, Ai¡­¡±


    He quickly wiped his cheek and ordered another glass of a drink. ¡°Give a strong whisky this time.¡±


    He heard a soft thud from his back and turned to look. His eyes blinked with surprise. ¡°Zhu Chyou?¡±


    She awkwardly smiled as she struggled to maintain her balance. She had knocked on a vase and almost stumbled. ¡°Hey¡­¡±


    His brow twitched. ¡°What¡¯s all that cream on your face?¡±


    She recalled the twins¡¯ mischief and gritted her teeth. ¡°Some annoying brats went out of control, and now I look ugly. Who will take responsibility for my career if something happens to my face? Cakes are meant to be eaten, not played with¡­¡± she murmured to herself.


    Yating took out his handkerchief and offered it. ¡°You can wash your face after this. Will be much easier.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to ruin your handkerchief.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a handkerchief.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you are a lifesaver¡­¡±


    Chyou coughed and swiftly patted her face. ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Yating asked, ¡°How much did you hear?¡±


    ¡°¡­From the part where you explained about Ai Publishing to her?¡±


    ¡°So everything.¡±


    ¡°I was just heading to the washroom when I saw you two together. I didn¡¯t mean to pry.¡±


    He gave an aloof smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright. Doesn¡¯t really matter now.¡±


    Chyou pressed her lips together. ¡°That was really sweet of you to think of making a company for Ai¡¯s sake. Hmm¡­if I already didn¡¯t have someone I like, I would have seriously considered you.¡±


    Yating tilted his head. ¡°Are you fine with an arranged marriage?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°I thought the queen of the entertainment industry would be stubborn about love marriage. You know, like in the movies.¡±


    Chyou took a seat beside him and answered. ¡°Love or arranged marriage really doesn¡¯t matter that much. I did dream of finding someone just like my Mom and Dad did,¡± she smiled, ¡°But even if it¡¯s arranged, I don¡¯t mind because Mom and Dad would be choosing the guy, and I know they will have the best choice for me. They won¡¯t compromise anything on my partner. So if you weren¡¯t a good man, Dad wouldn¡¯t have even bothered to tell me about you.¡±


    He scratched his chin. ¡°I feel flattered.¡±


    ¡°You should be,¡± she chuckled.


    Yating then asked, ¡°Did you find anything about Dad¡¯s rivals?¡±


    Her countenance turned serious. ¡°There is nothing suspicious about them. But I did find something that could help. Are you free to come to set tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The waiter brought the strong whisky that Yating ordered. He was about to take it when Chyou pushed the glass aside. ¡°I know letting go of your love is difficult. But don¡¯t drown in alcohol to pour your sorrow into. Alcohol is overrated. Let¡¯s try something else,¡± she wanted to cheer him up.


    ¡°Like what?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a food competition. The one who can eat the most spicy dumplings wins.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    He was speechless. ¡°This is¡­silly.¡±


    ¡°Silly is fun,¡± she grinned.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about your weight as an actress? Models and actors are very conscious about their looks. Wait, you are not planning to let me take responsibility for any mishap in your career, right?¡±


    She snorted in dismissal. ¡°You overthink. Plus, I exercise a lot so I will shed the extra fat in no time.¡±


    When the huge order of the dumplings arrived a few minutes later, Chyou clapped her hands with delight. ¡°This is what you call a feast! Let¡¯s dig in.¡±


    Popping in dumplings upon dumplings inside their mouths, Chyou and Yating soon had tears in their eyes when the tingling spiciness hit their tongues.


    ¡°Delishioush!¡± She praised the food. ¡°Oh, I forgot to tell you something.¡±


    Yating breathlessly gasped with the spiciness as he fanned his tongue. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You are paying the bill. Thanks!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But this wasn¡¯t even my idea¡­

 Chapter 329 Zixins affirmation

    Chapter 329 Zixin''s affirmation


    There was a slight distance between Guiying and Zixin as they walked along the length of the corridor. In that short amount of time, Guiying confirmed her observation that Zixin talked only to the point. He spoke as much as necessary. From his expression, it might seem that he is indifferent to the conversation, but his eyes showed that he seriously listened to everything.


    She asked, ¡°Getting used to your job after the accident must be difficult, right?¡±


    Zixin paused. ¡°Not a job. My family owns a company. Tomorrow, I will go back.¡±


    Guiying was taken aback.


    Wait, it makes sense.


    His attire was quite elegant and classy that just oozed out the wealthiness from his aura. Everything he donned upon his body was quite expensive.


    I am only an idiot to notice that now, she facepalmed.


    She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s even better actually. You won¡¯t feel too anxious with your family¡¯s support.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°What do you do?¡±


    She stiffened. She parted her lips to tell him about her writing, but she held those words back. She lowered her gaze, thinking about her loss in the Summit and her dwindling popularity.


    ¡°I um¡­¡±


    He blinked.


    She awkwardly smiled, slightly fidgeting with her fingers. ¡°N-nothing fancy really¡­¡±


    Zixin wondered if he accidentally pressed on her sore point. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°Bro! Where are you?¡± Yunru called out, searching for him. ¡°You are taking forever in your own party!¡± He sobbed.


    Guiying widened her eyes. ¡°Your party?¡±


    ¡°Party to celebrate my recovery.¡±


    Her jaw dropped. ¡°So you are the center of attention of the party, but you were with me until now. Everybody is waiting for you. Ugh¡­I am really sorry for wasting your time.¡±


    Zixin shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. Of course, I had to thank you.¡±


    This man is very polite.


    ¡°You should quickly leave. I will head back to my friend too.¡±


    Zixin nodded after a pause.


    ¡°It was nice to meet you again,¡± she smiled and turned to leave.


    ¡°I like cherry blossom,¡± his voice echoed.


    Her steps abruptly stopped, and she turned again. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That day, you asked me if I like cherry blossoms. I didn¡¯t know at that time, but now I do.¡±


    He smiled and affirmed. ¡°I like cherry blossom.¡±


    She froze. For a moment, she thought he was talking about her as CherryBlossom writer.


    ¡°Oh¡­Oh yeah,¡± she tucked her hair behind her ear. His gentle smile rang something in her heart. ¡°Th-thanks¡­¡±


    Zixin blinked.


    Thanks?


    It made her stunned for a second before she realized that he was referring to cherry blossom flowers. Guying corrected her mistake and quickly said, ¡°I mean, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s good to know. I-I will leave. Bye.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    Zixin pondered over her last reaction and turned. He realized he somehow missed asking for her name again. He bumped into Ai, who was walking back in her own dazed state after her conversation with Yating.


    ¡°Chen Zixin. Sorry. I wasn¡¯t looking.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡±


    From the corner of her eye, she recognized Guiying turning into a corner. ¡°Guiying?¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Oh, the woman who just turned that way.¡±


    He blinked. ¡°You know her?¡±


    Ai asked, ¡°You do too?¡±


    ¡°Not much really. I met her at the hospital one day.¡±


    I think it was that time she came with Bro Lingyun, Ai thought.


    ¡°I see,¡± she nodded. ¡°Yes, I know her.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t sure of what to say about her. ¡°Guiying is my¡­friend.¡±


    Zixin tilted his head. ¡°Oh. So, you are friends.¡±


    ¡°Yes. She is also a writer just like me.¡±


    ¡°Writer¡­I see.¡± He then curiously asked, ¡°What sort of books does she write?¡±


    ¡°Romance. We write in the same genre.¡±


    ¡°Bro! Sister-in-law!¡± Yunru furiously waved his hand. ¡°Finally! Come back you two! It¡¯s game time!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± Ai said. She looked at Zixin. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Zixin asked a final question, ¡°How to know what books you write?¡±


    She smiled. ¡°We have pen names. My pen name is MissImperfectlyFine. Hers is CherryBlossom.¡±


    His eyes widened.


    CherryBlossom¡­


    ¡ª


    The night at the condo for both Jun and Ai was conflicting filled with turmoil in their hearts. Neither of them could get a wink of sleep as their minds wandered to the past life and then the conversations they had with Jin and Yating respectively.


    Jun quietly asked, sensing Ai shifting. ¡°Didn¡¯t sleep yet?¡±


    ¡°¡­I am not getting any. You?¡±


    He faintly smiled. ¡°Same here.¡±


    Jun slowly said, ¡°Ai, I apologized to Jin today.¡±


    Her eyes slightly widened. She asked, feeling hopeful. ¡°Did he say anything?¡±


    ¡°No. I didn¡¯t expect either. I just wanted to let him know what I felt.¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± he pursed his lips, ¡°I lied about my death to him. I didn¡¯t want to disappoint him by my suicide, so¡­¡±


    Ai stared at him. ¡°What did he say to that?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. He was silent. I didn¡¯t want to sound suspicious, so I didn¡¯t stay for longer.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    She kind of understood why Jin might not have confronted him with the truth he already knew.


    Jun softly held her and kissed the back of it. ¡°If Jin wants to kill me this time, don¡¯t blame him for it.¡±


    She gave an encouraging smile. ¡°I am sure it won¡¯t come to that.¡±


    ¡°He hates me,¡± his gaze dimmed.


    ¡°Not more than how much he loves you. Fate gave us a second life to mend the things that went wrong in our past lives. I know it means a new beginning for you and Jin too.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± He asked with a tinge of hopefulness.


    She firmly reassured him. ¡°Yes.¡±


    He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead.


    ¡°Jun. I met Yating today.¡±


    His eyes widened. ¡°In the same hotel as us?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Guiying was with him too.¡±


    Naturally, his expression displayed full hostility. ¡°What did those two have to say? Why did you even meet that guy? It was better to ignore him.¡±


    ¡°At first, I thought that way. But considering how the past life and this life are going so differently, I wanted to ask questions about their relationship.¡±


    ¡°What did he have to say?¡±


    ¡°Jun,¡± her gaze looked uneasy. ¡°Every time I feel that there was nothing more hidden in the past life, something else stands before me that makes me question just how much did we even know the truth and how much¡­were we kept in the dark?¡±

 Chapter 330 On fire

    Chapter 330 On fire


    Jun was in the kitchen, making breakfast the next morning and pondering over the things Ai told about Yating last night while also clenching the chopsticks so hard that they could break at any time.


    Ai Publishing¡­


    The thought of making a company for her shone light upon a lot of incidents that looked weird now like his cheating. It was indeed strange to care so much about Ai on one hand but to suddenly abandon her on the other end.


    Thinking about Ai¡¯s complicated expression last night, a perplexed look arose on his own handsome face that defined his beautiful features.


    Ai better not be feeling guilty about misunderstanding him. Even if he tried to do something good for her sake, he didn¡¯t tell her for five years! Ai is not a psychic to read his mind, hia gaze darkened.


    So all in all, it was still Gu Yating¡¯s fault, he snorted.


    ¡°The matter about abandoning Ai and letting her fall that night are still different¡­¡± he murmured to himself. ¡°He might have really loved her but would he have not caught her hand when she fell? How could he have kept standing there like a statue and let the woman he loved die!?¡±


    His string of curses broke when his phone rang with a call. He washed and wiped his hands and picked. ¡°Hey, Chyou. Is this about Bro¡¯s laptop?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Your capable friend has scored a jackpot,¡± she proudly said, ¡°I have repaired the laptop. I have already started running the data recovery software. It will take a while. Once it¡¯s completed, we can access all of Zixin¡¯s files. Once I am done with my shooting today, I will bring the laptop with me and hop by your condo.¡±


    Jun was thrilled with this news. ¡°That¡¯s awesome. I knew I could count on you. If you want, I can come to your set. It will be tiring after your shoot.¡±


    ¡°No need. Plus¡­¡± she coughed, ¡°Gu Yating will be coming today too. It¡¯s better if you two don¡¯t meet and avoid turning the film set into a warzone. So, I will meet you separately.¡±


    His gaze darkened. ¡°Is he coming to know about Gu Rong?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you find anything?¡±


    ¡°A little bit. I will discuss that too in the evening with you when I drop by.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡ª


    Yating took out his shades as he stepped into the film set where Chyou was shooting. He looked around and caught her figure at the faraway side with the makeup artists around her getting her ready for the scene.


    Chyou saw him too and waved her hand, smiling. She mouthed silently to wait for her.


    He nodded and leaned on a pillar, keeping his distance from all the cameras.


    ¡°Hey, you are here again.¡±


    Yating turned his head and noticed Cheng Yin approaching him. He smiled. ¡°Are you here to meet Chyou again?¡±


    ¡°Pretty much.¡±


    Cheng Yin curiously cocked his brow. ¡°You two seem to be good friends. I never saw anybody meeting her so often who doesn¡¯t belong to the film industry. But she never told me about you.¡±


    It¡¯s actually only my second time on the set, so it¡¯s really not so often¡­


    ¡°Do you like her?¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    ¡°You seem to be awfully affected by my presence,¡± he smiled.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Yating shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s fine. There is nothing to hide about it. Zhu Chyou has a beautiful heart. She is strong, independent and intelligent. I don¡¯t see a reason why you wouldn¡¯t like her. Rest assured. I am just a friend she is helping with his trouble.¡±


    Though I am not sure about her feelings. Is the man she likes Cheng Yin or somebody else?


    If it was somebody else, then Cheng Yin had his empathy. He understood it more than anybody else how it felt to see the woman you like, like another man.


    The lights dimmed and the shooting began. Yating watched her performance with awe and respect. She was Zhu Chyou just a second ago, but now she looked like a completely different person. She blended into her character with such ease and finesse.


    His lips curled into a smile thinking about the eating competition between them last night. Chyou had won by a wide margin. Feeling victorious, she laughed at his miserable state with all the tears stained on his cheeks as he panted hard.


    No wonder she is the Queen.


    But when he gave it a deep thought at night, Yating came to realize Chyou¡¯s real intentions. Instead of crying because of alcohol, she let the spiciness bring tears to his eyes. When the tears fell, it wasn¡¯t only because of the tingling sensation on his tongue but also the piercing pain that ripped his heart when he let go of Ai.


    Everybody watching him assumed the dumplings were the reason, but only he and Chyou knew what those tears really meant.


    He helplessly smiled.


    She is really sneaky¡­


    Yating touched his pocket and patted the small gift box it held. Since Chyou was so sensitive and thoughtful about his grief, he decided to appreciate it by giving her a small token of his thanks.


    He glanced at Cheng Yin, who was completely mesmerized by her performance. ¡°Have you planned to confess to her?¡±


    Cheng Yin grinned. ¡°I am indeed planning. I am just really nervous about it.¡±


    ¡°Hope for the best.¡±


    He watched Chyou climbing some steps to a platform at a height to shoot the next scene. From the assistant, he came to know that it was an emotional scene where the villain was threatening to jump off the cliff if she didn¡¯t want him to bomb her country.


    Chyou in her empress¡¯s character valiantly faced the villain without any fear of her death. ¡°A pity that you will never win.¡±


    The villain laughed at her remark.


    Chyou was about to say her next line when she smelled something burning. Her brows automatically furrowed.


    What is this smell?


    Yating¡¯s nostrils twitched as well.


    Is something burning-


    Suddenly in a matter of few seconds, a large fire broke out that rapidly spread across the set.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh! Fire!!!¡±

 Chapter 331 The horror resurfacing

    Chapter 331 The horror resurfacing


    Everybody in the set stumbled back in shock, panic and fear. It happened so suddenly that they remained frozen for several long moments. The fire caught the curtains, props and consumed everything that came in its way into his blazing orange ball. The flames swiftly rose higher and wider.


    ¡°What the hell¡­Run!!!¡± Somebody yelled. ¡°We will be burned to death!¡±


    Chaos riled up the moment everyone came back to their senses. It was a stampede when everybody rushed towards the exit at the same time.


    ¡°Out of my way!¡±


    ¡°Let me in!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t block the path!¡±


    ¡°Aaahh! The fire¡­it¡¯s reaching here!¡±


    The cries for help sharply resounded in the air that was drowned into the crackle of the fire. Chyou watched the set slowly engulf into flames with disbelief. People were screaming and running for their lives.


    The co-star acting as a villain shouted. ¡°Let¡¯s go Chyou! There is an exit near us!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The co-star managed to squeeze his way out of the high platform deck, but when Chyou followed him to step down, a thin wooden burning pole that acted as a prop for the scene collapsed in front of her. It blocked her path from going any furtherm


    The smoke emitted from everywhere made her cough hard. Her co-star gasped with shock, but he didn¡¯t have any time to reach out to her with the fire spreading everywhere.


    ¡°Chyou!¡±


    ¡°L-leave!¡± She screamed.


    ¡°What? B-But you are stuck. How will you get down?¡±


    ¡°I will get down somehow! Just leave or you will be caught in it too!¡±


    Fuck!


    He cursed and scrambled down.


    ¡ª


    On the other side, Cheng Yin was in a similar state of a panic. ¡°What the hell happened here!?¡±


    Amidst the smoke, Yating stared at him lost in his thoughts. But he quickly snapped out with the emergency in front of him.


    ¡°Shit, let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    Yating yelled. ¡°Wait! Where is Zhu Chyou? She is still up at the platform!¡±


    He tried to see her but because of the smoke, he couldn¡¯t get a clear view.


    Cheng Yin widened his eyes. ¡°Of course Chyou must have escaped! There is an exit at the back of the set which is near to the platform. She must have definitely went out through there!¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure? What if she is still stuck?¡±


    A crackle of fire threatened to reach Cheng Yin¡¯s ankle, and he stumbled back. ¡°We don¡¯t have time! Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Yating kept looking at the deck but not being able to see Chyou made him anxious. He took a deep breath. ¡°You leave! I will confirm if she is there or not!¡±


    ¡°What!? Are you crazy? Going inside in this fire further is death sentence!¡±


    ¡°It would be a death sentence for Chyou if she is still stuck. I won¡¯t be at ease until I know she is not up there.¡±


    Before Cheng Yin could say anything again, Yating had already rushed off.


    Waving the smoke away by his hands, he made his way forward. From afar, he kept hearing thudding sounds of props crashing down on the floor.


    ¡°Chyou? Chyou? Are you there?¡±


    He heard no response.


    ¡°Chyou?¡±


    He ran nearer and nearer towards the platform. As he raised his gaze to look up at the deck, he froze upon seeing Chyou coughing and battling to make her way down.


    ¡°Chyou!¡±


    Startled, she looked back and was dumbfounded to see Yating standing below the platform. ¡°Gu Yating? Wait, what are you doing here!? Get the hell out of here!¡±


    Yating paid no heed to her and turned to climb up the stairs.


    ¡°Yating, are you deaf!? Can you not hear me?¡± She exclaimed.


    ¡°Are you blind!? Can you not see the fire around you!? He gritted his teeth.


    He reached the spot where the pole had blocked the way for Chyou. He tried to kick the pole away, but it didn¡¯t budge.


    Shit!


    Yating quickly took a look left and right. At a distance, he saw a thick blanket still barely safe from the fire¡¯s grasp as many other props were covered atop it.


    ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    ¡°You should leave!¡±


    ¡°And how do you plan to escape from here then?¡±


    ¡°I will think-¡°


    Yating was already gone to fetch the blanket.


    Chyou felt the alarm and moreso fear for Yating¡¯s life.


    He is crazy!


    As he returned, Yating yelled. ¡°Step back a little! I am moving this pole away.¡±


    She cautiously but restlessly took two steps back.


    Yating spread the blanket on the rightmost corner of the pole where the fire hadn¡¯t reached yet. He gripped the pole with the blanket¡¯s support and lifted it. The flames from the other side began to touch his fingers and wrist, burning into his flesh. He shut his eyes, bearing the pain and with a sharp jerk, he threw the pole to the other side.


    Chyou, whose emotions were at an edge all this time, finally released her breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine now!¡± Yating said, ¡°Give me your hand!¡±


    Chyou quickly nodded and stretched her arm to hold his hand when she heard a cracking sound from the deck. The front portion of the deck collapsed and with it Chyou fell too, but she barely managed to hang in the air by clutching onto the deck¡¯s railing.


    ¡°Chyou!!¡±


    Yating pushed his way up and saw her struggling to maintain her balance.


    ¡°Ya-Yating! This damn deck broke!¡± She said, frustrated. Holding onto the railing with her right hand, she slowly lifted her left hand. ¡°Can you pull me up please?¡±


    Yating stared at her with his eyes slowly widening. He remained frozen on his spot with his head spinning and body trembling. His throat went dry, and he felt his focus losing.


    ¡°Yating? Yating? Can you hear me? Can you please pull me up?¡±


    Her voice coincided with a distant memory ringing in his mind. He blinked his eyes rapidly which was blurring as something resurfaced in his heart.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    A drop of sweat trickled down his forehead. ¡°I cannot¡­do this¡­¡±

 Chapter 332 Slip From His Hands

    Yating''s chest heaved up and down, and he clutched his temples. His ragged breaths and his pale condition made Chyou wonder what was wrong with him.


    "Yating...?"


    The flames from below started to slowly rise upto her feet. She felt hotter with the fire turning fiercer.


    "Yating, please help me!"


    "I-I..."


    He found his trembling hand making its way to pull Chyou up. But staring at the ground burning with the vicious fire, his imaginations took all sorts of turns where he only saw Chyou fall because of him.


    In that short period of time, he felt as if he was living a nightmare all over again. A nightmare which happened way back in the past and that changed his life forever.


    *Flashback*


    It happened exactly twelve years ago when Yating just started high school. Because of his status as Gu Rong''s son, he remained aloof from the crowd. He had no interest in making friends because the only friends he made in middle school hung around him to increase their own status.


    Tired of this social structure dictating his friendships, he chose to remain secluded from the class. Girls still went gaga over him because they liked the idea of a cold, aloof prince. So, he still used to get confessions now and then.


    As for boys, there was only Ma Dong in his class who started to approach him and initiated friendship. Initially, Yating had no interest in having his company. But he was quite persistent and in the end, Yating, who was subconsciously craving for someone''s friendship too, let him in his world.


    At first, it was just normal talking between breaks. But then it soon became sitting together for lunch breaks too and becoming partners for gym classes and field trips. Their friendship deepened over time with Ma Dong confessing his crushes about girls to Yating.


    He snorted. "Can''t you just stick to one girl?"


    "Hey, she is already dating a senior! It''s a lost cause for me," he lamented.


    Yating rolled his eyes. "At least, you can try to look a little sad."


    "Of course, I''m sad. I cried last night a lot," he said in defiance. "But I cannot stick to her if I don''t see any hope. So, so! I heard the girl from class C just broke up with her boyfriend," he winked.


    Yating was speechless. "Hold your horses young man. She just broke up. Give her some time at least. You will barge in just like that?"


    He clicked his tongue. "You are so innocent, Yating. This is the perfect time to lend her my shoulder to cry on and eventually, we get closer and closer."


    "You are such a plotter," he remarked with disdain. "Sometimes, I have doubts if you will ever be able to settle on one girl even when you date."


    "Hey, of course I will be loyal! Handsome boys like you don''t understand my pain at all. Girls are lining up to confess to you and here I am praying for at least one girl to look my way," he sighed. "Our worlds are so far apart. Anywayyyy! There is good news!"


    "What is it?"


    "Hoho, considering my good grades in the exams, our homeroom teacher gave me a green signal that I might have a chance to score admission to a foreign university in California after high school."


    Yating brightened. "That''s cool. You always wanted to go to the US for higher studies."


    "Yes! I worked really hard for it, hehe. You will come drop me at the airport, okay?"


    "I will dump you on the plane directly so that China can get rid of you," he sneered.


    "You are horrible, Yating!"


    Time passed, and the last high school year went by in a flash. The final exam season was in full swing, and it felt that high school would come to an end just as smoothly as it had started.


    But things took the most dangerous turn one day when Yating got a call from Ma Dong late in the evening.


    "Hey, I thought you were studying."


    "...Yating."


    Yating frowned, hearing his dispirited voice. "What''s wrong?"


    "Can you come to school? I don''t know what to do anymore...I cannot do this..."


    Yating widened his eyes listening to his choked voice. "Wait, I am coming. Stay there."


    Reaching high school, Yating took out his phone to call Ma Dong when he heard him shouting from above. "Somebody please help!"


    Startled, he looked up and his jaw dropped seeing Ma Dong hanging from the classroom''s window on the third floor and very close to falling. He cried and flailed his body to climb back inside but to no avail.


    "Dong!!"


    Yating sprang on his feet and running with large strides, he reached the classroom. Gasping and panting, he rushed up to the window and immediately grabbed his arm.


    "What the hell happened!?"


    "Yating!" Dong cried hard. "Please help me..." his eyes begged for help, and his face was pale with horror.


    Yating noticed some beer cans and widened his eyes. "You were drinking? How did you even enter school with that!?"


    Ma Dong bit his lip hard, tears streaming down his eyes. "I was a little drunk and leaned in a bit when I lost my balance..."


    "Fuck it, first come up!"


    The guard who rushed after hearing the commotion was shell shocked seeing a student hanging from the window. "H-How did this...I am coming too!"


    Yating pulled him harder to his side, but Ma Dong felt he was slipping. "Ya-Yating, I am falling! Please help me!" His screams turned more desperate.


    "I am doing it, but you have to help me. Push your body up!"


    A few students from their class who were staying back in the school''s library couldn''t believe their eyes too as they reached outside. One of them quickly called his classmate and hastily told the situation.


    "Don''t worry! The others are bringing that big net from the sports club!"


    Yating tried to pull Ma Dong up but suddenly, he felt the grip loosen and their hands lost contact. Before anybody knew what happened, Ma Dong was already in the air, falling. It happened in a split second when he heard a thud as Ma Dong crashed on the ground.


    Yating stared at his empty hand and then at his friend, who was lying in the pool of his own blood.


    "What...?"

 Chapter 333 Burning With Trust

    The huge commotion that roared after Ma Dong''s fall shook the entire school. He was immediately taken to the hospital and was declared in a critical condition. His right shoulder and left leg had fractured, and he bled from his head too.


    Seeing his friend in the ICU with whom he had spent three years in school, Yating''s state wasn''t any better. He went into a state of shock and stared at his hand unblinkingly that had failed to protect Ma Dong.


    "Yating!"


    Gu Rong shook him hard. He was trying to get through to him ever since the incident occurred, but it was as if Yating couldn''t hear or sense anything around him.


    "Yating! For God''s sake listen to me! I won''t let anything happen to you. Stay calm. Don''t blame yourself for this accident, okay? Nothing is your fault. You did your best to save him."


    None of the assurance mattered to Yating. He could only replay the scene in his mind endlessly of Ma Dong''s fall and seeing him crash on the ground. The blood which slowly percolated in the ground and spread wider refused to leave his memory.


    "It''s Ma Dong''s mistake that he brought alcohol to school and fooled around with it!" His nostrils flared. "So don''t you dare look like that!"


    He didn''t respond.


    Gu Rong gritted his teeth in helplessness. "I will sort this out with his parents," he looked at Butler Mo and said, "Take him back home right now."


    "Yes, Master," he bowed.


    Yating refused to leave. He quietly said, "I will stay here."


    "Young master, but Master..."


    "I will stay here."


    Butler Mo couldn''t do anything much with the finality in his voice.


    The confrontation with Ma Dong''s parents in the hospital later was uglier than Gu Rong had imagined.


    Mr. Ma and Mrs. Ma blamed Yating for the accident. "How could Gu Yating do this? He was there..." Mrs. Ma cried. "He was ready right there when my son begged for help! How did my son fall then!? How could Gu Yating not protect him?"


    Yating, who was secretly listening to their conversation, froze.


    Gu Rong angrily laughed. "You have some nerve accusing my son. I think you didn''t see those empty beer cans in the classroom, or you are acting blind to it. Ma Dong illegally brought alcohol to school and even intoxicated himself despite being underage and you want to gloss over this fact just like that?"


    Mr. Dong exclaimed. "Of course it''s my son''s fault too! But this doesn''t make your son any less innocent. Like my wife said, people saw him holding Dong and everybody thought he would pull him up to safety! But why didn''t that happen? How could Dong fall despite Gu Yating being with him?"


    "You..." green veins appeared on Gu Rong''s hand as he clenched it. "You cannot be seriously implying that he did it on purpose, right? Because if you are, then you have no idea who you are messing with."


    Between this heated argument, Yating stepped in with a solemn expression and a blank gaze. "It''s my fault. I should have saved him. I am really sorry. Dong is in this state because of me."


    "Yating!" Gu Rong widened his eyes in disbelief and roared. "What nonsense are you spouting!? If you don''t know what you are talking about, then get the hell out of here!"


    Mrs. Dong said, "See, now even Gu Yating admits his mistake! But you want to selfishly protect him. Where is the justice!? What about my son''s life and future?"


    Yating trembled.


    "Dong was supposed to head to California this year..." she broke down, "What will happen now? What about his dreams? You are rich. Gu Yating will still have a bright future. But we are not wealthy like you, Mr. Gu. We struggle to earn money and make our ends meet. Even these hospital bills will cripple us financially..." her eyes reddened. "When Dong will recover, how are we supposed to send him abroad and pay his college fees? His arm and leg have broken! What if...what if he has to live a crippled life forever?"


    Mr. Ma angrily said, "We will not back down from this, Mr. Gu. Gu Yating is responsible for this. He clearly feels guilty and ashamed! The damage that he has caused, you will have to bear the compensation for it or we will go to the police!"


    Gu Rong took a deep breath and threw a deadly glare at Yating. "I will deal with this. Leave from here right now."


    "I..."


    "RIGHT NOW!"


    Yating jolted. He balled his fist and slowly left.


    Standing in front of Ma Dong''s ward, he saw him lying unconscious on the bed, through the small window on the door. His body looked small and was bruised heavily.


    The tears from his eyelashes slipped down to his cheeks, and he finally broke down in fear, guilt and shame.


    "I am sorry...I am sorry Dong..."


    He couldn''t stop his hand from trembling. "It''s all because of me...I-It''s all because of me..."


    *Flashback ends*


    The incident traumatized Yating forever. For a teenager, it was hard to cope with the stress and despite doing many counseling sessions, the trauma never truly left him.


    It was a long period of torment and pain he went through at that time but in this fire blazing across the set, he lived in that nightmare all over again in these seemingly miniscule seconds.


    He saw Chyou hanging for her life, and he desperately wanted to help her but remembering the past horror that happened because of him, his hand shook unstoppingly.


    "YATING!!!"


    The loud call of his name snapped him out of his daze. He saw her eyes burning with the same intensity as the fire around her, but this fire in her eyes only meant to show her trust in him.


    "I don''t know what you are suffering right now. I can feel you are in a lot of pain and hesitation. But I won''t die because of you, Yating! You risked your life in this fire to protect me. You will never be the reason behind my harm. So pull me up, damn it! I know you can do it!"

 Chapter 334 You Did It!

    Her loud and crystal clear voice crisply reverberated in his ears and stirred the fear in his heart to back off. The fire was threateningly close to gobble Chyou, and Yating knew he didn''t have more time.


    I...will...do this...


    He once let Ai fall during the book-signing event when the fear consumed him entirely. Till today, he felt guilty for not holding her hand. It was fortunate that Jun had arrived in time and saved her. But he still couldn''t forgive himself. His fear could have seriously injured Ai.


    Today at this moment, there was nobody but Yating who could save Chyou.


    He saw her hand losing her grip from her support. Tears were falling from her eyes due to the smoke stinging her pupils. With the lack of oxygen, she could barely look ahead.


    Yating bit his tongue and without letting any further thoughts invade his mind, he bent on his knees and grabbed her tightly. He looked down at the floor, and his mind spun seeing the fire. If Chyou fell, she would be burned to death, and he paled with that horror.


    He shut his eyes and pulled her up. His fingers were shivering with tears rolling down his cheeks as the fear and nervousness made his heart pound in his chest harder and harder.


    Please not again...Please don''t fail again Yating...


    He bent some more and the small gift from his coat''s pocket that he wanted to give Chyou fell into the fire below. But that was the least of his concerns.


    Chyou slowly rose upto the deck and with one jerk, Yating landed her to safety. She gasped and coughed. She smiled looking at Yating. "I...I knew you would-"


    Out of nowhere, Yating pulled out his coat and flapped it across her back to cover her upper body. "This will protect you."


    Suddenly, she felt herself lifted in the air and in a daze and saw Yating holding her in his arms. "We still have to get out of here!"


    He sprang towards the stairs again and climbed down towards the exit. They heard a crash from behind them, and Chyou saw the deck completely collapse.


    As he reached the exit, it was also blocked with several burning props by now. But he kicked them out of his way and through the smoke, he took one huge leap to escape.


    From the dark clouds of the smoke just a few moments ago, Chyou saw the clear blue sky and felt the fresh air she could breathe.


    "You did it..."


    Chyou squealed in delight and screamed. "Yating, you did it!!!"


    He gently put her down and in the very next moment, he collapsed and fell unconscious.


    She gasped with shock. "Yating!"


    --


    The news of the fire in the film set spread like wildfire itself in the social media. Firefighters were called and the whole area was sealed off. The set was damaged and burned beyond recognition, but everybody felt thankful that nobody had died. There was no casualty though there were people who sustained minor burn injuries and some who suffered slight breathing problems due to inhaling smoke.


    Jun and Ai already rushed to the hospital as soon as they heard the news of this accident.


    "Chyou!"


    Ai hugged her with concern, "Thank God you are okay. My heart stopped seeing the place of your set mentioned in a fire."


    Jun took a good look at her and sighed. "You really gave us a heart attack. Thank God you escaped unhurt. Why are you at the hospital though?"


    "Because of Yating," she pursed her lips. "It''s because of him that I am safe. I was actually badly trapped inside but instead of leaving, Yating came to find me. I almost fell from the deck if not for him pulling me up!"


    The couple heard her in disbelief. Jun tilted his head and stared at her.


    Chyou felt odd with the way they looked. "What?"


    "Gu Yating...saved you from falling?"


    "Yeah! It was such chaos. You must listen to me. I was shooting for the scene when I smelled something burning..."


    She kept on narrating the dreadful incident in full detail right until the point Yating carried her in his arms and got out.


    On one side, Ai was extremely grateful that they came out safely but on the other side, she was equally bewildered with Yating''s stance. There was her past life where he had watched her fall. He hadn''t moved an inch. In this life too during the book signing event, he didn''t help her once again.


    ? But now he could, which posed a question before Jun and Ai.


    How could he do it now?


    Chyou continued. "We came out, he put me down and he immediately collapsed. I straightaway brought him to the hospital. He seemed so exhausted and not because of the fire, but I felt as if he was having a battle with himself," she softly said, "At the deck when he had to pull me, he remained frozen for some reason. He couldn''t move to help me at all, and he looked really pale. Even...afraid."


    Ai froze.


    This was exactly how Yating had been during both the times when she fell.


    "I don''t know what he was going through, but it was courageous to step up despite being in that state," she saw her family rushing towards her, and she waved her hand, "Mom! Dad! Xiang!"


    "Chyou!"


    Her mother Zhu Caihong and father Zhu Xiaosi pulled her into a warm hug. Chyou patted their backs. "I am fine Mom, Dad."


    Her little brother, Zhu Xiang, pressed his lips. "You said you were at the hospital. How are we supposed to feel assured with that?"


    "It is a long story, so I shortened the version."


    "Sis, you glossed out too many important parts," his expression darkened.


    "Which I will tell you now in detail."


    Xiaosi wiped his eyes and patted her head. "Your Mom almost got a heart attack."


    Caihong raised her brow. "At least, I was still standing. You lost your balance and collapsed on the couch. You totally looked like our daughter might never return."

 Chapter 335 Stay Here Or Else...

    Chyou pouted. "Aww, of course not! How can I ever leave my daddy dearest?"


    "What about your mother?" Caihong asked.


    "Hey hey and your brother too," Xiang added.


    "Of course you two too," she grinned. "But Dad comes first."


    "This is partiality."


    Xiaosi secretly felt happy.


    The mother-son duo sighed.


    She is a father''s daughter through and through.


    Jun and Ai quietly left for the family to have some alone time. He looked at his puzzled girlfriend and knew what questions and confusion had taken root in her mind. He made her turn towards him and patted her cheek. "It''s okay, Ai. I know what you are thinking."


    Ai felt low. "Jun, I don''t know what to think anymore. Now I feel as if I don''t know anything about my past life at all. What Chyou said, Yating was exactly like that."


    Jun pondered over it too. It was indeed strange. When he acted like that towards Ai, he assumed that Yating didn''t care about her, especially in the last life when he was dating Guiying.


    But now that he behaved the same with Chyou who had no history or past with him at all, he concluded that there was something that he and Ai were unaware of.


    "What if just like those five years and Ai Publishing that he wanted to make, there is something else that I didn''t know? There is a reason why Yating was like that. Jun, was I¡­misunderstanding Yating throughout my last life?"


    Jun glared at her. "Don''t even think about this nonsense! You are unnecessarily blaming yourself. Ai, I need to talk to you about this."


    He held her shoulders and softly said, "Look, Ai. You are not a psychic. You are not a mind reader. You won''t know things unless Gu Yating or anybody else will tell you, certainly not major things like these. He kept you in the dark about his family situation and the surprise he had planned for you. Just because you were in the relationship doesn''t mean that you should know everything even if your partner doesn''t speak a word of it. There is nothing emotional about it. It''s logical."


    Ai pursed her lips.


    "You have to think rationally. Fine. I admit it, though just a little bit. Maybe Gu Yating really had the best interests for you in his heart. But what''s the point if you don''t know? Not talking only leads to misunderstandings. He refused to meet your parents maybe because he wanted to complete his accomplishment first. But if he keeps rejecting this, then of course, you will be sad. You were not wrong to feel that way.


    He never introduced you to Gu Rong because of his complicated deal with him. But as a girlfriend, you had the right to feel disappointed and question if he really loved you at all. He suddenly broke up with you and chose Guiying without giving an explanation. There could be another reason altogether for that. But you were supposed to feel heartbroken and cheated if you didn''t know the story behind it."


    Jun pinched her cheeks and scolded her. "You reacted like any other normal woman would in her relationship. The pain that you had to suffer and bear and the tears that you shed were according to the situation that he put in front of you. You saw him not doing anything to save you that night. Do you think anybody who is falling to his or her death can be so understanding to think that maybe he is not doing this purposely? Of course you will feel betrayed and crushed. Get real, Ai."


    He sighed and pulled her into his hug. "I know everything came upon you so suddenly. But I will punish you if you blame yourself."


    Ai felt comforted in his warmth. "Hm¡­"


    Jun wondered if he should say the next thing and after much thinking and with a heavy heart, he mumbled. "If you want to talk to Gu Yating, then do it. I know you want this."


    She looked up at him. "You won''t feel jealous?"


    "Of course, I will and I am," he snorted. "But I will let it pass just this once. But I am telling you not more than thirty minutes!" He warned.


    Ai was genuinely dumbfounded. "That''s a long time considering it''s you. I expected you would say three minutes, not thirty."


    His brow twitched. "I did think for three. minutes actually. But I have a big heart. Take it before I reduce it to fifteen," he sneered.


    "I will take it," Ai coughed.


    ¡ª


    "I cannot express how relieved I am to see you okay!" Cheng Yin anxiously hugged her hard. When he didn''t see Chyou anywhere outside the set and learned that she was at the hospital, he immediately rushed to see her. It was from the co-star that he came to know that Chyou was actually stuck inside.


    She chuckled. "Just look at your handsome face with all those wrinkles. I am fine."


    Cheng Yin hesitated. "I am so sorry, Chyou. I failed in protecting you. I really thought you had escaped¡­"


    She flicked his forehead. "It''s not your fault, Yin. It was chaotic everywhere. It''s important that we are all safe."


    "But still¡­"


    The nurse came out of Yating''s ward and said, "Miss. Zhu. Mr. Gu is awake. You can meet him now."


    She beamed. "Thanks!"


    Cheng Yin asked, "He is here?"


    "Yes. I brought him. He collapsed after we got out. Yin, please wait for me here, okay? I want to meet him."


    "Wait, I will come too."


    She blinked once in surprise. "You?"


    He awkwardly smiled. "Yeah Well, he did save you-"


    Suddenly, he felt a hand on his shoulder. The pressure was so heavy that he felt as if his shoulder was dislocated. His eyes widened as he turned in shock. The moment he did, his gaze met a pair of hostile dark brown eyes and an aura that exuded murderous intent.


    Jun had an extremely frosty expression as he alarmingly spoke, "Mr. Cheng Yin. You are not going anywhere with Chyou. Stay here or else¡­"

 Chapter 336 Ai-Chan, The Cute Culprit

    The sight of Cheng Yin made Jun''s blood boil. If he could, he would have killed him right here and right now for destroying Chyou''s life, who was nothing but a loving and devoted wife to him.


    Recalling Chyou lying weak and fragile in the hospital after her miscarriage and then the depression she went through in the past was enough to make him squeeze his sorry life of out of him right now.


    The nerve of you to act concerned when you were the whole reason behind the tragedy¡­


    Cheng Yin felt his shoulder go sore. "H-Hey you are pressing too hard¡­"


    "How about I break it?" Jun sneered.


    "What!?" His eyes popped out of his sockets.


    Chyou had no idea what got into Jun. "Are you okay? You seem suddenly angry."


    "Because I AM angry."


    "Why?"


    "Because he came here to meet you."


    "So?"


    "I hate him."


    "..."


    This was Chyou''s first time seeing him show his hostility other than the twins and Yating to somebody else he didn''t even know.


    Chyou facepalmed. "You really don''t watch movies, right? He is Cheng Yin, an actor just like me. We have worked together. He is not any stranger."


    "I hate him."


    Her mouth twitched.


    Hey, don''t do this please. I like Yin. I don''t want my family and friends to hate him.


    Cheng Yin was about to say something when he felt something hot fell on his hand, and he screamed in agony. "Aaaahhh!!"


    What he saw was a cup of steaming hot coffee dripping from his fingers.


    Chyou gasped. "Oh my God!"


    His hand turned redder and brighter and the burning sensation was like he was dropped to hell.


    "Oh, dear¡­" The culprit, Ai, covered her mouth and looked apologetic. "I am sorry. I was a little careless. The coffee spilled on you. Are you okay?"


    Cheng Yin watched her, dumbfounded.


    Do I look okay to you!? You burned my hand, damn it!


    "You¡­Look what you did to my hand! Are you blind!? I am an actor. My body matters to me!"


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "You have something to say about my girlfriend? Watch your tone or you won''t have a mouth to speak tomorrow."


    Huh? Girlfriend? One is crushing my shoulder and the other pours hot coffee on my hand? The hell is wrong with this couple!?


    Chyou quickly brought out her handkerchief to wipe the coffee, but Ai said, "Let me do it. I feel responsible. You want to meet Yating right? You should go."


    "Ah yes, but he¡­"


    Jun smiled. "We will take care of him."


    But you said you hate him¡­


    As she stepped inside, Cheng Yin quickly said, "Chyou wait, I want to come too-"


    "Did you not hear when I said the first time you won''t be anywhere near Chyou?" Jun threatened.


    "What is your problem, man? I don''t even know you!"


    "Heh," Jun sneered. "But I know you very well."


    It was getting unbearable for him to take the pain. "Ugh, I need cold water!"


    Ai asked, "Do you need my help?"


    "Like hell I need someone''s help who poured hot coffee on me!" He glared at her.


    Ai pursed her lips and hung her head low. "It was an accident. I already apologized¡­"


    Jun''s knuckles cracked. "You have some nerve talking to her in that tone. I should really stitch that mouth shut."


    "You¡­Why do you hate me so much? I didn''t do anything wrong to you!"


    Jun''s hawk-like gaze stared at him. "But you did wrong to Chyou."


    He widened his eyes. "Chyou? When did I ever hurt her?"


    In front of Jun''s villainous stance that was lowering the temperature to an absolute chilliness, Cheng Yin felt himself subconsciously taking a step back. Jun purposely leaned in and whispered in his ear, "A little birdie told me that you are not as clean as you make your image to be."


    He blinked.


    "Say, we are in a hospital right now. How about we do a blood test of yours? Do you think I will find some funny drug circulating in your system which shouldn''t be there normally?"


    Cheng Yin froze hard. He understood the implication, and that fear reflected in his eyes just for a moment, which he quickly discarded. "What are you talking about? What drug?" He nervously laughed. "And why would I do a blood test just because you are telling me to? I don''t know who you are, but don''t try to malign my name. Is it possible that you actually like Chyou? Is that why you are doing this?"


    He smiled. "Only your dirty brain can come up with this reason. I don''t care about what you think about my and Chyou''s relationship, but I am warning you to stay away from her for your own good, otherwise it won''t take me a second to incinerate your life and career into ashes."


    He gritted his teeth. "You are threatening me¡­"


    "Which will work beautifully if we do your blood test now, right?"


    He stiffened.


    Under Jun''s pressure when he finally left, Jun chuckled at Ai. "That was a great move."


    Ai''s expression was just as cold as was Jun''s a moment ago. "I recognized Cheng Yin talking to Chyou when I was coming back. I felt angry for Chyou''s sake. Even if it was silly, I went ahead and poured the coffee onto him," she harrumphed.


    Jun grinned and wrapped his arm around her neck. "That wasn''t silly. That was awesome. I loved it. That''s my girl. We should drop his whole body into boiling coffee."


    She seriously nodded. "Good idea." Then she asked, "Are you going to just threaten him?"


    He smirked. "Of course not. I will bring him down. I won''t let the tragedy repeat with Chyou. But I will do it slowly and make him suffer. I want to see him watching his life turn into a living hell right in front of his eyes. This time, Chyou won''t be the one to suffer but Cheng Yin. I will make sure of it."

 Chapter 337 Not The Right Man For You

    Chyou peeked her head in the ward and smiled. "Can I come in?"


    Yating raised his head and smiled back. "Hey. Of course. You don''t need to ask."


    She grinned and walked up to his bedside. Before she could ask him how he was doing, he came out first. "You are okay, right? Not hurt anywhere, right? I just suddenly blacked out and didn''t know what happened to you¡­" he pressed his brows, feeling guilty.


    Chyou scowled. "You are the one on the hospital bed, not me! Look," she took a twirl, "I am not hurt anywhere thanks to you."


    Relief washed over Yating, and he nodded.


    She sighed and took a seat. "You are an idiot. First, you ignored your safety inside that horrible fire to look for me and then you also gave me your coat."


    She didn''t fail to notice his burnt flesh on the back of his hand and knuckles when he had lifted the pole, and she clasped her hands together.


    "What would I have said to Uncle Gu if something happened to you?"


    He smiled. "What would I have said to Uncle Zhu if something happened to you? Think nothing of it. Friends are supposed to help each other."


    Chyou wanted to express a lot of things but in the end, she sincerely said, "Thank you, Yating. I might have really died if not for you. But thanks is just not enough! Let me do something for you."


    He waved his hand. "You already did last night. Remember the dumpling competition?"


    She was speechless. "That was just a silly competition."


    He fixed his gaze at her. "I don''t think so."


    She cleared her throat.


    Did he perhaps realize what I had actually planned?


    Yating chuckled. "You can say we are even now. But I am sorry," he sighed, "I feel bad for my gift''s fate."


    She blinked. "Gift?"


    "Well, I had a gift to give you as my thanks for keeping me company last night. But it fell into the fire."


    Chyou beamed. "You had a gift for me? I like gifts a lot! Sure, it''s bad it fell into the fire, but you can always buy me a new one," she chirped.


    "..."


    Not so modest at all, he thought.


    He found it funny. "Of course, I will."


    She clapped her hands once. "Excellent. I will wait."


    They laughed for a while after which she wondered if she should ask him about the reason why he was so pale and frozen at the deck. More than curiosity, she had an urge to help him if she could.


    I don''t think it''s nice to ask such a deep thing about his past when we have just met a few days ago¡­


    "Thank you, Chyou."


    Her stupor broke as she looked at him. "For what?"


    She observed his right hand lightly shivering just like it did on the set. "For your encouragement. You know, you really don''t have to thank me for anything," he looked dismal. "If your voice hadn''t snapped me out of¡­you would have been really dead. I could pull you up because of you. I was useless-"


    She dropped a karate chop on his head, making him stunned. "You think risking your life for a woman you met only twice is useless? You are way too negative about this! I just talked you out of your state. It was you who took courage and faced your fear. That''s not a joke. So you did EVERYTHING. Talk like this once again, and I won''t talk to you anymore," she narrowed her eyes.


    Yating opened his mouth.


    "No!"


    "..."


    "Be proud of yourself. Take my gratitude without a question and don''t forget my gift!"


    The first part of her sentence overwhelmed him while the last part dumped all his emotions and made him laugh. "You¡­You never let people have the last win, right?"


    She arrogantly flipped her hair back. "Naturally. The queen always has the last irrefutable word."


    "Makes sense."


    She then turned serious to talk about Gu Rong. "I also want to tell you about Uncle Gu."


    He listened to her with attention.


    "Okay firstly, I looked into all his rivals or competitors that might want him out of the way. But I found nothing suspicious. I am sure it''s not any rival''s work."


    Yating sighed. "I see."


    "But, I did find something. That judge said something about using an application that would delete messages immediately after they are read, right? That''s how he contacted them."


    "Yes."


    She nodded. "I took Soo Yijun''s help and checked Uncle''s phone deposited with the police. There is no such application installed on his phone. Also, only S3 provides this service and I checked the records. Uncle doesn''t have the license to use this application. Without a license, he cannot even install it, much less send messages."


    He widened his eyes. "That means he is innocent."


    "Yes. But it''s not conclusive. Unless that judge takes his statement back, the charge won''t go away. But it''s enough to get him a bail at least and request for more investigation."


    Yating brightened. "That''s enough for me, Chyou. Even if there is one thing that would point to his innocence, it''s fine. Dad was right. Somebody else is pulling the strings and dragging him to take the blame," his gaze darkened. "I won''t forgive whoever did this. Not only they plotted against Ai but framed my Dad for it. I won''t let this go."


    In a moment of his eagerness and euphoria, he brought Chyou into his tight hug. "Thanks a lot Chyou! You shed some light on this case."


    Chyou widened her eyes. She chuckled and patted his back. His reaction was understandable. For him, he only had Gu Rong as his family.


    Yating came to a realization and quickly withdrew. "I am sorry for that."


    She waved her hand. "No need."


    He coughed and changed the topic. "So yeah what was the commotion going outside before you came?"


    "Oh. Cheng Yin got accidentally hurt."


    ,m Cheng Yin¡­


    He asked, "I am sorry to ask you this, but I really need to know. Is the man you like Cheng Yin?"


    Chyou scratched her chin. "Was it that obvious?"


    Yating stared at her and replied. "Chyou, I¡­don''t wish to interfere in your life and I know you will think it''s none of my business. But please listen to me. Stay away from him. He is not the right man for you."

 Chapter 338 The Last Hope All Burned

    Chyou rapidly blinked her eyes. "I don''t understand."


    Yating sighed. "You remember I was telling you that I felt I had seen Cheng Yin before somewhere? It wasn''t in any movie or commercial. I remembered where I saw him. It was in a club a few months ago when my team and I from Dream High went for dinner party. He was with his friends I guess? Later when I was leaving, I saw him chatting with some guy in an alley. I just looked at them for a second, but I am pretty sure he was taking drugs from that guy. I could see a white packet shining in that second."


    She froze.


    D-Drugs¡­?


    "It was kind of smoky in that club for the ambience. So when the fire broke out today and with all that smoke that arose, I think it triggered it memory and I remembered his face."


    Chyou had never expected she would learn something like this about Cheng Yin out of the blue. "You are definitely mistaken. Yin doesn''t do drugs."


    Yating wanted to say more, but he also understood that it would be hard for her to understand this. It wasn''t so easy to hear such a thing about the one you liked. "I really hope I am mistaken. That''s why at the very least, I urge you to find more about this. If I am wrong and I really assumed the whole thing incorrectly, I will definitely apologize to Cheng Yin."


    Silence.


    His smile faltered as he rubbed his hands together. "I am sorry, Chyou. You have helped me a lot. That''s why I am concerned for you. I didn''t want to make you feel uncomfortable."


    She shook her head. "Of course not. I understand. Don''t worry, I will handle this."


    He sensed the slight worry and hesitation in her voice that she was trying hard to mask.


    I really hope I am wrong Chyou.


    ¡ª


    "I want to know everything about how the fire started," Xiaosi ordered his assistant in a frighteningly cold voice. "Take Yijun''s help too if needed. But I want to know every single thing."


    "Yes, Sir!"


    He turned and bumped into Jun. His chilled gaze turned softer. "Jun."


    "Uncle Xiaosi. You were talking about the fire?"


    "Yeah," he looked menacing again, "I won''t forgive the person who is behind this accident. My daughter''s life was at stake. Who can be so careless at set that this fire hazard happened?"


    Jun quietly nodded.


    "You seemed to be waiting for Chyou."


    He looked back at Yating''s ward and rubbed his chin. "Well I just wanted to ask her about Bro Zixin''s laptop she was working to recover. She told the data recovery would complete today and we can see his files. But I don''t think it''s the right time now. Will ask later."


    Xiaosi blinked. "Zixin''s laptop? I did see her working on it. But¡­I am pretty sure she had taken the laptop with her to the set today."


    Jun froze.


    "The whole set is burned now. I don''t think the laptop would have survived the fire."


    Jun opened and closed his mouth, taking the shock this news delivered. "What? The laptop was on the set?"


    "Yeah. Chyou often works at the set related to company matters and stuff other than acting. She is mostly on sets for movie shooting for the whole day so she carries her work everywhere."


    Jun felt as if somebody just sapped out all his strength. He exhaled a long breath of momentary hopelessness.


    "His laptop was the only way to learn something about the woman or anything that might have led to his accident."


    Xiaosi pursed his lips. "Don''t be mad at my daughter."


    He widened his eyes. "What? Of course I am not mad at her. Who can ever get angry at our lovely Chyou? I am just frustrated at the turn of events."


    Xiaosi ruffled his head. "We will surely catch who is messing with us."


    Jun sneered. "Yes, we will. I won''t stop until I do."


    ¡ª


    "Just how did this happen?" Zhan Yahui got a headache watching the news. "It was supposed to be a small accident. How did the whole set blow up and get burnt?"


    "We were careless."


    She gritted her teeth. "We cannot afford to be careless! I just wanted to destroy that fucking laptop Zhu Chyou had with her, not the entire set. This will turn out to be such a big investigation. So many people were involved. After Mao Jingyi was rescued, they already have suspicions that somebody else is leading all this. We cannot draw more attention."


    "But isn''t it beneficial for us?"


    Her gaze darkened. "How is it useful when we are in trouble?"


    "Of course, it is. Initially we had planned to attack only Zhu Chyou''s room to ruin the laptop. But an accident at such a specific place would have raised questions, especially to Liu Jun who is already alert. Now the whole set is burned. Nobody will think that the fire was ignited to destroy a single laptop."


    Zhan Yahui cocked her brow. "Window dressing."


    "Exactly."


    "That''s a good approach to take but you are forgetting that investigation will point out the source of fire and where it started. It would come out to be Zhu Chyou''s room."


    Silence.


    She sat on the couch and smiled. "I will do something about it. Isn''t it one of the reasons why I came back to Shi residence?"


    "That''s true. I will leave it up to you. How is Cai Guiying doing?"


    "She is proving to be an excellent scapegoat. She told me about what she learned about Gu Yating''s intention to make a company for Zhou Ai. She handled that well. We need to keep it pushing in the right direction. You are keeping an eye on Shi Huan, right?"


    "Yup."


    "And Zhou Ai?"


    "She is working on her short story''s sequel."


    "How is the progress?"


    "Going well for now."


    Zhan Yahu''s eyes twinkled. "Not for long."

 Chapter 339 Whispers At Late Night

    Sky Publishing.


    It was late at night when Xing Bi woke up with a start from her deep sleep.


    "Huh? Huh? Where am I?" She looked left and right. "Oh, it''s the office¡­"


    She yawned and stretched her arms. "So tired¡­"


    Since Ai couldn''t come today to Sky to meet Chyou and Yating at the hospital, she stayed back to work on Ai''s story and editing. She thought and said to herself, "I should meet Yating tomorrow. Even if I don''t work in Dream High anymore, he was still my colleague."


    Nodding her head, she decided to take a short trip to the hospital tomorrow before coming to Sky. She yawned again. "I really need to head back home."


    She picked her bag and walked towards the exit, yawning for the third time. As she went on, she heard some murmuring from her left side.


    She tilted her head.


    Who is there so late at night in Sky? I thought I was the only one.


    She peeked her head and walked along the corridor. The hushed and murmuring voice was getting louder. She recognized it coming from the Chief Editor''s Sun Bai office. The door to her office was slightly ajar, and she saw her back facing her.


    Xing Bi blinked.


    Miss. Sun was also working until so late at night?


    She shrugged and sighed.


    A Chief Editor''s job is tough.


    She wanted to close the door when she heard her whispering. "Don''t worry. He won''t know. Just do it quietly."


    Xing Bi widened her eyes.


    Who is he? And not know what?


    "Yes. Don''t let any evidence slip out, or I will be in trouble. Let me know once you are done."


    There was a pause and she said, "Hm."


    Xing Bi felt utterly baffled by this conversation.


    What is she talking about?


    Xing Bi was a second too late to turn, lost in her thoughts when Sun Bai saw her. She widened her eyes and stiffened for a moment. "Xi-Xing Bi?"


    She immediately straightened up. "Miss. Sun!"


    She swallowed a gulp while being caught peeking.


    "What are you doing here?" Sun Bai smiled, though with a faintest trace of anxiousness in it while her eyes scrutinized her expression.


    "Oh, I was just working late for Ai''s novel," she sheepishly grinned.


    "Oh yes indeed. Zhou Ai and Sir weren''t here today. By the way, how is her novel coming up?"


    "Great! Ai has some good ideas. She has already started writing. I am helping her with the usual."


    "I see," Sun Bai nodded. "If you need my help, don''t hesitate to ask me."


    "Of course."


    Xing Bi then cleared her throat. "I didn''t know you were working so late too hehe¡­"


    Her gaze slightly flickered. "...I had something extra to do."


    "Oh, I see."


    What is this extra thing that would need her to tell somebody about doing something quietly? She wondered.


    "Sorry for suddenly coming here. I didn''t mean to intrude. I just thought I was all alone in the office so I was a little scared when I heard voices coming from here haha¡­"


    Sun Bai shook her head. "No problem." She stared at her. "If you are afraid, you shouldn''t try to try to look deeper into it. What if it might prove to be something dangerous for you?"


    Her smile faltered. "You are right¡­I will take my leave."


    "Yes. Good night."


    "Good night."


    Xing Bi bowed and quickly left wondering to herself.


    I don''t understand if that was a friendly suggestion or a deadly warning?


    ¡ª


    It was the next morning when Ai came to visit Yating as she had decided with Jun. Jun stood on the other, already showing her his watch and pointing at the time. Her brow slightly twitched.


    When Yating looked up, he couldn''t believe Ai coming before him. "Hey."


    Ai smiled. "Hi. How are you feeling now?"


    "I am fine. I was already fine yesterday, but the doctor insisted to stay for observation for twenty-four hours," he sighed.


    "They are right. You blacked out and fell unconscious. How could they let you go just like that, especially after such a dreadful incident?"


    "Hey, now you don''t take their side¡­"


    "What is right is right," she sternly nodded.


    He accepted his defeat. "It''s impossible to win against you. By the way, I just saw you on a video circulating on Weibo. See."


    Ai leaned and saw that it was a clip of yesterday when Cheng Yin was scolding Ai for accidentally pouring the hot coffee on his hand. Since it was a post about the most popular and A-listed actor, naturally, it went viral everywhere.


    Did Jun do this?


    From reading the comments, it was quite clear that he was under attack and great scrutiny for lashing out at Ai even after she had sincerely apologized. The scene of her hanging her head low with embarrassment was zoomed in and highlighted.


    Yating''s expression was ugly. "Did he scold you that harshly?"


    The part about him being a possible drug addict already made him wary of Cheng Yin, and now Ai was harshly rebuked.


    Maybe, I should fan these flames even more, he narrowed his eyes. How dare he shout at her?


    Watching Cheng Yin''s reputation taking a hit made Ai extremely satisfied. It wasn''t enough for what he did to Chyou in the past, but it was a good start.


    She took a seat on a chair beside him. "It''s good to see you aren''t hurt much. Can I ask you something?"


    "Sure."


    "Why did you black out?"


    He stiffened.


    Ai stared at him. "Is there something else you have been hiding from me?"


    "No¡­No, no. It was simply because of all the smoke. You know, it got difficult to breathe."


    "Chyou said you didn''t look well when she was hanging from the deck. You couldn''t immediately come to rescue her."


    Yating shifted uncomfortably.


    "It reminded me of the time during the book-signing event. You looked the same as she described to me."


    "It''s nothing-"


    "Please tell me, Yating," she clenched her dress. "I don''t want to keep any misunderstandings in my heart anymore."

 Chapter 340 A Heartfelt Conversation

    Ai heard the whole account of Yating''s past in detail after he had no choice but to confess it to her.


    "I am sorry, Ai. I couldn''t help you when you were about to fall at that time," his wet eyes sincerely looked at her asking for her forgiveness. "I really wanted to. But the scene of Dong''s fall always came before my eyes. It always showed my glaring fault of how I failed to save him. I was right there holding his hand¡­" he trembled. "But he slipped. He crashed on the ground right in front of my eyes. When I thought of grabbing your hand, I felt that I would let you slip just like Dong. It was hard to move."


    He looked at his quivering hands. "The same happened with Chyou. More than saving her, I could only imagine her getting hurt because of me. What if I lose my grasp? What if she falls into the fire? What if she dies because of me? I know it''s silly. If I don''t do anything, you will still fall regardless. It''s pathetic just standing there watching someone fall rather than helping them. But I just¡­couldn''t really let go of that trauma. I just freeze. Even if my mind says to move, my body cannot process that command."


    He faintly smiled. "If Chyou hadn''t snapped me out of it, I wouldn''t have been able to do anything."


    Yating felt Ai''s gaze flickering and trembling with an unknown emotion. Je could sense there were a lot of things going on in her mind, but she wasn''t able to articulate it.


    "Hey¡­are you okay?" He instinctively wanted to hold her hand but quickly backed off. Then his eyes widened seeing her beautiful light brown irises reddening with tears.


    To Ai, the revelation of this trauma was mixed with all sorts of emotions. There was pain, helplessness, and anger. The disappointment she held for Yating for that night proved to be baseless. He didn''t do it purposely or with any bad intention. She could feel his immense guilt just for not being able to help her in the signing event.


    Now, she couldn''t help but wonder how did he live his life in the past after her death? What did his life become after she died?


    "Gu Yating¡­" she gritted her teeth and from the sorrow she felt, her eyes looked more fierce and angrier. "Jun is right. It''s all your fault!"


    His expression was unsightly.


    That Liu Jun¡­He just cannot leave me alone! He already has Ai and even then curses me!


    "What did he say¡­?"


    "That it''s a bad habit for you to keep hiding things from people. You really expect for people to understand you when you keep so many important things from them?" Her tone was unforgiving. "You did not tell me anything about your family or your relationship and deal with your father. You didn''t say a word about planning to make Ai Publishing for my sake. You didn''t share your pain and trauma to me ever. You didn''t let me in any of your decisions or the things that affected you for all these years! I didn''t have any clue as to why you did what you did. I misunderstood you all this time. Do you have any idea how I feel?"


    Yating stared at her, bewildered with her outburst. For Ai, who was always so calm and composed, it was the first time that he had seen her so riled up.


    "I¡­I¡­"


    "Do you know how it feels to carry a wrong interpretation of someone all this time when they were never at fault? Yating, you say you loved me, but is this how you wanted to have a relationship with me? Were you ever going to confess these things to me? What about all those wasted years when we could have worked together?" She was confronting more to the Yating of the past.


    He was baffled. "All those wasted years¡­Which years are you talking-"


    "Ignore everything about that!"


    "..."


    How can I ignore you when you are this furious?


    Ai perfectly knew that he wouldn''t understand the past life. He wouldn''t understand the journey of those ten years they Ai went through. Even so, she wanted to let out her frustrations. She didn''t know how else she should scold him.


    Everything fell apart between them when everything could have sorted out if only Yating had shared his concerns with her. And realizing how pointless their suffering was made her feel extremely furious.


    "Just concentrate on you hiding things from me."


    Yating felt it was better not to poke her any further. He was unsure of the context of the years passing by, but he let it go for now.


    "O-okay. I admit I kept things from you. But like I told you before, I didn''t want Dad to-"


    Ai glared at him. "It doesn''t matter if Mr. Gu insults me or if he doesn''t like me. I would have worked hard for him to like me if I could. If I couldn''t, I would have left him alone. No use talking to people who don''t want to break apart from their prejudice."


    He coughed hard.


    Dad¡­


    "You didn''t have to assume that I would have felt hurt by his rejection. I am not so weak and if you think I was, then you don''t know me at all."


    He stiffened.


    "Then Ai Publishing. I know you wanted to keep it as a surprise, but for how long? I would have loved to work together with you rather than you taking the burden all alone. I would have preferred to get tired with you rather than you getting exhausted all by yourself."


    "Well that-"


    Ai bit her lip hard. "About your trauma¡­I never knew about such an important thing in your life for so many years."


    "Which years-"


    She gnashed her jaw. "I told you to ignore that part, didn''t I?"


    "S-sorry. My mistake," he gulped.


    Tears threatened to spill from her eyes. "If I am suffering from something, wouldn''t you want to know and help me?"


    "Of course!"


    "Then why did you hide so many things? From the beginning!" She trembled. "For ten years¡­" she whispered, "I knew nothing¡­"


    Yating was confused about the ten years part, but he didn''t dare to question her. He did the only thing that appeased any woman in this situation. "I sincerely apologize."

 Chapter 341 Double Date?

    Ai took a few deep breaths, and her poise gradually returned. "I thought I could never get so agitated like this, but you proved me wrong. Thank you so much."


    The taunt in her words was crystal clear, making his brow twitch. But Yating admitted that Ai had a point. "I am really sorry. Maybe you are right. I would have kept these things hidden from you had we been together."


    She faintly smiled.


    It doesn''t matter anymore, Yating. That life has already passed away. We could never have it back.


    "I just want you to know that you cannot let people misunderstand you. You have your own reasons and intentions for doing something, but¡­" her eyelashes trembled, "you have no idea how much this silence could cost in a relationship. Two people can only be happy if they share their worries with each other. It is only fulfilling when two people are working together for a solution, not dealing with it all alone. That''s why two people are together in the first place."


    Yating looked solemn. "You are right."


    Ai wiped her eyes. "Yating, you might have heard this a lot but I will still say it. You are not responsible for Ma Dong''s accident."


    He said nothing.


    "You did everything you could to save him. What happened after that was an accident. So don''t think you are to blame for it. I want you to consciously make an effort to believe so. There was no menace in your heart and so, there was no menace in your actions either. Ma Dong fell because he was drunk and was careless. You had nothing to do with it."


    Yating didn''t know why her words affected her so much. Gu Rong and his therapist had said this same thing to him countless times. But when she said it now, he felt as if he really got the reason to move on from that nightmare.


    He hoarsely affirmed. "I will try, Ai¡­Thanks a lot," tears fell from his eyes.


    She nodded.


    ¡ª


    Outside, Jun anxiously waited for Ai to come out. He kept looking at the hands of his watch, counting down the seconds to when the thirty minutes would be over.


    If Gu Yating keeps her even for a second more, I will strangle him to death!


    The door finally opened, and Jun felt as if it took forever for Ai to step out. Before she could even process anything, Jun blocked her view with his big bear hug. "I missed you."


    "I was just inside the room with Yating."


    "That''s exactly why I missed you."


    Her mouth twitched into a smile. She hugged him back and buried her head into his chest. "I missed you too."


    "Good."


    "Let''s head out and you tell me everything that he said."


    "Yes."


    ¡ª


    Learning about Yating''s trauma made Jun feel that he couldn''t be furious with him anymore. "I feel like I am angry, but I am not angry either. This is annoying. I don''t want to hold any high opinion of your ex-boyfriend of your last life. All my rivals are supposed to be bad people."


    "..."


    "Why?"


    "So that I can look the best in your eyes," he snorted.


    She tapped on his nose. "You don''t have to look the best in my eyes. You are already the best."


    His expression brightened, and he felt extremely pleased. He held her face and asked, "Are you still feeling guilty after knowing this?"


    She pursed her lips. "It''s a complicated emotion, Jun. I know you have a point. He shouldn''t have kept such important things from me. But¡­I feel I was lacking too in understanding him. I could see and feel that he was stressed out, but I didn''t do anything to help him. I should have pushed harder and forced him to involve me if he wasn''t doing it on his own. But I kept waiting for him to come out with it one day. I thought he would eventually tell me. But I just kept waiting and getting disappointed¡­"


    Jun protested this with his full spirit. "Ai! I already told you not to-"


    "No, Jun. What is my fault is my fault. You love me so you don''t want to hear anything against me," she slightly puffed up her cheeks. "But I don''t want you to dote and spoil me the wrong way."


    He pouted and pulled her in his arms. "I cannot help but spoil you."


    Ai expressed her serious concern. "I am now worried about our children."


    "Don''t talk about annoying children."


    "How can our children be annoying?" She was speechless.


    Jun sneered. "If they somehow end up with Grandpa''s genes more than ours. I don''t want an endless ball of energy disturbing our bed time."


    Her brow twitched. "You are impossible."


    Jun kissed her forehead and smiled. "Anyway, now that everything is sorted out, how about we do something fun? It was really stressful these days."


    "Indeed. But Chen Zixin''s laptop¡­" she worriedly asked.


    Jun sighed. "We will figure out some other way to know the truth."


    Ai nodded.


    "Good. So, how about we go on a date?"


    Ai''s eyes shone with thrill. "Yes."


    "Where do you want to go?"


    Ai thought about it. "I saw a carnival poster on our way to the hospital. It will be a lot of fun."


    He smiled. "Sure, let''s go."


    ¡ª


    A decision which Jun immediately regretted.


    "Jun, try this."


    He looked at his beaming girlfriend with a cold countenance, who held a headband in her hands. But it wasn''t a normal headband. It was a headband with cat ears on top of it.


    "You want me to become a cat?"


    "What''s wrong with becoming a cat? You will be a cute cat," she innocently said.


    He gritted his teeth. "I am telling you I won''t ever wear something so embarrassing. Over my dead body!"


    She frowned. "You are not so accommodating in a carnival."


    "You-"


    "Is that you baby brother?"


    Jun froze. He turned mechanically with dread creeping in his heart.


    Nian sparkled like stars. "Jun! It''s me! Your most favorite brother is here!!!"

 Chapter 342 A Different Path Than The Past

    "..."


    Jun grabbed Ai''s arm. "Let''s run for our lives."


    Suddenly, he felt a firm hand upon his shoulder who refused to let him with a wide grin on his face. "Juuun!"


    Ai was surprised to see Xing Bi behind him. "Xing Bi."


    "Ai!" She gave her a tight, cuddling hug. "Ah, it''s such a relief to see my cute Ai here!"


    Jun inwardly several deep breaths.


    Okay, calm down. Things are still in control.


    But he couldn''t stop the distaste leaking from his face. "...What are you doing here?"


    "It''s my first date with Xing Bi!" He hopped to hug him. "The first stepping stone of my life to win her love."


    Ai stared at him. "So you were telling the truth that day?"


    Nian glared at her and harrumphed. "You didn''t believe me! I told you I wasn''t hallucinating. Xing Bi indeed agreed on a date with me!"


    Jun grimaced. "First date at a carnival?"


    Ai looked at Jun accusingly. "Carnival is not romantic?"


    He glared at her. "The cat headband is definitely not."


    "It''s cute just like you."


    "Ai¡­" he warned.


    Nian said, "Xing Bi wanted to go to a carnival, and I will diligently follow every word of hers! But look, we met you!"


    "That just made things so bad, right?" Jun smiled. "But we can fix this. We will pretend we never met. You go your way and we go ours."


    "Of course not!"


    "..."


    "Since two couples have met such good coincidence-"


    "We are still not a couple," Xing Bi didn''t hesitate to pop his balloon of illusion.


    Nian lacked tears to shed, but he bravely went on. "Like I was saying, since we four have met anyway, we should totally go on a double date!"


    Ai, Xing Bi and Nian himself were thrilled with the idea. Jun wasn''t.


    His gaze darkened. "Excuse me but I am on a date with Ai. This is not a picnic."


    Ai pursed her lips. "You are not being romantic anyway. You can''t even wear a cute headband for me."


    "..."


    "Tch," Nian clicked his tongue. "So harsh, Jun. We should be wife slaves."


    "Sorry but I prefer to have a voice of my own," Jun grimaced.


    Xing Bi chuckled. "It''s just a headband. How bad can it get?"


    "Yeah, so that Bro clicks my pictures, sends them to our family chat group and laughs at my expense? No thanks," he sneered.


    Nian gasped. "How did you know my plan?"


    "It''s the only thing you have ever done since childhood! Bully me and nothing else!" His chest heaved with fury.


    Seeing Ai''s shoulders droop with disappointment, Jun gritted his teeth. He snatched the headband from her. "Give it to me!"


    He grudgingly wore it on his head. "Happy now?"


    Nian laughed. "You are totally a wife slave!"


    Ai blossomed with delight. She wore a cat headband on her own head and hung her arm around his. They looked like an adorable cat couple right now.


    Jun had to admit the arrow that shot right through his heart. Ai looked like a cute kitty and all his resentment melted away like butter. "You look cute."


    "You too," Ai blushed.


    "Hey don''t give me dog food¡­" Xing Bi cried.


    Nian said with utmost sincerity, "Then we should attack him with double the dog food!"


    Jun pulled Nian away from the women and asked angrily, "Why are you ruining this for us!? Let me enjoy my date with Ai. You enjoy yours!"


    Nian sneered. "You think I am dumb? I am including you so that I can shine in front of my Xing Bi."


    "Huh?"


    Nian shamelessly shared his idea to him. "You see, little brother. We will participate in all sorts of activities here, and I will win every single one of them over you. Then she will see me how capable I am," his eyes glittered like gold. "The more I win, the more she will be impressed with me!"


    "..."


    "Aren''t you a little too overconfident? What if I win all the competitions here?"


    "Then obviously, you will gracefully lose on purpose to put your most favorite brother in the spotlight," he nodded.


    "..."


    "And degrade my reputation in front of Ai?"


    Nian sighed helplessly and patted his shoulder. "Sacrifices are sometimes necessary."


    "This is your great idea to move her heart?" He dryly asked.


    "It''s perfect!"


    "Then best of luck. I hope you lose miserably today."


    "..."


    The four, except for Jun''s agreement, began their double date. The men were busy with winning the competitions, and the women preferred to invest their time into trying all sorts of food. It was a big carnival with a lot of processions and cars passing through the streets.


    "Xing Bi, Xing Bi! Look! I won the shoot the fish eye game! Jun was so hopeless!" Nian furiously waved his hand to let her see his victory.


    Xing Bi and Ai were at a food stall on the opposite side of the road, munching on some sweet and sour chicken. She craned her neck and saw the arrow wedged into the small eye of a wooden fish.


    That is quite admirable indeed.


    She started to cross the road when a procession suddenly changed its way and almost crashed upon her.


    It was almost because Nian''s sharp eyes had immediately detected the danger, and he jumped in the way to push her back.


    "Xing Bi!" Ai gasped with terror and she and Jun rushed to her side.


    "S-sorry!" The rider of the procession profusely apologized. "I lost control somehow¡­Please forgive me!" He bowed deeply.


    Nian wasn''t in the mood to be so forgiving, considering the cold winds blowing in the area.


    Xing Bi waved her hand. "It''s okay."


    "A-are you hurt anywhere-"


    Nian icily cut him off. "How about you stand here and I charge the procession at you? You will surely understand then, won''t you?"


    He gulped hard. "Sorry¡­"


    Xing Bi tugged his elbow. "It''s okay. Let him go. He already apologized."


    She smiled at the rider. "Be careful next time."


    "Yes, Mam! Thank you so much!"


    Nian held her hand and helped her stand on her feet.


    Ai sighed in relief. "Thank God Nian came in time."


    From their backs, they heard a certain elderly woman''s voice, who had a small tent of her own as a part of the carnival.


    "I see you have taken another path than what fate had laid for you in the past."

 Chapter 343 Ai’s Fortune Reading

    The group of four turned and saw an elderly woman in a small tent, looking at them with a mysterious smile on her face. From the looks of all the things present in her tent, it seemed that she was a fortune teller.


    Nian tilted his head. "What are you talking about, Grandma?"


    "Everybody''s fate is changing, my dear. Yours, hers¡­" then she pointed at Jun and Ai, "you and you too. Especially you two. Your decisions are what are influencing the wheels of fate."


    They blinked and shared a glance.


    She cannot possibly be talking about our rebirth, right? Jun eyed Ai.


    Ai gave him an equally confounding look.


    "Hoho," the mystic woman chuckled. "I see everything, dear. You two have been blessed by destiny. You two have been touched by time."


    They froze.


    Xing Bi whispered. "I don''t understand what she is talking about. Is this divinity? I am not sure if I believe in divinity."


    Nian shook his head. "Maybe she just wants us to be her customers. Let''s go from here."


    But Jun and Ai dragged them towards her tent nevertheless, making Nian speechless.


    "Little brother, were you always interested in fortune telling?" He raised his brow.


    Jun cleared his throat. "There''s no harm in just giving it a shot. It will be fun."


    "But-"


    "Do you want her to read your love-life fortune?"


    That immediately made his face sparkle. "I want to know! I want to know! Fortune telling is the best!"


    "..."


    The four of them sat opposite her in the tent with darkness slowly enveloping their surroundings. The air felt mysterious and slightly spooky.


    Ai politely asked, "Can you tell us more about what you were talking about?"


    The elderly woman smiled. "Rebirth-"


    "*Ahem ahem!*"


    Jun and Ai began coughing harder. The truth about their rebirth was something that Nian and Xing Bi didn''t know.


    Xing Bi furrowed her brows. "Why did you two start coughing together? Are you okay?"


    The couple gave her a thumbs up and nodded. "It''s nothing."


    The woman paused. Then she said, staring at Ai, "You have made some major decisions in your life. At first, it only affected you. But slowly¡­slowly¡­it started affecting the people around you too."


    She blinked.


    "Like this woman here," she pointed her finger at Xing Bi.


    Xing Bi straightened up for some reason.


    "What you did changed your path first and then it changed her life as you pulled her towards you. In turn¡­" she moved her finger towards Nian, "it changed the fate of this young man too."


    Jun tilted his head.


    Is she talking about Ai coming to Sky? If Ai hadn''t, then Xing Bi wouldn''t have met Bro Nian either.


    In his last life, Nian was unmarried. But in this life, he already found the love of his life. So yes, Nian''s fate had changed too. It was Ai''s association with Jun that Xing Bi became connected to Nian.


    It made perfect sense which made them stupefied. Nian and Xing Bi were stupefied in another sense because unlike Jun and Ai, they had no clue how to connect the dots.


    The elderly woman smiled again as she looked at Jun and Ai. "You look bewildered, which means I am right."


    Jun coughed.


    She took out a deck of cards and randomly shuffled them. She kept it in front of Ai and said, "Please take out any three cards as you wish. But first, think about your intent in your mind."


    "Intent?"


    "What do you wish to understand from the cards? What is it that you want to know? The cards you pick will reflect that intent and give you a glimpse of the answers you are looking for."


    Ai looked at Jun, and he nodded.


    No harm trying it.


    She cleared her throat and touched the deck. She thought about her past life, and her intent was clear in her mind.


    I want to know the truth.


    She picked out three cards and neatly placed them before the mystic elderly woman side by side.


    The woman slowly said, "The first card represents your past. The second card represents your present and the third, your future."


    With that said, she revealed the first card which represented the past. It showed the figure of two women. One seemed to be falling into the abyss while the other woman stood at the top with stars glittering around her.


    Ai slowly widened her eyes. The woman falling instantly made her think of herself who had fallen to her death.


    Does that mean the other woman is Guiying?


    Jun squeezed her hand, giving her his warmth and reassurance.


    Don''t be afraid. I am here with you.


    Nian and Xing Bi curiously leaned in too. "Two women, one falling and another standing. What does it mean?"


    The elderly woman read the card. "It''s not just two women, dear. There are three."


    "Huh? Where?"


    She pointed at a shadow of the woman standing at the top. "Amidst the glitter and sparkle, it is not easily noticed. But the shadow of this woman is different."


    Xing Bi squinted her eyes to focus on that part. "True. The shadow doesn''t match the woman''s figure. It feels like it''s creeping onto the woman," she shuddered, "It''s creepy. What does it mean?"


    She smiled. "What she seems isn''t what she is. There is something else inside her, hidden from everybody. From the dark, it consumes her whole, slowly and steadily."


    This time, Jun and Ai didn''t understand much either.


    Ai asked, "Can you please explain more?"


    "What you are looking for in the past is connected to her. The woman falling and the woman standing, both are crying."


    Ai took a closer look. "Indeed. Both have tears in their eyes."


    She recalled that night. It was true that Ai and Guiying both cried that night as they confronted each other.


    Ai lowered her gaze.


    The falling woman''s tears represented the betrayal and loneliness Ai went through.


    She pointed at the woman standing at the top. "What do¡­her tears mean?"


    The elderly woman had a solemn expression. "Betrayal and loneliness."


    Ai widened her eyes. "What?"


    "Yes. The stars and glitter around her is success. But despite that, she is crying."

 Chapter 344 Mr. Liu’s Fortune Reading

    Ai trembled. "Why?"


    The elderly woman shook her head. "Because the glitter came at a cost she didn''t wish to bear. She was standing at the top, but she still wasn''t happy. Can you see the thin strings here?"


    Ai gave it another closer look. From the woman standing at the top''s shoulders, she could faintly see two strings stretching upwards. But it was mostly lost in all the sparkles.


    "The strings mean¡­?"


    "A puppet. The truth that you wish to seek is in the grief of this woman. That will lead you to where the strings end at."


    Ai didn''t follow her cryptic words.


    Strings and a puppet¡­Does it mean Guiying was like a puppet?


    The elderly woman revealed the second card. It showed a man and woman in love and bliss with their hands intertwined.


    "Your present with the one you love is filled with joy and warmth."


    The uneasiness that the first card arose in her chest washed away with this card. She beamed and looked at Jun. "Yes, I am very happy with Jun."


    Jun kissed her forehead.


    Nian whistled. Xing Bi glared at him. "Shoosh! Don''t disturb the card reading process."


    "...You just said you aren''t sure if you are into divinity or not," Nian was speechless.


    "But this is very interesting."


    The woman pulled the third card which represented the future. Compared to the soft and gentle message of the earlier card, this card had two women and a man standing in a fiery fire. The woman with the different and eerie shadow seemed to be in command of the fire while the man and the woman seemed to be struggling with it.


    Jun asked with disbelief, "What does this mean? Why is there fire in the future?"


    "The happiness of your future depends on if the fire within this woman extinguishes or not. If the fire remains burning in her heart, she will consume you two along with it. But if there is¡­something or someone who could extinguish it completely from her heart, then there is hope. You see this hand?"


    Jun and Ai peered more. Just like the shadow, it wasn''t very noticeable. But there was a hand amidst the fire that was stretching out towards the woman with the shadow.


    "This is the hope. If this hand could reach this woman, then it is possible for the fire to disappear."


    Ai was seriously puzzled now.


    Something to do with Guiying and related to Jun and me? How is this possible?


    The elderly woman asked Jun, "Why don''t you take out three cards too?"


    Jun paused and nodded. He touched the deck, thought of his intent which was the same as Ai and pulled out three cards.


    The elderly woman revealed the card of his past. In it, there was chaos and darkness. A woman stood in the middle with one man on the left and the other on her right. The man on the right was on his knees, crying miserably. The background seemed to be like a clock.


    Jun stiffened.


    Is that me¡­?


    The man on the left had tears in his eyes too. He reflected nothing but pain and sadness in his eyes. He had his back turned, yet his hand seemed to be reaching out towards the man on the right.


    Jun felt his heart pound faster, thinking if he was Jin.


    "Sadness and distrust¡­" the woman whispered.


    He trembled.


    Distrust¡­


    "The two men had a close bond, but the woman standing in the middle created chaos in their hearts that separated them."


    This time, Ai firmly held his hand and provided her reassurance.


    Nian narrowed his eyes. "Hey, I can see the same strings from this woman''s shoulders."


    Jun stared at the woman again. She was dressed in white with a smile on her face. But her smile felt as lonely and troubling as her gaze. It showed cracks between her and the man on the left and again between her and the man on the right. Below her feet was all red.


    The elderly woman studied carefully. "The cracks means she is torn apart between the two men. The crimson under her feet is blood."


    Jun clenched his fist.


    Jin''s death¡­


    "The strings from her shoulders represent a puppet."


    Jun widened his eyes.


    Strings just like the other woman with a weird shadow? Huh? I don''t understand¡­


    She slowly continued. "The answers you seek are within these two. But it will be difficult as the woman in white is not touched by time."


    She means that Shui is not reborn, so we cannot know the things she knew¡­


    He blinked.


    Wait, she said only the woman in white¡­


    "The man on the left?"


    The elderly woman smiled. "He is touched by time, isn''t he? There is one hand of the clock behind the man on the left and the other hand of the clock behind the man on the right. But there is nothing behind the woman in white."


    Wait, those were hands of a clock?


    "I see¡­"


    The elderly woman flipped open the second card which was more or less similar to Ai''s card, representing bliss of love.


    The third card of the future was once again similar to Ai''s card. A fiery future if they didn''t resolve the mystery in time. But this time, there was also the man on the left present in the card.


    "He is similar to the hand reaching out to the woman of fire. There is hope if the man on the left and the man on the right work together to seek the truth. The fire not only represents the woman''s heart but also this man''s, which can disappear if the right persons reach out their hands towards them."


    Jin¡­


    "Th-thank you¡­"


    Nian frowned. "This is fine and all but why is Jun''s past card so depressing? Who dares bully my little brother?"


    ,m Xing Bi nodded furiously. "Ai''s card is sorrowful too! I will beat up any person who dares to make her sad!"


    Jun and Ai glanced at each other and faintly smiled.


    Nian raised his hand next. "Our turn! Xing Bi, why don''t you pull the cards now? Let''s see what your cards show!" He chirped.

 Chapter 345 Intertwined fates

    Chapter 345 Intertwined fates


    Xing Bi wasn¡¯t sure what she wanted to know about her life. She scratched her chin. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I want to know something particular¡­¡±


    Nian gasped. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see our happy future through the cards?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am at least sure that I definitely don¡¯t want to see that.¡±


    Nian cried. ¡°You are harsh, Xing Bi. But my love for you shall not fail!¡±


    Ai thought about it and said, ¡°How about we see the three cards for you too? I¡­want to know about your past.¡±


    She had Xing Bi¡¯s death in her last life in mind as she suggested to her.


    ¡°Okay! As my Ai says!¡± She chirped.


    ¡°Such partiality¡­¡± Nian mumbled as he sobbed.


    Xing Bi took three cards out of the deck and placed them before the elderly woman.


    The first card showed a woman lying on the ground helplessly. A source of light was before her and she had desperately stretched her hand to reach the light. But there was a figure of a dark person behind her, clad in black clothes who was pulling her away from the light.


    Nian frowned. ¡°Who is that black man? Is it any one of her possible suitors? If so then¡­¡±


    I need to dispose of him.


    The elderly woman quietly said, ¡°It¡¯s the grim reaper.¡±


    Nian blinked. ¡°Sorry, what?¡±


    ¡°Death. The light this woman is trying to reach means that she is chasing after the truth. Bring the truth to light. But before she could do so, death took her away.¡±


    Ai¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    Is this card referring to the accident that killed her?


    ¡°But why is this grim reaper smiling?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but shudder.


    ¡°Because this Death is not the real Death. It¡¯s somebody else who is evil, who was happy to see the woman die. Death is never evil. It is a natural part of our lifecycle. But this smiling grim reaper represents bad intentions-¡°


    *BANG!*


    Nian¡¯s palm struck akin to thunder on the table. The expression on his face at this moment didn¡¯t look any less than grim reaper itself. ¡°Grandma, as an elder, I really respect you. But if you are going to talk nonsense about Xing Bi¡¯s life or the end of it, then that respect won¡¯t last for much longer.¡±


    The woman was calm and unfazed about his threat.


    Jun quickly said, ¡°Bro, it¡¯s alright. They are just cards-¡°


    Nian wasn¡¯t in any mood to joke, and he gave that message crystal clear to his little brother with one look. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt when I am talking, Jun.¡±


    Jun quietly backed off.


    Xing Bi coughed and smiled it off. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so serious. I told you I am not into divinity anyway.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you are into fortune telling or not. I won¡¯t spare anybody who will even remotely imply your harm.¡±


    The hair on the back of her neck tingled, gazing into his black, impeding eyes.


    The elderly woman wasn¡¯t offended. On the contrary, she gave a kind but mysterious smile. ¡°It¡¯s not about sparing me or not. You shouldn¡¯t close your eyes to the things just because they don¡¯t suit your convenience.¡±


    The frostiness in his eyes only deepened. ¡°It¡¯s not that they don¡¯t suit my convenience. It¡¯s meaningless because there is nothing in this world that I will let even touch Xing Bi¡¯s hair! So I won¡¯t tolerate this nonsense at all!¡±


    He grabbed her hand and pulled her up. ¡°We are leaving. I don¡¯t want to know any fortune anymore,¡± he coldly remarked.


    ¡°Ah? W-wait¡­¡±


    He gave Xing Bi no chance to speak as he furiously left the tent with her.


    After a moment of silence, Jun apologized. ¡°I am sorry on his behalf. But when he is like that, everybody is pretty much helpless.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I never felt offended. Rather, I like the young man. It is his fierceness and protection that she needs the most.¡±


    Though Jun and Ai were ideally supposed to follow Nian and Xing Bi, they remained for some time to freely talk to her.


    Jun opened and closed his mouth, trying to frame his question, which the elderly woman read. ¡°I can see what the others cannot. You two are reborn, right?¡±


    They answered after a long pause. ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Jun faintly smiled. ¡°This was a fantasy to me until a few months ago when I woke up again. Rebirth felt impossible. It felt even more of a dream and coincidence when Ai was the same woman I shared my last moments with and in this life, she became the woman I love from the depths of my heart,¡± he squeezed her hand gently.


    ¡°Coincidence? There is nothing such as coincidence,¡± her gaze twinkled with enigma. ¡°Do you think that it¡¯s a mere coincidence that you died alongside her and were reborn to meet her again? It was destined. Your lives are more intertwined than you think they are. Your past was connected, so is your present and so will your future.¡±


    Ai slightly parted her lips. ¡°Past is connected¡­? But Jun and Ai never met each other. We didn¡¯t know each other.¡±


    ¡°Just because you never met doesn¡¯t mean your lives weren¡¯t connected. If they weren¡¯t connected, the woman with the different shadow wouldn¡¯t have appeared in both of your cards.¡±


    They stiffened.


    ¡°Your eyes have questions in them. You look lost.¡±


    Jun thought about Zixin¡¯s burned laptop and sighed.


    Indeed, I am lost. We lost the last hope too.


    ¡°If you wish to seek your answers, she is the key. She is the one that leads to everything.¡±


    Cai Guiying¡­


    Which reminded Jun that somehow her brother, Cai Lingyun, was his aide in his last life.


    Something really connected me and Ai in the past too?


    Ai nodded.


    She continued. ¡°The woman who was with you just now¡­¡±


    ¡°Xing Bi?¡±


    ¡°She also knows the answers that you wish to find,¡± she said cryptically, ¡°Just like the woman in white. She could also help you.¡±

 Chapter 346 The key to everything

    Chapter 346 The key to everything


    Ai quickly asked, ¡°I-It¡¯s about her accident, right? You said the Death in her card was evil.¡±


    ¡°It is about that evil grim reaper indeed¡­¡± she whispered in the darkness of that tent. ¡°The light she wanted to show you was that figure clad in black. But like the woman in white, she is not reborn. Hence, your path will be difficult.¡±


    Her eyes welled, and she lamented in a hoarse voice, ¡°Jun, I was right. I was right in investigating her case in the past. I knew something was wrong with her accident. Somebody had planned it¡­¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°Everything is far more connected than you think it is. That¡¯s why fate gave you another chance to untangle all the deceits and bring forth the truth.¡±


    Jun pulled her into a hug and patted her head. ¡°That¡¯s what we are going to do.¡±


    He looked at the other two unfolded cards and asked, ¡°Can we see what¡¯s inside them?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    The elderly woman revealed the second card. The card representing the present showed a knight on his knees with his arms stretched in the air as if he was declaring his love for the woman.


    He chuckled. ¡°That is definitely Bro wooing Xing Bi.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The young man faces hardships in this journey.¡±


    Ai smiled. ¡°That¡¯s true.¡±


    She opened the third card and the future showed a similar fire endangering the woman, but the knight was with his sword, fighting off the flames and protecting the woman.


    Ai anxiously inquired. ¡°Will Xing Bi in danger?¡±


    ¡°The pursuit of truth might bring the flames to her,¡± she calmly explained. ¡°But the knight will be there to protect her. Her fate with the knight is sealed forever.¡±


    Jun gave Ai a reassuring nod. ¡°I told you before, right? This time, we won¡¯t let anything happen to Xing Bi.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Jun asked the elderly woman, ¡°¡­I know this will sound bizarre to you, but is there a way to see those memories of Shui and Xing Bi?¡± He clarified, ¡°By Shui I mean the woman in white.¡±


    ¡°Time¡­¡± she said, ¡°You need to be touched by time once again if you wish to see the past that you don¡¯t know. Time has touched you once, and it went back for you two. So, there is a possibility for time to touch you again. But there are some conditions to be fulfilled.¡±


    Ai blinked. ¡°What conditions?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Time and nature are mystical. How they actually work is beyond human comprehension. But what I can say is that it won¡¯t happen easily just because you wish it. Time will test you. If you pass, it might grant you the blessing to go back temporarily. Also¡­¡±


    ¡°Also?¡±


    She gave it a deep thought. ¡°I might be wrong about this. But it¡¯s a possibility. You two died at the same place and same time in your last birth. You two never met, yet you two shared your death. It must mean something. At that moment, time took you back. If something similar to that fateful moment occurs once again in that same place, the hands of the clock might just turn for you.¡±


    Their eyes widened. Jun felt his heart thudding. ¡°Wait, you cannot be implying that Ai will have to be in danger just to trigger this?¡±


    ¡°Danger or something else, I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just a possibility I am saying.¡±


    Jun pursed his lips. ¡°Thank you. But I don¡¯t want Ai to be in danger at all! It¡¯s fine if we cannot learn those memories. But there is no way¡­¡± he trembled, ¡°I will let Ai face any harm.¡±


    Ai furiously nodded, tears filling her eyes. ¡°Neither do I. I don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t want to see Jun like that ever again¡­¡± she whispered.


    The woman gave them a kind smile. ¡°You two love each other so much. Just like this, always keep your love and trust for each other firm and unyielding.¡±


    They solemnly nodded.


    Jun knew he didn¡¯t have much time, but he went ahead and asked, ¡°I have a cousin who just went through a dangerous accident that could have taken his life. I¡­failed to protect him even though I knew this would happen. Can we see his cards even though he is not here? If there is something I could learn¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Just picture him in your mind and think about your intent.¡±


    Jun did so and pulled out three cards.


    But before the woman could reveal the first card, Nian¡¯s looming figure came back to the tent. ¡°You two! Come with me! Xing Bi and I were looking for you!¡±


    ¡°Bro?¡± Startled, they looked back.


    He coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be here anymore where she only shows depressing cards whether it¡¯s Xing Bi or you two. It¡¯s already late. We should get going.¡±


    ¡°Just two minutes-¡°


    One quiet and deadly glare from Nian made Jun automatically shut up. He looked back at the woman. ¡°I am sorry.¡±


    Jun quickly took out his wallet to pay for the fortune telling, but she raised her palm and denied it. ¡°No need, young man.¡±


    ¡°Of course not. How can I leave without-¡°


    She shook her head. ¡°I will be happier to see you two succeed in your quest to find the truth. Don¡¯t lose this chance that fate has bestowed upon you.¡±


    He hesitated but then nodded. They bowed and left the tent with Nian.


    As silence fell in the dark tent, the elderly woman stared at the cards laid out by Jun. She touched the cards and revealed all three of them one by one. Her eyes ever so slowly widened as she studied them. ¡°I see.¡±


    The past card showed a man clutching his head, grieving and confused. A woman stood beside him, but her back faced the man as he cried.


    ¡°Her back facing him¡­She didn¡¯t know about his existence at all. A pity,¡± her eyelashes softly fluttered.


    She looked outside and saw the retreating figures of Jun and Ai leaving the carnival.


    ¡°It is indeed the woman with the different shadow who is the key to everything. You, her¡­¡± she lowered her gaze at Zixin¡¯s cards, ¡°and him. She is the answer to all.¡±

 Chapter 347 Violence v/s finesse

    Chapter 347 Violence v/s finesse


    Walking towards her apartment in the evening, the air was extremely silent between Xing Bi and Nian. The iciness from his gaze was yet to settle down after her fortune telling.


    ¡°¡­Your handsome face will get creases upon it if you ooze such a dangerous aura like that.¡±


    If it was a normal scenario, Nian would have hopped up and down and cried tears of joy just listening to her calling him handsome. But it was evident that the fortune telling didn¡¯t fare well with him.


    By this point, they had already reached her apartment.


    ¡°Oof! Enough with that murderous expression!¡± She grabbed his arm and pulled him inside the building. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. I will cook something for you and if you dare think about my fortune anymore, then I will strangle you!¡±


    Nian snapped out of his head and stared at her hand clutching his arm. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t invite me inside. I just accompanied you to drop you home safely.¡±


    She shot him a stare. ¡°I am the elder one here, and younger ones should listen to their elders,¡± she harrumphed. ¡°It¡¯s my order or forget about scoring any date from me in the future.¡±


    She opened the door to her house and forced him to sit on the couch. ¡°Now sit and wait for me!¡±


    Nian could see angry steam escaping her head as she stomped away, and he sighed.


    This wasn¡¯t how my first date was supposed to end¡­


    Nevertheless, his mood slowly lightened and the thrill of being in Xing Bi¡¯s home for the first time started to fill his heart.


    This is my Xing Bi¡¯s home¡­he sobbed.


    He could very well see how much of a book lover she was, seeing a big shelf of books in her living room. The room was slightly messy and disorganized, but that just added more to her charm, making him grin.


    *THUD BANG CRASH*


    Nian froze on his spot as if an earthquake had rumbled under him.


    What is happening? Why there are dangerous sounds coming from the kitchen?


    ¡°Xing Biiiiii! Are you okay?¡±


    The fortune suddenly crossed his mind, and his expression turned ugly.


    ¡°I am coming, Xing Bi!¡±


    As soon as he rushed into the kitchen, he wasn¡¯t sure who should he feel sorry for. He thought Xing Bi would be in danger, but it seemed like the kitchen was in more peril.


    Her apron had marks of chocolate cream and she was frowning at the egg in her hand.


    ¡°W-what happened?¡±


    ¡°This egg wasn¡¯t breaking. This is so annoying. And I am trying to sift the mixture, but it¡¯s still coming so thick¡­¡±


    Nian wanted to faint. Inwardly, he was shedding tears of blood. If it was anybody else, he would have straightaway buried that person, never to see him alive again.


    But it was Xing Bi, so¡­


    She sighed. ¡°I was trying to make chocolates for you but damn this is hard. A patissier¡¯s job is so tough¡­You have my respect. Just a little bit though!¡±


    Nian looked at the sorry state of the fluffy ingredients and managed to smile somehow.


    ¡°You have something to say to me?¡± She blinked.


    He furiously shook his head. Between his obsessive compulsiveness for sweets and his future love life which could disappear if he dared to scold her, he promptly chose the latter.


    Xing Bi narrowed her eyes. ¡°Guess you have considering how you harshly rebuked my precious Ai.¡±


    She still remembers that¡­


    ¡°Of course not! Ai was exaggerating¡­I never scolded her. I only taught her as a good teacher, which I should¡­¡± his eyes shone with tears, his heart bleeding immensely, ¡°do that with you too.¡±


    He carefully took the bowl from her, and a painful gasp escaped in his heart.


    The chocolate, the eggs, the flour¡­Ah such violence. How are these two sisters so glaringly similar in this area?


    Xing Bi scratched her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t think making sweets will be so difficult. Isn¡¯t it just mixing, whipping and baking?¡±


    He choked hard.


    How can it be just that? It¡¯s such a delicate process¡­


    Nian quickly cleaned up the counter and took out some fresh ingredients. ¡°How about you stand at a distance and I will show you?¡±


    Her brow twitched.


    He is definitely making fun of me¡­


    But as she observed him, she quickly crashed on the ground, realizing the stark differences in their abilities. She could finally see the violence in her movements as compared to his flawlessness. He handled everything with such finesse that she wished to hide her face. His eyes were focused on his task before him.


    It was honestly shocking to see a man who beat the shit out of judges and who brought out his violent side if he flips could do such delicate movements too.


    ¡°Say Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah?¡±


    He popped in a chocolate inside her mouth, and she felt she was in heaven. ¡°This ish amashing!¡± She cried.


    The dessert he had previously prepared in Shanghai and at Zixin¡¯s party were just as delicious. ¡°Guess you have some redeeming qualities.¡±


    It¡¯s handy to have a man who could cook, she brightened.


    She completely forgot that she was supposed to make chocolates for him to lighten his mood rather than the other way around.


    Suddenly, his thumb touched the corner of her lips and brushed past just at the edge, wiping the slight smear of the chocolate.


    ¡°Y-you are taking advantage of me!¡± She gasped.


    ¡°Advantage?¡± Nian cocked his brow. In front of his tall and handsome profile, she felt slightly smaller even with her five feet and nine inches height as he closed the gap between them.


    He smiled and leaned. ¡°This is why I told you not to invite me inside your house. I don¡¯t want to be a pervert but standing alone with the woman I like under one roof and not touching her seems like a far-fetched idea to me.¡±


    ¡°H-Hey, I just wanted to cheer up your mood. How could I have let you go with that ugly mood?¡± she looked away, feeling his jawline too close for her to handle. ¡°You were overthinking about my fortune.¡±


    The mention of her fortune turned his voice darker and grimmer. ¡°Because whether it¡¯s the past, present or future, I will never let anybody hurt you, and I will never tolerate such crap against you.¡±

 Chapter 348 The limit that exists and the one that doesnt

    Chapter 348 The limit that exists and the one that doesn''t


    Xing Bi peered into his black eyes which seemed to suck her into their intensity. She didn¡¯t want to admit it but this man who almost trapped her into debt, bullied her precious Ai and lied to her about many things was extremely charming with the stark contrast between his joyful and serious sides.


    Have I been single for far too long for me to think a troublesome man to be charming?


    She helplessly chuckled and ruffled his hair. ¡°You are so silly. That was the past card. The PAST. Something that has already happened. How does it affect me now? Though I didn¡¯t understand the past card at all. I am not sure which truth and light it was referring to. I never searched for any truth until now. For that matter¡­I am clueless about Jun and Ai¡¯s cards too,¡± she scratched her chin.


    ¡°Xing Bi,¡± he narrowed his eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t care if it was the past card or not. I won¡¯t simply tolerate anything that implies your harm.¡±


    She raised her brow and folded her arms. ¡°But what can you do about it? Nobody can change the past.¡±


    His gaze darkened. ¡°I cannot change the past, but I can take my revenge.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°And how will you find the person who supposedly has hurt me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how, but I will bring him out even if I have to dig the whole earth! I won¡¯t spare anybody who dares to have any bad intentions towards you. And once I find him¡­¡± he sneered. ¡°Well what you saw happen to the judges was just a trailer. I can become much more of a psycho in the base.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Her heart thumped in her chest, and she felt her cheeks growing hotter just like the time in Shanghai.


    This man is becoming dangerous¡­


    She cleared her throat and passed by him. ¡°Okay, that¡¯s enough talk about the cards. I am not into divinity anyway so-¡°


    She stiffened when he pulled her towards him, her back bumping on his chest. His breath fanned his hair which felt ticklish. ¡°W-what?¡±


    He whispered near her ear. ¡°I must ask that to you. Why are you running away?¡±


    Her brow twitched. ¡°I am not running away.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you are not hiding your red cheeks?¡± He raised her brow. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Only we two are here. You can admit it to me.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    His eyes sparkled with mischief. ¡°Which means is it not true that I am affecting you? Are you feeling shy?¡± He expectantly asked.


    She smiled. ¡°Do you want to feel pain?¡±


    ¡°Ah? Ouch!¡±


    Xing Bi kicked him on his ankle and putting her hands on her waist, glared at him. ¡°Keep your distance, young man. Just because I dragged you into my home doesn¡¯t mean you get to do anything funny!¡±


    His foot was tingling with pain, yet he sheepishly grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you drag me to your bedroom either¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She gave him an understanding smile. ¡°I see. I understand. I should drag you out of the house now,¡± she beamed. ¡°You seem to be back to your usual, jolly and troublesome self so time for you to go back. I prefer not having troublesome kids in my house,¡± she sneered.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°N-No, Xing Bi. Our romantic time has just started!¡± He cried. ¡°We should be getting all cuddly and mushy now!¡±


    ¡°Cuddly and mushy my foot! Get out!¡± She unceremoniously kicked him out of her house without any mercy.


    ¡°Xing Biiii!!¡± He sniffled.


    Xing Bi chuckled. ¡°Our date comes to an end now.¡±


    He wiped his eyes. ¡°When will be our next date? Tomorrow?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too ahead of yourself! You are not my boyfriend yet,¡± she harrumphed.


    ¡°When will that ¡®not¡¯ and ¡®yet¡¯ disappear from your sentence, my dear?¡±


    Her brow twitched. ¡°How about after an eternity?¡±


    ¡°But that will be too long. I cannot wait to make babies with you¡­¡± he sobbed.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    A vein popped on her head, and she ruthlessly kicked him again. ¡°Stupid Nian! Out!¡±


    She snorted and was about to close the door shut when he grabbed it and stopped her.


    ¡°I am not letting you inside again-¡°


    Her words fell back in her throat as the proximity between them increased. The door served as a narrow gap between them which she felt to be almost invisible.


    ¡°Xing Bi.¡±


    Again¡­


    Xing Bi was unable to speak as he donned his serious mode. She felt his eyes fixed on her with intent and scrutiny. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that card meant something or not, but I won¡¯t let any harm come your way because any harm will have to battle me first. And trust me, I am a damn good fighter. Nothing evil will ever be able to touch you.¡±


    She parted and shut her lips several times, her heart pounding in her chest like a bullet train. Despite her resistance, she could feel his sweet and determined words make way into her heart ever so slowly. She swallowed a gulp when he bent further. She didn¡¯t see his expression, but she could feel the slight mischief in his voice.


    ¡°Because the only evil that can touch you is me.¡±


    His words sent a tingle right down her spine, and she shuddered. ¡°Y-y-you admit you are e-evil?¡±


    There was silence that only fastened her heartbeats.


    One second, two seconds, three seconds¡­


    ¡°For you my dear, I can cross every limit of evilness there exists in this world and the one there might not even be.¡±


    She felt a soft peck on her forehead as he placed his lips for just half a second. Before she could react and lift her head, Nian was already gone. She blinked her eyes rapidly, seeing nothing but empty space ahead.


    He is gone¡­


    She dazedly touched her forehead.


    Was that my imagination or did he really¡­


    Recalling the last words he whispered to her, she collapsed on her knees, hiding her face in her palms.


    Ahhhh¡­This is bad. This is so very bad. I am done for¡­

 Chapter 349 Two Brothers Working Together?

    In the crescent swing, Jun had Ai wrapped around his arm as they embraced in silence. Nobody was really in a mood to eat after returning from the carnival. They had a simple and light dinner and moved to spend some time in the swing.


    "Jun."


    "Hm?"


    As her head laid against his shoulder, she softly asked, "Did you ever feel like wishing to know what must have happened after your death in the past?"


    "Many times. I was a coward who ran away from my mistakes and gave up on my life. But when I woke up, I have thought about this countless times. What happened after my death? What did Dad and my family go through? Jin died, then Mom and then...me too. Losing three people at once...just what happened to my family in the end?"


    His voice turned hoarser. "Sometimes, I wish to know. Sometimes, I wish I better remain in the dark because I know they must have only suffered. It would have been miserable, and I...would never be able to forgive myself," he whispered.


    He gently lowered his gaze. "You?"


    "Me too. I wondered what happened to Mom and Dad? How did they take the news? I was their only child. How must have they felt seeing my dead body? What happened to Xing Bi and why did she have to die? What happened to Yating and Guiying? How did they live their lives? Did they ever feel guilty for hurting me? Did they feel sad after I was gone even if a little bit? I have so many questions...And after talking to Grandma today, I feel even more strongly about this."


    She pursed her lips. "After learning what Yating had planned for, I want to know more about him and Guiying. What exactly was going on? And how is she connected to both of us?"


    He exhaled a soft breath. "The only thing that connects all three of us is our job. Our writing world. But as I told you before, I just knew who she was. I never personally met her just like I never met you. But still...her brother, Cai Lingyun, worked for me. I am wondering..."


    "What is it?" She looked up.


    "I was matching up the timing in my mind. I met him shortly after I was thrown out of home. It was after Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday. Did something happen around that time related to Cai Guiying that I am unaware of?"


    "Possible," she gave it a serious thought too.


    Her mind lit up with a suggestion, and she glanced at Jun again. It seemed that he was thinking of the same idea but with hesitation.


    "I think you understand whom to ask."


    He slightly cleared his throat. "I know. Jin..."


    She nodded. "You told me that at the time you and Shui were separate, Jin was closer to her. If this something happened around her birthday or maybe even sometime before that, he might know something that you didn''t."


    "...Will he help me?" He doubtfully asked.


    Her smile was filled with hope. "I am sure of it. Didn''t Grandma say that you two need to work together to reach the truth? Maybe, this is what she is talking about. She also said that you two need to be together for the fire in his heart to extinguish. Doesn''t it mean this is a chance for him to slowly let go of his resentments against you? I am sure this is what will bring the two brothers together," her eyes sparkled. "We three are the only ones to be reborn. It must definitely mean something."


    He lightly pinched the tip of her nose. "When you say it like that, I cannot help but feel hopeful too."


    "You should. I know in my heart that your relationship with him won''t remain sour for long," her eyes twinkled.


    Jun chuckled as he let out a breath. "What would I have done without you, Ai?"


    She looked serious but proud. "I know. I am so cute and a genius. You might have missed out on so many things."


    "Oh my God, you are really a narcissist."


    She took his phone and handed it to him. "Call him."


    "Right now?"


    "Why not?" She narrowed her eyes. "I am pretty sure if I left you with it, you will only overthink and do nothing else."


    He cleared his throat and defended himself. "I am not so hopeless."


    She pushed him out the swing. "Yes, so show me that by taking some action."


    After being mercilessly dumped outside, Jun slowly walked towards the balcony and stared at his phone. He wasn''t sure how things would go after their last conversation at the get-together party.


    He finally clicked on his number and heard it ring. He patted the tiny beads of sweat forming on his forehead as the number kept on ringing, but Jin didn''t pick up.


    He definitely doesn''t want to talk to me...


    If it had been the last life, Jin would have answered his brother''s call just after one ring. But this wasn''t the last life and this wasn''t the same Jin.


    Jun felt his hopes deflate and with it, his shoulders drooped. He slowly lowered his phone in defeat.


    "...Bro?"


    "Jin!" Feeling shocked, he spoke louder than expected.


    There was a pause on the other side. "Yes?"


    Jun carefully gauged his voice. It didn''t sound particularly affected. Rather, it was quite monotone.


    "Jin. How are you?" Jun patted his forehead once again.


    "In what terms are you asking? Physically? Fine. Mentally? Not so sure."


    His heart winced with guilt. "O-oh...I mean..."


    "Come to the point, Bro. You are not good at talking about things in circles."


    His brow twitched. "S-sorry. I wanted to ask if...can we meet tomorrow?"


    Silence.


    "For?"


    Jun scratched the top of his head. He wasn''t sure where to start with talking about fortune telling and the elderly mystic woman. "I want to ask a few questions about our last life. Something that I might not know but you do."


    "What do you want to gain from this?"


    "The truth."


    "Is there one?"


    "I am sure of it. There is something at large that is hidden from us. There are some things which you know and a few which I do. But nobody has the bigger picture. We might be able to put the puzzle together if we talk about it."


    He said nothing.


    Jun probed. "...Will you?"


    Jin replied after much thought. "Okay."


    His expression brightened like the sun. "Thanks!!" He spoke loudly again.


    "You will tear off my ears, Bro."


    "..."


    "Sorry."


    "Will you come home or do you want to meet outside?"


    Jun thought about it. "Can you come to my condo? It will be easier to talk privately here."


    "Will that ''naturally lovable and warm person'' be there too?" He sarcastically asked.


    "..."


    His brow heavily twitched, and he looked back at Ai. She was staring at him expectantly.


    What did you do to him, Ai?


    "Well since she is also reborn, she can help us too."


    "Alright. But tell her not to say a word to me or I will be out," Jin hung up.


    "..."


    Jun walked back to the swing. Ai asked, "Did he agree?"


    "Yes."


    She beamed. "See? I knew it."


    "But the condition is that you won''t talk to him at all."


    She furrowed her brows. "Why not?"


    "You are really asking that question?" He grimaced.


    "Of course. Jin and I spent such a good time together on Chen Zixin''s case. We bonded so well that day," she looked proud. "He likes me a lot now."


    "..."


    Was that bonding? How come it doesn''t reflect in Jin''s attitude?


    He smiled and ruffled her head. "You better not talk to him as he says."


    She slightly puffed up her cheeks and harrumphed. "You two brothers are such tsunderes, I tell you."


    "..."


    --


    The bell rang the next morning, and Jun hastily opened the door. Jin stood before him in a casual shirt and jeans.


    "Jin," Jun softly smiled.


    Jin simply gave a nod. He stepped inside the condo and took a seat on the couch.


    Jun quickly said, "I will bring something for you."


    "No need. I already had breakfast."


    He pressed his lips. "O-of course. Well then..."


    He sat opposite him and glanced at their room.


    Where is Ai?


    "What is it that you wanted to ask me?" Jin asked.


    "Yeah that-"


    Just then, the door opened and Ai came out, her handbag slung across her shoulder.


    Jun blinked. "Are you going somewhere?"


    "Yes. To the library."


    "Huh? But we are supposed to talk to Jin today."


    She nodded. "I know. But you can continue without me. I just got inspiration for my new book last night!" She clapped her hands once in delight. "I want to work on it."


    "Huh?"


    Ai said with regret, "I know I am very popular and you two will definitely miss not having me around you..."


    Jin''s gaze darkened.


    "But I am sure you two can handle it. I am getting late. Bye."


    She looked at Jin. "My apologies that we cannot enjoy like last time."


    He gritted his teeth.


    Ai fluttered away like the wind before Jun could even ask her more. He stared at the door, dumbfounded.


    Wait...did she do this on purpose for leaving us alone?

 Chapter 350 Decoding The Past (1)

    Leaving the two brothers all alone, there was a period of awkward silence at first. Jun was actually taking comfort in Ai''s company, but she straight away ditched him without any remorse.


    Jin sneered. "Peace will prevail now."


    Jun wasn''t sure if he should be happy or sad. "Just what happened between you two that day?"


    His gaze increasingly turned icy. "Nothing. She is too annoying. I should ask just what happened to your taste in women?"


    Jun stared at him and coughed. "She is actually nice if we don''t piss her off."


    He sneered again. "Nice try. Wasn''t Shui also very nice for you? Look how she turned out."


    He recalled the woman in white from the card from whom he saw two strings visible from his shoulders. "That''s why I wanted to meet you. Something was terribly going wrong in our past life."


    "How do you know that?"


    "Because it seems that Cai Guiying is somehow related to all this."


    He quickly gave his account of the conversation he and Ai had with the elderly woman at the carnival. "I know you might feel this is stupid that we are relying on some cards. But it turned out to match our circumstances very well and the fact that her brother, Cai Lingyun, worked for me as a sort of my butler shortly after I was thrown out."


    Jin blinked. "That man who tried those stupid things in Shanghai?"


    "Yup."


    "He worked for you?"


    "Yes," he quickly told him about how he met him.


    "So, you see. I don''t think this is a coincidence that her brother worked for me. Ai also told me that he was never bad financially or lost his job, that he would have to work as a butler for anybody. The thing is, this all happened after Shui''s birthday. Or somewhere around that. I thought you might know something."


    Jin was silent for a long time as he fixed his gaze at him. Listening to all the accounts, he seemed to be thinking hard about something.


    "You say you didn''t know Cai Guiying, but how is that possible?"


    "What do you mean? I never met her."


    "How? She was right there at Shui''s birthday party."


    Jun stared at him hard. "Sorry, what?"


    "Cai Guiying. She was at Shui''s birthday party."


    It was as if thunder struck him hard. It came so direct that even Jun wasn''t prepared to hear this.


    "She was at Shui''s birthday party!? Who invited her?"


    "Shui herself. Who else? It was her birthday. She was the one who invited everyone who was supposed to be there."


    This made his jaw drop even further. "Shui...knew her?"


    He tilted his head, trying to remember the birthday night in more detail in his mind. "Yes. I had seen Shui and her together from a distance before the cake cutting. Shui seemed to be thrilled to meet her and so was she. In fact, before Shui met you and you proposed to her, she said to me that she wanted to introduce you to somebody. I am sure it was Cai Guiying. But I don''t know how or where they met."


    Jun stiffened.


    Introducing Cai Guiying to me?


    Not even in his dreams did he think that Guiying was related to him through Shui.


    "Did Shui not say anything more about her?"


    "Nothing really. The only thing I remember is that before her birthday, she told me that there was somebody else who she was going to invite. A man. She didn''t say much about him as per his wishes and would reveal about him after she met him. But I didn''t see her meeting any strange man in the party who I didn''t recognize."


    ? Jun widened his eyes. "Could she be talking about...Cai Lingyun?"


    Jin was about to agree when he stopped suddenly, recalling a certain memory. "I don''t think so."


    "Why not?"


    "In Shanghai," Jin looked in a trance, "When she stopped me from beating up Cai Lingyun, she didn''t recognize him. But she said that she came to Shanghai to meet a man. Something about an online friend and a chat."


    Online chat? Wait, is he talking about...


    "Which reminds me. Weren''t you and Shui part of some forum? Reading Point, right?"


    He stiffened. "Yeah. This means that either Cai Guiying or Cai Lingyun or both are in Reading Point too..."


    Jin frowned, now increasingly finding these coincidences bizarre too. "But if the man she was supposed to meet was Cai Lingyun, then how did she not recognize him? She came to Shanghai precisely to meet him."


    Which suddenly gave Jun the flash of conversation in his mind he had with Shui when they were stuck in the elevator.


    ''How are you in Shanghai?''


    ''I...Actually, Warlord and some other members from Reading Point invited me here.''


    ''Warlord? That goofy guy? He is here?''


    ''Yeah. He insisted that I come with you. In one previous chat, I told him that you and I were friends, so he was excited to meet you too.''


    Jun slowly widened his eyes. "Warlord..."


    "Who?"


    Jun snapped out of his daze. "Warlord. He is one of the members of Reading Point. In the elevator, Shui said that...Warlord insisted that she come to Shanghai. He was excited to meet me too because I am her friend."


    Jin rapidly blinked. "Hold on. This doesn''t make sense. If he wanted to meet you, then why would he humiliate you like that in front of everyone? He cannot be Warlord."


    His brows tightened further. "Maybe by that point, he didn''t know who I was from Reading Point. But even later..."


    "He wasn''t really amiable towards you. Shui should have met him by some point, but she didn''t. She didn''t even look all familiar with him."


    "Cai Lingyun doesn''t really seem to fit Warlord. So then...is Cai Guiying Warlord? But why will she assume a male identity..." he was mumbling to himself.


    Jun slowly tilted his head. "You said...you didn''t see the strange man in her birthday party Shui had invited. But if she was talking about Warlord and Warlord is Cai Guiying, then it makes sense, right? She cannot meet a man in the party when that person was actually a woman."

 Chapter 351 Decoding The Past (2)

    All these bizarre happenings were actually beginning to make sense to Jin. There couldn''t be a man in the party when that identity was a woman in reality.


    Jun asked, "What happened to Cai Guiying in the party later?"


    Jin said, "I don''t know about that. I just saw her and Shui talk once. Where did she go after that or when did she leave, I have no clue."


    He narrowed his eyes. "Something did happen in that party. Maybe we didn''t catch it but something related to Cai Guiying occurred because after that...Cai Lingyun became my butler and Sky..."


    Jin stiffened. "What? Sky? You don''t mean to say that she had to do anything with Sky''s downfall, right?"


    "Why can it not be possible? The timing matches once again. Sky also collapsed shortly after her birthday party. Somebody leaked my CEO identity to the public."


    "But how will she know that you are the CEO? It''s only possible if..." Jin gritted his teeth, "Shui told her about it."


    Shui...


    Jun''s mind was spinning with all sorts of theories and conspiracies. "So there was never a spy? I thought that somebody sent a spy in Sky and leaked my identity. But if Shui knew Cai Guiying and if she told her about me as a friend, then there is no need for a spy anymore."


    "Will Shui just easily reveal your identity like that?" He was incredulous.


    Jun shook his head. "Among all the members of Reading Point, Warlord was the only one a little closer to Shui and me. Online, we had become quite good friends though as Warlord, he was very annoying to me. Nevertheless over the years, he became our good friend. That''s why she must have invited Warlord to her party, considering how close they became. Since Warlord knows me as MrPerfect, it isn''t far-fetched for Shui to talk to Warlord about me. It actually falls into place, Jin..."


    His eyelashes fluttered as he continued. "Warlord was there in CherryBlossom''s book-signing event. ''He'' said he would be there and wanted to eagerly meet me. But I avoided him," his lips parted in shock, "Cai Guiying was also there. It was her own signing event. That''s why Warlord said he would be there too. Shui came to Shanghai to meet Warlord and Cai Guiying was there once again. They are one and the same people!"


    Jin clenched his fist in a fury. He thought that Guiying was just one of another Shui''s friends, but how did she turn out to be the possible cause of everything?


    "If everything...let''s say this is true. But I still don''t get why Cai Guiying would do this to destroy you? Why ruin Sky? Why send Cai Lingyun to your place? What happened when Cai Lingyun worked for you?"


    Jun trembled. "Nothing much really...He just worked for me."


    "Impossible. If their existences so acutely fit in our last life, then Cai Lingyun must have an agenda!"


    Jun stared at him and answered. "You remember I told you that I had no clue about Great-grandma''s last wish to meet me?"


    Jin froze.


    "He was there at that time. He used to live at my place in his separate quarters."


    Jin felt his heart beat faster. He suddenly didn''t wish to know anything further thought on the other side of the spectrum, he also wanted to.


    "You don''t mean that he...somehow prevented you from getting the news to you? Wait a minute...was that servant him when I came to your condo?"


    ? Jun blinked. "You came to meet me?"


    "Of course I did! When Great-grandma was suffering and was asking for you, I called you so many times to come back home. When you didn''t answer my calls, I came to your condo to talk to you. But when I reached there, a butler met me at the entrance. He was wearing a mask on his face. I could only see his eyes. He bowed and said he worked for you, and when I asked him about you, he said you weren''t there. You weren''t even in the city."


    Jun could only feel more and more aghast, listening to this. "What? This is nonsense. I never left Beijing!"


    He froze.


    Impossible...S-so...he lied to me?


    "Jin, I never left the city. I was hardly in my senses to even move out of my house. I was devastated after Shui''s rejection. Why will I think of going out of the city?"


    Jun covered his face in his palm, his heart beating erratically with fear and an impending doom. "Jin...It was Cai Lingyun who broke the news of your and Shui''s wedding ceremony to me?"


    Jin rapidly blinked his eyes. "I don''t understand."


    He gnashed his jaw, his blood dangerously reaching the boiling point of anger. "I don''t remember clearly. But I was really drunk on your wedding day. I think I was in an accident or some sort. When I woke up, Cai Lingyun or Tang Gengxin - that was his name when he worked for me. He told me quite sorrowfully that he heard about your and Shui''s wedding."


    Jin''s eyes slowly widened. "The hell..." he cursed under his breath. "How can he know about it!? Apart from the families, no outsider was a part of the wedding ceremony. You know in which circumstances I agreed to marry her. We were hardly in the mood to make a celebration out of it and invite guests. There is no way that fake butler would know about Shui and my wedding."


    "Unless Cai Guiying told him about it. Shui and she already met at her birthday party. I don''t know what happened in the party or after that, but they seemed to have maintained contact. "


    Jin''s gaze darkened. "And Shui will invite her so-called friend to the wedding in such a situation as if it''s good news? No way. It''s not like there were other of Shui''s friends invited. It was only our families."


    Jun recalled the threads.


    ''The threads represent a puppet.''


    "Yeah, I am pretty sure..." he squinted his eyes, "the news didn''t travel to Cai Guiying as a FRIEND."

 Chapter 352 Decoding The Past (3)

    "There is one way we can get our answers," Jun affirmed with a grave expression. "Shui."


    Jin''s expression looked anything but inviting.


    Jun continued. "Warlord called Shui to Shanghai, so she must have definitely met that person. She can confirm if Warlord is really Cai Guiying or not."


    ,m "I don''t want to talk to her. I don''t even want to see her face," he coldly shot back.


    "Jin¡­"


    "No."


    He sighed. "Jin, you realize it, right? If Cai Guiying and Cai Lingyun are really behind all of this, then maybe, then they used Shui in some way. You hate her, but she might be innocent."


    He glared at him. "Innocent? Only you will think she is innocent! She played with your feelings and rejected you! You still don''t get it, do you Bro? She had no right to break your heart after all that you did for her. She couldn''t understand your love and needlessly hurt you," he chuckled, "No matter what I think about Zhou Ai, you are happy with her, right? Because she understands you. Why couldn''t Shui do the same? To say that your love was suffocating. It''s her existence that is suffocating to the world now!"


    Jun kept his silence at his outburst. Then he said, "Okay. I won''t force you to think highly of Shui. But we need her help to confirm."


    "Don''t even think of calling her here," his expression was even uglier.


    Jun gave up. "Fine. But I at least need to talk to her on the phone. We really need to be sure about this."


    He quickly dialed Shui''s number and put it on speaker. She picked up a few seconds later. "Jun," she sounded cheerful. "What''s up?"


    "Hey," Jun smiled. "A quick help. You¡­know Warlord, right?"


    She chuckled. "You also know him. We are in the same forum."


    "Yeah. But you said that you came to Shanghai to meet him, right?"


    "Yup."


    "So, I wanted to ask about him. Who is Warlord? Did you meet him?"


    There was a sudden pause. "Ah¡­well, I cannot tell you that, Jun. He wanted me to keep it a secret. I am sorry¡­"


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Is it Cai Guiying?"


    "...H-How did you know?" She was in disbelief. "Did she finally reveal herself to you?"


    Jun froze and so did Jin.


    So we were right¡­


    Shui was puzzled with the sudden silence that fell on the other end. "Jun? Jun?"


    "Ah yes, I am here. Shui."


    "Good. I wonder where you disappeared?"


    "What did she say to you when she invited you?"


    "Nothing much. Just that there was going to be a fest in Shanghai, so it was a good chance for us to meet. She actually wanted to meet you too."


    He stiffened.


    "What happened? Why this sudden interest in Warlord?"


    "Nothing. It was just a little shocking to know that that goofy guy turned out to be a woman."


    "Oh yeah, I was pretty shocked too. But she did say that she had faced harassment before, so she chose a more manly username and acted like a man in the forum."


    "I see. Thanks, Shui. I will call you back later."


    "Sure."


    As he hung up, Jun felt as if he got answers to a lot of his questions but at the same time, new questions arose as well.


    Why was Guiying so interested in him? Why did she hate him so much that she had plotted everything?


    Jin trembled. He began to hate Jun not only because he never believed him but also because of how he threw away his family for the sake of a woman. Though he did behave rudely to Nana and Nuo, he never truly became so evil that he would stop caring about his family.


    Was the last life really all just an elaborate scheme?


    Jin laughed angrily. "So you mean to say that Cai Guiying, who had nothing got to do with you, befriended Shui and everything that happened after her birthday party was her fucking plan? She ruined Sky, made you distance yourself from the family through her brother and was somehow involved with Shui and my wedding five years later? Who the hell is this woman? How dare she mess with the Liu family!?"


    The angry veins popping on his forehead was enough to express the killing intent and the strong urge to end Guiying''s life.


    Jun''s gaze was just as icy and unforgiving. "I don''t know. Maybe coming to Shui''s birthday party was a part of her plan too."


    Jin sprung on his feet, gnashing his teeth. "What are we waiting for? We should confront that bitch!"


    "Wait!" He hastily grabbed his shoulder. "What are we supposed to ask her? This is all the past life we are talking about. She will think we are crazy. The only thing for which we can demand an answer from her is regarding Shanghai."


    Jin narrowed his eyes. "The part about you and Shui in the elevator."


    He nodded. "Yes. But in public, it was Cai Lingyun who made a mess. Even in her last life, she did many things through him. That fucker will definitely protect his sister," his gaze darkened. "We just need to know who gave him that elevator footage. It will definitely be her, and then we can confront her."


    "...Why are we doing it in this way? We are the Liu''s from the Underworld. They will have to answer us," he sneered.


    He faintly smiled. "Us being Liu''s couldn''t help Bro Zixin, right? Even though I caught Feng Wuhan beforehand to prevent the accident, it didn''t go our way at all. If they had planned such an elaborate scheme in the past, then we cannot take them lightly or barge in without preparation."


    He was silent.


    "Fine."


    Jun slowly bobbed his head. "Jin, this time, we will not let that dreadful past happen once more. We got a second chance to fix the past. That''s why¡­" his heart raced faster in trepidation, "we need to work together to get into the root of all this. Will you help me?"

 Chapter 353 To Learn More About CherryBlossom

    Chen Corps.


    Zixin was slowly beginning to settle in his company under the guidance of his father and grandfather. Even Yunru, who was Sky''s President, helped his elder brother with the work in Chen Corps to manage his responsibilities for sometime before he fully blended in.


    "Hohoho! Isn''t your little brother so capable?" Yunru''s nose grew longer with pride.


    Zixin smiled and nodded. "Yes. You helped me a lot. You are a good brother."


    He grinned. "Yes, yes, praise me more and don''t praise Yubi at all."


    His brow slightly twitched.


    Jianyu smacked on his son''s head. "Don''t talk about my daughter like that."


    "This is partiality! You always take her side," he complained.


    He shrugged. He ruffled Zixin''s head and smiled. "I hope you are more comfortable now. You don''t have to stress about work or feel that you have to quickly learn everything. We just want you to get used to it gradually. We will leave now. If you need any help, call Yunru or your assistant."


    "Thank you," he softly showed his gratitude.


    Left alone in his office, he felt lighter and more relaxed. He looked around and thought that he might remember something, but he didn''t. The work wasn''t so difficult. It felt as if his body and brain knew how to do all his professional tasks, which he did flawlessly.


    Taking a break, he rested his head on the back of his chair and exhaled a deep breath.


    Until now, everything was going well for him. Even though he lost his memories and had a terrifying accident, he had an extremely lovable and supportive family. His family was good. His company was good.


    Yet, he still felt something missing from his life.


    Was there something else? He wondered to himself.


    He shut his eyes to relax only to see a certain woman''s face flashing in his mind. He tilted his head, thinking about the two meetings he had with Guiying.


    Or CherryBlossom.


    He was simply remembering her without exactly knowing what he was actually thinking about her. She was just there, yet that ''just'' felt to be a strong presence.


    Zixin wasn''t sure why he thought about her or what he was actually supposed to do. It was surprising to him as well to know that he was so curious about her, considering all the questions he asked Ai.


    He took out his phone and thought for a moment in silence. Then on the internet, he searched for CherryBlossom. His eyes slightly widened to see so many articles about her, and through those articles, he learned that she was quite a popular writer in her field.


    She won a competition during high school and got the Best Fiction Writer award. She worked in Dream High and had been since then, the most popular writer in the company. She had her own successful book signing event a few months back but coming to the Authors Summit, he read that she was a grand finalist but didn''t win the Summit. Instead, it was his cousin''s girlfriend, Zhou Ai.


    Zixin continued to read more of her articles and though it seemed that the Summit''s loss hadn''t affected her popularity on the outside, he could read between the lines of how Ai was quickly overshadowing her.


    CherryBlossom was invited to the Shanghai Fest but there were slight suspicions here and there whether she was officially invited or not, though they never went so viral or vocal. People were anticipating Ai''s upcoming book more than Guiying''s.


    It was unnoticeable at this point, but it was there. He felt the shift in the air for the top position. It wasn''t that she was instantly pulled down. Rather the process was gradual.


    Zixin pursed his lips, and his gaze slightly dimmed. He knew that working in any field was highly competitive and it took a lot of effort to stay at the top. It was common for someone to take over the other''s position in a flash. It was all about merit.


    Yet, he still felt at a loss. He remembered Guiying''s eyes when he had asked her about her career. Instead of confidently answering it and feeling proud of herself, her eyes looked hesitant and worrisome to reveal it to him.


    ''Nothing fancy...''


    Her eyes and so did her voice - nothing reflected the joy of being a well-known writer.


    Was it because she lost the Summit that she felt ashamed of telling it to me?


    He thought it was quite possible. He didn''t know anything about the writing world but from what he read, he could understand that the Summit was quite prestigious for any author. Losing it was definitely a setback. He also read that Ai was already working on her next novel, but there was no news or hints about Guiying''s next book.


    Zixin pressed his lips again. He wasn''t sure why but imagining her to be sad, pulled his mood down too. If possible, he wanted to help her. But how?


    Their work areas were worlds apart. There was nothing common between a CEO and a writer''s work.


    He gave it a deep and sincere thought.


    Shouldn''t I get to know her as a writer first?


    He couldn''t recall if he was a book lover or not before he lost his memories, but he decided to give it a shot. The hardcopy of CherryBlossom''s books were available online, so he quickly ordered them without a second thought.


    He smiled with satisfaction. He was curious to know what sort of books CherryBlossom wrote.


    I will read all your books and will support you.


    For some reason, he had a feeling that he would definitely like her books.


    Zixin had opted for the same day delivery and by evening, a small box containing her books arrived at the Chen Corps'' doorstep. He unpacked the box and beamed to see all the books inside.


    From the chronological order, he took the first book that was published and went back to his seat. Turning onto the first page, he smiled seeing CherryBlossom''s signature and so, he began to read.

 Chapter 354 I Missed You, Bro

    When Ai returned to the condo after spending her day in the library, she slowly opened the door and peeked inside to see what was going on between the brothers. She hoped that things would have taken a good turn.


    Her nostrils twitched with a familiar smell in the air. She craned her neck more and saw Jun serving something to Jin on the dining table.


    At Jin''s side, he kept staring at the plate of chicken spaghetti with barbeque sauce sliding towards his side. After agreeing to help Jun to uncover the truth of past life, Jun insisted for him to stay some more time so that he can cook for him.


    Jun cleared his throat and sat opposite him on a chair. "Help yourself."


    Jin looked up at him with a complicated expression. "Spaghetti?"


    "There was a lot of spaghetti in the house. I don''t know why Ai brought so much," he loosened the shirt at his neck to breathe.


    Ai, who was listening to them outside - "..."


    She pursed her lips.


    How could Jun falsely accuse me like that? When did I stuff the house with spaghetti?


    Jun then quickly clarified himself. "I didn''t make any more spaghetti for her. She wanted to learn the recipe with my help. It was just my help. She has trouble with cooking so...Thankfully, she didn''t ask for my baking help. It''s...it''s not a good sight to see."


    Ai outside - "..."


    Jun, I know you want to patch up with Jin but are you sure you want to offend your girlfriend for that?


    "Achoo!" Jun sneezed.


    It''s not even cold. Why did I sneeze?


    Jin hummed after a pause. "You don''t have to defend yourself."


    He nervously tapped his finger on the table. Seeing Jin still not touching the food made him even more jittery.


    Damn, I shouldn''t have put him in an awkward position like that...


    "There are also foods other than spaghetti here. Do you want me to cook something else for you?"


    Jin slowly whispered. "No need."


    He took the chopsticks and dug into the spaghetti. He took a bite and as he tasted the pasta after a long time, tears couldn''t help but fill his eyes. He chomped on the bite and the childhood memories came to his mind like a warm, gentle tide of the sea.


    It still tastes exactly like before...


    A tear slipped across his cheek, but he quickly wiped it off.


    Under the table, Jun clasped his palms together which were slightly shaking and trembling. He silently waited for him to eat but when he saw his tears, he panicked. "Do you not like it?"


    "...I like it," his voice was hoarse and cracked with the moistness that refused to leave his eyes. "It''s like how you always made it for me..." a very faint smile bloomed on his lips. "It''s just that I feel...I am eating this dish after such a long, long time..."


    Jin took another bite past his quivering lips. When the delicious taste of the sauce exploded in his mouth, his heart exploded with innumerable and immeasurable emotions too.


    His fingers clutched onto the chopstick as he said in a broken voice, "E-Ever since you left home in the past, I never ate this dish again. I hardly even saw you. Those five years...those years were so painful without you. You...you were not there to play the piano with me. You were not there to tease the twins with me. You were not there to make me my favorite dish. Five years went so miserable..."


    Suddenly, he felt his head pull against his chest in a warm hug. Jun''s eyes reddened and his cheeks were stained with tears just like Jin. "I am sorry, Jin. We missed out on a lot of things because of my stupidity. I was really an idiot. I cannot completely blame Cai Guiying or Cai Lingyun or whoever planned against us. In the end...it was my fault that they succeeded to break everything apart. None of that would have happened if I had been in my senses."


    Jin pushed him away but not by exerting too much strength. He threw a glare at him but returned to gulping pasta down the throat.


    He widened his eyes. "Don''t eat so fast! You will make yourself sick."


    Jin sniffled and rubbed his cheeks. "I don''t want your girlfriend to eat any of this."


    "She won''t," he replied with all his sincerity. "This is for you only. I told you I won''t make spaghetti for her again."


    Jin pursed his lips and slowed down. He said after a long time, "The spaghetti is delicious."


    His ears perked up, and Jun''s expression brightened like the sun. Though there was still a faint trace of hostility towards him, this was also the first time in months that Jin properly and genuinely talked to him without a fake smile on his lips.


    He rushed into the kitchen and made more servings for him. Seeing two more bowls of spaghetti made Jin speechless.


    "How am I supposed to eat so much?"


    Jun blinked. "You always used to eat this much only. Don''t you remember how Mom always scolded you for overeating though you never listened to her?"


    "Th-that was because the twins always managed to steal the spaghetti somehow. Then Grandpa and Uncle would join them too and I would be left with nothing!" His gaze blackened.


    Jun grimaced. "Let''s not ruin the atmosphere with the mention of those hyperactive people."


    Jin snorted. "Those people always act like they never got food to eat."


    Jun sneered. "I wonder if they died hungry in any of their past lives?"


    "Do you remember Grandpa gobbled my entire cake on my twelfth birthday?"


    "How can I forget that? Grandma barred him from entering any birthday parties before the cake cutting ceremony was done."


    "He is crazy. He is becoming even more of a baby now."


    Jun sighed. "I pity Grandma."


    After several moments of silence, they burst into soft laughter after which Jin whispered. "I really missed you, Bro."

 Chapter 355 The Troubled Hearts At Peace

    Going through the five painful years and through the rebirth felt like forever for Jin. The distance between the brothers felt so wide and unforgiving, but now...


    He felt as if he could hear the rumbling of those cracks closing up. His brother had never truly lost his humanity and coming to this realization made a sense of peace prevail in his heart.


    "I really missed you..."


    Jun felt his eyes ache. For several long moments, he couldn''t believe that what he felt was impossible until now was mending right before his eyes. He felt his heart palpitate with the hope of his forgiveness. "Do you...forgive me?"


    Jin lowered his gaze. "There are things I still feel hurt about. Shui''s importance in your life, your disbelief for me and the wedding day...it still hurts to recall that hatred in your eyes."


    Jun felt his heart sink.


    "But...meeting you today also showed me my ugly side. Until now, I misunderstood you that you had that stopped caring for your family. I also didn''t believe that you could never think about disrespecting Great-grandma like that. So...I have also failed as a brother. If everything was a setup, then I also fell into the trap. In a way, I am also guilty. That night, you said that you would gladly take my bullet. But I don''t want to kill you, Bro."


    He softly chuckled as his eyelashes got wet. "The only thing I ever wanted - whether in the past life or this life - was to have you back in my life."


    Jun trembled.


    "I wanted you, who were lost in your life, to come back to us. That''s why..." his voice shook, "I tried so hard to bring you and Shui together in this life. I didn''t want you two to break up even though I knew how the past life was. I thought that this time, I will definitely do something to unite you with her because if Shui was by your side, then you would never leave me. You would never hate me. As long as Shui was by your side I won''t ever lose you again. So actually...I was selfish with my reasons in bringing you two together. More than your happiness, I was trying to protect mine."


    Listening to his true intentions shook him hard. He gently placed his palm on his head. "You have every right to be selfish, Jin. After how I behaved in the past, this selfishness is nothing."


    Jin slowly lifted his gaze and peered into his dark brown eyes. "Bro. For once, I can forgive you for everything that happened. But how am I supposed to forgive you upon learning that you had killed yourself in the past?"


    He froze.


    "You lied to me when I asked you that night. When Zhou Ai was at Liu villa, she told me about your death."


    He couldn''t answer him. He had asked Ai to keep it a secret, but it seemed like she had already spilled the beans.


    Jin gritted his teeth and shook his hand off. "Why are you silent now, Bro? You really killed yourself? I cannot believe you...you actually committed suicide!"


    "Jin..."


    "No, don''t say anything more!" He exclaimed. More than fury, there was agony in his voice. "How could you think of ending your life like that? You are my Bro. I always treated you as the strongest. Killing yourself like that..." he threw accusing glares at him, "how could you treat your life so lightly?"


    "Then what should I have done, Jin?" He faced him, helpless and distraught. "How do you suppose I should have lived my life after killing you? You died right before my eyes. I saw Mom taking her last breath in front of me. She looked so helpless and sad when she l-looked at me the last time. She was defeated. And it was her own son who defeated her..." he broke down as he laughed in sorrow at the same time.


    "Dad...He didn''t move an inch from his place. He kept holding onto Mom''s hands and was staring at her unblinkingly. I saw his tears but he never blinked once. His beloved wife died, Jin. He was alive, but he looked more dead than anybody and I was the whole cause of it! I just didn''t kill you and Mom. I killed everybody''s happiness that day! The entire Liu family perished that day...Mom was what held everybody together. I snatched the whole support system. Tell me, Jin..."


    He tiredly said, "What face had I left to be alive anymore? Wouldn''t I be shameless to live on? I wanted to punish myself. Everything crumbled because of me. I had no right to continue breathing. My death still didn''t feel enough to compensate for my sins. But it was the only way I could think of asking for everybody''s forgiveness. I know it was cowardly, but..."


    "I don''t want to know anything. I still won''t forgive you for this!" He clenched his fists.


    Jun paused and then softly chuckled. "Ai was also mad at me like this. She refused to talk to me. You two are very similar in many ways."


    That was the last thing Jin wanted to hear in his life. His expression turned ugly. "Don''t compare me to that annoying woman! I am nowhere like her."


    "But the truth is the truth."


    "I get it. I don''t need to stay here anymore," he sneered.


    Jun grabbed his hand and stopped him from leaving. "Jin. Thank you..."


    He said nothing.


    "To be able to talk to you like this after so long...finally feels like everything is becoming like how it was supposed to be."


    Jin''s gaze softened. The past was painful. But this was the present. When it came to Jun, he wanted to move on, but the thorn that kept him from doing this had left a deep scar.


    But today, he felt that scar healing.


    "Yes," he simply replied.


    The door then suddenly opened and a certain woman stumbled inside.


    The two brothers - "..."


    Ai looked up and stared at them, and they stared back at her. "Hello. I totally didn''t hear anything you two said."

 Chapter 356 Out Of Jail

    Ai got up and softly dusted her dress without looking into their eyes for a few moments. Her knees were slightly numb with the position she had been standing in for sometime. She finally met their eyes and beamed upon seeing Jin. "Hello."


    Jin didn''t return her enthusiasm with the same intensity. "So you were spying on us."


    "Of course not," Ai seriously rejected his accusation.


    "I wonder if you actually went to the library, Zhou Ai," he cocked his brow.


    "Of course, I did. You can ask Mrs. Quan if you want. I was very diligent with my work," she nodded.


    Jun asked, "How much did you hear?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "Are you two ganging up on a helpless woman with sore and painful knees who is even unable to stand properly now?"


    His brow twitched while Jin had an urge to strangle her. Once again.


    She then narrowed her eyes at Jun. "I don''t want to hear any accusation in your voice, Mr. Liu Jun, who heartlessly threw shade at his own girlfriend that I stuffed the house with spaghetti. That is not true. Just admit that you wanted him to eat your dish and made me the scapegoat."


    "..."


    Jun''s face reddened with embarrassment.


    She heard that part!?


    Jin lazily said, "I don''t need to know this from you. I already knew. Bro sucks at lying."


    "..."


    So it was useless?


    Ai didn''t end her attack even so. "I also heard you appreciating my ''baking'' skills. Such humiliation I tell you..." she faked some tears.


    Jun grimaced. "You should stop being in the twins'' company so much. You are becoming more and more like them!"


    "Now you are even raising your voice at your girlfriend whose knees are sore and painful and who is unable to even stand properly..."


    His gaze darkened.


    Ai ignored his daggers and looked at Jin. "Anyway, it''s so good to see two brothers back to being brothers again. Now, we will work together to solve the mystery!" Her eyes sparkled.


    Jin stared at her like she was an idiot. "Excuse me? When did I say I will work with you?"


    "You just agreed with Jun."


    "Yeah with him. Not you."


    She blinked. "I am his girlfriend. You work with him, you work with me. Same thing."


    "No, it''s not! Like hell I will cooperate with you! I don''t even want to see your face!" He exclaimed.


    "Why not? I resemble my father a lot, so I am very beautiful and charming," she proudly said.


    The hell...


    Jin accused his brother with bloodshot eyes. "Just what did you see in this narcissist woman!? Was it that much of a trauma getting rejected by Shui that you had to choose THIS?"


    The THIS he pointed to was Ai.


    Jun seriously replied. "She can be very adorable."


    Ai bobbed her head. "Jin is being selectively blind to my cuteness."


    "..."


    After a lot of black fumes that Jin emitted from the top of his head, he finally decided to leave before his sanity threatened to leave him. He glanced once at Jun and said, "Call me if you need me."


    He left but not before throwing a dagger at Ai.


    Ai hopped to hug Jun and gave him her brightest smile. "I am so happy to see you together."


    Jun lowered his gaze to see the little culprit beaming before him brilliantly. He pinched her cheeks. "You suddenly left me alone. I was counting on your support."


    "And it was wise of me to leave," she countered. "You two needed some time alone. I would have only hindered your heart-to-heart conversation. I knew you would eventually sort it out. You both just needed a push."


    Jun wrapped his arms around her and exhaled. "My girlfriend is too intelligent."


    "Indeed."


    He bumped his forehead on hers and whispered. "Thanks Ai."


    She grinned. "That''s what partners are for."


    He smiled and kissed her on her lips. "I love you."


    "I love you too."


    "So how should I punish you for spying on Jin and I?"


    "..."


    "Your knees are sore and painful, right? How about I give them a massage?"


    The massage clearly didn''t have any innocent meaning.


    Ai rebuked. "In that case, I should also punish you for falsely accusing me."


    Which was just what Jun wanted to hear. He let out an evil smile. "You got a point. How about we punish each other in the bedroom? Then it''s fair, right? We both get to settle the scores."


    p She realized she fell into a trap. "I am hungry..."


    "Even more great. Let''s do some exercise and work up on your appetite. Food will taste more delicious that way."


    "..."


    It was too late for Ai before she was already picked up in his arms and led into the bedroom.


    --


    A few days later, Gu Rong''s bail application was approved, and he was set free. Though not completely free, the evidence of him not having access to S3''s automatic message deletion software was enough to release him and conduct a deeper investigation of the case.


    Yijun said, "I have been keeping an eye on that other judge, Mr. Wang, for some time. If I learn something, I will let you know."


    Yating smiled. "Thanks Soo Yijun."


    Gu Rong beamed upon seeing Yating after completing the formalities. "Yating!"


    Yating smiled and hugged him. His heart winced seeing him thin and frail.


    "Thanks for listening to me, Yating. I knew Zhu Chyou will definitely be able to help you. Is she here by the way?"


    "She wanted to but she got urgent work at the last minute. But she sent her regards and told me she will meet you later."


    "Oh, that''s good, that''s good," he nodded with appreciation.


    As they stepped out, Yating stopped in his steps which made Gu Rong pause as well. "What is it?"


    "Dad, I know why you wanted me to work with her. It''s not just to prove your innocence but also to set us up, right?"


    He averted his gaze. "Of course not. Why will I think of that?"


    "Chyou told me everything. It was her I was supposed to meet at the banquet. I didn''t, so you used this chance. Dad, I want to tell you. Chyou is a good woman. No doubt about it. But anything between us is not possible."

 Chapter 357 Find Your Inspiration

    Gu Rong pursed his lips and remained insistent. "What is wrong with you, Yating? You just said that Chyou is a good woman. Why can you not consider her?"


    Yating exhaled a soft breath.


    Gu Rong didn''t want to have any clashes with his son, but he wanted to clear the doubt in his mind. "Are you still into that woman?"


    Yating gave him a squinted stare. "Don''t call Ai ''that woman'' Dad¡­"


    "Fine. I don''t want to fight with you. But I want to know. Are you still into her? If it''s like that, then it''s pointless Yating! She is already happy with Liu Jun. How long will you compromise because of her?"


    "I am not compromising anything, Dad. I just don''t feel like going further."


    Also there is the fact that she already likes Cheng Yin. But she doesn''t want anybody to know that, so I will keep quiet about it.


    "It''s not just possible, okay? We are good friends, and we will remain that way."


    Hopeless son! Where would you find such a diamond like her?


    "...You may think that now, but don''t give up so soon. I want you to take her seriously. I believe you will definitely like her if you just spend more time with her. That''s why I won''t accept your decision right now."


    "You¡­" Yating gave up. "Do what you feel is right. My answer won''t change."


    He snorted. "We will see that. Anyway, drop me to the Gu Corps."


    "What? Now? Aren''t you going back home?"


    "Why should I? I am free. Though the case is ongoing, I can still work."


    "I mean you have just gotten free. First, eat something and take a rest. You want to dive straight into work like that?"


    "I am not so weak like the younger generation these days who get easily tired," he waved his hand in dismissal.


    His mouth twitched. "Don''t act like an idiot. Just go home. Uncle Mo will take care of you. I am already handling the company. A few more days won''t kill me."


    "You have become so insolent," he glared at him.


    "Yeah, whatever," Yating ignored him. "I am dropping you straight home. Get into the car."


    ,m ¡ª


    The news of Gu Rong''s bail traveled to Zhan Yahui''s ears, who definitely wasn''t so thrilled with this unexpected situation.


    "How the hell Gu Rong suddenly got a bail?"


    She pressed her brows and gritted her teeth.


    The voice on the other side said, "They will grill that Wang guy even harder now."


    She cocked her brow. "He won''t say a word. He knows what happened to that other judge. If he loves his life, he won''t blabber anything unnecessary. It was good taking precaution of not meeting him face-to-face."


    "What should we do?"


    "Nothing really. One is dead, the other won''t open his mouth. There is nothing else in the Summit to prove dangerous to us. They will keep on investigating but will finally hit a wall one day. They will give up on their own. It is a hiccup but not worrisome. But still, keep an eye on him and that nurse who killed the other one, whatever his name was. I don''t like loose ends, but we cannot touch them now until this case cools down."


    She smiled. "But that also doesn''t mean we will stay on the sidelines either if they¡­just keep an eye on them."


    "Yes. As you say."


    ¡ª


    Dream High.


    Zhan Yahui folded her arms, and her eyes peered into ''Guiying'' who was chomping on an apple. "Have you progressed anywhere with your story?"


    ''Guiying'' shrugged. "I am trying. Oops. I mean, she is trying."


    "Bring her out. I want to talk to her."


    "Nope. She cries too much. I don''t want to be annoyed."


    "I am her editor. I need to talk to her or this won''t go anywhere."


    ''Guiying'' made a face. "Whatever. But if she is being too annoying, then I will be back."


    Zhan Yahui witnessed the change in her expression as the Guiying she always knew stared at her. Her gaze was troubled, and she fidgeted with her fingers.


    "What is the problem, Guiying?" She leaned back on her chair and asked.


    Silence.


    "Are you going to be like this forever because of a betrayal?"


    She froze.


    "You do understand that you would be left with nothing," she tilted her head. "Love is already gone. Your peace of mind¡­" she chuckled, "is already in someone else''s hands inside you."


    Guiying bit her lip.


    "Now, do you want to lose your career too?"


    Guiying trembled and slowly asked, "How¡­did you know?"


    Zhan Yahui blinked, and then she understood it the next second. "Oh about the other you? That day after the Summit when I met you in the office. You were smoking. You were talking way differently. That''s not the tone you use with anybody. It went on for sometime but when it didn''t change, I had a feeling¡­though it was hard to believe it. I have heard of alter egos and split personalities. Never thought I would witness one."


    She said nothing at first. Then she tremblingly asked, "Y-you are not freaked out?"


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Why should I be? You are not out to kill me, right? I am your editor. My job is to make you write stories and be the number one author."


    "...Then why are you using ''her'' against Liu Jun and Ai?"


    Now, she was more amused. "Am I?"


    Guiying blinked in confusion.


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "I will ask you once again. Am I? Think about it carefully."


    She lowered her gaze.


    "Don''t worry about Liu Jun and Zhou Ai, and you don''t need to babble anything unnecessary in front of them," she narrowed her eyes. "Though I am pretty sure ''she'' won''t let you."


    Guiying shuddered with the edge and warning in her voice.


    "Anyway, back to the topic. I want you to be serious about your story."


    "...I am not getting any ideas," she whispered.


    "Then get some. Don''t just sit idly by. I will give you some suggestions, but you won''t get anywhere until you put in effort even if it''s your imagination. So go out and search. Your inspiration itself will come looking for you."

 Chapter 358 An Interrogation Of ’Guiying’ (1)

    ''Guiying'' took over when ''she'' had enough of Guiying''s mopey behavior. "Are you done talking to her? If I let her be, this woman will destroy her life with her own hands."


    She finished eating the apple and got up to leave. "Ba bye. It''s boring being here."


    Just then, her phone lit up with a message from Ai. "Hoo~ why is Zhou Ai texting me?"


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "What is she saying?"


    She raised her brow. "She wants to meet me tomorrow with Liu Jun."


    Zhan Yahui didn''t show it in her eyes but inwardly, she was slightly concerned about this meeting.


    Zhou Ai herself has long stopped any communication with Guiying. Why does she suddenly want to meet her now?


    It cannot be that¡­they learned something about her connection to Chen Zixin, right?


    "Why did you suddenly go silent?" ''she'' frowned. "I acted like a good friend last time I met her, so it might probably be a sort of casual meeting?" ''she'' smiled. "It''s nice for me though. I will get to see how close that cheater MrPerfect has gotten to my best friend~"


    She stared at her and slowly said, "Sure do that. But don''t mention anything about MrPerfect to them. I know you and Guiying both have a lot of grievances about him, but it''s a card we don''t want to reveal so soon. In fact¡­" she squinted her eyes, "Revenge is best served when the other person doesn''t know who it is that ruined his life."


    ''She'' cocked her brow. "Is that so?"


    Zhan Yahui''s eyes flickered with a dangerous glint. "Yes. That''s the most satisfying. To see the other crumble. To see the other get punished. To see him get retribution. But¡­" she chuckled. "He wouldn''t even know who got him. He wouldn''t even understand who played against him. Was it fate or was it a person? You play your cards. Slowly¡­steadily¡­move forward closer and closer and then bam! Until the very end, he¡­would be so simply so helpless."


    ''Guiying'' remarked, feeling impressed. "That sounds fun. Seems like a cool ride."


    "It IS fun."


    "You are right. It won''t be so easy. I want to utterly destroy him. Even if I have to hide my hatred for him, I will do it."


    Zhan Yahui smiled.


    ¡ª


    Jun and Ai decided to meet Guiying in a private restaurant for their meeting. After learning Guiying''s heavy involvement in Jun and Jin''s lives in the past, Ai could barely hold onto her senses. She never imagined that her best friend not only ruined her life by taking Yating away from her but also messed up Jun''s life and his relationship with his family.


    Ever since then, Jun saw her slipping into a stupor many times with her expression reflecting pain and disbelief.


    He intertwined his hand against hers. "Don''t think so hard about her and get sad about it, Ai. I told you, right? If I see you sad, I will punish you."


    Ai pressed her lips. "I cannot help it, Jun. First, I thought that she snatched my boyfriend and was responsible for my painful life. Then this time, I was beginning to believe her. Just a little¡­that things weren''t what they seemed to be. Maybe she had her reasons hidden from me and maybe, she was truly innocent. But how can she be innocent if she and Bro Lingyun weaved such a deep plot against you and your family?"


    She balled a part of her dress in her fist. "I thought that perhaps¡­Guiying and I can be truly friends again. For real, this time."


    They noticed ''Guiying'' enter and she smiled at them as she waved at them. "Hey. Hi, Ai. How are you?"


    "...I am fine," she gave a non-committal response.


    ''Guiying'' stared at Jun but didn''t let the anger slip out in any way. "Mr. Liu Jun. Nice to meet you. Somehow, I feel our meeting in Shanghai didn''t bode so well."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Indeed."


    "So, what''s up? I am curious what you want to talk to me about haha."


    After a long pause, Jun said as he thought about his past life, "There are so many things we want to ask you about. A pity that we cannot do that. But for starters, how about you tell us more about the Shanghai Fest?"


    ''She'' blinked.


    Shanghai? What is this man getting at?


    "Yes, Shanghai. Cai Guiying."


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes.


    Jun carefully asked, "Do you know me from somewhere?"


    ''Guiying'' stared at him in silence. "Sorry?"


    "I asked if you know me from somewhere. Not as Ai''s boyfriend but someplace else."


    ''She'' smiled amidst the confusion and doubts sprouting in her heart. She wasn''t exactly sure how to answer him. "I don''t understand your question, Liu Jun. What are you getting at? How can I¡­know you from anywhere?"


    ? "Think hard about it."


    ''She'' glanced at Ai. "What is going on, Ai? Why do I feel that this is an interrogation?"


    Ai answered, her voice distant. "We want to know, Guiying. Please answer us."


    ''Guiying'' felt more restless but furious. "I don''t know what this is about, but I don''t know Liu Jun from anywhere. How is this possible? I have never met him before."


    Jun''s eyes turned increasingly icier. "Not even Han Shui?"


    ''Guiying'' slightly stiffened.


    "You met her in Shanghai, right? I learned an interesting thing."


    Suddenly, ''she'' became more and more aware of the point he might want to make.


    "I could have never imagined that the Warlord I was chatting with until now was a woman. And you at that."


    Silence.


    "You fooled us quite nicely."


    ''Guiying'' felt her blood boil.


    That woman¡­Despite telling her to keep it a secret, she babbled out everything.


    *Knock knock*


    "Sir?" A waiter stepped in, bringing a tray of refreshments. "Your order."


    Ai nodded.


    The waiter placed the tray on the table, bowed and left.


    It was a distraction ''Guiying'' appreciated to think some more but unfortunately, she had nowhere to hide.


    ''She'' smiled. "You are right. I am Warlord."

 Chapter 359 An Interrogation Of ’Guiying’ (2)

    "You are right. I am Warlord," ''Guiying'' then feigned ignorance. "But how do you know this?"


    Then ''she'' widened her eyes. "Is it possible that you..are also a Reading Point''s member!?"


    Jun tilted his head. "You sound so shocked."


    "Of course I am! Naturally, I knew Ai as MissImperfectlyFine. But I never knew that Liu Jun was. also in Reading Point."


    "Really?" The temperature dropped, and his aura oozed danger. "Did you really not know me? You invited Shui to the fest as Warlord precisely because you knew that she and I were friends."


    ''She'' maintained her composure, though she dug her nails in her palm under the table.


    "Why would I do that? I only called Han Shui to the fest as a friend. It was surprising to know from her that she and MrPerfect knew - " she suddenly gasped as if a realization struck her. "Wait a minute. I am so dumb. You are talking about Han Shui with such familiarity. Are you...MrPerfect by any chance?"


    If she is acting, she is doing so damn well, Jun thought.


    ''Guiying'' covered her mouth. "Wow. Seems like I can take that silence as yes. I never thought MrPerfect would be so close to me. It was shocking to learn from Han Shui that MrPerfect and HS were friends. So, I was excited to meet you too. You remember I insisted on meeting you at the book signing event so many times. Alas, you never showed your face to me."


    ''She'' shook her head. "I still cannot believe this streak of coincidence. To think that you were right in front of me this whole time."


    "Enough!"


    Startled, ''she'' looked back at him in shock. "What''s wrong?"


    Jun was unable to bear her lies anymore. He refused to believe her shock and acting. Gritting his teeth, he said, "I wonder why you became a writer? You would have shone well as an actress."


    "Excuse me?"


    Jun smiled with a sense of evil lurking in it. "You didn''t invite Shui just out of goodwill as two friends. Like I said before, you knew about our relationship. That''s why you called her and that''s why Shui and I got conveniently stuck in the elevator that day."


    ''Guiying'' felt her heart stop.


    So this is what this is all about. Damn, he was still investigating Shanghai''s incident?


    "That''s why your dear brother was the one to throw mud at me and humiliate me in front of everyone. You not only invited Shui but also urged Cai Lingyun to come to the fest. How about I spill it out for you from the beginning?"


    ''She'' said nothing.


    "You called Shui to the fest. You told Cai Lingyun to come too. Then Shui and I met in the elevator, and you bribed someone from the staff to make the elevator stop. When we came out, your brother played the video to give an illusion as if there was still something going on between Shui and me. As to how he got the video..."


    He took out his phone and played a recording. A man''s panicked voice echoed in the air.


    First, ''Guiying'' heard Jun''s dark voice.


    "Who made all the so-called arrangements to trap Shui and me?"


    "I-I don''t know- ahhhh!!"


    ''She'' heard some violent sounds of beatings and punching.


    "Cai Guiying! I-It was Cai Guiying who gave me money...That writer..." the man cried. "To stop the elevator...and play the video. It was her..."


    Jun stopped the recording. It was actually Jin who had interrogated the man but his voice sounded so similar to Jun that ''she'' couldn''t make out the difference.


    A long silence stretched in the air.


    Ai observed ''Guiying''s'' expression, and her silence only made her heart sink further. "Guiying, what the man said...is it really true? Please tell me. Did you really plot against Jun and Shui?"


    ''Guiying'' weighed her options in her mind. She could confess to everything, but she would make Jun her enemy. Naturally, Ai would end her friendship with her too. On top of that, she would have to reveal everything about her revenge from MrPerfect aka Jun, which she didn''t want to.


    At this point, it would be too soon if they stood against her. Jun clearly looked like he would make her life hell the moment she confessed, and ''she'' would never be able to take her revenge.


    But her eyes shone with fury. Jun was accusing her of plotting against him but...


    Shouldn''t YOU know better than anybody why I am doing this?


    There was also another question bugging her mind, but ''she'' kept it aside for now. Right now, it was crucial to get out of this pinch.


    A faint smile curled her lips as ''she'' faced them. ''She'' looked at Ai, her gaze filled with guilt and helplessness. "I am sorry, Ai."


    Ai stiffened. Her apology could only mean one thing. She trembled and clenched her fist. "Why Guiying? Why would you do this?"


    "To protect my brother."


    Jun and Ai stared at her, slightly bewildered.


    "To protect Bro Lingyun?"


    "Yes," ''she'' whispered. "It''s true that I invited Han Shui, but it''s not true that I knew Liu Jun''s identity as MrPerfect. How would I come to know about it anyway? It''s also true that I invited Bro to the fest, but that was only because I wanted to see him support me."


    ''She'' smiled as tears shone in her eyes. "Because I didn''t have you,m beside me, Ai. For a few months, I noticed us getting distant. You didn''t want to talk to me like before. Then you left Dream High. You started dating Liu Jun, and you seemed to have found your own world. Somehow, I wasn''t a part of it anymore. I don''t know why. So, I called Han Shui and Bro to support me only because... I felt a little lonely."


    Ai froze.


    ''Guiying'' sadly shook her head. "But never did I think that calling Bro would prove to be such a big mistake."

 Chapter 360 An Interrogation Of ’Guiying’ (3)

    "I was so shocked upon learning that Bro made such a mess at the fest and began accusing Liu Jun out of nowhere," ''Guiying'' carefully concocted her answer. "I was busy doing my own stuff and then I came to know how he humiliated you and Han Shui. I was so¡­embarrassed. I invited Han Shui to the fest and my own brother did this to her¡­"


    Looking crestfallen and ashamed, she continued. "I just couldn''t believe why he would suddenly lash out at you. When I confronted him, he confessed that¡­" ''she'' eyed Ai and cleared her throat, "he likes Ai¡­"


    The air turned frostier.


    "When we met at the fest for the first time, he said he tried to make you understand that you wouldn''t be happy with Liu Jun. But you were stubborn. He felt really jealous and out of jealousy, he took advantage of the fact that Han Shui and you were at the same place¡­"


    ''Her'' gaze dimmed. "I felt terribly ashamed. I never thought he would go this far to prove his point. We even had a big fight."


    Jun sneered. "So you want to say that Cai Lingyun is the real culprit?"


    "...Unfortunately, yes. He had bribed a staff member to do all the work for him. But he is also my brother. I wanted to protect him as his sister, so I told that man to take my name in case anybody investigated the matter. At that time, I was just desperate. He had just returned from his trip, and he already got into such big trouble with you. I didn''t want more repercussions."


    "Hoo? Then why aren''t you protecting him now?" He smiled.


    ''Guiying'' gave a sad smile. "There is no point anymore. He has lost his job and I know you are behind it. Of course, I don''t blame you. He is just trying to find a new job anyhow now. He is pretty depressed but even so, he doesn''t want to admit his wrongdoings. I don''t know what has gotten into him. But now that you brought up this topic, I decided to come clean and apologize on his behalf. I apologized to Ai too at the hotel a few days back."


    ''Guiying'' looked solemn as she said, "I am sorry, Ai. I didn''t know Bro had¡­feelings for you. As his sister, I feel sad for him. But I am your friend too. It''s your choice, and I respect it."


    Ai stared at her as if looking right through her soul. "So, you didn''t mean any harm towards Jun or Shui?"


    ''Guiying'' sadly replied. "I understand why you are asking me that question. In the end, that bribed man took my name and it''s plausible to doubt me. But still, I would like you to believe me, Ai. I never had any ill-intentions."


    Jun burst into a mocking laughter. "So this is your version. How about I tell you my version of the same story? I think that will be truer."


    "What?"


    "You called Shui as Warlord and Cai Lingyun as his sister. You planned for Shui and me to get trapped into the elevator. You told your brother to make the ruckus. Now that the man told your name, you are conveniently putting everything upon Cai Lingyun."


    ''Guiying'' widened her eyes. "No! It''s not like that. Why will I target you and Han Shui?"


    Jun snarled. "That''s what I want to know!"


    He lamented that he couldn''t ask her questions about his past life. So many things were tied to her. Her presence at Shui''s birthday party, Sky''s downfall just after that, Cai Lingyun working under him and the eventual family separation¡­


    So many questions to find answers for but the only thing he could ask her about was the Shanghai Fest.


    ? "You just used Cai Lingyun. He was just a means to your end. I want to know why you want to hurt my reputation? What did you want to gain by doing that?"


    What do I want to gain¡­? Is this man seriously asking me that?


    She had been having this feeling for a while now which started to grow more and more pronounced in her heart.


    "Liu Jun. I understand why you might be furious with Bro. There are no excuses for what he did. But there is no reason to point fingers at me. The only reason I took Bro''s blame was to protect him at that time. I never did anything to trap you and Han Shui together in the elevator," ''she'' returned Jun''s ferocious stare with her own glare.


    The situation had reached an impasse. Jun wanted Guiying to confess her crime, which was why he didn''t let Ai give her any hint about Shanghai. He wanted to throw the question she had least expected.


    But ''Guiying'' had wrapped the explanation in such a way that put all the blame solely upon Cai Lingyun. She looked like a caring sister trying to protect her brother.


    ''She'' looked at Ai with a helpless gaze. "It seems that you have also made up your mind against me. I only wish for your happiness, Ai. I have nothing more to say to you."


    She threw a disengaging look at Jun and walked away.


    Ai asked, "What do you think?"


    Jun sneered. "That she is a great actor? Should I ask Chyou to take her under her wing? She is one manipulative woman. She used Cai Lingyun''s feelings for you to suit her own purpose. Some nice sister he has got there. They suit each other as siblings."


    Ai pursed her lips.


    "But this doesn''t mean we stop here. This meeting will only put pressure on her to act more cautious."


    "That''s not in our favor."


    Jun smiled. "It is. Sometimes, it''s easier to make more mistakes when you are too careful. She knows we are watching her now. One slip up is all that we need."


    ¡ª


    ''Guiying'' ran outside, her chest heaving with breathlessness. Her gaze burned with a fury, but her heart felt messed up with confusion.


    ''She'' stopped a cab and got in. "Take me to Dream High."

 Chapter 361 Reverse Psychology

    Zhan Yahui took off her earphones and heaved a sigh of relief.


    That was a close call.


    She dialed a number and instructed. "Once they leave, take off the bug and discard it."


    She kept her phone aside and leaned back on her chair.


    The hell Liu Jun is investigating the fest incident. It was clear that Cai Lingyun was behind it. Then why did he suddenly dig through evidence against Guiying?


    She gritted her teeth, feeling annoyed. Nothing was happening her way. First, Mao Jingyi was rescued, raising suspicions about Zixin''s accident and the real culprit and now this. On the other hand, Gu Rong was released on bail too.


    Sometime later, she saw ''Guiying'' enter her office. She was slightly sweaty and breathless.


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "What''s wrong? How did the meeting with them go?" She asked even though she knew everything.


    ''Guiying'' casted an ugly expression. "That Liu Jun was accusing me of the elevator incident at Shanghai!"


    She raised her brow, feigning shock. "Is that so? What did you say?"


    ''Guiying'' snorted. "I handled it somehow, bringing my stupid brother in between."


    "Did you mention me anywhere?" Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "I was already clear when you asked for my help to get the footage. There should be no talk about my involvement at all. That was the condition."


    "I know. That''s why my dear brother was a perfect scapegoat. It didn''t sit well with them though. That Liu Jun was hell bent on proving me to be the culprit..."


    ''Guiying'' then glanced at Zhan Yahui with a question in her eyes. "There is one thing I don''t understand though."


    Zhan Yahui became alert.


    "Whenever I talk to Liu Jun, why does it feel that he doesn''t know me at all?"


    She slightly stiffened.


    "When I met him in Shanghai, he didn''t even glance at me. His attitude was so rude. I thought that bastard was really arrogant. Today, he asked why I am doing all this? Why am I targeting him? I don''t get him. Does he have no fear about what he did and how he cheated the idiot girl inside me? He played with her feelings and he doesn''t fear retribution at all? He sent flowers and cards to her but is dating Zhou Ai," ''she'' angrily laughed, "how can he act as if he is innocent?"


    Zhan Yahui was surely rattled by her observation, but she remained calm and poised.


    "Even when I expressed my shock over ''realizing'' the fact that he is MrPerfect, he looked unaffected and unbothered. Just what is the deal with him?"


    She squinted her eyes. "The deal is that he is too rich and has too much time to spare perhaps? Why do you think he will be bothered?"


    ''Guiying'' clenched her jaw. "Playing with her feelings-"


    "So? Playing with her feelings but over what? A chat group? Sending flowers and cards under the identity of an unknown username? He might have simply done all that just because he is bored. Do you think people take online stuff so seriously, especially a man of his class and status?" She chuckled.


    ''Guiying'' slightly widened her eyes. "Of course, I know that! But it wasn''t just limited to chatting! That fucker sent all sorts of gifts-"


    "So?" Zhan Yahui shrugged. "Like I said, it might have been all just a game to him. Do you think if you confront him with this, he would admit that he sent flowers and cards to a woman he never even met personally? Do you think a rich man like him has to take an unknown woman from an online chat group seriously? People will laugh at you."


    ''Guiying'' gritted her teeth. "I still have the cards he sent me."


    "Doesn''t matter, dear," Zhan Yahui smiled and tilted her head. "Is that supposed to be proof? You know that he is MrPerfect, but the world doesn''t. He will simply say that he never did such a thing. It could be..." she cautiously said but in a way to ignite her against Jun, "some other man who sent you. Or, even if it came to light that Liu Jun is MrPerfect on Reading Point, he could simply say that that person to send you flowers isn''t him. Some other man...might have taken the username?"


    Zhan Yahui knew that it was a dangerous territory she was charting in, but she understood that it was necessary. Before somebody else brought that suspicion in ''her'' mind, she brought it herself so that she could control the shape of that argument. She was simply using reverse psychology for ''Guiying'' to dismiss that argument of another MrPerfect''s existence altogether.


    ''Guiying'' grimaced. "That is preposterous. I know people can take any username. I am not saying that there cannot be other people with MrPerfect as their usernames. But the silly woman inside me wasn''t talking to the whole world. Reading Point is just one small community she is a part of and there is no other user with MrPerfect as his username over there! He cannot fool me!"


    She chuckled. "But he can fool the world, dear. He has the power and influence to do that. If he wants to protect himself and he will if you accuse him, he can make a second MrPerfect appear by the snap of his finger. Money is a wonderful thing, my dear. And what will you be left with? Just mocking and a lot of laughter."


    ''She'' clenched her fists.


    The smile from Zhan Yahui''s lips then slowly vanished. "Rich people...can think they can do whatever they want because we are helpless before them. In the end, it all comes down to who has the most power."


    She glanced at ''her'' and said, "That''s why heed my suggestion. If you want to go anywhere with your revenge, don''t utter even a word about MrPerfect to anybody. Just like Liu Jun did everything in silence, you stay in the shadows too. Ruin him, but don''t let him know who was behind it. Revenge is best served cold."

 Chapter 362 Suspicion Or Overthinking?

    Days passed by after the confrontation with ''Guiying'' and Ai had quite slowed down a bit with her story progress. So today, she was at Sky to seriously work on it with Xing Bi.


    "So it is at this point that the male lead would learn that the female lead is reborn?"


    Ai nodded.


    "And then you show that their lives were somehow connected in the past. From then, their love grows stronger and deeper for each other."


    "Yes."


    "Aiyaaa, can I fangirl over you?" Xing Bi tightly hugged Ai. "Hehe, readers would be so thrilled to know that the mention of the female lead being reborn in your short story was actually true. I must say as an editor, your story is taking a good turn!" She brightened. "I am so proud of you. You are improving so much from your first story. Hoho, I can see how much Liu Jun has changed you and your writing style~ Especially writing the heart thumping romantic scenes. Previously, I said that it was hard to feel their connection, right? But now I squeal so hard!"


    Ai blushed with embarrassment. Getting praise from Xing Bi made her feel prouder too. "Thank you, Xing Bi."


    Since Ai''s short story was based on true events that happened between her and Jun, she naturally decided to pursue the same for her sequel. The story wouldn''t be an exact replica of their lives and events would be changed here and there, but the basic skeleton would be based on Jun and Ai''s past and present lives.


    Whenever she thought about Jun and herself, her heart would thump in excitement and her fingers trembled with the urge to write. From the bottom of her heart, she knew that she wanted the whole world to read their story because there were a lot of things to be learned from their decisions that shaped their experiences. It was a journey she wanted everybody to know.


    Her trance broke when Hou Lin, the Chief of Secretary overseeing Sky''s management and who Jun introduced to Ai at her time of joining along with Sun Bai and Xing Bi, knocked and stepped in. "Excuse me, Miss. Xing."


    "Mr. Hou," she politely smiled.


    "These are some presentations I have created for Miss. Zhou''s new novel marketing purposes. If we have enough source material, we can create a teaser video for the novel to entice her readers. I have also listed other methods. Please go through it once you get the time. Then we can discuss later."


    Xing Bi clapped her hands once in delight. "That''s wonderful! You are so diligent Mr. Hou."


    He sincerely bowed. "That''s my job."


    She coughed. "But you smile too little."


    Hou Lin didn''t know how to answer that. Then he replied. "I don''t find many things to be amusing to smile for."


    Xing Bi choked at first but then she laughed. "You must find at least something interesting."


    "My job, yes. Apart from that, nothing much."


    She curiously asked, "Not any woman either? You must definitely have a girlfriend!"


    Hou Lin stared at her blankly. "Forgive my ignorance, but I don''t know how the topic got diverted to my girlfriend."


    "..."


    Now, Ai burst into a chuckle too.


    Xing Bi''s mouth twitched. "Well¡­anyway! You don''t have a girlfriend, Mr. Hou?"


    "No."


    "Aish. You are so elegant, serious and handsome. I thought you definitely must have a girlfriend. Don''t you ever get confessions?"


    "...I have."


    "So, so?"


    "Then nothing."


    "..."


    Xing Bi sighed. "That reminds me. Miss. Sun is also single, right? She is so smart and beautiful too¡­"


    But recalling that night when she heard Sun Bai talking to somebody and then giving her a ''friendly'' suggestion which she doubted was friendly, her brow slightly twitched.


    Ai nodded. "She is really dedicated just like Mr. Hou."


    Hou Lin bowed. "Thank you for the appreciation."


    Xing Bi then probed. "Oh yeah, I didn''t see Miss. Sun today."


    Hou Lin said, "She is on sick leave today."


    "Oh."


    "Is anything the matter? If you need any help, I can do it for you."


    "Oh no, no," she waved her hand. "Just curious, that''s all."


    Hou Lin nodded. "I will take my leave now. Thank you for your time."


    He promptly left their office, after which Ai giggled. "Nian will be heartbroken to see you curious about another man."


    Xing Bi''s gaze darkened. "Don''t even utter his name!"


    "What happened?"


    "What happened? This!!" Xing Bi showed her phone in grievance and pushed it in front of Ai''s eyes. "Look. He is asking for our second date. Non-stop! Look at the number of his messages! A hundred and twelve since our first date ended! Is he crazy?"


    Ai held onto her laughter.


    "Don''t laugh!" Xing Bi cried. "Hmph. He is getting too arrogant. Why does he feel I will agree to a second date? I haven''t accepted him yet!"


    "Maybe something happened to give him that sign. How did your date go after the carnival?"


    Xing Bi instantly remembered the time Nian spent at her house. The time in the kitchen and then the time when he left. Till today, she wasn''t sure if Nian had really pecked on her forehead or not.


    T-that man is too daring!


    Ai smiled, observing her expression. "So something did happen. See? That''s why he is so hopeful."


    She glared at her. "No need to be so hopeful. He is just a sneaky man!"


    She absentmindedly touched her forehead.


    Sneakily kissing me like that¡­or did he?


    Uhhhhhh!!!


    Xing Bi waved away the imaginary clouds of Nian''s annoying face and snorted. "Let''s not talk about him anymore. Let him keep suffering. I want to ask. Did Miss. Sun look any different to you these days?"


    Ai blinked once. "Miss. Sun? Not really. Why are you asking?"


    Xing Bi thought about that night again and scratched her chin. "I had seen her late at night in the office once. I thought I was the only person left, but I was wrong."


    "She might have been working like you."


    "Yeah... Might be."


    Though that phone call and then her behavior sounded strange...


    Ai tapped on her shoulder. "What is it?"

 Chapter 363 A call for help

    Chapter 363 A call for help


    Xing Bi smiled and dismissed it. ¡°Nothing. I might be thinking too much about it. It felt a little spooky that night, haha.¡±


    Ai beamed. ¡°Are you afraid of ghosts and monsters under the bed too?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xing Bi flicked on her forehead. ¡°No, silly. And why do you look happy asking me that?¡±


    ¡°I thought I found company.¡±


    ¡°Why do you need company when you have me?¡± A deep and husky voice reverberated from behind her and two hands firmly pressed on her shoulders.


    Ai looked up. ¡°Jun.¡±


    Jun smiled and kissed her forehead, making Xing Bi cough. ¡°Mercy, show a little mercy on this single dog.¡±


    ¡°Date my brother and then you wouldn¡¯t be a single dog anymore.¡±


    Xing Bi gasped in horror. ¡°I thought you were at my side! Who has taken over Liu Jun? You cannot be him!¡±


    Jun shook his head. ¡°I am sorry. I am just kidding. I support you. Don¡¯t give in to Bro Nian so easily.¡±


    Xing Bi harrumphed. ¡°Of course!¡± But then she found something odd in his words. ¡°What do you mean by ¡®so easily?¡¯ Do you think I will give in to him eventually?¡± She suspiciously asked.


    Jun raised his brow and remained silent at that.


    ¡°Say something!¡±


    No answer.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Jun shrugged as if he wanted her to accept her fate. ¡°You see, the men in the Liu family are extremely stubborn, tenacious and damn possessive.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°So if we fall in love with someone, then it¡¯s pretty much game over.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°The other person doesn¡¯t have much of a choice left but to accept us.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Jun smiled. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. We are extremely loyal, loving and caring too. So you won¡¯t regret not having a choice.¡± He gave her a thumbs up.


    Xing Bi wasn¡¯t sure how to describe her mixed and complicated feelings about this.


    Ai seriously expressed her concern. ¡°Not having a choice left is unfair.¡±


    Jun narrowed his eyes. ¡°Do YOU want to have a choice, Miss. Zhou?¡±


    ¡°I am just talking generally.¡±


    ¡°And I just think you are tired of living,¡± he flashed an alarming smile. ¡°If you are having any doubts about me, then how about I uproot that out for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ai hugged him and beamed. ¡°I never had any doubts about Jun. You are the best.¡±


    He sneered at her poor cajoling attempt.


    Xing Bi burst into tears and grabbed her bag to leave. ¡°No way will I accept this! Hah! It might be your family¡¯s tradition, but Xing Bi is impossible to conquer! I am leaving because I cannot bear this mushy mushy atmosphere anymore!¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°What!?¡± Xing Bi sniffled and turned.


    ¡°Shui¡¯s birthday is in four days, and you are invited. Please come.¡±


    ¡°I definitely will!¡± And she dashed away like a tornado.


    Ai brightened. ¡°Shui¡¯s birthday is coming?¡±


    ¡°Yup.¡±


    In the past, it was this birthday when Jun had first proposed to Shui with his ring. It had been the happiest moment of his life which soon turned into a tragedy.


    Ai leaned and kissed his lips. ¡°Now, everything is different.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± he kissed her back, hard and fierce. ¡°This time, I have you.¡±


    He got a message and sighed. ¡°I have to head back for a meeting. Wait for me. We will leave together. I have a surprise for you at home.¡±


    Ai¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise. I am not supposed to tell you.¡±


    She pouted sweetly.


    ¡°But I can give you a hint. It¡¯s about your fear for monsters under the bed,¡± he chuckled.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ai pursed her lips. ¡°Do you want to surprise me or bully me?¡±


    ¡°A little bit of both?¡± He winked. ¡°Wait for me, okay?¡±


    Jun left for his meeting, and Ai went back to her story plotting work. But she couldn¡¯t focus because her mind was too occupied guessing what Jun¡¯s surprise might be. In the end, she sat back defeated which was when she received a text on her phone. She saw it was a message from Yating, and she blinked.


    Yating?


    Ai opened the message and read only one word written in it.


    ¡®Help¡­¡¯


    Her eyes widened, and she straightened up.


    Help? What does he mean?


    She quickly called him back, but the call was never answered. It only made her increasingly worried.


    Yating has never left a message like this before. Is he in some trouble?


    Ai called Yating¡¯s assistant to check if he was in the office.


    ¡°No, Mam. Actually, Chief Gu left early today. He was feeling quite sick.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. I would have gone to check on him, but it¡¯s the month end and we are loaded with so many publishing duties! We hardly have the time to breathe, and Chief Gu is also not here,¡± he cried.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    She hung up and wondered what to do. Yating lived alone and there was nobody to take care of him. She had no time to look into Gu Rong¡¯s number, so she quickly got up. She passed by Jun¡¯s conference room, but he was busy with his meeting.


    Jun had told her to wait for him but she couldn¡¯t, sensing the urgency in Yating¡¯s message.


    Ai left a note on Jun¡¯s phone, saying that she would directly meet him at the condo and hurriedly left Sky.


    ¡ª


    Xing Bi, on the other side, was also hurriedly running to catch her bus back home. ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    She barely caught the bus in the nick of time. ¡°Phew!¡±


    She was about to get on it when she noticed a familiar figure in the distance. She rapidly blinked as she recognized Sun Bai.


    Miss. Sun?


    Xing Bi was taken aback. Hou Lin had said that she was on sick leave today but looking at her, Sun Bai didn¡¯t look like she was sick.


    What is going on?


    She saw Sun Bai waiting for somebody. Then a cab arrived with a man riding in the passenger seat. Sun Bai got in, and the cab left.


    By that point, the bus driver asked, ¡°Are you getting in or not?¡±


    Xing Bi¡¯s daze snapped, and she said, ¡°No. I am sorry. I think I will take the cab.¡±

 Chapter 364 Fruitless Stalking Trip

    Yating restlessly moved from his left to right side on the bed, feeling sweaty and breathless. He rubbed his forehead and pressed his brows, coughing a lot. He was quite exhausted with back to back meetings and responsibilities in Gu Corps and Dream High when Guiying and Zhan Yahui insisted him to leave for the day and rest at home.


    "Guiying...are you still here..."


    He heard no response. He felt his head aching and the surroundings spinning in front of him.


    The doorbell rang a few times, and he didn''t even have the energy to get up. "Guiying...can you get that..."


    When he still got no response and the doorbell still kept ringing, he had no choice but to attend it on his own. He opened the door and was surprised to see Ai. "Ai?"


    Ai''s eyes widened seeing him in such a weak state. He was clutching his stomach with beads of sweat escaping his forehead. "What happened to you?"


    "Nothing..."


    Ai quickly helped him inside and made him sit on the couch. "First, you sit down. I didn''t know you were in such a dire condition."


    Yating tried to focus on her, but his gaze was getting more and more blurry. "I...don''t know what happened. I was feeling tired and then my stomach started to ache..." he breathed hard. "Why...why are you here?" He breathlessly asked.


    "Because you messaged me for help. Now, I know why."


    "I did...?" Yating couldn''t exactly remember. Though he did faintly remember trying to call Guiying before.


    Did I accidentally message Ai at that time?


    His headache was getting worse and making him unable to think.


    "Where is...she?"


    "She?"


    "Ah? Ah yes..." he whispered. "Guiying. She was the one who...took me home."


    "Oh. I don''t see her," Ai said as she looked around his house.


    "Is she out to get medicine?" He mumbled to himself.


    Ai pursed her lips. "How did your condition get so bad?"


    Yating waved his hand. "I am fine...You can go."


    He wobbled on his feet and headed towards his room.


    "Wait! I will help you."


    "I am fine, Ai. You can leave..." he blinked his eyes, feeling painful in his head. "Guiying will be back in sometime."


    "Yes but until then, I cannot leave you alone. What if you fainted? Have you eaten anything?"


    Yating brought his brows closer. "I am not sure...if I want to eat anything..." he said as he laid on the bed.


    "Then I will make some rice porridge for you. It will be light on your stomach."


    "No, really...don''t take so much trouble for me," he weakly whispered.


    Ai smiled. "It''s no trouble. Wait for me."


    --


    Outside, ''Guiying'' had seen Ai rushing towards Yating''s house. An hour ago, Yating genuinely seemed to be sick and tired. At first, ''she'' didn''t think of it much. But thinking about his weak condition, she slowly formed a plan in her mind. So, ''she'' offered him a ride back home after talking to him with Zhan Yahui.


    She helped him settle, took his phone and dropped a message to Ai. Rest all was what Ai needed to do.


    ''Guiying'' smiled. "Let the game begin."


    --


    Xing Bi had no clue why she was doing this. Before she knew it, she caught a cab and started following Sun Bai''s cab. Seeing Sun Bai in perfect health when she was supposed to be on sick leave crept an odd feeling in her heart.


    I don''t know why I am following her. She is Miss. Sun. Very capable and hardworking. Maybe she wasn''t that seriously sick?


    Xing Bi kept scratching her chin, trying to decide whether to stop following her or not.


    If Miss. Sun sees me following her, I will be so dead. What will I tell her if she catches me? She will feel sad to know that I am doubting her, right?


    She exhaled a sigh and felt guilty for this act.


    Suddenly, Sun Bai''s cab stopped and so did Xing Bi''s. Xing Bi craned her neck and saw Sun Bai stepping down with the man who accompanied her and walked into a small apartment complex.


    She cleared her throat.


    Is that her boyfriend?


    But Xing Bi couldn''t quite like the aura that man gave off. He had a beard and messy hair and his overall expression looked quite stingy.


    Is that man really her boyfriend?


    Xing Bi waited for a while but then decided to leave. She said to the cab driver. "Take me back to this address..."


    Just two seconds later, she saw Sun Bai stepping out again with a grim countenance on her face.


    "Wait, wait!" Xing Bi stopped the driver.


    The driver''s mouth twitched.


    What does this woman want?


    She didn''t see the man again with Sun Bai as she left the apartment.


    Maybe this is his house...But Miss. Sun doesn''t look so happy.


    She saw Sun Bai taking another cab and leaving. Xing Bi glanced at the apartment once again, not really knowing what to think. She particularly didn''t get any answers by following her and her stalking trip proved to be fruitless.


    Once again, Xing Bi felt guilty.


    Maybe Miss. Sun really had some reason for faking a sick leave.


    She thought back to that night at Sky.


    I am definitely overthinking stuff.


    "Let''s go."


    The driver asked, "You don''t want to follow her, Mam?"


    "..."


    She coughed. "...No. Take me back. For real this time."


    --


    Ai brought a bowl of warm rice porridge for Yating and placed it on the bedside table near him. "Eat it."


    Yating coughed. "I really don''t feel like eating..."


    "Eat it," it was more of an order than a request.


    He promptly took the bowl so as not to offend her further. "Thanks..."


    As he ate the porridge, he glanced at Ai who was seriously watching him back and ensuring that he wasn''t skipping any bite.


    Sensing his stare, Ai asked, "Do you need something else?"


    "Hm? Oh no, no!" Yating quickly smiled it off. He wiped his forehead, feeling nervous.


    This is the first time that she is at my house, right?

 Chapter 365 A Constant Reminder

    Upon this realization, Yating strangely felt fidgety and jittery at her presence. He glanced around and stiffened.


    Shit my bedroom is so messy!


    Now, he was having more of a headache just seeing the state of his room. Some files from Gu Corps while some papers from Dream High were just lying around in a not so organized manner.


    Before he could explain, Ai got up and began to pick all the files and other stuff.


    Yating widened his eyes. "What are you doing?"


    Ai blinked. "Sorting out all the things here. You will feel more sick if the room is messy."


    He felt that jab hard and lacked tears to shed.


    "Oh. I am sorry. Is this all confidential? I won''t touch it then-"


    "No, no!" He swiftly clarified. "You don''t have to worry about that stuff."


    "Really?"


    He smiled. "Yeah, really. Confidential or not-" he coughed hard.


    "What?"


    Confidential or not, it doesn''t matter if it''s you, Ai, he thought.


    "Nothing. I am so sorry. This is the first time you are here and you are cleaning my place¡­" he wanted to disappear into some never ending void.


    Ai shook her head. "That''s fine. I have cleaned Dad''s place many times. It was even more hopeless than your room. So, I am a pro at cleaning now."


    "..."


    I am supposed to feel comforted, right?


    Yating wanted to help, but Ai sternly ordered him to stay put. Finally, as she was done, searched his medicine cabinet for pills. She found one and gave it to Yating.


    "Eat this and then go to sleep. You will feel better since you have eaten porridge now."


    "Yeah¡­"


    He took the medicine and Ai helped him with pulling the blanket over him. "You should not work too hard," she pursed her lips. "Be responsible towards your own health. If you were feeling sick, you should have taken the day off. Your assistant also said that you pulled frequent entire nights to complete your work. That''s not helping," she narrowed her eyes.


    She recalled that in her past life, Yating always looked tired and overworked like this. It was now that she understood that he used to take the stress all alone and all upon himself.


    Hearing Ai''s concern made his heart unconsciously flutter a bit. He knew her concern was just as his friend and so, he forced his heart not to think too deeply about it. But the more he did so, the more it only pained him.


    He tried to smile. "I know. It''s fine now. Dad is also back. I will be mostly focusing on only Dream High now."


    "Good." Ai smiled. "You should sleep now."


    "Are you leaving?" He sounded slightly panicked.


    "Yes. Guiying might be coming back anytime soon too."


    Yating''s smile faltered. His hand had instinctively reached out to hold hers, but he forced himself to retreat at the last moment. He mocked himself inwardly.


    What was I trying to do? She is already so¡­far away.


    Was it his sickness or something else, he didn''t know. But a sense of vulnerability gripped his chest. He kept his gaze fixed at her in a trance, desperately wishing to hug her.


    Just once¡­Just once let me hug you, Ai¡­


    But he also knew that he didn''t even have that liberty anymore.


    Watching Ai cook in the kitchen, cleaning his house and taking care of him¡­Yating wished for time to just stop here. He felt so peaceful with her presence.


    Had Jun not entered her life, he wondered if his life with Ai would have been like this?


    It felt so warm and comforting to imagine her by his side.


    "You should leave," he said in a hoarse voice. "I am-"


    The doorbell rang again but this time, it was filled with a deadly and gloomy force.


    Yating frowned. "Who the hell is ringing the doorbell like a monster?"


    Ai quickly stepped out in the living room and opened the door, feeling her ears going deaf with the incessant ringing.


    She was about to scold the person but upon recognizing the man in front of her, who emanated a lethal aura in the air, she was taken aback. "Jun?"


    Jun gave a not so pleasant smile. "Yes, Miss. Zhou. It''s me."


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Where do you think I should be when I see your message?"


    "Back at the condo?"


    He gritted his teeth. "You really think I will happily go back home when I read that you are at Gu Yating''s house?"


    After his meeting ended, Jun received a big blow when he read Ai''s message.


    ''Yating doesn''t seem to be doing well. He called for my help, so I am going to check on him. It will be quick. I will meet you directly at home.''


    Jun almost broke his phone reading that.


    Yating came out to see what the fuss was all about when his gaze darkened upon seeing Jun. "It was you¡­I was right in calling you a monster."


    Jun barged in and with an extremely icy voice that froze temperature, he exclaimed in anger. "Then what are you, Gu Yating? Are you feigning to be sick to get Ai''s attention?"


    "Excuse me?"


    Ai quickly came between them. "That''s not it, Jun. He is really sick."


    His expression turned uglier. "And? He didn''t have to ask you for help. He is Gu Yating. He can call anybody to take care of him. But no. He specifically asked you."


    Yating glared at him as he felt breathless. "I didn''t realize I was texting Ai. It was when she came here that I realized it was an accident."


    Jun sneered. "It''s not so believable coming from you of all people. An accident? Very convenient, isn''t it?"


    "I don''t give a fuck if you believe me or not, Liu Jun! This is my house. Get out!"


    "As if I am anymore interested in this place!"


    Jun dragged the assistant editor from outside, who was crying buckets and trembling in fear of his life. Jun suddenly dragged him out of Dream High and dumped him here. "Next time, call your assistant to tend to you rather than calling my girlfriend," he warned.


    Yating stiffened and clenched his fists. "I know. I already know, Liu Jun. You don''t have to keep reminding me that."

 Chapter 366 Mr. Liu’s Surprise

    Jun grabbed Ai''s hand and turned to leave when they bumped into Guiying, who was just entering the house. She held a paper bag which contained some food and medicines. Jun''s mood worsened even further, but doubts also arose in his mind.


    "What are you doing here?" He sharply asked, the accusation in his tone not going unnoticed.


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow, surprised. She was already aware that after their meeting a few days ago when Jun confronted her, he would surely look at her with suspicion.


    "I should ask you and Ai that question," ''she'' blinked, "What are you two doing at Yating''s house? Also, don''t think that you can talk to me in that tone as you please, Liu Jun. I tolerated it the last time because I understood it was my brother''s fault. I accepted it. But I won''t bear you looking at me with suspicion every single time."


    Jun smiled. "You have done nothing but suspicious deeds and then you claim this?"


    ''Guiying'' folded her arms. "I don''t care how you view me. You came here out of nowhere and started pointing fingers at me when I was just here to help Yating."


    She quickly walked past him and looked at Yating with concern. "Are you okay, Yating? I am sorry I got a little late," she kept the bag on the couch.


    Yating nodded somehow.


    ''Guiying'' frowned at the assistant editor. "You are here too?"


    He jolted and cried.


    When did I have a choice!?


    "Why is everyone here?"


    Ai glanced at Jun and then at her. "I got Yating''s message for help. He wasn''t picking up my calls, so I called the assistant. He said he was sick, so I rushed over here."


    ''Guiying'' blinked and looked back at Yating. "You did? I came to drop you home, so you should have called me."


    He exhaled a weak breath. "Yeah. I think I was trying to do just that but the message somehow went to Ai. I don''t remember. I couldn''t even clearly read anything on my phone¡­"


    ''Guiying'' was secretly overjoyed. She was slightly worried that he may have seen her fiddling with his phone. But luck was on her side and it seemed that Yating himself gave her the perfect excuse she needed.


    "Oh. No wonder," ''she'' nodded with understanding.


    ''She'' squinted her eyes at Jun. "Did you get your answer? Yating and I work in the same company. Is it so odd for me to help my friend and take him home when he is sick?"


    Jun did have a few questions to ask, but he said nothing. Instead, he cast Yating a warning glare. "Next time, don''t fiddle with your phone when your head is spinning all crazy."


    He dragged Ai out and banged the door shut.


    Yating collapsed on the couch and took a few deep breaths to calm down.


    ''Guiying'' brought a glass of water for him. "Drink some water."


    "Thanks¡­"


    "Liu Jun is preposterous! Making a scene in someone else''s house as if he owns it. He had no right to be so furious when calling Ai was just an accident. Even if Ai came to meet you, so what? You are still friends. There was nothing wrong in coming here out of concern."


    He clenched the glass in his hand as the light in his eyes flickered with anger.


    "...Forget about it. Liu Jun and I already are not on good terms."


    He looked at his assistant and sighed. "I am sorry you got dragged here. You can go back. I know there is a lot of work."


    The assistant furiously shook his head. "No, Sir. You are so sick. Let me help you. You always take care of the staff so much," he sobbed.


    As they continued talking, ''Guiying'' ever so slightly smiled.


    Great. The first step is success.


    ¡ª


    Outside, Jun had already investigated Guiying''s movements. The result was highly disappointing because there was nothing against Guiying.


    Yating was truly sick as people had seen him arrive at Dream High in the morning in a pale state. It meant that he wasn''t purposely made sick at the office.


    Guiying was also at a medical store and then at a convenience store for buying some supplies for Yating. The rush at the stores was what made her so late.


    The only thing left was the message dropped to Ai, but Yating confessed it himself to be an accident.


    It could be Guiying dropping the message too, he angrily thought.


    But there was no evidence. Once again, he couldn''t really prove her intentions or if she was actually behind this or not. It wasn''t weird for Guiying to be with Yating either since they worked at Dream High and were good friends too.


    Naturally, he was in a bad mood when they arrived at the condo.


    Ai poked his cheek. "Why are you angry?"


    He glared at her. "Why did you go to that idiot''s house?"


    "How could I have ignored his message? Yating has never done this before, so I got worried. He wasn''t picking up my calls."


    "Then you should have left him alone¡­" he bitterly mumbled. "Or should have sent that assistant. Why did you personally go?"


    "I didn''t know what else to do. Yating seemed to be in a dire situation, and his assistant was unable to help."


    "I don''t like it," his mood was still gloomy and grumpy.


    Ai poked his cheek again. "I know you don''t like him that much, but I only went there to help him. I was already going to leave by the time you came."


    Jun wasn''t pleased. "It was a long time between you leaving Sky and you leaving Gu Yating''s home!"


    She nodded. "He was very sick, so I made some porridge for him."


    That was like pouring oil into the fire. "You cooked for him!?"


    "Yes, so that I can give him medicine and put him to sleep."


    His brow violently twitched. "You were in his bedroom?"


    Ai clearly heard the gnashing of his jaw and felt the jealousy just pouring out of him. His gaze was as deadly as the Dead sea


    She slightly cleared her throat. "He was sick, so he was resting in his room."


    "So?"


    "So I had to take the bowl of porridge to his room. I couldn''t have asked him to come out in that state," she pursed her lips.


    His jaw dropped. "I don''t care if that man had to sleep on the living room''s couch or the floor, but I cannot bear you going to somebody else''s bedroom! Especially that man who still has feelings for you," his icy black eyes were getting even frostier.


    "But nothing happened," Ai parted her lips in shock, "He was simply resting and I only brought the porridge for him. Yating didn''t do anything else. We hardly even talked that much."


    She held his hand and said, "Yating knows that I love you, Jun. When we met during Chen Zixin''s get together party, Yating was already clear that he genuinely wanted to be friends with me. I also went to help just as a friend too. That''s all. He has accepted our relationship."


    Jun looked away, feeling not convinced at all. "...I don''t believe him," he muttered.


    Ai smiled. "You don''t have to believe him, but you believe me, right?"


    He glared at her. "Don''t make that cute face to me!"


    She tiptoed and pecked his chin. "No matter what face I make, I am always cute."


    He snorted. "Fine. I have a big heart, so I forgive you. But just this once!"


    Ai furrowed her brows. "But what mistake did I make?"


    "Leaving to take care of him!"


    "..."


    But I just said I went there as his friend.


    "You are just going around in circles even though I explained everything to you," Ai complained.


    Jun ignored that comment.


    Ai let out a soft breath. "But that is over now, and we are back home."


    She beamed and clapped her once. "You promised you would have a surprise for me."


    Jun threw her a displeased stare once again which clearly said,


    ''I am not sure if I want to show you the surprise anymore.''


    Ai pursed her lips. "So you won''t show me? Will you be that heartless?"


    Her disappointed expression and gaze finally melted his heart, and he wrapped her in his hug. "I can never be heartless to you," he kissed the top of her head.


    He smiled. "Wait here. Come to the room when I call out."


    Her eyes sparkled with delight. "Yes!"


    Jun walked into their room and shut the door to make his final arrangements. A few minutes, he called out. "Come now."


    Ai eagerly opened the door to find it all wrapped in darkness. "Jun?"


    She heard no response and tilted her head as she walked further inside. "Jun?"


    Her heart sped in trepidation with no response. She hallucinated something creeping from under the bed in the darkness like a monster, and broke into a cold sweat.


    What is happening...?


    Then slowly, a soft golden light shone from under the bed, taking her aback. It was followed by a stream of bubbles hopping from under the bed to the outside and warmly and gently floating in the air.

 Chapter 367 Possible Interest?

    Ai looked at the hopping and floating before her, stunned and mesmerized. She raised her hand tapped on a small bubble which reflected rainbow lights across her face diagonally. The bubbled softly popped.


    Soon, the entire room was filled with big and small bubbles floating all around her. The golden light that beamed upon them made them glimmer beautifully.


    Jun stood behind her and snaked his arms along her waist. "How is it?" His soothing and husky voice teased her ear.


    "It''s beautiful¡­" Her breath stopped in her throat for several long moments. She couldn''t tear her gaze off the adorable bubbles kissing her forehead and cheeks.


    Jun chuckled and the sweet sound of his laughter made her tickle. "Now, you don''t have to feel afraid of monsters under the bed."


    Ai glanced at their bed and saw once again how the bubbles were entering the room from under the bed. With the warm glow of the light, her heart thudding in anxiety until a few moments ago felt at peace.


    "Whenever you looked at the bed, you always got frightened that monsters would come grab you from under the bed, right? So I thought of eradicating the fear from your heart once and for all. I want you to think of bubbles next time, not monsters. There cannot be ugly monsters grabbing my girlfriend, only cute bubbles."


    Ai was spellbound and at the same time at a loss for words. She had never imagined that Jun had planned something like this in his mind for her fear of monsters.


    Jun pressed his lips on her cheek. "Isn''t my girlfriend so cute? So she can only be surrounded by cute things."


    Ai hugged him hard to his chest and whispered. "I am already surrounded by the cutest man in the whole world. Bubbles are only second to you."


    His mouth twitched. "How many times should I tell you not to call me cute?


    "I thought you had accepted your fate by now."


    ? He threw her a nasty stare.


    Ai laughed and kissed him back on his lips which managed to appease him a bit.


    "Jun, this is the most beautiful surprise you have given me. And the most thoughtful too," her heart thanked all the stars in the world that led her to meet Jun in this life.


    Ai happily jumped on the bed and danced with the bubbles. When she looked below, instead of the creepy and gloomy darkness that she always struggled to deal with, the bubbles made their way towards her.


    She pulled Jun on the bed to jump with her too. Jun coughed and felt silly but seeing the bright smile on her lips made him join her too.


    "My boyfriend is the best!" Her gaze was warm and loving.


    Jun pinched her chin and shared a gentle but passionate kiss with her. "It''s because my girlfriend is the best."


    ¡ª


    The next day at Sky was just as usual as Xing Bi continued with her work. From the corner of her eye, she saw Sun Bai coming in and she straightened up in her seat. "Good morning, Miss. Sun."


    "Good morning, Xing Bi," she smiled and nodded. "How is work going?"


    "It''s good. How are you feeling now?"


    "Me?" Sun Bai blinked.


    "Yeah. You were on sick leave yesterday, right?"


    That brought a change in her expression for just a moment. "Oh yes, yes. I am fine. It was just some fever and cold. I rested at home the whole day, so I feel better now."


    Xing Bi stared at her.


    The whole day? But she was outside with that man, right?


    Why is¡­Miss. Sun lying?


    First, she lied about her sickness and now that she had stayed at home for the entire day.


    "That''s great. But still. Please don''t work too hard today."


    "Of course."


    Sun Bai left towards her office, bringing only more confusion in Xing Bi''s mind.


    "Ugh. I am tired of thinking now!"


    "Then have some coffee and don''t think about anything," Hou Lin said as he was passing by Xing Bi''s desk.


    She stiffened and coughed. "Hehe. Please i-ignore that. I tend to rant to myself at times."


    "We all do," Hou Lin expressionlessly nodded. He then passed a file to her. "There are some new authors who have joined Sky, and I have distributed some of them under you. These are webnovel authors and I know you don''t have experience with webnovels, but this will be a good opportunity to hone your editing skills for a different platform."


    Xing Bi beamed. "Oh, that''s great. It''s certainly new to me, but I am up for it! I love stories, whether books or webnovels haha!"


    "Yes. I will share the final list to Miss. Sun too."


    "...Sure."


    Hou Lin noticed her odd expression. "You are thinking again?"


    "..."


    "N-nothing. I am just glad that Miss. Sun is back and all healthy again."


    "Indeed."


    Xing Bi then thought of a question and asked, "By the way, how long have you known Miss. Sun for?"


    "Pretty much from the beginning. We almost joined at the same time and climbed our way until here in our respective fields. She is very diligent and hardworking. Why do you ask?"


    "Oh? No, no. It''s nothing," she laughed it off. "Just curious."


    "I see. I will leave now," Hou Lin nodded.


    "..."


    He is also very diligent and hardworking. Doesn''t waste a single second outside his scope of work¡­


    She drew a long sigh and collapsed her head on her desk.


    I should really stop thinking about this so much or my hair will turn gray at this point. Let''s just leave this topic for now.


    ¡ª


    Zhu villa.


    Chyou whistled and was in a good mood as she climbed down the stairs. Her father, Xiaosi, noticed the joyful smile on her face and asked, "Somebody is very happy today."


    She grinned. "Yes, I am. Yating will be getting a gift for me which he had lost in the fire that day. You know how much I love gifts hehe~"


    Xiaosi blinked. He leaned in and curiously asked, "Gu Yating?"


    "Yeah."


    "You are interested in him?"


    "Yeah. Wait, what?"


    "You know, as your potential date. Remember Gu Rong''s proposal I told you about?"


    She widened her eyes. "Oh no no no no no. It''s not like that, Dad," she laughed and quickly dismissed it.


    He narrowed his eyes. "...Really now?"

 Chapter 368 Gift Shopping

    Caihong brought a plate of fruits and took a seat beside Xiaosi. "What are you two talking about?"


    Xiaosi said, "Chyou is going shopping with Gu Yating."


    "Oh?" Caihong also leaned in curiously and asked, "You are interested in him?"


    Chyou - "..."


    "How come you and Dad are always in sync?"


    "That''s the power of love."


    Even Xiaosi''s brow twitched at that. "Yeah, now I know why Chyou is an actress. The drama side is definitely from you."


    Caihong dismissed her husband and focused on Chyou again. "So?"


    "So nothing, Mom," Chyou heaved a deep sigh and shook her head. "We are good friends. He just wants to appreciate my help for what I did for Uncle Gu."


    Her little brother, Xiang, popped a piece of an apple into his mouth. "It''s not just that. You were also so diligently washing his coat and ironing it. I saw it with my own eyes."


    Xiaosi''s ears perked up. "You have his coat?"


    Chyou was speechless. She smacked her brother. "Xiang! You dummy! Don''t make it sound like I got his coat in any suspicious way. He had wrapped it around me while protecting me from the fire. Thankfully, it wasn''t damaged much. So I washed and ironed it and now I will return it to him. That''s the least I can do."


    The trio bobbed their heads in unison. "Okay."


    Xiaosi asked, "So you are really not interested in him?"


    Chyou could sense a trace of hopefulness in his voice. She laughed and kissed his cheek. "Not in a dating way. Don''t worry. I won''t leave my handsome Dad''s side ever!"


    Xiaosi feigned ignorance. "I am not worried about anything. I was just curious."


    "Yeah, yeah, I know. I am getting late now, oof. Gotta go. Bye!"


    Caihong said after a pause. "Chyou and Yating¡­They will look good together. Yating is a nice guy too."


    Xiaosi nodded. "That''s why I told her about him. But I guess it''s nothing more than friendship."


    "You are the happiest person, Dad," Xiang chuckled.


    "Shut up."


    Caihong smiled. "Well it''s our dear daughter''s choice. I just want her to choose a man who will keep her the happiest."


    ¡ª


    Chyou waved her hand as she saw Yating coming. "I am here!"


    "Hey," Yating smiled. He observed her expression a bit more and slowly remarked. "You look quite happy today. I mean, you are always cheerful. But today, I can feel an extra zest in it."


    Chyou seriously answered. "Well, it''s actually about Cheng Yin. I was worried when you had said that you had seen him with a suspicious man that night possibly with drugs. So, I asked him straight away!"


    Yating choked. "You did?"


    "Yeah. At first, I thought a lot if I should investigate him secretly. But then I thought that I don''t want to. It just didn''t feel right to me. If I love him and want to spend my life with him, then I don''t want to do things behind his back. It was better that I properly ask him."


    "And what did he say?"


    "He did admit to it."


    Yating slightly widened his eyes in surprise. It was indeed out of his expectations that Cheng Yin would come out with it so easily if it was the truth.


    Chyou sighed. "It was during his earlier days when he started out acting. You know how difficult it is to make a mark in this industry. He admitted he got in a bit of a bad company during his challenging days. After that, he couldn''t completely leave it. But he is not a hopeless addict either. He takes it very few times and that''s when you saw him a few months back¡­"


    "I see."


    She nodded. "He was very guilty. He knows he should come clean but sometimes, he just couldn''t help it during stressful times. Like when a movie gets released. We all worry if it will work well or not. That time too when you saw him, his movie was just released and he was stressed out. If it doesn''t work well, the rivals just get a chance to take over and he could lose his position as the best actor. Our positions in this industry are very fickle¡­" she sadly smiled.


    "But! He promised me that he won''t take drugs again. That was the last time and last meeting he had with his contact for the supply. I also felt that he was serious about it."


    Yating smiled, seeing her eyes shining with joy. "Well I am glad that he confessed and also promised to be clean from now on."


    "Yes! Hehe, that''s why I am so happy. It feels like a big burden lifted off my shoulders."


    "I am sorry¡­" Yating hesitated. "I didn''t mean to stress you out."


    "Oh no no. I am glad that I came to know about this. I also understand why he kept it hidden from everybody. It would be the end of his career if it got leaked out. Fans would never be so understanding of his struggle. They want their idols to always be perfect and when something like this happens, they are not so forgiving about it. One moment, they stand with us and then against us the moment something goes wrong."


    "Difficult life."


    "Very."


    Walking and talking upto that point, they reached the store where Yating wanted to buy a gift for her. "It is supposed to be a surprise. Thanks for your company."


    Chyou stuck out her tongue.


    He chose a simple but elegant pendant for her. "This."


    Chyou beamed. "It''s so pretty. Damn, your choice is so good. Even better than a woman''s. I love it!"


    "If you want something else-"


    "Nope. This is perfect."


    "Great," he gave a wide smile.


    He paid for it at the counter and handed the gift bag to her. "Here is your gift which you already know what''s inside it."


    "Hehe~"


    As they stepped out, a young girl approached Chyou and gasped. "I-It''s you. You are Zhu Chyou, the actress, right? And¡­" she eyes Yating and squealed, "is he your boyfriend?"

 Chapter 369 Topmost Trending Gossip

    Chyou stuck out her tongue but in her mind.


    Ah, somebody recognized me even though I put on shades!


    "Haha...I am not sure what you are talking about."


    "No, no, you are definitely Zhu Chyou! I can recognize my favorite idol anywhere!" The young girl''s eyes were glittering with stars. "Oh my God I cannot believe that I met my idol!"


    Her excited gasps reached the other passers-by and soon enough, a crowd formed around Chyou and Yating.


    "It''s Zhu Chyou! It''s really Zhu Chyou in the flesh!"


    "Ahh, I cannot believe I met you!"


    "I have watched all your movies!"


    "I am your big fan, Zhu Chyou! You are the best actress in this industry!"


    "I loved your tomboy role in the other movie. You were so awesome!"


    By that point, Chyou was completely exposed. "Hehe, you caught me~"


    It turned into a frenzy with everybody wanting to click pictures with her, which she very patiently did. But soon, their attention turned towards Yating.


    A handsome and seemingly wealthy man with Chyou outside a gift shop naturally arose suspicions in everybody''s hearts. Yating simply flashed a polite smile to them which tugged many heartstrings.


    Chyou naturally caught their gaze and cleared her throat. "He is Gu Yating and my friend."


    One of them from the crowd guessed. "I think I have heard of him. Chief editor of Dream High, right?"


    "Yeah," he admitted.


    She gasped.


    An editor and an actress are an item? How did they even meet?


    Despite Chyou clarifying their relationship, the fans were not ready to believe her.


    Some of them whispered among themselves. "Are they dating?"


    "They definitely are! Look, she is holding a gift bag. Gu Yating definitely pampered her with a gift. Isn''t that what boyfriends do?"


    "That''s right! But I thought that there was something between Zhu Chyou and Cheng Yin. They have acted in so many movies together..."


    "Yeah me too! I always felt their chemistry was so amazing."


    "Maybe she doesn''t want anybody from the entertainment industry? Whatever it is, I think Gu Yating looks cute with her too," she giggled.


    "Is it only me or I find him sexier than Cheng Yin?"


    Chyou talked to some of her fans and quickly dragged Yating away from the crowd. Coming to a safe distance, she took out her shades and exhaled. "Thank God. Damn their eyes are sharp. Sorry you got pulled along."


    He waved his hand. "No big deal. I finally witnessed your popularity with my own eyes," he chuckled.


    Chyou grinned.


    "Oh yeah, I almost forgot!"


    She unzipped her bag and took out his coat. "Here. I washed and ironed it."


    Yating was taken aback. "You still have my coat?"


    "Of course. Did you think I would throw it away?"


    "I thought so."


    She glared at him. "You protected me with this coat! How can I throw it away?"


    Yating helplessly chuckled. "Thanks."


    "How is Uncle Gu by the way?"


    "He is doing well. Already back to managing the company."


    "Did you learn anything about the bribe issue?"


    "No," he sighed. "But Soo Yijun is looking into it."


    Chyou was in deep thought. "We are definitely missing something. If Uncle is innocent, then the judge was contacted in some other way. But we don''t know how...Let me check the footage once again. I will give everything a thorough check. There is definitely we are not seeing something," she narrowed her eyes.


    --


    Cheng Yin''s assistant ran to his side, huffing and puffing. In his makeup room, Cheng Yin was getting ready for the next shot when his assistant just barged in. "Sir!"


    Cheng Yin grimaced. "Why are you in such a hurry?"


    "The...news..." he breathlessly said, "Trending news...Zhu Chyou..."


    "What? It must be some promotion going viral. What are you so hyped up about?"


    "It''s not a promotion. It''s her relationship! Zhu Chyou is dating!"


    Cheng Yin choked and stumbled in his seat. "What!?"


    He snatched the phone from him and checked Weibo. The topmost trending news was of Chyou in a relationship with Gu Yating. Her fans had seen her exiting a gift shop with him and later on, there was another picture of Chyou giving Yating a coat. They were laughing and the mood was cheery around them.


    Cheng Yin looked like he was struck with lightning.


    The assistant said, "I was so shocked. There was never any news about Zhu Chyou dating anybody."


    One of the makeup artists said, "Hey isn''t he the same man who saved Miss. Zhu from the fire that day?"


    "Oh yeah! He went back and brought her out!"


    "Hehe, what if that incident ignited a whole different fire inside them?" She giggled. "Maybe he won Miss. Zhu''s heart with that."


    Cheng Yin stiffened. The mention of the fire definitely bugged him because he still felt stupid for not checking upon Chyou. But what also bothered him was about the part of his drugs.


    He was taken by utter shock when Chyou confronted him about drugs a few days ago. Since she had this suspicion, he believed that it was Jun who must have ratted out everything because he had threatened him in doing a blood test to prove his drug addiction.


    Damn, what should I say!? That bastard spitting out everything!


    He thought to lie but what if she insisted on a blood test too upon Jun''s insistence? Everything would be spilled out.


    I have no option but to confess to her. I will totally lose her if I am found lying later...


    So he made up a story of getting into a bad company and tried to explain his addiction and also assured that he had stopped taking drugs. As expected, that made Chyou happier than if he had lied.


    He was relieved but now looking at this trending post made his fingers fidget with doubt.


    Why is she with him? Didn''t Gu Yating say that he only met her for some temporary work?


    It cannot be that Chyou changed her mind?


    He clenched the phone in his palm.


    The post made him extremely uncomfortable. Just a few days ago, the video of him yelling at Ai went viral and it had already affected his reputation a lot. People who were shipping Chyou and him together were now shipping Yating with her.


    Damn! What the hell is going on!?

 Chapter 370 Shock Therapy

    "Jin!"


    Nana merrily hopped to his side and held his arm.


    Jin smiled. "Mom. You look extra cheerful today."


    "Hehe of course I am. Tomorrow is Shui''s birthday after all."


    Jin stared at her but said nothing.


    "Jinhai and I were deciding on a gift for her, but it''s so difficult," she sighed. "Do you have any idea?"


    "I don''t," he smiled. "It''s fine, Mom. Shui will like whatever you have to give her."


    She pouted. "I know, but I still want it to be thoughtful. Oh, what are your plans by the way?" She clapped her hands once in delight.


    "Nothing. Sorry, Mom but I won''t be coming to the party tomorrow."


    Nana widened her eyes. "Why not?"


    He didn''t know how to answer that. It was difficult to make her understand but at the same time, he had no interest in being a part of Shui''s birthday banquet.


    "...I am feeling a little sick."


    "What? How? Why? What happened?" She quickly touched his forehead to check for a fever, but there was none. "Okay, you don''t have a fever. You seemed to be well at the breakfast table," she pursed her lips, "How could I not notice it?"


    "Oof, Mom. You don''t have to feel guilty," he pinched her cheeks. "It''s not so bad. Just feeling tired. It will be too much to attend the party for me. Of course, I will give my wishes to Shui."


    Nana wondered about something and anxiously asked, "Jin. Is it because Jun will be there too?"


    He blinked his eyes in surprise. "No. It''s not because of Bro. In fact¡­Bro and I are good now."


    This wasn''t what Nana expected. "Really!?" Her heart bloomed with immense joy. "You and Jun are¡­"


    He smiled. "Yes. It was my mistake, Mom. I was being silly about the whole thing. We had a good conversation and sorted things out."


    Her eyes ached with tears. "Aish, I am so happy to know this," she sniffled. "I was so worried about you two."


    Jin held her hand and guiltily apologized. "I am sorry, Mom. I didn''t want to make you sad over this. But everything is fine now between us."


    "En!" Nana bobbed her head. "Good, good."


    Nana patted his head. "You should take a good rest. Don''t worry about tomorrow''s party," she kissed his forehead. "I will cook your favorite dishes for you too!"


    He brightened. "Mom is the best!"


    Nana left even more happily than before to give this good news to Jinhai about the brothers'' patch up.


    The sunny expression on Jin''s face reversed to his grim and icy countenance.


    After talking to Jun, he knew that there could have been many things at play in his last life that involved Shui and the events that transpired later.


    But that was separate from how she broke Jun''s heart. In his last life, this birthday was a major turning point. Jun had proposed to her. She had accepted it but soon asked for some space in their relationship which broke Jun''s heart. The subsequent four years were nothing but a torture to him.


    "I don''t know if you were manipulated or not Shui," Jin balled his fist. "But it had nothing to do with how you treated Bro. Celebrate all you want, but I would never be a part of it."


    ¡ª


    The next evening at Han villa was dazzling and sparkling with lights and flowers as Shui''s twenty-first birthday party sprung into action. Guests poured in and the atmosphere became even more lively and cheery.


    Naturally, the main question in everybody''s mind was about the Liu and Han family''s relationship, especially Jun and Shui. It was already public for a while now that Jun and Shui had broken up, and he was also happily in a relationship with Ai. It was a big discussion at that time but tonight, it will be different to witness it.


    "Hey, do you think Liu Jun would come to the party tonight?"


    "I don''t think so. I mean sure, they claim they are still good friends, but we all know the truth. It will be so awkward to face each other after years of their relationship."


    "Yes, yes. It''s impossible for Liu Jun to be here, much less his girlfriend."


    "No way! Zhou Ai, that writer right? It will be so embarrassing if they did come together. Like ex-girlfriend and current girlfriend together at the same place?" One snorted. "Not happening. Han Shui will never accept this."


    "But we still don''t know what caused their breakup. It was going so good and then Zhou Ai suddenly entered into the picture¡­"


    "Who knows if she seduced Liu Jun and forced this breakup to happen¡­" one murmured.


    Amidst all the rumors and talk, the two controversial people in question gracefully made their presence known in the banquet. The group of socialites who were gossiping about them were left stunned and aghast at their entrance.


    "W-wait what? Liu Jun and Zhou Ai¡­together?"


    "The hell¡­they actually came¡­"


    "I can understand Liu Jun for once but even Zhou Ai¡­!"


    "How will the Han family react to this?"


    Unaware of the brewing discussions about them, Jun and Ai were in their own world. Ai sincerely appreciated the arrangements and decorations of the birthday banquet.


    "Everything is so pretty," she nodded hard.


    Jun''s ears perked up. "I will make it even grander for you on your birthday. Be ready to be impressed even more."


    She chuckled. "You always have to compete, don''t you?"


    "I don''t like your attention spanning away from me," he narrowed his eyes and kissed her temple.


    That earned even more silent gasps from the different groups of people observing them. But that wasn''t the end of their shock therapy yet.


    "Jun! Ai!"


    The birthday girl Shui beamed upon seeing them and immediately rushed towards them in joy. "You are here!" She chirped.


    She hugged Jun and then hopped to embrace Ai. "You look so pretty, Ai!"


    Jun smirked with pride. "I chose the dress for her."


    "Tch, why do you have to take the credit, Jun? Ai''s beauty has nothing to do with you."


    "..."


    "It has definitely a lot to do with me, excuse me? Of course, Ai was always beautiful. But now she has even more glow to her face, you know thanks to- Ouch!"


    Ai stomped on his foot and squinted her eyes. Jun received her message and shut his mouth. "Well, I don''t need to state it explicitly."


    Shui laughed.


    The whole scene between the trio made everybody dizzy.


    When did these three get into such good terms!?

 Chapter 371 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (1)

    Scialites couldn''t believe the sight of happiness on Shui''s face. She was talking to Ai as if they were always besties. It didn''t look one bit that one was an ex-girlfriend while the other was Jun''s current girlfriend.


    Ai beamed. "Happy Birthday Shui."


    "Thank you!"


    "Sister-in-law!" Nuo''s energetic voice came from the other end, who was just as excited to meet her. "Hehe, you are here~"


    Jun raised his brow. "How about greeting your brother too?"


    Nuo sheepishly grinned and hugged him. "How can I forget my handsome brother?"


    Her eyes darted from one place to another. Shui smiled. "Bro Siying is with Mom."


    Nuo coughed. "I wasn''t looking for him particularly..."


    Jun grabbed Ai''s hand and said, "Let''s go."


    "Huh, where?"


    "If Nuo is here, then the twins are nearby too. I don''t want to meet them."


    Nuo chuckled. "Don''t be afraid, Bro. For now, they are busy. Bro Jian is trying to escape the clutches of Uncle Liang for flirting with his precious daughter, Leina. Bro Nian is stubbornly standing outside to wait for Xing Bi. He wants to come inside with only her."


    "Why?"


    "So that he makes it clear to every man in the party not to lay eyes on her."


    Ai''s mouth twitched. "If Xing Bi hears this, she will beat up Nian for good."


    "He is fine with that. My brother is turning into a masochist."


    "..."


    Shui didn''t show it, but she was waiting for Nuo to talk about Jin; an expression which both Jun and Ai caught.


    Jun casually said, "Good riddance from them for at least some time. But what about Jin? I don''t see him anywhere."


    Nuo pouted. "Jin is not feeling so well, so he stayed back home. But he said he already gave his wishes to Shui."


    Shui blinked.


    Jin didn''t wish me today though...


    "Y-yeah! Haha, he did."


    Ai pursed her lips, seeing Shui''s gaze dim. She didn''t wish to see her sad on her birthday.


    "Oh when will the party start? I am excited for the cake cutting ceremony!" She tried to divert the topic.


    "Yes, it will begin in a while now," Shui sighed. "I get so anxious with all these socialites staring at me. Everytime, I say that I want a simple party, Dad always says the opposite and wants to make it as grand as possible."


    "He dotes on you."


    "Too much sometimes!"


    On the other side, Zixin made his way with the Chen family with the twins hanging around his side. People gossiped about him for another reason and that was the accident he just went through.


    "Hey, it''s Chen Zixin and his family."


    "Heard he got into a super bad accident!"


    "That''s harsh. Was it really an accident or...?"


    "Yeah, he might have a deadly rival who planned it against him. But they are not disclosing anything."


    "Even so, he is so hot!" One woman squealed.


    "It''s just all handsomeness everywhere!"


    On their side, Yunru declared. "Bro, it''s the first banquet you are attending after you have recovered. But you don''t have to feel intimidated at all! I will protect you from the hungry socialites here! You have to be careful. Women will be targeting you to get into your good books. But worry not. I will deal with all of them!"


    Yubi hit his head. "You will deal with them? Are you sure you can do that? I am afraid you will get seduced instead!"


    His gaze darkened. "Yubi! You should be more aware of your surroundings. You won''t even know if some man here flirts with you and you would only get swept away by him."


    She gritted her teeth. "Are you saying I am dumb?"


    He snorted. "Glad that you know it yourself."


    Chen Liling separated them. "Enough, you two. You never fail to argue no matter what event it is. It''s Shui''s birthday, so go and wish her instead of fighting!"


    Zixin looked around and saw unfamiliar faces everywhere. Though he liked Shui as a friend and wanted to be here for her birthday party, he couldn''t help but feel slightly restless with this grand celebration when he hardly knew anybody. He would have preferred reading CherryBlossom''s books back in his room, but he also wanted to be here for Shui.


    Jianyu and Serena assured him. "Just enjoy it at your own pace, okay?"


    Zixin nodded.


    --


    Chyou craned her neck and tried to find Shui in the crowd, carrying her gift in her hand. When she entered, the atmosphere was filled with a third source of gossip and that was the recent trending post on Weibo.


    "It''s Zhu Chyou! Did you see the latest post?"


    "I saw that. She is dating Gu Yating! Damn, I never expected that."


    "There was never even a hint about her being with anybody and suddenly boom. She has skills, I must say."


    "But I was so sure that she will get together with Cheng Yin. Both A-listed actors who have worked together for several times."


    "But wasn''t his father, Gu Rong, in jail until a few days ago?"


    That sparked another round of heated discussion.


    Chyou, who was completely focused on finding Shui, bumped into a man, who was crossing her path. The gift fell from her hand, but the man quickly caught it.


    "Ah thank Godddd!" She sobbed. "The gift is made of glass. It would have completely broken."


    As she looked up, she was taken aback to recognize the man. "Yating."


    He smiled and handed the gift back to her carefully. "Hey."


    "You are here too?"


    Yating recalled Gu Rong''s stubborn insistence to attend this banquet tonight at any cost. He didn''t have much work on his plate and neither a choice.


    When will he give up on Chyou and me? He inwardly grimaced.


    "...Yup. Dad couldn''t make it. So I came instead. Though I feel awkward because I hardly know Han Shui."


    "No worries! I will introduce you to her," she laughed.


    But if Chyou was laughing, somebody on the other side had his dark brown eyes filled with ice.


    Why the heck Gu Yating is here? Jun''s expression twisted as he noticed him. He wasn''t there at the banquet in last life, so why now?

 Chapter 372 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (2)

    Chyou then sighed as her ears clearly caught the murmurs and gossip regarding them. "Did you see the trending post?"


    "Ah, yes¡­" Yating shook his head. "That one sneaky fan clicked our pictures and everything exploded."


    She cried. "I am sorry. First, you were attacked by my fans and now this misunderstanding. I am just causing you too much trouble, am I not?"


    "Hey, hey why are you blaming yourself? There is nothing to apologize for. More than me, it''s you getting affected by this rumor, and I feel it''s my fault. I should have chosen a different place for shopping."


    Chyou proudly said, "Doesn''t matter. Somebody or the other would have definitely recognized my charm anyway. I am very popular.*


    "..."


    His brow twitched. But then his gaze fell on the pendant on her neck, and a joyous smile formed on his lips. "So you wore the pendant tonight."


    "Yes!" She chirped. "Perfect occasion to start with. And it looks so pretty. You have some good taste."


    Yating nodded. "You look beautiful."


    "Hehe thanks~"


    Then Chyou closely looked at him and softly took a breath. "Hey this is the same coat of fire!"


    He was dumbfounded. "Coat of fire?"


    "Yeah I just gave it a name. You saved me from that fire with your coat, so it''s a coat of fire. You wore it tonight."


    "Ah, yes," Yating chuckled. "Well, you took so much effort to clean and iron it. I definitely wanted to start using it again from a good occasion. A birthday banquet was the perfect choice."


    Chyou was indeed thrilled to hear this. "You are so thoughtful. Yup for me, this coat will always look the best on you!"


    Jun, who was watching them intently, couldn''t help but question. "When did they get so close? Or is it after the fire incident¡­" he mumbled.


    Ai nodded. "It must be definitely that. After all, he saved her that day. They must have gotten closer."


    Nuo said, "Ah? You don''t know?"


    "What?"


    "I heard from Xiang that Gu Rong went to Uncle Xiaosi with a proposal for Chyou for his son, Gu Yating."


    "..."


    They stared at her, stunned. Jun asked, "When did this happen?"


    "I am not sure but around Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet maybe? Hehe, do you think that''s why they are so closer? Maybe they decided to give it a try."


    The two were sure that it wasn''t the case because Chyou had no relationship with Yating in the past life as she had married Cheng Yin.


    So in the past too, did Gu Rong try to set them up like this? He wondered.


    But because Yating dated Ai and Chyou had Cheng Yin in her life, their paths simply never crossed. But this life''s trajectory was going on completely differently.


    Watching Yating and Chyou together made him aware that if things remained the same in the form of Zixin''s accident, then there were other events too which were slowly taking a different form.


    The lights then dimmed and the birthday banquet was soon going to start.


    Xinyi and Zhiyuan proudly looked at their daughter with the most radiant smile on their lips. "Our Shui turned twenty-one today¡­"


    Zhiyuan stared at Shui with tears in his eyes, feeling emotional. "Damn it, why does time fly so fast? I still cannot believe that twenty-one years have passed by."


    "Oof!" Shui hugged him tightly and pouted. "It''s my birthday. You are not allowed to cry, Dad. You don''t have to feel so emotional because I am gonna stay with you for a long long time!"


    That was definitely something Zhiyuan wanted to hear. "Yes, yes. Shui will always be by her father''s side."


    The mother-son duo watched them with helplessness. "Zhiyuan, do you want to spend the whole banquet here itself?"


    "Of course not. But let me admire her beauty which she has inherited from my dearest wife."


    Xinyi sheepishly grinned. "As always, you have the sweet tongue."


    Siying started to look for Nuo. "Okay, I am missing my girlfriend now."


    The birthday girl, Shui, made her way down and everybody broke into loud claps and cheers. The maid brought a huge cake wheeled on a table in front of her.


    Zhiyuan took the mike and said as he hugged his dearest daughter. "Thank you all for coming here and being a part of Shui''s birthday celebration. This is a day which has always been so special to me. From a newborn baby who I held in my arms to seeing a beautiful twenty-one years old woman grow up right before my eyes has been such a beautiful journey."


    Then tears sprung from his eyes, and he sniffled. "She is growing up too fast. Why can''t time just stop?"


    Shui''s mouth twitched.


    Xinyi and Siying facepalmed.


    "Mom! Dad is embarrassing us!" He whispered. "Why does he always have to cry? I knew this would happen! I told you to let me do all the talking stuff."


    Xinyi pursed her lips. "But Zhiyuan promised me that he wouldn''t do it this time!"


    "And you believed him?"


    She stared at him. "He¡­he kind of seduced me after that, so I don''t remember much¡­"


    "..."


    "He definitely fooled you using his body, Mom! And you fell for it!"


    "I-I definitely won''t get fooled the next time!" She blurted out with her reddened cheeks.


    Zhiyuan continued. "But Shui is going to live with her father for a long, long time so that gives me some comfort."


    Everybody laughed.


    "So if anybody tried to hit on Shui tonight and crush all my hopes of my long, long time with my daughter, then you are dead."


    "..."


    A deep and sharp silence fell.


    At this point, Siying really wanted to bury himself in a hole.


    Dad!!!!


    The only ones who were agreeing with Zhiyuan were the other fathers themselves with a daughter complex like Jinhai and Liang. Xiaosi secretly agreed in his heart too though he maintained a poker expression on the outside.


    "I know you definitely support Han Zhiyuan in this," Caihong didn''t fail to remark, making his brow twitch. "Your face cannot fool me."


    "I don''t know what you are talking about," he shamelessly feigned ignorance.


    Ai asked Jun on the other side, "Are you going to be like this too in the future?"


    "Of course not," Jun snorted.


    "That''s better. Because if you pulled this stunt, then you can forget about our marriage."


    "..."

 Chapter 373 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (3)

    After the cake cutting ceremony, guests arrived one after the other to give Shui birthday wishes and gifts. As soon as Jun and Ai arrived, a sense of awkwardness loomed in the air but for the guests.


    Meeting Shui was different but Jun and Ai meeting Xinyi and Zhiyuan? It would be bound to get uncomfortable!


    But in contrast to what they imagined, Xinyi was the first one to actually hug Ai, which definitely took Ai aback. As Shui''s mother, she wasn''t expecting her to be so cordial.


    "I am glad you came here," Xinyi withdrew and smiled. "I always wanted to thank you."


    "Thank me?" She tilted her head.


    "Of course. I heard what happened in Shanghai and how you stood up for Shui. Shui praised you so much when she returned. As a mother, I cannot be happier that you protected my daughter. And not just at Shanghai but from the moment you started dating Jun, you were never hostile towards Shui, which I sincerely appreciate. It takes guts to do that."


    Zhiyuan gravely nodded. "Thank you, Zhou Ai. We are glad to have you as Shui''s friend. It''s all because of you that things never became awkward for us."


    Siying chirped. "Yes. The one who treats my sister well is also my friend! Also, I heard a lot of praises of you from Nuo."


    Suddenly, he felt a chill run on his back feeling a strong and piercing gaze. His brow twitched, and he didn''t even need to guess who was the source of this hostility.


    It''s like Uncle Jinhai has an antenna whenever I take Nuo''s name...


    Ai felt at a loss for several moments. "Thank you."


    Xinyi chuckled. "It''s we who thanked you, so you said welcome."


    Zhiyuan and Jun were busy in their own staring competition. It was a bubbly and flowery atmosphere between Xinyi and Ai but a serious and suffocating air between Zhiyuan and Jun.


    "Uncle Zhiyuan. Your little speech was amazing," Jun randomly said what came to his mind.


    Zhiyuan narrowed his eyes. "Liu Jun."


    "Yes."


    Shui cleared her throat. "Dad, you promised me..."


    Suddenly out of anybody''s expectation, Zhiyuan pulled Jun into a big hug. "Hahaha, why are you so tense? It''s your Uncle Zhiyuan! No need to be so stiff."


    "..."


    Even Xinyi hadn''t expected this response.


    Jun suspiciously asked, "Uncle, it seems you are too happy with Shui''s birthday tonight."


    "And the fact that you won''t steal her from me anymore. So you are a good boy to me now, hohoho~"


    "..."


    "Mom..." Shui pleaded Xinyi for help.


    Jun asked, "Then what was I to you until now?"


    "A villain. Which every man who dares to target my daughter is."


    Jun smiled. "Is that so? Then I hope that a new villain quickly enters and disrupts your life, Uncle."


    "..."


    "Liu Jun! How dare you curse my happiness!?" Zhiyuan exclaimed.


    "Don''t you curse mine?" A cold, detached voice shrouded with deep hostility seeped into the air.


    With Jinhai, black clouds immediately entered the scene, rumbling and thundering. He gave on murderous stare to Siying, freezing the atmosphere.


    Siying tried to pull in his most affectionate smile, but Jinhai was in no mood to entertain him. Instead, he calmly glanced at Zhiyuan. "Your son has been doing the same thing for years now, cursing my happiness. But you seemed to ignore all of that."


    A vein popped on his forehead. "Liu Jinhai. You were being a tyrant. Siying and Nuo love each other but you are acting as a villain in their love story."


    "So were you in Jun and Shui''s..." his deathly quiet voice rang with menace. "But I am glad we were on the same page. You won''t be confused as to why Siying might suddenly disappear one day," he narrowed his eyes.


    Oh God, just kill me...Siying sighed. It''s such a treacherous path loving Nuo.


    Zhiyuan snarled. "Don''t dare touch my son just because you cannot handle your daughter falling in love!"


    Jinhai sneered. "Don''t be happy for my son just because he and Shui aren''t together anymore."


    Ai seriously wondered what was wrong with these fathers.


    They sure don''t see their hypocrisy...


    "Jinhai!" Nana puffed up her cheeks and pulled him back. "Why are you causing a scene tonight? It''s Shui''s birthday!"


    "He started it," Jinhai said, unfazed.


    "No excuses!"


    Xinyi also gave a stern scolding to Zhiyuan. "If you don''t stop it now, I will throw you out of the party."


    Siying and Shui gave a thumbs up, crushing Zhiyuan''s heart. "You all are heartless!"


    Jun wanted to get away from this headache, so he held Ai''s hand and slickly tried to leave. But as soon as they turned, he met his mortal enemy. Lightning crackled between Jun and Yating''s eyes as they crossed paths.


    Yating smiled. "Liu Jun."


    "Gu Yating," Jun smiled back. "You seem to be a lot free these days. How is your health by the way? You should have stayed back home and rested," he emphasized more on the last sentence.


    Indirectly, it also meant that he didn''t want Yating to collapse or get sick for Ai to tend to him again.


    "I am fine, Liu Jun. You don''t need to be so concerned for my health," he dryly said.


    "As long as it doesn''t involve Ai taking care of you, I am really not so concerned about your health," Jun shot back.


    Ai tugged his arm and signaled him not to be mean to Yating, to which Jun only snorted.


    Yating was close to punching his face but instead, he calmed himself by looking at Ai. "Ai. Nice to see you here. I am sorry I couldn''t properly thank you that day. My sickness caused you unnecessary trouble."


    Ai shook her head. "No problem. Hope you are not overworking like before."


    p "I am being more careful and conscious now," he softly smiled.


    "That''s better."


    Jun''s mouth twitched. He whispered in her ear. "He knows what is good for him or not. You don''t have to be the one to explicitly state it."


    Now, Ai''s brow twitched. "I am just telling him as a friend."


    "No need."


    "..."

 Chapter 374 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (4)

    The atmosphere eased up when Chyou entered just at the right time. Naturally, Ai shone the brightest. "Chyou!"


    "Ai!"


    They hugged each other like long-lost sisters. Ai praised her as she glanced at her from head to toe. "You look beautiful," she slightly blushed. "That pendant is pretty."


    "I know right? It''s Yating''s choice! He gave it to me as a gift."


    Yating was embarrassed. "It was my thanks for helping Dad."


    Chyou chuckled as she noticed Jun''s gaze turning darker and darker. "Hahaha, Jun. Come on, lighten up," she furiously patted his shoulder. "It''s a birthday banquet! We should just chill, eat and enjoy a lot!"


    Jun shot Yating a glare. "I want to but not by seeing this man''s face."


    Yating coldly answered. "The feelings are mutual, Liu Jun."


    "Then why don''t you-"


    Suddenly, Jun froze as he saw a familiar person entering the banquet from the corner of his eye. He stared at that figure for several long moments.


    Ai blinked with his sudden quietness and followed his gaze. She, too, soon had the same reaction as Jun.


    The person in question that had riled them up was none other than ''Guiying'' who was dressed in a beautiful pink dress, carrying a hand bag on her shoulder.


    "What is she doing here?" Jun asked, his voice expressing his shock.


    Yating and Chyou curiously glanced at the other side too. Naturally, Yating was taken aback as well by ''Guiying''s'' presence in the banquet.


    ''Guiying'' looked straight ahead and found Shui who was busy with attending to other guests. But along the way, she also noticed the group staring at her.


    Oh¡­


    ''She'' smiled and walked up to them. "Nice to meet you, Ai."


    She replied in a low voice. "...Yes."


    Seeing ''Guiying'' here was beyond their expectations, especially for Jun who knew that she wasn''t a part of Shui''s twenty-first birthday party. Needless to say, his temper wasn''t faring well by her sudden appearance.


    It was Yating who asked the burning question which Jun and Ai had in their hearts. "Guiying, how are you here?"


    He looked at Chyou and said, "She is Cai Guiying, a writer. We work at Dream High together."


    "Oh, yes, yes," Though Chyou already knew her from the time when Jun had asked her to investigate her.


    ''Guiying'' felt pleased, watching Jun''s eyes laced with confusion and questions. It also displayed a hint of anger which made her feel even more victorious.


    "Well I am here because I am invited by none other than Han Shui."


    Ai slightly widened her eyes.


    Shui?


    "Han Shui?" Yating blinked. "You know her?"


    ''She'' touched her chin. "It''s kind of a long story but yes."


    ''She'' clearly felt Jun''s piercing gaze, shooting questions and doubt at her.


    "What happened, Liu Jun? You don''t seem to believe it for some reason."


    He said nothing.


    ''Guiying'' said, "Okay, let me catch up with you all later. Unfortunately, I am already a little late for the banquet. I still have to give my wishes and gift to Shui."


    "Yating smiled. "Yeah go ahead."


    Jun''s fist trembled as ''Guiying'' passed right by his side towards where Shui was. He turned and saw Shui beaming as she noticed Guiying coming. That reaction was enough to prove that Shui had indeed invited her to the banquet.


    ''Guiying'' hugged Shui and talked to her for a bit. After giving her gift to her, ''she'' walked away to make way for other guests.


    ¡ª


    Once Shui was done with meeting all the guests, Jun quickly pulled her to a side as she was finally let free for sometime.


    "Hey, hey, where are you taking me?"


    p "Shui, what is Cai Guiying doing here?"


    Ai asked, "Did you invite her?"


    Shui blinked twice. "Yeah."


    "Why?" Jun widened his eyes. "Did you forget what Cai Lingyun did to us in Shanghai? How could you invite her after that?"


    She sighed. "I know what you are getting at. But whatever happened, Cai Lingyun was behind all that mess. Guiying wasn''t even aware of it. She apologized to me a lot after that for her brother''s behavior. It was really unexpected that he did that. Since she wasn''t at fault, I have no reason to be hostile to her. Also, she had invited me so eagerly to the Shanghai Fest. Naturally, I felt that she should be invited to my party too."


    Jun restlessly gritted his teeth. "Did she ever talk to you after the fest?"


    "We were in touch now and then."


    Jun narrowed his eyes.


    She definitely planned this.


    Shui noticed their odd behavior and asked, "What happened to you two? Why are you so tense?"


    Jun knew that Shui had no clue about the past life. "Shui, I don''t think you should get too close to Cai Guiying. I¡­I don''t like her."


    Ai smiled a bit uncomfortably.


    "Look, I don''t want you to get hurt because of her. Stay away from her company."


    Shui slightly parted her lips in bewilderment. "Do I really have to be so cautious? She was very nice to me in Shanghai and what happened with us wasn''t her fault. She wasn''t even there when the whole mess started. Plus, aren''t Guiying and Ai such good friends? Right, Ai?"


    Ai had nothing to answer her. It was a complicated situation that they couldn''t exactly reveal it to her.


    Jun pursed his lips.


    You don''t know Shui. You don''t know anything about her. She was involved in our lives more than what we had ever imagined. There is a high possibility that she used you to achieve whatever her goal was.


    That''s why...I won''t let history repeat this time, his dark brown irises blazed with resilience.


    ¡ª


    ''Guiying'' smirked to herself, remembering Jun and Ai''s frozen expressions.


    Heh. They didn''t expect me to be here at all. Ah, it was so satisfying~


    This is nothing, Liu Jun. This is just the beginning. You are still left to get zapped by a lot of shocks.


    "You."


    ''She'' heard a deep voice echoing from behind her, and she turned. She blinked rapidly as she recognized the man standing in front of her.


    Zixin walked upto to her and lowered his gaze to stare into her eyes. "You are here."

 Chapter 375 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (5)

    ''Guiying'' parted and shut her lips as even she was stunned to meet Zixin here. First at the hospital and then at the hotel...''she'' felt like the number of coincidental meetings with this man were too phenomenal.


    ''Guiying'' could feel the real Guiying inside her wanting to take over and talk to him. But ''she'' didn''t want to relinquish her control this time.


    Shut up, you idiot. I have not come here for a chit chat with anybody. So stop with this bullshit.


    Zixin tilted his head and observing her in a trance, he repeated. "Hello."


    ''Guiying'' looked up and raised her brow. "Hello."


    For a moment, Zixin wasn''t sure how to respond. It was the same woman before him but somehow, her gaze with which she met his eyes seemed different. Like the time he had seen her smoking that evening. He felt as if her eyes didn''t hold much warmth in them.


    But that was ridiculous according to him. The Guiying whom he talked to was a gentle woman with a soft voice.


    Zixin smiled and said, "It was surprising to see you here."


    At first, he was indeed surprised when he recognized her figure. But considering that she was Ai''s friend, it made sense why she would be here. Though he then wondered the reason for her not being present at his get-together party.


    Whatever her reason was, the moment he noticed her, the light in his eyes gleamed.


    ''Guiying'' smiled. "I would have asked you the same thing only if I had a bit more time. So if you don''t mind, can I leave?"


    His eyes rapidly blinked.


    ''She'' snorted.


    Poor him. Isn''t he so used to talking to this idiot inside me? Well for that matter, anybody is.


    ''She'' turned on her heels and left.


    "When can we talk then?" His question managed to stop her.


    ''She'' frowned and asked as she looked back, "What?"


    Zixin patiently asked, "When can we talk?"


    "Why do you even want to talk to me? Aren''t there already so many people here?"


    Suddenly, ''she'' felt a resistance inside her.


    "But I don''t know these people."


    He remarked in a matter of fact tone but at the same time, his voice held with a tinge of helplessness.


    "At least not in the way I used to know them before."


    ''Her'' brow twitched. ''She'' could feel a sense of annoyance and disappointment from the Guiying inside her.


    Why are you feeling so sad?


    ''Guiying'' pinched her space between her brows.


    Why do I have to deal with this now...


    ''She'' tried her best to smile the way Guiying always did. "I will let you know when I get the time."


    "When?"


    "..."


    "...Soon."


    "How soon?"


    ''She'' gritted her teeth.


    Okay, what is the deal with this man!?


    Zixin smiled. "I have a lot of things I want to talk to you about."


    He wanted to surprise her by revealing that he had started to read her books.


    "I will come meet you by myself, okay?" ''Guiying'' was very close to snapping.


    Zixin nodded. "Okay. I will wait for you. I will be by that corner when you need to find me."


    "Sure."


    ''She'' finally got to leave and exhaled.


    God, that man is stubborn!


    --


    "Xing Bi!!!"


    Nian hopped to hug her to which she slyly moved aside. "Liu Nian! Don''t you dare get so chummy with me."


    "Why not? Didn''t we spend such a lovely and beautiful date and then a lovely and beautiful time at your house?"


    Xing Bi gasped in horror.


    "You idiot!" She kicked on his ankle and pulled his collar. "Don''t say misleading things! People will misunderstand!"


    "Misunderstand what?" Nian blinked.


    "That we-"


    "That we?"


    "You know exactly what I am talking about!" She glared at him. "Don''t feign ignorance!"


    The only thing Xing Bi wanted to do now was to lose Nian''s sight and meet Shui to give her wishes and gift. So she ran away at lightning speed.


    "Xing Biiii! Don''t leave me here all alone." He sobbed. "This cruel world scares me!"


    Everybody around him - "..."


    The world scares Liu Nian?


    Some of them who had heard the rumors of Nian''s violence whenever his switch got flipped could hardly agree. Then again, they had also seen how he brought two limp judges at the Summit. Clearly, he was the culprit.


    Xing Bi disappeared amidst the crowd, sighing in relief.


    Phew!


    The real reason why Xing Bi wanted to escape from him was their last date, specifically how it had ended. She knew it was just a peck on a forehead and she should forget about it but somehow when Nian appeared before her again, she always recalled his last expression, words and kiss.


    And then she had no clue what to speak or how to act.


    You have been single for far too long, idiot! A peck is nothing to get so riled up over!


    "Grandpa, you idiot! How dare you forget my gift!?"


    Xing Bi''s eyes widened and as she looked to her left, she was more taken aback by seeing Nian before her once again.


    W-wait wait! I just lost him at that side! How is he here already so soon!?


    She scratched the top of her head for a long time. Nian seemed to be arguing with an elderly man.


    The hell...does he have wings!?


    "I told you to stay put with my gift but you forgot!" Jian''s gaze darkened. "Now what will I give to Shui?"


    Liu Hai shot back. "I didn''t forget! It just got mixed up!"


    "You sure would never mix up your chocolates, won''t you stupid old man?" He sneered.


    "You-you..." Liu Hai was unable to respond.


    Jian glowered. "Ugh! I feel like dumping you somewhere- ow, ow, owwwww!!!!"


    Suddenly, somebody grabbed his ear and pulled it hard until he felt it would tear off.


    Xing Bi, who was mercilessly twisting his ear, threw a deadly glare at him. "Liu Nian! Is this how you talk to an elderly person!? And your Grandpa at that?"

 Chapter 376 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (6)

    Jian rapidly blinked at her, completely aghast. "W-what? I am not-"


    "Shut up! Apologize to your grandfather right now! I won''t tolerate such harsh behavior. So what if he forgot your gift? He is also human. You have no right to disrespect him like that!" Xing Bi exclaimed in defiance.


    Silence.


    Then Liu Hai burst into tears out of nowhere. "Yes, yes! Tell this brat. He disrespects and humiliates me so much," he sniffled. "I always suffer at the hands of my grandson¡­"


    This bubbled her anger even more. Liu Hai''s shoulders drooped with helplessness as if he became a ball. At that moment, he perfectly looked like an elderly person ignored and chastised by his family.


    Jian felt a looming death threat from Xing Bi''s eyes. "Hey, hey, we can talk about this, okay? First of all, I am not who you are thinking me to be-"


    "Silence!"


    "..."


    Nian, who was desperately searching for Xing Bi, finally found her. But the scene before him dumbfounded him.


    Ah? Why is she scolding Jian?


    He didn''t know. He didn''t care.


    Because it was amusing to see Xing Bi scolding his twin. As a brother, he just found it to be entertaining so he hid behind a pillar and watched the show.


    ,m Xing Bi said, "Your grandfather just forgot your gift. What''s the big deal in that? Everybody forgets things once in a while. That doesn''t mean you get to talk to him like this!"


    Liu Hai furiously bobbed his head up and down while simultaneously wiping his ''tears.''


    "It''s all because of children and grandchildren like you that elderly people are forced to leave home! Don''t you have any shame? He must have raised you so lovingly and dotingly."


    Jian and Nian - "....."


    L-Lovingly?


    D-Dotingly?


    When?


    The only thing I remember is this old man stealing my food every single time!


    Xing Bi twisted his ear further. "Now apologize!"


    She glanced at Liu Hai with concern and softly assured him. "Don''t worry. I will set this man straight tonight so that he won''t ever have the guts to disrespect you again!"


    Liu Hai was over the moon. His eyes sparkled like a child. "You are the best, my dear!"


    Nian smirked with pride.


    Of course she is. She is Xing Bi after all!


    Jian couldn''t bear this injustice anymore. "Hey I am not going to apologize to an old man who obviously did this on purpose!"


    Liu Hai looked even more pitiful with more tears filling his eyes. "W-why would I do it on purpose¡­?"


    Jian''s jaw dropped.


    That fucking acting as if he is so innocent!!


    Which only irked Xing Bi further. "Liu Nian! That''s it! You dare try to woo me by hiding this hideous and cruel side of yours? It was a mistake giving you any chance! I didn''t know you were so pathetic!"


    Nian''s balance stumbled off the pillar. He stared at Xing Bi in horror.


    He didn''t care about Jian getting scolded before.


    But NOW he did because apparently, Xing Bi was scolding ''Nian.''


    The hell! She thought he was me all this time!?


    His love life was on the line now.


    Xing Bi was ruthless. "Thank you for showing your true side to me tonight. At least I now know not to waste my time over you!"


    "Nooooo!!! Don''t say that, my Xing Bi! Your future husband is here, not there!" Nian came crying and grabbed her hand. "Don''t say that you will leave me. How will my fragile heart be able to bear this separation from you?"


    "..."


    Xing Bi gave Nian a long and a hard stare. Then she slowly turned her gaze towards Jian whose ear she was mercilessly twisting.


    She looked at Nian. Then she looked at Jian once again. They looked exactly the same.


    This repeated a few more times.


    Then her mind flashed with the memory of Jun telling her once that Nian had a twin brother. She had even exclaimed her shock over that.


    ''There is another one like him? One wasn''t enough!?''


    "...You are Liu¡­Jian?" She ever so slowly asked.


    "Yes!" Jian finally got to clear the misunderstanding.


    Now that she thought about it, Jian''s clothes were indeed different from what Nian was wearing. Nian wore a red shirt with black coat while Jian wore a cream shirt. But she was too focused on his face that she missed the color of the shirts was different.


    "..."


    Then only one word echoed in her mind after this realization.


    Shit!!!


    Xing Bi quickly let his ear go and tried to smile while hiding her tears. "Haha¡­hahaha¡­You two really look the same, don''t you?"


    "..."


    Jian, who suffered this pain needlessly, didn''t know what to say.


    At that moment, Xing Bi had never felt so embarrassed before. She mistook Jian for Nian, twisted his ear and even scolded him so harshly.


    Wait a minute¡­


    Xing Bi blinked at Liu Hai. "You heard me saying Nian''s name, didn''t you? Why didn''t you say anything about it?"


    Liu Hai - "..."


    Her misunderstanding was so amusing and entertaining that I thoroughly wanted to enjoy it but I cannot tell her that, can I? Or she will rip off my ear next!


    The twins sneered.


    Yeah, tell her. What excuse do you have to give her now?


    Liu Hai hastily looked confused. "I-Is that so? Well their names are also so similar. I didn''t quite catch the N instead of J¡­"


    The twins - "..."


    This shitty grandpa! Do you have any conscience when you lie through your teeth!


    But my Xing Bi won''t definitely fall for it! Nian was sure.


    "Oh! Yeah, I get it. It''s easy to hear the wrong name when it''s so rhyming. I understand."


    "..."


    You fell for that!?


    Liu Hai beamed. "I know, right!? You understand me! I like you! Yup, I like you very much!"


    "Th-thank you Grandpa¡­" Xing Bi felt shy.


    "Are you single?"


    "Yes¡­?"


    "Then will you date my grandson? Even though Nian is an idiot, he has a few redeeming qualities of himself. He will definitely keep you happy! So, so! Please date my grandson and become my granddaughter-in-law!" He chirped.


    "..."


    Xing Bi was blinded with the shine of Nian''s wide grin.


    "Grandpa, you always act so useless most of the time but now I feel like I love you so much!" He jumped to hug him.


    "How dare you say I am useless!"


    Xing Bi stared at the trio in a stupor.


    Huh? Wasn''t Grandpa so helpless and pitiful before? How did his character change so much!?


    Just what the hell is with this family¡­

 Chapter 377 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (7)

    While Xing Bi talked with Liu Hai and Nian, Jian dashed into a corner to quickly ask for help to the only last hope of his life.


    The phone rang a few times and when it didn''t answer, Jian''s forehead began to sweat.


    Pick up...pick up damn it or I will kill you!


    "Bro?"


    Jian''s call of mercy got finally picked. "Jin! Jin! My dearest and cutest little brother!"


    "..."


    "Bye."


    "No! No, no wait! You cannot leave me alone here!" Jian tragically cried. "Only you can help me out now!"


    "With what?"


    "With my gift! That stupid Grandpa forgot ny gift for Shui back at home and now I have nothing to give her. I will be so screwed. The cake cutting is already done here."


    "Then buy a new gift for her. Bye."


    "No, don''t hang up! Look, I would have bought a new gift for Shui without any issues. But the thing is that Leina and I selected the gift together..." he burst into tears. "Now she is after me to bring the gift, but that stupid old grandpa abandoned it back home! If I tell Leina that I forgot it and there is nothing to give Shui, she will be so pissed off. She will eat me alive. She will kill me. She will break up with me. You know how close she is with Shui. She treats her like her sister!"


    Silence.


    "So hehe...hehehe..." Jian sheepishly grinned.


    "Bye," Jin ruthlessly dumped him.


    "No! Why are you being so mean to me? Please help your elder brother here! It''s the question of my relationship with Leina. Will you please bring the gift here?"


    "No."


    "Please!"


    "I am chilling at home."


    "So send it out through any driver or butler."


    "I have already retired them to take the evening off. Nobody is here anyway."


    "So you are the only person left!"


    "Bye."


    "Jin pleaaaaaase..." he sniffled. "Aren''t you my cute little brother? Please help me out with this just once. I will do anything you want!"


    No answer.


    "Please, please, please. You will have my gratitude for the rest of my life!"


    "I am sick and supposed to be resting."


    His brow twitched with an arrow filled with guilt passing straight through his heart. "Th-th-th-that...Hahaha...Just come to the party and all your sickness will fly away! There is so much good food here!"


    "I am not a foodaholic like you and Bro Nian."


    "..."


    "Jian! Where is the gift?" Leina''s voice and her clear question cut through the air. "We are getting late."


    Jian saw his future crumbling. "Jiiiiiiinnnnn..."


    "Fine!" He gritted his teeth and relented.


    "Really!?" Jian beamed.


    "But I will only hand over the gift and leave. Don''t force me to stay at the banquet."


    Jian furiously nodded. "Of course! Just give it to me and you can immediately leave. Promise!"


    --


    "Happy Birthday, Shui!"


    Shui smiled and took the gift. "Thank you."


    The guest''s wishes and presents poured to congratulate her. But Shui felt tired by now. The banquet went on full swing and Shui sat by the couch to take some rest.


    She didn''t know why but her chest felt uneasy. It was her birthday, and she was supposed to be full of joy but somehow, she couldn''t sink into this feeling of bliss.


    On one side, there was Xinyi and Zhiyuan talking to the guests. There was Siying and Nuo who were laughing together as they ate the cake. Her Aunt, Soo Zixi and uncle Soo Yunru, seemed to be having fun too. There were her grandparents, Han Tian and Han Liqin too who danced together.


    Then there were Jian and Leina and Nian and Xing Bi who hung around each other. Jinhai and Nana enjoyed the party together. Yating and Chyou seemed to be having a good time together too and then, there was Jun and Ai. Jun was flicking her forehead and apparently, flirting with her.


    She couldn''t help but feel a tinge of loneliness set in. Everybody had a special someone to share their smiles and laughter with. But what about her?


    Where should she go to feel even a little bit of doting and spoiled? Not the kind that parents showered their child with. Not the kind that siblings and cousins comforted her with. But a partner with whom who would share your life with.


    It was her twenty-first birthday and considering that she had just barely crossed her twenties, she had no hurry to find someone to date. Life was just starting for her. She knew that.


    Yet the feeling of desolation gripped her heart. She thought back to the days when Jun broke up with her. It was painful and filled with tension, but she also felt a burden lifting off her shoulders.


    She felt free.


    Shui faintly smiled, recalling the day of Jun announcing his breakup to the family. The day when she had realized for the first time that she was in love with Jin.


    She had felt heart race faster like never before. The butterflies tickled her stomach endlessly as she looked at Jin romantically. She never expected it would be instantaneous, but she had a teensy tiny hope that this birthday for her would be very special for her if she would have confessed to him before and if he had accepted it.


    Even if not as a boyfriend, she still had hopes that they would grow much closer to each other, maybe more than just childhood friends.


    But the dream was crushed tonight. The dream was already crushed the day Jin said how much he hated her the first time.


    So much so that he refused to attend the banquet tonight and so much...


    That he refrained from even wishing her happy birthday.


    Shui trembled as she bit her lip, but she didn''t let her disappointment show.


    "Sis Shuiiiii!!"


    Her cousin Soo Zhenya, Yijun''s twin sister, hopped over to her side. "Why are you sitting so lonely here? Come on! It''s your birthday. Let''s spice things up!"


    Shui quickly smiled. "Spice things up? What do you mean?"


    "Well, it''s your banquet and how can there not be any dance?"

 Chapter 378 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (8)

    Shui blinked. "Dance?"


    "Yes!" Zhenya chirped. "Yijun and I came up with this idea together. Let''s shake things up with some chits, hohoho~ Do you have any special someone in your heart you want to dance with?" She winked.


    Shui stared at her, an awkward smile forming on her lips. "Not really."


    "Come on. There must be someone at the party, right? Did anybody catch your eye here?"


    The one I am looking for is already not here, Zhenya¡­


    Zhenya sighed. "Okay. But!" Her eyes glittered once again. "That''s why I am here to come for your rescue, sis."


    Shui chuckled. "Rescue? How?"


    "Hehe¡­You will find that out soon!"


    On that note, her twin, Yijun brought a big glass bowl with colorful chits present inside. "*Ahem!*"


    Everybody''s attention snapped over to Yijun, who was ready to make some kind of an announcement.


    "Now that everybody has filled their tummies with yummy cake, it''s time to have some fun at this party!"


    "Yoooooo!!!" Everybody cheered.


    Yijun cleared his throat. "Sooooo, I have brought this bowl here. As you can see, there are many chits inside. Every chit has a number written on it. The pink ones have some numbers and the blue ones have the matching numbers as well. You pick one chit and you have to dance with the partner whose number written on your paper matches the other one! Cool, isn''t it?"


    Liu Hai objected. "Heyyyy! Why should I see my wife dance with another male partner? She already has her super handsome husband here!"


    Liu Chunhua glared at him. "It''s just a game, Hai. What are you getting so anxious for?"


    Zhenya added. "Come on, Grandpa! It will be fuuuuun~ You always dance with your partner in all banquets anyway. That''s exactly why we thought of this game. It is fun to try something different~" she giggled.


    Jian sneered. "Heh. Grandpa is just afraid that Grandma will meet another hot, handsome and more importantly, sane man who she might fall in love with. Then poor Grandpa will be abandoned."


    "Because it''s very obvious that Grandma would rather choose that man instead of her own husband," Nian smirked.


    Everybody burst into laughter.


    "Shut up, you brats! As if you can see your girlfriend and your girlfriend-to-be dancing with other men!"


    "..."


    Jian and Nian thought about that scenario and knew it would cause a bloodbath at the banquet.


    Leina and Xing Bi, who were dragged in unnecessarily - "..."


    "I revolt against this game!" The twins shouted in unison, making Nuo and Nana facepalm.


    Jinhai declared. "I won''t dance with anybody else but Nana."


    Nana - "..."


    Zhenya rolled her eyes. "It''s just one dance. Things will be so exciting and fun to leave the fate of your partner at the hands of some chits. Keep your jealousy at bay, all you doting husbands!"


    The mouths of the men twitched. The women had no problem with this game. And since most of the men were wife slaves, they were at their mercy.


    Yijun shrugged. "And it will be some super great luck if your number actually managed to get matched with your husband/boyfriend. This is a battle of fates too!"


    Jun sneered, observing Ai''s excitement to play the game. "Why are you so excited?"


    "I am always excited to play games," Ai seriously answered.


    "Why do I feel that you might be enjoying my misery more than enjoying the game?"


    "How could you say that? I will also be watching you dance with another woman right? It will be so hard for my heart."


    "Yeah I don''t see that tragedy on your face though," Jun grimaced.


    "You just lack imagination."


    "..."


    After the feeble resistance that the men put forth which was already discarded and mercilessly thrown away, the game finally started. Everybody came one by one and picked their number chits. Women were supposed to pick pink chits and men the blue ones.


    Soo Yijun took the mic once again. "Okay, so everybody got their chits?"


    "Yesss!"


    "Cool! Now open your chits and find your partners. And remember, no cheating okay? No exchanging of chits or threatening to exchange the chits. This is applicable especially for some super doting and possessive husbands."


    The guilty men who had exactly thought of doing that - "..."


    One by one, everybody started to search for their dance partners by referring to the number on their chits. There was pandemonium and chaos ensued for several long moments.


    "41! Who is number 41?"


    "9? Number 9 anywhere?"


    "Here! I am 17!"


    Ai looked at her chit with the number 25 written on it. She looked for anybody who would call out number 25, but strangely enough, she didn''t hear anyone. She wondered if she should call out, but she didn''t like to shout or scream, especially when there were so many people.


    "25?"


    Ai asked, though her voice was hardly audible. She raised her hands in defeat.


    I won''t be able to shout like the others¡­


    "25?" She heard a voice from behind her.


    Ai felt relieved as she turned. "Yes."


    But she was taken aback by the person. "Yating."


    ¡ª


    Jun stared at his own chit, and his expression turned ugly. He didn''t want to dance with a random woman even if it was just once.


    Maybe I should just scare her off with my gaze alone, heh.


    "37!"


    His brow twitched at his number being called but when he saw Xing Bi coming towards him, he slightly widened his eyes. "You are 37?"


    "Yes!" Xing Bi beamed. "Haha, I am so glad it''s somebody I know," she chirped.


    Jun thought about Nian and his endlessly crying. "Bro will be so mad."


    She harrumphed. "Let him be. Come on. Let''s go!"


    ¡ª


    Shui''s chit had the number 50 written on it. Zhiyuan chimed in as he peeked at her chit. "Do you want me to find number 50 for you?"


    "So that you dispose of him?"


    "...Of course not. As a good father, I just don''t want to see my daughter work too hard."


    Her brow twitched. "No, thanks. I am not so fragile."


    Then she heard a commotion at a distance coming from Zhenya. "Hey, hey where are you going? You are number 50! Where are you taking off?"


    Shui craned her neck, hearing the number 50 and she froze.


    The man Zhenya was arguing with was none other than Jin, who held a blue chit in his hand with the number 50 on it.

 Chapter 379 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (9)

    A few minutes before.


    This wasn''t supposed to happen. This wasn''t what Jin had planned. He arrived at the banquet with Jian''s gift in his hand. But the moment he entered, he noticed people rushing here and there from one place to another. It seemed to him like everybody was finding somebody.


    He didn''t care. He just wanted to hand over the gift and end Jian''s whining once and for all. But he couldn''t find him anywhere. So instead he thought to give it to anybody he would meet from his family first and leave.


    From a distance, he did catch Nuo''s sight and was walking towards her when a man bumped into him in a hurry.


    The man widened his eyes as he recognized Jin. "Oh Liu Jin. I am so sorry!"


    Jin also knew him as an heir of one of the rich families. "No problem."


    He shrugged and began to walk away when he saw a chit flutter by his foot''s side which he realized probably fell from the man''s hand who he had bumped into just now.


    He picked the chit and saw the number 50 on it. He raised his brow and saw such similar chits on everybody''s hand.


    Is this some game going on?


    Ugh. I am not interested in being a part of this.


    Jin quickly found Nuo and said, "Here."


    "Jin? What are you doing here? Weren''t you resting at home?" She asked, surprised.


    He gritted his teeth. "I have an incredibly selfish and idiot elder brother. If not for him, I would have been at home."


    "..."


    What did the twins do now?


    "Sis, this is Bro Jian''s gift. Just give it to him, okay? I cannot find him in this crowd. I am leaving now."


    But as soon as he turned, a hand grabbed him and pulled him back. "Hey, hey, hey! Where are you going? You are holding the number 50 chit!"


    His brow twitched, watching Zhenya puff her cheeks.


    Jin replied. "It was an accident. I just picked it from the floor."


    "Yeah but now you have it anyway. It will be too troublesome to find the person who had this chit before. Look around you, everybody is moving from one place to another! We will just give another chit to that person."


    Nuo nodded. "I agree."


    Jin grimaced. "So what do you want me to do?"


    "Since you are here anyway, why not complete this game?" Zhenya chirped.


    "No, thanks," he coldly said.


    "Hey! It''s a game which Yijun and I thought of so painfully. At least finish this game and then go. Please don''t be so heartless," she sobbed.


    Nuo patted his head. "It''s okay, Jin. You should go. You are not feeling well. It wouldn''t be good to stay here forcibly."


    Jin pursed his lips. "Fine, I will stay till this game is over."


    Zhenya beamed. "Yay! The more the merrier. It will be fun. You will forget all your sickness~ Soooo...who is number 50...?"


    "Here is number 50!"


    Yijun dragged Shui in front of the group, who was resisting with full force. "Yi-Yijun I..."


    Jin froze, and the chit slowly crumpled in his fist.


    Yijun narrowed his eyes. "The birthday girl herself is breaking the rules! I saw her sneakily taking another chit from the bowl and replacing her 50 one. Sis Shui, this is your party."


    Shui''s smile faltered. She could feel the chilly winds blowing from Jin''s side, who was clearly not thrilled to see the 50 number chit with Shui.


    Zhenya''s mouth twitched. "Sis Shui, were you really cheating?"


    "I..." her heart thudded in her chest. "I just thought..."


    "Anyway! Now that Jin has the number 50 chit too, it means that he is your dance partner! Hohoho, head over to the dance floor."


    By that point, everybody had pretty much found their partners and had already started dancing. The music turned on and the DJ played song tracks in the background.


    Since it was Shui''s birthday banquet, everybody also focused on her from time to time, curious to know as to who was her partner. Being the focus of this attention made things even more difficult for her.


    Jin stood in complete silence, watching her unblinkingly with his narrowed eyes.


    Shui heard the sound of her heart pounding even harder. The main question bugging her mind was why Jin came to the banquet when he had no interest in the first place?


    Just for a moment, she hoped that he might have had a change of heart but soon, she realized that he only came to hand over Jian''s gift.


    She wasn''t the reason.


    Even if she didn''t want to, her hopes still got deflated. Clearly, Jin was also pulled into this game by accident.


    She really wondered if it was a stroke of luck that Jin got the 50 number chit. But what was the use of getting happy? She knew for a fact that Jin would die rather than dance with the woman he hated.


    A woman to whom he didn''t even give his birthday wish.


    Shui took a deep breath and whispered. "You can leave. You don''t have to force yourself to stay and go through with this."


    Jin didn''t answer.


    There was a deep stretch of silence until people started to wonder what was going wrong.


    Shui felt increasingly nervous for some reason.


    Why isn''t he saying anything?


    Then it clicked with her that it would look really bad if Jin simply turned and left. Though she herself would be more humiliated, it would have an effect on Jin as well.


    "Just play along with me, okay? That way, it wouldn''t look so awkward for you once you leave," Shui quickly explained.


    Jin still said nothing.


    Shui bit her lower lip. She had no clue what he was thinking at all. In the end, she just turned to go ahead when she caught something from the corner of her eye.


    Jin''s hand was ever so slowly rising in the air until it halted at a point with his palm open and out in front of her.

 Chapter 380 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (10)

    Shui stared at Jin''s posture, particularly his hand that was open right before her. She knew what the gesture meant, but she still had trouble processing the meaning coming from Jin.


    She looked up at Jin with confusion and couldn''t help but ask, "What¡­?"


    Jin pointed his gaze towards her hand, which she followed and couldn''t believe that he was really asking her hand for a dance.


    "No, that''s fine¡­Like I said, you don''t have to force yourself."


    Jin tilted his head and smiled. "Everything that I want to do will be of my own free will. YOU cannot force me anyway, Han Shui. Not again."


    Shui blinked.


    Again?


    Jin slowly took her hand in his, making Shui stiffen. The light focused on them as Jin pulled her and wrapped his arm around her waist.


    She swallowed a sharp gulp and felt her head spinning.


    Is he really¡­dancing with me?


    Their fingers intertwined but a little tighter than what Shui expected. She felt the tips of his fingers digging on the back of her hand, slightly making her uncomfortable.


    "I-It''s¡­It''s¡­" She didn''t know how to put it.


    "Hurting?" Jin smiled.


    To others, that smile would look like a friend smiling at his childhood friend, but it was only a condescending smile filled with loathe for Shui.


    Shui said nothing but the awkward expression on her face was a clear answer to his question.


    "Then that''s good, isn''t it?" Jin chuckled.


    Her eyelashes trembled.


    "Or did you think that I would be so forgiving and kind-hearted just because it''s your birthday? It''s just a birthday. Nothing to treat you so special over it, right?"


    She said nothing.


    "Look, there are soooo many people already treating you like a princess tonight. One man not treating you like that won''t make a difference to you."


    Shui trembled again and her misty eyes shone with anger. "Jin. I didn''t force you to dance with me. Why are you humiliating me when I did nothing wrong?"


    "Because I like to see you sad. I like to see you hurt, Han Shui."


    She froze.


    "As for what you did wrong¡­do you really need to ask me that?" Jin''s voice turned sharper and colder.


    He twirled her around his finger but his movements were not as elegant and smooth. Instead, the harshness from them made her almost stumble, though it was unnoticeable when Jin quickly caught her.


    Jin smiled. "Dancing with me is more of a humiliation than me leaving you stranded, isn''t it? I like this option better."


    Shui tried to calm down her messy breaths and stop her shoulders from shivering any further. Instead of getting furious again, she peered into his eyes and tried to look for an answer in them.


    The answer for his hatred. Resentment.


    It wasn''t just now. Ever since the Shanghai Fest concluded, she gave it a serious thought for Jin''s actions. For a childhood friend to hate her like this wouldn''t bubble out of nowhere.


    ,m But no matter what, she really couldn''t come up with anything.


    Except¡­


    "Jin. Do you¡­hate me because you think I didn''t treat Jun well?"


    The fingers that were painfully digging on her skin paused. His gaze looked different too, and she immediately noticed the change.


    "You think that I hurt Jun by ignoring him or not loving him the way he wanted me to?"


    "Shut up, Han Shui," his voice grew thunderously grim. "Don''t fucking dare to talk about Bro Jun."


    His threat was enough for her to know that she spoke the truth.


    "You¡­"


    "Shut up," Jin pulled her closer but there wasn''t a speck of intimacy between them. "Don''t talk about Bro Jun. You have already broken up with him. So don''t dare to talk about your pathetic relationship and your pathetic role in it."


    Shui stared into his gaze. Her words had hit his nerve and his reaction equally hit her childhood memories of him.


    "I knew it¡­You always followed Jun everywhere. You liked him so much. More than anybody else in your family, you always chose to spend your time with Jun. But whenever he paid more attention to me, you always got so angry."


    Jin narrowed his eyes.


    She faintly chuckled. "Remember that day? We three were playing and drawing together. Then Jun went outside for a while. Only the two of us remained who were drawing together."


    *Flashback*


    Little Shui was humming with joy as she colored the characters of her drawing. "Jun will definitely like this!" She chirped. "This is the most handsome I have drawn him till now! Right, Jin?"


    Jin, who was busy with his own drawing, threw a bored glance at her picture. His brow slightly twitched. He looked at his own drawing where he had sketched out Jun''s figure. He was trying to draw little Jun and little Jin - two brothers standing together.


    But he bit his lip in anger, realizing that Shui''s imitation of Jun was actually better than his.


    "Haha, Mom knows how to draw too! She helps Aunt Shuang with game characters, and she taught me too. Look, it has come out so well, right?" Shui beamed.


    Little Jin clenched the pencil in his hand. He suddenly felt like tearing apart his drawing.


    Bro will¡­like her picture more than mine, right? It''s so ugly¡­


    Shui was whistling a happy tune, eager to show her picture to Jun.


    Jin stared at her picture again and felt irked.


    Will Bro play with her even more if he gets impressed? It''s not that good either!


    In a fit of jealousy that he couldn''t control, Jin splashed paint upon her paper, ruining the drawing.


    Shui gasped in horror. "My drawing!"


    She picked her paper and stared at her ruined picture with tears brimming in her eyes. "Jin! My drawing! It''s all ugly now!" She cried. "Why do you splash paint on it! You are mean!"


    Jin snapped out, and his face paled.


    Shit!


    Jun was also coming at any moment and if he saw Shui crying, it would be over for him.


    "Sh-Shui¡­please¡­Please don''t tell me Bro that I did it. Please I beg you!"

 Chapter 381 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (11)

    Before Jin could hear Shui''s answer, Jun had already entered the room. Noticing the off atmosphere around him, he asked, "What''s the matter?"


    Which only made Jin panic inwardly. He begged Shui with his eyes not to tell him the truth.


    Jun''s eyes widened seeing the tears in Shui''s eyes. "Why are you crying? What happened?" He quickly asked, concerned.


    "Jun¡­" Her voice choked.


    He saw the ruined drawing. "Oh. Is it because of this?"


    Jin gulped even more now. His little body was trembling with fear and sweat. If he came to know the truth, then Jun would be definitely disappointed in him. He might not talk to him anymore.


    "I splashed the paint by accident¡­" she sniffled.


    Jin stiffened and widened his eyes. His head jerked towards her in disbelief.


    "Oh¡­" Jun shook his head. "That''s unfortunate. But that''s nothing to cry over silly," he wiped her eyes. "Let''s draw a new picture together!"


    Shui pursed her lips. "But it was my most best drawing!"


    He chuckled and patted her head. "Then we will draw your most best drawing once again. Nothing is impossible."


    "Really?"


    "Yes."


    She beamed. "Okay!"


    "Wait, let me bring some tissues for you."


    Jun observed Jin''s ghastly white face. "What happened to you, Jin? Why do you look so afraid?"


    He straightened up and furiously shook his head. "Nothing!"


    "Okay¡­if you say so," he ruffled his hair too.


    Jin couldn''t speak much after he left. More like, he wanted to thank Shui but he felt ashamed.


    Shui pouted. "You have to give me chocolate for this!" She declared as she faced Jin, placing her hands on her hips. "Lots of chocolate!"


    Jin bit his lip after he went through an almost heart attack. "...Why did you help me? I ruined your drawing¡­"


    Shui blinked. "Because Jun will be angry at you. I don''t want to see that. I want us to play together and be happy! I don''t want to see Jun and Jin fighting!"


    At that point, Jin felt extremely embarrassed at himself, who was supposed to be a year older than her and technically act more mature than her.


    "I am the worst¡­" he mumbled.


    *Flashback ends*


    Jin smiled with menace in his eyes. "I remember that day perfectly well. You said that you wanted to see us happy together. You said¡­" he clutched her hand until it pained her, "that you didn''t want to see Bro Jun and me fight. But then those words quickly lost their meaning, didn''t they? You went back on your own words."


    He gnashed his jaw, recalling how much Jun began to hate Jin after that birthday banquet in his banquet life.


    "You became the reason why everything went wrong between us. You¡­everything is your damn fault," he wanted to scream and shout but with the banquet going on, he couldn''t. "If not for you, then¡­Bro Jun would have never hated me so much. He wouldn''t have had to suffer so much. You are the one who destroyed every single thing in our lives."


    Shui couldn''t grasp the meaning behind some of his words. "Hate? When did Jun hate you?"


    Jin felt even more irked. He had a strong urge to reveal the past, but it would be useless.


    "Doesn''t matter if you understand it or not, Han Shui. It wouldn''t change the fact that you broke his heart. My brother dedicated his life for you but instead¡­you only returned everything of that with pain. Lots and lots of pain. Heh. Did you think he broke up with you just like that? No. You completely disappointed him as a girlfriend."


    She froze.


    "You began to lie to avoid spending time with him. Fooling my brother with your pathetic excuses¡­did you ever stop to think how much it would hurt him?"


    That struck her hard, and she couldn''t retort because until now, she felt guilty for lying to Jun like that.


    "And then¡­you have the fucking nerve to say that you love me?" His gaze looked blank but lethal. "Me? When you broke the heart of the person who is the most precious to me, for whose sake I bitterly accepted the fact that you will be the most important person to him, the man who only knew how to love you like crazy¡­did you really think that I will accept your disgusting feelings as if nothing ever happened? Bro Jun is my pride and after striking down my pride like that, you thought you will ever have any future with me? I am not sure if you are too gutsy or just a big fool."


    Shui felt the distance even more widening between them. Jin was the closest to her right now but only physically. His heart was the farthest, at a point she believed she wouldn''t be able to touch it at all. Their steps were in sync as they danced, but the emotions swirling in their eyes lay on two sides of a spectrum.


    "Jin," her voice quivered. "I have always¡­always tried my best to be a good girlfriend to Jun. I admit I might have been a little stupid that day of lying to Jun. I still feel guilty of that. But did you think that I was enjoying doing that? Things were difficult for me as they were difficult for Jun."


    Jin''s countenance darkened even further. "Say that again¡­"


    ¡ª


    On the other side, Jun, who saw Jin dance with Shui, couldn''t believe his eyes. Not only Jin came to the banquet, but he agreed to dance with Shui too despite how much he claimed he hated her. He had been worried that he would abandon her midway just to humiliate her, but he was relieved he didn''t do that.


    "What''s wrong? Am I not dancing properly?" His dance partner, Xing Bi, asked.


    "Ah? No, you are dancing just fine. I am sorry. I was thinking about something else."


    "Ai''s partner?" She chuckled.


    His brow twitched. "Not really¡­"


    But in fact, Jun''s eyes were searching for Ai and that man who she would dance with.


    Xing Bi caught something on her left and exclaimed. "Found Ai!"

 Chapter 382 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (12)

    "Where!?" Jun''s high-pitched voice was enough to express that he had been really anxious this whole time.


    Xing Bi laughed. "Gosh, you are so possessive, Jun."


    "I don''t like unnecessary bugs hovering around her. I don''t want to see useless rivals sprouting here and there."


    "Haha, I am sure you wouldn''t be bothered. Look, her partner is Gu Yating."


    He froze and jerked his head back. His frosty, dark brown eyes were locked onto them as they talked.


    Xing Bi, who was completely unaware of his past life, chirped. "Well, they are good friends, so you can be rest assured."


    Rest assured?


    That was far from what Jun was feeling at this moment. Out of all the people in this banquet, Ai and Yating picked the chits that matched numbers. Out of all the people in this banquet, the man Ai was going to dance with was Gu Yating.


    What was this feeling¡­


    Jun knew it very well that he shouldn''t be bothered by this. It was a dance. Just a few minutes of dance that would soon be over.


    But why¡­is it with Gu Yating!?


    "Jun?" Xing Bi waved her hand before his face. "Where are you lost?"


    "Nothing¡­"


    But he still felt bothered. Anxious. Restless.


    Jun hated this feeling.


    Say no, Ai. Say no to him. Don''t dance with him.


    He felt his vision darkening and his heart enveloping in a sort of gloominess. It was similar to the emotion he had felt while watching Jin and Ai dance during the wedding anniversary banquet.


    I don''t¡­want to fucking watch this¡­


    ¡ª


    ''Guiying'', from a distance, tilted her head, observing Jun''s facial expressions. He was trying to smile his hardest in front of Xing Bi, but the restlessness that leaked out from his gaze said how much it bothered him watching Ai and Yating together.


    Perfect¡­''she'' sneered.


    It was a good plan to switch Gu Yating''s chit. What I had planned is taking effect. Part one is success.


    Satisfaction filled ''Guiying''s'' heart.


    "11?"


    Her chit had the number 11 written on it, and ''she'' turned instinctively. "Yes-"


    ''She'' stiffened as Zixin appeared before her.


    Zixin glanced at her chit and then smiled. "My chit has the number eleven too.


    "Well, I don''t really want to-"


    As opposed to last time, ''Guiying'' couldn''t control the real Guiying from taking over. For some reason, she didn''t want her alter ego to talk rudely to Zixin once again, so when it was regarding talking to Zixin, she felt it was better that she did the job.


    "I-I am really sorry for last time!"


    Zixin blinked his eyelids and once again felt the difference in her expression and tone.


    "Sorry for what?"


    Guiying shut her eyes, feeling ashamed. "I talked rudely to you when we just met before. I am sorry. I didn''t mean it that way."


    "I didn''t feel it was rude."


    She awkwardly smiled.


    It was definitely rude and disrespectful.


    "You have a kind heart¡­"


    Zixin wondered about that. "I am not sure. Don''t fret over it."


    "Thank you," she slightly bowed.


    When she raised her gaze, she saw a hand stretching towards her. She felt her heart stop beating when she suddenly faced his sincere eyes.


    "If you don''t mind, will you dance with me?"


    "I-I¡­" She wasn''t sure of how to respond.


    "We have the same numbers," Zixin tilted his head. "We should seriously play this game."


    Guiying stared at him in wonder.


    Is it only me or he looks a little¡­stubborn today?


    "Yes, of course!"


    Guiying placed her hand in his, making Zixin give a wide smile. "Good. Let''s go."


    ¡ª


    A few minutes before, the atmosphere between Ai and Yating was at a standstill. It was too sudden and shocking to see their chits with matching numbers. Inwardly, the two of them had a bullet train of thoughts speeding in their minds.


    For just half of a second, Yating was overjoyed seeing Ai as his partner. The lingering feelings for Ai filled his heart with a sparkling joy. But it was momentary, considering their situation.


    What should I do? Should I ask her for a dance? I-It''s just a game, after all.


    Yeah, it shouldn''t be a problem, right? Everybody is dancing.


    No, no, forget it, Yating! Don''t be stupid and selfish! Ai will definitely feel uncomfortable. I don''t want to put her in a hard position.


    It was a tug-of-war in his heart.


    He really wanted to dance with Ai, but he also didn''t want to put her in an odd position.


    Ai was in a similar thought process.


    Should I go ahead or not?


    This is just a game though¡­


    But then again, she could imagine Jun''s heavy distaste if he ever saw them dancing together. Which he would.


    But if I reject Yating, will he think it''s his fault for me being suspicious about his feelings? I would have definitely thought that if I was in his place¡­


    She pursed her lips.


    Ai didn''t wish Yating to feel guilty either or make Jun restless.


    "Ai, it''s okay," Yating smiled. "Let''s skip the dance."


    Listening to his understanding words, Ai felt guiltier for her hesitation.


    "Hey, what is this I am hearing?" The game police, Zhenya, who was passing by, stopped before them. "You cannot skip the dance, okay?


    "..."


    She puffed her cheeks. "You have picked the chits and found your partners. Now, you cannot leave without dancing, okay? Otherwise, everybody would prefer to skip dancing, especially those ultra max doting boyfriends and husbands! Rules are rules."


    Well, she had a point.


    Yating asked, "Is there a penalty I can pay?"


    Her mouth twitched. "You will pay a penalty rather than getting over with a five minutes dance?"


    He coughed.


    "Well there is a penalty indeed. The penalty is a five minutes extra dance!"


    "..."


    "The penalty for not dancing is more dancing, hahaha! Now get going you two. And I will be counting the time, okay? Ten minutes!"


    Yating felt he had no face to show to Ai. "I am sorry."


    "You don''t have to be. Actually, Zhenya is right. Let''s go ahead," she nodded.


    He widened his eyes. "You¡­"


    She smiled. "I am sure of it."


    He gulped and felt his heart pounding in his chest. "If¡­if you say so," he offered her his hand, "Shall we?"

 Chapter 383 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (13)

    Yating could see his fingers trembling as he held Ai''s hand in his. His gaze fell at Ai, and his heart skipped a beat. He quickly looked away, not wanting her to catch his expression.


    "Your hand feels cold," Ai remarked.


    ? "Is that so? I don''t know¡­"


    His other arm pulled her waist and with that, she stepped even closer to him. He lowered his gaze and noticed her eyelashes at a closer distance, blinking and fluttering.


    "I apologize in advance if I step on your foot," Ai said.


    His daze broke, and he smiled. "Doesn''t matter."


    They danced to the music playing in the background while Yating took slow, deliberate steps so that Ai could match his pace.


    Ai asked, "How is work going in Dream High?"


    Yating thanked the heavens that she asked that question because he was at a complete loss. He didn''t want to be mute during this whole time of dancing with her.


    "Yeah going pretty good¡­" he couldn''t make up his mind if he should focus on his answer or at the heart loudly beating in his chest.


    So close¡­


    He tried to shut off any intimate thoughts that kept hammering into his mind the closer the Ai was.


    "How is your new book coming up?"


    She smiled. "Yes, it''s good. Oh and how is Mr. Gu?"


    He nodded. "More energetic now since he has joined back the company. Of course, he still demands an answer from that judge for accusing him."


    "Indeed¡­"


    Now that they knew that everything was linked to Guiying to such an extent, she wondered if the bribe against her was really her doing. Though Chyou never got any evidence against her, she couldn''t help but think if there was something more at play.


    "Ai?"


    "Yes?"


    He chuckled. "What are you thinking so deeply?"


    She shook her head. "Just some random thoughts. By Mr. Gu, I remember. Nuo said that he is interested in a marriage proposal for you and Chyou."


    His brow twitched. "Please ignore that! Dad is all going on about this on his own. Chyou and I are just friends."


    He was a second too quick to answer that, and he didn''t understand why he felt the need to clarify. He was aware that it had no point.


    "I mean," he cleared his throat. "She helped me a lot with Dad''s stuff. It''s because of her that Dad could get bail. Also she-"


    He was about to reveal that she was interested in Cheng Yin but he had promised Chyou not to come out with it.


    "She¡­is a brilliant actress. It''s her golden time to focus on her career," he randomly came up with it.


    The mention of that made Ai shine. "Yes! Chyou is so talented. I have watched all her movies! I am also her biggest fan," she softly smiled with pride, "I have her autograph too."


    Yating blinked and stared at her. Their steps continued to be in a rhythm. "You are her fan?"


    "Yes," her eyes sparkled. "That day we met you at her set, it was because Jun took me to meet my idol."


    How come I never got to know that she had an actor she liked so much¡­?


    Suddenly, he felt depressed about not knowing something about the woman he loved so much.


    "I see. Indeed, she is very talented. I watched her performance on the set that day when it got on fire. I had to admit that even if I wasn''t interested in movies that much, she actually made me want to try watching one of her movies."


    She chuckled. "Yes, nobody can beat Chyou''s charm."


    From a distance, Jun''s aura kept on darkening and worsening. First, he had to bear that Yating was her partner and now, he watched them talk and laugh together. His heart burned as if somebody was continuously pouring acid on top of it.


    Xing Bi was dumbfounded. "You are leaking too much of a murderous aura. It feels chilly, okay?"


    She felt her hair tingle on the back of her neck, feeling an intent gaze from her right which belonged to none other than Nian, who was lamenting on his fate of not being Xing Bi''s dance partner and simultaneously also getting extremely jealous of Jun.


    These two brothers¡­Can they not just let this dance get over in peace!?


    ¡ª


    "Are you nervous?" Zixin asked Guiying as she was fumbling in her steps as they danced.


    "Oh-oh¡­Sorry¡­I am not used to dancing like this," she apologetically smiled, feeling embarrassed.


    "You have never danced with someone before?"


    "...Not really."


    Zixin''s eyes twinkled for some unknown reason. "I see. I thought you had experience considering how you wrote a perfect dancing scene in Forever Heart."


    "Oh yeah that, I had to research a lot from that and-"


    She abruptly paused and stared at Zixin. "What did you say?"


    "How you wrote a perfect dancing scene in Forever Heart?"


    She blinked rapidly. "How did you know that?"


    "Know about your book? Indeed, I do. I came to know that you are CherryBlossom. You wrote the book Forever Heart, right?"


    "Yes¡­"


    For some reason, Guiying felt a nauseous feeling erupting in her chest. It wasn''t that she was particularly trying to hide it from Zixin but she also preferred he didn''t know her identity.


    "I-I see¡­"


    Zixin beamed and nodded. "I read your book. I loved it. You did a good job."


    She froze.


    He said with absolute sincerity. "I didn''t know much about the writing world or the process. But reading your book made me realize how much effort you had put in. From the beginning to the end how you crafted it; it was amazing. I didn''t realize when the time passed by at all. I have your other books with me too and I am reading them next."


    She stared at him, tears threatening to form in her eyes.


    What was it?


    It wasn''t like she hadn''t gotten appreciation from her readers before. But she had this strange urge to cry as something welled in her chest. She had been asked to think of a new story but been feeling blank since the Summit ended.


    Her mind was empty. No new ideas flowed anymore.


    But Zixin''s appreciation was simple, yet heart touching.


    For a moment, a note she had once received from MrPerfect flashed in her mind.


    ''You did a good job. I didn''t realize when the time passed by.''

 Chapter 384 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (14)

    Zixin watched her expression with wonder. He thought she would feel joyous to know that he appreciated her work. For any author, it was a huge compliment for readers to love their work.


    "Did I say something wrong?" He blinked, slightly anxious.


    Guiying felt her voice going hoarse. "You...read my books?"


    "Yes."


    "You liked them?"


    He nodded. "Yes."


    The Summit had shaken up her confidence but a few simple words from Zixin felt as if those dark clouds of uncertainty and doubt were fading away. She glanced at Ai and for the first time, she thought she could breathe a little.


    "Thank you," she sincerely said. "I am glad you liked my books."


    "I like them a lot," he smiled. "You are extremely talented."


    Zixin felt her hand shivering in his. He couldn''t understand what was the reason behind it. But he grasped it firmer to reassure her until the shivering had stopped. "Your fingers are trembling."


    "I-Is that so?" She exhaled. She stared at his hand tightly holding onto hers.


    Zixin pursed his lips. "You seem a little in distress."


    Guiying didn''t know what to say. She herself had trouble dealing with her own emotions. On top of that, Zixin wasn''t a writer like her. She wasn''t sure if he would understand her struggle.


    "I...have to come up with a new story."


    Zixin gleamed at that.


    A new book from her?


    She wryly smiled. "But I feel lost these days. I try to write my ideas on paper. But I don''t get any..."


    He twirled her around his finger and immediately caught her waist before she could stumble. Guiying bit her lower lip, feeling his palm clutch onto her back. Her gaze got stuck at his chest level as she swallowed a gulp.


    "Are you afraid of something?" He softly asked.


    She froze.


    Zixin stared ahead as if in a trance. "I don''t remember anything. While I work, I feel blank at times. I understand what I am doing. I understand my responsibilities. But sometimes...there is a nagging feeling in my heart," he whispered. "What if I screw up? I am not the previous Zixin who knew everything. I have a supportive family, yet I am afraid I would disappoint them if I don''t learn my work fast enough. If I don''t gel with the family soon enough."


    Guiying furiously shook her head. "You don''t have to be worried about that. You said you have a loving family, right? You went through such a horrible accident and lost your memories. They would never put such pressure on you. You should do things at your own pace."


    Zixin lowered his gaze at her. "Yes. It''s the same for you, right? You shouldn''t be too worried either. You are talented. You know what you are writing, and your readers will love your work. You have many loving readers to support you. I am one of them. I will always be your loyal fan."


    Her breath got stuck in her throat, and she was unable to respond. Especially when the last sentence from him was whispered closer to her ear. His low and deep voice sent her heart into a frenzy.


    MrPerfect used to convey the same thing through his notes at times.


    ''I will always be your loyal fan.''


    Why am I thinking about MrPerfect at this point...? I don''t want to.


    She threw a quick glance towards Jun, making her feel complicated.


    But there were also Zixin''s soothing words who kept her turbulent heart in peace.


    "Thank you so much. I will try my best," her eyes ached.


    Zixin gave it a thought and came up with an idea. "If you don''t mind, how about we work together?"


    "Sorry?"


    "I mean for your new book. If you feel you are lacking ideas, how about we brainstorm ideas together? I will do my research," he solemnly said. "Then we can list them out and you might get some inspiration."


    The more he said, the more eager he looked. "Since I read your books, I have been interested in the whole process of writing and publishing. I want to know how you work. I want to learn more about you."


    Guiying stiffened.


    The last line was usually meant in terms of getting to know a person from a relationship''s perspective. That''s why her heart skipped a big beat for a moment when she assumed this.


    But looking at him now, she understood that he meant it in a professional sense.


    Which made her exhale a breath of relief.


    Idiot, Guiying! He didn''t mean it that way. What were you thinking?


    "Shall we?" His eyes were subtly sparkling, expecting a yes from her.


    Zixin looked like a person who wouldn''t talk much but right now standing in front of her, Guiying had a completely different impression of him.


    "S-sure."


    Guiying thought it wasn''t a bad idea. It might even prove helpful to get a fresh perspective from someone who didn''t know much about books.


    "Okay," he nodded with a sense of satisfaction.


    Guiying couldn''t help but chuckle at his excitement. She then had a thought and apologized. "I am sorry I didn''t tell you that evening about my writer identity. I," her heart flushed with embarrassment, "I had lost a big Summit just a month before so...I didn''t have the confidence."


    Zixin tilted his head. "But you reached the finals, didn''t you?"


    "Ah? Yes."


    "Isn''t that awesome then? You reached the final two amidst such tough and intense competition. You already won by a wide margin. Of course, the final prize would make anyone happier. But standing second in any competition is never a loss. It just means that you are one step away from winning a big prize the next time you try."


    She blinked her eyes rapidly.


    "Be proud of yourself," he leaned in face ever so slightly. "There is no reason for you to feel like a loser at all."


    Suddenly, Guiying''s heart flooded with a downpour of emotions she never felt before.


    Be proud of yourself.


    Can I...really feel that way?

 Chapter 385 Shui’s Birthday Banquet Arc (15)

    Zixin asked, bringing Guiying out of her stupor, "You didn''t come to my get-together party. I thought you would."


    Guiying failed to understand his point.


    "The evening we met at the hotel?"


    "Yes."


    "But why would I be at your party? We didn''t know each other so well."


    "But Zhou Ai knows me. Since my siblings and cousins brought their friends to the party, I thought you would be present too."


    Guiying stared at him unblinkingly. "A-Ai...?"


    "Yes."


    She stiffened, her heart beating faster. She didn''t know why Ai was suddenly brought into the picture.


    "How would Ai know you?"


    For that matter, it now struck her as to why he was at this party tonight. Was he someone who knew Shui?


    Zixin blinked once. "Because she is dating my cousin."


    That felt as if she was zapped by lightning. Her eyes slowly widened, aghast.


    "...Cousin?"


    He nodded. "Liu Jun. He is my cousin and Zhou Ai is dating him. So she was at my party too. I wondered later if Zhou Ai should have invited you. I had my other cousins who brought their friends too."


    He lamented. Guiying was so close to him that evening. She could have been a part of the get-together too. It was later that he realized this.


    But the realization that Guiying was mounted upon was enormous.


    He and Liu Jun are...cousins?


    Then she remembered that at the time she met Zixin for the first time in the hospital, Cai Lingyun said that he had met Ai. She was at the hotel too, but she only knew it was a party, not which or whose party.


    She trembled and her mind went blank. She was absolutely clueless that Jun and Zixin were related.


    "How..." she whispered under her breath.


    Nevertheless, Zixin answered her question. "My Dad and his father are also cousins."


    She froze.


    So he is...that Chen Zixin?


    Her heart sped faster in her chest. A slight dizziness surrounded her.


    "Are you alright?" He worriedly asked, seeing her pale expression.


    But instead of his worry, he received a cold shoulder as he was slightly pushed away.


    ''Guiying'' stopped the dance, and her gaze was filled with menace and iciness. It was extremely tough not to lash out, but she also didn''t want to create a scene.


    Not until the second part of my plan is executed...


    Gritting her teeth, ''she'' tried her hardest to smile. "I am tired. Let''s stop the dance here."


    Zixin wasn''t sure what went wrong, but he felt the subtle distance that she suddenly brought between them.


    He nodded. "Of course."


    ''Guiying'' then turned, her countenance darkening and her balled fist trembling.


    Chen Zixin and Liu Jun...?


    Her heart burned with resentment. ''She'' had no particular thoughts about Zixin for that matter. But ''she'' couldn''t ignore now that Zixin and Jun were cousins. Anything and everything related to Jun irked her. And to know that Zixin was a part of that same circle...


    ''She'' couldn''t feel more frustrated.


    Damn! What the hell is with this idiot''s fate! Why did she have to meet a man related to that cheater Liu Jun!?


    ''She'' took a few deep breaths to calm down. Nothing was lost. At this point, Zixin and her were merely acquaintances who met each other a few times with coincidence.


    Apart from my revenge, I don''t want to keep any other relationship with any of Liu Jun''s damn relatives!


    ''She'' sneered as she thought of her plan.


    It must be any moment now-


    From the corner of her eye, ''she'' saw a man making his way, and smiled.


    Just in time~


    --


    Yating and Ai continued dancing for some time until the time was finally up. He slowly let go of her. "You danced well. You were needlessly worried."


    Ai only scratched her chin.


    A man then approached Yating, and he smiled brightly. "Gu Yating!" He spoke in a slightly louder voice than necessary, which already caught some of the people''s attention.


    Yating glanced at him and furrowed his brows as he tried to remember him for a moment.


    "Mr. Lin."


    "Yes! Glad that you remember me."


    Yating couldn''t help but slightly get uncomfortable. "How are you?"


    "I am doing well. My company is working on another project with Han Siying to build a new hotel. Haha, I only have to thank you for that. You know how markets are already so down globally. There is not much demand for constructions but ever since we contracted with you, it seems my luck has opened! Hohoho!"


    Yating stiffened. His mind became a mess.


    Mr. Lin doesn''t know?


    Ai, on the other side, couldn''t really follow their conversation. But guessing from what Mr. Lin said she surmised that he dealt with construction business.


    He beamed. "So, Gu Yating! How is the construction going on for your project? I hope my company and people are doing a good job."


    "Mr. Lin-"


    "Ai Publishing, right? That was the name of your project. Don''t worry! I have already allotted my most capable manager to do the job. You won''t have any complaints!"


    Yating froze hard and so did the silence in the atmosphere.


    The guests dancing near Yating and Ai were at a total loss.


    "Did he say Ai Publishing?" One whispered.


    "Ai? I don''t understand. Who is Ai?"


    "Oh, oh! It must definitely be his girlfriend! Ai is a girl''s name..."


    But when everybody''s gazes fell upon Ai, they rapidly blinked their eyes as they also realized that her name was also Ai.


    Mr. Lin glanced at Ai and looked at her curiously. "You are dancing with Gu Yating...So you must definitely be Ai, right?"


    The guests were now keenly watching the trio.


    Ai frowned. "...Yes. But I am not Ai because I danced with Yating," she couldn''t understand his logic.


    "Huh? How come? Aren''t you Gu Yating''s girlfriend?"


    She stared at him. "Sorry?"


    Yating felt his entire body go rigid. He glared at Mr. Lin. "Mr. Lin! Enough! What are you talking about!?"


    "I am talking about the company you want to build for Ai. Ai Publishing. It stands for the woman''s name you love. You forgot you told me this yourself when we were discussing the project details?"


    Yating widened his eyes in utter disbelief.


    The hell...


    He had indeed talked about this to Mr. Lin during the very initial stages of the project but...


    "Mr. Lin, didn''t the manager in charge tell you that I have cancelled the project?"


    Mr. Lin was taken aback. "What!? T-The project has been cancelled? How? Why?"


    Yating felt his head spin. "Let''s go somewhere else-"


    "I had no clue about this! I swear! I thought Ai Publishing is continuing as expected. Did we do something wrong that you cancelled the project?" He anxiously asked. "Please tell me, Gu Yating. I won''t tolerate any misconduct from my company''s side for any project!"


    Yating gritted his teeth, and a vein popped on his forehead with anger surfacing in his eyes. "Did you think this was the right place to talk about it, Mr. Lin?"


    He jumped back slightly with fear. "I-I am sorry, Gu Yating. I thought everything was going on as planned! And then I just arrived, and I saw you dancing with her, so I thought she must definitely be the same woman you were talking about."


    A series of sharp gasps echoed among the guests.


    "Hey, hey, what does this mean?"


    "Okay, my head is spinning. Gu Yating loves Zhou Ai!?"


    "But isn''t she Liu Jun''s girlfriend?"


    "So...is this a love triangle?"


    "Damn Gu Yating was planning to build a company for Zhou Ai''s sake? Isn''t that awesome?"


    "But then he cancelled it...hey is it because Zhou Ai started dating Liu Jun?"


    "Of course, it''s definitely that."


    "Was it one-sided love on Gu Yating''s side then?"


    "Wait, wasn''t Zhou Ai working in Dream High until a few months ago? It must be definitely during that time!"


    "But then he cancelled the project...it must be around the time Zhou Ai left Dream High and joined Sky."


    "I never could have thought that the heir of the Gu family was interested in Zhou Ai too?"


    The whispers and specifications reached Yating''s ears, and he only felt more furious at Mr. Lin.


    The hell he got only this time to talk about this!?


    His gaze darkened, thinking about the manager who didn''t convey such an important message to his Boss, and now all hell broke loose.


    One of the women coughed. "To be able to garner Liu Jun and Gu Yating''s attention at the same time...Zhou Ai is definitely impressive."


    Ai narrowed her eyes.


    Yating shot a chilly gaze at the socialite, who took a step back in fear. "There is nothing between Ai and me. So whatever you want to imply, keep that to yourself."


    Some other woman snorted. "Did she say anything wrong? I don''t know if anybody realized it here yet, but if you were thinking about making a whole company for Zhou Ai''s sake...doesn''t it mean that she must have also liked you at some point? I mean, making a company on someone''s name is a huge thing. You won''t be so stupid to go for it until you had some confidence that she might like you back too, right? Otherwise it would be such a big joke if you are going to this extent when the woman in question doesn''t even have any feelings for you."

 Chapter 386 Shuis birthday banquet arc (16)

    Chapter 386 Shui''s birthday banquet arc (16)


    Shui worriedly went over to her family¡¯s side. ¡°Bro, Dad. What is happening?¡±


    Siying answered. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I never thought this would happen. I am not sure what misunderstanding happened between Mr. Lin and Gu Yating, but did he have to bring that here!?¡± His gaze darkened. ¡°Look, how the atmosphere has turned so grim.¡±


    Zhiyuan was well beyond his tipping point. ¡°I don¡¯t get it either but hell that Lin guy to ruin my daughter¡¯s banquet. Not only that, people are unnecessarily targeting Zhou Ai. This has to stop. Siying.¡±


    ¡°Let me settle it-¡°


    Before that could happen, Yating burst with angry flames at the woman taunting him. ¡°Mind your own damn business!¡± He snarled. ¡°What I do and what I don¡¯t doesn¡¯t concern anybody here, and I won¡¯t hear a single word against Ai.¡±


    Somebody commented. ¡°Of course, you won¡¯t. After all, she is the woman you love so much. I am more concerned about Zhou Ai¡¯s character. She first seduced Gu Yating and then left Dream High. She then met Liu Jun, joined Sky and since then, hasn¡¯t her writing career flourished so much?¡±


    That earned Ai a lot of suspicious gazes.


    ¡°Yeah she won the Summit and immediately got an offer from Sky.¡±


    ¡°Personally from Liu Jun!¡±


    ¡°I cannot help but think if she used his influence¡­is her victory even legit anymore?¡±


    One of them sneered. ¡°What will Zhou Ai do next? Once she gets bored of Liu Jun, will she leave Sky too and find another man to hug his thigh?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she found something lacking in Gu Yating and left him for the more prestigious Liu family¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°Poor Gu Yating. Wasting his feelings for such a fickle woman¡­¡±


    ¡°What can be more expected from a woman of her class?¡±


    ¡°Gu Yating loved her so much that he wanted to make a whole company for her sake. Such true love that I pity him.¡±


    ¡°Heh. If she won the Summit like this, then even we can become writers. How hard can it be?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, yes!¡±


    Within a matter of a few minutes, Ai¡¯s credibility ¨C both as a person and as a writer, was heavily questioned and looked down upon. Until now, she was praised for winning the Summit but all her efforts now fell under the scrutiny of deceit.


    Which made Xing Bi and Yating flip. But before they could confront, a voice sharply echoed.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Shui exclaimed.


    At first, she was going to let Siying handle the mess but seeing Ai humiliate so much, she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    Shui glared at all those women, talking bullshit about Ai. ¡°You have some nerve coming to my banquet and humiliating my friend right in front of me! How dare you question Ai? If you don¡¯t know anything about her, then shut the fuck up!¡±


    The women froze and didn¡¯t expect such a reaction from Shui.


    ¡°Han Shui, we really respect you. But are you sure you should be taking her side? I mean, everybody here knows about your and Liu Jun¡¯s relationship. Now Zhou Ai came out of nowhere and you broke up soon enough.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that she might have something to do with it? How could you be friends with a woman who has possibly ruined your relationship?¡±


    Shui sneered. ¡°If you think that¡¯s what it takes for us to break up, then you really don¡¯t know Jun at all.¡±


    Xing Bi gritted her teeth. ¡°And don¡¯t even think about questioning Ai¡¯s credibility as a writer! Do you know how hard she worked for her story!? It was just a short story for the whole world, but she spent endless sleepless nights to craft and polish those few lines that touched everybody¡¯s hearts. Don¡¯t demean her efforts behind somebody¡¯s influence! I am her editor and I have seen my Ai¡¯s struggle from the point she professionally started to until now!¡±


    One of the socialites raised her brow. ¡°Oh you are Xing Bi, right? I heard that Liu Nian is openly wooing you. How strange. First Zhou Ai captured Liu Jun¡¯s attention and now you caught Liu Nian¡¯s¡­Heh. Did you two plan to target the Liu family¡¯s sons?¡±


    Her brow twitched.


    This woman¡­is garbage filled inside her brain!?


    It was now when Ai, who was calmly listening to everything until now, unfazed and unperturbed, spoke up, ¡°We didn¡¯t have any such plan in our minds but sure enough, it seems that you do.¡±


    Silence.


    Nobody really expected Ai to speak up, thinking that it was her guilty silence.


    ¡°Why are you going in roundabout circles when you can just directly come to the point?¡± Ai said, ¡°Just say that you are jealous of Jun liking me and Nian liking Xing Bi and how unfortunate you feel that it¡¯s not you in our place, so you got the perfect chance to vent out your frustrations on us.¡±


    Every woman who ever had thoughts about Jun or Nian coughed out blood in their minds. She kept it so simple and to the point in the open that it was a home run.


    ¡°If you think I am blind, then you are wrong. When I entered the banquet, I already noticed so many women oogling at Jun. I felt some not so pleasant gazes and the owners of those same not so pleasant gazes are the ones talking so much right now. But here is my question. If you want to talk so much, why didn¡¯t you invest that energy before? If you have the guts, then confess rather than curse the person he or she is dating. You are all not so amazing cornering me like this. You are just looking like cowards.¡±


    Liu Hai could feel the mental damage on behalf of every socialite.


    They are going to need a lot of booze to handle that¡­


    She continued. ¡°As for my credibility as a writer, my hard work and the result is out there in the world for you to see. If you think that I used Jun as a connection to succeed, then more than half of you present here should simply zip their mouths because more than half of you are heirs to your family businesses, and that is using your family¡¯s connections to become the CEO. If I did use Jun, then how are you different from me?¡±


    ¡°Let me prove that difference,¡± a quiet but a cold voice echoed.

 Chapter 387 Shuis birthday banquet arc (17)

    Chapter 387 Shui''s birthday banquet arc (17)


    Hairs stood straight and the skin tingled of those socialites when Jun made their way towards them. His expression looked extremely serene, but it carried an air of lethality that showed how they had stepped on a landmine. The damage from Ai¡¯s comeback was already making them spit blood but adding Jun to that mix was only a recipe for disaster.


    He had been quietly listening to everybody¡¯s nonsense while also making a mental note of his targets.


    Jun¡¯s tall figure looked like a menacing tower looming upon a woman who had voiced quite of her ¡®opinions¡¯ against Ai. He tilted his head, his dark brown irises staring straight into her eyes as if he would suck out her very life force at any moment.


    Sweat broke out on that woman¡¯s forehead that threatened to ruin her makeup. Her gaze fell on his hand that had a notepad and a pen with him.


    W-what¡¯s that for?


    Jun shoved the notepad and pen in that woman¡¯s hand and he did the same with the other socialites too. The women had no clue what the hell was going on.


    Jun dragged a chair, perched upon it like a demon king and rested his chin on his palm. ¡°Start writing.¡±


    They blinked rapidly in confusion. ¡°W-write what?¡±


    ¡°A story. Write a story for me right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    What the hell is he talking about?


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t understand¡­What story-¡°


    ¡°Have you read stories?¡± Jun cut the voice off.


    ¡°Yes s-some of them¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you been told stories?¡±


    She tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear in a state of nervousness. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°So you know what a story means. Good. You are not that illiterate. So write a story for me.¡±


    The women glanced at each other in more bewilderment. ¡°How do we write a story-¡°


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say how easy it would be to become a writer?¡±


    She stiffened.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you can also become a writer if you want?¡±


    She gulped.


    ¡°So show me. Write a story for me worthy to be winning the Summit,¡± his matter-of-fact and cold gaze was too piercing and difficult to bear.


    Their hands with the notepad trembled. They couldn¡¯t believe that they were asked to write a story in the middle of a banquet.


    ¡°T-this is preposterous. How can we suddenly-¡°


    ¡°RIGHT. NOW!¡±


    The socialites gasped in horror and stumbled backwards when Jun¡¯s voice sharply rose and resounded in the hall that almost gave them a heart attack.


    Jun¡¯s gaze reflected further madness. ¡°Nobody is leaving until you all write me a story. Okay, let me be generous. Give me a decent paragraph of the first 500 words of your story. See? I am so generous. From a whole story, I reduced it to a mere 500 words. Write it for me.¡±


    The families of those socialites were too afraid to speak up but at the same time, they found this too bizarre. They looked at Zhiyuan and protested. ¡°Mr. Han, what is this-¡°


    ¡°Talk to me not anybody else here,¡± Jun¡¯s one threatening gaze shut them up. ¡°Rather than complaining and wasting time, tell your daughters to write a story for me. You know, your future depends on it because if they couldn¡¯t, your company would cease to exist from tomorrow.¡±


    They froze.


    ¡°They write 500 words and show me. I will be a fair judge. If they pass, you are safe. If they don¡¯t, you are doomed. I want them to prove their worth as a writer to me.¡±


    He glanced back at the women again. ¡°Start writing. I don¡¯t have the entire night to waste upon you.¡±


    They shuddered and wanted to cry. They stared at the blank pages of the notepad and felt their own minds going blank too.


    What the hell should I write?


    Do I have to write a story like those princes and princesses?


    But it¡¯s just 500 words, not a full story¡­


    But when they took their pens, they found themselves unable to think of even a single sentence, much less 500 words. When some of them actually started writing, they suddenly saw 500 words as too far of a goal when they couldn¡¯t even write 10 words straight.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. ¡°Let me remind you. You don¡¯t have to just write 500 words and get done with it. You have to write 500 words worthy enough to be winning a competition.¡±


    Their blood ran cold. They were hardly able to manage to get a line out on the page and here he was ordering them to be worthy enough to be winning a competition?


    On top of that, there was the mounting pressure of the fate of their family¡¯s business hanging upon a thread if they didn¡¯t perform well.


    Instead of words of their story, the page was filled with more of their tears and sweat, feeling completely humiliated and embarrassed.


    Amidst this pandemonium, it wasn¡¯t only Jun who wanted to see bloodshed. There was another of the Liu family¡¯s son who wanted to have revenge.


    Nian yawned. ¡°You are all so slow. Let me have my own fun until then.¡±


    He pointed at a few women. ¡°You, you, you and you. Come here.¡±


    They jolted sharply. One Liu brother was already acting as a tyrant. They were too afraid to face Nian now.


    Nian¡¯s jolly smile vanished. ¡°When I say come here, you should listen to me and come here without making a fuss. I hate disobedience.¡±


    Jian nodded. The twins didn¡¯t like being disobeyed. He knew his brother well and so did Nian.


    Jin slightly touched the collar of his shirt.


    Glad it¡¯s not me this time¡­


    The sudden contrast in Nian¡¯s expression frightened them. The women he picked robotically walked towards him while praying that he didn¡¯t have something crazy going on in his mind.


    But he was Liu Nian and as a rule of thumb, all Liu men were naturally crazy and insane.


    Nian brightened. ¡°That¡¯s much better! I don¡¯t like people not listening to me. And you know what is the other thing I hate the most?¡±


    They gulped.


    ¡°Any worthless creature on this planet pointing their fingers at my Xing Bi. Since you still did question her, that means you think you are more worthy, right? Then prove your worth to me. Give me three good reasons why I should choose you and not Xing Bi. For every invalid reason, you cut off a bunch of your hair and if all three are invalid to me, you will have to go bald,¡± he chirped.

 Chapter 388 Shuis birthday banquet arc (18)

    Chapter 388 Shui''s birthday banquet arc (18)


    The socialites were scared shitless by Nian¡¯s challenge.


    Cutting hair and going bald!? Wasn¡¯t that the worst form of humiliation for any woman?


    Going bald was more of a nightmare to them than confessing and getting rejected.


    Xing Bi gasped in horror and even she felt the goosebumps on her skin. She unconsciously touched her hair, swallowing her gulp and imagining this horrible nightmare happening to her just in case.


    That¡¯s not just a punishment. That¡¯s hell!


    Everybody was way too shocked and aghast to respond, especially the socialites.


    Nuo sighed.


    There he goes again¡­


    Nana facepalmed. She scolded Jinhai. ¡°Why do you and your sons like doing this stuff so much?¡±


    ¡°What did I do?¡± He asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault,¡± she harrumphed.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Sweating, paling and trembling ¨C The women could hardly maintain their balance with tears in their eyes. Three reasons? At this point, their brains weren¡¯t functioning to even give one valid reason.


    ¡°Ahahaha,¡± Nian suddenly burst into laughter amidst the sharp silence clutching his stomach, ¡°Look at your faces¡­hahaha. They are so funny. You look like clowns,¡± he then waved his hand in dismissal, ¡°Scram. I was just kidding. No matter how many good reasons you come up with, my heart is already set for Xing Bi. I will forever chase after her!¡±


    Xing Bi¡¯s heart thumped, forcibly pulling her out of her going bald just-in-case imagination.


    N-No matter how much you chase me, it¡¯s not going to matter¡­! She thought so in her mind, but her drumming heartbeat gave a different story altogether.


    Nian smiled. ¡°You should have resisted when I told you to prove your worth in the first place. There is nothing wrong with liking me. But you have to like me for the right reasons and before that, you have to like yourself enough to not bend to what I say unconditionally. You were thinking of reasons to give me but actually, you should have slapped my face for threatening you with your worth and hair. You know, if I had ever dared to ask Xing Bi this, she would have beaten me mercilessly black and blue and dumped my sorry body into the ocean with the sharks!¡±


    Xing Bi seriously nodded.


    The women froze and their faces burned with embarrassment.


    ¡°If nobody has the right to judge you, then nobody has any right to judge my Xing Bi either. So, your hair is safe as I am a very generous person. I just wanted to give you a teensy tiny scare~¡±


    They stiffened and the moment Nian took back his words, they heaved a big sigh of relief.


    That wasn¡¯t a teensy tiny scare!


    Nian yawned lazily. ¡°But next time, it won¡¯t be if you speak nonsense about Xing Bi again. Remember, I am not a very tolerant man, and there are things I could forgive only once,¡± he narrowed his eyes.


    They swallowed their gulp but their throats felt too itchy.


    On the other side, the socialites Jun was ¡®handling¡¯ weren¡¯t faring any well either.


    He sneered. ¡°You are such a good writer for somebody declaring that they could become one so easily if they wanted.¡±


    Their hands were cold and trembling and they felt like just throwing the notepad and pen away from them.


    One of them bit her lip hard and amidst his taunting gaze and words apologized. ¡°I-I am sorry¡­¡±


    Jun raised his brow.


    Joining her, the rest of the socialites quickly apologized to him too. Rather than not being able to write anything and then see their family business getting destroyed, they chose to apologize to soften his heart and the blow to their reputation.


    ¡°Sorry for what?¡±


    ¡°S-sorry for humiliating Zhou Ai and taking writing lightly.¡±


    ¡°I-I am sorry for accusing Zhou Ai¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes please forgive us¡­!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t insult Zhou Ai anymore¡­¡±


    The guests¡¯ gazes at them felt too humiliating but it would not compare to the humiliation they would face if their family business was destroyed because of them.


    Shui and Xing Bi snorted.


    Glad they came to their senses! Spewing nonsense just because they feel like it!


    There was a long silence where every moment felt like a needle pricking the women.


    W-will he not forgive us?¡±


    Jun coldly remarked after a long pause. ¡°Get out. And don¡¯t ever show me your faces again!¡±


    They looked at him, dumbfounded. They didn¡¯t expect him to let them go. But they only thanked the heavens and scrambled on their feet.


    After such a tightening and suffocating atmosphere, the banquet¡¯s mood was already ruined. There was no point in continuing with it after such a big ruckus.


    Siying showed them the way out and all the guests quietly but hurriedly began to leave. The banquet had left a huge mark in their minds, not just with what Jun and Nian did but also due to the revelation of Yating¡¯s feelings for Ai.


    Shui pursed her lips and hugged Ai. ¡°I am sorry, Ai¡­It was my birthday banquet and you were my guest, but you had to suffer such-¡°


    Ai shook her head and kindly smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize for anything, Shui. You are not responsible for their actions. Also, I wasn¡¯t really affected by their words,¡± she shrugged. ¡°People I don¡¯t know and who don¡¯t know me as a person cannot affect me with their humiliation.¡±


    Jian laughed. ¡°Hahaha, she is right! Did you look at their faces? It was pure gold when she talked back!¡±


    Liu Hai¡¯s nose grew longer with pride. ¡°As expected of my future granddaughter-in-law! I like the chilly tongue, hoho~¡±


    Nuo wiped her forehead. ¡°Bro Nian, you were too terrifying. Do you know what mental damage it was for the women to imagine losing their hair and going bald?¡±


    ¡°Hmph. They needed that scare so that they wouldn¡¯t target my Xing Bi again.¡±


    She kicked his foot. ¡°I can take care of myself.¡±


    He cried. ¡°But I am your future husband, dear. You are super duper strong, but let me protect you sometimes!¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Zhiyuan gritted his teeth. ¡°I wanted to have a perfect banquet for my daughter but everything spiralled out of control¡­¡± he looked at Ai and said, ¡°Let me apologize too. We are the hosts. You shouldn¡¯t have faced such a situation¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t. Neither it was Shui¡¯s fault, nor yours.¡±


    Yating clenched his fists and didn¡¯t know how to face Ai. ¡°But it was definitely my fault, Ai. I¡­I don¡¯t know why the hell Mr. Lin wasn¡¯t aware of such a big fact. If not for his misunderstanding, nothing would have happened-¡°


    Suddenly, he sharply stumbled back as a vicious sound of a punch reverberated in the air.


    A slight cut appeared on Yating¡¯s cheekbone, and he turned his face towards Jun in disbelief. ¡°What the hell are you doing, Liu Jun!?¡±


    It happened so fast and suddenly that everybody was still in shock with the turn of events.


    Ai anxiously pulled him back. ¡°What happened?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°What happened? I think it¡¯s pretty clear but nobody is able to see it?¡±


    She blinked.


    Jun grabbed his collar and snarled. ¡°You are apologizing to Ai but wasn¡¯t this just your plan to cause this mess in the first place!?¡±


    Yating stared at him in bewilderment. ¡°Have you lost it, Liu Jun!? My plan? What the hell are you talking about!?¡±


    ¡°You are right. That Mr. Lin should have known that you cancelled the project, but he didn¡¯t. And what a coincidence that he was here today and spoke so loudly about your project at the banquet that it was inevitable for people to hear about it. Gu Yating¡­¡± he gnashed his jaw, ¡°you planned to do this on purpose, didn¡¯t you? You wanted the whole world to know that you love Ai! You wanted the whole world to misunderstand that Ai possibly had feelings for you too. That¡¯s why you thought of making a company for her. What? Did you want to give an image that I snatched Ai away from you? I mean, people could have taken that meaning too.¡±


    He froze.


    ¡°Sky and Dream High are rivals in the publishing industry and to take you down, maybe I brought Ai to my side on purpose to make you weaker. But it backfired and people started accusing Ai instead.¡±


    ¡°This is pure nonsense!¡± Yating pushed him away. ¡°I didn¡¯t even know that Mr. Lin was going to be a part of this banquet! I panicked myself when he was talking so loudly-¡°


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    He charged to punch him again, but Ai and Nian held him back this time.


    ¡°Jun, stop!¡±


    He angrily laughed. ¡°Why should I stop? Clearly, he planned this to happen. Mr. Lin didn¡¯t know that the project was cancelled? That¡¯s bullshit! He surely fed him some nice chunk of money to say the opposite.¡±


    ¡°Liu Jun, you are going too far with your accusations!¡± Yating roared.


    ¡°Am I? Or is it you who just doesn¡¯t want to leave Ai alone!? Whether it¡¯s accidentally dropping her message for her to rush to take care of a sick Gu Yating or now when you wanted everybody to know your love for Ai, you want people to see that it was always supposed to be Gu Yating and Zhou Ai together. But Liu Jun came in between and rest was history.¡±

 Chapter 389 Lie on the opposite spectrum

    Chapter 389 Lie on the opposite spectrum


    A vein popped on Yating¡¯s forehead. ¡°How many times should I tell you that it was an accident! I didn¡¯t mean to message Ai or make her pity me in taking care of me.¡±


    Jun¡¯s dark gaze was unforgiving. ¡°Sure. The message was an accident. Mr. Lin announcing your plan of making a company for Ai was also an accident which you didn¡¯t expect. Everything is a fucking coincidence or a mistake for you, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Yating trembled and clenched his fists. If anybody looked at it this way, then it would surely seem that he was plotting something against their relationship.


    ¡°It¡¯s all just a big fat lie when you said to Ai that you would be just a friend to her,¡± he glowered at him with vicious eyes, ¡°Hell with just a friend! You want to take Ai away from me. The truth is that you still haven¡¯t given up on her! Do you think you can achieve anything by playing such tricks?¡±


    ¡°Liu Jun¡­I was sincere in my feelings when I said that I will only treat Ai as my friend.¡±


    ¡°How much of that is the truth, Gu Yating?¡± He questioned. ¡°Does that mean you don¡¯t love Ai anymore?¡±


    Yating stiffened and couldn¡¯t immediately answer. The ¡®No¡¯ was at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn¡¯t outrightly say it. He could lie and say yes, but his heart resisted with full force.


    Jin narrowed his eyes while Shui felt a little restless about this confrontation.


    Jun gritted his teeth. ¡°You cannot even answer that question and you claim innocence!? You got some nerve, don¡¯t you?¡±


    When Yating couldn¡¯t defend himself, it was Chyou who came forward and faced Jun. ¡°Jun. I understand why you are angry and why you might feel Yating is guilty. But it¡¯s the truth when he said that he had let Ai go.¡±


    Xiaosi and Caihong glanced at each other once. For everybody else too, it was quite unexpected for Chyou to come up.


    Chyou said with her gaze facing straight at Jun. ¡°I was with Yating that evening at Zixin¡¯s get-together party. I had seen and heard Yating talking to Ai. I had seen his struggle of letting Ai go and the heartbreak that it came with. I was there with him to console him. I know whatever has happened might look misleading to you, but Yating¡¯s intentions are equally the truth. I am sure I am not mistaken in my judgment. These are really some unfortunate coincidences.¡±


    Yating stared at her wide-eyed, unable to speak anything. It was a battle he needed to fight for himself. He felt touched by Chyou¡¯s concern and also embarrassed that somebody else had to step up for him.


    Jun met her gaze head on and with silence.


    ¡°You all think that a man who still has feelings Ai can be innocent?¡±


    ¡°I think he can be innocent despite having feelings for Ai.¡±


    He smirked. ¡°Think whatever you want. But Gu Yating¡­It will be a mistake to trust him on this, Chyou.¡±


    As he turned, his gaze met Ai¡¯s but without saying a word to her, he passed right by her and left.


    Ai slightly bowed and left too.


    It was a momentary event that slipped everybody¡¯s notice, but that was what ¡®Guiying¡¯ was looking for. That moment of avoidance and distance as Jun ignored Ai and stormed out and Ai, who was slightly rattled by this.


    ¡®She¡¯ remembered what Zhan Yahui had told her.


    Glass doesn¡¯t break in a single hit.


    First crack, second crack, third crack¡­until the glass wouldn¡¯t be able to hold itself together anymore.


    ¡®She¡¯ stared ahead, her eyes glistening with a mixture of anger and satisfaction. Her fingers inside her palms were trembling.


    Ever since Jun betrayed Guiying as MrPerfect, ¡®she¡¯ always looked for a chance to play her reverse card and bring that suffering back to him a hundred fold. Breaking Guiying¡¯s heart into pieces, there was bound to come a time when ¡®she¡¯ would break Jun too.


    ¡®Take it slowly,¡¯ Zhan Yahui had said, ¡°Haste makes waste. You need to be careful of the situation around and the people inside it. Do whatever you want, but don¡¯t expect instant results. You must have learned that after the Shanghai Fest,¡¯ she smiled.


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ narrowed her eyes.


    Indeed, I learned a lot¡­


    It was before Shui¡¯s birthday banquet when ¡®she¡¯ had been talking to Zhan Yahui and letting her frustrations out.


    ¡°Was there any point in making Zhou Ai come to Gu Yating¡¯s place? Fine, she took care of him and Liu Jun might have felt angry. But then what? They will simply talk it out. It¡¯s not like Zhou Ai was technically wrong. They will sort it out and I am back to square¡­¡± ¡®she¡¯ gritted her teeth.


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. ¡°You are very impatient, my dear. Do you know why I was against the plan you made in Shanghai? Trapping Liu Jun and Han Shui in the elevator?¡±


    ¡°¡­You said that it won¡¯t have any effect on Zhou Ai.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Zhan Yahui calmly said, ¡°There were very few chances for Zhou Ai to misunderstand Liu Jun. She is very resilient and poise and always in control of her emotions. But Liu Jun isn¡¯t.¡±


    She picked a pen and twirled it around her finger. ¡°Liu Jun and Zhou Ai¡¯s innate personalities are very different. From that perspective, you can say that they actually lie on the opposite sides of a spectrum. You can put them in the same situation, but their reactions will be completely different. Zhou Ai tending to a sick Gu Yating alone won¡¯t achieve anything. You need to keep piling such small small incidents on top of each other until Liu Jun explodes. There is a limit to which he can bear things.¡±


    She chuckled. ¡°I came across an interesting incident during the time Liu Jun was dating Han Shui. It was at a Christmas party and some boy or her classmate had saved her from falling, but he misunderstood his intentions. There was a huge row after that. Not just with the boy but also between Liu Jun and Han Shui themselves. It¡¯s a simple incident but it says a lot about Liu Jun, right?¡±

 Chapter 390 Sore spot

    Chapter 390 Sore spot


    Zhan Yahui leaned back on her chair. ¡°He is extremely possessive and jealous. He gets immediately rattled when somebody comes too close to the woman he loves. What I am telling you to target is this part of his personality. It¡¯s gonna come in handy a lot. Especially now¡­¡± she squinted her eyes. ¡°When it seems that things between Zhou Ai and Gu Yating seem to have turned better for some reason.¡±


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ frowned. ¡°That is the part I still didn¡¯t get. Why did Zhou Ai want to leave Dream High and become so distant from Gu Yating? Is it only because of this idiot inside me getting all the exposure?¡±


    Zhan Yahui said nothing.


    That¡¯s what perplexes me too¡­Until she left, I thought there was definitely something going on between them. It was actually a point of concern for me if Zhou Ai and Gu Yating got into a relationship from Guiying¡¯s career perspective. But one day, her mannerisms suddenly changed.


    And she had no clue why.


    She clicked her tongue in annoyance. Zhan Yahui didn¡¯t like to be kept in the dark about something. She felt she was missing something but until the end, she couldn¡¯t really figure it out. In that sense, the change in Ai was an enigma to her.


    ¡°Hey?¡±


    She snapped out of her stupor and glanced at her. ¡°Possibly. But it doesn¡¯t matter anymore. What matters now is that since that day the film set was set on fire and Zhou Ai met Gu Yating in the hospital, their relationship seems to have improved a lot. I don¡¯t know what they talked about but¡­whatever previous misunderstanding they had between them seems to have softened up?


    First she learned that Gu Yating was planning to make a company for her. That struck her harder than what she will give the credit for. Then they must have had a heartfelt conversation in the hospital which further made things better for them. This is like touching Liu Jun¡¯s sore spot.¡±


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ asked, ¡°You think he won¡¯t believe Zhou Ai the way she believed him during the Fest? Will it work? You just said that Zhou Ai is resilient and calm.¡±


    ¡°But she has a strong sense of responsibility,¡± Zhan Yahui chuckled.


    ¡®She¡¯ then slowly added. ¡°If you are thinking that Zhou Ai will start to like Gu Yating again, then you are mistaken. I don¡¯t see that happening.¡±


    Her eyes twinkled. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean that she cannot feel guilty, right? I don¡¯t think she is understanding this herself but what Gu Yating was planning to do for her has left a huge impact in her mind. She left him and Dream High before getting to know any of Gu Yating¡¯s plans for her. And that must be eating her from inside. I don¡¯t know what happened between them but if Zhou Ai wrongly misunderstood him, then learning these things about him now will make her spiral into a sense of taking responsibility for her mistakes. She would want to do something ¨C anything for him to settle the guilt inside her.¡±


    ¡°You are terrifying,¡± even ¡®Guiying¡¯ couldn¡¯t help but shudder with the level of understanding Zhan Yahui had of the situation.


    ¡°I am not terrifying. It¡¯s how people behave. If you understand their character even a little bit, you can gauge what they can and cannot do in certain situations,¡± she smiled. ¡°The biggest difference between what you did in Shanghai and what you will be doing now lies in the past love.


    You targeted Zhou Ai then, but she has no reason to feel intimidated by Han Shui. Not just because she is calm and collected but also because Han Shui didn¡¯t seem to have much feelings for Liu Jun, especially when he can be so possessive. And also Zhou Ai and Han Shui quickly became good friends as we saw in Shanghai. It would have been impossible to achieve that if Han Shui loved Liu Jun even a little bit.


    But that¡¯s not the case with Gu Yating. Why can Liu Jun and Gu Yating not be friends like them? Because he is possessive. He doesn¡¯t want to do anything with the man who eyed Zhou Ai and the fact that Gu Yating still loves her is why¡­somewhere or the other will always leave a distaste in his heart. If on top of that, he sees Zhou Ai unconsciously melting for Gu Yating, then it¡¯s just pouring oil into the fire. You are right. Zhou Ai won¡¯t fall for Gu Yating.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°But we will target her guilt coupled with Liu Jun¡¯s insecurity. Relationships are complex, my dear. They might love and trust each other a lot, but there is always some vulnerability, especially when there is a third party involved. You just need to know how to exploit that.¡±


    ¡ª


    At present, ¡®Guiying¡¯ could finally see what Zhan Yahui was talking about right in front of her eyes.


    Piling incidents on top of each other¡­


    Slowly, steadily but surely¡­


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ didn¡¯t care about the drama that happened with the guests. Her motive was simply to make things flow in a particular direction. Fan flames in the right way and the seeds ¡®she¡¯ had sown would slowly bear its fruit.


    As she turned to step out of the villa, ¡®she¡¯ felt a hand on her shoulder.


    Ugh¡­! Is that Chen Zixin!? I really don¡¯t want to do anything with this cousin!


    When ¡®Guiying¡¯ turned, ¡®she¡¯ was taken aback to see a rather different face than she had expected.


    He is Liu Jun¡¯s brother, right? ¡®She¡¯ narrowed her eyes.


    Jin watched her with scrutiny and asked, ¡°Cai Guiying, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me.


    ¡°Who invited you to this banquet?¡±


    ¡®She¡¯ blinked. ¡°You really are Liu Jun¡¯s brother. He had the same question, and I have the same answer for you. Han Shui invited me to her birthday banquet.¡±


    Jin said nothing.


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    He then gave a smile. ¡°Nothing. I was just a little surprised to know that you and Shui knew each other.¡±


    ¡®Guiying¡¯ thought about Reading Point and remarked. ¡°What can you say? People meet at unexpected places at times.¡±

 Chapter 391 Differences

    Chapter 391 Differences


    Jun had completely shut himself off when they reached the condo, not talking a word to Ai no matter how much she wanted to. When he was about to storm into his room, Ai came in between his route.


    ¡°You know that keeping it to yourself is not gonna help anybody,¡± she pursed her lips. ¡°I know you are angry and that¡¯s why I want to talk to you.¡±


    Jun smiled. ¡°Why do you want to talk to me now? Did you think before accepting to dance with Gu Yating?¡±


    She said with complete seriousness. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to at first. I was contemplating not being a part of the game when I saw that Yating was my partner. But Soo Zhenya insisted. Also¡­¡±


    She was thinking of how to put it. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to make him feel that I doubted him. He said he would be friends with me and not accepting to dance would have made him feel like I am suspicious-¡°


    Jun grabbed her shoulders and his dark brown eyes watched her closely with disdain. ¡°And why do you care about his feelings so much? Until a few months ago, you didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with him! But now you are considering his feelings!? Who cares if he gets hurt!? You are my girlfriend. You have no obligation to care so much about your ex-boyfriend!¡±


    Ai took a pause and slowed down her thoughts. She was aware that Jun would definitely get upset because of this, but now that she thought about it, she admitted she was in the wrong here.


    I should have indeed been firmer in declining Yating. I wonder why I didn¡¯t¡­


    She knew herself well and there wasn¡¯t anything that deterred her stance. But for the first time, she hesitated. Nevertheless, it was a mistake from her side to make Jun uncomfortable. Her heart plundered into depression, and her shoulders slumped.


    ¡°Jun¡­¡±


    Biting his lip, he lashed out further. ¡°This is the second time you did this! The first time was when you rushed to his place. Why? You didn¡¯t have to!¡±


    Ai blinked this time. ¡°Jun, but I clarified about that. I suddenly got his message and-¡°


    ¡°So? Did it mean that you had to take responsibility for attending to him?¡±


    She stared at him and asked back, ¡°Jun, I understand I was wrong tonight. You are right. I should have declined to dance with him and made you uncomfortable. I won¡¯t defend myself over that. But regarding that day, I only did what I thought was right at that time. He was asking for help. How could I have ignored it?¡±


    He smiled with his lips laced with fury. ¡°And give him a wrong idea about your intentions?¡±


    Ai slightly furrowed her brows with dissatisfaction. ¡°Jun, if Shui had called for your help in this manner, would you have been able to ignore it?¡±


    He stiffened.


    ¡°Would you have left her alone?¡±


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°The difference here is that Shui clearly doesn¡¯t have any feelings for me! Even if I rush to help her, she would only think of me as her friend. But Gu Yating? He is not like Shui! He likes you. He still loves you. And you know what? That¡¯s exactly what made him misunderstand your ¡®kindness.''¡±


    Ai rebuked. ¡°He won¡¯t, Jun. I was already clear about my feelings at Valentine¡¯s evening itself. And even if he did misunderstand me, I have no problem in reiterating it to him again and again that there can be nothing more than friendship between us. The part of myself that loved him is already in the past. There is nothing that would waver me in his favor. But that doesn¡¯t mean that because of a hypothetical misunderstanding that might occur, I refuse to help him. That will be too inhumane.¡±


    Jun stared at her, stunned. ¡°Inhumane? Isn¡¯t it because of that cursed day that he chose for the whole world to know his feelings for you tonight? He definitely thought that somewhere in your heart, you still care about him. So let¡¯s give it a push.¡±


    ¡°He said he only wants to be friends-¡°


    ¡°And you believe him?¡± He laughed. ¡°You did see his hesitation to admit that he had no feelings for you, right?¡±


    Ai narrowed her eyes. ¡°Yes. I saw that too. He hesitated because yes, he might still love me. But that also doesn¡¯t mean that he is not trying to move on. When you broke up with Shui, was it that you stopped loving her from the very next moment?¡±


    He clenched his jaw, unable to retort.


    ¡°That day outside the cafe when you saw Jin and Shui together ¨C you were furious to see them spending time together. Even though you had broken up with her, Shui still affected you so much. It took sometime for you to move on. It took sometime for me too to completely give up on Yating after I was reborn. When he had confessed to me on Christmas, I hesitated a lot even if I knew what the past was like. If you and I can take time to heal, then why cannot Yating do the same? Jun, you have given up on Shui for Jin¡¯s sake. So you know what it feels like to take that step and move on. It¡¯s not easy and it takes time.¡±


    A deep and cold silence ensued between them.


    Jun slowly let her go, facing her with a cold and hurt gaze. ¡°You will fight for him even though he put you in such a predicament tonight? You wouldn¡¯t have had to face such humiliation if Mr. Lin had not interfered.¡±


    She answered after a thoughtful pause. ¡°But just like Chyou, I feel that it was a genuine miscommunication between Yating and Mr. Lin. If Yating had to do this, he would have already done so after the Summit.¡±


    ¡°And somebody¡¯s patience can slip at any point in time, Ai. Maybe he still had hopes for sometime but when he didn¡¯t see them getting fruitful, he finally played this trick.¡±


    Ai knew that could be the case too as Jun said, but she had trouble comparing this evil Yating to the one from that evening who showed sincerity towards letting her go.


    He smiled. ¡°But it¡¯s fine if you or Chyou don¡¯t think that way.¡±


    He held her shoulder and slightly pushed her out his way. ¡°You can keep showing your sympathies to him. It¡¯s me who has to learn to deal with it, isn¡¯t it?¡±

 Chapter 392 The First Night Of Distance

    The door shut behind with her with a thud, leaving Ai standing in front of the room where only stillness accompanied her. Her heart was strangely beating faster, and her eyes were slightly blurring with tears. The push at the end felt lonely and distant. It wasn''t like they hadn''t had disagreements before but this time, it felt different and too agonizing.


    Somewhere, she felt that Jun was right but at other places, she also thought that she couldn''t agree with him. She didn''t wish to end this night with the wall of clashes and arguments separating them. She looked back at the tightly shut door with a hint of helplessness.


    Maybe he will come out after sometime...


    She nodded. It was better to have some time for themselves so that both could cool down and talk calmly the next time.


    Ai slowly walked up to the crescent swing in silence. She put one knee on it to climb on it with a faint anxious feeling knocking on her chest. She took support and eventually climbed inside after a few tries.


    Her face was lit up with pride and joy. "Jun look, I climbed on my own-"


    But Jun wasn''t there to share her happiness with, and her enthusiasm met with only silence. Ai pursed her lips, her shoulders drooping.


    Once he comes out, he will definitely notice my achievement, Ai reassured herself.


    She leaned back inside the swing, staring at the ceiling above. She quietly and calmly reflected upon a lot of things that happened in these last few days. Slowly, steadily, she thought about the events from all the perspectives she could and came to a conclusion.


    Her eyelids slowly felt heavy, but she slapped her cheeks to stay awake because she knew that Jun would soon come out to talk again.


    --


    The air inside the room was grimmer and tense as Jun trembled with anger and pain. He looked down at his hand that had pushed Ai away with his beautiful eyes that were clouded with guilt.


    It was the first time he had pushed her away from him, not...pulled her towards him for a hug. He clenched his fingers, wanting to stop this uneasy feeling from hammering his chest.


    He wanted Ai so badly. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to wrap her body around his and rest his head on top of hers to have a sound sleep.


    But there was a part of him who couldn''t let go of whatever was happening between Yating and Ai.


    It''s that feeling again...


    He sat on the edge of the bed, tired.


    I hate it. I hate this feeling so much.


    Since when was it that Jun was beginning to feel troubled like this?


    From the time at the hospital? When Ai went to Yating''s home?


    No.


    The first bell of uncertainty and restlessness rang in his heart when Ai met Yating at the hotel during Zixin''s get-together party. Something faintly resonated within him, and it wasn''t a good feeling.


    It was when Ai revealed Yating''s plan of making a company for her.


    It was when he learned that the reason why Yating ignored her in the past was because he had dedicated his time and energy into this surprise project.


    It was when he realized that Yating...wasn''t as bad as they had originally thought him to be.


    Jun covered his face in his palms, trying to shut out all the ugly emotions. But it always came back to Yating and Ai.


    With this one thing that came out in the open, they had to conclude that there might have been a different reason for Yating breaking up with Ai, which would most likely be linked to Guiying. Not necessarily because he had stopped loving Ai or he got seduced by Guiying.


    And this was the cognizance that stirred Jun for the first time in a way that settled a bitter taste in his mouth. It was like the reason they hated Yating suddenly vanished into thin air.


    Which meant that there was a possibility of Ai''s relationship with Yating improving. A chance that they might become friends again.


    This was what Jun didn''t wish to happen from the bottom of his heart. He felt a sense of crisis coming even though he knew he could trust Ai. There was nothing that would take her away from him. Even if Yating had his reasons, Ai would never waver.


    But that annoying feeling kept buzzing in his heart constantly. Then the intensity increased more violently when he came to know that the reason why Yating couldn''t save Ai from falling in the past was attributed to his trauma.


    Once again...yet again, a side of Yating''s came into the picture that further substantiated him not being evil at all.


    Jun chose not to express it in the hospital in front of Ai, but he was rattled hard. He felt a looming and impending feeling which solidified when Ai rushed to Yating''s home to help him.


    Why...why, why, why?


    He trembled.


    Was it because Ai''s heart was melting for him without her notice?


    But he felt stupid.


    No, no, no! Ai is not like that...Ai won''t leave me for Yating. It''s impossible. I am an idiot.


    It won''t happen, it won''t happen...


    Jun didn''t even realize it when he was beginning to console and reassure his heart. He didn''t know when that tiny seed of disturbance took root in his heart which tonight grew its branches as Yating''s feelings for Ai came out in the open.


    Everybody knew now.


    What would they think? That Jun snatched Ai away from Yating?


    Or maybe that Yating and Ai look better together than he and Ai?


    Jun gritted his teeth hard.


    Why am I thinking of these things!? The hell I care about what the world thinks!


    He collapsed on the bed, mumbling to himself as his eyelids tiredly shut themselves.


    "Ai is mine...No matter what anyone says, I can be the only one to make her happy..."

 Chapter 393 A Cat Mr. Liu?

    Jun slowly opened his eyes the next morning and woke up, feeling vacant and blank. His energy felt like somebody had forcibly drained out of him. He rubbed the space in between his brows where he was having a mild headache.


    His hand unconsciously stretched to reach out to his side, but he found it empty. Jun blinked and noticed Ai was nowhere. Her side of the bed didn''t have any folds or creases either.


    Wait, she...didn''t come back to sleep last night...?


    He jumped on his feet with a start and came out of the room, taking large strides. He glanced around in the living room and kitchen but found her nowhere, making his heart palpitate faster.


    Where is she...


    Then he found a toe sticking out of the crescent swing, and he blinked. He slowly and quietly walked towards the swing and finally found the missing person. He heaved a sigh of relief, and all the worry circling in his mind left.


    Ai had turned on her right side facing the large windows and sleeping inside the swing without a care. Her head rested on the pillow, and she had almost curled into a ball to comfortably fit her body in the small space.


    Jun gritted his teeth.


    Why are you sleeping here, you idiot!? You want to fall sick?


    Then the next thing that struck him was that Ai actually managed to climb on the swing on her own despite her fear of heights.


    He tilted his head and beamed.


    She did it! She actually overcame it!


    His heart blossomed with happiness and pride.


    Good, good!


    But then he also felt sorry that she slept outside and without even a blanket covering her.


    Once again, Jun gritted his teeth seeing her sleep in the cold.


    You really want to fall sick, don''t you?


    Jun went back, fetched the blanket and returned. He gently laid the blanket over Ai, making sure he was completely covering her.


    He nodded to himself.


    Much better.


    Jun faced her in silence, remembering their fight from last night. His gaze dimmed, not knowing what to do. His fingertips gradually touched her cheek, brushing past a lock of her hair. He tucked a few of her hair strands behind her ear which were fluttering in front of her eyes.


    Gazing at her sleeping face, he felt his heart tighten.


    Sometimes how I feel like taking you away from everybody...will this unsettling feeling then finally fade away?


    --


    Ai stretched her arms and body and softly yawned a while later. She looked around in a daze and felt herself covered with something. She stared at the blanket tucked over her.


    I didn''t have a blanket last night...Jun!


    She got up with a jerk and looked around. The door to the bedroom was open, but there was no sound coming from anywhere. Even the kitchen was empty. But she did smell something in the air as her nostrils twitched.


    She found a plate covered with another plate on the dining table.


    Ai took her feet out and felt her heart almost skipping a beat in fear, but she felt something soft touch her the next moment. It was a big pillow, perfectly reaching the swing''s height for her to take its support and climb down. It was safe and not scary at all.


    She pursed her lips.


    Is he so angry that he would rather plant a pillow than carry me out in his arms?


    Then again, she also knew that last night''s fight wasn''t a simple one.


    She came down, walked towards the dining table and as expected, Jun had prepared breakfast for her.


    Did he eat?


    She wondered because considering his mood, he definitely would have left on an empty stomach. She took her seat and stared at the egg rolls and toast. She wasn''t in any mood to eat either. She stared at the bedroom and feeling the complete silence in the air, her expression turned somber.


    A lonely breakfast...


    Ai took a bite of her food and ate in silence.


    --


    Ai took the bus to the library and stepped down at the stop, two minutes away from the library. She might have gone to Sky but seeing how Jun left early for work showed that perhaps he wasn''t ready to talk to her yet. She didn''t want to force the conversation on him either, so she thought it was better to do her work in the library instead.


    She kept walking when she heard a soft voice coming from an alley.


    Ai paused for a moment and blinked. She continued walking when she heard a soft howl again.


    *Meow*


    Ai took a step back and craned her neck. Somewhere at a corner, she found a cat staring at her with its big eyes.


    Oh.


    She smiled and bent on her knees. "Hello."


    The cat ignored her and continued searching food for himself in the alley. Ai took a closer look and saw that its long fur was a mix of brown and white but his eyes were the exact shade of dark brown as Jun''s irises.


    Jun.


    Then she suddenly shook her head.


    No, no. It''s a cat, not a human.


    "Should I bring some food for you?" She politely asked.


    The cat gave her a disdainful look and went back to his work of finding his food.


    Ai blinked and thought that his expression looked exactly like Jun wherever he sneered or snorted.


    So cool.


    ? She wanted to touch the cat, but he strongly hissed at her and took several steps back in his defence when he saw her fingers reaching him.


    *Meow!*


    "..."


    Which again reminded Ai of how Jun acted so cautious and alert when they had just first met, when he misunderstood she was interested in him and hence kept his distance from her.


    Ai''s eyes sparkled further.


    Really cool. You are definitely Jun.


    She pursed her lips, feeling disappointed that the cat wasn''t allowing her to pet him.


    A charming voice chuckled. "That''s not how you pet wild animals, Ai-chan~"

 Chapter 394 A Cat Ai?

    Sky Publishing.


    Jun was listening to Hou Lin''s report but without paying much attention. He was there physically, but his mind was somewhere else altogether.


    "Sir, what do you think of this proposal? Personally, I think it will benefit our writers, though I also feel that we can make some adjustments to finetune it. This will give a lot of exposure to new authors with a good boost in their book promotions."


    Jun didn''t answer.


    Hou Lin blinked. "Sir?"


    This time, he snapped out and stared at him. "Sorry, what were you saying?"


    "I was saying to finetune this proposal a bit to be more flexible for new authors."


    "Yes, definitely. I want everybody to get fair and equal marketing. Do the adjustments and send me the final plan."


    Hou Lin nodded and bowed. As he was about to leave, he paused and asked with concern, "Sir, are you not feeling well?"


    "...No, I am fine."


    Hou Lin said nothing.


    "What?"


    "Sir, pardon my rudeness, but you tend to overwork yourself at times, which is not good for you. If you are not feeling well, you should rest. Miss. Sun and I can handle things here."


    Jun smiled. "Thanks. I know you two are really capable. But I am really okay."


    Hou Lin respectfully nodded.


    Jun then quickly stopped him. "Wait a second."


    "Yes, sir."


    He asked with uncertainty. "Is Ai here?"


    "No, Sir. I didn''t see Miss. Zhou with Miss. Xing today. At least, not yet. Shall I go and check for you?"


    "No need," he smiled it off, "you can leave."


    He nodded again and left.


    Jun clasped his hands together and bumped his forehead on the desk, feeling defeated.


    What was I expecting after I left without even talking to her?


    Jun stayed in silence for a while but unable to concentrate, he left his office in frustration. On his way, he almost crashed into Xing Bi.


    "Woah, woah! Slow down, young man."


    He quickly apologized. "Sorry, Xing Bi."


    "It''s fine," she noticed the creases on his forehead and his disturbed countenance. She knew it was definitely related to last night''s chaos. Considering how Ai was also not here yet, she wondered if something was wrong between them.


    "Is everything okay?"


    I hope they didn''t fight...


    Xing Bi wasn''t sure why but she got the feeling that Jun and Ai must have definitely fought back home.


    Jun slightly stiffened. "Yeah, good. I am just going out for some fresh air."


    It''s hardly been an hour and a half since he is in the office...


    "See you later."


    Jun strided away and left in a rush.


    Xing Bi sighed.


    "I hope everything gets back to how it was before soon..."


    --


    Jun was randomly taking a walk, zigzagging across roads whatever that came in his way. He wanted to feel the cool wind on his face and forget all the feelings he had been suppressing in his heart.


    Whenever he closed his eyes, the only scene that flashed in his mind was of Ai and Yating together.


    Dancing together, spending time together...everything was too hard to bear.


    Fuck! When will these feelings disappear!?


    He stopped at a spot, huffing and puffing. He took deep breaths and let them out.


    From a corner somewhere, he heard a few boys giggling and laughing.


    "Tsk, this cat is so weak."


    "Hey hey pinch this shit''s ear more. I wanna see this cat hissing."


    "Yeah that was so cool but ultimately pointless."


    Jun saw a group of four young boys ganging up around a cardboard box. There was a cat inside the box, watching the four boys with distaste and caution.


    When one of the boys wanted to bully her, the cat scratched his hand with her paws and jumped back in the box, hissing at him with her fierce eyes.


    *Meow!*


    "T-this bitch! She scratched me! You should definitely twist her ear now!" The boy exclaimed, enraged.


    "Yeah let''s beat this cat up!"


    One of them reached out to pull the cat''s ear when Jun kicked on his abdomen, throwing him off in a far trajectory.


    The young boys froze with an adult suddenly barging in and filling the space with an air of iciness where it was hard to even move an inch.


    W-who is this man...?


    "Is it fun bullying someone weaker and helpless than you?" His cold voice sharply but intensely pricked their ears. "You do realize this is animal abuse, right? Or do you think you get a free pass because you are teenagers?"


    ,m They swallowed hard. The one who fell on the ground was in too much pain.


    Jun peered into their eyes with lethality. "Do you want me to show you how it feels when your ear is twisted? It will be fun," He smiled evilly. "Practical lessons are far more useful than just giving pointless lectures, you know?"


    The boys paled. Even though they were more in number than him, they instinctively knew that Jun alone was enough to beat the shit out of them.


    Shit, this man is bad news!


    Jun slowly said, "Get lost but know this. I will be keeping an eye on you four. I have a cop friend. The moment he sees you pulling out such shit again, you will directly land in jail. You won''t get any mercy just you are fucking teenagers. Get out!"


    They jolted and scrambled away as fast as they could for their lives.


    Jun bent on his knees and smiled at the cat who was staring at him cautiously. He looked into her irises which were light brown just like how Ai''s eyes were. Pretty and beautiful.


    "Are you okay?"


    He wanted to pet her, but he knew she wouldn''t want a stranger to touch her, especially after the bullying episode.


    The cat stared at him silently, not hissing at all, though she maintained her distance too.


    "I am sorry you had to bear this. You will be okay now," he smiled.


    He said after a pause, "For some reason, you remind me of Ai. She has the same eyes as you."


    A gentle and unhurried voice came. "Indeed. This cat reminds me of my Ai too."

 Chapter 395 Stole My Idea

    Ai stared at her father, dressed in his usual weird clothes with a small toothpick like twig pressed between his lips that had his charming and sunny smile like always. His hair and small ponytail were a bit messy but only making him all the more attractive even at his age.


    Ai tilted her head, expressing. "Dad?"


    "Ai-chan!" Zhou Yichen beamed. "You father is here! Are you happy to see me? You definitely are, I know. You were always a daddy''s girl after all~"


    "What are you doing in Beijing?"


    "To meet you and Jun-cute of course!" His booming voice was filled with vigor.


    Zhou Yichen carefully looked around to check if a particular person was within his sight or not. "Hmph. Glad your mother is not here."


    "Mom is here too?" She asked, surprised.


    "Your mother stole my idea! It was me who first thought of coming to Beijing to meet you two to spend some quality time together with my daughter and future son-in-law. But Nuying heard from God knows where that I was coming here, and she copied my idea and came following me," he snorted. "I am telling you. She is a professor, but she is the one who cheats the most. Are you sure her students are learning good things from her? Hoho, but I reached you first!" He proudly said.


    Ai crashed his dreams in a single blow. "You pretty much came here because you were too bored by working at the same place, didn''t you?"


    "..."


    "You have definitely run out of your gambling money, haven''t you? You slacked too much in finding your new job, then got bored of the place and now you are here to figure out what to do."


    A thin line of blood flowed from the corner of his lips. "Ah Ai-chan, you don''t have to always expose your father like that. I am your biological father, you know?" He wiped the imaginary blood off.


    Zhou Yichen bent down and smiled at the cat. "Do you want to pet him?"


    Ai nodded.


    "That would be impossible, it seems my dear. For now at least. Cats don''t trust so easily, definitely not stray or feral ones. He will not let you pet him. You have to spend time with him, get him used to you and let him make the first contact. Otherwise he will only scratch you, haha."


    He tried to show that using himself and as expected, the cat with the dark brown eyes hissed at him as if they were intruding upon his food-searching journey.


    "Why do you know so much about cats?" Ai asked.


    Zhou Yichen shamelessly said, "I had followed the same procedure to woo your mother once upon a time."


    "..."


    His gaze darkened. "But then she started to use her paws on me for every single thing."


    On the other side, the Jun-like cat gave them a stare and hopped away. Ai pursed her lips with disappointment.


    I will definitely pet him one day.


    She got up on her feet and dusted her dress.


    Zhou Yichen hung his arm around hers and chirped. "Come on. Take me to Jun-cute. I want to reach him before your mother does. Then we all three will have lots of fun~ I wanted to come to your condo, but I kinda lost my way. I kept circling around but look, I coincidentally met you," he winked.


    Ai remained quiet for a short pause. "I am going to the library today. Jun is at Sky."


    p Zhou Yichen blinked his eyes and didn''t fail to miss the silence before her response. Ai''s expression shone less brightly as well.


    He made a gesture as if he was sniffing something. "I smell something fishy. Ohhh, did you and Jun-cute fight?"


    Her brow slightly twitched. "No."


    "Hah! You cannot hide anything from me," he pinched her cheek. "You don''t have to be so worried holistically. Fights are normal in any relationship. Nuying and I are the prime example for that. But you shouldn''t ignore them either otherwise these things slowly start to chip away your happiness and peace of mind which can ultimately cause separation. Nuying and I are the prime example for that too."


    Ai pursed her lips. "I don''t understand if you are consoling me or worrying me more."


    Zhou Yichen smiled. "Showing you both sides of something is necessary dear. Turning blind to one side is always harmful."


    He whistled, which made a high school girl passing by, slightly blush.


    Aish, this man is so cool. Is he that woman''s brother?


    Zhou Yichen grabbed her hand. "Come on. Tell your daddy dearest everything. I am Zhou Yichen and with me around, all of my Ai-chan and Jun-cute''s worries will go whoosh!"


    --


    Jun stared at his future mother-in-law with a hard stupor.


    Am I fine or are my eyes playing tricks on me? Why am I seeing Aunt Xie here?


    Not only there was Xie Nuying, there was Xie Nuying carrying a long wooden stick in her hands.


    "Hello," Xie Nuying politely greeted him. Her eyes radiated satisfaction as she saw Jun.


    "A-Aunt?" Jun hopped up on his feet instantly and faced her with shock. "What are you doing here in Beijing?"


    "To meet you and Ai. Glad that I found you first," she nodded with more satisfaction.


    "First?"


    Xie Nuying''s expression then didn''t look so good. "Apparently, a certain careless and irresponsible man stole my idea of meeting my daughter and son-in-law and he followed me all the way here as well. I wouldn''t have minded but he could at least given me the credit. But no, he wants to hog the spotlight for everything."


    She is definitely talking about Uncle Zhou, he cleared his throat.


    "He is...not with you?"


    "No. I wanted to meet you and Ai first. He said he will. But it was my idea. But he refused to back down. Then we started a race, and I got lost somehow. Beijing is so confusing," she pursed her lips.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 396 The Heart Of The Issue

    His mouth twitched. "And the stick..."


    Xie Nuying harrumphed. "To beat up those nasty kids bullying the poor cat. I know how to set kids like them straight. I have done a lot in my university," her eyes proudly sparkled.


    She leaned slightly and softly smiled at the cat. "Then I saw you taking care of them, and I was assured. As expected of my capable son-in-law."


    The cat with her light brown irises stared at her and Jun. She wasn''t too hostile to them and neither too free. But giving them a surprise, she hopped out of the box and slowly walked towards Jun. She nudged her head against his leg and quietly meowed.


    "Oh my. I thought it would be difficult to pet her. But it seems that she likes you," Xie Nuying said. "I think she is thanking you for saving her."


    Jun cautiously touched the tip of his finger over the top of her head and slowly ruffled her fur. He beamed, seeing how the cat liked it.


    "She reminds me of Ai," Jun''s gaze softened. "Even though she was surrounded, she surely fought for herself well. Ai is also always so strong and undaunted like that."


    Xie Nuying observed Jun and felt something was off with how his eyes looked a little lost.


    Jun quickly said, "I am such an idiot. You came to Beijing and here I am just standing like that doing nothing. Where do you want to go? Should I take you back to my condo?"


    "Is Ai at home too? I wanted to meet you both and talk to you," she smiled and then mumbled, "before that man finds you two..."


    Jun stiffened. "Ai..."


    He wasn''t sure if she was at home or not. He didn''t even know if Ai came to Sky while he was away or she chose to go to the library.


    Xie Nuying stared at him. "You don''t know?"


    Jun slightly touched his throat and awkwardly smiled. "I had left a bit earlier than her..."


    Condo, Sky or the library?


    Not knowing the answer made him feel ashamed.


    "How about we go to Sky first? I always wanted to see my son-in-law''s company and where you two work."


    "S-sure."


    Xie Nuying then asked in concern, "What should we do about this cute cat? She might be in danger again if she stays here."


    Jun smiled and tickled her ears, which the cat seemed to like. "Let''s take her to a cat shelter first. The people there will take good care of her."


    She nodded. "A fine idea."


    She then lamented. "It seems she was abandoned. It looks like she was well fed before and was a pet cat. Becoming stray so suddenly will be too dangerous for her."


    "Indeed."


    He gently put the furry cat back in the cardboard box and lifted it.


    *Meow*


    He smiled. "You will be in a good place now."


    She stared at him for a long while.


    To go to the cat shelter first which was a little farther away from Sky, he called for a cab where the three got inside. The ride to the shelter was filled with awkwardness for Jun.


    Shit...


    He cursed himself in his mind endlessly. He had promised to Ai''s parents that he would always take care of her. But now, he wasn''t even aware where exactly she was.


    What would they think of him?


    "Have you two fought?" Xie Nuying''s question calmly echoed in the space between them.


    Jun froze with the sudden question popping in the air. It came direct and unmasked. He wasn''t someone who could hide his feelings too well, so Xie Nuying already understood that they had indeed argued.


    "I see. That''s why you don''t know where she is. You two are at the ''ignoring each other'' phase," she said, unfazed.


    Jun wiped his forehead anxiously. "No, Aunt. It''s not like that."


    She blinked. "Oh don''t take me wrong. I am not blaming you at all. Ignoring each other is always the first result after a fight. I know it better than anybody else, considering how many times I have fought with Yichen. The house would be silent for days. We were always at a cold war."


    "H-How did you two handle it?"


    "We couldn''t. That''s why we got divorced."


    "..."


    Jun never meant in that extreme sense, but somehow he still felt stupid for asking that.


    "I am sorry. I didn''t mean it that way."


    "I know. You meant by how we would come to a truce for the years we lived together."


    "K-Kinda..."


    There was a short period of silence.


    "Do you know what is at the heart of your issue?" She tilted her head.


    "Heart?" He furrowed his brows.


    "Yes. You think that you are fighting for or against something, but it''s actually something else altogether. Either you don''t realize it or you are purposely ignoring it. I feel the former is the case."


    "I am sorry, I don''t think I understand."


    "I mean for example, when Yichen used to come home late at night from his work, I would get furious at him, thinking that he was flirting with girls somewhere. But actually, it was because he didn''t properly organize his side of the closet in the morning. I felt frustrated by the mess he made and his lack of discipline and that anger poured out for simple things where he really wasn''t even at fault. Do you get me?


    I was mad at him because of his disorganization originally, but I kept it in my heart for that time. So when he did something else I didn''t like, I lashed out at him. I knew he wasn''t late because he was fooling around and I didn''t realize that I was fighting with him not because of his lateness but because of the morning''s chaos."


    "So you see? This happens when you don''t confront the real worries and insecurities bothering you. The underlying reason is something else, but you are fighting for something else altogether and nobody has a clue why you are even fighting in the first place."

 Chapter 397 The Golden Clock

    As Jun was contemplating what Xie Nuying said, the cat perched inside the cardboard box suddenly jumped outside on Jun''s lap. She raised her front legs and placed them on the window while continuously meowing.


    Xie Nuying asked, "What happened to her?"


    *Meow*


    She softly but relentlessly howled.


    Jun slightly widened his eyes. "I don''t know."


    The cat was staring outside and with her paws was scratching on the windows while howling from time to time. The cab had come to a halt because of a traffic signal.


    Jun looked outside and recognized a particular building and location very clearly.


    Dream High...


    He didn''t realize that Dream High fell on the way to the cat shelter. He slightly stiffened, recalling the same place where he had died in his last life.


    He stared unblinkingly at the same road where was driving at a high speed and eventually crashed into Dream High''s entrance. Suddenly from day and sunshine, it was as if that fateful night of darkness enveloped his vision. It was as if the scene replayed in his mind.


    A heartbroken Jun who was ready to give up on his life. A guilty Jun who couldn''t bear the brunt of his brother and mother''s death. The ominous crashing sound when his car hit the building and his blood was slowly seeping out of his body. The screams of panicked people upon seeing a car crash.


    And the moment when he got a glimpse of Ai for the first time...and the last time too as they held their hands together, taking their last breaths.


    Jun unconsciously shuddered and trembled. His breath got stuck in his throat. He had dreams of his suicide before. At times, he recalled those memories again and again. But this time, it felt strangely real and daunting as if he was going through it all over again.


    His head was covered with a slight dizziness and pain. When he looked back towards the road and Dream High building, he saw the place before him flashing and interrupting between bouts of present and the past.


    For one moment, he saw the present and the next moment, he was transported to that night of the past. In that flash of the darkness, he felt as if he could see some balls of light floating in the air where Jun and Ai''s dead bodies lay.


    What...what is happening to me...?


    *Meow* *Meow*


    Sweat trickled down his forehead, and he breathed hard. His heart was pounding faster.


    *GONG!*


    A loud, resonant sound sharply echoed in his ears. It resembled the sound of a clock when the minute hand would strike a new hour. When he looked outside again with his tightly furrowed brows and heaving breathlessly, he saw a big, gold clock shining and glowing amidst the chaos in the night sky. It was as if the clock was floating in the air.


    What...


    The gong sound became more violent, piercing his head with a strong pain he never felt before.


    And just for a moment, he felt as if he heard something else amidst that ear splitting sound. Somebody was talking. Somebody was crying.


    "I...did...you told. Then why...You...on purpose..."


    Jun trembled even harder.


    This is...Shui''s voice, right?. Why is she crying?


    Who is she talking to...?


    Ughhh!


    He clutched his head with pain. Everything was momentary but it still felt slow and agonizing as if it was taking forever.


    Xie Nuying widened her eyes. She didn''t know what happened, but Jun suddenly started looking paler.


    "What''s wrong? Are you feeling sick?" She anxiously asked.


    *Meow* *Meow*


    His trance broke when the cab started its engine and drove farther and away from Dream High. He took a sharp gasp as if awakening from a dream and the sound and the golden clock''s image suddenly disappeared from his mind and sight. Everything was back to normal. No night. No clock. No sound.


    "Jun?" Xie Nuying shook his shoulders harder.


    "H-Huh?" He stared at her with bewilderment. "Did you see that? Did you hear that?"


    She blinked in confusion. "See and hear what?"


    "You didn''t hear the sound of a...as if a clock was striking an hour? You saw that right? There was a golden clock shining and floating in the sky," he anxiously said.


    Xie Nuying was even more confused. "No, dear. I didn''t hear any sound or see any clock. How can a clock float in the sky?" She tilted her head.


    Jun widened his eyes, stunned. "Y-you didn''t see that...?"


    "No."


    The cab driver also answered. "No, sir. I also didn''t hear any clock''s sound or saw one."


    "O-oh..."


    Jun was even more puzzled now.


    Then what did I just see now? I definitely saw a golden clock in the night sky for a moment. That sound was also so damn loud...


    He still felt his head ache. He remembered the voice, which he thought resembled Shui''s, crying and talking about something to someone. But now it was all jumbled up in his mind. He couldn''t recall the exact words she was saying. The only sound that overshadowed everything was of the giant gold clock.


    *Meow*


    He dazedly looked down at the cat staring at him with her light brown irises.


    Xie Nuying said as she curiously observed her, "It''s so strange. She was meowing a lot just now when the cab stopped at the signal. She was continuously scratching the window, looking outside. I don''t know why she became so restless. But now she suddenly stopped meowing. She is so calm now."


    "Is that so..." Jun couldn''t understand it either.


    Did she...feel the same as me?


    No, no. That''s impossible...


    Jun lightly smiled and rubbed the top of her head. The cat closed her eyes and allowed him to ruffle her. She rubbed her face against his belly and settled down in his lap. He felt the cat''s comfort more relaxing.


    They reached the cat shelter where Jun and Xie Nuying talked to the person-in-charge.


    "Oh dear, that''s terrible! The owner abandoned the cat and now some kids bullied this poor one. Rest assured. You did the right thing in bringing the cat here," the woman smiled. "We will take good care of her and give her immediate medical attention."


    Xie Nuying nodded. Jun put the box on the desk, ready to hand her over.


    *Meow*


    He smiled. "You will be alright now. Nobody will bully you here."


    The cat kept staring at him with an unreadable gaze.


    Jun waved his hand in a goodbye to her and left the shelter while the cat watched him leave unblinkingly.


    --


    Ai and Zhou Yichen sat on a bench in a nearby park where Ai told him everything that had happened, including last night at the banquet. Zhou Yichen listened to her in silence while licking the ice cream cone in his hands.


    She lowered her gaze with a downtrodden expression. "Jun left early in the morning. I thought about going to the library to give us some space. Maybe, he will talk to me in the evening. If he doesn''t, then I will. We cannot solve anything if we don''t talk."


    "Hm...this ice cream is yummy," he nodded in appreciation.


    "..."


    Ai gave him a hard, judgmental stare.


    Zhou Yichen looked as if he was facing injustice. "Don''t look at me like that. You look so much like Nuying! Staring at me as if I am a weirdo."


    Ai said nothing.


    "You should say something against that, my dearest daughter! Don''t accept it so easily!"


    "I just told you my problem because you said you wanted to know. Now, you are talking about your ice-cream," she pursed her lips. "I don''t want to hear you praising the ice cream you are eating when I am sharing my troubles."


    "But the ice cream is really so delicious."


    "And I am talking about my fight with Jun."


    "Yeah exactly my point. You said you will talk to Jun in the evening if he doesn''t do so himself. But do you know what to talk about? Or else it would only make him angrier like how you are angry at me now."


    She blinked. "I know what to talk about."


    "And what is that?"


    She looked solemn. "I understand it was my fault for making Jun anxious. I realized a lot of things when I contemplated. I never confessed to Yating, but...there was a phase where there were some feelings between us. Then Yating confessed but I rejected him because...of some reasons. So seeing me dance with him definitely made him uncomfortable. As for taking care of him, I only did it out of humanity-"


    "Wrong," he cut her off. "This is what I am saying. You really don''t know what to talk about because you are not addressing the real issue here."


    Ai frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "Why do you think Jun-cute is uncomfortable? Because he is jealous?"


    She took an uncertain pause. "...Yes."


    Zhou Yichen smiled. "No. He is not jealous, my dear. He is afraid."


    "Afraid of what?"


    "That you will leave him and start loving Gu Yating again."


    She widened her eyes. "That''s impossible."


    "For you. Not for him. Tell me the truth. Did you help Gu Yating just because of humanity? Sure, that was a part of it. But were you also feeling guilty somewhere inside your heart?"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 398 Logic Obscures Feelings

    Licking some more of his ice cream, Zhou Yichen darted his gaze at Ai. "You know which is the annoying organ in a human"s body? The heart. The brain can be pretty much rational and logical, but when feelings come in between, it messes up the whole pace and situation at times."


    Ai''s eyes looked thoughtful.


    "It''s worse when the heart and the mind are not in sync. Even worse when what you think is something rational does not necessarily mean the same for the other person. You were not wrong in helping Gu Yating. But why you helped him started to look suspicious for Jun-cute. I am a man just like Jun-cute. I have loved a woman just like him, so I have an inkling of what he is thinking."


    He popped in the last bite of the cone and dusted his hands. "It would have been less of a problem if Gu Yating''s feelings were one-sided. But there was a time you had something for him too. I don''t know why you rejected him. Maybe there was some misunderstanding between you two. Then you learned what Gu Yating was planning to do for you. You learned his trauma, and it seems you realized you thought wrongly of him all this time. He is not a bad guy, after all."


    Ai nodded her head very slowly.


    Zhou Yichen shrugged. "But that kind of a situation does something to the person involved. We usually feel bad when we are wrong about something. It heightens when that something is actually a person. We behaved and acted unjustly to him. That feeling eats us up from within.


    Thoughts like, ''Ah he wasn''t wrong.'' or ''I made a mistake.'' or ''I shouldn''t have done this to him.'' or¡­''I feel guilty.''"


    Ai stiffened.


    "''So to compensate for my mistake, I will try to help him as much as possible. That''s the least I can do,'' was what you were thinking, right?"


    She said nothing, but her silence was the answer.


    "But you didn''t realize your behavior because you thought that it was rational of you. You give logic behind your actions and when you do that, the part of understanding others'' feelings becomes obscure at times."


    Zhou Yichen adjusted the position of his twig between his lips. "That''s what happened between you and Jun-cute. Now, if you think about everything from Jun-cute''s perspective, what do you think he is seeing? He is seeing that the man you disliked so much until now is suddenly not so bad anymore. It irks Jun-cute because Gu Yating is the same man you liked once upon a time. Then he saw your heart soften for him and he wondered,


    ''Ah, will they be friends now?'' or ''How much more of her heart will melt for him?'' or ''She went to take care of him. Is that because she is beginning to like him again?'' or ''She danced with him. Is that because her old feelings are coming back to her once again?'' or ''Is she so touched by him that she will forget me one day?'' or ''What would happen to me if they got even closer? Will she eventually leave me for him one day?'''' is what Jun-cute is thinking."


    Silence. The wind softly howled and Ai''s hair fluttered with it.


    Zhou Yichen touched his chin. "I won''t say it''s wrong of you to be friends with Gu Yating either. But you should learn how to balance the distance between your friendship with him and your relationship with Jun-cute. It''s a veeeeeery fine thread you are walking on."


    He tilted his head. "Or I think you are being misled by your friendship with Han Shui."


    Ai blinked twice. "Misled?"


    He shrugged again. "Well, aren''t you friends with Han Shui? You said so. You even went to her banquet. Normally, it''s very difficult for the ex and the current partners to be friends with each other. You know why. You like the same person so it becomes complicated. But you and Han Shui are pretty much cool about it. So did you unconsciously think that this is applicable for everybody?"


    "Of course not-"


    "I said unconsciously, not consciously. Then again, you should think about the whole situation holistically. Why was it easy for you and Han Shui to bond? Simply because you said Han Shui really doesn''t love Jun-cute. If she doesn''t love him, there is no reason for things to become complicated between you two. Consecutively, it''s easier for you two to be friends. That''s not the case between Jun-cute and Gu Yating.


    Gu Yating still seems to have feelings for you. So, you cannot expect Jun-cute to act warmly towards him when he likes the same woman as him. More so when Jun-cute thinks you are getting closer to him. You are seeing that as your responsibility, but he isn''t. So, the dynamics between you and Han Shui and between Gu Yating and Jun-cute is different. You might have thought that if Shui and I could become good friends, Jun and Yating might become one day too."


    Ai lowered her gaze and slowly pursed her lips.


    "Come on!" Zhou Yichen vigorously patted her shoulder. "Don''t look so dead. You can say¡­It''s neither your and Jun-cute''s fault but also both of you at the same. The situation was tricky."


    "Nothing is Jun''s fault," she whispered.


    He chuckled. "I don''t mean it that way. But trust is really important in a relationship. Surely, there are things with which you made him uncomfortable. But if he really knows you, he would know that you won''t betray him. You won''t love another man and leave him. It''s fine to be jealous. But it''s lethal to be anxious. Insecurities open a whole different can of worms. If there is no trust, it''s easy to shake a relationship very easily."


    He got up and smiled. "Then again, having fear and insecurities is what makes us humans. The only way to deal with it is to realize our mistakes, face them and build even deeper trust along the way."

 Chapter 399 And So The Catfight Begins

    Zhou Yichen rolled his eyes, seeing Ai so disheartened. He flicked on her forehead. "Don''t look so dead. You will ruin the charming looks you got from me."


    "..."


    "Also, it''s not the end. You have been together for hardly a few months. It''s understandable that the path to a good and long lasting relationship can be bumpy once in a while. You should be glad that this happened so that you know what to do and what not to do. Now, get up. Let''s go back and talk to Jun-cute."


    Ai nodded. "Thanks Dad...I would have not realized it by myself," she genuinely appreciated his help.


    He sheepishly grinned. "What can I say? I am just too good. The talent just continuously flows in each of my cells. I also wonder just how more awesome I can be. But you might start to feel inferiority complex. So I won''t praise myself too much~"


    Her brow twitched.


    You already did more than enough...


    "Oh yes, before we leave, I want another ice cream, hehe. Also, I am a bit low on cash so..." he winked, "please pay for me."


    "..."


    "It''s just an ice cream. Just how low on money are you?"


    "Hey! I wasted a lot of money on cabs to find my way. Now, I am broke," he snorted but it looked as if he was proud of it. "I couldn''t let your mother find you first. Time was of great essence."


    Ai mumbled as she adjusted her handbag. "You can find so many different careers to work in, but you cannot find your way in the city..."


    The words fell on his ears, and a lethal arrow pierced straight into his heart without mercy. "Ah Ai-chan, as always your roasting skills are unmatchable. It''s fine if they get a bit of rust on it, you know? I won''t mind. But Daddy still loves his daughter the most!" He chirped as he walked while wiping the blood off his lips.


    --


    Jun was personally giving a tour of Sky to Xie Nuying after she had some refreshments. When she met Xing Bi, the latter brightened with all her might. "Aunt Xie! Oh, gosh. I didn''t know you were in the city. Ai told me a lot about you! I always wanted to meet you."


    Xie Nuying bloomed with happiness. "Xing Bi. Indeed, Ai talked to me a lot about you too. Thank you for always helping my daughter. It feels nice to see her having good and reliable friends to depend on."


    Xing Bi waved her hand with embarrassment. "It''s my pleasure. I love Ai''s stories so much. I will do everything in my power to make her shine as a writer. And it''s not just her. Ai is so cool that I depend on her a lot too!"


    Xing Bi glanced at Jun and observed his expression. When he had left, he seemed to be distraught and disturbed. Now Xie Nuying was here too. She wondered if things would go well since Jun and Ai seemed to be having some differences.


    But now, she couldn''t gauge if Jun looked actually better or not. He looked as if he was much more comfortable than before, but then he also looked in a daze.


    I hope things don''t turn worse...


    Xie Nuying then met Hou Lin and Sun Bai along the way and they greeted her too.


    Jun took her to the last floor where his office was. Xie Nuying glanced through his office with appreciation. "You have good taste. I love your decor."


    He smiled with a little hint of shyness. "Thanks."


    "Otherwise there is Yichen, whose outrageous choice can make someone go blind," she smoothly


    snuck in her comment, more like a diss for Zhou Yichen.


    "..."


    I don''t know what to say to this...


    So he kept his silence.


    She looked satisfied. "I am glad Ai fell for a normal person."


    Yeah, I don''t know how to respond to that either, so I will keep my mouth shut.


    The door then opened just a bit with a head peeking in. Even before Jun saw her face, he recognized that it was Ai and he straightened up.


    Ai...


    His heart accelerated by a few beats.


    But for some reason, she wasn''t completely entering the office.


    "Oh come on! Get in already. I want to relax on the couch with the air-conditioning on!" Zhou Yichen''s voice reprimanded her from her back.


    Ai was mercilessly pushed inside with Zhou Yichen walking behind her. As soon as Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen''s gazes met, a deep and painful silence filled the office. Lightning crackled between their eyes too, and the air smelled of an upcoming war.


    Both were, naturally and very obviously not so thrilled to meet each other. What annoyed them the most was that they couldn''t meet Jun and Ai together first.


    She already met Jun-cute!? Zhou Yichen gritted his teeth.


    He already met Ai? Xie Nuying looked heavily disappointed.


    "So you are here," she commented with a grimace.


    "You are here too?" He sneered.


    "I am more shocked it took you so long. Aren''t you so adept in finding your ways? You couldn''t find your way in the city? You have no problem with finding a shady career. Or are your skills might be getting rusty?"


    He snorted. "I am just fine. I won''t get lost in the city. But are you okay? I am amazed you found Jun-cute all on your own. I thought you would definitely waste your time poking your nose in some students'' business. Professor Xie is hard to get rid of."


    "I believe it''s my responsibility to educate students so that they don''t become like you, who steals other people''s ideas."


    He glared at her. "For your kind information, YOU stole my brilliant idea of coming here! And now taking all the credit! Professor Xie, being shameless doesn''t suit an upright woman like you claim to be."


    "Shameless is you to stalk me all the way here like some pervert. You are not only a thief but also a pervert."


    At that moment, the same thought came across Jun and Ai''s minds.


    ''They have such good reading of people and relationships. How couldn''t they save their own marriage, I wonder...''


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 400 The Real Feelings Out (1)

    The four of them gathered on the couch with Jun''s two future in-laws emitting cold and purple aura as if they would get right at each other''s throats if they got a chance.


    Jun cleared his throat. "Coffee is ready," he said to break the tension in the air.


    But Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen reached out for the coffee pot at the same time. Their brows twitched.


    "As always, you have to interfere," Zhou Yichen glared and grimaced.


    "My fingers touched the pot first."


    "I saw the pot first!"


    "That way I met Jun first, I got to Sky first, so technically, I should remain here and you should leave this place."


    "..."


    Ai gave them a scolding stare. "If you fight like this, then I will make you both leave."


    They paused.


    That''s not a bad idea actually.


    Since Jun and Ai were at odds with each other now, it was important for them to talk and sort it out.


    Zhou Yichen coughed. "Aish, I just remembered. Jun-cute, I met a very beautiful receptionist on the way here, and I think that I should have a cup of coffee with her instead."


    Xie Nuying retorted. "Not if she doesn''t report you to the police first. You just look younger doesn''t mean your age is getting lesser."


    "You''re just jealous because you are getting gray hair," he snorted.


    "That''s far more pleasing than you acting in your twenties at your age," she narrowed her eyes.


    The fire to win the catfight burned furiously in their eyes, which they finally took outside.


    But before that, Xie Nuying whispered into Jun''s ears. "Remember what I said before? Confront the real reason."


    Zhou Yichen winked at Ai and gave her a thumbs up. He mouthed. ''You will do just fine.''


    The silence was quite deafening as they were left alone. Jun felt extremely guilty not only because of the fight but he simply went off in the morning without talking to Ai. He went on and off in his mind and finally decided what to say.


    "I am sorry."


    "I am sorry."


    It was at the moment when both said in unison. They faced each other, dumbfounded.


    "Why are you apologizing?"


    Ai asked back, "I should ask that to you. Why are you saying sorry?"


    Jun was taken aback. "Clearly, it was my fault. I acted stupidly."


    "No, you didn''t. It was my fault that I made you uncomfortable."


    "No, you didn''t. I over reacted."


    "It''s not over reacting. I took it for granted how Yating and my friendship could affect you," she pursed her lips. "I forgot such simple things. I was the idiot one."


    "No!" He glared at her. "How can you call yourself an idiot? I was an idiot for thinking that you¡­" he shut his eyes and finally confessed the root cause of everything that bugged him and made him lashed out at her last night, "you might develop feelings for Gu Yating again!"


    He breathed out hard, feeling utterly embarrassed and ashamed. He clasped his hands together, pressing his lips together.


    "I¡­wasn''t really mad that you helped Gu Yating or danced with him," he coughed after a pause, "Fine. I was a little jealous. But, it wasn''t just that."


    ''The underlying reason is something else but you are fighting for something else.''


    Xie Nuying''s words echoed in his mind.


    Jun scratched his head. "It''s just that¡­ugh! I wanted to keep us hating Gu Yating. It made me at ease because that way, the thought of going back to him wouldn''t cross your mind. I just wanted to feel safe. But then we learned about his surprise and his trauma¡­it was hard to hate him anymore. He was supposed to be the bad guy. But then he wasn''t. I¡­"


    Jun felt the frustration of his own feelings and thoughts making him angrier. "Its stupid but I wanted to be the only one good enough and perfect for you!"


    Ai said nothing. She recalled his words he had said to her one day.


    ''So that I could be the best in your eyes.''


    "I don''t want the possibility of some other man also good enough for you who can love you, protect you and give you everything that I can. I¡­" he mumbled, "it''s childish, but I don''t want you to have a choice between two men."


    Jun wanted to punch his own face. "But even though I know you wouldn''t leave me for Gu Yating, I still doubted you. I doubted your sincerity and loyalty," by then his eyes brimmed with tears, "I am really an idiot. Our relationship would go nowhere if we don''t trust each other. It will be over before we realize it. I will lose you forever. Not trusting you is the cruelest thing I did to you. Even my apology isn''t enough for that. You have every right to be disappointed in me."


    He pursed his lips. "That''s why I will¡­" he swallowed hard with his hands shivering and heart thudding. "I will accept whatever punishment you have to give me. E-even if you say you want to break up with me! B-But that won''t be for longer because I will win over you again!" He wiped his forehead.


    Jun braced himself for her response. Even a slap or two on his face.


    It''s better if she hits me rather than breaking up with me though, he prayed hard.


    He glanced up at Ai, gathering great courage in his heart but was stunned to see the tears escaping her eyes.


    "I-I¡­know I was pathetic but please don''t cry¡­" anxiety then gripped him even harder. "How about you hang me upside down the ceiling and use my face as a punching bag?"


    She sniffled and stared at him. "Do you think I will be so cruel?"


    "Well¡­you should be considering how I treated you¡­"


    "No. I have no right. You shouldn''t be even feel afraid of me thinking of a break up. I won''t."


    Somewhere, Jun felt relieved in his heart.


    Tears flowed out more. "I should be the one afraid instead if you ask for a breakup."


    "...."


    W-wait how did things take this turn? Why the hell would I break up with you!?

 Chapter 401 The Real Feelings Out (2)

    Jun rushed to sit beside her as he held her hand. "What stupid things are you saying? Why would I break up with you?"


    "Because I was completely at fault..." Ai cried, realizing her error. I became too blind to not see things from your perspective even though...even though I know how the past life was for you."


    "You..."


    Ai raised her palm. "Please let me speak. You should know how much of an idiot I was," she paused and continued, "It was the biggest shock for me to learn how Yating wanted to make a company for me. Even more of a shock when I realized that I completely misunderstood him. I thought he was ignoring me, and I kept spiraling in that depression in my last life. But...this feeling of misunderstanding him unsettled me."


    Drops of her tears stained her dress. "I felt how lacking I was in my relationship with him. He was doing so much for me and Mom and Dad''s approval, but I wasn''t doing anything for him. He was ready to go against his father and break the deal. He only thought about our future. Instead, I kept feeling disappointed in him. Then he saw me fall that night and did nothing to save him. I felt more disappointed in him but even more ashamed at myself when I came to know of his trauma."


    Her shoulders trembled and her vision blurred further. "I just...felt like a failure as his girlfriend in the past. I was questioning myself just what was I doing for those five years we dated? I didn''t try to look for any answers. I didn''t try to understand him. I kept blaming him when he didn''t deserve it. Wh-when all these feelings erupted in my heart, I felt pathetic...Somehow, I strongly felt that I should compensate him for always thinking him to be the bad person."


    She clutched her dress. "I felt guilty. He never disappointed me. I disappointed him. S-so...when I got his message that day, I felt like I should help him out of guilt and responsibility. I-I couldn''t do anything for him in my past life. I thought that at least in this life, I should pay him back for my mistakes...I know doing this was pointless or nowhere near enough. Guess I only wanted to just do that to satisfy my ego."


    "B-But by doing so, I completely missed out on your feelings. What will you think and feel seeing me act kinder to Yating...I completely ignored you. Even though I promised you on Valentine''s evening that I won''t do anything that would make you feel uncomfortable or anxious, I did the very same thing...I failed as a girlfriend once again...Why can I not do anything right..."


    Now Ai cried so much that Jun was afraid she would die of dehydration.


    "First, you stop crying so much!" He hugged her hand and wiped her tears. "I am afraid you will just dissipate into thin air."


    Listening to her side of the story made Jun feel even more repentant.


    Guilt...was a natural emotion to have when somebody misunderstood the situation. He himself knew that very well when Jin confessed the truth behind the events and his marriage to him and realized how wrong his hatred was towards a brother who loved him the most.


    How guilt could eat you up from inside.


    How guilt could make you feel miserable and lost.


    How guilt was a petrifying emotion to experience.


    When you realized that the lost years could never come back and somewhere, you were at fault for not handling the situation better to avoid it. That you could have done so much more to prevent the sadness and tragedy but in the end, you did nothing.


    You didn''t move a single step which later on urged you to run at full speed ahead only to make up for your mistakes and the lost time.


    Guilt is something nobody wants to go through and yet, both Jun and Ai went through the same path.


    "Don''t blame yourself Ai," he pressed his forehead on her hand. His warm breath softly fanned her skin. "You were not wrong in feeling guilty. I should have understood that because I have already gone through that."


    He mockingly laughed at himself. "Didn''t I feel the same way for Jin? I should have seen your feelings coming, yet I remained hung up on my insecurities."


    Ai pursed her lips. "Why are you still blaming yourself? I just expressed the whole point of our fight, which was me."


    "The whole point was me," Jun refused to accept.


    "No, it was me."


    "Ai, don''t be silly. I didn''t trust you and that''s unforgivable."


    "I paid more attention to Yating and completely ignored your feelings. It is me!"


    Jun grimaced and faced her. "Ai, do you want to start another fight of who is to blame and who isn''t?"


    She didn''t back down. "It''s definitely not me starting to fight. Just accept that it''s my fault and please forgive me."


    "It''s not your fault when I acted like a selfish brat. I hurt you by not trusting you. I am definitely the one responsible."


    "Why are you so stubborn, Jun?"


    His gaze darkened. "Sorry for being stubborn when it''s my fault but my girlfriend is hell bent on taking responsibility for it."


    "You are an idiot."


    He sneered. "At this point, you are an idiot."


    Ai''s cheeks puffed up like two balloons, and the top of her head was close to bursting. "You..."


    "Yeah what?"


    "You are not a very nice person," she pressed her lips together.


    "..."


    That''s the only thing you came up with considering how your words could brutally kill somebody?


    They turned their heads away in a bout of anger. After a long silence, Jun mumbled, "Sorry for leaving home just like that in the morning..."


    "Hm," she hummed.


    "Sorry for keeping you out for the whole night..."


    "Hm."


    "Sorry for not appreciating how you climbed the swing on your own. I am really proud of you."


    Her gaze softened. "En."


    "Sorry for beginning this whole fight between us..."


    "Yes-" she blinked and froze. "No. No, wait-"


    "Hah!" Jun laughed in victory. "I won. I won! You accepted it''s my fault. You said yes. Ah, I feel so much better now~"


    "..."


    Mixing his main apology amidst other apologies...


    For the first time, Ai wished she could strangle her own boyfriend.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 402 A Hissing Cat And A Friendly Cat

    Jun grabbed her hand and pulled her to sit on his lap. He locked her body with his arms. "Aren''t you too cruel for already leaving when we have just patched up?"


    "Did we? I don''t remember," she gave him a displeased stare.


    He seriously nodded. "That''s true. I think you won''t understand my feelings through words."


    Without giving her any time to react, he leaned and kissed her lips. She tried to struggle but all in vain when his fingertips caressed her cheeks. Each brush of his lips against hers felt like a gush of warmth and fluffiness tickling his chest. He hugged her tighter, feeling as it was ages since he held her.


    It was just one night without her, yet he missed her like anything.


    It was just one day that their fight lasted, yet the distance had stabbed his heart with knives.


    Claiming her lips to his heart''s content, he buried his face in the nape of her neck and peppered soft kisses on her skin. His eyelashes fluttered against it, and he couldn''t help but chuckle thinking of the difference between the last night and today.


    "I thought we won''t talk for days..." he mumbled.


    Ai complained. "You surely looked like that to me. I wouldn''t have let you keep your silence anyway," she then said, "I have decided now that I won''t meet or talk to Yating anymore."


    "No," he pressed his forehead against shoulder. "You don''t have to do that. I don''t want to restrict your freedom. I don''t want to be such a controlling boyfriend. I know I don''t have to feel threatened by Gu Yating...It was my mistake that I did."


    He mumbled to himself. "I am too possessive at times. I need to keep that in check..."


    Ai harrumphed. "You don''t have to feel that you are controlling me. It''s a decision I have made."


    "For which I am the cause. So, no. You don''t have to do any of this. I am really fine with you two being friends. But he better do that the same too or I will punch his face," his gaze darkened.


    She kissed his forehead. "If he doesn''t, then I will set him straight."


    He snorted. "Better."


    He looked annoyed at first but then sighed. "You were right about Gu Yating last night. It''s not wrong if he still somewhere has feelings for you..." it was an extremely difficult and uncomfortable truth to confess. "Firstly, you are so amazing that it''s hard to give up on you. And then," his gaze dimmed, "It''s equally hard to move on from your first love. I have treated him unjustly..."


    She shook her head. "You don''t have to blame yourself. If Shui had feelings for you too, maybe, I would have acted the same way. But she doesn''t and that''s why I underestimated the situation between you and Yating. I am sorry," she regretted.


    Jun fumed and pinched her cheek hard.


    "Ow-ow!"


    "Didn''t I tell you not to apologize? You really don''t listen to me, don''t you?"


    She rubbed her cheek in displeasure. "Sometimes I don''t like how doting you are."


    "..."


    I never thought that would be a point of complaint...


    He sighed pressing his temples.


    Ai blinked. "Are you not feeling well?" She then realized and her shoulders slumped. "Is it because you couldn''t get decent sleep last night?"


    "No...It''s something that-"


    Jun widened his eyes and straightened up, knocking Ai''s balance too. But she was safe in his grip anyway. "I forgot to tell you!"


    "What is it?"


    "Something strange happened today when Aunt and I were coming back to Sky."


    He quickly recounted the events surrounding the cat and the golden clock which he assumed he wasn''t hallucinating.


    "I feel like I heard something too. Was it Shui or somebody else...? I don''t remember anymore. But it was so strange. It suddenly became night in front of me. The same night when we died and that clock was floating in the air. That sound was so loud that it''s still ringing in my ears."


    Her lips parted slightly in shock and bewilderment. "This happened near Dream High?"


    "Yeah. It was the same road. It felt as if I could clearly see my car crashing from the opposite side. You know like...the whole accident was happening in front of me. Did it ever happen to you?"


    She furrowed her brows in deep thought. "I did go to Dream High once in the very beginning. It was Christmas night when I met Yating. But...I didn''t see a clock at that time or I didn''t have this experience."


    Jun was puzzled.


    Then why did only I see it?


    "Do you know something that might have triggered the vision?"


    He was clueless. "Nothing. We were just in the cab going towards the cat shelter."


    With that, Ai mentioned. "It''s strange. You know, I met a cat today too. He was in the alley near the library. His eyes were just like you. And then he hissed at me a lot which again reminded me of you."


    "..."


    Jun gritted his teeth and smiled. "You mean to say that I am not friendly?"


    "You were not in the beginning."


    "..."


    "But then you warmed up to me," she looked proud, "I am sure I will win over the cat too one day, and he will let me pet him."


    "Yeah I hope he doesn''t let you," he sneered.


    She felt dissatisfied. "You are so vengeful. But coming back to the point, maybe it''s something related to what grandma said at the carnival. It''s a place where we died together. Maybe that''s why..."


    She wondered if she would see that golden clock too if she visited Dream High again.


    "How about we go to that place together again? Maybe we will see that clock again," she suggested.


    "That''s a good idea. Maybe the voices that I heard...will become clearer."


    "Oh and how was the cat that you met?" Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.


    Jun smiled. "It''s such a coincidence. She had the same light brown irises as you. She reminded me of you. She was so cool. She scratched the bullies and..." he gleefully said, "she warmed up to me and let me ruffle her too~"


    Listening to this, Ai felt extremely jealous.


    Why couldn''t I pet the cat I met?


    She answered calmly. "It was to be expected. We seem to be similar, so we are very warm and friendly towards other people."


    "..."


    Your jealousy is leaking, my dear girlfriend...


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 403 The Plan To Meet Mr. Liu’s Family

    "And we are back!!! Who missed me?" Zhou Yichen''s booming and chirpy voice resounded in Jun''s office as he barged in.


    Jun and Ai froze as she was sitting on his lap, a position which might be embarrassing for a parent to witness.


    "Oh you were acting all cuddly and mushy mushy? That''s great! Ah reminds me of my younger days..." he reminisced.


    Ai quickly jumped up and stood straight on her feet while Jun sprung up in a position as if nothing happened.


    Zhou Yichen whistled and waved his hand in dismissal. "Aish, you youngsters don''t have to be so reserved. If this gives me a grandchild, then I will gladly step out to give the two of you some privacy."


    Jun puked blood. "T-that''s...we were not doing anything like that..." he scratched his throat.


    Behind him, Xie Nuying said, "It''s alright, dear. I am a very forward-minded person," she nodded.


    The couple had nothing to say.


    Zhou Yichen sneered. "Ah, professor Xie talking about forward mindedness."


    "Is there a problem?" She shot back. "I don''t expect you to understand it either."


    "Perhaps that''s because you didn''t show it properly during the years we lived."


    She narrowed her eyes. "I am pretty sure I was very flexible, especially when it came to your not so traditional lifestyle."


    "Hah! You claim you are flexible, but you are just a strict and traditional person inside in your dark heart!"


    "There is a reason why being traditional is preferred and still in practice because it gives stability."


    "Ah there you go again with your stability lecture. People don''t need just stability but some fun in their lives too!"


    "That fun shouldn''t consume 99% of their life, leaving just 1% to stability and security as if they are doing a favor. You need to have a sense of responsibility too."


    "I am so sorry oh the ever so responsible Miss. Xie for failing to open your eyes to see that fun and responsibility can go hand in hand."


    "Oh which hand of yours was responsible, considering your flirtatious behavior?"


    Ai coldly intervened. "This is enough. You don''t have to start a fight every time you meet."


    The two adults stiffened and looked away while coughing a bit.


    "Tell that to your mother who doesn''t leave my way..."


    "Tell that to your father who refuses to leave my way...


    They whispered under their breath.


    Zhou Yichen then said, "Well! Jun-cute, I must say you have built a great company. Your employees are so nice~"


    Xie Nuying snorted. "You should add female employees..."


    He glared at her, but with how Ai was drilling her sharp gaze into him, he promptly backed down from rebuking.


    "*Ahem* so Jun-cute!"


    Jun looked at him. "Yes, Uncle?"


    "Now that I am in Beijing, how about I meet your family?" His face glittered like gold. "Isn''t this a super awesome chance?"


    Jun stared at him hard until his eyes started to water. You want to meet my family?"


    "Yes!" He chirped.


    Xie Nuying chimed in. "Me too. After all, it''s only proper and responsible to give my greetings to them now that I am in the city."


    They silently threw poisonous gaze at each other.


    Though Jun''s family doesn''t need to meet you. Seeing your too colorful lifestyle, what will they think of my Ai?


    Though Jun-cute''s family doesn''t need to meet you! Seeing your too rigid expression, they will definitely think that my Ai-chan is no fun!


    Jun slowly shut his eyes.


    This day was bound to come...


    He smiled. "Sure, you can meet my family. They will also be thrilled to meet you."


    "That''s great!" The fighting cats duo beamed.


    "But."


    "But?" They tilted their heads.


    "If it''s not too inconvenient for you, can you please wait for sometime before I take you to my family? There are four people in my family that I need to dispose of before you step into Liu villa."


    Ai''s mouth heavily twitched.


    Grandpa, Uncle Jing, Jian and Nian...


    Xie Nuying blinked. "Oh. Who are these four people?"


    Jun smiled again which never reached his eyes. "It''s hard for me to say this, but these particular four people will only cause trouble for you. The mental capacities of these people are a little questionable. But you don''t need to worry for Ai. She will be fine."


    Jun could practically imagine the gang of four ganging up on him and laughing evilly like demons who will have fun at his expense the moment they met Ai''s parents.


    A lot of embarrassing fun which Jun would never allow.


    Zhou Yichen sighed. "Aish. How fate is so harsh for some people...Sure, Jun-cute! If that''s what you want."


    "I appreciate it, Uncle. Oh and I hope you and Aunt haven''t booked any rooms in any hotel. You will stay with us in our condo."


    Ai beamed. "Really?"


    "Of course that''s a given. Why will they stay in hotels?"


    Xie Nuying warmly smiled. "You are so kind," she shot a displeased stare at Zhou Yichen. "Unlike a certain someone here."


    "I heard that!"


    "Because I wanted you to hear it."


    Zhou Yichen tremblingly pointed his finger at her. "Jun-cute, it''s impossible that I will live with her under one roof!"


    "Don''t say as if I am too thrilled about this," she retorted. "Your colorful clothes blinds my eyes."


    "Your rigid face ruins my appetite!"


    "If this is how you will act in front of Jun''s parents and family, then I am canceling the meeting plan," Ai gave a cold ultimatum.


    They froze and withdrew from the war.


    "And I want you two to be on your best behavior when you live in the condo. No fighting and throwing shades at each other," she harrumphed.


    Their brows twitched.


    Sharing the same space and breathing the same air and not getting to throw shades at the other party?


    They wondered how they would digest their food?


    Ai whispered in Jun''s ear. "You really won''t let those four be in the meeting?"


    His expression didn''t look good. "Dead serious. I know the only thing they will do is pull my leg. Like hell I am handing this chance to them on a silver platter!"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 404 Cai Lingyun’s Messy Life

    A day passed by and ''Guiying'', who was unaware that the misunderstanding between Jun and Ai had gotten settled, was celebrating the previous evening of her victory. ''She'' was sure that a few more pushes in the right direction would trigger a massive fallout between them one day.


    ''She'' smiled, thinking how she couldn''t wait for that day to come. Jun''s destruction would soon be in front of her. That could go on for a while.


    But today, the real Guiying inside her had a mission to accomplish. It was high time that she would start working on her draft. Since the Summit till now, she hadn''t pursued any idea because she was in a slump. But to return to her glory and make an impact that she always had, she had to think of a story.


    ''Guiying'' pressed her lips in distaste, thinking of Zixin.


    "Who knew he would turn out to be Liu Jun''s cousin," ''she'' clicked her tongue. "It''s better for you if you don''t have anything to do with him. Liu Jun or anybody related to him - just stay far away from all of them. Heh. These rich people think they can play with somebody''s feelings like it''s a game," ''she'' sneered. "But now, it''s my turn. That Chen Zixin¡­won''t be any good either."


    The doorbell rang, and ''Guiying'' felt too lazy to attend it. But it kept ringing incessantly, forcing her to get up.


    Fuck who is it!?


    Upon opening, ''her'' morning mood took a downward spiral, seeing Cai Lingyun wobbling in front of her apartment''s door. His clothes were messy and his mouth was stinking with alcohol''s smell.


    ''Guiying'' gritted her teeth and felt disgusted. "What are you doing here and in this state? You are being pathetic!"


    Cai Lingyun raised his head with dizziness and saw his sister as if there were five or six of them standing before him.


    "S-so many of you¡­"


    It was hardly two minutes, but ''she'' was already losing her patience. "What are you doing here and gosh, why are you so drunk!? Just look at yourself!"


    "Guiying¡­" Cai Lingyun stumbled inside with a helpless and fearful expression. "Help me¡­"


    ''She'' grimaced. "First name yourself a little human before asking for help! What is wrong with you?"


    Cai Lingyun shook her shoulder and looked increasingly panicked and worried. "Y-you didn''t call me, Guiying¡­E-Ever since we returned from Shanghai, you haven''t talked to me at all¡­"


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow.


    His face then became messy with sweat and tears. "Why¡­Why Guiying? Why aren''t you talking to me? Do you know h-how life has been for me like¡­? When I returned to Beijing, m-my job was already gone¡­My job was gone Guiying!"


    He suddenly raised his voice which shot through her eardrums.


    Damn!


    "And I-I tried to find another job, but¡­" he shook her shoulders, "I am not getting any! Guiying, I-I am trying so hard¡­No-nobody is taking me in," his face looked pale and white, "What am I gonna do¡­? A-and you know? M-My savings are getting over. I barely get anything to eat and now my apartment''s rent¡­The due date is coming, but I-I have nothing to pay, Guiying¡­" he cried. "That landlady is ready to throw me out by next week¡­What will I do then? You have to help me!!"


    ''She'' glared at him. "Leave my apartment first! Come here when you are dressed properly and in your fucking senses!"


    "Huh¡­?"


    Cai Lingyun''s head buzzed with her sharp and dominating voice. "What¡­y-you are throwing me out too? But you promised you will be there for me¡­Guiying¡­"


    He took another wobbly step. "I haven''t forgotten. You told me¡­that you will help me in getting Ai."


    ''Guiying'' inwardly snorted.


    As if that was ever possible. Even if Liu Jun wasn''t there in his life, do you think you could have won against Gu Yating?


    "I-I am still waiting, Guiying. Where is Ai? We haven''t m-met since Shanghai? It''s been so long¡­" he slowly smiled, "What should I do next to win her? It''s all¡­"


    He faltered and almost collapsed on the floor had he not caught the couch. "Liu Jun''s fault¡­" he whispered to himself, "He-he is the one blocking everything for me. My job, money, apartment and Ai¡­He-he is taking everything from me. It''s all his doing!"


    Once again, he spoke a little louder than necessary.


    ''Guiying'' pushed him away. "Enough! If you keep going on like this, I will be soon thrown out of this apartment because of you! Behave yourself!"


    Cai Lingyun laughed. "Behave myself?"


    "Fucking yes! Do you think you are any innocent!? Exposing the elevator tape was still fine. That was my plan, and that was a safe plan. But what the hell were you thinking when you pushed that paint can on Liu Jun''s head!? Do you know his brother got hurt? You should be fucking feeling grateful! You would have been in jail by now. I don''t know what happened that made their attention distract from punishing you. They suddenly left Shanghai in a hurry. But thank your stars that it''s just your job and apartment. You could have been in jail right now! His brother could have died!"


    Cai Lingyun could barely make any sense of his surroundings now. "T-then it would be good if he died. Liu Jun¡­Liu Jun¡­The nerve of him suddenly coming i-in her life¡­and dating her¡­?" He tilted his head. "I-I have known Ai far longer than him. BUT HE SNATCHED HER AWAY FROM ME!"


    His voice roared in her apartment, making ''Guiying'' widen her eyes.


    "You¡­This is an apartment complex! For hell''s sake, talk slowly!"


    Cai Lingyun didn''t bother. "Guiying¡­tell me. What should I do? Y-you will help me getting Ai¡­that''s what you said¡­I know¡­" he laughed, "Once I have Ai, everything will return to normal in my life¡­She is missing from my life, that''s why, it''s such a mess. You have to help me. Liu Jun, we need to discard him. He is the thorn in my life¡­"


    ''Guiying'' took a deep breath to calm her emotions. "Okay. Listen to me. Right now, things are a little heated because of the genius ''murder'' you had planned," ''she'' grimaced. "So lay low-"


    "No, no. Tell me what I should do now. I need to get things back on the track," he nodded.


    ''She'' was losing her patience. "Like I said, it''s not possible now-"


    *SLAP!*

 Chapter 405 To Protect Her

    ''Guiying'' stumbled back harshly with a loud and crisp slap hitting her face. Her head buzzed with a ringing noise, and her cheek felt numb but stinging with pain at the same time as if somebody had poured acid upon it.


    ''She'' unblinkingly stared ahead at the empty air, going completely quiet. The air between the siblings turned equally silent.


    Cai Lingyun bobbed his head sideways with a violent disagreement. "Why don''t you understand!? The hell you are saying that it''s not possible, it''s not possible! Do you know how irritating that is? I want you to say that, ''Yes, Bro. I will help you.'' But you are talking shit!"


    He sighed hard, clutching his head with pain as he had drank too much alcohol. "So what if I tried to harm Liu Jun? He¡­He was fucking t-touching Ai! Do you know that? I heard them¡­in their room¡­they were having sex! That''s disgusting!"


    His fist balled into a dangerous fist and he punched the table in front of the couch. A sharp, ominous noise echoed that would make anybody''s hair crawl.


    "He was touching Ai!!! Do you think I should tolerate that!? He deserved to die! So you¡­don''t say that it''s impossible! You are my sister, Guiying! Helping your brother is your responsibility! Don''t fucking give me that nonsense answer!" He exclaimed.


    ''Guiying'' ever so slowly stood on her feet, holding her cheek in her palm. ''She'' looked at Cai Lingyun, her gaze swirling with a deadly emotion.


    Cai Lingyun pointed his finger at her. "So-so you will help me, okay?"


    ''Guiying'' took two slow steps but carried a weight in them that was hard to ignore. "Cai Lingyun," ''her'' voice was equally difficult to ignore.


    He widened his eyes.


    "Who the hell do you think you are to slap me?"


    "You¡­this is how you will talk to your elder brother!?" His fuse short-circuited further, and he raised his hand to slap her again.


    But this time, ''Guiying'' caught it in her hand and instead, slapped him tightly on his cheek. Her palm turned redder and trembled with a slight pain, but it was nothing compared to the satisfaction she got by watching him fall.


    Cai Lingyun was beyond bewildered. "You slapped me¡­"


    ''Guiying'' kicked his knee with her foot, making him stumble. "You piece of trash. You think you can treat me that way? I am not your slave that you can beat me at your convenience."


    ''She'' bent down and looked straight into his eyes. "You still didn''t learn your lesson, did you? From all those years back you used to abuse me whenever you got angry? It was a hard thing for the idiot inside me to deal with that shit. Did you forget how I almost killed you with a piece of glass on your neck that night? Ah...I really should have killed you that day. Everytime¡­every single time taking your anger out on Guiying as if she was a punching bag¡­I needed to be there for her because then who would protect her? But it seems that I might have been getting lax that you thought of going back to your old ways."


    Cai Lingyun shuddered. He remembered that day very well when the quiet Guiying who always had her head held down suddenly broke the mirror, grabbed a glass shard and threatened to end his life.


    That scene was etched into his mind crystal clear. His sister who was always so docile suddenly bared her fangs. She looked differently. She acted differently.


    Everything was menacing about her, and he couldn''t process that change which occurred within her.


    Cai Lingyun was completely drunk and now was suffering back to back setbacks that he forgot about this existence inside Guiying. But now those memories got refreshed in his mind.


    ''She'' smiled. "Oh~ Just look at your face. It seems that you remember now. That''s great. I thought I lost my touch."


    Cai Lingyun stared at her with anger bubbling inside him, not only because of the slap but also thinking about Jun and Ai.


    "I want Ai at all costs. I want Ai at all costs¡­"


    ''She'' gazed back at him and laughed mockingly. "Impossible. Not just because of Liu Jun."


    "You¡­"


    "Did you seriously believe me when I said that I will help you in getting Zhou Ai?" ''She'' chuckled. "Ahahahaha. That''s some nice imagination you got there. You think I am an idiot?"


    Within a fraction of a moment, ''her'' gaze turned icy. "You know what, Cai Lingyun? I know I have my issues with Zhou Ai. I don''t like her at all, and I feel stupid that Guiying is friends with her. But¡­"


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes and pressed the spot on his knee which she just hit, making Cai Lingyun yelp in pain. "There is no woman in this world who deserves to live with an abusive man and in an abusive relationship no matter how much I hate her," she spoke in a deathly quiet voice.


    "I do want to give her pain. I want to see her suffer because of all the things she snatched away from Guiying. But I don''t want revenge by a man beating her up in a fit of anger as and when he pleases."


    "Pre-preposterous! I would never beat Ai! I love her!" He screamed.


    ''Guiying'' laughed. "Well, you are supposed to love your little sister too but how much of that am I seeing happening? If you could abuse your sister with whom you share your blood, then forget about Zhou Ai. A day would come when you start abusing her too if things didn''t go your way. It starts at home. You abuse your sister today. You abuse your wife tomorrow. That is something I won''t allow to happen with Zhou Ai or with any woman. Now get out before I kick your balls."


    ''She'' sneered and stood up. As ''she'' turned, Cai Lingyun suddenly grabbed a fist of her hair. "You cannot do this to me! You-you have to help me!!"


    "Ahhh!" ''she'' yelped in pain and tears filled her eyes by how harshly he was pulling her hair. At that angle, she couldn''t do much to defend herself either.


    Damn!


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 406 Can I Be Your Friend?

    The scuffle lasted for a few minutes and every moment was getting difficult to handle for ''Guiying''. Cai Lingyun''s fury added to his strength as he pushed her harshly.


    "Let me go!"


    "Guiying, you cannot do this to me! J-Just look at me! My l-life is such a mess. Liu Jun ruined everything for me and he took Ai away from me! You think I am supposed to live shitty like this forever!?" He exclaimed, seeing how even his sister wanted to give up on him.


    ''Guiying''s'' scalp was aching with how harshly he had pulled her hair.


    Fucking beast!


    She tried to stand steady, but she felt pain in her ankle which had twisted when he pushed her.


    Cai Lingyun grabbed her arms. "Tell me that you will talk to Ai about me, right? You two are best friends. She-she will listen to you..."


    "Stop dreaming, Cai Lingyun!" She roared. "And enough is enough! You dare pull my hair...I will kill you! Don''t think that I am that weak Guiying who would just duck her head in fear!"


    The sound of his teeth grinding became sharper and fiercer. "You-"


    *Ring ring ring*


    ,m The doorbell was once again ringing incessantly accompanied by loud banging of the door this time.


    ''Guiying'' didn''t know who it was, but ''she'' could finally breathe. She limped her way to attend when Cai Lingyun grabbed her again and stopped her from leaving. "Wh-where are you going? You have to help me...Are you saying you are leaving me alone?"


    Somebody outside was still banging on the door with no intention to leave.


    ''She'' sneered. "You were never of much use anyway. The idiot inside me might still have some feelings for you as a sister but don''t expect any mercy from me with all the years of abuse and the freaking slap just now."


    Cai Lingyun''s expression turned even deadlier. With Ai gone and Guiying leaving his side too, he could see a dark future ahead of him.


    "GUIYING!"


    A second later when Cai Lingyun screamed, the door suddenly broke open with a loud and deafening roar. There was another second pause after which he was pulled away from Guiying and a punch landed on his cheeks. It gave a deep and menacing cut which oozed blood and made him cough hard.


    Cai Lingyun easily collapsed because of the drunken state he was already in. Dizziness and darkness surrounded his eyes.


    ''Guiying'' tilted her head and raised her gaze up to see Zixin standing right in front of her. His palm and fingers were curled into a fist and the outline of veins became visible on his knuckles. His expression seemed impassive, but his eyes gave away the frostiness with which he shot deathly glares at Cai Lingyun.


    The chilliness disappeared as if it was never there when his gaze fell on Guiying. Instead, his beautiful black irises were marred with worry and concern. He gave her a quick glance from head to toe and noticed three things. She was slightly limping where she stood, her right cheek was reddish and swollen with the trace of fingerprints on her skin, and her hair looked messy as if somebody had pulled them forcibly.


    Zixin''s temper sparked through the roof and this time, his expression was not so calm and composed. He trembled where he stood with a strange and murderous emotion enveloping his heart. He was still very quiet but within him, numerous emotions and thoughts were causing chaos.


    He thought that nothing never or could faze him to the point of getting so furious that he might wish to kill someone. He imagined himself to be poised in that sense. But Cai Lingyun proved him wrong.


    Cai Lingyun was already passed out, so Zixin didn''t pay him much attention. For now.


    Instead he hurried towards Guiying and anxiously said, "I will take you to the hospital."


    ''She'' remained silent. Sure, ''she'' saw him punching the shit out of her brother and it really did hit the satisfaction spot in her heart. But she couldn''t forget that he was related to Jun as well.


    Why is this cousin here?


    ''Guiying'' heard some furious whispers outside the door and noticed the neighbors peeking in her apartment.


    "Who was shouting so much?"


    "Gosh, this man was causing such a ruckus..."


    "Poor Guiying to have such a brother. Look how messy he looks."


    "You need treatment. I will take you to the hospital," Zixin said again, snapping her attention back to him.


    ''She'' shrugged. "No. I am fine. If you could help me just one more time, please throw this trash out of my house."


    Zixin''s icy gaze landed at Cai Lingyun, and he whispered threateningly in his lips. "That I will do for sure."


    He looked at Guiying and worriedly expressed. "But you need first aid too."


    "I am fine."


    ''Guiying'' smiled at the neighbors. "I apologize for all this mess. This won''t happen again."


    "Are you okay?"


    One gasped. "This man clearly beat you up. Preposterous!"


    "He is your brother at that. Has he lost it?"


    ''She'' smiled again. "What can I say? Life turns some people very shitty."


    One of the neighbors who clearly didn''t want to be a part of or get entangled in any possible police case, promptly left her apartment. Seeing that, others quickly left too after assuring her that they would always be there to help her.


    ''Guiying'' rolled her eyes. "Such terrible acting..."


    ''She'' glanced at Zixin who was still standing at his same spot and staring at her with concern.


    "You won''t leave?" ''She'' raised her brow.


    He pursed his lips. "I cannot leave you alone in this condition. You need treatment. Let me take you to the hospital."


    ''Guiying'' folded her arms and scrutinized him. "I appreciate you helping me. I needed that save. But I don''t need anything more than that. If I want treatment, I will go alone."


    "Why? Is it so disagreeable for me to help you?" He softly asked.


    ''Guiying'' felt a strong resistance from within her. Clearly, Guiying wasn''t pleased with her alter ego''s behavior.


    "Yes," ''she'' stared straight at him. "You or anybody related to you - I prefer to keep my distance from all of you."


    He said nothing.


    ''Guiying'' sighed in pain and limped her way to the place where the medicine box was kept. She took out a cream for sprain and sat on the couch.


    Zixin observed her tending to herself in silence. She then applied some ointment to her cheek to reduce the stinging. He glanced at Cai Lingyun, unable to control his urge to kill him yet again.


    Why am I so riled up? It feels uncomfortable and so frustrating...


    ''I prefer to keep my distance from all of you.''


    Zixin was contemplating his own feelings. He felt a little lost hearing that.


    At the banquet, she didn''t seem like that. He observed her and wondered why Guiying seemed to act warm at times and why so hostile at other times.


    He said, "Let me at least help you put the ointment."


    ''She'' furrowed her brows. "I am almost done anyway. So, no thanks."


    His expression dropped. But he didn''t give up. "Can I sit beside you?"


    ''Guiying'' felt like she could hear an additional word at least in his question too.


    ''Can I ''at least'' sit beside you?''


    ''Her'' mouth twitched. "Be my guest."


    Zixin''s face blossomed and he sat beside her in a perfect and elegant position.


    Both had questions in their minds, and ''Guiying'' went ahead first. "Why are you here at my place anyway?"


    He answered with sincerity. "To help you with your novel. We decided to meet and brainstorm some ideas together."


    ''Her'' eyes widened. "You came for that?"


    "Yes."


    "Wait, you remember that?"


    "Yes."


    "And you took that seriously?"


    "Is there a reason for me not to?"


    ''She'' raised her brow. "Does the CEO of Chen Corps have the time to waste upon an author with brainstorming ideas? I am sure you have a lot more important work than that."


    He blinked twice. "This is important or I wouldn''t have promised you. Also, I like your books very much and I am serious about helping you. I really do want to know how the whole process works and how you work as a writer. You don''t have to consider me as a CEO."


    "Then what should I consider you?"


    Zixin softly smiled. "Your fan."


    "..."


    ''Guiying'' shrugged and went back to giving herself first aid.


    It was a few moments later when Zixin asked the burning question he had in his mind, "This man really is your brother?"


    ''She'' paused and smiled. "Certainly the relationship is different from the normal siblings you have seen."


    "Has he hit you before?"


    "This has got nothing to do with you."


    He stiffened.


    "...Why not?"


    ''She'' frowned. "Why are you so inquisitive? Are we friends?"


    Zixin gave it a thought. "I guess I didn''t officially ask you that question."


    "So you are not my friend. You are here in the capacity as my fan, and I cannot go on spilling my personal life to my fans even though you might be concerned about me. Do you ever see movie stars revealing their life and past to their fans?"


    "No."


    "There is your answer."


    He stayed silent because she had a valid point. Then he asked after some considerable amount of time passed, "Can I be your friend?"


    "..."

 Chapter 407 The Unlimited Food Festival Plan

    Liu villa.


    It was the tenth time that Nana sighed, which made Nuo question her mother. "Mom, if you sigh like this, Dad will be very sad. You know that he cannot bear to see your beautiful face marred with lines."


    She pursed her lips. "What should I do, Nuo? I still feel restless after Shui''s banquet. Jun was so angry...not just at Gu Yating but also towards Ai. It''s not sitting well with me. I don''t want them to fight."


    "Then call him."


    "I did. He said that everything is fine, though he might be hiding things too. How should I know if he is telling the truth?" She harrumphed. "That boy makes me worry sometimes."


    Jin was quiet at that. He was lost in his own thoughts as he silently ate his food. Suddenly, a hand came in and grabbed a piece of egg roll from his plate.


    Jian was pleased and sat on the opposite side beside Nian as he gobbled up the egg roll with satisfaction. "What are you all talking about?"


    Nana smacked on his head. "How many times have I told you not to steal food!"


    "I was hungryyy."


    Jin looked at him with disdain. But he ignored him and the three other clowns who were eating food as if they were going to die tomorrow.


    Jing kicked Liu Hai''s chair away. "Stay away from my plate, you stinky old man!"


    Liu Hai exclaimed. "Shut up you stinky son!"


    Nian was busy grinning ear to ear as he munched on his food while simultaneously texting Xing Bi.


    Nana pressed her lips again. "You should say something! Here I am worried about Jun and Ai, and you are all busy gobbling food! Food is not going anywhere," she scolded them.


    The gang of four paused and pouted their lips. Then they shrugged and resumed eating again.


    "You all..."


    Jian waved his hand. "He will be fine, Mom."


    "Yes, yes, my granddaughter-in-law is super smart. She will handle it all."


    Nian sheepishly grinned. "My Xing Bi is also super smart."


    Jing was in deep thought, which was quite novel of him considering that he was eating food. "I don''t think I have properly met Zhou Ai yet..."


    Nuo sneered. "It''s because you are either busy with food or busy with Uncle Yukito. I am amazed you even know about her existence."


    "..."


    "That''s so mean, my dear niece!" He cried.


    Nana grumbled with complaint to herself. Jin glanced at her and sighed. He held her hand and assured her. "Mom, if Bro is saying he is fine, then he is really fine. He won''t lie to you. He cannot lie anyway. He is like an open book. I am sure everything must be fine between them."


    Nian grinned. "Aiyo, my little brother has changed so much. You hated Ai so much before but now you support them so wholeheartedly...Big brother is very happy!"


    Jin shot him a displeased stare. "You should stop overeating, Bro or don''t complain later on when Xing Bi refuses to have an oversized husband like you in the future."


    "..."


    "Liu Jin, do you hate me!? For your kind information, I work out a lot and burn all my excess calories. Don''t curse my future with Xing Bi!"


    Nuo and Jing burst into laughter.


    "What is the occasion behind this laughter?" Jun asked as he stepped in.


    Nana widened her eyes and felt extremely delighted to see her son. "Jun!"


    She gave him a warm hug and then scrutinized him with a squinted stare.


    Jun smiled and pinched her cheek. "Like I said on the phone, I am fine."


    "Are you sure? Don''t you dare lie to me."


    "I won''t dare," he pressed his lips, feeling guilty. "I am sorry, Mom. I didn''t mean to make any ruckus after the banquet, but I couldn''t help it. Nevertheless, it was my fault...I am sorry for making everybody worried."


    Nana patted his head. "Don''t worry about it. As long as everything is fine between you and Ai...I don''t want to see my children sad."


    Nuo nodded hard.


    Jian said, "See? I told you. Everything will be fine. You were getting anxious over nothing~"


    Nana grinned and made him sit on the chair beside Jin. "Since you are here already, go ahead and dig in."


    The troublesome gang of four wasn''t so thrilled. "What? You mean we have to share?"


    Nana glared at them, making them shut up.


    Jun rolled his eyes. "You know you all should be at the unlimited food festival to stuff your bottomless stomachs. Just eat, eat and eat without a care in the world."


    The four froze and their ears sharply perked up towards him.


    Liu Hai narrowed his eyes. "What food festival?"


    "What unlimited?"


    "What eat, eat and eat?"


    "What is this heaven you are talking about?" They fired back to back questions at him.


    He shrugged. "I just saw a flier about an unlimited buffet near the outskirts of the city. Kind of a festival today."


    Then he went silent and continued eating his food.


    Liu Hai gritted his teeth. "Don''t assume silence! Start talking!"


    Jun stared at them. "I already did."


    "Tell us in detail!" They exclaimed. "Where is this festival gonna be held?"


    "What kind of food will be there?"


    "Can we really eat unlimited there?"


    Jun grimaced. "What do I know? I just glanced at the flier once."


    Jing cursed him. "Idiot! You should concentrate on these things! This is important."


    "An unlimited food festival?" He asked back.


    "Yes!!!!" The four screamed in unison.


    "Yeah I think you are confusing me in your bottomless stomachs group to care about a food festival," he snorted. "Go find it yourself if you are so interested."


    The four of them sprung on their feet and scrambled outside.


    p "Damn Jun said that it''s today!"


    "What if it''s only for one day!?"


    "We cannot miss this!"


    "Nuo, handle Natsukashi for me," Jian hurriedly ordered. "Your brother has a mission to accomplish!"


    "Natsukashi Bakery will be closed today!" Nian exclaimed.


    Jing joined in. "Do hell with my fashion project!"


    Liu Hai coughed. "I was supposed to watch a movie together with Chunhua...But I am sorry my dearest! I cannot ignore this sacred summoning or I will always have regrets!" He sobbed.


    The gang of four disappeared faster than the speed of light.


    Nuo banged her palm on the table. "What do you mean that I should handle everything today!? Stupid brother, come back! I am gonna tell this to Dad! You are so dead!"


    Liu Chunhua came, hearing all the ruckus. "What was with all the noise? And where is Hai? We were supposed to watch a movie together," She asked, not seeing her husband anywhere.


    Jin sneered. "Abandoned his wife for an unlimited food festival. Some caring husband you got there, Grandma."


    "..."


    Her gaze turned chilly with an impending smile on her lips and veins popping on her forehead. "Ah, I see...Food is more important than spending time with his wife. Good, good. I think the rusty shed in the garden will be of perfect use for Hai to sleep his nights there from now on."


    Nana helplessly shook her head. "They will never change..."


    Jun snorted. "That''s fine with me. I needed the four to be out of this house today."


    Everybody - "..."


    Nuo asked, "What do you mean?"


    Jun kept his chopsticks aside and said, "Ai''s parents are here."


    Nana and Liu Chunhua gasped. "Oh my. Our in-laws are in the city?"


    "Yes. They are in Beijing. Currently, they are living at my condo with Ai. They want to meet my family since they are here."


    Nuo choked. "So you sent the four away on purpose?"


    "Of course. When I say family, I mean my family minus those four," his gaze darkened. "I am pretty sure they will do nothing else but bully and embarrass me in front of Ai''s parents, and I won''t let that happen."


    "So the food festival..."


    He snorted. "I obviously arranged it."


    "..."


    "To think that you can go so far..."


    "Heh. I can go to any lengths to keep those four away. They are nothing but a source of infinite troubles. Also, I have already texted Dad. He is on his way back home."


    Nana beamed and clapped her hands once with delight. "Oh my! This is so wonderful! We will finally get to meet Ai''s parents."


    Liu Chunhua eagerly said, "Yes, yes, it was high time we met her family too. Ah, I am so excited! We shouldn''t waste time then. Let''s welcome them with a grand feast!"


    Nuo chirped. "I will help out too!"


    Jin chuckled. "So it''s fine if those four are really away?" Though Jin was inwardly pleased with Jun''s plan.


    Nuo icily remarked. "I don''t have anything to do with a brother who dumps his responsibility upon me for food."


    Liu Chunhua shared her sentiments. "I don''t have anything to do with a husband who abandons his wife for food."


    The trio of women hopped away with excitement leaving the two brothers alone.


    Jin sneered. "That was a good plan."


    Jun winked.


    "Anyway, I saw Cai Guiying at Shui''s banquet too."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Yes, she was."


    Jin glanced at him. "So you know, I found something interesting related to her."


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 408 The Fate That Could Have Been Reversed

    "Did you find anything to tie her and me?"


    Jun had already exhausted all the places and scenarios to check what connection Guiying might possibly have with him in the last life and even the present. But they never officially met even once. Definitely not in the past.


    The more he reached a dead end, the more frustrated he became. They didn''t share any past, so he had no clue why Guiying and Cai Lingyun targeted him.


    Jin said, "It''s not that. I also haven''t reached an answer to that question."


    "And asking Cai Guiying is a waste of time. The last time I confronted her about what happened in Shanghai, she expertly navigated her way out of the blame and pinned everything upon Cai Lingyun. I couldn''t say anything at the banquet either because Shui had invited her herself. Though I have warned Shui of not getting close to Cai Guiying anymore."


    Jin''s gaze flickered.


    "What did you find?"


    He shrugged. "I don''t feel it''s important to our current situation or anything related to you, but it''s more tied to Zhou Ai and their writing careers."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "How?"


    "You remember Miss. Qing from the Summit? One of the three judges who wasn''t corrupted."


    "Or course. I remember her very well. I had asked her myself to expose the real result of the Summit."


    "Yeah. I met her by coincidence yesterday after ending an office meeting in a hotel. I recognized her and we exchanged some pleasantries. Then I thought of asking her anything she might know about Cai Guiying. Something which we might not know."


    "Did she?"


    "Well not much. Cai Guiying is one of the many writers she knows. She doesn''t know anything particular. But she did mention an odd incident she came across. That pretty much changed the course of her writing career and Zhou Ai''s too. There was a writing competition held when they were in their high school final year."


    "I know. Ai won the Best Newcomer Writer Award. Cai Guiying won the Best Fiction Writer Award and soon, they got into Dream High."


    Jin tilted his head. "Yeah but that''s not exactly how it went. Miss. Qing said that one of the judges of that competition was her friend. She told everything to Miss. Qing when the competition was over. And do you know? Internally between the judges at that time of the competition, there was more favor to let Zhou Ai win, not Cai Guiying."


    Jun widened his eyes. "What? Ai? Really?"


    That was something he expected the least.


    "Zhou Ai could have won the competition," Jin said.


    Jun''s countenance was turning darker and menacing. "Then why did Cai Guiying win? I am sure she couldn''t have been in any capacity to bribe three adults for the results when she was just a teenager herself. She doesn''t even come from a rich family. Did she use some other trick to win?"


    "There was no trick. She won fair and square and kind of didn''t at the same time," Jin then sneered. "All thanks to your amazing girlfriend."


    Jun obviously didn''t fail to miss the sarcasm behind his words.


    Ugh, why am I getting a bad feeling about this?


    "...What? What does Ai have to do with this? She wouldn''t have done anything to lose on purpose."


    "She did but," he clicked his tongue, "well...she accepted the consequences of it. You see, the theme of the competition was to write a love story with a meaningful happy ending."


    ,m "I like that theme."


    "I know. You have always liked stories with happy endings. Do you know which story Zhou Ai submitted?"


    "Yeah. ''My time with you,''" he smiled but not with sincerity, "one of her books which didn''t let me have a high opinion of her as a writer because of her endings."


    "Yeah there is no need to hold a high opinion of her now either."


    His brow twitched.


    But Jun blinked and was struck with realization a second later. "The ending..."


    "Exactly. It was an ending where the leads parted their ways after the cruise ship trip came to an end and never met again. It was a kind of a bittersweet ending. But that''s the problem. Her story didn''t exactly fall in the ''happy ending'' category. It could be taken in the sense that the leads found their purpose in life. Their hearts healed when they met each other. But in a romantic sense, they didn''t get together, which could be interpreted as a sad ending too. The judges were conflicted a lot."


    Jun shut his eyes as something welled in his chest. He remembered Ai talking about this when they revealed their past lives to each other.


    "Wait...Ai did say that she had this story in her mind and it was sort of a tragedy even though it wasn''t the theme of the competition...Something about the possibility of her submission not being considered...but she still went ahead with it."


    Jin smiled. "That''s what happened. She wrote a great story. She could have won the Best Fiction Writer Award. She simply didn''t because her story didn''t adhere to the theme. The judges couldn''t qualify a story to win the main prize which was out of the rules. But as second best, they gave her the Best Newcomer Writer Award."


    Jun covered his face with his palms. "You mean technically, Ai is the winner of that competition?"


    "Yes. Cai Guiying only won because of the mismatch in themes that Zhou Ai made. If Zhou Ai had modified the ending to be a happy one, she could have won. The prizes would have been reversed and so do their roles and popularity when they entered Dream High. Where Cai Guiying was always at the limelight in the last life, it could have been Zhou Ai had she not been stubborn about her story."


    "I knew it! I always thought her story deserved to win the award! Only if..."


    Suddenly, Jun felt like giving Ai a nice scolding.


    Jin then said, "I found it interesting how one competition shaped their careers. How one result reversed everything and I couldn''t help but wonder...does Cai Guiying know this?"

 Chapter 409 On To Meet Mr. Liu’s Family

    Back in the condo, Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying were all ready and set to leave for Liu villa to meet Jun''s parents. Until Jun returned to pick them up, Zhou Yichen chirped and decided to play some games with Ai to pass time.


    "Mom, do you want to play?"


    Xie Nuying was tempted with the offer but also not so tempted because of Zhou Yichen at the same time.


    Zhou Yichen pulled Ai away. "No need! I cannot bear her anymore after the whole mess she made behind my clothes! She hid my suit that I was gonna wear. So cruel!"


    She looked unfazed and not so guilty about it at all. "All for Ai''s sake. Do you want them to love Ai or hate her? Your clothes are not clothes. They are blasphemy. I won''t let you do anything that jeopardizes this important meeting."


    "You are not my wife to interfere in my choices anymore," he strongly harrumphed. "Did I interfere with what clothes you wanted to wear?"


    "You didn''t have to because I am wearing normal clothes. I am never any cause for complaints between us."


    He gasped in shock mixed with horror. "See Ai-chan? Did you see that? She is lying! She is a respectable professor but she lies! This is her true face!"


    Ai glanced at them. "If you fight like this in front of Jun''s family, then you know¡­"


    They stiffened and looked away while coughing slightly.


    The door then opened and Jun walked in - or more like stomped his way in, standing before Ai and facing her with veins popping on his forehead. His emotions were a mixture of anger, frustration and helplessness.


    "Why do you look so upset?" Ai asked. "Did it not go as planned?"


    She was referring to sending the troublesome gang of four away.


    "Oh yes, it did. But I learned something else from Jin, which I kinda already knew but I am angry about what consequences it brought!"


    Ai tilted her head. "I don''t understand your puzzle."


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying bobbed their heads in agreement too.


    "You¡­" he pointed his trembling finger at her, "Why did you have to write a bittersweet ending for your story ''My time with you?'' Do you know¡­do you know that you actually won the competition that year?"


    Ai blinked and slowly widened her eyes. "The high school one?"


    "Yes!"


    He quickly gave an account of what Jin told him almost an hour ago.


    Ai was taken aback with surprise. She had certainly not expected that there was a story behind the result of that competition.


    "Cai Guiying only won because your story didn''t fall into the theme properly. And¡­" he gritted his teeth, "this frustrates me. Everything would have been so different if you had won. Even your fate in the past-"


    Ai signaled him with a sharp gaze, and he immediately cleared his throat. "I mean yeah¡­past¡­when you entered Dream High. Things would have been so different for you."


    Ai nodded with relief.


    On the other hand, Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying beamed with brilliance. "Oh my."


    "My Ai-chan is actually the real winner? That''s so cool! As expected of my daughter!" Zhou Yichen proudly grinned. "She is so talented just like me."


    Xie Nuying''s mouth twitched. "I have some hand behind her talent too."


    They glared at each other, not liking the other one having any credit at all behind Ai''s success.


    Jun was in a bitter mood though. He only focused on what Ai could have achieved and how much more she could have gone ahead with her career.


    Ai understood the reason behind his frustration and hugged him. "Jun, you are really so cute. You always care about me so much," she bumped her forehead on his chest, "I am so glad I met you."


    His gaze darkened. "There was no need for the first line."


    "There is always a need for that sentence."


    She chuckled, seeing his ugly expression and softly kissed his lips. Jun stiffened because Ai''s parents were right there.


    "*Cough cough*"


    "I am not sad about it at all. I loved what I wrote. I knew there was a possibility of my entry not being considered at all. That''s why I am grateful that I still won the Best Newcomer Writer Award. That''s enough for me."


    Jun pursed his lips and mumbled. "Not enough for me though¡­" then he loudly remarked, "It''s just so frustrating. You could have been recognized years ago."


    "But I won the Summit, and now I am recognized, right?"


    He glared at her. "You are being too positive and lax about this."


    "Yes, because I cannot blame anyone for the choice I made for that competition," she smiled.


    Jun felt helpless, a feeling which he disliked the most. So, he pinched her cheeks hard to punish her. "Sometimes, you are just so¡­"


    "Not shometimesh. I am alwaysh aweshome," she spoke through her pinched cheeks.


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen laughed. "That''s my girl," he then patted Jun''s shoulder hard. "Aiya, I like you even more now, Jun-cute! Such a loving boyfriend you are. But I agree with Ai-chan. Writing is art and creativity. An artist should do what his or her heart tells them to. They should always follow their hearts because that''s how masterpieces are created."


    For a rare moment, Xie Nuying agreed with Zhou Yichen too. "I lament Ai for not winning the competition too. But we shouldn''t delve into the past and instead work towards our future."


    Jun pursed his lips. "I understand all of that. But it doesn''t hurt if you take my side¡­As in-laws, you are supposed to dote on me more than Ai."


    Ai - "..."


    "Hey, don''t look at me like that. Once we are at the villa, my own family is gonna completely forget my existence and surround you like hooligans," he grimaced. "You are going to be the apple of their eyes. So much that I will be sidelined."


    Zhou Yichen laughed and patted his shoulders again. "Of course, I won''t let them do that. We will all party together! I am so excited to meet your parents, especially your father. I am sure that as fellow fathers, we will bond a lot! I am so looking forward to having fun with him hoho~"


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 410 In-laws meeting (1)

    410 In-laws'' meeting (1)


    ¡°Are they here?¡± Nana asked with excitement as it was almost time. ¡°I cannot wait to meet them.¡±


    Nuo grinned. ¡°I wonder how sister-in-law¡¯s parents are. She is so calm, composed and elegant. Bet her parents must be the serious type.¡±


    Liu Chunhua nodded. ¡°To raise Ai into the person she is, they must definitely be so amazing.¡±


    But as soon as they heard the clicks of someone¡¯s feet walking entering the villa and coincidentally, their gazes met Zhou Yichen first, the trio were left completely speechless.


    It wasn¡¯t his clothes as much as Zhou Yichen¡¯s style that caught their attention. Short, shoulder-length hair tied into a pony and something like a sort of a small twig between his lips. His face radiated brilliance but with a hint of goofiness in it.


    On the completely opposite spectrum was Xie Nuying. Neat, calm and poised ¨C her aura felt similar to Ai¡¯s. Her expression was placid as if everything was under her control and nothing hardly fazed her.


    Zhou Yichen was the funky type which he proved by greeting them first with his cheery voice. ¡°Hello everyone! I am Ai-chan¡¯s father, Zhou Yichen. Nice to meet you all~¡±


    Xie Nuying was the tranquil type which she proved by greeting them with her soft and measured voice. ¡°Hello, nice to meet you. I am Ai¡¯s mother, Xie Nuying.¡±


    Jun¡¯s mouth twitched.


    I was supposed to introduce the two parties¡­


    It took a few moments for them to snap out of their stupor. Nana said, ¡°H-Hello!¡±


    Ai¡¯s parents studied Jun¡¯s family in curiosity while Jun¡¯s family observed Ai¡¯s parents with wonder.


    Jun cleared his throat. ¡°Well, they already introduced themselves. I will just repeat it. Mom, Dad. Meet Uncle Zhou and Aunt Xie ¨C Ai¡¯s parents. I met them in Xuanhua before where they live.¡±


    Nana beamed. ¡°Yes, yes. Jun told us a lot about you. I am Liu Nana. Nice to meet you.¡±


    Beside her was standing Jinhai, who had a similar expression as Xie Nuying. For now.


    He slightly nodded and replied with his low, deep voice. ¡°Liu Jinhai. Pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Jun then continued. ¡°Uncle, Aunt. They are my Mom and Dad.¡±


    Xie Nuying nodded.


    Zhou Yichen brightened. ¡°Yup, yup I see where Jun-cute gets his features from. You look like Mr. Liu, but your eyes are like Mrs. Liu. No wonder we like your eyes so much. Eyes are what makes the man Jun-cute. It¡¯s the eyes.¡±


    Nana sheepishly grinned at being complimented for her eyes that Jun inherited, making a faint scowl appear on Jinhai¡¯s devilishly handsome face.


    Jun went on as he pointed at the others. ¡°She is my Grandma and she is my little sister, Nuo.¡±


    ¡°Hello!!¡± They greeted in unison.


    Xie Nuying softly smiled. ¡°Hello. Thank you for taking care of my Ai.¡±


    Liu Chunhua said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s our pleasure.¡±


    ¡°Sister-in-law is everyone¡¯s favorite here,¡± she grinned. ¡°Of course, we will treat her well.¡±


    Zhou Yichen chuckled. ¡°Anger doesn¡¯t suit you young ladies.¡±


    They blinked. ¡°Anger?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Hehe, I feel you two are annoyed at something or someone.¡±


    Their brows twitched.


    Indeed that was true. Nuo had to manage back to back calls from Natsukashi because of Jian¡¯s ¡®sudden¡¯ absence and Liu Chunhua still cursed Liu Hai for leaving her for food.


    Nuo asked in wonder, ¡°Are you a mind reader?¡±


    His nose grew longer in pride. ¡°Deciphering a woman¡¯s mood is a piece of cake for me.¡±


    ¡°And yet we got divorced,¡± Xie Nuying smoothly commented under her breath.


    Zhou Yichen, who definitely heard her remark, shot her a sneaky glare.


    He then focused his attention back on Nuo and Liu Chunhua. ¡°Whatever it is that is making you frustrated, just throw that thought of your mind. Your mood and beauty is much more important.¡±


    Liu Chunhua blushed. It felt nice to be still called beautiful.


    ¡°Also, the curls look great on you, little Nuo.¡±


    Nuo was amazed. ¡°You noticed that? They are not so distinct¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing misses my eyes~¡±


    She gleamed. ¡°Apart from Dad, you are the first person to notice it. Whenever I change my hairstyle or get a haircut, nobody recognizes any difference!¡± She harrumphed. ¡°Makes me wonder if people are blind here.¡±


    Jun tried to defend himself. ¡°I do notice it-¡°


    ¡°You don¡¯t! Only Dad does and now Uncle Zhou too!¡±


    With just a few sentences towards Nana, Liu Chunhua and Nuo, Zhou Yichen impressed the trio in a matter of a few minutes. Jinhai wasn¡¯t sure how to feel about his wife, mother and daughter getting swept by Zhou Yichen so easily.


    Jun coughed and continued. ¡°He is my little brother, Jin.¡±


    Jin nodded just like Jinhai and greeted them with a light smile. ¡°Hello.¡±


    ¡°Aish, why are you so serious? Lighten up a little, Jini-boy!¡± Zhou Yichen laughed. ¡°You and Mr. Liu are so similar.¡±


    Jin stared at him. ¡°Jini-boy?¡±


    ¡°Yup, my nickname for you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a nickname. Jin is just fine.¡±


    ¡°Heeeey, you are just like Jun-cute. He also protested against my nickname, but look how he adores it so much now~¡±


    Jun refused to comment on that.


    ¡°Jini boy¡­¡± Nuo and Liu Chunhua tried to hold in their laughter.


    Jin gritted his teeth. When his gaze fell on Ai, he saw her waving at him with joy. He scowled at her and then ignored her presence altogether.


    I knew it. Zhou Ai¡¯s parents are not so innocent either. Calling me Jini boy¡­


    A vein popped on his forehead.


    Ai pursed her lips.


    Still such a tsundere¡­


    Nana said, ¡°I was wondering why you were calling him Jun-cute. Oh my God, you chose such a perfect nickname for him.¡±


    ¡°Mom-¡°


    ¡°I love it!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Ai nodded. ¡°We all love it.¡±


    His gaze darkened. He decided to punish Ai later.


    ¡°He is Uncle Yukito and that¡¯s his twin brother, Uncle Yukira. Mom¡¯s younger brothers.¡±


    Yukito and Yukira smiled. ¡°We finally met you. It¡¯s a pleasure.¡±


    Zhou Yichen said, ¡°Identical twins. Cool! It¡¯s my first time seeing up in person. How I wish Ai had a twin sister too. Then I would have had two daughters! Amazing, right?¡± He chirped.


    Jin vehemently disagreed.


    Yeah, one Zhou Ai is enough.


    Finally Jun introduced the last member albeit with a little pause and hesitation. ¡°She is my great-grandma.¡±


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 411 In-laws meeting (2)

    411 In-laws'' meeting (2)


    Great-grandma Liu was in her wheelchair, observing all the interaction going on until now with a scowl on her face. She didn¡¯t understand the excitement going on about meeting Ai¡¯s parents. She was even more frustrated because Nuo simply dragged her into the meeting rather than preferring to stay in her own room.


    Great-grandma Liu glared at Jun. ¡°You don¡¯t have to introduce me to anybody. I am sure I am uninvited here so don¡¯t take the effort.¡±


    Silence.


    Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen blinked. One tilted their head while one raised their brow.


    Jun sighed. ¡°Of course not. How can you be uninvited, Grandma?¡±


    ¡°Why not? After all, no matter how much everybody likes Zhou Ai here, I don¡¯t. And I don¡¯t accept your relationship with her.¡±


    She snorted. ¡°But who cares about my opinion? Go date her, marry her or do whatever you want. Don¡¯t bother me!¡±


    Jinhai intervened. ¡°Grandma.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you going to scold me now?¡±


    Nana quickly said, ¡°Grandma, Ai is a really sweet girl and-¡°


    ¡°Sure. She is so sweet and that¡¯s why she came between Jun and Shui and broke their relationship. I don¡¯t understand why you all are so blind to the obvious fact¡­¡± she muttered in annoyance.


    Jun exhaled another sigh. It was a good thing that he already informed Ai¡¯s parents about her dislike for Ai. He didn¡¯t want them to have any shocks during the meeting. But somewhere inside his heart, he still hoped things would go smoothly.


    ¡°Rather than everybody being blind to the obvious fact, it could be that you are shutting your eyes instead,¡± Xie Nuying retorted, level-headed and placid.


    There was no hint of anger detected in her eyes against what or how Great-grandma Liu seemed to not favor Ai.


    Great-grandma abruptly paused and looked back at her. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I am saying you might be closing your eyes instead.¡±


    Her brow violently twitched. ¡°What do you mean!? Are you implying that I cannot see!?¡±


    ¡°Instead of the whole Liu family not being able to see, I think the problem might lie in your eyes alone.¡±


    Liu Chunhua and Nuo silently gasped and took several steps far away from Great-grandma Liu.


    I smell war¡­Nuo wiped her forehead.


    Nana coughed and elbowed her husband. She whispered. ¡°We should do something¡­¡±


    Jinhai shrugged.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    She looked at Jin who equally seemed bored and unaffected. She sighed.


    God help everybody¡­


    Great-grandma Liu trembled and pointed her finger at her. ¡°Chunhua! Nana! Did you just see how she talked to me? This is the first time they stepped into our house and she is already disrespecting me!¡±


    Xie Nuying pursed her lips. ¡°How am I disrespecting you? I am just sincerely stating how there might be a problem in your eyes. There is nothing to feel ashamed about admitting it. It¡¯s common to have problems in this age. Poor eyesight, poor understanding¡­¡±


    Jun wished to puke blood and even Jin whose expression cracked.


    Great-grandma held her chest and took a sharp breath. ¡°You¡­How dare you say that I have problems! I am just fine!¡±


    ¡°Clearly you aren¡¯t, otherwise there is no way that you won¡¯t like my Ai.¡±


    Ai nodded. ¡°I am a naturally lovable and warm person.¡±


    Zhou Yichen followed with a nod as well. ¡°That¡¯s a given because she has inherited her personality from me.¡±


    Great-grandma Liu gasped at their shamelessness. ¡°All of you¡­¡±


    Ai said, ¡°This reminds me that I said I will talk to you later. Do you want to have that discussion now?¡±


    She banged her palm on her wheelchair¡¯s armrest. ¡°What can you possibly have to talk about!? Don¡¯t lie your way out that you didn¡¯t separate Jun and Shui. Now you shamelessly want to be this family¡¯s daughter-in-law. I won¡¯t forgive you for this!¡±


    ¡°But there is nothing for you to forgive me for. Jun and Shui broke up because they realized they are not compatible.¡±


    ¡°They are all just your excuses!¡±


    She frowned. ¡°How is it an excuse? What is Jun¡¯s age?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I am asking you what Jun¡¯s age is?¡±


    Her mouth twitched. ¡°What kind of a stupid question is that? He is 25.¡±


    ¡°What is Shui¡¯s age?¡±


    ¡°20. Where are you going with this?¡± She glared at her.


    ¡°So clearly, they are adults.¡±


    ¡°Of course they are!¡± She was feeling more and more annoyed.


    ¡°Then how is it my fault if you still treat them like children who cannot decide for themselves?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The words pierced straight into her heart as if she was exposed.


    Nana fanned her face, suddenly feeling a lack of air to breathe. ¡°It feels a little tight for some reason¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± her body trembled harder as she was unable to retort.


    Ai continued calmly. ¡°They are adults. They know very well what they want from a relationship and what they don¡¯t. If Jun finds another woman or if Shui finds another man, I don¡¯t see a point in you blaming them for their separation.¡±


    Zhou Yichen chirped. ¡°Yes, yes, lighten up a bit, grumpy grandma. There is no need to be so hostile~¡±


    She choked.


    G-grumpy Grandma¡­?


    ¡°How dare you¡­¡± she shivered with rage boiling in her blood.


    Xie Nuying seriously nodded. ¡°We are gonna be family after all. As your in-law, I promise to take good care of you and fix your eyesight. Once you carefully see and observe my Ai, it¡¯s impossible that you won¡¯t love her. My daughter is cute, pretty, respectful, elegant, sensible, sensitive and has many more qualities to count.¡±


    Great-grandma Liu collapsed back on her wheelchair. She took deep, long breaths but failed to calm herself.


    One nicknamed her grumpy grandma and the other was adamant about fixing her eyesight.


    ¡°You¡­all of you¡­you should be in the record of being the utmost shameless family!¡± She exclaimed while breathing hard.


    ¡°Shameless is fun~¡± Zhou Yichen winked. ¡°You just lack imagination.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Xie Nuying pressed her lips with concern. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t push yourself too hard. You are already suffering from poor eyesight and poor understanding. Please stay healthy. Don¡¯t add a poor heart into that list.¡±


    At this point, she simply wanted to faint.


    But Xie Nuying wasn¡¯t done yet.


    ¡°If your heart got to you first, how will I fix your eyesight?¡±

 Chapter 412 In-Laws’ Meeting (3)

    "You..."


    Great-grandma Liu huffed heavier with her chest expanding forward as she faced the trio of Ai and her parents.


    "Nuo, take me inside right now...I don''t want to see anybody''s faces here!" Her face was red and shaking with extreme fury. "All these people are trying to kill me with anger! And nobody is saying anything against them!"


    She glared at Jinhai, Nana and Chunhua as she blamed them for being silent.


    Jinhai said nothing while Nana tried to appease her but ultimately failed.


    Nuo coughed and appeared behind her wheelchair. "I will take you back...It''s not good for you to get so overwhelmed like this."


    "Tell these people, not me!"


    "Yes, yes, I will scold them a lot. You need to rest. I will give you a nice head massage."


    Ugh, it was my fault in insisting on bringing her outside...she mumbled to herself.


    Yukira scratched his chin. "She reminds me of the days when she didn''t used to like Nee-chan so much."


    Yukito chuckled. "I know. She was so against Nee-chan and Bro Jinhai."


    Liu Chunhua sighed. "Reminds me of the days when she was vehemently against me too. She never liked me for Hai but later on, she warmed up to me after much effort."


    Jin asked, "Is this some kind of a tradition? Where she doesn''t like the daughter-in-law first but then begins to accept her after some time?"


    Jun touched his chin. "Seems like it."


    Ai hopefully smiled at Jin. "Doesn''t she remind me of you? Great-grandma seems to be a tsundere like you. You also hated me so much in the beginning."


    Jin''s expression darkened. "And who said those feelings have changed?"


    "Clearly, they have. You just don''t want to accept it. Like I said, you are a tsundere like Great-grandma."


    Zhou Yichen said, "Aish, Jini-boy doesn''t like my Ai-chan? Why not? She is so fun to have around!"


    He sneered. "How about annoying?"


    Jun''s brow twitched.


    ''Visit (Mybo x novel. com) to read, pls!'',


    Here they go again...


    "Feeling annoyed is the first step to like someone hoho~" he winked.


    Jin grimaced. "What kind of logic is that?"


    "It''s a logic that has worked for ages. You fight, you fight some more and then you start to like the person," he chirped.


    "How do you know that?"


    "Haven''t you read the trope of enemies to friends or enemies to lovers?" He grinned.


    "..."


    "This is also the love story of Nuying and me when we met each other and got married. Theeeeeen we got divorced, but that''s a different story altogether~"


    Xie Nuying narrowed her eyes.


    He doesn''t want to admit to his own mistakes.


    For the first time, Jin saw someone who was talking about his divorce in front of his own ex-wife in such a casual manner.


    He shrugged.


    Nana coughed. "We are sorry for that. She is just still..."


    Zhou Yichen waved his hand. "No biggies, Mrs. Liu. I know she will like Ai-chan at some point. I have met all kinds of stubborn people."


    "Thank you for understanding. Anyway, now that the introductions are over, how about we dig in some food? We have prepared a nice lunch for you all!"


    Xie Nuying smiled with appreciation. "Thank you so much. But before that, we would like you to have some presents we brought for you."


    She widened her eyes. "Oh, you didn''t have to do that."


    "Of course not. This is the first time we are coming here as Ai''s parents. How can we come empty-handed?"


    Jinhai and Nana accepted their token of gifts in the end. Before lunch was served, everybody sat down and faced each other.


    Xie Nuying smiled. "Jun had visited us in Xuanhua a month back. I must say he is such a good cook."


    Jun choked.


    '''',


    That''s the first thing you want to say about me?


    "He made a delicious apple pie for Ai and me," she beamed.


    Well...that was more to prevent you from doing any baking.


    "He learnt that from you, right Mrs. Liu? I have heard of Natsukashi and naturally, its reputation. I can see that not only he inherited his eyes from you but also your great cooking skills..."


    Towards the end, it felt like Xie Nuying was feeling more envious rather than appreciation for Jun.


    Nana sheepishly grinned. "Well, I just taught them the basic skills. They took off on their own after that."


    "That is talent indeed," she smiled, "What I found the most appealing in him was his kindness. He loves Ai so much and as a mother, I don''t want anything more than that. He had also confessed his prior relationship with Han Shui to us. That must have been very difficult for him. I appreciate that he had that courage. You have raised your children well, Mrs. Liu."


    Jinhai smiled and spoke for the first time as his cheek rested in his palm. "True. Nana has all the credit for that."


    She scolded him. "You are their father too."


    He raised his brow and his eyes twinkled. "I have raised them in a different way."


    Jun and Jin naturally agreed to that.


    "Kindness and courage is what they got from you."


    Nana felt even more embarrassed now with so much praise being showered upon her.


    Xie Nuying shot a sharp stare at Zhou Yichen, her eyes clearly reflecting the complaints in them about them.


    Did you see that? Mr. Liu is so loving to his wife and even appreciates all that she has done. And you on the other hand...


    The disparity between him and Jinhai as husbands grew wider and wider for Xie Nuying.


    Zhou Yichen''s mouth twitched.


    Well sure you see him praising Mrs. Liu, but you do see how Mrs. Liu is too, right? She is so warm and cheerful and she is a great cook! She is an embodiment of a perfect wife!


    Their eyes spit fire as lightning crackled between them.


    Nana glanced between the two. "Is everything alright?"


    Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen looked away. "Yes, everything is fine!"


    It doesn''t look that way to me...

 Chapter 413 In-Laws’ Meeting (4)

    Liu Chunhua brightened. "Good, good. It''s so good to hear that you like Jun. We are also very grateful that he met Ai. She is everything I could wish for my grandson to have as a wife."


    Ai softly thanked her. "Thank you, Grandma."


    "Aish you calling me Grandma..." she sobbed, "feels so pleasant."


    Xie Nuying then slowly said after much thought. "We don''t have any problems with Jun and Ai''s relationship. They already have our blessings. But as you know about Yichen and my divorce...Naturally, we don''t live together anymore. If this bothers you..."


    Nana furiously shook her head. "Of course not! Nobody is judging Ai here because of your marriage. Whatever happened is a personal matter between you. It''s separate from Ai as a person. Just like you love Jun for wholeheartedly loving Ai, we love Ai for the same reason. She is sweet, intelligent and treats my Jun well," her gaze softened. "As parents, we don''t want anything more than that. I just don''t want my Jun to face any hardship again and I know with Ai by his side, he will always be happy."


    Jinhai chimed in to his wife''s support. "You don''t need to worry about these things. As long as they are happy in their relationship, nothing else matters. They also have our blessings."


    Jun and Ai''s ears perked up with happiness, and they sneakily entwined their hands together, feeling blessed and lucky to have such a loving family and parents.


    Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen sincerely thanked them.


    When lunch arrived, everybody dug in, unable to control their hunger. After talking a bit more, the atmosphere loosened up even further and the initial awkwardness disappeared.


    Though for Zhou Yichen, there was any awkwardness in the first place, so he already went buddy-buddy mode with Jinhai.


    "Mr. Liu! Out of everybody here, you are the quietest person of all. And next after you is Jini-boy."


    Jin, who was popping a piece of chicken in his mouth, glared at him.


    "Why are you talking so little? Wait, you even hardly open your mouth," He pouted. "This is the time for the in-laws to bond!"


    Jun smoothly ignored their convo and focused on putting more chicken on Ai''s plate.


    Jinhai paused, furrowed his brows and looked at him. "I only talk when it''s necessary."


    "But we are having lunch!"


    "All the more reason to stay quiet."


    "Hmmm...." Zhou Yichen touched his chin, "who do you remind me of?" He then darted a glance at Xie Nuying.


    Feeling his stare, she narrowed her eyes. "You have something to say to me?"


    ''???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? N ovelBi(n)'',


    He sneered. "I didn''t say anything."


    "You are stupid to think that eyes don''t speak."


    Ai cleared her throat, sternly signaling them not to continue this argument into a fight.


    Zhou Yichen ignored Xie Nuying and snapped his attention back to Jinhai who had been trying to eat the same piece of chicken for a long time now but couldn''t because of this new in-law striking a new conversation with him every time.


    "So, Mr. Liu! I heard that you are the CEO of Liu Corps. You are training Jini-boy to work to become the next CEO, aren''t you?"


    "Yes."


    "How is the work of a CEO?"


    "Depends."


    "Do you even get free time?"


    "Yes."


    "It would totally feel amazing to be the topmost Boss right?"


    "Fine."


    Jinhai''s all one word responses were perfunctory, and he prayed that Zhou Yichen stopped his line of questioning soon so that he could eat his good in peace. On top of that, he felt bitter that Nuo, his lovely daughter, seemed to be completely charmed by him.


    Zhou Yichen then chirped and asked, "So as a feeling of goodwill, how about you let me be the CEO of Liu Corps for sometime?"


    Jinhai choked hard on the piece of chicken he finally managed to swallow but unfortunately, his throat couldn''t pass that chicken down to his stomach.


    Jin, too, stared at Zhou Yichen, trying to figure out if he was just fooling around.


    Nana scolded him. "You should eat slowly, Jinhai. Don''t get sick by eating too fast."


    He stared at his wife, speechless.


    How is it my fault? You did hear what he said, right?


    Zhou Yichen then continued as if he just got a brilliant idea. "You know, being a CEO would look awesome on my resume, right?"


    '''',


    "...Resume?"


    "Yes. You know, I keep switching between my jobs depending on what I would like to do next. I have worked in tons of fields but being CEO is new to me," his eyes sparkled like gold. "This is an experience I ought to have!"


    Jinhai stared at him hard.


    Is this his...work lifestyle?


    He threw a glance at Jun, who was cleverly avoiding his father''s questioning gaze. He remembered when he asked about Zhou Yichen''s work, Jun hadn''t given him a clear answer and instead just disappeared by giving some lame excuses. He didn''t think much of it at that time and neither bothered to dig into Zhou Yichen''s background.


    And now, he felt a crisis coming. Jinhai wasn''t sure if his new in-law was just pulling his leg or not.


    "Are you sure you are fine working with different jobs?"


    "Why not? Life is meant to be enjoyed! We only get one chance and we should live it to the fullest~"


    Ai remarked. "How many times have I told you not to fool us with philosophical reasons like that? Just admit that you cannot stick to one job for too long."


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen clutched his chest. "Ai-chan, as always, you are so straightforward. But was this really the time to bring that up, my dear?"


    "You shouldn''t lie so blatantly to others, especially when you are going to be in-laws in the future," Ai didn''t hold back at all.


    Jinhai stared at Zhou Yichen once and then at Xie Nuying, whose expression looked unaffected but somehow Jinhai felt he could understand her.


    Is that why they got divorced?


    Zhou Yichen recovered from the blow that his own daughter struck him with and went back to his cheery self. "So, Mr. Liu! I am looking forward to visiting Liu Corps with you!"


    "..."


    Jinhai and Jin both froze at that.


    "It must really be so amazing to be the Boss. So cool! And not only that, we will bond so much too~ It''s the perfect time to get to know each other."


    Jin shot a panicked stare at his father.


    You better not let that happen. I don''t want Senior Zhou Ai version to work in the office with me!


    Then amidst that chaos, a voice echoed from the entrance that made Jun freeze this time.


    "Jun, you idiot! How dare you fool me and have all the fun without your grandfather!?"

 Chapter 414 In-Laws’ Meeting (5)

    Jun felt as if time had stopped.


    Noooooo. How is this possible? Why am I hearing this voice which I didn''t want at all!?


    He made a lightning fast decision and promptly got up from his chair. But the gang of four equally ran at lightning speed and grabbed Jun like a bunch of hooligans.


    The twins, Jian and Nian, smiled at him as they held his shoulders with their palms and forced him to sit back.


    "Where are you going little brother?"


    Nian sneered. "Don''t you think you have a lot to answer us?"


    Jun replied without a trace of guilt. "What is there to answer you?"


    Liu Hai smacked his head hard. "How about you start with how you fooled us into going to the food festival when it''s supposed to be a day to meet Ai''s parents! How could you lie to us, you brat?"


    "When did I lie? There was really a food festival."


    "Which you arranged it obviously! And you hid this meeting from us!"


    Jun dryly smiled. "Would it have made a difference? Between food and this meeting, I knew your obvious choice."


    Jing added another smack on his head. "If we had to choose, then it would definitely be this meeting idiot! Do you think we are crazy to miss this fun- *ahem* important meeting?"


    Jun gritted his teeth. "You would have treated it as fun which is precisely why I chose to exclude you all. I don''t want a pandemonium and you four are nothing but a bunch of crazy people!"


    The twins cried as they took solace in Nana''s embrace. "Mom! You are our mother!"


    "You gave birth to us!"


    "How could you let this injustice happen?"


    "Did we not have any right to be here in this super important meeting?"


    Nana coughed. "Well..."


    Nuo glared at Jian. "Don''t ask Mom. Talk to me! Weren''t you going to dump all the work on me today, Bro Jian?"


    "..."


    "T-that has got nothing to do with this, little sis!"


    "Shut up!"


    '',


    Nian twisted Jin''s ear. "You brat! You didn''t say a word either!"


    Jin pulled back. "Hey! Leave my ear! I prefer having peace over you two anytime!"


    Liu Hai wiped his eyes. "Chunhua, even you..."


    Liu Chunhua ignored him. "I have shifted all your things in the garden''s shed. You will be sleeping your nights there from now on since you clearly don''t have any interest in spending time with your wife."


    "..."


    He wiped the sweat beads off his forehead. "O-of course not, dear! How can you be so cruel to your husband? I didn''t intend to cancel our movie date at all! My wife always comes first!"


    She sneered. "Tell that to your stomach which you must have stuffed so much with food by now."


    "..."


    Jun got a headache. "How the hell did you even get to know about this meeting? My plan was so perfect..."


    Jing beamed and hopped to hug Yukito. "If not for my darling husband Yukito, we would have still been kept unaware about this! Yukitoooooo, I love you so much! You are the only one who cares about me!"


    Saying that, Jing gave a tight and firm kiss on Yukito''s lips in front of everyone.


    Jun and the others stared hard at him.


    "Uncle...?"


    Yukira choked. "Yukito, it was you who spilled the plan?"


    Yukito''s brow twitched. "It was an error on my side...Jing called to ask what food I wanted so that he could pack for me when he heard people talking here, including Ai''s voice. I forgot to stand at a distance. Then he got into interrogation mode of why she was here..." he guiltily averted his eyes.


    Jun couldn''t help but exclaim. "Uncle, you traitor! You didn''t even tell me that they knew about the meeting!"


    He coughed.


    Jing smirked. "Heh. You kept your plan from us and I played the same card on you."


    He squeezed Yukito, his face radiating with pure bliss. "My Yukito always always takes my side!"


    Jin snorted. "You only got to know because you called Uncle, not that he told you by himself."


    Jing glared at him. "Don''t ruin this romantic moment you brat!"


    Liu Hai and the twins decided to properly scold Jun later. Instead, they curiously hopped over to Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying''s side, who were observing this whole interaction ever since the chaotic gang had arrived.


    Liu Hai solemnly said, "I am so sorry on Jun''s behalf that he did this. As a grandfather, I am truly ashamed of him."


    ''Follow current novels on n0velbin.com.'',


    Jun''s expression turned ugly.


    Zhou Yichen laughed. "Ahahaha. I never thought Jun-cute would take such measures to prevent you from meeting us. I see so much love in this family~"


    Liu Hai, Jing, Jian and Nian - all four paused and stared at Zhou Yichen at the same time.


    "What did you call him?"


    Shit!!!


    Jun shut his eyes and started the countdown. He whispered to Ai, who seemed to be in her own daze. "You remember the time you wanted to merge with the infinite cosmos?"


    She didn''t hear.


    "Ai?"


    "H-Huh?" Her attention snapped back to him.


    "I asked if you remember the time you wanted to merge with the infinite cosmos?"


    Ai bobbed her head and blushed. "How can I forget that wonderful evening? It was when I confessed to you..."


    He smiled. "Yeah, I am having the same feeling now."


    Zhou Yichen blinked. "Jun-cute. Hoho, it''s my nickname for him. Like how I call Ai as Ai-chan. By the way, Jin is Jini-boy."


    Jin grimaced.


    The gang of four surrounded Jun again, struggling to hold their laughter.


    Jian cleared his throat. "Jun-cute?"


    Nian covered his mouth. "Jun-cute?"


    Jing asked, "He calls you Jun-cute?"


    Liu Hai''s face was shining brighter and brighter. "You are Jun-cute?"


    Jun felt as if he was surrounded by bullies. "It''s your imagination-"


    "AHAHAHAHAHA!"


    The gang of four felt as if they just tasted the most delicious spice in this whole world.


    Jian clutched his stomach. "O-Oh-oh my God...Jun-cute..."


    Nian was close to crying tears as he rolled on the floor. "W-who would have thought that somebody would give you Jun-c-c-cute nickname..."


    "This made my day..." Jing joined in the twins while Liu Hai wholeheartedly thanked Zhou Yichen. "Ah young man, I like you so much! Simply brilliant! You should get an award hahaha!"

 Chapter 415 In-Laws’ Meeting (6)

    A booming chaos ensued between Zhou Yichen and Liu Hai and they felt as if they were old friends who met after a long time.


    "You know at that time, Jun was hiding in the closet so that we wouldn''t drag him to go on a picnic¡­" Liu Hai recounted one memory of little Jun when he was six years old. "He used to run like his life was on the line. Then one day he cried because his favorite broke hahaha. Can you imagine Jun- oops, I mean Jun-cute crying? He was trying so hard to control his tears. His face was red like a tomato¡­"


    Jun''s face NOW was also as red as a tomato too but because of how Liu Hai was shamelessly reminiscing his childhood memories that were embarrassing for him.


    "Grandpa¡­" Nerves were twitching on the back of his hand.


    Jinhai, who had no interest in being a part of this craziness, stood to leave when Zhou Yichen grabbed his shoulder. "Where are you leaving my new in-law? The fun has just started! You also have to tell me a lot of stories about Jun-cute."


    "No, thanks-"


    "Now, now, don''t be shy. We are all family here," he grinned.


    "I want peace."


    "There is nothing such as peace in the world. It''s an illusion."


    "..."


    "Jini-boy, hop over to this side too~"


    "No," he coldly answered, especially after how Zhou Yichen threatened to work in the Liu Corps.


    "Peace is never an option, Jini-boy!"


    "..."


    On the other side, Jian, Nian and Nuo were gathered around Xie Nuying, who for some reason they didn''t know were sharing their love stories to her as if she was an agony aunt.


    ? Jian sniffled. "So you see, Aunt Xie. Leina''s father makes my life so much hell! Sure he loves his daughter, but shouldn''t he respect me at least a little bit and allow me to meet her? I am going to be his son-in-law in the future after all. But everytime, I see goons chasing after me to take my life! Sometimes I feel that I will never see my wedding day with her¡­"


    "Oh," Xie Nuying nodded. "I understand. Doting fathers are tough to deal with."


    "I know right! Do you have any wisdom to share with me, Aunt?" His hopeful eyes sparkled.


    She gave it a sincere thought. "Tell him not to make your life difficult."


    "But he doesn''t listen to me!"


    ''???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? N ovelBi(n)'',


    "Or you would never get to hold your grandchild."


    "..."


    Nian choked.


    "W-won''t he bury me alive if I dare to say this to him?" Jian looked at her in horror.


    "Why would he? You are underestimating the power of a grandchild. He might not like to see your face, but he would definitely like to see his grandson''s face. Same face as you but different relationship. A grandchild will be more appealing than a son-in-law. But he will never get that grandchild if he doesn''t allow you two to meet and get cuddly with each other."


    Nuo''s face reddened for some reason, and she cleared her throat.


    "Will this really work?"


    Xie Nuying blinked. "He might love and dote on Leina for sure, but she would pale in comparison against his grandson/granddaughter. Like you see, I love Ai a lot. But I think I am at a point where I would prefer to see my grandchild more than her."


    The trio - "...."


    Ai, who also happened to listen - "..."


    Xie Nuying pursed her lips in displeasure. "Unfortunately, I am still not hearing any good news¡­"


    Ai promptly dragged her chair to the other side, averting her gaze.


    Xie Nuying harrumphed and then patted Jian''s head. "There, there. This will work for sure. It won''t take a second for Leina''s father to betray his own daughter for the sake of his grandchild, especially if he wishes for a granddaughter."


    Jian''s face brightened as if he finally got his way out. "Aunt Xie-"


    Nian pushed his twin away. "Shoo! You got your answer. Now, it''s my turn! Aunt, listen to this! When will my ship with my Xing Bi sail?"


    "Xing Bi?" She tilted her head. "You mean Ai''s editor?"


    "Yes!" He blushed. "She is the woman I have set my heart to marry and have a lot of kids with."


    "I see."


    Nian cried his heart out to her. "But you know, no matter how much I try, my Xing Bi doesn''t seem to look at me as boyfriend material. How can I change the situation?"


    "Why doesn''t she? Does she like somebody else?"


    "No," he smiled. "There is no scope for that. But¡­!" He coughed. "I made some mistakes that hehe¡­"


    '''',


    "Mistakes?"


    Nian told his story to her from A to Z, which she carefully listened to. She nodded after he was over.


    "A-and so Xing Bi always prefers to stay away from me!" He wiped his eyes.


    "Naturally," Xie Nuying commented.


    "B-but how can I change my situation?"


    "I see no hope for you."


    "..."


    "Auuuuuunt!!! Don''t say this to meeeee. I will cease to exist if I don''t have Xing Bi in my life!" He grabbed her hand and begged her.


    Xie Nuying didn''t mince her words. "Considering the pranks you played with her, you have made the task of winning her heart very difficult. You are just like Yichen who just used to goof around and have fun in the past."


    "..."


    "And I was like Xing Bi who used to stay far away from him and preferred to keep my distance."


    "..."


    Nuo and Jian burst into silent laughter to which he glared at them.


    "But¡­"


    Nian beamed. "There is a but! There is a but!"


    Xie Nuying tapped her index fingers against each other. She peeked at Zhou Yichen, who was laughing with Liu Hai and Jinhai, who was struggling to bring a smile on his lips.


    She leaned towards Nian and whispered. "This is a secret between us."


    The trio nodded hard. "Our lips are zipped."


    Xie Nuying said in a low voice, "The distance I kept from Yichen was just from the outside. But the truth was that he had indeed made my heart flutter with his antics. I didn''t even realize when I fell for him."


    Nian blinked.


    "If I am understanding this right, Xing Bi is charmed by you too. She must definitely feel something for you. But she won''t admit it. You just have to keep going like you are doing now and eventually she will give in," she cleared her throat and looked away, "like I did in the past..."

 Chapter 416 Daughter-In-Law And Father-In-Law

    After a long and arduous time of torture that Liu Hai and Zhou Yichen''s duo showered him with, Jinhai somehow made his way out of the chaotic gang to take a breath. His chest heaved up and down, and he felt as if he already lost a lot of his precious years just by being in their company. He looked back and saw that they still had the energy to play and goof around.


    Jinhai glanced back again, and his heart and gaze felt bitter with how Nuo seemed so closer to Zhou Yichen.


    "It''s just that he noticed her curls. It wasn''t a big deal..."


    Up until this point, Nuo was only closer to him and he always enjoyed her undivided attention, but now seeing her getting warmed up to another father figure like person didn''t sit well with him.


    He felt a foreboding with Zhou Yichen getting added to the mix of Liu Hai''s gang. Plus, he also seemed serious about actually becoming a temporary CEO of Liu Corps.


    "I need to stop this from happening..." he whispered to himself.


    "That will be impossible."


    A calm and unhurried voice came from his back, and he raised his brow seeing Ai walk up to him and slightly bowed. "Hello, Mr. Liu."


    Jinhai tilted his head. "...What will be impossible?"


    "Stopping my Dad. Once he sets his mind about a job, he won''t stop until he gets to do it."


    His brow twitched. "I am the CEO. If I don''t have the power, who else has?"


    Ai stared at him. "Dad has his ways to get things done. You will be helpless. It''s better if you just let him do as he pleases. It will be for a short while anyway. The phase doesn''t last for long. It''s alright. Liu Corps won''t be at loss. Dad has a good business sense."


    Jinhai blinked. "He could have started his own business."


    She pursed her lips. "He wouldn''t have been able to stick to it forever. He is a free bird."


    "You have interesting parents."


    "To me, they are just two children in adult bodies picking fights with each other," she grimaced and then glanced at him. "You are not any less interesting yourself," Ai tried to probe, "I really do wish to know how you met Mrs. Liu. My writer''s instinct can sense a deep story behind it."


    Jinhai cocked his brow. "I will tell you someday."


    ''


    Ai blinked rapidly. "Really?"


    He hummed.


    "By the way..." she cleared her throat, "I want to confirm something. I mean I already saw it, but I still wanted to ask."


    "What?"


    The glow on her face looked different to Jinhai for some reason.


    "Are Mr. Liu Jing and Mr. Yukito r-really married to each other?"


    He tilted his head. "Yes."


    Ai''s face blushed crimson like a ripe tomato. "Oh."


    "Did Jun never tell you that?"


    "I don''t think so."


    "Why did you ask that?"


    Ai coughed and fidgeted with her fingers. "I have read all sorts of romance stories including Boys Love. But it was my first time seeing two men as a couple in real life," she covered her face, "It was exciting. Mr. Jing is quite passionate."


    "..."


    Her face reddened further. "They actually gave me inspiration to try writing a boys love story too," her eyes sparkled more and more, "No, I will definitely write it one day. They will be my character inspirations."


    "I see," he cocked his brow, amused.


    Jinhai thought this conversation with his future daughter-in-law was going smoother than what he had imagined. He hadn''t talked to her so directly after his and Nana''s wedding anniversary banquet.


    Ai''s question snapped him out of his daze.


    "What do you think about Jun now?" She quietly asked.


    '''',


    Jinhai stared at her unblinkingly.


    "Do you still resent Jun for what happened?"


    His deep, black eyes ever so slightly widened as he connected the dots. "...Did he tell you everything?"


    He was doubtful if she was actually talking about Jun''s rebirth or something else.


    She smiled. "He told me that you know everything. You were the first person he confessed to about his rebirth."


    He kept a long silence.


    So he told her...


    But then he didn''t find it so surprising a second later. He knew his son inside out and that there would come a day when he would have eventually confessed to Ai. He wouldn''t be someone to hide this important fact forever.


    When he gazed back at Ai, he could feel that she sincerely believed Jun despite how fantasy it would feel like.


    Jinhai slowly said, "I am glad to know that you didn''t dismiss it as...something ridiculous. This is important to him."


    Ai nodded. "I understand it very well. I am myself reborn."


    Now, this was something that took Jinhai by shock.


    "Since Jun shared and trusted you with something so important and personal to him, I know I can do that too. I am the woman who died that same night by falling from a terrace onto his car roof. It wasn''t suicide but at this point, I don''t know if it was an accident either."


    Silence.


    Jinhai''s eyelashes trembled. He couldn''t believe the coincidence that Jun fell in love with the same woman who...


    Is it really a coincidence though...?


    Ai asked, "Do you still resent Jun?"


    Jinhai seemed as if he was organizing his thoughts. "...At first, I was," his low voice rang in the air. "I resented him very much and if you know the whole story, you would know that Jun wasn''t completely innocent either. Nana...is my whole world. I cannot bear anybody threatening to take her away from me whether it''s our children or be it herself. When I heard for the first time from Jun that she died, my first reaction was to punch him. I threw him out of the house without a second thought. I didn''t need to hear anything more after that."


    She said nothing.


    "But yeah...you made me realize how blind I was to my own mistakes that I made in the past," he faintly smiled, "Sometimes I feel envious of Jun that he got a second chance. If I had gotten one too, I wouldn''t have chosen the path that had hurt Nana so much at one point in time."

 Chapter 417 Call Me Dad

    Ai slightly widened her eyes. She couldn''t help but wonder what must have happened in his life for him to feel the need of having a second chance.


    From the corridor, Jinhai looked down where Nana accompanied Xie Nuying in some taste testing as if in a trance. She seemed to be teaching Xie Nuying something which Jinhai thought must be about cooking.


    "She holds everything and everyone together in this family. But more than everybody, she holds my heart and mind together. That was one reason I punched Jun. The very reason for my existence had disappeared¡­" his voice was grim, soft but faintly laced with sorrow.


    "But it''s not only Nana why I punished Jun," he looked back at Ai as if he encouraged her to speak her mind of whatever thoughts she had.


    Ai took a thoughtful pause and slowly asked, "...Jin? That he died-"


    "No. Jun¡­I know where he was coming from. His love for Shui was like my love for Nana. We cannot bear anybody snatching it away. So, I understand what effect the news of their wedding would have brought upon him. I even understand the momentary thought he had about killing Jin in a fit of anger. And I also understand that no matter how furious and hurt he was, he would never pull the trigger and take his own brother''s life. It was an accident."


    The air turned oddly silent.


    Jinhai smiled. "He loved Shui but he could never hate his brother to the point of killing him in cold blood. Not Jin. I said before. Between the siblings, Jun and Jin were the closest. So, I didn''t punish Jun because his bullet killed Jin."


    '''',


    There was one last reason which Ai knew would be true.


    "His suicide?" She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, "I know. I did scold Jun for taking away his life. I¡­I am not defending Jun, but his state of mind after Jin and Mrs. Liu''s death-"


    Jinhai shook his head very slowly. "I am not talking about his suicide after Jin and Nana¡­died. I am talking about the moment when he held the gun to his temple in front of everyone. In front of his parents. In front of Nana. He wanted to kill himself in front of a mother who gave birth to him and raised him with nothing but love. He wanted to give up on his life in front of a father who might not be very vocal in expressing his love for his sons, nevertheless the father holds all his children very dear to him."


    Ai said nothing.


    "Jun wanted us to see him die. The moment he would breathe his last. Ai," his eyes swirled with an emotion which was as angry as it was helpless, "As parents who brought him into this world, the last thing we would want to see¡­is our son die in front of our eyes."


    His voice was choking and trembling which he was trying hard to hide. It felt like he was talking normally, but Ai could faintly sense the tremors in it as he spoke.


    Jinhai lowered his gaze and stared at his palms. "The feeling of love slipping from your hands¡­I know that emotion. I have felt it in my past. I had almost lost Nana because of my mistakes. There is nobody in this world who would understand Jun and the pain he went through better than me. Do you know? Nana was initially supposed to marry my cousin, Jianyu."


    Her lips parted, stunned as he suddenly threw this fact to her. It took some time to process.


    p "Ch-Chen Zixin''s and Yunru''s father¡­?"


    '''',


    "The same man," he smiled. "My cousin. My brother. If it was somebody else, I could fight. But how do you fight your own brother and family? Jun went through the same situation. That''s why I understand Jun''s struggles. And I always wondered to myself. If Nana had really married Jianyu, would I have killed myself? If I had lost her for real, would I have ended my existence?"


    He exhaled a soft breath. "I wouldn''t because I have a family who loves me a lot. My parents, brother, grandma¡­they are all people who wouldn''t bear to see my dead body. For all the love I got from them, they don''t deserve to see their child dead. They didn''t raise me to be a coward and Nana and I¡­also haven''t raised our children to be one either."


    His palms trembled. "So when he confessed that he wanted to shoot himself, I was¡­just very disappointed in him. I thought, when did Jun become such a coward? When did love become so important for him that Nana and I didn''t matter anymore? Not even a little bit for him to wish to stay alive for our sake."


    Ai''s vision blurred with tears which she tried to hold onto.


    "Then¡­Jin died in that scuffle, Nana died in the aftermath. I lost my son and wife. But Jun¡­chose to kill himself instead of facing reality. He ran away. I lost another of my children. And I got furious. Who did he," he clenched his palms, "think he was to take his life lightly? Who did he think he was to take his parents'' feelings lightly? I punished Jun not because I feel he was responsible for Nana or Jin''s deaths. Nana would never blame him. I punished him for the decisions he made. I understand his pain of losing his love but that pales in comparison to seeing someone losing his life. Jun had no right to give that endless suffering to Nana and me."


    A long silence befell after which Ai bowed. "Please forgive me for the things I said to you on the banquet night, Mr. Liu. I didn''t know¡­the bigger picture you were looking at," she trembled, feeling ashamed.


    She might be right in some parts, but she couldn''t deny that Jinhai''s feelings as a father were completely valid. She felt a pat on his head, and she looked up to see Jinhai slightly smiling at her.


    "Don''t apologize. You did make me realize that I had been in Jun''s place before, but I might have been too hard on him. I am glad you fought for him, and I am glad he found his second chance in you."


    Ai parted her lips but couldn''t form a response.


    "Also, don''t call me Mr. Liu. Call me Dad. Same with Nana. Call her Mom. We are your parents as much as Mr. Zhou and Miss. Xie now," he patted her head, "If you ever need me, you are always welcome to Liu villa or Liu Corps."

 Chapter 418 Giving The Chance To Shine

    After the pandemonium that felt as if it took ages to get over, the first meeting between the in-laws finally came to an end. Jun and Jin looked half-dead while the chaotic gang of four still had a lot of energy to spare.


    "Jun-cuuuute, we will miss you~" The twins squeezed their little brother between their bear hugs. "Why don''t you stay the night here so that we can tease you some more?"


    "Get off me! You stink!" Jun pushed them away.


    Liu Hai and Zhou Yichen shook hands as if they were long lost comrades. "Mr. Liu. You opened my eyes to such a different aspect of fun. How did we not meet before?"


    Liu Hai waved his hand, feeling shy. "It is me who is so thankful to meet a gem like you. You are a charming young man~ Seems like I still have some hope to sleep in the bedroom tonight."


    Zhou Yichen winked. "I promise you the trick won''t fail. I have had a lot of practice with Nuying at one spell. Also please don''t forget our deal~"


    "Pah! Of course, I won''t. You are welcome at Liu Corps anytime. It will be so much fun and refreshing for our employees to work under you. Don''t worry about Jinhai or Jin. I am the eldest here hohoho!"


    ,m "That''s what I am talking about!" He chirped. "Need to make thorough use of us being the elders."


    Speaking of Xie Nuying, she had already warned Liu Chunhua of Zhou Yichen''s trick. "Never ever fall for the seduction trick."


    Liu Chunhua bobbed her head. "Thanks for the heads up, dear."


    "My pleasure. A husband who abandons his wife for anything must be punished and taught a lesson."


    "You are absolutely right."


    Then she had a different light on her face altogether as she met Nana, feeling more confident about her cooking skills. "You are an angel. How I wish I had met you earlier."


    Nana scratched her chin in embarrassment. "I just taught you some simple tricks."


    Nuo raised her hand eagerly. "Aunt, you can call me anytime if you need help with any of the recipes! I will always be happy to help you!"


    "You are such a good girl," she nodded with appreciation.


    Ai, on the other side, was ready with her notebook and pen and standing before Jing and Yukito with sparkling eyes like a child as if she got hold of a treasure.


    "Can you tell me how you two met? Who fell in love first? Who confessed? Who proposed? What challenges have you faced in your relationship? What do you like about each other the most? Who is more possessive? What do you do when you fight?"


    ''.'',


    Yukira choked on his cold drink.


    Ah, they will be having a hard time¡­


    Yukito rapidly blinked his eyes and felt his head spinning with the back to back questions.


    "S-so many questions¡­"


    "I am inspired to write a same sex love story," her expression was even more blinding.


    Jing beamed. "Let me answer all your questions, young lady! It''s such a touching and awesome love story of Yukito and I," he sniffled, "We faced so many hardships. Our love was difficult to conquer. But we fought against all odds and became one! I will tell you all in detail how this old man of my father was so against our relationship! He threatened to disown his one and only adorable son," he wiped his non-existent tears.


    "..."


    Yukito dryly said, "That didn''t happen-"


    "And also how I ran away from home because he didn''t accept us and how Yukito and I made our own small house together~"


    "...That also didn''t happen."


    Jing hugged his husband. "And I will also tell you how Dad had tried to separate Yukito from me by throwing a blank cheque on his face and ordering him to leave me, saying all sorts of rubbish about class, status and gender. How he also plotted to fail us in my fashion designer and his modeling career and break our relationship! But we stood tall! It''s truly a heart wrenching story."


    Yukito''s brow twitched. "You just want him to be the villain in the story anyhow, don''t you?"


    He sneered. "He was always the perfect villain character. I am just giving him a chance to shine."


    Ai seriously took notes when she suddenly felt Jun grab her. "Are you seriously listening to Uncle?"


    "Why not?"


    His expression twisted. "He, Grandpa, Bro Jian and Bro Nian are the last people in the whole universe that you should take seriously."


    Jing kicked him. "Hey! Don''t ruin the fun between an uncle and his niece-in-law! You are such a party pooper!"


    "Stop spreading lies and fool my girlfriend!" He glared at him.


    He looked at Nana and Jinhai and said, "We will be leaving now," then he muttered, "Or I will go crazy."


    Jinhai stared at him and nodded. Nana said, "Take care on your way back."


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? N(ov)elBin'',


    Stepping out of the villa, Jun sighed as he begged Zhou Yichen. "Uncle, please don''t join that group of crazy people. You have to stay at my side. MY SIDE!"


    "That''s a difficult choice you are asking me to make, Jun-cute," he said with a grim face.


    Ai, who was walking with Xie Nuying in the front, asked her, "Mom, will you be leaving for Xuanhua?"


    "That is my plan."


    She pursed her lips. "Can you not stay here for some more time?"


    Jun agreed. "Yes. You just arrived two days back. It''s too soon for you to go back. Same with Uncle."


    Zhou Yichen grinned. "Oh, I have a good reason for staying here for some more time. I am serious about visiting the Liu Corps," he winked. "Your grandfather has promised me a good deal."


    "..."


    Good luck, Jin. You have my sympathies.


    Xie Nuying pressed her lips. Now she didn''t feel like leaving Ai and Jun either.


    "But I have work to do back home¡­Exams are also coming, and students need my help."


    Jun smiled. "Don''t worry about work. How about I make some arrangements for online classes?"


    Ai nodded. "That''s a good idea."


    Xie Nuying thought about it.


    Zhou Yichen snorted. "You should focus on your students more, Professor Xie. Jun-cute and Ai-chan already have me here, haha! Don''t worry, you won''t be missed at all."


    "Dad," Ai gave him a stern look.


    Irked, Xie Nuying smiled and said, "Jun''s idea is wonderful. I will take up on that offer."


    "..."


    He clicked his tongue.


    The days would have been so peaceful.

 Chapter 419 Breaking News

    A few days later at Dream High, Zhan Yahui finally received the story drafts which she had been waiting for from Guiying. It was just the first few chapters, and Guiying was working on more of it.


    p Zhan Yahui raised her brow. "Something seems to have changed in your style."


    ''Guiying'', who was eating an apple, shrugged. Her memories rewinded to the time of her meeting with Zixin.


    "Can I be your friend?"


    Was the question Zixin had asked that day to which ''Guiying'' wasn''t sure of how to answer.


    What is a friend? Why does he want to be this idiot''s friend?


    "I don''t understand this friendship thing, so no. Not until I actually get what you are talking about," was what ''Guiying'' had answered.


    Zixin nodded and said, "A friend is someone who supports you and is always there for you in your time of need. They like and trust each other, and they are someone with whom you can always share your pain and difficulties."


    "Why do you want to be someone like that to me?"


    "It''s natural to be friends when you have mutual interests and have a good opinion of the other person. You write books and I garnered an interest in stories because of them. For me, you are a good person as well, so I want to be your friend."


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow, amused. "I am a good person?"


    "Yes."


    ''She'' shrugged. "Friendship is when you trust the other person, isn''t it?"


    "Yes."


    "Then you need to gain mine. I don''t sell trust like candies."


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes.


    Plus, you are Liu Jun''s cousin. I don''t know what you are plotting or even if you are scheming something against me. I won''t be fooled by your innocent face.


    I will just wait for you to take one wrong step and game over.


    Zixin earnestly agreed. "I will do my best."


    ''This chapter is updated by N o v elBin.c?m'',


    ''She'' shrugged again. "So you can lea-"


    "Let''s start with discussing your new story ideas," his black orbs were gleaming expectantly.


    "..."


    Presently, ''Guiying'' grimaced thinking of that day. ''She'' had asked him to leave. He stayed back to help her, claiming that the brainstorming won''t take much time. ''She'' had no clue about stories, so ''she'' had to take Guiying''s help here and there.


    How the hell did a simple discussion take five hours!? Just how much were we talking about stories!?


    ''Guiying'' gritted her teeth, annoyed. For some reason, ''she'' felt like she was fooled into spending a long time with him.


    "Guiying?" Zhan Yahui snapped her out of her daze.


    "Hm? Yeah, the drafts...well, she is just trying out something new. I don''t know," ''she'' was uninterested in sharing her meeting with Zixin to her.


    I don''t think it will last for longer anyway.


    Zhan Yahui cocked her brow. "She seems to have gotten a good inspiration. There are some changes in her descriptions which are not necessarily bad. But a lot of editing work is required. I will take care of that."


    She was making some notes as she worked.


    ''Guiying'' observed her more closely and remarked. "You are very sincere with your work."


    She halted and looked up. "Sorry?"


    "Nothing. You give an odd feeling at times. Sometimes, it feels that you will do anything to make Guiying the best writer, even if it''s unfair to others. But sometimes, I feel that you are not someone to take shortcuts."


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "I am serious about my work because I want Guiying to become the best and the most popular writer. For that, I need the talent which she has. For that purpose, her editor needs to know what she is doing as well. So, I cannot slack."


    "Cool."


    "But it''s not just pure hard work that gets you successful," she chuckled. "People are so naive to think that.


    ''If I work hard, I will get the results one day for sure.''


    That''s a childish way of thinking. The world is more practical. You don''t just need talent and hard work. Connections, opportunities and exposure - you need everything hand in hand. You have to grab everything that comes your way. Otherwise, there is no meaning in doing just hard work. That''s just acting like a donkey."


    ''Guiying'' had to admit she sounded right.


    Zhan Yahui stretched her arms. "For that purpose, it is necessary to pull others down to carve your own way. You have to step down on people..." she narrowed her eyes, "so that you can climb the ladder. Higher and higher until there is nobody left to defeat you. The world was, is and will never be fair."


    ''


    She tilted her head with a calculating smile stretching on her lips. "So, I will use Guiying''s talent to the fullest. But I will also make a path for her to shine even if I have to drag others down and make them sink in the bottom of the ocean."


    "Heh. You are scary."


    "I am not scary," she shrugged. "That''s how the world has always worked."


    From the corner of her eye, she saw Yating passing by from outside her office. From his expression, he seemed a little worried.


    She then asked, "How are things going between Zhou Ai and Liu Jun?"


    ''Guiying'' sneered. "Wonderful. Just like I wanted."


    "Is that so...?" She muttered to herself, thinking about something.


    She stepped out of her office and called him out. "Gu Yating."


    Yating stopped and turned. "Zhan Yahui. What''s up?"


    "I should ask you that. Why are you walking like a zombie?" She folded her arms.


    "Me? Oh, it''s nothing. I was just thinking about work," he smiled.


    Is it work or is it Zhou Ai?


    "I...heard some whispers here and there of your canceled project."


    Yating stiffened.


    "Who knew you loved Zhou Ai so much?" She smiled.


    "...It''s a thing of the past now, Zhan Yahui. It doesn''t matter anymore."


    "If it''s a thing of the past, then be careful not to let these things slip up like that. You wouldn''t want to cause problems between Zhou Ai and Liu Jun. Make sure to keep these things properly hidden, Gu Yating."


    His eyelashes trembled. "Y-Yeah...I know."


    On the big LCD TV hung on the wall, Yating then noticed a news flashing by as his gaze recognized a familiar figure.


    "The queen and king of entertainment industry, Zhu Chyou and Cheng Yin are now in a relationship!"

 Chapter 420 A Confession To Behold

    Two days ago.


    After Shui''s birthday banquet, there grew faint rumors of Chyou and Yating''s relationship as many socialites had witnessed them standing together and being in a cozy company at the party. Then word got around about a possible marriage proposal between the Gu and Zhu families as some had heard that Gu Rong had suggested Xiaosi for their children''s future marriage prospects.


    Some guests who had a keen eye and who had watched the trending news of Yating and Chyou coming out of a shop and saw him giving her a gift had also observed Chyou wearing the pendant that belonged to the same shop.


    All in all, it wasn''t hard to connect the dots and figure out - or at least gossip about their relationship. Some truly believed that Yating and Chyou were indeed interested in each other. They guessed that everybody might soon hear an announcement of their engagement.


    And just like that, the rumors trickled down and made their way to Cheng Yin''s ears. Some pictures from the banquet were also posted on Weibo where he saw Chyou and Yating laughing and talking to each other. They looked at ease and with a chemistry between them that was hard to ignore.


    Which absolutely didn''t sit well with him.


    He jumped on his feet, panicked and anxious. And irritated and annoyed too.


    This Gu Yating...didn''t he say that...


    His brows continuously twitched and he felt his patience losing. When he couldn''t calm down his rattled heart, he went to open his stash where he still had one dose present.


    Cheng Yin licked his lower lip, his brows contorting with struggle.


    I-I have promised Chyou that I won''t ever do drugs again. I somehow lied my way before but I truly...don''t want to keep lying to her.


    He promised to himself that he would become clean and never touch drugs again. But this closeness between Chyou and Yating unnerved him.


    Fuck!


    ''This chapter is updated by N o v elBin.c?m'',


    His temper rose the more he kept thinking about Yating.


    In the end, his addiction won and he took another dose. Relief spread across his body as the effects kicked in. But this wasn''t enough. It calmed him for now. But to truly calm his heart, he had to uproot the main cause of this issue.


    After giving it a long thought in the past two days, he had only one idea that could eliminate Yating''s presence from Chyou''s life. A day before, he made his plans and all was set for today.


    When Chyou entered the set to do her film shooting this morning, she oddly found everybody to be absent. The set looked dark as if nobody had arrived for work.


    "Ah? Isn''t it usually so lively by now?" She muttered to herself.


    Then lights flowed in and she was showered with a rain of rose petals. She widened her eyes, not expecting this kind of a welcome. The whole set was decorated breathtakingly.


    Everybody from the set cheered and laughed as they jumped out from their hiding spots.


    Chyou scratched her chin. "Hey you all. What''s with this welcome? Wait...is it my birthday today? No," she grinned. "Otherwise my family would have surprised me way before you all~ So what''s the event?"


    One assistant giggled. "You will see."


    From her back, Cheng Yin arrived donning his best suit carrying a huge bouquet of beautiful red roses as he walked towards her with a smile on his lips.


    Chyou blinked. "Yin?"


    He stood before her, his heart pounding in nervousness. It thudded even faster as he peered into her eyes. Chyou always looked so stunning that he would never be able to tear his gaze off her.


    "Chyou."


    "Yin. Did you prepare all this?" She chuckled. "What''s with your suit? You are extra fashionable today." Though she admitted that he made her heart skip a beat with how dashing he looked.


    "It''s for you, Chyou."


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? NovelB(i)n. ???'',


    "M-me?"


    The giggles of others grew more excited and hyper as the time came near.


    Cheng Yin said, "Chyou. I have been meaning to tell you something for a long time now. I was struggling to find the perfect moment to tell you. But no matter how hard I thought, I never felt satisfied. Yet there is something important that you had to know and I wanted the whole world to know along with you."


    With that said, sharp gasps echoed throughout the set when Cheng Yin bent on his one knee.


    Chyou silently took a sharp gasp as she covered her mouth with her palm. Everything instantly struck her mind.


    Is he...


    Her heart sped faster as he brought the bouquet closer to her. "Chyou, I love you. I love you very much. Ever since I met you and got to know you, you made your place in my heart before I even realized it. Before I knew it, my eyes started to always look for you. You are kind, hardworking and dedicated. I love everything about you. Even though I have enacted so many confession scenes in the movies, somehow, I always became flustered when I came before you. I want to give you a dreamy confession just like in the movies, declaring my love for you in front of the whole world..."


    Chyou felt her ears ringing and her head buzzing with so many emotions riling her heart and stomach with butterflies. But somewhere in a tiny corner of her heart, she also felt a sense of anxiety creep in too. She couldn''t understand why though.


    I...I am so happy...


    She definitely was. She could hardly contain her excitement and to see the man she loved confess to her was like a dream come true for her because she wasn''t sure if Cheng Yin returned her feelings or not.


    But now, she got her answer in the form of a resounding confession. Nothing could make her happier.


    "Chyou, will you be my girlfriend?"


    The squeals around Chyou grew louder and louder as they urged her. "Say yes! Say yes!"


    Chyou felt her hands mildly tremble and amidst a feeling of faint anxiety still gnawing at her, a smile bloomed on her lips. "Yes!"

 Chapter 421 If You Insist

    Upon reaching the dressing room, Chyou could feel her heart, which was bursting back and forth until now, calming down. She gazed at the bouquet in her hand with a warm smile on her lips.


    "Chyou!"


    Cheng Yin hugged her from the back with a grin on his face. "Gosh..." he trembled slightly, "I still cannot believe it''s happening. I feel as if I am dreaming. You said yes...Chyou, are we really in a relationship now?"


    Chyou smiled and nodded. "I should ask you that question instead. You utterly took me by surprise and you involved everybody in your plan," she narrowed her eyes. "I didn''t get any hint at all."


    Cheng Yin smirked. "Then they did a fine job. I will give them a huge treat later. How about we celebrate this good news with them?" His eyes gleamed with joy but also with relief.


    Finally...


    The faint sensation of Chyou slipping away from her hands faded away with her yes to his confession.


    Chyou, on her side, was thinking about something else. The tiny feeling that bounced back and forth in her heart made a question form on her lips. "Yin, do you really think it was alright to do this in front of everybody?"


    "Huh?"


    "I mean at this point, we obviously cannot keep our relationship under wraps. I am pretty sure the news would have already become a hot topic on social media. Everybody on the film set must have posted about your confession. So...what I mean is...we will be in the limelight now..." she hesitated. She was always a straightforward person but for the first time wasn''t sure of how to put her feelings into words. "Shouldn''t we have taken some time before making it public?"


    Cheng Yin chuckled and waved his hand. "So what? As actors, we were already in the limelight. Cameras followed us everywhere. We just have another reason now."


    "Yeah but..." she scratched her temple, "that was different," she mumbled to herself.


    "Going public isn''t a big deal either. Plus, didn''t you hear how our fans were always shipping us together? It''s like their dream has come true now haha. I cannot imagine the expressions they would have on their faces."


    "Haha, that''s true..."


    Cheng Yin held her hand and locked it in his. "Thanks Chyou. I truly cannot express how-"


    Chyou''s phone buzzed with a call, and she sheepishly grinned. "Aish. Sorry, let me take that..."


    "No problem."


    But the smile on his lips froze when he saw that the incoming call belonged to Yating.


    The hell...why is he calling her? He must have definitely heard the news by now. It would be all over the internet.


    Wait...what if he...he...


    No, no, no! That''s impossible. He doesn''t have any feelings for Chyou.


    Chyou beamed seeing Yating calling her, and she immediately clicked it. "Yating!"


    ''??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? NovelB(i)n. ???'',


    Cheng Yin stiffened.


    When did they get so close to calling each with first names?


    From the other side, Yating said, "Chyou. Congratulations. I just saw the news. Cheng Yin confessed to you, huh."


    "Yeah. It was honestly a surprise. I didn''t have any clue about his plan at all."


    "Somebody posted a video of his confession. Haha, you were so shocked," he chuckled, "But I am happy for you. You love Cheng Yin so much. I am glad he returns your feelings."


    Chyou smiled. "...Yes. Me too."


    "Hm? Why that pause? Are you okay?"


    "Oh? Yes, yes! Of course, I am. Today is the happiest day for me!" She grinned. Then she thought of Gu Rong and became slightly tense. "Uncle Gu..."


    "Dad? Ah, don''t worry about him at all. I have already clarified about us."


    "I see," she nodded.


    Nobody said anything for a few moments.


    "Chyou."


    "Hm?"


    On the other side at Dream High as Yating watched the news and Cheng Yin''s confession, he asked again, "You are really okay, right?"


    She blinked and curiously enquired. "You are asking that again."


    Yating touched his chin in deep thought. "Yeah. You know, I am watching the whole confession video again."


    "Aish. You are embarrassing me..."


    "I just felt as if you were...bothered about something. Just a tiny bit. Your expression looked odd. Or maybe I am just mistaken."


    Chyou slightly widened her eyes.


    He saw that...?


    She quickly laughed it off. "Of course not. Cheng Yin just really took me by surprise."


    "Ah, okay. It''s fine if it''s just that. Congratulations once again."


    "Thanks, Yating."


    Cheng Yin was slightly getting restless as the call continued for longer. He tapped on her shoulder to which she mouthed. ''Just a minute please!''


    '''',


    His mouth twitched in annoyance for Yating.


    "And..." he cleared his throat. "I wanted to say this before. Thanks for supporting me on Shui''s banquet night. I know Liu Jun and you have been closer to each other far more than us. Yet you stood up for me. I sincerely appreciate it."


    Chyou sighed. "What should I do about you, Yating? You are just too much of a gentleman. I did what I believed was right. Is there any need for a thank you between friends?"


    "Well-"


    "The answer is no!" She flared her nostrils.


    "Alright. My bad," he chuckled and shook his head.


    "Buuuuut! If you insist on thanking me nooooo matter what, I wouldn''t mind a token of your appreciation in the form of a gift," she innocently said.


    "..."


    Yating leaned on a wall and raised his brow. "Hm...I guess I am not that insistent about thanking you."


    Her brow twitched. "No, I mean if you really insist-"


    "Nope. As you said, there is no need of a thank you between friends~"


    "..."


    Tch.


    "Ahahaha..." Yating then suddenly burst into a laughter after a moment, taking her by surprise. "You definitely clicked your tongue, right? In your mind."


    "Not really..." she mumbled.


    "Ah, you are so funny, Chyou," he was still laughing.


    She sneered. "Be careful. No need to laugh that much or you will get a stomach ache."


    "Na, I will be fine."


    "Hmph."


    "I was just kidding anyway. You will get your gift soon."


    Her face blossomed. "That''s what I am talking about! Cool. I will be waiting."


    They hung up after a few minutes and as she turned, she noticed a glaring displeasure on Cheng Yin''s face. "What happened?"


    But before he could speak, Chyou''s manager barged in and politely asked Cheng Yin to give them some privacy. He had no choice but to leave. "Talk to you later."


    "Yup," she smiled.


    As he left, Chyou''s manager was exasperated as she faced her. "Chyou, what is this about your relationship with Cheng Yin? Are you really serious about this?"

 Chapter 422 A Not So Pleasant Surprise

    On the other side, Liu Corps.


    After a long meeting got winded up, Jin pulled in a breather and leaned back on the chair. He rubbed his temples and stretched his arms. As a matter of habit, he scrolled down the news section on his phone, and his eyes went wide when he saw the breaking news of Chyou and Cheng Yin firing up everywhere.


    The hell...That bastard!?


    His brows heavily frowned with the mismatch in timeline. In the last life, it wasn''t so soon when Chyou and Cheng Yin got together.


    It was a year later I guess when Chyou confessed to this freak.


    Then he was puzzled even more.


    Wasn''t it Chyou who had confessed to him? Why is it Cheng Yin this time? And why so earlier? Is something changing in her life too?


    The only thing he knew was about Gu Rong''s marriage proposal which was there in his last life too. But Chyou and Yating never got to know each other. They hadn''t even met, much less been friends.


    Though they did meet this time, Jin couldn''t see any difference.


    ? It''s not like Chyou and Gu Yating agreed to this proposal even if they met, he thought.


    Whatever the reason was, there was one thing that Jin knew for sure and that was never to let Cheng Yin be a part of Chyou''s life this time.


    His icy gaze emanated hostility as he thought of Chyou''s tragic fate. If not for Cheng Yin, Chyou wouldn''t have had to suffer so much.


    Jin immediately dialed Jun''s number, but he didn''t receive it after many rings either. He furrowed his brows. Then he called Yunru.


    "Is Bro around?"


    "Bro Jin! I don''t know what happened, but Bro Jun suddenly took off from Sky. Did you read the news? Sis Chyou and the actor Cheng Yin got together!"


    "Yeah," his palm clenched into a fist.


    "Yes, so I told him the news and somehow, his expression totally went ugly!" Yunru''s shock was evident from the way Jun behaved. "Then he told me to handle things here for sometime and dashed off..."


    "I see," Jin nodded to himself.


    He must be charging towards Chyou''s set now. If he is there, I don''t have to worry.


    '''',


    "Thanks, Yunru."


    "Hey hold on!" He protested. "What is going on here? Why are you not so surprised? What made Bro Jun so furious?"


    Only if I could tell you about the past life...


    Jin vaguely replied. "We just don''t like Cheng Yin. He might be a good actor but he is nowhere good enough for Chyou. Bro coincidentally found out one day that he takes drugs."


    And he did much more shitty things with Chyou which make us want to kill him, his fist trembled with rage.


    A sharp gasp echoed from the other side of the call. "What!? Drugs?"


    "Yeah. Naturally, we don''t want Chyou to waste her time and feelings for such a pathetic man."


    "Of course!" Yunru''s nostrils flared. "Sis Chyou is super sweet and super pretty! If Cheng Yin is involved with this shady stuff, then he doesn''t deserve her, hmpf! Then it''s good that Bro rushed right away."


    Jin smiled. "Yup. Take care of things for Bro while he is away. I will call you later."


    He hung up, feeling more relieved now. He sneered as he thought of Cheng Yin.


    You got free rein last time but not again, you fucker. Not again.


    His thoughts were then interrupted as he heard a familiar voice outside. His body immediately froze, and his jaw dropped.


    No way in hell...


    He rushed outside and there was his nemesis standing right before him and flirting with his secretary.


    "Have you thought of using a peach shade clutch? It will definitely go with this dress. Plus your skin tone would match greatly with it," Zhou Yichen smiled.


    The secretary screamed in her mind and was rolling on the floor, covering her blushing face.


    Aaaahhhhhh!! Who is this charming man? Fuck, he is so dashing! I cannot even tell his age. He looks so young!


    "Y-you are right. How do you know about women''s fashion?"


    He lazily said, "I have worked in the marketing and advertising division for a popular fashion brand. I know some stuff here and there~" he winked.


    Zhou Yichen''s charisma was short-circuiting her brain circuit.


    Jin watched his secretary getting completely smitten by Zhou Yichen with a tomato red face and steam escaping her head.


    '''',


    "..."


    This cannot be...Don''t tell me he was serious when he said he wants to work in the Liu Corps!?


    Zhou Yichen''s gaze fell on Jin, and he shone. "Jini-boy! It''s me! Your favorite Uncle Zhou!"


    He gnashed his jaw.


    When did you become my favorite Uncle!?


    Jin walked up to them, throwing daggers at Zhou Yichen. He glanced at his blushing secretary.


    "Wen Cui-"


    "You are so knowledgeable, Mr. Zhou..." she totally couldn''t hear Jin''s voice calling her, neither saw him approaching them.


    Zhou Yichen waved his hand. "My pleasure, young lady."


    Jin intervened. "You-"


    "Can I get your autograph!" She exclaimed.


    "..."


    He is not even a movie star...


    Zhou Yichen grabbed a notepad, tore off a page and signed on it after which he pressed the page in her palm. "Done~ I can never disappoint a fan of mine."


    "I will forever cherish this autograph, Mr. Zhou!" She cried.


    "Wen Cui!" Jin raised his voice, making her jump up in her spot. Then she stiffened upon finally noticing Jin.


    "S-S-Sir Liu J-Jin..."


    He smiled. "You finally heard me."


    Her brow twitched. "I-I remembered I have to make the presentation for today''s meeting!" She scurried away to protect her life and job.


    "Aish, Jini-boy you scared her," Zhou Yichen commented, seeing her escape. "That''s not how you talk to women or you will never get a girlfriend, Jini-boy."


    Jin tried to calm down. "What is Uncle Zhou doing here?"


    "He is here to work with us from now on," an equally hopeless voice came from the back as Jinhai arrived.

 Chapter 423 Repurcussions?

    '''',


    Jinhai glanced at Jin and then at Zhou Yichen. "Come inside."


    "Sure~"


    Carefree and relaxed, Zhou Yichen whistled and went in while Jin still couldn''t wrap his head around this mess.


    As Jinhai sat opposite them, he crisply said without wasting anyone''s time. "Mr. Zhou will be working with you, Jin."


    "..."


    Jin stared at his father for a long, long time. It was an accusing gaze filled with blame. The burning question he wanted to ask was - ''And you are okay with it?''


    Jinhai didn''t even look at his son even once.


    Jin robotically turned his head towards the storm that just barged in out of nowhere in the office today. "Why¡­do you suddenly want to work here?"


    ''This chapter is updated by N(o)V(e)lB(i)n.'',


    "Oh!" Zhou Yichen chuckled. "It has been a long time since I worked in a company. Many years back when Nuying and I were still married. To be honest, I wanted to be the CEO. It must feel so amazing to be the top Boss!"


    The father-son duo twitched.


    "But aish, I also understand that becoming a CEO out of nowhere is impossible. Bunch of board people and shareholders to explain to. Boooring. So I agreed to take up any spot. I am flexible with any type of job. I have a wide array of skills you see," he winked. "I thought of experiencing a corporate life for one more time."


    "Why don''t you work in Sky? I am pretty sure Bro and your lovely daughter will be more than happy to welcome you there," he dryly said.


    "What? No! How can I be there? It''s exactly because Jun-cute and Ai-chan work there together that I cannot join them. I don''t want to interfere with the lovebirds. What if I catch them doing something naughty? They will be so embarrassed. They wouldn''t want me to work where they cannot get openly cuddly with each other~"


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen grinned at Jinhai. "Thank you Mr. Liu. You are so gracious for going along with my wishes."


    ''?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n'',


    It''s not me, it''s Dad.


    Even now, he wished to strangle Liu Hai for urging the decision onto him.


    "Anyway, back to the topic. Mr. Zhou will be working with Jin."


    Jin asked with a vein close to popping on his forehead, "Why me?"


    Jinhai looked up at him. "To learn from him. He might look goofy, but he has skills. I have assessed them for myself. I won''t keep someone who cannot get the job done."


    Zhou Yichen nodded. "Mr. Liu is sharp. No wonder the company flourished so much."


    He continued. "There is a new project coming up with the Han Corps where we will be cooperating with each other. You two will handle it."


    "I am cool with it," Zhou Yichen said. He looked at Jin. "Don''t worry, Jini-boy. We will have a good time together! It will be fun."


    He glared at him.


    I don''t see that happening!


    Jin snorted. "It''s fine if I have to just work with Bro Siying. We can manage it."


    He laughed. "So stern."


    Jinhai said, "It''s not Siying you will be working with."


    "Then uncle Zhiyuan?"


    "Shui."


    That made him freeze right on his spot.


    "Shui''s exams are over and as a part of an internship to learn more about business management, she will be working in Han Corps for sometime. She will still be a junior resource, nevertheless involved in this project where you will work with her."


    "No!" Jin banged his palm on the desk. The light in his eyes turned exceedingly hateful and menacing. "I won''t work with Shui!"


    He blurted out so loudly that a sharp silence fell soon after.


    Jinhai blinked twice, staring at Jin carefully. He slowly cocked his brow, noticing the disturbance in Jin''s gaze.


    Zhou Yichen, too, was taken aback by his resistance. "Hm? What''s the problem, Jini-boy? It''s Han Shui we are talking about."


    Jin stiffened as he felt their strong gazes at him as if scrutinizing his sudden outburst.


    "Any problem, Jin?" Jinhai asked in a quiet voice, fixing his unreadable gaze at him.


    He said nothing.


    He could protest against working with Shui, but he couldn''t explain the reason behind his actions. There was seemingly nothing wrong with their relationship on the outside.


    The pair of fathers kept gauging his expressions.


    It was after sometime when Jin looked up at Jinhai and declared. "Sorry, Dad. But I won''t work on this project with Shui."


    ¡ª


    At the film set, Chyou''s manager had her own concerns regarding the breaking news spreading everywhere like wildfire.


    "Chyou, are you serious about Cheng Yin? You didn''t even discuss this with me before making it public!" Her manager, Ding Yimu was exasperated.


    "I was surprised myself!" Chyou defended herself. "I had no clue that Yin had all this planned."


    "Chyou, you don''t understand the gravity of this situation here! You are the topmost A-listed actress everybody is seeking for. You are on a good streak with movies. I don''t think getting into a relationship at this stage is good for you. I mean¡­" she sighed. "It''s fine if you like someone. If you want, you can date too but I had hoped you would have kept it in wraps. What if something happens tomorrow and you and Cheng Yin are not together anymore? Can you imagine the hit on your reputation?"


    "Don''t curse my relationship when it has just started," Chyou protested.


    "I am showing you the reality. If you wanted to announce your relationship, you could have done so after sometime. Maybe after a few months or years when you are absolutely sure about Cheng Yin and you as a couple. Look, fans are already shipping you two. Sure they will be very happy with this news but if this doesn''t work out, it can have negative repercussions too! Ugh, I want to strangle someone! Plus, there were already some rumors floating around about you and Gu Yating. Now suddenly, it''s you and Cheng Yin. Do you get me? Some may not like how you are linked up with two men."


    Chyou released a sigh. "I understand your concerns. Trust me, I do. I know you care about my career. But believe me. Everything will be fine. I love Cheng Yin and he loves me too. I am firm about him and I know nothing will break us apart. I know he is the right person for me-"


    "He is not!" A furious roar resounded as Jun rushed in.

 Chapter 424 A Blind Idiot Before

    Jun grabbed Chyou''s shoulder and breathlessly gasped, not because he was tired from rushing from Sky to her set. But it was because of the anger seething within him since the moment the news reached his ears.


    "Cheng Yin is not the right person for you, Chyou! Break off¡­break off with that bastard right now!"


    Her senses dulled for a moment with Jun suddenly appearing before her out of nowhere. "Jun? What is this about?"


    "This is about how wrong you are about Cheng Yin and your decision to date him. You are only gonna regret it. I won''t let it happen, Chyou."


    At that moment, he felt as if he could see the past life''s Chyou whose love and commitment was defeated by Cheng Yin. Her gaze still looked firm and unyielding, but her heart was already beyond repair.


    Chyou frowned. She folded her arms and stared at him. "Explain yourself, Jun. For some reason, I have noticed that you are always hostile towards Yin. At the hospital too, you blatantly expressed your dislike for him. But you two haven''t even properly met before. Why do you hate him so much?"


    Jun took a few deep breaths to calm down. "Chyou, you have no idea what you are getting yourself into. Do you even know that Cheng Yin is into drugs?"


    Ding Yimu drew a sharp breath. Her eyes popped out with this news. "You¡­you are kidding me!"


    "I had hoped too that this was all a joke, but it isn''t. He is an addict."


    She wished to faint. "T-that''s a very serious allegation you are putting on Cheng Yin, Liu Jun. If, even by mistake, this fact goes out, his career is done for! An addict superstar? He will be banned from the entertainment industry. Does Kang Qigang have any idea about this?"


    Kang Qigang was Cheng Yin''s manager like Ding Yimu was Chyou''s.


    "Not just that, Cheng Yin has recently been a part of many healthcare related commercials. The world will grill him like crazy if they know an addict is campaigning for good healthcare," she sweated. "That will be such an irony."


    Novel Top1.OR G


    "I don''t give a damn about his career. That can sink for all I care. The only thing I do not want is Chyou having relationship with him! He is an addict and a liar!"


    Chyou said, "I know."


    That sharply took Jun and Ding Yimu aback. "Cheng Yin confessed this to me himself."


    Jun stared at her, refusing to believe this.


    No way will Cheng Yin admit it himself. Like hell! He never did so in the past.


    Ding Yimu was now more incensed than ever. "Zhu Chyou! Am I hearing it right? You already knew? Wait¡­That means, Cheng Yin taking drugs is actually the truth?"


    "Was the truth," Chyou corrected her. "Cheng Yin explained his circumstances in which he got involved with them. Whatever it was, he has sincerely assured me that he has left that life behind him."


    Jun chuckled. "Oh? And what are those helpless circumstances if I may ask?"


    That earned him a glare from Chyou. "I am not liking your tone, Jun!"


    "Yeah, you won''t like the bitter reality I will speak about either, but tell me. How did Cheng Yin reveal this to you by himself?"


    Chyou gave him a recap of the events after which Jun laughed only more. "So Gu Yating coincidentally saw him one night and he told you. You expressed your concerns, and THEN he told you. That is not confessing, Chyou. He was cornered. So rather than lying and taking that gamble, he thought to come out with it. And do you know why? Because I knew it too, and he knew that I knew."


    He sneered. "I gave him a pretty good scare at the hospital that day. You should have seen his face. He was as pale as a ghost. He knew I could prove it, so he accepted his addiction. In no way does that mean that he sincerely wanted to confess to you!"


    Chyou sighed. "I know and I also understand that. But I also want to understand Yin. Confessing your addiction is a big deal, especially to the person you like. You instinctively want to hide anything bad or negative about yourself. He might have been feeling pressured by you, but that doesn''t mean he is also lying about his conviction. He really does want to come clean!"


    Jun widened his eyes. "How can you trust him, Chyou!?"


    "Because I love him, Jun. If I don''t believe in the man I love then what is the point of my feelings for him?" She asked.


    Jun gritted his teeth. "Trust is one thing but being blind is a completely different story! You cannot lose your common sense just because you are in love!"


    "You-"


    "And I am saying this because I had been a blind idiot before."


    The past memories came flowing in and his heart burned with helplessness. "I have been there before, Chyou. Acting as if I couldn''t see anything else besides what I wanted to have¡­I suffered a lot because of it and I made everyone else suffer too," his voice trembled. "Being in love feels amazing. But at times, you get chained by it too because we want our love story to be perfect. That''s why we want to believe we are doing the right thing. But Cheng Yin is not right. He is not sincere at all. He will never keep you happy!"


    Chyou felt his words strike and resonate in her heart. She was aware that it wouldn''t be easy to accept Cheng Yin because of his past.


    "But he deserves a chance, Jun. I know you are worried about me. I am so glad to have you as my friend. But I really love Yin. I want to give him a chance to prove his sincerity-"


    Ding Yimu interrupted her. "No! Don''t be silly Chyou. You want to date an addict? Do you know how it could affect your reputation?"

 Chapter 425 Bet

    Chyou couldn''t believe her manager. "I cannot be so shallow to think about my reputation, Yimu!"


    "And why not!? You have come this far on your own merits. You want to ruin your career you built by your own hard work for someone who is into drugs? Where you don''t even know if this relationship will last at all? Call me shallow all you want, but I am your manager. It''s my job to protect you and your career damn it!"


    The faceoff between Chyou and Ding Yimu lasted for a minute when Jun narrowed his eyes. "I see. So you want to give him a chance, right?"


    Chyou pursed her lips. "Yes. Jun, he confessed to me in front of everyone. By now, everybody knows about us. He won''t do anything to jeopardize our relationship. Sometimes, people go through bad phases in their life, but it doesn''t mean that we should completely shut them out for just one mistake. I really want to be there for him."


    Jun understood that there would be no further point in this. She was being like him, who was once stubborn in love and wanted to see through the end no matter what.


    The only thing that opened his eyes was reality.


    And the only thing that would help Chyou was to see reality with her own eyes.


    "Then let''s do this. If you believe in Cheng Yin''s sincerity so much, then let''s test it. You said he won''t touch drugs again, right? Then I will show you what kind of a liar he is. If he touches or consumes drugs even just once, then promise me that you will break up with him. Because it is clear. If he cannot hold onto his promise even once, the future is already bleak."


    Chyou firmly nodded. "I agree. I trust Yin, and I know he won''t let me down. If this is how you want to prove his deceit, then it''s also a way for me to prove to you and everybody that Yin would never stray."


    She thought that this was for the best.


    By now, Mom, Dad, Xiang - everybody would have seen the news. If they, especially Dad, came to know about Yin''s past, he might never allow our relationship. Then the only thing that could change his mind would be this test.


    Jun smiled. "Fine. Three months. I know that rehabilitation from drug addiction is a long process. It''s not a quick recovery. But if he could abstain from drugs for three months and control his withdrawal symptoms, then we can think of giving him a chance. Let''s bet on this man you trust so much."


    Silence.


    She agreed. "Okay."


    Ding Yimu held her forehead. "Ahhh this is so complicated. Look, I really want to support you, Chyou. But I am with Liu Jun in this. If there is even one sign that shows this relationship not working out, then I want you to quit. You are a gem in this industry, Chyou. I don''t want you to destroy your hard-earned career because of this. Should I let Kang Qigang know this? He will flip out so badly¡­"


    Jun snorted. "I don''t care if his manager knows or not. If Cheng Yin takes one wrong step, then nobody can save him."


    He glanced at Chyou and sighed. "Don''t be mad at me, okay? I believe Uncle Xiaosi would do the same thing. We care about you."


    He gripped his inside pocket as his gaze grew dark.


    Chyou I wish¡­I wish I could tell you just how shitty Cheng Yin is. It''s not just drugs. He never respected you and fucking cheated on you. You lost your child because of him¡­


    A man like him deserves to be in hell, not with you.


    He narrowed his eyes and said, "I will get going. See you later."


    ¡ª


    Cheng Yin hurried into his dressing room, exhaling hard. He stood in front of the mirror, his chest heaving up and down.


    That Liu Jun¡­can he just not take a rest!? Why does he have to interfere?


    First that Gu Yating and now Liu Jun!


    He shut his eyes, thinking back to how he had heard everything. The whole conversation between Jun, Ding Yimu and Chyou.


    The bet¡­I will win it Liu Jun, he chuckled. Three months, right? I just have to be careful for three months after which you will shut your damn mouth.


    If I am clean for three months, then no way would Chyou tolerate your nonsense anymore¡­


    As he took a breath and coming to a decision of what he had to do, he slowly opened his eyes.


    But he got the scare of his life, and he jumped up in fear as he saw Jun standing right behind him.


    "Y-you!" He turned and saw his eyes watching him like a hawk. He felt as if he got a heart attack.


    The hell¡­I didn''t even hear a sound. How did he come inside without me noticing anything!


    "How did you enter without my permission-"


    Cheng Yin suddenly coughed hard as Jun grabbed him by his neck and slammed him against the wall.


    "I know you heard everything, fucker. I saw you. And now you must be rejoicing that you have to hold on for just three months to get a clear pass. But listen to me very carefully, bastard. It''s not just drugs I am testing you on. If you dare hurt Chyou in anyway or touch even a single strand of her hair, you are fucking dead," his chilly dark brown eyes seeped right into Cheng Yin''s heart.


    Cheng Yin choked and was unable to breathe. He resisted but Jun was simply too strong for him to shake him off.


    What the hell is with his strength¡­


    "Just one mistake, Cheng Yin, and I will squash you like a bug."


    His quiet voice coupled with his icy threat rang in the air like a dreadful foreboding.


    "So be careful, Cheng Yin. I am watching you every step of the way."

 Chapter 426 Shipping Boyfriend With A Boyfriend

    Several days later.


    Ai yawned and stretched her arms as her eyes slowly fluttered open. It was early morning time outside, but the dark clouds faintly visible from the curtain slit showed how dark it was in reality.


    Is it going to rain today? She blinked.


    She turned and found Jun was still on the bed, sitting upright and displaying his drool worthy half-naked body. The muscles on his chest and abs made her cheeks blush. His sexy side angle simply was too hot to bear.


    But she observed a notebook in Jun''s hand which he was quietly but seriously reading with his expression darkening by every passing moment. Ai had just opened her eyes so it took a moment to register in her mind that it was the same notebook where she would write her ideas and short excerpts of passages from her sudden flash of inspirations she would get from time to time.


    She tried to grab it quickly, but Jun was one step ahead and locked her wrist in his palm. "Why are you in such a hurry, my dear girlfriend?" He sneered. "You are acting like I caught a thief."


    Ai cleared her throat. "I don''t understand what you are talking about."


    "You surely do or else you wouldn''t have that expression on your face," he pinched her jaw and scolded her. "What is this I am reading, Zhou Ai?"


    Ai peeked in her notebook and at him. "What?"


    He gritted his teeth and recited what wrote.


    "''Life was so blissful for them. She had confessed her feelings and laid her heart bare for him. He responded to her feelings with a fierce and passionate kiss which affirmed his answer to her. Their hearts were one and so were their bodies on that special night. Their life of togetherness had just started. But who would have thought that it would soon turn upside down with an old flame of love soon entering their lives and wreaking havoc in it? It was none other than his best friend - a man who loved him at one point the same way she did now. She was at crossroads, but she soon realized it was for the best that his true love was actually in his best friend and not her. But she kept a big heart and accepted their relationship, giving them their blessings."''


    He eyed Ai and smiled. "This is me and you in this story, right? This is about Valentine''s evening."


    "Is that so?" She feigned ignorance.


    "The first part is still fine. But what the hell is with this other best friend and a man at that, who came into their life later!? Zhou Ai, if I am reading this right, then does it mean you are shipping me with a guy in this excerpt?"


    N0 v el Next. CoM


    "Of course not."


    "You are not only shipping me with him, but the supposed girlfriend, which is YOU, is also giving her blessings to this so-called new couple," his head was close to bursting, "a gay couple if I be explicit."


    Ai nodded. "She just realized how cruel it was to separate the true lovers."


    Jun''s smile turned increasingly alarming. "Do you have any doubts about my sexuality?"


    "No."


    "Then if I may ask, why did you write this?"


    "Before that, shouldn''t you feel ashamed of peeking into your girlfriend''s personal belongings?" She pointed out.


    "Don''t test my patience! Why the hell were you so happy while imagining about me and some random guy? Did you eat anything weird?"


    Ai''s eyes shone. "Ever since I met your uncles, my mind has been flooding with ideas. They look so good together. And then it looked so interesting to imagine you with another guy¡­" she blushed. "Then I wondered if some man really fell in love with you, what will I do? Then I realized what she realized as well in the story. I would have sacrificed my love for you and let you two to be together."


    He sneered. "Why is it I see that you are not particularly feeling so tragic with your sacrifice?"


    She pursed her lips. "You seriously lack imagination."


    "Just admit that you have gotten brainwashed to see two men together!"


    "I am sincerely not. As a writer, it''s my job to think and give equal chances to all the beautiful imaginations flooding in my mind."


    He smiled and climbed on top of her. "Forget imagination, let me make you aware of the reality here."


    Ai tried to sneak out, but he mocked her and closed her path. "I need to drill my sexuality into you very clearly so that you would never have these wild imaginations again."


    "It''s not good to kill a writer''s imagination," she protested.


    "Yeah let''s talk about that after I knock some punishment into you."


    "W-we already did it last night¡­many times¡­" her voice was hoarse.


    He smiled and whispered in her ear. "Let me show you what the mornings in MY imagination looks like."


    ¡ª


    After God knows how much time passed, Ai seriously had no strength to move. All sweaty and breathless, she was still shuddering with the after effects of the three passionate lovemaking rounds with which Jun dispersed all her senses into haywire.


    He kissed her forehead. "Good that you learned your lesson."


    She didn''t have any energy to complain either.


    "You are going to the library today, right?"


    The mention of the library reacharged her with some much needed sparks. "Yes to see the cat again," she beamed. "I think the cat will definitely let me pet him today. We have been growing very close to each other these days," she proudly said.


    He chuckled. "You sure the cat thinks the same way too?"


    She gave him a displeased stare. "I will prove it to you today. I will take a picture of me petting the cat and send it to you."


    "Good luck."


    ¡ª


    "Kitty, kitty, kitty," Ai called out to the cat as she reached the alley where the cat usually spent his time.


    She pursed her lips, not finding the cat anywhere.


    Where must he have gone?

 Chapter 427 The Golden Clock And The Voices

    It was strange because the cat rarely left the alley. The alley was like the cat''s own secret base.


    Ai released a sigh.


    "Ai, dear. Who are you looking for?" Mrs. Quan, who walked up to her, gently asked.


    "Mrs. Quan," she politely smiled back. "The cat."


    "Oh," she chuckled, "The cat you are trying to win over."


    Ai corrected her. "I have almost won him over. After so many observations, I have brought his favorite food. Today, he will definitely let me pet him."


    "Hehe, well good luck. That cat reminds of our Jun. If you are not careful, he will hiss and scratch you."


    Her ears perked. "Jun fell for me in the end, and I know the cat will too."


    The dark clouds rumbled in the sky, reminding them that it could soon rain. As much as chilly, the atmosphere dictated a sense of mystery today as the cold winds rustled the leaves and trees around them.


    Mrs. Quan commented. "It''s so strange. Monsoon is still a month away, but it''s already so dark. It might rain today. Be careful, dear. Don''t be out for too long."


    Ai nodded.


    Mrs. Quan went back while Ai continued her search for the cat. She then heard a soft meow, making her turn. She brightened upon seeing the cat at the alley''s entrance, staring at her quite attentively.


    "Found you!" She chirped. She rustled to bring out the food for the cat. "Today, I have brought your-"


    But the cat hopped away from her sight.


    "Hey, wait. Where are you going?"


    Ai followed the cat and despite her calls, the cat didn''t seem to listen to her. Sometimes, he would stop, turn, glance at her and scurry away once again.


    "Wait...where are you going?" She followed him quite far by this point, making her feel breathless.


    Wait, why am I following him? She questioned herself, huffing and puffing. It''s not like stray cats stay at one place the whole time.


    So why...


    *Meow*


    She heard a soft howl again and looked ahead with the cat with his dark brown irises, gazing into her light brown ones intently.


    "Come back. It''s going to rain. The roads will be dangerous. If you keep hopping around, you will get into an accident..."


    But the cat continued running away from her, making her feel helpless. She wondered if she should let him be and head back to the library.


    The alley is his base. He will eventually come back...


    But her body didn''t support her mind''s decision and instead kept running behind the cat. At one point in all this running around, she picked speed and finally scooped the cat in her arms.


    "Fi...Finally...You made me run... like a marathon today," Ai complained after her long distance sprint, totally out of breath. "I never ran this far even in school sports."


    The cat hissed at her.


    Ai asked, "Why are you still hissing at me? Aren''t we good friends now?"


    She knew it was definitely disdain that she noticed in the cat''s eyes, but she chose to ignore it. She remained standing to catch her breath and as she looked up, she stiffened upon seeing Dream High. The fall skyscraper-like building was the same where she had worked in the previous life and also where she breathed her last.


    Why...When did I arrive here?


    The cat was restlessly shifting against her chest, hitting it with her paws.


    *Meow meow*


    In usual circumstances, Ai always felt afraid and her body would freeze whenever she looked up at tall buildings because that would give her an illusion of falling from the top. At this moment as well, her legs were trembling, but she couldn''t tear her eyes off from the very top. The black clouds rumbled ominously with a strong gust of wind fluttering her hair at her back.


    *GONG!*


    Suddenly out of nowhere, a sharp sound that threatened to burst her eardrums, drummed loudly in the space above. Her eyes blinked and tried to protect themselves when something very golden, bright and shining struck her vision.


    Anxiety and the fear of the unknown made her heart pound in her chest because the cluelessness of what she was seeing and hearing made her terrified. She thought she was going crazy, believing what she assumed was a clock floating in the air. A golden clock that hung in the dark sky, making the grey clouds fade away with its gleam. The second hand was ticking with its sound clearly audible amidst the sharp gongs.


    Ai shivered, feeling a sharp headache clutching her temples and the hushes and whispers of people echoing in her ears.


    "What is the meaning of my...anymore...don''t deserve..."


    "I am sorry, Ai...couldn''t...anything...Between you and Dad...choose him..."


    "It''s all you...you told me to..."


    "Yichen! Please...wake...up," a voice cried her heart out, "I beg you..."


    "I don''t want to...live anymore..."


    "What did I do...? I killed her..."


    "All...my fault..."


    The grasp with which Ai had held onto the cat loosened, and he jumped away. But he didn''t run away and kept still at his place.


    On her side, Ai felt tears rolling down her cheeks with so many voices hammering and flooding her mind endlessly. The headache was growing worse, and she collapsed on her knees.


    What is happening...? These voices...


    She faintly recognized the voices and heard the words, but she couldn''t make any sense out of them. The golden clock in the sky kept banging the loud gongs one after the other.


    Make it stop...make these voices stop...


    "Will you forgive...I truly...I failed..."


    "I did everything that you...but why..."


    Ai felt as if she was learning something she never knew before but at the same time, it filled her heart with dread. A gloomy feeling enveloped her chest, and her vision started to blur.


    "Ai!"


    She mumbled. "Make these voices stop..."


    "Ai?"


    "It''s so bright..."


    Suddenly, she felt somebody gripping her shoulders and shaking them with a force which snapped her out of her daze. The voices in her mind disappeared, and it became deadly silent. The radiance of the golden clock vanished as well as if it was never there in the first place. Everything went back to how it was.


    Ai blinked rapidly upon seeing the extreme worry in the familiar man''s eyes who had rushed up to her from his office to the entrance.


    Yating asked with his voice marred in concern and panic for her, "Ai, what happened to you?"

 Chapter 428 The Dread Left Behind

    A few minutes before, when Yating was casually walking from window side in his office with a file in his hands, he noticed Ai at Dream High''s entrance to his shock.


    Ai?


    She was holding a cat in her hands, heaving breathlessly as if she had come running here. It was the first time in months since Ai left Dream High that she was here again.


    But then to his more shock, she started looking pale as she clutched her head. He didn''t know what was wrong with her but it felt as if she was getting some sort of an attack.


    The file fell on the floor with a thud, and Yating sprinted towards the building''s entrance. He almost crashed into Zhan Yahui, making her frown at him. "Hey, go slow. Where are you rushing off to?"


    "Sorry¡­Will talk to you later. I am in a rush," and without explaining much, Yating hurried towards the lift.


    When he reached outside, Ai''s condition was even more ghastly as she was muttering something to herself. She looked frightened about something. The guard was also staring at Ai with confusion and starting to walk towards her when Yating glanced at him to stay put.


    "Ai?" Yating quickly asked, bending on his knee to her level.


    When she didn''t answer, he shook her harder. It was then when she finally snapped out of the seemingly horrifying trance she was in.


    "Ai, what happened to you?" He asked, bewildered. "You suddenly collapsed."


    Ai blinked her eyes and looked around. "T-The clock¡­where is it?"


    "Huh? Which clock?"


    "The go-golden clock¡­it was in the sky," she mumbled, pointing towards it. Even she wasn''t quite sure what she was saying. But the one thing she knew for sure that the whole experience had left a dreadful mark in her heart.


    Yating noticed her tear stains on her cheeks and widened his eyes. "Why a-are you crying? Ai, what''s going on? Wait, first stand up."


    He helped her gain her posture and composure back.


    "Y-you didn''t see that clock? It was golden and it was shining so brightly¡­It was also s-so loud¡­My head still feels so buzzing¡­" she whispered. "Very loud. You heard it right?"


    Yating furrowed his brows, perplexed.


    Which clock? And what sound?


    "Then those voices¡­" her expression paled once again. "I heard your voice, Guiying''s voice¡­even Mom''s¡­But I don''t know what was going on¡­"


    Yating felt his heart stir with how helpless, confused and fearful her eyes seemed right now. Ai wasn''t the type to talk about vague things like these, and he felt even more furious at himself for not being able to understand her. Her shoulders were mildly trembling, making his heart ache further.


    "S-sorry Ai, I don''t understand¡­First, come inside. You really need to calm down. It''s also going to rain. Quickly!"


    He pulled her hand, but she said, "The cat!"


    "Cat?"


    The cat because of whom Ai was here in the first place was still at his place, unfazed and unmoved. Feeling relieved, she tried to pick him up. But he hissed at her. Nevertheless, she didn''t let him go. "I don''t want to leave him alone."


    *Meow!*


    The cat struggled quite fiercely.


    Let go of me human!


    Yating blinked, wondering when did Ai become interested in a cat?


    "Sure, you can bring the cat inside too."


    The guard outside was dumbfounded.


    Sir, we are not allowed to bring pets inside the office premises¡­


    Yating then noticed a small crowd which had gathered because of Ai''s strange behavior, whispering amongst themselves.


    "What?" He narrowed his eyes.


    The employees scurried back to the office while the rest of the crowd quickly dispersed too with his stern look.


    For the whole way up to his office, Ai wasn''t quite sure what was happening around her. Her mind was still occupied with the phenomenon which just came to her out of nowhere.


    The employees were quite surprised with Ai in Dream High''s office and carrying a cat at that.


    "How is Zhou Ai here?"


    "And Chief Gu is with her too¡­"


    "Don''t tell me she plans to join back?"


    "Impossible. Don''t you know she is Liu Jun''s girlfriend? He is Sky''s CEO and they are still in a relationship¡­"


    "Yeah but didn''t you hear the rumors of Chief Gu having feelings for Zhou Ai?"


    "Oh yeah he had planned a whole project for her sake!"


    "I wonder why she came here today."


    Stepping into his office, Ai quietly sat on a chair. She hugged the cat firmly against her chest, still lost in her thoughts about the golden clock.


    Yating offered her a glass of water. "Drink some water."


    "...Thank you."


    It was then slowly she remembered Jun telling her the exact same incident which occurred with him where he had witnessed a golden clock too with some people talking in his ears.


    It felt so real¡­


    There was Guiying''s voice and then¡­


    She peeked at Yating, thinking she had recognized his voice as well. He was apologizing to her.


    The cat finally jumped down from her arms and instead hopped on the couch but not without throwing a glare towards Yating once.


    Yating stared at the cat, his brows twitching.


    Why do I feel so annoyed with this cat''s presence? He strangely reminds me of Liu Jun¡­


    His expression turned unsightly.


    "About what I said¡­" Ai brought his attention back to her. "Can you please forget about it? It was just some babbling," she coughed.


    He raised his brow. "Like how you told me to ignore the ten years part when you met me at the hospital?"


    "...Pretty much," she averted her eyes.


    Yating softly exhaled. "Are you okay, Ai? You looked pretty frightened of something. It almost felt like you got a seizure. I think I should take you to the hospital-"


    "No, no. I am fine now. Really."


    "But what exactly happened? Why did you suddenly freeze like that?"


    Ai lowered her gaze. "...I don''t know either."


    How should I explain this to him? This must be definitely connected to Jun and my rebirth¡­

 Chapter 429 Just Dad And Me

    Jun and I both saw the golden clock, Ai was trying to organize her thoughts. And we both heard some voices. What did they mean though¡­?


    "Is it related to past life memories?" she muttered under her breath.


    "Past?" Yating asked.


    She quickly shook her head. "It''s nothing. Thanks for your help, Yating¡­"


    Yating''s voice floated in her mind as she stared at him.


    "I am sorry, Ai¡­couldn''t¡­anything¡­Between you and Dad¡­choose him¡­"


    "I don''t want to¡­live anymore¡­"


    "Will you forgive¡­I truly¡­I failed¡­"


    She could still feel the regret and shame through his words. His voice quivered with a genuinity that she had never before in her past life.


    Between you and Dad¡­


    He must be talking about the deal between them and how he chose Uncle Gu''s condition.


    She pinched her brows together, trying to recollect something else. There was a constant flow of voices in her head when that golden clock appeared. She could only clearly make out some of the snippets and conversations. But there was one part of Yating seemingly talking to Guiying.


    "Had enough¡­this. Only¡­agreed¡­Dad. Wouldn''t have¡­Cannot leave¡­him¡­state. I¡­there for¡­"


    What was he trying to say? I cannot understand when half of the words are missing, she pursed her lips.


    The more Ai kept her gaze fixed at him, the more Yating felt conscious. "Is there something on my face?"


    She blinked. "No¡­"


    From the second part that I remember, it doesn''t feel like Yating chose Uncle Gu''s decision only because of the deal though. It seems like I am missing something.


    "How is your relationship with Uncle Gu?" The question slipped out before she knew it.


    The question took him aback by surprise. It was a strange change in the topic.


    Yating scratched his head. "Normal¡­I guess? It might not have looked like that until now because of the cold war between us. The deal," he sighed, "Seriously, that was so annoying. He kept harping about choosing my wife for me and questioning my career choice. He was so hell bent in making me the CEO. And those times, I would feel like if a Mom-like figure had been there, she might have knocked some sense into him."


    Talking about Mom, she remembered meeting Duan Ren back at Xuanhua with Jun. Duan Ren - Gu Rong''s ex-wife, the woman who was persistent to not break up with Yating and then had mysteriously started living a wealthy life all of a sudden one day.


    "Your mom¡­you never talked about her."


    Yating smiled. "There is nothing really to talk about. I was around eight years old when Mom and Dad divorced. I still don''t know why they divorced though. But from Dad''s behavior, I figured she had been asking for a lot of money. I don''t understand why. We were rich. Our lives were already comfortable. Why would she need more? Then Dad started to keep me away from her and strictly warned me not to talk to her or let her approach me. I actually felt relieved with that."


    "Not meeting your Mom? Why?"


    "Mom was never really¡­" Yating felt a little embarrassed confessing it, "interested in me? Or even Dad for that matter. She was one of those socialites who was more interested in loving a lavish lifestyle with tons of shopping and partying rather than loving her family. She never paid much attention to me or Dad, so I couldn''t get close to her. I tried many times, but she always brushed me off. But Dad always loved me," Yating''s gaze was warm, reminiscing the old days.


    "He would stay awake with me late at night to help me study or complete my school projects. He attended all the parents'' meetings without fail. He would seriously talk to the teachers about my studies and future. He always looked so proud whenever I won any prizes and bragged about me in the company. He doted on me but was also strict and stern with me if I made mistakes.


    Even with Ma Dong''s accident, he refused to let me take any blame. He never once accused me of Ma Dong''s accident, not because he was biased towards me but simply because I wasn''t at fault. He had scolded me so harshly when I apologized to his parents. He said that I should never apologize for something when I am not at fault. Dad really¡­always had my back. He never let me feel the inadequacy of Mom''s love or that it was supposed to feel lonely without her."


    His lips curved into a beautiful smile. "It was just always Dad and me, yet my life was perfect. With him by my side, I never really felt that Mom was lacking in our lives. I did decide that I would take over Gu Corps after him. But as I grew, I found my interest in books. I thought Dad would understand and let me choose what I wanted. Even before, he always let me have whatever I wished. But this time, he didn''t listen to me and for the first time, we started having fights. We finally agreed upon the deal, but I was too proud to patch up with him, especially when he seemed like he wouldn''t accept you¡­"


    Yating stiffened and coughed loudly. He quickly gained his composure. "Haha¡­Sorry for that. I kept babbling on nonsense for so long¡­You should have stopped me," he sweated and cleared his throat.


    Ai gently spoke, "Don''t apologize, and it''s not nonsense. It felt good to hear this. I never knew anything about your family and relationships in such depth. Uncle Gu is a really good father."


    "Yeah¡­" his gaze softly shone, "We have had our fair share of differences, but he has always been the best father to me."


    ¡ª


    Gu Rong slowly opened his eyes, feeling as if he was in a long dream. He wore a tranquil smile on his lips, thinking of those times when Yating was a child.


    He picked up his phone, whose ringing had broken his dream. "Hello?"


    "...It''s me, Rong."


    His eyes snapped open widely as he froze hard and straightened up in his seat. "The hell.. Ren?"

 Chapter 430 Blackmail

    Gu Rong''s blood boiled upon hearing his ex-wife''s voice with whom he had already ended his marriage twenty years ago. He clenched and unclenched his fist with his body shaking in fury.


    "How dare you call me Ding Ren!? After so many years¡­what the hell do you mean by calling me like this?"


    There was a pause. "It''s been twenty years since we have separated and this is how you talk to me?"


    Gu Rong angrily laughed. "Oh do you suppose I treat you with respect?"


    "You better do it or else it won''t take me long to go to Yating and tell him the truth."


    That one sentence froze the blood within his body and brought every thought of his to a breaking halt. He touched his throat, feeling a crippling sensation enveloping him.


    Butler Mo stepped in at that moment, bringing his brunch for him. "Master Gu." He immediately rushed towards him in concern, noticing his state. "Master¡­"


    Gu Rong raised his palm. "What do you mean by bringing up this topic after twenty years, Ding Ren?"


    Butler Mo widened his eyes.


    I-Is it Master''s ex-wife? Why would she call him after so long¡­


    From the other end, Duan Ren said, "I need money."


    Gu Rong gnashed his jaw. "Money? Ah right. That''s what you always needed. Money and just more and more money. But nothing was enough for you. But Ding Ren, I have nothing to do with you anymore. I had paid a quite hefty sum of alimony to take care of your whole life ahead after divorce. I took care of all the responsibilities that I had to. So don''t dare¡­don''t you fucking dare cross my or Yating''s paths or even try to threaten me!"


    "Gu Rong, don''t act too arrogant! You might have given me alimony but you have no idea how much humiliation I had to suffer because you threw me out! My own family disowned me because of you!"


    He banged his trembling fist on the table. "I don''t need to remind you why I decided to cut you off from my life. So don''t paint yourself the victim here¡­"


    With his voice and merciless words, he tried to be in control of the conversation but only Butler Mo could see the dread in his master''s eyes. The pure, raw fear of losing his son forever - a fear that had been gripping him for many years now and a fear that Duan Ren dug out which was buried deep until now.


    "We have already cut off all our relations! If you call me once again-"


    "Gu Rong, consider your options very carefully here. You used your power and influence to make my life so pathetic. But don''t forget that I always had the upper hand," she sneered. "Your alimony money was enough to seal my lips for so long. But I need more. If you don''t give me what I want, the words could accidentally slip out of my mouth, you know?"


    Gu Rong''s whole body struggled with am urge to strangle her. "You¡­Do you even know what shamelessness is!?"


    "Shamelessness? You are teaching me that, Gu Rong!? Even though I had the alimony, I had to hide my entire life as the disowned heiress of my family. And even though you are a criminal, you are living a life of luxury and respect! What kind of justice is this?"


    He trembled hard, his nostrils flaring in a fury.


    "Just around a month and a half back, I completely lost my face before Liu Jun!"


    His forehead displayed lines of creases. "Liu Jun?"


    "He was with his girlfriend, Zhou Ai. And you know what? I am her mother''s neighbor. I thought people had forgotten me, but Liu Jun¡­he recognized me as Ding Ren. He knew about our ugly divorce and can you imagine? From a wealthy villa, a rich heir like him saw me living in a small-time house having the same status as that of a middle class woman! All because of you!"


    "Enough!" He exclaimed.


    "No, Gu Rong. What is enough is this pathetic life I am living. Give me what I want and Yating will never learn the truth. If you don''t, then¡­"


    "Leave Yating alone!" He roared. "He is living his life happily¡­Don''t you dare ruin it-"


    "What do I care? It''s not like I am his real mother."


    A long silence ensued.


    Gu Rong felt the smile on her lips from the other side. "You know about his mother and what happened to her."


    "You-"


    "So be wise and listen to me."


    She abruptly hung up the call, and Gu Rong threw his phone away in a fit of anger. It struck the wall with a bang, and it smashed hard against the floor.


    "That woman¡­how dare she¡­"


    "Master," Butler Mo said, "Please calm down."


    "How can I calm down!? She has the face to demand more money from me? Even though everything was fine for twenty years¡­she has the nerve to appear before me again¡­What if¡­" he face turned whiter as she quivered, "what if she talks to Yating¡­"


    Butler Mo quickly shook his head. "She won''t do any such thing. Master, she only wants money. If she reveals everything to young master Yating, then she will lose her card to demand more money from you."


    Gu Rong tiredly collapsed back on his chair. "Why¡­why is this haunting me again?" He trembled. "If Yating learns the truth, he will hate me. He will hate me forever. I am a criminal."


    "Master! You are not a criminal! I have served you for all these years, and I know why you did what you had to," he pursed his lips. "If¡­If you confess it to young master yourself, I am sure he will definitely understand-"


    Gu Rong threw him a bitter glare. "He won''t understand! He will only treat me as a criminal¡­" tears threatened to spill from his eyes. "I cannot let him know. He will hate me and I don''t want to lose my son, Huazin¡­I just don''t¡­"

 Chapter 431 Unexpected Behavior

    Back in Dream High, Ai was ready to leave Yating''s office.


    "I will give you a ride till the library," he offered.


    Ai shook her head. "I am fine."


    "What if you get that seizure again?"


    "I won''t."


    Ai was sure for some reason that she won''t experience that phenomenon again.


    Yating was inwardly worried about her a lot, but he couldn''t force her either. He nodded and smiled. "See you later."


    "En."


    The cat in her arms then suddenly hissed by the sight of an incoming figure towards them.


    Zhan Yahui stopped before Ai and raised her brow. "Now that''s a face I didn''t expect to see today. Long time no see, Zhou Ai."


    Ai nodded. "Hello."


    *Meow!*


    The cat wasn''t shy to display his hostility towards her. His dark brown eyes expressed his strong dislike and he bared his small fangs at her.


    "Sshh, shh," Ai cradled him to make him still.


    What happened to him?


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow. She eyed Yating and said, "Feisty little thing he is. But pets are not allowed in Dream High."


    "It was just for sometime," he replied.


    She smiled. "Be careful while breaking the rules, Gu Yating or people will mistake your intentions. You are the Chief editor and Zhou Ai doesn''t work here anymore so¡­"


    He narrowed his eyes. "I know what I am doing, Zhan Yahui."


    "Doesn''t hurt to remind you of that."


    She then glanced at Ai. "How is your new life at Sky? And Xing Bi''s? Somehow, we didn''t get to chat in Shanghai."


    Ai curtly answered. "It''s going well."


    "Well, good for you. Hope to see your new book soon."


    "I am still working on it. I am in no hurry."


    "Of course. Plus, you have Liu Jun''s back. You have nothing to worry about."


    Ai stared at her, strangely finding her words to be condescending as if she was depending solely on Jun''s influence.


    Yating said, "She doesn''t have to worry about anything even if she doesn''t have Liu Jun''s back."


    Zhan Yahui shot back. "So that you would?"


    He squinted his eyes. "I meant that she is very capable on her own."


    "Oh. My bad. Considering how you sprinted from your office till the entrance with so much concern for Zhou Ai, you stirred everyone here quite a bit with that race. I couldn''t help but question."


    "We are just friends, Zhan Yahui," Yating calmly stressed the fact but with a definite weight in his tone.


    She chuckled. "Say that to yourself when you face the mirror. I think your expression will have a very different answer to give you."


    Silence.


    "Anyway, I gotta go. See you later."


    The cat didn''t stop hissing even once the whole time Zhan Yahui was present and while she left.


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui smiled as she was watching a particular video on her phone. "Nice work done," she whispered to herself.


    "Zhan Yahui!"


    She stopped. She locked her phone and turned to face Ai who had followed her till the lift. "Yes, Zhou Ai. How can I help you?"


    "Jun will never use his influence for wrong reasons."


    "Sorry?"


    With a sense of displeasure that built in her heart with Zhan Yahui words, she faced her with a conviction to stand by Jun''s side. "I don''t care what people think about me. But regarding Jun¡­I won''t bear people saying wrong things about him. All lies which hold no semblance to how he actually is. Jun is surely rich and powerful, but he will never use it to show partiality. He treats me as a writer just like he treats everybody else. As writers, everybody in Sky is equal to him."


    Zhan Yahui took one step towards her, making the cat meow fiercely. He almost struck her with his paws.


    "So do you mean that if Guiying decides to leave Dream High and if, by any chance, she wishes to join Sky - will Liu Jun take her in?"


    Ai blinked. She couldn''t answer her question not because there was any doubt about Jun''s nature. But Guiying was far too involved with their tragedy in their past life and knowing that, he would never let an enemy inside his company.


    It was nothing related to bias but unfortunately, this was something that Ai knew she wouldn''t be able to explain to her.


    She chuckled. "Guess your silence is the answer. Guiying is a star author by herself. Will he really let his girlfriend''s rival join his company? Will he let her in solely based on her merits and not think about you at all? There is nobody in this world who won''t show bias, Zhou Ai," Zhan Yahui smiled. "Especially not wealthy people like the Liu family. Families like them¡­" her expression slowly twisted to reflect her animosity, "leave no chance to do as they please at every step of their way. People like you and me are ants to them. We hold no worth."


    "That''s not the truth."


    "Then you are blinding your eyes to reality, dear."


    "Why would you say that? You belong to the Shi family yourself."


    "Which is exactly why I know what I am talking about. And it seems my half-sister has grown quite chummy to you to share such a personal detail of her family."


    Ai stared at her.


    Her family¡­


    Zhan Yahui wasn''t recognizing the Shi family as her own.


    "Now if I may, I am really getting late for my meeting. It''s been only a few months so I hope you know where the exit is," she smiled and left.


    *Meow!*


    Ai ruffled his head. "Why are you so restless?"


    The cat ignored her. She sighed.


    I want to talk to Jun about what happened. Maybe we are closer to-


    From the corner of her eye, she noticed a familiar figure standing at a distance. It was Guiying who had her back to her. But as she turned, Ai''s eyes widened as she saw her smoking a cigarette. She stared at her unblinkingly. Without noticing it herself, her feet automatically made their way towards.


    ''Guiying'' felt someone''s presence and as she turned, she cocked her brow. "Zhou Ai?"


    Ai sharply stopped with her brows frowning heavily.


    Zhou Ai? Why is she calling me by my full name?

 Chapter 432 The First Stumbling Domino

    ''Guiying'' blinked twice and stared at the cat in Ai''s arms. "...A cat?"


    The cat narrowed his eyes at her and then ignored her altogether.


    ''Her'' brow twitched.


    Strange...


    Not only Zhou Ai is here but she also brought a cat with her. What is she doing at Dream High though?


    Is this related to Liu Jun and her fight? ''She'' inwardly rejoiced.


    Ai watched her once best friend closely and the cigarette in her hand made numerous questions instantly crowd her mind from all sides.


    "...Guiying, you don''t smoke," she emphasized.


    ''Guiying'' clicked her tongue inwardly.


    Well, it''s true the idiot inside me doesn''t. But I sure as hell do.


    ''She'' smiled and twirled the cigarette in her hand. "Oh this? I was just trying out something new."


    Ai''s focus on the cigarette was difficulty to let go of. She blinked thinking how Guiying couldn''t even stand the smell of cigarette smoke. In the past, whenever they crossed a path of a smoker walking Xuanhua streets, Guiying always broke into coughing and discomfort.


    Now she wondered how that same Guiying could smoke so easily?


    "But you cannot even bear the smell..."


    "It takes a while but you get used to it, Zhou-...Ai."


    It was quick, but Ai did catch her saying her surname first.


    Why is everything so different about Guiying today?


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow. "Anyway, so how is-"


    Her phone beeped with a message from Zixin.


    ''Are you free today to meet?''


    ''She'' quickly replied ''No''. ''She'' then looked back at Ai and wanted to probe about her and Jun''s relationship at this moment, especially after the ruckus at Shui''s birthday banquet.


    "Like I was asking, how are things-"


    There was another buzz on her phone, and it was another message from Zixin. ''Her'' mouth twitched with his reply to her reply.


    ''Are you free tomorrow?''


    ''No.''


    ''She'' let out a breath and just looked back at Ai when there was a buzz yet again.


    ''Day after tomorrow?''


    ''Guiying'' wanted to throw away her phone.


    ''Why are you so persistent?''


    She got an immediate reply.


    Is this man glued to his damn phone!?


    ''I have jotted down some good ideas to share with you. You also said you will start writing the new chapter today. I wish to be there.''


    This idiot in me will die feeling this conscious of his attention!


    ''I won''t be able to write if you watch me so intently.''


    *Ding!*


    ''She'' gritted her teeth.


    At least let me take a break!


    Zixin''s reply was - ''I will keep my distance, no worries.''


    Then what''s the use of you being even there!?


    Ai was silently observing the myriad of emotions which she was expressing. She had never seen Guiying so impatient and annoyed before. She then noticed her taking another drag from the cigarette so effortlessly that she questioned the Guiying she knew before this.


    How is it possible...


    ''Guiying'' locked her phone and said with a forced smile, "I need to get going."


    Or Chen Zixin might really appear in Dream High!


    In this whole chatting conversation with Zixin, her agenda to dig deep into Jun and Ai''s problems completely slipped her mind. The rumors spreading about Yating and Ai because of Ai''s presence today also failed to cross her mind.


    ''Guiying'' hastily kept her phone back and said, "See you later, Zhou Ai."


    Ai remained standing in silence even after ''she'' left.


    Once again she called me Zhou Ai.


    Her brows pressed into a frown. So many things were odd with Guiying today.


    Why is she suddenly calling me by my full name? And the cigarette...it''s impossible for Guiying to smoke.


    What is going on with her today?


    --


    ''Guiying'' was muttering curses under her breath when she crashed into Zhan Yahui.


    Zhan Yahui frowned. "Why are you in so much hurry? You have your bag with you. Are you going somewhere here?"


    "I..."


    There is nothing really to talk about Chen Zixin to her. Not like we are even friends...


    "Yeah. Just a bit of an errand to do. I will be back."


    "I see. Okay. By the way, did you meet Zhou Ai?"


    ''Guiying'' was busy typing and staring at her phone as she mindlessly hummed. "Oh yeah...I met her."


    "Did you hear the rumors about Gu Yating and her? He personally rushed all the way for her."


    "...Yeah," ''Guiying'' was half-listening to her and half-messaging Zixin, who was clearly ecstatic to meet her.


    Why does he sound so happy? ''She'' dryly thought to herself. He is really so insistent on being my friend. And even though he is the CEO, he somehow has a loooot of spare time in his hands! Is nobody complaining in his company?


    Zhan Yahui noticed her fraying attention. "Are you listening to me?"


    "Huh?" ''She'' snapped out from her furious typing sprint. "What were you talking about?"


    She frowned. "Zhou Ai and Gu Yating. She came to Dream High herself with Gu Yating by her side the whole time."


    "Yeah," ''she'' sneered. "Perfect moment to fan the flames even harder. I will do something about it soon. Cannot miss this chance."


    *Buzz*


    ''I am at the cafe,'' Zixin promptly texted her.


    You didn''t need to inform me! ''Guiying'' grimaced. It feels like he is reminding me to come soon...


    "I will get going for now."


    Or this Chen Zixin won''t let me live in peace!


    She hurried away with Zhan Yahui slightly widening her eyes in wonder.


    Why didn''t she seem so thrilled? Gu Yating and Zhou Ai''s meeting should have sparked more interest for her plans...Wonder why she is in so much of a hurry today? Maybe she got struck with some inspiration for her novel.


    She had seen writers getting sudden bursts of inspiration and forgetting everything around them.


    She shrugged and walked away, thinking that was the case with ''Guiying'' too that didn''t bother her to pry into the matter any further.


    Which was Zhan Yahui''s first ever mistake she made today.


    It was the first tip of the domino which had slowly but surely started to stumble out of balance, threatening to disrupt her carefully laid plan.

 Chapter 433 Flash Of Recognition

    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes, watching Zixin patiently waiting for her. Dressed in a white shirt and with black coat and pants, there was no doubt he emitted a CEO vibe. The heads in the cafe frequently turned to look at the presence of this man whose class clearly didn''t match that of this cafe''s.


    ''She'' walked past the obviously noticeable stares and put her bag on the table. She folded her arms and spoke, "Couldn''t you have worn a bit more obvious clothes?"


    Zixin beamed at her sight. "Hello. You came."


    "..."


    "Did you give me a choice with your persistent back to back messaging?"


    "I did. Tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow. Or whenever you wanted," he seriously answered.


    "Why is there not an option of not meeting at all?" ''She'' angrily chuckled.


    Zixin pressed his lips. "But then how will we get to know each other? And then how will I become your friend?"


    ''She'' grudgingly sat on the chair opposite him. "Way too serious about this friendship thing..." she muttered to herself.


    He glanced at her leg. "It seems your ankle is all better now."


    ''She'' shrugged. "A little pain is not going to faze me."


    He remained silent at that.


    I don''t want you to have even a little pain...


    "Why didn''t you let the police arrest your brother?" He asked with a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. "For how he behaved, he deserves to rot in jail."


    ''Guiying'' paused. "I won''t argue with you on that."


    But this idiot didn''t want to. That fucker deserves the worst punishment and she is wasting her kindness on all the wrong people. No wonder she gets used and thrown away every single time.


    ''She'' sneered. "This is just one chance. I won''t be so merciful next time."


    "A brother like him doesn''t deserve any chances. What if he gets more dangerous next time?"


    "I will handle it," she resolutely and sharply said, "I have been handling it all this time."


    He looked into her no-nonsense and unforgiving gaze. Once again, he felt those same questions about her past swirling in his mind.


    How did she live as a child? How was the relationship between her and Cai Lingyun? What did she have to bear in all these years?


    "How was your childhood?" He asked even when he knew her answer.


    ''Guiying'' threw him a glance. "Nothing to do with you."


    Zixin pursed his lips. The strong urge inside him to know more about her kept him riling and unsettling. But the more frustrating part was that she didn''t trust him to that level yet where she could share everything about her. A sense of impatience grew within him because she was right in front of him, yet there was a strange boundary between them.


    From a distance then, Zixin noticed a waiter bringing a bunch of beautiful pink rose bouquets. He blinked and a thought came across his mind.


    "Give me a moment."


    "Sure."


    Zixin walked upto the waiter and politely asked, "Can I have one of those?"


    The waiter glanced at the bouquet. The roses were actually brought for decorating the upper deck of the restaurant. Though Zixin''s mannerisms were polite, he was groomed to look like a high class executive which slightly intimidated the waiter.


    "S-Sure sir! You can take the whole bouquet if you want!" He didn''t want to offend a wealthy man and compromise his job.


    Zixin blinked once in confusion. "I just want one flower. Can I?"


    "Have the whole bouquet Sir, no problem!" He handed the entire bouquet to Zixin, bowed and escaped.


    ''Guiying'' saw Zixin coming back with a befuddled expression on his face. But more than that, the bouquet shocked her the most. "...What is with the bouquet?"


    "I just asked for a single rose. The waiter somehow handed me the entire bouquet," he frowned, "I don''t understand."


    ''Her'' mouth twitched. "Do you need to ask? You scared him."


    "But I was very polite."


    "Your high-class clothes, watch and branded boots don''t scream much politeness, which makes one person feel that he wouldn''t want to offend you," ''she'' raised her brow. "That''s what my first question was. This is just a local restaurant, not your regular five star one. Don''t wear such obvious clothes."


    Zixin thought about it and nodded. "I will keep that in mind."


    ''She'' shrugged. "What are these roses for?"


    He smiled and as he took a seat, he placed the bouquet on the table. "I liked the pink color of these flowers. I brought the flowers because you like pink cherry blossoms too," his eyes gleamed with utmost sincerity, "Whenever I see something pink, I always think about you. It feels warm and pleasant when you are surrounded by pink."


    ''She'' abruptly stopped drinking her coffee, almost spilling a few drops on her dress.


    His eyes widened, and he quickly offered her a tissue. "Are you okay? Did the hot coffee spill on you?"


    ''She'' slowly took the tissue, staring hard at him. ''She'' remembered one of the letters from MrPerfect when he had sent some cherry blossom petals with it.


    ''I came across these beautiful petals and immediately thought of you. I like it when you are surrounded by pink. It feels warm and pleasant.''


    Zixin asked with worry, "Are you hurt?"


    "...No."


    He sighed in relief.


    "Why did you bring the roses again?"


    He gave a soft smile. "Just felt like it. I saw the roses and thought you would definitely like it."


    He glanced at the roses and then at her, his eyes beaming. "Indeed. You shine brighter with pink flowers. No wonder you like cherry blossoms so much. Pink really suits you."


    For just a moment, ''she'' saw MrPerfect''s image clash with him. The words were so similar that she couldn''t help but think about the letters.


    Impossible! This is foolishness! Chen Zixin has nothing to do with MrPerfect.


    Yet, there was a slight rattling in her heart. Why did Zixin remind her of MrPerfect when Jun holds that identity?


    Maybe I am too much focussing on my revenge that I always think of MrPerfect!

 Chapter 434 Adopt A Kitty?

    "You saw the golden clock too?" Jun asked, incredulous when Ai gave a quick recap of today''s events. The golden clock and the voices that whispered something of the unknown was all too similar with what Jun had gone through.


    "That''s exactly how it happened to me," he slowly emphasized, lost in his own recollection of that day. "But before going into it any further, can you tell me what is this about this¡­cat?"


    Jun''s brow twitched as he glanced at the cat with dark brown eyes perched inside the crescent swing. The cat was way at the back with his eyes and movements extremely cautious of his new surroundings, which was completely different from the alley where he lived until now.


    "It''s the same cat I told you about."


    "Why is he here?"


    Ai explained as she recalled what happened when she went back to the library. "When I came back, I saw a mishap had occurred around that area and the alley was all filled with broken concrete and stuff. There was no space to go anywhere inside," she pursed her lips, "the cat was just wandering outside. I felt bad and I wanted to take him home here. But I knew he wouldn''t like being put into a new environment. So I left to find some shelter for him when I noticed him sneakily following me. Though he was trying to hide from me, I caught him anyway."


    Ai looked like she achieved the greatest victory of her life. "Then he seemed as if he wanted to escape, but he kept following me. See? I told you he secretly likes me. Eventually I took him to a vet, got him checked and brought him here!" The vibrant edge in her voice was hard to miss. Clearly, Ai was thrilled to have the cat home.


    "He is cute, isn''t he?" She eagerly probed.


    Jun threw a casual glance at the cat, who was staring back at him with his big, watery eyes. Sensing Ai''s excitement, he understood where she wanted to go with this.


    "He is very cute."


    Ai bobbed her head.


    Jun smiled and patted her head. "But we cannot adopt him as a pet."


    That splashed ice cold water on Ai''s expectations which were slowly taking root in her heart ever since this adorable cat who reminded her of Jun entered her life. "I didn''t say anything about keeping him as a pet."


    ? "I can see it in your eyes."


    Ai wasn''t ready to give up. "What is wrong even if we adopt him as a pet? He is so cute, and he is healthy too."


    Jun let out a sigh. "I am not sure if we can handle a pet. It''s a pretty big responsibility."


    She pursed her lips again. "Won''t we have to take our children''s responsibility in the future too?"


    Jun was left dumbfounded. "Are you comparing our children to pets?"


    "While they are toddlers, everything''s the same as taking care of a pet. You have to feed them, wash them, vaccinate them, protect them, make them sleep, play with them and much more."


    Jun had this urge to argue, but he felt like he couldn''t.


    This is¡­


    He released another sigh. "Let''s talk about this in depth later. Until the alley is fixed up, the cat can stay here. I cannot make any promises for the future though."


    Ai''s shoulders drooped.


    "But I also promise that we will openly discuss this idea."


    That made her face shine again. As long as he was willing to discuss, she was confident that she wouldn''t lose in any argument.


    "For now, I want to know more about the golden clock and the voices you heard."


    Her countenance turned grim, and she slightly shuddered remembering Xie Nuying''s heartbroken voice. "There was a moment when I felt as if I heard Mom''s voice¡­She was calling Dad as she was crying. It just felt so¡­"


    Jun took her in his hug and brushed his fingers through her hair. His gentle movements soothed her heart.


    "Jun, there were too many voices coming and going back and forth."


    "It''s the same as what I experienced."


    "When I thought about it more deeply, I felt that those were the memories of the events that happened in our past lives where we weren''t a part of."


    He had arrived at the same conclusion too.


    "Jun¡­is it possible that we can know what happened in our past lives? What happened when we were alive and unaware of the mystery surrounding us and what happened¡­after we died?"


    That raised a hope in his heart too. "That elderly woman at the carnival said that it''s possible. Since we died at the same place and same time, maybe that''s why we had that vision near Dream High. Since you saw it today too, I wonder if¡­"


    "If?"


    "If Jin faced anything similar? He is also reborn though he died at different times and places than us. But he never talked about anything like this happening¡­"


    He took out his phone and dialed Jin''s number. "Let''s ask him anyway."


    She agreed.


    When the phone clicked, Jun could sense the distaste and fury in his brother''s voice. "Why do you sound so frustrated?"


    "All because of Zhou Ai''s father!"


    Ai chimed in. "Dad is not bad at heart."


    "Heh. Is he hearing our conversation? I hope he does. Then I will explain thoroughly about how ''good'' his heart is."


    Jun said, "Mom and Dad are not staying at the condo. Since they will be staying for some more time, they insisted they will live somewhere else," he coughed.


    It was more because they didn''t want to disturb the young couple in their private time, so they decided to stay at a different place. In the end, Jun and his in-laws decided to have dinner together every night after his insistence to have at least one meal together.


    "Aren''t you lucky, Bro?" He sneered.


    "Really, what happened?"


    "Too much useless shit going on. I will tell you in detail when I hop by your place sometime. Why did you call me by the way?"


    "Well, you will feel this is unbelievable. It''s a strange phenomenon that happened with Ai and me."


    "We three died and came back to life by some inexplicable miracle. I can believe any phenomenon at this point. What are you talking about?"


    Jun said, "A golden clock and it seemingly showing ur our past memories which we didn''t know."

 Chapter 435 Onto Something

    After a whole lot of explaining, the answer was as Jun had expected.


    "No...I never saw any sort of a golden clock or heard any voices."


    Ai said, "Maybe it''s about visiting the place again where died. Since Jin never visited the church where he was shot, maybe he didn''t witness that phenomenon. For us it was Dream High, for Jin it maybe the-"


    "I am not gonna go to see the church," the gnashing of his teeth was audible. "I will never go to that place again, which reminds me of...Han Shui. I don''t want to have anything to do with that reminds me of her!"


    Jun and Ai exchanged silent glances. He was about to speak when Ai intervened. "There is a possibility of learning something about our past lives. If you also hear those voices, you might get to know a missing piece of the puzzle."


    "...This is a waste of time," his voice grew further icy.


    "Not when it''s connected to our past lives. Not when we can learn if somebody was pulling our strings to work for him as if we were puppets."


    A tense silence stretched for some time after which Jin acceded but grudgingly so. "I will let you know if I find something," he hung up soon after that.


    Jun sighed. "We shouldn''t have forced him."


    "I know what you would have said to drop the idea. That''s why I intervened. Sometimes, you spoil him a lot," she pointed out.


    "I...don''t."


    "You do," she shook her head. "If he wants to know the truth, he will need to step out of his comfort zone, or he will never be able to accept it once it comes out. And if Shui was really not at fault for what she did, then it becomes all the more necessary that he realizes. Punishing someone when they are innocent is unfair."


    "You are right," he nodded.


    "En. There is something else too that I saw today."


    He blinked. "What?"


    "Guiying. I saw her at Dream High today which is of course not surprising. What was shocking was her behavior."


    He furrowed his brows. "Behavior? In what way?"


    "She was smoking," Ai looked somber. "Never in my life did I see her doing that. She cannot even stand the smell of cigarettes. But she was smoking so easily like...she is so used to it. Just the smell would make her cough so much, but today she looked like an expert."


    He felt it odd as well. "That''s strange...Maybe she started smoking and for long enough that she got used to it? Though it doesn''t feel right to me."


    She nodded. "Not just that. She also addressed me as Zhou Ai. She never calls me by my full name, neither do I call her Cai Guiying. It felt so weird. The tone with which she said it was also very...different."


    Ai frowned. "For some reason it felt as if I was talking to a different person today though she was definitely Guiying. I am not sure how to express my feelings any clearer than this."


    Jun remembered the mystical elderly woman at the carnival talking about a different shadow in Guiying. At that time, he didn''t understand that.


    Is what Ai saying related to that? A different shadow? Somebody different within her...?


    "Let''s find that out. I think what you felt by talking to Cai Guiying today is, we might be onto something."


    Ai sighed. "I don''t understand it so well myself either."


    He smirked. "That''s why we are working together, isn''t it? To figure things out together."


    Ai beamed and kissed him on his cheek. "Yes."


    Jun pulled her waist and kissed her lips, deepening it as he dug his fingers further into her soft hair. "Let''s do something more than just kissing on cheeks," he meaningfully smiled.


    "But who will feed the cat?" Ai gasped, remembering the cat was still at his same place on the crescent swing.


    "..."


    Ai flew past Jun like a breeze and hopped over to the cat''s side who sat more alert with an incoming figure. "Are you hungry?" She softly asked.


    The cat answered her question with a hiss.


    "Zhou Ai!" Jun glared at her. "It''s not been even an entire day since the cat came, and you are already dismissing me!"


    She complained. "I didn''t. I was just concerned if he was hungry."


    A vein popped. "That. Is. Called. As. Dismissing! If things remain like this, then forget about adopting the cat! Let''s start and end the discussion here. I will not allow pets in this house!"


    She breathed in shockingly. "You are so cruel towards such a cute cat. Do you have any heart?"


    He sneered. "Not when my girlfriend prefers to cuddle an animal instead of her boyfriend."


    The cat yawned with their banter.


    Humans always talk so much.


    He hopped out of the swing to search for another peaceful place to settle.


    --


    Jin hopped in his car the next morning after a lengthy and tiring meeting with none other than Zhou Yichen. His energy and enthusiasm drained all of his energy and enthusiasm. It didn''t help that Shui was present too.


    Just thinking about going to the church irked him to no point. He clutched the steering wheel and breathed out.


    Let''s get this over with...


    He was about to when Zhou Yichen''s chirpy voice came from the other side. "Jini-boy!"


    Jin threw him a deadly glare and it grew even more murderous seeing Shui beside him.


    "You are going for lunch, right? Take Shui with you too~"


    Shui smiled and said, "No, Uncle. I will be fine. I am heading another way."


    She could already feel Jin''s disdain oozing out of his aura.


    "Oh is it? Then let Jini-boy drop you wherever you are going," he chirped.


    Jin forcibly said, "Someone else can do it."


    "Why should somebody else do it when her childhood friend is here?"


    No answer.


    "Come on. Don''t think so much," he chuckled and pushed Shui into his car.


    "U-Uncle, I will be-"


    But Zhou Yichen didn''t listen and already waved his hand goodbye. "See you later, Jini-boy!"


    Jin had no choice but to unwillingly leave while carrying a gaze full of murderous expression.


    Zhou Yichen rubbed his chin, feeling proud of himself.


    "What do you want to achieve by doing this?" Jinhai''s quiet voice echoed as he silently stepped beside him.


    Zhou Yichen cocked his brow. "You must have noticed it too. Jini-boy''s hostility towards Shui."


    "Yes."


    "I don''t know what is wrong between them when they are supposed to be good friends. But what I do know is that nothing will be sorted out if Jini-boy just keeps on avoiding Shui. He needs to talk things out. The problem won''t necessarily solve within a day, but misconceptions and misunderstandings shouldn''t be allowed to fester for long. Otherwise, it becomes too late. I don''t want Jini-boy to make that mistake and regret later on."

 Chapter 436 Straightforward Indeed

    Jinhai threw a sideway glance at Zhou Yichen. "Seems like somebody is lamenting his divorce with his ex-wife."


    Zhou Yichen took a pause just for a fraction of a second though. Then he laughed out loud. "Are you talking about me and Professor Xie? Nah, I feel like a free bird~"


    "Yet it felt you were talking out of your personal experience. Seems like you allowed your misunderstandings with Miss. Xie fester for long enough that you cannot see Jin making the same mistake."


    Zhou Yichen jokingly dismissed him. "You have a good sense of humor, Mr. Liu. I have no personal agenda in this~"


    "I see."


    "It''s just that I think that there are many more emotions that Jini-boy is suppressing within him in the facade of hatred."


    Jinhai said nothing. During this whole time, he thought that Jin loved Shui too just like she loved him. That''s why they wanted to marry in the last life.


    But it didn''t match with what was happening in this life. Jin''s feelings for Shui were at an opposite spectrum. He knew his son well.


    Yes, Jin was obviously keeping his distance from Shui. But there was also a whole different battle he could sense behind his actions. It was subtle, but it was there.


    Zhou Yichen smiled. "So if even at least some part of it gets out of his system, I think things will turn out a whole lot better. Aish, it always becomes so serious whenever Jini-boy and Shui work together," he harrumphed. "But no fear as long as Uncle Zhou is here! I will eliminate all the enmity between them!"


    Jinhai glanced at him. "I appreciate your kindness."


    Zhou Yichen sheepishly waved his arm. "They are like my children now too, you know. I am just doing what a responsible adult does~"


    "Do responsible adults lie?" He cocked his brow.


    "When did I lie?" He whined and then solemnly said, "I am a very straightforward person."


    The smile that appeared on Jinhai''s lips was too faint to be noticeable. "Just like the wedding ring you are hiding in your pocket even though you are divorced."


    He blinked his eyes rapidly.


    Jinhai adjusted his coat and turned to leave. "Very straightforward indeed. By the way, the next meeting is starting."


    He calmly and silently left but the uproar his simple question caused in Zhou Yichen''s heart was anything but hushed. He instinctively touched his pocket where he could feel the outline of a ring.


    When did he see...?


    Jinhai''s voice echoed again as he was lost in his thoughts. "Thanks for proving it to me."


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen started to sweat.


    This is bad...!


    He nervously laughed as he dashed behind Jinhai. "Mr. Liuuuu! H-How about we talk over a cup of coffee? Specifically not exposing this in front of a certain someone hehe..."


    --


    The atmosphere in the car was becoming more and more stagnant. Jin''s eyes flashed with a myriad of emotions as he stared dead ahead, clutching the steering wheel with all his might.


    Shui said, "You don''t have to strangle the steering wheel."


    "It''s my car and I decide how to treat it," he chuckled with disdain, "I don''t want to hear fair treatment from someone who couldn''t even treat her own ex-boyfriend like a human. So zip it."


    With a piercing look that threw daggers at Jin, she burst out, "Liu Jin, do you think you are the only person in this whole world who cares about Jun?"


    "Well, it''s definitely not you in the list," he sneered. "And for your kind information, I am not dropping you anywhere. I will be only stopping my car wherever I am heading. I don''t care what you do after that."


    Shui''s brow twitched, and her heart was ablaze with fury. For a long time, she felt helpless and cornered by Jin''s attacks. As she slowly realized what might be the cause of Jin''s hatred, she wondered if she had been really so terrible to Jun? She did admit that she was at fault at times for the rocky period in her relationship with Jun. She acted brash and immature.


    But was she so cruel to Jun for Jin to accuse her of not caring about him at all?


    There was not even a speck of truth in this allegation which made Shui decide that she wouldn''t needlessly tolerate Jin''s ruthless words.


    Shui smiled. "I might not care about Jun as you say but you definitely do, right? Including not letting your elder brother know how mean and rude his little brother is acting."


    Before Jin could question, a sound of a phone ringing on speaker was already echoing inside the car.


    He snorted. "Are you complaining to Uncle Zhiyuan like the princess you always have been?"


    "Shui, what''s up?"


    Jin put a sudden break on his car and brought it to a screeching halt, widening his eyes. Dumbfounded to hear Jun'' voice, he stared at Shui incredulously.


    Shui smiled. "Hey Jun."


    "What was that sound of a loud break? Are you okay?"


    "I am fine. But I don''t think Jin is."


    "...You are with Jin?"


    Jin''s expression turned unsightly at the highest order.


    This woman...how dare she try to snitch me to Bro!?


    "Yeah," Shui replied. "But there is a slight problem. I need to be somewhere and Jin needs to be somewhere else, so he is refusing to drop me even though it wasn''t my idea to ride with him but Uncle Zhou''s."


    A few veins popped up here and there on Jin''s forehead.


    Heh. You think Bro will be disappointed in me? He already knows I hate you.


    There was a beat of silence after which Jun said, "Tell me where you are. I will pick you up."


    The silence was enough for Jin to know that if not disappointed, Jun at least felt helpless regarding his behavior. On top of that, Jin didn''t want Jun to bother with wasting his time with anything related to Shui.


    Incensed, he snatched her phone. "I will drop Shui. You don''t have to take the trouble, Bro."

 Chapter 437 Nians Evil Scheme

    The increasing distress with Jun''s silence made more and more frowns visible on his handsome face. He disabled the speaker option and said, "Don''t take the trouble, Bro."


    Jun knew on the other side that Shui wasn''t listening anymore.


    "Jin, I know it''s hard for you. I am not saying what you suffered was a lie. But there are too many unknowns surrounding our past lives. I just hope you keep an open mind until we figure things out."


    Which was a big call for Jin to take.


    "Please? For your big brother?"


    "I will try..." he muttered under his breath.


    "Good. Now, don''t be mean and drop Shui wherever she wants to go, okay?"


    They hung up and feeling extremely livid, Jin glared at Shui. "Aren''t you feeling so happy now?"


    Shui narrowed her eyes. "I wasn''t exactly so thrilled to pull this card, but it''s the only card that works against you. You are always on your best behavior whenever Jun is around. Since the beginning."


    Her gaze looked faraway at a distance, reminiscing a certain memory. "Remember that day you ruined my drawing?"


    Jin stiffened.


    How could he not remember? Jealous of the growing attention Shui got from Jun, he had ruined her drawing. If not for Shui lying that it was an accident, he didn''t know how he would have faced his brother that day.


    She chuckled. "You got so panicked when you saw Jun coming. You were almost in the state of bursting into tears."


    "I don''t want to hear...anything about it," he whispered to himself as he trembled.


    "It was that day I truly realized just how much you adore Jun. He is the bestest person for you and a standard that you want to achieve. You care for him so much."


    I don''t want to remember that day! Jin''s restlessness grew wider and wider.


    She then slowly said, "And so do I. We have been childhood friends. We might not be suitable as a couple. I admit I made some mistakes. I hurt him, and I truly feel guilty. But don''t ever accuse me of not caring for him at all. Jun is my best friend and as a friend, I will always care and support him."


    The darkness within his heart slowly clouded his eyes. He felt as if he was struggling to swim in a sea of deep and harsh currents that threw his body back and forth.


    If you cared about him, then you wouldn''t have played that cheap suicide trick with me. You would have never forced me to marry you which you knew for sure would have destroyed Bro completely...


    "So don''t act like you cared about him..." he said inaudibly.


    Shui said, "I will let myself out here. You don''t have to drop me anywhere."


    The car suddenly took ignition and as Jin drove, Shui looked surprised. "I said you don''t have to-"


    "Stop talking. I already promised Bro that I will drop you. So sit quietly. But I will be doing my work first, so don''t even bother complaining."


    Her mouth twitched with a grimace.


    Like I said, you don''t have to force yourself.


    He glared at her. "And don''t dare to snitch me to Bro again!"


    Shui snorted. "Depends on your behavior."


    He clenched his fist, his face turning red and livid with displeasure.


    Just wait until I get my revenge on you!


    --


    Sky Publishing.


    Xing Bi was bored. Even though the day was just turning into an afternoon, she was already pretty much done for the day. She had even sorted out her tasks to be done on the next day.


    Ah, what should I do with so much free time?


    Looking at Ai''s empty chair, she pouted.


    This is so not fair! Ai and Liu Jun must definitely be having some mushy mushy time together in his office. And here I am left all alone.


    Seriously the things a single person has to suffer...


    It was as if a certain someone read her mind and boredom, she got a call on her phone.


    "Xing Biiiiiii! Let''s go on a date!" Nian''s ever so chirpy and joyful voice came from the other end.


    "..."


    "Hehe, I have made my finest creation till date! And I want you to be the first taste tester like always~ After all, my future wife has the right to be the first for my everything~"


    Xing Bi''s boredom filled face beamed and ignoring the last part of his sentence, she focused more on the first part.


    Finest creation? It means a delicious cake again!


    No matter how annoying Nian was, she couldn''t disregard his baking skills that created the most mouth-watering cakes she ever had.


    Since the past few weeks, Nian had been feeding her with any new cake recipe he tried. It was always Xing Bi who had the first bite. He used cakes to drill a place in her heart.


    Xing Bi was completely unaware of this evil scheme. She only focused on eating appetizing cakes which were totally free on her pocket.


    "I am coming!"


    She grabbed her bag and hailing a cab, she quickly made her way to Natsukashi Bakery.


    "Xing Biiiiiii! I missed you so much!"


    Nian jumped to squish the love of his life in his arms, but she escaped right past him towards the cake.


    "Oh, is this the cake you made today?" Her eyes sparkled.


    Nian sobbed.


    My dear, I would have definitely welcomed a passionate hug.


    He wiped his imaginary tears and looked proud as he presented his cake. "Yes! The finest red velvet cake until now! I have added my own spice to it~ Say aah, my dear. Let me feed you."


    Nian''s chief assistant had already handed her the knife to cut the cake.


    The chief assistant sweated, feeling Nian''s murderous glare at him.


    You ruined my romantic plan!


    He cried.


    Please don''t fire me Boss! I-I was just-


    Shut up!


    Xing Bi happily took a piece of cake and took a bite when she noticed a familiar figure through the glass windows.


    Hm? Is that Sun Bai?

 Chapter 438 Facing The Dreaded Chapel

    Xing Bi blinked and as she saw Sun Bai casually turning her head towards Natsukashi Bakery, she instinctively took a step back and hid in front of Nian. Nian''s back faced Sun Bai, so she failed to catch her.


    Ah? Why did I hide...Somehow I didn''t want Miss. Sun to see me.


    "Xing Biiiiii..."


    She looked up to find an emotional Nian bursting with joy. "You hugged me on your own!"


    "..."


    Nian quickly caught her and squeezed her hard. "I knew it. Xing Bi also loves me~ Let''s celebrate this occasion by hugging a bit more~"


    Xing Bi stepped her foot on his. "Liu Nian you shameless man! Taking advantage of me!"


    "But you hugged me first. How can I let this romantic cuddling slip?"


    Nian''s assistant was crying his own tears of joy. Nian had made everyone''s life hell by endlessly talking about Xing Bi like a chatterbox.


    Finally, Boss can calm down, he sniffled.


    Xing Bi widened her eyes, feeling her face would be exposed by Nian''s moving around. "Ssh!" She pulled his shirt until their faces were at a kissing distance.


    Nian''s heart sped faster in his chest, and his throat went dry as he stared hard at her beautiful kissable lips.


    "Don''t move," she whispered. "Miss. Sun is standing outside opposite the bakery."


    "Hm."


    At this point, her scent invaded his nostrils and his fingers twitched further to hold her face. They slowly made their way to cup her soft cheeks, him grinning in a daze.


    Hehe, should I steal a peck from her lips? Though I will be dead the next moment, it would be worth it~


    Xing Bi slightly craned her neck and saw Sun Bai meeting the same man again as the day when she had followed her after missing her bus.


    "Is he the boyfriend?" She muttered thoughtfully.


    Nian slightly coughed as he smiled bashfully. "Of course."


    "Ah? Really? I never heard her talking about it."


    Nian edged his fingers to touch her cheek and leaned more and more to taste his heaven. "Because she always ignores him though her heart is filled with love for him."


    Her brow twitched, but then she seemed to agree. "Hm, she does seem like the type. Cold and stern on the outside, but hiding her true feelings on the inside."


    Nian nodded. "Just like that. That''s why he will never give up on her. It''s just a matter of time~"


    His lips were dangerously inching closer to bridge the last few centimeters.


    "But there seems to be something suspicious between them," Xing Bi frowned. "If he is her boyfriend, she doesn''t look so thrilled about it though."


    Nian lacked tears to shed. "T-the day will come soon enough! So let''s bring the day closer by sharing a passionate kiss~"


    "Idiot! Will they kiss passionately in the middle of the street!?"


    "But we are in the shop dear. If you are worried about the glass windows, how about we pull down the shutters? Then nobody can disturb us~"


    Xing Bi finally moved her irises, feeling totally at a loss. "What are you talking about-"


    She stiffened with proximity and with his devilishly handsome face too close for her heart to bear, she almost got a heart attack. Not just his face but his lips who threatened to touch hers at any moment.


    "Y-you you...! What are you doing!"


    Nian coughed.


    Tch. I almost had her.


    "You totally wanted to kiss me!" She glared at him. "Shameless, utterly shameless!"


    Her heart thudded so fast as if a train ran over her. Her cheeks were growing pink.


    This man is too sly and dangerous!


    "I am not shameless. You just admitted that you are hiding your real feelings deep inside your heart~"


    She grimaced and smacked on his head. "I was talking about Miss. Sun!"


    "Who is that?" He pouted and rubbed his head.


    "..."


    "Who were you talking about this whole time then?" She was dumbfounded.


    "Us~" he sheepishly grinned.


    "..."


    This man is hopeless!


    Xing Bi noticed Sun Bai going inside a cafe with the man.


    "L-let''s follow them!"


    Even I don''t know why I am doing this, but I have this really odd feeling!


    She grabbed Nian''s hand and pulled him out of the bakery. Nian''s assistant who peeked out his head was speechless to see Xing Bi pulling his Boss away. He blushed.


    Things are already going so far for them?


    One of the interns asked, "Where is Boss Nian? I want to show him my cookies! Today, he will definitely praise me!"


    "Hotel..." he mumbled.


    "Hotel?" The intern innocently blinked his eyes.


    The chief assistant coughed. "Nothing! Boss is away for some important personal stuff so let''s not bother him. He might not even return to the bakery today...So show me whatever it is you have made."


    Outside, Nian was at a loss this time. "Are you finally taking me to a not so innocent place to do some not so innocent things?" He hopefully asked with his shining black eyes.


    "I will throw you into the sea if you keep talking! We are investigating!"


    "Oh?" Nian curiously raised his brow. "Who are we investigating?"


    "Somebody who works with your brother."


    --


    Reaching the church where Jin and Shui''s wedding was arranged in his last life, Jin silently stood before the entrance.


    Shui thought to wait inside the car until his work was done, but when Jin didn''t move an inch, her brows crinkled with questions and she stepped out too. She took a look at the church and wondered.


    A church? What work does Jin has here...?


    She then caught Jin''s figure faintly trembling and his eyes expressing a sense of fear she had never seen before. He seemed strongly resistant to go inside, but he didn''t seem to want to pull back and leave the place either.


    Why is he looking so afraid?


    "Jin...?" She tried to touch his shoulder.


    He softly gasped and snapped out of his daze. Without answering her, Jin forced his legs to walk and face the dreaded place. With every step that he took further, the painful memories of that day gripped his heart into chaos. Tears stung his eyes, remembering the sound of Jun''s bullet that had pierced his chest.

 Chapter 439 The Voices Flowing In

    Jun''s anger, his hateful words, his grief, his tears and his bullet - everything made Jin feel as if somebody was tightly squeezing his heart. His breaths grew more unsettled and restless, feeling an urge to escape somewhere far.


    I don''t want to be here¡­


    Shui became increasingly stunned with Jin''s rapidly changing state. He was fine in the car, but coming to the chapel had changed him.


    Why is he looking so troubled?


    She quickly followed him and said, "Jin, you are not looking so well. We should leave if you are-"


    Jin pushed her away, glaring at her. "Don''t¡­don''t you interfere! I don''t need your concern."


    Shui softly yelped in pain as her shoulder bumped against a pillar, scraping her skin. But more than her injury, Jin''s distress stirred her heart.


    His eyes looked reddish with tears wetting his eyelashes. His pained expression made Shui feel at a loss.


    What is¡­Jin grieving? What is he grieving about?


    Jin''s eyes widened as he realized he pushed too hard to injure her. "I¡­I¡­didn''t mean that¡­" he balled his palms with anger welling in his chest. "That''s why I said stay away from me! This is none of your business!"


    He stormed his way inside, leaving Shui at her place. He breathed heavily with sweat drops trickling down his forehead. As he raised his head, he froze upon recognizing this very place where he had breathed his last.


    He stared ahead at the place where he had faced his raging brother. The screams and panic of his family members were still fresh in his ears. Jin''s cries to beg Jun to believe him and Jun''s adamance in not doing so - it felt like the scene replayed as if it was happening all over again.


    ?


    From behind him, he heard the sound of Shui''s soft but hurried steps.


    "You still didn''t leave," he said but not with hostility in his voice this time.


    Shui said, "I won''t leave when you are looking so miserable."


    Silence.


    The chapel was empty and devoid of any soul. The silence only rang louder and grew thicker.


    With an emptiness enveloping his heart, he agonizingly took one step and two and then more until he reached the very place he once stood in his last life. He could see the apparition of his dead body and blood seeping out of his chest, staining the floor crimson.


    ''Jin¡­you ended everything for me.''


    ''You snatched her away from me.''


    ''Do you feel happy now?''


    ''You betrayed me, Jin. I hate you! I hate you!''


    Tears plopped from his eyes, the voices filled with resentment echoing in his ears. It was excruciating to be here. It felt as if a thousand arrows were raining down upon him, stabbing and striking him from all directions. He could only bear the pain helplessly. He covered his face in his palms whispering and calling his brother.


    "Bro¡­"


    He felt a hand touch his shoulder, and he narrowed his eyes as he faced Shui.


    "Why¡­are you crying? What happened?"


    She had no idea what changed Jin''s demeanor by coming here, but she wanted to know even if there was no hope of Jin properly answering her question.


    "Everything. Everything happened. It was this place where it all¡­ended."


    "E-ended what?"


    He grabbed her arms and exclaimed with bitterness. "Everything Shui. Everything ended here and it''s all because of you! If only¡­if only you cared about Bro, if only you weren''t so selfish, then nothing of this would have ever happened!"


    Shui failed to understand his meaning but what she did know was this.


    "Liu Jin. I think I was already clear when I said that I always care about Jun."


    "No! You don''t¡­you only care about yourself! If you respected him even a little bit, then you wouldn''t have hurt him!"


    She pushed him back. "I would never purposely hurt Jun! Why don''t you understand!?" She quivered as her tears slipped out. "I am tired of your accusations! Why do you think that you are the only one who cares or loves him? I know you adore your brother the most in this world. But you are not the only one! Get it through that thick skull of yours!"


    "Oh yeah? Then tell me. If five years from now on, I still refuse to have feelings for you, what will you do? If you understand that we cannot be together ever, then what will you do!? Tell me! If there is no hope for our future, what will your decision be!?"


    "I will give up on you, Jin."


    He froze.


    It was a pure and simple fact she said in a way that there was no other alternative to that.


    Shui smiled, albeit with sadness. "If it''s destined for my feelings to never be returned, then I will give up on you. If you hate me so much that you cannot even stand my presence, then I will give up on you. I¡­wouldn''t have any other choice, would I?"


    He felt her voice quivering towards the end. He didn''t want to, yet he strongly felt the genuineness in her words. He didn''t want to believe her tears, but then why did his heart leaned with the urge to do so?


    "Lies¡­all lies¡­you wouldn''t give up on me¡­" he stumbled back, forcing himself to believe the truth he had been believing until now. "You would never be so-"


    *GONG!*


    An extremely piercing sound drove straight through his ear that reached all up till brain. His eyes got suddenly blinded by a strong ray of golden light that made him unable to see Shui anymore.


    "Ahhh!!"


    He covered his ears and as he looked up, he saw a golden clock floating in the air, shining its golden brilliance on him.


    W-what is happening¡­


    *GONG!*


    The sharp sound of the clock ticking brought an immense pain in his head. He couldn''t believe if this was real or if he was hallucinating.


    But before he could question it more, he heard some voices echoing in his ears. One crying voice belonged to the woman who he recognized all too well.


    Shui¡­?


    "You cannot¡­do this¡­"


    "Let Jun¡­don''t hurt him¡­"


    "Please, I beg you¡­I cannot do¡­"


    "He will break apart¡­"


    "If that what it...takes...save him...marry...Jin."

 Chapter 440 The Locked Away Feelings

    Jin collapsed on his knees. The chapel felt like it was spinning around him. He wanted these ominous noises and voices to stop. He wanted the blinding light to disappear.


    "Shui, you have to marry...else everything...over."


    ? "Jin...you cannot die..."


    "No! Why are you doing...I did everything that you..."


    "Jun...is no more?"


    "I failed...I failed to protect him..."


    "All my fault..."


    "I will expose you!"


    "You won''t...unscathed."


    Jin heard a mix of many voices, especially Shui whose tears were loud and clear.


    "Sorry Jun...I had no choice but to..."


    "I never...hurt you. Please forgive me, Jun..."


    His eyelashes trembled sensing Shui''s quivering voice. There was a point where he could listen to her grieving sobs which only twisted his heart.


    He touched his throat, feeling nauseous of so many unbelievable things happening all at once. Not just the voices, he saw the fateful day happening once again through his blurred vision. The scene broke and cracked like when the picture on television would look distorted sometimes due to a disturbance. But he was sure that what was unfolding in front of him was that wedding day itself.


    He choked and felt a strangling sensation clutch his neck. He tremblingly gazed at the clock and though its golden brilliance brought forth more pain as if he was walking through hell, he noticed one very odd thing.


    The hands of the clock were ticking backwards. It was going against the natural flow of time.


    The gasps of Shui crying slowly faded away from his ears and so did the wedding scene. Instead, he saw a myriad of images floating and zapping past him with lightning speed. Through the glances, he realized that the images were nothing but bits and parts of his memories. From his childhood to adulthood, there was a mix and match and disorderly stream of memories passing across his mind.


    And that stream stopped at a certain point in time. It halted and Jin faced the day of his childhood when he had ruined Shui''s drawing.


    No...


    Jin faltered backwards, his heart racing in trepidation.


    No...I don''t want to be here. I don''t want to see this.


    L-Let me out of here!


    But it all went to deaf ears. He heard little Shui chuckling as she was merrily drawing her picture, eager to show Jun. Jin was beside her, his expression looking distasteful and filled with envy.


    No!!! Let me out of here!


    He trembled hard with the loud shrill of the golden clock penetrating his ears. It sounded unforgiving as if the phenomenon would not stop until the clock wanted it.


    Jin was stuck there, forced to witness that particular memory. No matter where he turned and ran, the scene would simply appear right before him.


    "What do you want from me!?" Jin cried. "Please stop this nonsense! It was a mistake...It was a mistake coming to this church!"


    "Jin, look! How is my drawing?" Little Shui asked.


    The Jin stuck with that memory, closed his ears and shut his eyes, wanting to shut off his senses. From the deepest part of his heart, he felt something trying to escape which had been shackled away for too long.


    He could feel it. He could hear the sounds of its resistance smashing hard against the walls and trying to break it. He was forced to stand there and face the memory without any choice.


    "Jun will definitely like this!" She chirped. "This is the most handsome I have drawn him till now. Right, Jin?"


    Yet even so, he heard the voices. Even through his shut eyelids, he watched the scene playing before him and he watched himself, little Jin, growing uncomfortable and jealous. The more the memory went forward, the paler Jin became. A sound echoed in his ears of what was to come.


    The dreadful sound of his deepest buried feelings.


    Little Jin splashed paint on Shui''s drawing and in turn, she confronted him.


    "Jin! My drawing! It''s all ugly now!" She cried. "Why do you splash paint on it! You are mean!"


    When little Jun arrived in the room, Jin grew more panicked, close to bursting into tears and fearful of Jun getting disappointed in him.


    "What''s the matter?" Jun had asked. "Oh, is it because of this?"


    Jin stumbled back, knowing what Shui would say and knowing...


    What little Jin''s reaction would look like.


    Please...I don''t want to...T-this is not how it looks. This is a lie! It''s all a lie!


    Little Shui sniffled. "I splashed the paint by accident..."


    p1ease visit n0ve1b(in).ne)t


    When Jun had left after reassuring her, Jin had asked, "Why did you help me? I ruined your drawing..."


    The Jin stuck in the memory looked as white as a ghost. His eyes grew wetter.


    Ah please...let it end already...


    Shui blinked. "Because Jun will be angry at you. I don''t want to see that. I want us to play together and be happy! I don''t want to see Jun and Jin fighting!"


    And it all began there.


    It was at that point when an ever so fleeting sensation took root in little Jin''s heart. Jin saw his own child self feel ashamed after how Shui protected him instead of complaining about his actions to Jun. But he knew that feeling very well which was more than just simple embarrassment.


    It might be a trivial incident from someone else''s perspective but to Jin, who always placed Jun in highest regard and who adored him the most, the act of Shui protecting him from Jun''s disappointment was a huge deal for little Jin. It was akin to saving him from a death sentence.


    It was that simple incident that eroded all the jealousy which he felt towards Shui, replacing it with completely new feelings slowly but surely.


    Through his moist eyes, Jin saw his child self''s cheeks turning redder.


    He saw his child self turning his head away in an attempt to hide his blushing expression.


    He saw his child self''s heart beating faster at the sight of a beaming and bright Shui.


    And eventually as more memories passed by, he saw his child self locking those feelings in his heart forever, never for them to see the light again.

 Chapter 441 To Make A Beautiful Life A Pitiful Torture

    On Xing Bi''s side, she was peeking at what Sun Bai was doing with the man at the cafe. She was seated opposite him, her expression stern and steely. Xing Bi couldn''t clearly see the man, but it felt he looked a bit fidgety.


    "I have heard of Sun Bai," Nian whispered. "Jun has mentioned it once or twice I guess? She is quite a capable and serious employee."


    "Indeed. Miss. Sun is really dedicated."


    "Then why did you follow her till here?" He curiously asked.


    "Well, I heard her talking one night and it seemed a little suspicious. Then she went on sick leave the next day, but I saw her meeting this same man somewhere in an apartment. Clearly, she didn''t look sick..."


    "If he is her boyfriend, then sick leave is a very common excuse, you know what I mean?" He grinned. "Don''t worry. If you ever want to take a day off work, you can be straightforward with Jun and say that you want to spend some mushy time with me, hehe~"


    That earned him an objectionable glare. "Get your mind off the gutter!"


    "It''s not gutter, it''s heaven~"


    Xing Bi ignored him and avoiding her range of sight, she took a seat at a table near Sun Bai''s. She tried to perk her ears towards their conversation, which she could only hear some bits and pieces of.


    "When will you give it to me!?" The man said with an urgency. He then realized he spoke a bit loudly and lowered his voice. "How long will it take...things ready?"


    Xing Bi strained her ears, but Sun Bai''s response was too soft to catch.


    "Mind your limits. I already said...accept this. Don''t...again. I won''t..."


    "Look, don''t be like this...things out."


    Tch. It''s hard to hear, Xing Bi lamented. I just want to eliminate this odd feeling...I don''t want Miss. Sun to be involved in anything shady.


    Even if I get to know who this man is, it will help a ton!


    "Lu Bohai," Nian lazily said as he munched on his sandwich.


    "..."


    "When did you order a sandwich?" She asked.


    He shone like a blooming sunflower. "Do you want me to share with you? Let''s eat half-half and-"


    After a solid smack on his head, Nian sobbingly went back to his phone. "Cruel. This world is too cruel."


    "Who is Lu Bohai?"


    "The man talking to Sun Bai."


    She blinked. "How do you know?"


    "I searched for him."


    "Where?"


    Nian sheepishly grinned again. "Trust me, Xing Bi. Even though I have all sorts of shady contacts, I am not shady at all!"


    Her mouth twitched.


    A prankster like you is the epitome of shadiness!


    "I thought you might want to dig a bit deeper about this man''s identity, so I asked someone to find out about him while we were on our way~ I just got the information on my chat," he winked.


    She stared at him, dumbfounded.


    This man...actually did something useful for once!


    The fact that he already read her mind and was quick to find the information about the man made her unsure of how to feel.


    T-This is nothing special!


    Though her heart was definitely saying the opposite.


    She cleared her throat and looked away. "G-Good job. Thanks."


    Nian hopefully leaned in for a reward. "Do I get a kiss on the lips?"


    He saw Xing Bi smiling while simultaneously swirling the fork in her hand which gave him his answer.


    "How about I Iet this fork to kiss your lips?"


    He wiped his fake tears. "One day will definitely come when you will kiss me on your own..."


    "Get to the point!" She whispered. "Who is Lu Bohai?"


    "Well for starters, he is an employee working at my little brother''s rival company. Shi Publishing."


    --


    "Jin!"


    Shui panicked and kneeled beside him, seeing his worsening condition.


    "Jin? What is happening?"


    She shook him numerous times, but Jin looked to be in a deep trance. He was sweating profusely and the tremors in his body were painful to watch. She was clueless as to why he suddenly collapsed and seemed so pale.


    Why is he acting so differently ever since he stepped his foot in this church!?


    "Jin!"


    The more unresponsive Jin was, the more tears grew rampant in her eyes. She could feel his temperature growing hotter as if he was getting a fever.


    "I-I cannot stand like this and do nothing...Hospital? No, I should c-call Jun first!"


    She fumbled with her phone, looking at it with a blurry vision.


    "P-please be alright Jin...I will help you anyhow!" She quivered with a nagging fear.


    "The only one who can help him is himself, my dear."


    Shui looked up and noticed an elderly woman sitting on a bench with a calm and peaceful smile on her lips.


    When did she enter? I didn''t see her at all...


    Jin kept whispering to himself. "I won''t...It''s all a lie..."


    The woman shook her head.


    Shui asked, confused. "What do you mean by what you said before?"


    Wait, I don''t have time for this! I need to take Jin out of here.


    She tried to move him, but he refused to budge. "Jin, please just a little bit..." she urged.


    "He cannot get out of that trance until he faces the truth."


    Shui glanced at the woman again, now feeling even more bewildered. "Who are you?"


    "Nobody really," she mysteriously answered. "But somebody who knows what is happening to that young man."


    She widened her eyes. "You do? Please tell me!" She rushed towards her. "What''s wrong with Jin? How can I help him?"


    She gently smiled. "I said it before. Only he can help himself. There is something in his heart that has been locked away...for far too long now. There is a boundary he has drawn that he has been refusing to cross it for far too long now. He has conditioned himself to act a very particular way. But this will only make his beautiful life a pitiful torture. He needs to accept whatever he has been hiding from himself."


    Shui didn''t understand her cryptic words at all. "I really don''t..."


    Shui''s confusion was evident to the elderly woman. She asked, "Do you know what is the easiest way to not love a person?"


    Her brows crinkled.


    She smiled sadly. "It''s to find a reason to hate that person."

 Chapter 442 How Long Will It Take?

    Jin, in an unconscious state, slept on the lavish but comfortable bed of one of the rooms in Jun''s condo. He had quite a bit of a temperature which didn''t show any signal to come down anytime soon.


    Shui, who had called Jun to explain this orderal, still couldn''t wrap her head as to why Jun wouldn''t take his brother to the hospital. Instead, Jun had arrived with Ai in a rush and took them home.


    "Jun, we should go to the hospital or call Bao."


    Liang Bao was Jun''s cousin who was studying medicine and aiming to become a doctor. His father, Liang Shin, was Nana''s elder brother.


    She grew more and more worried. "What''s the point of bringing Jin here? He needs treatment as soon as possible. It''s not good to let this high fever¡­" her voice choked, seeing his body spasm with fever and weakness.


    Jun''s own body slightly trembled as he was brushing his fingers against Jin''s hair. His face looked white and pale and his lips quivered with fear as if he was being chased by something demonic. The other hand in Jun''s pocket was balled into a tight fist.


    "He¡­will be fine," he quietly said, though his own voice was betraying his confidence.


    Ai could see his shoulders trembling and knew exactly what he must be thinking. She glanced at Shui and said, "Shui, Jun is right. Jin will be fine."


    "How do you know that!?" She unconsciously raised her voice in frustration. "S-sorry," she bit her lip and apologized, "I didn''t mean to shout at you¡­" her eyes ached. "It''s just that I don''t understand what is happening at all. He was fine until we reached the church. Then he suddenly fell sick. Now you are saying that he will be fine. Even that elderly woman said the same, but I don''t get it at all¡­Why are you all so confident?"


    Jun snapped his head towards Shui and blinked his eyes rapidly. "What elderly woman?"


    Shui wiped the corner of her eyes. "There was one elderly woman in the church. I didn''t even realize when she came in. But she was saying these mysterious things about Jin¡­She seemed to know what was happening to him."


    Ai stared at her and wondered if it was the elderly woman from the carnival they had met before.


    Jun said, incredulous, "When we came, there was nobody else with you."


    "Yeah. She left soon after she talked to me."


    Ai quickly followed up. "What did she say?"


    p1ease visit n0ve1b(in).ne)t


    Shui gave a recap of that conversation.


    ''He cannot get out of that trance until he faces the truth.''


    ''There is something in his heart that has been locked away¡­for far too long now. There is a boundary he has drawn that he has been refusing to cross it for far too long now.''


    Jun and Ai were deeply puzzled.


    Does this mean that Jin wouldn''t wake up until he faces whatever there is to face?


    "That woman was really mysterious. I don''t think Jin knows her, but she looked at Jin as if she knew him very well."


    Silence.


    Shui noticed their odd expressions and asked, "W-what happened?"


    Ai snapped out of her daze and smiled. "It''s nothing."


    Shui shook her head. "We should take Jin to the hospital. Look, he is sweating even more than before¡­How long are we going to wait?"


    Jun pursed his lips. "Trust me, Shui. Just let¡­Jin be for now. And can you do me a favor? Please don''t tell anybody about Jin''s condition in the family."


    Shui widened her eyes. "You¡­How could I? Aunt Nana and Uncle Jinhai should definitely know-"


    "Please?"


    There was a strange urge in his voice which Shui couldn''t ignore. "I won''t say anything but I need to know that Jin will be fine."


    "He will be."


    If it''s the woman we met at the carnival, then I trust her, Jun thought.


    Shui said, "Okay. I will listen to you. But I won''t be leaving from here until Jin wakes up," a tear slipped across her cheek. "I don''t care if he hates me or he wouldn''t appreciate me staying here. But I need to see him okay with my own eyes."


    They gently nodded.


    Shui left the room to make a couple of calls about her change in plans while Ai sat beside Jun who looked as if he was blaming himself.


    "I won''t forgive you if you blame yourself for this, Jun," Ai sternly said.


    Jun gritted his teeth. "Then what should I do? It''s all my fault! I shouldn''t have¡­I shouldn''t have talked to Jin about that damn clock at all. I shouldn''t have asked him to check if he would experience the same thing! Then Jin wouldn''t be l-like this today¡­"


    He covered his face with his tears touching his palms. "I said to Shui that he will be fine. But I don''t know it myself if he will really be. What did that elderly woman mean? What does Jin have to face? What is the meaning that he won''t be able to get out of this trance? Do you understand how frightening that is? If Jin is never able to do what he has to, does it mean that he will be unconscious like this forever? I¡­I¡­" his voice broke through his sobs, "I am his elder brother, Ai. I am supposed to protect him, not put him in harm''s way."


    Ai grabbed his head and glared at him. "Stop it. One more word and I really won''t forgive you. You are talking as if you knew beforehand what would happen and still pushed Jin to do this. Jun, we have both seen the clock. Surely, it was frightening to experience that, but none of us were lost into a trance like Jin has. How were we supposed to know that with Jin, it would happen differently?"


    Jun rested his head on her shoulder. "I didn''t know¡­I thought he would hear the voices just like we did and we might be able to figure something out. But look how Jin is now. You know, he looks like the day when the twins had locked him up in the dark room. I stayed with him the entire time. He looked so terrified when I first saw him. Jin¡­is looking exactly like that."

 Chapter 443 A Never-Ending Maze

    Ai wrapped her hands around his back and patted him. "And you are beside him today too."


    "But he cannot see me wherever he is right now. How is he supposed to know that there is nothing to be afraid of? This didn''t happen with us, Ai. How will we know when he will wake up?"


    "I am sure he will be okay. Let''s wait for him. I trust Jin. Whatever it is, he will definitely be strong enough to come out of it."


    ¡ª


    In that plethora of memories that floated around Jin, he sat at the core of that storm with a dead look in his eyes. He was tired. He was exhausted. His heart felt empty.


    He didn''t know how much time had passed. Was it five minutes? Or five hours? He was clueless. But to him, it felt like he was trapped in this memory hurricane like forever.


    He was so tired that even his tears had given up on him. The last stains of those tears on his cheeks had dried up a long time ago. He simply sat there amidst the memory lane, waiting for somebody to help him out. Waiting for somebody to wake him out of this nightmare.


    He stared at the pictures and every moment he ever spent with Jun and Shui. When he was forced to face his own locked up memories, it was at that point when the last strand of his patience had fallen apart. The shackles broke, and everything came into the light.


    And when it did, some very nauseous feelings crept into his heart.


    Despair.


    Hopelessness.


    Shame.


    Guilt.


    Every one of the last emotions he had kept from everybody and especially Jun, came pouring out as if a dam broke. He felt himself slip into a never-ending maze of darkness, stubbornly refusing to admit the truth.


    And Jin didn''t know when he would see the light ever again.


    ¡ª


    "Lu Bohai¡­"


    Xing Bi mumbled under her breath as she walked on the pedestrian pathway. Nian explained some juicy details about Lu Bohai as she was also trying to peek into their conversation for some information.


    Lu Bohai worked in Shi Publishing''s marketing department. Even though he had been for close to six years with the company, his performance was average and he was one of the many employees of the company.


    But lately, Shi Publishing seemed to have stalled. It was at a standstill where they desperately needed a push to revive their company''s image in the market. The company dedicated most of its resources to Huan under her mother''s orders. But Huan wasn''t working on any new novel, and other authors hardly got any chance.


    If this went on, Lu Bohai was in serious trouble as he had heard some whispers that there might be layoffs to cut off the spending of the company. And with his not-so-bright performance, he would definitely be among the first in line to be the ones to be laid off.


    "In regards to his relationship with Sun Bai, my source said that she once dated his elder brother, Lu Long. But he died in an unfortunate accident two years back. Seems like she is still in touch with his brother."


    She frowned. "I couldn''t hear what they were talking about. But it felt like he was asking her something. And he seemed really desperate. It could be something personal or it could be professional too since he works at Shi Publishing. My senses say something is fishy."


    Nian grinned. "What are you worried about? Your boyfriend is very capable. I can find that out for you~"


    She smacked him on his head. "Who is my boyfriend!?"


    "Me~"


    "No, you are not!"


    "Then when will that day come my dear?" He asked.


    She harrumphed. "It won''t be so easy."


    He sighed.


    The road is long¡­


    When they reached back to Nian''s bakery, Xing Bi was surprised to see another familiar face at the counter.


    "Hou Lin?"


    Hou Lin paused taking his parcel and turned. He blinked. "Miss. Xing."


    She beamed. "What are you doing here?"


    Nian alternated his gaze between the duo and felt extremely aggrieved.


    "Xing Biiiii, you never beam at my sight!" He cried. "Who is this man!? Let me have a WORD with him!"


    Xing Bi gasped and pulled him back. "What are you doing! He works in Liu Jun''s company! Hou Lin."


    "Never heard of him from Jun. Guess he is not that important¡­" he mumbled. "W-what is going on between you two?" He asked as he wiped his eyes.


    Xing Bi smiled. "What will you do if I say something that you wouldn''t want to hear?"


    "Kill him."


    "..."


    He sniffled. "It''s not wise to provoke the men in the Liu family¡­Just for your information."


    He narrowed his eyes at Hou Lin. "Why do you work at Sky? What is your relationship with Xing Bi? Do you love her? You better not. Why are you here?"


    "..."


    Xing Bi wanted to jump off a cliff. She kicked the owner away in his own shop and sheepishly grinned at Hou Lin. "Ignore him."


    Hou Lin said nothing. Instead, he faced Nian and answered. "I work at Sky because I like Mr. Liu Jun''s vision for his company. That''s why I want to work for him. Miss. Xing and I are colleagues. No, I don''t love her. I am here to buy cake."


    Xing Bi''s brow twitched upon seeing him obediently answer Nian''s questions.


    Nian dusted his coat. "Are you sure you don''t have any evil intentions for my Xing Bi?"


    "I don''t have any intentions for Miss. Xing. Evil or otherwise."


    Nian internally decided to thoroughly talk to Jun about Hou Lin and his ''job'' at Sky.


    Sensing his intentions, Xing Bi warned Nian not to make anymore trouble for Hou Lin.


    Nian burned with jealousy.


    Why are you being so good to him!? You should have all your attention on meeeee!


    She smiled at Hou Lin. "Hehe, what''s the occasion for the cake? Wait, is it your birthday?"


    "No. My friend''s," he curtly replied. "That reminds me. It''s quite a coincidence to see both you and Miss. Sun."


    "You saw her too?"


    "I saw a glimpse of her. She was talking to Lu Bohai."


    Xing Bi was taken aback. "You know him?"


    "I handle marketing in Sky, so I keep tabs on other company''s marketing department that are rivals to Sky. Lu Bohai is in Shi Publishing''s marketing department."


    S-so diligent¡­


    "And he is bad news."

 Chapter 444 A Step Towards The Answers

    "How is he bad news?"


    Hou Lin said, "There are some whispers floating around that Shi Publishing is losing its spark. To regain its importance, there might be some shady activities going on. Internally within the departments too, there have been quite a few disputes. Lu Bohai is one of them in the scuffle who is racing to be someone who can do something to save his job. I heard one author left due to his aggressive marketing tactics. He was starting to get involved with the editing team by forcing the authors to write stories that he wanted based on the market trends."


    Xing Bi gasped. "That''s horrible!"


    "One author left with such pressure. It is also becoming increasingly dissatisfied for the authors because nobody is pressurizing Miss. Shi in this way. Only the others are suffering so naturally, voices against this injustice are coming out."


    She pressed her lips.


    Shi Huan...


    She must be so stressed out by this. I know she is not asking for any special treatment, yet she is forcibly getting it and making her the villain.


    Hou Lin adjusted his coat. "Hence I was wondering how Miss. Sun knew Lu Bohai."


    Nian was extremely and thoroughly displeased with this conversation between Xing Bi and Hou Lin.


    Why is this man acting like he knows everything! Don''t steal my work! I promised Xing Bi that I will give her all the information!


    Do you think you will impress her with your knowledge!?


    He pulled his assistant to the side and said in a hushed voice, "How much did you charge this man for the cake?"


    "T-the usual rates, Boss..."


    "Idiot!" He smacked him. "You should have charged him fifty percent more!"


    "..."


    That''s way too much, Boss!


    He cried. "We are fair to our customers, Boss."


    "Except him!"


    "Boss, you cannot be childish because you are jealous."


    "I am not jealous at all!"


    "Tell that to your twisted, angry face!"


    Xing Bi shook her head. "What would a man like him want from Miss. Sun?"


    Hou Lin blinked. "Is he asking her something?"


    Her brow twitched.


    I-I cannot say that Nian and I stalked her...


    She tried to give an innocent smile. "Nian and I just returned from the cafe she was at with Lu Bohai and it was a coincidence we heard some bits and pieces. I couldn''t hear it clearly though. Just that he was asking something from her."


    Hou Lin understood and nodded. "I see. Miss. Sun is a talented person. I only hope she is not involved in anything. The farther she stays away from Lu Bohai, the better."


    Xing Bi nodded and Nian - finally losing his patience and too much tears, pulled her back and projected his threatening figure to Hou Lin.


    "Cough out thirty bucks more for the cake, you punk!"


    "What for?"


    "Excess charge for talking to my Xing Bi. I knew it! You are definitely not pure with your intentions for her!"


    "Liu Nian!" She twisted his ear. "I warned you not to make a mess!"


    Hou Lin flatly replied. "I already answered that I don''t have any feelings for Miss. Xing. So I won''t pay anymore money."


    The assistant bobbed his head.


    Yes, yes, we shouldn''t spoil Boss. Good going.


    Nian sniffled. "Xing Biii, he ruined our romantic date. I should tell Jun to fire him."


    "You-"


    "I am sure he wouldn''t fire me," Hou Lin said.


    Nian threw him a glare. "You know my brother better than me?"


    "Sir Jun is fair and strict and won''t let his personal relationships influence him. And I know that as a man traumatized by his twin elder brothers since childhood, he will do the opposite of what you will say anyway."


    "..."


    "I might even get a pay raise instead."


    "..."


    Hou Lin paused with this great idea. "So I humbly ask you to please tell him to fire me."


    "..."


    Xing Bi burst into laughter. "Hahaha, I can see Liu Jun definitely doing that."


    "How do you even know he is traumatized!? Hmph, you are just an employee at Sky."


    "The whole company knows this. Sky security systems are built in a way that won''t let you and Mr. Liu Jian entry in Sky. The guards are informed of the same. Not to let you two pass through the gates."


    Little brother, you traitor!


    Xing Bi choked.


    Damn that''s awesome!


    Nian lamented.


    Maybe I should have bullied Jun a littleeeeeeee lesser back then...


    --


    The air in the condo was extremely grim as the day had culminated into the night, yet Jin hadn''t woken up from his unconscious state. His fever was at the same level, even peaking a few times.


    Jun hadn''t left his side even for a moment. Shui was on the other side of the bed, keeping Jin company.


    The door slightly nudged open and a furry figure peeked inside. Shui blinked with shock. "A cat? I didn''t see him before."


    "Ah? Oh yeah..." Jun whispered. "Ai brought him here. We are keeping him for a few days."


    The cat cautiously walked and then hopped onto the bed.


    "Ah, can I pet him? He is so cute. Wait, his eyes are so like yours," she smiled.


    Jun''s brow twitched. "I think he won''t let you. He isn''t letting Ai or me near him either."


    The cat proved his words true by ignoring both Jun and Shui. Instead, he stared at the sleeping Jin and perched beside his chest.


    Jun stared at the cat in wonder. "Jin is the first person he willingly came in contact with. That''s amazing."


    The cat tapped his paws on Jin''s cheeks and softly meowed. Then he rested his head on his forelegs and closed his eyes.


    --


    In the kitchen as Ai was cooking a light dinner, she heard a beep from her phone. She checked it and saw that it was an answer to her question she had asked someone a few days ago. She had read some articles and wanted to know if it was true or applicable to her question.


    ''You feel that your friend is acting very differently than before. She is doing things that you think are impossible for her to do so. To this I would say that medically, this will require more examination to truly come to a conclusion. But if there are such disparities in her behavior as you say, then I think she might be having a split personality disorder.''

 Chapter 445 The Next Step To Confirm Her Theory

    It all started when Ai had returned from Dream High. The day when she had experienced seeing the golden clock and later on met Guiying. The sight of her smoking a cigarette was engraved in her mind so deeply that she couldn''t shake it off.


    Something was wrong.


    Guiying would never smoke. She would never call her full name. So, Ai couldn''t dismiss it as simple coincidences. Somewhere or the other, she got reminded of the fortune telling mystical woman and her cards.


    Guiying and the presence of a shadow.


    She and Jun could really never understand the meaning of that card. What did a shadow mean?


    ''There is something else inside her.''


    What did the elderly woman mean by that?


    But after that day, Ai felt like she could connect the dots. Or at least she felt like she might be coming to understand something more about that mysterious card and the shadow.


    But what to search? Where to begin?


    Ai had no idea. To get things started, Jun asked Chyou for a background checkup of Guiying, which they had already done before. But they repeated it just to confirm it once again if they had missed something.


    They hadn''t. Guiying had no parents. She lived with Cai Lingyun, and he raised her ever since they were young. Life was a struggle because of their financial problems, but the brother-sister pair had prevailed somehow. Still, there was nothing that could point out Guiying''s changed behavior.


    One day as Ai worked in the library, Mrs. Quan had asked her, noticing her lost gaze. "You seem to be in deep thought, my dear."


    "I don''t know how to find an answer I am looking for," she sighed.


    "Hit Baidu then."


    "Huh?"


    She laughed. "Ah, don''t mind me dear. These young kids nowadays. I often hear them saying to search on Baidu if they are stuck with a question. Baidu knows the answer to everything."


    Ai laughed with Mrs. Quan but later on, she thought that it wasn''t a bad idea. The search engine wouldn''t return anything new about Guiying that they already didn''t know after the thorough background check.


    But if I could explain how I feel¡­


    So she hit the keyboard.


    ''My friend is acting differently. She is doing things that she never did before like smoking cigarettes.''


    She felt a little embarrassed by the question she had typed.


    This is silly¡­


    The search results gave her a myriad of results of friendship and tips like what to do when your friend has changed or how to deal with a biased friend and general advice on handling friendships. But she didn''t find any connection with these answers and the mysterious card with the shadow.


    There is something else I am missing¡­


    Which she finally found a hint of in a certain forum link after much searching and combing through various sites.


    Somebody went a bit further than friendship advice and tried to explain this situation medically. They mentioned split personality disorder. Curious, Ai read through that forum and learned that split personality or dissociative identity disorder was a condition when a person had a presence of two or more distinct personalities within them. Their thoughts, actions, and behaviors of each personality may be completely different.


    Ai widened her eyes and felt the eureka moment hitting her. Guiying who didn''t smoke and the Guiying who did indeed felt like two completely different people.


    "No, no. That''s impossible. Guiying and split personality disorder? It cannot be¡­Guiying is healthy and perfectly fine."


    But that was limited to her physical state.


    Can I really know what goes on in her mind? Can I really be sure of her mental condition?


    Considering her last confrontation with Guiying in her past life, Ai knew she couldn''t be so sure anymore.


    We could know if a person was physically fit by just having a look at them. But was this possible on a mental level? There was nobody in this world who could read minds or see others'' true thoughts. So it was impossible to tell if a person was really suffering from depression or other conditions, especially when people tend to hide them and act normal on the outside.


    Ai tapped her finger on the desk, contemplating on what to do.


    ''There is something else inside her.''


    She felt that the split personality theory was fitting more and more with the card and the shadow. If it was true that she still had her doubts, the shadow would mean Guiying''s other personality hiding within her.


    Ai found this believable and completely unbelievable at the same time.


    That same evening, Ai asked Jun, "If I want to know more about something related to brain and mental condition, who can I talk to?"


    Jun gave her a suspicious look. He thought about all her weirdness and eccentric behavior which was frustrating at times and made his fuse short-circuit but which was also lovable.


    He kissed the back of her hand. "I love you the way you are."


    "..."


    Ai smacked Jun''s head with a roll of newspaper.


    He chuckled and said, "Well if you want to know more in medical terms, then you can ask Uncle Liang or Uncle Jack Si."


    "Jack Si?"


    "You know Aunt Caihong, right? He is her sister Si Shuang''s husband, Jack Si. He is a very capable neurosurgeon and knows a lot about the human brain. He is knowledgeable about mental illnesses too, and he knows many great doctors in that field. I heard he had treated Uncle Xiaosi when he had lost his memories and is currently helping Bro Zixin too. If he cannot help with your questions, then he can hit up an expert in that field for you."


    Ai beamed. "Can I talk to him?"


    "Sure. I will text him."


    Coming to the present, it was Jack Si''s response to Ai''s question of a possible split personality disorder. But it needed the patient''s full medical checkup and behavioral analysis to confirm.


    Which was when Ai realized why this never came in Guiying''s background check. There were no official medical records related to Guiying that highlighted any serious medical condition.


    She narrowed her eyes, thinking of a way to confirm her theory.


    Cai Lingyun.

 Chapter 446 Conditioned Response

    The entire next day had passed too, but Jin showed no signs of waking up. His fever remained at the same temperature. He looked paler as more time went by.


    Shui kept questioning and urging Jun to let Jin be treated in a hospital. He wanted to too. But he also knew somewhere in his heart that it wasn''t a normal fever. It wouldn''t help Jin even if they took him to the hospital.


    There was something Jin had to do to himself to get out of this bind.


    "How long should we be doing this, Ai? The more time it takes, the more difficult it will be for Jin and to explain stuff to everyone else."


    Ai changed the wet cloth from his forehead and replaced it with a new one. She, too, felt helpless. Shui''s concern and questions started to grow more aggressive too.


    "Shui hasn''t stopped crying since. I cannot see her in that state either," she pursed her lips, "I had to force her to get some rest or she would have fallen sick."


    He shook his head, panic growing in his heart. He spent his whole day searching for the mystical woman to do anything to help Jin. To give any clue to what he could do to save his brother. But he didn''t find any trace.


    Ai sensed the need to give the brothers some privacy. She patted the cat''s head, who hadn''t moved an inch from beside Jin''s chest and quietly left. "I will check on Shui."


    Left alone, Jun gently held his hand. His eyes ached feeling the temperature of Jin''s hot skin. "What''s wrong, Jin? I am here. If you have anything in your mind, please tell me. Don''t keep it in your heart and torture yourself like this. What is bothering you that it''s so painful for you? If you can hear me, then please¡­come back, Jin," his warm tears plopped on Jin''s hand.


    Jun rested his head on the back of his chair, closing his eyes.


    ''Only he can help himself.''


    No, he cannot. He is not able to. That''s why he is stuck in a loop. That''s why he cannot wake up.


    If it was in Jin''s hands to decide, he wouldn''t choose this path of pain and grief. So there is something stopping him from moving forward.


    But what¡­


    He gently opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling.


    What else is Jin keeping from me? What can he be hiding from me that it gets so painful for him? What is the truth that he would rather choose to suffer like this than admitting it?


    If I was in Jin''s place, what would have been the most difficult thing for me to accept?


    His dark brown eyes, which were staring at the ceiling, gradually widened. He jerked up to sit straight on his chair as if lightning struck him.


    He fixed his gaze at Jin and whispered. "Jin¡­"


    ¡ª


    "Jin¡­"


    Jin, who sat all by himself in that strange world with all his memories floating by him as he hugged his body to his knees, heard his brother''s voice again. He had been listening to him all this time.


    His concern, his anxiety, his tears, his urge for Jin to come back as soon as possible¡­


    Jin had been quietly listening to everything. But he had no strength to move. Or rather he chose not to react at all. He felt guilty for hurting Jun for so long. But he was terrified to go back to that world where he would have to face his brother with the truth.


    He would rather die than let that happen.


    "Jin¡­"


    He had buried his face between his knees, his black irises looking empty.


    "You love Shui¡­right?"


    Jin froze hard as if he was thrown on top of a cold block of ice. The eyes which looked empty till now, got slowly filled with horror. His thoughts came to a breaking halt and all he felt was deep silence.


    "You love Shui."


    This time, it wasn''t a question but a statement.


    His body trembled with his heart jumping back and forth in his chest. It pounded loudly with extreme fear gripping his nerves. He felt a strangling sensation at the back of his throat as if somebody had snatched his voice.


    No¡­


    He hit his chest, feeling out of breath.


    I-It''s not like that!


    "In Shanghai, you said that you never loved Shui. You never saw her as more than a friend. But it was a lie."


    Tears spilled from Jin''s eyes. "You are wrong, Bro! You are completely wrong!"


    Jun continued as he couldn''t hear Jin"s voice from that world of memories. "Or rather I should say that it was a¡­conditioned response."


    He stiffened.


    "You were not lying. No, Jin. You never lied to me. You said that you never loved Shui because that was what you believed in. You forced yourself to believe that truth. So you weren''t lying to me. All this time, you were lying to yourself."


    He trembled. Drops of sweat trickled down his forehead. He panted as if he had been climbing a mountain.


    "I kept thinking, Jin. What were you hiding so deeply in your heart? If our positions were reversed, what would have been the most painful feeling for me? I am so stupid Jin that I realized it so late."


    Jin shut his eyes, crying hard. His screams resounded in that world as he covered his face.


    "If it was always you and Shui together and I had been in your place, the most difficult thing for me would have been to come to terms with my feelings for Shui. It''s so obvious. My brother loves her so much, yet I hold feelings for that same woman. I am so cruel. I am so disgusting. How could I look at my friend as a woman who would become my sister-in-law one day? How could I think of betraying my own brother? This is not true. This is just my misunderstanding. I don''t love Shui. I cannot possibly love her and so¡­I bury every last of my emotions related to her."

 Chapter 447 Freedom

    Jin gently opened his tear-stained eyes as he felt a deep silence. He panicked upon not hearing anything from Jun anymore.


    B-Bro...


    He chuckled, feeling crazy.


    "Hahaha...I knew it. Bro hates me now...He is disgusted with me. He left me...Just as I thought..."


    His shoulders dropped lower in defeat, and he felt himself stuck in this never-ending maze of a world.


    It''s better to stay here, he thought with a vacant gaze. I don''t want to face him anymore. I don''t want to know how he will look at me from now on.


    "Jin."


    He stiffened. He imagined Jun to be leaving him forever. But why did he feel his voice choke?


    "Please forgive me."


    His eyes widened, hearing Jun''s cries echo in the air. His breaking voice made him unable to speak. His lips parted and shut in bewilderment.


    W-why is Bro apologizing?


    "I have made you suffer a lot. From the beginning, you have been only suffering. I have failed as a brother Jin..."


    Jin shook his head furiously.


    What is Bro talking about! Bro has never failed. Bro is the best


    "As your elder brother, it''s supposed to be me protecting you. But it turned out to be y-you protecting me all this time. Whether it''s you hiding your feelings for me or stubbornly urging Shui not to reject me...it was always you protecting me. I...am so lame, Jin," Jun chuckled that carried immense sorrow in his laughter.


    "I thought I was so strong. I will marry Shui and make her happy. But everything was just an illusion. The truth is that I am incredibly weak. So weak that you had to step in to protect my heart. From childhood until now, you had to pay the price for all the happiness I got with Shui. So much that you began to lie to yourself. And I am sorry Jin. In fact I don''t deserve your forgiveness at all.


    So why are you thinking that I will hate you, Jin? It''s supposed to be the other way around...You should hate me. You should loathe me. I hurt you s-so much in the past even though..." It got more and more difficult to talk for Jun as he choked on his sobs, "you sacrificed your love for Shui. You killed your feelings for her and I acted just like you had expected. Which means that I disappointed you, Jin. You didn''t do anything wrong..."


    Jin stared ahead, his eyes aching with tears.


    Don''t cry Bro...I cannot see you sad. Please don''t cry...


    ? "After what you did for me, I had no right to push you away. To hate you so much. I only forced you to keep on tightening that lid on the feelings you have for Shui until it became like a rope strangling your neck. I am the reason you are unable to accept your true emotions. I failed Jin. I failed as a brother. Instead of...instead of seeing you living your life with bliss and freedom, my obsession with Shui only chained you instead.


    I am the culprit, Jin. That''s why please...I beg you don''t punish yourself like this...Please don''t suffer anymore, Jin. I was wrong. Every single time, it was only me who was walking on the wrong path. Thank you Jin for loving me so much, but I...really don''t deserve your respect anymore because you didn''t deserve my hate and the bullet. It''s all my mistake..."


    Jin scrambled on his feet, listening to Jun''s heartbreaking cries. His chest tightened and as he lowered his gaze, he found the warmth and moistness of his tears on the back of his hand.


    He shut his eyes, unable to hold back his tears as well. "Don''t...cry, Bro."


    "Please come back Jin," Jun begged once again. "Punish me for the grief you went through. Jin...please free yourself from the chains that I put on you."


    Jin bit his lip hard. His hand trembled and so did his brother''s tears.


    Bro...


    He didn''t want Jun to blame himself or feel responsible. But his assurance that he wouldn''t hate him lifted off an immense mountain from his shoulders.


    Jin heard a merry giggle and saw a little girl running towards him. She laughed as she tugged onto Jin''s pants. He stared at the apparition of little Shui, beaming at him with her bright eyes.


    She made a beckoning signal with her hand as if asking him to bend down. Jin slowly kneeled before her, still peering into her eyes.


    It was those same eyes that had taken little Jin''s breath away, invariably making a place in his heart.


    Little Shui tapped on his nose and pouted. "I told you, right? I don''t want to see you and Jun fighting. I want to see you two happy! So, you should go now. Jun is waiting for you," she chirped.


    "...Is that so?"


    She bobbed her head seriously.


    "You two have been sad for like a reaaaaaaaly long time. Even I don''t cry for that long," she scrunched up her brows.


    A chuckle escaped his lips. "Hm. I know. You were always pretty quick to stand up on your feet. Nothing bad could faze you for a long time. That''s..." a faint light passed his eyes, "what I always loved about you so much."


    Little Shui brightened. "You love me, Jin?"


    He smiled and gently placed his hand on top of her head. His warm voice was as gentle as his gaze. "Yeah. I do. I have always loved you, Shui."


    Little Shui grinned. "I love you too, Jin!"


    "I know. But I have hurt you a lot, Shui. My love for my brother made me incapable of loving you. I have made you sad. I don''t deserve to be with you. You should be loved by a person free from any baggage."


    Little Shui blinked.


    Jin shook his head. "I am sorry for the difficult words."


    Little Shui flared her nostrils in defiance. "Don''t act so smart! I know a lot of difficult words too!"


    Jin laughed. "My bad. I am sorry."


    Little Shui smacked on his head. "You don''t decide who I should like and who I should not," she frowned. "You know, I might look silly to you. But I am actually very smart. Do you think I don''t know how much you love Jun? I already do. That''s why you ruined my drawing. That''s why you always tagged along with Jun whenever he came to play with me. I already know that he is the best brother in your heart and the most important too! So duhhh! I already know I will have the second most important place in your heart. And that''s fine with me."


    "H-How can it be fine?"


    She puffed up her cheeks. "Because it''s Jun. I like Jun too! A lot! He is my bestest friend! You know, I will always take Jun''s side if you two ever fight!"


    "..."


    His brow twitched.


    "Aaaaand I am not competing with a girl to feel sad. It''s Jun. Jun is Jun. I don''t feel sad that you like Jun and that he is in the first place for you. I already know that. You know what Dada says? That I should find a boy who will be super loyal to me. But then he also says that he will be very mean to the boy..." she looked puzzled. "I don''t understand Dada sometimes."


    "..."


    Uncle Zhiyuan...


    "You are super loyal to Jun. That means you will be super loyal to me too! That''s why I like you so much because you cherish the person I want to cherish so much too haha!"


    He stared at her unblinkingly.


    Little Shui facepalmed. "Don''t talk to meeee, silly! You need to go back! Jun is still waiting for you."


    "I don''t know how to go back."


    "He will take you back," she grinned.


    "Who?"


    *Meow*


    Jin turned and saw a cat with dark brown irises staring silently at him as he rested his body on his hindlegs. Then he got up and started walking towards an unknown destination.


    Little Shui laughed as she patted his hands. "Follow him. He will show you the way back to Jun."

 Chapter 448 Closure

    "Is the checkup over?" Zixin asked with a slight impatience.


    Jack Si cocked his brow and curiously observed the way Zixin was shifting his body''s weight from one foot to another in anticipation. His bluish-grey orbs caught the hint of some secret.


    "You seem to be in a hurry."


    Zixin said, "No."


    He chuckled. "Is it a date?"


    Yunru and Serena, who had accompanied him for the checkup, also straightened up at that question. Yunru gasped. "B-Bro, you are secretly dating someone!?"


    "No."


    Serena clapped her hands. "No, no, you definitely are. Who is it? Who is it?"


    He pursed his lips. "It''s nothing like that. I just have an appointment with someone, and I don''t want to be late."


    Yunru grinned. "Is that someone a woman?"


    Jack Si shook his head. "Let''s not bully him."


    Serena mumbled. "I am not really bullying my son..."


    He laughed. "Anyway. Zixin''s physical reports are okay. His brain scan also shows positive signs. As far as his memories are concerned, there is no rush. We can take small steps and keep showing him things little by little to trigger it," he sighed. "I won''t give you false hopes about when his memories might return. We just have to keep doing everything we can and make sure not to overwhelm Zixin."


    Serena wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and nodded. "Yes."


    She and Yunru left the office and as Zixin turned, Jack Si stopped him. "One moment, Zixin."


    "Yes?"


    He smiled. "How are things going with your family? I am asking this because as a doctor, I need to know how you truly feel. Are you comfortable? Do you feel you sometimes face any strange episodes?"


    He shook his head. "None. As for my family, I feel more at ease now. Though I cannot say I have completely gelled with them..."


    "That''s okay. Take your time. If you feel uncomfortable at any point in time, report it to me as soon as possible."


    As Zixin was leaving, one nurse knocked on the office door and stepped in. "Dr. Si. Here is tomorrow''s appointment list."


    "Thanks," Jack Si glanced at it and said, "Oh yeah I am meeting Zhou Ai tomorrow, right?"


    Zixin just stopped at the door and turned. "Jun''s girlfriend?"


    "Oh yeah. Jun had called me and then Zhou Ai and I chatted a bit. She was concerned about the mental condition of one of her friends and had some questions. So, I asked her to meet me tomorrow."


    "I see..."


    For a moment, Zixin wondered which friend it might be. As far as he knew, apart from Jun and his family''s circle, Xing Bi, Guiying and Yating were her friends. Nobody really felt like they were suffering from any condition...


    Zixin then berated himself.


    I should not be judging anybody.


    "Zixin, don''t forget to come back tomorrow too. There are some remaining tests to be done."


    He nodded. "I will."


    --


    Back at the condo, Jun looked defeated. He stared at Jin, hoping that he would wake up. Perhaps, he might be listening to him and change his mind about his suffering. But he still remained unmoved. But then he noticed his eyelashes fluttering.


    "Jin?"


    Jin felt as if he was coming out of a long dream. He kept following the cat until he saw a bright tunnel of light shining his way. As he opened his eyes, he saw Jun looking at him with tears slipping down his cheeks.


    "Jin..."


    "Bro..." Jin weakly said, a dull pain still flowing in his head.


    p1ease visi(t) nove1B(in).ne)t


    He shifted and tried to get up, but Jun sternly stopped him. "Just lay back. No need to get up."


    Ai hurriedly rushed in, listening to their voices. "Jin? He woke up?"


    Jun nodded. He couldn''t express the relief he felt seeing Jin out of his precarious state now. "He is back..."


    Ai beamed. She felt just as relieved as Jun. She went to his side and softly flicked on his forehead. "You made us worry so much. How should I punish you?"


    It was weak, but his disdain was still visible. "Stay away from me."


    She pursed her lips. "Did nothing change in your heart for me? You would have surely admitted to yourself now that you actually like me so much."


    "I will kill you, Zhou Ai."


    "So stubborn..."


    Jun couldn''t help but laugh. Seeing the catfight between them again felt so pleasant now.


    Ai cleared her throat. "Oh I forgot! I am still cooking dinner. Let me check on it or I will burn the food." She quickly left, giving the brothers some privacy.


    Jun smiled and patted his head. "I know you are tired. Rest for sometime until dinner is ready."


    Jin stared at his brother, feeling a little feverish. "Bro...are you running away this time?"


    He froze.


    "You were saying things about...not deserving my forgiveness. Somehow, I feel we go around the same circles...every time. You feel that you disappointed me, and I feel that I disappointed you."


    "How can you disappoint me, silly?" Jun gave a strained smile. "It was always me-"


    "No. You loved Shui. I...started to love her too despite knowing this. It was my mistake from the beginning."


    "We cannot control who we fall for, Jin. Who our heart chooses is out of our control. You loved her, you held it back for my sake, you never schemed or came in between my way, yet I only admonished you. You always acted more mature than me. I feel ashamed. I failed you in everything, and you cannot change my mind about this," Jun clenched his fists.


    Silence fell.


    Jin gave a weak smile. "Okay. So let''s bring this matter to a close. I forgive you."


    He knew his stubborn brother. Nothing would change his mind, and the only thing Jun needed now was forgiveness, which he felt he didn''t deserve.


    Jun stiffened. "You-"


    "You cannot change my mind about this, Bro," Jin gave the ultimatum this time.


    "You are being too soft on me," he lowered his gaze.


    "You are being too hard on yourself. It''s decided. I forgive you, and that''s the end of it."

 Chapter 449 Change Of Heart (1)

    *Knock knock*


    ''Guiying'', who was doing her last check on her makeup, shut her compact and went to open the door. Zixin greeted her sight, looking handsome as usual with the shirt and black suit he wore. He held a small bouquet in his hands with all pink flowers.


    "For you."


    ''She'' folded her arms. "You didn''t have to take the trouble. It''s just dinner at my house."


    Zixin sincerely disagreed. "I cannot come empty-handed."


    "I already have the bouquet you gave me at the cafe. Do you want to fill my whole apartment with nothing but flowers?"


    "That''s not a bad idea."


    "..."


    "Where will I sleep then?"


    Zixin gave her a deep stare.


    "You can always come to my place," he whispered under his breath.


    "What?"


    He cleared his throat. "Nothing. Thank you for inviting me."


    ''Her'' brow silently twitched.


    Well, I didn''t have a choice. If you had not helped me against that fucker Cai Lingyun that day, this idiot inside me wouldn''t be so restless of expressing her gratitude. Why are you making me put up with this dinner farce?


    I already said my thank you to him. Is it not enough!?


    ''She'' felt a resistance inside her.


    So what if he is helping with your damn novel too? More than you imposing on him, doesn''t it feel that he is imposing on you? Clearly, he is more interested in brainstorming ideas than you do!


    ''She'' shrugged and gave up on arguing with Guiying.


    Somehow, these two are very similar. Too stubborn for their own good!


    "Come inside."


    Zixin stepped in with a beaming smile and looked around her house. It was the second time he was here. Cai Lingyun had left a bad taste the last time, but this time was different.


    His eyes caught a vase at a table with the pink roses he had given to her that day. Even after the days passed, the roses still looked in a good condition though he noticed slight withering around the edges of the petals. His smile widened.


    "You have still kept them?"


    ''Guiying'' frowned. "Why not? You might be a stubborn and annoying person to deal with but it''s not the roses'' fault, you know."


    He blinked innocently. "When was I stubborn and annoying?"


    "..."


    ''She'' looked back at him with her jaw slightly dropped.


    Yeah now I believe there are definitely memory problems with this guy. He conveniently forgets his own doing! For God''s sake you forced me out of Dream High to the cafe with your back-to-back flood of messages! If that''s not stubborn, then what is?


    ''She'' wanted to set him straight, but ''she'' suddenly felt it would be too exhausting to list it all down.


    ''She'' first took the bouquet from him and placed the flowers in another vase. ''She'' kept the vase on a table at the other side of the room. So, now the opposite ends of the living room looked evenly refined and decorated in pink with the two vases filled with Zixin''s flowers.


    ''Her'' mouth twitched in annoyance.


    This doesn''t look half-bad...


    "Take a seat on the couch and wait. I will bring dinner."


    "Let me help you," he offered.


    ''Guiying'' was about to say ''No thanks'' but she got a better idea of taking her revenge against Zixin. ''She'' sneered. "Sure."


    As ''she'' stirred the curry in the pot in the kitchen, ''she'' said, "Clean the plates first."


    Zixin nodded. When he was finished, ''she'' gave another order. "How about you set the plates on the table too?"


    He nodded.


    "While you are at it, clean the table too."


    He nodded.


    "Oh I remember! The magazines on that shelf are in such a mess. Can you sort that out too?"


    He nodded.


    After giving many back and forth orders of doing small tasks like these, Zixin returned to the kitchen, completing everything.


    "Cut the veggies and make salad."


    He nodded. "Sure."


    "..."


    ''She'' glared at him.


    Does he not know any other answer other than just nodding his head!? Clearly, I am bullying you!


    ''She'' suspiciously looked at him.


    Is he really that dumb or is he secretly planning something against me too?


    Lost in her thoughts, ''she'' heard a loud and ominous thud.


    On the cutting board laid the bottom half of a carrot while the upper half of it flew outside, crashed against the window grills and fell down.


    "....."


    A silence filled with horror befell.


    Then somebody screamed from outside, breaking the silence. "Damn it! Who threw this carrot on my head!? Come out!"


    ''Guiying'' stood rooted as if she was at a gunpoint. Though ''she'' felt more like she was at a knife point.


    "You coward! Now hiding after playing this prank? I will definitely find you!" His anger filled voice roared in the area. Since many windows of other apartments above him were open, the victim couldn''t really tell from which floor the carrot fell.


    "Just you wait!"


    Silence reigned again after the victim left.


    Zixin heavily knitted his brows, staring at the carrot. He seemed unaffected by the little chaos he caused. He seemed like he didn''t even realize that he was the cause of it.


    ''Guiying'' cautiously asked as ''she'' looked at him, horrified, "What were you doing?"


    "Cutting the carrot like you said."


    "...Is that how you cut a carrot?" ''She'' looked down at his hand, disbelief marrying her face. "Is that how you hold a knife in the first place?"


    "I am not so sure about my life before I lost my memories but after I came home from the hospital, I haven''t really cooked these days."


    Yeah I am pretty sure you haven''t cooked BEFORE you lost your memories either.


    "Hand me the knife. Nice and slow, okay?"


    ''She'' took back the knife from him, extremely alert and slow in her movements.


    Who knows if one of our fingers will fly out of the window next...


    "Why did you agree to make the salad if you haven''t ever stepped in the kitchen in the first place? You should have told me."


    Zixin scratched his chin. "Because you asked me to do it."


    "So?"


    "I want to help you."


    "I don''t think I need this kind of help."


    "But rather than sitting alone and waiting, I prefer helping you out. That way, I can spend more time with you. I like spending time with you, so I will do whatever you say."


    "You do realize that I was bullying you into doing all the work, right!?"


    Zixin sincerely seemed confused. "Really? I don''t know," he then smiled, "But I don''t mind even if you were bullying me. If it''s you, I will gladly take whatever there is you have to give me."

 Chapter 450 Change Of Heart (2)

    As Jin slowly woke up, he felt a furry body wriggle beside him. He lowered his gaze, and then his eyes popped out of his sockets. "This cat¡­"


    He stared at the cat, dumbfounded.


    Jun said, his expression turning sour, "Ai brought him one day and ever since that day¡­she is completely ignoring me. It feels like our intimacy has taken a bad hit and all because of this cat," he mumbled.


    *Meow*


    The cat stretched his body and yawned lazily as if not caring about Jun''s complaints at all.


    Jin said, "This cat¡­he came in my dreams."


    "What?"


    "Yeah. That place I was trapped. Where I could see my memories. It was this cat who showed me the way back to consciousness. How come the same cat is here?"


    He cautiously poked the cat''s cheek to which the cat responded by rubbing his cheek against his finger.


    Jun blinked. "Really? This cat?"


    "Yeah. That''s why I am so surprised. For some reason, I thought that it was you helping me find the way. Just like that day you stayed beside him in the room," his gaze looked warm as he tickled the cat under his chin. "He has the same eyes as you."


    *Meow*


    The cat clearly enjoyed this attention.


    Jun snorted. "He might have the same eyes as me, but he is definitely not me. I am way cooler."


    "..."


    Why so petty?


    They heard a rattling sound and turned to see Ai staring at Jin, carrying a tray in her hand. Her eyes caught the cat letting Jin pet him, which caused immense distraught in her heart. "How is it that the cat lets you touch him and not me?"


    Jin cocked his brow. "He does that? I must say the cat is really intelligent. He knows who to keep his distance from."


    "...I found him at first though. Where is justice in this world?" She mumbled to herself.


    "I cannot believe I would see a day of Zhou Ai getting jealous of me for a cat?"


    "I am not jealous."


    "Yeah sure," he scoffed.


    The cat jumped onto Jin''s lap and made his seat as if he found his royal throne. He then shut his eyes and went to sleep.


    Ai felt her heart tighten.


    There is really no justice in this world¡­


    Jun asked, craning his neck, "Where is Shui?"


    She pursed her lips. "She left."


    "Left? So suddenly?"


    She sighed. "She was here until a few minutes ago. From a distance, she saw you two talking, and then said that she would leave since Jin seems to be okay now. I insisted that she stay, but she didn''t listen to me," she glanced at Jin, "I think she didn''t want Jin to see her and feel uncomfortable."


    Jin slowly lowered his head, staring at the sleeping cat.


    "...She was here too?"


    Ai answered him. "For the whole time. She hardly slept since yesterday and didn''t eat much either."


    His eyes slightly shone with uncertainty.


    There was a beat of silence after which Jun smiled and ruffled his head. "It''s okay, Jin. I know there are many things to sort out. You can take your time. We are here with you."


    Ai nodded in agreement.


    Jin faintly hugged the cat tighter unconsciously. "When I saw that golden clock¡­I heard Shui''s voices echoing in my head."


    Jun slowly widened his eyes. Ai scooted closer to the brothers too.


    "Did you hear what she said?"


    "...Not so clearly. It was on and off."


    Just like how Ai and I experienced¡­


    "But she was crying a lot. She was talking to somebody. It seemed that she was accusing that person¡­" he trembled, his gaze growing more uncertain.


    Jun looked somber. "It was the same for me. I heard many voices in my head. Everything was such chaos. Ai and I feel that all those memories are a part of our past life which we are unaware of. The golden clock, the memories¡­they want to say something to us."


    "How will that happen?"


    Jun glanced at him. "We don''t know that. It''s a phenomenon not in our control. But Ai did figure something out about Cai Guiying. What we can do is gather these bits and scraps to see the truth. Cai Guiying was always suspicious. But now it feels like we finally got a lead on her."


    ¡ª


    The dinner went on in silence, but a certain someone was scrutinizing Zixin as if wanting to probe something about him.


    ''If it''s you, I will gladly take whatever it is you have to give me.''


    ''She'' was always cautious about him as he was Jun''s cousin. But the more ''she'' was forced to spend time with him, the more ''she'' felt that all her worries were getting baseless.


    "Why are you so particular about this?"


    "This?" Zixin paused his elegant movements and enquired.


    "About me. My story. Going out places. I don''t get it."


    He answered with all sincerity. "I want to be your friend."


    "Why? You can have as many friends as you want," ''she'' raised her brow.


    "But you are you. None can replace you."


    ''She'' said nothing.


    Zixin then looked to be in a gentle trance. "I want to be your friend also because of our first meeting at the hospital. We met under the cherry blossom tree, and I had a strange feeling that you looked familiar to me. When I saw the cherry blossoms fluttering around you¡­I felt at ease. It was so pleasant¡­I cannot explain it really. When I read your stories, I felt stronger about this connection and familiarity. You are a talented writer, and I wished to know more about you."


    ''Guiying'' hadn''t left her gaze off him for even a moment as he tried to put his feelings into words. ''She'' silently went back to eating her dinner.


    ¡ª


    As they finished and Zixin went to wash his hands, there was no water coming from the kitchen sink''s faucet.


    "As usual with the water cuts¡­" ''she'' muttered in annoyance and said, "Go to my room and use the bathroom over there."


    Zixin obediently did as ''she'' told. Stepping out of the bathroom, he glanced around her room in curiosity, which was quite in a messy state a bit.


    He blinked.


    Somehow, I didn''t imagine this¡­


    The inner organizer in him was slightly getting restless. He bent on his knee before he knew it and started picking up stuff to quickly arrange it.


    One of which was a crumpled up a note. It was so heavily creased as if somebody hated the piece of paper from the bottom of his heart.


    Curious, he opened it and it read -


    ''I shall forever be your most loyal fan.''


    MrPerfect.

 Chapter 451 The Note

    What Zixin read was the last line of the note. There was much more written above it, but that part of the paper was torn.


    He stared at the note which not only mentioned something about this strange man ''MrPerfect'' but also noticed that the note was in pink. Exactly like the color of the cherry blossoms. Which made him feel that whoever MrPerfect was knew Guiying''s favorite color and flower.


    Which wasn''t really surprising with her pen name being CherryBlossom itself. But his brows knitted feeling a strange sense of intimacy with this letter.


    ''I shall forever be your loyal fan.''


    Zixin read that sentence over and over again. He suddenly felt as if something was bothering him. Something felt odd, but he didn''t know what.


    Who is MrPerfect?


    At this point, Zixin wasn''t aware of the Reading Point forum and Jun being a part of it. Thus, he didn''t know anything about MrPerfect either.


    The note was suddenly snatched from his hand, and he widened his eyes in surprise. He looked beside him to see a nervous and jittery Guiying, smiling awkwardly and crumpling the note in her hand.


    "S-sorry. It''s just some...trash. You didn''t have to bother picking it up," she looked away.


    Zixin quickly said, "Don''t apologize. I shouldn''t have touched your stuff without permission. I just thought I could help with cleaning a bit since you treated me with dinner. I am sorry," his black irises shone with guilt.


    Guiying froze. She then took a glance around her own room and felt extremely embarrassed at its state.


    Shit! He saw my room in such a condition...


    She shook her head. "No, please don''t apologize. I appreciate your concern. I-I am sorry you had to see this..." she bit her tongue inwardly, "Trust me. I don''t keep my room messy like this. It''s just today that it..."


    He smiled with reassurance. "It''s fine."


    She sighed in relief.


    "My younger brother makes a mess at times too. Though there are maids at home, I usually do the cleaning up of his room. I am used to it," he nodded.


    "..."


    S-somehow that felt like a jab to me...


    Zixin parted his lips and strongly felt like asking about MrPerfect to her. He wanted to settle this odd feeling in his heart from spreading any further.


    "That person, MrPerfect - is he your reader?"


    Guiying stiffened at that question. She thought he wouldn''t ask about that. She shivered and felt at a loss for words.


    "I...Th-that..." her smile was a mixture of awkwardness and uncertainty.


    Her hands trembled and so did the note within her palms. MrPerfect was none other than his cousin Jun. But Zixin didn''t know that. Jun was the one who sent these letters and now dated Ai, but he didn''t know any of it.


    Neither did she want to let him know when he was already struggling in his life with his memory loss and put strain upon him and his familial relationships.


    "...Yeah."


    "I see."


    Zixin then noticed her expression going slightly pale and her black orbs shining with wetness. Taken aback, he quickly asked, "What happened?"


    Guiying hastily shook her head and got up, hiding her face. "Nothing."


    "It''s not nothing. You looked like you were about to cry. Did I o-offend you somehow?" Now Zixin looked pale.


    "No, no! J-Just something went into my eyes haha."


    Zixin anxiously faced her back and observed her trembling shoulders. She seemed to be holding onto the note even tighter, making him look further downcast.


    Guiying quickly went over to the trash can and threw the note inside. But he didn''t miss the momentary pause before throwing it away.


    Which made him feel that MrPerfect wasn''t just a simple reader to her. He was something more and someone who affected her more than just a fan.


    Guiying took a deep breath to calm down and sneakily wiped her eyes. She plastered a smile on her lips and turned. "That was embarrassing haha. Can you wait for me? I will quickly clean my room..."


    Zixin fixed his sharp gaze at her, making her feel even more anxious.


    She hurriedly paced back and forth in her room from one corner to the other, picking and sorting things as she went.


    Zixin only observed her hopping from one place to the other. At one point, she slipped on a piece of paper passing by him.


    He swiftly caught her waist, protecting her from crashing on the ground. Though he couldn''t save all the stuff Guiying painstakingly picked up, and it all tumbled down.


    Guiying shut her eyes in defeat.


    I have lost all my face...What am I doing?


    "Sorry...and th-thanks-"


    She blinked as she felt Zixin gently tracing his finger along her eyelash. She lifted her gaze and saw him staring back at her with a strange intensity. Her lips parted and shut, not knowing how to react. His movements were so delicate that she felt her heart stop beating for a moment.


    "Your eyes look slightly red," he quietly pointed out.


    Guiying''s entire focus was on how incredibly close they stood in proximity now. She was already safe and fine, but a small gulp passed down her throat with how Zixin''s arm still held her waist.


    "Was it really dirt or were you crying?"


    Her ear tickled with his deep, concerned voice ringing closer to it. "Y-Yeah..." she stammered.


    "It didn''t seem like that to me though."


    There was a hint of accusation in his tone. He then gently pulled her lower eyelid. "I don''t see any dirt."


    "It''s g-gone now," the place where he touched felt warm, and she held onto her breath.


    "Or was it never there in the first place?"


    "Of course there was..."


    When he leaned closer, she could smell his cologne. It was nice and fragrant. She could see his fair neck with its Adams apple and when she accidentally peeked at his lips, it made her brain heat up.


    "I-I am fine now!" She gave a soft push and freed herself. "The dinner is done. I will take my l-leave!" She turned on her heels and ran away.


    Zixin blinked.


    Why is the host leaving from her own house?


    He then slightly narrowed his eyes.


    Something is suspicious about this MrPerfect.


    Should I...find out who he is?

 Chapter 452 Not An Easy Feat

    The next day, Ai reached the hospital right in time for her appointment with Jack Si. His assistant led her, and she promptly nodded her head.


    "Hello," she greeted as she stepped inside.


    "Heyyy, Zhou Ai. Welcome. Please have a seat."


    Taking a seat opposite him, Ai could then carefully observe him and to her speechlessness, she found herself staring at Jack Si with awe. By now, everybody knew how much Ai loved Jun''s eyes the most. But it was the first in all this time that she was attracted to someone else''s eyes.


    Jack Si''s bluish-grey orbs felt otherworldly as if he was a prince of some faraway fantasy land. She felt herself suck into those eyes.


    "Zhou Ai?" He waved his hand in front of her eyes.


    Her daze broke and she coughed, her cheeks feeling warm. "Y-Yes."


    Aunt Shuang is so lucky to have him¡­


    On the other side as Jun walked into Sky, he let out a sneeze. He blinked and frowned heavily as he rubbed his nose.


    Why do I feel so annoyed for some reason?


    Ai said, "Thank you for giving me this appointment."


    He waved his hand. "My pleasure. I heard a lot about Jun''s girlfriend, so I wanted to meet you for a long time too~ How are things going with him? Does our Jun take good care of you? I can be your agony Uncle you know~"


    "It''s going well," Ai truthfully said. "He loves and cherishes me a lot."


    "I see."


    "But he doesn''t want to keep the cat I brought. So we are fighting over that."


    "Ah? You have a cat?" He beamed.


    "Yes. But he is jealous of him."


    "Hahaha! Ahhh, this is my first time hearing this," Jack Si laughed heartily. "Don''t worry. The men in the Liu family cannot go against their wives for much long, you know~ He will accept his defeat sooner or later," he winked.


    They joked around and laughed for some time like this.


    "Jun wanted to come with me too, but he had an important meeting at Sky."


    Jack Si blinked. "Oh. I thought this is about your friend."


    "It is¡­" Ai slightly hesitated. "But Jun was also concerned."


    "I see," Jack Si nodded. "No problem. Anyway, coming back to your purpose of visit, can you tell me in detail about this friend of yours? What you saw, heard or felt?"


    Ai went on to explain every last doubt and uncertainty that had grown root in her heart after meeting Guiying at Dream High.


    After patiently listening to her, Jack Si leaned forward, pressing his fists together. "I understand. That''s what you mentioned before too in our text messages."


    "Yes."


    "But honestly, this is still very little information to rule in split personality disorder. I did propose that it could be the case. But there are a lot of factors behind a change in someone''s personality. Stress is one of the major factors and yes, it can indeed cause somebody to create a new identity, but it can also force a person to undergo a simple change in their habits. There are many cases where a non-alcoholic person has started to drink because they cannot handle the situation he or she is in. Or a model student trying to cheat in an exam if the situation is dire enough to force him."


    He continued taking a pause. "You say that it''s very unlikely for your friend to smoke or address you with your full name. But have there been any changes that can cause this shift recently?"


    Ai gave it a sincere thought and the only thing that came to her mind was the Summit. Guiying had lost and even though she expressed her happiness that Ai won, Guiying very well could have been feeling stressful from inside. Ai also couldn''t be sure of what pressure she might be facing at Dream High after her loss.


    "There have been but¡­"


    "But you feel it''s not strong enough to warrant such a drastic change?"


    Ai slowly nodded in response. "She cannot tolerate smoke. Even on the road, she always kept her distance from people who used to smoke cigarettes. But that day, she looked really adept in smoking as if¡­she was doing it for years which cannot be the case. There has been an event where she suffered loss. But I don''t think one loss could make her change like this."


    "Then there should be something else that happened which you are unaware of. See, the first thing we should understand is if this change is simply caused by stress or is it really split personality disorder? Because if it''s the latter, then the matter is not so simple. A different personality isn''t born overnight."


    She blinked. "You mean?"


    Jack Si explained. "In almost all cases, a different personality is developed during someone''s childhood."


    She looked at him, bewildered. "Childhood? That back?"


    "Yes. Split personality disorder usually develops in someone as a method to cope with trauma. The trauma can be anything. It can take the form of long-term emotional, mental, physical or sexual abuse. When that child isn''t able to handle it, they want someone to protect them and at times, they get this protection from within themselves in the form of a second personality. That ''other someone'' is a stronger version who can deal with the things the child himself cannot deal with. It''s like a way to detach themselves from the trauma and reality."


    Ai felt more and more incredulous.


    A traumatic childhood for Guiying?


    She knew that Guiying didn''t have parents and that must have definitely been hard on her. But Cai Lingyun was always by her side, caring for her and supporting her. The brother-sister pair had weathered the harsh life and survived. So with Cai Lingyun by her side, what trauma could Guiying have gone through? And how did he not protect her?


    "I¡­we have been friends for a long time, but she never told me anything about a trauma."


    Jack Si sighed. "It''s not easy, Zhou Ai. No matter how close you are, people hesitate to share their deepest concerns because they don''t want to be judged. To open up about your personal situation takes a lot of courage. It''s like baring your heart to the world and that, by no means, is an easy feat."

 Chapter 453 Instantaneous Response

    Ai lowered her gaze. She understood his point. There were times when Ai herself had been struggling with her parents''divorce and her life after their separation. There were many instances where she felt vulnerable and lonely, but she preferred to keep her feelings inside rather than sharing it with someone.


    He is right. It''s not so easy to share¡­


    Jack Si said, "To come to a conclusion of a split personality disorder, we need to know her past. There are some examinations to be done to confirm this second personality too. If this condition is true, then your friend needs proper medical help. It would be great if you could gently talk to her about this."


    Ai stepped out of his office with a grave expression. Talking to Jack Si illuminated the path of what she should do next.


    The only man who could tell something about Guiying''s trauma is Cai Lingyun. But it''s not wise to approach him alone. I need to talk to Jun about this first.


    Lost in her thoughts, she bumped into a man, who was about to meet Jack Si himself.


    Ai looked up and apologized. "I am sorry. I wasn''t paying attention¡­" her eyes slightly widened. "Zixin."


    Zixin greeted her. "Hello, Ai."


    "Nice to meet you," she politely smiled. "Are you here for your checkup?"


    "Sort of. It was already done yesterday. Some other scans are left."


    "I see. I thought Yunru will be with you."


    "He seemed to have some work, so I told him to go ahead."


    Jack Si''s assistant arrived and asked, "Mr. Chen. Can you please come inside? Dr. Si is waiting for you."


    He gave a light nod.


    Zixin then glanced back at Ai. "Are you going to Sky after this?"


    "Yes."


    "Then if it''s okay, can you wait for me? I will drop you at Sky. It''s on my way anyway."


    "I don''t want to give you any trouble."


    "It''s no trouble."


    "Okay. I will take up on that ride," Ai smiled and agreed.


    ¡ª


    Sky Publishing.


    "This is all for today, Sir," Hou Lin closed the meeting and gave a brief summary.


    Sun Bai, too, gave her side of the inputs and wrapped up her presentation.


    Jun said, "Got it. Focus on developing the plot crafting skills of all authors this time, Miss. Sun. Prepare all the training materials. Hou Lin. I want to introduce some changes in the app to accomodate more features and focus more on promoting niche genres to the readers. I want to modify the pricing model too. I want the marketing and app development team ready."


    "Yes, Sir."


    "Good. If you want to consult any further, you can ask me or President Yunru."


    With that, Jun scrunched up his brows. "Is Yunru not in the office?"


    Sun Bai shook her head.


    He has been on and off work for quite sometime now, Jun thought.


    "Anyway, the meeting is done. You can leave."


    As Sun Bai opened the door and stepped out followed by Hou Lin, Xing Bi straightened up.


    "Miss. Xing?" Sun Bai was slightly surprised. "Do you have some work with Mr. Liu?"


    "Oh no, no," she waved her hand. "Your phone was ringing continuously, Miss. Sun. I thought it was something urgent, so I thought to bring your phone."


    For all important meetings with Jun, Sun Bai usually left her phone in her office to prevent any distraction altogether.


    "Oh. Thank you, Miss. Xing."


    Sun Bai glanced at the number calling her and faintly clenched the phone in her hand. A tinge of discomfort flashed in her eyes, but she quickly regained her composure.


    "I will look into it. Miss. Xing. Here are the notes of today''s meetings with Mr. Liu. Can you help with preparing the training materials? Then we will plan our sessions with the authors accordingly."


    Xing Bi gave it a read and nodded. "Sure!"


    "Thank you," her heels clicked on the floor, and she left with a slight hurry in her steps.


    "Did you see that too?" Xing Bi asked Hou Lin as soon as Sun Bai was away from their hearing range.


    Hou Lin didn''t understand. "See what?"


    "Oof. The caller''s name on her phone."


    "I didn''t," he took a fraction of a second pause, "I don''t intrude upon anybody''s privacy."


    "..."


    p1ease visit n0ve1b(in).ne)t


    Xing Bi felt that jab. "I-I wasn''t intruding either!" She exclaimed in a hushed voice to defend herself with a flushed face. "It''s just that her phone was lighting up non-stop, and I really thought it could be an emergency call."


    "I see."


    She gritted her teeth and jabbed on his knee. "Can I feel some sincerity in your voice?"


    Hou Lin''s brows ever so faintly creased and felt a stinging pain on his knee. "That hurt."


    "It wasn''t really that hard of a jab," she dryly said.


    "Apologies. I might be over-reacting."


    Xing Bi nodded. "Good, good. Coming back to the topic, I just happened to see who was calling her so incessantly. And that was Lu Bohai."


    Hou Lin furrowed his brows. "Strange."


    "Exactly. Why is he so desperate? Even in the cafe, he looked so demanding¡­"


    "You saw them at a cafe?"


    "..."


    Shit! It was supposed to be a secret that I stalked Sun Bai! Ugh, I am talking to Hou Lin, not Nian!


    Xing Bi grinned. "Just passed by¡­"


    "Meaning stalked."


    "..."


    "You¡­you must understand that I am a very responsible citizen of this country and as such, I don''t commit such acts of stalking and intruding upon someone''s privacy."


    When she didn''t hear any response from Hou Lin, she warned, "Say that you understand if you don''t want me to jab your knee again."


    "I understand. Miss. Xing is a very dutiful and pure citizen of this country having no harmful intentions in her mind," his response was instantaneous.


    Xing Bi nodded, satisfied. "Good, good," she then came back to the topic, "I am really anxious of what is happening between them! The more I see their furtive meetings, the more I cannot help but wonder if something bad is going to happen."


    "Depends on what you heard Lu Bohai saying."


    "He was just asking Miss. Sun to handover something. I couldn''t hear anything more."


    Hou Lin calmly said, "Then let''s see what''s the demand. If it''s something related to Sky, we can keep an eye on Miss. Sun and observe what she does next."

 Chapter 454 Far From Close

    The car drove towards Sky and Ai and Zixin sat in silence. A minute later, Ai asked, "How was the checkup?"


    Zixin nodded. "It was fine. I still don''t remember anything, but my physical indicators are improving."


    That lifted her lips in a hopeful smile. "That''s a relief."


    Zixin glanced at her, tapping his finger on his thigh. Thinking back to his dinner with Guiying last night, he had a few questions in his mind about the note he had seen. About MrPerfect who seemed to have a strange presence for her more than just a reader. As her friend, he figured that Ai might have some knowledge about this person. Maybe Guiying might have told her about him.


    When he thought to broach that subject and looked at her again, he noticed an odd expression on her face. He slightly tilted his head.


    Ai seemed to be in deep thought as she stared at her phone listlessly. Her eyes reflected a hint of melancholy. He surmised there was something bothering her which made that wistful expression show on her face.


    As he looked down at her phone, he noticed her staring intently at a picture. It was a picture of her and Guiying from their high school days. They were in their high school uniforms, eating steamed buns from their favorite shop.


    Zixin''s eyes lightened up. He immediately recognized Guiying and felt elated. He had never seen pictures of Guiying''s teenage days.


    Curious to know more, he asked in a gentle voice, "That is you and Cai Guiying, right?"


    Ai blinked, her stupor breaking. She gave a light smile and nodded. "This was where we used to eat steam buns almost everyday. The shop owner always gave us discounts because we were regular customers."


    "That''s nice."


    Zixin hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can I have a closer look?"


    "Sure."


    Ai handed her the phone which he promptly took. Two cheerful girls were smiling in the picture. One girl wore a ponytail with a poised smile on her lips. She was Ai.


    Another girl had tied her hair into a cute bun with her lips curving into a bright grin and her eyes shining with vitality. She was Guiying.


    Zixin slowly lowered his eyelids, his gaze softening. With a feeling he didn''t understand, he too, stared at the picture for sometime in silence. He noticed a pink clip, which she had used to tie her hair into a bun. Thinking how much Guiying still liked pink, a silent and soft chuckle escaped his lips.


    "It''s a silly picture," Ai said.


    "It''s not. It feels warm," Zixin replied.


    And it was true. He felt warmth envelop his chest. It was a simple picture, but it grew a strong desire within him to know more about Guiying.


    "I envy you¡­" he whispered.


    "Sorry?"


    Zixin said, "Nothing. I meant¡­" he wasn''t sure of how to put it into words, "you two seem to be so close."


    Which unknowingly brought a sense of envy towards Ai as she knew more about Guiying than him. But he wasn''t so good at articulating it.


    Ai clasped her fingers. Her cold palms felt slightly warm as she brought them together. But it didn''t fade the chilly uneasiness away from her heart. "Close¡­I don''t really think so."


    Zixin lightly knitted his brows. "What do you mean?"


    Ai clenched her hands tighter, feeling an urge to cry. "I think Guiying and I are far from close."


    "That''s not true. You have been together since high school. You started your writing careers together. You must also know what she likes and doesn''t like. Like she loves cherry blossoms, doesn''t she?"


    "Yes, but I think that''s the only extent of how much I understand Guiying. It feels painful to learn that now. Knowing about someone isn''t only related to likes and dislikes. For true good friends, they know their past too. They know what they have gone through. But it seems like I have been living a clueless life until now," her voice slightly broke.


    Zixin frowned. "Can you tell me more?"


    Suddenly, the thought about Ai''s visit with Jack Si flashed in his mind. It was after that that Ai started looking sorrowful. "Is this related to your meeting with Uncle Jack?"


    Ai pressed her lips and slowly gave a nod.


    Which made Zixin remember that he actually did wonder yesterday as to why Ai wanted to meet Jack Si. "If you don''t mind, can I ask what it was about?"


    Ai paused. She wondered if it was alright to tell Zixin. She had no intention of spreading rumors or speculations about Guiying until she met Cai Lingyun and would be completely sure about her condition. But she also knew that Zixin was a sincere person, and he wouldn''t unnecessarily drag the conversation anywhere or to anybody where it wasn''t needed.


    Plus, Zixin had met Guiying twice. Once at the hospital and once at the hotel during the get-together. It was, by no means, a large number of meetings that Zixin would learn about Guiying any deeply. But she still wanted to understand if Zixin had felt the same way as her.


    An odd feeling or something somewhere which didn''t sit right with him when he met her.


    Ai talked slowly, trying to emphasize her point. "I wanted to ask Uncle Jack his opinion about Guiying, though I didn''t reveal her identity to him."


    Zixin stared at her, unable to react. Not even in the slightest did he imagine that Ai went to Jack Si to talk about Guiying. And since Guiying was involved, he wanted to learn what happened all the more.


    "...Cai Guiying? Why?"


    Ai was about to explain but strangely didn''t know where to start her story. So instead, she asked, "You have met Guiying twice, right?"


    "Yes."


    Though I have met her many more times after that, but nobody knows that, he inwardly spoke to himself.


    "Have you ever felt that¡­Guiying behaves differently sometimes?"


    He blinked.


    Seeing his confusion, Ai elaborated further. "I mean did you feel that Guiying, at times, spoke and acted gently and at times, she looked and acted exactly the opposite - fierce and distant?"

 Chapter 455 The Traumas Cause

    Zixin heard her question crystal clear and took a pause to understand her point. He felt like he did but also like he didn''t.


    Sometimes gentle and sometimes distant¡­


    He slowly walked through his memories from the first time he met at the hospital, at the get-together party, at Shui''s banquet and then his subsequent meetings with her.


    When Ai put that question before him, it was then he felt as if he could finally point out the indiscrepancies that would bug him from time to time.


    The Guiying who he talked to outside the hospital or at the party or at Shui''s banquet seemed warm and amiable. But after that, he definitely did feel a change in her attitude and mannerisms. Even last night, he did feel a difference between the woman with whom he had dinner and the woman who later snatched the note from him. The way she talked before and after dinner was indeed something worth pondering over.


    Ai went on, emphasizing her point. "For example, Guiying doesn''t smoke. But one day at Dream High, I saw her smoking even though she cannot even stand a cigarette''s smell. She looked like an expert, but she is actually not."


    Zixin slowly widened his eyes. At the get-together party too, he had seen her smoke but then she suddenly started coughing as if she was extremely uncomfortable. Even at her house last night, he saw a few cigarettes burned in the ashtray.


    "She also called me Zhou Ai which she never had before. We call each other by first names."


    He had heard Guiying calling Ai as Ai but not as Zhou Ai.


    Ai lowered her gaze. "When I thought back to all these incidents in general, I seriously felt something was wrong. That''s why I met Uncle Jack today."


    Zixin gave her a deep, questioning look. "But he is a neurosurgeon."


    "Yes. He is knowledgeable about brain and mental conditions."


    She gave him a brief summary of how she reached the point of talking to Jack Si. "I discussed this with him and he surmised that sometimes, stress could cause change in habits too. But even if that is so, I cannot really connect simply stress to her change in behavior. That''s when he said about split personality disorder."


    Zixin froze.


    Once again, she summarized her conversation with Jack Si to him. Ai said with a hint of worry and uncertainty stabbing her heart, "This disorder is attributed mainly to any trauma or stress usually faced in childhood which makes the person create another alter ego inside them. But¡­I realized I don''t know anything about Guiying," her eyes reddened. "Is it true that she faced something so severe that made her like this today? I don''t know. The only way to confirm this is if we have a proper medical examination of Guiying."


    Zixin''s eyes were fixed at Ai but at the same time, he wasn''t really looking at her.


    Past trauma¡­


    That day was still fresh in his mind when he had helped Guiying from Cai Lingyun''s rampage. His face was livid with rage and he had completely lost his mind, turning violent towards his own sister. At that time, Guiying was extremely hostile towards Cai Lingyun as well.


    Then he also thought of the times they met to chat about her novel.


    Now that I think about it¡­she didn''t really seem much interested in talking about ideas and her story when we met.


    But when he danced with Guiying at Shui''s banquet, there was a certain amount of love for writing and her work that he definitely felt from her gaze.


    He trembled.


    Ai might be clueless right now about Guiying''s past. But seeing Cai Lingyun''s rampage with his own eyes that day, he could connect the dots and come to a conclusion that¡­


    Suddenly Ai felt the air turning icy, making her shiver. As she glanced at Zixin, she was taken aback to notice his expression looking extremely dangerous and cold.


    "Zixin?"


    Upon her call, he forced the threat in his eyes to tone down. "Yes."


    "You seemed angry."


    "No, it''s nothing," he then asked, "What are you going to do?"


    "I need to talk to Jun about this, but the only person who could help me is Cai Lingyun. If it''s about Guiying''s past, then he will definitely know something."


    He said nothing and looked outside the window at the passing scenery.


    "I see."


    ¡ª


    With a grim expression, Jun heard everything Ai had to say after which he had immediately set out to find Cai Lingyun''s current whereabouts. But his brows crinkled slightly and his dark brown squinted as he came across a certain news.


    Ai asked, "What is it?"


    "Cai Lingyun was in jail sometime ago."


    "Jail? For what?" Her lips parted in shock.


    "Wait a sec."


    He immediately called his friend and cop Yijun''s number and asked, "Yijun, why was Cai Lingyun put in jail?"


    "Bro Jun. Cai Lingyun¡­Yes, I remember I heard about him when I came back from my posting in Shanghai. Somebody had given an anonymous call and said that he was being violent and beating up a woman in an apartment. That woman was his sister, Cai Guiying."


    Ai froze. Even Jun hadn''t really expected to learn this outcome.


    "Wait¡­what? He was beating Cai Guiying? His own sister?"


    ? "Yes. Though her neighbors were hesitant, some of them came forward and said that he was shouting and making a scene like crazy. Then thankfully, somebody dragged him out, and he was put in jail. But not long ago, he was released because Cai Guiying took back her report."


    They hung up not long after that, and Ai said in bewilderment, "Cai Lingyun and beating up Guiying? How is this possible, Jun? He is her brother, and I never heard of being violent towards Guiying."


    "Never heard¡­Yes, you will never hear that unless Cai Guiying herself willingly talks to you."


    She stiffened.


    "S-such a thing happened to her and I knew nothing¡­"


    Jun squished her cheeks and brought her face closer to his. "It''s not your fault. This is something very personal to her, and you cannot know unless she chooses to tell you this herself. Our past life circumstances and her involvement in it too made you distant from her. So stop with that negative trail of thoughts. What we should be focusing now is Cai Lingyun."


    He smiled with a threatening ring to it. "He needs to give us a lot of answers."

 Chapter 456 Jinhais Small Revelation

    "Jini-boy!"


    Zhou Yichen furiously waved his hand as he saw Jin arriving at the entrance of the Liu Corps.


    Jin immediately made a face and was determined to ignore him, but a certain someone wasn''t going to let him go so easily.


    Zhou Yichen hung his arm around his neck and grinned. "Jini-boy is back at the office. Where were you for two days? This Uncle missed you~"


    Jin threw him a dirty glare.


    "Aish, don''t look so rigid or you will lose the touch of your handsomeness," he shook his head. "Anyway jokes aside."


    He placed his hand on his forehead and bobbed his head. "Good, good. Jini-boy is perfectly healthy now!"


    It was quite a task to explain to the family what had happened to Jin. So instead, Jun made his way around some excuse of a light sickness. Of course, it wasn''t mentioned that Jin had actually slipped into a state of temporary coma because of his fever.


    They met Jinhai on the way, and he stopped in his tracks. "Jin, I want to talk to you. Come to my office sometime."


    Zhou Yichen patted Jin''s shoulder. "Go ahead. I will take care of the work with Shui~"


    Jin paused. "...Shui is here too?"


    His eyes twinkled. "Why, you forgot she is working with us on the project? She is such a hardworking girl~ You have to catch up."


    Though he said that, Zhou Yichen was intently studying Jin, who seemed to behave quite differently today. Previously, he would shrug or snort at Shui''s mention. But today, his gaze held different emotions inside them.


    Ah, did my plan work? Did Jini-boy and Shui get to talk and sort things out that day?


    It doesn''t look like that as there still is some distance between them...


    Jin promptly followed his father to his office. After closing the door, he stood before him as Jinhai faced him.


    "Like you saw, Nana and everybody else were really worried about you. You suddenly fell sick, after all."


    Jin pursed his lips. "I am sorry for making you all worry."


    ? "I was a little surprised to know that you stayed at Jun''s condo the whole day. But I wonder why Jun didn''t let us know immediately."


    Jin''s expression didn''t change. "Bro must have not wanted to make you and Mom unnecessarily take stress. It wasn''t that serious."


    "Really?"


    "What do you mean?" Jin''s brows crinkled.


    Jinhai kept his hawk-like gaze fixed at Jin. "I am pretty sure you are hiding something from me. It must be the same thing which Jun confessed to me a few months back."


    Jun felt his throat go dry a little. Back at the condo after he woke up, Jun had told him that he had already confessed about his rebirth to Jinhai. Ai as well.


    Which was quite shocking for Jin, but he quickly understood Jun''s intention too. He wanted Jinhai to punish him and discard him from the family.


    That''s why he left the villa. Dad must have...


    "The way you fell sick wasn''t natural, right?" Jinhai raised his brow. "That''s why Jun took so much effort to practically hide you in his condo."


    Jin still feigned a clueless countenance. "I am not getting what you mean-"


    "You have been given a second chance at life too."


    That managed to make a crack in Jin''s stoic expression. It was impossible to hide that split second reaction.


    "I surmise your sickness was related to that," Jinhai concluded. "Otherwise, Jun wouldn''t have been so furtive about it."


    "No, what-"


    "Jun already confessed about his rebirth to me a long time back. I know about Ai''s as well."


    Jin held his breath.


    Jinhai cocked his head slightly to the other side. "I guess then your changed behavior makes sense. I did have an inkling that you were reborn too since that day Jun confronted everybody about his breakup. You went ahead and expressed your interest in Ai, which was very unlikely for you to do that when you adore Jun so much."


    His eyes slightly widened.


    "That''s why after that breakup announcement, I was quite firm with my opinion that you were lying."


    It was when Jinhai came to meet Jin after Nian''s violent visit to set his brother straight.


    "But you kept on being adamant that you weren''t. I didn''t pursue the matter further if you didn''t wish to be open about it. It was your secret. But now you suddenly fell sick, and I know it wasn''t something trivial. Even Shui remained by your side, right?"


    "That-"


    "Though she made an excuse to Zhiyuan that she stayed at her friend''s house, she was actually at Jun''s condo with you. Plus, Mr. Zhou had sent you two together right before it happened so it''s natural she was by your side. She loves you. She wouldn''t be anywhere else."


    The mask Jin had been wearing disappeared by Jinhai''s conclusions.


    "...Yes, I am reborn too," Jin admitted to it in a quiet voice.


    Jinhai ever so slowly nodded his head.


    "W-Why did you ask me to admit it now when you already had your doubts before?"


    "Because you hadn''t fallen sick before. I don''t know what happened, but I definitely understand that it was extremely serious. Jun wouldn''t have made the decision to tell us after you recovered otherwise. It was strange that he chose for you to rather rest at his place than take you to a doctor."


    Jin breathed out.


    No matter how Jun tried to act naturally, it was impossible to escape Jinhai''s scrutiny.


    Jinhai took a step closer to Jin and asked, "What had happened?"


    He stiffened. Suddenly, he realized how courageous Jun had been to reveal his past to his father. And today, he felt like opening that part of his heart to Jinhai too just like Jun once did.


    First, Jin said about the golden clock phenomenon which he, Jun and Ai - all three had faced at some point. His own experience was very different, and he proceeded to explain what was happening to him at that time when he was in his temporary comatose condition.


    The spiral of the memories and him facing the reality - Jin finally broke down into tears as he laid his heart completely bare.

 Chapter 457 Mr. Lius Interrogation (1)

    Where Jin confronted his past with Jinhai, there were Jun and Ai on the other side, who embarked on a similar meeting with Cai Lingyun to learn the truth about Guiying''s past.


    They arrived at a shabby apartment, which after seeing that Ai couldn''t help but question, "Cai Lingyun lives here?"


    "That''s what the report says."


    "In this apartment¡­" Ai muttered.


    Until a few months ago, Cai Lingyun worked in a well-to-do job with a well-to-do salary crediting each month in his account. But after the events in Shanghai, especially the one where he attacked Jun which got Jin hurt instead, there was no going back for him.


    Jun and Nian personally ensured that Cai Lingyun''s life would be miserable. He was fired from his job, and there was absolutely no chance of him landing another job or earning even a penny.


    The turn of events for Cai Lingyun was too tragic but one which he deserved.


    Jun knocked - no - banged on the door, not caring if he disturbed Cai Lingyun or not. He held Ai''s arm and pulled her behind him. "If he dares to jump at you, I will kill him. Better not let his filthy blood fall upon you."


    "..."


    The door opened after a long time when a drunk Cai Lingyun faced them. Ai immediately covered her nose, unable to bear the smell. Her eyes slightly widened watching his state from head to toe.


    It was pretty much visible how the lack of job and money had hit him hard. He could barely stand on his feet.


    "Fuck off!" He exclaimed because of Jun''s incessant banging. "I will kill you! Get lost!"


    Jun smiled. "You will kill me? That''s some nice imagination."


    His brows strongly knitted together and he looked up. His vision was blurry, but he felt he had heard the voice before. He blinked his eyelids a few more times. After much struggling to fight the intoxication, he finally caught a hint of two people standing in front of him.


    But his gaze was locked onto the woman behind Jun, and his eyes ever so slowly widened. His lips parted in disbelief upon seeing Ai.


    "Ai¡­" he whispered in a hushed voice.


    He trembled, and the liquor bottle fell from his hand. With Ai in front of him, it felt like nothing more than a dream to him. Joy erupted in his heart.


    "Ai! Y-you¡­you finally came to see me¡­"


    Ai didn''t respond to that.


    "I knew you would come to see me, Ai! I was waiting for you. I am your Bro Lingyun. I knew you would¡­"


    He tried to reach out his arm which was brutally stopped in its way as Jun gripped and threatened to crush his wrist.


    "Mind where your hand goes, otherwise it will be a tragic ending for you, Cai Lingyun."


    Cai Lingyun shook off his arm, throwing a murderous glare at Jun as he finally recognized him too. "Liu Jun! How dare you¡­how dare you show your face here!?"


    His clenched teeth gritted hard in his jaw, remembering how he snatched Ai away from him. His fingers twitched with an urge to strangle him to death. Suddenly, his body craved violence.


    Ai was right before him, but Jun stood in his way yet again. The bitterness of his current jobless state also rang in his ears, further inciting him for revenge.


    "Liu Jun! I will fucking kill you!" He roared.


    At this moment, all the injustice he suffered at his hands welled in his heart and he balled his fist, carrying the weight of all his hatred for the man named Liu Jun. His fist flew to punch Jun on his face, but Jun simply snorted.


    "Such a simpleton."


    With such deep hatred in his eyes, Jun could effortlessly gauge Cai Lingyun''s intentions and moves. He caught his incoming fist in his palm. The momentum of his punch stopped abruptly.


    Cai Lingyun''s nostrils flared, and he further felt even more agitated. But before he could do anything else, Jun knocked him out with a sharp jab to his chest, forcing him backwards. He choked hard with the impact and fell on the floor. Due to his partially intoxicated state, he couldn''t control his balance either.


    Ai pursed her lips. "Don''t hit him too hard. We need answers from him."


    Jun''s dark brown looked stormy akin to harsh weather. "He was trying to touch you."


    "You stopped him, didn''t you?"


    "I want to kill him."


    "How will we interrogate him then if he is dead?" She calmly questioned him back. "Unless you know of a method to question a ghost.


    He glared at her, muttering curses for Cai Lingyun under his breath.


    They stepped inside, shutting the door behind them. Jun ruthlessly kicked Cai Lingyun on his knee and coldly shot an order. "Get up before I forcibly make you kneel and trust me, that will be more painful than this."


    Cai Lingyun somehow got up in a half-kneeling position with the support of a chair. His face turned red and livid with fury.


    "Liu Jun¡­I won''t forgive you¡­I won''t ever forgive you! You bastard! I-I¡­"


    He glanced at Ai, unable to make his next words come out of his lips.


    Jun sneered. "See? You are such a coward that you still cannot admit your feelings for Ai though I would like to burn those filthy feelings into ashes. You are nothing but a coward who cannot face his own feelings but still expect things to go your way. But I am not here to chit chat with you about your life''s philosophy."


    Jun kneeled to his level, making Cai Lingyun suddenly jolt in fear.


    What was it? His aura? His expression? Or his eyes that forced him to behave?


    Cai Lingyun wasn''t sure but right now, Jun seemed to be a different person altogether as if he belonged to a world that ruled darkness.


    "I have some questions, and you will answer those with all truthfulness. I am saying this for your own sake."


    Cai Lingyun felt humiliated to be threatened by the man who ruined his life.


    "Tell me about your sister."


    He blinked.


    Guiying?


    "You are her brother, so you must know. Does Cai Guiying suffers from any mental condition? Something like an alter ego inside her."


    With that question, Cai Lingyun froze.

 Chapter 458 Mr. Lius Interrogation (2)

    "Alter ego? Wh-what nonsense are you spouting, Liu Jun?" Cai Lingyun averted his gaze.


    Jun grabbed his hair and forced him to look at him. "I don''t have time to waste. Start talking or with every lie, I will start punching your ugly face."


    "Liu Jun! Isn''t it enough that you fucking ruined my life like this!? Why should I answer your questions?"


    Jun chuckled sinisterly. "Because I am telling you to. I am not giving you a choice."


    "Shut up! Of course it''s a lie! I don''t even know how you got to that conclusion!"


    This time, it was Ai who said, "Does Guiying smoke?"


    Cai Lingyun''s stance immediately softened upon hearing her talk to him. "What? Guiying and smoking? That''s impossible. She hates smoking."


    "Yet I saw her smoking one day in Dream High."


    That startled him. His eyeballs turned left and right, and he turned fidgety.


    Jun then asked, "Fine. If you don''t know about her condition, then you can definitely answer one question, right? Did you ever physically assault your sister?"


    He felt a sharp, ominous tingling pass through his spine. Especially in front of Ai, his heart beat even faster in trepidation.


    "W-what¡­" Jun''s question turned him fully sober. He nervously laughed. "Just because you want to defame me, you cannot spin lies like this! Guiying is my sister. I will never hurt her-"


    Jun threw a surprise punch on his cheek, almost crushing his cheekbone. "I warned you I won''t tolerate lies."


    Tears pooled in his eyes with the intensity of the punch. He quickly looked at Ai and stammered. "D-Did Guiying tell you anything? Ai, I don''t know what''s wrong with her. But she is lying! You know me, right? I love Guiying. I raised her since we lost our parents¡­How can I bear to be violent with her?"


    Ai narrowed her eyes. "So you mean to say that the police report against you and Guiying''s neighbors seeing all the commotion is also a lie?"


    The panic across his face was evident. "T-that wasn''t a commotion at all. I just visited Guiying, and we just had a small argument¡­" he felt his forehead getting covered in sweat. "I was unfairly arrested! I might have just raised my voice a bit, b-but I never hit her!"


    "Is that so?" Jun smiled. "I guess you won''t understand normal language. But I have ways to deal with stubborn trash like you. The Liu family has a special place to make you open your mouth. We have lots of tools to help you with that."


    Cai Lingyun didn''t have to be spoon fed the meaning. With how rich and influential Jun was, there were surely lots of goons and men under his orders to torture him.


    "Liu Jun¡­you are going too f-far¡­You cannot drag an innocent person like me-"


    "A man having a police complaint against him regarding beating his sister is not innocent," Jun cut him off. "In fact, he is a monster. So I am asking you for the last time. Don''t test my patience after that. Did you beat Cai Guiying?"


    He felt his voice stuck in his throat. In front of Ai and the woman he loved, how could he admit to his true nature?


    "I¡­"


    Under Ai''s accusing scrutiny, Cai Lingyun suffered even more mental damage.


    "Did you or did you not beat Guiying?"


    He finally confessed, albeit trying to give a half-hearted truth. "L-look, Ai¡­you can see how I am living. All because of Liu Jun! I was kicked out of my house because I didn''t have rent to pay¡­" his voice stammered, "I am in a miserable state, so I just¡­asked some help from Guiying."


    Jun sneered.


    By help, he means financial help.


    "But she refused!" His gaze and voice became more distraught. "I am in a tough situation, and Guiying is my sister¡­I expected she would help me, b-but she straightaway rejected me. We just had an argument over that¡­a-and in anger, I just slapped her."


    Ai stared at him silently, her gaze more unforgiving than before. "JUST slapped her?"


    He panicked. "I-I regret my actions, Ai! Really! It was all because of my stress¡­" he began to laugh, "you understand, right? I mean just look at this place. It''s so filthy and disgusting. It was just in a spur of the moment-"


    "Spur of the moment or have you done this before?" Ai sharply demanded an answer.


    He stiffened. "B-before?"


    "Have you been beating Guiying before too?"


    When Ai learned of the police complaint against Cai Lingyun, it was then she slowly began to believe that the cause behind Guiying''s condition might be none other than her brother herself. If she suffered extreme anguish that she couldn''t share it with anybody else, then it must definitely be related to Cai Lingyun somehow because he was her only family. And the most difficult situation for anybody to admit was their complicated family matters.


    "Tell me," Ai''s stance grew even icier as she peered into his guilty gaze. "Have you been doing this for a long time? Is it because of you that she developed an alter ego?"


    Cai Lingyun furiously shook his head. His face paled, and he felt difficulty in swallowing. "No, no¡­Ai, we¡­we all three have spent such a long time together¡­I-I am not that kind of a man to hit a woman. What happened with Guiying was just one time¡­"


    Jun slapped him hard. "One time¡­According to the report, it wasn''t just one slap. You pulled her hair too. She hurt her ankle when she tried to fight you."


    He gnashed his jaw. "SHUT UP! You stay out of this Liu Jun! I am talking to Ai! Don''t you fucking interfere!"


    That earned him another hard punch in his gut, making him cough blood.


    Ai clenched her fists because she could watch the guilt in his eyes that became more and more evident. "Cai Lingyun¡­"


    Thinking about all the years she spent with Guiying, but she never got the wind of the state she lived in¡­Ai felt as if her heart was being squeezed hard without any mercy.


    "Why¡­why would you do that to Guiying?"

 Chapter 459 The Birth Of Her

    Jun''s fists hitting Cai Lingyun didn''t spare him any chance to relax. The more pain he suffered, the more he knew that they would squeeze him out of all the answers at any costs.


    "Ai¡­" he gazed at her longingly and chuckled. "I will tell you everything¡­But then you have to come to my side. Remember, Ai? We were always together. I don''t want anything else!"


    Ai expressed her disgust while Jun expressed his fury in the form of his violence. "You really deserve the most torturous death, you fucker, and I wil fulfill that wish of yours-"


    "SHUT YOUR TRAP!" Cai Lingyun screamed and tried to get back at Jun, but he was no match. "Are you blind to see that I am talking to Ai!? I will kill you if you interfere the next time!"


    Ai stiffened with the sharp change in his tone and mood.


    Then as if a flip was switched, Cai Lingyun suddenly laughed.


    She grimaced. "What''s so funny?"


    "Ah, Ai you are talking to me¡­" he didn''t seem to be himself anymore, "It feels so nice to hear your voice again. It feels so nice to see you again, Ai. Do you know how much I missed you?"


    Jun shut his eyes, reining his anger and the urge to bury him then and there.


    Ai helped Jun calm his nerves, which only irked Cai Lingyun in the wrong direction. The intimacy between them rubbed his ego in the wrong direction. "Ai, you better stop being so close to this bastard. You should know your limits."


    Fully sober, he stood on his feet and faced her.


    Ai was taken aback with his warning. It didn''t seem like the Cai Lingyun who never spoke a harsh word against her. She quietly rebuked. "I know my limits very well. What will you do if I don''t listen to you?" Squinting her eyes, she challenged him, "Hit me like you hit Guiying?"


    Jun knew she was provoking him, but the question still frustrated him out of bounds. If Cai Lingyun lifted even a finger against Ai, then this messy one-room apartment would become even messier with the bloodbath.


    Cai Lingyun gritted his teeth with his hands unsteady beside his thighs. "Guiying? Why are you so obsessed with her? She is¡­she is my sister! What is wrong even if I did hit her a few times!?"


    Ai froze. The truth for which they came here finally slipped out of his mouth. But Cai Lingyun didn''t show even a shred of guilt.


    "Ai you don''t understand. We had lost our parents. As the eldest son, all the responsibilities came upon my shoulders¡­it was natural to get stressed out at times¡­right?"


    She listened to him in silence.


    "Everything was so difficult! If-if only Mom and Dad didn''t have to die! Taking care of my education, then Guiying''s, all the expenses¡­It was so tough to manage¡­We kept hopping back and forth with our useless relatives who didn''t give a shit about us¡­" his eyes reddened with anger. "Fuckers only thought about themselves. The fatty and ugly cousins of ours bullied me as if I was some trash. So what did I do wrong if I took my frustration out on Guiying at times?"


    Jun snarled. "That doesn''t give you any right to treat her like a punching bag, you piece of shit! You were not the only one going through the situation. And how do you know that your cousins might not be targeting Cai Guiying? They might have, but she must have kept the bullying hidden from you to not make you worry more in your already precarious situation."


    Cai Lingyun shouted. "Fuck off! Don''t act like you know Guiying better than me! Stop showing your sympathies! G-Guiying wasn''t innocent either! She was such a failure in academics. Whenever she scored less in exams, my shitty cousins laughed at me like I am the biggest joke in the world! She isn''t less of a culprit! So I hit her more! And don''t blame me. That worked like a charm because then she didn''t slack in her studies."


    Then a glint of fear passed by his eyes. "But then Guiying changed one day¡­I-I was just beating her like usual, but she suddenly stopped my punches and started beating me instead! Sh-she totally went crazy! She started laughing maniacally and hit me! Ai, can you believe it? How dare she hit her elder brother who raised her up all this time?"


    He expected Ai would soften her gaze at him but instead, her brown irises grew only colder and icier.


    Jun realized that it was that moment when Guiying''s alter ego was born to take charge to protect herself.


    Cai Lingyun stammered. "A-Ai, don''t look at me like that. I-I didn''t want to be like this either, but what could I have done? Guiying suddenly turned so different at that time. S-she threatened to expose me, and I had to stop beating her¡­" his voice clearly expressed his disdain for being forced to stop.


    The more Jun listened to him, the more he couldn''t believe that he was breathing the same air as this disgusting man.


    Cai Lingyun''s gaze darkened. "It was so fucking hell when I couldn''t take out my anger on her. I didn''t know what to do with my pent-up frustrations. She would go berserk if I ever tried to raise my hand against her. B-But I persisted somehow. In the end when she was supposed to start high school, we moved to Xuanhua after I saved up some money to move out of my shitty relatives'' home! And there I met you, Ai¡­" his voice immediately turned mellow.


    "You know w-why I like you so much, Ai?" His cheeks reddened with shyness. "You were so pretty. For your age, you acted so well-behaved and mature. You carried such elegance even though you were just a teenager. A-and ever since Guiying met you and you two became friends, that other d-dangerous side of hers stopped showing itself."


    Ai stared at him, her eyes slowly widening.


    "It was such a relief to me. Guiying started acting the way like she always was, and I didn''t have to live in fear anymore¡­It was all because of you and your family, Ai that she went back to her own self."

 Chapter 460 An Utter Failure

    "Throughout the three years of highschool, Guiying was pretty much normal. I also f-finally relaxed because I thought ''she'' was gone for good. Even my relationship with her improved!" Cai Lingyun chuckled, but it sounded anything but sweet.


    Ai was about to say her mind but she paused, collecting her thoughts. She seemed to tie two and two to four and then said, "Isn''t that because my Mom and Dad were actively supporting you?"


    Jun quickly understood it. "Financially?"


    She nodded. "Not exactly directly. But since Mom was a reputed professor, she had a wide reach to other schools and colleges of Xuanhua and neighboring cities. She took it upon herself to waive off Guiying''s high school and his university fees, which reduced a lot of Cai Lingyun''s burden. Not only that. My Dad had a wide network himself in terms of job opportunities since he had worked at many places, so he helped out Cai Lingyun get a decent part-time job to manage their expenses."


    She shot him an angry stare. "Your relationship with Guiying didn''t improve because you changed yourself. It''s because the people around you were kind enough to help you and Guiying. It unconsciously made you relaxed and unguarded. You just didn''t have any reason to hit Guiying anymore."


    Cai Lingyun averted his gaze. It was an arrow shot right through his true thoughts.


    Jun grabbed his collar and spoke with an alarming chill, further breaking his mask. "I bet you didn''t want to tarnish your good and responsible image in front of Ai. You must have felt afraid if Cai Guiying would babble your secret to Ai if things went out of control, so you kept quiet. Right?"


    Cai Lingyun felt it more and more difficult to maintain his composure. "Shut up, Liu Jun!"


    "That''s all you can curse right now," he pushed him back harshly.


    Ai took a step forward and as he stumbled back to his feet, happy to see her approach him, she threw a vicious slap across his cheek. The sound resounded fiercely in the air, which carried the pain and suffering she felt on Guiying''s behalf. "All because of you¡­"


    Her eyes ached as tears fell. "You should have been there as her elder brother to support her, not to add to her sorrow! Do you think only you lost your parents? Or do you think only you had it hard?"


    Ai, who always held her calm, felt a storm raging within her. Her feelings not only included her fury for Cai Lingyun but also helplessness at her own self.


    The Guiying with which she spent her warm high school days always smiled so brightly. She always shone so radiantly. But she never knew of the darkness behind her smile and the despair laced in her radiance.


    "How did I never understand¡­" She felt an utter failure as a friend. To think that Guiying suffered such a violent past and at the hands of her own brother tore her heart apart. "If not for you, Guiying wouldn''t have suffered so much! There would have been no need to create an alter personality to protect herself! How could you stoop so low, Cai Lingyun?"


    Jun pulled her arm and wiped her tears. "Don''t waste your breath on him. He is insane."


    Cai Lingyun suddenly charged at Jun without any warning, threatening to bang his head on the wall. But Jun was already alert and keeping a strict eye on Cai Lingyun''s movements. He dodged just at the right second, grabbed his elbow and twisted it at the back.


    p1ease visi(t) n0ve1b(in).ne)t


    "Ahhhh!" The screams of agony escaped his mouth as he could feel his bone dislocating.


    "You don''t learn, do you? I would never lose to the likes of you."


    Cai Lingyun directed his strong, resentful gaze towards Jun and this time, Ai too. Everytime Jun touched her or hugged - like how he has wiped her tears now, he felt all the emotions in his heart bursting out, craving for violence. He couldn''t even bear Jun''s sight, let alone see him touch the woman he loved.


    Green nerves started to slowly appear on his forehead and hands. He was furious at everything. The state of how he was jobless, penniless and living like an almost homeless man coupled with Ai choosing some other guy than himself - he felt everything was going against him. The whole world was set to make his life miserable. All the negative feelings and frustration culminated into him growing even more violent and physical.


    This time Jun, too, felt his strong resistance with the way he was trying to fight back and gain control. His eyes showed madness, making Jun feel sorry for Cai Guiying for the first time in his life.


    Jun thought he would never hold anything else other than hatred for the woman who seemingly plotted against him and Ai in their past life. He still didn''t know the reason behind it but keeping that part aside, he truly felt she didn''t deserve to be treated by the only family she had.


    A glimpse of his little sister Nuo flashed across his eyes. He and his brothers could never imagine even lifting a finger against her. It wasn''t because of Jinhai''s protectiveness or bias towards her.


    It was simply that as her brothers, Liu Jian, Liu Nian, Liu Jun and Liu Jin would never allow any harm to befall Nuo. These were their strong feelings towards her and then there was Cai Lingyun, who treated Guiying like a punching bag.


    Cai Lingyun yelled. "I will kill you! Don''t look at me like I am some criminal. I did nothing wrong!" He looked at Ai and impatiently said, "You too, Ai! Don''t act like you were any good! You¡­you have also disappointed Guiying!"


    Ai widened her eyes. "What are you talking about?"


    "The writing competition during your last high school year! That was the first time in three years that ''that'' person had appeared again. You know why? Because you participated in the competition!"

 Chapter 461 Won But Lost

    Cai Lingyun burst into a maniac laughter, pointing his vicious gaze at Ai. "You broke your promise, Ai. You weren''t supposed to participate in the competition!"


    Jun kicked on the back of his knee. "What nonsense are you spouting!? Why wouldn''t she participate?"


    "Because Ai said so herself! Right, Ai?"


    Jun glanced at Ai, clueless. "What the fuck is he saying?"


    Ai crinkled her brows. "That''s true. I did say at one point that I won''t participate in the competition."


    That took him aback. "Why not?"


    Her gaze slightly dimmed. "Because coincidentally, the writing competition fell on my Mom and Dad''s anniversary. They had been divorced for nine years by then but whenever that day would arrive, the atmosphere would¡­get a little heavy. I always noticed that distinct change in them. When I found that the dates coincided, I didn''t feel like participating anymore when I knew that Mom and Dad would be feeling low that day. My story also wasn''t really adhering to the happy ending theme, so all in all, I thought it was for the best if I didn''t participate. I told the same to Guiying."


    "But you did!" Cai Lingyun shouted. "And because of that, everything fell apart!"


    Jun felt his blood pressure rising by the obvious fact that Cai Lingyun was overlooking. "Cai Lingyun, if I may remind you. It was Cai Guiying who won that competition. I don''t see how anything would have fallen apart when she literally won the highest title that there was to win."


    Cai Lingyun shot a murderous glare back at him. "And what was the use!? That dumbass of my sister relinquished all the prize money she had gotten! I was so happy that she participated in the competition and I repeatedly urged her to win the competition anyhow. That prize money would have helped me so much with my finances!"


    Ai stared at him, stunned. "You¡­were pressurizing her to win the competition?"


    "The cash prize was a big deal to me, okay? A person like you who never had to worry about financial problems while growing up wouldn''t understand my concerns!" He raised his voice against Ai.


    Jun banged his head against the floor and warned him coldly. "Watch your mouth or I will tear your tongue off."


    Cai Lingyun laughed again. "I don''t care. I am already in such a miserable state. How much more pathetic would you make it for me?"


    Jun returned his laughter with his own impending one. "You have no idea. Even a person like you would crawl to beg for forgiveness if I showed you what I am truly capable of. Now care to explain more about the competition? Why the fuck are you blaming Ai? If Cai Guiying gave up on the cash prize, then that''s her decision. Ai had nothing to do-"


    "She had everything to do with it! Because apparently, my sister has too much self-respect. Instead of celebrating that she won, she wallowed herself in despair because she lost to Ai."


    "For the hundredth time now, Cai Guiying won the competition!" Jun snapped.


    "But it was originally Ai who had won! The judges were in favor of making her novel win, but they couldn''t because of the theme. And for my idiot sister Guiying, it was Ai who won the competition in the truest sense. She thought she could only win because of Ai''s misstep."


    Ai froze.


    "And then what? She let her useless self-respect come in the way, giving up on the money. She even wanted to withdraw from the winner list. But the judges didn''t allow that."


    He threw his angry gaze back at Ai. "It''s all because of you, Ai! I was so mad at Guiying that she gave up on the money. I beat her up for it but then¡­t-that person came back," he unconsciously shuddered. "I thought she was gone for good, but she returned!"


    He didn''t have to explicitly state further how he was assaulted back for all the slaps he landed on Guiying''s cheeks.


    Ai trembled, tears pooling in her eyes.


    "That fucker ''other'' person started kicking me back, but ''she'' was also furious at you! You went back on your words and entered the competition. If you hadn''t, Guiying wouldn''t have felt like an imposter winning the competition!"


    "But¡­i-it was Guiying who first asked me to join with her-"


    "That was courtesy you fool!" Cai Lingyun completely lost it. "She felt obligated to ask you as your best friend when you saw her preparing for a competition. She actually didn''t want you to be in it with her. Don''t you understand? Guiying was always so useless. She was academically pathetic. Even though Aunt Nuying did help her with her studies and she improved a bit, the fact remained that she was just average.


    You had everything. Yes, your parents were separated but they loved you a lot. Guiying didn''t have that. You were raised in a financially stable environment. Guiying wasn''t. You looked charming and pretty. But Guiying fell average beauty wise as compared to you. You were academically smart and always scored high on tests. But Guiying always had to struggle to survive. She had nothing, no quality with her that made her stand on an equal footing as you. And by winning the competition, she wanted to prove that there was at least something where she excelled at."


    He mockingly laughed. "But she failed. She won but in a sense she lost. You were the true winner of the competition, and it only proved to her just how much of a loser she was. She was actually a little relieved when you took back your entry. But you suddenly said again that you would indeed participate. The result was that she gave up on everything. She even threw away her Best Fiction Writer Award in the trash because she felt she didn''t deserve it. She hadn''t earned it. It was your prize. Like I said, she felt like a cheater snatching your award."


    Ai shook with her warm tears plopping on the floor.


    Guiying¡­

 Chapter 462 Pay The Price

    Cai Lingyun was left to his own after the big confrontation with Jun and Ai. He laid on the floor, writhing with pain. There wasn''t anything much to say after they confirmed the truth behind Guiying''s split personality disorder.


    Moreover, Ai was quite shaken up by the incident of the writing competition coming to light. So, Jun thought it was for the best to take Ai back home and deal with Cai Lingyun later.


    "Don''t go¡­Ai, don''t leave me¡­"


    After coming back to his senses, he started regretting his actions. He lamented his loss temper and felt angry at himself for shouting at Ai and humiliating her.


    "No. How could I talk to Ai like that¡­? I need to apologize to her. I don''t want her to hate me¡­She must be so hurt," he coughed. "I need to go to her side¡­"


    He tried to stand, but Jun''s jabs on his knee and abdomen had rendered him motionless. Suddenly, he heard a click of the doorknob twisting.


    His face shone with hope. "Ai! I knew you would be back¡­W-wait, I am coming to you."


    He painfully dragged his body but as he raised his head, he noticed a looming figure of a man''s instead. From his viewpoint, he saw a pair of boots and long legs before his sight. He slowly craned his neck upwards, and a sharp shudder passed through his spine.


    "Y-you!"


    His face turned white as if he saw a ghost and he started shaking with fear.


    "You are the only w-who punched me that day at Guiying''s house! Why are you here!?"


    Zixin gave him an apathetic stare. His eyes held no emotions as if he was looking at trash. He simply silently fixed his gaze at him that only unnerved Cai Lingyun further.


    "I heard everything."


    Cai Lingyun blinked.


    "I was there when you were talking to Jun. Or I should say when he was interrogating you."


    His eyes widened.


    With the way he addressed him as Jun¡­does he know him? H-How is this possible?


    He jolted when Zixin bent on his left knee. "So tell me what should I do with you?"


    First Jun and now Zixin - both times Cai Lingyun felt as if his head rested on a guillotine.


    "You¡­you have nothing to do with this! W-who the hell are you even in the first place? You just barged in that day and interfered in my matters¡­You even put me to jail! I won''t forgive you!"


    Recalling his grievances, Cai Lingyun felt anger surging through his veins. "Every single one of you getting into my private matters! Who the hell are you to Guiying to stick your nose into her life!?"


    Zixin grabbed his neck, his fingers viciously applying pressure into his nerves. Cai Lingyun''s eyes widened once again but this time due to suffocation. Zixin wasn''t showing any mercy at all as he literally strangled him.


    "I am Guiying''s friend. Somebody who treasures her. Somebody who wants to cherish her," Zixin spoke slowly but clearly. "Somebody better than you who wouldn''t hit her to release his pent up stress," at the end, his voice turned chilly.


    Cai Lingyun flailed his arms and legs like a fish trying to survive out of the sea. The more constricted his breaths became, the more tears fell and darkness covered his sight. In just few seconds, he already fell unconscious.


    Zixin calmly released his grip. But he wasn''t done with him. His black eyes gleamed with lethality and pain too. Pain for Guiying who suffered by his hands.


    He felt something moist on the back of his hand and saw that it were his own tears that gently rested on his skin. He touched his wet eyelashes. Imagining Guiying''s childhood to be filled with nothing but grief made him feel difficult to breathe.


    Zixin closed his eyes and remained still for a long time. As he opened them, his irises glimmered with determination.


    You might be forgiving towards your brother, Guiying, but I cannot be like that, he thought with a plain, stoic expression as he stared at an unconscious Cai Lingyun.


    He has to suffer. For all that he has done to you, he HAS to pay its price.


    And I will do it my way.


    ¡ª


    The same evening, Xing Bi was drying her wet hair as she stepped out of the bathroom after a long, relaxing warm bath. She felt her stiff muscles loosen up, and she released a sigh of satisfaction. The hot air from the drier blew across her hair.


    Suddenly, the lights went out and darkness enveloped her room. Not just her room but outside the area as well.


    "Aish!" She sighed and waited for the electricity to come back.


    Her phone shone with light with a message from Hou Lin. She quickly opened it which said,


    ''Miss. Sun seems to have copied some files into her personal pendrive.''


    After their last conversation, Xing Bi and Hou Lin decided to keep an eye on Sun Bai just in case as she was frequently meeting up with Lu Bohai. He belonged to the rival company, Shi Publishing and someone who was in a dire state to save his job.


    Xing Bi frowned.


    Office files into her personal device?


    She texted him back.


    ''How? We are not allowed to access our personal devices or emails through Sky''s computer systems.''


    ''I thought of that too. I am also unsure at the moment.''


    She bit her lip and typed. ''Is there any way to know what files she copied?''


    Hou Lin''s reply came back a minute later. ''I will try.''


    Xing Bi let out another sigh and kept her phone aside.


    Ugh, this is getting more complicated¡­


    Suddenly, she heard some untoward sounds coming from outside her flat. It sounded too close to her house.


    Xing Bi stiffened.


    The lights were out and an unknown person was making noise in front of her house.


    W-who could it be? It''s past dinner time already¡­


    She jumped in her place when her doorbell rang. At this moment, the door felt like a scary thing to open. She was about to go outside when she saw somebody''s silhouette entering her house.


    Xing Bi let out a silent gasp with her eyes wide open.


    H-How did he come in? A thief? Serial killer? R-rapist?


    Am I going to die today!?

 Chapter 463 The Intruder

    Xing Bi''s legs trembled at her place moreso because she couldn''t hear a single sound coming from the silhouette who had trespassed into her house. She wanted to scream but couldn''t.


    What if he is carrying a gun and will shoot me the moment I scream?


    She quickly hid in her room, holding her mouth shut. The intruder in her house still wasn''t making any sound. But somehow, she felt his presence growing closer and closer to her room.


    "..."


    I should have locked my bedroom first! She cried.


    Eventually, she did notice a tall figure slowly stepping into her room. It was all dark and murky, but she could at least say with surety that the man was well-built. Which made her gulp harder.


    T-there is no way I can fight this man! Stupid, Bi! How did you forget to lock your room!?


    Her phone was also on the bed. There was no way to grab it and call for help. Even if she did, the light from the phone would give her place away.


    Xing Bi inwardly sobbed.


    The intruder noticed her phone on the bed lit up with some message. He picked it up and stared at it. She tried to take a peek at his face, but the light from her mobile was too dim to clearly see him.


    The man clenched her phone and she heard what she thought was a crack from her screen.


    "..."


    I-Is he murdering my phone first so that I cannot call for help?


    I am sorry, Ai. I think tonight is my last day. This is my end...But I won''t die without putting up a fight!


    She soundlessly took a vase from under the table where she was hiding and hugged it closer to her chest. She froze as she felt the man stop in his tracks. He was just near her location. It was hard holding onto her breath. It would be over if she even exhaled.


    Xing Bi jolted when she saw a sharp, pointed and metallic object shining in the air.


    That''s definitely a knife...


    She wanted to cry.


    Ah he wants to stab me and dump my body somewhere. Wait or does he want to cut me into pieces and throw my body parts into the sea!?


    W-will I be really facing such cruel death?


    Before he could stab me, I would first hit him on his head!


    Xing Bi got into position, raising the vase in the air.


    I won''t be a coward! This is all or nothing!


    Xing Bi sprung on her feet and swung her right arm to direct the vase''s attack on the man''s head. "Begone you intruder!"


    But the man took a step aside and caught her wrist, making her freeze like an ice statue.


    He caught me. I am dead now...


    "Please don''t kill me! Please don''t kill me! Please don''t kill me!" She shut her eyes, preparing herself for the worst. Then she randomly cursed him. "You would rot in hell, you criminal! My ghost will haunt you forever!"


    Suddenly, a beam of light flashed before her shut eyes and feeling the bright radiance out of nowhere, she sniffled. "Noooo. Am I already in the afterlife? Am I dead?"


    "Does anybody have the guts to kill the woman I love? I would like to have a ''nice'' chat with that person," A deep voice snickered.


    Recognizing the voice all too well, Xing Bi quickly opened her eyes. Nian''s devilishly handsome face shone in the white flashlight. "Liu Nian..."


    Nian narrowed his eyes, staring at her quietly.


    "Y-you are also dead?"


    "..."


    Xing Bi finally snapped out of her daze and believed that she was really alive. "Liu Nian, it''s you after all!"


    "..."


    She finally believed it.


    "S-so it was you who entered my apartment like a hooligan!?" Her jaw dropped. "And here I was thinking all crazy theories like a serial killer! You scared the hell out of me!"


    Nian cocked his brow.


    She glared at him, aggrieved. "And what''s with the knife? Who were you out to kill in my apartment?"


    "The supposed intruder."


    "Huh?" Clearly, there were a lot of question marks floating on top of her head.


    Nian pointed at the door. "I was here to meet you, but I realized the lights were out. When I arrived at your apartment, I rang the doorbell, but then I noticed your main entrance door was already open."


    Ah?


    Xing Bi scratched her head.


    How was my apartment''s entrance left open...


    Then she was struck with realization, and she heavily smacked herself on her forehead. "Ugh...That was my mistake."


    "Your mistake?"


    "Well..." her face reddened with embarrassment. "I returned from the office as usual but midway... had to urgently go for a bathroom break..."


    Ugh, I got my periods at the wrong time!


    "I rushed into my apartment, but I totally forgot to close the door in a hurry...Then I went for a bath..." and the rest was history.


    Xing Bi blinked at him and asked, "But what are you doing here? And why the hell were you so silent!?" She touched her chest, trying to calm her erratic heartbeats. "Do you know how terrified I was?"


    "Were you the one terrified or me?"


    "..."


    It was then Xing Bi clearly saw Nian''s expression which was far from his usual goofy demeanor. His black eyes felt immeasurably cold for some reason, but that iciness was slowly fading away now.


    "The whole area was dark and when I reached here, what was it that I saw? The door was open. It felt highly unlikely that you would have kept it open like that, so I thought somebody sneaked in somehow. It was dark too. I thought you must be in danger."


    Xing Bi couldn''t blame him for his train of thought to go that way. "But why were you so silent?"


    "To catch the supposed intruder of course. If he had held you hostage, I didn''t want to alert him," he shrugged. He then smiled. "I know I talk a lot. But I can be extremely silent when I want to."


    She cleared her throat. "T-then the knife..."


    "To kill him if he tried to get violent," he nonchalantly said.


    "..."


    "Kill?"


    "Depending on his intentions, I would have either slashed him with a simple cut or stabbed him to his death," his eyes twinkled. "All depending on his intentions."


    "..."


    "But why did you break my phone screen?" Xing Bi lamented as she saw the cracks. "You didn''t look like a savior from any angle!"


    Nian shot a cold look at the phone. "I saw a message from that goody two shoes Hou Lin. I felt jealous. Since when did you two have each other''s numbers and got so chummy? I couldn''t control my strength and the phone... Don''t worry. I will get you a new phone and a new number too."


    "..."


    She exhaled a deep breath.


    Hah what a big misunderstanding-


    She froze on her spot as Nian''s face suddenly came into her close view. "Now that you have gotten all your answers, answer my question now."


    Nian grabbed her waist and crashed her freshly bathed body against his sturdy stature, breathing in her lemon scent and whispering near her lips, "How should I punish you for being irresponsible?"

 Chapter 464 Lucky Or Not So Lucky?

    Jun brought a cup of hot chocolate for Ai, who had been resting listlessly on the bed ever since they had returned. He sighed. "How long will you stay like that?"


    Ai said while sniffling, "I don''t know. How can I remain calm after knowing Guiying''s past?"


    "That''s fine if you feel shaken up. The same goes for me. I didn''t expect this. But what I am not fine with is the fact you are blaming yourself."


    Her eyes reddened more. "But I failed as a friend...I never understood her feelings. Worse is that I never thought that something like this was bothering her in the first place. If I hadn''t decided to participate back at the last moment, she wouldn''t have felt so disturbed..."


    Jun hugged her back to his chest and locked his arms on her waist. He gently kissed her temple. "She didn''t share her feelings with you and you are not a mind reader. Her emotions, her complex - it was difficult to understand it if there was no communication at all. It''s her family situation. We cannot blame her for hiding it. It''s their own choice whether to reveal it or not. But nor is it your fault to take all the responsibility on yourself."


    "I still cannot forgive myself. I failed..." her voice dimmed.


    Jun hugged her tighter and squished his cheek against hers. "Well then I am also in the same boat as you. I failed as Jin''s brother too."


    To that, Ai quickly corrected. "You didn''t-"


    "You cannot convince me otherwise. I failed and that''s that. So since both of us feel that we weren''t good enough, how about we drown our sorrows with hot chocolate."


    She turned, her wet eyes looking at him with a hint of complaint.


    He chuckled. "What? Hot chocolate is delicious."


    "How can I be in the mood to enjoy hot chocolate?"


    "Because firstly, yours truly have made it. So it''s extra delicious."


    "..."


    "Secondly, no matter how much we curse ourselves, the past is not gonna change. That''s what I have learned from Jin and my confrontation. Even if I berate myself, things won''t change. The only thing we can do is focus on improving our relationships for our present and future."


    She pressed her lips silently.


    "Am I not right? We have wasted precious time in our past. Rather than letting go of more of that precious time, we should look towards our future. So right now, what you need is not blame but a good conversation with Cai Guiying. The cat also agrees."


    Ai looked down and was surprised to see the cat cozily sitting beside her on his four legs. "When did he hop in?"


    "For a long time now."


    The cat focused his dark brown eyes at her for a long moment and took his gaze away, yawning and showing his small, sharp teeth.


    Ai felt her heart burst with joy. "Did you come here because you were worried about me?"


    The cat showed no change in his expression.


    Feeling overwhelmed, Ai scooped the cat and hugged him closer to her chest. "You are so cute! You are a tsundere after all. I know that you definitely like me," she rubbed her cheeks against his soft fur.


    *Meowww!!!!*


    The cat hissed at her in disdain.


    When did I give you the permission to hug me!? Leave me!


    The cat struggled in her firm, smothering embrace.


    It was a mistake to show my sympathy to this human!


    --


    Xing Bi found herself in a very precarious situation. She was pinned between a pair of long and muscular arms that gave her no exit to escape. On top of no way out, she realized she had been talking to Nian in a bathrobe the whole time.


    Ahhhh! What am I doing getting so lax in front of him in just a bathrobe!?


    There was no bra or panties she wore underneath, and she suddenly felt too exposed despite being covered in a bathrobe. But she didn''t want to show him her realization, so she tried hard to control her flushed expression from leaking out.


    I-I am the elder one here so why am I being pinned like this?


    Her thoughts broke when she felt a certain someone''s chest being pressed too much in proximity against her breasts. His scent flew through her nostrils, making her gulp. His entire presence overwhelmed her.


    She would have easily beaten up if it was the goofy Nian. But a serious Nian was what she was always unable to handle.


    "Keeping your apartment''s door open is an irresponsible thing to do," he quietly whispered with a hint of warning mixed with scolding.


    "I...admit it was my f-fault..." she hoarsely replied.


    "What would you have done if it was really an intruder instead of me?"


    I certainly might have been dead...


    She had nothing to retort to that.


    Nian squinted his eyes. "Your answer should be to call me the first moment you feel any danger coming."


    "M-My p-phone was on the b-bed..." she stammered, feeling pressured by his aura.


    "Which must be by your side at all times," he spoke even quieter than before.


    Xing Bi nervously but furiously bobbed her head in agreement. "I will s-stick my phone on my palm with a glue from now on h-haha..."


    The intensity of his aura became even denser.


    "I-I was trying to lighten the mood..." she spoke like a rabbit cowering in front of a dangerous wolf.


    Nian lifted her chin and brought it closer to his face. "I cannot laugh when I felt afraid the whole time, thinking if something might have happened to you. If there was really someone out to harm you, I would have gone on a very bad rampage."


    She gulped for the second time. But at the same time, her heart pounded faster, sensing the reliability he emanated. She felt she could depend on him for any bad situation. No matter what it was, Nian would solve it without a hitch. It raced even faster, seeing his eyes filled with concern and fear for her safety.


    He stood before her as a man who was strong, resilient, quiet but equally lethal.


    "I am lucky it was y-you who came in..." Xing Bi indeed was relieved that it was Nian rather than some stranger with dubious intentions.


    "Lucky?" The corner of his lips lifted in a shady smile. He pressed his thumb on her lower lip and said in a husky voice, "I never said you were lucky because it was me. On the contrary...you are quite in danger yourself."

 Chapter 465 Merciful

    Xing Bi felt the space constrict around her. There was the wall on her back and Nian in the front with his arms at the sides. It wasn''t helping that his thumb was pressed on her lower lip, making her unable to focus on her escape.


    "Y-you don''t barge in someone''s house a-and do these kinds of things¡­"


    His index finger twirled a lock of her damp hair like a coil around it. "What kinds of things?"


    This man definitely knows what I am talking about!


    While Xing Bi was busy trying hard not to get sucked in by his pheromones, Nian on the other side, was busy staring at her neckline that continued down to give him a sneak at the slit between her breasts. The moistness from her hair was making her neck shine slightly with dampness as well. A desire to do something more than just holding her lurked in his irises.


    Xing Bi felt his strong gaze directed at chest, and the tips of her ears turned even redder. She opened her mouth and spoke in a hoarse voice, "Can you¡­please step out¡­for a moment?"


    That single question drained out all the stamina from her.


    Nian narrowed his eyes. He released the lock of hair from his finger and instead started teasing her jawline with his feathery touch. "Why?"


    She jolted back with heat spreading to the right side of her neckline the further Nian traced down. "Xing Bi¡­"


    In the dark, his gruff voice sounded extra sexy and inviting. "Isn''t it such a perfect atmosphere to do something more rather than driving me away?"


    His right hand reached out to tug the belt of her bathrobe, making her stiffen. "D-don''t!"


    "Why?"


    "I-I¡­I¡­"


    "I know you are naked under the bathrobe."


    "..."


    "You thought I wouldn''t notice that? That''s the first thing I saw."


    She gritted her teeth. "P-Pervert!"


    "What is perverted in this? I am a man, not some God of celibacy not to get attracted by your compromising state."


    She could feel steam escape from the top of her head.


    Why is he acting so different today? Ah how I wish he gives that goofy grin so that I can beat him up!


    "So I can safely say¡­" he leaned ahead till he brushed past her cheek and bent his head such that the tip of his nose tingled her skin, "that you are seducing me."


    Her knees trembled, making her difficult to stand on her own. His hair tickled her earlobes. She kept thinking that he would kiss her neck the next moment, but what she got was only lots and lots of teasing. She felt the bathrobe loosening around her waist with his fingers tapping and dancing playfully.


    "Y-y-you-you are not innocent at all!" She babbled helplessly, unable to push him away.


    The sound of his chuckle rang in her ears deeply. "I never said that you were safe with me. The woman I love is in front of me in just a bathrobe with wet hair upon her shoulders and inciting all sorts of reactions within me, so what do you suppose I should do?"


    Her mouth twitched. "B-Be a gentleman and-"


    "The Liu family men are not saints."


    ? "..."


    "In fact, no man will be a saint in this situation."


    Fair point¡­


    Xing Bi dared to ask in the darkness laced with silence, "So w-what will you do?"


    "Hmm~" Nian took a long, purposeful and agonizing pause. "I feel like doing lots of things with you, especially after seeing you chatting with Hou Lin so chummily."


    Her smile cracked. "That''s just work."


    A sudden gasp escaped her lips as his teeth seemed to bite her ear but not at the same time. "And now you are defending your relationship with him too. This doesn''t sit well with me."


    The warning hint in his tone made goosebumps appear on her skin.


    "This demands a severe punishment, my dear."


    Nian was at his limit. Feeling Xing Bi in a bathrobe was a torturous ordeal for him, who only wished to ''unrobe'' her as soon as possible. Their dark surroundings added to the atmosphere, making his breathing slightly laborious.


    Xing Bi took advantage of that small moment''s opening and bent down to slip from under his arms. But fate wasn''t on her side and she crashed her knee against the table. She was about to fall when Nian grabbed her arm. In all that movement, the belt of her bathrobe became undone, making her choke.


    She quickly tried to cover up but just then, her whole apartment was lit up. The electricity was back.


    There was a beat of long silence as Nian stared at her partially naked body, his eyes refusing to blink. His chest felt stuffy and his fingers itched to caress her smooth body and leave his marks on it with his teeth.


    "Pervert!!!" She exclaimed and pushed him away with all her might, blushing furiously. She could read his thoughts very well and her heart pounded faster, sensing his desire.


    She covered herself, tied her bathrobe and turned, covering her face with her hands. "I-I want to change! G-get out!"


    Ahhhh! I want to merge with the cosmos now!!! He saw me¡­n-naked¡­


    Instead of his footsteps obediently walking away, she felt her back growing warmer instead. "Escape is pointless, my dear."


    She shivered with her right cheek and earlobe tingling as his breath fanned it. "I still haven''t punished you about your secret chatting."


    "D-don''t talk like I am having an affair with Hou Lin. We are just keeping an eye on Miss. Sun¡­"


    Nian pouted. "I will help you with whatever you need. Other men are not good. They bring out the beast from inside me."


    "..."


    "What will it take for you to l-let me change peacefully?"


    "A good punishment."


    "..."


    "What that punishment might be?" She asked, her throat going dry.


    Nian smiled with an evil glint. He gently brushed her hair away from her neck and bent to press his lips under her earlobe.


    She jolted, feeling extremely ticklish but warm by his kiss. The first kiss on her forehead was just a light peck that she didn''t realize when it even happened.


    But right now, it was totally different. She could feel her neckline''s temperature increasing to feverishly hot.


    "Under your ear seems to be your sensitive spot, is it not?"


    Her brain was too short-circuited to respond.


    Nian teased as he withdrew and whispered. "This is me still being merciful, my dear. Next time, it won''t end with just your neck."

 Chapter 466 Sun Bais Not So Pure Intentions

    Xing Bi peeked her head out of her room and found Nian casually seated on the couch with his fingers tapping on his phone. She cleared her throat and stepped out fully dressed, albeit her face still red with embarrassment from Nian''s kiss. She kept her distance from Nian as she walked towards him.


    Which made Nian lift his gaze and cock his brow with interest. "Why are you walking so farther away from me?"


    "So that you don''t get to do w-what you did inside!"


    "What did I do?"


    She glared at him. "Don''t feign ignorance!"


    "No, I am seriously asking about my crime, my dear because clearly, what I did in your dictionary and my dictionary is different."


    She gasped at his shamelessness. "Y-you k-kissed me, you pervert!"


    He chuckled. "How can you call your future husband a pervert? Am I not simply romancing my wife?"


    "..."


    "And¡­" he leaned playfully. "I could have done lots of things with you and if I had, you wouldn''t have been able to even bring yourself to show your face out of the duvet~"


    She hugged herself and shuddered.


    What has this pervert planned!?


    Her mind couldn''t help but wander off to all sorts of unspeakable things Nian might have done to her body with him pinning her on the top of the bed.


    His muscular body, his naked chest, his beastly expression to eat her up and his gaze filled with passion¡­


    No, no! I am definitely not drooling!


    She shook her head furiously and widened the distance between them.


    I won''t let myself be swayed away by this brat!


    "Were you thinking of something naughty, my dear?" Nian exposed her inner intentions.


    "Absolutely not!"


    "I don''t mind stripping naked in front of you~"


    "..."


    She smiled with a hint of anger. "I hope you had your fill of food before coming here because you are not getting any dinner here!"


    Nian smiled. "Right now, I am feeling a different type of appetite inside me," he winked.


    The redness from her cheeks traveled all the way to her neck at his shameless declaration.


    He patted the space beside him on the couch with his palm and said, "Come sit here."


    "As if I will after knowing your true intentions!"


    "They were always my true intentions, but you were safe till now right?" He smirked.


    "S-shut up!"


    "Come on, sit already~ I want to show you something interesting."


    Xing Bi cast him a suspicious stare. In the end, she did sit on the couch but kept her distance from him yet again.


    Nian chuckled. "How can I show you if you are so far away?"


    "Say whatever you want like this only!" She folded her arms and harrumphed.


    I won''t get fooled by your tricks again.


    Nian sighed. "I thought I could show you some info on Sun Bai but¡­"


    "Wait, Miss. Sun?" That instantly caught her attention. "What is it about her?"


    "Something about her and Lu Bohai but such a bummer you are so far away to show you."


    "...You can just tell me like this."


    "It will be inconvenient."


    Taking advantage of the information you hold! Shameless man!


    Xing Bi grudgingly lessened the distance between them.


    Nian pouted. "There is still an arms-length of distance between us. Super inconvenient."


    She threw him another deadly glare but scooted closer to him once again helplessly. "This is fine."


    "Nope. Still inconvenient to read."


    "Liu Nian y-you-"


    "Either agree to properly sit beside me or I will make you sit on my lap. Your choice."


    "..."


    "You are th-threatening me?"


    "Pretty much," he shrugged.


    Xing Bi jolted with the seriousness of him really carrying out his threat, so she promptly sat beside him without arguing any further.


    "Tch. You should have resisted more so I could have brought you on my lap," he lamented.


    "J-Just show me what you got!" It seemed as though she had exclaimed loudly but in reality, her voice was too hoarse to hear.


    Nian chuckled with satisfaction and showed her the picture of a man she never saw before.


    She frowned. "Who is this? Though he seems similar to¡­"


    "Lu Bohai. He is his elder brother Lu Yin who died in an accident before."


    "His elder brother as in the one with whom Miss. Sun was in a relationship, right?"


    "Yup."


    "I see. What about him?"


    "It wasn''t an accident."


    She widened her eyes, stunned. "Not an accident? But here it says¡­that he died when he accidentally fell on a railway track in a subway when the train was coming."


    "Somebody actually pushed him. So it wasn''t an accident."


    "Th-that''s horrible! Who would kill him like that?"


    "His own brother."


    "Lu Bohai!?"


    He nodded. "Lu Bohai and Lu Yin never had a good relationship and more so after Lu Yin started dating Sun Bai. Lu Yin later died by falling on the railway tracks. But he was actually pushed off. The subway was crowded so it was easy to feign a push in the wrong direction. I am pretty sure Lu Bohai liked Sun Bai too and killed him out of jealousy."


    Xing Bi''s heart was filled with rage.


    "Miss. Sun¡­she lost someone so precious to him because of this murderer!" She glanced at him and asked, "But she should have broken all contact with Lu Bohai after Lu Yin passed away. Not like they had any good relationship either so why would she keep meeting him?"


    "Because somewhere she also believes that his death wasn''t an accident so she isn''t cutting off all contact. There might be some other reason too. But right now, she isn''t seemingly holding any pure intentions towards Sky."


    She straightened up. "Is this about¡­"


    "I read your chat with Hou Lin. Something about Sun Bai downloading some files to her personal device. I called Jun but he seemed to be busy so then I called Yunru and asked him to check. Sun Bai wasn''t downloading just any files. She stored some story drafts into her device particularly belonging to Ai."

 Chapter 467 Chen Zixins Gratitude

    Impossible¡­


    "W-why would she take Ai''s drafts with her?"


    Her mind immediately thought of a scenario where Sun Bai might leak the drafts to Lu Bohai, but she refused to believe it. But thinking back on their conversation in the restaurant where he was furiously demanding something from her, it could be very well related to story drafts as well.


    "No, no! Miss. Sun would never do this!"


    But what if she struck some kind of a deal with Lu Bohai? Her frequent meetings with him always looked suspicious to me¡­


    "Noooo! Miss. Sun always behaved so mature and independent. I don''t want her to be a bad person! What would be her motive in taking Ai''s drafts to him anyway? They cannot seriously be thinking of some author in Shi Publishing plagiarizing Ai''s story, right?"


    Nian touched his chin. "We will only know that when we catch her handing the drafts over to Lu Bohai. Of course, we will have our evidence at that time."


    Her shoulders slumped. Ever since she came to Sky, Xing Bi held deep respect for Sun Bai. From the bottom of her heart, she didn''t wish for her to be involved in any wrongdoing. She wanted to believe that Lu Bohai was the villain and Sun Bai was helpless before him.


    But she couldn''t be sure anymore. Also, Xing Bi was very protective of Ai and her work so if it involved her, Xing Bi wouldn''t be so forgiving.


    "Fine. The only way we can learn the truth is if we see for ourselves what she plans to do with Ai''s drafts¡­"


    She took her phone and letting out a sigh, she opened her chat with Hou Lin. Nian''s expression twisted, and he snatched her phone away.


    "Hey! Give me my phone back!"


    "Why are you texting that man again?"


    "To give him the update."


    He snorted. "No need. Why do you want to keep him in the loop when I am here with you?"


    So childish!


    "Because he has been helping me. How can I suddenly abandon him?"


    He pouted. "You abandon me all the time though."


    She gave a dry expression. "Because you do nothing but fool around! He is my colleague anyway. I work with him everyday. What''s the problem?"


    "Hmph. I don''t like him."


    "Why not?"


    "Because he is definitely eyeing you."


    "He literally said he is not interested in me."


    "A man''s heart holds many secrets."


    "..."


    Nian gave an ultimatum. "If you text him back, I will kiss you and this time on the lips."


    !!!


    "You are shameless!" Her face reddened, remembering his kiss on her neck.


    "All the men in the Liu family are shameless. I am following the tradition."


    She relented. "Fine! I won''t message him anything. Now give me my phone and leave my house!"


    Before my heart cannot take it anymore¡­


    Nian handed her phone back and got up. Adjusting his coat, he smiled back. "If you miss me, I am just a call away~"


    Xing Bi politely declined. "No, thanks. This time, I will make sure to keep all the doors tightly shut and locked."


    He clicked his tongue. He then noticed something on the floor. "What''s that?"


    "What''s what?"


    Xing Bi turned her head to look when Nian bent and sneaked a kiss on her lips. He kept it pressed fiercely for one long moment and pulled back. "You said not I am not allowed to eat dinner here but you didn''t say anything about my dessert."


    She blankly stared at him, unable to process what just happened.


    Nian rubbed the corner of his lower lip where a light stain of her lipstick got smudged on to his thumb. "I always thought that nothing could be as sweet as cakes, but you proved me wrong. Your lips are the sweetest delicacy in the whole world. Good night, my dear."


    The door shut and silence reigned as Nian left.


    Xing Bi was left in a stupor for a long, long time. She touched her lips where Nian''s lips were just had touched hers a few moments ago. She fell on the couch sideways, completely turning crimson.


    What, what, what? He kissed me? He kissed me?


    The questions played in her mind like a broken recorder.


    Ahhhhhh!!! That brat kissed me!!!! That sneaky brat!


    He stole my first kiss! Shameless!


    After that, Xing Bi lost count of how many times she called Nian shameless in her mind with her blushes completely betraying her heart.


    ¡ª


    Zixin stared at the cherry blossom in his palm which had withered up from the time Guiying first gave him in the hospital. He caressed it between his fingers, his eyelashes faintly trembling. Alone in his room, numerous thoughts swirled in his mind.


    With an unreadable expression, he picked his phone but seemed hesitant. Eventually, he dialed the number and brought the phone near his ear.


    "Hello?" A voice responded.


    He silently breathed in upon hearing it. "Hi."


    ''She'' asked from the other side, "Chen Zixin. Why the late call?"


    He quietly listened to her question. He knew he was talking to the ''other'' person inside Guiying. Now that he was aware about her split personality, it felt even clearer to see the difference. The tone, the impression of how the two Guiyings behaved had a stark contrast.


    He tried to smile, his eyes gradually turning moist. "H-How¡­how are you?"


    ''She'' asked back after a short pause, "...What''s with this strange question?"


    Zixin had many things to say. Many things to ask. Many things to express to her.


    I know about your childhood now. I know about your relationship with Cai Lingyun now. I know why you were born. I know how much you have suffered.


    Where should I begin¡­


    "Chen Zixin?" ''She'' called out, feeling the strange stretch of silence between them.


    "Thank you."


    "For what? I don''t remember doing any goodwill for you."


    "Not for me. It''s for¡­" he held back a choke as his tears fell, "protecting somebody very important to me. I cannot express my gratitude in words. Guiying¡­You did your very best. I am so, so proud of you. I called to say that from now on, you don''t have to suffer anymore. You won''t have to fight your battles all alone any longer. I, Chen Zixin, will always be there to protect you."

 Chapter 468 Letting Loose In The Crescent Swing (1) *

    Jun was working hard the next morning to prepare the perfect breakfast for Ai. She was hardly in any mood to eat a decent meal last night, so he decided a sumptuous breakfast it would be today.


    From the corner of his eye, he saw the cat trotting back and forth and glancing his way frequently towards the kitchen.


    "You are not so honest, aren''t you?"


    Jun took out a bowl and pouring some of his special cat food on it, he placed the bowl at a distance. The cat hurried towards his goal and dug his face into it, chomping into his food.


    At this rate, it feels as if we will really adopt him, Jun released a sigh.


    Ai stepped out freshened but carrying her tired body out of the room as if she hadn''t freshened up at all.


    "There you are."


    Jun walked behind her and holding her shoulders, he dragged her to the dining table and made her sit. "Time to serve your breakfast piping hot."


    She pressed her lips. "I am not feeling hungry-"


    "Say another word about not eating and you will face my wrath."


    "..."


    He served her a bowl of light chicken soup, three slices of toast bread and egg fries, small shrimp dumplings and some veggies for a light salad.


    "I already feel my stomach full just by looking at your breakfast."


    "You actually have to get your stomach full by eating it, not just admiring it," Jun shot her a glare. "Look at your cat. His face is in the bowl. Learn how to eat heartily like him."


    "But-"


    "You didn''t eat well last night. If you skip your food again, you will become sick."


    "I won''t."


    Jun folded his arms. Then he got from his own chair, picked Ai and made him sit on his lap on her chair.


    "J-Jun¡­"


    He pinched her cheek hard. "Skipping food is not an option, girlfriend. Now open your mouth."


    He took a spoonful of chicken soup and brought it near her lips. Ai pouted but afraid that he will pinch her cheeks again, she quickly gulped it.


    "That''s better," Jun nodded in satisfaction.


    "You are a tyrant," she complained, rubbing her cheek.


    "It''s not my fault if you only understand the language of tyranny," he pecked on her lips. "I know you are worrying about a lot of things related to Cai Guiying, but skipping your meals will only make your brain work slower."


    He promptly fed her the entire breakfast until there wasn''t even a scrap of it left.


    "I think you should rest at home today and take a day off from work. There are a lot of things to process, and it''s better if you meet Cai Guiying after knowing exactly what is it that you want to say to her."


    Ai gave it a thought and nodded. She herself didn''t feel in the mood to write anything. Her creative juices felt at a break.


    She asked, "Will you be going to Sky?"


    Jun tilted his head, thinking of his schedule for today. "I have some meetings to attend. Sky''s third anniversary is coming up in a few days too, so there are some preparations I have to do with Yunru."


    Her face shone. "It will be three years since Sky came into existence?"


    "Yes. Three years since I first started Sky Publishing."


    "Then you should definitely go."


    Jun raised his brow. "What is it? Something is on your mind."


    "Nothing-"


    "Ai," he warned.


    She hesitantly whispered. "I thought it would be nice if you could stay at home with me today¡­" she drew circles on his shoulder. "I feel like hugging you for the entire day."


    Jun stared at her, speechless.


    Is this the first time I am seeing her acting coquettish?


    "You feel like a big teddy bear."


    "..."


    "I see," Jun smiled with a mischievous glint.


    He snaked his arms behind her waist and tightened his grip on her body as he teased her. "Hugging means like this?"


    Ai blushed. "A-A little looser is fine too¡­"


    "Oh."


    Jun further pressed their bodies and asked, "You mean like this?"


    "T-this is not what loose means¡­"


    "Then please teach me what loose means exactly," his husky breaths fanned her neck with an inviting gesture.


    She tried to push him away when he said, "That is a tight hug, not a loose one."


    "..."


    "You are switching their meanings to your convenience," she harrumphed under her breath. "If that''s how it is, you should hug me tightly."


    Jun beamed. "As you say."


    Instead of lessening the distance, he instead picked her up and put her into the crescent swing deep inside with his body blocking the way out.


    "..."


    "This is not what you said how a tight hug is," Ai sincerely let out her grievances.


    He lifted her chin and capturing her lips with a fiery kiss, he said, "Let''s not get into the details, my girlfriend. Since you wish to hug me, I should properly fulfill your wish."


    Trailing his kisses down her neckline, he tugged her light blue night dress to reveal her beautiful chest that always enamored him. Inside the crescent swing and trapped within his arms, he felt his girlfriend to look even more alluring than ever.


    Ai hugged him back after accepting her sweet defeat by his hands. Her face reddened with his dark brown irises staring at every inch of her skin and his lips peppering teasing kisses on her shoulder.


    She courageously raised her head and initiated a kiss this time which caught him off-guard. But he came out of that delirious trance, snapping that night dress from her body.


    He let her soft breasts bounce and press against his chest as he claimed her lips over and over again. His hot, bulging member was already at her entrance and sliding his way inside her. As he fully penetrated, Ai let out a gasp, unable to hold back the pleasure that brought goosebumps on her skin.

 Chapter 469 Letting Loose In The Crescent Swing (2) *

    A sigh of satisfaction escaped Jun''s lips basking into the joy of becoming one with her. He had made love to the most precious woman in his life countless times, but every experience would always ignite the familiar passion within him. Once the fire was lit, it refused to die down.


    He loved entangling his fingers in her hair and inhaling her scent that intoxicated him. As he pushed himself deeper into her, he could feel his temperature rising higher. His palm caressed her back as he brought it closer to his chest.


    "You wanted to hug me, right?" His hoarse voice sweetly whispered in her ear.


    Trembling with the fiery onslaught of his penetration between her thighs, she was in no position to have any coherent thoughts. "Y-Yes..."


    "Do you want me to hug you even more?"


    She nodded, failing to get her composure.


    Jun smiled craftily at her and lifted her waist to make his movements even more vigorous.


    "Ahhnnn...!"


    Her cries of pleasure got stuck at her throat as he kissed her senselessly. He bit his teeth into her breasts next to enjoy his feast.


    "Remember how we had made out that night in this very swing?" He asked, showering kisses on her ear.


    Ai was too shy to answer, but her memory was as clear as day.


    "It''s a shame we didn''t try making love here before," Jun sighed with lament. "I feel doing it in this cresent space is more appealing, don''t you think? You feel a lot closer to me~"


    She could clearly sense the teasing in his voice, which only further reddened her naked body.


    Chuckling, he buried his face in the valley between her breasts, caressing and indulging himself with them. As he quickened his pace and climaxed, he turned her on her abdomen to hug her from the back.


    "Let''s say...I should hug you from all angles, right?"


    Ai regretted acting coquettish before. But now there was no way out. She jolted when his chest glided across her smooth back, making her bite her lip. His fingers danced across her waist, tickling her. He left the marks of their lovemaking in the form of his hickeys for which he left no place. Licking and slurping the back of her neck, he entered her at that angle which felt deeper than ever.


    His thrusts were gentle and agonizing as if wanting to tease her to the fullest. He took his own sweet time and pace to hit her sweet spot which made her tremble with grievances.


    "You..."


    "Hm?"


    "W-Why are...you..."


    "Why am I?" Jun rested his chin on her nape.


    Going slower was what she wanted to complain about.


    "I am being mindful of your strength, you know~ I don''t want to make you tired."


    This isn''t being mindful, this is torture...


    It only added to her frustration when he squeezed her breast in his palm while laying on her back but refusing to thrust harder. She felt breathless with his touches such that it was hard to escape the clutches of ecstasy.


    Jun thoroughly enjoyed Ai''s plight. He admitted it was challenging to be patient and go slow when his hot member was protesting to ravish her completely instead. But seeing her troubled expression that told him how she wanted for him to go faster felt like an addicting drug on its own.


    "It feels like you have something to say," he huskily asked.


    Sweating from her forehead, Ai felt a sharp and tight squeeze on her sweet pink nub when Jun pinched it. A warm gush of her release flowed across her inner walls, making her eyes tear up.


    "You are bullying me..." she whispered.


    Jun kissed her temple. "How can your boyfriend bully you? I care about you a lot."


    "Lies."


    He smiled. "Then what do you want me to do to prove my sincerity to you?"


    She hid her face in the swing''s pillow. "Go..."


    "Go?"


    "You know what I have to say!"


    "Unfortunately, I am not a mind reader."


    "..."


    She turned her head, brown eyes scowling at him with complaint. "Go faster!"


    Jun''s dark brown irises brightened with her declaration and he kissed her cheek. "You should have told me sooner. As you say."


    Ai was so bright red that she had no place left to hide anymore. Jun took this chance and pounded inside her, this time showing no mercy. Her melodious moans echoed in his ears that only fuelled his desire to eat her completely.


    A dessert at breakfast time is not a bad idea~


    His relentless thrusts made the swing slightly rock in its place, but their passion continued to burn. After Ai let out a second cry of orgasm, Jun finally decided to be merciful and pull out. He turned her to her side and firmly grasped her within his embrace.


    "There. Your teddy bear is hugging you."


    Ai inhaled a few times to catch her breath. "Were you taking revenge from me for something?"


    He chuckled, kissing her forehead. "Why do you always say that I have a revenge agenda whenever I make love to you?"


    "Because you always act mean to me."


    "It''s just a little teasing~"


    She looked away, her cheeks pouting.


    Jun kissed her balloon cheeks anyway and rested his chin on her head. "Please forgive me."


    "You always ask for my forgiveness but never change," Ai refused to fall for it again.


    "You are just so cute when we do it. I cannot help it," he laughed.


    "I can also act mean in any ways."


    "Like how?"


    "Hmph. Making you jealous-"


    "Is not a very wise solution to think of, Zhou Ai," Jun smiled as he warned. "Otherwise we can always go for a third round right now and sort out your priorities."


    "..."


    There is just too much injustice in this world, Ai thought.


    His gaze then looked gentle. "This is the Ai that I am dating. You are someone to take action, not dwell in the past. And that''s what I want you to do with Cai Guiying as well. Face her with sincerity that you always carry in your heart."

 Chapter 470 I Know Who You Are

    Chen Villa.


    After dealing with Cai Lingyun and learning the truth of Guiying''s mental condition, his next aim was to help her in any way possible to heal the trauma she suffered.


    But how? This was the question bugging Zixin since he learned the truth.


    The best path was to take Guiying to Jack Si, who could provide his guidance on what to do next. That''s what Ai wished to do as well.


    But once again, how?


    After a deep thought, he texted Guiying to meet him at some place. When he stepped out, he bumped his way into Yunru.


    "Bro!" He grinned with his usual beaming face.


    Zixin blinked and asked, "You seem to be in a happy mood today. Extra happy if I may say."


    Yunru scratched his head. "I-It''s nothing! I am just¡­"


    "Going to meet his girlfriend~" his twin sister Yubi teased.


    Yunru smacked her on the head with a furious blushing expression. "I told you so many times that she is n-not my girlfriend!"


    Yubi snorted. "Don''t lie to me! Ever since you came back from Shanghai, you have been frequently meeting up with her. And don''t you deny it because my reliable sources say that you have been skipping work at Sky!"


    Zixin raised his brow. "Is that so?"


    Yunru pointed his trembling finger at her. "Y-you¡­you are speaking nonsense! Bro, believe me!" He grabbed his hand and widened his watery eyes, "Your little brother is very responsible. I-I have not been slacking at all."


    Yubi folded her arms as if a cop was interrogating a suspect. "So tell us the reasons for your frequent meetings. This judge will determine whether you are guilty or not!"


    "I¡­have been just trying to help her."


    "Help?"


    He cleared his throat. "Huan wants to write a new story, and I was just giving her some suggestions. To be honest, her family and also the Shi Publishing''s situation is going quite downhill. Once the news of her new story will be out, it will help give that boost and she won''t be so troubled¡­" he pursed his lips.


    Yubi giggled. "That''s just means you are treating her in a special way~"


    His face reddened. "I-I-I am not doing anything like that¡­"


    Zixin patted his head. "It''s good that you are helping her."


    "See!" He gave a victorious look to Yubi. "Bro understands me the best!


    Yubi rolled her eyes.


    "But you should be careful. Shi Huan is your friend, but she also works for a company who is a rival to Sky. You are the President of Sky so professionally, if you involve yourself too much, it might cause conflict between the two companies in the future. Your important position at Sky makes your relationship with Shi Huan a little delicate."


    Zixin was aware that he had been helping Guiying as well, who belonged to Dream High, another rival of Sky. But he was conscious to limit his support, considering that Jun was Sky''s CEO. He wasn''t directly related to Sky or Dream High in any way, so he had some place to help Guiying.


    But Yunru''s position and situation was different.


    Yunru quickly said to wash away his worries. "Y-Yes, Bro! I understand my position at Sky. I promise there won''t be any trouble."


    Zixin nodded. "Good. I will take my leave then."


    ¡ª


    ''Guiying'' was casually eating her ice cream in the park as made herself comfortable on the bench.


    Wonder why Chen Zixin called me? ''She'' thought as she popped a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.


    If this is about her story again, then I will need to bring this idiot out.


    "Big brother! Pass the ball here!" A little girl giggled as she waved her hand to an older boy she was playing with.


    Her brother kicked the ball and passed it to her, but she missed passing it back to him.


    "Aish! Kick the ball like I told you before," he taught her the game, putting his hands on his waist. He patiently showed the way to play with the ball to his little sister, giggling and laughing.


    As they played again, the girl''s slipper slipped from her foot as she ran, making her stumble. The boy facepalmed and sighed. He fetched her slipper and walked back to his sister, slipping it back in her foot. "Be careful silly or you will hurt yourself. If you lose your slipper, then I won''t help you with Mom''s scolding hehe."


    She pouted. "I will just say that big brother played a prank on me and lost my slipper!"


    "..."


    He pinched her chubby cheeks. "How could you see your big brother in trouble? She will punish me with washing the dishes for the whole week!"


    "Hehe¡­"


    He ruffled her hair and laughed along with her.


    ''Guiying'' stared at the sibling pair and listened to their interaction in silence. Her unreadable gaze couldn''t be deciphered.


    "Your ice-cream is melting."


    ''Guiying''s'' stupor broke, and she lifted her gaze to see Zixin standing beside her. ''She'' looked back in her ice-cream cup and found that the chocolate scoop had turned into a milkshake. "Oh yeah¡­"


    Zixin quietly sat beside her. From afar, he had already noticed her staring intently at the kids. He softly said, "They are cute, aren''t they?"


    ''She'' threw him a sideway glance. "They are cute because they are blessed with luck. When you are brought up in a good family, everything feels cute and fluffy."


    Zixin looked somber. "I¡­"


    ''She'' raised her brow questioningly and asked a question instead which she wanted to for sometime. "What did you mean when you said that you will protect me? That evening you called me. You expressed your gratitude. You felt proud of me. Where did this come from?"


    He felt his heart race. "I met Cai Lingyun that day."


    ''She'' blinked once.


    "I got to know about your childhood."


    ''Her'' expression instantly narrowed, hinting of danger.


    "And the fact that the one talking to me right now is not the Guiying who met me at the hospital outside."

 Chapter 471 The Same Question Once Again

    It was the first time that evening that ''Guiying'', the alter personality in Guiying who had been protecting her for a long time now, had shed tears.


    ''You did your very best.''


    ''I am so, so proud of you.''


    His voice felt like a warm, gentle tide of the ocean, but it rang a loud resonance inside ''her'' heart that shook her from within. There was no reason to believe that Zixin was talking to ''her.'' He was in the dark about ''her'' existence. It should have been Guiying. The Cai Guiying everybody knew as CherryBlossom.


    But for the first time, ''she'' felt that he was talking directly to ''her.'' ''She'' suddenly felt exposed but more than that, ''she'' couldn''t explain why a tear slipped past her cheek.


    It was a short call. Zixin said a simple thank you. But it reached the deepest part of ''her'' heart because it was the first time that ''she'' felt recognized.


    ''She'' felt that her existence was recognized. ''She'' felt praised for who ''she'' was and what ''she'' did. ''She'' had been silently protecting Guiying for all these years as a shadow who only bared her fangs whenever Guiying was in danger.


    But ''her'' existence was never known to the world.


    It wasn''t normal for somebody to have two personalities living within them. ''She'' never talked to people like Guiying did. ''She'' never enjoyed her life like other people did because ''she'' was aware of what her existence was.


    It was temporary. ''She'' was born to protect her until the time someone else more capable, more loving and more caring will step into Guiying''s life and fill in ''her'' shoes.


    When that day would come, ''she'' knew she would fade away. ''She'' would cease to exist.


    That''s why when Zixin appreciated ''her'', ''she'' let herself live in that moment as just the identity of who ''she'' was. ''She'' basked in that moment of recognition and joy that somebody acknowledged how hard it was to live a life like Guiying and ''she'' did.


    ''She'' wasn''t sure why her train of thoughts led her in that direction.


    Did Zixin know about ''her''?


    His words sounded cryptic, and the meaning behind his gratitude was a mystery.


    But ''Guiying'' felt like a person of her own for the very first time.


    And as ''she'' peered into Zixin''s eyes at this moment, it dawned upon her that her suspicions were right.


    Zixin knew. It was why something felt odd when he spoke. ''She'' wasn''t sure how she felt about this.


    "Why would you meet him again?" ''She'' asked with a tinge of iciness in her voice.


    He paused, wondering if he should mention his conversation with Ai where she revealed about Guiying''s split personality. But he felt that it was something that Ai should speak to Guiying herself.


    "I came to know that Cai Lingyun was planning to cause some trouble for you. I was keeping an eye on him after he was violent to you and then was released from jail."


    A long silence ensued.


    "And?" ''Guiying'' chuckled. "What did he say? He must have praised me so much. A crazy woman. A mentally retarted woman turning violent all of a sudden. An abnormal woman with somebody else living inside her," ''she'' laughed. "What did Cai Lingyun have to say?"


    "I don''t know," Zixin replied. "It never got that far because by then, I made it sure he wasn''t in the position to spout nonsense."


    ''She'' stiffened.


    "...What did you do with him?"


    "Rest assured. He is at a place from where he wouldn''t be able to appear in front of your sight ever again," a chill echoed in his voice at the end of his sentence.


    Hearing that, ''Guiying'' felt uneasy but those emotions didn''t belong to hers. Instead, it was the real Guiying who couldn''t help but feel concerned for her brother.


    That added to ''her'' frustration which ''she'' vented out on Zixin. "That''s great. I don''t care what happens to that fucker. But the question is what do you want from me? Fine. You know about me. So what?"


    ''She'' sneered. "Go ahead if you want to make fun of me or that idiot inside me. I must be looking like a clown to you, don''t I?"


    Zixin shook his head. "Of course not."


    "Then why did you call me here!?"


    ''Guiying'' breathed out a little restlessly. ''She'' couldn''t understand what she was afraid and anxious of and for the first time, ''she'' felt like running away from him rather than having a confrontation.


    "I have some things to say to you."


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes.


    "First was what I already said on the phone that evening. I have thanked you, but it was important to express my gratitude in person. So..."


    He bowed his head and said, "Thank you for protecting Guiying all this time. I never imagined that you would have such a difficult childhood. But you fought with all the strength you had. I sincerely appreciate you from the bottom of my heart."


    ''Guiying'' was once again frustrated but not because she was furious at Zixin. ''She'' felt she was unable to hide the overwhelming sense of emotions gushing within her heart.


    Feeling acknowledged meant the world to ''her.'' Even more so when a man like Chen Zixin was bowing his head in front of ''her.''


    "You don''t have to do this."


    "I do," Zixin firmly said. "''You'' deserve all the respect in this world which Cai Lingyun failed to give you. Whether it''s Guiying or you, the only thing you deserve the most is love and nothing else."


    ''She'' clenched the hem of her dress, ''her'' vision getting blurry.


    Zixin met her gaze once again. "That was the first and utmost important feeling I wanted to express. The second thing. When I heard about ''you,'' I realized a grave error I made in my behavior."


    ''Guiying'' frowned.


    What mistake is he talking about?


    Zixin solemnly said, "That day at your home, I asked if I could be your friend."


    "So?"


    "At that time, I wasn''t aware of ''you.'' I asked that question to Guiying. But now that I know, it''s only natural that I ask ''you'' too. Can I be ''your'' friend?"

 Chapter 472 The Right To Choose

    "..."


    The wind blew, fluttering ''Guiying''s'' hair and rustling the leaves of the trees. The sunlight was mild and tepid. Though the weather was pleasant, ''she'' sensed a storm brewing in her heart, carrying a lot of questions spinning in it.


    What is this man talking about? He wants to be my friend? But he is already friends with that idiot.


    "I don''t understand where this is going," ''she'' honestly expressed her confusion.


    Zixin said, "I want to be your friend. Can I?"


    "You are friends with Guiying."


    "But not ''you.''"


    ''She'' blinked. "Me? Am I not Guiying?"


    He shook his head. "You two share the same body and consciousness. But as personalities, you two are different. ''You'' are not Guiying, and Guiying is not ''you.'' She has a different mind and beliefs of her own, and ''you'' hold different values to be important. It''s unfair to treat ''you'' the same as her."


    "Who cares? People will think you are crazy."


    Zixin stared straight into ''her'' eyes. "I am not here to please the society. Guiying likes writing stories, but ''you'' don''t. ''You'' like smoking cigarettes, but she doesn''t. She is a little shy, but ''you'' are bold. She holds a soft spot in her heart for Cai Lingyun despite all his atrocities against her while ''you'' desire nothing other than seeing him getting punished. ''Your'' likes, choices, hopes and fears might not necessarily align with Guiying''s because ''your'' existence is not the same as hers. Naturally, I don''t want to treat ''you'' like I would treat Guiying or vice versa. You two are separate beings, and that''s how you two should be treated."


    ''Guiying'' watched his gaze intently while trying to part her lips to speak. But ''she'' couldn''t make a sound. ''She'' was trying to process the information that Zixin bombarded her with.


    It was just like that phone call of that evening.


    Acknowledgement. Recognition.


    Somebody was seeing ''her'' as a separate entity for the first time. Zixin was here to mock ''her'' but to extend his hand of friendship towards ''her.''


    "...Why¡­" ''her'' hands trembled with cold despite the sunny atmosphere. "Why are you going so far? You have no reason to get involved in this mess."


    Zixin''s confusion looked real. "What mess?"


    "The mess of two existences in one body! It doesn''t make any sense! You are not supposed to be asking to be friends with me!"


    "Then?"


    ''She'' was left stunned. "Are you an idiot!? A normal person would want to take me to a therapist. You know, do all sorts of things to drive me away? To help Guiying heal? It''s supposed to be scary!"


    Zixin pursed his lips. "Please forgive my incompetence, but I am not getting your point."


    This man''s brain seems to have been hit too hard with that accident!


    "Why is it scary? Guiying is a nice woman and so are ''you.'' ''Your'' and her tastes are different, but you two have the same pure heart. Doesn''t everybody want to be friends with such people?"


    "..."


    ''She'' wanted to vehemently protest against his logic, but ''she'' couldn''t find the right words to do so.


    "You¡­"


    "Yes?"


    "Are an idiot."


    "..."


    Zixin''s expression fell. "Apologies that you have to see such an embarrassing side of mine."


    "..."


    ''Guiying'' held her head to stop herself from fainting from dizziness. "How can you not want Guiying to see a therapist¡­?"


    "Because it should be Guiying and ''your'' choice. I understand that in societal terms, this may not seem normal. But ''you'' appeared at a time to rescue Guiying when she needed it the most. ''You'' lended her the strength to fight against her violent brother and make her stand on her own feet. It was because of ''you'' that she led her life ahead with dignity and not some punching bag. After doing so much for her, the least ''you'' deserve is the freedom to choose whether ''you'' want to stay or leave. That choice shouldn''t be dictated by a therapist."


    ''Her'' tears fell. ''She'' had been trying her hardest to stop from giving in to her emotions, but now ''she'' couldn''t. ''She'' couldn''t help it.


    This was the fear that ''she'' dealt with ever since ''she'' was born within Guiying. ''She'' wasn''t that naive not to understand how the real world worked and in this world, there was space for only one person to exist at a time.


    A person with more than one presence would be treated as abnormal, outcast and with disdain. As such, ''she'' knew there would come a day when Guiying might choose to get rid of ''her'' to live a normal life.


    ''She'' felt afraid that ''she'' would cease to exist. That''s also why ''she'' was afraid to talk to Zixin when he told he knew about ''her.'' ''She'' thought he was here to advise Guiying to get treatment and become a normal person again. Or he would tell ''her'' to disappear.


    And to listen to those words terrified ''her.'' ''She'' wished to see more of the world. ''She'' felt like meeting new people too. Though their childhood was traumatic, ''she'' was in search of a hope to see any goodness remaining in this world.


    In essence, ''she'' wished ''she'' could freely live a life like Guiying did.


    But ''she'' also knew that it was a wish which would never come true. Once Guiying would meet somebody more capable and loving to take care of her, once somebody truly worthy of Guiying would walk into her life, ''she'' would have no reason to exist anymore.


    As ''she'' peered into Zixin''s bright, clear and sincere eyes¡­


    I think that day is not far away¡­


    Zixin panicked seeing ''her'' tears fall. He quickly took out his handkerchief and offered it to her. "I am sorry if I upset you. I might be unknowingly insensitive to certain things regarding ''you'' and Guiying, so please do tell me if I hurt you."


    ''Guiying'' hesitated but accepted his handkerchief. ''She'' wiped her tears and now, embarrassment set in. "Thanks¡­I am not used to this¡­"


    He nodded. "Once we become friends, ''you'' will get used to a lot of things."


    "..."

 Chapter 473 Seek Answers

    A ball bumped against ''Guiying''s'' foot, and ''she'' looked down with surprise. The same pair of siblings came running towards ''her.''


    "Sorry!" The older boy apologized. "Can I please have the ball back?"


    ''She'' took the ball in her hand and stared at them. The little girl was holding her brother''s hand. She looked a little shy, hiding behind his back.


    "Take good care of your sister."


    The boy blinked his eyes.


    "You should always be there to protect her. Even if things go wrong or you get mad for some reason, you absolutely cannot take it out on anybody else."


    The boy widened his eyes. "I never get angry at my sister! I always take care of her," he nodded his head seriously.


    "I saw that. But sometimes, life can be difficult. You can feel sad, angry and helpless. It is at those times when you should be sincere in protecting your sister."


    He nodded again. "Yes, pretty sister. I will always protect my sister no matter what!"


    They took the ball and hopped away.


    Zixin could feel the sense of loneliness emanating from ''her.'' It was a pain that he couldn''t erase because he had no control over the past.


    But what he could assure ''her'' and Guiying was that their future would always be as bright as the sun.


    "Excuse me. Please wait for me for a minute."


    He went away and returned with two cups of ice-cream.


    "For you."


    ''Guiying'' said, "You didn''t have to."


    "I do. We have to celebrate our friendship. Let''s start by eating something sweet."


    "I see¡­"


    ''She'' took a bite and saw Zixin having one bite of his own ice-cream. They quietly enjoyed their time in the park under the tree''s shade.


    The ice-cream tastes a lot sweeter today, a genuine smile bloomed on ''her'' lips for the first time.


    ¡ª


    Jin stood in front of the church yet again. He didn''t know what it was that made him trace his steps back to this place where he went through the most terrifying experience of his life.


    The golden clock, the voices and the memory lane¡­everything still made him shudder as he thought back to it. But he still came back in search of answers.


    The answers that he could hear in the form of Shui''s voices in his head and her cries that seemed to tell a story of their own. He thought if he came to this place, he might experience seeing the golden clock again. He might get to hear those voices more clearly and figure out what it was trying to tell him.


    It took him courage to come here because he wasn''t sure what would happen. Would he get stuck again? Would he fall into that comatose state again? That fear crept in his heart because he didn''t want to make Jun worry again.


    It was a gamble coming here, but he took his chance anyway.


    But as he stepped inside the church, nothing happened for a long time. He could feel his past life''s memories gushing back to him. But that phenomenon didn''t occur again.


    Jin pursed his lips in disappointment.


    Was it just a dream or did it really happen?


    Of course not, he shook his head. The place where I was stuck wasn''t a lie. What Bro and sister-in-law experienced wasn''t a lie either.


    "The answers that you seek lies in someone else."


    Jin jolted upon suddenly hearing a whisper from his back. He turned and saw an elderly woman seated on the bench with calm and tranquility. Her lips held a placid smile. In her lap, there was a cat with light brown irises staring at Jin.


    I thought I was the only one here¡­


    Jin started to walk away, thinking that she might be talking to herself. Since he didn''t have his privacy anymore, he figured it was for the best to visit the church at some other time.


    "You still wish to walk away. It won''t take you anywhere," she spoke.


    Jin paused. He frowned and looked back at her. "Sorry? Are you talking to me?"


    She smiled. "Will you keep this old lady company for some time, my dear?"


    Company¡­


    He found it to be an odd request. But he couldn''t say no to her. So, he walked back and sat beside her.


    The cat immediately jumped onto his lap.


    *Meow*


    She made herself comfortable in his lap, nudging his head against his stomach.


    Jin widened his eyes.


    This¡­


    He didn''t know what to do with the cat who suddenly made her home in his lap.


    "I¡­didn''t do anything," he defended himself, thinking if the elderly woman got offended by her cat cozying up to a stranger.


    "I adopted this cat from an animal shelter," she gently smiled. "A young man saved her from a bunch of bullies and left her in the shelter to be taken care of. He is a kind man."


    Jin immediately thought of Jun for no reason. He always associated the word ''kindness'' with Jun because that''s how he was. Jun might not look to be easygoing, but his heart held immense warmth.


    "He definitely is," Jin replied.


    Then after a pause, he asked, "The part about seeking answers in someone else¡­were you talking to me?"


    "Indeed."


    "I don''t understand."


    The elderly woman took out a bunch of cards from her bag. Jin took a curious look and felt that they looked like tarot cards.


    "Why don''t you pick three cards?"


    In normal circumstances, Jin would have thought this was a scam. But with a look at the woman, he couldn''t bring himself to assume that way.


    "I don''t really believe in this stuff."


    "There is no harm in just seeing the cards, right?" Her eyes shone with a mysterious glint.


    "Well¡­"


    He randomly picked out one card and turned it over. He froze upon seeing the art on the card.


    There was a golden clock hovering at the top below which a man was kneeling, shedding tears and grieving. He was seemingly surrounded and getting burnt in fire.


    "...What is this?"


    "That is you, my dear. You, who is touched by time and you because of whom¡­time touched the others too."

 Chapter 474 Jins Fortune (1)

    Jin stared between the card and the elderly woman back and forth. "Sorry what? Touched by time?"


    "Yes."


    "Hold on!" He grabbed the card back from her and pointed at the clock. "This golden clock¡­how is this here?"


    "This card represents your past."


    The card in his hand trembled. The golden clock in the card looked exactly the same as he had seen in his vision.


    "You didn''t answer me. How¡­H-How is this clock in this card?"


    "It''s not just the clock, dear. You are missing out on two more entities in this card."


    Jin looked deeper and realized that there were two more things besides the clock.


    At the left side of the clock, there was a wheel and on the right side, there was a dark figure carrying a scythe.


    "That''s the wheel of fortune," she pointed at the left side. "It represents fate. On the right is the grim reaper that represents death."


    Jin felt clueless. He was more focused on the golden clock because that was what he saw. "How can I see this clock again? What does this card mean?" He pointed at it. "Why¡­does it feel so¡­"


    Real¡­How can the clock in my vision be in this card?


    "Real?" She completed his question. "The cards are your fates. This is what you have gone through, are going through and tells what future you hold. Naturally, they will feel real," she smiled.


    Jin looked at her, flabbergasted. "My fates? Then this card is wrong. Why is this clock showing up in my past? My past life never-"


    He stopped himself just in time before revealing about his past life and his rebirth. She was just another elderly woman for him who wouldn''t believe in this fantasy.


    "That''s what makes you so special, dear," she gazed at him with an air of mystery. "Not that only you see the clock. The others had the golden clocks in their cards too. But it''s only you where three entities appeared on your card.


    The golden clock which signifies the passage of time. It serves as the window between your past, present and future worlds.


    The wheel of fortune which signifies your life''s destiny. The fate that you carry and are bound to live.


    And lastly, the grim reaper which signifies death. It''s the cycle of birth and death that it governs."


    She stared at the card and whispered. "And you are at the epicenter between these powerful entities."


    Jin felt a dull pain in his head. "I don''t get it¡­Who are these others you are talking about? Who has seen these golden clocks apart from me?"


    "The ones other than you who have been touched by time."


    He knitted his brows. Her cryptic words were hard to decipher.


    Touched by time¡­Does it mean going back in time like Bro Jun, Zhou Ai and I did?


    He suddenly froze.


    Bro and Zhou Ai¡­


    *Meow*


    A soft meow from below brought his attention to the cat resting in his lap. It was now that he got a closer look at her eyes and strongly felt that they resembled Ai''s eyes for some reason.


    He jerked his head towards the woman, throwing suspicious glances at her.


    Impossible. The others who have been touched by time¡­She cannot be talking about Bro and Zhou Ai? Of course not¡­


    The cat softly meowed again and touched the back of his hand with her paw when a sudden flash of a vision gripped his mind.


    He was there. Right before the three entities kneeling before them and crying hard. He saw something whitish floating in the air. There were two of those bright balls and below them were two shadows that faintly resembled the outline of two animals.


    Before he could get a clear look, the very next thing that he felt was immense pain that came at him from nowhere. Pain that he suffered as if he was burning in hellish fire. It ripped his soul from within where he was hardly able to breathe.


    "Ahhhh!!"


    Jin snapped out from that vision with a loud scream. He looked left and right and saw that he was back at the church.


    What¡­what was that?


    He lowered his gaze and saw his body shaking. But what petrified him more was he felt his skin was burning. There was no fire anywhere, yet he felt that hot, stinging sensation enveloping him in its entirety. He gasped hard, wiping his sweat.


    "Are you alright, dear?" The elderly woman asked.


    He threw her a frenzied look, unable to respond when he couldn''t comprehend what he saw himself.


    The cat softly meowed again and began licking his fingers as if wanting to give him relief from his pain.


    "This card¡­The whole scene appeared right before my eyes just now. It looked exactly like this card," he heaved breathlessly. "How can my vision and your cards be in sync like that? Who are you¡­?"


    The woman slowly raised her brow. Then an enigmatic smile greeted her lips. "Someone who knows you all too well, my dear."


    Knows me?


    "I don''t¡­I have never met you before," he was instantly cautious.


    "No need to be on your guard, my dear. I mean no harm for you. I simply want to help you."


    "Why do you want to help me?"


    "Because I know you too well. I have seen your grief. You were pivotal in letting others touch time. That''s why I wish to help you seek your answers."


    There were a million questions in his head for which he had no answers. It felt like this woman was answering him but at the same time, she wasn''t. There was a lot more hidden in the words that she spoke.


    Jin took a deep breath and calmed down. "Okay. So tell me. How should I find my answers?"


    "Will you pick a second card for that?"


    He reached out his hand, paused for a moment and threw her a thoughtful look. He took out one card and laid it before her.


    The card that denoted the present showed two people in it. A woman in white who stood at a distance from a man. They faced each other, standing on opposite sides of a land where the middle was broken and cracked into a deep cliff.

 Chapter 475 Jins Fortune (2)

    Jin tried to look away but somehow, his gaze was fixed at the woman in white. He felt an oddly familiar feeling, and his hand reached out to touch the card. His fingers hovered over the figure.


    ''Jin!''


    He heard a melodious laughter ring in his ears who called out his name. It belonged to the woman whom he had given his heart to years back. He envisioned Shui looking at him with her lips curved into a beautiful smile.


    "She is your path," the elderly woman spoke in a quiet voice. "If you want to know your answers, you must bridge that cliff between you and her."


    "...I don''t know who she is," he held his breath.


    She smiled. "I think you do. The answers you seek lie in her. If you stretch your hand towards her, you might be able to see what you cannot right now. The present between you and the woman in white is strenuous. The cliff appeared because you held your ground for too long. The distance just kept on widening."


    He stiffened. He averted his gaze and remembered the past where he had looked up his feelings for Shui.


    This grandma is really strange. How does she seem to know so much about my life?


    "But..." her eyes kindly looked at him, "if you take the first step this time and try to heal this crack between you two, then you wouldn''t be far from the truth."


    He trembled and remained quiet for a long time.


    My answers...


    The woman urged Jin to pick the third card. He did so which turned out to be a man standing at a crossroads. There were two paths in front of him, and he stood at the center. One path opened to the light while the other ended into a dark tunnel.


    "This is the future you hold. You will need to make a choice. That choice will define your path and your life."


    "But one path ends in the dark. Why would I choose that way?"


    Her beautiful eyes held a tinge of sadness in them. "Because one''s heart is complicated. You might choose to head into that tunnel despite knowing what your fate has in store for you. You will embrace grief despite knowing that it will hurt you a lot."


    He pressed his lips hard. His phone buzzed with a call with Jinhai''s number flashing on it.


    "Excuse me."


    He quickly went over to the other side and received it. "Jin. Where are you?"


    "I...am in the church."


    That made Jinhai''s tone change. "Why?"


    Jin could feel the faint sense of worry from his tone. It was definitely due to how Jin had gotten so sick after his last visit to the church.


    "Don''t worry, Dad. I am fine. I just thought..."


    "That you will find your answers?"


    He said nothing.


    "That''s fine, but you cannot be reckless," he sternly scolded him. "I cannot let what happened to you in the past because of..." he left it unsaid. "You should have taken Jun with you too."


    "I am really fine, Dad."


    "Come back to the office and then we''ll talk about it."


    "En. I am almost done here."


    They hung up and as he turned, he couldn''t see the elderly woman anywhere. His eyes widened and he hastily walked towards their seat, but it was empty.


    "Huh? Where is she?" He muttered to himself.


    He stared at the cat he held in his arms and was even more dumbfounded. "Why did she leave you?"


    Jin searched around the church, but there was no sign of the fortune-telling elderly woman. "What am I supposed to do with you?"


    He looked at the cat for an answer, but she simply meowed.


    "..."


    The cat didn''t seem to be particularly disturbed. She only made herself more comfortable.


    "No, really? What am I supposed to do with you?"


    --


    So, Jin brought the cat back with him to the Liu Corps because he really didn''t know what else to do with her. Which sent a shockwave among the employees as they saw him entering.


    "A...cat?"


    "Sir Liu Jin brought a cat?"


    For one employee, even his coffee mug slipped from his hands as he witnessed this strange phenomenon.


    When did our Bosses ever bring a cat to the office!?


    Jin ignored everybody''s scrutiny and hushed whispers that were urgently spreading around like wildfire. He seemed calm on the outside, but his expression had been flushing inwardly the whole time.


    This is so embarrassing! He shut his eyes in defeat.


    He adjusted the collar of his shirt, feeling hot. Even after that vision of him burning in fire was long gone, he still felt as if the heat on his skin remained.


    "I cannot believe she cruelly abandoned you...She looked so kind," he dryly said to the cat, lowering his head. "Turned out that she was heartless! Hah. She was definitely a scammer," he muttered. "I am sure I shouldn''t take her ''fortune'' seriously anymore-"


    The cat suddenly jumped out from his arms and ran away from him.


    "What? Hey, wait! Where are you going?"


    Jin rushed behind the cat to catch her. "Hey, stop. You will hurt yourself."


    Chasing after the cat, he didn''t realize when he arrived at the balcony of the corridor. He abruptly froze in his steps, his eyes widening upon seeing a certain woman in white.


    The woman in white was none other than Shui who wore a white knee-length dress gently fluttering in the wind''s direction at her knees. She was bent on them, surprised to see a cat running towards her. As she scooped the cat in her arms and stood back, she stiffened seeing Jin in front of her.


    Jin stared at her hard, his heart pounding loudly in his chest. Not just because it was Shui but also because she looked really similar to the woman in his fortune card. The card of his present seemed to imitate what was happening now.


    Jin and Shui were facing each other, though there wasn''t any real cliff between them. He clenched his fist, unable to speak.


    It was his first time properly seeing Shui ever since he woke up from his coma, which made his heart thump faster, knowing how he had acknowledged his feelings for her.

 Chapter 476 The Hint Of The Past

    They stood at an impasse for some time after which the fortune-telling woman''s words echoed in his mind.


    ''The answers you seek lie in her. If you stretch your hand towards her, you might be able to see what you cannot right now.''


    His black eyes were peering into hers, who he felt shine brighter with the warm sunlight falling over her. At this moment, he could think less about finding his answers as he basked in those joyful memories he shared with her in their childhood.


    His heart crippled with sorrow and anguish with the past life''s memories haunting him. But as he recalled Shui''s cries from the voices he had heard because of the golden clock, a tinge of helplessness and uncertainty equally gripped him.


    On her side, Shui wanted to leave since she was well aware that Jin hated her sight. But she was really curious about the cat after whom Jin came chasing too. The cat had been staring at her with big light brown eyes, nudging her head in her palm.


    In the end, Shui decided against her curiosity, not wishing to make Jin uncomfortable.


    "Thank you...Shui."


    Her gaze jerked towards Jin in disbelief.


    Did he speak to me?


    Jin faced her and said again. "Thank you. That day when I suddenly collapsed...you helped me out and...stayed back in the condo to look after me."


    She froze.


    He rubbed his hands together. "I didn''t thank you properly for your help."


    Shui stared at his expression which was mixed with gratitude but also something else that she couldn''t point a finger at. But it was the first time in months that she felt Jin''s voice to be so gentle towards her. Her vision blurred for a moment, but she quickly snapped out of it.


    "O-oh yeah...don''t mention it. It was what any friend would do," she quickly replied.


    A strong gust of wind blew and it entangled a small leaf from the air atop Shui''s hair. Jin naturally saw it and wondered if he should shrug it off himself or tell her about it.


    "The cat...?"


    Her question broke his train of thought, and he looked back at her. "She is not mine."


    She blinked. "I know. That''s why I was wondering why you were chasing after a cat."


    *Meow*


    Shui looked down, and her heart melted with the cat''s adorable paws reaching out to touch her chin. Her furry body was soft to cuddle. "Your eyes really do...feel like Ai''s right?"


    *Meow*


    Jin''s expression turned sour with that comment, which Shui noticed too. "You still...don''t like Ai?"


    "...She is fine," was the compliment he could bestow upon Ai atmost.


    Shui''s brow twitched.


    He was never so salty when I dated Jun. What did Ai do to traumatize him so much?


    She let that thought go and asked again. "How did you find this cat?"


    "She is some grandma''s cat I met. We were talking. Then that grandma suddenly took off when I was talking to Dad on call, and I was left alone with the cat," his countenance darkened again but this time because of the fortune-telling woman. "I didn''t know what to do with her, so I brought her with me to the office."


    He then stiffened, realizing that he babbled in the flow, and now he was aware of the cliff between him and Shui once again.


    Shui could imagine everybody''s reaction when they would have seen Liu Jin coming to the office carrying a cat in his arms. That was definitely a sight to behold. She cleared her throat, trying her hardest not to leak her smile.


    "If you..." she said with a little hesitation, "if you don''t know what to do with her, then why not let her stay at Jun''s condo for sometime? You remember there is another cat with them, right?"


    Jin could never forget the cat with the dark brown eyes too similar to Jun''s who had helped him with his way out of that memory lane.


    "I think they won''t mind having another cat for some time. Jun and Ai would also be more experienced to take care of her."


    Jin looked away. "That suits me..."


    The air was quiet once again.


    Shui then said, "I-I will leave. I have to complete the draft so..."


    But Jin, who had been staring at the leaf entangled in her hair, slowly reached out his hand towards her. He shrugged off the leaf, making Shui stiffen. This was the first time that Jin not only initiated talking to her but also touching her out of his own accord. His fingers brushed against her forehead, making her breath stop.


    W-what is happening...?


    She remained frozen by his gesture and waited for him to explain. But she noticed he hadn''t moved his hand even after several seconds had passed. She lifted her gaze and found his expression to be odd.


    "Jin?"


    Her voice couldn''t reach Jin because the moment he touched her, the surroundings beside him took a sharp change. It wasn''t the Liu Corps or the balcony anymore where he stood opposite Shui.


    Instead it was another part of the city where he saw Shui walking towards her destination with tears in her eyes. Her body seemed to tremble, and he felt the fear and dread seeping out of her aura.


    What is this...? He questioned himself tremblingly with the change in scenery.


    She walked with hasty steps as if time was running out. Finally she breathlessly reached an abandoned house.


    "Jun!" She exclaimed. "Jun, where are you? Where is Jun!?" she cried hard. "Where are you? Come forward! You...how dare you kidnap Jun!?"


    Jin''s eyes ever so slowly widened amidst her questions.


    Kidnapped? When was Bro...


    "Where is Jun!? Tell me! What the hell were those pictures of Jun...u-unconscious!?"


    "He is fine. For now." Another voice responded to her with a chuckle in her tone.


    As Jin looked towards the incoming figure, his lips parted upon seeing Guiying approaching Shui.


    Cai Guiying?


    "Cai Guiying!" Shui''s face flushed with hatred and anger. "Why would you do this!? Answer me!"

 Chapter 477 Not What It Looks Like

    Shui walked up to her and slapped her across the face. Her eyes loathed with hostility towards Guiying. "You¡­I had enough of this! Stop it already!"


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes and faced her while ''she'' rubbed her cheek. "I have not begun anything. I tried, but you were too stubborn to not nicely listen to me."


    Jin heard their conversation, his heart trembling with an impending and unknown fear.


    Where is this going¡­


    But by this point, the entire scene in front of him was breaking in bits and pieces and so did the voices.


    "Why the hell¡­when you forced¡­!?"


    "...You didn''t accede. You are¡­to this point¡­"


    Jin tried to listen in with an keen ear, but the conversation was incoherent to decipher it properly.


    "I cannot hear them properly. What is going on? Tell m what should I do!?"


    He didn''t get an answer, but he felt himself being slowly pulled away from that place. The last conversation he could hear between them was Shui asking ''Guiying'' in defeat.


    "Why are you doing this¡­?" Her voice sounded drained and tired.


    When Jin glanced at ''Guiying,'' he didn''t see any mockery or sneer on her expression. Instead, ''her'' eyes blazed with fury.


    "Because¡­" ''Her'' voice was getting softer and softer. "Liu Jun betrayed me."


    Jin gasped hard as he jolted up with a sudden jerk. His eyes were widened with a mixture of shock and questions, and his handsome face shone with a thin layer of sweat.


    "Jin, what happened to you!?" Shui caught his shoulders, who was close to collapsing on his knees.


    He blankly stared at her unblinkingly. It took a few moments for him to realize that he was back at the balcony of the floor in Liu Corps where he had been talking to her. The dark weather and the abandoned house from his vision was nowhere.


    "I am back¡­?"


    *Meow*


    The cat jumped on his shoulder, rubbing her furry head against his cheek.


    Shui anxiously asked again, "Jin, can you hear me? What happened? You suddenly stopped responding to me."


    It reminded her of the time when Jin had similarly shown these signs in the church.


    Oh no¡­It-It cannot be that he will fall s-sick like that again, right¡­?


    Her hands trembled as she fumbled to unlock her phone, her expression paling and turning white.


    I need to call Jun! He had h-helped last time too¡­


    But she stopped when Jin suddenly squeezed her hand as his forehead collapsed upon it.


    "J-Jin?"


    She stiffened upon feeling his feverish temperature.


    "Nice¡­It feels nice¡­" he mumbled tiredly. The touch of her cool skin against his hot temperature felt like he found his oasis.


    Ever since he returned from the church, he felt more and more uncomfortable with the unnatural heat within his body even though the outside weather was cool and pleasant.


    "Jin, you are burning up! I will call Uncle Jinhai-"


    He shook his head as his senses seemed to return to him. "I am fine," he scooted closer to her to feel more of the coldness she emitted.


    Shui stiffened with the proximity but forced to bring her attention back to him.


    "How are you fine? Just look at you! It''s the same like that day in the church¡­" she sniffled with tears threatening to slip down her cheeks.


    "I am really okay¡­I just need to rest a little-"


    "What is happening here?"


    A familiar but confused voice came from the balcony''s entrance. Two figures entered, witnessing the scene with not knowing what to make of it.


    Zhou Yichen scratched his chin while Jinhai stared at Jin and Shui with an unreadable expression.


    Whatever last strand of light-headedness Jin felt flew out of the window when he noticed their presence. He froze, realizing the position in which he was in with Shui, which definitely looked compromising.


    Shui felt it at the same time, and she smiled awkwardly. "Th-this this is not what it looks like¡­"


    Zhou Yichen blinked. "Why is Jini-boy resting on your lap? Wait, does he¡­look a little sick? And when did you find this cat?" He had back-to-back questions.


    The cat looked at Zhou Yichen and meowed.


    Her face burned crimson. "N-no. Like I said it''s not¡­"


    Jin jerked up to sit straight but was going to fall back with dizziness because of his sudden movement. But Jinhai took a long step and reaching him, firmly held his back. "Don''t move like that when you are burning up."


    "Dad, I am fine-"


    "We will talk about that after taking your temperature," he helped Jin stand and began to walk away.


    Shui quickly said, "Should we take him to the hospital?"


    Zhou Yichen nodded. "Jini-boy really seems pale."


    Jinhai, who had a rough idea of what might have happened to him, dismissed their suggestion. "Jin just needs a little rest."


    Shui was dumbfounded.


    Why is he saying the same thing as Jun did last time? Seriously, what is this secret between them?


    Back in his office, Jinhai helped him sit lie back on the couch and adjusted the pillow behind his neck. In front of Zhou Yichen and Shui, Jin felt a little embarrassed of being taken care of like a little child.


    "Dad, that¡­I-I am not-"


    "Quiet."


    Jin knew better than to challenge him.


    Jinhai looked back at Zhou Yichen and Shui. "You can go ahead with your work. I will look after him."


    "Aish, Mr. Liu. How can I leave you alone? Jini-boy is like my son too. Let me help you-"


    "The ring in your pocket¡­"


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen grabbed Shui''s shoulders and pushed her towards the door. "Shui my dear. Mr. Liu is right. We should go back to work."


    "Huh? But Jin-"


    "It''s cool, it''s cool. Mr. Liu is there to handle," he spoke with his forehead breaking into cold sweat.


    My in-law is so mean!


    Left alone, Jin shifted in the couch a little uncomfortably. He felt his father''s sharp scrutiny.


    Jinhai glanced at the cat, who rested on Jin''s belly. Naturally, he had questions about Jin suddenly bringing a cat to the office, but he said the most important thing first. "You shouldn''t have gone alone to the church. You were lucky last time because Shui was there with you. But today, nobody wasn''t. If this had happened over there, who knows when I would have got the news."

 Chapter 478 Its Impossible

    The door to the office opened with a sense of urgency when Jun rushed in followed by Ai.


    "Jin?"


    A look of surprise flashed in Jin''s eyes. He glanced at Jinhai, who didn''t display any particular emotion.


    Jun''s worried gaze watched Jin from head to toe as he sat beside him on the couch. "What went wrong? Why are you sick again? We got so worried."


    He touched his forehead and released a sigh of relief to feel that the temperature was already coming back to normal. "Thank God you are okay. Take good rest."


    Ai interrupted their conversation and flicked on Jin''s forehead.


    "..."


    Jin glared at her. "Zhou Ai! Back off!"


    Ai gave him back an acute look. "Da-" she slightly cleared her throat. It was her first time addressing Jinhai as Dad. "Dad revealed everything to us about your secret trip. Jin, how could you go to church alone after knowing what happened to you the last time? You cannot be careless, especially with this strange phenomenon happening to us. We still don''t know any details of it. It''s best to exercise caution."


    Jin was irked more because Ai had a valid point. It was the same as Jinhai had pointed it out too.


    She then gave Jun a judgemental stare. "When was the part supposed to come of you scolding him?"


    His brow twitched. "...What? I was about to scold him when you came in. I got so panicked when Dad called."


    "No, you had no intention of scolding him at all."


    "That''s not true."


    "Say that while looking into my eyes."


    Jinhai chimed in. "It''s useless talking to him. Jun has always doted on Jin since the beginning. His behavior with the twins and with Jin has a stark contrast."


    Jun - "..."


    Ai wondered what would happen when they would have kids in the future. Until now, she thought that Jun would be the stricter parent, and she would have to diffuse the tension with some fun.


    It seems like I would have to take the stricter parent role instead¡­


    Jinhai gave a light nod. "Whatever you might be thinking is right."


    Jun didn''t want them to dwell on that topic any longer so he asked Jin about what happened in the church. But before he got to ask the question, he felt something furry wriggling in the space between the couch and Jin.


    Surprise and shock together made his eyes widen when the cat hopped onto Jun''s lap. She meowed at him and looked into his eyes with her light brown eyes.


    "You!"


    The trio blinked and tilted their heads.


    Jun picked up the cat and watched her closely. "You are the same little one I left at the animal shelter. How are you here?"


    Jin couldn''t believe his ears. "You know this cat?"


    "Of course. It was on the day I met Mom - Ai''s Mom when she arrived in Beijing. We saw her getting bullied by a bunch of pesky teenagers. After dealing with that stuff, we took her to the shelter."


    Ai''s expression lit with recognition. "I see. It''s that cat¡­"


    Jun chuckled, petting her head. The joy of seeing the cat again was as clear as day. "Where did you find her?"


    "At the church¡­She was with an elderly woman. She was her cat. Then she left but forgot to take the cat with her! I didn''t know what to do, so I brought her here¡­"


    Jun blinked twice. "She forgot to take her back? Strange¡­"


    "This isn''t half as strange as the stuff she was talking about to me. I was there in the church alone when she suddenly appeared. Then she started talking about weird things¡­"


    "What things?"


    "Fortune and cards."


    He explained the church encounter to Jinhai and the couple. Jinhai had a puzzled look on his face while Jun''s expression matched with Ai''s who knew exactly what happened.


    "Jun, she must be that same woman."


    He gravely nodded.


    Jinhai narrowed his eyes. He sensed Jun and Ai knew more. "What is going on?"


    It was then Jun''s turn to explain their own fortune-telling experiences with a mystical elderly woman at the carnival.


    "Her cards were so frighteningly accurate. Shui also said that she saw a strange woman in the church when Jin was getting sick. She seemed to talk cryptically which Shui couldn''t understand. I am pretty sure she is that same woman."


    "So there is someone else who knows about your rebirth? A completely strange woman at that?"


    "I guess¡­" Jun touched his chin thoughtfully. "At the carnival, I thought it was a coincidence that we met her. But she was also present at both times when Jin was at the church. She showed him his fortune too. I don''t feel it''s a coincidence anymore."


    Ai said, "She doesn''t give bad vibes though. I feel she wants to help us too."


    Jinhai said, "Then why isn''t she being straightforward about it instead of giving cryptic clues like that? Jun, you tried to search for her?"


    He sighed. "I did. But I never found her."


    Jinhai tapped his finger on the arm rest. "Let me do something about it."


    "You can try, but¡­I have a feeling that she isn''t the kind of person we can find just because we want it. It''s like the opposite. She will find us. There is really something¡­mystical about her. At first, her cards didn''t make any sense to us. But now they do, especially after coming to know that Cai Guiying is suffering from a split personality disorder. That shadow in the card was her alter ego. For a long time, we couldn''t understand what it meant."


    Jin gave him a grave look. "There is another thing I don''t understand either."


    "What?"


    "It''s a vision of the past life I saw¡­when I happened to touch Shui today."


    He told them everything in detail about Shui''s meeting with Guiying in a lone, abandoned house.


    After he was done, Jun''s body trembled with shock and aghast while Jinhai, who had been calmly listening to Jin''s story, slightly widened his eyes too.


    "What!?" Jun sharply questioned. "Cai Guiying said to Shui that I betrayed her? That''s impossible. When did I betray her? For what did I betray her? I never even met Cai Guiying in my last life at all."

 Chapter 479 Just A Good Friend

    Dream High.


    ''Guiying'' knocked the door to Yating''s office after which she heard a dismal voice from inside. "Come in."


    ''She'' stepped in and observed Yating, who seemed exhausted. ''She'' paused and said, "I can come later if you want."


    Yating looked up and asked, "Ah, why?"


    "Maybe you would look a little less of a ghost then?"


    He coughed with embarrassment. "I didn''t get enough sleep last night."


    "I feel you should add peace in it too. Is there something wrong? Maybe I can help you."


    "No, it''s just..." Realizing something, Yating stared at her with slight surprise. "Are you saying you want to help me?"


    ''Guiying'' grimaced. "That''s what ''Maybe I can help you'' means. I think you should really get some sleep."


    He softly laughed. "I didn''t mean it like that. It was a little surprising coming from you because I thought you didn''t think we were friends anymore. You know, for the last few months, I felt we had become quite distant as friends."


    ''Guiying'' knew that it was definitely because of her. Ever since ''she'' took control, ''she'' practically cut off all her small talk and friendships with her colleagues and friends.


    But now that Yating pointed it out, ''she'' was shocked at herself for putting forth that suggestion. ''She'' never bothered with other people''s problems because ''she'' had wired herself to only look after Guiying.


    It is really strange. Why did I ask him that?


    "Things were a little difficult after the Summit and there were some personal problems."


    By that, ''she'' meant Cai Lingyun''s mess.


    Yating nodded. "I see."


    "So is there something bothering you?"


    He let out a sigh and felt like talking about it to someone. He parted and closed his lips but in the end said nothing.


    ''Guiying'' cocked her brow and shrugged. "It''s fine. You don''t need to force yourself. Maybe you will talk with someone else you are more comfortable with."


    "No, it''s not like that," he cleared his throat.


    "Why are you looking guilty? I am not offended. I genuinely mean it. There might be someone else you might feel more open with in sharing your problems."


    He slightly widened his eyes. "You have...changed a little?"


    ''Guiying'' frowned.


    Have I? I only said that because I have been meeting Zixin all this time...


    "I just mean...you won''t feel like it''s a task to share your concerns with a particular someone. I don''t know who it is for you, but you might feel a little easygoing?"


    "I guess...Anyway, what did you come here for?"


    ''She'' brought out her tablet and showed him the drafts. "Zhan Yahui isn''t here today. So Mr. Chief Editor, get to work."


    He laughed. "Got it. I will take a look. Is it okay if I take some time?"


    "Cool. I will take my leave."


    His phone buzzed with a message, and his face unknowingly lit up after reading the sender''s name.


    ''Chyou here! So, so! Are you free today? Yin''s birthday is coming soon, but I cannot decide on a gift. So, please, please help me out *pleading emoticon*''


    He chuckled and replied. ''Sure. Let''s meet today. I will be off work after 6.''


    ''Cool!''


    "Seems like you do have a certain someone."


    His attention snapped towards ''Guiying'' who was teasingly smirking at him. "What?"


    "The one you are texting to. I guess you can pour out all your worries to her~"


    He blinked and then his eyes widened. "No, no!" He laughed and waved his hand in dismissal. "It''s not like that with her. She is just my good friend. In fact, we hardly talked in the past month. She had a hectic life and so did I. We just had on and off conversations."


    "That doesn''t explain why your face lit up like the sun after seeing her message."


    "It had been a long time so..."


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes, making Yating scratch his throat a little. "You are making me conscious."


    "You are an idiot."


    "..."


    "Why did you call me an idiot?"


    "You are an idiot," ''she'' repeated and left his office.


    His brow twitched.


    Did she eat something weird today?


    Outside, ''Guiying'' also received a message from Zixin.


    ''I found a good restaurant online. Do ''you'' and Guiying want to enjoy a meal with me?''


    "It would definitely sound like a strange question to someone else, but I am sure his expression would be looking absolutely serious right now," ''she'' chuckled to herself.


    Both of them were delighted with this idea, so ''she'' hit a ''yes'' back as her reply.


    --


    Liu Corps.


    Jun was on the verge of getting a very bad headache because no matter how much he thought back, he couldn''t remember a single event where he met Guiying in his past life.


    "Dad, I never personally met Cai Guiying. But there is one thing. She has an account in Reading Point by the username Warlord. We used to chat on and off there. But the thing is she made that profile as a male user. There were never any skirmishes between Warlord and me either on Reading Point. I didn''t even know that Warlord is Cai Guiying. We realized that in this life in Shanghai when she invited Shui to the fest as Warlord."


    Ai touched her chin thoughtfully. "Guiying never mentioned Jun to me in the past either."


    Jun threw his head back at the couch. "I know. If she said that I betrayed her despite not meeting her even once, then there must be something connecting us."


    Jin said, "She was there at Shui''s 25th birthday too in the past, but she never met you there either."


    "That''s true. I didn''t meet her at the party either."


    Jinhai blinked once. "She was there at Shui''s birthday party?"


    "Yeah. Shui had invited her."


    "Then something must have happened because of her presence."


    Jun replied. "Not really. Everything went downhill after the party actually. My identity as Sky CEO was exposed, I couldn''t come to Great-grandma''s funeral...If this is related to me betraying her, then something must have happened at the party for I don''t know...Cai Guiying to realize something?"


    Jin rubbed the corner of his temple, trying hard to recollect everything that had happened in the past life''s party related to Cai Guiying. Just then he blinked, realizing a detail.


    "I don''t know if she was Cai Guiying, but I think I saw a woman coming out of your room crying."

 Chapter 480 Need All The Luck

    *Flashback*


    Jin paced back and forth in the corridor with a sense of nervousness constantly gripping him. Shui''s birthday banquet was held in Liu villa tonight because Jun had special plans to propose to her.


    But Shui was an unpredictable variable. He had talked to her numerous times, but Shui''s stance was always clear. She couldn''t go on with this relationship any longer. Even so, Jin hoped that she would change her mind after Jun proposed.


    She has to agree...she has to agree...


    Not able to stand still, he gulped a glass of juice when he saw a woman rushing out of Jun''s room in a hurry. He blinked his eyes, wondering who she was. He couldn''t get a clear view of her face or her dress to identify her.


    Was that Shui...?


    But Shui was already in the hall, chatting with the guests.


    Jin climbed up to the corridor, but the woman was already gone. He heavily knitted his brows.


    She was definitely crying, right?


    "Jin! What are you doing here? The party is already starting," his elder sister, Nuo, tapped him on his shoulder.


    "Yeah I am coming."


    She pouted. "Where is Bro Jun by the way? I cannot see him anywhere! It''s Shui''s birthday!"


    Jin smiled. "He must be busy preparing for her special gift."


    She grinned. "Aish, Bro is so meticulous. Anyway, let''s head to the party!"


    "Wait, sis. Did you see a woman coming out of Bro''s room a few minutes ago?"


    She slightly widened her eyes with surprise. "A woman? No. You mean, a guest entered Bro Jun''s room?"


    "Yeah I saw somebody coming out."


    She was crying too, he thought. But Jin wasn''t sure if he should tell her that.


    "Ugh, Bro Jun will get so mad..." she sweated. "Let me check on that. Let''s go back to the party for now."


    "Yeah."


    *Flashback ends*


    "Sis said she would look into it but then..." Jin''s voice trailed off.


    After Shui rejected Jun, it was all pandemonium and chaos. Nobody would have the time to focus on an unknown stepping out of Jun''s room.


    "But I think it should be Cai Guiying only."


    Jun''s expression seemed grim and thoughtful at the same time.


    Cai Guiying said I betrayed her.


    Shui invited her to her party.


    She came into my room and left crying.


    It was after that night that I met Cai Lingyun and took him in.


    Sky also began to crumble.


    *Meow*


    The cat with the light brown eyes softly howled at him, staring at him intently. He smiled and gently ruffled her fur.


    Jun glanced at Ai, who seemed to be thinking of her own permutations and combinations of what could have happened. He felt she came to some conclusion, but it was far-fetched to believe it so she would shrug it off.


    "I think you got something," Jinhai tilted his head, carefully watching his son''s eyes.


    "Yeah I think I do," Jun replied while still cautiously bringing the sequence of events all together in his mind. "Now that Jin saw the vision and heard Cai Guiying say that I betrayed her, that she seemingly used and threatened Shui, of all people, Shui to target me - I think I get where this is going. Though it''s still hard to believe."


    Jinhai let out a light but mysterious smile. "Truths are always hard to believe."


    Jin frowned. "I don''t get it."


    Jun said, "I don''t blame you. If you ask me, the whole situation feels incredulous and impossible to happen. But it still did by either some very shit strong coincidence or...somebody was really crafty for all these things to fall in place at the right time," his gaze and so did his voice turned frighteningly cold.


    He looked at Ai. "You said you would talk to Cai Guiying about her split personality."


    She silently nodded.


    "Let me give you company. I have some questions for her of my own."


    He got up and said, "We will leave, Dad."


    "Hm."


    "Wait, Bro!" Jin stopped him. He scooped up the cat and asked, "Can you take her in? That elderly woman left her, and I don''t know what to do with her. Since you already have a cat, you know better how to take care of one."


    Jinhai curiously raised his brow. "You adopted a cat?"


    Ai beamingly said, "I brought him one day. He is really very cute, and he has the same eyes as Jun."


    But Ai wasn''t sure if Jun would agree for another cat when he was already-


    "Cool. No problem," Jun brightened and held the cat in his arms. She immediately snuggled against his chest, softly purring with joy.


    Ai - "..."


    "Wait, you agree?"


    "Yeah, why not? I already met this little one before. She has the same eyes as you. She is also very calm and docile. I would love to take care of her," he grinned.


    "..."


    "How come you so vehemently disagreed when I brought my cat?" She pursed her lips, letting out her grievances.


    Jun shot a glare at her. "Of course I will! Ever since he came, you did nothing but hop behind him the whole day! It''s like you devoted your entire being to that cat," he sneered.


    Let''s not forget all the private time I missed with you but because Dad is here, I cannot say that.


    Though to Jinhai and Jin, they had already figured out what additional thought he was having in his mind.


    "Well two can play the game, so I will bring this cat with us. Of course, my first motivation is to take care of her and then take my revenge from you."


    He looked at Jin. "Don''t worry about her. She will be fine."


    Jun smiled down at the cat. "Right?"


    *Meow*


    The cat''s agreement was visible too.


    He gave a haughty stare to Ai and left the office, smirking evilly as he held the cat.


    Ai was left completely speechless.


    Jun really...


    Jinhai glanced at her and said, "All the best. It''s hard to deal with our jealous side so you need all the luck."


    "..."

 Chapter 481 Innocent Flirting

    "I am here!" Chyou furiously waved her hand in excitement as she saw Yating arrive.


    Yating cocked his brow and chuckled. "Seems like somebody''s relationship is going really well. Just look at the glow in your face."


    She sheepishly grinned. "Yeah we had been on a few dates in the last month and they were perfect. Yin is being really good to me."


    She thought of Jun''s three months'' limit for Cheng Yin to prove himself. But until now, Chyou had nothing to complain about. He had sincerely let go of drugs which was also reflecting in his complexion that seemed better than before.


    "That''s why I want to give him something special on his birthday!" She chirped.


    He smiled. "Are you sure you don''t WANT a gift this time? It feels so weird to do gift shopping but not for you."


    "..."


    Chyou smacked him on his shoulder while also coughing simultaneously on her side. "O-of course not! Do you think I am addicted to gifts or something?"


    "You tell me," Yating lightly chuckled again.


    She puffed her cheeks in disagreement but then scrunched her brows a little. "You seem a little tired."


    "Ah? Oh no, no. It''s just...work has been a little hectic," he cleared his throat.


    "Are you sure?" She leaned in and narrowed her eyes.


    Yating slightly widened his eyes with the proximity and coughed. He didn''t know why but he averted his eyes. "Yeah, really."


    Chyou was unconvinced, but she let it go for now. "Okay, if you say so."


    He flicked on her forehead. "Let''s go now."


    "Yes, but first let me do some disguise, which is nothing but some makeup and shades," she sighed, "or people will recognize me."


    He frowned. "Just go as you are."


    "I cannot. My fans will instantly recognize me and they would want to click pictures, which is not a bad thing. But then they will post those pictures on social media. If Yin sees this place or the shop, he will definitely figure out that I went for his gift!" She sweated. "It will ruin the whole surprise. Don''t worry about me. It''s fine. That''s the life of actors. I am used to it."


    "You should be used to going normally and freely anywhere, not worrying about wearing a disguise the whole time," he shook his head.


    "Aish, you are so sweet, Yating!" His concern moved her heart.


    Before she could do her disguise, he asked, "Let''s do that later. How about we eat some food first? I think we are both hungry."


    Which was proved true when her stomach grumbled.


    "I knew it. You directly came from the set in a rush," he narrowed his eyes.


    She coughed, feeling guilty.


    "So first let''s stuff ourselves with food and then we can do all the shopping we want."


    "I agree! Hey, I heard a new restaurant has opened up in this area and it has tons of good food," she drooled. "It has great reviews too. How about we try there~?"


    "Sure," he smiled.


    --


    The restaurant was a cozy place with a retro look to it. The minimalist and artistic interior design with a historical touch felt as if they stepped into a distant era of the past. The customer rush was medium.


    "It''s cool," ''Guiying'' said as ''she'' looked around the restaurant. The atmosphere felt warm and comfortable. "It''s really beautiful."


    Zixin was slightly nervous and worried if ''she'' would like the place, but he was relieved to see that she did.


    ''She'' looked back at him and smiled. "I didn''t know that Chen Corps CEO can have such taste too. I was under the impression that rich people only fancied five-star hotels."


    Zixin looked thoughtful. "Five-star hotels are good. But the place feels too rigid at times. It''s like I cannot completely relax."


    "I see," ''she'' lifted her brow and chuckled. "I get what you mean. So rich people are humans too it seems."


    He blinked. "You thought I wasn''t a human?"


    ''Her'' brow twitched. "I definitely didn''t take you as an alien. It was about the attitude. Like I said, I thought you people fancy lavish hotels and elegance more. This restaurant is great too but not really the kind of a place I can imagine wealthy people going."


    He thought about it and nodded. "That''s true."


    "Hm."


    "But you don''t have to worry. I want to be at places with you where you will feel the most comfort and joy."


    ''Guiying'' choked hard. A waitress passing by them almost dropped the tray she was holding. Her face burned red, somehow deriving a very perverted meaning out of his sentence.


    I-Is he hinting about the be-bedroom? Gosh, why am I single!?


    She scurried away, lamenting and questioning why she was still single.


    ''Guiying'' didn''t exactly think the same and as far as the waitress did, but ''she'' definitely felt something not so innocent about it.


    "Why did you choke? Are you alright?" Zixin asked with concern.


    ''She'' glared at him. "First you make me choke and then you show your concern?"


    "When did I make you choke?" He was seriously puzzled. "I didn''t even touch you."


    "You..." ''she'' didn''t know anymore on how to scold him, so ''she'' quickly walked her way towards their reserved table and gulped a glass of water to calm herself.


    Zixin sat opposite her and as he noticed the odd and funny expressions on her face, he couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "Don''t laugh when you are at fault!"


    He blinked. "I just thought you looked cute."


    "..."


    ''Guiying'' was at her limit of bearing his teasing so ''she'' unconsciously secluded back which brought Guiying up in the front. Feeling awake and in attention all of a sudden, she froze.


    W-wait ''you'' went back?


    Just shut up and deal with him was what ''she'' scolded her.


    Guiying''s face flushed even harder because she wasn''t prepared to have this meal with Zixin directly.


    I thought ''she'' would have this meal with him, but ''she'' pulled back!


    Guiying broke into cold sweat.


    "Are you okay?" Zixin asked.


    "Huh? Y-yes! Thank you very much for inviting me here. I am honored!" She nervously exclaimed.


    Zixin stared at her and realized then. "You are..."


    "Zixin?" He heard a voice calling out to him.


    Zixin and Guiying both looked up and were taken aback upon seeing Chyou and Yating standing before their table.


    Chyou beamed. "So it is really you! What a surprise meeting you here."

 Chapter 482 The Kitties Names

    When Jun and Ai returned to the condo, he cautiously bent and let the new member of their family down on the floor. "I hope you like your new home."


    Like every other curious cat, she began to quietly but nimbly move around the house and furniture. At one point, she stood straight and looked up towards the crescent swing where another cat was already resting inside it.


    The cat with the dark brown eyes jumped down out of the swing and stared at the newcomer.


    Ai hopped to his side and beamed. "She will be staying with us from now on too. Why don''t you say hello?"


    He didn''t move. Then he suddenly backed away and scurried to the other side as if he wasn''t interested in meeting the new cat at all. The new cat patiently remained in her position.


    "Hey, tell him not to scare her," Jun bent down and tickled under her chin.


    Ai pursed her lips. "He just needs some time to be friendly."


    "Well, he better not bully her or I will throw him out."


    "..."


    "You changed your colors so soon," Ai complained. "And you are completely biased."


    He sneered and picked up the cat, ruffling her fur. "Ai is just jealous. Don''t worry about her, okay?"


    The cat softly meowed in response.


    She said, "By the way, we still haven''t thought of names for the cats. Have you thought of any?"


    Jun petted the cat on his lap and stared into her beautiful eyes. "To be honest, I feel like naming her Ai. She has the same eyes as you."


    She giggled. "I had thought the same. I really want to name him Jun."


    He glared at her. "Don''t use my name for the cat who steals you away from me!"


    She was speechless. "Then isn''t she already stealing you from me too?"


    "Well, it''s your time to suffer," he looked down and grinned. "Right?"


    *Meow*


    Ai harrumphed. "Who told you that I want to name him Jun because of your eyes? Jun as a name for a cat also means a handsome cat, and he is definitely one beautiful cat. So, I will name him Jun."


    His expression darkened. "Well then, I will name this little one as Ai and not because of your eyes. Ai means loving and she always showed me love even when I met her as a stranger. Definitely not like yours who doesn''t let anybody touch him, not even you."


    Her brow twitched. A war brewed in the air where nobody wanted to back down. But then a question arose. If they kept the same names as their partners, it would be confusing to call them out and mean which one they were referring to - the human or the cat.


    But Jun thought of Zhou Yichen, and an idea flashed in his mind. He smirked. "She will be Ai-chan."


    "..."


    "But Dad calls me Ai-chan."


    "Only he does. The rest don''t. He will figure something out."


    Her nostrils flared. "You know what Jun? You are also a cat. A copycat!"


    He snorted. "You are just jealous of my intelligence."


    "There is no intelligence in copying a name."


    "A nickname."


    Ai looked away for a moment and then said, "In that case, his name will be Jun-kun."


    ''Kun'' was the boy''s counterpart of ''chan'' in japanese.


    "Who is being a copycat now?" He sneered.


    "At least I didn''t outrightly steal a nickname like a certain someone here. I just took inspiration."


    With the names being somehow settled, there was a beat of silence. Then Jun got up on his feet. "Let me feed you something. You must be hungry, Ai-chan."


    "It''s time to feed Jun-kun too."


    "Provided he let you~"


    "Hmph. Jun-kun will definitely warm up to me one day. Just like you. He is also taking his own sweet time like you did. You weren''t so friendly initially either."


    "..."


    "But then you fell for my charms," she gave a proud smile.


    A vein popped on his forehead. "Ai¡­Now you are outrightly comparing me to the cat!"


    "Jun-kun. Please be respectful and call by his name," she pointed out.


    Amidst their banter and unknown to them, the two cats were staring at each other from that distance as if having a foreboding of what was to come.


    ¡ª


    Chyou alternated her gaze between Zixin and Guiying and so did Yating. For them, Zixin and Guiying together at a restaurant was an odd sight to see. They both clearly took this as their date which felt even more surprising.


    I had no clue when Chen Zixin and Guiying got so close, Yating thought.


    Chyou, who had already investigated Guiying on Jun''s request, knew her well too. But what she didn''t understand was her connection with Zixin.


    The only place she remembered she saw Guiying and Zixin was at Shui''s birthday banquet when they danced together.


    Was it after that¡­?


    Chyou was a little unsure of what to think of this. Since Jun was always hostile to Guiying and had suspicions about her, she didn''t know what she should feel about seeing her with Zixin. On top of that, Zixin had lost his memories which left him a little vulnerable according to her.


    "Chyou. How come you are here?"


    Yating eyed Guiying, asking the same question through his eyes. She coughed.


    "Ah, Yating and I are out shopping for Yin''s birthday gift. But before that, we thought to fill our tummies so I brought him here. Wait, I think you didn''t properly meet Yating before, right?"


    She pulled Yating forward. "Yating, he is Chen Zixin, Jun''s cousin."


    The mention of Jun slightly stirred Guiying.


    "And Zixin, he is Gu Yating, Chief Editor of Dream High and technically Cai Guiying''s boss hehe."


    They nodded and greeted each other.


    Zixin said, "I have heard of you from Guiying."


    "Same. Chyou has talked about you from time to time. Nice to meet you," he smiled.


    Guiying politely bowed. "Hello."


    Chyou smiled back at her. She didn''t waste time to leave after the introduction. "Sorry for suddenly calling you out, Zixin. I had no plans to disturb your date."


    Date?


    He tilted his head.


    Guiying widened her eyes and quickly said, "Th-this is not a date! We c-came just like that."


    "..."

 Chapter 483 A Thousand Times Happiness

    Zixin pursed his lips in disappointment.


    Why was she so quick to say that it isn''t a date? I didn''t mind really.


    Guiying didn''t share his sentiments. Chyou was from a wealthy family, and she didn''t wish for her to misunderstand their relationship. Thinking about what she witnessed after the Summit regarding Jun and Ai, she was vaguely more conscious of not getting herself too involved in matters related to heart and feelings.


    Chyou blinked at her clear signs of nervousness. Guiying genuinely didn''t seem to have any intentions to regard this as anything romantic. On the opposite spectrum, Zixin''s shoulders had dropped as if he was in despair. She didn''t know if he treated this as a date or not but even if he didn''t, her answer clearly didn''t sit well with him.


    So he likes her but she doesn''t?


    Yating, too, felt an odd atmosphere. He tried to ease the heavy air. "That''s fine too. The main point is to enjoy your meal. Food always comes first."


    Chyou brightened. "You know a woman''s heart so well!"


    "That''s the talking of my own heart too."


    "But mainly, it''s a woman''s. Men only know how to work, work and work! Be it you or Zixin!" She sighed as if talking to two little kids.


    Chyou coughed. "My bad. We will take our leave."


    She cursed herself.


    Ugh I made it awkward. But it clearly looked like a date!


    They quickly exited from that short but awkward conversation. They took their own seat on a table far away from theirs. She bumped her forehead on the table. "I am an idiot."


    Yating waved his hand in dismissal. "Come on. Don''t be so hard on yourself. For a minute, I misunderstood them too. Guiying never talked about Chen Zixin to me, so I thought maybe she is keeping a secret about their relationship."


    She lifted her head and pouted. "But Zixin definitely looked disappointed."


    "Well¡­I noticed that too," he awkwardly said, scratching his chin. He could understand it even better because those were his own feelings at one point for Ai.


    Chyou smiled at him.


    When she mentioned Jun''s name as Zixin''s cousin, she had observed that Yating didn''t seem uncomfortable with it. Which made her feel happy to know that Yating wasn''t bothered about Jun and Ai''s relationship. He might not be completely there, but he was definitely heading in the right direction in moving on.


    "Why are you smiling? It''s suspicious," he narrowed his eyes.


    Her brow twitched. "Hey! What''s so suspicious about the Queen of the entertainment industry smiling at you?"


    "Maybe the Queen of the entertainment industry wants me to foot the meal''s bill."


    She sheepishly grinned. "That wasn''t why I was smiling at you, but it was definitely in my agenda to let you do the honors of paying the bill~"


    "Was the Queen of the entertainment industry always a miser?" He raised his brow.


    "I am just saving for my retirement~" she innocently said.


    "..."


    "Yeaaaaaah I don''t think that with your successful career and with Mr. Zhu Xiaosi as your father, you really need to plan for your ''retirement'' per say."


    Chyou burst into laughter.


    Yating shook his head and said, "Let''s order."


    "En!"


    Inwardly, Chyou decided to let Jun know of her meeting with Zixin and Guiying.


    I am not sure if this will be helpful, but if she is suspicious as Jun feels then he might learn something more about her¡­


    ¡ª


    Guiying breathed out in relief as Yating and Chyou left. As she looked up at Zixin, she found his expression to be odd.


    "Are you okay?"


    Zixin parted his lips to say something but then simply nodded. Which made her feel immediately anxious.


    "D-Did I do something wrong?"


    "No, you didn''t."


    She clasped her hands together. "Are you upset because Miss. Zhu thought that we were on a¡­date? You don''t have to worry! I clarified it."


    "Yes, I saw but you¡­really didn''t have to do that," he mumbled to himself.


    "What?"


    "You did the right thing," he said with a heavy heart.


    "Yeah¡­"


    "But you also didn''t need to dismiss it so quickly," he pursed his lips.


    She blinked twice.


    So did I do the right thing or not?


    "T-Then what should I have¡­? I just didn''t want any unnecessary rumor to spread about you," she quickly corrected herself, "Wait, I don''t mean that Miss. Zhu is a gossiper! I have watched her movies and I respect her a lot. She is Ai and my favorite actress!"


    Zixin instead focused on the first part. "Unnecessary rumor? Nothing about you is unnecessary for me."


    She froze. Her eyes were locked into his and though she wanted to look away, she couldn''t.


    "I like spending time with you. Be it with you or ''her.''"


    She stiffened, her breath stuck in her throat. She now realized that it was the first time she was talking to him as Guiying herself when he knew the truth about her.


    He then softly smiled. "I am glad that I could talk to you too today."


    Her eyes teared up. Cai Guiying had always treated her like a creep. Even so, she always craved his love. She always worked hard to win his attention.


    But Zixin treated her like a normal person. She knew Ai would too but somewhere in her heart, she didn''t want to risk losing her friendship if she ever changed like her brother.


    Guiying felt his thumb gently make contact with her cheek, wiping her tears away. She felt her heart stop beating.


    "You have cried enough till now. Now, you deserve all the happiness in this world."


    His words shook her heart.


    Happiness¡­


    After Valentine''s night, she truly wondered if there was any happiness left for her to have?


    She smiled, albeit with sadness. "I am not so sure about that."


    "But I am," he was firm and resolute. "You will have all the happiness. Hundred, no, a thousand times more than the grief you bore. I will give you that happiness."


    She stared at his clear, radiant eyes.


    "Idiot¡­I am really an idiot."


    Why am I thinking of Liu Jun now?


    More precisely, she was thinking of MrPerfect.


    "you always...Why do you always sound so much like MrPerfect?" She helplessly let the question out.


    Zixin blinked. "MrPerfect?"

 Chapter 484 What Is There To Talk About?

    Zixin remembered seeing the piece of paper in her house which was a note from MrPerfect. Guiying was too anxious to hide it from him. It made him feel that MrPerfect wasn''t just another of her readers. Their relationship was far more than that.


    "MrPerfect?"


    Guiying stiffened.


    Did I say that out loud?


    Before she could brush the matter off, he asked, "Who is MrPerfect?"


    His tone held a strong sense of inquisitiveness as he looked at her deeply. But for Zixin, it wasn''t just curiosity but also caution.


    Was there someone else closer to Guiying just like he was?


    When he thought of that, an unsettled feeling welled in his chest. His fists clenched unconsciously.


    "Who is MrPerfect?" He asked again.


    Her expression cracked, and she began to sweat. Her heart sped faster in her chest. "Ju-Just one of my...readers..."


    But it was as clear as day from her expression that he wasn''t ''just'' a reader to her. There was something more about him.


    Zixin wasn''t ready to let go of this. The more Guiying looked unperturbed by his mention, the more discomfort grew within Zixin too.


    "You had kept his notes very carefully," he said. "Doesn''t seem like just a reader to me."


    "W-well...he is my f-fan and I...treasure every gift I receive..." she began to tremble with her vision casting a blur of tears in front of her. She felt like a dagger piercing her heart as she recalled everything about MrPerfect.


    His letters, his sweet words, his unwavering support and loyalty towards her...


    But then there was the ugly side of those feelings.


    Betrayal, lies, deceit.


    She could still remember the night at Shanghai when ''she'' patiently waited for MrPerfect to appear and resolve the misunderstanding. It wasn''t only the alter ego but inside, she was desperate to meet him as well. But he never came and with that, all her hopes had shattered.


    Zixin stared at her. "Then why does it look like you are crying? Talking about your loyal reader should be a happy thing, right?"


    She froze.


    Feeling breathless and strangled, she spoke in a hoarse voice, "C-can we not talk about this please...?"


    Zixin felt a sense of darkness enveloping him. For Guiying to cry for someone and that someone being an unknown man who had deeply affected her - knowing this whole situation bothered him too. A lot more than he would admit to himself.


    Bothered, confused, furious, restless and anxiety - all these distasteful emotions filled his heart like a strong wave crushing the coast. He didn''t want to be this stubborn in pursuing this matter, but he couldn''t find himself letting go of it either.


    "I want to know...Please, I want to know," he urged.


    Somebody else more special to you, somebody you care about more than just a friend or a reader...I want to know about him because it...it bothers me so much.


    Guiying felt she would reach her breaking point if she was asked to talk about MrPerfect. Not only that, since MrPerfect was none other than Jun himself, she couldn''t bring herself to reveal his identity and cause a rift between the cousins.


    "I need to go."


    She grabbed her bag and rushed out of the cafe without giving him any chance to speak.


    At first, she walked hurriedly along the pedestrian path but then began to run with her tears fluttering with the wind hitting her face. She was already tired and out of breath, but she still kept running.


    I am an idiot. It''s just impossible to forget about him.


    I am really an idiot. I thought I wasn''t so bothered anymore ever since I met Zixin, but he just...keeps reminding me of MrPerfect every single time!


    How will I ever be able to forget him then...?


    Suddenly her mad rush stopped abruptly when a hand grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. Shocked, she turned and saw Zixin firmly holding onto her hand.


    "Wh-what are you doing?"


    Zixin said, slightly out of breath, "Stopping you."


    "I don''t want to be stopped, so please let me go."


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    "I cannot let you go after seeing you crying like that. Please tell me...why are you crying? Why does the mention of MrPerfect make you sad? That evening too, you looked just like this."


    She toughened up her voice to deter him. "This has nothing to d-do with you."


    "Why?" He grabbed her arm and pulled her closer until her body bumped against his. "Why does it have nothing to do with me? When it was Cai Lingyun acting violent with you, ''she'' said it had nothing to do with me. Today, I asked about MrPerfect and you say I have nothing to do with it either. Then which part of your life do I hold the right to question and know more about? Which side of yours do I have the right to learn more about? You and ''her'' both accepted my friendship, so why is it that I still don''t or can''t know anything about you?"


    For the first time, Guiying saw the look of frustration in Zixin''s otherwise placid and gentle eyes. His expression that she could notice up close with such proximity held a lot of questions for which he was stubborn to get his answers today.


    "Why can''t you tell me about MrPerfect?"


    "Because there is nothing to say!" She exclaimed and pushed him back.


    She then broke down as she covered her face with her palms. "What is there to talk about a man who broke my heart?"


    Zixin froze.


    Broke her heart...


    The one thing which he feared the most somewhere in the corner of his heart turned out to be true.


    "No it''s not him...What is there to talk about a woman who jumped in joy to receive his cards and flowers? What is there to talk about a woman who foolishly fell in love with an online identity? It''s stupid, right?" She laughed amidst her falling tears. "Chatting with a man in an online forum, feeling happy over the gifts and cards from him, blushing over his sweet words that made my heart pound and stupidly thinking that that man also took it seriously as I...what is there to talk about an idiot like me!?"

 Chapter 485 The Clash Of Reality And Imagination

    Guiying let her tears fall on the ground. She looked shriveled up as if somebody had sapped all her vitality from her.


    "You want to know more about me? Seriously? Why? There is nothing interesting about me. My life has been nothing but just a never-ending cycle of grief. First by my brother''s hands, then by my own stupidity to fall for a man I never even met and then..."


    Her eyes lost their color thinking about Ai.


    My own insecurities towards the only best friend I had...


    "I have been just living a shameful life until now. Begging for a brother''s love, a friend''s love and then a man''s love and somehow I could never get any of them. Oh yeah Ai...Ai loved me. She treated me well. But it was all my fault that I couldn''t reciprocate it. I met someone on the internet whose words were so sincere and thoughtful that I always went back to find my comfort in them. Yet, even they turned out to be just lies. It came to be that I was never a part of his story in the first place."


    A myriad of complicated emotions gushed within Zixin. There was disappointment and sorrow to know that Guiying had a person she loved so much. That alone felt as if somebody drilled a huge hole in his heart.


    But walking further from that, what pained him the most was Guiying''s pain. Her blank gaze tore his heart and the thought of somebody betraying her blazed him with rage.


    "What did he do?" He asked through his gritted teeth. "How did he betray you?"


    Her eyelashes trembled. "By choosing someone else. By confessing his love to someone else. He looked like I was just never there...Why? Is it because I lost the Summit? Did he think I wasn''t capable anymore? Ah...that might be it. I had always lacked. I lacked in scoring good marks to make my brother proud of me, I lacked in getting an admission by my own efforts, I lacked in my talent to write too...That''s why I was always a step behind..."


    She was suddenly forced to look up and face his gaze. "What are you talking about? When did you lack talent? Guiying, you are amazing. You are an amazing person and an amazing writer. If you weren''t, then I wouldn''t have felt the strong urge to read your novels after meeting you. The more I read your books, the more I wanted to meet you. That''s why I suggested the brainstorming idea only because I thought you were so amazing!"


    He felt a little breathless. By nature, he was a quiet person and to talk with such vigor actually made his face turn a little reddish.


    "Not just you. The ''one'' inside you is super amazing too! ''She'' protected you with all her might and stepped up to face your brother. That takes courage especially when he was your only family. So, I don''t understand why you treat yourself less than anybody else. You are amazing on your own and I...I-"


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    "If I was so amazing, then why did he choose someone else?" She questioned as she cried. The more her tears fell, the more she felt her heart crumbling. "Why did he have to send me all those cards and letters if he had to discard me one day? Is that treating me as someone amazing?"


    "No. That is not treating you with respect," his fingers trembled as he gripped her arm a little tighter. "That is not treating you as someone amazing at all. That''s why I want to know who is MrPerfect? Who had the audacity to play with your emotions?"


    She chuckled wryly. "And what will you do?"


    A glint of malice shone in his eyes. "Punish him. Just like I punished Cai Lingyun."


    Her eyes slowly widened. "Bro...What did you do to him?"


    "I told ''her'' before. ''She'' or you don''t need to know. The only thing that matters is that anybody making you suffer won''t have a good end by my hands," Icy words escaped his tongue.


    "B-But he is my brother. I-I cannot abandon him! Tell me, where is he?"


    "You cannot abandon him? But he abandoned you long back."


    "Just tell me where he is!"


    "Then tell me who is MrPerfect? I will tell you about Cai Lingyun if you tell me about MrPerfect," Zixin refused to back down either. "He is an online identity but it seems that you have met him. You know what he looks like. Tell me. Who is MrPerfect?"


    She took a deep, quivering breath to calm down. "You don''t have to fight my battles. You don''t have to punish anybody for my sake."


    "I do."


    "Why!? Just leave me alone!" She shook him off and pulled back while keeping some distance between them.


    "I cannot because I shall forever be your loyal fan."


    She froze.


    "I adore and respect you a lot as a reader and if there is another reader who has hurt you, then I won''t take that lying down," he spoke with his shoulders straight and his gaze resolute.


    "You..."


    Her feet stumbled back as she stared at him in a daze.


    Why does he always speak like MrPerfect?


    Her heart pounded furiously. Through MrPerfect''s letters, she always felt that he was a very sincere person. Whenever she read his letters, it was as if she could imagine his expression filled with devotion and loyalty. That was the reason why she became so attracted to MrPerfect because she strongly felt the purity in his actions.


    Those same feelings now evoked within her as she stared at Zixin. At this moment, a thought flashed across her mind.


    If she had to give a face to MrPerfect right now, then she would definitely choose Zixin. If she was asked what MrPerfect would look like to her, then it would be Zixin''s image coming to her mind.


    It''s not...it''s impossible...


    The reality of Jun being MrPerfect and her imagination of Zixin wanting to be him violently collided.


    She always thought how familiar she felt when she talked to Zixin. The peace of mind she got in his presence was very similar to reading MrPerfect''s letters.


    Guiying looked into his eyes and whispered. "Who...are you? Tell me. Are you MrPerfect?"

 Chapter 486 None Other Than Mr. Liu!

    Zixin furrowed his brows in bewilderment. He failed to understand what changed within Guiying after the last bit he said.


    "Me?" He blinked rapidly. "How can I be MrPerfect?"


    "I don''t know! But you¡­you always talk like how he used to in the letters. Your words, your tone and everything," she trembled, "it just feels so strongly similar. I have had this feeling many times, but I always shrugged it off. But that phrase ''I shall forever be your loyal fan.'' is exactly¡­" her eyes ached, "what he used to say¡­I don''t understand anything anymore!"


    Zixin''s countenance paled as he felt the turmoil from her aura. He wanted to deny, but he failed to back himself because it dawned on him that he had no memories.


    If he had no memories, then was it possible that he might be MrPerfect but didn''t remember it due to his accident?


    He also agreed with what Guiying said about familiarity. He, too, had felt an odd sense of knowing her from somewhere before. Their first meeting under the cherry blossom tree felt warm, ringing a deep emotion in his heart.


    Is it because I am¡­MrPerfect? Was it why he always felt so drawn towards her?


    He felt a headache coming as if some memories in black and white were trying to pry their way in, but nothing went beyond that.


    But that possibility only frightened him because MrPerfect had betrayed her and he¡­


    "I would never betray you. I would never even think of fooling around with you," he said as he grabbed her arms again, shortening their distance between them. He peered into her clear, misty eyes with complicated emotions.


    On one hand, he felt it would be so perfect if he was MrPerfect. If he was the man that she had fallen for, he felt his heart bursting with joy.


    But if MrPerfect was somebody who had hurt her, then he would never want to be that guy breaking Guiying''s heart.


    Guiying slightly jolted, feeling a warm palm hold her cheek. The touch of those fingertips was so gentle that she wished to melt in that warmth.


    "Guiying¡­I would never do anything to hurt you. I want to be someone in your life to protect you, not to bring tears to your eyes."


    Guiying herself didn''t know anymore what she said and thought. The incoherence between reality and her feelings was getting more and more blur. His breath fanned her forehead, heating up her cheeks. Suddenly, she had no courage to look into his eyes because she was afraid she would fall into a void from where she would never be able to come back.


    "Then why do you sound¡­like him? It''s so difficult to forget about him when you keep talking like him. Even though I know you are not him, I know I am just imagining things¡­I guess I have completely lost it, huh?" She was suddenly hit with a realization that she might be crazier than simply having another alter ego.


    What a stupid thought...Zixin is not MrPerfect. He acts like him sometimes, but he is not him. Liu Jun is MrPerfect...Yeah...I am not making any sense anymore...


    Zixin grabbed her neck, pushing her forward and closer to him. "No! You are not crazy! You are not lacking in anything! You are perfect the way you are. You are amazing whether it''s you or ''her.'' That''s why I wanted to be with you. I only suggested brainstorming meetings because I just wanted an excuse to spend time with you. I wanted to know everything about you. I wished that the time we spent together would never end because you are so special to me!"


    She finally faced him with the shock of what she just heard. "Special-"


    But Zixin kissed her before she could finish her question. The press of his lips against hers jolted her with a disbelief she never felt before. Suddenly, all the jumbling thoughts in her mind vanished as she felt the sweet taste of his kiss in her mouth. Her widened eyes blankly stared at him.


    It wasn''t a deep kiss, but it was a long kiss for sure where Zixin felt like parting away from her would kill him. The growing frustrations within his chest started to calm down as he claimed her lips. The memory of their first meeting under the cherry blossom tree gushed into his mind.


    The warmth enveloping his heart at this moment was just like the time he had seen Guiying''s figure standing under the tree in the golden sunlight. Her presence and her smile was as tender as the lips he was kissing right now.


    As he slowly withdrew, he spoke, "That''s why I was not okay when you dismissed the fact that we weren''t on a date. I wouldn''t have minded if people mistook it as a date. But you were quick to reject that notion, so it hurt me."


    Guiying felt like she forgot how to talk because right now, no words were coming out of her mouth. It was difficult enough to process the sudden kiss that now he was practically confessing to her.


    His gleaming eyes took her breath away but also drowned her heart into further despair because with the way things stood right now, there was no chance of anything happening between them.


    She took several steps back, making Zixin realize what he did in the heat of moment. "Guiying-"


    "No! Please stay back," tears fell from her eyes. "It-it was a mistake¡­it was a mistake to be friends with you."


    "No, it''s not a mistake-"


    "It is a mistake! With MrPerfect and you¡­it is impossible that¡­between us anything is impossible¡­" she clutched her head, wailing out her despair. "How did I even think that it was possible¡­"


    Zixin clenched his fist. "I don''t know why I remind you of MrPerfect, but I cannot be him. I don''t remember anything from my past, but I cannot be that person to betray you."


    "But somebody close to you is!"


    He widened his eyes. "Somebody¡­close to me? Who?"


    Her chest heaved back and forth with breathlessness and she turned to leave, biting her lower lip hard.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    But Zixin pulled her back. "Who are you talking about? Do you mean that MrPerfect is somebody I know?"


    Her silence only aggravated his questions. "Who is he, Guiying?"


    "Enough! It will only break your family for you. You won''t be able to go against him."


    "I will no matter who he is," he looked determined.


    But Guiying gritted her teeth and shook him off. She turned but he grabbed her shoulder. "You have to tell me Guiying!"


    Suddenly, she sharply turned and with one look, Zixin could say that it was ''her.'' ''She'' had taken over Guiying with a fierce gaze watching him with disdain.


    "Oh yeah? You want to be the hero who gives justice to Guiying? Then go and demand an answer from Liu Jun because the culprit you are bugging us to know about is none other than your cousin!"

 Chapter 487 Lets Call It Concern

    A few minutes before at the restaurant.


    Chyou was taken aback when her gaze fell on Guiying, suddenly leaving the restaurant in a hurry. She couldn''t catch her expression, but she strongly questioned if she was crying.


    Yating followed her gaze and saw Zixin chasing after Guiying with an anxious look on his face too. "...What happened over there?"


    "No idea¡­"


    He frowned. "It was just fine when we met them. Did they fight?"


    "Zixin and fight? No way. He is way too gentle for that," she shook her head.


    Especially for the woman he seemingly likes¡­


    Which had also struck her with another important realization she wanted to share with Jun as soon as possible.


    Chyou really wished to follow them and learn the reason why Guiying suddenly seemed so distressed but she had already made plans with Yating to buy a gift for Yin. Secondly, she was worried about the morality of stalking them and invading their private conversation.


    But if it helps Jun, then it''s not wrong, right?


    Yating called the waiter for the bill and said, "Let''s follow them."


    "Ah?"


    "It''s very clear that you want to follow them."


    She coughed. "O-Of course not. I am curious about their sudden departure, but I am not a stalker. I am a very respectable citizen."


    He smiled. "Who can hack computers for special requests when required."


    "..."


    "Stalking is not very far from it," he chuckled.


    "How dare you tease me!" Her nostrils flared in defiance.


    Yating shook his head and got up. "Let''s go or we will lose them."


    She sheepishly grinned. "You are fine with the stalking?"


    "Guiying is my colleague and also my friend just like Zixin is your friend. Let''s call it being worried about your friends instead of stalking," he winked.


    She brightened. "That''s what I am talking about! Yes, yes, as friends we should definitely help them. It''s normal to be concerned for your friends. Who said anything about stalking?"


    His brow twitched.


    You are the one who brought stalking in the conversation in the first place¡­


    They hurried their way towards Zixin and two minutes later, they found Zixin holding Guiying''s wrist and stopping her. Chyou suddenly grabbed Yating''s arm and dragged him into an alley.


    "Hey, hey why are you suddenly-"


    "Ssh! We can listen to them from here. Cannot let them see us," she whispered.


    "You seem to be very pro at this," he commented.


    "I have acted as a spy character in one of my movies~ I have the experience."


    When Chyou leaned slightly to hear their conversation, Yating then noticed the odd position he was in. It was a reverse ''kabe-don'' situation where he was trapped between Chyou''s arms and the wall at the back.


    Wait, I think I am supposed to be on that side¡­


    But he felt it was amusing to see Chyou with a height less than his to ''trap'' him like what was shown in the movies.


    He observed Chyou''s extremely serious countenance up close as her ears perked in to try listening in to Zixin and Guiying''s conversation. He blinked with a momentary thought randomly passing by in his mind.


    Her serious stalking expression is very¡­funny.


    No it''s not stalking, it''s called being concerned about your friends, he nodded.


    "Hey, don''t move!" Chyou reprimanded him. "I cannot hear," she complained and bent further, but she was totally unaware of her chest slightly pressing on Yating''s chest.


    He stiffened and robotically lowered his head to see her obvious chest being squished against his.


    "*Cough! Cough-"


    Chyou covered his mouth with her palm and glared at him. "Sshh!! You will give us away! Stop coughing."


    Cold sweat broke on his forehead. "Mmpf mmpf!" He tried to make her notice of their position.


    "Shoo! Just stay still! Oh gosh why are you shuffling so much!? I will smack you if you move or make another sound again."


    Yating lacked tears to shed. She was so close that her scent made his throat itchy and feeling something obviously bouncy on his chest made him avert his gaze away from her. Then he shut his senses, solely trying to focus on the conversation between Zixin and Guiying instead of the fluffy sensation he was experiencing on his chest.


    "Why can''t you tell me about MrPerfect?"


    Zixin''s question made Chyou stunned.


    How is MrPerfect coming into their conversation? Why are they talking about Jun?


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    In the course of helping Jun to find evidence against Guiying before, he had told her about Reading Point and how he and Ai met on the forum and chatted before they knew each other''s real identities.


    "What is there to talk about a man who broke my heart?"


    They heard Guiying''s raised voice who confronted Zixin. Guiying''s response to his question made Chyou freeze in her place.


    Broke her heart? Yating wondered.


    He then recalled that Guiying had mentioned at the Summit that she liked someone.


    Is this about him?


    "Chatting with a man in an online forum, feeling happy over the gifts and cards from him, blushing over his sweet words that made my heart pound and stupidly thinking that that man also took it seriously as I...what is there to talk about an idiot like me!?"


    The more their conversation flowed, the more Chyou got bewildered. At one point both Yating and Chyou didn''t understand the ''her'' that Zixin was talking about.


    Suddenly, they witnessed Zixin kissing Guiying. Yating cleared his throat.


    So what I thought was right. He does like Guiying.


    "That''s why I was not okay when you dismissed the fact that we weren''t on a date. I wouldn''t have minded if people mistook it as a date. But you were quick to reject that notion, so it hurt me."


    Listening to Zixin''s confession, the theory in Chyou''s mind was confirmed. The woman who Zixin was trying to meet before his accident happened and he lost his memories. The woman about whom there was possible evidence of her identity in his laptop that broke and got burned in her film set.


    It cannot be¡­


    She saw Guiying''s complexion turning paler and whiter. She tried to escape again when she fiercely turned and exclaimed.


    "Oh yeah? You want to be the hero who gives justice to Guiying? Then go and demand an answer from Liu Jun because the culprit you are bugging us to know about is none other than your cousin!"


    Chyou froze and so did Yating.

 Chapter 488 MrPerfects Confrontation (1)

    In the condo, Jun and Ai wrapped up with their dinner and so did the new kitty members of their family. Jun-kun kept his distance from Ai-chan the whole time as he ate his food while Ai-chan was a little hesitant. This was her first day at the condo after all though Jun and Ai worked their best to make both the cat''s comfortable.


    During the dinner, Ai had noticed how Jun-kun was stealing glances at Ai-chan from time to time. He would look at her and when Ai-chan raised her head, he dipped his head back into his bowl.


    Ai giggled with this whole back and forth stealing gaze gesture by Jun-kun.


    You are definitely like Jun.


    "My dear girlfriend, why am I feeling a little annoyed by your smile?" Jun sneered.


    Ai looked at him with displeasure. "How rude. It seems like what people say is true about love. After some time has passed, your partner doesn''t appreciate you anymore. There was a time when you called my smile cute, but now you call it annoying. How times change..." she released a deliberate sigh.


    Jun was speechless. "You should really cut down on your time with the twins. Their need of overdrama is rubbing onto you."


    "And now you call your girlfriend''s valid concerns a drama," she pretended to feel hurt.


    He grimaced. "Yup, it''s official. I must stop the twins from approaching you anymore before I totally lose you to them."


    After their daily dose of banter was over, Ai broached the important topic with a grim countenance. "Jun what Jin said at the office today, do you also-"


    Her question was cut short by the doorbell ringing outside.


    Jun frowned. "Who is it this late evening? Wait, I will check."


    Jun-kun and Ai-chan went back to their own chosen resting spots after a filling dinner.


    As Jun opened the door, he blinked his eyes with bewilderment seeing the unexpected combination of trio standing before them.


    "...Bro Zixin, Chyou and Gu Yating?"


    That''s an odd combination to be together at this time, he thought.


    He noticed the equally odd expressions on their faces. Zixin and Yating looked like they were seriously disturbed about something and what he felt he noticed was a hint of anger towards him too. Chyou, on the other hand, looked a mix of helplessness and confusion.


    "What are you doing here?"


    Ai popped in from behind Jun and was surprised to see them too. "Hello."


    Before Chyou could talk, Zixin asked first and with a not so friendly or brotherly tone, "I want you to answer some questions so will you let us in?"


    Jun sensed the threat behind his question, and he narrowed his eyes. It was the first time he had witnessed Zixin acting cold and distant towards him.


    Chyou said with a strained voice, "Jun, Ai, we really need to talk."


    Ai said, "Please come in."


    As the door closed, Zixin would have almost pounced on Jun in a fit of anger had Chyou not stepped in between. "Zixin, stop! We talked about this before and until we have a peaceful conversation, we cannot come to any conclusions."


    Yating shared Zixin''s emotions, but he managed to restrain them because Chyou was right.


    Chyou released a sigh. She didn''t want to expose at first that she was listening to Zixin and Guiying''s conversation but after everything she heard, she had to interfere or else Zixin would have totally lost it with Jun. She recalled how dangerous his expression looked when she had stepped out to meet him after Guiying left.


    Zixin trembled and closed his fist. Jun asked, seeing his state of seething rage he was trying to control, "What is this about, Bro?"


    He faced him head on and asked without beating the bush, "Are you MrPerfect?"


    Jun ever so slightly widened his eyes as he fixed his gaze back at him. "...Yes, I am."


    Zixin froze and with Jun''s validation, Yating''s lips parted in shock too. There was a long beat of silence in the condo''s living room.


    "So that means," Zixin continued, "You are the person who sent all those gifts and cards to Guiying and she..."


    It hurt his heart to admit it that he was the man she fell in love with.


    Ai asked, "What gifts and cards?"


    "I think Jun is the most appropriate person to answer that question here," Zixin''s eyes flashed with hostility.


    "No, you are," Jun said. "But first, can you tell me the whole context of this interrogation?"


    Chyou pulled Zixin back and said, "Zixin, I understand your emotions, but we need to start from the beginning."


    "I don''t have patience."


    "You must or this will turn out into nothing but a very big messy ball of misunderstandings."


    Yating stared at Ai for a moment and glanced back at Zixin. "Yes, it''s wise if we just listen to all sides here."


    Chyou really hadn''t expected Yating to keep his calm because if Jun was a cheater, he would have been the first person to punch his face. She wholeheartedly appreciated his support in this crucial time.


    She faced Jun and Ai and quickly summarized what happened at the restaurant and then after Guiying left.


    Ai trembled and heard everything with a blank stare.


    So that means...


    Chyou said, "Jun, you told me that you are MrPerfect on Reading Point when I asked about your and Ai''s story."


    "Yes."


    "But then Guiying also says that MrPerfect was the one who chatted with her all this time, sent her letters and gifts. She didn''t explain anything more and I know there is definitely something deeper into this that we are missing but for now, the whole idea of you being MrPerfect and who also talked to Guiying this whole time is not looking favorable for you."


    Jun stared at Chyou and said nothing. He then stepped in front of Zixin and met his frosty gaze with his calm one. "Bro, can you answer my questions?"


    "You are the one answering questions here, Liu Jun."


    "But you are a very important part of that whole story too. Your answers are equally important."


    Silence.


    Then he said, "What questions?"


    "When did you first meet Cai Guiying?"


    "At the hospital."


    "When did you meet her next?"


    "At the hotel where we had the get-together party."


    "Then?"


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    "Shui''s birthday banquet."


    "Then?"


    "I started meeting her to help her out with her story. I wanted to know more about CherryBlossom''s work."


    "Were you the person behind in putting Cai Lingyun to jail?"


    "Yes."


    "Why did you involve yourself with her so much? You were hardly acquainted with her."


    "I was curious about her. She is a nice person too. I wanted to become her friend."


    "Friend or more than that?"


    "At first, only a friend but...today I realized that I...like her too," his tone softened as he admitted that.


    Jun said after a long pause, "Bro, do you know that before you had that accident, you had a woman in your life you loved?"


    He froze.


    "You won''t remember her now because you don''t have your memories but what are the chances that the woman you fell in love with before and after the accident are the same?"

 Chapter 489 MrPerfects Confrontation (2)

    As expected, Zixin''s mind went blank. To learn that he had a woman he loved before his accident was a shocking revelation to believe. He couldn''t recollect anything about this woman either which caused visible creases of strain and distress to appear on his handsome face.


    Then a sense of panic arose in his heart because deep down, he questioned if he could carelessly fall in love with another woman after he lost his memories and discarded the first woman he loved just like that? He felt disdainful towards himself that he could be so frivolous and insensitive.


    Jun shook his shoulders and broke his daze. "Bro, you are unnecessarily panicking. Did you hear the part where I said that the two women could be the same?"


    "...When did you say that?" He asked in a stupor.


    "See, you missed that. That''s why I need you to answer my questions. Bro if I can, I can tell you the whole truth right here and now, but that will only stress you out because you don''t remember anything. You will look at me like I am an idiot. So let''s go step by step, okay? I will tell you what I have to, but don''t try to forcibly remember anything and put pressure on your brain."


    Chyou agreed with Jun. "Yes, Zixin. You need to be calm and listen. The last thing we want is to make you sick."


    "...Okay."


    Jun nodded. He asked after letting Zixin settle down, "Did you ever feel different whenever you were with Cai Guiying?"


    Zixin paused. "Sometimes. When I met her at the hospital under the cherry blossom tree, I couldn''t quite put my finger on it, but it felt peaceful to talk to her. She looked so warm and gentle just like the cherry blossom petals. After that, I just naturally felt drawn towards her for some reason whenever I met her."


    Jun slowly said, "You felt a sense of familiarity."


    "Yes¡­to put it like that. The cherry blossoms too felt vaguely familiar."


    Chyou gasped. "Isn''t that because you were unconsciously recognizing her from your past but just didn''t know from where?"


    Yating frowned. "Really?"


    "Yeah! The same happened with my Dad. I was six when Dad had lost his memories too. But when he got them back, he always said to me that even during that phase, he always felt a sense of familiarity towards Mom. Towards me too. Even when he recalled nothing about her, he fell in love with her all over again. That was very sweet."


    Jun said, "Yes. It''s the same with Bro Zixin. It didn''t take time for you to start liking Cai Guiying after the accident because your heart has that memory somewhere deep down that you had already fallen for her. That''s the important part here, Bro - your feelings for Cai Guiying BEFORE you went through that accident because that was how the identity of MrPerfect was born in the first place."


    Zixin blinked. "What?"


    "Yes. I am MrPerfect. That''s for sure, but I didn''t create this identity. You did."


    Chyou was stunned. "Say what?"


    Yating asked, "How is that possible? If Chen Zixin made that identity then how could you be MrPerfect?"


    "Because that''s how it was decided between us." Jun looked back at Zixin and said, "I, too, realized this today with someone''s help."


    That someone was Jin after he explained what he saw in his vision today.


    "That the woman Bro was in love with was none other than Cai Guiying. He fell in love with her. Just like how you approached her to help her out with her story to know more about her this time, it was through MrPerfect''s identity previously that you communicated with CherryBlossom. The only difference was that you didn''t hide yourself this time."


    Zixin stammered. "I¡­I am MrPerfect?"


    "Yes," Jun let that sink in for some time before he continued. "Cai Guiying or CherryBlossom was a member of the Reading Point forum. It''s a forum where authors and readers chat online. You came to me one day that you wanted my help in opening your account on Reading Point to talk to someone but you didn''t say who. I created MrPerfect ID for you. But then later, you said that you didn''t need the ID anymore because that person had left."


    Ai felt unbelievable how it matched the timeline. "Yes. Guiying had left Reading Point because she had faced some online harassment. I was very furious when I heard, but she didn''t want to take any action against it."


    "That''s why Bro didn''t see any point in staying in Reading Point either. You were only there for CherryBlossom''s sake. Since you weren''t using it anymore, I asked you if I could use that ID and you had agreed. So, I became MrPerfect."


    Zixin''s eyes widened.


    Jun shook his head. "Bro, I never had anything to do with Cai Guiying. I only knew her as one of Dream High''s authors but nothing beyond that."


    Yating asked in disbelief, "Then what about those letters and gifts Guiying received?"


    "That must be definitely Bro Zixin. He continued his communication to her through these things. But I don''t know either why he kept using MrPerfect''s identity and didn''t tell me. He won''t have an answer to that either right now because he doesn''t remember."


    Jun firmly said to wash every speck of doubt Zixin had. "It was always you, Bro, who talked to Cai Guiying as MrPerfect. From the beginning to the end, I had nothing to do with her."


    Zixin felt too breathless to respond.


    Jun said, "Yunru told me that you were at the Authors'' Summit. You didn''t tell him the reason for your presence. But now I know. It was to show your support for CherryBlossom."


    Zixin trembled.


    ???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????


    "Then you were heading to Shanghai. Do you know why you wanted to be at Shanghai? Yunru told me how you looked like you were planning to confess to someone. It was because of the Shanghai Fest where Cai Guiying was present too and you probably wanted to reveal yourself. But then you met with your accident."


    Jun took a step closer to him and quietly said, "That''s why maybe you were so open this time in chasing after her. I don''t know. Maybe the chance lost in Shanghai weighed you down somewhere. But it was always you, Bro. The MrPerfect that Cai Guiying loves is only you."

 Chapter 490 The Second Betrayal

    It was as if all the bubbling anger in Zixin''s chest drowned into nothingness. If it meant that Guiying, too, always loved him then there was nothing else he wanted in this world.


    Unknowingly, tears welled up in his eyes. If only the mistake in identity hadn''t happened, then she wouldn''t have suffered so much.


    "If only I hadn''t gone through that accident then¡­Guiying wouldn''t have been hurt so much," he painfully whispered to himself. "Why was fate so cruel?"


    "Fate wasn''t cruel, Bro. Somebody else was," Jun said.


    He tightly knitted his brows and looked up. "Somebody else?"


    Chyou narrowed her eyes. "Mao Yong wasn''t the culprit you had said."


    Yating asked, "Who is he?"


    Chyou explained how Mao Yong was caught and confessed that he planned the accident against Zixin. But it was a lie. Somebody had kidnapped his sister, Mao Jingyi and forced him to take the blame.


    She glanced back at Jun and asked, "How did you know about Zixin and Chyou anyway? It seems like you already did before I could tell you."


    Jun cleared his throat and said, "We got to know about Guiying''s misunderstanding that she thought that I betrayed her. Right, Ai?"


    He couldn''t exactly reveal Jin''s vision. He peeked at Ai, who had concern and worry marred on her face. "Ai?"


    She slightly jumped and asked, "Y-yes? Yes, we learned about the misunderstanding¡­"


    Jun could clearly tell what she might be thinking. It was evident to Yating too that the matter related to Guiying had shaken her up a lot.


    He had questions in his mind that despite Ai and Guiying being such good friends, why didn''t Guiying ever tell Ai about her love for MrPerfect? Why did the two friends seem to be distant?


    Jun decided to have a good conversation with Ai later. For now, he looked back at Chyou and Zixin. "At first, I really couldn''t understand the claim. I never knew Cai Guiying personally, yet she always acted hostile to me. She was also using her other identity on Reading Point - Warlord, to target Shui and make problems for me through her. Then I came to know that she felt I betrayed her. But betrayed in what sense? Friendship? Work-related? No. Love seemed even more far-fetched¡­But it was what only made sense when I connected Bro''s accident to it."


    He rubbed his temples in frustration over himself. "And I felt like I was an idiot for not seeing this sooner."


    Chyou frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "Bro. Bro Zixin was the key. This whole time, I was under the impression that he had a completely different enemy altogether who planned his accident. That it had nothing to do with Cai Guiying. I didn''t see the connection between him and her. But when I thought of betrayal, love, Reading Point¡­it all clicked to me. Yunru had laid out in front of me.


    At the Summit, Ai and I confessed to each other and when we were about to leave, I told her that I was MrPerfect. That was the only chance for Cai Guiying to learn that I was MrPerfect. She might have heard us from a distance. After that, I never spoke about my identity as MrPerfect anywhere outside. From there on, she misunderstood me. The other important part is that Bro Zixin was there at the Summit."


    He released a breath as he continued. "Bro Zixin was heading to Shanghai too to meet somebody. Wherever Cai Guiying was there, Bro was also present. But just when her misunderstanding would have been sorted in Shanghai by Bro Zixin''s confession, he got into an accident. That was it. That''s what Dad said too. Whoever the culprit was wanted him to get injured which was bad enough to make him forget something important."


    Yating stared at him, his eyes slowly widening. "And that being Chen Zixin''s identity as MrPerfect."


    "Exactly. That''s why the accident happened during Bro''s way to the airport. They wanted to stop Bro from coming to Shanghai in the first place! But I was manipulated into thinking that the reason was something else."


    In the past life, it was Feng Wuhan who took the blame and said he did it because Zixin had won a bid. Mao Yong agreed to it to take revenge for Zixin rejecting his sister.


    With what Jun knew from his past life through Feng Wuhan, it was impossible to discern that the culprit was hiding the real intent of not letting him meet Guiying behind the accident. It was a reason which nobody could have guessed.


    Once Jun heard about Guiying''s betrayal claim from Jin and the fact that he thought he had seen Guiying coming out of Jun''s room while sobbing at Shui''s birthday banquet made all things fall into place for him.


    She came to the party in last life on Shui''s invitation but would have been shocked to learn that I was MrPerfect and Shui was my girlfriend. That MrPerfect was already dating someone. That was betrayal to her, Jun thought.


    But that isn''t the only thing¡­


    Jun remembered how when Ai revealed her past life to him and her final confrontation with Guiying on the terrace that night, Guiying cried and blamed her for snatching the man she loved from her.


    But that man wasn''t Yating because if Guiying loved Yating, she would have already confessed to him in this life and tried to get together with him. But she didn''t target Yating at all this time which meant she never loved him in the first place.


    She dated Gu Yating in the past solely to take revenge from Ai and hurt her. And she wanted to hurt her because¡­


    Jun''s dark brown eyes reflected the truth he wanted to uncover. Jin had seen her coming crying out of Jun''s room.


    Because at the last life''s party, Cai Guiying saw MissImperfectlyFine''s books in my room''s library, he concluded.


    The MrPerfect who gave her sweet letters, gifts, claimed to be CherryBlossom''s most loyal fan and hinted that he had feelings for her had MissImperfectlyFine''s books in his library instead of hers.


    The man Cai Guiying loved so much didn''t hold even one book of CherryBlossom''s in his very own room.


    What would have she felt upon seeing that MrPerfect''s library held no trace of CherryBlossom''s existence at all?


    For Cai Guiying, that was the second betrayal.

 Chapter 491 Simply Talking

    The entire Sky Publishing was decorated the next day from the top CEO''s office floor to the very first floor of entry as if it was a wedding celebration. For everybody in Sky, it was nothing less than that either.


    Today was Sky Publishing''s third anniversary since it came into existence. It had been three years since Jun built Sky by his own efforts and fulfilled his dream of making a career in the novel and publishing world.


    It was just as joyous an event for the Sky employees as it was for the CEO himself. Part of it belonged to feeling emotional for being part of Sky for three years and part of the happiness was due to the hefty bonus they would be getting today.


    "Brooooooo!"


    Yunru hopped in Jun''s office and jumped on his cousin''s back with full swing. "Happy third anniversary!"


    Jun ruffled his head. "Yup, happy third anniversary to you too. Though you were busy with your school studies when I built Sky, you always came to my help."


    He grinned. "Of course! How can I not help my favorite Bro Jun!" He then pouted as he felt something different about him. "Bro, why do you look so tired?"


    Jun shook his head. "I am good. Just¡­slept a little last night."


    It wasn''t only an important day for Sky but for Jun personally, today was an important day to talk to Guiying as well. After much discussion last evening, the next step to do was as clear as a day and that was to clarify Guiying''s misunderstanding.


    The meeting which Ai wanted to have with her culminated into even a bigger reason at the end. For that reason, Ai asked Guiying to visit Sky today where Chyou, Yating and most importantly, Zixin would be present too.


    But as Ai checked her phone for the fifteenth time now, she was yet to receive a response from her. Her gaze dimmed as she stared at her phone in silence.


    There was so much to talk to Guiying and Ai didn''t know where she should be starting her conversation. She pursed her lips when she got a call from Xie Nuying.


    She took a step aside and picked up the call. "Mom."


    "Ai. Are you at Sky?"


    "Yes, Mom."


    "Good, good. I called to ask if you and Jun could have dinner with me tonight?" Her gentle voice spoke with warmth, "Since today is such an important day for Jun, I thought that we should celebrate."


    Ai''s eyes shone slightly. "En. That''s a great idea. Jun would agree too."


    "Excellent. Then I will get started with the preparations for the dinner. Also, if Yichen approaches you with any of his own plans, then don''t hesitate to reject him. That man only knows how to copy me. He will definitely plan something shady to get you and my son-in-law to his side," Ai could hear the harrumph from her voice.


    She smiled. "Yes, Mom. Don''t worry."


    Xie Nuying paused. "Are you worried about something, my dear? Your voice doesn''t sound so cheery today."


    Ai lowered her gaze. As expected of her mother, she never failed to catch her daughter''s distress.


    "I don''t know how to talk to Guiying."


    "Did you two have a fight?" She asked.


    Her brows knitted at the center. It was a more complicated situation than having just a simple fight.


    I wish it would have been just a simple argument instead¡­


    "Fight¡­I don''t know, Mom. It''s more than just a fight. So many things¡­came in our way and we started to grow distant. We just went farther and farther away from each other. I came to realize that I wasn''t being a good friend to her¡­" the corner of her eyes got misty as she held in her choke.


    "There have been so many things going on in Guiying''s life which I was unaware of. I felt like¡­I turned my back on her without trying to get to know her properly. I feel I have been ignorant about many things."


    She remained silent for a few moments.


    "I have decided to talk to her today, but I don''t know how or what things I should say¡­"


    Xie Nuying asked in a comforting voice, "What are you afraid of, Ai?"


    Ai felt the tears in her eyes blurring her vision even more. "...I want to¡­I-I want us to be friends again. But it will be incredibly selfish of me to ask that. I am afraid that it''s too late for us to start again."


    "It''s never too late to talk, Ai. Friendship is like any other relationship which has its ups and downs. Growing farther apart is scary but not more than not being able to ever talk. It''s fine if you were unaware of certain aspects about Guiying''s life. It''s not your ignorance. It''s just that it''s not necessary for friends to know everything about each other. It doesn''t mean that she treated you like a lesser friend, but people choose to keep certain things in their hearts."


    Ai lowered her gaze, pondering over her mother''s words. "What should I do?"


    "What you have decided. Talk to Guiying, but don''t decide on an outcome for your conversation like going back to being friends again. Just simply talk to her. About yourself. About her. What you feel about her. What you think she feels about you. Why did distance come between you two? What do you wish you could have done differently? Talk about the small small joys in your life. Talk about the important decisions of your life. Talk random things that won''t make any sense. Talk like you were back in your high school days once again."


    Ai rubbed her eyes, wiping her tears. "H-Hm¡­Thanks Mom."


    Xie Nuying smiled on the other side. "That''s like my daughter. Don''t cry anymore or my son-in-law will become worried. I don''t want to see him tense."


    Ai chuckled. "We are not married yet, Mom."


    "Aren''t you living together? It''s one and the same thing for me. Now go and support your husband for his big day today. And then, go and talk to your dear friend."

 Chapter 492 Forget About It

    As Ai just turned, she was swiftly smothered into a familiar hug. "Ai!"


    "Xing Bi," she hugged her back.


    She grinned and patted her head. "Did you see Sky? Everybody has gone all out today!"


    "Yes. I can feel the excitement in the air."


    "Hehe~"


    She then observed Ai''s slightly red eyes and asked, flaring her nostrils, "Who bullied my Ai? Tell me the name!"


    Ai smiled and hugged her tighter. "Nobody. I just felt a little emotional."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes."


    Xing Bi ruffled her hair. "If you say so."


    "My hair¡­" Ai complained.


    "Let me mess it up more!! Look who is hereeeee!" Nian furiously waved his hand, rushing towards them. "Your most favorite brother-in-law is here!"


    Xing Bi was left speechless as he dashed to hug Ai. "Liu Nian, what are you doing here? Wait a minute, I thought Jun had made arrangements not to let you and your twin enter Sky," she threw him a suspicious look.


    Nian stuck out his tongue. "Today is a big day for my little brother~ It''s a special day when his dream came into existence. So no rules are applied hahaha!" He said while hugging onto Ai like a glue with a goofy grin on his face.


    "No, I think the rules apply to you all year round," she dryly said, "And let go of my Ai or I will beat you up!"


    Ai asked while she was still being tightly clung onto by Nian. "Does that mean Jian is here too?"


    "Everybody is here today," he winked.


    "Nian, you bastard! You dumped us and ran off just like that!" His twin brother''s frustrated voice echoed from the back, who was slowly walking, carrying a big cake box in his arms.


    But even his own girlfriend and little sister cruelly abandoned him, hopping towards Ai. "Sister-in-law!!"


    Nuo beamed and hugged her with Leina joining them as well. Leina clapped her hands with delight. "Ai, you look so pretty today. And do I see your skin glowing more than before~?" she winked. "Seems like Jun is taking ''good'' care of you~"


    Ai didn''t know whether to say thank you or blush.


    Nuo pouted. "Of course, Bro Jun takes good care of sister-in-law. So much that he gets jealous of the cat hogging her time," she giggled. "Which reminds me that you have to let me meet the kitties, sister-in-law! I heard you and Bro adopted two cats," her gaze sparkled.


    Ai beamed and nodded. "We did, indeed. You can come to the condo to meet them anytime."


    Leina clapped her hands once more. "Perfect!"


    Nuo and Leina''s next target in line was Xing Bi, who was trying to escape before they noticed her. "Aish, where are you running off to, sister-in-law Xing Bi~?"


    Leina evilly grinned. "I heard Nian and you spent some cozy time at your apartment with a totally romantic and dark atmosphere~ Now, don''t be so hasty to leave."


    Nuo winked. "You have to cough out all the juicy details~"


    Xing Bi directed her glare at Nian. "Did you run your mouth once again?"


    Nian only replied back with an innocent look.


    Jian''s heart was stabbed into pieces being left alone by everyone. Only a certain someone remained standing by his side. Jian kept the cake box aside and pulled his youngest brother in an affectionate hug. "Jin, you are the only one who cares about me!" He sobbed.


    Jin escaped from his hug and made a face. "Ew. Stay away from me. I am here with you only because I don''t want to be there."


    "Aww, don''t lie. I know how much you love me~!" He pinched his cheeks.


    "You should stop living in¡­" From the corner of his eyes, he saw a pair of siblings arriving at Sky as well.


    Nuo clapped. "Oh, Siying and Shui are here too!"


    Siying chuckled and wrapped his arm around Jian''s neck. "Why are you standing so separately like an odd man out?"


    Jian sneered. "I will give you a thousand bucks. Let''s beat up Nian."


    "..."


    "What did he do now?"


    Nuo smacked her brother''s head. "No violence on Bro Jun''s special day today!"


    "Tsk."


    "Yes, yes, little sister. Show him who''s the Boss!" Nian cheered her.


    "Shut up, Nian."


    Xing Bi sneered. "Sorry but I think I will be on Jian''s side for this."


    "Xi-Xing Bi¡­" Nian clutched his chest as if in pain. Ai patted his back to give him solace.


    Jian and Siying walked up to Ai''s side and started their usual chat and banter. Jin remained still at his place with Shui beside him.


    There was a small stretch of an awkward silence. Shui wanted to join the group too but she missed the chance and now was unsure when to leave. She definitely didn''t want to make Jin feel uncomfortable.


    Jin, on the other side, kept throwing glances at her. Shui wore an off white dress, carrying her clutch in her hand. He remembered the vision he saw as soon as he had touched her that day.


    There were a plethora of unsorted feelings in his heart but the most shameful one was how he had seemingly felt her up at the balcony when his body was burning with high temperature. On top of that, Jinhai and Zhou Yichen had witnessed that too. He could understand Shui''s embarrassment and wanted to apologize for it.


    But he was unable to send that simple text to her. Now days had passed since that incident.


    Shui just took a tiny step forward when Jin''s voice made her freeze and take it back. "That¡­"


    After that incident, she found herself unable to face Jin for some reason.


    Jin clasped his hands together. "That day on the balcony¡­I¡­"


    "Yeah, I know nothing happened!" Shui quickly answered.


    "Huh? No, I mean-"


    "I know what you want to say," she felt her throat going dry, recalling how Jinhai and Zhou Yichen had seen them together. "Don''t worry. It won''t cause any misunderstanding. I know you were feeling sick," she tried to smile. "So we can forget about it."


    Saying that, Shui quickly left to join the others too, leaving Jin in a state of confusion.


    Forget about it...?

 Chapter 493 Repeating The Cycle Yet Again

    Jin adjusted his collar, feeling uncomfortable. He was confused and troubled the whole time because of his inappropriate behavior that day, wondering what message he should send her to apologize.


    She seems to not mind it so much. That''s good then¡­


    Suddenly, he felt like an idiot for overthinking something that Shui seemed to have let go of.


    "Jinnnnn!"


    His brow twitched upon hearing his grandfather''s familiar booming voice. "What are you doing here all alone at a side!?" Liu Hai gasped as if it was an impossible scene to digest.


    "Nothing."


    "No, no! Something must be the case!" He narrowed his eyes, making his detective mode on. "Let''s see, why are you acting so suspicious¡­"


    "How about wanting some peace?" Jin dryly suggested.


    He smacked his head. "Today is a celebration day! How can you demand peace when it''s supposed to be a fun day!? Nana dear, you have completely spoiled this brat," he harrumphed.


    Jinhai and Nana followed after Liu Hai. Nana pouted and pinched his cheek. "Indeed Jin. Everybody is over there and you are here all alone."


    He peeked at Shui once and gave a tense smile. "Mom. Yeah, I was just about to go there¡­"


    Liu Hai complained. "How come you always talk so gently to your Mom and not your handsome grandfather!"


    "Dad¡­" Jinhai gave him a warning.


    Nana blinked and patted her son''s head. "Are you okay? You look a little strained."


    "Ah? No, no¡­" Jin waved his hand, quickly dismissing it off. "I am fine. After all, today is a special day for Bro Jun haha. Where is Grandma?"


    Jinhai narrowed his eyes.


    Liu Hai burst into tears. "My Chunhua is coming in a separate car! I feel so heartbroken¡­"


    "You must have done something," Jin accused him.


    "I¡­! I-I did not!"


    It was then Liu Hai found his salvation in the form of Ai approaching them. "My granddaughter-in-law!!"


    After Nian, it was his turn to smother Ai into his hug. "I missed you so much!"


    "Grandpa. I missed you too. Have you been doing well?"


    He beamed. "I am! I am all fit and fine!"


    Jin snorted. "Yeah sure after all the sweets you secretly hog into your stomach."


    "..."


    "Shut up, brat!"


    He got busy in pulling Jin''s ear while Ai greeted the other two. "Mom, Dad," she slightly bowed.


    "Ai!" Nana pulled her into another hug, smiling brightly. "It feels so long since I have met you," she pouted. "You should visit the villa too sometimes. Don''t tell me that Jun doesn''t allow you."


    Ai chuckled. "Well, Jun wouldn''t certainly want me there if the twins and Grandpa were there."


    Jinhai inwardly thought it to be a good idea.


    Liu Hai''s ears perked up. "What? So that brat is imprisoning you in the condo!? How dare he not let you meet me! I will give you justice, granddaughter-in-law, worry not!"


    "No, I didn''t say imprisonment-"


    "Liu Jun, show your face to me! How dare you snatch my fun away from me!" He let go of Jin''s ear and ran to find his other grandson to scold.


    Nana sighed. "Leave him be."


    Ai lamented Jun''s fate and nodded. "Mom, I am sorry I couldn''t visit you all earlier¡­"


    She pursed her lips, thinking of all the hidden truths to uncover. "But I promise I won''t slack on it."


    "Aish, I know how hard you are working. You don''t have to push yourself," Nana patted her head.


    Ai asked with a sparkled gaze, "Will you teach me how to cook more dishes?"


    Nana beamed in return as if she got a heaven to explore. "It would be my pleasure, dear! We will have all the fun in the kitchen and then I will show you some of Jun''s childhood pictures that we secretly took hoho~"


    That was a mouth-watering deal for Ai to which she readily accepted.


    "Mooooom! Come here quickly! Grandpa is causing chaos! Stop him please!" Nuo''s cries for help came from the other side.


    "..."


    "Let me check what has happened now," Nana released another sigh and went to diffuse the situation.


    When it was only Jinhai, Jin and Ai left, Jinhai could easily bring up the topic which nobody else knew. "You both don''t look so well."


    Jin stiffened. "Huh? I am fine."


    He averted his eyes, feeling his father''s squinted stare upon him.


    "I thought you had stopped running away from things, Jin."


    "...I am not running away anymore."


    Jinhai glanced at Shui once and then back at Jin. "Really?"


    "Yeah," he felt a little uncomfortable in his throat.


    He raised his brow. "Good. Then there is a business trip planned next week for the project you are working on with Shui. It''s for five days. You and Shui will handle it."


    Jin stared at him, wide-eyed, "What!? A trip with¡­Shui? No, t-that''s¡­"


    "I suppose you don''t have any problems with the trip since you have stopped looking away from the things that matter," he tilted his head. His sharp and to-the-point argument left Jin defenseless.


    Jin wanted to protest but didn''t know how in front of his father. "...Yeah. I will go."


    I will just let myself fall sick at the time and let someone else-


    "Making yourself fall sick isn''t going to work so start packing your bags once you return home."


    His mouth heavily twitched. Then he smiled. "I wasn''t thinking that."


    Jinhai gave him a side glance. "You are my son. I know exactly what you think."


    Jin clenched his fist in his pocket and then excused himself. "I will meet up with Bro Jun."


    Ai asked after he walked away, "Will it be fine? The trip?"


    Jinhai said, "It won''t be. Jin has to put in effort to make it fine. He accepts now that he loves Shui but doesn''t know what to do about it. Since he doesn''t know, he is unconsciously repeating the whole cycle of running away from his feelings once again."


    Ai felt a little pitiful for Jin.


    "Don''t feel pitiful for him. I don''t want my children to be cowards. Jin should learn something from the twins. They are very bold in that sense of knowing what they want and acting upon it."


    She admitted that it was true. She had personally seen Nian chasing after Xing Bi. What Jin needed now was that confidence aspect from the twins.


    "Now your turn. Why don''t you look well?"

 Chapter 494 Please Stay

    "I see¡­"


    Jinhai tilted his head after learning the whole confrontation with Zixin, his eyes slightly widened with surprise. He had never imagined that the clash of their online identity of MrPerfect would cause so much confusion and misunderstanding.


    He knitted his brows heavily. "It cannot be possible¡­" he whispered to himself. Inwardly, his mind churned with theories and possibilities.


    Ai said, "I was feeling down since learning what Guiying had been going through¡­" she awkwardly smiled. "I felt I fell short as a good friend to her."


    Jinhai blinked. "Why? With what you experienced in your past, it was normal if you distanced yourself with her. You acted based on what you knew and went through. Beyond that, we are humans. We don''t have X-RAY vision to read people''s minds."


    "..."


    Ai was dumbfounded. "Jun also said the same thing last night."


    He nodded. "Naturally."


    She pursed her lips. "He scolded me quite a lot too."


    Jinhai smiled. "We don''t like our wives blaming themselves for anything."


    "I thought you would take my side."


    "Not here," Jinhai patted her head.


    From a distance, Ai then saw Guiying standing before Sky''s entrance. "Guiying¡­she came."


    Jinhai turned and took a good look at her. "I see."


    He looked back at her and said, "Go ahead. I am sure she will most probably head back without saying anything."


    Ai quickly rushed outside and as Jinhai expected, ''Guiying'' felt it was stupid to agree to come here. ''She'' turned to leave when Ai stopped her. "Please wait!"


    ''Guiying'' looked back and narrowed her eyes.


    Ai asked a little breathlessly, "Why¡­are you leaving?"


    ''She'' smiled. "Because I realized it was a mistake coming here."


    Ai stared at her and watching a different kind of a smile on her lips, she figured that she was talking to the alter ego''s side. Until now, Ai had been talking to ''her'' but this time, she knowingly stood before her. It made her realize yet again how much she had missed about Guiying''s life.


    And ''hers'' too.


    ''Guiying'' ignored her to leave again when Ai said, "I-It''s not a mistake coming here!"


    ''She'' paused and folded her arms.


    "I¡­" Ai parted and shut her lips, unable to speak anything. She had a lot to say, but her mind was only giving her blank answers.


    "I know you wouldn''t want to see my face or Jun''s either."


    "Glad you are aware of that. Seems like Chen Zixin already talked to you."


    "Yes. I understand that it''s unbelievable, but there has been a great misunderstanding on both sides'' part."


    ''Her'' countenance turned icy. "You-"


    "You think I am stupid, right?" Ai''s chest slightly heaved. "That you suffered heartbreak but I am only labeling it as a misunderstanding. But please trust me¡­It''s more than just a misunderstanding. That''s why I sincerely request you to not leave. We are also looking for answers like you do."


    ''She'' sneered. "Ho? You are saying as if your boyfriend is so innocent."


    "Jun is innocent. And so are you and Zixin."


    "We all cannot be innocent at the same time. Don''t take me for a fool, Zhou Ai."


    "I am not. I am really¡­" her eyes brimmed with tears, "not trying to fool you. I want you to listen to us just once¡­please," Ai bowed.


    ''Guiying'' was taken aback with the bow. ''She'' felt a strange uneasiness well up in her chest. But it was Guiying''s emotions riling up ''her'' heart. ''She'' had no interest in staying here. ''She'' didn''t even know herself why ''she'' came here after Ai''s call last night to invite her to Sky''s anniversary celebration.


    ''She'' only remembered that ''she'' heard Ai''s voice quivering and shaking the entire time though she tried quite hard to hide it. Feeling that sincerity and fear in her voice, ''she'' was unable to refuse her.


    "...Fine. I will stay."


    Ai''s eyes watered even more and tears fell.


    "But mind you, if you or Liu Jun try to feed me any nonsense, then don''t expect any mercy from me," ''she'' warned.


    "It won''t be like that."


    ''Guiying'' stared at her and then passed by her in silence towards Sky''s building.


    Ai slowly straightened up, wiping her tears. She saw Zixin standing before her and offering her his handkerchief. "You were also here?"


    Zixin lowered his gaze. "Yes. But I couldn''t come forward. Guiying wouldn''t want to see me¡­"


    Just that one thought was enough to darken his whole world.


    "Please wipe your tears with this."


    "Th-thank you¡­" Ai felt slightly embarrassed as she accepted his handkerchief.


    She then took a deep breath and looked up, firm with her belief. "Guiying wouldn''t want to meet you now, but I know it will be different after we resolve everything. Please stay strong."


    His eyelashes trembled and it was difficult to dissipate the doubts in his heart. But he clung onto Ai''s hope and nodded.


    ¡ª


    Inside, the celebrations were in full swing and Xing Bi could see how busy Jun was talking to his employees and some other guests he had invited for this event. There were a host of reporters too who had lined up to interview Jun.


    She stood at one side, breathless after her interaction with the whole Liu family, especially Liu Hai, Jing and the twins. They were a charge of endless energy.


    "I am dead¡­" she said while looking as if somebody had sucked out her soul.


    As she drank a glass of water, she heard the sound of heels clicking on the floor as the person approached her.


    Xing Bi turned her head and her expression slightly hardened, seeing Sky''s Chief Editor, Sun Bai standing in front of her.


    "Miss. Xing," Sun Bai politely addressed her but with a hint of uncertainty.


    "Miss. Sun," Xing Bi replied perfunctorily.


    "I know you have been disappointed in me¡­" Sun Bai lowered her gaze. "I fully understand your concern too. I came to ask if you¡­thought what we talked about before?"


    Xing Bi''s expression was solemn as she faced her. After learning how Sun Bai had sent Ai''s story drafts to her personal device and unsure of how she meant to use them, Xing Bi had confronted Sun Bai the next day.


    Sun Bai asked, "Have you decided if you would¡­" her clasped hands were trembling, "reveal everything to Sir Liu?"

 Chapter 495 The Party Is About To Get Started

    Xing Bi observed her closely and could see the hesitation and worry marring Sun Bai''s face. The ever so calm and poised Sun Bai looked disturbed today.


    Xing Bi inwardly sighed but kept a straight face in front of her. "I cannot give you an answer until you tell me the whole truth. How can you expect me to make any decision?"


    Sun Bai stiffened.


    "You only said that you regretted pulling Ai''s drafts into your personal device and decided not to use it against her, but why did you do all this is still the question. Until I get a clear answer, I won''t be able to make any promises."


    Sun Bai lowered her gaze. "I see¡­"


    She said after a pause, "I understand."


    Xing Bi asked, "...Is it so difficult to answer?"


    "Unfortunately, yes. But I don''t blame you. It''s already enough for me that you didn''t reveal anything until now. Thank you."


    Sun Bai gave a slight bow and left.


    Xing Bi watched her leaving and pursed her lips. She felt a sudden presence as Nian jumped behind her. He poked her cheek and pouted. "Don''t worry too much. I was there with you when we talked to her. She doesn''t have Ai''s drafts with her, so there is no way she can use them now. As for my little brother, you should definitely tell him about it. He is the CEO of Sky as the final boss, he must know the truth of his employee, especially when it concerns his girlfriend."


    Xing Bi released another sigh. "That''s why I didn''t promise Miss. Sun. Even if she said she had no intentions, it''s Jun and Ai''s right to know what has happened."


    "My Xing Bi is so fair!" His eyes sparkled. "That''s why I love you so much!"


    She almost stumbled. "You!"


    Nian gave an innocent look as he pulled her waist against him. "Aish my dear, shouldn''t you be used to it? How about after this celebration is over, we spend some cuddling time together?"


    Nian pressed her back against the wall and with his twinkling, mischievous gaze, he seemed to close all paths for Xing Bi to escape.


    Her mouth twitched but with his face and body leaning so closely, she felt her voice being held back. "Th-that I¡­"


    Nian beamed. "Yay, you agreed!


    "..."


    "Huh? When-"


    "You know my dear? Whenever I talk about our cuddly time, you don''t waste a single second in kicking and beating me up. Which breaks my heart but if it''s you, I am willing to bear anything!"


    "..."


    Nian shone even brighter. "But this time, your reaction wasn''t immediate which means you are hesitating to decline me which means that you accept this date! Thank you, Xing Bi. I knew it. I will definitely win this treacherous path of winning your heart one day!"


    Xing Bi couldn''t believe his shamelessness. Just a few seconds of her pause made Nian jump to conclusions.


    She cleared her throat and said, "You are thinking-"


    "See you later!" Nian packed on her cheek and dashed away, hopping with joy.


    Xing Bi was left in a stupor. She absent-mindedly touched her cheek, her face blushing furiously.


    Th-that Liu Nian!! K-Keep waiting you! As if I am so foolish to agree!


    Her mind tracked back to the night at her house and wondered what sort of unspeakable things and advantages he might take of her¡­


    Shut up my stupid heart! Why are you beating so loudly!?


    "I-I won''t let you win!"


    "Who?"


    She turned with a jolt and saw Hou Lin blinking at her with confusion. She coughed, feeling embarrassed. "Ah nothing¡­I was just talking to myself hehe~"


    "I see. Oh. I saw Miss. Sun just a minute ago. Did you cross paths?"


    "Yeah¡­She asked me if I would tell everything to Liu Jun, but I did not make any promises."


    He nodded. "Fair."


    Xing Bi scratched her chin. "I would also like to thank you, Hou Lin. I know you are loyal to Liu Jun but you listened to me and didn''t tell him anything yet¡­"


    "You don''t have to thank me. I understand Miss. Sun might have her own reasons. It''s difficult to be harsh towards her especially when we have worked with her."


    Xing Bi nodded hard. "Though after talking to Nian, I feel he is right. I shouldn''t hide it from Jun but Miss. Sun also¡­"


    Hou Lin noticed her difficulty and said, "No matter your decision, I will support you. If you feel there is no need to tell Sir anything, I won''t speak a word of it. That is of course if Miss. Sun keeps her word first. If you want to tell him, I am in favor of that too."


    She beamed. "Thanks a lot, Hou Lin!"


    "En. Let''s go."


    ¡ª


    As the celebration started, Yunru, who had been waiting for Huan, brightened as he saw her coming. "Huan! I am here!" He waved his hand furiously. "Come quickly. It''s starting!"


    Huan rushed towards him, breathless. "Sorry, I got late¡­"


    Her cheeks were reddish from all the running, but it was Yunru''s cheeks who turned crimson even further.


    C-cute!


    "Di-Did you finish with your chapters? How is your new story going?" He quickly asked, trying to stop heart from pounding anymore.


    Huan answered him with a genuine smile. "It''s going great. It''s all thanks to your suggestions that I could come out of my block. I feel so motivated to continue. With the tensions in my family, I didn''t know what to do anymore. Mom had also been pressuring me to start a new novel. But I couldn''t force myself. Thank you, Yunru. If not for you, I would have still been in a mess."


    Yunru wanted to faint with how she tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. Even that small action made his stomach flutter with butterflies.


    He waved his hand. "I just did what a friend would. You don''t have to be so polite. I-I¡­" he looked away blushing again, "I can do anything to help you."


    Listening to that, Huan felt her heart jump in her chest too just like Yunru''s did.


    Not able to bear all Huan''s cuteness overload, he quickly grabbed her hand and stammered. "L-Let''s go! The celebration is about to get started!"

 Chapter 496 Skys Anniversary Arc (1)

    Instead of keeping the anniversary celebration at Liu villa or any hotel, Jun chose to do so in Sky which he wholeheartedly built with all his efforts. It felt even more special this time because Jun had watched Sky collapsing in his past life in front of his eyes, but he chose to do nothing as he drowned himself in his lost love.


    And now he watched everyone from a distance with warmth in his eyes as they cheered and laughed together.


    He felt a finger softly poke his cheek and he chuckled as he looked at Ai. Ai asked, "What are you thinking?"


    "I am not thinking about anything. I just feel very happy today. It wasn''t only Yunru I had disappointed in my past life. Everybody working here had suffered because of my decisions. That''s why I wanted to celebrate here today."


    Ai entwined her fingers against his and softly smiled.


    "But Ai this time, I won''t let anything happen to Sky. Sky will never collapse like it did in the past."


    "Yes. It never will."


    The female employees of Sky were squealing at the sight of their Boss flirting with his girlfriend. Everybody wanted to play with Jun but didn''t have the confidence to pull Sky CEO for their little fun.


    And so Liu Hai came to their rescue. "Hoho! Why fear when Grandpa is here!"


    He dragged the couple in the middle of the gathering. "Hah! Today, there will be no barriers between you and your Boss! So you can bully him to your heart''s content!"


    Jun''s mouth twitched.


    One of the employees sweated. "But we still have to work here after the celebration too...We don''t want to incur Sir''s wrath."


    Jun coughed, feeling slightly shy. "Nobody will incur my wrath. So if you all want to play together, I am fine with it."


    The female employees clutched their chests, seeing the sunny expression on his face. He had crossed all meters of handsomeness today.


    Are we hearing it right?


    Liu Hai patted his shoulder hard. "That''s my boy!!" He shamelessly beckoned everybody from the family. "Jun will play with us! Don''t miss this golden chance!"


    Jian coughed out the juice he was drinking. "Is my little brother drunk?"


    Jun gritted his teeth. "I meant that only I and Ai will play, not you all! Shoo. You are not invited!"


    On the other side, the reporters were busy interviewing employees and various other authors who worked in Sky.


    "I am so grateful that I am a part of Sky!" An author Liang Chin squealed as she described her working environment. "All the editors here are so supportive, especially Miss. Sun Bai."


    "Ah, she is so mature and beautiful. To be honest, I have a crush on her hehe~~" Fang Yang said.


    Another author, Xia Cheng, shyly coughed. "Even though Mr. Hou Lin isn''t part of the editing and publishing department, we like him so much. He is the next eligible bachelor after Sir Liu!"


    "I don''t mind President Yunru even though he might be younger than me!" A webnovel author, Teng Bai, exclaimed in joy.


    The reporters shifted their mic and camera towards the next author in line, Cui Fen. "Miss. Cui, isn''t it? We have heard that you are a recent joinee in Sky."


    Cui Fen straightened up and awkwardly smiled. "Yeah I am..."


    "Nice! So as a newbie, what had been your experience so far?"


    "I..." her expression was a little strained though she tried to hide it. She was peeking glances at a certain someone in the celebration. She quickly smiled at the reporters. "I-It''s going good! Yeah, I am so thrilled to work here!"


    Two of the reporters exchanged gazes, feeling unsure about her reaction. They followed her gaze but there were many people in that direction including Nian, Xing Bi, Yunru, Huan, Leina, Nuo while Sun Bai stood at a distance.


    Something seems fishy...


    A part of the reporters naturally flocked to Yating''s side too, especially since Dream High was a direct rival with Sky.


    "Mr. Gu Yating. We never expected Dream High''s Chief Editor to be a part of Sky''s celebration."


    Yating smiled. "Yeah, even I am surprised. I wouldn''t have imagined this scenario a few months but times change."


    One reporter probed. "What about your relationship with Miss. Zhou?"


    "What about it?"


    "Miss. Zhou left Dream High to join Sky. Did it have any personal impact on your relationship with her?"


    Yating smiled. "As you can see, I was and I still am good friends with Zhou Ai. Not only with her but with Xing Bi too. People switch companies and that''s their choice. Doesn''t mean it should affect your friendship, right? You don''t have to worry about any personal impact. Our friendships are not so shallow."


    The reporter backed off, embarrassed. He wanted a possible scoop on Yating and Ai''s relationship since he had heard they were quite close in Dream High.


    ''Guiying'' wasn''t spared with the interview either in an attempt to get some gossip, but she only smiled and gave perfunctory responses. Never in her tone did she made them feel that there were actually problems going between them.


    ''She'' went and stood in a corner, watching and observing everybody. ''She'' noticed Ai''s frequent glances at her and ''she'' could tell that Ai didn''t want to leave her alone. But with the way things were, Ai couldn''t force her either.


    ''She'' saw Jian, Nian and Yunru fooling around with Nuo and Yubi while Jin kept his distance with them. On the other side, Siying was playing with Shui too and teasing his younger sister.


    ''She'' felt Guiying''s sadness and longing inside her heart, watching all the siblings have fun.


    "Guess only you got the bad apple of your brother huh..." ''Guiying'' chuckled but not with disdain or mockery.


    ''Her'' stupor broke as her phone buzzed with a call. ''She'' took it aside and said, "Yes, Zhan Yahui."


    "Where are you?"


    "At Sky''s anniversary party."


    There was a long silence.


    "Seems like your hatred has dialed down now."


    ''Guiying'' sneered. "My hatred for Liu Jun will never dial down."


    "If that''s so, then you should leave," Zhan Yahui said with a slight urgency which ''she'' couldn''t detect.


    "I am already here-"


    "Hello."


    ''Guiying''s'' conversation was cut off upon hearing Zixin greeting her as ''she'' turned. Zixin stood before her with a solemn expression, wanting to talk to her.


    From the other line, Zhan Yahui asked with a deathly quiet voice, "...Who is that?"

 Chapter 497 Skys Anniversary Arc (2)

    ''Guiying'' excused herself as ''she'' further went to the other side. Zixin didn''t mind. Instead, he patiently waited for her to finish her conversation.


    Zhan Yahui asked, "You didn''t answer my question."


    ''Guiying'' shrugged. "The person you are asking about was standing right in front of me, so I stepped aside. He was Chen Zixin."


    "You know him?"


    "Yeah. Have met a couple of times before."


    "...From Han Shui''s birthday banquet."


    "Yeah and twice before that and many times after that too."


    Suddenly, there fell another spell of a long silence.


    "You met Chen Zixin that many times? How are you two even connected?" Zhan Yahui forced her voice to sound extremely calm.


    ''Guiying'' was beginning to feel slightly strange because of her inquisitiveness.


    Zhan Yahui caught onto her slight change as well and said, "I mean considering you loathe Liu Jun so much I thought you wouldn''t be interested in having contact with other members of his family."


    "Ah well..." ''she'' peeked at Zixin and said, "This and that happened and he turned out to help Guiying with her novel," ''she'' felt lazy to recount from the first meeting all the way back from the hospital till now.


    "Wait a minute..." she stopped ''her,'' "Was it because of Chen Zixin that she was inspired to write her new story?"


    "Not really inspiration. He was just helping out with ideas and suggestions. And..."


    ? ''Guiying''s expression changed as well, thinking about Zixin''s gratitude and the time at the park. "Apart from her, I found him tolerable too. Keeping Liu Jun aside, Chen Zixin is a nice guy. Awfully polite and sincere," ''she'' snorted. "At least way nicer than Liu Jun could be. A pity he lost his memories."


    Zhan Yahui said nothing at that.


    "Well it was a little shocking to know since you never told me about your meetings with Chen Zixin."


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow and thought to herself for a moment. "I didn''t think it was really necessary."


    "Even after Guiying already faced betrayal from Liu Jun?"


    "Chen Zixin has got nothing to do with that. He doesn''t even remember anything."


    "I am just telling you to be careful. I am surprised you even bothered to attend the celebration of someone you hate so much," she chuckled.


    "I wasn''t interested either if not for Zhou Ai wanting to tell me something important."


    There was a slight pause.


    "...Hooo. Something important?"


    On the other side, Zhan Yahui strongly felt that she was unaware of lots of things in the background, but she couldn''t probe more than that. ''Guiying''s'' meetings with Zixin alone were enough to let her know that many things had happened without her knowledge.


    Did I become too careless because Chen Zixin lost his memory? I never expected there would be any scope left for them to meet anymore.


    And now things stood at a point where Ai had something important to say to ''Guiying.''


    Ai, who was keeping her distance from Guiying until now suddenly had something to tell.


    "About MrPerfect."


    Zhan Yahui stiffened.


    "It''s a long story that happened with Chen Zixin, but I revealed Liu Jun''s truth to him. I didn''t want to but...things just took that turn."


    "I see...Whatever it is, I only suggest not to fall for it," she smiled. "I care about you, that''s why I don''t want you to be fooled by them once more. Liu Jun can do anything to prove himself innocent."


    ''She'' cocked her brow and sneered. "I already know not to fall for their nonsense. I am curious what card they have to play."


    "Jian you bastard! That was my piece of cake!"


    Nian shouted with a big piece of cake stuffed in his mouth. "Shut it! You already had two!"


    Liu Hai smacked them hard. "You both have some nerve to snatch my cake!"


    His wife, Liu Chunhua, threateningly smiled. "Since when do you eat cake, my dear husband?"


    "N-No I-I mean..."


    ''Guiying'' frowned and said, "Anyway, talk to you later. It''s getting too loud here."


    ''She'' hung up and went back to see Zixin still standing at the same place as before as if he hadn''t moved an inch like a statue. ''She'' walked slowly, recalling what had happened yesterday.


    Even though it was Guiying at that time Zixin kissed, ''she'' was aware of what had transpired as well. ''She'' could feel her heart pounding because ''she'' shared Guiying''s restlessness as ''she'' approached ZIxin.


    After all the chaos yesterday, it was now after seeing him that she clearly remembered her first kiss. ''Guiying''s'' movements were becoming awkward because of her emotions running all over the place.


    Will you just keep quiet already!? I am walking like a clown because of you!


    ''Guiying'' decided against meeting Zixin, so ''she'' passed by him in silence, not giving him a second glance.


    "H-Hello."


    You clearly saw I was avoiding talking to you, ''her'' mouth twitched.


    Zixin was mindful of keeping some distance between them so that ''she'' wouldn''t feel uncomfortable. At first, he had decided only to meet ''her'' with Jun and Ai after the celebration ended. But he felt he had an important thing to say before that conversation would take place.


    ''Guiying'' observed the tension lines on his forehead. "I don''t want to talk about anything related to MrPerfect right now. That''s already reserved for later, and I will listen to you all only once," ''she'' sharply discouraged him in case he had those intentions.


    Zixin quickly said before ''Guiying'' took another step. "No! It''s not about that. I came to you to...to...apologize to you."


    "Again. If it''s about MrPerfect-"


    "No. I mean to apologize..." he pursed his lips, "about k-kissing Guiying."


    "Huh?"


    Zixin hesitantly nodded.


    ''Guiying'' stared at him for several moments and then laughed. "What? Do you regret it now?"


    "I do..."


    "So just a heat of moment kiss," ''she'' mockingly smiled.


    "Yes. But I shouldn''t have done it. Not when ''you'' are a part of her too. I-I mean..." Zixin felt his sentence came out wrongly and he started panicking, afraid of ''her'' misunderstanding him.


    "I mean I am definitely not a player!" He said, breathless.


    ''Guiying'' was dumbfounded. "Say what?"


    The look of extreme guilt on his face was crystal clear. "''You'' and Guiying are two different people. It doesn''t matter if you share the same body. I...kissed Guiying, b-but that would seem like I took advantage of ''you'' too...Doesn''t it mean I conveniently and shamelessly kissed two women?" Sweat trickled down his forehead. "S-So I wanted to apologize for my actions!"

 Chapter 498 Skys Anniversary Arc (3)

    ''Guiying'' could only stare at him, speechless. ''She'' could get where he was going with this but at the same time, ''she'' couldn''t make heads or tails of it either.


    "Are you serious?"


    Zixin obediently nodded but with guilt across his face.


    ''Her'' mouth twitched heavily. "...I don''t know how to respond to this."


    "C-Can you please forgive me?" Zixin sincerely asked.


    "I am not even sure what I should be forgiving you for."


    "For kissing-"


    "No, I still don''t get it so let''s leave it at that."


    "But¡­"


    ''Guiying'' snorted. "I already get it that you like Guiying. You were crystal clear about your feelings. There is nothing for me to get offended about. Your feelings are your feelings and you kissed the woman you like. You don''t have to worry about me."


    "How can I not?" He pursed his lips.


    "Because I am not supposed to exist in the first place," ''she'' shrugged and said in a matter of fact tone. "If Guiying had led a happy life, I wouldn''t have been born in the first place."


    It struck Zixin hard in his heart because it felt as if she was invalidating ''her'' existence. A tinge of loneliness enveloped his heart, but no words of comfort escaped his mouth.


    On the other hand, Chyou had difficulty in providing comforting words to Cheng Yin too as she talked to him on the phone.


    "Chyou, I miss you. When will your celebration be over? Let''s go on a date tonight!"


    She sighed. "Today won''t be possible. You know it''s Sky''s anniversary today."


    Cheng Yin was in a sour mood on the other side as he still remembered how Jun had repeatedly threatened him. He had given him three months to prove himself out of which, almost a month and a half was already over. Some more time and he won''t have to worry about the knife hanging on his neck.


    She chuckled. "But don''t feel down. Let''s plan something for tomorrow-"


    The crowd cheered on the other side for Jun and Ai to dance, and it became quite rowdy.


    "I want to see Sir Liu dance¡­" one squealed.


    "Yeah, he would look so handsome right?" The female employees gushed with joy.


    Liu Hai took charge of this dancing project. "Let''s all dance too! Everybody! Find your dance partner and come to the center stage!"


    His gaze fell on everyone one by one and looking at Chyou to be standing at a corner, he furiously waved his hand. "Chyou! Here! Here! Hereeeeee!"


    Chyou''s mouth twitched.


    He calls me like I have lost my way¡­


    She kept Cheng Yin on hold. "You carry on, Grandpa. I don''t have a partner anyway¡­"


    "Ah? Preposterous! Where is your boyfriend?"


    "Ah well Yin isn''t-"


    "Gu Yating!" Liu Hai beckoned him with his booming, excited voice. "What are you doing there at that corner when your girlfriend is here in this corner!" He scolded him.


    Yating, who was suddenly and unexpectedly called out and more so as somebody''s boyfriend, lost his balance. "Huh? Girlfriend?"


    "Chyou is over there and you are over there! Did you two fight? Keep it aside for now. It''s time to dance!" He beamed.


    Chyou and Yating became the center of attention instantly with this announcement.


    "Huh? Huh? Zhu Chyou and Gu Yating are dating?"


    "When?"


    "How?"


    "Why?"


    "Isn''t Zhu Chyou dating Cheng Yin!" The endless stream of questions floated in the air furiously.


    "Wait, did they already break up!?"


    Chyou''s jaw dropped wide. "Grandpa, what are you saying!?


    The pointed gazes at Yating made him uncomfortable. He choked as he clarified. "Grandpa, we are not dating."


    Liu Hai frowned. "You are not?"


    "Yeah."


    Liu Hai tilted his head and then suddenly widened his eyes as if he came to an understanding. "Ah! I see now!"


    Chyou sighed in relief. "Thank God-"


    "So the brat will confess later. You should have told me before!" He whined as if he was wronged.


    Chyou - "..."


    Yating - "..."


    Jun looked away as if he had nothing to do with this.


    Chyou patted the sweat on her forehead. "T-There is no plan to confess, Grandpa. You are misunderstanding."


    Yating smiled or at least tried amidst the pointed and suspicious stares. "We are just friends, Grandpa."


    "Bah! Friends my foot!" Liu Hai snorted and waved his hand in dismissal. "You cannot fool my eyes. You might not be dating now but you will definitely do so in the future. I absolutely cannot be wrong in this. I have a special antenna for sniffing out couples!" He proudly said.


    "Like Nana and Jing and Jin and Ai," Jinhai calmly threw shade at his own father and exposed him.


    "..."


    "You dare challenge your father, you brat!" Liu Hai glared at him. "In the end, they turned out to be my daughter-in-law and granddaughter-in-law anyway, so I am not totally wrong! Just the husbands changed a bit here and there¡­" he averted his eyes.


    Jun grimaced.


    ''Just'' he says¡­


    He sneered. "How about we change Grandma''s husband too just a bit here and there?"


    "..."


    Liu Chunhua stabbed further in his wound. "I don''t mind."


    Everybody burst out into laughter.


    "You brat! You are just like your stinky father throwing shade at me! Is this how you talk to your elders!?" He harrumphed.


    Jun rolled his eyes.


    Liu Hai coughed and pulled Chyou and Yating to join before anybody else would throw a taunt at him again.


    In the background unknown to anybody, Cheng Yin had heard everything.


    That Gu Yating is also there¡­!?


    Mistaking Chyou to be his girlfriend was like a strike to his pride.


    "Chyou¡­What is going on?"


    "Yin, what? I cannot hear you! Wait, I will call you back later."


    The call ended without any further word from her. Cheng Yin anxiously looked at the calendar and the date of his upcoming birthday.


    T-This is just today! Yeah just today¡­ He gritted his teeth. There would be no reason to see Gu Yating after this!


    At Sky, Jun wrapped Ai around his arms as they danced together. With a smile on his lips, he peered into her beautiful eyes, enjoying this happy moment with her.


    Same as Yunru who courageously asked Huan to dance with her.


    Xing Bi seemed to grudgingly dance with Nian though her heart was jumping with embarrassment.


    Only Jin stayed at a side who didn''t seem to know what he was supposed to do. He only kept throwing glances at Shui but then would quickly look away, making Jinhai inwardly shake his head.


    But the joyful atmosphere broke as the reporters receive a text, which made their eyes pop out, aghast.


    "What is this? President Chen Yunru betrayed Sky!?"

 Chapter 499 Skys Anniversary Arc (4)

    The news spread like wildfire as everybody''s phone rang one after the other. The reporters were hushing and whispering furiously as they checked the news and again.


    Yunru was dumbfounded as the allegation fell on his ears. But the temperature took a steep drop instantly when Jun coldly demanded an answer. "Who said that?"


    The merry dancing atmosphere came to a sudden halt.


    The reporter who did slightly gulped back in his throat. "I-I am not saying it! I got a message with evidence."


    "Evidence saying that Chen Yunru betrayed Sky? BETRAYED? Are you sure you are looking at the right message?"


    Jun walked towards the reporter with each of his steps carrying a heavy and deadly weight to it. He unceremoniously snatched the phone from the reporter and looked at the message.


    There were clips of Yunru and Huan working together and files leaked from Huan''s computer which looked like story drafts.


    Yunru and Huan rushed and saw the images. She softly stammered. "B-But this is my story¡­I am working on it."


    Yunru nodded hard. He glared fiercely at the reporters and demanded an answer. "What nonsense are you people spouting!? Why are you showing these pictures and Huan''s drafts! I will sue you all for invading her privacy!"


    One of the reporters scrolled down the evidence and said, "Privacy doesn''t seem to be the issue here, President Chen. Plagiarism is."


    "Huh?"


    "The story on which Miss. Shi is working on is something that seems to have been stolen from one of the Sky authors."


    Yunru stared at her aghast at the allegation. "I¡­You are saying that I stole an author''s story here!?"


    "That''s what the evidence says."


    "Nonsense! Huan is working on an original story! I know it because I have been working with her! I have seen how hard she has been dedicating herself to her career. She is spending so many sleepless nights to craft out the story she wants to and you are saying I stole the idea from Sky!?" His nostril flared and he was trembling with fury.


    Huan, too, seemed shaken up by suddenly being in the spotlight and for all the wrong reasons.


    Ai narrowed her eyes at the report and sharply and unforgivingly said, "I hope you know what charges are being put here and how serious they are. Accusing President Chen of stealing ideas and stories would not be taken lightly."


    Until a few months ago, Ai was in this position herself so she knew better than anybody how devastating that accusation was.


    Jun placed his hand on Yunru''s shoulder and pulled him back. "Step back, Yunru. Let me talk to them."


    "Bro, they are speaking nonsense!" His eyes were close to getting teared up though as Sky''s President, he wanted to remain firm and indifferent.


    "I know. Do you think you have to explain anything to me?"


    Nuo came and smacked on his head. "Bro is right! Why are you two getting so down for? We will get at the bottom of this and throw away all these accusations!"


    "Sis Nuo¡­"


    Jun kept scrolling down the evidence on the snatched phone of the reporter. "The evidence says Yunru stole an author''s work here. What work is it? Which author from Sky is it?"


    Jun read through Huan''s drafts and said, "I never came across this story at Sky as any of the author''s submissions."


    The reporters replied. "That''s because President Yunru never let it come to the surface. The story here belongs to author Cui Fen."


    The authors gasped and instantly, their attention fell onto their fellow newbie colleague and writer, Cui Fen, who had just been giving her own small interview to the reporters.


    Fang Yang asked with shock, "Cui Fen, that''s your story!? But you never said anything about it!"


    Liang Chin said, "Yeah weren''t you working on the research?"


    Ai didn''t get the chance to talk to Cui Fen that much as compared to the other authors, but as far as she knew, Cui Fen definitely hadn''t started writing her story.


    Cui Fen stiffened and cold sweat began to trickle down her forehead. "That¡­I-I¡­" she clasped her phone hard between her palms.


    Jun questioned. "Is that the story you were working on? Is that the truth?"


    She frighteningly took a step back now feeling even further nervous and afraid. She was just a newbie and Jun was the CEO. Despite the huge pressure she felt mounting on her shoulders with everybody''s scrutiny, she managed to reply hoarsely. "...Yes."


    Yunru widened his eyes. "Huh!? That''s impossible! You weren''t working on this story at all!"


    Cui Fen''s expression paled and she burst into tears. "I¡­"


    One of the reporters intervened. "Presentation Chen, you are scaring your own writer here. Is that how Sky treats their employees?"


    "I remember Miss. Cui nervously glanced at President Chen a couple of times during her interview as if she was afraid of something. This must be the reason why. President Chen stole her story!"


    "Yeah I remember her looking in that direction too!"


    "She was definitely afraid of President Chen."


    "And look how scared Cui Fen is¡­"


    Jun said and at the same time Zixin harshly rebuked the reporters as well. "Enough."


    There were only two voices among the many but they were sharp and cold enough for everyone to shut their mouths.


    Zixin warned. "I hope you have gotten the chance to verify your claims and evidence before pointing fingers at my brother. Because when it is proven that he is innocent, you will have a very heavy price to pay."


    Yunru tearfully blinked at Zixin, his heart gushing with warmth. He trembled, feeling Zixin''s sincerity. Until now, Zixin couldn''t connect to his family the way it was before his accident. Yunru always tried to stay positive that his brother would return one day and everything would go back to how it was.


    But inwardly, he was extremely anxious seeing how that distance never seemed to shrink between them. But seeing Zixun standing up for him made his heart flutter with joy and tears slip from his cheeks.


    It was at this moment that he truly began to feel that the efforts of bringing Zixin back to the family were bearing fruits that he always wished for.

 Chapter 500 Skys Anniversary Arc (5)

    Jun icily added. "It will be a double price from my side. What is the basis of these claims anyway? President Chen is not stupid to steal somebody''s work from his own company. Are you even making any sense?"


    The last question was put forth with such deep hostility that everybody could clearly feel the bloodlust.


    Some more pictures as evidence furiously rushed in which showed how intimate Yunru and acted with each other.


    "Mr. Liu...From these pictures, doesn''t it seem very clear that President Chen and Miss. Shi are together as a couple?" One reporter pointed out. He was shivering with fear but he relentlessly chased after the truth.


    Yunru froze and so did Huan.


    "Yes, it''s clear that they have feelings for each other."


    "They are acting so lovey-dovey!"


    "Heh look how he is following her like a puppy."


    Yunru stared at all the pictures in a daze. The locations in all these pictures and everything in them was true, including his blushing face when he stood closer to Huan.


    He knew that very well because he had realized it himself that he liked Huan. He could even tell how hard his heart must be pounding that day when this picture was taken.


    But...this wasn''t how Yunru wanted Huan to know about his feelings.


    With that being out, the atmosphere took another sharp drop with not only Jun but the rest of Liu family and everybody else''s gazes glinting with frostiness.


    The reporters and the few other guests almost pissed their pants with so many cold gazes directed.


    Jun, Zixin, Jian, Nian, Siying, Jin, Jinhai, Liu Hai and everybody looked like lions setting out to devour them and the reporters couldn''t understand why.


    W-what happened? Why are they suddenly all looking like that...


    Jun grabbed the reporter by his collar and his dark brown eyes alone were enough to make his knees melt.


    "Mr. Liu! What are you doing? You cannot be violent against-"


    "Violent? This is not even close to what I can really do," Jun said in an extremely low voice that rang of evilness in the air. "I will catch that bastard who is putting all this evidence for sure but you all...won''t go unscathed. My brother loves a woman. He is shy and a little awkward around her. He is doing his best to make her like him back. He keeps thinking about her for the whole day. His heart must be beating so fast when he meets her. He must be thinking about a lot of things, right? One of them is his feelings for her."


    He took an agonizing pause and continued. "Do you think this was the way he wanted Shi Huan to know about his feelings? Do you think Yunru wanted the likes of you judging their relationship as if it was some dirty affair going on between them? You...what do you think somebody''s love is!?"


    He sneered. "Truth? Would you say that you want to bring out the truth or just make fun of somebody''s feelings!?"


    Yunru was trembling hard. It was still fine till he was accused of stealing story, but he was completely unprepared for Huan to learn his feelings. At this moment, he didn''t even dare to meet her eyes.


    "Mr. Liu," the reporter gasped. "We-we...we are not judging their relationship. But if President Chen has feelings for Miss. Shi, doesn''t it mean that he showed b-bias...towards the woman he loves?"


    One of the other reporters chimed in. "Miss. Shi. Isn''t it true that you were facing hurdles in coming up with your new novel?"


    Huan stiffened. Her head was a mess with so many things happening all at once. She saw Yunru''s shoulders quivering and the panic in his eyes and she desperately wanted to do something for him, but she was in the line of attack as well.


    "...Y-Yes it''s true."


    "It''s also true that President Chen offered to help you, right?"


    It was true but Huan didn''t agree with the tone of the question that was asked. "Indeed but it wasn''t by stealing someone''s story...!" Her chest heaved with slight breathlessness.


    "But Miss. Cui Fen admitted that it was her story indeed."


    Ai looked at a trembling Cui Fen and gently asked, "Cui Fen. I am sure there must have been some misunderstanding. Please tell us what exactly happened."


    Cui Fen gulped and faced her. "Se-senior Zhou, i-it''s really my story. I...I had also written a few chapters of it," she wiped her cheek, trying to contain her courage. "B-But..."


    "But?"


    "But I took it to Miss. Sun a-and she showed it to President Chen but she said he rejected it."


    The reporters whispered among themselves.


    Ai blinked and asked, "Then Miss. Sun knows about it too?"


    Xing Bi said, "Since Cui Fen is a newbie, she is initially working under Miss. Sun for a few months to completely learn about Sky and then she was supposed to be transferred under me."


    Jun looked at Sun Bai. "Did Cui Fen submit that story to you?"


    Sun Bai quickly said, "No. Miss. Cui, what are you saying? You never submitted any story to me and so I never gave anything to President Chen to check."


    "No..." Cui Fen cried. "Miss. Sun, how can you be lying? You said it yourself that President Chen said I needed to work on it more..."


    Yunru took a deep breath and answered. "I never got a draft from Miss. Sun either. What Huan is writing..." he gritted his teeth, "I never read that story being written by any author from Sky!"


    "President Chen, you thought that since Cui Fen is a newbie, you can bully her like you want and steal her story for your girlfriend?"


    Sun Bai tried to make them understand. "But the drafts shown in these pictures...Cui Fen didn''t submit any story to me like this."


    Cui Fen looked aghast. "B-But I have the story with me. Look."


    She took out her phone, unlocked it and in her documents folder, there was a list of ten to twenty documents all named as chapters. When she opened all of them, they found that the content in those and Shi Huan''s drafts matched exactly.


    Yunru''s eyes slowly widened, unable to believe it himself.


    "I don''t understand what Miss. Sun is saying. If this isn''t my story, then I-I wouldn''t have it on my phone."

 Chapter 501 Skys Anniversary Arc (6)

    It was clear from the drafts present Cui Fen''s phone that Huan''s story matched hers. As Yunru also read it, he couldn''t believe the truth he was seeing with his own eyes. It was exactly what Huan wrote because he accompanied her the whole time.


    Then how could this story be Cui Fen''s?


    "Isn''t it clear now that Miss. Shi stole the story?"


    Huan froze. "Impossible¡­this is my story."


    The reporter continued. "Or rather it was President Chen who felt pitiful for the woman he loves. So to help her out, he rejected Miss. Cui''s story but handed it to Miss. Shi on a silver platter."


    The speculations and discussions rapidly shifted from ear to ear amongst hushed whispers.


    "Is that how Shi Publications wanted to regain their foothold in the industry?"


    "I guess Shi Publishing was really desperate huh¡­"


    "But taking help from its own rival seems so far-fetched!"


    "To be able to make Sky''s President to go against his own company and support her like this¡­Miss. Shi is frightening."


    "And then she also came to be a part of Sky''s anniversary celebration where the Miss. Cui was right before her!"


    The bitter words fell on her ears that made her feel like a cheater. Her hands trembled, thinking of all those days she poured her dedication and energy into her story. She could hardly wait for her book to be out and it was extra special to her because Yunru had been helping her this whole time.


    To see all her efforts go into the drain and being labelled as somebody who used Yunru for her own good could be nothing more humiliating than this. She felt the accusing and disdainful stares from everyone.


    "...Don''t¡­talk to her like this."


    Huan looked up but her sight was blocked by Yunru''s back. She stared at him in a daze feeling as if Yunru seemed even to look even taller.


    His fingers were clenched into a fist and his angry gaze facing the reporters and guests. "Don''t say anything against Huan! I won''t forgive anybody who talks to her disrespectfully¡­If you have anything to say, then talk to me. But don''t you dare drag Huan''s name into mud because nobody has any idea how hard she has worked! She has poured her soul into her story and now it is being tarnished as a plagiarized one. I won''t spare anybody who hurts Huan like this!"


    Tears welled in Ai''s eyes and for some reason, she felt proud of Yunru.


    Huan lowered her head and felt even more ashamed of standing behind Yunru''s protection. She wanted to speak for herself but with everything going on, her feet and voice felt frozen at their place. But her heart was enveloped with warmth.


    Jun ruffled Yunru''s head and smiled. "Nobody can talk this way towards you either."


    Liu Hai glared his nostrils. "Of course! I will punish anybody who bullies my grandson! Come forward you all! Let''s fight!"


    Jun narrowed his eyes at Cui Fen. Then he signaled Chyou and she understood with a single glance. She placed her palm forward and said, "Give me your phone."


    Cui Fen stiffened. "A-Ah? Why?"


    "Just give me your phone. Or are you accusing me that I will erase yoei documents?" She smiled.


    "Of-of course not! H-How can I doubt you?"


    Chyou took her phone and did a quick but thorough check. "When did you join Sky?"


    "Around 2 months back¡­a little less but around that¡­" she nervously answered.


    After two minutes, Chyou sighed and said, "There is no problem with her drafts. There is no sign of downloading them later. She created the documents on those dates. Even the author of those documents is named as Cui Fen."


    "Y-yes it''s mine. I wrote the story¡­S-So¡­" Cui Fen trembled.


    The reporters were unforgiving. "Mr. Liu, how could you investigate your own author and not President Chen?"


    "Even if he is your cousin, you cannot show bias like this."


    Jun smiled. "Oh really? Will you tell me how to investigate matters related to my company? Do you think that I will grant the position of Sky''s President to just any random person? Chen Yunru might have feelings for Shi Huan but he won''t do anything to jeopardize Sky''s ethics and reputation."


    Jin snorted as he teased. "He is way too pure to do that."


    Yunru didn''t know if he should feel insulted or not.


    He looked at Sun Bai and asked again, "I don''t want to doubt you either but are you sure you never received Cui Fen''s story?"


    "I am positive. I am not sure why Miss. Cui is being stubborn about this. I would never forget an important detail like this. I also make records of all my work and if you check them, you will see that Miss. Cui never approached me with any story."


    Cui Fen trembled. "I-I am telling the truth! I really did showed my story to Miss. Sun¡­"


    Yunru gritted his teeth. "And she never came to me bringing any of your story! Why are you hell bent on framing Huan like this!?"


    "I don''t know why Miss. Sun is lying!" She cried.


    He gasped with disbelief. "You¡­not only me but now you are accusing Miss. Sun too!? Do you even know that she has been working in Sky since the beginning!? You mean to say that everybody should trust a newbie rather than Sky''s Chief Editor?"


    "A Chief Editor who supposedly sold one of Sky author''s drafts to Shi Publishing?" A reporter questioned as she scrolled on her phone.


    "Say what?" Jun asked in a quiet voice. "Who sold what and to who?"


    The reporter sneered as if she just got her trump card. She showed Jun her phone and said, "This news just came out a minute ago. Apparently, Lu Bohai, a man working in Shi Publishing''s marketing department is fired on charges of unethically receiving and using a few story drafts belonging to an author from Sky. That author whose story was leaked is none than your girlfriend, Miss. Zhou Ai and the one who sold those drafts to Lu Bohai is Sky''s Chief Editor, Miss. Sun Bai."

 Chapter 502 Skys Anniversary Arc (7)

    At the same time in Shi Publishing.


    Huan''s mother, Shi Zhelan, was trembling from head to toe as she read the news circulating in the media.


    ''Shi Huan, a plagiarizer?''


    ''Shi Huan stole her upcoming book''s story from Sky!''


    There were also other articles of how Shi Huan was dismissed from Author''s Summit as she fell sick but with this allegation against her right now, rumors floated if her participation was dismissed because she was sick or if there was foul play about her entry.


    Even though the Summit''s screening process was thorough and strict, it was easy for Huan''s reputation to take a hit with her absenteeism from the Summit.


    "Nonsense! Who the hell are writing these articles about my daughter!" Shi Zhelan exclaimed with fury.


    Her husband, Shi Shuren, read the news with cold sweat shining on his forehead. "T-This is impossible¡­"


    "Of course it''s impossible! My Huan and will steal somebody else''s story? You do understand how bizarre it sounds, right!?"


    Shi Zhelan gnashed her jaw trying to contain her fury but the more rumors and accusations came in, the more she was losing her patience.


    "My Huan was finally so happy after knowing what she had to write¡­And now some author from Sky claims that it was actually her idea and story? That''s ridiculous!"


    She glared at the employees. "Give me an answer God damn it! Don''t tell me it''s Sky''s plot to bring Shi Publishing down¡­If that''s the truth, then that''s really low of them!"


    The employees could hardly speak in front of her when Shi Zhelan was already in firing mode. On top of Huan getting admonished, the guilt of Lu Bohai bribing Sun Bai also came to light.


    "And who the hell is this Lu Bohai?"


    "M-Marketing team manager," one of them trembled and said. "To be honest¡­he was close to getting laid off¡­"


    "And so he thought that stealing Zhou Ai''s story and using it to restore his glory will work!? Is he a fool? Do you all know how serious charge plagiarism is!?"


    With Huan and Lu Bohai''s case, Shi Publishing was cornered from all sides. The news of Lu Bohai bribing Sun Bai made Shi Publishing look like a pitiful company who was ready to take any step to pull itself back to its glory days.


    The door opened and Lu Bohai came running in, falling onto Shi Zhelan''s feet. "Madam Shi! Please forgive me!" He begged as he cried hard with the termination letter in his hand. "P-please don''t fire me. I won''t have anything to do if I l-lose my job! Please show mercy Madam¡­"


    "So you are Lu Bohai!" Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth and slapped across his face. "How dare you show your face to me? You had the nerve to drag Shi Publishing''s name into the mud and now you seek forgiveness!?"


    Lu Bohai couldn''t say anything in his defense apart from apologizing. "I¡­I didn''t know what to do Madam¡­I was about to lose my job a-and I knew my brother''s lover from Sky. I-I just thought if I could bag a story and promote an author from Shi Publishing to write it, I won''t be-"


    "Shut up! Just shut up!"


    Her chest heaved in breathlessness as she tiredly sat on the chair. Shi Shuren quickly brought some water from her. "Zhelan, don''t worry. We will figure something out-"


    She burst into a chuckle. "Figure out what! How can you be so calm when Huan is being falsely targeted like this?"


    "Of course I am worried about her too! She is my daughter-"


    She sneered. "Oh? She is your daughter? Or is that other girl your lovely daughter?"


    He froze.


    "Zhelan, how can you say this?"


    The employees were dumbstruck as they heard this.


    What daughter? Which other girl?


    Sir Shi Shuren has another illegitimate child!?


    Shi Shuren quickly pulled her and urgently whispered. "Zhelan, what are you doing? T-this is supposed to be kept between us¡­"


    She shook him off and pushed him back. "My daughter is suffering here and you care about your dirty laundry!? So what if I reveal about that bastard''s existence!? She is your bastard child isn''t she?"


    A sharp silence befell.


    "Where is she!? She must be enjoying all this, isn''t she? Huan is being accused and laughed at and she must be enjoying all this show with popcorn in her hands! Of course, why won''t she? She always wanted to snatch this company and Huan''s place from the beginning!"


    Shi Shuren paled. "Zhelan, please stop! We-we can talk about this at home¡­"


    He was panicking more and more as Shi Zhelan seemed out of control. The staff could hardly believe their ears about Shi Shuren''s supposed affair in the past.


    Shi Zhelan forced herself to calm down in the end as taking care of Huan''s matter was more important. "I won''t stand for this¡­I won''t let anybody smear mud on my Huan''s name. I know that my daughter will never cheat! Who is that author from Sky who claims Huan plagiarized? I demand to meet her right now!"


    But just at that time, the assistant came rushing in breathlessly to give another piece of bad news. "M-Madam, the investors and shareholders are here. They want to meet you about this current situation and they are¡­" he gulped, "not really in a friendly mood¡­"


    ¡ª


    Sky.


    The air rang with silence as Sun Bai was forced to weather the blame. She stood rooted on the ground as if somebody had zapped her. Hearing Lu Bohai''s name and the fact that he used Ai''s drafts was enough to shake her entire world.


    Impossible¡­


    How can Lu Bohai have Zhou Ai''s drafts? I-I never¡­


    But Jun, who clearly had it enough by now, warned the reporters to step back. "One more baseless and nonsense accusation if I hear from your mouth and trust me, you are dead. First my cousin and now Miss. Sun Bai. Do you know who you are pointing your fingers at!?"


    It was the first time that Sky''s employees were witnessing Jun''s temper for the first time.


    "Sun Bai and tamper with Ai''s drafts?" Jun laughed as if he heard the biggest joke. "Just tell me already, who has sent you all to execute this ugly agenda against Sky? You dare target two important pillars of Sky. You think I don''t know somebody is behind this?" His icy demeanor further dropped the temperature.


    But an unexpected voice of protest came forward as Xing Bi said, "Liu Jun. Chen Yunru might be innocent. But¡­" she looked at Sun Bai with extreme disappointment and anger as she faced her, "Miss. Sun Bai is not."

 Chapter 503 Skys Anniversary Arc (8)

    Ai pulled Xing Bi''s hand and asked, "Xing Bi? What are you saying?"


    Xing Bi stood tall and furious, feeling betrayed. "It''s the truth! I cannot believe Miss. Sun would choose to sell your story despite her promise!"


    Jun and Ai had no clue what Xing Bi was talking about. Especially for Jun who couldn''t imagine Sun Bai in any sort of unfavorable deal against Sky.


    Sun Bai''s eyes slowly widened and her face paled as she could see how and why Xing Bi would misunderstand her. "That''s not t-true...I really didn''t make any deal with Lu Bohai!" Her once calm expression was filled with uncertainty now.


    Jun frowned. "Please explain."


    "Xing Bi is indeed telling the truth, little brother," Nian stood by her side.


    "How do you know? And wait, why don''t I know about this?"


    Xing Bi pursed her lips. "I kept it from you for all this. I am sorry, Liu Jun. But when I first came to know that Miss. Sun transferred Ai''s story on her personal device and then saw her talking to Lu Bohai, I could hardly believe it myself. I always looked up to Miss. Sun."


    Sun Bai stiffened. Without Xing Bi telling her anything, she already knew that she had disappointed her. And today, she was going to disappoint her boss too.


    She clutched her dress hard, feeling cornered and afraid of the hate to come towards her.


    Xing Bi recounted whatever happened regarding Sun Bai and her suspicions on her and Lu Bohai''s relationship. Their meetings at a cafe where Lu Bohai was demanding her to give something and Sun Bai''s agreement too.


    "It was the next day when I met Miss. Sun and confronted her."


    *Flashback*


    The evening after when Nian had come to Xing Bi''s apartment, she made it a point to meet Sun Bai first thing in the morning.


    "I want the clear truth from you Miss. Sun."


    Sun Bai blinked, unsure of what Xing Bi had in mind.


    "I saw you meeting with Lu Bohai."


    She froze.


    "And I also came to hear your conversation with her. I also know that you have transferred some of Ai''s new story drafts into your personal device."


    By this point, Sun Bai had turned pale. She was visibly shaking as Xing Bi''s knowledge of her deeds was completely unexpected.


    I thought I was careful...


    Xing Bi looked into her eyes and said, "Miss. Sun. I really respect you a lot. You taught me everything since I came to Sky. It''s because of you that work at Sky became even more enjoyable..."


    In her heart too, Xing Bi felt it being gripped with pain. From the bottom of it, she didn''t want the strong and independent person she respected so much to be involved in anything guilty and shady. She hated questioning Sun Bai like this but for Ai''s sake, she steeled her heart.


    "Please tell me that you don''t have anything to do with Lu Bohai," she urged more than coming off as a demand.


    Sun Bai lowered her gaze. "...I am sorry."


    Xing Bi stiffened. She stammered. "That means you..."


    "It is indeed true that I pulled some files...unethically."


    Xing Bi felt her eyes tear up.


    Damn it! I had really hoped...I really hoped that she wouldn''t...


    Sun Bai closed her trembling palms. "I met Lu Bohai too and yes...he did demand me to help him out because of his precarious position in Shi Publishing. I agreed to help him out too."


    Xing Bi bit her lip hard.


    "But then I decided against it."


    She stared at her wide-eyed. "You did?"


    As opposed to her previous guilty expression, Sun Bai looked firm on her stance this time. "Yes, Miss. Xing. I realized what wrong I was going to do and how badly it would affect Miss. Zhou. I have seen her work so hard and I...I just couldn''t bring myself to listen to Lu Bohai in the end. That''s why I already deleted all the files from my device and am going to give Lu Bohai my answer."


    Xing Bi couldn''t express how relieved she felt. But one question still bothered her.


    "Why are you being threatened by Lu Bohai anyway? The Sun Bai who I know would never yield to such threats and demands!"


    A strange light of fear flashed in her eyes. "Apologies, Miss. Xing Bi. But I cannot...tell you that."


    Xing Bi frowned with dissatisfaction. She understood that she might have her own reasons but if she didn''t know it, it would be difficult to trust if Sun Bai wouldn''t betray again and would actually keep her word.


    "If you tell me, I will definitely help you!" She tried to convince her.


    Sun Bai''s eyelashes trembled. "Nobody can help me. I am really sorry but I cannot reveal anything more than this."


    "But Miss. Sun, what about Liu Jun and Ai?"


    A nervous gulp passed down her throat.


    "I cannot possibly keep such a big thing from them."


    "Please Miss. Xing," she sincerely requested. "Can I please ask you not to...not to tell Sir anything?"


    Xing Bi couldn''t really come to a decision then as Sun Bai was still keeping a few things from her. What if she ended up agreeing to Lu Bohai in the end? Though she also felt that Sun Bai wasn''t lying.


    But keeping this from Liu Jun...


    "Please give me some time to think."


    The tension from Sun Bai''s mind didn''t completely disappear, but she was relieved to know that Xing Bi was willing to give her request a thought.


    She bowed. "Thank you so much, Miss. Xing Bi. I...am sorry I disappointed you."


    *Flashback end*


    After hearing Xing Bi''s side of story and Hou Lin''s confirmation as well, it became even more imprinted for the reporters that Sun Bai was the guilty party as much as Yunru was.


    The doubts and uncertainty in everybody''s hearts towards her crushed Sun Bai''s heart.


    It''s over now...


    The small but contended life she had built in Sky was all finished.


    "Even the Chief editor betrayed Sky?"


    "That''s preposterous!"


    "Poor Sky had been raising snakes around it all this time..."


    Tears fell from Sun Bai''s eyes but amidst her blurry vision, she felt a soft hand hold hers. She looked up and was taken aback to see Ai standing before her.


    "M-Miss. Zhou..."

 Chapter 504 Skys Anniversary Arc (9)

    The reporters hushed among themselves that it was the end of Sun Bai. Selling an author''s drafts to the rival company was unforgivable. But Ai didn''t hold any anger or resentment towards her, nor did she throw any accusation on her.


    She simply asked, "Miss. Sun. Did you sell my story to Shi Publishing? I just want to hear from you."


    Sun Bai glanced at Jun who had the same expression as Ai which was what really shocked her. Not only was he Sky CEO but Ai''s boyfriend too. She had already prepared to face the worst from Jun''s side.


    But at this moment, she looked into Ai''s gaze which only seemed to want her answer. "I a-admit I planned to do that under Lu Bohai''s pressure, but I didn''t! I disregarded his demands and decided for myself that I won''t be guilty of doing this. I-I really am telling the truth, Miss. Zhou¡­" her eyes ached. "I don''t know how Lu Bohai got those drafts. It''s definitely not from me! P-please believe me, Mrs. Zhou."


    At the end, her chest heaved with breathlessness because she knew this was the last chance to explain her innocence.


    Ai nodded at her and said, "I believe you, Miss. Sun."


    Sun Bai froze. Her lips parted with disbelief even though she asked it herself for Ai to believe her.


    Xing Bi helplessly sighed. She knew Ai would respond like this. All this time, she wanted to believe Sun Bai as well but if it was anything related to Ai, then she wouldn''t compromise at all. And knowing now that Lu Bohai was fired, Sun Bai was a definite culprit for her.


    Ai said, "Others might call me stupid, but I know what I am doing. I have closely worked with you, Miss. Sun. The hard work that you have given to Sky all this time is not a facade. Those were your genuine feelings that cannot be a lie. If you say that you backed off from giving into Lu Bohai''s demands, then I believe you."


    Sun Bai could hardly believe what she heard. Out of all the people, she never imagined for Ai to be so understanding who was the same person she wanted to hurt.


    Xing Bi asked, "If you are really innocent, then how did Lu Bohai get those drafts? You said that you had deleted them from your phone."


    "I did! I really deleted all the files from my device¡­Wait, I can show you!"


    Sun Bai hastily unlocked her phone and showed all the folders to everyone but her world turned upside down soon after. The files which were supposed to be permanently deleted from her phone were back in those folders. She blankly stared at those files in a daze unsure of what had happened.


    This is not¡­


    Xing Bi widened her eyes and her aura became even more blazing furious.


    She hadn''t deleted them after all!


    The others figured out as well and snickered. "I think you forgot to delete the evidence, Miss. Sun."


    "N-No¡­This is not possible," Sun Bai turned white with fear and trembled hard.


    I remember I deleted them! H-How are they back in my phone¡­?


    ¡ª


    The shareholders and investors'' meeting at Shi Publishing''s conference room wasn''t heading in a direction that Shi Zhelan was wishing for. The atmosphere was stark and grim with the company involved in two major scandals one after the other.


    One of the scandals included her daughter, Shi Huan, herself.


    "Madam Shi. Please answer us. Do you know how much of Shi Publishing''s reputation has been tarnished in just a matter of a few hours?"


    Shi Shuren tried to calm them. "I understand your concerns, but please calm down. Huan is innocent. She would never think of doing this plagiarism business! Once we prove that, Shi Publishing will be back-"


    "And how will you do that, Mr. Shi? Miss. Huan is being accused of seducing Chen Yunru for her benefit. And did you forget Lu Bohai''s bribery case?"


    He gritted his teeth. "We have already fired him!"


    "And will it wash away the allegation against him?" One of them sharply questioned. "It''s so obvious that you will terminate him after this but what about his guilt in the first place?"


    "Two people from Shi Publishing targeted Sky and its authors."


    "I cannot even imagine what action Liu Jun will take¡­"


    "If Liu Jun decides to strike back, which I am sure he definitely will, do you think that Shi Publishing will be able to survive?"


    Shi Shuren stood up and quickly said, "But it''s not just us! President Yunru is equally responsible for misusing his position and so is their Chief Editor, Sun Bai. Sky Publishing is in the fire just like us."


    One other shareholder laughed. "So what? You forget who Liu Jun is. You forget which family he belongs to."


    He stiffened.


    The Liu family¡­


    "That alone is enough. And the blame falls on us first. Miss. Shi Huan seduced President Chen. Lu Bohai trapped Sun Bai to do bribery and since Miss. Zhou Ai is involved now, do you think the Sky CEO will remain calm? Don''t forget that he is her boyfriend."


    Shi Shuren was visibly sweating now. Sky''s reputation was at stake too but no matter how anybody looked at it, it was Shi Publishing which would take the worst hit.


    One investor looked at Shi Zhelan and sneered. "A pity, Madam Shi. You built a whole company for your daughter''s sake, but how did she return your favor? By throwing mud at all the efforts you put in?"


    Shi Zhelan burst into fury. "Don''t say a word against my daughter!"


    Her face was livid with anger and her body shook with all the events unfolding against Huan. She was desperately trying to call Huan, but she was just not reachable.


    Shi Zhelan''s behavior only made the shareholders even more displeased. "I guess I can see why Miss. Shi Huan would walk the wrong path."


    "You¡­"


    He indirectly blamed her for wrong parenting.


    "At this rate, we cannot believe in Shi Publishing''s future anymore."


    "I don''t think you or Mr. Shi will be able to handle this crisis. If you did, it will only aggravate the matter because you will be blamed for showing bias towards your child as her parents."


    "You fired Lu Bohai but what about any action against Miss. Shi? None. People are already commenting unfavorably on that."


    Shi Zhelan clenched her jaw.


    How can I take any action against Huan when I know she is innocent!?


    "If somebody more capable steps in, we can think about not withdrawing our investments¡­"


    One of the shareholders said, "There is somebody among us who is indeed capable. If we give her the authority, I am sure she would find a way out of this."


    Shi Zhelan frowned in confusion.


    Who are they talking about-


    The door opened at that moment and a woman walked in, the sound of her heels clicking against the floor.


    She smiled at everyone present in the conference room and introduced herself. "Nice to meet you. I am an editor working in Dream High. My name is Zhan Yahui."

 Chapter 505 Skys Anniversary Arc (10)

    At Sky''s anniversary celebration which had turned into a grim and gruesome event for everybody, especially Yunru and Sun Bai, Sun Bai found herself in the most precarious situation ever. The mobile in her hand kept trembling, seeing the presence of the files she had already deleted before.


    "I¡­I am telling the truth¡­" her voice shook as tears formed in her eyes. "I-I have no idea about this. M-Miss. Zhou, Sir, I really don''t know how¡­"


    For the rest of the crowd, Sun Bai was now nothing but a liar trying to gain sympathy by using her tears.


    "Don''t vouch for innocence when you have been caught red-handed," one of the reporters prickly pointed out.


    She stiffened.


    "Yeah, that''s right. You should feel ashamed."


    "What kind of people work in Sky-"


    Suddenly, the reporter gulped his words back in his throat as he felt a sharp and icy look from Jun who looked ready to strangle him.


    "I decide what kind of people work in Sky," he quietly imposed. "If you are judging Sun Bai, it means you are judging me."


    And judging Liu Jun and the Sky CEO was a mistake nobody here wanted to make.


    Flaring his nostrils, Yunru bashed them. "That''s right! Don''t you dare blame Sun Bai! She is really awesome! I believe her if she is saying that she doesn''t have any knowledge about this!"


    Zixin nodded after his brother''s declaration, leaving everybody stunned.


    Nobody understood how Sky bosses could trust their employee who had been literally caught red-handed with guilt. They looked disdainfully at Yunru because they felt he was supporting Sun Bai who faced similar allegations as her.


    But for even the CEO to take her side was a whole different matter altogether.


    Once again, Jun asked Chyou to check Sun Bai''s phone like she did for the newbie author Cui Fen but with more detailed analysis.


    Chyou said, "I will be back."


    Yating thought for a second and said, "I will come with you too."


    Jun stood before Sun Bai and said with his reassuring and firm tone, "The truth will be out, Miss. Sun. Rest assured."


    Ai beamed and nodded.


    Sun Bai still couldn''t believe that of all people, Jun would trust her so much.


    Xing Bi, who still felt uncomfortable about this, voiced out her opinion, "Ju-, Sir, I, too, want to believe in Miss. Sun. But she is making it difficult herself! I asked her so many times why a person like her would yield to Lu Bohai, but she refused to tell me."


    She gave a troubled look at Nian which expressed if what she was doing was right or wrong.


    Nian''s lips curved into a smile, neither goofy or mischievous, but a smile which consoled her anxious heart. "You aren''t wrong with your doubts. After all, you care about Ai so much. I am sure my little brother would have his reason."


    Ai softly said, "Yes, Xing Bi. You are not wrong either. I know you have questions for my sake."


    The guilt from Xing Bi''s heart eased tremendously.


    The reporters then asked, "Miss. Sun, what is your relationship with Mr. Lu Bohai?"


    "Why did he approach you to bribe you?"


    With all the cross questioning, Sun Bai found it difficult to breathe because this was a track of questions she didn''t wish to answer.


    The reporters were even more convinced that Sun Bai had more shady things to hide. They could smell the juicy headlines and were ready to pounce on her like wolves when Jun crashed their hopes.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "When did you all become the CEO of Sky to question my employee like that?"


    They froze.


    "Whatever questions there are, only I have the right to ask Sun Bai. There is no need for your useless interference so back off. Whether it''s Yunru, Cui Fen or Sun Bai, only I have the authority to handle these matters."


    Zixin coldly glanced at the reporters and calmly said, "It won''t be for long when Yunru and Shi Huan will be proved innocent. At that time, I want all of you to be ready with your personal apology. Yunru is my little brother and Shi Huan could be my possible sister-in-law in the future. I won''t take this matter lightly," he threatened but with poise and tranquility.


    ''Guiying'' choked.


    The reporters - "..."


    "Bro¡­" Yunru burst into tears and hopped in to give Zixin a big hug.


    Zixin nodded and patted his head. "You don''t have to be afraid at all."


    Huan felt extremely grateful to him as well. She thought about all the chaos that would be happening at Shi Publishing because of her and steeling her heart, she said, "I will be heading back to the company. I will explain my side to everyone myself that I am innocent."


    With Yunru, Zixin and everybody''s support, Huan found her own confidence and resolve.


    Yunru quickly said, "I will come with you too!"


    "No," Huan denied. She looked at the reporters and staunchly said, "It will only make people misunderstand us more. I don''t want anybody to think that you came because I seduced you."


    Some of the reporters coughed.


    "That''s why, I will go alone," she clenched her fist with determination. "This is my story which I have worked hard for. I will fight for it myself."


    ¡ª


    Shi Publishing.


    Shi Zhelan watched Zhan Yahui walking into the conference room with an air of confidence and elegance around her. "What are you doing here¡­?"


    Zhan Yahui stopped and faced her with a smile on her lips. "Mrs. Shi. Why wouldn''t I be here? I am one of the shareholders of this company as well. I have every right to be concerned about its future."


    Shi Zhelan stared at her blankly. "Shareholder¡­?"


    How can she have any shares of Shi Publishing!? She has got nothing to do with my company!


    Suddenly, a chill ran in the back of her spine as a thought came across her mind. She ever so slowly turned her head and moved her gaze towards her husband.


    Shi Shuren, who felt her gaze, stiffened. The sweat on his forehead became further pronounced as he knew what Shi Zhelan would have understood.


    With the way he guiltily averted his eyes, Shi Zhelan already got her answer.


    Ah¡­so it was him¡­


    Shi Shuren had secretly transferred a portion of his shares on Zhan Yahui''s name because of which she was standing as a shareholder at this moment.


    Shi Zhelan looked back at Zhan Yahui where the latter sneakily winked at her and mouthed something silently.


    ''Happy realization, Mrs. Shi~''

 Chapter 506 Skys Anniversary Arc (11)

    Zhan Yahui took an empty chair and sat down, joining the group of Shi Publishing''s shareholders. One of them, Yao Guo, welcomed her.


    "Ah, you are here, Miss. Zhan. We were just talking about you."


    "Me?" Zhan Yahui blinked in surprise. She then chuckled. "I thought discussing Shi Publishing''s future was more important here."


    "Of course. That''s why I mentioned you."


    Shi Zhelan trembled and banged her palm on the table. "You¡­get out! There is no way I will allow you to be here!"


    "Calm down, Madam Shi. She is one of the shareholders of this company. I don''t think this is the tone with which you should speak with us."


    She angrily laughed while throwing glares at Shi Shuren. "Tone? My tone? Shuren. Go ahead and tell the reason I am using this tone with her. You know the best, don''t you?"


    Shi Shuren shut his eyes, unable to face everyone, especially his wife because he knew what she must be feeling.


    "Tell them Shuren! Tell them how you betrayed me again. This company¡­we built this company for Huan''s sake. It was to make her dream come true. As a mother, I just wanted to support her. But since Zhan Yahui is here, I now clearly understand that you didn''t feel the same as me."


    Shi Shuren tried to make her understand. "Zhelan, I-It''s not what you think¡­"


    "Then what is it? What in the world is your illegitimate daughter doing here in the company which we built for OUR daughter as a shareholder!? ANSWER ME!"


    A deep silence reigned followed by shocked gasps coming from everyone a few moments later.


    Zhan Yahui is Mr. Shi''s illegitimate daughter!?


    Zhan Yahui herself was calm during Shi Zhelan''s breakdown. She had already figured that she wouldn''t be able to keep this secret the moment she would step in as a shareholder.


    Shi Zhelan''s gaze burned with fury as much as tears. "Tell me, Shuren. How many times will you keep betraying me? You¡­you actually fucking transferred your shares to her despite knowing that I would never allow it!"


    "Zhelan please! It''s not¡­" he anxiously glanced at Zhan Yahui but was unable to say anything in his defense. "I-I can explain¡­can we please talk about this later-"


    "Later? What is left to talk about? You proved it yet again today that between Huan and this woman here, who you favor more¡­"


    Shi Zhelan shifted her attention to Zhan Yahui and gnashed her jaw, her temper level flaring more and more. "And you! Tell me what did you do that made him do this?"


    Zhan Yahui calmly watched her in silence.


    "How did you convince Shuren to hand over his shares to you? Oh, I forgot. Maybe you got the same charm as your mother he cheated me with," she smiled.


    At that point, Zhan Yahui''s expression changed. Her eyes narrowed with hostility.


    "First she charmed a married man and now her daughter is wriggling her way in my family like a disgusting worm."


    Zhan Yahui still didn''t counter a word, but she felt the skin in her palm burn with her nails digging into it.


    But more than that, Shi Zhelan herself had lost all her spirit. She looked defeated and aged as if somebody had sucked out her soul. She tiredly sat back on her chair with a blank gaze.


    It was already excruciating to tolerate her husband''s cheating and the existence of his child outside their marriage. Then Zhan Yahui suddenly barged in one day demanding her rights.


    But instead of ignoring her, Shi Shuren didn''t even say a word against Zhan Yahui. She now clearly saw that he openly loved Huan but secretly supported his ''other'' daughter too.


    He knew how much Shi Zhelan held this company dear to her because it was something built for her daughter, Huan. But for Zhan Yahui to be a part of it¡­


    Shi Zhelan was only further disappointed in Shi Shuren.


    I thought that I couldn''t be any further disappointed in Shuren¡­


    She chuckled.


    But he surprises me every single time, doesn''t he?


    Surprises that a wife would never wish for.


    Shi Shuren panicked seeing her condition and he opened his mouth to speak when Zhan Yahui said first, "You may see this as wriggling my way inside your family but from my perspective, I am just a woman who wholeheartedly wants to be recognized by her father. Isn''t it right, Mr. Shi?" She smiled at him, making him stiffen.


    She looked back at her and said, "Though this is not the place where we have our family fights, I would like to question your sanity since you dragged my mother into this. Let''s talk about my mother''s guilt later. Let''s talk about you. Why would you stay in a marriage where your husband cheated on you?"


    Shi Zhelan couldn''t believe her ears. "You¡­I am his legal wife! You mean to say that your mother deserved my place!?"


    "I mean that isn''t it common sense to leave a cheating partner?"


    "Zhan Yahui!" Shi Shuren exclaimed. "Mind your words!"


    Zhan Yahui''s statement clearly insinuated that Shi Zhelan should have divorced him long back which made his heart jump out of his chest.


    Zhan Yahui remained focused on Shi Zhelan. "Mr. Shi is my biological father whatever the circumstances might be. As his daughter, I am just fighting for my rights. But should you be really fighting so hard to keep your place as a wife of a cheating man?"


    Shi Zhelan roared. "YOU are talking about my dignity? What about you then? Shouldn''t you feel angry towards a man who had an affair with your mother but left you and her to the dumps? Why do you want a man like him to give you your rights!? In fact, you shouldn''t have ever appeared before him if you really hate men like Shuren. But do you know why you didn''t? Because his wealth and status attracted you in the end! It would be a waste for you if Huan got all the money and luxury when you could have half of it too!"

 Chapter 507 Skys Anniversary Arc (12)

    Zhan Yahui said nothing against her allegations.


    The atmosphere was growing tense with Shi Zhelan and Zhan Yahui''s confrontation. In the end, Yao Guo came forward and brought their attention to the matter at hand. "Madam Shi. Whatever altercations you have with Mr. Shi, can you please take it home? Shi Publishing is in danger and we need somebody to extinguish the fire caused by Lu Bohai and Miss. Shi Huan¡­"


    Others quickly joined in. "Yes, yes. We shouldn''t delay on this further."


    "Look at how the media is tearing the company apart."


    "We cannot stay idle like this."


    Yao Guo cleared his throat. "That''s why I was suggesting for Miss. Zhan to offer her help in this crisis."


    Zhan Yahui looked in surprise. "Me?"


    "Yes. In all this scenario, you are the most capable here. You hold a good position in Dream High, you are the editor of the famous author, CherryBlossom so naturally you know all the ins and outs of the publishing world. Even though CherryBlossom couldn''t win the Summit, you handled it well despite some rumors questioning her capability. So if you could pitch in and¡­"


    Shi Zhelan exclaimed. "Are you implying to give authority to Zhan Yahui!? Authority of MY company to her!? Over my dead body!"


    Silence.


    "Isn''t it already enough that she is shamelessly sitting on that chair that now you want me to hand her over the management rights? To an illegitimate daughter?"


    One of the shareholders said, "Why not, Madam Shi? You are so against Miss. Zhan and I can understand why. But then what did your daughter achieve? In fact, she has put us in this situation to make this difficult decision in the first place."


    "It''s not Huan! It''s her! Zhan Yahui definitely did something nasty to pin all the blame on Huan! Isn''t it so convenient that she came at this time to attend this meeting and somebody is already pitching in for her to have all the powers?" She laughed. "You all take me as a fool? She has definitely planned all this!"


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "I understand where you are coming from Mrs. Shi but if I had to plan all this then wouldn''t I have demanded working in this company from the beginning? Why would I bother working for Dream High and struggle there to climb up the ladder when I could live an easy life here in my father''s company?"


    She froze.


    "I do want my rights but not in a way where it''s handed to me on a silver platter. Also, I came in today not because I had an agenda but because it concerned Shi Huan. We might be distant, but I also know what kind of a person she is. She wouldn''t resort to plagiarism at any costs. I trust her as much as I trust Cai Guiying. So I couldn''t stay uninvolved anymore."


    The others couldn''t find any fault in her argument.


    "Madam Shi. Even if you hate Miss. Zhan because of the past, it''s unfair to judge her solely based on that."


    "She is just doing what the best is for everybody."


    Shi Zhelan couldn''t believe that this was the first time that Zhan Yahui had stepped in but everybody was already voicing their support towards her.


    The door opened once again and Huan rushed in, huffing and puffing. "Mom¡­Dad¡­"


    "Huan!" Shi Zhelan jumped out of her seat and rushed to hug her. "You are finally here¡­I have been calling you forever!"


    "I am sorry Mom. The situation at Sky¡­I couldn''t leave sooner."


    She cried and shook her head. "It''s not your fault. Now that you are here, tell everyone that you are innocent! If you know who is doing all this to frame you, then no need to be hesitant!" She glared at Zhan Yahui as she said this.


    Huan stepped forward and bowed before everyone. "I apologize for causing you trouble and anxiety about Shi Publishing."


    She stood straight and looked at them. "But I am indeed innocent. I didn''t seduce Yunru nor did I steal someone''s story. I will do whatever I can to prove my innocence, but I will never bow before these accusations against me."


    Her cheeks flushed red as she stood firm.


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow with amusement.


    Chen Yunru seems to have given her a lot of confidence, she thought.


    Yao Guo sighed. "That''s what you claim and you obviously will but until there is no evidence, we cannot do anything."


    "Having evidence means proving that the Sky author lied."


    "Do you really want to go against Liu Jun?"


    Huan said, "I am not pointing fingers at Cui Fen. But there has definitely been a misunderstanding."


    "But how?"


    "I need some time to resolve this conflict."


    "Time is what we don''t have, Miss. Shi. Shi Publishing is burning into flames like anything."


    Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth. "And what would Zhan Yahui hope to achieve?"


    Zhan Yahui thoughtfully said, "Well¡­there is indeed something that I can do."


    Yao Guo beamed. "I knew Miss. Zhan would have something in her mind to solve this."


    "But I cannot take action all alone. I am just a shareholder after all," she smiled. "It would really help if I have the temporary authority and not because I want to snatch Shi Publishing from Mrs. Shi. It is so that I can take responsibility for my actions and take all the criticism if I fail. I won''t bring Shi Publishing in the line of fire again."


    Shi Zhelan trembled with fury. "You¡­"


    Just with a few words, Zhan Yahui had dissipated all the doubts and even came forward to bear all the responsibility. Something which they couldn''t see Shi Zhelan doing being biased towards her daughter.


    Yao Guo nodded and said, "I have decided. I vote on Miss. Zhan to be in charge of Shi Publishing for a while."


    "I vote too."


    "I vote as well."


    ? Shi Zhelan said, "I don''t accept this! She can never be Shi Publishing''s CEO!"


    "If you want to be stubborn about that, then think twice Madam Shi because I will withdraw from here right at this moment. I don''t want to be a part of a sinking company and lose my money," Yao Guo narrowed his eyes. "So think carefully."

 Chapter 508 Skys Anniversary Arc (13)

    The reporters were forced to leave from Sky with them naturally feeling resentful over this hostile exit. But before Jun, nobody could utter a word of complaint.


    Jun stared ahead at the empty space, his fingers clenching into a fist. Today was supposed to be a celebration day. Three years of Sky was supposed to be a happy moment, but everything was ruined. The special day turned into chaos.


    The family on the other side was consoling Yunru and Sun Bai. But inside Jun''s heart, there was anything but consolation.


    I will never forgive this...


    It was as clear as day that targeting Yunru and Sun Bai meant targeting Sky. It was similar to what had happened in the past after Shui''s 25th birthday with the difference being that Sky''s reputation was attacked through them and not Jun himself this time.


    And to get all his answers, there was only one person to confront.


    With a raging fire burning in his heart, he walked towards ''Guiying'', his dark brown irises filled with hatred.


    But suddenly Zixin stepped in between, gauging Jun''s fury and said, "I don''t know why you are looking like that towards Guiying, but be respectful towards her," he narrowed his eyes. "There are some misunderstandings between us but she has nothing to do with this."


    "I respect you a lot, Bro Zixin. But I will be the one to decide that. Cai Guiying might not be behind this but somebody in her circle is. Somebody who has been playing with our MrPerfect identities and now attacking Sky. This is beyond my tolerance now," Jun shot back in an equally cold tone.


    The past life magnified his resentment even more.


    "I won''t let them succeed in destroying Sky and me. Not again."


    Ai quickly excused herself from Xing Bi''s side and hurried towards Jun. She held his hand and calmly said, "Jun, I understand your anger. For Yunru, Miss. Sun and Sky, I am equally furious as well. But Guiying..."


    "I know, Ai," he took a deep breath and said, "Cai Guiying has given us a chance to talk. I won''t do anything to jeopardize her cooperation, but I also need answers."


    Ai nodded.


    Jun walked past him and stood before ''Guiying.'' "Let''s talk."


    ''Guiying'' cocked her brow. "Oh the time has finally come for you to explain yourself. But why do I feel it''s about something else, specifically about what transpired today?"


    Jun gave a cold smile. "You will be amazed to know how interconnected everything is."


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "Don''t forget my warning, Liu Jun. Try to fool me and I will be out."


    From afar, Jin saw the group leave and followed them. Since Cai Guiying was connected so deeply to Shui in the past life to use her against Jun, he knew he would learn something about the past.


    Shui furrowed her brows in doubt.


    Where is everybody heading to?


    --


    ''Guiying'' folded her arms as she stood inside Jun''s office and said, "Talk."


    It was an eerie silence filled with trepidation for the upcoming confrontation. The tension in the air could be felt from far away.


    Jun started with a question instead. "Who else knows about MrPerfect?"


    "Excuse me?"


    "Who have you told about MrPerfect?" Jun sharply asked. "Who knows that you used to talk to MrPerfect? Who knows about MrPerfect''s existence?"


    ''Guiying'' stared at him with this confusing question. "Nobody-"


    Then a certain name and face popped into her mind.


    "Your abrupt pause gave me my answer. So there is somebody who knows about MrPerfect other than you, Bro Zixin and me."


    "Your point?"


    "That same person has been playing with us for a long time now. I want the name right now."


    ''Guiying'' stared at him as if he was an idiot. "Of all the things I expected to hear, this is what I actually hear? You are putting the blame on somebody else?"


    "Obviously," Jun coldly said, "I am innocent. You are innocent. Bro Zixin is innocent. Then the culprit has to be a fourth person. It cannot be any other way."


    ''She'' asked incredulously, "So you are admitting that you are MrPerfect but you are still innocent in regards to what you did to me?"


    "Yes. Because you..." Jun squinted his eyes. "I should say the real Cai Guiying wasn''t talking to me this whole time in the first place."


    ''She'' stiffened. "You know..."


    ''She'' shot a deadly glare at Zixin thinking if he told Jun about ''her'' existence.


    Zixin quickly clarified. "I didn''t tell him. He already knew."


    "What?"


    Ai clasped her hands together and slowly nodded. "We learned from Cai Lingyun. You...are not Guiying, right?"


    ''She'' narrowed her eyes. "What business did you have in prying that idiot''s personal life!?"


    Ai jolted with the sharp roar and shut her eyes for a moment. She then calmly opened them and faced ''her.'' "I apologize if you take this as interference but it was important to know because you..." she trembled, "you are my friend."


    ''She'' suddenly burst into laughter. "Friend? I thought we forgot about that word ages ago. What do you mean by bringing your and hers so-called friendship in between!?"


    Jun stepped between them to shield Ai.


    "Jun, I am okay."


    "Even if she is important to you, she cannot talk to you like this," he looked at ''Guiying'' and said, "If you want to blame someone for prying into Guiying''s life, then direct all your anger at me. I did everything. But don''t say a word to Ai."


    ''Guiying'' chuckled with disdain. "Look at you getting all protective towards your girlfriend. Where were these feelings of justice when you were playing with Guiying''s heart?"


    Jun stepped closer to her and said, "I never played with Guiying''s heart because as I said just now, she wasn''t talking to me in the first place."


    "Then do you suppose she was talking to a ghost?"


    "No. She was talking to MrPerfect indeed. But that MrPerfect wasn''t me," he raised his hand and pointed his finger at Zixin. "Guiying was talking to Bro Zixin."

 Chapter 509 Skys Anniversary Arc (14)

    ''Guiying'' stared at him blankly, unable to process the information.


    Zixin?


    Jun could see the confusion crystal clear in ''her'' eyes, and he combed through his hair in frustration. He was well aware that he shouldn''t push this conversation but watching his cheery cousin Yunru suffer because of the baseless accusation and his pure feelings towards Huan being made a joke of in front of the whole world, he couldn''t just control himself anymore.


    Yunru¡­


    Suddenly, he felt a familiar fluffy sensation against his temple and his expression twisted.


    "..."


    Jin, who watched Ai pushing a feather duster against Jun''s head for the first time, burst out in speechlessness. "Hey! What are you doing to my brother! Back off!"


    He grabbed her and pulled her back and viewed Ai as some dangerous terrorist carrying a bomb.


    "This is a sure shot way of cooling down his head," she calmly explained.


    Jin observed Jun''s displeased expression and looked back at her. "Just look at Bro and tell me how in the world is that a sure shot way? Does he seem cooled off to you!?"


    "He isn''t?"


    "Ai¡­" Jun made his voice sound as low and threatening as possible. "How many feather dusters do you have?"


    She paused to give it a thought. "Three. One at our condo, second at the Liu villa and third at Sky. I always come prepared."


    !!!


    Ai smiled. "See? Now you don''t look so troubled."


    "I am troubled because of your feather dusters!"


    "How can this cute and fluffy feather duster trouble you? How can your heart be this cold?" She pursed her lips.


    The brows of the two brothers twitched violently.


    Ai sighed and held his head between her palms. "I understand what you are feeling. I am also equally angry with Yunru and Miss. Sun being used like that. But we cannot lose our calm or it will be the enemy''s victory. It''s our turn to make them anxious now."


    Jun pressed his lips, unable to refute. He lowered his gaze and said, "You are right."


    Ai nodded.


    He glanced back at ''Guiying'' and releasing a deep sigh, he apologized. "I am sorry for being pushy. It was fine if it was me, but I cannot stay calm when somebody hurts my loved ones."


    ''Guiying'' stared at him and then at Zixin who nervously kept checking on ''her.'' "You said that Zixin is MrPerfect and that Guiying was talking to her."


    "Yes."


    "But then you are also MrPerfect."


    "This is going to be a long story so please sit down and I will explain everything from the beginning."


    "I am fine just standing. You start talking."


    Jun exchanged glances with Ai and Jin once and they nodded in return.


    "It all started when Bro Zixin came to Sky to meet me one day¡­"


    And he went on explaining everything to ''Guiying'' slowly and cautiously, taking pauses wherever he felt was required.


    "So we come to today where there is this huge misunderstanding between us. Cai Guiying. I was never the man who sent you any letters or gifts or flowers. It was always Bro Zixin."


    There was a sharp and long silence after that and nobody rushed ''her'' either. They focused on ''her'' who seemed to be having a whirlwind of thoughts in her mind and a whirlwind it indeed was.


    Even though ''Guiying'' wanted to refute this nonsense claim of confusion between the same identity, ''she'' and Guiying both strangely felt that it all made sense.


    Especially Guiying within her who always felt such sound and resounding similarities between Zixin and MrPerfect. Their words, actions, tone and everything was so familiar to the point it hurt and stabbed her heart because it was due to Zixin that she couldn''t completely forget MrPerfect.


    ''Whatever it is, I only suggest not to fall for it.''


    ''I care about you, that''s why I don''t want you to be fooled by them once more. Liu Jun can do anything to prove himself innocent.''


    But even if they wanted to believe their heart, ''Guiying'' found it unable to take that step as ''she'' kept recalling Zhan Yahui''s words.


    ''She'' gritted her teeth, throwing ''her'' fierce glare at him. "Liu Jun¡­can you be anymore shameless!? Just because you don''t want to take responsibility, you are pinning all the blame to Zixin?"


    Jun widened his eyes. "Blame? I am not getting anything by dragging Bro into this. He is in this because he was already involved."


    "And you expect me to believe you especially when Zixin doesn''t remember a single thing? Isn''t that awfully convenient for you!? Zixin would have even believed you because he has no memories, right? You can feed him whatever version of truth you want him to believe in."


    "There is no other version of truth because this is the only truth. Don''t you find it strange? Bro Zixin never had anything to do with this writing world. He wasn''t really a book reader either. But he created an account just to meet you. He left Reading Point when Cai Guiying left as well. Even after his memory loss where he remembered nothing, he still somehow ended up being a fan of CherryBlossom and her books. Do you feel that the time Bro spent with you in the past months was a lie?"


    ''Guiying'' stiffened.


    "It would be too much to call it a coincidence that before and after the accident, Bro Zixin still felt connected to you. You have to believe me. His laptop was broken and burned in a fire in Chyou''s film set just so that we cannot find out your identity. Chuck his laptop, his whole accident was planned to stop him from meeting you in Shanghai!"


    ''Guiying'' looked incredulous. "And you think somebody planned this elaborate setup? Who do you think Guiying is? I have been with her this whole time. There is nobody in this world who hates Guiying to the point of going so far against her!? Forget hate. Nobody even really dislikes her, not in Dream High or anywhere else!"

 Chapter 510 Skys Anniversary Arc (15)

    It was Jin who said, "Just because Cai Guiying doesn''t have any enemies doesn''t mean that she cannot be used. Bro never said that anything happened because anybody hated her."


    "Then why?"


    That was a complicated question to answer. To say that Jun was targeted in the past life and in this life as well to destroy him through somebody who Jun didn''t even know personally was a far-fetched thing to explain and believe in.


    Ai anxiously said as her brows strained, "To target Jun."


    "Say what?" ''Guiying'' grimaced. "Target Liu Jun through me? And somehow Zixin got involved in this whole mess? Zhou Ai, try to make sense here."


    "No matter how nonsensical it seems, this is the truth," Jun narrowed his eyes. "Otherwise there was no reason for Bro''s accident to happen and letting you misunderstand me as the MrPerfect talking to you the whole time."


    Ai nodded.


    ''Guiying'' was exasperated. Out of all the possible reasons Jun could have given, ''she'' never imagined he would bring this to the table.


    Zixin pursed his lips watching ''her'' troubled expression. Even to him, it still felt like everything was incredulous to believe. So he could understand Guiying''s situation.


    "I..." Zixin intervened albeit with hesitation, "It''s true that I don''t remember anything, but I want to believe in Jun. Everything is confusing to me as well, but I trust that Jun wouldn''t lie about this. Plus, he sincerely loves Ai a lot...He wouldn''t play with Guiying''s feelings like that."


    ''Guiying'' angrily laughed. "Do you know why it''s difficult to trust your cousin? Because this whole situation solely depended on the fact that Guiying left Reading Point. She was harassed by an online stalker, so she left. She didn''t want to bring trouble to her writing career or to Dream High. If she hadn''t left Reading Point, this whole situation would have never happened! You are basing everything that started because of a coincidence."


    Jun tilted his head. "Coincidence? I don''t think so. Tell me. You are Warlord, right?"


    ''She'' squinted her eyes.


    "After CherryBlossom exited Reading Point, you created a male account by the name of Warlord."


    Did Han Shui tell him...?


    "Yeah so what?"


    "So why did Guiying not try to contact MrPerfect then?"


    ''She'' blinked twice.


    "There wasn''t a problem anymore, right? Guiying used a different ID and she could have just told Bro that she is CherryBlossom in reality. Then Bro wouldn''t have had to leave Reading Point. So why did she not tell him?"


    That took ''her'' a few moments to answer. ''She'' then cautiously said, thinking back to the time when Guiying created Warlord account. "...Because she then realized that MrPerfect wouldn''t believe her. I mean contacting him with a male account and all...she thought MrPerfect would hate her for trying to deceive him which I thought was very stupid to be honest.


    She could easily prove that Warlord was CherryBlossom if she just reiterated all the conversation she had with him. Obviously, only MrPerfect would really know that she was telling the truth. But she was afraid that MrPerfect would think somebody would have probably hacked CherryBlossom''s account to deceive him and all. That had really panicked her..."


    Jin dryly said, "And why would anybody try to do that? Of all the million people on social media, would somebody bother deceiving two specific people? That too who belonged to Reading Point which is just a small community of some readers and writers. It''s not even Weibo."


    Jun shook his head. "You are not getting the point. Why did Guiying create another account if she wasn''t there as CherryBlossom? She couldn''t tell anybody online that she was CherryBlossom otherwise that defeated the whole purpose of leaving the forum in the first place. She joined despite the harassment because she still wanted to keep in touch with MrPerfect - Bro Zixin, right? Reading Point was the only way because other than an ID, she knew nothing about him."


    ''Guiying'' said nothing but ''her'' silence was the answer.


    "But she still didn''t tell him which makes me simply wonder why? Unless somebody fed that fear into her. With what you just said, I don''t think that Guiying didn''t want to tell MrPerfect that Warlord was CherryBlossom. It was that she was made NOT to tell the truth in the first place."


    ''Guiying'' snorted. "You have got to be kidding me if you think that somebody would be able to manipulate her-"


    ''She'' suddenly went quiet mid-sentence.


    Ai closely observed her and read ''her'' gaze. "Your abrupt pause means that you realized something right?"


    ''Guiying'' stared at Ai in silence but in the back of her mind, ''she'' was remembering a certain event and conversation. It was only after then that all of Guiying''s excitement of sharing her identity as CherryBlossom to MrPerfect had deflated like a burst out balloon.


    This doesn''t make sense...


    Jun smiled, "It''s alright. You can tell if something doesn''t make sense to you at all. I am used to it at this point because somebody has been playing a really big game. It''s all spread out in so many ways that it''s impossible to decipher that everything was actually connected from the beginning."


    Silence.


    "Your expression says that I might be right. Cai Guiying was somehow manipulated to stay silent and she didn''t realize it. So do you realize what this means? If her not telling MrPerfect was a part of the plan means that the online harassment she had faced was also a farce."


    ''Her'' eyes widened.


    "What!?"


    "That was just to force her to leave Reading Point. You are right. It all started when she left Reading Point. But that happened because she faced harassment which means even that was a lie. Such an elaborate plan cannot rely on a mere coincidence, so it wasn''t a coincidence at all."


    ''She'' stiffened.


    Jun took a step forward and quietly asked, "That''s why I want to know the name. Directly or indirectly, Cai Guiying must have told somebody of what was going on in her life regarding her and MrPerfect. That''s why she could be manipulated. Who is that person?"

 Chapter 511 Skys Anniversary Arc (16)

    "Zhan Yahui."


    Zhan Yahui turned as she was just about to leave the conference room after the shareholders had left. She smiled, watching Shi Zhelan''s fury and helplessness. The decision of granting temporary CEO rights to Zhan Yahui couldn''t be anymore devastating to her.


    "Don''t you dare think that you have won with this...No matter what others say I know that you are behind everything! Your temporary authority won''t stay for long..." she dug her nails into her palm.


    "Mrs. Shi, like I said before, it''s all your misunderstanding. I stepped in because I wanted the best for Shi Huan and this company."


    "You hate us!" She angrily laughed. "Don''t waste your breath in trying to convince us that you care about us."


    "But your daughter loves you, right? This situation wouldn''t have turned out like it did if she had been a little careful."


    Huan jolted for a moment, but she quickly stood firm. "I...have always been careful."


    Zhan Yahui raised her brow.


    "Just because I used to meet Yunru doesn''t mean that I had any agenda. Not all rivals need to be enemies," she quietly but sharply said, feeling hurt remembering how Yunru looked aggrieved.


    It made her wistful but determined at the same time. "Yunru and I are innocent, and I will definitely prove this..." she clenched the hem of her dress.


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "Be my guest."


    And she walked away, taking large steps with pride. As she reached a little bit of distance, she took out her phone and typed a message.


    ''What''s going on over there?''


    She got a reply instantly.


    ''Doesn''t seem to be good news for us.''


    Zhan Yahui didn''t show much change in her expression.


    ''I see. I will think about what to do about it. As much as possible, I don''t want to lose Cai Guiying.''


    She kept her phone back, taking a deep breath. Her body was, in reality, trembling with frustration itself. Her eyes, which looked friendly until now, didn''t emit much warmth anymore.


    Liu Jun...a formidable enemy indeed.


    The one thing which she couldn''t understand at all was how he was able to figure out the connection between Zixin''s accident and Guiying''s betrayal for MrPerfect. It was a perfect plan that should have worked without flaws but at the last moment, Guiying dropped such a bomb of Jun probably knowing everything.


    She pressed her brows, gritting her teeth.


    It all started when she started meeting Chen Zixin! How...How did I not get to know such a critical fact?


    Where did I go lax in my plan...?


    --


    Sky Publishing.


    ''Guiying'' held her chin as ''she'' processed her thoughts over and over again. Jun''s words made sense to her but not at the same time. But to think that Zhan Yahui would try to manipulate Guiying felt like a stretch to her.


    At present, Jin, Ai and Zixin were impatiently waiting for ''her'' answer. They knew she had someone in mind and once they learned it, they would finally be able to untangle this whole complicated web of truths and deceits that had affected them so deeply.


    This was especially true for Jun, Ai and Jin who had suffered and died in their past lives and got another chance to change their fates.


    ''Guiying'' slowly parted her lips to speak. "I think...that person might be..."


    "Zhan Yahui...?"


    ''Her'' eyes slightly widened as ''she'' heard Jun revealing the name ''she'' was about to bring out.


    "Huh?"


    How did he know?


    But Jun''s attention wasn''t on ''Guiying.'' Instead, his gaze was fixed on the big TV screen mounted on the wall in his office. The TV was already on in mute mode when everybody came in to talk. The current channel displayed was a news channel at which Jun was focussing on at this moment.


    The news that was being highlighted on that channel was regarding the recent dispute and plagiarism issue between Sky and Shi Publishing. But what he found interesting was one other piece of news scrolling by at the same time.


    One part said how Zhan Yahui was revealed to be Shi Shuren''s illegitimate daughter today which also pointed out the ugly truth of him having an affair in the past.


    But what was more odd was that the same illegitimate daughter was suddenly granted temporary CEO rights to Shi Publishing.


    Jun stared hard at the TV screen as he read the news again and again. Tilting his head slightly, he took out his phone and dialed Huan''s number.


    "Hello? Bro Jun?" Huan''s soft but strained voice came from the other end.


    "Shi Huan. Tell me again. Didn''t you say before that your mother hated Zhan Yahui?"


    He heard a sigh escape her lips. "Guess you saw the news then...Yes, Mom doesn''t hold Zhan Yahui in high regard and you know why."


    "Then how in the world did she become the CEO?"


    "Mom didn''t wish for it. In fact...that''s the reason why Mom and Dad are arguing. But the investors and shareholders didn''t leave her any choice."


    She gave a quick summary of the meeting to Jun after which the decision came into place.


    "I see..." he then smiled and said, "You don''t worry, okay? This whole mess wouldn''t stay for long."


    "Th-Thanks Bro Jun..." she wholeheartedly expressed her gratitude.


    Jun hung up after which Jin said, "Heh...isn''t she one of Dream High''s editors?"


    "Yes," Ai nodded and replied. "I still cannot believe the news I am seeing."


    Huh wait...she suddenly paused.


    Zixin furrowed his brows as well, silently thinking of something.


    Jun turned his head and squinted his eyes at ''Guiying.'' "The name I asked you to give...is that Zhan Yahui?"


    Ai''s eyes widened, expressing her disbelief. "Zhan Yahui?"


    ''Guiying'' stayed silent for a few moments but then ''she'' grudgingly nodded. "I still don''t understand a lot of your jibber jabber, but that''s the only name in my mind. How...did you know?"


    "Because in this whole fiasco, the one person who has remotely gained anything from this mess is her," Jun pointed out at the TV screen where Zhan Yahui''s name was flashing.


    Wait a minute...


    Jun blinked his eyes several times.


    He faintly remembered some events from his past life where some news of a new person becoming Shi Publishing''s came into his ears. But by that time, his life had turned upside down with Shui''s rejection so he hardly focused on it.


    He glanced at Jin and Ai to check if they remembered anything. Jin shook his head. He wasn''t much involved in their line of work in the past and didn''t keep tabs of news of the publishing industry.


    But Ai''s eyes slowly shone as the memory came to her.


    She tiptoed and whispered into Jun''s ear. "I do remember Zhan Yahui stepping in as Shi Publishing''s CEO in the past but that was five years later, not now."

 Chapter 512 Skys Anniversary Arc (17)

    *Flashback*


    It was around the time when Guiying was starting to face harassment on Reading Point. She would get abusive, sometimes perverted messages from a particular user of Reading Point.


    Naturally, she blocked his account but that same user would pop back in with a different username and begin the harassment all over again. Things reached a point where Guiying was really troubled.


    Ai, who couldn''t bear seeing her friend so disturbed anymore, said with a harsh countenance, "Guiying, we should definitely go to the police with this. They will track the culprit and only then this matter would get over. He deserves to get punished."


    Guiying broke into a sweat hearing that. "No, no, Ai. I-I don''t want to go to such extremes."


    She pursed her lips. "This is not extreme. This is protecting yourself and punishing the one responsible for the situation. He cannot be let go like this or tomorrow, he will target somebody else."


    Guiying sighed, biting her lower lip.


    "If it was happening to me, you would have fought for me like I am doing but when it comes to yourself, you back off," Ai shook her head. "Think about it again. You don''t have to be afraid. Naturally, I will accompany you to the police station."


    "Thanks Ai," Guiying nodded.


    But the situation of going to the police station never arrived because before that, Guiying faced an extreme threat from the harasser the next day that he would leak some of her secrets to her loved ones.


    That panicked the hell out of her because the first thing that came to her mind was of her alter ego. She knew that the presence of another personality within her would be definitely treated as abnormal.


    Her face paled as she thought about MrPerfect. She felt nauseous with the mere thought of him finding this out.


    He-he will definitely get creeped out by me, right?


    Guiying really didn''t understand just how that harasser learned any of her secrets. She knew he could be lying too but was she ready to take that risk?


    The answer was no.


    She tried to talk that culprit out of it, but he would only mock her by saying how much he hated her.


    ''I cannot stand the sight of beautiful and successful women like you. You think you are great just because you have some few puny fans?''


    ''By being here on Reading Point, do you wanna start a cult or something? You should probably fuck off before you piss me off! I hate your guts!''


    Guiying''s eyes teared up but she thought that if she left Reading Point then she could probably save everything, especially her relationship with MrPerfect.


    At the same time, she got a message from MrPerfect, striking up a casual conversation.


    ''Hello.''


    She saw him uploading a picture of a cherry blossom tree and below it, he wrote, ''Hope this cheers you up.''


    She blinked her misty eyes.


    Cheer me up?


    ''I cannot see your face through our chats but recently, it feels from your messages that you are troubled about something. i could be wrong though.''''


    Guiying lowered her gaze sadly.


    It''s because of that harasser¡­


    ''I saw this beautiful tree on my way back home so thought of sending the picture here.''


    A soft smile curved her lips.


    ''I hope this brings a smile to your face. You like cherry blossoms, right?''


    She quickly replied. ''Yes, I like them a lot. And I am smiling too. Thank you.''


    MrPerfect aka Zixin replied with a pleased emoji, making her chuckle. But a sense of helplessness and loneliness enveloped her too.


    Yes I cannot really take any risk¡­


    ''If you are comfortable in sharing your troubles with me, I will always be here. I will definitely help you. Of course, I am not pressurizing you into telling me without your will¡­I just mean I want to help you in any way I can.''


    Her eyelashes trembled reading his warm message, but her heart felt uneasy.


    ''No, of course not. I am really fine. It''s just work making me tired.''


    ''I see. I am relieved. But you should take care of your health and not overwork.''


    This time he replied with a displeased emoji.


    Guiying laughed but felt guilty at the same time about lying to him.


    I wish I could tell you¡­But I really don''t want to lose this small relationship between us¡­


    She sniffled as tears escaped her eyes. She made her decision of leaving Reading Point, but how could she tell him?


    She spent a whole sleepless night thinking about that. She couldn''t just leave without letting MrPerfect have any clue.


    Then an idea struck her.


    "Wait, I can join the forum with a new ID and tell MrPerfect that I am actually CherryBlossom!" Her eyes beamed as she seemed to find a way out of her crisis. "That harasser would not even know. If he can create multiple accounts then so can I."


    "As for what happened to my original account¡­I will just tell him that there were some problems with it¡­"


    With that being said, she quickly created a new account.


    "It would be even better if I created it with a male username. I won''t be targeted again," she pursed her lips.


    And so from CherryBlossom, she became Warlord. For some reason, she felt extremely nervous about dropping MrPerfect a message. Her ID was right in front of her, but she hesitated to text him.


    "What are you doing?"


    She gasped and jolted. Turning back, she saw Zhan Yahui watching her with interest.


    "Where are you lost in your phone?" She smiled. "I have been calling you for a while now."


    "S-sorry!" Guiying fumbled. "I was just¡­" she averted her eyes.


    "Hm? Is there something on your mind? It would be better to let it out so that you can focus on your novel with a clear mind."


    "Well¡­"


    Guiying thought that it wasn''t a bad idea.


    "I¡­" she quickly cleared her throat. "I mean I have a friend who..."


    When she was done explaining her predicament in the guise of an imaginary friend, Zhan Yahui watched her carefully and said, "Hm, I don''t think that''s a good idea."

 Chapter 513 Skys Anniversary Arc (18)

    "Wouldn''t MrPerfect think that somebody else is trying to take advantage of your friend''s relationship with him? Or if she poses as some other account and tells her friend that she is actually the original account holder, then he might lose his trust in her."


    Guiying stiffened.


    "I mean if the harasser could threaten your friend that she knows her secrets, then he can do anything. It''s obvious to assume that he might know her chat history too. Something similar had happened to my classmate back in college," Zhan Yahui rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "That other friend was really mad at her for lying to him with another online identity. She had actually played a prank upon him, but it backfired. He never talked to her again. It was scary for him. You cannot really say much about these online chat applications, you know. It''s already hard to trust people here."


    Guiying looked further uncomfortable. She created Warlord account to stay in touch with MrPerfect, but if he ended up hating her then what would she do?


    He wasn''t somebody like Ai who would believe her without any doubts. Telling him that CherryBlossom''s account was no more and instead to believe in some random user''s words would be difficult for MrPerfect.


    He was just another user behind the screen. She never met him or talked to him. Why would he believe her? He might feel suspicious even if she had the conversations between them to prove her claim. What if he thought that it wasn''t CherryBlossom but some other user trying to fool him? Or worse if he thought that CherryBlossom wasn''t as innocent as he thought?


    There were many what-ifs in this case as she couldn''t figure out how MrPerfect would react, think and feel. It was a gamble.


    Guiying left Reading Point because she didn''t want MrPerfect to know her secrets and start hating her. But if talking as Warlord was risky as well, then there was no point.


    I...I need to find another way...


    She rubbed her sweaty palms together and awkwardly smiled at Zhan Yahui. "Y-you are right...I will tell my friend about this..."


    "Are you okay? Why does it seem that you are trembling?"


    "H-Huh? Oh no no! I am fine," Guiying quickly stood up in nervousness. "I will take my leave. I have a lot of work."


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "Yup. I will be waiting for your drafts."


    *Flashback ends*


    ''Guiying'' bit the tip of ''her'' thumb as ''she'' now told that piece of conversation to everyone. To ''her,'' that conversation was practically meaningless at that time. ''She'' didn''t think much of it, but...


    Was that Zhan Yahui manipulating Guiying?


    ''She'' looked at Zixin and now that ''she'' had spent quite some time with him, ''she'' could firmly tell with her eyes closed that Zixin would have never doubted CherryBlossom. A man like him would have not thought of Guiying as suspicious.


    He might have even come forward to help Guiying resolve the mess of online harassment she faced, ''she'' thought.


    ''I will always be here. I will definitely help you.''


    Not ''might'', Zixin would have definitely helped her...


    But with the threat of exposing Guiying''s alter ego loomed above her, she was already anxious about taking any wrong step. If thought from Zhan Yahui''s perspective, it was actually easy to make Guiying unsure of her decision.


    Then just before the Shanghai Festival was about to start, Zhan Yahui questioned what was wrong with ''her'' at Dream High. This was when Zixin had sent a letter to CherryBlossom requesting her to meet him after the festival and ''Guiying'' had torn the card and thrown it in the dustbin in a fit of anger.


    I never told Zhan Yahui about MrPerfect wanting to meet Guiying in Shanghai so...


    ''Her'' eyes flashed with suspicion.


    Did she pick up the torn bits of the card from the dustbin and learn about that meeting?


    ''She'' remembered Zhan Yahui was strangely staring fixedly at ''her'' before she had left the room.


    But I thought that was because I wasn''t acting like Guiying usually did.


    ''She'' shuddered.


    Was it because she guessed that something was up in regards to MrPerfect?


    No, but she did ask me why I was behaving differently all of a sudden...


    ''Guiying'' gritted her teeth.


    What is it!? Did Zhan Yahui look at me that way because of Guiying acting weirdly or because she had doubts regarding MrPerfect!?


    But then ''she'' remembered another conversation with Zhan Yahui at Shanghai when MrPerfect never arrived to meet Guiying. She had walked up to ''her'' near the lake and said,


    ''So I guess he didn''t come.''


    ''I didn''t expect that certainly but then again I know how cruel MrPerfect aka Liu Jun is. If he didn''t want to meet the fool inside me, then why bother sending any letter? But it''s okay. It only strengthens my resolve even more to completely destroy Liu Jun one day. That day...will come soon.''


    ''Guiying'' slowly widened her eyes.


    How...How did she ask that question when she wasn''t supposed to know about the meeting? And I was so angry at MrPerfect then that it didn''t occur to me to question it either...


    Then there was the part of how it was actually Zhan Yahui who had helped secure the footage for ''her'' when Jun and Shui were stuck inside the elevator at the fest. ''She'' had asked a favor from Zhan Yahui but...


    Now that I think about it, Zhan Yahui readily helped me without asking many questions. Shouldn''t she have tried to stop me? Shouldn''t she have thought that it was weird of Guiying to harm someone? She even told me to hide her involvement in that matter...


    When Jun had interrogated ''Guiying'' about the Shanghai''s incident, ''she'' naturally refused to take any blame.


    But when ''she'' met Zhan Yahui later and expressed ''her" doubts of Jun not really recognizing Guiying in any way at Shanghai, she had said,


    ''That''s why heed my suggestion. If you want to go anywhere with your revenge, don''t utter even a word about MrPerfect to anybody. Just like Liu Jun did everything in silence, you stay in the shadows too. Ruin him, but don''t let him know who was behind it. Revenge is best served cold.''


    ''Guiying'' stumbled at the place where ''she'' stood and felt ''her'' brain would short-circuit at any moment.


    What the heck...? She didn''t only manipulate Guiying but me too.


    Was I...Was I being played like a freaking puppet this whole time...?


    ''She'' almost collapsed on her knees but a certain someone pulled ''her'' into his arms and prevented her from falling.


    "I am here with you Guiying. Always," a soft and warm voice echoed in ''her'' ear.

 Chapter 514 Ai And Guiying (1)

    Jun was seated on the couch with a bleak expression as a deep silence ensued. His mind had a million trains of thoughts but at the same time, there was nothing.He could visualize that scene again when he had seen the fortune cards the mystical woman showed them at the carnival.


    Guiying and the shadow or the other ''Guiying'' within her were tied to a string like a puppet. And like a puppet Guiying was played.


    His hands were trembling thinking of all the tragedies he and Ai had to suffer.


    Zixin lost his memories and had to live a lonely life where he never met Guiying again.


    Yunru was devastated. Sky had fallen from its glory.


    The whole Liu family had broken apart and Jin had to die and so did Nana¡­


    Jun bit his lower lip until it bled slightly.


    He thought about Ai''s past life''s death and wondered¡­


    Zhan Yahui did it, didn''t she? From the beginning to the end, whether it''s Ai or me, Zhan Yahui was behind everything and everyone''s tragedy.


    She murdered Ai¡­She must have killed Xing Bi too¡­


    He couldn''t even begin to describe the rage bubbling in his heart.


    The same animosity was burning violently in ''Guiying''s'' heart as well. Not just ''her,'' but Guiying within her felt an incredible pang of sadness welling within her. She had trusted Zhan Yahui as her mentor and well-wisher but that same woman had violently and cruelly betrayed her trust.


    She cried and tears escaped ''her'' eyes. ''Her'' heart and mind was filled with chaos as the emotions of both Guiying''s overflowed inside them.


    Guilt, anger, grief, helplessness - everything has reached to its maximum level of their tolerance until ''she'' felt the world spinning in front of ''her'' eyes.


    "Guiying!"


    "Guiying!" Zixin and Ai exclaimed at once.


    Zixin carried her in his arms and quickly laid ''her'' on the couch. He had noticed instantly that something was wrong with ''her.''


    "Guiying¡­A-are you alright? I will take you to the hospital!" Zixin worriedly rubbed her palms as ''she'' looked in a delirious state.


    Ai brought a glass of water, but ''she'' refused to drink.


    "Leave¡­" ''she'' gasped breathlessly and tiredly mumbled. "Leave me alone¡­"


    Zixin and Ai violently shook their heads.


    ''She'' gritted her teeth. "Oh shut it¡­It already¡­already feels such a mess inside my head. I don''t want to see your crying faces and feel more miserable!"


    Ai sniffled. "But you are crying too."


    "That is that idiot inside me! Do you think I¡­" pain shot between her brows and ''she'' furrowed them, "...I will cry like some weak and helpless woman¡­?"


    Ai stared at ''her'', her eyes reddening with tears. "No. ''You'' are not any weak and helpless woman."


    Zixin nodded hard.


    "In fact, after Mom¡­''you'' are the strongest woman that I have known. And I¡­" Ai clasped her trembling hands together, "I feel miserable that I didn''t get to know ''you'' sooner."


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes but that only brought more pain to her temples, so ''she'' gave up.


    "I am sorry¡­" With her head lowered, Ai''s tears flowed endlessly, staining her dress wet.


    Jin gave a sideways glance to Jun and whispered, "You don''t want her to stop crying?"


    "It''s fine," Jun stared dead straight in front of him, expressionless but deadly. "There is an entire lifetime of grief in those tears. It was bound to escape one day. She needs to let everything out today."


    Jun glanced at Zixin and silently communicated that they should leave them alone for a while.


    Which Zixin really didn''t want to, seeing Guiying and ''her'' in such a state. He wanted to be there beside them until they were fine and healthy. He pursed his lips for a moment and with a heavy heart agreed in the end.


    Zixin whispered his question as they were leaving, "When can I come back?"


    Jin''s brow twitched. "When Zhou Ai wants to. Then you are free to stick to Cai Guiying like glue all you want."


    Like glue¡­


    Zixin nodded at that proposition.


    "Don''t you nod to that! What the heck were you imagining?" Jin gritted his teeth.


    Zixin frequently kept glancing back towards ''Guiying'' in hopes that ''she'' might stop him from leaving.


    Jin grimaced. "Look ahead or you will hit your head. It''s already enough that it''s been hit once."


    Twice if we consider the past life, he silently added.


    "I might get my memories back."


    "Yeah let''s stay a little away from that dangerous experiment," he said with a twitching smile.


    Jun, Jin and Zixin quietly left the office, shutting the door behind them.


    Ai wished to hold ''Guiying''s'' hand, but she couldn''t muster the courage. Instead, she kept her distance.


    ''Guiying'' broke the silence. "You are free to leave too. Wait, I am the guest here¡­I should leave¡­"


    ''She'' tried to get up but Ai pushed her back. "Don''t do that or you will feel sick again," she anxiously expressed her concern.


    ''Guiying'' who was pushed back with force widened her eyes. "The hell! When did you get so strong?"


    Or maybe this body is too physically weak?


    Ai slightly jolted and apologized. "I-I am sorry¡­"


    ''Guiying'' waved her hand but then was speechless to see Ai crying with full force. ''Her'' mouth violently twitched. "You just pushed me a little bit. Don''t cry like I am dead. You are so annoying."


    Ai wanted to laugh because ''her'' expression was just too funny but she couldn''t when she thought of all the grievances they had faced for this whole time.


    Ai trembled and cried harder. "I am sorry¡­"


    "You are making my headache even worse. Say something other than a sorry. Is that the only word in your dictionary?"


    "But I don''t know¡­" she sniffled, "what to say besides that. I was all ignorant¡­ignorant about your childhood and your past. I never realized how much pain you were in or how much Cai Lingyun hurt you. Guiying was always¡­smiling like a bright sun¡­But I failed to see the darkness behind it. I have been a terrible friend, Guiying¡­" her shoulders quivered. "I have been a terrible friend who knew nothing about you. That''s why please let me apologize. That''s the only way I can atone for my ignorance."

 Chapter 515 Ai And Guiying (2)

    ''Guiying'' tiredly shrugged Ai off. "You knew nothing because the idiot didn''t tell you anything. How are you supposed to know then?"


    "J-Jun said the same."


    "Then why are you still crying?"


    She rubbed her misty eyes, choking slightly in her throat. "Because I am your friend. We-we were best friends. I always thought we were so close to each other. Our bond as two friends was so strong. That''s what I always¡­believed in. But I was proved wrong. Every time¡­"


    Whether it was the past life where Guiying ''betrayed'' Ai and said those harsh things to her before she fell to her death or in this lifetime where she learned about another personality of hers - Time and again Ai came to a bitter realization that she knew nothing about Guiying.


    "And I couldn''t help but wonder¡­if I could do nothing to help you then what s-sort of a friend was I to you?"


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "That''s why I never liked you."


    Ai blinked. She was well aware of ''her'' dislike for her, but it still stabbed her heart.


    "You wanted to be Guiying''s best friend and all, but you never came forward with your share of pain either. I hate you because even if you had a broken family yourself, your parents still acted like humans. They raised you well, and I despised you for it. I was so frustrated that Guiying could never feel the same love from her family as you did. You two were in similar positions but why did only Guiying have to suffer? She cannot even kill an ant, but why was she beaten up everyday like trash but you had all the warmth of your parents?"


    "I¡­I-I¡­" Ai didn''t know how to answer.


    ''She'' weakly waved her hand, staring at the ceiling above. "I know it''s senseless. You have your own fate. Guiying was born with her own. I cannot blame you for the family she was born into but it still¡­" ''she'' bit her lip, "was so damn frustrating. It wasn''t just me. Guiying felt jealous of you too. I remember that day very well when she met your parents for the first time, Uncle Zhou and Aunt Xie. And I still remember how she wished she never left your home. It was so warm and fluffy with them and back at her home, it was as if she was dropped to hell all over again. It was Uncle and Aunt who made her aware for the first time how family love actually felt like¡­"


    Tears plopped down Ai''s eyes as her body trembled.


    ''Guiying'' continued. "But when we saw that your parents'' distance bothered you and it pained you to see them living divorced and apart, I only felt more and more anger bubbling inside me for you."


    ''She'' glared at Ai, and she straightened up. "Compared to Guiying who was rotting in hell every single day, you lived a life of luxury. Yes, I am calling your life a luxury despite your parents'' divorce because at least they weren''t punching you until you became a ragged doll. Even if they were divorced, they respected each other a lot. Even a blind man can see that. They never became vicious - neither towards each other nor towards you. So what did you still have to complain about?"


    "Stand at Guiying''s place. She lost her parents. The one person who was supposed to support her through thick and thin abused her too. What was she left with? Nothing. In our eyes you had everything she wanted since she was little¡­" ''she'' gnashed her jaw, "even her brother''s love."


    Ai stiffened.


    ''Guiying'' laughed. "Can you believe it? Cai Lingyun treated her like garbage because of his own insecurities but when he met you, he acted like a completely different person. That man freaking adored you! He would talk about you as if you were some Goddess. He doted on you so much that it made me puke. Can you imagine how Guiying felt?


    Here she was struggling to have her brother treat her as a human in the first place and you¡­you easily gained that affection in no time. You got every single thing which she desperately wanted the most. She felt like a loser, otherwise why would her parents leave her? Why would her own brother never love her but her friend who he just met for the first time!?"


    ''Guiying'' paused to take a breath. The years of animosity piled up in ''her'' heart had escaped in full swing.


    "That bastard Cai Lingyun¡­he always praised you so much. How smart you are, how beautiful you are. Guiying was compared with you in every aspect and in his eyes, she failed all of them. But then¡­then she got hope when she started writing. She got praise from her teachers. For the first time¡­" ''her'' eyes teared up, "she thought that she had some talent. That she wasn''t a failure. Maybe now her brother would look at her. Feel proud of her¡­


    Guiying was genuinely happy when she encouraged you to pursue writing. But even there, you stole the limelight. He brought that comparison yet again and this time in your stories. Then he had another thing to praise you for. How smart you are, how beautiful you are and how lovely stories you wrote."


    Ai clenched her fists.


    "Then that time for writing competition came in high school," ''Guiying'' plainly said, "And honestly, Guiying was terrified of you participating in it. When you said you won''t participate because that day fell on your parent''s anniversary, she was honestly¡­relieved. Yet amidst those conflicting feelings, she encouraged you to participate. And then what happened? Guiying won. But she secretly heard that the winner was supposed to be you. That..."


    ''Guiying'' trembled. "That devastated her. She had stood motionless there for a long time. That victory had felt like a pitiful one. She had lost that one thing she had pinned her hopes upon because in Cai Lingyun''s eyes, Guiying had failed yet again."

 Chapter 516 Ai And Guiying (3)

    "Heh Cai Lingyun had felt so pitiful for Guiying. You should have seen the sympathy in his eyes," ''she'' sneered. "And do you know how she got an offer from Dream High? It was Zhan Yahui who had paved the way for her."


    Ai''s eyes widened.


    "Paved the way¡­? But didn''t Yating-"


    "Yating and his boss, the chief editor at that time, had their eyes set on you."


    She stiffened.


    "Heh. They knew that you were the real winner of the competition so he came to you with an offer. I still remember the day. Gu Yating had come to the campus to find you. Guiying wasn''t in his sight at all."


    All this time, Ai thought that she had gotten the offer after Guiying had. But she was unaware that Guiying had never received an offer from Yating in the first place.


    "It was Zhan Yahui who brought her to Dream High and since then¡­everyday has just been a battle against you. But you know¡­even amidst all this, Guiying still had one hope left. MrPerfect."


    ''She'' smiled. "They idiot fell in love with him and in this dark and grim life of sorrow and constant comparison, he was the only source of light for her. Because he was someone who poured all his undivided attention to Guiying. The only word on his lips was CherryBlossom. Not Ai. Not MissImperfectlyFine. She felt as if she was his sole world and she wanted nothing more than that. But then after the Summit ended, she saw you and Liu Jun together and she heard him saying he was MrPerfect."


    Ai clearly remembered that. It was when they were about to leave. It was the first time that Ai, too, learned about his identity.


    ''Guiying'' chuckled. "Now imagine her world turning upside down. No parents'' love, no brother''s love and now see the man she gave her heart to to that one woman who had everything. Zhou Ai had won once again."


    Ai trembled.


    "That''s why I took over. Enough was enough. Until when was Guiying supposed to be humiliated? When was this whole ordeal supposed to get over? The time ended where Guiying begged for everyone''s love. Instead, it was time for me to get revenge. Just like I protected her from Cai Lingyun all this time, I swore to protect her from Liu Jun too. Or at least that was how it was supposed to go¡­But now I wonder just against who I had been protecting her all this time¡­?"


    Ai lifted her gaze and for the first time heard ''her'' voice shaking.


    "I thought I was the smart one between us. Guiying wouldn''t be able to do anything on her own. But now I look like a fool who Zhan Yahui used the whole time. I thought I was achieving my goal but I was just a stepping stone for her. What¡­Just what I have been doing all this time¡­?"


    ''Guiying'' cried hard for the first time. ''She'' never showed herself so much vulnerable, not even in front of Zixin. ''Her'' strong front was like an impenetrable wall. But today was different.


    ''She'' felt like disappearing forever. ''She'' was supposed to watch over Guiying and protect her. But instead, the guilt of falling into Zhan Yahui''s trap crushed ''her'' heart beyond repair.


    "If I cannot do the only thing right for which I was born then why am I here in the first place? I only¡­let Guiying exposed to more sadness. I¡­really should just disappear¡­" ''she'' mumbled with blank gaze.


    "No!" Ai said. "Why should you think like that? You did nothing wrong! In fact ever since I came to know about you, I have wanted to thank you for a long time¡­" her eyes ached, "If not for you then Guiying would have fallen a long time ago. It was you who held her spirit together. You were that friend that I could never become for her. You¡­" she tightly held ''her'' hand and gasped, "you have no idea how much you have my gratitude¡­So don''t say that you want to disappear."


    Ai rested her forehead against the back of ''her'' palm, her tears dropping on her skin. She cried in silence for a long time, letting out the sorrows of not only the past but also the present lifetime.


    It was then when a slow but soft voice spoke, "Ai¡­"


    Ai blinked. She immediately felt the change in Guiying''s tone. She lifted her head and saw Guiying staring at her with an indescribable sense of loneliness in her black eyes.


    "I am sorry Ai. I am so pathetic. All these things¡­I wanted to say to you myself. But I just didn''t have the courage. Until the end¡­I relied on ''her'' to do the part. Please don''t blame yourself for anything Ai. ''She'' said some harsh things to you, but that''s only because ''she'' is very protective of me. Please d-don''t be mad at ''her.''"


    Her headache was beginning to ease up, and Guiying felt like she could finally breathe.


    "Guiying¡­" Ai tremblingly uttered her name.


    Guiying weakly smiled. "There are so many things I still want to say¡­But I want to start with an apology. I had no place to feel jealous of you. I always felt so childish¡­You got everything with your own merit. But still I acted so hopelessly. No matter what Ai¡­I am really happy that we came to Dream High together. I am happy you won the Summit. Your story was amazing. You deserved it. And I am happy that you found Liu Jun too."


    Ai broke down as she buried her face in her palms.


    Guiying quickly said, "I am not saying this now because the misunderstanding is cleared now. I felt like this ever since Shanghai...when I saw how much he cherished and treasured you. I lost, and I felt that I could never compete to you. Liu Jun would never love me the way he loves you even if ''she'' took revenge from him. I am sorry Ai that I never told you about myself. I¡­just couldn''t. But you were never at fault, Ai. It was always me who lacked-"


    "You didn''t lack at anything!" Ai furiously shook her head. "You are an amazing person! Until the end you remained a kind sister to Cai Lingyun even though he abused you so much. You are an amazing writer who inspired me to become one in the first place. And you are an amazing fighter too! You stood tall against all odds. There is nothing wrong in feeling jealous because t-there have been times when I was so envious of you too. I know¡­" she shook, "I know that feeling. So please don''t blame yourself, Guiying."


    She gasped breathlessly and sniffled. "It was so lonely without you Guiying¡­I always wished we could go back to those times when we laughed without any care¡­"


    Guiying felt her tears blur her vision and she slowly sat upright on the couch. "Me too¡­I was tired by this revenge. I wish we didn''t have these ugly feelings between us. But Zhan Yahui only fanned the flames harder. I¡­trusted her so much."


    At times, Guiying even felt as if Zhan Yahui was an elder sister to her. She spoke bitter words sometimes, but it had always only helped her improve as a writer. That''s why Zhan Yahui''s betrayal hit her harder.


    Ai wiped her eyes and said with a fierce determination shining in her brown eyes, "That''s why it''s time to make her pay for playing with everyone''s lives and feelings. This time, Zhan Yahui will have to suffer."

 Chapter 517 Wont Spare Anybody

    ? Until Ai and Guiying talked in Jun''s office, he along with Jin and Zixin went back to Chyou''s side where she was working with Yating to find the perpetrator.


    "Jun. Sun Bai''s phone was indeed tampered. She had deleted those drafts from what I can see but somebody planted them back."


    Jin frowned. "Maybe Sun Bai had her phone left unattended for sometime and somebody took advantage and transferred the files again without her knowledge?"


    Chyou shook her head. "It''s a bug and it''s something I have never seen before. So it means that the person is quite a skilled hacker like myself. He created his own untraceable bug to remotely plant it in Sun Bai''s phone."


    "Then what about that newbie author Cui Fen''s phone?"


    "Same. At that time, I did a cursory check but now that I have my tools, I can drill into anything I want. The files were modified to look like they were created before Shi Huan got to start her novel."


    Yunru found hope and his eyes gleamed. "Doesn''t that prove that Huan is innocent!?"


    "Not quite. We will have to prove the presence of the bug in those phones. The bug was like an application that was installed just for a few minutes to do the task. Then that culprit completely removed its traces. Even I had to do a lot of digging," she sneered. "That bastard thinks he is so smart?"


    Chyou cracked her knuckles and evilly chuckled. "I feel personally challenged. I won''t sit still until I drag him out his hole. This is a battle that I cannot lose."


    Yating loosened his collar and gulped. "Thank God I am not your enemy."


    "Aishhh, you will never be my enemy, Yating. I am very good to my friends!" She chirped.


    Yating felt relieved. But then a thought came across his mind. "If Cui Fen''s phone was tampered too, then why did she say that it''s her story? Both things cannot be true at the same time."


    Just then, Cui Fen was forcibly brought in and she looked at everyone, confused and panicked. "W-What is happening?"


    But all her further questions went down her throat as Jun''s tall body oozing with a menacing aura loomed over her. Cui Fen wasn''t sure what was happening but Jun''s dark brown eyes looked anything but forgiving now.


    "Why did you lie?"


    "S-sorry¡­?" Her voice quivered.


    The air turned colder, and her body stiffened.


    Jun changed his question. "Let''s forget about the why. Tell me who told you to lie?"


    "I-I¡­I don''t understand¡­" she felt her throat going dry.


    "Cui Fen."


    Her face paled when Jun uttered her full name with a taste of bloodthirst in it.


    "I advise you not to test my patience¡­" he quietly said. "Either you are speaking the truth or Shi Huan. And I believe in my brother. The story must belong to her. Then in that case, it doesn''t belong to you. So start talking. Who told you to lie?"


    Cui Fen was now visibly shaken.


    It was only Chyou who felt a little sympathy. "Hey, hey, Jun it''s alright. She will tell us."


    "I don''t have that patience anymore," Jun''s countenance grew darker and darker. "Once I get the name from her, I will end this shit going on to defame Sky. And¡­I have a lot of scores to settle."


    Chyou slightly gulped. She leaned towards Yating and whispered, "Is it only me or Jun feels a little different? I mean he was angry before too but now he outrightly looks like having murderous intent."


    "That''s true¡­I saw Guiying heading over to his office with them. I don''t know what happened over there for him to change like this."


    Cui Fen trembled under Jun''s pressure. "I-I d-didn''t lie S-Sir¡­" her moistened eyes let out the tears she was holding back. "It-It is indeed my story-"


    "Is that so?" Jun''s gaze turned grimmer. "Then tell me what happens from chapter 21 to chapter 30 of your novel?"


    She froze and fell silent.


    "You are the author. I know that even writers cannot remember what happens in any exact chapter number, but you should be able to tell what happens in that range of ten chapters, right? Plus your novel is only in the beginning stages so you should clearly remember the content of your earlier chapters at the very least."


    Cui Fen felt her voice stuck. "T-that¡­of course I know¡­"


    "So don''t waste my time and go ahead."


    Yunru flared his nostrils. "Yes, tell us! I have worked with Huan so I know what goes in those chapters. I can validate if you are telling the truth or not!"


    Cui Fen parted her lips to speak but her shaking wasn''t stopping even for a moment. She could feel her neck at the guillotine.


    "You can remain silent only when I give you permission. Otherwise, you talk. I can be a generous CEO but a cruel one too if needed."


    She said breathlessly, "I-I am sorry¡­My mind is blank be-because of today''s incident. I c-cannot remember¡­"


    "Hah! Isn''t that a convenient excuse?" Yunru glared at her. "Fine then! If you cannot remember what happens in chapter 21 to 30, then at least tell what happens in the first chapter. No matter what, a writer doesn''t tend to forget their very first chapter of their novel because it''s the hardest to write!"


    Yating nodded. "I agree to this."


    But Cui Fen had no response to Yunru''s demand either.


    "I d-don''t¡­I feel dizzy¡­"


    Jun tilted his head and narrowed his sharp eyes at her. "Already? I can be more vicious than just a simple interrogation. This is your chance to come clean or I can go to much farther limits. I hated what happened today, and I won''t spare anybody who was a part of this mess."


    Frightened, she took several steps back. Her cries grew fiercer but Jun was relentless.


    "Now open your damn mouth before I nip out your whole career from its root," he then took an alarming step ahead and questioned in a bleak voice, "Tell me the name. Was it Zhan Yahui?"

 Chapter 518 Make New Memories

    Cui Fen looked at him, bewildered and Jun could tell that she was really hearing this name for the first time.


    More than her, it was Yating who expressed her shock. "Say what? Why are you asking her about Zhan Yahui?"


    Jin gave a bitter smile. "Seems like you haven''t seen the news yet. Check out who is the new CEO of Shi Publishing."


    Confused, Yating checked his phone for the latest news and was stunned to see Zhan Yahui having CEO authority over Shi Publishing.


    "Huh? Did I miss something? How did Zhan Yahui become CEO of Shi Publishing?"


    Yunru pursed his lips. "Well, Zhan Yahui and Huan are actually half-sisters."


    Which he confirmed when he read another news bulletin of Shi Shuren''s affair secret getting revealed.


    "What the hell¡­"


    He frowned heavily and then was struck with realization. "Wait, you think she is behind this whole mess because she benefited by becoming the CEO? That''s definitely some crazy theory."


    "This is not the least bit crazy part. She has done much more¡­even plotted against Bro Zixin."


    Yunru widened his eyes. "What! Why would she possibly hurt my brother! He doesn''t even know her!"


    Jun smiled alarmingly. "I didn''t know her either but here she is, involved in every aspect of whatever has gone wrong until now. That''s why Chyou¡­" he glanced at her and said, "I want to know everything about her. She has targeted a lot of people to ruin me. I want to know just who the hell she is."


    "I am on it."


    Yating still had difficulty in believing all this. "Come on¡­this cannot be true. I have worked with Zhan Yahui for years. She cannot be evil¡­"


    Cui Fen jolted when she caught Jun''s attention once again.


    "Are you ready to open your mouth or shall I force it?"


    She dropped down to her knees and begged him. "S-Sir please spare me! I really¡­I am really innocent. A-and it''s not like I don''t remember the story. It''s just e-everything is happening too fast," she cried. "I am new here and suddenly this happened to me¡­This doesn''t mean that I am the culprit! P-please¡­I beg you not to ruin my career. Writing is my dream¡­I even fought with my parents to join Sky¡­I cannot afford to g-go down before I have even started anything," she trembled.


    Jun raised his brow in silence. His keen eyes stared at her for a long time before he said, "Get out."


    Cui Fen couldn''t believe her ears that he was letting her go. But she quickly stood on her knees and rushed outside as she still cried.


    Yunru asked, "Bro why did you let her go? She will definitely take advantage of this time and read Huan''s novel. Next time when we ask her, she will be completely ready to answer anything related to the story."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "I have a faint idea of what could happen next. I want to see if it does go that way or not¡­"


    From the other side, he saw Ai and Guiying slowly stepping out of his office. Jun watched Ai carefully and finally amidst this rollercoaster of day, he felt a burden lift off his heart. Ai''s expression and her eyes clearly said how they had resolved the misunderstanding between them.


    It was Zixin who ran past him like the wind and already appeared before Guiying. "Are ''you'' alright? Does it hurt? Can ''you'' stand properly? I should definitely take ''you'' to the hospital."


    He said everything in one breath that Guiying didn''t find any chance to answer.


    Ai answered. "Guiying is much better now."


    Zixin checked her from head to toe very carefully. "Are you sure? ''She'' still looks weak."


    "N-No, I am alright! I-I don''t need to go to the hospital¡­"


    Hearing that, Zixin immediately recognized that she was the real Guiying.


    "I see. Then I am relieved."


    Ai glanced between the two and promptly left to give them some time alone.


    Guiying lifted her gaze and properly looked at Zixin for the first time, not just as Chen Zixin but also MrPerfect.


    The MrPerfect she was talking to the whole time.


    The MrPerfect who made her feel cherished and loved.


    The MrPerfect who was her loyal fan.


    How¡­long has it been?


    MrPerfect was right in front of her in the flesh.


    Tears wetted her eyelashes once again, thinking about all those sweet memories she shared with him but the bitter misunderstandings that separated them too. Guilt washed over her heart for thinking that MrPerfect could ever think of betraying her.


    Even now at this moment, it was only her image that reflected in his black irises.


    But it also made her realize how much Zixin suffered because of her.


    "Why are you crying?" Zixin anxiously asked, "You said you were fine. I knew it. I should definitely take you to the hospital."


    "No. It''s not that!" She lowered her gaze. "I just¡­If it wasn''t for me, you wouldn''t have had to go through that terrible accident¡­"


    Her body seemed to look even thinner and fragile than before. "You lost your memories, your family is also hurt because you don''t remember them. Somehow I feel responsible for all this. This wouldn''t have happened if you weren''t entangled with me-"


    Zixin put his finger on her lips and immediately closed the distance between them, making her conscious of this closeness between them.


    "You have suffered much greater than me. You were closer to her and she betrayed your trust. My tragedy is far less comparable than yours. You are a victim of her plotting. How can you blame yourself?"


    Zixin withdrew his finger and gently held her hand. "My life is becoming normal even without my memories. My family also thinks the same. We just have to make new memories. A lot more memories than the past and a lot more happy memories which our past couldn''t have even thought of."


    He peered into her eyes and smiled. "I don''t know what sort of MrPerfect I was to you all this time. But I would like to become that version of MrPerfect who would never make feel you anxious again. I want to be someone you can wholeheartedly trust. I want to make those memories with you, Guiying."

 Chapter 519 Small Steps

    The day filled with chaos eventually came to a grim end. The fate of Sky still hung on a light thread as the accusations against Yunru and Sun Bai still made headlines. Sun Bai was extremely worried about what course the whole predicament might take but Jun and Hou Lin assured her.


    The rest of the family showed their full support to Jun too. The twins stood at either side of Jun and ruffled his head harder. "We know you will solve this mess in a mess without a hitch little brother! After all, you have the Liu blood flowing inside you~ I am just waiting for hell to break loose~"


    Liu Hai waved his hand. "Of course. Nobody can challenge the Liu family and stay alive after that~"


    The twins and Liu Hai''s quirkiness brought the atmosphere back to normal.


    Nana pouted and held his face. "Yes, so don''t worry Jun. And don''t even think about skipping meals. Everything will be fine."


    Jun smiled. "I know, Mom. I promise I won''t skip my meals."


    "En. If you skipped, Ai is there to inform me."


    His brow twitched.


    "When did she become your spy?"


    "I don''t have a choice when you boys don''t take care of yourself!" She harrumphed.


    Nuo nodded. "I will scold you a lot if you ignore your health because of this."


    "I think I am the older brother here."


    She snorted. "The twins are my older brothers too but when do you see me not scolding them?"


    Jian wiped his teary eyes. "We have a lot of grievances regarding that, little sister."


    "How can you treat your awesome brothers so cruelly?" Nian added.


    Nuo patted Jun''s head and smiled. "That''s why you need to be strong."


    "Little sister, you are blatantly ignoring us!" The twins exclaimed in protest.


    Liu Hai looked at them with disdain and dragged them out. "Oh shut it. You two are so petty!"


    "You are the last person to say that old man!"


    Nian remembered an important thing and escaped from his grandfather''s grasp. "Xing Biiiiii!"


    Xing Bi, who was talking to Ai and Shui, turned to see Nian furiously waving his hand at her. "Let''s go! Let''s go! It''s time for our date! We promised to go on our lovely date after the celebration!"


    "..."


    Xing Bi suddenly came into everybody''s scrutiny and her brows twitched heavily.


    This man! For God''s sake your family is right here! Does this man have no shame!?


    Her face flushed hard, especially that his parents and family were in front of her.


    "Hehe...hehehe¡­" Xing Bi burst into an awkward laughter and grabbing his hand tightly, she pulled him away.


    Nian blushed. "Aish, Xing Bi. You are holding my hand so tightly. I didn''t know you were this excited for our date."


    Xing Bi slowly turned her head and gave him a deadly stare. "Let''s talk, Mr. Liu."


    "Why is your expression not matching with my imagination, dear?"


    "My violence won''t be matching with your imagination either," she said as she dragged him away from everyone. She then glared at him. "How can you think of our date when so much happened today? Jun is so troubled. Can we really enjoy when there is a crisis going on at Sky?"


    Nian cocked his brow with interest. "Don''t underestimate my little brother. There is no need to worry about him. He will deal with it with finesse, I assure you. There have been many such pests in the past trying to take us down but have always failed miserably. It will be the same outcome this time too~ So we can enjoy our date with ease!"


    Xing Bi watched Jun and Ai and pursed her lips.


    Will it really be okay?


    Well Nian knows his brother better than me. I hope it''s just as he says¡­


    Seeing her expression falter, Nian swiftly took advantage of the situation and dragged her out of Sky before she could protest. "Date time! Date time!"


    Ai pursed her lips. "Nian stole her away from me."


    Shui shook her head. "What else can you expect from the twins?"


    Her gaze fell on Jin for a moment, but she quickly looked away. She faced Ai and said, "I will take my leave too."


    Ai blinked. "You are not going with Siying?"


    "Ah Bro said he will be late. Hehe it''s definitely a date with Nuo just like Nian and Xing Bi''s. I just pray Uncle Jinhai doesn''t show his claws to him haha."


    Which Jinhai already was as he threw deathly glares at Siying with his eyes who stood with Nuo and was ready to take her out. The helpless victim, Siying, could feel his gaze brutally burning and drilling a hole in his back.


    When Jin saw Shui leave alone, he fell into a predicament. He wanted to follow her but his feet didn''t move.


    Jinhai was about to speak when Liu Hai''s booming voice echoed in the room. "Aish my dear Shui, why are you going all alone? Let somebody accompany you!"


    "Ah? I will be fine, Grandpa," Shui smiled.


    "Bah! How can you be fine? It''s so late in the evening now! What if you meet some pervert on your way?" He gasped.


    "..."


    "No I mean, the driver is there to-"


    "Jini-boy, you seem to be jobless at the moment. Go and drop her home!" He chirped.


    Shui stiffened while Jin scowled at him. "Don''t call me Jini-boy."


    "Zhou Yichen gave such a cute nickname to you. How can I not use it?" He made an innocent expression. "Anyway, go with Shui."


    Shui quickly said, "Grandpa, it''s really alright."


    Nana joined in too. "It''s no trouble dear."


    Jin walked past her and cleared his throat. "It''s not a big deal. Let''s go."


    "Wait I¡­"


    Ai nudged her elbow and nodded. "Don''t hesitate."


    She wanted to hope that with Jin taking little steps to improve his relationship with Shui, something could soon change between them. It was imperative for them to be in each other''s company as much as possible for that to happen.


    Shui agreed in the end. "Sure."


    Jin paused and nodded and then followed after her.

 Chapter 520 The Voices Of The Past

    As they returned to their condo, Jun and Ai could hear some familiar bickering sounds coming from inside the house.


    "Mom? Dad?" Ai asked, surprised as the duo was arguing in the kitchen.


    "Jun-cute! Ai-chan!"


    Zhou Yichen dashed towards them and pulled them in a big hug. "I am so glad you are back. You two were so late that I got worried!"


    Xie Nuying calmly stood at a distance from him and hugged them too. "We were supposed to have dinner after the anniversary but after knowing what happened, I thought it was better to come here and prepare the dinner. You two must be tired."


    Jun let out a genuine smile. "Thanks, Mom. I really appreciate it."


    She patted his head but felt her heart squeeze seeing them stressed out. Today was supposed to be filled with celebration and laughter but instead¡­


    Zhou Yichen snorted. "Thank you for your good intentions Miss. Xie but it''s of no use when you seem to not know your way around the kitchen."


    Her brow twitched.


    "You think you are any better? Just look at your side of the kitchen. It''s a complete mess. I cannot imagine what mess the food will be."


    He sneered. "You know that don''t you? Between the two of us, whose food is more edible?"


    Lightning crackled between their eyes as they stared at each other with hostility.


    Ai pursed her lips. "This is not the time to fight."


    *Meow*


    Jun lowered his head and saw Ai-chan nudging his leg.


    "Hey," he picked her up in his arms and curved his lips into a peaceful smile. "Did you have fun having the whole condo to you?"


    *Meow*


    She stared at him intently for some reason.


    Ai looked for Jun-cute who was lazing around in the crescent swing as usual but who was also sneaking glances at them. When he noticed Ai looking at him, he immediately retracted his gaze as if he didn''t have anything to do with her.


    "..."


    How mean¡­


    Xie Nuying said, "He seems to dislike us but actually cares about us a lot. You know? I had almost slipped and was about to fall but thankfully, I held my balance. But Jun-cute immediately ran to my side and circled around me with concern," she looked pleased. "When I first entered the house, he was keeping his distance from me and wouldn''t even look at me."


    "That''s what everybody should do¡­" Zhou Yichen whispered under his breath.


    "Mind your words Mr. Zhou or you might just find your food unpalatable," she narrowed his eyes.


    "When was it palatable in the first place? This whole evening is saved because of the food made by yours truly hah!"


    Lightning crackled between them once again.


    Jun and Ai coughed and quickly pushed them towards the dining table. Washing their hands, they took their own seats before the duo started arguing again.


    Jun noticed all the dishes on the table and smiled. "Everything looks delicious."


    "The mapo tofu too?" Xie Nuying expectantly asked.


    Jun glanced at the said mapo tofu and inwardly twitched seeing the curry slightly burnt. "It looks delectable, Mom."


    Xie Nuying beamed. "Good, good."


    Zhou Yichen snorted at Jun''s obvious lie but kept to himself. He then bent and furiously patted on his shoulder as he said, "Eat all up, Jun-cute! You must be famished. And don''t you worry about the situation at all! I believe Sky will definitely come out of this predicament," he nodded.


    A glint of coldness flashed across his eyes for a moment.


    "Yes, Dad. I won''t let this mess stay for long and the one who is responsible for this¡­will soon have a heavy price to pay," he clenched the chopsticks in his hand.


    Xie Nuying asked, "Could you were able to find who made all those messages to the reporters?"


    He narrowed his eyes. "I do have a name."


    "Who is it?"


    Ai slowly said, "We don''t have clear evidence yet but we know it''s¡­Zhan Yahui."


    Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen blinked their eyes.


    "I feel I have heard the name before¡­" Zhou Yichen touched his chin.


    "Isn''t she Guiying''s editor?" Xie Nuying said.


    "Yes."


    "Ah yes! That''s right," Zhou Yichen nodded. "Ah but wait. Why would she do all this? She is completely unrelated to Jun-cute."


    "Indeed. That''s why Chyou is digging into her past."


    "I see, I see. No worries! Jun-cute, if you ever need my help, just come to me straight away hoho," He proudly added, "With the variety of careers I have worked on, I have accumulated some good contacts myself."


    "Thanks Dad," Jun appreciated his gesture.


    Xie Nuying poked. "Since they are your contacts, I doubt their reliability."


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen gritted his teeth. "Well at least I HAVE contacts unlike a certain professor here from whom people choose to always run away."


    "Only guilty people run away," she said with poise.


    "Hah! Well at least I will be of some help if things went south. Do you remember when Ai-chan almost got lost when she was seven? It was my friend who noticed her on the street and quickly informed us."


    Jun glanced at her. "You really got lost?"


    Ai cleared her throat. "I was attracted to a bookstore on the other side of the street."


    "..."


    She says it like she got attracted by somebody handing out candies¡­


    Zhou Yichen said, "Point being my friend saved us from running around in circles. You, on the other hand, had almost fainted with worry."


    "Of course I did," Xie Nuying pressed her lips, "My Ai was so cute. She is cute even now but as a child, her cuteness level was unmatchable."


    Jun choked.


    "My cute daughter suddenly disappeared¡­How could I be calm? What if some bad people found her first and tried to harm her?"


    Her voice trembled even now when it had been years since the incident happened.


    Zhou Yichen flared his nostrils. "As if I would have ever allowed that to happen. If Ai-chan is in trouble, I will bend the whole world if I need to, but I will definitely save her no matter the cost. I won''t spare anybody who dares eyes my daughter!"


    All of a sudden, the cats, Jun-cute and Ai-chan, stood upright and alert. Their eyes were locked onto Ai''s whose body shook slightly, and the chopsticks in her hand trembled but it was actually her hand that was shaking. She felt her heart pounding faster in her chest as Zhou Yichen''s words echoed but this time, in her mind.


    "I won''t spare them, Nuying...They say my daughter killed herself? It''s impossible! No way our Ai-chan can kill herself! My daughter was not weak!"


    "She would never...she would never think of ending her life and giving us this pain to live with for the rest of our life!"


    "I will find them, Nuying...I will bend the whole world if I need to but I will find whoever killed my daughter and I will punish them with my own hands!"

 Chapter 521 A Killer, A Murderer

    Ai couldn''t see the memories but her mother and father''s pained and grieving voices rang in her ears. But those voices faded away as suddenly as they had started whispering to her.


    "Ai?"


    She jolted, her body feeling cold but soon felt a warm hand on top of hers and a pair of dark brown eyes looking at her anxiously. Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying hadn''t noticed yet, but Jun had caught her hand trembling and going into a stupor.


    "What happened?"


    Ai looked ahead and saw her parents bickering as usual. But in her mind, those cheery voices were lamenting. Zhou Yichen was so firm in proving the conspiracy behind her death that it broke her heart.


    She bent and whispered to Jun. "I am not sure but I heard Mom and Dad''s voices¡­from the past. It happened suddenly."


    Jun slightly widened his eyes. He felt it was strange for the past voices to appear without any clue.


    "What were they talking about?"


    "It was after my-"


    "Hey, hey what are you two whispering to each other?" Zhou Yichen leaned with interest. "Tell me, tell me too! Hehe, is it something naughty? Don''t worry, your Dad here is quite forward~"


    Jun quickly smiled it off. "Nothing. Just some things from today''s celebration."


    Xie Nuying said, "They are a couple and have their own private conversations. Don''t bother them."


    He threw a glare at her but snorted in the end.


    Jun then received a call from Chyou but hesitated to leave Ai away.


    "Who is it?" Ai asked.


    "Chyou."


    "Pick it up then. She must have got something on Zhan Yahui."


    "But you¡­"


    "I am fine. It was out of the blue, but now I am okay," Ai patted on top of his hand.


    Jun thought for a moment and let out a sigh. "Fine."


    He excused himself for a moment and Ai looked back at her parents who somehow got another reason to argue over. She then felt a nudge at her feet and turning her head saw the cat Jun-cute staring back at her. He who always ignored Ai at every chance he got strangely stayed beside her with an unreadable expression.


    Ai softly smiled and rubbed his furry head with the tip of her finger. "I am fine. Hehe, I knew you liked me."


    Jun-cute looked away but remained seated beside her feet, quietly staring at Ai-cat who followed Jun.


    ¡ª


    Inside his bedroom, Jun slid across the green button and said, "Hey."


    His warm and smiling countenance from a minute before immediately turned into an icy and vicious one, akin to a lion who wanted to strike his claws at his enemy.


    "Jun! I dug into Zhan Yahui''s past. From the looks of it, she doesn''t seem to have any connection to you. Like you already knew before, she is Shi Shuren''s illegitimate daughter. She hopped from one orphanage to another after her parents died, completed her schooling with some scholarships and joined Dream High early on. I guess she was around eighteen when she went back to Shi Shuren, demanding her rights because it was then that he secretly put some shares on her name and made her a shareholder."


    "I never had anything to do with Shi Shuren."


    Chyou released her breath. "I know. At a cursory glance, there doesn''t seem to be any link between you two. So I went farther to check her records right from her birth. And I found something strange."


    Jun stayed silent.


    "Somehow, I didn''t get much information on her parents."


    Jun frowned.


    "I searched the family name Zhan in all records, but I didn''t get any data regarding Zhan Yahui''s family. For some reason, her parents'' information isn''t registered anywhere."


    "That cannot be possible."


    Chyou sneered. "I know. When I combed through all the records and found nothing, it strangely reminded me of our dear hacker who planted the drafts in Cui Fen and Sun Bai''s phones. Somebody has tampered with those records to be never found."


    "Can you not find it either?"


    Chyou snorted. "Please show me some respect, young man. Do you think I would have called you if I had nothing on my hands? I admit that that hacker is capable but he cannot be more capable than me~ I am far too talented. I won''t rest until I find what I need!"


    Jun rolled his eyes at the drama queen. "Who are they?"


    *Meow*


    Jun looked down and was surprised to see Ai-chan circling around him. He smiled and picked her up and kissed the top of her head.


    "Both of her parents have passed away. Her mother''s name was Zhan Kai-Ming, and her father''s name was Ouyang Haitao. The surname Zhan actually comes from her mother."


    Jun froze.


    "Ouyang Haitao isn''t actually registered as her father, but I came to know that they had submitted an application to get married at the Civil Affairs. But one day, Ouyang Haitao was shot to his head in some skirmish with some goons, and Zhan Kai-Ming committed suicide a few days after that. It''s really tragic honestly."


    Jun stared at the empty space ahead with a blank stare.


    "But I still don''t understand why Zhan Yahui would want to hide this."


    Jun didn''t respond.


    "Neither the reason why Zhan Yahui wants to target you. Seriously, why does she hate you so much?"


    No answer.


    "Jun?"


    No answer.


    "Jun? Hey Juuuuuun, are you there? Wait, the call is still connected, right? Hey it is! Why aren''t you answering me!" She pouted.


    "...Chyou."


    "Finally, you spoke!" She harrumphed.


    "Can you show me Zhan Yahui''s childhood picture?"


    "Her childhood one? Wait a second."


    He heard Chyou''s keyboard tapping sounds. "Hah! What do you know? There doesn''t seem to be proper pictures in the database either. That hacker seemed to have left no stone unturned. But no fear when Zhu Chyou is here~"


    It took some time for her to insert a code in the database and get what she wanted after which she immediately forwarded the picture to Jun.


    "Sent. Check it."


    His fingers moved before Chyou had completed her sentence, and he opened the picture.


    As soon as the image of Zhan Yahui''s little version appeared on his screen, a shiver ran across his spine. His heart thudded faster similar to what Ai felt just a few minutes ago as the voices came flowing into his mind.


    But it didn''t belong to the part of the past which he hadn''t seen before. The memories that knocked on his door were something that he was well familiar with.


    A little girl cried as her dress was soaked in blood and her unforgiving and vicious gaze fell upon a little boy wearing glasses with a cold and unfeeling expression.


    ''You are¡­you are a killer! You killed my father! You are a murderer I will never forgive!''

 Chapter 522 The Date Amidst The Skyline View

    "Mademoiselle, please have a seat here," Nian elegantly bowed as he pulled a chair for Xing Bi to sit.


    After taking off from Sky, he brought her to a beautiful outdoor location to have their first date amidst witnessing an enchanting city skyline view at night. The lights that clustered and sparkled together mesmerized Xing Bi.


    A table for two was arranged with the setup of a temporary kitchen just a little distance from it. This was the first time Xing Bi was experiencing a dinner under the starlit sky with the prospect of live cooking being done in front of her.


    The ingredients and kitchen were all set along with Nian''s chef outfit.


    "You are going to cook right now?"


    Nian''s nostrils proudly flared as if he had done extensive research. "From my research and experience, men look more handsome and appealing when they cook food. The brownie points increase when the food is delicious too! Didn''t I impress you when I made the chocolate dessert for you in Shanghai? I know you definitely felt some teensy-tiny romantic emotion in your heart for me!"


    The corner of her mouth twitched.


    "Then again, why do we need to have dinner at a five-star hotel when yours truly is the greatest chef of the world!" He waved his hand as if it was so obvious.


    Look at his confidence¡­and narcissism.


    "So while you wait, please thoroughly observe my handsome profile as I cook. You are free to have any perverted and naughty thoughts about us as well~"


    Nian merrily hopped away and stood at his place in front of the kitchen counter. He lit the stove, put a pan on top of it and soon, the sound of sizzling oil reverberated in the air.


    Xing Bi really gave it her all not to get swayed by his posture but¡­


    Damn it, how can anybody look so hot? He is just cooking!


    Nian stood with such ease with his hands making delicate but exact movements filled with finesse that she only found herself admiring the process of him cooking.


    The way he effortlessly chopped the veggies, the way he elegantly dropped them into the pan, the manner in which he fluidly stirred the food, the beauty with which he handled the many bottles of spices and the professional and sincere expression on his face as he was giving it all to present her with the most delicious meal - Xing Bi found it impossible not to feel affected by it.


    It didn''t help that a very delectable aroma was rapidly floating through the air. She almost drooled in front of him but quickly wiped it before Nian could notice it and feel victorious.


    "Hmm hmm hm~ Lala Lala Lala~" Nian hummed as he cooked.


    She slightly coughed, listening to Nian singing some melody.


    Why did he suddenly start humming¡­?


    Xing Bi then propped her chin on her palm and the elbow on the table as she continued to observe Nian and listened to his singing while parallely thinking about her past.


    Her gambling father had left his family without even bothering to leave at least a sorry note while her mother drowned herself into alcohol. She remembered how she would always cook breakfast for her mother before she left for school and dinner after she returned.


    Xing Bi at that age could hardly chop the ingredients into proper sizes and the taste of her food was barely passable. Yet her mother would always laugh and eat everything from the bowl without a single complaint, all drunk and always humming some random tune. Xing Bi would scrunch up her brows, feeling disturbed by the humming more often than not.


    But she lived with it along with her frustration of her mother''s lack of responsibility and envy of all the other children in her school bringing their lunches prepared by their mothers. She was empathetic towards her pain but as a child, she equally craved for a normal family as everybody else had.


    When was the last time somebody cooked for me?


    She genuinely thought about the answer to the question. No matter how far she went back, it was always and only her doing all the chores. She used to prepare meals for herself every time because she couldn''t afford to spend lavishly and frequently on outside food. She had to save every penny she could while also dealing with the loansharking thugs.


    After her mother ended her life, the days simply passed by with Xing Bi sitting all by herself and having her meals all alone in the empty room.


    It was one day when the spoon suddenly slipped from her hands, and she realized just how much she actually missed her mother''s voice singing that random tune. The silence left by her death had ripped her heart apart. It was the first time in months when Xing Bi had cried hard and grieved over her mother''s death.


    Breaking from the stupor of her past, Xing Bi felt her eyes turning misty, and she quickly wiped her eyelashes.


    But a certain devil grabbed her wrist and bent closer towards her. "Why are you crying?"


    Her brow twitched. "You are seeing things. I am not crying."


    "Your eyes won''t turn reddish for no reason," Nian sternly replied.


    Xing Bi awkwardly laughed it off. "Oh this¡­? It''s¡­actually the¡­yeah it''s the spices!" She lied. "It''s that fragrance in the air. One of them feels particularly spicy and aromatic."


    Nian narrowed his eyes, and Xing Bi only prayed that he wouldn''t dwell on the matter further.


    Then his stance gradually softened, even looking guilty. He mumbled. "...Was my singing so bad?"


    "Huh?"


    Nian bit his lower lip and looked away. "My humming¡­was it not like your mother''s?"


    She rapidly blinked her eyelids.


    "Your mother used to sing this tune for you, right? I tried humming the same. I¡­I thought you would like it¡­" he was barely audible now, "I thought it would make you happy¡­Clearly I suck¡­I am sorry..."

 Chapter 523 The Kiss Amidst The Skyline View

    "How did you know about my mother''s singing?" Xing Bi was genuinely bewildered.


    Nian coughed. "Ai told me. I mean I asked her of course. She told me some things from your past which you shared with her."


    He twirled the tip of his finger on the table, feeling abashed. "So I thought of singing that tune for you too! I mean¡­I thought it would make you happy¡­"


    It was the first time that Xing Bi was witnessing an awkward, shy and mixed with guilt expression. Usually, it was either his goofy side or his serious side. The look of embarrassment for failing to sing properly was crystal clear.


    It was amusing but extremely heartfelt at the same time. It was a sweet gesture that completely took her by shock but also tugged her heartstrings like a sweet melody.


    Xing Bi let out a chuckle after much trying to suppress it. "So you were trying to imitate her. I was wondering why you were suddenly humming a tune."


    Nian scratched the top of his head, feeling doubly embarrassed. "I know it can nowhere be near your mother''s singing, but I only want to make you happy! I also know that you might have some grievances against your mother but you still love her. She is still there in your heart. So¡­well¡­in any way possible, I wanted to bring her good memories¡­"


    Xing Bi thought of all those awkward moments with her mother. She was a little troublesome, nevertheless the presence of her mother always left warmth in her heart. There were problems around them all the time but within the walls of the small apartment where they lived together, it felt like that dark time outside amounted to nothing.


    "Y-Yeah¡­" her voice slightly choked. "She was a little silly and sort of an airhead. Maybe that''s why she got entangled with my father who was clearly never upto any good. It was a¡­bittersweet time with her. I used to feel annoyed and helpless with her around because she only kept adding to my work. But when she left¡­"


    She took a pause to gather her complicated emotions.


    "I strangely started to miss the troublesome part of her too. She was drunk most of the time and laughed and talked about random things. So the house was never quiet. But then it suddenly became silent," she awkwardly laughed to herself, "And I didn''t know what to do with that silence anymore."


    She shook her head, thinking of that time of her life. "To cope with that, I buried myself in work even more just to not feel that silence and¡­loneliness. Sometimes, I avoided going back to my apartment from work. It was so silly¡­"


    "It''s not silly," Nian said with an absolute earnest expression. "Silence is terrifying."


    She couldn''t help but tremble.


    "Especially left by a person who you hold dear to your heart. Do you know why Grandpa is such a chatterbox? He told this story once to Jian and me. That one day, Grandma had a nightmare of losing him forever. It was a silly bad dream, but she cried a lot after that. Later, she used to panic if Grandpa would give even a tiny late response to her. That''s why he turned out to be even more talkative and loud," he chuckled, "Just so that Grandma gets to hear his voice and feel assured."


    Her eyes slightly widened. She thought back to all those times she met Liu Hai, and she came to realize one thing.


    Almost all the time, Liu Hai stayed within his wife''s hearing or sight range.


    The first time she met Liu Hai was at Jinhai and Nana''s anniversary banquet. When she had been talking to him and Jian, she had noticed that Liu Chunhua was standing at a distance as well, talking to other guests.


    "He only runs off at times when food is concerned or to hide from her to secretly eat some sweets," he snorted, "but he also makes it a point to return as quickly as he can."


    Xing Bi''s jaw dropped. "Damn, he is indeed always there wherever Grandma is!"


    Nian laughed. "I know right? Even Grandma doesn''t know yet. She thinks he grew talkative with age."


    Xing Bi sniffled. "Damn¡­Grandpa is so cute."


    Nian brightened. "Does that mean I am cute too? After all, I got the same genes as him~"


    She sneered. "I remember you denying your grandfather''s genes on many occasions."


    He coughed. "Let''s not dwell in the past, my dear."


    Xing Bi rolled her eyes.


    Nian stared at her pleasant expression and curving his lips in a sincere smile, he gently held her hand. "What I mean to say is that you will never feel lonely again like in the past. If you are afraid of silence, then worry not! Your handsome boyfriend here would never let a single day of yours pass by with quiet. The space around you will always be filled with laughter and this time, it''s your turn to get pampered and enjoy super delicious meals everyday! You have worked hard enough in the past. Now I will cook for you every single day and all you have to do is eat, eat and eat!" He chirped.


    Xing Bi could feel her heart almost pop out of her chest upon seeing his resilient and dazzling face. His smile shone so brightly that she felt the remnants of darkness and despair still lurking somewhere in her heart dulling away with his light.


    His voice sounded so melodious that she laughed and cried at the same time. "You¡­when did I agree that you are my boyfriend?"


    Nian blushed. "I know you were definitely drooling over my handsome figure while I was cooking."


    Her brow twitched.


    Damn it, he caught me?


    "And let''s just say¡­" he leaned over, making her heart pound faster and her cheeks growing redder, "that your beautiful face tells me the truth."


    "W-what truth?"


    Nian slid his fingers across the back of her neck and smiled. "That your heart cannot hold back from falling in love with me anymore."


    And bridging the last space of distance, he touched her lips with his for a fiery kiss.

 Chapter 524 The Confession Amidst The Skyline View

    It wasn''t that Xing Bi wasn''t prepared for this moment to come. Ever since Nian proposed this date, she knew in her heart that there would be no place left for her to run away from him or her feelings.


    Which she didn''t realize when he made such a deep mark in her heart. In her quiet and peaceful life, he arrived like a storm who swept her away like a wind helpless before the wind.


    But whether it was his humor, goofiness, chatter, fury, pastries, protectiveness or simply the sheepish grin on his face - everything about him started to make her life more and more colorful.


    Life wasn''t so bad for Xing Bi once she accepted her mother''s death and moved on. But neither could it change the sense of dullness that all the bitter things left behind in her life.


    She felt grey and stagnant until Nian broke through like a sparkling rainbow in the sky.


    She realized she had fallen for him when Nian slyly stole a forehead kiss from her outside her apartment. It toppled everything within her upside down without any warning.


    Ah¡­I am done for¡­


    The same emotions vehemently flowed within her cells at present as Nian kissed her as if he would die if he didn''t. It was a fervent kiss filled with the heat of his embrace as he pressed her body against his, yet in that seemingly confident stance, she felt him slightly trembling.


    Is he¡­nervous too?


    Which she found it unbelievable to process because in her eyes, Nian had endless enthusiasm and unshakeable confidence that made him chase after her despite her violent warnings.


    Xing Bi didn''t know whether to laugh or cry.


    He is¡­so cute¡­


    Nian paused and pulled back, allowing Xing Bi to take a breath.


    "Y-You are laughing!" Nian complained.


    Xing Bi couldn''t hold back anymore and burst into laughter at last. "Sorry¡­"


    Nian felt his face burn with shame and embarrassment. "T-This is not a laughing matter!"


    Xing Bi nodded as she still laughed. "I know. D-Don''t mind me¡­"


    "You¡­" he pointed his finger at her, aggrieved. "J-Just you wait! I will definitely become a pro in kissing! Then I would totally leave you awestruck and wanting for more!" He harrumphed.


    "..."


    "Say what? You think I am laughing because of your kissing skills?" She asked, speechless.


    "What else would it be?" Nian cried and shot back as if none other reason could exist. He twirled his two index fingers around each other. "From my approach and stalking, it might have made you feel that I have experience."


    Her brow twitched again.


    So you do admit that it was stalking at some point¡­


    Nian looked away, defeated. "But actually, I am not like that. People assume that I definitely had been in relationships before, but I had been single all this time."


    Her jaw dropped in genuine shock. "Seriously? Not even in high school or college? Not even a crush?"


    Nian shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal. "Nope."


    "...I don''t need to explicitly state that you and Jian must be super popular, right?"


    Nian''s face gleamed with pride. "Naturally. Nobody could match up to us. Same with Jun, Nuo and Jin. Our genes are super powerful~"


    "So you definitely got tons of confessions."


    "Naturally. Our high school and college lockers were always filled with cards, flowers and chocolates," he chirped, making Xing Bi feel like strangling him for some reason.


    Ah, a handsome man''s life is so ''difficult and treacherous''...


    "Jian had Leina and Jun¡­well he was devoted to Shui from long back. Nuo, too, was starting to have feelings for Siying. Jin honestly didn''t bother with these things. But looking at the other three, I strongly felt that I wanted to have that one person in my life too. But I wasn''t interested in trial and error dating. I wanted it to be like Dad, Grandpa and Uncle''s! They knew at the first glance itself who they wanted to be their partner. I wanted to meet such a woman too."


    Suddenly, she felt her cheeks heat up at such an indirect confession. "Do-Don''t tell me that you really felt that woman was me at your parents'' wedding banquet! I was totally dirty from head to toe with mud and leaves all over my dress and for God''s sake, I was illegally trying to enter your house like a thief¡­!"


    Nian cocked his brow. "First of all, you trying to break in was super interesting and entertaining."


    "..."


    "Then you dragged me away from my cousins like a knight in shining armor!" His black irises shone golden. "You were so cool and valiant and when I stared at your back, I realized how Dad must have felt when he met Mom. I just knew in my heart that it had to be you. Period."


    Xing Bi could feel steam escaping the top of her head. "A-A normal person would have handed such a suspicious woman to the security¡­" she mumbled.


    "When have the Liu''s ever been normal?" He grinned.


    "..."


    He coughed. "So the point being that even at twenty-six, I don''t have any experience with dating and kissing¡­So¡­so¡­" he burst into tears as he smothered his face against her chest, "please don''t think less of me! I will definitely improve and then we will have a super hot and romantic night one day!"


    "..."


    Xing Bi kicked him with her feet. "You pervert! Do you have any shame? We have just barely started and you are already thinking of so far ahead? Sh-shameless!" She scolded while her own face was blushing a furious crimson shade.


    He wiped his imaginary tears. "But I have already thought of our super adorable children''s names."


    She smiled threateningly. "Should I hit your head to make you forget those names? I will be glad to."


    Nian brightened. "But this means that you admit I am your boyfriend now?"


    "..."


    Wait, was that his agenda all along!?


    "I¡­"


    Nian was shining brightly as he waited for her answer.


    She coughed, feeling shy. "Well, it''s¡­"


    Nian was now sparkling even more as if he would blind her.


    "That¡­" her eyelids twitched.


    Now he radiated his glow to such an extent as if he would blind the entire earth.


    "Damn it, yes I love you, and you are my boyfriend now! But can you please tone down that brightness setting!?"

 Chapter 525 The Jin Wall

    On one side where Nian celebrated the joy of finally officiating his relationship with Xing Bi, the silence and awkwardness on Jin''s side between him and Shui hit an all-time record high.


    Jin drove while glancing at Shui''s side from time to time but not knowing what to speak. The awkwardness in the air was suffocating enough to drive him crazy. Since he was alone with her, there were many things in his mind he wished to talk to her about.


    He peeked at Shui once again who was idly playing around with her phone, looking calm and composed. But only she knew in her heart how this atmosphere was equally killing her.


    Jin clutched the steering wheel, remembering his father''s words.


    ''I thought you stopped running away from the things that matter.''


    For how long will I remain a coward¡­


    He parted his lips but found it difficult to find his voice. He could feel his heart pounding loudly back and forth in his chest.


    Was apologizing always this tough?


    Jin took a deep breath and focussing his attention on the road, he quietly said, "I know an apology is not enough, but I sincerely ask you to forgive me."


    Shui, who wasn''t expecting him to speak, slightly jerked her head sideways and looked at him. It was a little dark inside, but she could faintly see his tense expression and the creases on his forehead.


    "Apology for what?" She blinked.


    "...For my behavior in Shanghai."


    Shui stared at him, her body unconsciously freezing up with the mention of Shanghai. His cold gaze and even harsher words when they met at the fest and near the lake sprung up fresh in her mind.


    ''What will it take for you to get the hell out of my life?''


    ''Will it be enough for you if we slept together?''


    Shui felt at a loss for words. She was yet to heal from his deep knife-life piercing wound to her heart that his words gave her that night.


    "I am ashamed of the mistakes I have made and the disrespect I showed you. I won''t give any excuses for that. You are free to hate me for the rest of your life."


    Back at Sky some time before the chaos ensued, Jin felt stupid as to doubt why Shui was so quick to diffuse his concern of Jinhai or Zhou Yichen misunderstanding their relationship since they had seen them in a not so innocent position at Liu Corps'' balcony. It was when Jin had a flash of the past when he accidentally touched Shui''s forehead.


    It pricked and saddened him to feel that Shui seemingly easily glazed over the incident which he couldn''t take off from his mind. But when he remembered his own cruel behavior in Shanghai, it made sense to him why Shui would act like that.


    He wryly smiled, feeling disdainful and disgusted towards himself.


    Nobody would want to hear that shit again. Not from the person you like¡­


    "I acted like a complete piece of garbage there, and I admit I went way beyond my boundary. Please don''t blame my parents or my family. They didn''t raise me to become someone to speak such insolent words to a respectable and dignified woman. It was my choice at that moment, and I bear the complete responsibility."


    Shui felt breathless, silently clasping her shaking palms together.


    "I am well-aware that even an apology isn''t enough. That''s like taking a selfish shortcut. You didn''t deserve to go through such humiliation," his voice trembled. "Feel free to punish me however you want. If you want, I can drive us to one of Dad''s underworld bases."


    "U-underworld base? Why?"


    Jin replied without batting his eyelid, "To skin me alive if you want."


    "..."


    "Or choose whatever other punishment you have in your mind. We have all sorts of tools lying in there."


    Shui stared at him aghast. "How can you carelessly suggest such a horrific punishment for yourself?"


    He took his eyes off the road for a moment and blankly stared at her as if he didn''t get her point at all. "I didn''t think twice before carelessly hurling insults at you so why should I be cautious towards my own punishment?"


    Shui in turn blankly stared at him herself, unable to give a reply.


    "Besides, Dad would have given me the same punishment if I confessed my crimes to him. Actually, even worse. Torture is his forte. He doesn''t hold back on that and wouldn''t towards his own son either," he shrugged.


    He then furrowed his brows as if weighing and comparing the depth of affliction in his mind. "Or maybe an eternal silence from Mom and her refusal to acknowledge her son anymore would be fitting. I admit that would be more effective than being skinned alive. It hurts the most when women in our house are angry and disappointed."


    Shui had this urge to twitch her mouth.


    Wait¡­is he seriously suggesting options to give him the worst punishment?


    Jin looked at her and asked, "Why are you making that weird face?"


    "Why are you talking about weird things?"


    "How is talking about my punishment weird? It will be more strange if we don''t after what I did," he frowned and then commented. "You are weird."


    Her jaw dropped, feeling incredulous.


    "Are YOU in any position to call me weird!?"


    "It''s normal to get punished for the mistakes we make."


    "It''s not normal to be skinned alive!"


    "It''s normal in the underworld," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone as if it was an everyday occurrence.


    "It''s not normal to suggest OPTIONS of crueler punishments yourself either!"


    "Dad would have done the same if he had made a blunder towards Mom. That''s how my brothers and I are raised. That''s normal too."


    Shui felt like she was banging her head on the wall.


    She angrily laughed, not knowing what to say, "I feel like I will die of blood loss, but the wall won''t budge an inch."


    Jin looked blank. "Which wall?"


    "..."


    At this point, she felt completely drained of her energy. "Oh my God, have you been fooling people with your fake intelligence all this time!?"

 Chapter 526 Answers For Atonement

    Within that conversation, both didn''t realize when the stiff awkwardness they had been struggling with was gradually dissipating without their notice.


    Shui felt as though she spent her lifetime of her stored energy into this single conversation. She fanned herself, feeling breathless.


    Jin still wasn''t sure of the destination so he asked, "So should I head to the base or-"


    "My house! My house please!" She speechlessly exclaimed.


    Jin wasn''t quite satisfied with that decision. He gave a simple nod and looked back at the road.


    After a few moments of silence, Shui steeled her own courage and said, "It is true that I was really hurt by your words that night."


    Jin''s eyelashes faintly trembled.


    "I couldn''t forget them to this date, and I decided it was for the best to keep my distance from you now on. It was difficult seeing you anymore when the man I¡­loved hated my sight to this extent."


    He had a sudden urge to confess his true feelings and clearly say all those emotions he had been holding back for these years.


    Do I have the right¡­


    He felt his heart overflow with a myriad of thoughts he wanted to let her know and which were just at the tip of his tongue, but he couldn''t. He weakly smiled to himself and kept it all to himself.


    "I thought you would have to say something about this."


    His stupor broke, and he asked, "W-what?"


    Shui pressed her lower lip. "I wondered if you might want to correct me about what I just said."


    Jin stiffened.


    When the man I¡­loved hated my sight to this extent.


    "I¡­don''t hate you," he spoke with a stifling sensation suffocating his chest. He thought it would make him feel lighter but for some reason, he felt all the more pressure and burden.


    Shui stared at him. "Then why did you say those hurtful things?"


    That was an even more complicated question to answer which entailed his and Jun''s past lives. But it wasn''t something he could explain to her.


    "Is it purely because Jun and I broke up? I know how much you adore and respect Jun. But your hate towards me¡­" her voice shook, "was it only because you blamed me for our relationship not working out? Because somehow, I cannot see how that alone could have made you despise me so much."


    Jin felt his throat go dry.


    His hatred had many more reasons than just their relationship not working out.


    But how am I supposed to tell her¡­


    "You know something more, right?" Shui asked.


    He froze.


    "Right now, you are like an open book, Jin. I can see it from your eyes that there are a lot more things going on in your mind, but you don''t want to tell me anything. We spent all these years together as close friends, and I strongly feel that you wouldn''t act this way just because of one reason. You said you want to apologize to me. So yes, I will forgive you but only if you tell me the truth behind your hatred."


    "...I cannot tell you that."


    Shui frowned. She had a feeling that Jin wouldn''t easily confess.


    "Is it¡­related to how you had felt sick those two times?"


    It was just for a fraction of a second, but Shui clearly saw his reaction which he immediately hid behind an undecipherable expression.


    "No," he answered. "I just fell sick because I was weak."


    Shui looked away for a second and paused to think. "Jun and¡­Uncle Jinhai also seem to know, right?"


    It was getting harder for Jin to not crack his indifferent expression.


    How is she figuring out so much?


    "They both acted strangely when you had fallen sick. And for some reason, they both didn''t feel that it was necessary to take you to a doctor. Jun literally did nothing to curb your high fever in his condo which was¡­very much out of his character, especially towards you. The Jun I know wouldn''t have acted that way at all. He was the same brother who kept you company in that dark room during your punishment until the end just to make you feel better."


    At this point, he wasn''t even sure of what to answer.


    How far is the Han villa now?


    Jin sincerely wanted to run away from this predicament.


    Shui narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "I feel I am right. Something more is going on, and Jun and Uncle know it too. But others don''t, including me."


    Jin tried to smile. "That''s a misunderstanding."


    "Don''t you think I deserve to know after how much your words have hurt me?"


    He stiffened.


    "So rather than skinning you alive, I would prefer if you tell me everything as your atonement."


    Which was a fair deal only if Jin could execute it.


    Why is this distance to her house suddenly feeling so damn long!?


    "Jin."


    Jin gritted his teeth. "I cannot tell you! It''s complicated."


    "How complicated can it be?" She was dumbfounded. "You are saying as if it''s some imaginary unsolvable physics equation."


    He grimaced. "It''s very close to that."


    She gave him a dry look. "Try me. It won''t be something unbelievable that I might not be able to process."


    "Yeah it''s very well the case."


    Her brow twitched in annoyance. "Why are you being so stubborn!?"


    "You are the same!"


    "And I think I have the right to be stubborn," she sharply said.


    He couldn''t retort to that.


    Shui slowly stretched her hand to touch his shoulder and as soon as she did, Jin shuddered hard and lost control of the car.


    "J-Jin!? What''s happening? D-Drive slowly!" She exclaimed in horror.


    The car was starting to turn zig-zag along the empty road, making Shui feel her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.


    "Jin! Please stop! W-What''s wrong!?"


    But her fear and cries went to deaf ears because the moment Jin had felt Shui''s touch, the dark road before his eyes was suddenly blinded with a golden light.


    And in that moment, two more situations triggered simultaneously at two different locations.

 Chapter 527 Overlap

    Ai and Jun experienced a similar blinding golden light back at the condo. Ai, who was washing dishes with her mother, suddenly dropped the plate with a massive ache grinding her head. The sharp sound of the golden clock reverberated in her ears so loudly that she felt she would go berserk.


    But soon, broken images flowed in her mind that came together as if forming a piece of a puzzle.


    "Ai? Are you alright?" Xie Nuying worriedly asked.


    Ai suddenly seemed to look in a daze but her expression showed as if she was in a lot of pain. She was clutching her head and silently gasping for air.


    "A-Ai dear you are scaring me...Are you feeling sick?" She quickly asked.


    Ai failed to hear any of her mother''s concern and by the point she started sweating, Xie Nuying rushed in the living room to where Zhou Yichen was.


    She furiously shook his shoulder, making him almost stumble from the couch. "Hey, hey! Calm down! Why are you suddenly pushing me so violently? Did my ex-wife finally go-"


    But Zhou Yichen''s countenance turned grim the moment he noticed Xie Nuying''s pale expression. "What happened?"


    "A-Ai is not feeling well...I-I don''t know what happened suddenly, but she looks in a lot of pain. Sh-She is not answering my questions either..." She spoke as tears threatened to fall.


    His eyes widened and he ran towards Ai, who was now kneeling on the floor, trembling and shaking.


    ? "Ai? Ai?" Zhou Yichen gently patted her head. "Hey it''s me, your goofy and handsome father~ Won''t my darling daughter tell me what''s wrong?"


    The situation was rapidly becoming serious because no matter what methods Zhou Yichen used, Ai wasn''t responding to any of them. Both could feel their hearts in their throats, failing to see their daughter''s condition improve at all.


    "Where is Jun? Call him right away. We need to take Ai to the hospital."


    Xie Nuying quickly hurried towards Jun''s room and knocked on the door. "Jun? Please come out. Ai is not feeling well. Sh-she suddenly fell sick. We need to take her to the h-hospital..."


    But the door never opened and Jun never stepped out.


    "Jun?" her knocks became more urgent.


    When he failed to open the door no matter how much she tried, she turned the doorknob and stepped inside. "Excuse me..."


    But she was stunned to see Jun collapsed near the bed in a similar condition as Ai was. "Jun!"


    She rushed towards and kneeled on the floor, softly patting his cheeks. "Jun? Y-you..."


    Why is he looking the same as Ai?


    How did they both fell sick at the same time?


    "Yi...Yichen! Jun is...Jun is also..."


    --


    A few minutes before, when Jin lost control over his car, Nian and Xing Bi on their side were happily taking a stroll along the road. Nian tightly held her hand with a goofy grin on his face as if he was walking in heaven already.


    After a delicious and fulfilling dinner and dessert, Xing Bi''s stomach was so full that she could hardly move. So they decided to shed that fullness by taking a romantic walk.


    "Girlfriend, girlfriend, Xing Bi is now my girlfriend~" Nian repeatedly sang the song to himself.


    Xing Bi coughed, her face slightly reddening. "S-stop with the song. It''s embarrassing..."


    "I will sing this song for the whole night! I will declare it to the whole world that Xing Bi is mine now!" He sobbed. "My dream finally came true after all..."


    "Y-You are exaggerating..." she said so but butterflies were furiously fluttering in her stomach at the thought of Nian as her boyfriend now.


    Damn it, does my face look weird? What kind of expression I am making right now...


    "You are making a very beautiful expression, my dear~ In my eyes, my Xing Bi is always the prettiest," Nian smiled and pecked on her cheek.


    Her heart thumped loudly as if it would come out of her chest.


    Is he a mind reader?


    She felt her cheek heating up where he kissed just now.


    Xing Bi then noticed a small ice-cream truck along the side of the road and beamed. "Ice-cream!"


    Nian turned his head. "You want ice-cream? Let me bring some for you!"


    "Won''t you ask why I want an ice-cream when I am supposed to be full?"


    He waved his hand. "There is always extra space in our stomachs for sweets. God has very meticulously designed the human stomach, my dear."


    She choked and then burst into laughter.


    This man...I thought he would tease me, but he is spoiling me instead. Is this the Liu family''s famous doting that I have heard of?


    "Wait here for me. I will be back in a flash!"


    Xing Bi chuckled and stood at her place. A few seconds later, she noticed a car''s headlight shining behind her, and she promptly stepped aside further to make space for the car.


    But soon, she heard a loud screech and as she looked back, she gasped with terror seeing the car being driven recklessly in a zig-zag manner as if the driver was drunk.


    Wait, that car...looks familiar...


    Suddenly, the car''s direction pointed at her and it dangerously sped towards her.


    Xing Bi wanted to jump out of the way, but she felt her body freeze for some reason.


    A-ah? I cannot move...


    When the car came nearer, she gasped in shock once again, recognizing Jin and Shui inside it.


    Jin? Shui!?


    But she couldn''t think of anything else because right now, she was in the direct line of getting hit by Jin''s car in a few seconds.


    Come on! Move! My feet...why are they not budging!?


    Xing Bi stared ahead unblinkingly, bracing herself for the impact when at that moment and out of nowhere, she saw a flash of an image in her mind.


    She had no idea what it meant or why she was suddenly seeing such a thing but in that image, she could see herself lying in a car. It was a similar night as tonight, and the road was exactly the same as well where she was walking with Nian.


    The car in that strange image was broken down as it had crashed into a tree and in it, she saw her head collapsed on the steering wheel, blood dripping down from her temple onto the car''s floor.


    Huh...? What is this...?

 Chapter 528 By Hook Or By Crook

    In a mist-like space filled with an air of mystery and enigma, Ai found herself floating on top of what seemed like white clouds. Streaks of golden light pierced through them as Ai looked left and right in confusion.


    Where is this place?


    She crumpled her dress near her chest in her fist, feeling a sense of bad foreboding enveloping within her.


    "Jun...Jun where are you?"


    Afraid of being left alone in the vast, endless space of the unknown, she desperately searched for Jun. She held a strong feeling of wanting to be by his side.


    She anxiously looked around and wondered to herself.


    Is this what Jin saw when he suffered that high fever...


    She remembered him calling it a strange and cloudy sort of a place.


    She didn''t know where she was heading, but as she walked on for a seemingly endless amount of time, she began to hear the sound of somebody weeping.


    Who is crying...?


    It wasn''t one, but two people she could distinctly hear crying their hearts out in grief. The clouds gently fluttered away, revealing the scene of her parents before her.


    Mom! Dad!


    She ran towards them and called out. "Mom. Dad."


    ? But Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying didn''t raise their heads to look up neither did they show any reaction. Ai took a look at herself and saw that she looked transparent. It was as if her soul was present at the moment and not her physical body. But more than that, she was shocked upon witnessing what was happening before her.


    She saw herself lying in a hospital bed, her eyes shut and not a sound of her breath disturbed the silent air. Right beside the bed, Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen stood in horror, watching their daughter''s dead body lying in front of their eyes.


    "This...cannot be real..." Xie Nuying tremblingly held Ai''s hand that felt cold and rigid, the sensation piercing her mother''s heart like a knife.


    "Ai...wake up my dear..." Her fingers quivered as she squeezed her palm. Her voice choked, unable to face the dreaded reality.


    "Ai, your Mom and Dad are here. Everything will be fine now. Don''t worry, w-we will take good care of you now...We won''t let you get hurt anymore, okay?"


    The more Xie Nuying spoke, the more her expression rapidly turned whiter and whiter because the deafening silence left after her words brought forth a doom in her heart.


    Xie Nuying gently combed her fingers through Ai''s hair, doing everything she could to bring any reaction from Ai no matter how tiny it might be.


    "Yichen! W-why are you not saying anything?" She shook his arm, bringing him near Ai, "Say something, will you? You always keep chattering so much day in and day out but why are you keeping quiet now!?" The always poise and level-headed Xie Nuying yelled at him for the first time.


    Zhou Yichen said nothing. His eyes were simply fixed at his dead daughter''s body. They had rushed to Beijing as soon as they heard of Ai''s accident but never did he imagine that what they would be greeting was not a sight of their recovering daughter but the news of her death.


    He watched her face long and hard to detect any tiny trace of a movement if any but the more time passed, the more his heart sank.


    Ai was dead. The apple of his eyes was lying motionless on a hospital bed.


    Xie Nuying paled and broke down, weakly hitting on his chest. "Look...Ai will de-definitely respond if you speak something. Even though we lived together, I always knew that she was a daddy''s daughter and princess. I have often felt jealous of your relationship. S-So if it''s you, she won''t stay still like this anymore...So will you please for God''s sake talk to Ai?"


    It was a voice begging her husband to do something as if that was the last resort left.


    "...I wish I could, Nuying," he quietly said.


    She looked at him, bewildered. "W-what do you mean?"


    Zhou Yichen blankly looked at his wife, his usual joyful gaze devoid of any life. "Our Ai has left us, Nuying."


    Silence.


    "N-nonsense. Do you think this is the time to fool around? Where has she left us? Can''t you see she is right in front of us here?"


    Zhou Yichen held her shoulders, his own palms quivering coldly. "Nuying please...I beg you. Don''t...Don''t make me say it again...and again. I cannot bear this anymore than you can. Our Ai won''t wake up anymore..."


    Xie Nuying blinked. "I am telling you Yichen, I am not liking this behavior of yours. How is it possible that Ai won''t wake up anymore? She is just hurt and resting! I-I know I am not supposed to disturb her rest, but I just want to h-hear her voice...just once. That''s the only thing I am asking. Am I asking for too much as her mother?"


    Zhou Yichen felt his heart shattering with her hope. Her refusal to accept the reality only tore him apart further.


    "So please tell her-"


    "Ai is dead, Nuying!"


    *SLAP*


    Xie Nuying slapped him across his cheek, her wet eyes flaming with fury. "Zhou Yichen, you bastard! How dare you talk about our daughter like that!?"


    He felt the sting of the slap on his cheek, but the pain was nothing compared to losing his daughter and seeing the woman he loved grieving over this doom. He could hardly blame her for lashing out.


    She trembled. "Oh I g-get it now. Is it that you don''t consider Ai as your daughter anymore because we got separated? You finally showed your true colors! Well then fine! She is only my daughter from now on, not ours! Since you don''t seem to care about her, get the hell out of here right now!"


    Her shaking arm pointed at the door, signaling him to leave.


    Zhou Yichen stared at her silently for several long seconds and gently pulled her into his embrace.


    "Don''t touch me, Yichen! I will never forgive anybody who speaks nonsense about my Ai! Even if he is her own father!"


    Zhou Yichen shut his eyes, tears sliding down his cheeks. "I am...I am sorry Nuying. I am really..." his voice broke, "sorry that I cannot say anything else despite my heart resisting so damn hard. But what I can assure you is that..."


    His brown eyes glinted with such coldness that threatened to bring the Arctic in Bejing.


    "Even if I have to go to hell, I will drag the person out whoever is responsible for my daughter''s death by hook or by crook."

 Chapter 529 Indebted

    Xie Nuying sat beside Ai with a dead look in her eyes. Her palm had fiercely clutched onto Ai''s which were gradually growing colder and colder.


    "Ai¡­Ai¡­Tell me your father is lying¡­You cannot leave us, my dear."


    "I still haven''t made you taste my apple pie. Do you know I have really improved myself so much¡­? I want you to be the first person to eat it¡­"


    "Oh I forgot to tell you what happened at the university today. Two students were such troublemakers¡­Should I tell you the story?"


    "So wake up, Ai¡­There are so many things I want to do together with you¡­Wake up, Ai¡­"


    The nurse who stepped in felt heartbroken to see her in pain. It was beyond imagination for parents to lose their young daughter like this. Xie Nuying had been constantly mumbling to herself ever since she seemed to slowly realize that Ai was truly gone from her life.


    The nurse hesitated and stepped up after some thought. "Excuse me, Mam¡­"


    Xie Nuying didn''t respond.


    She pressed her lips. "I am truly sorry for your loss. But¡­But if it makes you feel even a little better, I want to tell you that¡­your daughter looked very peaceful in her last moments when we arrived with the ambulance."


    Xie Nuying ever so slightly reacted.


    "She was holding onto a man''s hand, who was also unconscious in his car. He went through a terrible accident and also passed away at the same time¡­"


    No answer.


    "Actually, it was because of his car that the¡­impact on Miss. Zhou''s body was less painful. It cushioned her fall to a great extent."


    Xie Nuying slightly widened her eyes.


    "If she had directly fallen on the ground, Miss. Zhou would have suffered a lot¡­"


    She trembled.


    The nurse bowed. "Mam, I sincerely apologize if I hurt your sentiments, but I simply wanted to let you know that your daughter was protected from the worst. She had a soft smile on her lips as they held onto each other''s hands. It was such a beautiful yet a sad moment we witnessed that¡­even we as professionals felt something very strangely emotional about it. For me personally, it left a deep mark within me."


    The nurse said nothing more and promptly left.


    "...That man," Xie Nuying whispered.


    The nurse stopped and softly enquired. "Yes?"


    "Where is that man who¡­"


    "He is on the same floor as us. More towards the straight. For his family as well, it''s a great tragedy¡­" her gaze sadly lowered, "The Liu family lost two of their sons today. Mr. Liu Jun and Mr. Liu Jin. The one Miss. Zhou was with was Mr. Liu Jun. Their parents are¡­devastated."


    The nurse left and after a long silence, Xie Nuying slowly got up from her chair. It took all her strength to walk outside. Her body shivered as she kept walking straight.


    Her eyes slightly widened as she saw Zhou Yichen already standing at a distance away.


    Beyond him, Xie Nuying then noticed many people standing in front of two wards. It was a family grieving the deaths of their two sons. But out of them, two people seemed as if they had no hope left for them to live any longer. The woman was on the wheelchair while the man beside her was holding her hand.


    They felt somebody''s presence, and they slowly turned their heads.


    Jinhai stared at them for a long time and spoke with a voice that held no vitality, "...Are you Zhou Ai''s parents?"


    It was Zhou Yichen who replied. "Yes, we are. We¡­we¡­" It was painful for Zhou Yichen to speak. "I-I know that it''s not a good time¡­But we heard-"


    Before he could complete, Jinhai stepped forward and for the first time in his life, he deeply bowed before them.


    Xie Nuying and Zhou Yichen were stunned at this sight. He quickly held Jinhai''s shoulders and raised his head. "Mr. Liu! Why are you bowing your head?"


    Jinhai still had his head lowered, but they could see his tears falling from his eyes. "Thank you¡­My son suffered a lot. He went through so much pain in his life and as his father, I could do nothing to protect his heart. So much so that he chose to give up on his life. Despite being the mighty Liu Jinhai, I felt so¡­powerless," He shook, "But I came to know that during his last breaths, he strangely had a peaceful expression¡­My son¡­My son was smiling after so long¡­ After ten years he was finally smiling¡­"


    Jinhai trembled. "And it was all because of your daughter. I-I don''t know what happened¡­I don''t know how it happened¡­But it was Zhou Ai who finally¡­brought that smile on his lips that we were waiting to see so desperately for ten long years¡­It was your daughter who brought peace to my son''s heart even¡­if it was only for a few moments. I cannot thank your daughter enough¡­"


    Jinhai finally raised his head and met their wet gazes. "Please accept my sincere gratitude. Jun couldn''t live a happy life, but thank you¡­for leaving a smile on his face at his d-death. I, Liu Jinhai, am forever in Zhou Ai''s debt."


    Nana, who had been quietly listening, shut her eyes, tears slipping down her cheeks. She whispered, "Thank you¡­From the bottom of our hearts, thank you very much¡­"


    Xie Nuying shook hard, seeing their state. Jinhai and Nana had lost two of their sons. Losing two children at the same time¡­


    Zhou Yichen tremblingly bowed as well. "It''s us who should be thanking your son, Mr. Liu¡­" he broke down, "Ai¡­ever since she returned, she had become an empty shell¡­She went through a betrayal from which she was never¡­a-able to heal herself. Neither my wife could help her nor I," he wryly laughed.


    "Not even me who always boasted of having solutions to all problems¡­Yet I couldn''t save my daughter. It was Liu Jun who saved her. It is us, Mr. Liu, who cannot be more...more grateful for making my daughter happy. She left with a smile on her face. At least, she smiled during her last breath. It is I, Zhou Yichen, who is in Liu Jun''s debt. Forever."

 Chapter 530 Grim Reality

    On the side of the hospital''s corridor, the apparition of Jun''s soul was watching everything transpiring just like Ai was on her parents'' side. They couldn''t see each other as it was the journey of their own past, but Jun strongly felt Ai''s presence. He knew she was there too.


    He wished to see her because he craved nothing but the warmth of her embrace. He desperately needed that warmth because the chilliness of realization left his heart barren and irreparable.


    All this time, Jun simply ''knew'' that his death must have hurt the family.


    But it was now he was seeing it with his own eyes just what degree of suffering he had put them through.


    Jun trembled hard upon seeing his mighty father bow for the first time. The Liu Jinhai he knew never bowed in front of anyone. It was always the whole world who had its gaze lowered in fear and respect before him.


    But what struck him the most was that despite Jinhai and Nana feeling disappointed over Jun''s suicide, it was Jun''s smile and happiness in his last moments that mattered to his parents the most.


    More than shedding tears over the loss of their son, they cried in relief that Jun died with an ease in his heart no matter how tiny it was.


    Jun tremblingly collapsed near Nana''s wheelchair, a suffocating feeling enveloping his throat.


    "Mom..."


    But suddenly, his eyes slowly widened as something dawned upon him.


    Didn''t Mom...pass away after Jin''s death? Then how is she...


    He clearly remembered how Nana had collapsed into unconsciousness after seeing Jin bleed from his chest. With how weak Nana''s condition already was, the doctors had no hope of her living after having to bear the shock of such a tragedy.


    He didn''t have the courage to go to the hospital but was desperately waiting outside to hear the news that she was holding on. He just wanted to hear that Nana was okay.


    Mom, I will take whatever punishment you have to give me...I will suffer for the rest of my life and repent my sins, but please...please be okay. Please don''t leave us, Mom...


    Jun had broken down as he prayed hard for her wellbeing. He waited until a nurse came out who broke the news that Nana was no more.


    That was the last straw for Jun who couldn''t bear the brunt of killing his brother and his mother too.


    Jun, who saw his mother in a wheelchair now, tried to hold her hand. But he was just an apparition. He couldn''t interfere with what had already happened nor could anybody see or hear him.


    "Mom..."


    How is this possible...Mom is still here...Even after my death, Mom is here so...


    Why did that nurse say that Mom was...no more?


    Jun saw Nana''s beautiful brown eyes that always brightened up the home, dark and bleak at this moment.


    "Jun...Jin...Jun...Jin..." She was mumbling to herself in a daze, staring at the two wards as if hoping that her sons would walk out all healthy and fine. As if the heartbreaking tragedy had never befallen upon them.


    "Mom...Mom, please don''t look like that..." Jun wished to hug her, "Look I am here! I am fine, Mom. Jin is also okay, Mom! Y-you don''t have to...grieve our deaths anymore..."


    The other members of the Liu family were just as lost as Jinhai and Nana were.


    Inside Jun''s ward where he laid in silence on the bed, the twins were beside him, staring at him with soulless eyes.


    "The hell Jun. Open your damn eyes already," Jian ordered in a voice where people usually never had the courage to look him in the eye. "Can''t you fucking see how much Mom and Dad are suffering because of you? Look at how much they are crying because you are playing dead. Stop with the act already. It''s Nian and my job to play pranks, not yours."


    His cold orders were only met with silence. Jian''s black eyes glimmered with rage. "You fucking piece of shit! Do you want me to beat you up!?" He jumped upon Jun and grabbed his collar.


    "Jian!" Nian grabbed his shoulders and pulled him back. "Stop it-"


    He threw an icy stare towards his twin. "Let go of my shoulders, Nian. I need to teach him a lesson. First he shot at Jin without bothering to listen to anybody and then conveniently crashed his car to escape the punishment like a coward? Who the fuck he thinks he is?"


    It got harder for Nian to stop his tears from falling. "No matter what we do...neither Jin is coming back nor...Jun."


    Jian narrowed his eyes. "That''s why I despise you at times, my dear twin. You become too soft. You do punish our brothers when things go out of hand but you end up melting like an icecream. I remember back in the day, you knew that Jun was accompanying Jin during the time we had locked him up and had even cooked food for him, but you hid it from me."


    Nian said nothing.


    "But then I also remember that you and I broke Jun''s favorite video game for going against us and I...broke yours for going against me," he smiled.


    Jun, who was watching the twins'' altercation, was left stunned.


    Something like this happened?


    Nian asked with a wry smile, "What will you break this time if things don''t go your way, Jian? Because the brother you want to punish is already lying dead."


    It was at that moment that Jian didn''t wish to but before he could stop himself, his punch landed on Nian''s face first.


    Jun froze.


    Nian felt a sharp and painful jab at his jaw. But he felt grateful because at least he got a reason to let his tears escape.


    "When I say that I will discipline Jun, then it means I will do so," Jian warned him, "Don''t get too ahead of yourself Nian. We are twins for sure, but I am still the eldest brother here. You don''t get to break the authority just because it''s a few minutes."


    While the rest of the family grieved over Jun and Jin''s deaths, it was only Jian who stubbornly refused to accept the reality.


    But to Jun who was watching the past, the reality became even grimmer as time passed on and he saw Nana pass away...


    Not after Jin''s death but his own suicide.

 Chapter 531 The Last Voices

    Jun''s soul stood at a cemetary where the dark clouds in the sky rumbled loudly. It was the day when the Liu family witnessed the catastrophe of not one but three funerals.


    The ever so bright and cheerful family looked bleak and hopeless. Nuo collapsed on the ground, wailing hard while Liu Chunhua tried to comfort her. But with a heart empty of feelings, she too, didn''t know what words of solace to provide to her granddaughter.


    Shui and the Han family were equally devastated as they stood in front of the tombstones.


    Liu Hai, the twins, Jing, Yukito, Yukira, the Chen family...


    Jun felt a gnawing suffering in his chest that didn''t allow him to breathe because the person suffering the most was none other than Jinhai.


    The man lost his wife. The man lost his sons. The lives of his other children were broken apart.


    "Dad...D-Dad, I am here..." Jun raised his hand to touch, but it simply passed through him.


    The weight of everything happening before him crushed his heart akin to a bulldozer ramming in.


    It wasn''t Jin...


    It was my death that Mom gave up...


    Jun blankly stared at the ground that gradually began to turn wetter as raindrops poured from the sky. The drops didn''t touch him, yet he still felt cold.


    It was my death...It was me...


    He understood that Jin''s death was a precursor to Nana''s weakening condition, but...


    Was it my suicide that pushed her down the cliff?


    If Nana had been holding onto her semblance after Jin''s death, Jun''s death which followed shortly after only made her give up the last thread of hope she had.


    Maybe...just maybe...


    If I had taken a different decision, then would Mom have still...been alive?


    B-But what else could I have done? I was told that Mom died...


    How could I not blame myself?


    How could I still have had the face to continue living so shamelessly?


    Mom was alive. If only...if only I had shown some courage to go inside the hospital and see her for myself...Then she would have stopped me from doing something so reckless...


    And everybody...and Dad wouldn''t have had to suffer so much...


    It''s me. I killed Mom. My foolish guilt killed her.


    Jun raised his head and looked at his father, who stared at the tombs of his beloved wife and sons as the rain poured upon him.


    Ah...


    Jun laughed at himself.


    I killed Dad too. How foolish can I be?


    With what eyes do I see him alive at this moment?


    Mom was his everything. If she wasn''t here anymore, then that body...was just an empty shell now...


    Suddenly, the cemetery scene vanished before him. He saw no more memories after that but only heard the voice of his father that quietly echoed from a distance.


    "Jun, Jin, Nana..."


    Why...why can I not see anymore? Jun anxiously questioned himself.


    Jinhai''s voice was getting distorted as well. It was similar to the time when he had first seen the golden clock and could merely hear incoherent voices.


    "I finally...justice..."


    "...Took...revenge..."


    "Can I finally...join...all?"


    A sharp shudder ran across his spine, and he desperately called out.


    What is he talking about...? I cannot hear it clearly but why does it feel so painful?


    "Dad! Dad! Dad!" He yelled and screamed.


    But it was as if his time to stay in that mysterious space was up and what greeted his eyes beyond was nothing but darkness.


    --


    On her side, Ai too, was beginning to lose her hold over the world. After listening to the conversation between her parents and Jun''s, what she saw after that was nothing more than torture to her heart.


    Xie Nuying was barely holding onto herself after Ai''s loss and Zhou Yichen...


    He made it his life''s mission to find the culprit behind Ai''s death. Naturally, he had confronted Guiying and Yating who were the last two people with her on the terrace.


    But neither Guiying nor Yating were in any state to answer.


    "I killed Ai. I killed Ai..."


    Ever since the news of Ai''s death had reached his ears, that was the only thing which Yating kept chanting to himself all day.


    "I killed Ai. I killed Ai...If only I had held her hand in time...If only...If only I wasn''t so afraid..."


    On the other hand, Guiying had completely locked herself in her apartment, refusing to step out or talk to anybody. Zhou Yichen couldn''t reach her no matter how much he tried.


    Eventually, Dream High made a statement declaring Zhou Ai to have committed suicide. They grieved the loss of a talented author and prayed for her soul.


    "Bullshit!!!" Zhou Yichen roared. "You fuckers ignored my daughter, her efforts, her writing, her very soul all this time and now you say you pray for her!? And how dare you blame my daughter!?"


    He trembled in rage as he had confronted Dream High. "My daughter...my daughter would never think of giving up on her life! She was never so weak to take her own life! It''s you all...it''s you all who killed her and now you are trying to hide your dirty involvement!"


    Until the very end, Zhou Yichen never believed the claims of Ai jumping off the terrace herself.


    "You dare think you could escape the crime of killing my only child!? Hah! Over my dead body! I will do whatever I have to. I will break all the laws if I need to, but whoever killed my daughter would never live in peace! I will drag them out and make them pay!"


    Zhou Yichen dedicated the later months of his life in investigating the truth behind Ai''s death. He used his every possible connection he could to dig anything he could to find the culprit.


    And all this time as Ai watched him desperately fighting for her justice, she could only feel the tears in her eyes refusing to stop from slipping down.


    But soon, everything vanished from her sight. The only voices Ai could hear was of her mother grieving Zhou Yichen''s death...


    "Yichen...Yichen...You are...bleeding..."


    "...Cannot leave me..."


    "Yichen...not breathing..."


    *BANG*


    The only voices Ai could hear was of her mother grieving Zhou Yichen''s death...


    And the last bullet shot that killed Xie Nuying''s voice forever too.

 Chapter 532 Simple Condition

    The continuous sound of the horn honking disturbed the quiet peace of the pleasant night with a pungent smell of smoke in the air.


    Xing Bi had stood frozen in her place as some strange images suddenly occupied the entirety of her mind, making her unable to move. She noticed a stifling sensation bubbling in her chest as Jin''s car came dangerously close to hitting her when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her aside.


    Xing Bi gasped as she fell on the ground and landed on top of a man''s chest.


    "Xing Bi!"


    Nian loudly exclaimed her name that broke her stupor.


    "Are you alright!?"


    She stared into his deathly worried gaze and felt his fingers trembling which held her shoulders. He patted her cheeks and thoroughly inspected her arms and legs.


    "...D-don''t know¡­I couldn''t move¡­And then the images¡­" she whispered to herself.


    What the hell was that¡­?


    Xing Bi had never experienced something like that before. But it felt all too real. She could still feel her heart pounding in her chest.


    Nian saw slight bruises on her skin because of how they had rolled away from the road. His dark expression carried the thirst of lethality to kill the person responsible for hurting Xing Bi.


    He stormed off towards the car that had crashed into a nearby tree.


    "Get the hell out, you fuck-"


    Nian froze as he reached near the window of the driver''s seat.


    Jin had collapsed on the steering wheel, his temple pressing on the car horn''s button as a thin stream of blood slowly dribbled down his cheek.


    "Jin¡­!?" He looked closer and found Shui too, who was fortunately not hurt, but slightly dizzy with the sudden impact.


    His eyes widened with shock. "Jin! Shui!"


    From a distance, Xing Bi''s gaze was fixed at Jin''s, who looked unconscious in his seat. The hair on the back of her neck tingled as she saw herself in Jin''s place.


    Just a few minutes ago, that was the similar image she had seen except for the fact that Xing Bi laid dead in that memory, not Jin.


    She hugged her arms, suddenly feeling cold.


    ''If only you had obediently¡­kept your nose out of my business.''


    Xing Bi jerked her head left and right.


    Who is talking?


    ''Did you really¡­have to take your sisterhood¡­so far?''


    Xing Bi stared ahead at the empty space.


    What is this voice¡­? Why does it feel like¡­Zhan Yahui talking?


    She furrowed her brows heavily.


    Why the heck will I think of Zhan Yahui right now anyway? Am I going crazy?


    The voice echoed in her mind so she still wasn''t sure, but she strongly felt that it was Zhan Yahui talking.


    She rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming.


    ''Making Guiying the best¡­imperative for me¡­''


    ''Zhou Ai had to¡­go down¡­''


    Xing Bi trembled.


    ''...was fine. But you¡­so damn suspicious! You just never gave up! Really annoying!''


    Xing Bi clutched her head, feeling a crushing emotion weigh down her heart.


    Why is she talking about Ai like that? What is happening to me!


    She didn''t know why but whenever Zhan Yahui talked about Ai, tears welled in her eyes beyond her control. She heard her talking once again but this time, it didn''t feel to Xing Bi as if she was talking to her but somebody else.


    ''Seriously, are they some long lost sisters!?''


    ''Xing Bi wanted to¡­justice to Zhou Ai¡­and Zhou Ai was hell-bent on¡­Xing Bi''s death!''


    Xing Bi froze.


    Death¡­?


    ''Why can''t they mind their own business!?''


    She then heard a different voice that didn''t belong to Zhan Yahui. It was difficult making it out.


    ''It''s all fine now. Zhou Ai¡­dead anyway.''


    Xing Bi felt as if she was dropped into a pot of burning oil.


    Huh? Ai and¡­dead?


    ''Nobody will question about it. She fell to her death from the terrace¡­and Gu Yating as witness¡­''


    ''Zhou Ai''s murder¡­will never come to light.''


    Xing Bi further collapsed on her knees, her countenance white with terror.


    M-Murder¡­?


    ¡ª


    "Jin! Shui!"


    Nian tried to open the car door cursed angrily upon finding it locked.


    "Bro Nian¡­" Shui mumbled and used all her strength to open the door. Nian rushed to her side and she immediately fell in his arms.


    "Shui? Shui!" He anxiously patted her cheeks. Holding her firmly, he quickly called for an ambulance.


    Shui gradually regained her senses. As soon as she realized the situation, she immediately called out for Jin.


    "J-Jin! Bro Nian, Jin! He-he suddenly¡­"


    She rushed to Jin''s side and paled upon seeing him unconscious. Nian came to his side too and called out his name.


    "What happened here? How did Jin lose control over the car?"


    "I don''t know¡­We were just talking and he suddenly went into a trance! And then that car started going zig-zag," she cried. "J-Jin is bleeding! W-what will we do now¡­?"


    "Calm down, Shui. I have called for an ambulance. Thankfully, it doesn''t look like he is seriously injured anywhere. It will most likely be a concussion¡­"


    Though Nian quickly took control of the situation, his heart couldn''t help but gnaw with an anxiety of losing Jin. He had already seen how Zixin was after the accident.


    What if it''s something serious-No!


    No, no, no! Hold yourself together Nian! Jin will be alright! Nothing¡­nothing would ever hurt my brother¡­


    He glanced once at Xing Bi and froze upon noticing her lying unconscious too.


    "Xing Bi!"


    ¡ª


    Jin opened his eyes and found himself floating in the familiar space once again as that day when he was struck with a high fever.


    Why am I here again?


    Wait, Shui! What happened to her? I was driving and then I¡­


    Is she okay!?


    It''s all my fault¡­what if Shui gets¡­


    He held his throat, feeling suffocated when he found the clouds before him floating away. He observed everything in confusion for several long moments before he could clearly see Shui talking to Guiying.


    It was the same scene as he had seen before at Liu Corps. The same flash of the conversation.


    "Cai Guiying, how dare you kidnap Jun!? Let me see him right this instant!"


    ''Guiying''s'' evil chuckle rang in the air. "Now you can only see him once you do what I tell you to. And it''s very simple. You just have to marry Jin."

 Chapter 533 Burn Into Ashes

    "Don''t be foolish, Cai Guiying! How can you tell me to marry Jin? This has got nothing to do with you!"


    "Nothing to do with me?" ''She'' tilted her head. "It has everything to do with me, Han Shui."


    Shui couldn''t wrap her head around what was happening. "Is that why...you always spoke nonsense about me chasing Jin!?"


    ''Guiying'' looked unbothered. "But you turned out to be one stubborn girl. I thought it would be easier after your breakup with Liu Jun. It might take some but eventually, you and Jin will get married. Aren''t you so much in love with him, after all?"


    ''She'' clicked her tongue. "But no matter how much I pushed you in that direction, you never budged. Even though you love Liu Jin so much, you still refused to take anything further with him. You wasted my time all this time."


    Shui trembled.


    "I understand you and Liu Jun are childhood friends and you have feelings for his brother," ''she'' laughed, "So it will take more time than normal since you care about Liu Jun so much. But five years? And you still don''t show any signs to change your mind. So it was time to take matters in my hands."


    "Why are you doing this!? I treated you as my friend all this time!" Her eyes reddened. "I cannot believe I let a woman like you to be a part of my birthday banquet five years back!"


    ''Guiying'' gave her a blank stare. "You think it was only you who got her world upside down that night? What happened to you is nowhere...to what a certain someone I know has suffered."


    "What are you talking about? Please speak clearly!"


    "I don''t need to explain myself. I just need you to do my work."


    "Never! I don''t care what intentions you have, but I won''t let you ruin Jun or Jin''s life! I am warning you. Release Jun right now or you will suffer a dog''s death. You wouldn''t want to mess with the Liu family."


    "I won''t need to because you won''t spill a word out," ''she'' sneered. "Not if you want to see Jun alive. I have my eyes on everything. If I see anybody coming, I just need to give one order to my brother and..."


    Shui clenched her fists, unable to respond to her.


    "And you don''t have any liberty of time. If I don''t hear the news soon, you will never see Jun again."


    "Why are you doing this? Why do you hate Jun so much? He..." her voice shook, "is already suffering a lot and all because of me. You know everything! And yet you want me to crush him even further? Do you have any idea how much he will be devastated!"


    ''Guiying'' didn''t care. "I know. That''s why I want you to do this because that''s how I want to see him."


    Shui was left all alone in the building amidst the looming gray clouds outside. She bit her lips until they bled.


    "What will I do now...?"


    Reaching Han villa, she collapsed on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling above. Her heart pounded with fear every single moment in concern for Jun.


    "Shui?"


    Siying knocked twice on Shui''s room''s door.


    "Bro," she opened the door and let him in.


    She hopped into her brother''s hug and buried her face in his chest, her eyes faintly watering.


    "Hey," he softly said and brushed his fingers through her hair. "What happened?"


    "Nothing."


    Siying furrowed his brows and pinched her cheek. "How is it nothing? You are my little sister. I can read you like an open book. Tell me, who bullied you?"


    Shui gave a wry smile. "I-It''s nothing like that, Bro..."


    Siying asked, "Did you...talk to Bro Jun?"


    She stiffened. "No, no! I...I didn''t talk to him. You tell me. What''s up? Hmm," she looked at him carefully, "if you came to talk to me, then it must be definitely about sis Nuo!"


    Siying''s expression looked to be a mixture of hesitation and joy. "Yeah...It''s that Nuo and I will be meeting tomorrow."


    Shui brightened. "Really!? Does that mean you will get back together?"


    Siying and Nuo''s relationship had been through a lot of strain just like Jian and Leina''s had after Shui''s breakup. There wasn''t a doubt that the Liu siblings loved Shui, but the pain Jun was going through with her rejection and his exit from the Liu family had deeply affected them as well. They couldn''t let go of Jun and take Shui''s side completely which often resulted in clashes and arguments.


    Things were now at a standstill, and Shui understood just how much this chance meant for her brother. Siying had suffered through these years because of the widening distance between him and Nuo.


    Siying weakly smiled. "We don''t know, Shui. We are meeting just to...talk a bit. Nothing else."


    He said so, but in her heart Shui knew that Siying deeply hoped for their relationship to work out. He really did want to get back together with Nuo, and Nuo might have been feeling the same to talk out their differences.


    "It will go great, Bro!" She patted hard on his shoulder. "Go get my sister-in-law back haha!"


    Shui hoped that Siying and Nuo''s improving relationship would cast some light on the dark and grim situation. They might just give the necessary push to this stagnant atmosphere between the two families.


    If they could work it out, it would bring a great relief to dissipate some tension.


    But things sometimes don''t go as we hope.


    And Shui realized this faster than anybody when she got a second threatening call the next day from ''Guiying.''


    Time was running short for Shui and consequently for Jun too.


    "Be ready to see Jun''s dead body if you refuse to drop your stubbornness."


    ''Guiying'' hung up without giving her a chance to speak.


    And so Shui took the step apart from which she had no choice left.


    "Let''s get married, Jin."


    She declared as she met Jin face to face after a long time.


    Jin had mockingly laughed. "Marry you? Are you hearing yourself? Maybe you have finally totally lost it."


    Shui was already well aware that it would be impossible to convince Jin. He would go to any lengths in this world but would never do against his brother Jun.


    And she also knew that her next actions would wreck havoc, yet she took out the blade and cut her wrist with it.


    As tears rolled down her cheeks, she sadly thought of her brother who was hoping for things to go well between him and Nuo.


    But there was no chance for that to happen anymore once Jin would have to agree to the wedding by force.


    She hurt Jun five years ago. Now she was hurting Jin. The Liu siblings would never forgive her anymore and any last hope for their relationships to work out would burn into ashes.


    I am really sorry, Bro. I am really...so sorry...

 Chapter 534 Do You Promise Me?

    *Meow*


    Ever so slowly, Ai opened her eyes, seeing a hazy furry figure before her. His dark brown eyes peered into hers.


    "Jun..." she weakly whispered. "Jun..."


    *Meow*


    Jun-cute placed his paw on her forehead and moved his furry body against her head.


    "Jun...cute?"


    *Meow*


    Ai stared into his dark brown pupils and recalled how the same cat had shone in her memories and guided her path along an exit.


    "You brought me...out of there...?"


    Jun-cute didn''t respond and only turned his head away.


    Her lips curved into a tired smile. "You...protected me?"


    *Meow!*


    Jun-cute fiercely hissed at her as if saying, ''How dare you test my patience, human? Do you think I care about you!? You were better off sleeping!''


    The door opened and as the nurse entered, she stumbled and gasped in shock at a cat in the hospital ward. "W-what is a cat doing inside? How did you get in?"


    Jun-cute looked as if he shrugged at her.


    She quickly noticed that Ai was conscious as well. "Oh my, you woke up! Please wait, I will call the doctor. But first..."


    The nurse slowly tried to take the cat in her arms, but Jun-cute glared at her and jumped on the other side of the bed.


    *Meow!*


    Don''t you dare touch me!


    Ai said, "It''s okay...Jun-cute lives with me...Let him stay here. I feel better..."


    Jun-cute struck Ai''s temple with his paw.


    Excuse me, you humans live with me, not the other way around. How dare you call my kingdom your house?


    Ai pursed her lips. "Why did you hit me...?"


    After Ai''s checkup was done in Jun-cute''s fierce vicinity who had his eyes fixed at the doctor and the latter sweating hard by the strange presence of a cat''s company in a ward - he finally let her parents in.


    "Ai!"


    Xie Nuying rushed towards her, her tired eyes wet with tears again. "Ai..."


    Zhou Yichen quickly wiped off the corner of his eye with a huge sense of relief washing over his heart upon seeing his daughter awake.


    "How is Ai now, doctor?"


    The doctor nodded. "Her vitals are stable now. She just needs some good, long rest to recover."


    "But why did she collapse like that?" He anxiously asked. "Jun as well. They were perfectly healthy when we had dinner."


    The doctor had a perplexed look on his face. "Honestly, Mr. Zhou. We are trying to figure that out as well. We did some tests but found nothing wrong with their bodies. It''s difficult for us, too, to explain why exactly they suddenly fell sick. We really didn''t find any abnormalities in their bodies. Rest assured, we are conducting more tests and will be closely monitoring their condition. We will let you know as soon as we find something."


    Zhou Yichen gravely nodded.


    As the doctor left along with the nurse, Zhou Yichen stood behind Xie Nuying, watching his daughter with a warm gaze.


    Xie Nuying sniffled and held Ai''s hand as her own fingers shook. "You and Jun scared us, dear...You suddenly collapsed like that."


    She lowered her head, letting her tears fall. "You don''t know how worried we were..."


    Ai stared at her parents and strangely, this scene before her right now matched the past memories she witnessed in that world.


    Xie Nuying had similiarly held her hand as she cried. Zhou Yichen stood behind her, holding back his own tears. The only difference was that Ai laid dead on that bed.


    Behind Xie Nuying, Ai caught her father''s action of hesitantly and awkwardly trying to hold Xie Nuying''s shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. His expression looked stiff but in the end, he couldn''t garner his courage and simply stayed behind.


    A tear slipped past Ai''s eye onto the pillow. "Mom...Dad..."


    The pair stiffened, watching her cry. "Why are you crying, dear?" Xie Nuying paled. "Is it hurting anywhere?"


    She slowly shook her head.


    "Dad. Hold my hand..." she breathlessly said.


    "Of course! Your father will do anything for you!"


    He stretched his hand but saw Xie Nuying was already holding it. He silently coughed and decided to walk over to the other side of the bed and hold Ai''s left hand instead.


    "Stay there and hold my hand. Don''t come to this side..."


    "..."


    "Well..."


    Zhou Yichen coughed again and looked at Xie Nuying. "Please make space for me. You hold the other side and I will hold this one."


    Xie Nuying frowned. "Why do you get to hold three fingers of hers and me only two?"


    "..."


    "Because Ai-chan loves her father more than her mother. So I get to hold more fingers in her hand," he harrumphed. "Now make some room for me."


    "Sorry but I protest. You hold her index finger and thumb and I will hold the other three. Your hand has roughened so much by carelessly hopping from one job to another. What if you break her delicate hand with your monstrous pressure? You get to hold the least," She narrowed her eyes.


    His mouth violently twitched. "At least, I can firmly hold her hand and provide comfort and assurance unlike you who has only ever held a pen in her life and cannot provide either with your jelly-like touch!"


    "Our daughter is so frail and weak at this moment and you are being so selfish."


    "Excuse me, do you think I will cruelly break my loving daughter''s delicate hand!? What do you take me for?"


    "Well, you cruelly broke her mother''s delicate heart at one point in time so can I be really sure?"


    "..."


    A peak of soft laughter echoed in the room. With the sound of Ai''s laughter, Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying beamed the brightest.


    Ai softly held her mother''s hand first and then placed them both atop Zhou Yichen''s hand. She was laughing but at the same time, her irises had a faint reddish hue to them.


    The past life''s events now clearly made her see just how much her parents loved each other. They fought and fought over the years but never once fell out of love from one another.


    She still remembered Xie Nuying''s cries and a faint memory of catching a glimpse of her father''s death. It was very light but she had seen a glittering object slipping out of his pocket.


    She knew at a glance that it was his wedding ring. He had carried it with himself all along.


    "Mom, Dad. You...You two must be happy this time," her voice choked.


    They tilted their heads at the same time. "But we are already happy. Whenever you are at our side-"


    "No..." her eyes ached. "I am not talking about...as parents. You two must be happy...together. Life is very short...Every moment is so precious. You absolutely cannot...experience another tragedy when you two..."


    When you two love each other so much...


    "I don''t w-want to see my parents suffer anymore. I don''t want to see them apart anymore...That''s why, you have to get together. You must live a happy life...until your hair turns white. Do you promise me?"

 Chapter 535 A Memory All Too Real

    The Liu and Han family on the other side was all in a chaotic mode with Jin and Shui''s accident that involved Nian and Xing Bi too, adding Jun and Shui to the situation too.


    Xing Bi was treated for minor injuries where Nian had fortunately saved her in time. But she was slightly feverish and had fallen unconscious.


    Nian kept glancing back and forth between her ward and his brothers''. On one side there was Xing Bi and on the other side, Jun and Jin were not in a good condition either.


    Jian grabbed his shoulders and stopped his rapid pacing. "Calm down, Nian. Everybody will be alright," he said with a tone of firm reassurance.


    "How the hell is everybody alright, Jian? Jin''s car crashed, and he and Shui almost died, Xing Bi is hurt and I have no clue why Jun and Ai fell so sick that they had to be admitted to a hospital at the same time! How can something like this happen to us on the same day!"


    Jian pressed his temple. He didn''t blame his twin. First, they got news from Nian about Jin and Shui''s accident and later suddenly, Zhou Yichen informed them about Jun and Ai.


    Nuo held her brother''s hand and said, "No matter how weird it is, everybody will be okay¡­" her eyes were slightly reddish with tears.


    It was indeed a difficult situation to cope for so many of her loved ones in danger at the same time.


    Nian pursed his lips and patted her head. "You are right," he took a deep breath and smiled, "You should head over to Siying''s side. He needs you. That doting brother would be crying so much by now seeing Shui hurt."


    Nuo sniffled and pouted. "You say as if my brothers aren''t doting enough."


    "We definitely don''t cry."


    "They definitely don''t leave my side either if I get hurt. So much so that I have to throw you all out of my room at one point."


    Jian chuckled. "Now, go."


    Nuo softly nodded her head and left.


    Sometime later as the twins waited, it was Xing Bi who woke up first. Nian immediately jumped on his feet. "Xing Bi is awake!?"


    He paused and turned towards Jian. "You should go to Mom and Grandma''s side."


    "Are you sure?"


    He sighed. "They must have dehydrated themselves with so much crying bynow. You should help out your girlfriend in taking care of them."


    "Or do you not want me to see you getting dehydrated? I can imagine you will cry like a baby inside."


    "..."


    "Shut up and go. And let me know immediately if Jun, Jin or Ai wake up!"


    "Alright, alright."


    Nian quietly opened the door and tip-toed inside. The nurse nodded at him as if signaling thay Xing Bi was fine as she left.


    He slowly walked towards her and gently placed his hand over her forehead. He felt his heart squeeze, feeling the slight temperature on her body.


    As Xing Bi felt a pleasant, cool sensation on her head, she gradually opened her eyes, seeing Nian smiling before her.


    "Hey."


    Xing Bi was silent for several moments, but she jolted all of a sudden. "T-The accident! What happened? Jin? Shui? Are they okay? I saw Jin was bleeding-"


    "Sshh," Nian placed his finger over her lips. "Don''t suddenly push yourself like that. Do you not want to recover? First, calm down," he scolded her but still keeping a soft tone.


    Xing Bi felt slight pain in her head. "How can I¡­Everything happened so¡­"


    Nian made some place for himself on the bed beside her and held her hand. "First, you worry about yourself. Do you know that you terrified the shit out of me?"


    She parted her lips to speak but said nothing.


    "You stood frozen in front of the car. If I hadn''t reached you in time, the car would have crashed into you instead of the tree."


    Xing Bi could hear the trembling in his voice and feel his quivering fingers intertwined against hers. She stared into his beautiful black orbs and saw the fear of losing her shining in them.


    "...Maybe I am bad luck for you. We just got together today and you already almost lost your life."


    Xing Bi raised her hand and smacked on his head but it was as soft as a feather. "Since when did the mighty and stubborn Liu Nian talk about bad luck?"


    He brought her hand closer to his moist eyes. "Then what should I say? When I saw Jin''s car speeding towards you¡­I felt as if my soul flew out of my body. You didn''t move. You really¡­scared me out there¡­" his voice grew quieter and quieter as tried to hold back his tears.


    Xing Bi contemplated for a minute and said, "It''s not like¡­I didn''t want to get out of harm''s way. More like I couldn''t."


    Nian raised his head and blinked at her in confusion. "Couldn''t?"


    She pressed her lower lip. "Something¡­very strange happened to me at that time."


    "Strange? Like what?"


    She hesitated. "It''s hard to believe. I don''t understand what it was either. But it was¡­" she swallowed back, "really scary."


    "I will believe whatever you have to say," he said in a matter-of-fact voice.


    "No it''s really¡­"


    "Xing Bi."


    He looked into her eyes with utmost sincerity and finality. "I will believe whatever you have to say. That''s it."


    Her eyes stung with tears, and she whispered as her voice croaked, "When the car w-was speeding towards me, I¡­suddenly saw a flash of an image in my mind. In it, I was¡­dead."


    Nian stared at her.


    "I don''t know how it happened, but I repeatedly kept seeing myself dead. When I saw Jin collapse on the steering wheel¡­" her gaze looked faraway as recalled the memory which strongly imprinted in her mind, "I saw myself in his place¡­My head had h-hit the steering wheel and I was bleeding j-just like Jin was¡­"


    Xing Bi clenched the blanket in her fist. "I was dead in that picture. Or a m-memory? I don''t know what it was. But I just knew that I was dead. It felt all too real as if...it had already happened to me."

 Chapter 536 A Mothers Warm Embrace

    "Jun...?"


    Jun heard the soft cries of a familiar person and felt a familiar sensation on his forehead. He groggily remembered the time when he was young and had fallen sick.


    Nana would always lay beside him, changing the wet clothes on his head and singing him a beautiful melody. She would make all sorts of favorite dishes for him to cheer him up. Nana never left his side until he would be all healthy again.


    Just like that time, Jun watched his mother slowly beaming with happiness, seeing him wake up.


    "Mom..." his voice was hardly audible.


    "Yes, yes, I am here."


    Nana sniffled and held his hand. "How are you feeling now, Jun? Does it still hurt?"


    Her soft, concerned voice made him weakly smile. He stared at her for several long seconds before his eyes turned misty. "I always trouble you so much, don''t I?"


    Nana blinked. "Of course not. How can my son trouble me?"


    "I do...I always make you worry so much. I always make you sad even though...you have been the best Mom in the world. I am a pathetic son."


    She gasped, dumbfounded. "Why are you such sad things! Just because you fell sick doesn''t mean that you are not a good son anymore!"


    He wryly smiled. "Will you say this even if you might have to die because of me? What if...I hurt you so much that you couldn''t bear it?"


    Nana pursed her lips. "You are saying strange things, Jun. A mother can never hate her child. Even if you make mistakes about which I am disappointed, it will be only just that. I will never hate you, nor you have to think that you will be a bad son."


    He squeezed her hand and said, "I am sorry, Mom. I am sorry for hurting you so much...I have been so foolish that I kept pushing you away..."


    Jun''s death in his past life had made Jinhai and Nana miserable without a doubt but it crushed his heart that despite being in so much sorrow, they cared about the fact that he was happy in his last moments. More than their own grief, his happiness mattered to them the most.


    And I selfishly hurt my parents all along who only thought about me until the end...


    The weight of Nana''s death felt heavier more so than ever.


    The loneliness which Jinhai had to suffer crushed him.


    The hospital scene and the time at the funeral only intensified his guilt.


    Nana felt his hands trembling and parted her lips, stunned.


    "Did anybody say anything to you, Jun?" She flared her nostrils. "Tell me who made you think such sorrowful things. I will scold them a lot! How dare they bully my son?"


    It was the first time that Jun burst into a chuckle. He slowly tried to get up, making Nana widen her eyes. "Get down, dear. You need to rest a lot!"


    He smiled and leaned in to hug her. He buried his face in her shoulder and let out the tears that he was holding back. "I will recover quicker if I hug you..."


    Feeling his warm tears on her skin, Nana couldn''t help but cry too. "You are a sweet talker just like your father."


    He hugged her tighter and laughed. The past memories felt so cold and bleak to him that his mother''s warmth at this moment enveloped his heart with warmth too.


    "Mom, I love you."


    "I love you too, Jun."


    Nana patted his head and beamed. "Good, good."


    She wiped the tears off his face and pouted. "I like all my children smiling. Tears don''t suit your handsome face."


    "Mom, are you sure that being in Dad''s company for so long has not made YOU a smooth talker?"


    She coughed. "Of course not...Now no more crying or how will you meet Ai and Jin?"


    He blinked. "Ai and Jin?"


    "Yes..."


    p¨¤§ád¨¢-¨¾?¦Í¨º¦É.§ã¨®§® She hesitated for a moment.


    Jun caught her worried expression and asked, "Did something happen to them?"


    "They are fine-"


    "Mom! Are Jin and Ai..." he slightly paled. "Tell me what''s wrong! Are they okay?"


    Nana glared at him and scolded him. "First of all calm down or I won''t speak a word to you. You are a patient yourself so you cannot take stress."


    Jun pulled back albeit with protest.


    She harrumphed. "Good. Now listen carefully because everybody is fine so you don''t have to panic."


    "Okay."


    Nana told him about Ai''s collapse followed by Jin''s accident too which involved Nian and Xing Bi too. She felt her eyes ache again. "It was so frightening to hear the news of all of you being hurt at the same time...But thankfully, everybody is doing fine now. I just heard that Ai and Xing Bi are already awake. Jin is still unconscious but he is out of danger."


    Jun almost sprang to his feet if not Nana had stopped him. "And what did I just say to you, young man?"


    "Mom, how can I-"


    "You have to remain calm. They are all fine. You cannot just rush out of here or how will you recover?" She was displeased.


    She pushed him back on the bed and sternly said, "This is your mother''s order. Stay back until the doctors say otherwise."


    Jun couldn''t sit still. "Mom, I have to meet them. Ai...I know she is okay, but I have to see her..."


    For Jin and Ai to have these accidents at the same time as I did...it has to be related to the past. They must have seen some memories too just like me...


    He knew how painful that journey was to visit the past and learn things that had happened after your death. It would be anything but sweet.


    Ai...


    Jin...


    Nana smiled and patted his head. "Close your eyes and sleep. You need good rest."


    Even though Jun was deathly worried over the situation, he couldn''t help but feel drowsy by his mother''s loving pats. His eyelids felt heavy, and he slowly went to sleep.


    The door opened a few minutes later, and Jinhai quietly stepped in. He stared at his son and softly asked, "How is he now?"


    Nana nodded. "Physically much better."


    He blinked. "Physically?"


    She turned to look at her husband and narrowed her eyes. "Yes, because it seems that mentally, my son seems to be struggling with a lot of things and it also seems that...his father knows something that I don''t."


    His brow ever so faintly twitched.


    "Which feels like a whole lot related to Jin too though I cannot be so sure about Ai."


    "...Is that so?"


    "Yes. So, Mr. Liu Jinhai, I will ask you some questions and you must answer them faithfully."


    "I am just as clueless as you-"


    "You better be honest with me or I will throw you out of the house," she squinted her eyes.


    "..."

 Chapter 537 Beautiful Yet Sorrowful

    It was the next morning when Jun, Ai and Xing Bi were completely recovered except for Jin who was still unconscious by the accident. Shui, who had sustained a few minor injuries too, was doing well and stayed beside Jin''s side for the entire night.


    Her father, Zhiyuan, was troubled to see his daughter all exhausted. "Shui, why not go home and rest for sometime? You have been awake this entire time.''


    Siying said, "Yeah you come back later. Jin would also be awake by then."


    Shui shook her head, her faint reddened eyes tired of crying. "I want to stay here."


    They sighed. Xinyi gave them a glance and nodded. She smiled and patted her head. "That''s okay. But you have to eat, okay? You cannot remain hungry like this."


    "Yes, Mom."


    "Good."


    Nuo harrumphed. "Don''t worry, Aunt. I will make sure Shui eats. Otherwise I will go on a hunger strike too!"


    Siying chuckled and pinched her cheek. "Now, now. I don''t want my precious girlfriend and sister to become thin and frail."


    Nuo grinned. "Or what? Will you scold us? You sure you want Dad to hear this?"


    Siying wiped his forehead. "How can I dare let Uncle Jinhai hear this? He will skin me alive."


    Zhiyuan sneered in disdain. "You don''t have to be afraid of that man. I will support you, son. We have some old scores to settle."


    Xinyi''s mouth twitched.


    Both my husband and Liu Jinhai act like such children at times. I pity Nana¡­


    She pushed Zhiyuan and Siying towards the exit. "Yes, yes, you two keep on fighting until the end of the world. Now don''t disturb Jin''s rest and let''s leave."


    Siying bent over and said, "I will bring some food for you two. Wait up."


    "Yup!" Nuo said.


    "Haish it''s finally peace!" Nuo took a seat on the couch and laid back.


    Shui asked, "Where are Grandpa and Grandma?"


    "Ah, they rushed away to meet my sister-in-laws. Grandpa was crying super hard to know that sister-in-law Ai and Xing Bi were hurt too," she shook her head. "Now he won''t stop bothering them haha."


    Shui gave a weak smile. She wanted to cheer up too but with Jin''s state, she couldn''t bring herself to smile.


    Nuo pressed her lips and walked up to her. She gently placed her hand on her shoulder. "Jin will be okay, Shui. The doctor said so. We just have to wait for him to wake up. Hmph. Then we will scold him for making us worry like this."


    Shui lowered her gaze and clenched her fists. "Nuo."


    "Yes?"


    "Does Jin¡­often fall sick at home?"


    She furrowed. "Sick?"


    "Yeah like getting a high fever all of a sudden or feeling weak¡­"


    "No. Jin is always fine at home. It has been years since he got a fever in the first place."


    Shui rubbed her palms together, thinking hard about the events that she witnessed before her.


    "Why do you ask? Do you know something?"


    Shui parted her lips but hesitated. At that time when he collapsed in the church, Jun didn''t want anybody else to know about Jin''s condition and in Liu Corps, Jinhai seemed to have had the same thoughts.


    She smiled. "...Nothing."


    Nuo got slightly anxious with that pause. "A-are you mad at Jin? Please don''t be angry at Jin!" She bowed.


    Shui''s eyes widened, stunned. "Huh, huh? Why are you suddenly apologizing?"


    "I mean Jin is really a safe and responsible driver! But I don''t know what happened this time¡­I completely understand if you, Siying or Uncle and Aunt would get furious with Jin. B-But I just-"


    "No, no!" Shui quickly held her hand and assured her. "I am not angry at Jin and trust me, neither is my family. Of course, it was an unfortunate accident, but we know Jin is not at fault. So please don''t bow like this. You don''t need to."


    Nuo wiped her eyes and sniffled. "Yes."


    Shui was satisfied. She then said, "You must have not met Jun, Ai and Xing Bi yet, right?"


    "Ah no, I haven''t," she scratched her chin.


    "Why don''t you hop over then? I know you are really worried about them too."


    "But you¡­"


    She smiled. "I am fine. Bro will be coming back sometime anyway."


    Nuo gave it a thought and nodded. "If you need anything, just give me a call."


    "Sure."


    As it became silent once again, Shui stared at Jin''s unconscious face and slowly lifted his hand to hold it. She bent her head down and rested it on his hand as she quietly broke down.


    "It''s all¡­it''s all my fault, right Jin?" Her voice shivered as she poured her heart out. "You fall sick whenever¡­I am by your side. Whether it''s the church, the office or last night¡­Maybe I am bad luck for you? It''s only me who m-makes you so miserable like this¡­It''s all my fault¡­"


    Shui thought long and hard for the entire night and came to this conclusion which only stabbed her heart with knives.


    Is it because I touched his shoulder¡­?


    She remembered that back at the office, Jin had taken off the leaf over her head and it was at that moment when he suddenly collapsed.


    Last night too, Shui had just touched his shoulder after which Jin lost control over the car.


    She cried as she blamed herself, tightly holding onto Jin''s hand. "I am sorry Jin¡­"


    A few moments later, she heard a frail voice, "Don''t be sorry¡­It''s not¡­your fault."


    Shui jolted and looked up. "J-Jin?"


    Her teary eyes shone upon seeing him awake. "You are awake!"


    Jin stared at her for a long time and stayed silent. He looked down at his hand which was slightly wet by her tears.


    "O-oh this! I am sorry¡­" Shui hastily wiped his hand with her handkerchief. "I-I will call the doctor!"


    But he stopped her. "Wait."


    "Yes?"


    "Why are you¡­blaming yourself when¡­it was me who put you in danger?"


    "No, you didn''t! Look, I am completely fine!"


    Jin looked at the minor scratches and bruises on her arms.


    "These are nothing! They will be healed in a jiffy!" Shui quickly said. "It was my fault for moving around too much¡­"


    Jin said nothing.


    Shui noticed his odd stare at her. His black eyes felt as if they held a whirlpool of lament, sadness and other inexplicable emotions. Yet his lips held a very beautiful but sorrowful smile.


    She didn''t know why but it made her shiver.


    As if Jin was going somewhere farther away from her.

 Chapter 538 The Desire To Be Breathless

    "Ai!"


    It was the next morning when Jun couldn''t stop himself and ran towards Ai''s ward. He opened the door and found that Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying were already inside.


    "Jun-cute!" Zhou Yichen harrumphed. "Didn''t we say before to rest? What are you doing running here and there?"


    *Meow*


    He looked down and beamed at Ai-chan''s sight, who was being held in Jun''s arms. "Aiya, Ai-chan! I remember how she stuck by your side the entire time. Both the cats stubbornly clung to you two. We had no choice but to bring them here haha."


    Jun replied. "Yeah. Mom said the same," he softly smiled.


    He gasped. "Aish, that''s not the point! You ran all the way here when you should be resting!"


    "How could I not when Ai is suffering too? Please let me meet her."


    "Dad. It''s okay," Ai softly said from the other side. "I wanted to meet him too."


    Xie Nuying felt they would want to be alone so she started pushing Zhou Yichen outside.


    "Heyyyy what are you doing?"


    "They are worried about each other. Let them talk. What do you want to do by being a bone in the chicken?"


    "..."


    How mean!


    Xie Nuying kept pushing him forward and he said, "Yeah, yeah, I am leaving¡­" he grabbed her wrist to stop her incessant poking and realized their were at close proximity.


    "..."


    "..."


    Zhou Yichen let go of her hand.


    They flushed red at the same time and coughed hard, quickly turning their heads away. The distance which wouldn''t have even twitched their eyebrows before suddenly felt too conscious and personal.


    All because of Ai''s words.


    ''I want you two to be happy and together.''


    It took them a while to figure out that she meant she wanted them to reunite as a couple. Which was a request they didn''t understand why she would suddenly make after the years that have passed since their divorce.


    Zhou Yichen stammered. "I-I forgot that my best buddy, Mr. Liu is here too! Let me catch up with my favorite i-in-law!"


    Xie Nuying quickly followed too, giving a similar excuse.


    Jun scratched his chin in confusion after they left. "Was I the only one who felt something¡­strange going on between them?"


    Ai smiled. "It was always like that."


    Well, she is not that far from the truth¡­


    The cat Ai-chan jumped down from Jun''s arms and walked towards the couch where Jun-cute was royally resting. He opened one of his dark brown eyes and stared at Ai-chan.


    After what felt like eternity, Jun-cute finally shifted to make some space, and Ai-chan immediately hopped on. The two cats quietly laid beside each other with their eyes closed and not bothering each other.


    Though Jun-cute was secretly stealing glances at her.


    Jun scratched his head this time. "When did they get so close?"


    Guess they finally warmed up to each other, he thought.


    He then anxiously took a seat beside her and pulled Ai into his embrace, hugging her firmly. "Ai¡­"


    Tears welled up in her eyes and she hugged him back, softly sobbing in his warmth. She couldn''t express herself with her parents around as they knew nothing about the past but with Jun by her side, her heart finally felt at peace.


    "I missed you, Jun," she sniffled and clutched his shirt, "I missed you a lot."


    Jun buried his face in her neck and tremblingly nodded. "I missed you too," he whispered. "It''s strange, right? It''s not like we were away, yet I feel like¡­we are meeting after such a long time."


    Ai furiously bobbed her head.


    Jun wiped her tears and checked her from head to toe. "You are not injured, right?"


    "You are not injured either," she said, relieved.


    He softly flicked her forehead. "I''m asking about you silly."


    "I am also worried about you. Didn''t you collapse too?"


    "You are so delicate that I should worry more. Look at you. You look so thin already as if you were starving for ages," he frowned. "I will feed you with lots of food once we return, and you will be eating till your belly becomes a balloon."


    Ai pursed her lips in protest. "As if you are very strong. You look so tired with bags under your eyes. Forget eating, I will make you take a good, long nap first."


    "Am I not handsome anymore with the dark circles?"


    "You are always handsome in my eyes."


    Jun smiled and lifted her chin. "En. You are the most beautiful to me too."


    He dipped his head for a long and passionate kiss as he entangled his fingers with her soft hair. He pressed and bit on her lips as if he wanted to melt away this uneasy distance between them. He grabbed her waist and bent to kiss further and deeper till they felt breathless.


    Ai didn''t shy away either and holding the back of his head, she parted her lips to let Jun delve his tongue into her mouth. Her heart pounded furiously, wanting him to touch and kiss her a lot.


    The past was a lonely place to be. Even more so when she had to witness the tragedy that occurred after her death.


    She desperately wanted to find Jun in that strange world, but she could only be alone and fearful.


    What if I never meet Jun again?


    What if I am stuck in this place forever?


    Ai had missed Jun a lot. And so did Jun who wanted nothing else but to feel the heat of their bodies pressing against each other because only then his thudding heartbeat calmed down to feel Ai''s presence.


    Jun withdrew his tongue for a moment to let her breathe but surprisingly, Ai boldly closed the distance between their lips once again. It was as if she was begging him not to stop.


    It''s fine if I am breathless in this kiss, Jun.


    It''s far better than not being able to breathe in that desolate place, she thought to herself as her eyes welled again.


    Their kiss was sweeter than the bitter reality she had to see.


    Jun''s brow twitched with the desire enveloping his body to make love to his girlfriend. His hand was already itching to caress her neck and cup her breast.


    Damn it, I have to be patient!

 Chapter 539 The Odd Woman Out

    Jun pinched her cheek hard. "I will punish you for this once we get home."


    "What did I do?"


    "Don''t act cheeky."


    He held her hand with an expression that soon turned somber. "What did you see in there?"


    Ai''s eyelashes trembled. "Mom Dad¡­"


    Without letting her say anything further, Jun pulled her in his hug. He understood that what she saw was similar to what he witnessed in the memories of his family after his death.


    "Jun I saw that Mom and Dad were¡­k-killed in the past."


    His eyes widened in utter shock. "Huh!? Killed? What are you talking about?"


    "I couldn''t see it clearly¡­" she broke down, "It had all s-started to get hazy. But I saw he was dead and Mom¡­" her eyes reddened, "I heard a gunshot at the end¡­"


    Jun stared at her, aghast.


    Murdered?


    "It all happened because D-Dad never gave up. He kept fighting for my justice because he never believed that I committed suicide¡­And that¡­killed him and Mom."


    Her small face flushed with fury. "Who killed my Mom and Dad?" She stiffened as she realized something. "Is it the same person who killed Xing Bi? Because I was investigating it and Dad would have come across it for sure¡­What if¡­"


    Jun stayed silent. Long back when they had confessed about their rebirth, he had figured that Ai''s fall was a murder and not an accident. If that was tied up to Xing Bi''s murder then yes, the culprit was the same.


    And after yesterday with everything that had transpired, he was sure that whether it was using Guiying and her alter ego, Zixin''s accident, threatening Shui to marry Jin through Guiying, Sky''s collapse and now Ai''s death¡­


    Only one person was behind it all.


    He slowly looked up at her and said, "Ai, I want to tell you something."


    "What is it?"


    "That-"


    The door then suddenly opened and Xing Bi rushed inside, her expression pale and bewildered.


    Looking at Ai in a patient''s uniform made her jaw drop. "Ai!"


    Ai''s reaction wasn''t anything different. "Xing Bi, why are you-"


    Xing Bi pulled her into a tight hug and cried. "How could I not know that you were hurt!? Do you know how shocked I was to know that you were here too!? What happened to my Ai? How did you collapse? And so did Jun?"


    Ai was in a daze. "Wa-wait, I don''t understand¡­Why do you have these bruises on you?" She thought for a moment. "Weren''t you and Nian together last night?"


    She looked at Jun for answers and Nian who just stepped inside too.


    Jun released a sigh. "I just got to know that too. Last night Jin and Shui had an accident too¡­" he gave her a meaningful glance which made her understand that what happened to Jin was related to the past too.


    "Bro and Xing Bi were in the same area when it happened and she got a little injured¡­"


    Ai was stunned. "When were you going to tell me this?"


    He coughed. "J-Just now?"


    The cat Jun-cute narrowed his eyes at him and snorted.


    Such a lie.


    Nian smiled. "How is my sister-in-law?"


    Ai pursed her lips. "I am fine but Xing Bi is not."


    Xing Bi complained. "I am fine too."


    "Then why do I see so many bandages?"


    "You are just acting more and more like Nian now!"


    "Because you definitely don''t seem okay."


    And Xing Bi wasn''t because ever since she had seen those flashes, her heart was filled with unease. She wanted to discard those strange images as some hallucination, but she couldn''t shake them off her mind.


    Ai caught her hesitation and so did Jun observe Nian''s odd expression.


    He raised his brow at him as if asking, ''Is anything the matter?''


    Nian wasn''t sure how to respond.


    Ai held Xing Bi''s hand and with a concerned gaze, she asked, "Are you hiding anything from me Xing Bi?"


    Her brow twitched.


    How can I tell you about those odd images and especially the part where somebody was talking about your death? You and Jun will think I am crazy¡­


    She laughed it off. "I-I am just still in shock haha."


    Ai frowned. "I am smelling a lie. You only stammer when you lie."


    "..."


    She threw urgent glances at Nian to help her out.


    "And now you are secretly asking Nian for help."


    "..."


    Why does she know me so well?


    "Tell me the truth."


    Xing Bi knew it was hopeless to escape once Ai had her suspicions. She decided to skip some parts and said, "Well it''s nothing really hehe¡­It''s just that something strange happened when I had the near accident."


    Ai blinked. "Strange?"


    "Yeah! You won''t believe me, and I don''t want you to worry about me. It was most probably my shock. But when the car was speeding towards me, I suddenly had some strange flashes. It looked like I was at Jin''s place, all bleeding and unconscious on the steering wheel. It felt so real, haha. And what was even weirder was that I heard Zhan Yahui''s voices out of nowhere! So strange! I don''t even want to see the face of someone who never treated you well."


    She then sheepishly grinned, trying to ease the tension but seeing Jun and Ai''s expressions which were rapidly draining as if they had just seen a ghost - Xing Bi couldn''t smile anymore.


    "W-what happened? Hey, hey I told you all, it''s nothing serious! I was probably just hallucinating."


    Nian, who would usually keep chatting, was quiet this time.


    Ai felt a lump form in her throat.


    Xing Bi had died in a car accident in the past and she saw the memories of her own death?


    Ai paled and stared at Jun.


    They thought that seeing and hearing the past life''s memories was something that only happened to her, Jun and Jin since they were reborn.


    But why did Xing Bi experience this phenomenon?


    For Jun, if he had any last doubts in his mind also vanquished at this moment.


    "...Zhan Yahui''s voices?"

 Chapter 540 Limited Patience

    Xing Bi nodded. She scratched her chin and awkwardly smiled. "It''s so strange, right?"


    Nian stared at her in silence.


    Xing Bi was trying to be strong in front of them despite being shaken inside. It wasn''t the dream of her death that haunted her so much as much as the terrifying words she heard about Ai''s death.


    Jun asked, "What did she say?"


    Xing Bi slightly stiffened. She still remembered those callous words about her own interference in some matters which led to her accident and death.


    "Ha...hahaha...oh that...I don''t remember..." she sheepishly grinned, "I told you, right? It happened too suddenly. I just felt like I heard her voices? Or maybe it was someone else? I don''t know. It wasn''t so clear. Anyway, I was most probably hallucinating. It''s such a weird thing to happen," she shrugged. "Maybe I lack sleep these days," she seriously nodded.


    Ai struggled to speak for sometime but when she found her strength, the door then just opened and a nurse came in. "Miss. Xing! What are you doing here? And Mr. Liu too. You two are patients. You are supposed to be resting on your own beds!"


    Xing Bi coughed and averted her gaze. "I-I was just looking for some fresh air hehe..."


    "Please let the nurses help you with that," she sternly said, "You still need some to fully recover. So kindly come with me to your own respective wards."


    After the nurse''s stern scolding, Jun and Xing Bi had no choice but to leave. He leaned and kissed on Ai''s forehead. "Take care. We will talk about this later," he whispered.


    Ai nodded, her face slightly white.


    The nurse then informed them. "Also good news for you. Mr. Liu Jin is awake now as well."


    Jun brightened. "Jin is!? Which ward is he in? Let me meet him-"


    The nurse interrupted him. "It''s your time to eat food and take medicine. Then we have to run some tests too after which you have to take some good rest. Until then, you cannot step out."


    His brow twitched.


    "Rest assured. Your brother is doing okay. Now please, if you will come with me."


    Xing Bi was taken to her own room first. Nian patted her head. "You should rest. Don''t worry about the dream, okay?"


    She nodded.


    He held her hand and kissed the back of it. "I swear on my name of Liu Nian. I don''t know if that dream you saw meant anything, but I won''t let a single person harm even a strand of your hair," Nian looked into her eyes, dead serious.


    He didn''t have to say anything more as his words conveyed the deepest emotions of his heart.


    Xing Bi smiled and tapped on his nose. "Well Mr. Liu. I never told you this before, but you look really hot when you are serious."


    He cocked his brow up. "This is just the start, my dear girlfriend. You are yet to see a lot of sides of mine," he chuckled, "I am more eager to show you my shameless side."


    "I think I have already seen that side-"


    "On the bed," he corrected her.


    "..."


    The shameful and uncensored R18 thoughts of a naked Nian and doing unspeakable things to her popped into her mind automatically, and her cheeks flushed hard.


    "G-g-get out!" She pulled the duvet over her head, refusing to see his face. "You young people nowadays are too bold!"


    "I am only two years younger than you. There is hardly any generational gap."


    "Shut up!"


    He chuckled and kissed her forehead from on top of the blanket. "I will see you later."


    Nian left her ward, whistling and hummy a merry tune with a smile on his lips, but his expression changed as soon as he stepped into Jun''s ward. The nurse had just left after doing a regular checkup.


    "Yo, little brother."


    Jun frowned. "Why are you here, Bro? Shoo. I am not in any mood for your chitter chatter. You should stay beside your girlfriend," he sighed and grumbled, "not like me who was thrown out..."


    Nian took a seat beside him and smiled.


    "...What?"


    Suddenly, Jun felt this gloomy feeling in his chest. He unconsciously sat straight, feeling Nian''s gaze.


    "Let''s talk a bit," Nian said.


    "I am a little tired so can we do it la-"


    "Let''s. Talk. A. Bit."


    Jun felt the danger tingling at the back of his spine, and his unconditioned response was, "Sure why not."


    Nian nodded. "So as you heard, Xing Bi saw these strange images or memories - she doesn''t know what they are, but they felt very real to her."


    Jun bobbed his head like a robot.


    "Do you know anything about it?"


    "...Why would I know anything about it?"


    "Then why did you and Ai look as if you two saw ghosts when Xing Bi mentioned about it?"


    Silence.


    Jun awkwardly smiled. "Ghosts? That''s going too far, Bro. I was just surprised because this was my first time hearing something like this."


    Nian stared at him hard. "Little brother."


    Jun inwardly gulped. He didn''t like the sound of ''Little brother.''


    "Do you take me as a fool?"


    "Of course not," was his instantaneous response.


    "You better not because your elder brother can understand the difference between the reactions of seeing something for the first time and something which you have already seen before..." his voice turned quieter towards the end. "If that were your and Ai''s reactions of ''first time'' then you two really suck at it. Let''s not even talk about Ai. She looked like somebody just threw her into the Arctic. And you. Go get some serious acting lessons from Chyou."


    "..."


    Jun uncomfortably shifted in his bed. He looked at the door, praying hard for some nurse to come in.


    "The nurse is already done with her work. It''s just you and me now."


    Why does that sound like my head is on the guillotine?


    "I figured you and Ai know something about it. You looked like ''Huh? Why did this happen with Xing Bi?'' or more accurately it could be, ''Why did this happen with Xing Bi TOO?''"


    Cold sweat broke on his forehead.


    "So tell me what''s going on."


    Jun felt stifled. "Nothing like that-"


    "I think you misunderstood my tone. It''s not a request. It''s an order," Nian smiled, his black orbs shining with threat.


    "Xing Bi saw her death in those pictures. She didn''t tell you because she didn''t want to worry you two, but she heard something not so palatable related to Ai as well."


    He stiffened.


    "And if anything remotely concerns Xing Bi''s life and wellbeing or anybody that I hold dear to me - then I don''t want to stay on the sidelines. So start talking little brother. Liu Nian has very limited patience."

 Chapter 541 Revenge

    There was a long, long silence after Jun filled in Nian with the truth that was a tight knit secret between him, Ai, Jin and Jinhai up to this point.


    Nian simply stared at his brother with an unreadable expression, which only made Jun shiver more and more.


    What is it gonna be? A slap? A punch?


    Wait, I am a patient right now so¡­so he will be a little merciful, right?


    Jun was thinking of all sorts of reactions in his mind which Nian might ''bless'' him with.


    But the more time passed in silence, the more he started to sweat hard.


    Is he planning to kill me with just one blow!?


    Jun thought about Ai.


    This is my second chance and I want to live a happy life with my wife. I should just drop to his feet and beg for forgiveness¡­


    Jun gathered his courage and looked at him. He almost bent his back when he heard Nian mumble, "...Makes a lot of sense now."


    He wanted to speak, but he kept his mouth shut.


    Nian broke out of his daze and glanced at him. He frowned. "Why are you bending like that?"


    He stiffened and straightened up. "...Figured that I should grovel at your feet for forgiveness."


    Nian smiled. "Do you think a mere forgiveness will give you a clean chit?"


    "Definitely not."


    "So don''t bother."


    Jun promptly nodded.


    Nian released a long sigh and ruffled his hair. "So something like this happened and Jian and I didn''t even know about it. Hey, that''s unfair. You told Dad but not us. What is this bias?" He twisted his ear.


    "That hurts!" Jun yelped in pain.


    He harrumphed. "It should. I thought we siblings were closer. Don''t we used to hold all those secret meetings just among the five of us when anybody was in trouble?"


    Anybody means only you twins who fell into trouble all the time. The rest of us were pretty much civilized¡­


    Was what Jun wanted to retort but he held back his tongue.


    Jun peeked at him and asked, "You really believe me?"


    Nian tilted his head. "What is there not to believe? If it is you talking, then it cannot be a joke. You are not Jian and me."


    His brow twitched.


    Dad had said the same¡­


    Nian let go of his ear and folded his arms. "Besides, I was thinking of all the events that happened after your rebirth so it started making sense to me. Your sudden breakup with Shui, Jin''s odd behavior and hostility, the fact that you even fell for another woman¡­" he rubbed his chin, "everything wouldn''t have taken place unless something drastic had happened to you because you were dead set on Shui since childhood."


    Jun coughed. "Th-that''s in the past now¡­"


    Nian cursed himself. "Now I feel stupid for not recognizing the signs. It should have been so damn obvious that you were hiding something."


    He narrowed his eyes at Jun, and he immediately made some distance between them. "I take my words back. Guess you are good at acting indeed¡­"


    Jun could feel the saltiness in his voice. "I am sorry Bro."


    He saw Nian raise his hand and he shut his eyes, steering himself ready to take his slap. Instead, the hand softly patted his head and pulled him into his hug.


    "You were strong, Jun. Jin too."


    Jun blinked.


    "You lived through so much pain in your past life and guilt in this one. But you kept yourself moving forward. As your elder brother, I feel extremely proud of you."


    Damn it¡­


    Jun didn''t want to, but he felt his eyes stinging with tears.


    "Aw, is my little brother crying? Should I sing you a lullaby?" Nian chuckled.


    "Sh-shut up! This is just some dust that went into my eyes¡­"


    Nian rolled his eyes. "So cliche."


    "Can you let me go now? You hugging me feels creepy."


    "Hooo is that so?" Nian cocked his brow. Instead of loosening up, he strangled and smothered Jun in his embrace even harder.


    "Ca¡­cannot¡­breathe¡­" Jun struggled.


    "Hahaha this is your elder brother''s super hugging attack!"


    He ruffled Jun''s head and made his hair into a complete mess.


    "Bro!" He somehow freed himself and frowned as he combed through his hair. Jun could finally breathe now.


    Nian stared at Jun mumbling curses at him and gently smiled. "I am glad fate gave you a second chance, Jun."


    Jun paused. He curled his fist and slowly nodded. "Me too, Bro. I am glad I can live my life with you all this time once again¡­" his voice slightly choked.


    Nian patted his head again. His smile then slowly disappeared.


    "Now that I know almost everything that is going on, let''s get down to business," he said while cracking his knuckles as if getting ready for a bloody fight. "Who the fuck is this person who hurt you, Ai, Jin, Xing Bi and caused chaos in our lives that badly? Who even has the guts to mess with the Liu family?"


    "Zhan Yahui."


    "Who?"


    Jun said with a grim expression, "Before I collapsed, I was on a call with Chyou. I figured Zhan Yahui was behind everything so I asked her to find everything about her."


    "What did she find?"


    He slowly replied. "Do you remember the time in our childhood¡­when I was kidnapped once?"


    Nian stared at him.


    "Do you remember Ouyang Haitao? He lived with Zhan Yahui''s mother Zhan Kai-Ming. He had gotten himself into debt."


    Nian said nothing.


    "She is that same Zhan Kai-Ming''s daughter."


    Nian said nothing.


    "When I saw her childhood picture, I realized why she must have become my enemy," Jun clenched his fist. "Because I killed Ouyang Haitao."


    "Say what?"


    "Bro I never¡­told you or Dad before, but Ouyang Haitao died because of me. It was an accident but it ended his life," he bit his lip hard, "when I came to know of his death later, I couldn''t bring myself to tell everyone. I was a kid myself, but I had killed a person. I was terrified of your disappointment. Zhan Yahui is taking revenge because I destroyed her family."

 Chapter 542 Reject

    Destroy¡­


    I will destroy you Liu Jun¡­


    Zhan Yahui was resting on a chair, with her head laid back and eyes closed. She rocked the chair in slow motion, taking slow and deep breaths.


    ''Uncle¡­? Uncle Ouyang?''


    The cries of her little self echoed in her ears and that fateful day flashed in her mind. She remembered her child self''s teary and dizzy gaze looking at Ouyang Haitao lying on the floor dead.


    And then there was a boy with glasses in front of her, staring coldly at him and standing tall all too arrogantly.


    ''You are¡­you are a killer! You killed my father! You are a murderer I will never forgive!''


    Yet the boy refused to move his inch or even speak an apology. She felt as if he was a statue. A lifeless and a heartless boy who killed the man who was going to become her father one day.


    Who was going to give her mother a lot of happiness.


    But that seemingly still statue moved and spoke something which she couldn''t hear. His words rocked in her ears like an unclear echo.


    Zhan Yahui opened her eyes, escaping from that trance. As she lowered her gaze, she saw her body trembling.


    She clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes.


    I am not so weak anymore. I won''t shake like this anymore.


    It''s time to bring Liu Jun''s world to a crash now.


    She pulled a file from a drawer and smiled while reading the papers in which she had Shi Publishing''s CEO rights in her name. She felt the power and authority in her hands which she always wanted.


    She then looked at the news which wasn''t faring so well for Sky.


    President Chen Yunru was shown as a man who abused his powers for his puppy love.


    Chief Editor Sun Bai was accused of leaking drafts.


    Everything was going as she had planned except for the update she recalled that Jun had thoroughly interrogated Cui Fen and talked in length with Guiying too.


    Zhan Yahui tilted her head.


    Guiying¡­no, ''Guiying'' must be dying to meet me¡­


    She clicked her tongue.


    I don''t have the time to entertain her now. I have Sky to destroy, after all.


    She took out her phone and made a call.


    "You have the information ready right?"


    "Yes."


    "Hm. Release it a few days later."


    There was a pause.


    "Won''t it be more effective now since Sky is already burning in fire left and right?"


    Zhan Yahui chuckled. "Sure it will add more oil to the fire. But look at it more closely. Let the fire die down for some time. Let people come back to normalcy for some time. Then release information about their ''innocent'' Sun Bai when it''s least expected. That one piece of information is enough for Sky to bend down to its knees."


    "And Shi Huan and Chen Yunru?"


    "Well technically, I did become the CEO to recover her from this mess, didn''t I? I need to keep my ''word'' for it and assure the shareholders. Proving them innocent is important to my plan. Besides, I can deal with my little sister anytime," she shrugged.


    "I will do as you say."


    ¡ª


    Jun was finally allowed to meet Jin, who lay awake on his bed with a faraway gaze. His daze broke as he saw Jun coming.


    "Bro."


    Jun pursed his lips and patted his head. "How are you feeling now Jin?"


    He gave a tired smile. "I am fine."


    Jun felt his heart squeeze. Looking at the dressing and the bandages on his forehead was enough to tell him that it was a serious accident. But thankfully, nothing major happened to Jin.


    "Is it because of the past memories?"


    Jin silently nodded.


    "It was sudden¡­Golden light shone out of nowhere in front of the wind screen and I lost control¡­Shui¡­got hurt because of me too."


    "It''s not your fault, Jin. And Shui is doing okay. It would have happened to me too had I been in your place. Stop blaming yourself."


    Jin said nothing.


    "What¡­did you see in the past?"


    His eyelashes faintly trembled. He ever-so-faintly parted his lips but stopped at the last moment.


    "...I don''t remember."


    Jun blinked. "You don''t?"


    He shook his head.


    Jun figured it could be due to the accident''s impact and concussion. Jin was indeed pretty weak.


    He kept giving him gentle pats. "No worries. It''s fine even if you don''t remember."


    It''s fine if you don''t Jin¡­


    Seeing our family crumble after our deaths would only crush your heart. I don''t want to see you in any more pain, Jin¡­


    Jun released a soft sigh and slowly said, "I also came to tell you another important thing."


    Jin furrowed his brows.


    "Bro Nian knows everything."


    "Know what?"


    "Everything about our rebirth."


    "What!?" His eyes widened. "H-How? Who told him?"


    "I did. And I had no choice."


    He gave a brief account of what happened to Xing Bi and Nian''s cross interrogation because of it later.


    Jin looked stupefied. "Xing Bi¡­? But she isn''t reborn like us. Why would she hear the voices from the past?"


    "I am clueless too. But she did and you know how the twins are. It''s impossible not to yield before them."


    Jin could imagine his brother''s predicament when Nian would have questioned him. When it came to it, the twins were the most stubborn creatures of this planet who wouldn''t stop at anything until they got what they wanted.


    "Bro Nian might come and talk to you about it. I didn''t want you to get zapped by shock."


    "I am glad you told me. Saved me from fainting again."


    Jun chuckled.


    Shui entered the ward, bringing some soup for Jin.


    "Oh Jun? Good to see you," she narrowed her eyes, "Wait, you are allowed to be here, right? Or did you sneak out?"


    He confidently replied. "I am officially allowed by the doctor."


    Shui shook her head and brought the tray before Jin. "I brought some soup for you. You must be hungry, right?"


    "Ah¡­not really¡­"


    She frowned. "Don''t lie. I can hear your stomach grumbling. Let me help you."


    She kept the tray aside and bent to help Jin sit comfortably on the bed.


    But Jin suddenly stiffened and shook her hand away. "I will help myself!"


    Shui froze, feeling stunned. She didn''t expect him to so vehemently reject her help.


    Jun stared at him. "Jin, Shui is just helping you. You didn''t have to be so harsh."


    Jin looked anxious and awkward. "N-No¡­I didn''t mean it so rudely¡­I just¡­"


    Jun tilted his head and studied him. His mind churned with a possibility of something related to the past affecting Jin. Since he couldn''t openly ask about it in front of Shui, he politely asked her to give them some time alone.


    "Y-Yeah no problem!" Shui awkwardly laughed. "Oh yes let me check on Ai! I had to meet her too!" Shui quickly left the ward with a defeated expression.


    Jun looked back at Jin and asked, "Now tell me. Is something bothering you, Jin?"

 Chapter 543 Start Your Countdown

    "It''s nothing."


    "You answered too quickly," he narrowed his eyes. "Seems like you are hiding something."


    He smiled. "There is really nothing, Bro."


    "Then why did you act with Shui like that? I thought you wanted to improve your relationship with her."


    "No that¡­" he took a pause for several moments before he answered, "I still feel guilty for Shui''s injuries. She could have gotten gravely injured. It''s still hard to forgive myself."


    Jun opened and closed his lips. Though it was a valid and believable concern and guilt, he still couldn''t pinpoint the source of this strange restlessness in his heart.


    "Is it only because of that?"


    "Yes."


    "But you still didn''t have to react like that. Shui will only misunderstand you. Did you see how hurt she looked because you rejected her?"


    Jin gave a hesitant smile. "S-sorry Bro. I will apologize to her."


    He nodded.


    "I will take my leave. You should rest."


    He got up and turned but stopped. He looked back and said, "Jin."


    "Y-yes?"


    "We have suffered a lot in our past. We have all kept lots of things in our hearts. I don''t want you to hide any pain within you any more. If there is something you ever need to talk about, then I will be always there for you. I want you to be happy, Jin."


    Jin smiled. "I will, Bro. I am happy," he said as he stared at him.


    "En."


    As he watched him leave, Jin''s expression fell. He put his arm over his eyes with silent tears sliding out of them.


    My happiness¡­


    He imagined Shui''s bright and cheery face amidst his closed eyes.


    That happiness is beyond me, Bro.


    ¡ª


    ''Guiying'' rapidly paced back and forth in her room, biting her nail with her expression marred with frustration. She had been trying to meet Zhan Yahui since the news of her becoming Shi Publishing''s CEO went viral. But she showed no signs of coming to Dream High.


    Yating had tried to reach her too but all his efforts were fruitless. No amount of calls went through her either.


    In the end, ''Guiying'' made her choice to confront Zhan Yahui directly at her home. She impatiently rang the doorbell, shifting her weight from one foot to another.


    The door opened and Zhan Yahui lazily stepped out, rubbing her ear. "That''s so loud. Can you quiet down a bit?"


    ''Guiying'' stared at her, feeling the veins pop behind the back of her hand.


    "I have been trying to reach you. Where were you?"


    She cocked her brow. "I guess you saw the news, right? I am not just the editor of Dream High anymore. I have greater responsibilities now."


    p¦Á§ád¦Á-¨¾?¦Í¨º|¡¤§ã¨®§® ''She'' angrily laughed. "And how much did you plan to get to have these ''greater'' responsibilities?"


    She released a sigh. "Come in."


    Zhan Yahui sat back on her couch and picked up the wine glass which she had previously kept aside. "Why are you so angry my dear?"


    ''Guiying'' lashed out. "Because I want to know just how involved you are! Since when!? And¡­Did you¡­" ''she'' clenched her fists, "use Guiying to achieve your goals?"


    "Use Guiying?" She looked surprised. "What are you talking about? I don''t understand anything."


    "Don''t lie, Zhan Yahui!" ''She'' exclaimed. "Hurting Zixin and wanting to realize your plan through me was a part of your plan, right? You knew Zixin was the real MrPerfect, yet you let Guiying continue to keep misunderstanding Jun. You wanted to plant revenge in her heart, didn''t you? Isn''t that why you told me never to confront Jun with this? Because you didn''t want this revenge to disappear!"


    "Can you please calm down? You are not making any sense."


    "No, Zhan Yahui. It is now that I am making perfect sense," ''she'' gnashed her jaw, "When Guiying created Warlord account, it was you who came with that crappy story of MrPerfect misunderstanding her. You knew she was sensitive about her relationship with him, that''s why you planted the fear of his hatred in her heart! That''s why¡­" ''she'' trembled, "Zixin conveniently got into an accident when he wanted to come to Shanghai to meet her. You went as far as plotting to kill him, Zhan Yahui!"


    She narrowed her eyes. "Cai Guiying. I don''t know who fed this nonsense in your ears. But you are going too far in blaming me when you don''t even have evidence."


    "You-"


    "I like Guiying a lot. I have worked with her for so long. That''s why I will let this go. Otherwise, I could file defamation charges against you."


    ''Guiying'' widened her eyes. ''She'' burst into laughter. "Defamation? Since when did the truth become defamation?"


    "Since when do people accuse someone of murder without any proof? Chen Zixin went through an accident. How am I involved with that?" She tilted her head. "If you don''t have the answer to the questions, then all your accusations are useless."


    She shook her head. "I feel hurt, Guiying. I was only trying to help you with the best of my capabilities. But you took the wrong meaning behind my goodwill."


    ''Guiying'' clenched her fists, feeling irked by her calmness and act.


    She knows she is the culprit yet she is still trying to act innocent!


    ''She'' thought Zhan Yahui would confess because at this moment, there was nowhere to hide. Considering all the circumstances, it could only be her behind everything.


    Ah¡­


    She is being cautious¡­


    ''Guiying'' came to meet Zhan Yahui in the heat of the moment because ''she'' wanted answers at any cost. There was nothing else in her mind.


    But Zhan Yahui was one step ahead by thinking of the possibility of Guiying trying to collect evidence through this conversation.


    That''s why she is refusing to budge! Is she assuming that I am secretly recording this talk?


    It made perfect sense that Zhan Yahui was steering away from saying anything compromising.


    She is even fucking twisting her words as if I am defaming her purposely!


    Which would only lead to trouble for Guiying later if Zhan Yahui really charged a defamation case against her.


    ''Guiying'' released her clenched fist and took a few deep breaths. ''She'' realized the fruitlessness of being here anymore.


    "You know, Zhan Yahui. You are one cunning woman, I give you that credit."


    Zhan Yahui cocked her brow.


    "But too much cunningness only brings a person to his ruin. The idiot trusted you with all her heart. She treated and respected you like an elder sister. But you used that love like a lifeless tool. And I won''t bear this shit any longer."


    "Zhan Yahui..." ''she'' leaned, her hawk-like gaze threatening to tear her apart, "Since you used me for your own goals, you know quite well just how I loathe people who lie to me and how deep I hold grudges. Too bad for you because that same grudge is going to bite you in your ass soon. So you better start your countdown."

 Chapter 544 Buttery Flirting

    ''Guiying'' stomped out of Zhan Yahui''s home with a fiery spirit and vowed in her heart to destroy her.


    I will never forgive you, Zhan Yahui!


    ''She'' was so engrossed in her rage that she crashed into someone. ''She'' gasped and almost fell when a man grabbed her arm and pulled her steady.


    "Are you okay?"


    ''Guiying'' didn''t need to know to whom ye voice belonged to. Even with her eyes closed, ''she'' could recognize Zixin''s pleasing and calming voice which was at the moment filled with worry.


    "Thanks..." ''she'' said, surprised, "What are you doing here? Oh..." ''she'' sneered, "Are you here looking for answers too? Did you come here to question Zhan Yahui? Then don''t waste your breath. That cunning woman won''t bother opening her mouth!"


    "I didn''t come here to meet her."


    "Then?"


    He pursed his lips, feeling aggrieved. "I rushed here to get you. How could you come here all alone?"


    ''Guiying'' blinked twice. "Alone? Is there a problem?"


    He looked further disappointed. "You...have no sense of danger."


    "..."


    It sounded more like a complaint.


    "Now that we know that Zhan Yahui was behind everything, how could you go in alone? What if she tried to harm you?"


    ''She'' snorted. "How can a coward person like her who worked in the shadows all this time hurt me?"


    "And exactly people like her are more dangerous because they are more cautious. The more cautious they are, the more they are willing to do anything to protect themselves."


    ''Guiying'' felt she wouldn''t be able to win this argument. "Alright. I agree it''s my fault."


    Zixin grew dissatisfied, and ''she'' cocked her brow up. "Are you pouting?"


    "You don''t seem to take your own safety seriously."


    "Is that why you came running to rescue me?"


    He nodded.


    "What would you have done if I really was in danger?"


    "Kill her."


    "..."


    ''Guiying'' wanted to discard it as a joke but Zixin''s deadpan expression made her believe not to take him lightly.


    "And go to jail?"


    "As long as you are safe, nothing else matters to me."


    "No, rotting in jail should matter to you," ''she'' dryly said. "You want to spend your whole life in a dark and dirty jail cell?"


    Zixin thought about it and felt that life was unappealing.


    "Indeed, it would be difficult to live. I wouldn''t be able to meet you. That''s unacceptable," he gravely said.


    Her mouth twitched.


    That is his concern?


    Zixin then beamed as if he got a great idea. "I will kill Zhan Yahui and then strike a deal with my cousin Yijun. He is a cop. He will set me free."


    "..."


    This man is blatantly confessing to using connections to escape his punishment!


    "Should I applaud you for your audacity?" ''She'' replied, speechless. "You rich capitalists! It must feel good to have so much money and connections, right?" ''She'' snorted.


    Zixin tilted his head. "You want the money and connections too? It is already yours."


    Huh?


    With a smile as radiant as the golden sun, he said, "I love you. Everything that is mine already became yours the moment I fell for you."


    ''Guiying'' choked by his attack that came out of nowhere. "Y-You..."


    Since ''she'' couldn''t think of anything what to say at this point, ''she'' promptly withdrew and let - pushed Guiying into the forefront.


    Guiying, who suddenly felt more conscious, stiffened before him. "Th-that...I...y-you...huh?"


    She felt her brain short-circuit and imaginary steam escaped from the top of her head.


    Zixin stared at her. "It''s you."


    Why am I suddenly here!?


    She furiously questioned her alter ego, who announced complete silence.


    Zixin blinked and slowly put his palm on her forehead. "Do you have a fever? Your face is red."


    She froze like a statue. She now remembered that after his confession and kiss that day, she hadn''t properly given him an answer yet.


    Ah, ah, ah!! What should I do? I didn''t talk about t-that at all!


    Zixin frowned. "Let''s leave from here. Zhan Yahui''s house must be giving off some negative aura. You look so pale."


    "..."


    I-It''s because my heart is pounding so fast because you said that!


    ''I love you. Everything that is mine already became yours the moment I fell for you.''


    That flirting was as smooth as butter.


    He held her hand, making her eyes pop out of her sockets.


    Why am I feeling so nervous!?


    Zixin gently guided her towards his car and made her sit inside. He came from the other side and sat beside her.


    She then realized she was in his car. "N-No, I am okay! You don''t have to take the trouble of dropping me to my house..."


    He blinked. "It''s never trouble for you. Besides, I am not taking you to your house."


    "T-Then?"


    "Mine."


    --


    Guiying dumbly stood before Chen mansion and stared at the lavish villa as if she was dreaming.


    ...Why am I here?


    Her brain which was short-circuited before now completely stopped functioning at this point.


    "Shall we go?" Zixin tilted his head and asked.


    She gave him a bewildered look.


    Why did he take me to his home!?


    "W-wait I...I will be meeting your family?"


    "Yes. Or I can take you to my room if you don''t want to."


    Guiying almost stumbled. Her face turned bright red.


    His ro-ro-ro-ro-room!?


    She wondered what happened in between when she was confessed to a few days ago and now was being taken to his room already?


    Wait is it p-possible that I said yes to his confession but don''t remember it!?


    But how will I not remember!? It''s so important!


    Zixin, on the other side, was on completely different track. He didn''t mean anything personal when he brought her here.


    After learning Zhan Yahui''s truth, he knew that Guiying would be in a lot of pain. She had betrayed her, after all.


    In such sensitive time, he figured it was a good idea to cheer her up by letting her meet his family.


    His parents and the twins would liven up the atmosphere, and she wouldn''t have to live gloomily in her apartment all alone with nobody to take care of her.


    Zixin nodded to himself.


    Guiying will be at ease here.


    Guiying on the other side.


    Can I run away from here!?

 Chapter 545 Saving The Sinking Ship

    The chopsticks from everyone''s hands dropped on their dishes as the Chen family members saw Zixin entering with a woman by his side.


    His mother Chen Zhilan aka Chen Serena turned to face her husband in massive shock.


    "Isn''t she Cai Guiying? Ai''s best friend?"


    Jianyu nodded.


    "And he brought her here all of a sudden," she urgently whispered.


    He nodded again.


    "That means..." she gasped silently, "He brought his girlfriend to introduce her to us!??"


    He nodded, and this time she smacked him on his head. "What are you doing by just nodding your head!? Our son brought his girlfriend home! How come you are not panicking!?"


    Jianyu was speechless. "What is there to panic for?"


    "I didn''t cook any grand feast to welcome her!" She glared at him. "What if she gets disappointed at us!? What if she leaves Zixin because we weren''t good hosts!? Do you understand the gravity of this situation Mr. Chen!?"


    "..."


    Zixin''s grandmother, Chen Liling, was on the same page as Serena.


    "Oh dear...Guiren..."


    "Yes?" He dotingly asked with a warm gaze.


    "I don''t know if I should be happy that our grandson brought his girlfriend here or terrified that we haven''t prepared anything to welcome her!"


    Chen Guiren went into deep thought as he tried to find a solution.


    The twins, Yunru and Yubi, were jittery in a whole another sense.


    "Yubi! My room is a complete mess! What if sis Guiying sees it and hates me because of it? He will think I am a man who cannot even take care of his own bedroom!" Yunru sobbed.


    "My room isn''t any different than yours!" She sweated. "Yesterday, I was out at a party, and my room and wardrobe is still messy with all the clothes lying around!"


    "What if she thinks that Bro is messy and irresponsible like us and breaks up with him because of it!?" He whispered his dire concern in her ear.


    "Won''t his love story end before it even begins!?"


    The gloom in the atmosphere was quite evident.


    Zixin approached the dining table and he, who didn''t notice that anything was odd with anybody, proceeded to introduce Guiying.


    "Mom, Dad. Grandma, Grandpa. Yunru, Yubi. Meet Cai Guiying."


    Guiying was clearly able to discern the tension in the atmosphere. Their pale and worried expressions made her knees feel like they were jelly.


    I-I made everybody uncomfortable...! They definitely don''t like me...Now I really want to run away!


    Serena gave her son a silent but deadly glare which said, ''How dare you not inform us of this before!?''


    Zixin blinked cluelessly. "Why do you look upset, Mom?"


    Serena almost snapped the chopsticks into two but still maintained the pleasant smile on her lips.


    How can you ask me that openly!? Now Guiying will think that I am upset because of her! You are not sensitive at all!


    And indeed, the color on Guiying''s face was rapidly draining.


    Chen Liling quickly got up to save the situation. She pulled Guiying away from Zixin and made her sit on a chair between her and her husband. "Zixin doesn''t mean it like that, dear. Sometimes, he is a little slow in reading the atmosphere."


    Zixin didn''t understand why he was dissed by his own grandmother out of nowhere.


    Serena abruptly got up from her seat, making Guiying slightly jump up. "I remember I left something in the kitchen!"


    Yubi got the clue and raised her hand. "I will help you search for it!"


    Tears pooled in Serena''s eyes.


    Aish indeed daughters are the best...otherwise sons!!


    She shot another displeased stare at Zixin.


    You brought your girlfriend here for the first time! How can you seriously not inform us before? You idiot! Now it''s all up to me to save your relationship from sinking!


    Don''t forget to be thankful, young man!


    Zixin, who was continuously receiving furious gazes, pursed his lips.


    Why is everyone looking at me like that?


    Chen Liling merrily said, "Guiying, my dear! I am so happy to meet you!"


    Guiying was blinded by her beauty and sparkling expression.


    She straightened up and fidgeted with her fingers. "I-It''s nice to meet you too...Mam..."


    She scrunched her brows. "Mam? That sounds so distant! Call me Grandma!"


    "..."


    G-Grandma...?


    From the corner of her eye, she noticed an empty plate slowly sliding in front of her. She almost gasped with terror because it felt as if it was a ghost doing it.


    But as she slightly turned her head, she saw it was only Chen Guiren doing it.


    He-he is so silent...


    Chen Guiren then picked a piece of chicken with a fork and promptly put it on the plate.


    "Um, th-this..."


    He silently kept adding the chicken pieces until it piled up to look what felt like a mountain and nodded in satisfaction to himself.


    Jianyu and Yunru felt like Chen Guiren was stealing the spotlight and the place in Guiying''s heart so they started to put chicken pieces on her plate as well.


    You are so sly, Grandpa!


    Don''t think you can beat us to it! Jianyu snorted.


    Jianyu scolded his son. "Don''t get in my way, Yunru."


    He ignored him and shone at Guiying. "Sis, sis! Eat this piece! It''s more delicious!"


    "Why does it have gold embedded in it?" Jianyu dryly asked.


    "Because I am cute. Food offered by cute men is more tasty!" He glared at him.


    "You should cut down on your smartphone time. It''s clearly affecting your logic."


    "Buzz off!"


    Guiying - "..."


    Chen Guiren then gave Guiying a look, which was a little hard for her to decipher.


    What is he trying to say...? I am just embarrassing myself! She lacked tears to shed.


    Chen Liling beamed. "Guiren is telling you to eat, my dear!"


    Her jaw dropped.


    So much!?


    She stared at the mountain of chicken before her.


    Jianyu slid a small bowl of sauce towards her. "Have them with this hot sauce," he proudly said, "I made it myself. You will definitely like it. It has that spicy zing."


    Yunru felt left out. "I can make some cool recipes too!"


    Jianyu snorted. "That doesn''t include instant ramen."


    He gritted his teeth. "Stupid father! Don''t underestimate me! Sis Guiying, wait for me! I will sweep you off your feet with my amazing cooking talent!" And he ran towards the kitchen.


    Zixin was in deep thought. Seeing Yunru talk about cooking made him feel like doing the same. He wanted Guiying to eat the food made by him and praise him.


    He beamed with this idea and left to embark for the kitchen too.


    Guiying was stupefied.


    Why is everybody leaving for the kitchen?


    And why are you leaving me alone with your father and grandparents!?

 Chapter 546 Bright Idea

    Guiying might show that she was holding together at the outside but inside, she was racing towards an unknown destination at God knows what miles per hour.


    "So, so! You are a writer, right? That''s so cool!" Chen Liling sparkled. "In my brother and my families, everybody usually just grows up to become businessmen," she pouted. "Staying in one profession is so boring. That''s why I am glad Jian, Nian and Nuo chose to be chefs. My boys here are all CEOs or President! We need to have colorful careers in our families too!"


    Jianyu was unsure of what to comment on that.


    Guiying coughed. Chen Liling''s cheerfulness and glee was able to ease a little stress in her heart.


    "Thank you¡­" but she quickly added next, "I am really sorry Mam-...Mrs. Chen. I just came unannounced like this¡­I-I really was unaware that Zixin will drive me here¡­"


    Chen Liling pursed her lips. "Mrs. Chen is also no good. Call me Grandma!"


    "..."


    "How¡­" she sweated. "How can I call you that?"


    We are not family after all¡­


    "Of course you are family! Zixin''s girlfriend is my granddaughter-in-law. How are you not family?"


    It took a while for her words to register in her brain.


    Granddaughter-in-law.


    Granddaughter-in-law.


    Granddaughter-in-law.


    Chen Guiren and Jianyu were pleased to hear that. The atmosphere was blooming with flowers and warmth.


    Guiying looked from her to Jianyu and Chen Guiren and nobody seemed to be in opposition.


    Whaaaaaat!??


    When did I become their granddaughter-in-law!?


    Guiying was seriously trying to remember when she accepted Zixin''s confession.


    "M-Mam¡­"


    "Grandma," she pouted.


    "...Grandma."


    She brightened. "That''s great!"


    She gulped back in her throat. "I think there is a mis-misunderstanding."


    The trio tilted their heads at the same time with a question mark.


    Guiying sincerely felt that it wasn''t right to play with their feelings and let them assume something incorrect.


    "I mean Zi-Zixin did¡­" her cheeks blushed, " confess to me, but I¡­ haven''t yet¡­"


    Jianyu asked, "You haven''t given your answer yet?"


    "...Yes."


    He frowned, making her want to faint.


    A-are they mad at me?


    "What is that brat doing then? He is so slow!"


    "..."


    Chen Guiren gravely nodded.


    Chen Liling harrumphed. "He should quickly win your heart and give us the official news! I am telling you the men in my family are extremely slow with progress!"


    Chen Guiren and Jianyu - "..."


    "You know, it was me who passionately chased after Guiren."


    Chen Guiren looked away, his face reddening.


    "Even my Serena had to work so hard too to get to my son!"


    Jianyu''s mouth twitched hard.


    Mom¡­Will you keep some of my dignity intact in front of my future daughter-in-law?


    "Yunru too. I heard he has a crush on that girl from the Shi family, but why is it still hung up on a crush!? These men are are like turtles in moving forward," she complained.


    Guiying stared at her but was actually thinking about Zixin''s confession, kiss and his flirting today.


    Yeah I don''t think he is shy at all¡­


    Just then the kitchen group re-entered the scene as they brought in a feast of got and piping dishes.


    Yubi chirped. "Sis, sis! Enjoy the feast!"


    Guiying widened her eyes. "This¡­is all for me?"


    Serena proudly said, "Of course! This is your first time at the Chen villa. If Zixin had told us sooner about you, you wouldn''t have had to wait!" She threw a glare at her son once again.


    "Shoo, shoo!" Yunru exclaimed. "Make way for this young master''s special dumplings! Behold! Sis, eat my dumplings first! You will fall in love with it!"


    Yubi kicked him on his feet. "Why your dumplings first? She should eat my fish first!"


    "Shut up, I don''t want her palette to get sour by your cooking!"


    "Are you saying the fish I cooked is bad? I will kill you Chen Yunru!"


    And the twins got busy pulling each other''s hair in their catfight.


    Zixin eagerly went to her side and served her hot fried rice which was a dish he personally cooked. "Do you want to try the fried rice first?"


    Is that why they so hurriedly ran to the kitchen?


    Guiying felt a numb feeling in her throat. This was the first time that so many dishes laid before her for her to eat. In her apartment it was only her alone who would do the cooking. Her brother Cai Lingyun had never really pampered her either.


    Serena gasped seeing tears forming in her eyes. "Why are you crying, my dear?"


    Zixin panicked and brought a glass of water for her. "What happened? Are you fine?"


    Chen Guiren promptly slid a tissue towards her side in concern.


    The twins raised their heads from their catfight.


    Yunru flared his nostrils. "Who bullied you sis? Was it Dad? You can be honest!"


    "Shut up. Why will I bully her?"


    "Because you always bully me!"


    "You and her are not the same," Jianyu looked at Guiying and hastily asked, "Is there anything you don''t like here? You can tell us. We will prepare what you like."


    Chen Liling scolded Zixin. "Why wouldn''t she cry? She says that she still hasn''t answered your confession."


    Everybody - "..."


    Serena gritted her teeth. "Chen Zixin! What is taking you so long to make it official? I tell you, the men in this family¡­"


    Guiying quickly said, "No, no! It''s not Zixin''s fault. It''s just¡­"


    Serena harrumphed. "You don''t have to defend him, dear."


    Guiying truly wondered if what she was living at this moment was even real. From living alone at her apartment, she was suddenly surrounded by these warm people who were fighting to feed her lots of food.


    She received so much warmth and love in the last hour with his family that she couldn''t compare it to her entire cold life with her brother.


    Everybody''s shoulders dropped seeing Guiying sad.


    Serena remembered that she had heard about Zixin sending Cai Lingyun to jail before as he had repeatedly abused Guiying. Thinking of living such a horrendous life with that monster, she understood how Guiying must have lacked love for all her life.


    She looked away for a moment and her eyes shone as an idea struck her.


    Guiying saw the change in her expression and shuddered.


    W-why does she look like when Zixin gets a bright idea?


    "I got a great idea! Why don''t Guiying live with us here?"

 Chapter 547 Reflect On Actions

    On the other side, Jun, Ai and Xing Bi were discharged from the hospital while Jin was supposed to stay for another day for some more observation.


    Initially, they were going to head back to the condo but it was Nana who came forward and sternly said that they would live in Liu villa - at least until the time she was convinced that they had fully recovered.


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying agreed to it as well. After the sudden and inexplicable mishap to both Jun and Ai, nobody wanted to take the risk of leaving them alone.


    Ai hesitantly asked as she stood before the Liu villa, "Is it really fine for me to stay here-"


    Suddenly, a big and fluffy grandpa jumped onto Ai. "My dear granddaughter-in-law! You hurt me! How can you question this? This house is as much yours as it is Jun-cute''s!"


    Jun gritted his teeth.


    When will he give up on calling me Jun-cute!?


    "Actually, this villa is more of yours than Jun-cute''s!" He chirped. "Do you know how excited I am to live with you!" He beamed.


    His wife kicked him from the back and said, "Hai! Don''t speak in that ambiguous sense. Do you want people to mistake you for a pervert!?"


    "Hey! I am just eager to spend some cuddly moments with my granddaughter-in-law! Why do people always treat me as somebody suspicious?" He protested, aggrieved. "Right, right, right, Ai? You want to live with your Grandpa too, right?"


    Ai nodded. "I want to live with Grandpa too."


    "See!"


    Jun sighed. "Don''t take his side. He is already spoiled as is."


    "Jun-cute you are just jealous of me!"


    "Who is jealous of an old grandpa like you!"


    From the back a cry of scream echoed. "Hey, hey, hey, stop scratching me! Why are you being so hostile to meeeee?" Jian sobbed as he tried to reign in the cat Jun-cute.


    The cat fiercely hissed and struck his paws at him.


    "Ahhh my handsome face!!! Why this injustice!?"


    Ai quickly came to his side. "Give him to me."


    Jun-cute jumped onto Ai''s shoulder while still glaring at Jian with dark brown eyes.


    "You¡­isn''t he too similar to Jun!? Jun! What the fuck are you teaching your cat?"


    Jun cocked his brow and a wave of satisfaction gushed in his heart upon seeing a troubled Jian. "I didn''t teach him anything. The cat is very intelligent."


    "You liar! You are training this cat to go against me!"


    "If that is so then why is she so calmly sitting in Bro Nian''s arms?" He said as he pointed at Ai-chan.


    She peacefully laid in Nian''s arms without so much as a scratch on his hand. Nian was over the moon. "She is so cute!"


    Jian cried. "Nian, let me hold her too!"


    "Hey back off! You have Jun-cute''s responsibility and I took Ai-chan. Don''t you dare try to change your party!" He glared at him and fiercely covered Ai-chan as if she would get kidnapped.


    "Awww he is so cute!"


    Jian looked back and saw Nuo, who was openly petting Jun-cute under his chin. To his shock, the cat was even rubbing his furry face against her cheek. "I love him!"


    "..."


    This world¡­is too unjust!!!


    "You you¡­I won''t forget this! Why is it with only me that he acts so cruelly?"


    Nuo proudly harrumphed. "Because I am cute!"


    *Meow!*


    Jun-cute seemed to agree.


    Jian was left to cry in a corner and draw circles on the ground.


    Jun rolled his eyes. "Let''s go in already."


    As they stepped into the villa, Nana came first and welcomed them. She hugged Ai and softly said, "I am glad to see you healthy now."


    Ai''s heart fluttered with warmth. She shyly hugged her back and replied. "Thank you, M-Mom¡­"


    Nana stared at her for a few moments, making her question, "Is there something on my face?"


    Ai quickly patted her cheek, feeling embarrassed.


    "No, no. You look beautiful as always. I am just¡­feeling overwhelmed. I am relieved that you will live here from now on."


    Ai didn''t quite understand, but she held her hand and said, "I promise I won''t make you feel worried anymore. I will take good care of my health."


    She beamed. "Good, good!"


    Nana then took a step towards Jun and peered into his eyes this time. He smiled at her. "Mom."


    Her eyes ached, but she didn''t let her tears fall. She held his face between her slightly trembling hands and stared at her son.


    Jun blinked and tilted her head. "Mom?"


    "A-Ah? It''s nothing¡­You have really grown up so well¡­"


    He chuckled. "Of course, Mom. I know you wish your children to remain those sweet innocent kids forever. But I always wanted to grow up faster and become an adult, so that I could be reliable and take care of you."


    Jian chimed in. "Take care of Mom or marry her?"


    "..."


    Nian sneered. "We all know how much you crushed on Mom, little brother."


    Which is why he always hung at the Han villa because Aunt Xinyi reminded him of Mom.


    Buuuuut he will kill me if I expose that~


    "I bet you secretly cursed Dad to go somewhere far away and never come back," Jian snorted.


    Liu Hai reminisced. "Ah I remember those days as if it was just yesterday. How he used to follow around Nana like a cute puppy~"


    Jun - "..."


    Ai held in her laughter.


    The twins exclaimed. "Yeah and that''s why he always snitched on us to curry hugs and brownie points from Mom! He was a traitor to our siblings'' union!"


    Jun gave them a dry look.


    Liu Chunhua smacked them from the side. "Do you three always have to ruin a happy and emotional moment? Go stand at the corner and reflect on your actions!"


    "Whaaaaaaat?" They grumbled in complaint but dragged their feet towards the pillar anyway.


    Jun asked as he observed Nana to look a little odd. "Mom, are you okay?"


    Her lips lifted in a mysterious but melancholic smile. "Shouldn''t I be the one asking you that question?"


    "Me? I am super happy," he laughed.


    She slightly trembled and whispered to herself. "Yes¡­I am glad¡­I am really glad to see you happy, Jun¡­"


    Jun took a look around and asked, "By the way, where is Dad?"


    Nana broke from her daze and narrowed her eyes. Jun shuddered to see her emotional smile transform into something menacing.


    Her voice felt bitter and hostile as she answered. "Oh your father? Don''t worry about him. Just like Dad and the twins, he is somewhere facing the pillar and reflecting on his own actions. He will be there for QUITE some time."

 Chapter 548 Quiet Tears

    Jun felt an itch in his throat.


    Hm? Why does Mom look so irritated?


    What did Dad do? Dad never does anything to make Mom angry so much¡­


    Nana held Jun and Ai''s hands and pulled them towards the living room. "Sit you two. I have cooked some warm meals for you. It''s healthy and refreshing. Let me bring it for you!"


    Nana hopped away to the kitchen as Liu Chunhua and Nuo joined her.


    Liu Hai took a seat on the couch and asked, "How are things at Sky? I just saw the news. The criticism against Sky is not dying down."


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "I will sort things out especially for Yunru and Shi Huan. The author Cui Fen is clearly lying and we can prove it. Once that evidence gets out, they won''t have to face any problem anymore."


    "I see. When are you going to release the evidence?" He cocked his brow.


    He let out a cunning smile. "I don''t need to, Grandpa. Somebody else will do my work."


    "Who?"


    "The same enemy who put Sky into trouble?"


    "I don''t think they put Sky into trouble to kindly help you out of this mess too."


    He chuckled. "Trust me. Just wait and watch. I don''t need to do anything and I told Shi Huan to not do anything either to prove herself innocent. Absolutely nothing."


    "You are confident."


    "Because I know how they want this to play out. When I was in the hospital and the nurse refused to let me meet Ai, I was very free and bored and angry that I wasn''t able to see my girlfriend."


    Ai''s brow twitched.


    The rest - "..."


    "So I channeled that frustration into thinking long and hard about this whole situation which I was going to do later anyway. I kind of understood why they targeted only Yunru and Sun Bai."


    Ai asked, "If Huan will be proved innocent, then what about Miss. Sun? I am worried about her too."


    "Sun Bai will be fine too. I know what information they want to use against her."


    Ai blinked. "Information against her? Wasn''t she already blamed for leaking my drafts?"


    "That was just a trailer. They want to shake Sky''s foundation first. Once the real information gets out, Sky could crumble¡­according to them that is."


    Jun thought about his past life''s experiences and how he had witnessed Sky falling down.


    If she did it in the past, she will use the same method this time too. It''s just that the target changed from me to Yunru and Sun Bai.


    Just then, Jun''s phone received a message from Huan.


    ''Bro Jun. I got Cui Fen''s message asking me to meet her. What should I do?''


    Jun smiled.


    Just as I had thought.


    He typed back. ''Ignore her message.''


    She replied back. ''Are you sure? I will definitely gain some information to expose her lies and prove Yunru innocent!''


    Jun understood her desperation. He clearly saw how she was more invested in proving Yunru innocent than herself. More than her own, she was feeling guilty for causing damage to Yunru and Sky''s reputation.


    He typed. ''Trust me. You don''t need to do anything. I know why she wants to meet you, and it will only bring more trouble for you no matter how cautious you act. We cannot let that happen.''


    Huan''s message came back a few seconds later. ''I understand, Bro. I won''t meet her.''


    ''Good.''


    Jian gasped dramatically as he shamelessly peeked into Jun''s phone. "Jun is flirting with Shi Huan! My dear sister-in-law, he is cheating on you!"


    "..."


    "You don''t seem to love your life anymore, Bro," Jun warned him with a lethal smile.


    "See, see! Ai, he is threatening to kill his handsome elder brother to shut his mouth forever!"


    "As if Ai would take part in your nonsense-"


    Ai wiped her nonexistent tears. "How could you, Jun? Are you tired of me now? I trusted you so much."


    "..."


    Ai promptly turned her head, feeling his sharp, judgemental stare.


    Jun sneered. "Yeah don''t worry, I will teach you your due lesson too, Ai-chan."


    She coughed.


    "Now he wants to silence his girlfriend too! Look at this cruel man!"


    Liu Hai waved his hand in dismissal. "So dramatic."


    ¡­They are your genes, Grandpa. Why are you acting so innocent?


    "Anyway back to the main topic, tell me who is this enemy you are talking about. Grandpa is bored these days. I might as well have some fun with them~"


    Jun remained silent. "Well that-"


    "I will take care of it, Grandpa," Surprisingly, it was Nian who broke the short silence with his determined resolve.


    Jun and Ai looked at him, stupefied. "What? Bro you-"


    He threw a glance at Jun and said, "You focus on getting Sky out of the mess, little brother. I will deal with the rest."


    Jun furrowed his brows heavily.


    Bro is acting strange.


    He remembered that back at the hospital too, his mood had turned quite odd after hearing about Zhan Yahui. But he didn''t comment on it much.


    Jian popped in a chip from the bowl that was kept in front of him on the table and alternated his gaze between his twin and Jun.


    Hm, hm? I sense something more is happening in the background. What could it be?


    Let''s see¡­


    Time to interrogate my dearest twin! He chirped inwardly.


    Just like Jun and Jin always yielded before Nian''s authority, Nian always yielded to Jian''s.


    Nian whispered in his ear. "We need to talk later, Jian."


    Jian paused and stared at him curiously.


    Ohh~? Seems like I don''t need to take any effort this time~


    "Cool."


    "With Dad."


    He tilted his head.


    Seems that it''s even more serious than I thought.


    Guess it''s gonna be super fun for a while! His eyes sparkled.


    Jian looked at Jun and jumped on to hug him, ruffling his hair. "Don''t worry my dearest brother! Your super reliable elder brothers will get you out of any pinch!"


    "Ew! Don''t hug me!" Jun mercilessly pushed him away. "Why are you suddenly acting so creepy!?"


    "Aish, this is my love for you, little brother~"


    "I humbly request to please keep it to yourself."


    From afar, Nana fixed her gaze at Jun, clenching the food tray in her hand. She lowered her head, letting her quiet tears slide down her cheeks.

 Chapter 549 Look Forward To Living With You

    At the same time in Chen villa, Zixin opened the door to a room which was just beside his own. He wheeled her suitcase inside and kept it leaning against the cupboard.


    Guiying dumbly stared at her suitcase which she didn''t understand when it got shipped to the Chen villa. She hurriedly grabbed his arm and said breathless, "W-wait, wait! Y-you mean I am seriously going to live here!?"


    Zixin nodded, his expression gleaming with a golden brilliance.


    Guiying once again felt blinded by the glitter.


    Grandma''s genes are really strong in him...


    Zixin couldn''t express in words how joyous he felt over his mother''s proposition. Before Guiying would protest, Chen Liling already sent Yunru on his way to fetch all her belongings.


    "This is crazy! I...I am meeting your family for the first time! How can I suddenly impose upon them like this...?"


    Zixin tilted his head. "Impose? It''s nothing like that. Since they know my feelings for you, they naturally treat you as family," he leaned and said with hopeful eyes, "They wish we get together sooner."


    Guiying blushed hard.


    "Th-that..."


    Zixin smiled and gently held her hand in his. "But you don''t have to feel pressured in giving an answer. Actually, it''s the second part. They want to get to know you and spend lots of time with you."


    "But it''s so...sudden...I mean..."


    Zixin gave it a thought and slowly said, "Honestly, they don''t want to see you lonely."


    She blinked.


    "Since I lost my memories, everybody always stayed by my side and never..." his gaze softened, "let me feel vulnerable. They gave me a balance between space and belonging. I used to feel stressed because I didn''t remember anything. But they made my life so colorful."


    His black orbs shone as he stared into hers. "They want to make your life colorful too."


    Colorful...


    She always thought of her life as an endless pitfall of a dark and gray abyss. All black and monotone.


    But now she felt as if a tiny beam of light cracked through that abyss as if wishing to pull her out of it.


    "They also know about your brother''s situation and his abuse."


    She stiffened. Her expression paled. "T-they know about...''her'' too?"


    "No."


    Guiying let out a sigh of relief but also felt conflicted at the same time.


    Was this all love, warmth and laughter temporary?


    Was it only until they misunderstood her to be ''normal?''


    If they realized about ''her'' existence, would they still treat her the same way?


    Zixin could read her concerns and questions in her worried gaze all too well. But as much as he wanted to assure her, he felt that Guiying wouldn''t be comforted no matter what he said.


    The fear and doubts taking root in her heart would only disappear when she would experience how it felt like to have real familial love, unconditionally accepting her.


    Zixin held her shoulders and said, "As I said before, you don''t need to feel pressured for anything. Can you please give it a chance? If you don''t like it, you can leave. We won''t stop you."


    But he was sure that it would never come to that day.


    Guiying gave it a long thought and nodded as her answer. Living with such warm people under one roof felt like a very tempting offer even if it might not be permanent.


    "Okay."


    Zixin was satisfied.


    "Should I help you with unpacking?"


    "No, no. I will do it myself..."


    How can I let Zixin see my personal stuff? She felt abashed.


    "Okay. If you need any help, you can call Yubi or ask for any maid''s help."


    "Yes, thank you."


    Zixin took three steps ahead to leave and then stopped. He walked back to her.


    Guiying blinked in confusion. He was making awkward hand movements in the air as if he wanted to do something but hesitating on how to. Then he would bend his face towards her but pull back once again, pressing his lips.


    ...What is he doing?


    Guiying said, wanting to ease his predicament, "Please feel free to say what you want."


    It''s your house, after all. Why is the master being so shy? She coughed.


    Zixin pondered over it for a long time, and Guiying started to feel uneasy soon after.


    What is he thinking so hard about? Did I make a mistake somewhere?


    Coming to a decision after much deliberation, Zixin stood straight before her. He gradually extended his arm towards her and of all the things she guessed him to do - he pinched her cheek ever so softly.


    "..."


    "I look forward to living with you," Zixin conveyed with a dazzling yet elegant smile.


    "A-Ah? I mean thank you! I look forward to living with you too!"


    She blushed a second later, thinking it had such an ambiguous meaning as if only they two would be living together all alone.


    "But why are you...pinching my cheek?"


    Zixin promptly replied. "Because I wanted to kiss you, but I concluded that it''s inappropriate to do so until you give your answer and make our relationship official. I don''t want to make you uncomfortable..." his voice fizzled out, thinking about the in-the-heat-of-the-moment kiss that day. "So I pinched your cheek. I hope this is admissible," he asked, slightly panicked.


    That felt like an arrow which struck her heart through and through.


    Guiying''s lips parted in utter shock as she stared at him, dumbfounded.


    That was what those awkward movements meant?


    She couldn''t believe how thoughtful Zixin was. Whenever she felt that she was beginning to understand Zixin, he would always do something that exceeded her expectations.


    "You..." she was at a loss for words.


    W-well it''s true that I would have gotten a heart attack if you had kissed me now, but...


    "...Not in a bad way. It would have been fine...," she mumbled.


    "Not in a bad way, what?" He tilted his head.


    His ears are too sharp!


    "Nothing!" She looked away, her cheeks heating up.


    Unknown to them, Zixin''s family was shamelessly spying on them outside.


    "Ahhhh what a bummer!" Serena and Chen Liling pouted. "I thought he would kiss her for sure," they whispered amongst themselves.


    Yubi complained. "I was totally excited for it!"


    Yunru snorted. "You should have closed your eyes. You are too young."


    She was speechless. "Excuse me, we are the same age. Why were your eyes so wide open then!?"


    "S-Shut up!"


    Jianyu proudly nodded. "He made a good decision."


    Chen Guiren agreed.


    Serena glared at him. "It was a perfect moment to kiss!"


    "Like a pervert?"


    Chen Liling smacked his head. "Idiot son. You don''t understand a woman''s heart at all! Are you really married?"


    "..."


    Chen Guiren felt personally attacked as well.


    The ladies grew more excited. "It''s just the beginning anyway so I will let this slide for now."


    "But, but! We will definitely create more opportunities for them to be alone."


    "The more the better so that it quickly becomes official!"


    The trio of women laughed among themselves while the trio of men felt a shudder in their backs.


    They look like a bunch of villains making evil plots...


    Good luck, Zixin, Guiying. You two are at their mercy from today, Jianyu silently gave his condolences.

 Chapter 550 Inaugurating New Bedroom

    Liu villa.


    Jun opened the door to his bedroom and let Ai and the two cats inside. According to Jun-cute''s behavior, he would be the first to run and hop around to study a new place and find his own spot to reserve as quickly as possible.


    But this time, his movements were slow and unhurried as if he was waiting for somebody.


    Ai curiously observed the cat throwing sneaky glances at Ai-chan, who was taking her time to look around.


    She chuckled. She poked Jun''s shoulder who was keeping their bags and luggage at a side. "Jun-cute is actually waiting for Ai-chan to find a place first but acting as if he doesn''t care."


    He cocked his brow. "Is that so?"


    "Yes," she leaned and teasingly said, "Isn''t he just like you? Seeing him now reminds me of those times when you acted like a tsundere towards me too."


    "..."


    "I never acted that way towards you," he vehemently disagreed.


    "You did. Remember when Mrs. Quan wanted you to drop me home late at night because of some rumors of a thief on the loose? You acted annoyed but deep inside you were concerned about my safety a lot and dropped me all the way to my apartment. Same for the time around Christmas when you took me to your condo when I was sleeping at the park because I burned my home. Or how you diligently took care of me during my periods. Or-"


    Jun covered her mouth with his palm, his expression darkening. "Enough. What''s your point?"


    "That you are so cute," her voice was muffled due to him covering her lips.


    He grabbed her waist and pinched her jaw. "When will you stop calling me cute?"


    "Never unless you stop being cute which would again, never happen."


    "You are getting too bold."


    "I was always bold," she seriously nodded.


    He sneered. "Well then¡­" he only slightly tugged her back, and she fell on the bed. Tilting his head, he trapped her within his arms, "how about you show some of that boldness in our new room too? Shouldn''t we inaugurate our new bed by doing something special?"


    Ai pointed out. "You know apart from being cute, you act shameless too."


    "Only towards my girlfriend," he smiled as tugged down her sleeve and placed a firm kiss on her exposed shoulder.


    She placed her hands on his chest and said, "The cats are here! So we cannot¡­"


    "Where are they?" He cocked his brow, amused.


    "What do you mean? They are roaming around-"


    Ai turned to see but neither Jun-cute nor Ai-chan were there.


    "..."


    When did they leave?


    Jun smiled and promptly removed her hand from his chest. "Now, where were we?"


    She pursed her lips. "Are you three colluding against me?"


    "What do you think?"


    "I am confident that you are."


    "Well¡­" Climbing on his knees, Jun took off his shirt, leaning half-naked on top of her.


    Ai swallowed, mesmerized by his toned body. No matter how many times they had made love by now, his muscles that glistened with hotness were always a sight to behold.


    Jun placed her palm on his chest and made it traverse along his skin that was quickly turning feverish. "Let''s talk about my colluding in depth later on. For now¡­I want to explore some other kind of depth."


    The tips of her ears glowed crimson as she understood his nuance.


    "You are becoming a pervert too."


    He kissed the back of her hand and smiled. "Like I said before, only towards my girlfriend."


    He wrapped her arms around his neck and dipped his neck to capture her lips. The rustling sound of him taking their clothes off and the pleasurable gasps and soft moans echoed in the heated air.


    After the fourth round, they fell back on the bed, satisfied and breathless. Jun hugged Ai from the back and squeezed her waist, whose cheeks glistened with sweat and blush.


    She covered her face with her palms, wanting to hide herself in a hole.


    I forgot that this is not our condo and we are not alone anymore¡­


    "Was I too loud?" She asked in a tiny, squeaky voice.


    Jun rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I feel like I did hear some whispers from outside. You know, Grandpa, uncle Jing and the twins are quite shameless spies."


    The redness from her cheeks reached all the way to her neck. "Oh no¡­how will I face them now?"


    "Just like before?"


    She glared at him with a hint of grievance. "It''s easy for you to say. It''s also your fault¡­You should have been gentler so that they wouldn''t have heard anything."


    He cocked his brow up. "I think I was pretty slow and gentle, especially since it''s your first day here. I should say you were the one quite ferocious today."


    "..."


    "Doesn''t your conscience hurt when you falsely accuse me like that?"


    "Conscience? Accuse?" He sneered.


    He bent and showed his shoulder which had teeth marks on it. "How about the fact that you bit me so hard that the mark dug so deeply? On the other hand, I showed you mercy by not leaving any kiss marks on you."


    The remaining semblance left within Ai also flew away, and the only feeling left inside her was super embarrassment.


    "I¡­I did not do this!" She hid her face in the duvet.


    "Then you suppose I was making love to somebody else?"


    "E-enough¡­! That was a rhetorical statement!"


    He chuckled and felt pleased upon teasing her. He took off the duvet and softly chomped on her puffed up cheeks. "You are cute."


    "Don''t call me cute when I am angry," she pressed her lips.


    He snorted. "I will since you do the same to me."


    "How can you be vengeful towards your girlfriend?"


    Jun smiled. "I am a villain. Villains are very vengeful."


    Ai frowned. "You are not a villain."


    "Well I was in the past after all. The traits are hard to completely disappear," he chuckled.


    He said it in a lighthearted and joking manner, but it pained Ai that he thought of himself as someone who hurt others because she knew he wasn''t like that.


    She hugged his chest hard and softly said, "You are not a villain but a victim. A victim who fell to somebody''s vicious plot. There is a difference."


    Seeing her fiercely defend him melted his heart. He tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear and gently hummed, not giving a response.


    She looked up at him and asked, "Back at the hospital, you wanted to say something about Zhan Yahui, right? What was it?"

 Chapter 551 Little Juns Past (1)

    Jun visibly stiffened. Even though he knew that Ai would never hate him for what happened but thinking back to that incident emerged a sense of crisis in his heart.


    "...Yes. I asked Chyou to dig into Zhan Yahui''s background and I came to know that I already knew her from before."


    She blinked. "From before? But you didn''t seem like you recognized her all this time."


    He looked away. "That''s because we met way back when we were kids."


    That took her aback. "Really?"


    She hadn''t expected that Zhan Yahui, who was hell bent on ruining their lives, was someone Jun already knew from before.


    "When did you two meet?"


    "It wasn''t a happy occasion. I was nine when I was kidnapped by Zhan Yahui''s soon-to-be step-father."


    If Ai had been standing, she would have stumbled and fallen hard on the floor. Fortunately, she was in bed. She looked into his eyes, incredulous. "Kidnapped? Y-you were kidnapped? Why?"


    "Because Ouyang Haitao owed us money or precisely, Dad. He was in debt."


    *Flashback*


    It was a pleasant day outside but dark and dangerous inside Jinhai''s underworld. The outside world and the underworld always had a stark contrast in their atmospheres. And the underworld was where the twins, Jun and Jin frequently visited as kids too.


    It was one such day when little Jun, who was nine years old, went to visit his father as he was returning from school. Jinhai had promised to buy him new books and video games in exchange for ratting out the twins'' mischievous plans to trouble his special time with Nana.


    "Young master!"


    The Liu family guards respectfully bowed as Jun came in.


    Jun adjusted his spectacles and faced them. "I told you before not to bow before me like this. I am just a nine-year old kid, and you are way too adult to lower your head before a child."


    The Liu family underworld guards were tough and ferocious as they had burned themselves through an equally tough and ferocious training. But ever since the five siblings were born, they would lose their rough touch at times.


    "Young master¡­" they burst into emotional tears.


    Young master Jun is so kind-hearted!


    He definitely has more of Madam Nana''s genes!


    Sometimes they felt that he was too kind and polite for the underworld. In that sense, the twins were very different. They had already begun to show their ruthless, cunning and commanding side since they were only five years old.


    Jun''s brows twitched.


    Why are they crying?


    "Where is Dad?"


    The guard named Xuan Hui sniffled and said, "Please come with me, young master. I will take you to Boss."


    Xuan Hui was often bullied because he had a womanish sounding name. But his fists were quick to prove that his bloodshed personality had nothing to do with how delicate his name sounded.


    Little Jun noticed his obviously starry gaze which strongly gave the impression that Xuan Hui wanted to hold him.


    He raised his arms and asked, "Will you hold me?"


    Xuan Hui''s dam of tears broke. "Young masterrrrr¡­I will be honored!"


    No, you don''t have to feel so honored¡­


    He picked Jun in his arms, beaming with joy. The other guards were fuming with jealousy on the other hand.


    Damn it Xuan Hui!


    We will make you pay for this!


    I will hold the young master next time!


    Xuan Hui began walking towards the office where Jinhai was working. He was cautious not to squeeze Jun too tightly in his arms and make him uncomfortable.


    Jun glanced at him a minute later and said, "You will be a good father one day, Uncle Xuan."


    He froze. "Y-yes, young master?"


    "I said you will be a good father one day."


    Jun stopped at that and looked forward, expressionless.


    Xuan Hui was unable to speak or respond for a long time, but his heart was overwhelmed with emotions. "Thank you so much young master¡­But I don''t even know if that day will ever come or not¡­" his eyes ached.


    He and his wife were trying to conceive for quite some time but couldn''t. Soon, the couple learned that he had infertility issues and would face problems in having a child.


    Jun looked back at him. "Of course that day will come."


    "You really think so, young master¡­?"


    "Yes. Mom says that good things come to good people for sure. It requires patience at times, but it definitely does happen. You must never lose hope and never stop trying."


    A flood of tears escaped his eyes. "Young masterrrrrrrrr!"


    "You will die of dehydration this way, Uncle Xuan," Jun dryly said.


    As they reached Jinhai''s office, Jun was startled with a voice loudly crying and begging before Jinhai.


    "S-sir please give me some more time¡­! I-I will definitely return the money¡­"


    The door was open with a slight slit and Jun peeked inside.


    A man in his thirties was on his knees, who trembled and cried hard before Jinhai. His hands were painfully held back by the guards and was forced to bow before Jinhai as one tightly held onto his neck.


    Jinhai''s arm was propped on his chair armrest with his chin resting on his palm as he stared at the man kneeling before him with a cold and unfeeling gaze.


    "How much is ''some more time'' if I may ask?"


    His monotonous but sarcastic tone sent shivers down the man''s spine.


    "N-Next week¡­for sure¡­"


    "And what are your plans to gather sixty million Yuan within just one week, Ouyang Haitao?"


    He stiffened and had no answer. "I-I will definitely¡­! I beg you, please give me this last chance! I will return all your money!"


    Jinhai''s hawk-like gaze never left him that made him almost piss his pants. His silence was far more terrifying than when Jinhai spoke.


    "Three days."


    Ouyang Haitao jerked his head up, but the guard added his lethal pressure to keep his head lowered.


    "O-only three days!? T-that''s impossible Mr. Liu. How can I gather sixty million in three days¡­? Please show some mercy¡­"


    "How will you get sixty million in one week then? Not much difference between three and seven days for a person like you," he smiled.


    "Sir please-"


    "Three days or prepare yourself to get tortured here. Let me see how desperate you can become."

 Chapter 552 Little Juns Past (2)

    Ouyang Haitao was mercilessly thrown out of the torture room. He trembled with pain and fear gripping his heart and somehow stood on his feet. He noticed another guard in front of him and jolted aback as if he would get beaten up once again. But the guard was simply holding a child in his arms.


    His gaze slowly met Jun''s who was coldly staring back at him. There was silence for a whole minute as they studied each other.


    "You dare stare at the young master?" Xuan Hui icily condemned him. "Do you want me to gauge your eyes out!?"


    He froze and quickly lowered his head again. "I am sorry! I-I didn''t mean¡­"


    "Since you are done meeting with Boss, leave already."


    Ouyang Haitao quietly balled his fists and clenched his jaw. "...Yes."


    He hung his head low and passed by Xuan Hui as he painfully walked his way out of the base.


    Xuan Hui stepped inside the chamber. "Boss! Young master Jun is here!"


    Jinhai was wiping some blood off his hand when he paused and slightly furrowed his brows. "You are early."


    "I was bored."


    Jinhai saw his guard holding Jun in his arms, and he cocked his brow in amusement. "Since when do you let people hold you?"


    "Uncle Xuan is nice."


    Xuan Hui felt teary-eyed once again.


    Young master praised me in front of the Boss¡­! I am so happy!


    "So is your grandfather and uncle."


    "They are noisier than nicer," Jun bitterly replied.


    Jinhai smiled. "Come here."


    Xuan Hui let him down and he walked over to his father''s side.


    Jinhai was all fresh, clean and tidy when he picked up Jun next. "Which was the video game you wanted?"


    "I still have to decide between two options."


    "You want both?"


    "You will buy me both?" His eyes unknowingly sparkled with hope.


    "One for Jian and one for Nian. It''s only fair."


    Jun internally jumped with joy but maintained a calm and cool expression on his adorable face. "Thank you, Dad."


    Jinhai chuckled. It was amusing to watch his son trying to hide his excitement.


    He nodded once at Xuan Hui and left. As he walked outside, Jun curiously asked, "Why did you reduce a week to three days for that man?"


    "So you heard it."


    "Yes. It will not make any difference. He does not seem very responsible. Even after seven days, he cannot pay sixty million. He will be punished anyway."


    Jinhai responded without much emotion. "It''s to deem his worth and decide whether to let him live or not."


    "You kill people if they cannot pay their debts?"


    Jun thought that debtors were tortured and made to do any work the underworld demanded to pay the money back.


    "I kill people if they choose the wrong path to pay their debts."


    Jun frowned. "People who take loans from the underworld are supposed to be bad, right? Why will they do anything right?"


    He glanced at him. "The world is not pure black. It''s not necessary that people loaning from legitimate banks must be all clean and those taking money from the underworld must be all bad. It depends on the individual circumstances. Sometimes, it''s the opposite."


    "Oh," Jun slowly understood his point, but he still didn''t understand the reason for his time reduction.


    Jinhai asked, catching on to his doubt, "When it comes to you, when do you feel desperate about something?"


    He immediately answered. "When I want to get away from Grandpa and Uncle. I will do anything for my peace."


    He smiled. "Fair enough. When are the twins desperate?"


    Jun dryly said, "They are always desperate for food. They shamelessly steal from my plate too."


    "Which is wrong."


    "Very wrong."


    "But still within the boundaries of what is acceptable. That''s what I want to see in Ouyang Haitao. People show their true colors when they either see something very precious to them slipping away from their hands or if they are tasked to achieve something under a very stringent time constraint."


    Jun tilted his head. He was beginning to get his point.


    "Like the students who don''t study even till the day before exams and then cheat during the test."


    "Along those lines."


    "You mean he will do something bad to get the sixty million?"


    Jinhai shrugged. "That''s his choice to make that I want to see. I don''t really care about the sixty million. I am a billionaire."


    His mouth slightly twitched.


    "What I want to see is how far he would or would not go to get the money. If he comes back after three days and admits that he couldn''t gather sixty million no matter how hard he tried and without hurting anybody, I will excuse his full debt. I already know that it''s an unreasonable demand. I don''t expect him to pay me back even a million in three days. Forget sixty million."


    Jun slightly widened his eyes.


    "But if he does something that crosses limits to get himself out of the pinch, then I won''t spare him."


    "So you are testing him," he concluded.


    He gave a mysterious smile. "Life is full of surprises and unexpected exams. I have dealt with far worse and shittier people in this world. The underworld is dangerous, but there are still laws here. You have to conduct yourself within those laws or there will be consequences."


    There was a deadly ring to his voice as he spoke the last word.


    "Cool. He doesn''t have any idea that escaping from debt is actually so easy. He just has to be honest about it."


    Jinhai chuckled. "''Just¡­'' If only he understood that. What is very simple often turns out to be the hardest for most of the people in this world."


    He nodded.


    Jun poked his father''s shoulder. "In movies they show that the loan sharks chase after the family for money."


    "The one who took the money must pay it by himself. From what I know, the woman he lives with isn''t even aware that he has taken any such debt. I am not going to send my men to bang on her home''s door and demand money from her. The responsibility of debt payment solely lies with Ouyang Haitao himself. But..."


    He tilted his head. "But?"


    "If he dies or gets permanently incapacitated along the way, then the underworld has to take some measures about his family too..." Jinhai narrowed his eyes, "So that they don''t become pesky bugs like Ouyang Haitao is now in the future."


    He leaned closely and looked into his son''s eyes. "Revenge is slightly bothersome, after all."

 Chapter 553 Little Juns Past (3)

    Ouyang Haitao made the wrong choice.


    Three days were nowhere near enough to pay his more than a year long debts, and he was getting anxious as much as desperate.


    It was on the third day that Ouyang Haitao and Jun crossed paths once again. It was when Jun was waiting outside his school with the twins as usual for Nana to pick them up.


    Ten year old Jian lazily laid back on the soft grass and had a faraway look in his eyes as if he was thinking deeply about something. But what came out of his mouth was,


    "I am craving ice cream."


    Nian joined his twin. "I am craving hotpot."


    Jun said with disdain, "I am craving to be away from you two."


    "..."


    The twins smothered their little brother into a hug from both sides and laughed. "You are so cute when you are salty, Jun."


    Jun escaped from their vicious clutches with great difficulty. "Stay away from me! I still haven''t forgiven you for stealing my octopus from my lunch! I will tell this to Mom," he snorted.


    "Why do you always rattle us to Mom!?" They cried with protest.


    "Why do you always steal my food then? You are the elder brothers. Does it really suit you?"


    They pouted. "Because our cute siblings are too well-behaved. So we sacrificed ourselves to become the mischievous troublemakers!" They put up a serious expression as if they were suffering so much.


    He grimaced.


    "I will be standing on the other side alone till the car comes."


    "Why?"


    "To have some mental peace."


    "..."


    Little Jun stepped out of the gate and breathed out. He stretched his arms and felt relaxed.


    Always so noisy¡­


    He casually leaned in and looked over some pretty flowers on a flower bed nearby to pass time.


    I should get a lock for my lunchbox, Jun seriously thought. Wait, I better lock myself in the washroom to finish my lunch.


    Jun wondered if the twins would go as far as climbing up the door and barge inside the stall.


    They can do anything for food¡­


    On the opposite side of the road, Jun caught a familiar figure rushing somewhere. He blinked and quickly recognized him as Ouyang Haitao, who he had passed by just three days back.


    Jun felt an odd and impending discomfort, especially when Ouyang Haitao was carrying a little girl in his arms. Her face was turned towards the other side, but from her position, he guessed that she might be sleeping.


    Or unconscious¡­?


    Jun remembered the conversation with his father and the choice Ouyang Haitao would soon make. From his expression, it was clear that he was up to no good. He felt his chest fill up with anxiety upon seeing the helpless girl, and he wanted to save her. His feet took a little step forward, but he stopped.


    Calm down, Jun, he breathed in.


    This is not the same time as when I had saved Siying from getting kidnapped five years ago. I had guards with me that time. But now I am alone. The car is yet to come¡­


    Jun quickly opened his bag and took out a small phone. The twins and he were given a small handset to contact the Liu family in case they smelled trouble when the guards weren''t around.


    I will inform Dad and he will-


    Jun suddenly felt a shadow loom upon him, and he froze. He slowly raised his head and met Ouyang Haitao''s gaze.


    "You¡­" Ouyang Haitao was shaken up. "You are his son. I saw you that day in the base."


    Jun said nothing.


    "Who were you going to call?"


    Jun said nothing.


    Ouyang Haitao unconsciously brought his arms closer, making Jun say, "She will suffocate," he narrowed his eyes. "Stop holding her so hard."


    He stiffened. But he was focused on getting an answer to something else. "Who were you going to call?"


    Jun maintained his calm despite having an urge to give him a disdainful retort. "Mom. I am waiting for her to pick me up."


    Ouyang Haitao stared at him. His movements were slightly fidgety. "You were going to call because you saw me, right?"


    "Where?"


    "Across the street. You saw me and that''s why you took out your phone," he said impatiently.


    "I just saw you right now. Did you see me seeing you?"


    He didn''t know. He had simply recognized Jun from across the street who was taking out a phone from his bag. Panicked, he hurried towards him.


    "I just want to call Mom. She is late and I am hungry. Is there really anything questionable in calling my mother?"


    But Ouyang Haitao had become paranoid by that point. "Come with me."


    "Where?"


    "Just somewhere we can talk."


    "We are already talking here."


    "Just come with me," he gave a harmless smile.


    Since he was holding a little girl in his arms with her hands wrapped around his neck, they looked like any other father-daughter pair.


    Jun stared at him and said, "You do realize who I am, right?"


    His smile faltered slightly.


    "More importantly, you do realize who my father is, right?"


    He trembled.


    "What you are doing right now is taking me hostage and don''t even bother sugarcoating it. What I want to ask is do you understand the consequences of taking me with you?"


    Ouyang Haitao gritted his teeth. "Just come with me."


    "There will be no going back after this for you," he said, expressionless.


    He couldn''t waste more time so he played his last card. "I have a small blade in my palm. If you don''t listen to me, don''t blame me for stabbing this girl with it."


    Jun didn''t respond, but he remembered Jinhai''s words.


    ''I have dealt with far worse and shittier people in this world.''


    I understand you now, Dad. I already saw that during Siying''s attempted kidnap, but this world keeps showing me more and more such people.


    Jun hung his bag around his shoulders and looked up. "Let''s go. Just don''t regret it later."

 Chapter 554 Little Juns Past (4)

    Little Jun was taken to a shabby and seemingly unused apartment. The floor was dirty with dust lying around the corners and small spiderwebs shone on rusty walls under the faint light. He coughed as he felt uncomfortable breathing in the dust.


    "Sit there."


    Jun glanced at his small phone in Ouyang Haitao''s hands which was now broken. There drowned the hope of tracking his location.


    "And you say you just wanted to talk. You don''t break someone''s phone for a conversation."


    "Shut up!!!" He lashed out.


    Jun slightly widened his eyes by his outburst. Before Jinhai, he had behaved so meekly.


    Well that is to be given, he thought.


    Ouyang Haitao took a good look at Jun from head to toe. "You¡­you are so arrogant for a damn kid!"


    "Huh?" Jun was dumbfounded.


    Arrogant?


    "Don''t feign ignorance! You looked so proud looking down at me that day¡­I kept groveling on the floor and you were enjoying my misery! Your eyes¡­" his green veins popped on the back of his hand, "they were so fucking irritating! You were sneering at me! Mocking me for my pathetic state! I could feel your disdain!"


    Jun grimaced. "First of all, that''s my normal look. I am not good with expressions. Secondly, judging by how you studied my ''emotions'' so deeply, if you had put even half the effort into your life, you wouldn''t have ended up in that state in the first place. Thirdly, you have kept your family in the dark about your debts. You have lied to them. You broke their trust. You think I mocked you that day? I didn''t. But then do you suppose I should have showered you with respect either?"


    Ouyang Haitao angrily laughed. To think that a nine year old child was pointing out his mistakes was utterly humiliating.


    "You are fucking arrogant! It''s easy for you to give a lecture, isn''t it? After all, you are bathing in money and cash!" His eyes flashed with greed and envy. "What will you know about how it feels to live a life without money!?"


    Jun gave him a look. "NOW, I am actually mocking you. Easy? I am swimming in money because my father is busy signing profitable business deals every day without a wink of sleep. I am showered with cash because my Grandma and Grandpa have shed their blood and tears to build the Liu Corps."


    He froze.


    "I don''t have to think about living a poor life because my uncle spends sleepless nights working on his fashion designing projects. I don''t have to worry about my future because my twin uncles are very particular in not wasting a single day to practice for modeling and their career. Yes I don''t lack money, but that''s because my mother feeds hundreds of stomachs with her delicious food as a chef every single day.


    I am surrounded by a family who have given their all to earning lots of money for me and my siblings to grow well. So I am proud of the fortune I am blessed with, not arrogant about it."


    Ouyang Haitao trembled hard.


    "Bathing in money and cash is just an easy argument for you to escape your mistakes," Jun ruthlessly said. "You don''t have any idea how much effort is put in behind the curtains. So don''t mock the Liu family for living a life of luxury because that''s what we deserve."


    "You¡­!"


    Ouyang Haitao grabbed his neck and pressed it hard. Jun tightly knitted his brows, feeling strangled and breathless.


    "I was right that day. I despise you! I despise your father! Who does he think he is threatening me like that? He just gave me three days! Is he nuts!? I wished I had killed him then and you too!"


    He threw Jun away, and Jun immediately broke into incessant coughing. He knew his words would agitate him immensely, but he was prepared for it. He never tolerated people saying how easy their life was just by shallowly looking at them from the outside.


    It was as if the world selfishly dismissed all the hard work his family put in, which he wouldn''t bear at any cost.


    "Enough with your talk! Just stay quiet or I will kill you!"


    Ouyang Haitao left the apartment in a fury and locked the door behind him.


    Jun sat straight and coughed for a few more minutes until his neck felt less painful. He snorted at Ouyang Haitao.


    He should feel lucky that it was me talking. If it was Mom, she would have twisted his ear and scolded him even harsher. She hates it when people take light of anybody''s struggles.


    He heaved breathlessly and looked in his front at the girl who was sleeping. He got up, dusted his hands and walked up to her. Now that he saw her more closely, he felt that she looked older than him.


    Is she eleven? Twelve?


    He gently shook her shoulder. "Hey, wake up."


    She didn''t.


    Jun frowned. He tried some more, but she was completely knocked out. He let out a sigh in defeat.


    He went back to his place and sat down. There was no scope of escaping. There was only one door which Ouyang Haitao had locked from outside. The room was windowless. But till then, he wanted to talk to the girl and find more about their kidnapper.


    He could only wait for Jinhai to rescue him.


    ¡ª


    Jun straightened up in alarm when the door opened again and Ouyang Haitao came in. He went straight towards the unconscious girl and picked her up. Then he grabbed Jun''s arm and dragged him.


    "Hey let us go! Leave the girl! Where are you taking us!?" Jun struggled hard to escape his hold. It pained his arm as his fingers were digging deep into his skin.


    Ouyang Haitao became more restless. Jun could see his mind churning with some ideas.


    "I cannot keep you screaming like this. How about you peacefully sleep like she is doing too?"


    Jun stiffened. He guessed he would give some sleeping pills or smell him chloroform to knock him out. But he could do nothing to protest it because there was no room to run.


    Ouyang Haitao forcefully covered his mouth with a napkin. Jun coughed and tried not to breathe in, but his senses slowly started to dull.


    Even so, he fought the dizziness setting in and as far heighted he was, he grabbed his leg and pushed all of his strength to make him stumble.


    The door is open¡­I can grab the girl and run away¡­


    "You fucking brat!"


    Ouyang Haitao tripped backwards, and his head struck hard on the wall behind him. He gasped in pain and fell on his knees, feeling an impact on his neck too.


    "You¡­you¡­" He collapsed on the floor, unable to fight it.


    Jun was shell-shocked himself to see blood flowing out of his head. He only wanted to trip him off balance.


    But he was in no position to think more as the choloform''s effect was kicking in faster and faster.


    I-Is he dead¡­? I didn''t¡­I didn''t mean to¡­kill him¡­I didn''t¡­want¡­to¡­


    Eventually he fell down too, his teary eyes closing themselves.

 Chapter 555 Little Juns Past (5)

    "I won''t forgive you¡­You are a murderer! You killed him! You¡­You are a criminal!"


    Little Jun groggily opened his eyes and a voice filled with animosity echoed in his ears. The scene before him was hazy and unclear but he could see a girl''s figure tremblingly standing on her feet and pointing her finger at him. He heard her sniffling and crying as if it was the end of the world.


    The hatred in the air was so distinct and prickly that it unnerved Jun.


    What happened¡­Who is crying?


    Where am I¡­?


    His memories were messy and out of place which felt frightening, yet he thought as if he was hugging onto something warm and protective. He clutched onto that warmth, his little heart terrified as if he made a very big mistake.


    He rubbed his eyes, feeling dizzy again. He was slipping in and out of consciousness due to the strong after effects of chloroform. So he leaned onto that warmth which was the only source of reassurance to him.


    But the last words of that furious and sobbing girl were stuck in his mind as if it was a vicious curse.


    He woke up a while later, his sight and memories much clearer than before but still with a mild headache. He then realized that his brother was carrying him on his back, holding onto him firmly.


    Jun tilted his head and blinked, feeling slightly tired. "Bro¡­Nian¡­?"


    Nian stopped and turned his head. His eyes brightened, expressing his joy. "Ah my little brother is awake!"


    He couldn''t move his hands as he held him so he lightly bumped his forehead against his. "Is my dearest little brother alright? Are you hurting anywhere?"


    Jun frowned but then nodded. "My head¡­it feels¡­dizzy¡­"


    "Don''t worry. Uncle Liang will help you! Mom''s bro is the best doctor haha!"


    "Bro¡­" Jun was trying to remember what had happened and it all came to him in a flow, making him stiffen.


    "B-Bro! There was a man! He was carrying a girl in his arms. I saw him outside our school! He was acting as if he will do something bad¡­So I was trying to call Dad but he suddenly stood in front of me and-"


    "Jun."


    "Um, he took me with him too because he said that he will stab the girl with him! He took us to a dirty and old apartment and he was very angry¡­"


    "Jun."


    "You know he is the same man who took a big debt from Dad! And he was definitely doing something bad!" Jun was breathlessly rambling everything he remembered in one shot. "Then he came back and wanted to take the girl again¡­So I tried to stop him but he¡­he fell and got hurt¡­" his little face paled. "He was on the floor and b-blood-"


    "Jun!"


    Jun immediately stopped talking.


    Nian slid his hand from Jun''s waist to the top of his head and patted him. "Hai, hai. Remember to breathe first, silly brother or you will feel dizzy again."


    Jun then realized he had been holding onto his breath for too long. He released it and felt better.


    "Bro, how did you find me¡­? My phone was broken."


    Nian smiled. "Dad won''t sit still if any of us disappears, right?"


    "Yes¡­"


    He saw Nian having an odd, melancholic expression. "Bro?"


    Nian bumped his forehead once again and softly said, "Forgive your brothers, Jun. We couldn''t be there when you were taken away. We failed to protect you. We are truly very sorry. You wouldn''t have had to go through something as frightening as a kidnapping had we been there with you."


    Jun pursed his lips. "It''s not your fault Bro. I should have quickly come back to you two when I saw Ouyang Haitao. But I stood there and caught his attention¡­"


    But an impending question loomed in his mind. "Bro¡­how is he now? He was hurt because of me. He is alright now, right?"


    He felt as if there was a second pause before Nian chimed cheerily. "Oh that kidnapper? Yeah he is fine. Dad will take care of him."


    "R-really?"


    "Yes!"


    "But I heard the g-girl cry and say that I kill-"


    "Jun," Nian stared at him with his smile intact. "Everything is fine. Leave it to Dad and the elders now. You are safe thankfully, but you still have minor bruises. So let''s first focus on your treatment, okay?"


    Jun pressed his lips and nodded.


    "Good!"


    "Where is Bro Jian?"


    "Jian¡­Oh there he is talking to Uncle Xuan Hui! Haha the guards were so worried about you too. It was like they combed through the sky and earth to find you," his eyes twinkled, feeling pleased.


    "I should thank Uncle Xuan."


    "You should."


    Xuan Hui hurriedly came to their side and said, "Young master!"


    Jun weakly smiled. "Uncle Xuan. Thank you for all your help¡­"


    He wiped his tears. "Please don''t say like that young master! It''s our duty to protect the Liu family and we are proud to serve you! I am so glad that you are safe."


    Jun truly felt the sincere warmth in his eyes, and his heart blossomed with happiness.


    It was a joyous moment when everybody returned home with Jun unhurt. Nana was the first one to rush to take Jun in her arms.


    "Jun¡­" her eyes were tired and reddened. "Jun¡­Thank God you are safe¡­What would have I done if something had happened to you¡­" her trembling embrace was filled with relief. "You shouldn''t go alone anywhere like this again! You are not an adult to roam around by yourself!"


    Nana didn''t want to scold him, but the fear of losing her son was so real and scary that she didn''t want him to repeat the mistake and put his life in jeopardy again.


    Jun buried his face in her chest and clutched onto her dress. "Sorry Mom¡­I won''t go anywhere alone again. I will not make everyone feel worried again."


    The twins nodded with satisfaction.


    Nana hugged him tighter. "En. Good."


    Nuo and Jin came crying to hug their brother too. Jun smiled and patted their heads. "I am fine now. I am really sorry for making you cry."


    Nuo sniffled. "Bro¡­I will sleep with you tonight!"


    Jin furiously bobbed his head too. "I want to sleep with Bro too!"


    "Sure."


    But as night came, Jun felt uneasy in his sleep. He saw a nightmare of Ouyang Haitao collapsing and blood oozing out of his head. He repeatedly heard the girl crying and cursing him.


    ''You killed him!''


    Jun suddenly woke up with a start with his forehead drenched in sweat and chest heaving breathlessly.

 Chapter 556 Little Juns Past (6)

    "Jun?" Nana quickly hugged him and kissed him. "You woke up so suddenly¡­" she whispered as Jin and Nuo were sleeping on Jun''s either side. The four shared the bed tonight.


    "Did you have a bad dream?"


    Jun tried to smile, but Nana already understood his state. She kissed his forehead as her eyes ached. "You don''t have to be afraid of any nightmare, okay? You are safe now. Everybody is here with you."


    Jun looked at Nana''s worried creases on her forehead and slowly nodded. His heart was still pounding in his chest, but he also didn''t wish to make her anymore anxious.


    "Yes, Mom. I won''t think about the bad things anymore."


    Jun then tried to sleep a lot, but sleep failed to greet him. He shuddered every time he felt the girl''s voices thundering loudly in his mind.


    He suddenly opened his eyes with a thought.


    I forgot to ask Bro about the girl.


    What happened to her? She was also rescued from that man right? Where is she now¡­


    Jun slowly pulled off the duvet from over him and got out of bed. He looked back at Nana who was dozing off too, completely mentally exhausted after today''s incident.


    He stepped out and headed out towards the twins'' room but didn''t find them sleeping there. He blinked, confused.


    Where are the twins? Are they sleeping with Dad?


    So he walked towards Jinhai and Nana''s bedroom and slowed down his pace as he heard some murmurs coming out of his room.


    Jun ever so slightly bulged the door just lightly ajar and saw the twins standing before Jinhai with a frigid countenance.


    A sharp shudder passed down his spine. He had never seen the twins so serious and alarming before.


    Jinhai himself had a grim expression as he thoughtfully stared hard at his sons.


    "So Ouyang Haitao died?"


    Jun froze.


    "Yes," it was Jian who calmly answered.


    Nian silently nodded.


    Jun began to tremble at his spot. The drops of sweat trickled from his temple down to his neck as he was beginning to take shallow gasps.


    That man d-died¡­?


    He clearly remembered how he pushed Ouyang Haitao and how he tripped and collapsed. How his blood dyed the floor red and how hard the girl cried for him later.


    He stared down at his little palms and felt as if he could see them stained in crimson. That illusion frightened him.


    I killed him¡­B-But Bro said that he was f-fine¡­


    I didn''t want to kill him¡­I k-killed a person¡­


    His gasps grew heavier and suffocating.


    "Who is outside?" A sharp, demanding voice echoed.


    The twins rushed to open the door and saw Jun standing frightened and paled as his body shook.


    "Jun!"


    Jinhai widened his eyes and swiftly walked up to his side. He pulled him inside and closed the door. Kneeling down to his level, he held his shoulders and gently asked, "What are you doing so late at night here?"


    Jun parted his lips but his voice failed to come out.


    The twins grabbed him from either side and chirped. "Haha is our little brother unable to sleep without his favorite twins? We knew it! You love us so much hoho!"


    But their attempt to ease the atmosphere failed to stop his trembling. Instead he asked in a stuttered voice, "Th-that man¡­that man is d-dead?"


    A sharp silence descended in the quiet night.


    Jun looked up at his father as tears rolled down his cheeks. "D-Dad, did I really kill him? He-he is d-dead because I pu-pushed him hard¡­Then he fell a-and-"


    "Jun," Jinhai cupped his face and smiled. "What are you talking about? You didn''t kill anybody. Stop having such thoughts."


    "B-But Bro Nian said that he was fine! And now I heard that he is already dead!" The weight of someone''s death made more tears well in his eyes. "That''s b-because I¡­I¡­"


    "You didn''t kill him, Jun," there was a certain unshakeable determination in Jinhai''s voice.


    He watched his father''s eyes very carefully and the more he peered deeper into them, the more he understood what was going on. "You should not defend me because I am your son! Y-you¡­" he was trembling harder, "Why aren''t you scolding me? Why aren''t you p-punishing me? I ki-killed somebody¡­That''s bad¡­The girl was crying too. She was so angry too¡­She loved that man right? B-But I¡­took him away from her," all his color and vitality drained from his face. "I did something bad s-so how can you still not scold me?"


    There was another bout of silence from Jinhai in which the sound of only Jun''s tears were heard in the room. He picked Jun in his arms and sat on the bed.


    Bringing a glass of water near his lips, he said, "Drink some water and try to calm down please."


    Jun took a few sips, but they didn''t help. He felt a tightness in his chest that he never felt before.


    The twins came up to him and pinched his two cheeks. They smiled at him affectionately and said, "You look better when you are annoyed, not when you are crying, little brother."


    "B-But I-"


    "You didn''t kill him," Jian cut him off.


    "He was simply unconscious because of the fall. He wasn''t dead," Nian added. "Indeed he is no more in this world but that isn''t because of you. It happened later."


    Jun refused to believe them. Jinhai, Jian and Nian - he could feel that all three were trying to cover up his crime solely due to the love they held for him.


    "Jun," Jinhai lifted his head and looked into his eyes. He emanated a sense of calm and tranquility as he spoke, "The last thing your mother would allow me to do is to defend our children if they did something wrong. So, no. I am not covering up for you."


    Jun bit his lip hard.


    "There is no reason to because Ouyang Haitao didn''t die because of you," he firmly held his hands and narrowed his eyes, "My son''s hands are not stained with anybody''s blood."


    Tears pooled in his eyes.


    "The skirmish with the guards happened later. That''s what I was asking the twins. He kidnapped my son and threatened to harm you. Naturally, I won''t let him go free, right? He was very well alive even after the accident with you."


    Jun said nothing.


    "And in the event he really would have died because of the fall, it still wouldn''t have been your fault anyway because that was self-defense. There is a difference between self-defense and cold-blooded murder. You are still young to understand it, but I don''t want you to brood over something which never happened because of you in the first place."


    "Th-then the girl¡­"


    "She is in the hospital and in shock. The doctors are currently treating her. I will handle everything related to her and her mother, so you don''t have to worry about them. Jun, everything will be fine. You were always a victim in this mess, not a culprit so never think that you harmed Ouyang Haitao because you didn''t."


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter 557 Missing Part Of A Puzzle

    *Present*


    Ai was in a deep stupor as she listened to Jun''s past. But now that she heard everything, it made sense to her why Zhan Yahui would thirst for revenge.


    "She thinks you killed her father and¡­"


    Jun truly smiled. "When I saw her childhood picture, it all came to me. Dad and the twins were stubborn to convince me that nothing was my fault. But so what¡­? Even if it was self-defense, I killed her father and snatched her happy family from her. Of course, I don''t think for a second that what Zhan Yahui is doing is right," his tone grew icy, "She has crossed way too many limits and brought way too many innocent people to drag me down.


    Bro Zixin, who had nothing to do with her, suffered a deadly accident. Cai Guiying''s feelings and trust was played with. Shui was used, Xing Bi suffered her death and¡­so did you," his voice slightly shook.


    "And since that night I recognized her to be the same girl, I cannot¡­I am not able to forgive myself, Ai¡­" his eyes reddened


    Ai''s eyes widened. "You¡­why are you feeling guilty!? You of all people had been the victim of Ouyang Haitao''s kidnapping! How can you¡­" she pressed her lips, "you are an idiot, Jun."


    She buried her face in his chest and sniffled. "I cannot imagine how terrifying it must have been for a nine year old boy to be kidnapped. You were a child, Jun. It wasn''t your fault."


    "But I cannot help but blame myself, Ai," he hugged her tighter, "Even back then when I came to know about his death, I kept feeling that maybe I shouldn''t have resisted and gone with him instead. I trusted Dad. He would have rescued me anyhow. Then the accident wouldn''t have happened and Zhan Yahui wouldn''t have been filled with such hatred¡­It''s all because of me that this started and she used everybody as her pawns! I now know that¡­your death was also somehow related to her revenge for me! You and Xing Bi somehow got entangled in all this mess and-"


    Ai put her finger on his lips and puffed her cheeks with disappointment. "Now you are taking all the blame upon yourself, Jun and I don''t agree to this. You are overthinking this."


    "No, Ai. I am not overthinking. It''s you who are just like Dad and the twins. You want to console and convince me to think that I am innocent. But after so many people have gotten affected because of one mistake, I cannot sit back and be arrogant about the whole thing."


    Ai flared her nostrils. "Okay, so it''s all your fault. Now what? What do you plan to do? Apologize to Zhan Yahui? Forgive all her wrong deeds and excuse her because apparently, you killed her to-be father."


    He lowered his gaze. "No, Ai. Zhan Yahui will definitely pay for her sins. I won''t forgive her for causing all the domino effect and hurting so many people along the way. But I¡­also cannot¡­not apologize for my¡­" he bit his lip, not able to voice out his feelings.


    "Do you know why you aren''t able to explain it properly? Because you didn''t make any mistake, yet you stubbornly believe that you did. Jun, are you seriously the same man who didn''t even bat an eye before killing the thief in that alley that night?"


    He said nothing.


    "First of all, it was an accident. Secondly, Ouyang Haitao wasn''t an innocent man either. If he really was going to become Zhan Yahui''s father, then where was he going to take her when she was unconscious? What did he want to do with her? Why did he kidnap you because he feared that you would tell everything to Dad? His heart hadn''t been so pure either, Jun."


    "Ai-"


    "Ssh! I won''t hear a single disgracing remark about yourself from you anymore," she stood firm with her words, "Now is the time to stop Zhan Yahui, not play the blame game. Now you close your eyes and sleep."


    Jun smiled and kissed her forehead. "You look cute when you are angry."


    She gave him a displeased look. "Today is my first day living at your house, and you are already making me fight with you."


    "I am sorry," he earnestly said.


    "I am not feeling your sincerity."


    "How do you want to feel my sincerity?" He was hoping to have another round with her to which she deflated that balloon quite ruthlessly.


    "Close your eyes and sleep."


    "..."


    "I was expecting something else."


    "I know, but you are not gonna get it because you have disappointed me. Now if you won''t sleep, then you will disappoint me even more."


    "But I am not sleepy-"


    "Should I shift to live in another room then?"


    That made Jun promptly shut up. "I will sleep."


    He closed his eyes, and Ai patted his head until he really dozed off. She released a small sigh of satisfaction.


    When she saw that Jun was already in deep sleep after some time, she noiselessly got up, wore her clothes and tiptoed out of the room.


    She stood before a door and knocked on it. But she heard no response. In the end, she let herself in Jian''s room, who was busy playing a video game with his headphones on. Clearly, the sound was at full volume.


    She walked up to his side and poked his shoulder. Jian looked up and gasped. He almost stumbled off his chair. "You! When did you come inside?"


    "When you didn''t open the door despite my incessant knocking."


    "You scared me!" He complained.


    "..."


    Can I really scare the twins?


    Jian grinned. "What are you doing here by the way?" He gasped again. "Wait, don''t tell me that you got tired of Jun and fell for me instead? It''s just your first day here and my charms have already got you?"


    "..."


    Jian sighed. "I am sorry, Ai. I appreciate your feelings for me, but I am deeply in love with my girlfriend. Also, you cannot break my little brother''s heart so cruelly," he seriously and responsibly explained.


    "I think I should let Mom hear you out too."


    He broke into cold sweat. "Haha Ai! I am just joking! Of course I know how much you love Jun!" He gulped back his saliva.


    "Can you call Nian here too? I want to talk to you two about something."


    "Cool."


    Nian popped in two minutes later, and he beamed seeing Ai. "My dearest sister-in-lawwwwww!" He jumped to her side and squished his cheek against hers. "You are in Jian''s room like this. Don''t tell me you got tired of Jun? Wait, you didn''t come to my room so does that mean that I am not charming enough for you!?" He cried fake tears.


    Her brow twitched. "You twins are always so in sync."


    "Hehe, I know right?"


    "Which will entertain me a lot when Mom will punish you two in sync too."


    "..."


    Nian wiped his forehead. "I was just joking, hehe¡­"


    Ai then faced them and said, "I have something important to ask you two."


    "Yes?" They tilted their heads simultaneously and blinked.


    Really in sync¡­


    She cleared her throat and looked at them with a grim countenance. "Jun told me about the kidnapping incident of his childhood."


    "Oh¡­" their expressions didn''t change much. "And?"


    "I feel there is a big part of a puzzle missing which Jun doesn''t know."


    They cocked their brows up.


    "Did something happen during the time Jun was unconscious?"

 Chapter 558 Your Power And My Brain

    "She didn''t?"


    Zhan Yahui wrinkled her brows uneasily as she talked to a certain someone on the phone.


    "Yes. Shi Huan refused to meet her."


    She slightly gritted her teeth in annoyance. Her plan was to make Shi Huan fall into a deeper pit by making her look like a villain who threatened Cui Fen to take the blame. They had prepared the arrangements for that too.


    Wasn''t Huan desperate to prove the truth to the world, especially for Chen Yunru''s sake? Then why would she refuse to meet Cui Fen?


    She released a sigh in exasperation.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Yes."


    "I don''t think so."


    Zhan Yahui confessed. "I am just irritated¡­I did become Shi Publishing''s CEO as we had planned, but instead of feeling that I am closer to my goal, I am getting restless."


    "This is just a minor bump. We will think of something else to trap Shi Huan."


    "But we have to do it sooner! It''s just on the surface that I want to prove her innocence. But you know that I want to ruin her career forever. I cannot let Liu Jun prove her innocence before I do anything. Everything¡­I want everything in my control!"


    There was a pause. "Why are you being so negative?"


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. "Because it feels that there is something going on with Liu Jun that I am not aware of. After Chen Zixin''s accident, he knew who to look for. Fang Wuhan, who I had initially decided to use against Chen Zixin to take the blame for the accident, was suddenly captured by Liu Jun. Why only him? At the Author Summit, I bribed the judges to make Guiying win but somehow Ai ended up winning the competition! Even that shitty personality of Guiying threatened to ruin me, but how did she come to know the truth that I was using her?"


    Silence.


    "I wanted the misunderstanding regarding MrPerfect to last longer so that I could keep using her against him, but somehow Liu Jun resolved it and also convinced her that I was behind everything from the beginning. He wanted to see Chen Zixin''s laptop to know the identity of the woman he was chatting with, which was why we had to burn it down, but why did he know that he had to do that? Just how did he figure out my involvement?"


    "You¡­"


    "Even Guiying happened to meet Chen Zixin after the accident and somehow they ended up getting closer. That''s why the deal with MrPerfect got revealed so soon. If not for the meetings that she hid from me, she wouldn''t have reached the truth of the identity mismatch!"


    She clasped her temples, feeling annoyed. "It''s like¡­Liu Jun is one step ahead of me, and I don''t like this!"


    "It might be like that for now but not forever. He is not in a position to run Sky Publishing for some time. I did tell you that Liu Jun and Zhou Ai fell extremely sick. On top of that, Liu Jin had an accident too. He is weak now which is why we have to strike the hardest now."


    She sneered. "Yeah. It''s the perfect chance. But did you learn what exactly happened to him? We could use it against him if we want."


    "No. I checked. Liu Jin''s case is quite clear. It was a car accident. But what happened to Liu Jun and Zhou Ai is still a mystery. Even the doctors aren''t able to figure out why they suddenly collapsed."


    She frowned.


    Strange¡­


    She was happy to see Jun weak and vulnerable but not knowing the reason made her dissatisfied.


    The voice asked, "What will you do if he wants to meet you? Indeed I have done my best to hide your identity, but Zhu Chyou is quite admirable too. I don''t think we can hide your real connection to him for very long."


    She laughed with a pure evil ring to it. "It is a head-on war now. I don''t have any obligation to meet him or hear what he has to say. Will he apologize to me or refuse to accept his sin? Will he kneel before me in guilt or defend himself like a coward? I don''t care. Now, I will only meet Liu Jun when I would have thoroughly destroyed him. This war will end only when I win."


    Zhan Yahui looked up at the ceiling and smiled. "And so let''s begin that downfall with our first target. Sun Bai."


    ¡ª


    The next day at Chen villa.


    ''Guiying'' was in her new room, sitting cross-legged on the bed and in deep thought. ''She'' heard a knock on the door and said, "Come in."


    Zixin promptly stepped in and looked at her with a smile. "It''s breakfast time. Should we head down together?"


    "Sure but first I have to think about something," ''she'' answered without looking at him.


    Zixin observed ''her'' squinted gaze as if ''she'' looked like a predator on a hunt. Which also made him realize that it was the alter ego right now.


    He walked up to her and curiously asked, "What are you thinking about?"


    ''She'' sneered. "What my sole aim is. To ruin Zhan Yahui."


    "Oh."


    ''Guiying'' lazily leaned back her palms on the bed and looked up. ''She'' stared at Zixin and Zixin, noticing her gaze, sincerely peered into her eyes too. He didn''t know why ''she'' was staring like that, nevertheless he was happy to oblige.


    "You," ''Guiying'' said thoughtfully, "are a rich man."


    He nodded.


    "You are very influential too."


    He nodded again.


    ''Guiying'' raised her brow as an idea came to her. "So why don''t you help me?"


    Zixin beamed. Joy blossomed in his heart to know that ''Guiying'' wanted his help with something.


    "I will," he replied earnestly and immediately.


    "You don''t even know what I want to ask of you. What if I want your help in killing someone?"


    "I will help you bury the body," Zixin seriously said.


    ''Her'' brow twitched.


    "Yeah how I wish I could kill that Zhan Yahui. But killing is boring. I will do something else instead. So I will use your power and my brain to achieve that goal," ''she'' sneered, "It will be fun~"

 Chapter 559 Hope For Togetherness Always

    The same morning, Jin was also discharged from the hospital and brought back home. Nana and the family welcomed him with a warm hug. "You are finally home¡­" she looked at him with misty eyes.


    She stared at the bandages wrapping his forehead and pressed her lips. Jin pouted and held her face. "Mom, I am all healthy now. Look? The injuries on my head are just minor scratches. So please don''t cry anymore," he said, wiping her eyes. "Hmph, in fact the doctor was really annoying! I wanted to return yesterday itself, but he was so adamant upon me staying for a night more."


    Nana lightly tapped on his head. "You shouldn''t be stubborn about the wrong things. We only want to see you completely recovered."


    Liu Hai patted hard on his back. "Hohoho, Jini-boy is all fine now, Nana dear! Look, he is so pleased to be back home to be with his Grandpa!"


    Jin looked at him with disdain.


    Liu Chunhua scolded him. "Are you patting my grandson or smacking him? Get away from Jin, you idiot!" She dragged him away despite his protests.


    Nuo grinned and hugged him tightly. "Finally, it''s a home sweet home! Now leave everything to your big sis! I will take full responsibility for nursing you back to health."


    He grinned back. "You are the best, sis."


    He then looked beside Nuo and noticed Jun staring at him with relief and joy evident in his eyes.


    Jun took a step forward and held his shoulders. A warm and affectionate smile laced his lips as he pulled him in a hug. "Good to see you back, Jin."


    Jin brightened and wrapped his hands around his back. "Bro!"


    Nuo sheepishly grinned, feeling joyous to see her family united again. Her gaze fell on Nana, who looked as if she was in a trance. She noticed her staring at Jun and Jin with moist irises.


    Nuo whispered, "Mom, are you alright? Why are you crying?" She pouted. "Look, everybody is home now."


    Nana blinked, her stupor breaking. She clasped her hands together, softly shaking her head. "Nothing, my dear. I just¡­felt very happy seeing Jun and Jin¡­t-together as brothers¡­"


    She chuckled. "Of course, they would be together. Bro Jun and Jin are the closest haha. Jin follows Bro Jun everywhere like a cute puppy hehe. But don''t tell Jin or he will be mad at me~"


    Nana laughed with tears in her eyes and with a glint of wistfulness in them. "Yes¡­They are the closest. I pray and hope that they¡­always be the closest like this and that nothing drives them apart¡­" she whispered to herself, "not again¡­"


    Jun patted his brother''s head and smiled. "You should only focus on resting now."


    He sighed. "Bro, I will get bored with so much resting."


    "Shut up. You have suffered a concussion. Be quiet. The only job you have now is to sleep on the bed."


    Jin gave a dissatisfied look, making him chuckle. Jun gave a look around and asked, "Shui didn''t come with you?"


    He slightly stiffened.


    Nuo remembered. "Oh yes! Where is Shui? I thought she would accompany you too!"


    "A-Ah no¡­I mean there wasn''t any need for her to come, so I let her go back," he smiled.


    Liu Chunhua came back, dusting her hands after taking care of her husband and said, "How could you send her back? Do you know how worried Shui was for you? She stayed by your side the whole time and you just sent her back. We wanted to thank her too!" She harrumphed. "Nana even cooked her favorite dishes for her."


    Jin looked slightly awkward. "S-Sorry I just thought Shui was really tired. So, I sent her back to rest¡­"


    "Hm, well you are right about that too. Haha no worries! We will treat her to a good meal later!" She chirped.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Yes, Jin. Be sure to invite Shui next time."


    Jin could sense the sharpness in his tone. "Of course. Sis can talk to her and-"


    "It''s you who is going to invite her, Jin," It was Nana who cut him off and sternly corrected him. "She has been there with you every single time and has diligently taken care of you like a¡­good friend. It''s only fair that you repay her kindness, right?"


    He replied after a short pause, "...Yeah, Mom."


    Jun stared into his gaze that Jin kept averting from him.


    I knew it. I thought Jin wanted to repair his relationship with Shui, but it seems like there is still something else that is stopping him.


    But isn''t everything resolved now? So why is Jin hesitating so much?


    Jin quickly tried to shift the topic. "Mom, I am super hungry now! Let''s sit for breakfast already!"


    He noticed Jun''s eyes that said, ''I know what you are trying to do.'' which he ignored and looked away.


    Hearing the mention of breakfast, Liu Hai came back to life and laughed. "Yes, it''s food time and this time it will be even more fun!"


    "Huh? More fun? Why?" Jin shuddered. "What are you plotting? Whatever it is, keep me away from your plans!"


    "Shut up, Jini-boy!" He glared at him. "I am not plotting anything. In fact, there is one more person joining us from now on, hohoho!"


    Jin looked confused. "Who-"


    His jaw dropped seeing Ai arrive with the twins from upstairs. He pointed his trembling finger at her and asked, "Don''t tell me that one more person is Zhou Ai?"


    Nuo clapped. "Yes! Tadah! Sister-in-law and Bro Jun will be living with us here from now on! It will be so fun, right?"


    His face blackened. "It''s not fun for me! I don''t like Zhou Ai at all!"


    Ai furrowed her brows. "Lying is not a good habit, Jin. I know that you like me a lot," she nodded sincerely.


    The twins chimed in. "Just like he super loves his elder twins too~ He is just a shy boy~"


    He gnashed his jaw. "Shut up you three! When did you join hands with these troublemakers, Zhou Ai?"


    "Hey! Don''t try to brainwash her!"


    Jun left Jin and Zhou Ai to their own banter and went ahead towards the dining table. He got a message from Sky and raised his brow as he read the news circulating in the media now.


    ''Sky''s Chief Editor Sun Bai is a cold-blooded murderer!''

 Chapter 560 Skys Press Conference (1)

    Sun Bai trembled as she read the news hitting viral everywhere. Her fair face turned white as if she saw a ghost.


    Murderer¡­.


    The day she had been dreading about was finally here. Tears plopped down before she knew it and breathless gasps escaped her lips.


    Lu Bohai¡­It must be him. It has to be him. H-He revealed everything¡­


    And it was indeed that way. The news circulating said how Lu Bohai revealed Sun Bai to have killed his elder brother, Lu Long two years ago. It was deemed to be an accident, but it was a carefully plotted murder by Sun Bai, who wanted to live a lavish lifestyle but he didn''t have enough money to afford it. Things heated up into a big argument one day where she killed him in a fit of anger.


    When Lu Bohai learned about it, he promised to give justice to his elder brother, but Sun Bai threatened to expose his affair to his girlfriend. He, who was guilty himself, couldn''t resist her threat to his relationship.


    Sun Bai hugged herself, distraught with the vicious memories flowing into her mind and cracking the space where she had kept them hidden. But she snapped out of it and wiped her tears.


    I have no time to lose!


    She paced back and forth in her room, her heart pounding in her chest and not knowing what to do next.


    What will Sir Liu Jun think? I betrayed him¡­He will fire me away¡­


    Then where will I go¡­?


    Now that this truth is out, who will take me in for work anyway?


    No, I am an idiot.


    What work? What new life? Wouldn''t I be arrested at any time now?


    Sun Bai collapsed on the couch, burying her face in her palms. She broke down and cried for a long time, feeling bare and helpless.


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui smiled in satisfaction, seeing her intention spreading like wildfire everywhere. People on the internet couldn''t believe that Sky was housing a murderer among its workforce, which threw a lot of mud on the CEO''s face.


    First, Sun Bai leaked Ai''s drafts to the rival company and now she was accused of murder and by none other than the victim''s brother.


    "I would love to see how you get yourself out of this pinch, Liu Jun," her eyes gleamed with iciness and hostility.


    Her phone rang with a call she didn''t want to pick, but she had no choice.


    "Yes, Mrs. Shi."


    Shi Zhelan sneered. "You seemed to have gotten quite comfortable in your new position, haven''t you?"


    Zhan Yahui squinted her eyes. "What do you mean, Mrs. Shi?"


    "I mean you surely haven''t forgotten why you were handed over the temporary CEO position, have you? It was to prove my Huan is innocent, but I haven''t seen you do anything regarding that. The suspicions on her keep getting deeper, but Miss. Zhan seems to not care. Weren''t you brought in to save Shi Publishing''s reputation? I don''t see you doing that at all."


    She smiled. "Things are quite complicated, Mrs. Shi. The author at Sky has her own evidence to have written her story before your daughter did. I am trying my best to reach her out and talk things out, but Sky isn''t letting me. Why would they? Sky wants to protect their own reputation."


    "Nonsense. Liu Jun stood up for Chen Yunru and Huan when the allegations came up. He was dismissing his own author''s claims and you are saying he isn''t letting you meet her? Are you sure you are not trying to fool me?"


    "I won''t get anything by fooling you, Mrs. Shi. I will prove Shi Huan innocent. Rest assured."


    "Well let''s see. If you think you can escape your promise after gaining the CEO''s seat, then you are wrong. I am watching you very closely. One mistake and I will take everything back from you," she hung up.


    Zhan Yahui gritted her teeth and threw her phone away. "Who the fuck is she to talk to me with such an arrogant attitude!?"


    She only had plans to save Huan on the surface but wanted to trap her in reality.


    "If only she had met Cui Fen that day¡­I don''t know why the hell was she so adamant about not meeting?"


    She let out some deep breaths, trying to calm herself.


    "Mrs. Shi is such a fool. As if I will let go of my position so easily now. Nobody can snatch it away from me."


    She shrugged and chuckled. "Who cares about Shi Huan right now anyway? The murder charge on Sun Bai is even a graver pitfall that Jun has fallen into. He has to deal with that first."


    ¡ª


    Sky Publishing.


    Sun Bai held her bag closer to her chest as she stood at Sky office''s entrance. She stepped in after much contemplation, her heart thudding in her chest. She felt like a time bomb ticking somewhere that would explode as soon as she would come inside.


    But contrary to her expectations, not even a soul gave her any twisted stare or gossiped about her. She was stupefied to see all employees working quietly at their desks without a hint of complaint.


    Why is it so quiet?


    Sun Bai had mentally prepared herself to be subjected to criticism and harsh words. She had imagined herself to be the target of everybody''s vicious gazes.


    But shockingly, things hadn''t turned out like that.


    Confused and bewildered, Sun Bai continued to walk towards the CEO''s office when she heard her name being called out.


    "Miss. Sun!"


    Xing Bi came running to her side. "I was waiting for you."


    Sun Bai stiffened. "...Hello, Miss. Xing."


    She thought that at least Xing Bi would angrily confront her about the news but instead, she grabbed her hand and pulled her. "Come quickly, Miss. Sun. Jun- *cough* I mean, Sir is waiting for you in his office."


    Her face paled. Her intention was to meet Jun indeed, but now she felt her legs trembling.


    "I-I¡­"


    "Don''t think much and just come with me."


    When they reached Jun''s office, Sun Bai froze like an ice block. It wasn''t because she was facing Jun but apart from Jun, there were many other faces she was staring at.


    And every single one of them being a news reporter.


    She recognized some people who were present at Sky''s anniversary celebration too.


    I-Is this a¡­press conference?

 Chapter 561 Skys Press Conference (2)

    Jun saw Sun Bai standing at the door and said, "Come in, Miss. Sun."


    Sun Bai carefully stepped in under the tight scrutiny of the reporters. She took a glance at Jun and Ai, who was calmly accompanying him. Ai stared at Sun Bai and gave her a nod.


    Xing Bi stood beside Hou Lin and nervously whispered, "I hope everything turns out to be alright."


    Hou Lin nodded back. "Sir will handle it, rest assured."


    "Good."


    Jun smiled. "Good to see you, Miss. Sun. You came at the right time. It''s at the last moment, but I kept this press conference to clarify some things, including the recent news going viral about you."


    Sun Bai could feel her knees trembling, yet she stood with a straight back and faced him. "I understand that there has been some disturbing news spreading about me. That''s why I came to clarify my stand."


    Truthfully, she wanted to talk to Jun alone, but this press conference suited her too. In the end, she thought that everything would be revealed anyway and she would go to jail. The exposure was inevitable.


    Jun raised his brow. "What do you want to say?"


    She remained silent for a few moments and organized her thoughts and breaths. She looked into Ai''s eyes and was surprised to see that they imitated Xing Bi''s gaze. There wasn''t any hint of anger or accusation in them.


    She said, "It is indeed true that Lu Long died because of me."


    She expected the reporters to burst into a flurry of urgent whispers and immediate questions to grill her but shockingly, they were very quiet. She peeked at them and found it to be very odd.


    She continued. "Lu Long and I were indeed in a relationship for some time. But things turned sour between us slowly and we drifted apart. But one day, the argument went too far and I killed him in a fit of anger."


    Sun Bai could sense discomfort and some shuffling noises coming from the reporters'' side.


    "I begged his younger brother, Lu Bohai, to help me and stay silent about this-"


    "Begged?" Jun narrowed his eyes. "Lu Bohai says that you threatened him."


    Sun Bai stiffened. "A-Ah yes. I mean yes, I threatened him¡­"


    "Threatened him how?" It was Ai who asked her this time.


    "Huh?"


    "How did you threaten him?"


    "I¡­" Sun Bai couldn''t exactly remember what Lu Bohai''s exact statement was. She only read that she was accused of being a murderer and just had a cursory glance over the article. She didn''t bother to read more because she knew Lu Bohai would have added his own twist, which she didn''t care about at a stage when she was soon going to jail anyway.


    She looked left and right and quickly said, "K-kill him¡­I threatened to kill him if he didn''t help me out¡­"


    Silence.


    Jun asked, "Have you completely read the article?"


    Sun Bai felt that something was off. "I did¡­"


    "So what do you have to say about the fact that Lu Bohai said that you threatened to expose his affair to his girlfriend?"


    She couldn''t control the frown from appearing on her forehead as if questioning the legitimacy of that claim.


    Jun gave a signal to Yunru at his side and he nodded. Yunru went out and came back a moment later with Lu Bohai.


    Sun Bai and Lu Bohai exchanged gazes and stiffened.


    But he quickly took charge and lashed out. "I am sorry but I cannot help you anymore, you bitch! You threatened me long enough, but I cannot go on like this! I won''t hide anymore that you¡­you killed my brother! I feel so guilty for being under your thumb for so long but this ends now!"


    Jun tapped his finger on the desk, bringing his attention to a cold and murderous presence. "Did I ask you to speak?"


    "I was just-"


    "Did I ask you to speak or not?"


    "No..."


    "Then zip your mouth shut, or the only way you could talk next time would be through pen and paper," his threat quietly resonated in the office.


    Sun Bai stared at the reporters with uneasiness clearly apparent in their expressions.


    Is that why they are so quiet and obedient?


    Lu Bohai looked like a tamed puppy in front of Jun''s demanding pressure.


    Jun then leaned back on his seat and tilted his head. "Sun Bai has something interesting to say that she threatened you with your life, not with your relationship."


    Lu Bohai widened his eyes.


    "I am puzzled here. A threat to life is more dire than a threat to a relationship usually. So what exactly did she threaten you with?"


    His movements became jittery. "N-No I mean, yes! She did say that she would kill me!"


    Jun chuckled. "So it''s hard to believe that you, who actually suffered by her hands, would actually tone down the threat instead of magnifying it."


    "T-that¡­"


    "On that note, let me ask you about your girlfriend. Who is she?"


    Lu Bohai fidgeted the collar of his shirt. "A-A woman¡­I met in my company¡­"


    "Oh? How long have you been together?"


    "Four years!" He quickly replied.


    "Four years is a good time. And you cheated on her."


    Lu Bohai lowered his head. "I am very ashamed of myself¡­"


    Jun said, "Call your girlfriend. I want to talk to her."


    "W-what?"


    "Call your girlfriend."


    "Right n-now?"


    "Did my question mean some other time?"


    Lu Bohai swallowed hard.


    Jun tilted his head. "You look uncomfortable. Is there a problem?"


    "N-no that''s¡­"


    "We don''t have time to waste. If you are not doing it then I will find her myself."


    He froze. "No!" He exclaimed. "The t-truth is that we broke up! So¡­so we are not in contact anymore¡­"


    Ai squinted her eyes. "You say you broke up with her?"


    "Yeah¡­I-I was quite depressed, so I didn''t tell anyone."


    "Oh. But if you already broke up with her, then it means that you didn''t have to worry about the threat anymore. So, why didn''t you come forward before and expose Sun Bai?"

 Chapter 562 Skys Press Conference (3)

    "N-No that I mean of course I wanted to expose her!"


    "But you didn''t," Ai affirmed.


    Lu Bohai felt it more and more difficult to dodge their questions. "We¡­My girlfriend and I a-actually broke up not just long ago! It was painful for a while but as soon as I gathered myself, I swore I would expose this bitch who killed my brother!"


    Sun Bai didn''t respond.


    Jun said, "Not broke up just long ago. It''s getting difficult for me to trust you. So call your ex-girlfriend right now and I will talk to her."


    He froze.


    "Let us compare some numbers here," Jun smiled.


    "It''s not¡­. really necessary¡­" he began to sweat.


    "I will decide what''s necessary and what''s not. Call her already. Don''t waste my time."


    But Lu Bohai only fumbled with his phone, his fingers shaking as he swiped left and right.


    Ai asked, "Does it take so long to find her number?"


    "No I-I¡­"


    "Or did you already delete her number?"


    "Y-Yes! I a-actually deleted her number after we¡­"


    Jun chuckled. "And you don''t remember it? Didn''t you date her for four years? I am pretty sure that any guy would have memorized it by now."


    Lu Bohai stuttered but was unable to give any satisfying answer.


    "Now that your shitty story is exposed which never made any sense to begin with, I will move on to Sun Bai."


    He stared at Jun, aghast. "Shitty story? I-I am telling the truth, Sir!"


    "That we will know about once Sun Bai starts talking about the real deal."


    Sun Bai felt on edge. Her fingers twitched and squirmed as she said, "Real deal? I don''t understand, Sir."


    Jun tilted his head. "It was me who had interviewed you when you had applied for a job here, right?"


    "Yes, Sir."


    "Hm. I was looking for a good and talented editor who I could make Sky''s Chief Editor in the future without any worries. So I personally took interviews. And I had noticed that you were fidgeting similarly then just like you are doing now."


    Sun Bai blinked.


    "Your gaze seemed very afraid and cautious too. At first, I thought it was the interview jitters. Everybody goes through that. But then I felt as if you felt like saying something to me at one point. I did tell you that you were free to ask me or tell me anything you had in your mind."


    She stiffened.


    "But after much struggle within yourself, you didn''t. I found that very odd. So I looked into your problem."


    Her eyes slowly widened.


    Jun glanced at the reporters once and then back at her. "I came to know about your relationship with Lu Long, the fact that he was no more and that you were responsible for killing him."


    Lu Bohai brightened as soon as he heard that. He couldn''t control his joy. "See! I told you that she is guilty! She killed my brother and continued to live her life as if she did nothing!"


    Jun''s expression turned frigid. "I think you didn''t understand the first time when I said that you are not allowed to speak unless I tell you to."


    He jolted back in pure fear. He had never seen a man who could leak such an imposing and killing aura.


    "This is the last warning or you will seriously write on pen and paper from now on."


    Jun glanced back at Sun Bai after scaring the shit out of Lu Bohai and said, "You said that a big argument took place between you two and you killed him in a fit of anger."


    "Y-Yes¡­" Sun Bai was still in a trance after knowing that Jun was already aware of what she had done.


    "But it wasn''t an argument," Jun stated. "You struck him as an act of self-defense when he tried to force himself on you."


    The reporters couldn''t control their gasps and they stared at Sun Bai, wide-eyed.


    Sun Bai jerked her head towards him, stupefied. "That''s¡­"


    "The truth. You were paying all the expenses in your relationship and Lu Long was getting greedier and greedier. He was living off you instead of working on any decent job himself. You broke up being unable to bear it. But he kept pestering you. One day it broke into a huge fight where he wanted to punish you for not listening to him and stopping the money flow."


    Her eyes watered and she trembled.


    "During that resistance and escape, you struck him hard with a knife to protect yourself. You took him to the hospital but it was too late and he died of blood loss. When the police questioned you, you panicked and lied that it was a thief who broke in and stabbed him. You found him later and brought him to the hospital."


    Sun Bai clutched her bag with all her strength. She felt breathless as those memories came back to her.


    "I already knew about your and Lu Long''s relationship and about his death too. You were totally panicking during the interview and later I knew why. You didn''t have a problem admitting what you did, but you have a little sister who is studying abroad. It''s in your employee record too that you have a younger sister. You have no parents, and you are the sole provider of her education fees and the rest of her expenses. If you went to jail, your sister would suffer, which you didn''t want."


    Sun Bai wanted to refute but her reactions gave her out. Thinking of that traumatizing evening and then about her sister who needed her - she couldn''t stop her eyes from getting moist anymore.


    "Y-You already knew¡­?"


    "Yes. Naturally, I learned what you were trying to tell me during your interview."


    Sun Bai was stupefied. "And you still h-hired me!?"


    Even the reporters were zapped with the same question.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "I needed your excellent skills, and you were the perfect choice for that. It''s not like you murdered Lu Long with cold calculation. It was self-defense. Your dignity was at stake. And a certain someone has pounded into me the meaning of acting in self-defense very deeply," he coughed as he pointed his statement at Ai.


    Ai harrumphed and nodded.


    It was just last night when Jun was in complete self-blame mode of killing Ouyang Haitao. Sun Bai was in a similar position as him.


    Jun cleared his throat and continued. "I admire how you remained strong for your sister''s sake and also the fact that you really did want to confess the truth to me despite knowing that I could very well reject you. Any normal boss would."


    "S-so why did you not¡­?"


    Jun chuckled. "When have the Liu''s ever been normal?"

 Chapter 563 Skys Press Conference (4)

    Jun faced the reporters and said, "For the world, it may be now that you are knowing all this, but I knew from before. Considering what Sun Bai went through, do you think that I housed a murderer in Sky?"


    The reporters took this as a cue that they had the permission to speak so one cautiously asked, "B-But is there any evidence¡­? Can Miss. Sun not lie to protect herself?"


    "If she lied to protect herself, would she have come to Sky today? I didn''t call her. She came on her own to confess everything instead of running away from the police."


    He said nothing.


    "But if you want evidence then¡­"


    At his signal, Yunru took out a file and snorted. "This is Lu Long''s whole life history. Read it for yourself how he was a player and has harassed women on many occasions. He was a repeated offender and lived a very irresponsible lifestyle. Is it so hard to believe Sun Bai now?"


    Sun Bai clenched her fist. During the police interrogation, she had come to know that Lu Long had criminal records, which had only broken her heart further.


    The reporters quickly went through all the papers and were stunned to read it. They stared at Lu Bohai. "So, Mr. Lu Bohai must have known why Miss. Sun attacked him. Then why would you play as a victim?"


    Jun smiled. "You caught on to it. Why not Lu Bohai give that answer?"


    Lu Bohai was startled with everybody''s attention. "I-I didn''t know about this at all!"


    Yunru grimaced. "Shut up. You have always come to the police station on his multiple bail occasions. Even so you will feign ignorance about your brother''s horrible behavior!?"


    He trembled.


    Jun narrowed his eyes and got up. His every step towards him felt like pressure building upon his shoulders. Jun said, "Start talking the truth. It wasn''t that you were threatened but the other way around."


    "No¡­!"


    Xing Bi came forward and said, "Don''t lie! I saw you talking to Sun Bai that day at the restaurant. You were clearly demanding something from her and it was obvious that you were in charge of the conversation and not her. Now I understand what happened. You were threatening her that day to help you with Ai''s drafts so that you could save your job! And Sun Bai was reluctant and protesting, but you kept tormenting her!"


    Lu Bohai widened his eyes.


    Fuck, this woman was there at that time!?


    She further added. "If you all don''t believe me, you can check the restaurant''s CCTV footage of that day. I was with Liu Nian just sitting at the very next table from Sun Bai''s," she harrumphed. "Then on that night when I saw her so late at Sky, she was actually transferring Ai''s drafts into her device to give it to you because you had threatened her!"


    "B-But she killed my brother! Why would I threaten her!? This doesn''t make sense!" He cried.


    Jun sneered. "It makes perfect sense when you hardly shared any close bonds with your brother. In fact, he was just a burden to you especially with criminal records on his back. You actually felt thankful to Sun Bai for the good riddance. But¡­"


    He squinted his eyes and his voice echoed with a deadly warning. "But you decided to use it against Sun Bai when you saw her frightened for her sister''s sake. You must have said something like, ''If you don''t want me to expose your crime to your sister and her University, you will do as I say.'' Naturally, Sun Bai, who was so concerned about her future and life, gave in to your threat. Even today, she was only trying to hide the truth simply because she felt too ashamed to reveal about the attempted sexual assault on her, especially by the very same person who was her boyfriend at one point."


    Tears fell down Sun Bai''s eyes, and she broke down. It was evident for anybody present in the room that the fear and shame reflecting in her eyes was real.


    But soon, she felt Ai''s warm embrace take her in. "Nothing is your fault, Sun Bai. You don''t have to feel ashamed either."


    "Miss. Zhou¡­"


    "Ssh. You did everything to protect your sister and even though Lu Bohai threatened to expose you and put a risk on your sister''s life, you still decided not to betray Sky and leak my drafts," Ai sniffled. "You have no idea how much that means to me, Miss. Sun¡­You were ready to put everything at stake for me and be just and fair until the very end. None other things matter to me."


    Xing Bi hugged her too and said, "Ai is totally right! Also, it shouldn''t be you who should feel ashamed of anything. Lu Long and his brother Lu Bohai, should feel ashamed of treating women as objects they can use! Your dead brother and you¡­" she gritted her teeth, throwing deadly glares at Lu Bohai, "both should rot in hell! He took advantage of her and so did you! Pathetic!"


    Lu Bohai felt cornered on all sides. "N-No! You have to trust me! This-this woman is lying! A-are you seriously falling for her fake tears who stabbed my brother!?"


    The temperature dropped pretty quickly when Jun grabbed Lu Bohai''s neck, choking him.


    The reporters gasped. "M-Mr. Liu, what are you doing!?"


    "Punishing someone who talks shit about my family. Everybody working in Sky is my family as much as my parents and siblings. You tried to harm a member of my family which I won''t tolerate at any cost."


    Jun''s dark brown irises sent a sharp shudder down his neck.


    "I¡­I¡­!" He was breathless.


    "So tell me. What punishment should I give you?" Jun asked with a sinister smile. "Which bone of your body should I break first?"


    His face paled in terror.


    "N-No please!" He gasped, trying to break free but all in vain. "Please s-spare me! I-I didn''t do it myself¡­It was somebody else w-who told me to expose Sun Bai!"

 Chapter 564 Skys Press Conference (5)

    "What?"


    The reporters had confused and appalled expressions as they hadn''t expected a third party to have been interfering with Sky''s affairs.


    "What is going on?"


    "Wasn''t Lu Bohai acting independently?"


    "Now he is saying that someone was coercing him?"


    Ai slightly shifted in her place, holding her breath.


    Was it this moment that Lu Bohai will utter Zhan Yahui''s name? Will he expose her?


    She felt a sense of trepidation in her heart that she never felt before as if a curtain over a long drawn battle would soon come to a close.


    Jun, on the side, was calmer than the unease that Ai was feeling. It didn''t matter to him if Lu Bohai exposed Zhan Yahui''s name or not. The identity wasn''t of that importance as much as the fact that somebody had been pulling the strings behind this nasty game of revenge.


    "I see. And who the person might be?" He asked in a placid and unhurried tone.


    "I don''t know! I-I swear I don''t know!" He cried for his life. "That person just used to tell me what I need to do! I-including threatening Sun Bai!"


    Sun Bai parted her lips in disbelief.


    It was all under orders?


    One of the reporters sharply asked, "Isn''t it too convenient now? Are you pinning the blame on someone else now that you have nowhere to run?"


    "No!" He vigorously shook his head. "I am telling the truth! They promised me that will shower me with loads of cash and a-a promotion where my job would never be on the line..."


    "They?"


    "I don''t know if it''s a man or woman."


    Jun showed no change in his expressions.


    Another reporter pitched in. "Then there must be some form of communication going on between you and that person, right?"


    "I-I did-!" Lu Bohai naturally had communicated to the person secretly giving him orders but it dawned upon him that he had no proof of it.


    Jun smiled. "Doesn''t this make this easier? Show us all your call and messages records?"


    He started growing paler and paler because he had no evidence. He quickly took out his phone and desperately swiped up and down on his phone but as expected, he found nothing.


    Sweat was trickling down the side of his ear. "I don''t h-have any messages or records...They get auto deleted after some time! But I am not tricking anybody this time! Please! You have to believe me!" He fell to his knees, begging Jun to trust him.


    Everybody was stunned at his shamelessness. "This is preposterous! You blackmail a woman, expose her on somebody''s orders but you don''t have anything to prove their involvement?"


    "This man is definitely wrapping us around his words. He thinks we are stupid to believe him-"


    They immediately quietened down, sensing Jun''s cold gaze. "Stupid? Yeah like how you were so quick to point fingers at Sun Bai. Like how you didn''t waste any time blaming President Chen Yunru and Shi Huan. Like how you jumped at the chance of tarnishing my company''s reputation. Where was your intelligence and the responsibility to find the truth at that time?"


    They stiffened in embarrassment and looked away.


    Jun looked back at Lu Bohai, expressionless. "I don''t need any evidence. I already knew you wouldn''t have any. Just like the Summit''s bribed judges didn''t have anything either."


    It took a few moments for people present to grasp the connection but soon, a series of gasps echoed.


    "Summit? As in the Author''s Summit which occurred on Valentine''s Day?"


    "There was news covered that the judges were bribed to make Cai Guiying win!"


    "But nothing really happened after that..."


    "He cannot possibly mean that that person and this culprit are the same?"


    "T-this is unbelievable! It''s been a while since the Summit took place. Do you mean that Sky has been dealing with an unknown enemy for this long?"


    "But one of the judges died mysteriously, right?"


    "It cannot be a coincidence!"


    "Oh God, don''t tell me that this person is also a murderer!?"


    The connection of the culprit with Lu Bohai and the Summit triggered a string of furious discussions and theories.


    But their momentum broke when the door opened once again and the newbie author Cui Fen was brought in.


    "Miss. Cui, who blamed Miss. Shi and President Chen plagiarized her story..." they muttered to themselves.


    Jun went straight to the point. "You heard the discussion upto this point?"


    Cui Fen clasped her hands together and tremblingly nodded. She was made wait in another meeting room where she was seeing and hearing all the truths unfold.


    "Do you have anything to add?"


    Cui Fen broke down in tears just like Lu Bohai had. "I-I am innocent too, S-Sir! It''s j-just like what this man said. I was also..." her face burned in shame as she continued, "told to accuse President Chen and Miss. Shi...M-My phone was also somehow tampered to store the drafts of a date earlier than when Shi Huan began to write..."


    Yunru clenched his fists, feeling a burden lift off his shoulders.


    Huan...


    "L-later, I was also told to meet Shi Huan s-so that..." she bit her lip hard, "I can hurt myself and make her look like the cause of the accident to f-further tarnish her reputation...B-But she never came to meet me so that plan failed!"


    Yunru''s eyes watered, seeing Huan finally proved to be innocent. The admiration he held for Jun in his heart grew only stronger and fiercer.


    But at the same time, he felt a huge sense of weakness and disappointment for himself.


    I...should have been able to protect her...


    I couldn''t even do that...


    With how he was unable to protect the woman he loved, his heart pricked with the feeling that he didn''t deserve her.


    But suddenly, he felt two fingers pinching his cheek hard. He was left dumbfounded.


    "S-sister-in-law, you are pinching my cheeks!" He cutely complained.


    Ai said, "Because I could see why you were looking so depressed."


    "I-I wasn''t depressed..." he quickly lied.


    "You don''t need to lie, Yunru. And you don''t need to feel that you lack anywhere or that you don''t deserve Huan. This has nothing to do with your ability to protect her."


    She stopped pinching him, staring at him grimly. "This is a battle that has been going on for a long...long time. Jun and I had failed before very miserably...That''s why we know that it has nothing to do with ability or inability because we had stood in your place at one point in time."

 Chapter 565 The Beginning Of The Collapse

    Shi Zhelan trembled in joy as she saw Sky''s press conference going on.


    "Huan!"


    She ran to her daughter''s side in her bedroom as she showed her the video clip. "Look, Huan! That author admitted her wrongdoing! Did you see that? She said that you are innocent."


    Huan was also watching the same press conference on her phone, and her black irises were turning misty upon the revelation of the truth. Her heart felt especially at ease for Yunru.


    Now the blame over his head of using his power or position to help her was all drained down in the water. There came a point where she felt guilty of ever meeting Yunru and getting involved in his life. He wouldn''t have had to suffer from these baseless accusations then.


    "Yes, Mom¡­I am so relieved¡­" she sniffled.


    Shi Zhelan took her into a warm hug and patted her head. "Now you don''t have to worry about anything, dear. You can hold your head high and continue writing as always."


    Her gaze softened. "I hadn''t expected Liu Jun to go against his own author to defend you. Surely, his cousin was involved too but still¡­I will properly thank Liu Jun for this. But for now, let us celebrate this good news! Let me make something good for you!"


    The last few days were so stressful and filled with anguish that Huan had lost a lot of weight. As a mother, her heart only tightened in pain seeing her silently suffer.


    Shi Zhelan stepped out, her face shining brightly with the desire to celebrate when her husband, Shi Shuren came running to her.


    "Zhelan! I-I just saw the press conference!"


    She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him. "Oh. So? What do you care about?"


    He was left stupefied. "How could you say that, Zhelan? Of course I care about Huan. She is my daughter and finally she-"


    "Is proved innocent? From the allegations that your ''other'' daughter pinned on her?"


    His eyes widened. "W-what are you talking about? How is Yahui involved in all this?"


    She sneered. "I think you didn''t watch the part where both Lu Bohai and Cui Fen admitted that they were TOLD to carry out the deeds that they had."


    "I did see that."


    "And you think your darling daughter has got nothing to do with it?" She burst into laughter. "I don''t know if you are actually blind or just refusing to see the truth. It will just be a matter of time before it will be revealed as well that she was pulling the strings all along!"


    He quickly said, "T-that''s not it-"


    "Enough!" She gnashed her jaw. "You have already disgusted me years before when you betrayed our marriage. Don''t disgust me more and more by always¡­by always standing up for your illegitimate blood!" She shook.


    He froze.


    "But what can I expect from someone who was shameless enough to hand over his shares to that woman!? It was because of you that she became so arrogant to believe that she could become Shi Publishing''s CEO!"


    Shi Shuren was visibly tense. He wanted to calm her down, but he knew it wouldn''t work.


    "Hah! And what had she promised? That will save Huan and the company''s reputation?" She folded her arms, her sharp gaze questioning him without mercy. "But what did she do? She just idly enjoyed her position without taking a single step to help Huan. She didn''t carry out her duties for which she was given the CEO''s authority in the first place."


    "That¡­"


    "Such a person was out to ruin my daughter''s life and her career forever and damage my family but you¡­did you care? Did you ever stand up for Huan?"


    "Zhelan, please give me a ch-chance-"


    Shi Zhelan chuckled. "Forget it, Shuren. Don''t bother defending her and don''t worry either. It won''t be long before I and the other shareholders kick her out of MY company for failing to do her duties," her voice grew harsher and colder. "Wasn''t she so haughty that day when she took over? Let me see how long she will be able to maintain her facade now."


    ¡ª


    *CRASH*


    A third vase fell and shattered into pieces, being subjected to Zhan Yahui''s wrath. Her room had turned into a complete mess with all the things violently displaced to meet their tragic ending.


    "How¡­HOW!?"


    She clutched her temple, trying to figure out what went wrong in her plan. She chose to expose Sun Bai to pour oil into the already burning flames of Sky. But instead, Jun''s press conference turned the tide around in a completely opposite direction.


    "What the fuck is with this self-defense nonsense!? That bastard Lu Bohai said that Sun Bai had killed her boyfriend! She tried to hide away from the law! And now suddenly she became the victim!?"


    She walked up to her bedside table and pushed all the stuff away in a fit of anger.


    "Did he lie to me or he just thought that Sun Bai was the murderer, glossing over what his brother did to her!? Is he an idiot!?"


    If I had known this¡­If I had known this then I would have approached it differently!


    "That Liu Jun¡­" she suddenly burst into a peal of manic laughter. "He seriously hired a murderer to work for him. But yeah¡­what can I expect from him? He would have actually felt it so natural, right?"


    But soon her face twisted with fury once again.


    It wasn''t just Sun Bai''s matter at this point.


    Cui Fen had confessed to the truth too, making Yunru and Huan to be proved innocent. Which also meant that her CEO position was in grave threat as she failed to protect Huan.


    And by mentioning the Summit''s corrupt judges, Jun brought that incident back all fresh in everybody''s mind, which they had already forgotten by now. Now, the Summit was suddenly under scrutiny once again.


    Everything that Zhan Yahui had carefully disposed of and buried was beginning to surface and see the light yet again.


    It was as if the perfect tower that she had been building for all this time by patiently and cautiously stacking her cards on top of each other was beginning to shake violently to fall to its collapse.


    I won''t let this happen. I won''t let this go on...


    After coming this far, I won''t let you win, Liu Jun.


    Never ever.

 Chapter 566 The Perfect Event

    Just like the day of the Sky''s Anniversary, the press conference today had sparked a wild fire of theories and gossip in the media. But despite the fact that Lu Bohai was exposed and as an employee of Shi Publishing company, the company''s reputation should have dwindled and targeted - it didn''t.


    Because on the other side, the revelation of Huan''s innocence neutralized the accusation against Lu Bohai to a larger extent. Added to it that there were possible rumors about Huan and Yunru''s relationship and how Jun stood up to fight for them - the support of the Liu and Chen family toned down the criticism they got.


    So even if Sky was heavily blamed, Shi Publishing managed to survive the outcome of the press conference somehow.


    From inside his office, Jun watched the news unfolding where a reporter was giving her commentary about the latest happenings, one of which was that Shi Publishing had fired Lu Bohai. That was to be expected after Jun gave his statement to hand over Lu Bohai to the cops for threatening and blackmailing Sun Bai.


    He let out a sneer.


    But there is still no apology from their side.


    After today''s press conference, it was expected of Shi Publishing as a company to first - apologize to Jun and Sun Bai for Lu Bohai''s actions and second - to ask for a joint investigation to learn the truth behind the Summit''s corruption.


    After all, had Huan not fallen sick at the last moment and continued with the competition with her story, the fact that the judges were bribed to make Guiying win naturally affected her result as well as much as Ai''s.


    But there was total silence from Shi Publishing, which meant from Zhan Yahui. There still wasn''t any news of a possible press conference from their side.


    And before she could point any fingers against Jun, he had already issued an official apology as Sky''s CEO towards Huan for the plagiarism accusations that Cui Fen made against her that affected her reputation.


    Even though it was clear that Cui Fen was acting upon someone''s orders whose identity was yet to be revealed to the world, she still belonged to Sky. So Jun strongly felt it was his responsibility to own up for the part wherever Sky had caused trouble, knowingly or unknowingly.


    "Sir."


    Jun looked up to find Sun Bai deeply bowing before him. Hai eyes widened, and he sprung on his feet. "Hey, hey, raise your head. I am younger than you, Miss. Sun."


    Sun Bai looked into his dark brown eyes and felt her eyelashes growing wet. "I just want to express my gratitude, Sir. It''s still hard to believe that you took a murderer in-"


    "You are not a killer, Miss. Sun," Jun corrected her. "To protect your dignity from harm doesn''t make any woman a murderer. Please remove that guilt from your heart."


    Her eyes ached as she silently weeped for several minutes.


    "I am sorry I couldn''t admit it before¡­Even if my actions might not have been wrong, I still kept it from my employer. Even so you gave me a place to work," she slightly clenched her wrist she held with her palm, "That''s why I will gracefully accept your decision to fire me. In the end, I did make a mistake."


    Jun shook his head. "I am not stupid to fire you and let another company score a diamond like you. I am a businessman, and I am very selfish so no, you are not going anywhere."


    She trembled hard. "B-But¡­"


    "That''s the CEO''s decision. Are you sure you want to go against me?" He chuckled.


    Sun Bai helplessly closed her eyes. "Somehow, I understand Miss. Zhou more and more now."


    His brow twitched. "About what? What did Ai say to you?"


    She cleared her throat. "That''s women gossip. So it''s a secret."


    "..."


    When did Ai gossip with Sun Bai?


    "Wait, now I am even more curious! What does Ai say to you about me?" He narrowed his eyes.


    "Please ask this to Miss. Zhou herself. If she is fine with it, she will tell you."


    "..."


    A vein popped on his forehead, but he kept his smile intact which was growing more looming. He sneered. "Yeah, I will ask her for sure, and she will tell me for sure too."


    She nodded. "Good luck."


    Damn this women gossip loyalty!


    Before he could explode, Yunru had already captured his cousin in a big, tight and warm hug. "Bro you are the best!!!"


    Yunru sniffled, his heart overflowing with happiness. "Now nobody will talk shit about Huan! And it''s all because of how awesome you were! I love you Bro!"


    Jun forgot all his annoyance about the women gossip part, and his gaze softened. He patted his brother''s back. "I just did what was right. How could I see anybody pinning blame on my cute cousin and his girlfriend?"


    Yunru''s ears turned bright red, and he stuttered in embarrassment. "H-Huan is not my g-girlfriend yet, Bro¡­"


    He teasingly chuckled. "So when will you ask her out?"


    Sun Bai chimed in. "Yes, yes. President shouldn''t make her wait."


    "You-you¡­" the redness from his ears was spreading out to his charming face. "Actually, I want to do something special for her. You know how sister-in-law confessed to you at the Summit Bro! It was so novel and exciting! I-I wish to do something similar too¡­"


    Sun Bai blinked. "Miss. Zhou confessed to Sir at the Summit?"


    "Yes!" Yunru brightened. "Her short story! That was actually her confession for Bro!"


    Her lips parted in amazement. She glanced at Jun, and he nodded with a grin.


    "That''s so beautiful," she sincerely said. Until now, she was unaware of who had confessed to who first and how.


    "Miss. Zhou is indeed very talented. Her story was wonderful and since it was a confession, I could only imagine how special Sir must have felt."


    His brown orbs glistened with love and tenderness. Remembering Ai''s confession on that beautiful Valentine''s evening always made his heart burst with a flutter of warmth and joy. So much so that he desired to make Ai feel those special butterfly and heartpounding emotions too that were firmly rooted in his heart.


    A soft smile curved the corner of his lips as he had already thought of the perfect event for it.

 Chapter 567 The Voice Of Recognition

    "Mam, please¡­" Cui Fen stammered through the tears falling down her cheeks as she hurriedly followed Xing Bi. "P-please talk to Sir, will you? I d-don''t want to get kicked out of Sky! Please Mam¡­"


    Cui Fen begged Xing Bi as she was the only last hope left for her. Her face and eyes were red and wet, indicating that she had cried for fear of her future for a long time, which was now at the brink of ending forever.


    Xing Bi let out a sigh. Cui Fen was still relatively young and still had a chance of a bright future if given a second chance.


    "But that depends on Sir and President Chen. More so the President because your lies put blame upon him and Shi Huan. Don''t you think that you should sincerely apologize to them first instead of asking me?"


    Cui Fen bit her lower lip, another tear slipping down. "President Chen is with Sir in his office a-and I don''t want to disturb them¡­"


    The atmosphere in Jun''s office was warm and merry as he talked with Yunru and Sun Bai, and Cui Fen couldn''t get the courage to break the lively air with her presence. It would have dampened everybody''s mood.


    Xing Bi focused her gaze on her for a few long moments, observing her expression. To her, Cui Fen did look genuinely sorry for her actions.


    "Why did you agree to do this? You do know how big of an issue plagiarism is, right?"


    Cui Fen hung her head, ashamed. "I am sorry, Mam. I-I am very new to Sky and I was just anxious to prove myself worthy as soon as possible."


    Xing Bi released another sigh.


    Young people these days are so anxious to get immediate results¡­


    "And I was a-afraid that I would be fired if I didn''t follow the orders. It''s still relatively a new company compared to Dream High, but I loved how it worked," she trembled and sniffled. "That''s why I was so happy to come here, but I was suddenly told what to do one day and so scared to imagine that I might be thrown out."


    "Huh?" She tilted her head in confusion. "Why did you feel that you would be fired?"


    Cui Fen, in turn, blinked back at her, perplexed. "Because I am a newbie author here. Naturally, I am not very aware of the ways here¡­"


    "No I mean, why did you feel like anybody in Sky would fire you? That decision lies with Sir and the President and if you know their reputation before coming here, you would know that they would never take any unnecessary steps towards you or threaten you with your job."


    Cui Fen grew more fidgety. "I am really sorry Mam, but I don''t think I am getting what you are saying¡­"


    Xing Bi tried to express herself more clearly this time. "When you said that you were afraid of getting fired, it looked to me as if you were saying that somebody working in Sky told you that."


    "Oh¡­! Yes, it felt to me that way."


    Her eyes widened. "What? That must be a misunderstanding. We all work together as a family here. None of the employees will threaten each other like this."


    Cui Fen gave her a troubled look. This time, it was her who wasn''t sure how to explain herself to Xing Bi. "Y-yes I know. Everybody is so warm and helping here. But¡­I don''t know why but whenever this person relayed his orders to me, it felt to me that it was somebody in Sky. I-I mean that thought just came to me naturally," she looked away for a second, trying to focus on the source of her feelings, "L-Like I was being watched."


    Xing Bi stared at her.


    "So since I felt that I was being watched, I just unconsciously thought that somebody should be present around me in the company. That''s why I was afraid of losing my place in Sky because I thought that whoever is talking to me has some power to take that decision against me."


    She let out a gasp, her heartbeat rate slowly increasing as she was trying to understand her nuances. Then she recalled another thing.


    "You¡­At Sky''s anniversary, I sometimes caught you throwing glances at people here and there."


    Cui Fen nodded. "Because I felt the person was present during the anniversary. So I was very nervous¡­"


    She froze.


    "They were telling me what to do and when to do it. I cannot show those messages since they got deleted¡­" she pursed her lips in lament, "but the whole time I felt as if that person knew where I was since they could¡­how should I say¡­accurately time the unfolding events. To do that, you need to be physically present in the celebration to know what is happening."


    Xing Bi felt slightly out of breath despite standing still at her place all this time.


    Um this is weird¡­


    This directly implies that there is somebody in Sky who is working behind all this.


    But it cannot be possible¡­A traitor in Sky?


    She snapped out of her daze and quickly said, "I-I see. I will talk to Sir about this. For now, you can leave. Don''t worry about your job. I will talk to Sir and the President and try to convince them to give you a second chance."


    Cui Fen''s wet eyes shone with hope. "Thank you so much Mam!!! I will be forever grateful! I will personally apologize to President Chen and Miss. Shi too," She bowed deeply.


    "Good."


    As Cui Fen left, Xing Bi, too, hurriedly walked towards her own office. Her heart was pounding faster as was trying to figure out what she just heard from Cui Fen.


    Lost in her thoughts, she crashed into Hou Lin. "Shit! I am really sorry! I didn''t notice you¡­"


    Hou Lin caught her arm and helped her balance. He furrowed his brows at her. "Are you okay, Miss. Xing? You look distressed."


    "Oh me? Of course not. I am super happy especially after today''s press conference haha."


    "Indeed. Today''s conference sorted out every last stain on Sky. It''s all fine now."


    Xing Bi didn''t know why but she slightly stiffened at the last sentence. She stared at Hou Lin, prompting him to stare back at her with his attention.


    ''It''s all fine now.''


    ''It''s all fine now.''


    Why does his voice suddenly feel so familiar¡­? Xing Bi wondered.


    ''It''s all fine now¡­Zhou Ai¡­dead anyway.''


    At that moment, Xing Bi froze. The strange voices she had heard at the time of her near accident from Jin''s car suddenly came flashing at her. She had recognized one voice that belonged to Zhan Yahui, but she couldn''t put her finger on what that other voice was.


    Huh¡­? I must be mistaken right?


    "Miss. Xing, are you really doing fine?" Hou Lin asked in concern once again.


    Her expression grew paler the more she heard Hou Lin''s voice.


    This is so stupid, she nervously thought. Why am I feeling that the voice I heard at that time matches Hou Lin''s?

 Chapter 568 Kicked Out

    Hou Lin tilted his head, and he tapped on her shoulder. "Miss. Xing."


    That broke the string of her thoughts, making her breaths return to normal. But her heartbeats were still running erratically wild.


    "You seem to keep losing your focus."


    Xing Bi sheepishly rubbed the back of her head. "I didn''t get much sleep last night so my mind keeps hopping here and there..."


    "I see. That''s not good. A good sleep is very important," he said with all earnesty. "You can take an early day off and go home."


    She waved her hand. "That''s not necessary really. I have to check on Ai''s new drafts too."


    "If that''s what you want. But don''t overwork yourself."


    She nodded.


    "I will take my leave," he bowed. He then noticed that Xing Bi looked as if she wanted to ask something.


    "Is there something you want to ask me?"


    She parted her lips to almost ask if he somehow knew Zhan Yahui, but the question never escaped her lips.


    "Nothing," she shook her head.


    Hou Lin stared at her for a moment and nodded. "Good day then."


    "Good day to you too," she smiled.


    As he passed by her, Xing Bi felt a light shiver, making the hair on her skin tingle and straighten up as goosebumps came upon them.


    Hou Lin is so caring and polite...How can I even think that his voice matched with my strange memories?


    "He is so dedicated too just like Sun Bai..." she muttered under her breath, "It''s impossible that a good man like him will even think to hurt anybody."


    She released a loud sigh. "Ah I think I really need some good sleep."


    The tapping of her heels sounded farther and farther away, making a certain someone step out of the shadows. He watched her back becoming smaller and then it completely disappeared from his sight.


    Hou Lin continued to gaze at that space for a long time before he took out his phone and typed a message.


    ''Cui Fen turned out to be quite intuitive. She thinks an insider from Sky was threatening her.''


    He got no response.


    ''Miss. Xing was definitely tense after she heard her. It seemed she wanted to ask me about the possibility of a traitor in Sky, but she didn''t.''


    His phone still didn''t chime with any reply. He paused and typed another message.


    ''I know the plan failed, but we will figure something out.''


    Hou Lin could imagine Zhan Yahui''s fury at this moment. He released a soft breath and closed his eyes, not getting any response yet.


    It seems I will have to personally meet her.


    --


    Liu villa.


    "Jun!" Nana warmly embraced her son, greeting him with a sparkling, satisfied smile. "I saw the press conference today. I am so happy to see that you resolved all the misgivings against Sky."


    He smiled back. "Thanks, Mom."


    She proudly patted his shoulders. "You all have worked really hard. I think you and Ai should take a few days off and relax after struggling through such a serious incident. Mental rest is equally important."


    Ai promptly nodded.


    Liu Hai and Jing burst out with joy and mischief. "Hoho, Jun-cute~ Doesn''t this mean that you should cook a grand feast for all of us and treat us to celebrate this great news!"


    "It''s been a while since I ate my dearest nephew''s hand cooked meal~" Jing winked.


    The corner of Jun''s lips twitched. "You two didn''t lift a single finger to help me. Why should I bother you with a treat?"


    They gasped dramatically. "How-how mean Jun-cute! We were cheering you on with positivity from the sidelines! Isn''t that such great help from us?"


    Liu Hai shed fake tears and sniffled. "Young people these days just don''t appreciate their elders'' goodwill."


    Jun rolled his eyes.


    Nana shook her head with another banter already starting.


    Ai came up to her and asked, "Mom, Where is Dad?"


    The question made Nana''s expression turn sour, which Ai couldn''t figure out why.


    "In his study."


    "I see...By the way, I noticed that I don''t see Dad outside much for the last couple of days."


    She smiled. "Don''t worry, dear. He is occupied with a very important task. So he shuts himself in his study."


    "Oh. I will go and meet him in the study then."


    "Sure. Just don''t listen to any nonsense request of his," the smile on her lips never left.


    Ai finally felt a tremor passing through the back of her neck as if danger alarms were going off somewhere.


    Mom seems a little strange today...and angry too.


    She climbed upstairs and softly knocked on Jinhai''s study door.


    "Come in..."


    Ai blinked her eyes, hearing a very feeble response from inside as if that voice had no strength. It was when she stepped inside that she saw that not only his voice but the whole of Jinhai''s existence felt sapped out of all its strength too.


    "Dad?"


    Words weren''t enough to describe how lost and hopeless Jinhai looked. To the point that he was just randomly pressing a button on his laptop''s keyboard, unaware of what he was really doing.


    "What happened, Dad? Why do you look so...sorry but so dead?"


    He lifted his head with a dreary gaze falling upon Ai. "Because I feel dead. If you were made to live away from Jun for God knows how long, you would start looking like a zombie too."


    She blinked twice


    Away from Jun?


    "You are staying away from Mom...?" She guessed.


    That flashed a look of an excruciating pain in his eyes as if Ai just stabbed upon his deep wound all over again.


    "But aren''t you living in the same house?"


    "In the same house. Not in the same room anymore..." Jinhai collapsed back on his chair in defeat. "There is a huge difference, and I am at my limits now."


    "But why not in the same room? Oh, Mom said that you are focusing on a very important task so you stay in your study these days."


    His brow twitched. "I don''t stay here by my own will."


    "So?"


    "Nana has kicked me out of our room."


    "..."

 Chapter 569 A Father-In-Laws Hug

    Ai stared at him and thought of all the past days where she could hardly see him at all.


    "Did you two fight?" Ai couldn''t hold her curiosity at bay. Jinhai was different from Zhou Yichen in the sense that he wouldn''t ever argue with Nana because he preferred doting on her more.


    Jinhai looked away. "More like she passed her judgment on me and that is to reflect on my actions by staying away from her."


    "What actions?"


    "Throwing Jun out of the house when he confessed to me the truth about his rebirth."


    Ai''s unblinking stare at Jinhai was filled with a sense of trepidation. "Rebirth?"


    "Nana knows now about the whole truth."


    A shocked gasp escaped her lips. "Ev-Everything?"


    Jinhai nodded.


    "W-when? Since how long?"


    "Since the hospital when you and Jun collapsed. She had kind of figured it out that something more was happening in the background regarding Jun and Jin that she wasn''t aware of. She also had the inkling that I might know what''s going on. So, I didn''t tell her, but I was interrogated more to spill it out."


    It then made sense to Ai as to why Nana''s behavior seemed a little different these days. Sometimes she had noticed her watching Jun and Jin with a melancholic yet warm gaze filled with emotions that she couldn''t decipher. She assumed though that it might be due to their accident that she was worried so much.


    Ai quickly asked, "What did she say¡­?"


    Jinhai smiled. "She had a lot to say. She actually does want to talk to you three, but she doesn''t know how to broach that subject. She is just trying to find a good chance for it. As for me, she had a lot to punish me instead of talking to me¡­"


    His eyes flickered with lament once again. "She was naturally too furious to know that I threw our son out instead of being an understanding father. Which I really do regret now¡­But coming to know that Jun gave up on his life was hard to bear too¡­" his voice lowered down by a notch.


    Ai pursed her lips in understanding. As a mother what Nana felt was valid and as a father how Jinhai thought was equally correct in that regard too.


    "That''s why¡­" Jinhai quickly grabbed her wrist and pleaded. "Please help me soothe her anger."


    "..."


    "...Mom has already warned me not to listen to any request of yours."


    His brow twitched. "You are my last hope, Ai. Only you can help me. She will definitely listen to you. Please, please talk to Nana and tell her that I have really reflected upon my mistakes and so please allow me to come back to our room. I am dying here."


    Jinhai''s image of when she had first met him in the wedding anniversary banquet and that of now when he was sincerely pleading for her help was in stark contrast.


    Ai felt a pang of sympathy for her father-in-law and said. "I will do my best."


    That brought a bright ray of hope in his otherwise dead eyes. "Thank you! I am forever in your debt."


    Ai stiffened as that sentence triggered the memory of her past life which she saw when she had collapsed.


    The scene of the hospital after Jun and her death when Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying met with Jinhai and Nana was still fresh in her mind.


    ''I, Liu Jinhai, am forever in Zhou Ai''s debt.''


    Tears plopped down her brown eyes even before she knew it, and the sorrow and grief laced in that memory shook her body.


    Jinhai''s eyes widened in shock, and he jumped on his feet, taking a step closer to her. "Why are you suddenly crying? Did I say something wrong?"

 Chapter 570 Oversight

    ?


    Ai calmed down after hearing Jinhai''s pacifying words. She rubbed the tip of her nose in embarrassment. "I am sorry for that."


    Jinhai smiled. "A daughter doesn''t have to apologize to her father for feeling wistful. I am glad you felt open in that sense. I like when my children depend on me."


    Her cheeks filled with a tinge of blush. "Dad, you are really sweet."


    That made him cock his brow in amusement. "I am sure you wouldn''t have said that to me in my younger days."


    "Were you not sweet back then?"


    "I am not sure if I can label the adjective sweet to my name at all."


    She chuckled.


    "Are you feeling better now?"


    Ai nodded.


    "Good. Now tell me. Did you need me for something?"


    Her expression turned somber as she came to the serious part. "The twins told me what had happened when Jun was kidnapped."


    "Hm. They told me that they made you aware of it."


    "Yes, so¡­" she rubbed her hands together, "I want to ask won''t you tell Jun the truth of what had actually happened?"


    Jinhai''s deep black eyes hinted at a faraway look as he thought back to that time. "It wasn''t like we didn''t want to tell him. But Jun was in a delicate mental condition at that time. Despite telling him for a long time that Ouyang Haitao''s death had nothing to do with him, he refused to believe us. He kept thinking that I was trying to protect him as his father, but that wasn''t the case. The guilt of snatching a father from an innocent girl weighed heavily upon a nine year old boy."


    He slowly took his seat back on his chair and rested his hands on the armrest. "He was left petrified of the incident. Seeing Jun blame himself and feel horrible about Ouyang Haitao''s death so much, the twins asked me not to tell him the truth. That''s why we made up a story that he died in an accident while trying to escape from our guards. But Jun remained skeptical."


    A soft smile curved his lips. "In the end, it was Nana who took care of him and slowly made him let go of that matter. It wasn''t good for his mental health to keep thinking about the incident and create a trauma in his mind."


    Thinking of little Jun and how difficult it would have been for him to cope with first the kidnapping and threat to his life and then Ouyang Haitao''s death made Ai feel miserable.


    Why couldn''t I be there for him¡­?


    She took a deep breath and said, "But now that we know who is behind our ruin and why¡­the next step would be to confront Zhan Yahui, isn''t it?"


    The warmth in his gaze was replaced by frigid iciness. "Yes. It''s long overdue now. It was my oversight that¡­" he clenched his fist, "that she remained free for all these years while she plotted her revenge. It was my mistake¡­That''s why we don''t spare the families. It only comes back to bite us in the end.


    But I showed mercy to her mother and her, and everything spiraled away from my control without my knowledge. My children suffered because I failed in my duties. The past was neither Jun''s fault nor Jin''s. It''s all me¡­And because of my one decision, even you and your family got involved in her plan just to destroy us¡­"


    Ai held his tightly clamped palm and freed his fingers one by one, easing the tension in his nerves. "It wasn''t Dad''s fault. Thinking of three innocent lives wasn''t a mistake. The past happened because of Ouyang Haitao''s actions and the magnitude in which Zhan Yahui misunderstood Jun. If she had confronted you earlier, she would have learned the truth much sooner, and she would have never thought of messing up our lives."


    He faintly smiled.


    "But now the past won''t repeat."


    "Yes," Jinhai gently patted her cheek, "the cycle of grief won''t happen this time. This time and in this life, everybody will be happy. Don''t worry about Zhan Yahui. The twins will handle her. Attacking Sky would be the last time she ever got to hurt Jun. We won''t let her lift even a finger anymore."


    "Jun will eventually learn the truth this time."


    "He is older and wiser now. He will understand."


    Ai softly smiled and hugged him again. "I will take my leave. And you can count on me. I will definitely convince Mom to forgive you."


    He beamed. "Thank you."


    Ai stepped out and slowly closed the door behind her. Just a moment later, she saw Nana and called out. "Mom!"


    Nana stopped and turned, smiling dotingly on her. "Yes, dear."


    Ai coughed. "Mom, I know you told me not to accept Dad''s request. But will you please listen to me and forgive him?" She urged her. "Dad really regrets his actions and *cough* he wants to be back with you¡­"


    She narrowed her eyes. "But I don''t want to."


    "He is dying by your avoidance."


    "I don''t mind."


    "He is really pitiful."


    "So was my son."


    Ai''s mouth twitched. She used her last card and chirped. "I like to see Mom and Dad together."


    "Too bad your Dad''s actions came in the middle of your pure and innocent wish."


    "..."


    "Please? Pretty please?"


    Ai held her hands and widened her watery light brown eyes shining with hope just like Jun-cute would whenever asking for a meal.


    Nana''s brow twitched, and she pinched her cheek. She harrumphed. "Jinhai has completely won over you, hasn''t he?"


    She sheepishly grinned. "I love you as much as I love him."


    She harrumphed once more. "Hah liar. I can totally see the bias."


    "So you forgive Dad, right?" She expectantly asked.


    "When did I agree to that?"


    "..."


    Nana openly expressed her bitterness. "From what I understood, he only bullied my son. He even ordered Jun not to come to our wedding anniversary celebration. Can you imagine? The whole family was celebrating except him. He was all alone. That was a time when Jun needed us the most. We should have lived together as a family even more because of what happened instead of living apart. How can I forgive my husband for that? Jinhai didn''t even talk to me before deciding to disown Jun all by himself."


    Nana sternly announced her judgment. "So, he must suffer now."

 Chapter 571 Tasks At Hand

    ?


    Sky''s press conference had brought back itself into the good light as Yunru and Sun Bai were proved innocent. Regarding Sun Bai, even though Lu Long was already deceased, the cops re-opened an investigation of his accident to record the truth and facts this time.


    Sun Bai was slightly afraid and worried if the cops would really understand her situation, but Jun gave her positive reassurance. He also looked upon it that her sister wouldn''t face any trouble with her studies abroad after this news was out.


    On the other side, the organizers of the Authors'' Summit joined hands with the cops to investigate the case of the corrupt judges from the beginning. Of which one judge was dead, which was now potentially considered a murder case now.


    This would only tighten the rope around Zhan Yahui''s neck, who had schemed too many plans and buried too many truths.


    Exposing the culprit behind Zixin''s accident was just as tricky as the case with the Summit''s judges, but Jun wasn''t someone to give up.


    Everything was going well for Sky and unlike the past, where its doom had become one of the tragedies in Jun''s life, Sky managed to fly this time. From the shackles of the evil plans that threatened to bring it to its ruin, it was as if Sky had finally gotten its wings to break free.


    It was a small moment of celebration for Jun as he kept track of Sky''s news post press conference. But the situation was far from resolved.


    He kept his tab on the table and leaned back on his chair, his gaze squinting, thinking of the next steps he had to take.


    Which were primarily two things.


    First was to kick Zhan Yahui out of her CEO position from Shi Publishing. Power was a dangerous weapon in her hand. She was already a sly and cunning woman and for power and position to be at her side too was only a recipe for disaster.


    Jun picked a file with the details of all the people in Shi Publishing''s board committee. Zhan Yahui had a majority of vote share in her favor that led her to become the CEO, so he only had to tilt that balance to the other side.


    A calculative smile curved the corner of his lips as he felt all the cards were on his side. This time, he wasn''t helpless and at her mercy like the past.


    I will take reins of my life this time and not play like someone''s puppet, his dark brown eyes shone with resolve.


    *Meow*


    The cat Ai-chan softly meowed at him, who was patting his legs with her paws.


    Jun smiled and placed her on his lap. "Do you want to join me in the fun?"


    With her light brown irises, she stared back at him and nodded a meow.


    "Haha. You are the best."


    At the same time, Jun felt a heated and prickling gaze from his left side as if a certain someone was ready to bare his fangs at him.


    Jun raised his brow at Jun-cute, who was royally sitting on a faraway couch but with all his attention on Ai-chan on Jun''s lap.


    "You know, you can also join in. I have some extra space on my lap," he chuckled.


    *Meow!*


    Jun-cute ferociously hissed at him.


    How dare this human order me!? Do you think I am dying here to be on your lap? Don''t be so full of yourself, pesky human!


    He stared at Ai-chan enjoying her time on Jun''s lap, which only irked him more.


    *Meow!!*


    "You seem to be in a bad mood."


    Jun-cute turned his head away in a huff.


    As if I will be in a bad mood just because she is sitting on your lap!


    Jun scratched his head. "I don''t know how Ai handles him."


    He shrugged and went back to work. Ruffling Ai-chan under her chin, Jun dialed one of the shareholder''s numbers, Yao Guo. He was the main shareholder who spoke in Zhan Yahui''s favor and who helped to turn the tide in her favor.


    "Mr. Yao. I hope you recognize who is speaking," Jun smiled with a villainous glint in his eyes.


    "M-Mr. Liu Jun!?" Yao Guo stammered on the other side in shock.


    "Glad to know that you recognize me."


    "O-Of course, Mr. Liu¡­Who wouldn''t know about you¡­?"


    "Well that makes things easier for me. Let''s have a little chat about Shi Publishing''s future, shall we?"


    Jun further told Yao Guo what he had to do, but he came across a piece of information that took him by surprise.


    "Is that so?" Jun tilted his head.


    "Y-Yes! I am telling the truth. We k-know what we have to do¡­"


    "I know. I can confirm it anytime," he paused, inwardly thinking about this news for a few moments in silence.


    In the end he smiled to himself, agreeing to this plan of action. "Alright then. I won''t interfere in your company''s power business then. I will leave it to them."


    He hung up and laughed, snuggling against Ai-chan. "This time, she is cornered from all sides, isn''t she?"


    Ai-chan was pleased with his petting, so she happily purred and meowed her response.


    *Thud*


    Jun craned his neck and found one of the artificial vases fallen on the floor, more exactly the vase which was near the table where Jun-cute was seated.


    "The extra place on my lap is still available, you know?"


    Jun-cute shot him a deadly look.


    Mind your own business, human!


    He then glared at Ai-chan and turned his head away once again as if showing his protest, which didn''t have any effect on Ai-chan.


    Jun helplessly sighed.


    "He is so troublesome, isn''t he? I wonder who he takes after?"


    Since part one of his tasks was already taken care of, Jun proceeded to focus on the second most important thing that had brought all of Zhan Yahui''s plans to fruition in the past.


    His eyes once again glimmered with dark malice.


    The traitor at Sky.


    The snake who worked and laughed as part of Sky''s family on the outside but who bit his poison into their lives to kill everybody''s future.


    Time to dig you out of your hole too, his clenched fist trembled.


    Jun dialed another number and spoke after his call was picked up on the second ring, "I need your help, Chyou."

 Chapter 572 The First Loss (1)

    ?


    A day later, Zhan Yahui walked along the corridors of Shi Publishing towards the conference room where an important meeting was set with the board. She flashed a smile at all the employees greeting her but inwardly, she was extremely furious at this last minute meeting.


    That bitch Shi Zhelan! The moment her daughter got out of trouble, she didn''t waste any time to call for this meeting!


    Zhan Yahui didn''t have to guess what her agenda was. It was plain and simple.


    To kick her out of Shi Publishing. Shi Zhelan would now naturally pin point all of her fallacies and failure in protecting Huan, which she would use as a reason to single her out.


    I won''t back out. No matter what you throw at me, I won''t let this power slip out of my hands¡­


    She stopped in her steps for a moment and looked down at her trembling palms.


    After waiting for so long, I am finally here. I am finally at a place where I could fight with that bastard Liu Jun at an equal footing. No way I would lose now.


    She sneered.


    As long as Yao Guo and the other shareholders with him are on my side, Shi Zhelan cannot do anything.


    With this confidence, she opened the door to the conference room and stepped in with a curt smile on her lips. "Good morning, everyone. This meeting is called on a very short notice, isn''t it?"


    There was a hint of tension and unease in the air, which Zhan Yahui felt to be quite odd. She glanced at Shi Zhelan, who looked to be in a good mood.


    Wipe that smirk off your face you bitch, Zhan Yahui inwardly snorted. You are gonna lose today. Again.


    Shi Shuren kept quiet but with his body language clearly showing signs of stress, which she didn''t care about.


    Zhan Yahui took her seat and addressed all the board members. "I believe I know what this meeting has been set for and by whom. I am well aware of Sky''s press conference. Naturally, I am deeply disturbed by our employee Lu Bohai''s actions. I am glad he is out of the company and taken in by the police for questioning. Of course, Shi Publishing will issue an apology for all the misgivings that Sky''s Chief Editor, Miss. Sun Bai, had to face because of Lu Bohai."


    Shi Zhelan sneered. "Aren''t we a little late in our apology? Sky didn''t waste a single moment apologizing to my daughter on behalf of their newbie author''s false accusations against her. And this is when CEO Liu proved that somebody¡­" She narrowed her eyes, "pulled the strings and ordered Cui Fen to do things in their favor. In a sense, poor Cui Fen was a naive innocent girl who was just a new joiner in Sky, and somebody took advantage of the fact."


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "Whether there was this person to pull strings or not in the first place is yet to be proved, Mrs. Shi."


    "Both Lu Bohai and Cui Fen have admitted that somebody was telling them what to do."


    "But Sky hasn''t gotten a name yet. Until then, this theory doesn''t hold water at all. Rather than chasing after an invisible shadow, we better work towards the betterment of our company, shouldn''t we?"


    Shi Zhelan pointedly said, "Aren''t you being too quick to dismiss this ''invisible shadow?'' As if you want everyone to forget about the matter. Which reminds me that such similar ambiguity happened at the Authors'' Summit too. One of the judges even died. I wonder if it''s the same person behind all this¡­"


    She didn''t outwardly take any name, simply expressed her guesses yet the air turned more stifling.


    Zhan Yahui wished she could strangle Shi Zhelan, but she had to maintain her composure. "I am sure this meeting is not set to discuss conspiracy theories."


    "It surely isn''t, but it''s fine to talk about it a little, right? After all, my Huan had fallen sick and had to be dismissed from the competition. The two judges had set their minds to make Cai Guiying win, which¡­is a writer under you, is she not? So convenient for you and Dream High."


    The atmosphere became more suffocating with Shi Zhelan''s indirect nuances at Zhan Yahui.


    "I hope you don''t mean what I think you mean, Mrs. Shi. That''s defamation without any evidence, and I could charge you for it."


    Shi Zhelan chuckled. "What''s wrong Zhan Yahui? You look very edgy today. You were so calm and confident the day you took the CEO''s seat but now you seem to be riled up. Are you okay?"


    I will fucking kill this woman! She gnashed her jaw inwardly.


    "I am sorry for my rudeness Mrs. Shi as you are an elder, but aren''t you wasting everybody''s time here?"


    "My apologies. I only thought I would be a little gracious and let you enjoy your position for some more time."


    Zhan Yahui squinted her gaze. "What do you mean?"


    "It''s very simple," she smiled. "You primarily took over the position to help Huan. But instead of you doing your job, Sky did it themself."


    Her brow twitched ever so slightly.


    Shi Zhelan snorted. "Can you believe it? A company proved a writer of their rival company innocent when it was supposed to be Shi Publishing taking charge. Sure, Liu Jun''s cousin was also involved, but I am sure Huan was in a more dire situation than Chen Yunru. Liu Jun could have easily handled his matter internally in the company but what about Huan? We are all very grateful to Sky, but what did you do?"


    Zhan Yahui grimaced. "Finding evidence and proving someone''s innocence is not a child''s play. I was doing my very best to help Shi Huan and it was taking time. I assured you that I will definitely take her out of this pinch, but I didn''t commit that I would be able to do this so soon."


    "But Sky did."


    "You are giving Liu Jun too much credit. He might have very well taken quick action only for his brother''s sake and here you are thinking that he was so kind to Shi Huan. You are assuming a bit too much for your own good, Mrs Shi."


    She snickered. "I think you are simply trying to run away from taking any responsibility for the lack of your actions and instead dragging Liu Jun down who did his job. But that ends here, Zhan Yahui. We are taking back the CEO authority you hold."

 Chapter 573 The First Loss (2)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui said, "Mrs. Shi, I don''t think you understand what you are saying. CEO power is not a joke or a game we are playing. You are simplifying your daughter''s situation more than it was and trying to throw me out using it as an excuse. In fact, there has been an increase in our share prices since I took over, isn''t it?"


    Shi Zhelan squinted her eyes.


    "After all, I work at Dream High. Dream High''s reputation and my own career success led people to have belief in this company," she smiled. "Otherwise ever since Shi Huan was out of the Summit, there hasn''t been much activity to sustain this company''s growth because you were only one sidedly focusing on your daughter.


    But I have worked upon a number of areas that would only help the company to come out of its stall. And one such thing is to invite more writers to the company. To hire more staff to understand the different genres of writing and train the writers. To diversify our strengths and market. It will take a while for the company to come to even Sky''s level but at least, we have taken the first step."


    There were some tense whispers echoing in the room. It was true that the share prices and overall work environment was improving under Zhan Yahui''s leadership. There were many gaps and bottlenecks in the company''s policies that her command was beginning to fill.


    She chuckled. "At least now, the employees here don''t think that they are here only to serve your darling princess."


    A loud bang resounded in the room with a furious Shi Zhelan flaring her nostrils. "Don''t cross your limits, Zhan Yahui!"


    "I am not crossing my limits. Unfortunately, you don''t have any business sense. A company cannot stand on just one parameter. Shi Huan is talented, but she alone is not enough for this company to survive. This is not some simple villa or property that she is inheriting from you. It''s a company and employees work here for their livelihood. If you want Shi Publishing to go anywhere, then it must set itself as a proper publishing company, not sort of a toyhouse for your heiress."


    A deep and grim silence ensued which only satisfied Zhan Yahui. There was no way that after her speech, there left any chance of a shift in anybody''s thoughts about her.


    "Right, Mr. Yao?"


    Yao Guo jolted by her sudden call. "Y-Yes, Miss. Zhan?"


    Zhan Yahui frowned. "I asked if what I said was right?"


    "T-That¡­" even with a strong air conditioning, he felt stifling and sweaty. "I think that¡­you being in this p-position will only bring a lot of friction¡­so¡­"


    She froze. All the thoughts in her mind had come to a complete halt.


    What the fuck is this man babbling?


    "Yes, yes," another one quickly chimed in, "T-the company is indeed improving but Miss. Shi is still a great asset for this company¡­And it''s true that you couldn''t help her. You are indeed bringing new writers but until the company stabilizes, we have only Miss. Shi''s talent to depend on, especially as someone who was chosen for the Author Summit''s finale."


    "She was working on a new novel, and its marketing and book sales could have brought a boost to our company. But she fell knee deep into the plagiarizing issue where taking her out of it was paramount. But¡­"


    Someone from the far side commented. "You are right that it''s time we bring in and focus on new resources and structure as well, but that''s a future vision for us at present. Until that vision really takes shape, Miss. Shi''s position as a writer in the industry is extremely important. If we had lost her, then there would have been no chance left for us to survive. Nobody would have liked to work in Shi Publishing anymore¡­"


    "On top of that, there was the whole scandal with the head of the marketing department, Lu Bohai too. The scandal and losing Miss. Shi at once would have been devastating for us."


    One shareholder sweated. "Yeah it''s because CEO Liu proved her innocence that the people and market regained their faith in our company or else¡­"


    Zhan Yahui couldn''t believe that a bunch of oldies who never took an interest in the company were suddenly teaching her business and crisis sense. Her heart burned with an extreme loathe and fury.


    Who the hell fed this nonsense into their tiny brains!?


    Yao Guo looked away from her, clasping his hands together. "That''s why¡­we-we all collectively think that you should step down as the CEO¡­"


    Shi Zhelan was extremely pleased to hear the sentence she had been waiting for.


    "It''s of course great what you are doing for the company b-but¡­"


    "It''s equally embarrassing that a rival company''s CEO had to help us out of this dire pinch instead of our own authority¡­"


    "You¡­!"


    She almost exclaimed in anger but forced herself to calm down.


    Shi Zhelan sneered. "Just like I respected everybody''s decision last time to support you, I think it''s time for you to respect everybody''s decision as well, don''t you think?"


    A deadly and violent storm brewed in her dark irises as she felt a surge of a killing intent swirling within her.


    Shi Zhelan is a pathetic and useless woman! She is just a piece of crap who is blind in her daughter''s love! It''s impossible for someone like her to turn everybody''s agreement in her favor like this.


    No¡­She isn''t the one to have brainwashed the people here against me? She can only scream and complain like shit.


    Then who¡­Who the hell-


    As if fate wanted her to get her answer, the sound of heels clicked outside the conference room''s door. The knob turned sideways and a figure too familiar to Zhan Yahui stepped inside.


    Standing before Zhan Yahui with ''her'' shoulders straight and head held high, a voice greeted her with a pleasant smile on ''her'' lips.


    ''Guiying'' met her rattled gaze with her twinkling one. "Hello, my dear editor. How are you doing?"

 Chapter 574 The First Loss (3)

    ?


    From all the people who could have possibly turned this tide against, Guiying''s thought had never even crossed her mind. She expected it to be Jun, who now knew of her involvement in all the incidents.


    ''Start your countdown, Zhan Yahui.''


    She remembered ''her'' challenge when ''she'' confronted her a few days ago. But to Zhan Yahui, that was nothing but like a child throwing a tantrum.


    Zhan Yahui strangely kept her silence, making ''Guiying'' tilt her head. "Are you not happy to see your writer?"


    She simply stared at her without a response. She then threw a quick glance at everybody present and sensed the tension with ''Guiying''s'' arrival.


    Tension, not shock nor confusion.


    Which made her figure that ''Guiying''s'' presence was indeed expected today. Nobody was questioning it.


    She dug her nails in her palm while trying to maintain her calm smiling, but it was getting harder and harder.


    Guiying¡­no the other one.


    ''She'' has done something behind my back, she clenched her jaw. ''She'' has talked to these people against me!


    "It is just unexpected to meet you here, Guiying," she took some shallow breaths and tried to compose herself.


    Of all people, I cannot let this stupid woman ruin my plans!


    "Oh but I was eager to meet you," ''Guiying''s'' confidence and smile only irked her. "It hurts me, Zhan Yahui. Guess¡­you didn''t think that I would be here at all, right?"


    "Guiying, can we talk later? We have an important meeting going on here. If it''s about your work then I will call you-"


    "Of course it''s about work, dear."


    Zhan Yahui was beyond furious that ''Guiying'' cut her off.


    ''Guiying'' took a step closer to her and smiled. "After all, shouldn''t a CEO be a part of such important meetings too? I apologize for the delay."


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á---n?¦Ía| §ãom That struck her hard akin to a lightning bolt hitting her. "Don''t joke about important matters, Guiying," she was trembling in impatience.


    ''Guiying'' locked her gaze into hers as if ''she'' would tear her soul apart from her. "It''s you who have been treating the people around you like a fucking joke, Zhan Yahui. It''s you who have been playing us like a fool all this time, and I warned you that I will make you regret it. You would face your due repercussions, so welcome!" ''She'' sneered.


    ''She'' held the chair where Zhan Yahui had been sitting and pushed her out of the way using its force. Zhan Yahui stumbled back and fell on the floor, making Shi Zhelan chuckle in delight. Shi Shuren only looked away in silence.


    ''Guiying'' took that seat and looked down at Zhan Yahui''s sorry state. "Hm. It would have been a problem for me to raise my head to look up at you. What if I sprain my neck? It''s good that you understood your position and kneeled down yourself. Makes it so much easier for me~"


    "Cai Guiying!" She exclaimed, unable to bear her nonsense anymore. Her face burned red with humiliation. She tremblingly stood back on her feet and faced Yao Guo, demanding answers.


    "What are you sitting there doing nothing!? She just barged in and interfered in our meeting and nobody is having any objections!?"


    ''Guiying'' yawned, bored.


    Yao Guo and the other board members looked among themselves, clearing their throats.


    Shi Zhelan smiled and said, "I think you have some problems hearing loud, Zhan Yahui. Cai Guiying already explained that it''s natural for the CEO to be here."


    Zhan Yahui burst into laughter. "And when did she become the CEO?"


    "When the board and shareholders voted for her. Just like they did for you, didn''t they?"


    "That''s impossible! Gaining the votes of board members and shareholders is not some walk in the park! Guiying will run the company? A woman who has only written stories her whole life will take charge of an organization? Don''t kid with me!" Her glaring gaze accused everybody.


    ''Guiying'' narrowed her eyes. "Then how did you gain your votes, my dear editor? Sure, you were at a good position in Dream High, but that doesn''t make you competent in leading a company. Those two worlds are still far apart."


    That question raised by ''Guiying'' immediately stiffened the posture of many members of the meeting. Yao Guo adjusted himself on his chair, albeit shifting a bit restlessly.


    Zhan Yahui gritted her teeth. She felt like she fell in her own trap where ''Guiying'' guided the words to come out of her mouth. The actions that she took to get the board''s favor was nothing less than suspicious either. She had found out the pain points of the board members who were willing to sell their votes in exchange for her favor.


    Yao Guo had been secretly embezzling funds from Shi Publishing in small amounts to not get noticed. Naturally, a small threat from Zhan Yahui was enough to bend him to her will.


    One board member was harassing a female employee, who was too afraid to voice out her injustice. He was also involved in intimidating and bullying the staff, which was against the company''s policies.


    Another one had falsified company records to escape the brunt of the financial loss in that quarter.


    Zhan Yahui took advantage of every information she got and threatened and bribed the most influential board members in her favor who could easily convince the rest of the group to vote for her. On top of that, she already made them aware that she was Shi Shuren''s daughter and had his shares. Being the daughter of Shi Shuren, even if illegitimate, added weight to her words.


    Did ''Guiying'' somehow access the same information as me? No wonder the guilty oldies are so tense!


    This woman¡­


    Zhan Yahui''s thoughts were racing in her mind at lightning speed.


    But how could she do this all alone!? She is a mere writer!


    ''Guiying'' leaned in and questioned her with a smile. "So tell us. How did the board agree for you to take charge of this company? It feels suspicious¡­"


    "Guiying!"


    She raised her hand to slap her in a fit of anger, but a cold and ominous voice froze her hand mid-air, making the air chilly by several degrees. "Stop before I make you lose your hand."

 Chapter 575 The Task To Observe

    ?


    On the other side at Sky, Xing Bi couldn''t get a wink of sleep. Hou Lin''s voice kept haunting in her dreams which eerily matched too much to that of the man''s who talked about Ai''s death in her strange memories. She leaned back on her chair and closed her eyes.


    Ah this is so confusing¡­


    She felt a soft palm on her forehead and as she opened her eyes, she noticed Ai looking at her, her gaze filled with worry.


    "Are you feeling sick, Xing Bi?"


    "Ah I always feel so lighter whenever I see you," she sheepishly grinned.


    "Don''t laugh," Ai pursed her lips, "Why did you come to the office today if you were feeling so tired?"


    "I cannot miss seeing my cute Ai~"


    "You are being infected by Nian''s flirting."


    "..."


    That is not true!


    She let out a cough and hopped to wrap her arms around Ai''s waist. "Don''t worry. I am super healthy! It''s just a minor headache."


    Ai furrowed her brows, weighing the casual tone of her words. Even if it was for only once, Xing Bi was somehow connected to the past and heard a few of her memories.


    "Is it about the strange dream you had that night of the accident?"


    Xing Bi slightly widened her eyes, seeing the perceptive side of hers.


    I didn''t think Ai would have remembered it.


    She almost let her concerns out loud when she quickly stopped herself.


    Ahhh I cannot tell her! I didn''t tell her that I had heard voices talking about her death too¡­No, No. I won''t worry Ai over something so dreadful.


    I will talk to Nian instead. He knows everything, she carefully thought to herself.


    Ugh¡­but that man doesn''t like Hou Lin at all! Always getting jealous of him for petty reasons.


    Xing Bi shook her head.


    Will he use my worries as a chance to tell Jun to fire him from Sky? No¡­Nian won''t be so childish haha.


    Her mouth then twitched.


    Well¡­I cannot really comment on that.


    Ai curiously observed her funny expressions and asked, "What are you thinking about so deeply?"


    "Whether it''s safe to tell Nian or not."


    "Tell what?"


    "..."


    Xing Bi''s stupor finally broke and she nervously said, "Nothing. Just my blabbering. Ignore it."


    They then heard someone clearing his throat and looked to see Jun behind them. He looked up and down at Xing Bi and frowned. "Aren''t you sticking a bit too close to Ai?"


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á---n?¦Ía| §ãom "Hah! Are you jealous of me?"


    "Of course I am."


    "You¡­you and your brother are birds of the same feather!"


    Ai complained to Jun. "Xing Bi not feeling well."


    "Then why are you at the office today? Do you want Bro to kill me? He will think that I am so cruel to my employees," he grimaced. "Pack your stuff and head straight home."


    "Hey I am fine-"


    "CEO''s orders," he smiled.


    "This is power abuse!"


    "You are doing body abuse too."


    Damn it!


    Jun asked, "Did you talk to Bro today? I have been trying to reach him, but his phone is busy."


    Xing Bi blinked. "No. It''s actually strange. Every morning, he floods my phone with his bright good morning messages, but today I didn''t get any. Really strange¡­He never missed any day."


    "Actually Bro Jian doesn''t seem available either."


    It then clicked Ai.


    Are they out to meet Zhan Yahui¡­? Dad did say that the twins wanted to handle the matter.


    "Jun, I have something to tell you," she quickly said.


    He immediately noticed the urgency and said, "Let''s go to my office," he looked at Xing Bi and reminded her. "You don''t forget to head home."


    He found Hou Lin around the corner and called out. "Hou Lin."


    Xing Bi slightly stiffened.


    Hou Lin promptly came at his summon and bowed. "Yes, Sir."


    "Sorry for bothering you for something really silly but see to it that Xing Bi leaves for home. She is not keeping well."


    Xing Bi sobbed.


    Not him!


    Hou Lin shot her a glance and said, his expression unreadable, "When she arrived, I did tell Miss. Xing that she doesn''t look well and advised her to take a day off. But she didn''t listen to me."


    Jun and Ai gave her a hard stare at the same time.


    Yes this is also why I didn''t want to see Hou Lin! He told me the same thing as you guys!


    "Well¡­hehe¡­" she guiltily laughed.


    "Well now you are leaving, no questions asked," Jun narrowed his eyes.


    "S-sure¡­"


    Hou Lin offered. "Should I drop you, Miss. Xing?"


    "Ah that''s not necessary-"


    Ai nodded. "It''s a good idea. Otherwise Xing Bi will definitely wander around and exhaust herself even more."


    Y-You are talking as if I am a small child to wander around¡­But well it''s the truth¡­


    Xing Bi relented and packed her bag.


    "Do me a favor and don''t let Nian know about this. He is¡­he will¡­" Xing Bi showed an expression as if it was so obvious.


    "Tell me to fire Hou Lin?" Jun cocked his brow. "Don''t worry. It''s my company. He will just cry for sometime and then calm down."


    Hou Lin nodded. "I believe he won''t cause a ruckus."


    Xing Bi was speechless. "You know you are talking about Nian, right?"


    "Yes. But eventually he will have to weigh if his petty jealousy is more important or seeing his girlfriend safely reach home when she is sick. He will think about the latter and keep quiet."


    Xing Bi choked.


    Jun laughed. "Hou Lin is right. Don''t worry about Bro and get going."


    Ai hugged her once. "Take care."


    "En."


    Xing Bi dragged herself and was accompanied by Hou Lin as they left Sky. They walked along the parking area where she peeked glances at him.


    ''Zhou Ai is dead anyway.''


    How can I feel that it was Hou Lin''s voice? Just look at him. From the top to bottom, he is just a dedicated employee working for Sky and who genuinely cares for everyone!


    Seriously¡­why am I not able to let go of the dream?


    Watching her shoulders slump, Hou Lin asked, "Is your headache getting severe?"


    "Ah? Ah no, no! I¡­I am already feeling so bored. I have nothing to do today haha¡­" she made up an excuse.


    "Who said you have nothing to do? You have to rest. That''s your main task for today."


    Her brow twitched. "Resting is boring."


    "But equally important."


    She withdrew, defeated.


    Noticing her lack of enthusiasm, Hou Lin suggested, "I won''t consume much of your time, but do you want to head for an ice cream parlor? Maybe eating something cold will refresh your mind."


    Xing Bi brightened. "That''s a great idea! I am in!"


    And then I will also observe him in relation to my dream, she thought to herself. I am definitely mistaken somewhere.


    Hou Lin stared at her and then looked ahead. "Okay. Let''s go."

 Chapter 576 Taste Your Own Medicine

    ?


    Shi Publishing.


    It was at that moment when Zhan Yahui realized the source behind Guiying''s arrogance.


    Chen Zixin.


    He came up to her, his cold gaze shining at her with threat. To others, his countenance simply exhibited a lack of any particular emotion, but Zhan Yahui clearly felt the hostility emanating from his aura. Her hand in mid air was stopped in an awkward position by his entrance.


    Zixin looked at it and quietly said, "It''s in your interest to lower your hand."


    The animosity building up inside her heart was unimaginable at this point. A man like Zixin who had completely lost his memories and who should have been like a stranger to Guiying now faced her as an enemy.


    I had made sure that the accident would render him incapacitated in regards to his relationship with Guiying! Then why¡­ Who is he?


    Just a mere online identity who chatted with Guiying? Just a fan who followed her work? Such a fragile relationship should have already ended the moment he forgot about her!


    Yet Zixin stood by Guiying''s side with his full support as if the accident never happened or as if he never lost sight of Guiying at all.


    "Mr. Chen," Shi Zhelan smiled and greeted him.


    He simply glanced at her for a second but was quick to focus his attention back on ''Guiying.''


    "Are you okay?"


    The stress in his gaze was evident. "I told you to wait for me outside, didn''t I?" ''she'' folded her arms.


    "I was worried about you and¡­" his alarming and icy black orbs looked at Zhan Yahui with a threat, "rightly so."


    Zhan Yahui trembled as her agitated voice sharply echoed in the room. "So he is behind all this, isn''t he? I was wondering how you could reach up to this point, but it''s all clear now," she angrily laughed, "You fucking used his power to gain everybody''s favor here! He pressured the board to act like you wanted, didn''t he!?"


    ''Guiying'' cocked her brow in amusement. "What proof do you have, dear? Also, do you think that your intentions or methods were any purer than me?"


    ''She'' took a step closer, her eyes narrowing but her lips turning into a sneer. "I like you a lot, Zhan Yahui. I have worked with you for so long. That''s why I will let this go. Otherwise, I can file defamation charges against you."


    Zhan Yahui stared at her. Those were the exact words that she spoke to ''Guiying'' when she came to confront her. But the die was now rolled, and it was ''her'' turn to give Zhan Yahui the taste of her own medicine.


    ''Guiying'' shook her head. "Since when do people accuse someone of corruption without any proof? Zixin is only here because he was too anxious to leave me alone. It''s my first time facing such a meeting after all. How is there any connection between him and the board? If you don''t have the answer to the questions, then all your accusations are useless."


    "Stop with your act, Cai Guiying!"


    "I feel hurt, Zhan Yahui. I was only trying to help you with the best of my capabilities. I just thought it would be so burdensome for you to handle all this. But you took the wrong meaning behind my goodwill."


    Her expression was distorting in pure fury. It was only a few days ago when she acted calm and in control of the situation, and ''Guiying'' crazily shouted her accusations at her. But now ''she'' threw the same words back at her face with a force even deadlier than Zhan Yahui had. She felt that hard slap on her cheek without any physical contact.


    ''Guiying'' was extremely pleased with the turn of events. Seeing their places switch where Zhan Yahui was now infuriated just like ''she'' was, was a victorious moment for ''her.''


    Seeing ''Guiying'' beaming with joy and satisfaction made Zixin blossom with happiness too.


    e¦Áglesnovel`c,om Yao Guo quickly said, "N-Now that everything is clear, can we end this meeting?"


    ''Guiying'' naturally understood where he was coming from and smiled. "As the new CEO, I have to address my company leaders, right? So please be seated."


    He stiffened, his gaze filled with jitters.


    ''She'' looked back at Zhan Yahui and said, "Oh dear you are still here? Since you aren''t a CEO anymore, this will be a confidential meeting for you. You are not allowed to be here."


    ''Guiying'' inwardly snorted.


    She is so stupid. Even if it wasn''t me, Liu Jun would have come for her instead. The result would have been the same. Now that he knew everything, did she really think that he would have let her wander around freely to keep ruining our lives any longer?


    Zhan Yahui breathed hard, her face reddening. She could see all her carefully laid out cards collapsing one by one. Every plan was failing left and right.


    My revenge¡­My revenge¡­I need to be here. I need to ruin Liu Jun!


    I cannot lose here¡­I cannot lose¡­


    "I cannot lose here!!" She almost grabbed ''Guiying'' in an act of violence but Zixin who was already alert pushed her away in time.


    "Stay back," he coldly ordered.


    "Get the fuck out of my way!!!" She roared at Zixin, furious at his interference.


    Shi Zhelan, Shi Shuren and the rest of the board were stupefied to see her act this way. Zhan Yahui had always carried herself with poise and elegance. She never showed any signs of distress or losing her calm in any situation.


    Which was why Shi Zhelan hated her because it felt as if there were a lot of malicious things cooking behind that harmless smile. But now her entire demeanor had taken a one-eighty degree turn.


    Shi Shuren anxiously wanted to reach out to her but she wasn''t in the state to listen to anybody and violently dismissed him too.


    Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth. "This woman has turned crazy! Who knows how many people she might hurt! Take her away right now!"


    "Guiying you fucking bitch! How dare you come in my way!? You had no business in messing up with me!"


    At that point, the guards arrived to secure her out of the company.


    ''Guiying'' wanted to slap her, but ''she'' refrained.


    She has some nerve to say that after using Guiying as a puppet for all this time and hurting Zixin too. How I wish I could scratch her face!


    Zixin patted her shoulder. "Don''t be disappointed. I will fulfill all your wishes."


    Is he a mind reader? ''Her'' mouth twitched.


    Zhan Yahui burst into an eerie laughter watching them flirt when she was in a dire situation herself. She exclaimed as she struggled violently with the guards. "Don''t fucking act arrogant, Cai Guiying! You must think that you are so lucky, right? But do you think that this happiness will remain for long? You are just living in illusions because Chen Zixin will discard you the moment he will know about your split personality!"


    ''Guiying'' froze.


    "Why only him? The whole world will abandon you because you are nothing but just a crazy woman! An abnormal woman with two people living inside her!" She laughed in mockery. "A pitiful, mentally ill person whom even her own brother steered away from. That is your sorry existence, Cai Guiying!"

 Chapter 577 The Unknown Part Of The Story

    ?


    At the same time in Jun''s office, Ai had pulled him in for a serious conversation that they couldn''t have before Xing Bi.


    "I know where the twins might be," she calmly but grimly said.


    "Where?"


    "To nab the hold of Zhan Yahui probably."


    His eyes widened, and he stared at her for a few moments, stunned. "Bro Jian and Bro Nian? Why?"


    He remembered that after knowing the culprit behind everything, Nian had told Jun that he would take care of the matter, but he never expected that they would decide to take action so soon.


    He released a sigh and pressed his brows. Ai gently held his face in her palms and asked, "Is it not good?"


    His pursed lips expressed his slight hesitation. "Of course it''s good. It''s time that we stop Zhan Yahui once and for all. But I had other plans. I have already asked Chyou to dig into her past and first find out that traitor''s identity anyhow. I planned to destroy that link first that always helped her in the shadows¡­" he gritted her teeth, "and betrayed my trust. Apart from that¡­"


    After a long pause, he said, "I hoped the twins or anybody from the family would not involve themselves in this."


    Ai blinked. "They are your brothers. They worry about you."


    A sad smile etched on his lips. "Yes. But this is something¡­that happened because I got involved with Ouyang Haitao, who Zhan Yahui''s mother was going to marry. Zhan Yahui''s hatred is towards me and me alone who ruined her family. That''s why I feel it''s my responsibility to bring everything to closure as well. It''s kind of¡­my penance for all the mistakes I made in my past. I don''t wish for them to handle the mess that came into place because of me."


    His beautiful brown irises at the moment looked alone and as if he was shouldering everything by himself. Ai strongly disagreed with this sentiment and buried her face in his chest first. "You look like you are pushing everybody away to fight alone. I am telling you that I am against this."


    He blinked and burst into a soft laughter. "I am not pushing anybody away, especially you," he cupped her face and placed a gentle but firm kiss on her lips. "We are always together whatever the situation might be."


    Ai nodded hard. "You better not back off from that."


    "Why are you suddenly having trust issues?" He chuckled.


    "It''s your fault."


    "Yes, yes, my Ai is always right."


    She entwined her fingers against his and her voice softened. "The twins are doing this not for the reasons that you think."


    He tilted his head, puzzled.


    "I mean, yes, it''s regarding Ouyang Haitao only. But there is a big part of the story that you don''t know, Jun."


    His gaze grew bewildered. "About my kidnapping?"


    "About Ouyang Haitao''s death. They told me what exactly had happened and what they kept from you for all these years. That''s why they want to be in the frontline in dealing with Zhan Yahui."


    His jaw slightly dropped in shock. "I don''t understand. What else was left not to know about?"


    She let out a wistful smile. "I believe the twins should be the ones to tell you themselves."


    Jun parted and closed his lips but was unsure of what to respond. To learn that there was a part that he was unaware of shook him.


    "I need to talk to them right now," he quickly grabbed his phone, trying to reach either of them. "Those idiots¡­"


    Why am I having this weird feeling?


    Jun couldn''t reach either Jian or Nian no matter how many times he tried.


    "The hell, where are they!"


    "Calm down, Jun. They are fine," Ai spoke in a reassuring tone.


    "I cannot calm down, Ai. What are they thinking? I need to find them and talk to them," it then struck him, "Dad¡­Dad must know everything. I will call him right now."


    It was at that moment when he received Chyou''s call at the same time he was about to dial Jinhai''s number.


    Damn Zhan Yahui''s helper¡­ it slipped my mind.


    He quickly accepted the call and asked, "Chyou. Did you find anything about the traitor?"


    ¡ª


    "Yumm this is delicious!" Xing Bi appreciated the sweetness of the cold ice cream melting on her tongue.


    Hou Lin watched her happily gobble down her ice cream and said, "Slow down, Miss. Xing or you will feel a freeze in your head."


    "But this ice cream is delicious," she said, taking another quick bite.


    "The ice cream is not going anywhere. You can have another one if you want, but don''t be hasty."


    Xing Bi relented and slowed down. She asked, noticing that he wasn''t eating any ice cream, "You won''t have some?"


    He plainly said, "I don''t prefer sweet things that much."


    "But didn''t you buy a whole cake that day from Nian''s bakery?"


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel He paused. "That wasn''t for me. It was somebody''s birthday."


    Xing Bi thought that this could be the chance to know more about him. "Who was it? Someone from your family? Hehe or your girlfriend?"


    It cannot be Zhan Yahui right?


    Strangely to her, Hou Lin didn''t respond to that. She stared into his eyes and felt it was more like he didn''t know how to answer the question.


    She quickly apologized. "Sorry if I was rude."


    He peered into her sincere and remorseful gaze and shook his head. "Nothing for you to apologize for, Miss. Xing. I am sorry I am not able to clearly articulate it."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine!" She tried to cheer him up, "I hope you find your answer soon! Of course the answer that you wish for haha."


    Ugh I am here because I am suspicious of Hou Lin but why did I end up cheering him instead? Xing Bi seriously questioned her morals.


    Hou Lin smiled. "Thank you, Miss. Xing."


    "Here, try this second scoop. I know you aren''t very fond of ice cream, but you will definitely like this one!" She chirped.


    He contemplated for sometime and eventually took a bite. "It''s good."


    "See! I told you," she brightened.


    "But too cold. And too sweet."


    "..."


    I-It''s an ice cream. Of course, it will be cold and sweet¡­


    Xing Bi burst into a hearty laughter. "You are funny, Hou Lin."


    Her hearty laughter caused her to accidentally stain her dress with some ice cream.


    Damn!


    She smiled, embarrassed. "S-sorry, I will be back¡­"


    "Please take your time."


    She quickly headed to the washroom while Hou Lin stayed behind. He stared at her empty seat and was thinking with an unreadable expression when he heard Xing Bi''s phone ring. He just slightly leaned and raised his brow looking at the caller ID.


    Liu Jun.

 Chapter 578 Somebody Is Enough Than Everybody

    ?


    Shi Publishing.


    Zhan Yahui noticed the sharp descent in ''Guiying''s'' mood and was sure that she hit a jackpot. The truth about Guiying''s split personality was always a sensitive issue for her and watching her expression turn from victory to that of fury immensely satisfied her.


    She sneered. "Won''t you introduce us to the wonderful ''other friend'' you have inside you? Oh I forgot. That ''other friend'' is talking to us at this moment, is ''she'' not?"


    ''Guiying'' trembled but not because ''she'' was afraid of Zhan Yahui''s taunts or the fact that ''her'' existence was revealed. It was Guiying inside her who was terrified of the consequences.


    Now everybody knew her truth and the abuse done by her brother. It won''t be long before it will be leaked to everybody in this industry and she will become the center of attention.


    ''Guiying'' could clearly feel her horror and the rapid pounding of her heartbeat. The fear of criticism, judgment and ridicule had rendered her paralyzed.


    Calm down, will you! You are seriously afraid of this now?


    No matter how much ''she'' tried to talk to her, ''she'' couldn''t control her other self from going into a frenzy. It was at this moment when Zixin pulled her into his embrace without a word and silently began to pat her back.


    e¦Áglesn?¦Íel ''Guiying'' widened her eyes. His broad chest had suddenly blocked her vision, but his sweet scent that invaded her nostrils was oddly reassuring. Guiying within her, too, felt as if she could breathe. His hug put a brake on her neverending race of trepidation and worry of her future.


    "You don''t have to be afraid."


    His simple but kind words echoed in her ears. The pacifying voice with which he spoke to her in a slow and gentle tone was easing down the hyperactivity that was spiraling out of control.


    "Neither you nor ''you.'' Both of you are amazing," his beautiful eyes shone with pride. "So even if the world will know now, there is no reason for you to stumble back."


    A few drops of tears soaked into Zixin''s coat as ''Guiying'' shed them. "You don''t understand¡­" It was Guiying''s words that came through ''her'' lips. "People will think that I am ill. Crazy. They will shun me."


    "Nobody will," Zixin tilted his head. "You led a difficult life and suffered your brother''s abuse yet you pushed yourself to walk in the right path and become such a talented writer. You made a name for yourself. It''s an achievement to be proud of. Your words have strung the chords of thousands of hearts. Do you think those people who love your beautiful stories, who lined up just to meet you and get their books personally signed by their favorite author, will think less of you?"


    Guiying strongly wished to believe in his words, but her heart resisted.


    "...I don''t want anybody''s sympathy," her quiet voice choked. "Pity is the last thing I want to see in their eyes."


    "You will never find pity in their eyes. Only understanding and admiration just like me," he softly smiled.


    "Not everybody is like you, Zixin¡­"


    "But you don''t need everybody either."


    She shook.


    "It''s enough if even some of those everybody stand by your side with respect which I know will happen. We are not here to please the whole world. The ones who show disdain to you are the ones to be pitied in actuality. It''s not just you - they are the type to be toxic to anybody who doesn''t fall into their narrowed and skewed version of reality. Just like your brother. Isn''t that just a sad life filled with only judgment and criticism? Do you want people like Cai Lingyun to surround your world?"


    Even his mention sent tremors down her spine. The traumatic time of his verbal and physical abuse felt fresh in her heart.


    "Or do you want somebody like Ai to be in your life forever? Even if she might be just one person to love you for who you are against ten people to ridicule you, would you want to be with those ten people or Ai?"


    Her eyes brimmed with tears and her thoughts went back to the peaceful high school days she spent with Ai. At times, she regretted that she never revealed her alter ego to her. If she would have received Ai''s warmth and friendship after knowing everything about her, she wouldn''t have felt so threatened about Ai''s existence as a writer.


    Zixin smiled. "Life will feel so colorful and warm if there are friends like Ai beside you, right? There might be a minority of such people to show you love, but it''s better to live life with them rather than the toxic majority, don''t you think?"


    She buried her face further in his chest. "When did y-you learn to speak such honey-like sweet words?"


    "Whenever I am with you."


    "..."


    "I don''t know what to say¡­" she sniffled.


    "It''s easy. Be good and say that you won''t falter. You will face everyone with your head held high because there is nothing to be ashamed of. Look straight into everybody''s eyes and say that I am proud to have ''her'' in my life. It''s ''her'' existence that helped me to become who I am today."


    It wasn''t clear if the tears rolling down belonged to Guiying or ''Guiying.'' They knew that the only feeling left in their hearts was of immense warmth and relief.


    Zhan Yahui laughed in mockery, breaking the moment they shared. "Oh God, such pathetic consolation. Guiying really is an idiot to fall for such nonsense."


    ''Guiying''s'' gaze turned icy. "Yeah for you it will be nonsense, Zhan Yahui, because your chest lacks a heart in the first place."


    Zixin gave a hard stare at Zhan Yahui once and looked at the guards. "Take her away already."


    "You fucking Chen Zixin! Who are you to throw me out!?"


    Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth, finally losing her patience. "Get her out of my sight already!"


    But Zhan Yahui still kept screaming despite the guards pushing her out. "Don''t think you have healed Guiying''s heart by your buttery words! It''s all because of you that Guiying is standing here and daring to face me! It''s all because of your damn interference! I will never forgive you! You¡­you should have just died that day of the accident!"

 Chapter 579 You Are Coming With Us

    ?


    The bewildered gasps echoed sharply in the meeting room.


    "Why didn''t you just die that day!? It would have been much better had it not stopped at just a simple memory loss!"


    *SLAP*


    A crisp and painful slap burned like fire on Zhan Yahui''s cheek. With the sting of the slap turning her eyes misty, she slowly faced Guiying, stupefied.


    "So you finally spit out the truth, Zhan Yahui," ''Guiying'' angrily laughed, but her black orbs were anything but laughing.


    She clutched her hair at the back of her neck, making her gasp. When Zhan Yahui looked into ''her'' eyes, a sharp tremble shuddered across her arms and legs.


    "The fact that you were behind Zixin''s accident and who prevented him from coming to Shanghai, you finally opened your dirty mouth admitting it."


    The more ''Guiying'' spoke, the more pain she felt at her hair roots that ''she'' mercilessly tugged and pulled. "Ahhhh! Let go of my hair, you fucking bitch!"


    ''Guiying'' chuckled. "Bitch? You are cursing me just for pulling your hair? Is only this much pain enough to bring tears to your eyes? It''s just your hair, not like I fucking crashed your head in a car accident with a truck!!"


    Shi Zhelan and Shi Shuren were horrified. Shi Zhelan hated Zhan Yahui''s existence but to know that she was behind Zixin''s accident was unbelievable. "Is this really true?" She asked, breathless.


    ''Guiying'' sneered. "Didn''t she admit it from her own mouth?"


    Shi Zhelan wished to faint. "Oh my God¡­I cannot believe that Zhan Yahui would turn out to be a criminal!!!"


    She turned abruptly towards Shi Shuren and glared at him. "And this is the woman¡­this is the daughter that you bore with that woman and brought into the family! This is your daughter who God knows how many crimes have committed and you brought such a dangerous person into my family! Today, she hurt Chen Zixin, tomorrow she would have harmed my Huan! Then what would you have done, Shuren!? Still take her side? Still name all the shares to her? Answer me!"


    Shi Shuren was equally appalled, but words were too stuck in his throat to speak anything.


    Shi Zhelan froze as a realization dawned upon. "You¡­you made Huan sick at the Summit, did you not? At first, I was only suspicious, but now there is no place for any doubts to remain!"


    She stormed towards her and harshly grabbed her arm, her nails into her skin. "Tell me the truth, Zhan Yahui! You were behind Huan falling sick and throwing her out of the competition, weren''t you!"


    "Don''t touch me, you bitch!" Zhan Yahui exclaimed and pushed her away.


    "Zh-Zhelan!" Shi Shuren exclaimed.


    "Huan wouldn''t have survived in this writing industry anyway!" Her sinister gaze fell on her, and she snickered. "A princess who have her parents set up a whole company for her sake, what would she know of a fucking struggle anyway!? You talk about me pulling the strings?"


    She sneered again, "What experience does your lovely daughter have that she was selected for the final round of the Summit? What did she achieve that she deserved to win any prize in that competition? Or was it her mother who pulled some strings to make her qualify for the finale instead? Just like how she was invited to the Shanghai Fest? That was you bribing a place for her, weren''t you?"


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Án?¦Íel Shi Zhelan gritted her teeth. "You-"


    "Stop shouting, bitch! Some hypocrite you are pointing your fingers at me for manipulating the competition when Huan''s results till the finale were nothing but red flags! I did her a favor by showing her the taste of reality! All these oldies think that Huan is the savior of this company, but it''s nothing but an illusion! You have painted a false image of your daughter''s talent in everybody''s minds of how capable she is when she is miles away from achieving anything on her own so get off your high horse!"


    "Oh really?" It was ''Guiying''s'' voice that quietly but eerily came from her back. "You speak as if you are some upholder of justice. Then what reason did Zixin have to suffer? You planned his accident only to prevent me from knowing his identity as MrPerfect. Just for that, you went as far as playing with his life like he was some lifeless doll!"


    ''She'' grabbed her jaw so harshly that Zhan Yahui thought it might dislocate. "Should I make you taste reality and let you know how it feels to get yourself crushed in an accident? How does it feel when your head hits the steering wheel so hard that you see your death coming to take you?"


    Zixin quickly pulled her back and pursed his lips as he dusted her hands. "You don''t have to get your hands dirty in dealing with her."


    "Don''t stop me, Zixin! And why are you so calm in the first place? You are the victim here!"


    "Because there is no reason for me to get agitated. I am alive and with my family. You are by my side. Even if I don''t have my memories, I don''t necessarily feel the need to have them back anymore. I have learned to live my life with joy even without them. As for Zhan Yahui''s crimes, it''s not like she will be set free."


    His expression hardened, his icy gaze making Zhan Yahui''s body go frigid. "She has a lot to pay for. She has hurt you too. She has betrayed your trust. She has played with a lot of lives, and she cannot escape her punishment for that."


    He ordered the guards. "We have talked enough for now. Take her away right now."


    Zhan Yahui continued to scream, protesting from being thrown out of the building. But this time, she was forcefully taken out with all the employees staring at the scene unfolding before them, aghast.


    As they dragged her out of the company, the guards were supposed to take Zhan Yahui to the police station but instead, two figures stood before them unexpectedly.


    Zhan Yahui slowly raised her head, noticing the sudden silence. Her eyes slowly widened as she recognized the two sons of the Liu family who looked exactly like each other.


    Jian stared straight into her eyes and parted his lips, his black orbs dripping with danger, "You are coming with us."

 Chapter 580 Grave Situation

    ?


    "I am back."


    Xing Bi smiled in embarrassment as she returned to her seat. "Sorry that took time."


    "It''s no problem. Should we leave? You can eat the remaining ice cream in the car," Hou Lin suggested. "It''s better if you go home and rest as soon as possible."


    "To be honest, I am really not that sick but okay. Ai and Jun will get mad if I stay outside any longer," she sighed.


    She took her phone but noticed that it was switched off. "Ah what happened to my phone now?"


    "I am sorry, Miss. Xing. It fell because of me," he looked guilty, "I tried switching it on but it didn''t work. Please don''t worry. I will take full responsibility for its repair."


    "It''s fine, it''s fine!" She quickly assured him. "Accidents happen. I drop my phone way too many times hehe¡­So you don''t have to be so serious."


    Hou Lin took her back in his car and started to drive. The way back home was eerily silent. Xing Bi felt a certain sense of stifling in the air, but she couldn''t figure out why. There was still some time to reach home, so she thought to continue getting to know anything about him that could help her in giving some answers to her strange dreams.


    But what should I ask¡­? I cannot just directly ask if he knew Zhan Yahui personally.


    She got an idea and asked, "Oh yes! What is happening in Shi Publishing, do you know?"


    "Shi Publishing?"


    "Yes. It was quite shocking to see that Zhan Yahui became the acting CEO. I have worked with her in Dream High, but it never seemed to me that she ever wanted to be the CEO¡­From what I know, her relationship with the Shi family is not really cordial, so I was just curious¡­"


    He threw her a sideways glance. "Why do you ask me?"


    She coughed. "You seem like the kind of person to keep tabs on everything."


    "Is that the impression I give?"


    She touched her chin thoughtfully. "More like you might be bound to know something about everything. You feel like an encyclopedia haha!"


    "That''s a quite accurate judgment," his lips curled into a small smile.


    ¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á -n?¦Íe| , c?m "I am always right. So, tell me."


    "It could be that Miss. Zhan might have developed an interest in business. Since she is already Shi Shuren''s daughter, it wouldn''t be so difficult getting in."


    She widened her eyes. "Despite Mrs. Shi''s resistance? Didn''t she build the company for Huan''s sake?"


    "A company built on a shallow objective like that cannot survive. It''s not a company. It''s basically a toyhouse that Mrs. Shi has built for her daughter."


    Xing Bi was quite surprised to hear such strong opinions about Huan.


    Well it is indeed true that Huan is quite young and to make a whole company for her sake just to drive her future alone is a bit excessive¡­


    They chatted a bit more but never once during that time did Hou Lin act in any way to signal that he might know Zhan Yahui personally.


    Maybe I am really thinking too much about this dream¡­


    "Did Miss. Cui Fen say anything to you?"


    "Sorry? About what?"


    "That day I heard you two talking. She was talking about someone who might be in Sky giving her orders to lie."


    Xing Bi sighed. "Yes, she did tell me about it. That was what she felt, but I really don''t know. Everybody at Sky is like family. Who would dare to cause trouble? And who is against Sky in the first place?" She flared her nostrils.


    "...Somebody who has a grudge against Sir."


    Xing Bi felt a chill across her spine for some unknown reason. "Jun?"


    "Indeed. Or else why would anyone think to target Sky? It''s his company, after all."


    "It does make sense but who could be his enemy?" She frowned. "Dream High and Shi Publishing are the only publishing companies close enough to compete with Sky."


    Hou Lin stared at the road with a faraway gaze. "Sometimes an enmity is beyond professional rivalry. In front of that, fighting for money and power seems pointless."


    "That is true¡­"


    But what kind of a personal vendetta somebody could have against Jun anyway?


    It was then Xing Bi noticed the road outside the window, which she wasn''t sure where it was leading to. She scratched her head and asked, "Where are we going? My house is not this way."


    "I know."


    She beamed. "Is it another treat you are giving me?"


    "...You can take it like that."


    He is talking so mysteriously¡­


    She shrugs and didn''t pay much attention at first but then she observed that the crowd around the area where they were heading was getting thinner and thinner. At one point, she could hardly see any soul outside.


    "Are you sure people live here?" She peered outside.


    Hou Lin said nothing.


    "Hou Lin?"


    "You will know when we get there," he quietly said.


    Xing Bi blinked and her instincts kicked in that was something odd was happening. "Um Hou Lin, it''s fine we don''t go for the second treat. Just take me back home."


    There was no response.


    She gulped and felt adrenaline kick inside her.


    Why is he suddenly acting so weird? And where is this lonely place he is taking me to!


    Xing Bi fidgeted with her phone to turn it on, but it proved fruitless.


    "It won''t switch on. I disengaged it when you left for the washroom. It doesn''t have any battery or sim either," Hou Lin calmly said, his voice neither hurried nor anxious.


    She stiffened. It meant that she had no way to contact Nian or anybody else.


    "...Can I ask why?"


    "A phone will prove a troubleome thing to have, considering your situation."


    "What is the situation?"


    "I think you have understood it quite well."


    Silence.


    "You are the one who threatened Cui Fen, aren''t you?"


    He said nothing, but his silence was enough to give her the answer.


    "So that means you know Zhan Yahui too."


    It was then that Hou Lin parted his lips. "Yes, indeed. I know Zhan Yahui. I know her very well."

 Chapter 581 Every Revelation (1)

    ?


    "Shit, shit, shit! Xing Bi''s number is not even coming off anymore. It''s just not connecting!" Jun was rapidly moving his fingers to call Xing Bi anyhow, but he didn''t achieve any results.


    Ai''s countenance was rapidly draining as every second passed. "What do we do now? How will we find Xing Bi? What about Hou Lin''s phone?"


    He gnashed his jaw. "He is not picking up his phone either. Ever since I called Xing Bi a few minutes ago, it''s like they went on radio silence. When I called her and told to leave him as soon as possible¡­it must be Hou Lin listening to me! I don''t understand how he got Xing Bi''s phone?"


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "Or was it that he had already planned to¡­"


    He couldn''t help but blame himself. It was him who had urged Xing Bi to go home with Hou Lin. But it was just minutes later that he came to know about the traitor''s identity.


    Jun dialed Chyou''s number next and said, "I don''t care how but please track Hou Lin and Xing Bi at any cost!"


    Sensing the urgency in his voice, Chyou was quick to guess. "Is Xing Bi with him?"


    "It was just fifteen minutes before your call that I had sent them together¡­" the nerves on the back of his hand appeared, his gaze turning frightening, "Hou Lin¡­I won''t forgive that bastard. If anything happens to Xing Bi, I will wring his neck with my own hands!"


    "You idiot. Nothing will happen to Xing Bi! I will drag my soul out of my body but I will find Hou Lin at any cost!"


    Ai felt a sick foreboding in her chest as if something terrible was going to happen. The long battle felt like it was coming to a close.


    The past had ended for a tragedy for everybody, but what did this life have in store for them?


    Jun held her hand and softly kissed the back of it. "This time we aren''t losing, Ai. We won''t lose a second time."


    "But Xing Bi¡­" tears brimmed her eyes.


    "She will be safe. For now, I am sure that Hou Lin doesn''t have any intention to harm her. It''s more like he wants to trade Zhan Yahui with her. He must have learned what is happening in Shi Publishing and then that the twins have taken her."


    Her gaze shone with a mix of fury and chilliness. "He dares to use Xing Bi as a bargaining chip."


    "We won''t let him do that," his voice resounded equally cold. "We must go to where the twins are right now. Bro Nian should know what has happened. And once he does¡­it won''t be a good sight."


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui fell on the floor, gasping for air and yelping in pain as her knees scraped against the harsh, brittle ground. The air was so gloomy that she felt unable to breathe. The bleak darkness around her brought goosebumps on her skin.


    She slowly turned and faced the twins, her eyes spitting with rage and danger. "What the fuck do you think you are doing!?"


    Jian took a chair and sat on it, his usual jollyness nowhere to be seen. "What we should have done ages ago. We now came to thoroughly understand how dangerous loose threads might become if not dealt with in time."


    "It''s a pity Dad took pity on you years ago."


    "What the hell are you talking about? I have no interest in listening to your garbage! Let me go!"


    Nian said, unfazed, "You are not going anywhere, especially now that we know that you have been wreaking havoc in our dear little brother''s life for this whole time."


    Not just this life, but the past too¡­


    He oozed an aura that was alone enough to make them stumble on their knees.


    "At this point, I really wonder just what punishment is enough for you? Because every torture seems pale in comparison to what we have used in the past."


    Zhan Yahui blankly stared at them, trying to register what they were saying. Then she suddenly turned into a manic laughter. "I see. So is it Liu Jun who has sent you two? I cannot believe him. I thought he would have some steel in him to face me," she sneered, "but looks like your brother is too much of a coward to do that."


    *SPLASH*


    She let out a sharp gasp as a guard poured a bucket full of ice water onto her head. The extremely cold water droplets slid down her face and neck, wetting her dress and making her shudder like crazy with the air conditioning switched on to the lowest setting.


    Jian stared at her, expressionless. "First rule to follow if you even remotely have any intention to live longer. Never insult my siblings."


    Her lips quivered, and she continued to gasp breathlessly. Her wet dress stuck more to her skin, making her feel as if she was descending to hell.


    "They are my sweet and adorable siblings. There are lots of things that I cannot tolerate and saying shit about my brothers and sister is one of them," he said in such a monotone voice that it felt even more threatening without the hint of anger in it.


    Nian said, "Second is to clear your misunderstanding. There is a reason why WE brought you here instead of Jun. It has nothing to do with my brother being brave or foolish. If we are the reason for what happened in the past, then it''s absolutely natural that we should be the ones to settle it."


    Zhan Yahui squinted her eyes at them as if they were speaking in a different language than her. "Are you high on drugs?"


    Jian said, "You have no idea about Ouyang Haitao, do you?"


    She froze. In that bout of coldness that her body was already going through, a sharp chill arose in her heart, hearing that name after so long.


    "...Don''t you dare take his name from your lips or trust me, I will tear your mouth apart," she quietly said, "Don''t you dare talk anything about him."


    "I think we are in a more appropriate position to dare you," Jian said, "How dare that bastard lay hands on my little brother to kidnap him years ago?"

 Chapter 582 Every Revelation (2)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui stared at the twins, trembling with cold and fury at the same time.


    Nian tilted his head. "He kidnapped Jun and then expected to be left unharmed. That''s some serious illusion he was living in. And you are causing havoc in Jun''s life over his death. Over something that he began in the first place."


    "Shut your mouth!!!" She exclaimed, her loud and infuriated voice sharply echoing in the dark Underworld basement. "You have some nerve talking about my father as if you are all painted in white!"


    She gnashed her jaw, her body twitching with a surge of violence flowing in. "I don''t want to see your faces in the first place! I don''t have any business with you! Do you think you won just because you have trapped me here?" She sneered. "Far from it. I am not going down like this. Do you think everything ends here? Never!"


    Jian said without much emotion, "It''s nice to have confidence, not overconfidence. I don''t know what makes you think that you will ever be able to see the sun again. The ones trapped here, die here."


    The twins heard the sound of footsteps rushing towards their room, and they narrowed their eyes.


    Nian threw a glare at the guard. "I thought we were clear that nobody was supposed to enter without our permission."


    The guard jolted back with fear but before he could explain, a voice was heard.


    "It''s me, Bro."


    Zhan Yahui trembled, recognizing her arch enemy''s voice. They had met at the Summit and at Shanghai''s fest but today was different. Today, there was no hide and seek game between them. She faced Jun, not as a wolf in sheep''s clothing but as the wolf itself.


    "Liu Jun¡­"


    The bitter and ugly memories that had always haunted her ever since that fateful day rushed within her as if poison flowed in her very veins. The hatred leaked from her eyes, threatening to overthrow his entire life into a disarray.


    Jun''s gaze fell upon Zhan Yahui at the same time. His heart was overwhelmed with mixed emotions. Just like Zhan Yahui revisited her memories, so did Jun and Ai that spanned across a whole lifetime.


    The past life that came to a halt with the worst end possible for everyone was brought forth by this single woman kneeling in front of him. The audacity of this woman before him had crushed everybody''s life into despair. It was finally time today that they faced the puppeteer they had been itching to punish all this time.


    But that had to wait because right now, a more urgent matter needed attention.


    The twins knew that Jun would come to meet them sooner or later, but they had expected a little delay.


    "Why are you here, Jun?" Jian asked in a slight gruff tone, apparently slightly displeased and uneasy.


    "So you came here Liu Jun¡­did you come here to laugh at me? Did you think that you would win? Oh and you brought your girlfriend here too to witness the spectacle."


    Ai shot her a cold look.


    "But alas Liu Jun, all you are going to face is disappointment and only disappointment alone. There is no way I am going down at this pathetic place."


    Jun controlled his seething anger with extreme difficulty and faced Nian instead, "I have to tell you something."


    "You can see we are busy, Jun," the intensity in his voice was similar to Nian''s.


    "This needs your utmost attention right now, Bro Nian."


    Nian cocked his brow.


    Jian threw him a sideways glance and said, "You go, Nian."


    Nian clearly noticed their gazes that demanded haste and urgent attention from him. He wanted to deal with Zhan Yahui once and for all, but he couldn''t ignore Jun and Ai either.


    Is that why they arrived earlier than expected?


    They stepped out into another room, away from where Jian and Zhan Yahui were, but her disdainful screams echoed even after the doors were closed.


    "Are you running away, Liu Jun? You just arrived and you are already running away!?"


    Nian banged the door shut of the adjacent room and squinted his eyes at them. "I thought it was clear that Jian and I were to take care of Zhan Yahui''s matters. Then why are you interfering?"


    "It shouldn''t be just you two handling the matters. Ai and I are more involved than anything else here and you know it."


    "I know exactly what you are talking about. The past life, this second life - there are many scores to settle with Zhan Yahui. And I will still order you to stay out of this."


    Jun closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. "We can talk about this later. Right now, we need your focus somewhere else."


    "Where?"


    "Xing Bi¡­" Ai said, tears threatening to fall from her brown orbs, "Hou Lin took Xing Bi away¡­!"


    "Sorry, what?"


    "Hou Lin kidnapped Xing Bi¡­"


    Nian stared at the duo as if he just heard some joke. "Jun, I know you aren''t the type to joke around, but if you are really trying to do something funny here then let me tell you that I am not laughing."


    Jun said, "Hou Lin knows that you took Zhan Yahui with you."


    A deep silence etched into the atmosphere.


    "Chyou is doing her best to track them down."


    Nian blinked. "Xing Bi is really not with you two?"


    "No."


    "Then why is she with Hou Lin?"


    Jun felt a strange sensation of somebody''s hands creeping up to strangle his neck. "Xing Bi wasn''t feeling well today, so I told Hou Lin to drop her home-"


    "Jun!" Ai shrieked in horror as Nian grabbed Jun''s shirt and forcefully pushed him backward, banging his back on the wall.


    "I will fucking kill you, Jun!" Nian''s black eyes dripped with pure danger and his fingers squeezed his neck with such cruelty that only spoke of death and nothing else.


    Ai held Nian''s wrist and tried to push him away. "Let go of Jun, Nian! We didn''t know that Hou Lin was the traitor we were looking for all this time!"


    "WHERE IS XING BI!?"


    Nian wasn''t in a state to listen to anything else.


    "Chyou is trying to find her¡­" Ai tried to diffuse the situation, but learning that the love of his life was in danger snapped the last thread of patience within him.


    Jun struggled against his grip and said, "You can kill me all you want later, Bro. But right now, we need to find Xing Bi."

 Chapter 583 Every Revelation (3)

    ?


    Jin woke up with a gasp. It was around when the afternoon sun was setting to dye the sky in the evening''s glow. He had no idea how long he was sleeping for. But the long spell of sleep only left like a void within him.


    Jin inhaled and exhaled breathlessly as he wiped his sweat off his forehead with trembling fingers. Those same fingers then touched his chest where he could feel his heart pounding rapidly. It took a few moments for him to orient himself after which he tiredly leaned back on his bed.


    He looked at the ceiling and closed his eyes, thinking of the long dream he had. At one point, he felt something climb on his thighs, and he opened his eyes. He looked at the two cats, staring at him with scrutiny.


    Jin gazed back into their eyes and smiled. "I remember you two now."


    They tilted their heads at the same time. He patted their heads at once and said, "I am sorry I had forgotten about you two for all this time," he glanced at Ai-chan, "We even met in the church, but I didn''t recognize you. I am sorry."


    Ai-chan softly meowed as if expressing that she didn''t mind.


    He straightened his back again and scooped the cats in his arms.


    *Meow!*


    Jun-cute was struggling against his hold to keep his distance from Ai-chan, making Jin only chuckle. "This reminds me of Bro. I can see you took after him very well."


    Jun-cute wasn''t exactly pleased with this compliment.


    "Haha, you even show the same expressions as him."


    Jun-cute wanted to hiss and lash out, but he controlled himself.


    "Hehe~ you love me just like Bro does, right? If the twins had said this, you would have scratched their faces."


    The cat harrumphed as if it was so obvious.


    Jin smiled. "I will apologize once again. I kinda remembered everything at the night of the accident, including you two. But I didn''t meet you. You must be pissed at me."


    *Meow*


    Ai-chan softly put her furry paw on his chin with a melancholic look as if saying she wasn''t mad at him at all. Jun-cute expressed his affection by rubbing his cheek against his chest. The sound of their soft purrs eased the distress in his heart.


    "Hey, hey, why so down? I am fine!" He said with a bright smile.


    The cats only stared at them.


    He waved his hand in dismissal. "You two are looking way too serious. Anyway, now that I remember you two, we will play lots! I have nothing better to do anyway," he shrugged, "Dad isn''t letting me enter the office at all."


    His phone rang with a ding, and he checked the message. His expression stiffened for a moment but the hint of uncertainty quickly disappeared, which didn''t go unnoticed by the cats.


    It was a message from the airlines for which his ticket was booked regarding the project where he had to go with Shui. They were to work together and handle the project accordingly.


    He clutched his phone for a moment and then visited the website where he canceled his check-in and ticket without giving it a second thought. He also dropped a message to Jinhai''s assistant to assign someone else to accompany Shui for this trip. He released a breath and turned to look at the cats again.


    "So! What do you wanna play?"


    Ai-chan looked annoyed and turned her head the other way.


    "Ah? Why are you grumpy now?" Jin asked, pouting his lips.


    Jun-cute climbed on his shoulder and onto his head and violently struck his head with his paws.


    "Ow, ow, hey why are you exhibiting such violence today? Am I not your favorite like Bro Jun''s?"


    It was then he heard some commotion from outside and tilted his head. "There seems to be something going outside. Don''t tell me it''s Grandpa and Uncle goofing around again," he snorted. "Seriously, they cannot give it a rest for even a single day."


    Eventually, he got up with the cats in his arms and stepped outside. Even though he was still feeling a little tired, he was always ready to see Liu Hai and Liu Jing getting scolded. But he quickly realized that something was gravely off.


    He walked up to Nana and asked, "Mom, what''s going on? Why is everybody so tense?"


    "Jin¡­" the strain was visible with the creases on her forehead and the tears threatening to form in the corner of her eyes. "It''s terrible. Xing Bi is kidnapped."


    "What!?" His eyes stretched wide in disbelief. "Who kidnapped her? Why?"


    Nana quickly accounted for everything that happened, making him even more aghast.


    Liu Hai sneered. "They have no idea who they are messing with."


    "Dad just left now too¡­" Nuo said in extreme worry. "I hope sister-in-law is alright! I know Dad and Bro will find her, but I cannot help but get worried¡­"


    Liu Jing smiled. "You worry for no reason my dear niece. Xing Bi will be safe. I can already imagine Nian going on a rampage. Plus, Bro has left too now. It''s gonna be a massacre."


    Jin didn''t waste a second either. "I will go as well. That Zhan Yahui and that damn traitor! How dare they even think of¡­"


    Zhan Yahui has a lot to pay for, Jin trembled with fury. Not just for today but for the past too¡­


    "Jin, no! You are still recovering-"


    "No, Mom. I have to go," he said with finality.


    Nana stared into his black irises, finding determination in them and a sense of needing closure. She gently let go of his hand and weakly smiled. "Don''t push yourself too hard."


    "I won''t."


    Jin let down the cats but instead, they fiercely clung onto him, refusing to go.


    "Hey, you cannot come with me."


    They ignored him and continued to cling onto him.


    Liu Chunhua said, "If they are not listening, then better take them with you, Jin. Seems like the little ones want to help you too."


    Jin released a sigh. "Okay, hop on. But you two better stay away from danger okay?"


    *Meow*


    *Meow*


    "..."


    Why do I not sense any sincerity in that?

 Chapter 584 Every Revelation (4)

    ?


    Xing Bi was taken to a quiet and remote house where she couldn''t sense a soul present no matter how far she looked.


    By now, Nian would have understood that I was kidnapped, right? Wait what if Jun or Ai assume that I am safe at home! They wouldn''t suspect Hou Lin at all!


    Does this mean that nothing would happen for my rescue for this whole night!?


    Xing Bi let out a string of curses at Hou Lin.


    "You can sit anywhere you like."


    His words broke her chain of curses, and she jolted at him, bewildered. "Huh?"


    "I said you can sit anywhere you like."


    Xing Bi took a glance around the house and found that it was fairly neatly maintained. There wasn''t dust or spider webs formed around any corner of the house.


    She coldly glared at him. "As if I would sit anywhere at a place where I am kept as a hostage! Is this some way of mocking me?"


    Hou Lin gave her a blank look. "What is there to mock you in this? I don''t mind if you remain standing, but I don''t think you would be able to do that for the entire time you are here."


    Xing Bi stared at him, noticing something very off about this whole situation. "You aren''t going to tie me up or something-"


    She stiffened and bit her tongue, now cursing herself.


    Am I an idiot!? Isn''t it good that he doesn''t want to chain me!? Ahhhh I just brought that into his attention now didn''t I? Stupid Xing Bi!


    He replied, unfazed. "There is no need. This area is quite on the outskirts. Even if you go outside, you won''t get any help. Even so if you insist on escaping, then there are chances you would unfortunately come across some potential drunkard or a sexual predator. It''s vacant areas like these that attract them."


    She felt goosebumps crawling on her skin, and gulped hard. That all drowned any hope of sprinting straight outside the remote house.


    I want to escape, but I don''t want to get myself into some other trouble instead!


    "So please sit down."


    "..."


    "Aren''t you being too polite?"


    Hou Lin paused and furrowed his brows. "Is it wrong?"


    "...You legit broke my phone and brought me here without my will! I don''t think a kidnapper like that would be so polite," she speechlessly answered.


    He stared at her. "So should I act harshly towards you? Is that the right thing to do?"


    "..."


    Why is he asking me that question?


    "Obviously not!"


    Hou Lin''s look of bewilderment bewildered Xing Bi.


    "What?"


    "I don''t understand. You think I shouldn''t be polite to you. But you also don''t want me to be rude to you. Then how should I behave towards you?"


    "How about letting me go for starters!" She flared her nostrils.


    Hou Lin blinked. "The door is right in front of you. I didn''t stop you from leaving."


    She gritted her teeth.


    "You didn''t stop me with your ''action'', but the words you said did!"


    "Is it wrong?"


    "..."


    Xing Bi suddenly started to see Hou Lin in a new light, and she wasn''t sure where the direction of this new light headed.


    "Then how about you give me your phone?" She sneered. "I cannot leave, considering the potential danger outside, but I can surely call Nian to pick me up from this damn place! Then it wouldn''t be a problem, right?"


    Hou Lin stared at her in silence.


    "Hah! Cat got your tongue?" She snorted.


    He slowly withdrew his gaze. "There is no need for that either. You will eventually leave with him."


    "Ah?"


    He glanced at her sideways. "I want to trade you with Yahui."


    Her eyes widened. "Trade?"


    "Yes. Mr. Liu Jian and Mr. Liu Nian has her hostage. I brought you here so that I can use you to get Yahui back."


    "What?"


    Huh, huh, huh? What''s going on? Why would the twins take Zhan Yahui away?


    "That''s impossible! Why would they capture Zhan Yahui? You definitely have some misunderstanding!"


    "It''s not a misunderstanding. I heard from Sir Liu Jun himself. He had called you when you were in the restroom to tell you to get away from me as soon as possible."


    She stiffened.


    "Sir figured out that I was the traitor. So to get Yahui out of the pinch, I decided to take you with me."


    "...Why? What did Zhan Yahui do that Jian and Nian felt the need to capture her?" Her countenance was filled with fury as she spoke, "Is it related to Ai? She never liked Ai in the first place! She always looked down upon her."


    The dream of hearing Zhan Yahui and Hou Lin''s voices flashed in her mind once again.


    ''Zhou Ai is dead anyway.''


    Xing Bi grabbed his collar and with tears threatening to brim her eyes, she angrily confronted him. "Did she do something terrible to Ai? Did you and her hurt Ai? Open your mouth, Hou Lin! I would never forgive you if you dared harm my sister!"


    At that proximity, Hou Lin clearly saw her trembling and her fists turning red with animosity. The green veins on the back of her hand showed how antagonized she felt.


    "Hurting Miss. Zhou wasn''t on our agenda. But it was something needed to achieve the bigger picture Yahui had in her mind."


    "Bigger picture¡­" she gnashed her jaw. "What the fuck is this bigger picture!"


    "Sir Liu Jun."


    She froze.


    "It was to target him that she had to bring Miss. Zhou Ai down because Miss. Cai Guiying needed to shine as a writer."


    "...What the hell are you talking about? I don''t understand anything. Target Jun?" She suddenly stopped talking and continued after a thoughtful pause, "Is it related to her taking over Shi Publishing?"


    "Yes."


    "Why?"


    "Because she needed power to take revenge on Sir Liu."


    Her jaw slightly dropped in shock. "Revenge? But they know each other simply as editors of rival companies!"


    "Rival companies?" He tilted his head. "That''s too shallow and rivalry was never in the picture."


    "Then what was?"


    "Her father''s death."


    She stared at him.


    "Her father whom Sir Liu killed when he was young."

 Chapter 585 Every Revelation (5)

    ?


    It was after some time when Nian finally calmed down and prevented his anger from getting the best of him. Xing Bi was in danger, but it was the time to be cool headed and not take any step in haste.


    Chyou had also arrived at the base, her fingers already rapidly pressing her laptop''s keyboard buttons to track Hou Lin as soon as possible.


    "Did you find anything?" Nian asked, trying to control his urge from punching something.


    "I am trying. Both of their phones lost signal from some ice cream shop. I am trying to track the possible places where they could have gone after that."


    "Do you see his car in any CCTV?"


    "That''s what I am doing. But he is driving weirdly. It''s as if he has but also doesn''t have any particular destination in his mind. But after a certain point I don''t see his car anymore."


    Jian sneered. "He is smart because he knows we will track him that way."


    Nian gritted his teeth. "Haven''t the guards we dispatched found anything! What is taking them so much time!?"


    It was at that time when Jun''s phone buzzed and he saw an incoming call from an unknown number. "I think this is Hou Lin."


    Chyou hurriedly said, "Quick! Connect your phone to my laptop. I will switch on the tracking software."


    He did so and switched on the call. "Hello."


    "Sir."


    Ai was quite puzzled to hear that the tone of Hou Lin''s voice still exuded a sense of respect as if he was still an employee under Jun.


    Before Jun could answer, Nian spoke first, his voice frigid cold and quiet. "You do know that touching Xing Bi is my bottom line, right?"


    "...I do."


    "Then you also don''t expect to continue living for long if I am correct."


    Jian glanced at Chyou to check if she was successful in tracking him. But as expected by her, Hou Lin was using a burner phone number to talk. But she didn''t lose hope and kept digging into finding his location.


    Hou Lin replied to Nian''s provocation on the other side, "My life is irrelevant."


    Jun slightly widened his eyes.


    "It should be after how you even dared to think to take Xing Bi away," Nian gripped the phone in his palm with such strength that brought it close to breaking the screen. "If I see so much as a tiny scratch on her body, I swear your death will be a nightmare."


    Hou Lin still sounded unfazed. "As I said, my life or death is irrelevant. What is important is that you have something that I want and I have something that you want."


    The temperature sharply dropped.


    "You want us to trade Zhan Yahui with Xing Bi."


    "Yes," he calmly replied. "You bring Yahui to a location that I will tell you. Then you will leave. Naturally, you won''t bring any guards with you, nor let any guard hang around the place after you have left. After two hours, I will set Miss. Xing Bi free and let you know the location where you can find her."


    "Bullshit!" Nian exclaimed, banging his fist on the table, "You think I will believe your nonsense!?"


    "I only want Yahui back. I have no reason to hurt Miss. Xing Bi unnecessarily."


    Ai slightly furrowed her brows.


    "Wait a minute," Hou Lin said and after a few moments, a voice came, "Nian¡­?"


    Nian froze and grabbed Jun''s phone in a heartbeat. "Xi-Xing Bi! You are okay, right? He didn''t hurt you, right? I know it''s terrifying but trust me that I will find you at any cost!"


    "Xing Bi!" Ai rushed beside Nian too and leaned towards the phone. "Xing Bi¡­" her voice choked as tears fell from her eyes, "Xing Bi, tell me that you are alright please¡­"


    She anxiously said, "Stop, stop you two! I know that you are worried about me, but trust me. I am fine. Hou Lin hasn''t hurt me at all. In fact¡­I am not even tied up by any rope or cuffs. The only reason I cannot leave is I don''t know where the hell I am and what kind of creepy men might be loitering outside."


    That took them back in shock. Ai seriously questioned Hou Lin''s intentions at this point.


    Is he really a kidnapper?


    Considering how badly Zhan Yahui played with their lives in the past, Hou Lin''s actions felt calm and poised on the opposite end.


    Nian was far from convinced. "Don''t put your guard down, Xing Bi. He is just a wolf in sheep''s clothing who fooled us all the time¡­Xing Bi, I will definitely get you back, okay? Will you be strong until then?" He urged her.


    "Hey hey I am older than you! Don''t underestimate me, Liu Nian!" Nian could hear her flaring her nostrils, making him weakly chuckle.


    From the side, he heard Hou Lin''s voice mumble, "Can I have the phone back please?"


    What is with his¡­respectful voice? Hou Lin''s behavior bewildered Ai once again. She thought that he would rudely snatch the phone from her.


    Instead, he is politely asking it back¡­


    Nian''s countenance turned cold once again as Hou Lin was back on the line. "As you have heard now, Miss. Xing Bi is perfectly okay. If you do as I say, I will get Yahui back and you will get Miss. Xing Bi back. There is no need to hurt anybody here."


    "It was Zhan Yahui who came barging into our lives first, trying to destroy everything," Nian snarled. "Don''t fucking act defensive."


    "But didn''t the Liu family give her the reason first?"


    "Oh?" Jian sneered. "And what reason did she tell you? That the Liu family killed her father?"


    "And indirectly her mother and unborn sibling too."


    Jun froze. The words hammered in his mind like a vicious poison flowing into his veins.


    Mother and unborn sibling¡­?


    An eerie silence descended, making the twins exchange glances.


    The burden of Ouyang Haitao''s death already weighed heavily upon Jun for years and now to know that Zhan Yahui''s mother and unborn sibling had indirectly died because of him shook him to his core.


    As his expression was rapidly losing color, a deep voice came accompanied by the sound of boots clicking on the floor. "That''s far from the truth."

 Chapter 586 Every Revelation (6)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui raised her head, breathless as she heard the sound of footsteps entering the room. And as she did so, a presence very different and more imposing than Jun and the twins induced a feeling within her as if she was crushed by a boulder. She observed the handsome but expressionless face of a man where it was obvious from whom his children inherited their features.


    She sneered. "Oh, did the spoiled little son call his rich Daddy to solve the problem for him?"


    Jian had an urge to wring her neck, but he stopped his violence from breaking out. On his side, Jun couldn''t bring the courage to face her but as Ai squeezed his hand in hers, he found his fearful, erratic heartbeats calming down. She knew that only the truth would now set his heart free from any guilt.


    Jin, carrying the cats in his arms, was troubled too, seeing his brother falling into despair. But he had faith in his father that he wouldn''t let this misunderstanding fester for long. Ai-cat jumped on Jun''s shoulder and softly purred, rubbing her cheek against his.


    *Meow*


    Jinhai met Zhan Yahui''s ridicule filled eyes, unfazed. Instead of feeling offended, he said in a monotonous voice, "It was your Daddy who was always the main problem."


    That one comment was enough to dissipate the disdain in her eyes and freeze them with hatred. "Don''t you fucking dare utter his name¡­"


    Jinhai, who held Jun''s phone, kept it on a table and quietly said, "Your friend here has made a mistake."


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. As she peeked into the phone, she saw Hou Lin''s number flashing on it and it also displayed that the call was in progress, making her eyes widen.


    "He took my daughter-in-law with him and is demanding that we free you in exchange for her safety."


    Hou Lin was listening in silence from the other end.


    Zhan Yahui burst into a manic laughter, praising Hou Lin. "Ahhh you did such a great job, Lin! I knew that it was my right decision to choose you," she continued laughing, feeling victorious. "There is no way that you would lift even a finger against me now. Lin is right. If you want to see Xing Bi alive, then do as he says. Or she will meet the same fate of that corrupt Summit judge who was gonna expose me," she sneered, "Death."


    Nian almost rushed a step forward to end her life once and for all but Jinhai raised his palm. "Stop. Step back."


    With green veins appearing on his fury reddened face, he spoke through his clenched jaw, "If anybody fucking messes with Xing Bi-"


    "Nobody can mess with her. Not this woman here. Not Hou Lin either," Jinhai calmly said.


    Ai felt a strong wave of assurance gushing in her heart by his staunch stand, which made Jun feel at ease too.


    Xing Bi, who was also listening to the conversation, quickly tried to placate his anger. "Nian, I will be fine. Please calm down."


    Nian grudgingly stepped back, throwing cold, piercing and murderous glares at Zhan Yahui.


    Jinhai sat on the chair where previously Jian was seated and faced her. "I see you have been wrecking a whole lot of damage to my son''s life and over something where he isn''t even at fault."


    Zhan Yahui couldn''t believe his audacity. "I knew it''s useless to talk with you disgusting people! Your son killed my father and-"


    "It was the twins who ordered your father to be killed," Jinhai mercilessly cut her sentence off.


    The truth dropped upon everybody was so sudden and different than what they had expected that they jolted sharply in their places, especially Jun. He threw a blank stare at his elder brothers, expressing his pure disbelief.


    You¡­?


    But the twins promptly remained silent.


    Zhan Yahui stared at him. "Sorry, who?"


    "The twins. But the incident of his death is still far ahead in time. Before that, it is imperative that you know who your dear to-be father Ouyang Haitao was."


    She gritted her teeth. "I don''t need to know anything from you!"


    "You do because it''s exactly that you were blind all this time why my children suffered so much," he narrowed his eyes ever so slightly that made the aura exuding from him even more denser and dangerous. It forced her to back out and simply shut up and listen to what Jinhai had to say. "You as well as your friend here."


    Hou Lin said nothing, but it was clear that the call was in progress.


    "You¡­"


    "You were around eleven at the time this happened, am I correct? Were you aware that your father was in debt?" Jinhai asked.


    Zhan Yahui lashed out. "Yes, I did! He borrowed money from you filthy people only to make my mom and my life better! So that we could live a good life financially! So that we don''t need to struggle. But what would a filthy and rich capitalist like you possibly understand our plight!? You have all been swimming in money since the beginning, haven''t you!?"


    Jinhai stared at her. "Is that the reason that man gave you? For your betterment?"


    "Are you an idiot? Why else would he have to borrow money!?"


    Xing Bi quietly chimed in through the call. "Zhan Yahui, you do know that some people have the habit of gambling too, right? I can say because my father was like that."


    "Dad wasn''t a gambler!" She screamed and if not for the fact that she was restrained, she would have violently hurt somebody in front of her.


    Jinhai said, "Xing Bi is partially right. Your father was indeed addicted to gambling."


    She froze.


    "But it was also true that he borrowed money to set up his own business. But unfortunately, he had no business sense and his bad decisions only turned worse as he dipped into losses. Which only prompted him to gamble more out of habit and land himself into more debt. The graver problem was that he wasn''t telling any of this to your mother, Zhan Kai-Ming. He had even sold whatever little jewelry she had for his business on pretext of something else."


    "What nonsense are you blabbering!?"


    "The nonsense that you should have learned ages ago to spare yourself and us from the shit that you have landed us in," the sharper edge to his voice dropped the temperature by several degrees. "So just shut up and listen to the truth once and for all."

 Chapter 587 Every Revelation (7)

    ?


    A bad foreboding arose in her heart, sensing the iciness in his voice as if Jinhai stood on a higher moral ground.


    "Continuing from where I left, Ouyang Haitao wasn''t painted in white. He wanted to earn quick cash and that desire usually leads to people making hasty and wrong decisions. He wasn''t really trying to set up an honest business in the first place. Lots of shady things were a part of it. But it didn''t hold water like any bad business wouldn''t. The debt started piling on him."


    "There is no way Dad would do anything wrong!" She tremblingly defended him with all the anger bubbling inside her.


    "Acting blind to reality won''t help you here."


    She angrily laughed. "Don''t act as if you are innocent either! Dad was already going through a tough time and he was doing his best to return the debt. But what did you do!? I know everything! You cut short his time to only three days to make him return his sixty million debt! You are the one who took sadistic pleasure in torturing my father!"


    Jinhai cocked his brow up. He ordered a guard. "Call Xuan Hui here."


    Xuan Hui was also a guard working for the Liu family. Jun remembered how he often met him during his childhood whenever he came to visit the underworld base. He always allowed his Uncle Xuan to carry him in his arms. Even now years later, Jun often chatted with him, and he was the guard under whom Jun had his martial arts training.


    Xuan Hui, who was in his middle age now with locks of slightly greyish hair near his ears, entered the room and stood in attention. "Boss!"


    He brightened upon seeing the members of the Liu family, especially Jun but his expression soured as he glanced at Zhan Yahui.


    Zhan Yahui had no clue why a guard was suddenly called for. "What the hell? Are you trying to waste time here and escape?"


    "Liu Jinhai doesn''t need to escape from anything. It''s always the other way around, especially for people like your father," It was a calm, quiet but imposing tone.


    Ai coughed.


    "You fucking-"


    But Jinhai cut her off. "I called him here not to waste anybody''s time but to make you understand that you actually don''t understand a thing about Ouyang Haitao."


    Xuan Hui widened his eyes.


    He tilted his head. "Ouyang Haitao met your mother around a year before the incident happened. They eventually moved in together. You must be ten at that time."


    "So what?" She gritted her teeth.


    "The problem here is that you think that Ouyang Haitao started to work for his own business AFTER meeting your mother and you to provide you two a better life."


    "So you think I was unfair to him?" Jinhai glanced at Xuan Hui and asked, "Since how long were you chasing after Ouyang Haitao for his debt settlement?"


    He seemed a little hesitant as he threw glances at Jun. After Jun''s kidnapping incident, it was forbidden to talk about Ouyang Haitao anywhere because everybody was well aware of the trauma his death had put upon Jun''s mind.


    Jinhai already understood his concern and said, "It''s time to reveal the truth today. There is no need to be cautious. You can speak freely."


    Xuan Hui was still worried. He adored and cherished Jun the most, and they had bonded even more during their training. But since the ultimate Boss didn''t have an issue, he decided it was okay.


    He straightened up and respectfully answered Jinhai''s question, "Boss, it was a total of three years since Ouyang Haitao had taken a debt from the underworld but was unable to pay back."


    Zhan stared at him. "Huh?"


    Jian sneered. "If that''s too difficult for your brain to understand, let me make the math clear for you. Three years. Two years plus the year during which he met you and your mother. Ouyang Haitao took a debt from us two years BEFORE he met you."


    Nian continued. "Which means he was already into these shady practices and bad businesses even before he met you. I can even tell your mother and his meeting wasn''t all filled with roses. He planned to have a relationship with her on purpose. Do you know why?"


    She felt her heart skip beat in fear.


    "For the amount of sixty million debt that Ouyang Haitao fell under, the rules of the underworld stipulated him to repay his debt within two years."


    Nian remained silent to let the implication sink in Zhan Yahui.


    Jinhai stared at Zhan Yahui''s confused expression and said, "Let me put it down for you word by word. Ouyang Haitao took a debt from the underworld three years before his death. Two years later, he was unable to pay back. Naturally, the underworld demanded the money back. Now, whether or not I grant more time for repayment depends on how the borrower behaves. If I see a genuine effort being put into paying that money, I will extend the deadline.


    But if I see the person was upto no good, then I don''t show any mercy. Instead of rectifying his mistakes, Ouyang Haitao only gambled more and only made more wrong decisions. Yet I granted him one more year despite my own rule of not showing him mercy. Do you know why?"


    Zhan Yahui was in no condition to think straight.


    "Because he got into a relationship with your mother."


    She froze.


    "It was at that time that I felt he was finally making a genuine effort to change himself. Maybe being in a relationship with her and being a father to you would make him more responsible. From what the guards reported, Zhan Kai-Ming looked happy to be with him too. I did feel suspicious about him suddenly finding a woman, but I gave him the benefit of doubt because I didn''t want to be an asshole. Falling in love is never planned. Since it was a new relationship, I felt it was prudent to give him more time and I did."


    He smiled. "So it wasn''t that I reduced my time limit from a week to three days. I extended his deadline by a full year instead."

 Chapter 588 Every Revelation (8)

    ?


    Xuan Hui nodded in agreement.


    Jun was left stunned. He alternated his gaze between Xuan Hui and his father. This was a fact that he was unaware of. At that time when he first met Ouyang Haitao, he viewed his father as someone very ruthless and calculative. To pay back sixty million in just three days for a feat impossible for anybody. But despite being the leader of the Underworld, he showed mercy to Ouyang Haitao.


    "You never told me that Ouyang Haitao already had two years and upon which, you had granted him another year."


    Jinhai''s brows slightly crinkled. He just glanced at Jun and didn''t respond.


    Jian smiled. "Dad really doesn''t like to show his good side, you know."


    "Yeah it''s like he should always maintain his cold and tyrannical persona," Nian rolled his eyes.


    Ai asked, "Is it because of Mom?"


    "You are right, sister-in-law! Dad has become quite a softie, especially since he married Mom."


    Jin inwardly tried to imagine his father as kind and forgiving but for some reason, he just couldn''t match that picture.


    The twins heard an impedaning crack of knuckles. "After Zhan Yahui, it will be your turn. Be prepared."


    The twins - "..."


    Xing Bi slightly coughed from the other side, but there was no response from Hou Lin upto this point at all.


    Jinhai turned his attention back to Zhan Yahui and said, "Any dissatisfaction until here? If you refuse to believe me, we have all the records maintained. When he took the debt, when his repayment installments started and how many of those he failed to do - right from the first day until he breathed his last, I have everything. I am not running a blind business here. Your so-called father had more than enough time and chances to mend his ways, but he didn''t."


    Zhan Yahui shouted, triggered. "What the hell do you mean by so-called father!? Don''t fucking insult him or I will kill you! He always¡­always treasured Mom and me¡­" she trembled. "He was sincere in his love-"


    Jian coldly interrupted her. "I guess you have problems reading in between the lines. Do I have to spill out even clearer than Dad did? Then open your fucking clogged ears and listen to me. Ouyang Haitao never loved you or your mother."


    She stiffened.


    "It should be obvious by the timing. The two years were up, and he was desperate. So he fooled your mother into a relationship just so that he could make her financially help him repay his debts. He even used her money in bad investments leading to losses and this time, it was her earned money, not his."


    "Don''t kid with me! Don''t talk as if you lived with my family and know everything about them?" She breathed hard, her face turning red in anger. "Do you think Mom would hide something like this from me? Don''t concoct stories just to paint yourself in the good light! We were a happy family! Mom, Dad and me¡­everything was going to be perfect¡­"


    Jinhai said, "She hid from you exactly because of this. She wasn''t just Ouyang Haitao''s lover but also your mother. She saw how much you loved him, how much you wanted this family to come to be, so she simply couldn''t gather her courage to break that illusion of yours¡­because it would mean that you would lose your father a second time."


    She froze.


    "And perhaps she herself too, didn''t want to go through a heartbreak a second time either. Shi Shuren selfishly had an affair and abandoned her after all. That''s why even if she had started to feel that something was going wrong with their relationship, she continued to live with him for your sake and to protect her heart. She continued giving money to Ouyang Haitao but her earnings were still meager in comparison to his debt. So he went a step ahead after which he had no turning back."


    Jinhai leaned towards her, his black orbs drilling his grim gaze into her. "He wanted to sell you."


    Zhan Yahui felt her mind suddenly going silent. It was all chaos and anger and violence held inside it until this point but now, it has turned deadly silent.


    "It was that day I reduced his time limit to three days when I got a report of him visiting child traffickers. Sometimes, some or the other small organizations keep popping up now and then to sell drugs, children and sex workers. The underworld keeps a very strict eye on such ugly infestations. He visited such people, but I got to know there were more such men behind the scenes running the whole operation. I wanted to catch him red-handed with all those goons he was in contact with. That''s why I put pressure on him, giving him only three days."


    Jun widened his eyes.


    "To illegally sell people to another country and especially doing so while hiding from my underworld is next to impossible. It requires time and planning and only three days meant that they were bound to make mistakes. I wanted to burn their disgusting organization right until their roots.


    Ouyang Haitao, who was in contact with them regarding selling you, became my perfect bait. So, Miss. Zhan Yahui. I didn''t express my sadistic pleasure to torture him into getting my sixty million back. I didn''t care about the sixty million at that point. What I only cared for was to eradicate those bastards."


    Jinhai kept hammering the bitter truth upon her. "Ouyang Haitao only kept breaking the underworld rules again and again. He failed to repay his debt, he used his lover''s money to get out of it which is a serious violation of another law. Only the borrower is responsible for paying his money back, not his family. But he selfishly used her. When that wasn''t enough, he laid his eyes on you. An eleven year old girl would sell at a high price at an auction filled with bald and fat men drooling to have sex with you."


    He narrowed his eyes, his voice ringing with a deadly menace. "Zhan Yahui, if the underworld hadn''t killed Ouyang Haitao, you wouldn''t be standing before me right now because you would have already died by warming somebody''s bed over and over again."

 Chapter 589 Every Revelation (9)

    ?


    "But that''s not the reason why Ouyang Haitao ended up dead," Jinhai said, his voice turning quieter, "The biggest mistake he made was threatening my son''s life. He kidnapped you to sell you off and when Jun caught him, he took him away too."


    Zhan Yahui paled. "That''s not true! He didn''t kidnap anybody!"


    "But you don''t have much memory of that day, right? How did you find yourself in a situation like that? When you opened your eyes, why did you see a little boy in front of you and the dead body of your father? In the first place, how did you end up getting unconscious?"


    Zhan Yahui stiffened. It was true that she didn''t remember much of that day except for some bits and pieces of broken memories. But she remembered the time before she felt the world going black before her.


    ''Yahui, dear. I made your favorite chocolate cake. Tell me if you like it,'' Ouyang Haitao said as she opened her room.


    ''Chocolate cake!'' Zhan Yahui''s eyes sparkled. ''I love chocolate! Thank you dad! You are the best!''


    It was the time when Zhan Kai-Ming was out for work and Ouyang Haitao and she were alone at home. An eager Zhan Yahui hopped out of her room to dig into her favorite chocolate cake. But that was the last thing she remembered, finishing three fourths of the cake.


    ''Dad¡­I feel dizzy¡­'' she said as she clutched her temple, feeling everything going blur.


    ''Oh dear, is that so? Don''t worry. If you feel sick, you should go to sleep.''


    She felt afraid with the sudden dizziness gripping her but listening to his soothing voice made her further drowsy, eventually falling unconscious.


    Jinhai didn''t miss even a tiny change in her expression as Zhan Yahui seemed to be trying to remember about that day. And as it turned out, Jinhai was sure that she did figure out something.


    "Ouyang Haitao had fed you something after which you fell unconscious, right?"


    Zhan Yahui wanted to lash out, but she couldn''t find her voice to express her protest. Her body trembled as the reality and the misunderstanding she held all this time violently clashed against each other.


    Jinhai leaned back, narrowing his eyes. "He not only kidnapped Jun but when he saw things becoming worse for him, he chose to kill him."


    Ai detected the faint shiver in Jinhai''s fingers with green veins appearing on the back of his hand. It was evident that even now, the incident of Jun''s kidnapping affected him enough to make his blood boil in anger. His jet black eyes oozed viciousness and hostility.


    "Since he chose to kill our little brother, we chose to kill him," It was Jian who broke the short silence with a voice that held no remorse.


    As soon as Jun heard that, his head jerked towards them in disbelief. "What?"


    The twins oddly remained silent, choosing not to face him.


    "What are you talking about? You didn''t kill Ouyang Haitao. I killed him by accident," his voice trembled.


    A small smile formed on Jian''s lips, but his gaze held a trace of sadness as he said, "He wasn''t dead at that time, Jun. He was simply unconscious."


    Zhan Yahui raised her head to look at him, completely appalled.


    What the hell¡­it was Liu Jun who killed Dad. Then what are these twins blabbering about!?


    Jian''s revelation made Jun even more confused. "How is it possible? If he wasn''t dead by that accident, then how did he die?"


    There was a long period of silence to the point that the very air felt absolutely still. Ai shook her head, understanding the turmoil within the twins.


    "You don''t have to worry about Jun hating you. There is no way he will. So please tell him everything that happened."


    Nian pursed his lips. "It''s hard, sister-in-law."


    "I know. But it''s time now."


    Silence.


    Nian glanced at Jian, who had his head turned to the other side. Clearly, he didn''t want to be the one doing the talking. He sighed and turned to face Jun, whose dark brown eyes were filled with questions.


    "You know, little brother. You surely were a part of the Underworld just like Jian and I were. We were trained to handle this dark world without any pluses or minuses in our education of this business. But a difference remained between us nevertheless. Jian and I could truly become cold and ruthless. Even at a young age, we never shuddered in fear or hesitated to decide what was to be done even if it was merciless."


    Jun blinked.


    "But you were different. You used to hesitate because a tiny semblance of mercy always remained within you. That''s the gentleness you inherited from Mom. You never used to visit the underworld bases as frequently as Jian and I did. You always unconsciously chose to steer clear from it."


    Jun parted and closed his lips. "I don''t hate the underworld."


    "But you don''t like it either."


    He paused and wasn''t sure if he could refute that statement.


    "You remember that time in school when you got hurt by a bunch of jealous bullies? It was the day you came to know that Aunt Xinyi was pregnant with Shui and you coincidentally met her at the hospital after your treatment was done. That incident¡­you never wanted to report it to Dad because you knew that he would take the strictest against those boys. Might even throw them out of school. He actually did that and you got very upset with him. You didn''t talk to him for days."


    "The bullying never really bothered me that much. I just thought Dad was being excessive¡­"


    "Even if you got hurt?"


    "It was just some minor scratches."


    "They weren''t minor if you had to be taken to the hospital."


    He said nothing.


    Nian shook his head. "You are very much like Mom in that sense. You don''t like the underworld that much but Jian and I do. It is a basic but very huge difference between us. But that difference also made us afraid, Jun. That if we resort to violence that you don''t like, then you will eventually drift away from us. And since Jin began to grow more attached to you, he exhibited those similar mannerisms like you. Nuo was neutral, but you and Jin weren''t."


    He gazed into the melancholy in his irises that squeezed his heart with pain.


    "...But what does all this have to do with Ouyang Haitao?"


    "Because it was upon Jian and my orders that Uncle Xuan shot Ouyang Haitao to his death."

 Chapter 590 Every Revelation (10)

    ?


    *Flashback*


    "Hasn''t it been a while since Jun went away?" Jian asked, feeling extremely bored as he laid back on the grass. "It''s no fun if Jun isn''t around to tease~"


    "Isn''t it because of us that he went away in the first place?"


    "Not us. You. You stole his octopus and made him mad."


    Nian gasped. "You sneaked to steal his egg roll! Don''t act so innocent!"


    "That egg roll was really small. It hardly counted," he snorted.


    "Don''t try to defend yourself."


    They then heard the sound of a car honk and saw the Liu family''s guard, Xuan Hui, ready to pick them up. "Uncle Xuan!" The twins grinned and hopped towards him.


    "Young master Jian. Young master Nian," Xuan Hui smiled and patted their heads.


    They asked, "Where is Mom?"


    He regretfully said, "Madam Nana is at home. Young mistress Nuo got sick, so she stayed back. She asked me to apologize for not coming personally to pick you up."


    The twins gasped in shock. "What! Our little sister is sick!? Why is Mom apologizing? Of course she has to be with her! Let''s go quickly to her side!"


    Nian then said, "Wait Jun still isn''t back."


    "Oof! Why hasn''t he returned yet? Let''s go and drag him back."


    The twins walked towards the direction where Jun had headed before, but they didn''t find him anywhere. They searched for him back and forth but never found a trace of him.


    Nian scratched the top of his head. "Jun was supposed to be here. Where could he go?"


    "Damn where has he run off to now?"


    An elderly woman sitting on a nearby bench noticed the commotion on their side and gently asked, "Are you looking for the boy with glasses who was playing with the flowerbed just a while ago?"


    Jian brightened and ran towards her. "Yes, yes, Grandma! He is our little brother! Did you see him where he went? We are not able to find him anywhere."


    "Oh my then I suppose he left you two alone and went with his father I guess."


    "Huh?" The twins blinked. "Dad?"


    Isn''t Dad out for a day''s business trip?


    "Yes. When the boy was playing with the flowers, I saw a man approach him carrying a little girl in his arms. They didn''t stay long and left after a minute. I suppose he was his father and the little girl his sister?"


    The twins stared at her. Xuan Hui came rushing towards them, slightly breathless. "Young master. I didn''t see young master Jun on the other side either."


    The twins thanked the elderly woman and took Xuan Hui to the side. "Uncle Xuan. Was Dad supposed to come and pick us up?"


    "No. Boss is on a day''s business trip as you know. He should be heading towards the airport for his return flight now though. It was Madam Nana who was supposed to come but the young mistress got sick. Why?"


    It was at that moment that Jian immediately took out his emergency phone from his bag and dialed Jun''s number. But the number was out of reach. Neither did it ring or it said any message that it was switched off. The number was simply unable to connect.


    "...Uncle Xuan. I think Jun has been kidnapped," Jian said extremely slowly, trying to sink in the implication himself.


    Xuan Hui froze. "H-Huh? How is it possible¡­Who would kidnap¡­"


    Nian coldly said, "Inform Dad right away. We have wasted enough time already."


    Jian clenched his little fists, trembling in anger. More than towards the kidnapper, he cursed himself for being irresponsible and letting Jun go off alone.


    "I should have kept an eye on him¡­"


    Nian slapped his head. "This is not the time to blame. Do that later. First we have to find Jun!"


    Xuan Hui snapped out of his stupor and from the pale fear for Jun''s life, he immediately switched into his work mode and with a hardened countenance didn''t waste a second before dialing Jinhai''s number.


    When Jinhai heard the news on the other side, he felt as if he was thrown into the Artic. His expression turned extremely frigid and the temperature in the car shot down by several degrees. "I don''t care who had the galls to touch my son, but find him at any cost. Overturn the entire underworld if you have to but find Jun anyhow. I will catch an earlier flight and touch down Beijing as soon as possible. Until then, don''t let Nana know anything."


    "Yes, Boss!"


    The extensive search for Jun began and soon they came to know that it was Ouyang Haitao who had most probably taken him away. The elderly woman testified to this as she recognized Ouyang Haitao from the pictures shown to her by Xuan Hui.


    "Oh yes. It was this man."


    Xuan Hui gritted his teeth. "Does he think that he can threaten Boss into forgiving his debt if he took young master!? He doesn''t know what he has done! He is so dead!"


    The twins saw his hand shaking and despite the fact that they looked calm on the outside, their hearts were trembling just like his hand. They wanted to see Jun safe at any cost and when Xuan Hui managed to track the location of the apartment where Jun was kept, the twins insisted on coming with him.


    Xuan Hui widened his eyes. "No, no! Boss has ordered me to take you back home-"


    "We are coming with you," neither Jian nor Nian agreed to change their mind about their decision.


    "But it could be dangerous!"


    "You are here with us and so do the other guards. We will be fine. But we''ll be coming with you. That''s it."


    Xuan Hui shuddered with the finality in their voices and more so with the menace glinting in their black orbs. Helpless and defeated, he had no choice but to let them accompany him. Naturally, he put extra guards to protect them especially when they reached nearer the apartment''s location.


    But as they reached, the twins felt as if their souls left their bodies as they saw Ouyang Haitao already on his escape from the apartment, carrying Jun and Zhan Yahui in his arms.


    At the same time, Ouyang Haitao noticed the commotion behind him as well and froze upon seeing the Liu family guards on his chase.


    Before their cars could even come to a stop, Ouyang Haitao reacted instinctively and pulled Jun in front of him as his protection and pointed his gun at him. "Stop right there!"


    From afar, the twins stared at an unconscious Jun and seeing the scratches and bruises on his skin, especially the slight purple marks around his neck, their already hardened gazes turned into something more frightening and sinister.


    "Ah¡­" Jian muttered expressionlessly, "He shouldn''t have done that. He¡­shouldn''t have hurt my little brother like that."

 Chapter 591 Every Revelation (11)

    ?


    Ouyang Haitao cursed his luck. If Jun hadn''t wrestled with him when he wanted to take Zhan Yahui away, he wouldn''t have fallen, hit his head and fell unconscious. Because he was knocked out, he lost his precious time where he could have escaped faraway instead.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw that Jun and Zhan Yahui were still unconscious so he quickly scooped them up to dash out. Now that some time had already passed since Jun''s disappearance, it was only a matter of time before the Liu guards would be on his trail.


    And that''s exactly what had happened. Just like he feared, the commanding and ominous black cars appeared behind him. He paled with fright, but he had no intentions to back out either.


    "Stop right where you are!" As a last resort he pointed his gun at Jun''s temple, trying to ward them off.


    Xuan Hui clenched his fists and seeing Jun''s messy and pitiful state, his face blackened with fury. "Ouyang Haitao¡­it''s in your best interests if you pull that gun away."


    His merciless voice made Ouyang Haitao shudder as if it was Jinhai standing right in front of him. But there was even a greater sinister premonition coming from a side he least expected - the twins who were seated beside Xuan Hui and protected by a bunch of guards. But in no way did he feel that really even needed that protection.


    The twins stepped out of the car with the guards surrounding them and sobbing internally.


    Young masters, can you two please go back inside? It''s dangerous!


    Xuan Hui anxiously said, "Young master, I apologize for the disrespect. But I allowed you to come with me. I cannot let you outside the car. Ouyang Haitao has a gun-"


    "Which he can either use it on Jun or us but not at the same time," Jian said without a speck of emotion in his voice.


    Ouyang Haitao blinked.


    "And pointing the gun at either of us is a blunder. So Mr. Ouyang Haitao," Nian asked, his countenance matching that of his twin, "We give you two options. Either you shoot our brother and then Uncle Xuan will immediately shoot you in the head the very next second. Or you let go of my brother and the girl and surrender."


    "I believe you would like staying alive instead of death," Jian tilted his head.


    The guards swallowed their gulp. At this moment, the twins didn''t look any less commanding and threatening than their father.


    Somehow we feel that the Boss is here¡­


    Ouyang Haitao stared at the twins as if he saw a ghost. "You are just damn brats! You think you can order your dogs to kill me as if it''s not a big deal!?"


    "You kidnapped my brother, hurt him and planned to sell you own daughter as if it wasn''t a big deal so are you really in a position to talk back to us?" Jian stated calmly.


    Ouyang Haitao clenched his jaw, gripping Jun firmly in his grasp. "It''s your father who didn''t leave me with any choice! He reduced my time to just three days!"


    Nian narrowed his eyes. "And that is AFTER you failed to repay your debt after three years. Don''t forget that you got one year EXTRA."


    "Don''t omit the important details and paint yourself as the victim. You hurt my brother¡­" Jian''s voice became dangerous by several notches, "over something that you could have solved had you changed your notorious ways. But you didn''t, so why is my brother suffering for that?"


    He stiffened and almost stumbled back with the alarm oozing out of the twins'' aura.


    "Q-quit it with your damn nonsense! Like hell I will surrender!" He laughed nervously. "You are trying to fool me. You will kill me later even if I let go of the kids! Liu Jinhai will kill me for touching his son!"


    Nian replied. "You cannot escape punishment, that''s for sure. This is not just about kidnapping our brother. You broke a bunch of rules, including using your girlfriend''s money for repayment and then colluding with gangs to sell this girl for cash. Red flags all over the place. You cannot run away but we assure you that you won''t die either. We will talk to Dad."


    "Stop with your bullshit! I am not stupid!" He shouted with impatience and fury, making him feel unstable. "A-All of you¡­all of you¡­came to kill me here!" He pressed the gun''s nozzle harder into Jun''s temple.


    Jian stared at Jun, who was suffering in his tight grip and clenched his jaw. The twins exchanged glances and nodded. "Fine then. Let go of Jun and that girl and you are free to go."


    Ouyang Haitao jolted with the sudden offer in his favor.


    "On Dad''s behalf we, Liu Jian and Liu Nian, give this order. As of this moment, we clear you of all your debt. You don''t have to pay a single cent back to the underworld, nor will the underworld chase after you if you stop all your bad ways right now. We give you another chance and a clean slate to begin once again."


    Xuan Hui slightly widened his eyes. His heart was overwhelmed with emotions and pride at the same time.


    Ouyang Haitao was searching for a trace of any trickery in their eyes but their gazes were so dead serious that he couldn''t believe what he was hearing.


    And he refused to.


    "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! This is all just a way to trap me! The moment I let go of them, you would put the bullet through my head! I am not falling for any of your offers!"


    Nian narrowed his eyes. "Don''t test anymore of our patience, Mr. Ouyang. We are giving you exactly what you want. We just want our brother back safe and sound. If we have to forgive all your mistakes in exchange for that, then so be it. Hand them over and I give you my word that none of the guards will chase after you or hurt you. We simply and only want our little brother back."

 Chapter 592 Every Revelation (12)

    ?


    Ouyang Haitao started pressing on the trigger, dangerously close to shooting the bullet through Jun''s head. The twins froze, feeling unable to breathe.


    "You will be dead, Ouyang Haitao," Little Jian snarled, his voice as cold as ice. "You do that and you will be dead."


    "Let our brother go!" Nian exclaimed. He felt his heart in his throat.


    Xuan Hui, too, who was already alert, tightened his grip on his gun. A faint shiver passed through him, seeing Jun in a miserable condition.


    ''You will be a good father, Uncle Xuan.''


    He could never forget those kind words that had shook him from within. He could never forget the warmth he felt as he had held little Jun in his arms. And watching that same little boy today forcibly held in another''s arms to be killed at any moment made him freeze with fear and animosity.


    Xuan Hui and his wife already wished to have a child of their own. But it was Jun who reinforced this emotion in him. Even though Jun wasn''t his son, at that time he held Jun in his arms, enveloped his heart with a tiny sense of belonging as if he was indeed his father.


    That was why even if Jinhai wasn''t physically here, he had the courage to take the decision and shoot the bullet to protect Jun if necessary. But with the twins beside him, a trace of hesitation flashed in his eyes. It was true that the twins were becoming cold and ruthless just like Jinhai, but to witness an actual death and bloodshed in front of them at this age¡­wouldn''t it be too much for them to handle?


    Xuan Hui didn''t have time to think and decided to order the other guards to take the twins away. But before that command could come out, Jian said with an unwavering voice, "Kill him."


    His eyes widened and his head jolted downwards to look at the twins. The twins were trembling in their place, staring hard at Jun who was about to die at any moment.


    It was a moment later that little Nian came to the same decision. "Kill Ouyang Haitao before he kills our brother."


    He whispered to Jian with a nauseous feeling gripping his chest. "...Is this okay, Jian?"


    "Our little brother is on that side, Nian. We have to bring him to our side, safe and sound. What is not okay in this? I lost sight of him once. I won''t repeat that mistake," his black eyes were determined as if nothing would waver him from his stand.


    "Jun doesn''t like violence-"


    "We don''t have the liberty to like or not to like in choosing violence at this moment. This is not our choice. It''s Ouyang Haitao''s."


    Nian trembled. "You remember how Jun didn''t talk to Dad for days when he punished the bullies. I don''t want him to hate us-" he suddenly shivered, feeling Jian''s intense gaze at him.


    "He won''t hate us because he won''t know anything. We won''t tell him anything," he quietly but firmly said. "We are the eldest brothers, Nian. If we won''t protect our siblings when they need us, then who would? I want us five siblings to always live together happily. Nobody¡­" his hands trembled, "can take any of us to a place so far that we won''t ever be able to see them. I want Jun back¡­I just want my little brother back¡­"


    Nian lowered his gaze and taking a deep breath, he looked up at Xuan Hui and said, "Kill him."


    From the other side, Ouyang Haitao screamed. "You will kill me whether I let go of this brat or not! So if I have to die either way then I will die only after snatching Liu Jinhai''s happiness! He ruined my life so I will ruin his!" He laughed and was about to press the trigger when a bullet pierced through the air with a loud bang and entered his head through and through.


    Xuan Hui''s hand never trembled even for a moment as he shot the bullet. He got his orders from the twins and executed them without even a twitch in his eyebrows.


    Ouyang Haitao died before he knew it. His hold from Jun and Zhan Yahui loosened and his lifeless body slowly collapsed on the ground.


    "Young master!"


    Xuan Hui quickly secured Jun, his eyes turning misty. Now that he looked closely, he could see how painful it would have been for Jun. There were bruises on his skin and neck had turned slightly bluish. He gritted his teeth in anger, feeling that one bullet wasn''t enough for Ouyang Haitao. If the twins weren''t present, he would have emptied all his bullets and punctured several holes in his body before he would have shot the fatal bullet through his head.


    Jun, who was unconscious, slowly started to bob his head sideways. "Ummm¡­"


    The twins and the guards froze. It would be a problem if Jun woke up now and saw this messy and bloody state of affairs. So, Jian quickly ordered. "Nian. Take Jun away right now."


    "Yes, yes!"


    In that hasty scuffle, Jun''s glasses slipped from his face to the ground. Nian was about to pick them up but Jian quickly grabbed them. "Leave the glasses. Just take Jun away right now. We cannot let him see this mess!" He urgently whispered.


    Nian carried Jun on his back. The other guards offered to hold Jun but Nian declined. "No, thank you," his eyelashes trembled, "I want to hold him."


    He left with the guards accompanying them while Xuan Hui stayed behind. "Young master, about this girl¡­"


    Jian, who dusted the dirt off Jun''s glasses and wore them to check if it was clean, said, "Take her to the hospital and contact her mother. Once Dad is back, he will properly explain the whole thing to her."


    "Sir Xuan! Boss is calling!"


    Xuan Hui turned towards Jian. "I will quickly let Boss know about what has happened. Please head back to the car with young master Nian."


    "Yes."


    Xuan Hui left to take Jinhai''s call and as Jian was about to leave to call a guard to take Zhan Yahui away too, he heard a faint mumbling from her.


    "What¡­"


    Zhan Yahui was also beginning to open her eyes and before Jian could react, she had already partially woken up, seeing her father lying on the ground first thing before her eyes.

 Chapter 593 Every Revelation (13)

    ?


    "Dad¡­?"


    Ouyang Haitao''s lifeless body was lying before her. She was yet to completely sink into her consciousness but in that blurry state of mind, she still recognized her father clearly. She saw a stream of something reddish flowing out of his head. As she tremblingly touched it, a nauseous feeling churned the insides of her stomach.


    It was wet and sticky which stained her fingers in crimson too. She let out a gasp and almost slipped into unconsciousness again. She couldn''t figure out the heads or tails of this situation before her.


    What happened¡­? Why is Dad lying on the ground like this¡­


    W-weren''t we eating cake in the morning? Then¡­then I don''t remember¡­


    "Dad?" She gently nudged his shoulder, but there was no response. "Dad? Dad?"


    She breathed hard in fear, as if a sinking feeling of doomsday was here.


    "Dad? What happened to you? Please wake up! Dad¡­Dad¡­!" She exerted more strength to shake him and wake him up, but the eerie silence continued to remain.


    "Dad!!" Tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn''t know what and why was happening before her.


    At a distance amidst the dizziness in her head, she saw a boy standing before her. He wore glasses and she could feel him staring at her quietly.


    "P-please help me! My Dad¡­My Dad¡­I don''t know what happened to him," she blinked her eyes in order to get a clear view, but she couldn''t.


    She didn''t know why but instead of responding to her or helping her, the boy with glasses turned to leave.


    "N-No! Wait! Don''t leave!" She tried to get up, but her knees gave out. She couldn''t gather the strength in her legs to stand let alone chase after him. "Please don''t go! My Dad is sick¡­! Please help him!"


    Zhan Yahui continued to wake Ouyang Haitao but at a point, she realized that he wasn''t breathing. She froze and moved her palm in front of his nostrils. She didn''t feel any movements or the fact that he was breathing. It was then that she noticed a hole on his forehead.


    The world spun around her with the effects of the chloroform making her further delirious. She had watched enough movies to understand what that hole meant. It was a bullet wound that would always strike the villain at the climax by the good cop.


    To Zhan Yahui, she was happily eating cake with her father and the next moment she opened her eyes, he was dead?


    Dad is not dead¡­how can he die¡­


    I am still feeling sick. T-that''s why I am seeing things¡­


    Dad won''t leave me¡­Mom¡­what about Mom?


    They are going to marry and then¡­t-then I will officially have a father. He will become my father¡­


    Yes, yes. Then I won''t feel jealous about my classmates. I will bring Dad to all my parents'' meetings.


    He will talk to Mrs. Chu and proudly say how awesome I am. He will praise me in front of the class and then¡­then nobody will look at me with pity.


    I will show everyone that I have a Dad too¡­That he will bring lots of gifts for me and take me hiking and trips to awesome places¡­That he will always come to protect me whenever anybody bullies me.


    Everybody will see how awesome my Dad is¡­I will show off my cool Dad to everyone!


    But why¡­isn''t Dad waking up?


    "Why¡­why is my Dad not waking up?" Her voice shivered as she demanded an answer from the boy before her.


    Jian, who was walking a few steps ahead, stopped and turned to look at her. Naturally with Jun''s glasses on his eyes, her figure was cloudy before her. He had no vision problems so the glasses were starting to give him a mild headache.


    But he continued to wear them as if he didn''t have the heart to face her. It was better to not be able to see her clearly rather than distinctly watching her tears fall.


    Jian felt no remorse for Ouyang Haitao''s death. He gave orders that were necessary to protect Jun''s life. But he also understood Zhan Yahui''s grief. She lost her father, and he knew that he would be as heartbroken as her if he ever lost Jinhai.


    "Tell me! Why is Dad not waking up? Why is my Dad not breathing!? Why¡­" she gritted her teeth, "why are you running away!? Did you¡­did you hurt my Dad!?"


    Jian was silent for several long seconds before he quietly replied. "Yes."


    Zhan Yahui froze.


    "As for why I hurt him, you will get to know that soon."


    She shuddered listening to his unfeeling voice that held no guilt within it. She stared at the boy before her and even though it was hazy, she felt his prickly and icy gaze behind those glasses. He remained standing there as if Ouyang Haitao''s death had nothing to do with him.


    "You¡­you killed my father?"


    No response.


    "Y-you really¡­That means Dad will never¡­?"


    The realization of the implication turned her face white. She felt paralyzed. Neither she found any strength in her arms and legs, nor the will to think any further because if she thought any further, she would have to accept the grim reality.


    Ouyang Haitao was no more and the dream of her happy family with him was already shattered into a million pieces. She, who was hoping to complete her family with a father''s presence, was helpless as a child once again. Her mother, who found love in a man and who would keep her happy for the rest of her life, was lost forever.


    The pain and loneliness that came from the lack of a father figure - she would have to experience it all over again. She didn''t know who her biological father was, but his absence from her life had haunted her ever since she could understand the world around her. Now that same absence would settle in her life yet again.


    "You killed my father¡­"


    Her teary and piercing gaze shot daggers at the boy with glasses before her. She raised her trembling hand, pointing her finger at him.


    "You are¡­you are a killer! You killed my father! You are a murderer I will never forgive!"

 Chapter 594 Every Revelation (14)

    ?


    Jinhai rushed to the hospital as soon as his plane touched down in Beijing. Half of his anxiety had dissipated as he came to know that Jun was free from Ouyang Haitao''s clutches. The other half of his worries included Jun being admitted to a hospital because of the injuries he sustained.


    He immediately recognized Xuan Hui who was standing in attention. "Hui! Jun¡­where is Jun?"


    Xuan Hui replied. "Boss! Young master Jun, young master Jian and young master Nian are all inside with Sir Liang."


    Jinhai shakily nodded his head. He was afraid to go inside, imagining the worst scenarios in his head. Xuan Hui could sense his restlessness and he immediately assured him. "Boss. Young master Jun is fine now!" He brightened. "He is already awake. Sir Liang is treating some minor injuries, that''s all."


    Jinhai went still and then narrowed his eyes on him. "Awake? You mean there was a point where he was unconscious?"


    "Th-That¡­I¡­"


    "We will talk about this later," he said with a rough edge to his voice.


    Jinhai was about to step inside when Xuan Hui hastily said, "Boss! Don''t¡­Please don''t get angry at the twins¡­"


    He blinked. "I know the general gist of what happened and I won''t blame the twins for anything."


    Xuan Hui sighed in relief.


    "But they insisted on accompanying you to such a dangerous place. Instead of only one, I could have heard the news of three of my sons hurt and in danger. They are going to get an earful for that."


    Well that is true¡­


    Jinhai opened the door to his brother-in-law, Liang Shin''s office, who was treating Jun''s injuries. The twins were present beside Jun, firmly holding onto his hand. His breath almost stopped in his throat, seeing Jun lying on the bed as a patient.


    "Jun¡­"


    Liang Shin, Nana''s elder brother who was an acclaimed doctor, smiled at Jinhai. "Brother-in-law. As I see, you are stressed out too much and I can already see some of your hair turning grey. You are too young to grow old at this age. You need not worry because my little nephew is all fine."


    It was in that confidence that Jinhai finally released his breath. He slowly walked towards Jun and seeing the scratches on his skin, twisted his heart. But it pained even more when he saw slightly bluish marks on his neck.


    His gaze went cold and so did his voice. "What happened to his neck? Had Ouyang Haitao¡­tried to strangle my son?"


    Liang Shin saw his fingers crackling with the thirst of violence and he very well understood his emotions too. He would be the same if somebody harmed his children.


    "Indeed, but it''s not serious. There is no damage to any veins in his neck. He won''t even have a sore throat. Right, Jun?"


    Jun slowly nodded. "It doesn''t hurt Dad¡­"


    Liang Shin said, "I will leave you all alone for sometime. I know you have many things to talk to them about."


    "Thank you, brother-in-law. The twins are-"


    "Also fit and fine," he smiled and patted his shoulder.


    As Liang Shin left, he sat beside Jun and gently held his hand. "Tell me the truth. Are you really okay?"


    Jun wanted to nod a yes but soon, tears pooled in his eyes as he was unable to hide his fear. "Dad, did I¡­did I kill that Uncle?"


    Jinhai rapidly blinked his eyelids. "Of course not. Who said that to you?"


    "Oof Jun!" Jian flared his nostrils. "Didn''t Nian already say that it has nothing to do with you?"


    Nian nodded hard. "Little brother, I see you keep defying your elder brothers."


    Jun sniffled and gasped uneasily. "B-But I heard the girl say¡­that I am a killer. I killed her father¡­"


    Shit! Jun heard that? I thought he was still unconscious.


    The twins hadn''t expected that Jun would have listened to Zhan Yahui.


    Jian eyed Nian.


    Didn''t you take Jun away? How did he hear her then?


    I don''t know! Nian began to sweat.


    Well it''s true that I also had heard that girl screaming at Jian and accusing him. It was quite loud¡­Maybe Jun heard it then¡­Shit!


    Jinhai saw his twins fumbling and confused. He placed his palm on Jun''s head and smiled. "It isn''t like what you are thinking, Jun. Ouyang Haitao is okay."


    The twins widened their eyes.


    Huh?


    Jun was equally shocked, but a sense of relief washed over his heart too. "R-Really? He¡­he is alive?"


    He smiled. "Yes. It was a simple concussion. Also, what you did was to only protect yourself. So I won''t tolerate seeing you blame yourself, okay? It was Ouyang Haitao in the wrong who kidnapped you and his daughter. Uncle Shin gave you some medicine, right? You should go ahead and sleep."


    He bent and kissed his forehead. "You need a lot of rest."


    Jun slowly dozed off to sleep, holding onto Jinhai''s hand. His lips curved into a warm smile, seeing his son safe and unharmed. He gently freed his hand from Jun''s and looked at the twins. "Let''s talk in another room."


    The twins gulped and followed him obediently.


    Are we gonna get punished¡­?


    Jinhai took a seat on a chair and pulled them forward. "From next time on, you are directly heading home if something like this ever happens. You are only ten. Don''t act like you are twenty."


    The twins swallowed their saliva. "Yes¡­"


    "I don''t want to see you two just nodding your heads," he icily said.


    "I am sorry."


    "I am sorry."


    They apologized simultaneously. "We won''t do it again."


    "Good. But you will still get an earful from Nana. I cannot do anything about that."


    They bobbed their heads.


    Jinhai smiled in satisfaction. "Hm. Let''s go back."


    The twins were dumbfounded. "Ah? The scolding part is over?"


    "Is there anything else I need to scold you two for?"


    Jian said, "I guess Uncle Xuan forgot to tell you the main thing."


    "He didn''t forget to tell me. I know everything."


    Nian asked, "So why are you so calm?"


    "Because I would have made the same decision as you two did. He was going to kill Jun. Naturally, he had to die," Jinhai said, unfazed. "I am proud of you two that you could take that step. I know it must feel terrifying to order someone''s death. You did a fine job as responsible elder brothers. I have nothing to scold you for it."

 Chapter 595 Every Revelation (15)

    ?


    "Yahui!"


    Zhan Kai-Ming broke down as she saw her daughter being treated in a ward. After the short confrontation with Jian, the stress caused Zhan Yahui to collapse once again. She gasped with shaky breaths, weakly holding onto the door as she looked through the small round window.


    "Yahui¡­"


    She felt footsteps stopping behind her, and she slowly turned, freezing as soon as she saw Xuan Hui. The guard dressed in black before her intimidated her already afraid self.


    "Miss. Zhan. Boss wants to talk to you."


    Zhan Kai-Ming turned pale. It didn''t take rocket science to tell that the guard standing before belonged to the underworld. "M-My¡­daughter¡­"


    "Please come with me. Boss wants to talk to you. Your daughter is under treatment for now. Until then, Boss wants to talk to you."


    Zhan Kai-Ming had no choice but to quietly follow him. In a separate, private area of the hospital, she entered a dimly lit room with the leader of the Underworld waiting for her. She felt a lack of oxygen in the air as she struggled to breathe. For some reason, she lowered her head.


    "Do you know why your daughter and my son are in the condition they are right now?" A chilly and unforgiving voice reverberated in the room. "Your lover is dead and I think you are made aware as to why that is so."


    She trembled and pressed her lips.


    "I don''t want to believe that it''s your fault but if you had left him already instead of letting him exploit you, then my son wouldn''t have had to suffer so much. I believe you perhaps knew from some months ago that he was misusing your money to pay his debt."


    Tears fell from her eyes and her lips quivered. "...It wasn''t easy," she spoke feebly.


    Jinhai''s black eyes narrowed. "It is never easy. But ultimately, we have to decide and if you had, neither of our children would have been in this state. Your daughter was almost sold by the man you were supposed to marry."


    She said nothing.


    He understood it well that Zhan Kai-Ming was a victim of Ouyang Haitao''s betrayal herself, but he couldn''t hold back the bitterness in his voice. Jun was traumatized and had almost lost his life, and it wouldn''t have happened if Zhan Kai-Ming had severed her relationship with Ouyang Haitao when she had the time.


    Zhan Kai-Ming breathlessly inhaled. "I-I will t-try my best and¡­pay all his loans¡­"


    "There is no need. I don''t want the money."


    That genuinely took her aback. She thought that she was summoned only to be the next in line to start coughing out money for Ouyang Haitao''s debt.


    "But it is hard to let you go free either," Jinhai said, "especially since your daughter thinks that my son is her father''s murderer."


    She froze.


    "You won''t be forced to pay the money, but letting you and daughter live is not a viable option for me either."


    "W-what¡­?" she could feel her heart jump in her throat. "You want to¡­kill us too?"


    His expression hardened. "Too? I don''t want to, but your dead lover didn''t leave me with many options. Do you know what is the most frustrating thing whenever such incidents happen?"


    It was a rhetorical question, but Zhan Kai-Ming could guess where this was going.


    "The family that is left behind becomes a pain in the ass. Your daughter is way too invested and emotionally attached to get her complete family, which I also understand since you don''t live with her biological father whoever he might be. It''s normal to want a good family. But it also becomes a problem when somebody important for that family to come to be, is dead. I know one thing for sure. Zhan Yahui, in her own world of misunderstandings, will never forgive Jun. And if she never forgives him, she will forever chase after him for revenge."


    Jinhai tilted his head. "So before a cycle of revenge is born, I will kill it with my own hands."


    Zhan Kai-Ming collapsed on her knees. "No¡­please don''t! I beg you¡­I beg you, Mr. Liu. Please, please let us go. I will talk to Yahui and we will move out of Beijing!" She hastily clutched onto any straws that would help her change Jinhai''s mind. "We-we will never set our foot here again! I will a-also explain everything to her. The truth¡­"


    "It''s no use convincing me. I have worked for long enough to know that the thirst for revenge never dies. This happened when she is at such an impressionable age. She won''t let this go."


    "She will! I will talk to her. I-I will tell her that your son is not at fault. Instead he was the victim too! She will definitely understand¡­So please¡­I will take Yahui and l-leave this city forever," she cried hard, "What you fear will never happen."


    "She loves Ouyang Haitao too much to be able to understand what exactly happened. I cannot let you two live," Jinhai declared like an ultimatum.


    "Please¡­" Zhan Kai-Ming shook hard with her tears wetting the floor, "It''s¡­it''s not o-only because of Yahui that I am asking you for m-mercy¡­"


    "So?"


    "I am pregnant."


    Jinhai said nothing.


    "That''s also why¡­it was hard to leave Haitao. Once again¡­I couldn''t snatch my unborn child''s father once again," she bit her lip. "If I had left him, then not one but¡­two of my children would have become fatherless."


    Zhan Kai-Ming raised her head, her eyes looking tired and defeated. She touched her belly and said with a broken voice, "I don''t w-want my child to die¡­He isn''t even born. He hasn''t even seen this world¡­I want to give birth to him. I want to raise him just like I love Yahui. I¡­want to be a good mother to both of my children," she gasped. "Please¡­don''t kill us. I promise that I or any of my children will ever cross paths with the Liu family. I promise that we won''t ever become your enemies."

 Chapter 596 Every Revelation (16)

    ?


    *Present*


    "You broke the promise just like I had expected you to," Jinhai balled his fingers into his palm.


    His eyelashes trembled, thinking back to the time when Jun had come to visit him to tell him the truth about his rebirth.


    "But I showed mercy to that unborn child. I broke my own underworld law and let a family go, trusting Zhan Kai-Ming''s promise and giving her a chance to live her life anew. But what you did only reinforced my beliefs. Thank you for proving to me that I should have killed you and Zhan Kai-Ming back then. My mercy¡­only brought ruin to my son''s life."


    "Dad, it''s not your fault!" Jun hurriedly bent on his knees and held his trembling palm in his. Tears brimmed in her eyes, feeling the shiver in his voice. "What the hell, Dad? You are crazy! Are you seriously blaming yourself?"


    It was harder to speak for Jinhai as an overwhelming feeling of guilt erupted like a dormant volcano in his heart.


    "I know what you want to say and I am already saying that it''s bullshit. I know you are not the sort of a person to bend to give any chances, but you did which only makes me happier. You showed kindness to them and I am proud of you for that."


    "That kindness¡­turned out to be a big mistake," he quietly said.


    Jun gritted his teeth. Jinhai was his father but for the first time, he felt like scolding him like a little child.


    Xing Bi gasped. "That''s not true at all, Uncle!"


    The twins spread their arms as if they had already tasted this defeat. "That''s what we have been trying to say to him ever since we got to know about Zhan Yahui''s involvement, that he is not at fault, but he is being a stubborn mule."


    Chyou frowned. "Being stubborn is not nice."


    Xing Bi flared her nostrils from the other side. "Uncle, you should learn from your son, Nian. He doesn''t accept his mistake even when he is at fault, especially all those times he fooled me, used my precious Ai and stalked me like crazy."


    Nian - "..."


    "And here, you didn''t make any mistake in the first place, so you should definitely take inspiration from Nian''s traits."


    Nian clutched his chest. "Xing Bi, I-I am definitely not crying, okay? I am fine. I am totally fine."


    "Hmph."


    Jin took out his phone amidst the two cats jumping on his head and shoulders, treating him like a trampoline, "Should I call Mom? She always smacks sense into Dad."


    Jinhai gave him a cold look. "Don''t bother my wife."


    "So you want to bother yourself instead?" Ai slightly bent and narrowed her eyes. "Dad, look at me."


    Jinhai pursed his lips but didn''t raise his head. Jun was in utter disbelief to see his father act like that. "Are you seriously my Dad or has somebody taken over you?"


    "Dad," Ai called him a bit more sternly this time, "will you look at me or should I call Mom?"


    He immediately met her gaze, making her feel satisfied. But that only made Jin seething in anger.


    The hell!? He didn''t even flinch when I used the Mom card but to Ai, he does? What is this bias!?


    "Good," Ai nodded. "Now repeat after me. I made no mistake."


    Jun and the twins'' brow twitched hard.


    Ai is really treating Dad like a child¡­The great Liu Jinhai¡­


    Jinhai couldn''t say it no matter how hard he tried. "I cannot fool myself into thinking that, Ai."


    "You are not fooling yourself because this is the truth. Showing mercy to a mother and her unborn child wasn''t a mistake. Despite the fact that Jun was hurt, you let them go. You had no obligation to show any sympathy or grant them a new chance, yet you did and that was your kindness you should be proud of. Your conscience is clear."


    "That kindness only ended your lives and I should say¡­quite literally," Jinhai lamented.


    Ai shook her head. "No. It wasn''t your kindness but Zhan Kai-Ming''s selfishness. It was her responsibility to tell the truth to Zhan Yahui. If Zhan Yahui had known that Ouyang Haitao wanted to sell her, do you think she would have had any feelings left towards him as a daughter?"


    Jinhai blinked. "Of course she told her the truth. I was standing at a distance when she told Zhan Yahui everything in her ward where she was admitted."


    Xuan Hui nodded. "Yes, Miss. Zhou. Boss wanted to see for himself how Zhan Yahui would react to the news and if she would continue to pose a danger for young master Jun. Initially, she did cause a fuss and scene but after Zhan Kai-Ming''s continuous hugging and reassurance, she had calmed down and accepted that Ouyang Haitao was at fault. We heard Zhan Kai-Ming telling everything and saw Zhan Yahui accepting the truth too."


    Ai asked, "Then why does Zhan Yahui still want revenge? Why does she still think that Ouyang Haitao was a good man?" Why did you have to reiterate the past to her when she should have already known that from her mother?"


    Neither Jinhai nor Xuan Hui could quite answer her. Jinhai stared at Ai in a stupor but was actually thinking back to the time in the hospital.


    A moment later, his expression hardened as something dawned upon him. He slowly turned to face Zhan Yahui, who was shivering after the bombardment of the truth. "What did Zhan Kai-Ming say to you when she was hugging you?"


    Zhan Yahui stared back at him.


    "She hugged you when you were crying and acting out of control, which was the only time she could have whispered something to you that I wouldn''t have been able to listen to."


    She said nothing.


    Her silence only made Jinhai sure of his conjecture. "You were making a fuss but then slowly, you stopped crying. Is it because Zhan Kai-Ming whispered something to the effect like, ''Please pretend to accept it or Liu Jinhai will kill us.''"

 Chapter 597 Every Revelation (17)

    ?


    "What did Zhan Kai-Ming exactly tell you?"


    "She told me the truth and the truth was that your family killed Dad! But I made a mistake¡­I made a mistake in recognizing my enemy¡­"


    Her body trembled in anger, her murderous gaze falling on the twins. "You were the ones who actually gave the order to kill Dad! You two snatched my family from me!" She screamed. "Instead of targeting Liu Jun, I should have¡­I should have made your lives miserable."


    "Miserable?" Jian sneered. "We just told you everything about your so-called father upon whom you had placed your trust, but you are still accusing us?"


    "Because you are painting lies in front of me! Mom told me herself!''


    *Flashback*


    Zhan Yahui threw the fruit basket on the hospital ward''s floor as Zhan Kai-Ming revealed the truth about the incident.


    "Enough, Mom! Is it because you fought with Dad that you are talking such nonsense!? He loved you. He loved me. He-he would never think of hurting us! Don''t you dare badmouth him!"


    "Yahui please believe me¡­" Zhan Kai-Ming tremblingly approached her, her eyes wet with tears. "Haitao used us. He really did want to¡­sell you. He kidnapped Liu family''s son too who got hurt because of him. There was no choice but to¡­Please Yahui. Come with me. We will leave Beijing and start a new life. Together with you¡­and your little brother or sister."


    "Shut up! Shut up!" Her face was livid, "You want me to continue living my life without a Dad? That won''t ever happen! I¡­" she clenched her fists, "I want a family just like all the kids in my school! I had enough of getting sympathy looks! I want Dad¡­I want my Dad¡­" tears plopped down.


    The more time passed and the more Zhan Kai-Ming continued to explain, the more violent Zhan Yahui became. She started to throw all the things left and right and scream at the top of her lungs.


    At one point when Zhan Yahui had almost hurt herself, Zhan Kai-Ming panicked and threw herself into her hug, speaking with quivering lips. "Yahui, we cannot live here anymore¡­We will-"


    "Shut up!" She roared and tried to push her away, but Zhan Kai-Ming didn''t budge.


    With eyes reddened in fury, Zhan Yahui was about to throw another plate when she whispered in her ear, "Please at least pretend to agree, Yahui¡­I beg you. Don''t make anymore ruckus or w-we will be killed."


    Zhan Yahui stopped, feeling confused but her body was still shaking in anger.


    "We are at the mercy of the Liu family. If t-they see you resisting like this, they won''t¡­they will kill us," she continued speaking in a soft voice. "I want to live with you Yahui. I want to give birth to your sibling. B-But it won''t happen if Liu Jinhai feels that you," her voice broke, "you will be a threat to his son and family¡­Please listen to me, Yahui. We are fighting for our survival here."


    Zhan Kai-Ming completely broke down after her last resort in trying to convince Zhan Yahui.


    The Liu family is¡­threatening Mom¡­? They killed my Dad and now they want to kill us too?


    Zhan Kai-Ming clutched her tighter, shivering. "P-please don''t say anything. H-He is listening to us¡­Over the next few days¡­just please show them that you have accepted the truth and we will quietly leave. Please Yahui¡­"


    *Present*


    Jun, Ai, the twins and Jinhai went extremely quiet. Jinhai closed his eyes, a sinking feeling settling in his chest that he had missed to spot a big landmine that would explode in the future one day. From everything that he knew about her, she was a sincere, honest and hardworking woman, struggling to keep her family together even if she had to tolerate living with Ouyang Haitao.


    But that sincere and honest woman had lied.


    I failed¡­I failed in my judgment of Zhan Kai-Ming¡­


    "The hell!?" Chyou and Jin burst out at once, feeling baffled and incredulous.


    "Your mother¡­" Chyou said with her jaw dropped, "completely spun the story to make it look as if Uncle Jinhai was being unfair."


    "That''s far from the truth!" Jin felt like going back in time and wringing Zhan Kai-Ming''s neck. "Do you think we are some sadists who enjoy threatening innocent people for fun? The ones who break the rules must suffer punishment. That''s a simple equation which Ouyang Haitao didn''t bother following. So he got the end that he deserved! I cannot believe your mother dared to lie about us!"


    "I will kill you if you speak a word against Mom!" Zhan Yahui exclaimed.


    *Meow!*


    *Meow!*


    Jun-cute and Ai-chan who were jumping on his shoulder fiercely hissed at Zhan Yahui as if they would scratch her with their mighty claws.


    "Why!? Why should I keep quiet? Why should I not speak the truth!? The Liu family¡­not only killed my father but my mother too!" She violently resisted against the cuffs tied to her wrist. "If not¡­if not for Dad''s death, she would have not committed suicide four months later!"


    Jun slightly furrowed his brows.


    "We moved to a new city but Mom¡­couldn''t handle the stress¡­" Zhan Yahui turned paler and paler, "A new city, a new job, a new home¡­everything had changed. We were alone once again without Dad. She had to work hard to earn a lot of money and not just for me but a-also for my unborn sibling''s sake¡­But what happened in the end? She¡­" she blankly said, "sh-she couldn''t bear the pressure and she¡­miscarried."


    Ai widened her eyes.


    "Her body became too weak and she miscarried. I lost my sibling and then¡­I lost Mom too¡­she killed herself. First Dad left¡­then her child¡­" she laughed, her heart feeling empty and her gaze devoid of any emotions, "W-why would she choose to continue living such a painful life after losing two precious people in her life? So the Liu family is not just responsible for my Dad''s murder but also¡­" she gnashed her jaw, "the murder of my Mom and my sibling."


    "That''s not the truth, Yahui." A voice echoed from the back as a certain pair of footsteps stopped.


    Everybody turned and were puzzled to find Shi Shuren in the base.


    Shi Shuren looked at Zhan Yahui as he clasped his hands together. "Kai-Ming didn''t die because of the Liu family. I¡­I killed her."

 Chapter 598 Every Revelation (18)

    ?


    Jun narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Ai for a moment, wondering the same as her.


    How was he connected to everything?


    "I apologize Mr. Liu for my sudden appearance like this but after I saw Yahui being taken away outside Shi Publishing¡­I knew I had to come here."


    Zhan Yahui felt like tearing the whole world apart. She already had to tolerate the Liu family''s presence who was her biggest enemy and now came Shi Shuren as well, whom she hated just like she hated the Lius''.


    "Yes, please come," she sneered. "You were the only one left to join this party. Now all my enemies are in one place. If you¡­If you hadn''t betrayed Mom, if you hadn''t left her then we would never have suffered in the first place. It was you who made our life nothing but a tragedy!! Everything started because of you!"


    Shi Shuren felt as if he was standing on thin ice. Her screams of agony rang harshly in his ears that struck deep into his heart.


    "You are right. Everything started because of me. Because even though I was married, I fell in love with another woman and had relations with her. It was an arranged marriage with Zhelan. I didn''t love her, but I was forced to abide by my family''s wishes anyway. This is not an excuse for my cheating Zhelan. I understand that now but back then, I was disappointed and angry at everything. Furious at the compromises I was making. I tried to give our marriage a chance, but I just couldn''t. The fact that I was forced to marry her bothered me like crazy and everyday became a struggle for me."


    Everybody silently listened to him except for Zhan Yahui who didn''t care about his story. She only wished to kill him.


    Shi Shuren exhaled shakily. "A year later, I met Kai-Ming in a bar. She was working many odd jobs and being a barmaid was one of them. We kind of hit it off and even I didn''t understand why I began to visit the bar frequently. But yes¡­we fell in love with her and we¡­I was too afraid to reveal my marriage to her because I knew she wouldn''t agree for our relationship."


    He felt a burning tingling in his eyes as he remembered the past. "I kept it a secret and continued my relationship with her. To me, they were the best days of my life. The time when I felt like I wasn''t compromising anymore. That everyday wasn''t a struggle anymore. But the inevitable happened and she became pregnant with you. Things had gotten too far to continue keeping my marriage hidden anymore so I told her everything. Naturally, Kai-Ming was hurt and furious and wanted to leave me. But I promised her I will sort everything out and separate from Zhelan."


    A wry and defeated smile came to his lips. "But Zhelan refused to divorce me."


    Jin frowned. "She wasn''t affected by your cheating?"


    "She was. She was just as furious as the rest of my family was. But no matter how much I tried to convince them, neither my family nor Zhelan agreed for our separation. And I¡­became a coward. After one point, I just couldn''t get through them. I couldn''t oppose their iron-willed decision. Many times¡­many times I felt like I would just run away and start my new life with Kai-Ming and my child. But I was afraid. Will I be able to pull it off? Can I give a good life to them? What if I failed? What if I became a terrible husband and father? What if I became a joke in front of everyone?


    In the end¡­the pressure and my fear got to me and I stepped back from my responsibilities. I couldn''t fulfill my promise to Kai-Ming anymore. Kai-Ming left me and I went back to living my cowardly life," he mockingly smiled at himself. "But even so I never forgot her or you, Yahui. Every single day, I thought of you two. What is Kai-Ming doing? How is my child growing up? Every single day¡­"


    He pressed his lips, forcing himself to continue. "Then one day Huan was born. It had been almost eight to nine years to Zhelan and my marriage that there wasn''t a child in the family. She was a child born out of nothing but for the sake of appearances. I love Huan but there was no love behind her birth."


    Ai and Xing Bi, who was listening on the other end, felt an urge to cry.


    Huan¡­


    Jian narrowed his eyes. "If you and Zhan Kai-Ming had already gone your separate ways, then how are you connected to anything?"


    He trembled. "Because one day I met Kai-Ming once again. Around three years after Huan''s birth. I was in another city for a business trip and I crossed paths with her there¡­"


    Jun slightly widened his eyes.


    Zhan Kai-Ming had left Beijing after the kidnapping incident¡­


    Zhan Yahui stared at him, bewildered. "Are you fucking lying to me!? You never met Mom! She never told me that she met you!"


    "She kept it from you and I can understand why. I had no right to be back in your life anymore, someone who had lied to her and then ran away from his promise. But I-I didn''t care any of that. I was just so happy to meet her again¡­" his tears fell as his body shook. "The love and all those emotions gushed back to me. I was so tired of everything, of my life with Zhelan that when I saw Kai-Ming again, I felt like I was being pulled back to her. All my frustrations just melted away and this time¡­I really, really wanted her."


    He clenched his fists. "This time I had made up my mind. I won''t be a coward anymore. Whether Zhelan or my family disagreed, I will get back together with Kai-Ming at any cost and make her my wife. I will bring her and you to my family. I will do anything to escape my hellish life and be the woman I always loved. But¡­I was too late because I got to know that


    she was pregnant with someone else''s child and..."


    Jun and Ai exchanged glances and felt a bad foreboding.


    I feel I know where this is going.


    Shi Shuren bit his lip. "And I got angry. I know, I know! I had no right to feel that way. I acted cowardly and left her in the past. I betrayed her. She moved on with her life and found a new love. But I couldn''t bear it. It was frustrating! It was agonizing because I couldn''t move on from her at all! It was just so damn irritating! I tried like anything to convince her for us to get back together. I would accept her child too, but she stubbornly kept refusing. A-and in a fit of fury one day...I...I...f-forced myself on her."

 Chapter 599 Every Revelation (19)

    ?


    The room was filled with such an eerie silence that it was enough to send chills across everybody''s spine. Shi Shuren cried with remorse and Zhan Yahui felt as if she lost the ability to feel any emotion. The poisonous words hovered in her ears, but she couldn''t make any sense of them.


    "It was my fault¡­it was my fault¡­" Shi Shuren collapsed on the floor, his palms covering his face and becoming moist with his tears. "I was horrible to her. I became too selfish and hurt her¡­It''s all my fault that she lost her child¡­"


    Ai shut her eyes, helpless. It was just as she and Jun suspected.


    Zhan Kai-Ming lost her child not because of the stress of her new life but the stress of an assault¡­And not just by anyone but the man she once loved, tears brimmed her eyes.


    "A f-few days later, I learned that she¡­" he shook, "she was no more. Sh-She had killed herself¡­"


    "What the hell was wrong with you!?" Jun grabbed the collar of his shirt, green veins appearing on the back of his fair hand but his cheeks pinkish with indignation. "What were you thinking!? You were right that you had no right to treat Zhan Kai-Ming that way! You acted cowardly your whole life but got furious at a woman who showed the strength to move forward? Do you have any idea what she must have felt!"


    Jun trembled as he felt choked in his throat. "Whether it was Ouyang Haitao or you towards Zhan Kai-Ming or Lu Long towards Sun Bai, every one of you three only acted like an ass towards the woman they should have treated with care and respect. And after everything that happened because of you, you still had the nerve to continue living as if it had nothing to do with you!"


    "N-No! That''s not the truth!" His eyes ached as he met Jun''s ferocious gaze. "I committed a sin. I-I lost Kai-Ming forever. I made her go through such hell t-that¡­she felt that ending her life was the only option. My entire world had shattered. I felt like killing myself too¡­H-How could I have forgiven myself for that¡­? I was a mess! But¡­but there was Yahui. She was the l-last¡­" he gasped, "person in this world left for me who reminded me of Kai-Ming¡­My daughter who I¡­" he clenched his jaw, "who got left all alone because of a blunder that I made¡­I¡­wanted her back."


    Zhan Yahui didn''t react to any of that and simply stared at the ground, motionless.


    "I had already abandoned them once. I d-didn''t want to abandon her once again¡­" he shut his eyes, his warm tears sliding down his cheeks, "b-but I didn''t find Yahui anywhere¡­When I came to know about Kai-Ming''s suicide, I immediately went back because I wanted to take Yahui with me. But I didn''t find her anywhere. I searched for her like crazy, but she had just¡­disappeared. The only person remaining who I wanted to hold on to had vanished too¡­" he broke down.


    "It was nine years later that Yahui suddenly appeared before the Shi family. I was so, so happy¡­" his gaze looked faraway as if remembering the distant past, "I hadn''t stopped looking for Yahui''s whereabouts the whole time, but I couldn''t find her at all. I thought that I had lost her f-forever too just like Kai-Ming¡­Nothing was left¡­


    But Yahui came back one day and I-I couldn''t be happier¡­But she had no interest in me," he sadly smiled. "Of course I don''t blame her. I was the most horrendous person to her mother and her. It was fine to me even if she treated me like garbage¡­I only cared that at least my daughter was still alive¡­and I would do anything to keep her by my side this time."


    Nian said, "That''s why despite Mrs. Shi was furious at this prospect so much, you let Zhan Yahui come to the Shi family. That''s why you didn''t hesitate in giving her all your shares even though you knew it would make Mrs. Shi only more antagonized."


    Shi Shuren gave a lifeless smile. "Shares are nothing compared to how much I¡­desperately wanted to compensate for Yahui. I know that it''s a stupid thought. My betrayal and Kai-Ming''s death cannot be compensated in any way but when¡­Yahui wanted those shares from me, I didn''t want to reject her. Even if¡­even if by an infinitesimal point, I had a chance to redeem myself, I wanted to grab it at any cost¡­"


    He exhaled slowly, feeling powerless. "I even knew that she was back to take revenge from me. I didn''t know about any of her plans against the Liu family. The bitterness that Yahui showed¡­I only thought that she returned to take revenge from me. To destroy the man who ruined Kai-Ming and her happy life. And I was ready for it because I deserved it¡­"


    Ai coldly shot back. "And did Huan deserve it too? Your daughter who had nothing to do with the cruelty and cowardice you showed in the past¡­was it fair of you to treat her like an invisible person and let her get dragged into this fire by Zhan Yahui? A revenge against you meant a revenge against the Shi family. Against Shi Zhelan and Shi Huan too. You felt guilty towards Zhan Yahui but not towards Huan? You wanted to compensate for your sins but by sacrificing your wife and daughter''s lives?"


    Her voice turned icier as she continued. "Huan''s dreams, her life meant nothing to you? At the Authors'' Summit when she fell sick and was dismissed from the competition, did you feel nothing towards her loss? Everybody else was in the dark, but you must have known that Zhan Yahui did something to compromise her health and throw her out of the competition. Even so, did it not matter to you at all?"


    The color slowly drained from Shi Shuren''s face. "Not true¡­That''s not true. I love Huan too¡­"


    Jun tightened his grip. "You do not because for the sake of redeeming yourself for one family, you were ready to drown the other one. That is not love but selfishness. You were nothing but a selfish ma


    n from the beginning till the end."


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 600 Conscience

    ?


    Jun harshly let go of Shi Shuren, and his knees stumbled on the ground crying hard.


    Chyou''s laptop flashed with a signal, and she smiled victoriously. She pulled Nian''s coat and whispered into his ear. "Found Hou Lin. It was a hard catch but I tracked the route he used to take Xing Bi with him."


    His gaze flickered with concern for Xing Bi. "You are the best, Chyou," he whispered back, making her grin.


    Nian took Jun''s phone where Hou Lin and Xing Bi were on the line the entire time. "There is nothing left to reveal anymore. Whether why Ouyang Haitao had to die or why Zhan Kai-Ming committed suicide - the truth is right before you. The entire motivation for Zhan Yahui to have revenge on the Liu family never held any water, that''s why there is no meaning in keeping Xing Bi in harm''s way either. So it''s in the best interest for you to let go of her right this instant."


    There was silence on the other end. Hou Lin didn''t speak, which only irritated Nian more and more.


    Ai glanced at Zhan Yahui''s side as well but she found her reactions to be confusing. She was trembling and muttering to herself. Her gaze was unfocused and shaky, making Ai unsure if she had really accepted the truth or not.


    Nian violently kicked a chair aside. "Don''t test my patience, Hou Lin! Don''t tell me that even after knowing all this-"


    "Nian," Jinhai raised his palm, signaling him to calm down.


    "But he-"


    Jun quietly asked, "Can I talk to him?"


    Nian cursed Hou Lin and eventually handed Jun his phone back.


    Jun stared at the number. He knew Hou Lin was listening to them from the other end. "Hou Lin."


    It was very faint, but he heard a shaky exhale of a breath.


    "You have supported Zhan Yahui with her plans all this time. I don''t know if she will ever accept reality or not. But you have a choice. You know everything now. Do you think that Ouyang Haitao had a clear conscience?"


    Nian scoffed and murmured under his breath. "Why does a traitor''s opinion matter?"


    "Nian," Jian blinked at him once to reassure him. "Jun has worked with Hou Lin for all this time, not us. He would know the best way to talk to him. Let us believe in him."


    He whispered. "Chyou has already tracked him."


    "Which could prove to be dangerous if we barge at the location with our guards. He might flip and hurt her. It would be safer if Jun could talk him out to switch sides instead of going the violent way and potentially hurting Xing Bi."


    Nian exhaled a deep breath and nodded.


    Jian is right. I have to be calm and rational. I have to be calm and rational, he repeated like a mantra.


    Jun patiently waited for his answer, which seemed to take an eternity but he didn''t mind. In the end, Hou Lin said, "...I don''t know if he was right or not, Sir."


    Nian''s expression twisted.


    Jun said, "I am not asking if he was right or wrong. I am asking if you think his conscience was clear or not."


    "Is there a difference, Sir?"


    "Yes. Going the right way or the wrong way in life depends on our circumstances but more importantly, our conscience. Even a good person can make wrong decisions and even a bad person can make the right choices. Being good or bad or right or wrong are just labels. What matters behind those commitments are our intentions. Do you think Ouyang Haitao''s intentions towards his daughter were clear?"


    On the other side where Xing Bi was trapped, she clearly figured out how Hou Lin was struggling with Jun''s question. It might be an easy question for others to answer but apparently, not for him and she wondered why.


    Xing Bi gave it some thought and added to Jun''s question. "Let me ask you this. If you become a father to your child tomorrow, what would you like to do with him or her?"


    "I don''t know. I haven''t thought about it."


    She shrugged. "So think about it now. Anything random that comes to your mind."


    Hou Lin''s hesitation settled down and he blinked his eyes as if in a deep thought. "I think¡­it would be nice if¡­we could go fishing together someday. Hiking on mountains sounds good too. Shopping together on weekends is a good idea too. Then...reading books is a good habit. It would be nice if we could build our own small library at home. Working on school projects together sounds fun too¡­"


    Jun slowly asked, "Do you think Ouyang Haitao wanted to do any of this with Zhan Yahui?"


    Hou Lin parted his lips to answer, but he immediately closed them. Then he spoke as he was simultaneously thinking his answer in his mind, "I don''t think so¡­"


    "Does that give him a clear conscience? The one that says to treat their child well?"


    "No, Sir," this time, his answer was fairly immediate.


    "If you think that, then do you think you should let Xing Bi free?"


    Jun stared at the seconds passing by on the phone with no answer. After what it seemed like forever to Nian, Hou Lin finally said, "I will release Miss. Xing."


    Jun softly exhaled in silence, closing his eyes for a moment. Ai cried in joy too with the good news. She knew it might look stupid to trust a kidnapper but with the way the conversation was going and with how Hou Lin was answering, she felt it deep inside her heart that he was speaking genuinely.


    "I will release, Miss. Xing," Hou Lin continued, "but I would like to meet Yahui too. I want to see her. I want to talk to her if I can."


    Jun glanced at the twins and his father, taking a moment to think about this request.


    Jinhai gave a nod, and Jun replied. "Okay. I will bring Zhan Yahui with me to where you are."

 Chapter 601 A Haunting Feeling

    ?


    "Did they find Xing Bi?" Guiying asked in a troubled voice. Along with her was Zixin in the Chen villa and Yating who came to visit them after Zhan Yahui was kicked out of Shi Publishing.


    Yating said, "I got Chyou''s message that she found Hou Lin''s location. She also said that violence probably won''t be necessary because Hou Lin has agreed to release Xing Bi," he said with a silent sigh of relief.


    It was a shocking chain of events to know how deep Zhan Yahui''s involvement was. From Sky''s anniversary celebration, he was aware of how Zhan Yahui had something to do with humiliating Sky in the public, but to learn that she had such a connection with the Liu family in the past and that she aimed for revenge by hurting so many innocent people was difficult to digest.


    "That''s good, that''s good¡­" Guiying said with a strained smile, which Zixin didn''t fail to notice.


    He thought for a moment and asked, "Do you still feel some for her? Even though she betrayed you and mockingly exposed your alter personality today?"


    That was another commotion Zhan Yahui caused after ''Guiying'' took over the Shi Publishing and failed her plan. Along with Zhan Yahui, Guiying herself, too, became the talk of the town because of her split personality, doubling the damage on Dream High.


    Being a part of the company''s staff as an editor, it was a PR disaster on Dream High''s reputation and image due to Zhan Yahui''s evil deeds. But Guiying''s condition got added on top of it though the consensus wasn''t clear if it became a sensational topic in a negative light or a positive one.


    Zixin clearly knew ''Guiying''s'' emotions but he never got to know how Guiying really felt about Zhan Yahui.


    Guiying lowered her gaze at Zixin''s question. "Indeed, she has hurt me a lot. When I grew distant with Ai, I never felt totally alone because I felt that Zhan Yahui would always be beside me. She¡­" her lower lip slightly tremored, "she was like a sister to me how Xing Bi is to Ai."


    Yating and Zixin looked at each other in silence.


    "In that sense, it''s difficult to accept that Zhan Yahui will be gone from my life now. She has committed many mistakes. She hurt you and put your life in jeopardy. I cannot forgive her for that. But¡­I also understand¡­that it must be so agonizing for her to lose her parents and live a life of loneliness. I know because I have been in that place¡­" a tear slid from her left eye. "She must be punished for all the crimes she did. But I also feel hateful that why¡­was fate so cruel on her¡­?"


    Zixin gently wiped away the tear from her cheek and asked, "Do you want to meet her?"


    She slightly stiffened. She wasn''t sure if she wanted to meet her because it would only cause her heart to ache even further.


    "I¡­don''t know. She wouldn''t bother with me anyway," she wryly smiled. "I will only miss her more if I see her."


    "But you have many things to say to her too, right?"


    She pressed her lips in silence, her heart trembling in her chest.


    "Yes, I do."


    ¡ª


    Jun wanted to come alone to meet Hou Lin and then take Xing Bi with him and return. But as soon as he proposed this three certain people protested. Ai, Nian and Jin remained stubborn in accompanying him.


    "Xing Bi is like my sister. How can I not come with you?" Ai said, troubled.


    "Xing Bi is my girlfriend. Like hell I will be left behind!" Nian passionately claimed.


    "Bro Jun is my brother so yes, I am coming with you," Jin gave an answer that puzzled Ai and Nian.


    "What about Xing Biiiii?" Nian asked.


    "I am worried about her too, but you two are enough to take care of her. I will be there for Bro."


    Ai knitted her brows in strain. "Do you think Jun will remember the past¡­"


    Jun sighed loudly and finally made space in their conversation for his own answer. "I won''t remember my kidnapping incident or feel traumatized over it. I want to go because Hou Lin is-..." He cleared his throat and corrected my answer, "was my employee. I just want to talk about a couple of things to him as he was an ex-employee of Sky."


    Ai and Nian tilted their heads and stared at him, apparently not quite satisfied with his answer. Jin rolled his eyes, scooping Jun-cute and Ai-chan in his arms. "Figure it out later. Let''s go."


    The cats too, refused to stay behind and fiercely clung onto Jin, making him release a sigh. Xuan Hui and a few guards straightened up to get ready and left with them on Jinhai''s orders.


    "Where are you taking me!? Take your filthy hands off me!" Zhan Yahui screamed and violently kicked the guards but to no avail.


    Jian sneered. "Don''t resist so much, Zhan Yahui. Consider this as your last chance to breathe the fresh air of the outside world because this is the last time you will be stepping out."


    ¡ª


    On the other side, the air was still and pensive as Xing Bi waited for Jun and the group to arrive. She wasn''t sure why but her heart grew unsettled as more time passed. She was twiddling with her thumbs restless when she found something poking out of a beneath the couch she was sitting on.


    She blinked and picked the dusty object which turned out to be a picture frame. She looked closely and figured that it was a family picture. There were two adults, a mother and a father with their two little boys. The elder brother looked to be around seven to eight years old and the younger brother just two or three years behind him.


    Xing Bi shuddered with an eerie feeling tingling her. She whispered, slightly sweating a bit. "This house doesn''t have gh-ghosts, right?"


    Hou Lin replied. "No."


    "Was this family murdered here then? Because I am getting a very creepy feeling."


    "They are very much alive."


    "How do you know?"


    "Because that is my family and this was my old house."

 Chapter 602 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (1)

    ?


    Xing Bi stared at him, wide-eyed. She then looked around the whole dilapidated house once again but this time with the perspective that it belonged to Hou Lin.


    "Are you serious?"


    "Yes."


    Her immediate reaction was to feel ashamed and embarrassed. "I am sorry for talking so rudely."


    "Doesn''t matter," Hou Lin said expressionlessly, "We don''t live together anyway."


    "Oh are they in a different city?"


    "They are in Beijing. But we don''t live together anymore."


    Her face was such an open book of curiosity that Hou Lin understood she wanted to know more but was trying hard to contain it.


    "I left home when I was eighteen."


    Her lips parted in surprise as this was quite unexpected. "Oh. Was it a rebellious phase? Or was there a fight?"


    "No. Yahui told me to leave home. So I left."


    Xing Bi almost slipped from the couch, her jaw dropped. "Huh? How come Zhan Yahui is suddenly in the picture?"


    "It''s not sudden. She had been there with my family for the last seven years or so. It was around the time her mother died that we met. I had found her collapsed in an alley when I was returning home after spending some time in a cyber cafe. My house was nearby so I took her there."


    Xing Bi rubbed her chin. "Then later your family adopted her?"


    "They had to when she pointed a knife at my neck."


    "..."


    Xing Bi couldn''t point her finger as to the reason she felt dumbfounded more was whether the fact that Zhan Yahui threatened his family to adopt her or that Hou Lin said it in such a monotonous manner as if he was the least bothered, despite being her target at a knife point.


    "You¡­sound very relaxed," she refrained hard from twitching her brows.


    "It was her plan. I went along with it," he plainly said.


    "You went along with such a dangerous plan with no qualms at all!? You could have gotten hurt or somebody else in your family."


    "She said she would be careful."


    Her jaw dropped once again. "And you believed an eleven year old girl''s words who you met only recently and who already wanted to point a knife at your neck? That''s crazy! I know you were young yourself, but a knife should have triggered alarm bells all over your mind."


    "Why? She said that was the only way she had to survive."


    "But that was the wrong way."


    "So what was the right way?" He tilted his head.


    Xing Bi was about to say ''Obviously to talk to your family instead of threatening them'' but she stopped and thought back to some few minutes ago when he was talking to Jun about Ouyang Haitao.


    ''I don''t know if he was right, Sir.''


    She blinked at him and asked, "Do you¡­usually have trouble understanding people''s intentions?"


    Hou Lin stared at her, pondering over her question.


    "I mean do you feel that the line between what is right and what is wrong is blurred to you?"


    "I don''t know," he simply replied. "But it''s indeed hard for me to decide for myself without relying on somebody else."


    She widened her eyes. "What about your parents? When a child grows, don''t the parents begin to teach their child about the right and wrong ways of the world?"


    "Is that so? From what I remember, they were quite in a predicament themselves on deciding who is supposed to be right in their arguments."


    *Flashback*


    "I am telling you we should go to a water park. The kids will love it there," Hou Lin''s father, Hou Fa, was far too annoyed with his wife, who just refused to budge on their trip''s destination.


    Hou Luli said, "No way! Amusement park is way better! I don''t like getting wet and you know it. Swimming pool''s water is not good for our skin either."


    "It''s not like we have to settle there forever! It''s just some playing around and splashing water in a pool. That will hardly make anyone sick. Also it''s damn hot outside! Getting wet in a swimming pool''s water sounds more refreshing than getting soaked in our sweat walking miles and miles through an amusement park."


    She gritted her teeth. "Why don''t you just admit that you want to check out women in their bikinis and go gaga over them?"


    "Are you nuts!? I am just suggesting a place which is more appropriate for this hot season."


    "And you got this amazing trip idea just at the right time to hit the pool?" She snorted. "When I had been chasing after you for so long to take us out somewhere, you chose to shut yourself in your office meetings instead."


    "How many times should I tell you that I just got promoted! You know how hard I have worked to reach this position with all the ugly politics going around in the office. Naturally, my work will increase, won''t it? You should support me instead of throwing shades at me!"


    "Oh, like you supported me all this time by dumping the two boys on me and forcing me to figure out everything by myself when you were busy burying your head in the presentations!?"


    "Because it was way better than hearing your constant complaints about our financial situation every time! Now that we are doing well off, you are putting all the blame on me?"


    Hou Luli lashed out with tears in her eyes. "I didn''t mean that you should overwork and forget your wife and children in the process! It is so hard for me when they get sick or when it''s the parents'' teacher conference and you are nowhere near in sight to help me out! Did you ever try to understand that?"


    Hou Fa grimaced. "Sure. It''s always me who should try to understand you, right?"


    "You¡­" she trembled but then shut her eyes. She opened them a moment later and said, "Fine. Let''s ask Lin himself."


    Hou Lin, who was quietly standing at a side and listening to his parents argue, stiffened upon suddenly feeling their gazes at him.


    She smiled as she asked, "Tell me, Lin. Where would you and Cai like to go? The amusement park or the water park?"


    Hou Lin, nine at that time,


    blankly alternated his gaze between his parents. His mind spun with the feeling of indecisiveness because he didn''t want to make either of them angry.


    "I..." He looked left and right, feeling panicked and eventually said, "Let''s go to a park."


    Hou Fa asked, "Which park? Amusement park or the water park?"


    "...Normal park. There...are some new rides opened...in the park..." He fidgeted with his hands, "Mom will like those. They have also made a big fountain at the center for us to play in it...Dad will like it there in this hot weather. So...l-let''s go to that...normal park."

 Chapter 603 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (2)

    ?


    Time passed by and Hou Lin''s sense of indecisiveness only kept on piling up. The frequent arguments between his parents always left him unable to choose sides because he didn''t want to choose one parent over the other. If he said his father was right, Hou Luli would get upset and if he took Hou Luli''s side, then Hou Fa would make a sour expression.


    That''s why he always leaned towards finding a middle ground. But doing that wasn''t always a solution which he learned sooner than later when one day, his class collectively decided to not complete the last minute assignment as a prank on the teacher.


    That day, Hou Lin went to his mother and explained his predicament. "Mom. Everybody in my class is not doing tomorrow''s assignment. But I think that¡­I will be able to complete it. So should I do the assignment?"


    Hou Luli, who was exasperated reading the slightly more than expected expensive bills for the month, didn''t clearly hear his question. "What am I gonna do about this¡­?" She pressed her temple, "Fa will just get another excuse to point fingers at me. Ugh should I tell him about my extra parlor expenses¡­?" She muttered to herself.


    "Mom?"


    "No, no! That''s not the right thing to do!" She quickly said while shuffling the bills.


    I will be screwed!


    "Oh¡­is that so?" Hou Lin blinked and asked.


    "Huh what?" Hou Luli tiredly looked at him. "Sorry dear Mom is a little busy. Just do whatever you want, okay?"


    "But I don''t understand¡­That''s why I am asking you. You said it''s okay to not do the assignment."


    "Yeah so don''t do it. Damn, I have to rush! Lin, I will be back in some time. Take care of Cai for me, pretty please?"


    He did look after his younger brother, but his heart felt uneasy the whole time.


    The teacher will get angry if I don''t do the assignment, right¡­? Every teacher says to do the homework but Mom said it''s okay to skip¡­


    "Big bro, you should definitely not do the assignment!" His younger brother, Hou Cai, urgently said. "Do you want to be the only person to complete the assignment and then get bullied by your classmates?"


    "I¡­will be bullied?"


    He snorted. "Of course, you will. You know Fenfen I keep talking about from the other class? He did not show his answers to his friends in the test even when they decided it before. His friends got mad at him and they bully him now because they failed. If you do the same, your whole class will bully you too because you didn''t listen to them."


    "I see¡­I guess then not doing the assignment is the right thing," Hou Lin seemingly came to decide.


    But things took a worse turn than expected when the teacher called out everybody''s parents in school because it was clear to her that the whole class had planned to mass ditch the assignment.


    Hou Fa was completely flabbergasted by this call as he couldn''t digest that his son was a disobedient boy. In fact, Hou Lin was smart and he liked to study. So the fact that he didn''t do the simple assignment came as a shocker.


    "Lin, why didn''t you do the assignment? Don''t you like studying anyway?"


    Hou Lin wasn''t sure what to say. "I-I asked¡­I asked Mom and said that it was fine not to do it¡­"


    Hou Luli was left stunned. "Huh? When did you ask me this?"


    "Yesterday when you were looking through the bills. You said that¡­it wasn''t the right thing to do¡­"


    Hou Fa and the class teacher were beyond confused.


    "Luli, how could you tell him not to do the homework? That''s what students are supposed to be doing anyway, right?"


    Hou Luli then remembered that Lin did approach her but couldn''t recollect what he exactly came to her for. "I¡­Lin, that is preposterous. Why would I tell you to skip your assignment? You must have definitely misunderstood me!"


    "But I had asked you-"


    "Enough, Lin. I mean first you make a mistake and then you try to cover it up by saying that I was at fault. You purposely came to me when I was busy, didn''t you?"


    Hou Lin tried to speak but nothing came out of his lips. "No¡­I came to you because¡­"


    I wanted to start my assignment earlier so that I could complete it by my bedtime¡­If I had waited after you returned from outside, I wouldn''t have been able to complete it¡­


    "Complete¡­bedtime¡­"


    He couldn''t understand as to why something which was the right thing to do until yesterday suddenly turned into his big mistake?


    "Cai also said¡­they will bully me¡­"


    The teacher gasped. "Of course nobody will bully you. If somebody does bully you because you refused to join their plan which was clearly wrong, then you should immediately report it to the teacher."


    Hou Lin was beyond exhausted. "Seriously what are you doing Luli? I don''t know what the heck are you telling them? Lin, who was always so obedient, suddenly becomes rebellious and Cai is completely talking nonsense. As if somebody would get bullied over a simple homework!"


    Hou Luli glared at him. "You have some nerve to blame me when all you know is only pulling all nighters for your work! Do you even know what is going on with your childrens'' lives anymore?"


    "Yeah and clearly you do because that''s why we are standing here listening to a crappy complaint about Lin and wasting our time here."


    He scowled at Lin. "When your teacher gives you some work to do, you should just do it instead of joining your class gang in fooling around. You should at least know that much, Lin."


    Lin stood there motionless, staring at their fighting parents, cursing and blaming each other.


    So doing the homework was the right thing to do¡­


    "No, that is dumb. You have to be smart," said an eleven year old Zhan Yahui who he brought to his home after finding her collapsed and malnourished in an alley and offered her the last night''s cooked meal.


    Zhan Yahui, who gobbled up the food, extremely famished, said, "You should have done your assignment halfway and told your classmates that your parents are very strict and would punish you if you don''t do the homework. But it would also make your friends feel betrayed because you ditched the plan. That''s when you say that you started the assignment because your parents forced you to but of course, you hated doing it so you left it halfway. That way, you won''t become their target to be bullied at all.


    But at the same time, you give a different excuse to your teacher saying that you were diligently doing your assignment but fell asleep while doing it. Since she herself knew it was a last minute job given, she would have understood you and wouldn''t have called your parents because unlike the rest of the class, you at least tried to do the assignment, even if it wasn''t completed. That would have mattered to her rather than completely ditching it."


    She snorted. "Doing the assignment halfway was the solution rather than either not doing it at all or completing it all the way. Everybody gets to be happy. Your classmates, your parents and the teacher and you don''t become the target of anybody''s anger. That''s called smart work and that''s the right thing to do."

 Chapter 604 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (3)

    ?


    Hou Lin contemplated her words and said, "That''s lying¡­Lying to Mom, Dad, my classmates and the teacher¡­"


    "So you rather get bullied or scolded instead?" Zhan Yahui shot him a cold look. "You must act in a way that always makes you look right in front of others. Otherwise¡­otherwise, we only suffer¡­" she clenched the spoon in her palm, her body trembling with anger, "we only die if others think shit of us¡­Like¡­"


    Like Mom and Dad¡­


    Hou Lin lowered his head. "I don''t know anymore. Everybody says different things. I don''t know who¡­who to believe anymore¡­"


    Zhan Yahui broke from her daze and grimaced. "Forget about the rest of the world to believe. You do what you feel is right. Your father thinks that it''s stupid to get bullied over not following the herd? Then he is the stupid one because bullying is very real. Do people not needlessly trouble him at his office?"


    "Dad does complain about his colleagues many times."


    "So if adults can make each other''s lives hell, then why does he think that kids bullying each other is a joke? Also next time record what you talk to your mother. It''s a dangerous habit to forget things that you said and then act as if you never said it when things go wrong," she sneered. "The only sensible person I find in your house is your little brother who did well in warning you about the bullying part."


    Hou Lin stayed silent, thinking long and hard about it. He stared at her, finishing the last bites of food on her plate and asked, "Why did you collapse?"


    "Because I am hungry."


    "Why didn''t you go home to eat?"


    Zhan Yahui froze at that. The memories of her father''s death and then her mother''s suicide evoked hatred in her heart as much as loneliness. "My parents are dead. I have no home anymore."


    "Oh¡­I am sorry."


    "Somebody else¡­should be sorry about this. The one who killed them¡­"


    Hou Lin slightly widened his eyes. "M-Murder?"


    Her dark and impending gaze answered his question.


    "Do you know who killed them?"


    "A very rich family who thinks they can do whatever they want! First they killed Dad and then forced Mom and me to leave the city to protect their dirty linen! And as if that wasn''t enough¡­" tears brimmed her eyes, "they took away my Mom too. It''s only because of them that Mom killed herself. No¡­I am sure that they killed her and made it look like a suicide! Because Mom¡­Mom loved me¡­She would have never left me¡­"


    Hou Lin parted and closed his lips, confused on how to console her. He had never done so before but from watching some movies, he remembered that people generally offered a glass of water to a crying person to calm them down.


    And so he did the same by putting a glass of water before her. "Drink some water."


    "I am not thirsty."


    "But you are sad."


    "Drinking water is supposed to make me less sad?"


    "That''s what all the dramas show," Hou Lin sincerely said.


    "I want revenge, not water."


    "They are a rich family and you are only eleven years old. Technically, you cannot have your revenge now anyway. So better drink water instead."


    "..."


    Zhan Yahui suddenly burst into laughter, making Hou Lin puzzled and taken aback.


    "You are weird. I was so mad but you made me forget all of it. At least for some time. Cool. I didn''t think that was possible."


    "So offering water to drink does work," he concluded.


    "It''s you, not the water."


    "I made you laugh?" He genuinely looked surprised.


    "Yup."


    "How?"


    "It''s difficult to explain."


    "I want to know because I cannot make my parents smile. They fight a lot. If they laugh then¡­things might get better, right?" His eyes flickered with sorrow.


    "I am not sure if your efforts will work. If they only want to prove each other wrong rather than living together as a family, then there''s nothing you can do about it," she shrugged.


    He pursed his lips.


    Zhan Yahui looked around his room and asked, "You have a lot of computer stuff."


    "I like to work and play on computers."


    "Like the stuff they show in the dramas you said? Hacking and all?"


    "Very little. Only those systems that have bugs or lesser security to prevent cyber attacks. But I am learning."


    "Can you find out who the boy was? Liu Jinhai''s son? What is his name?"


    "We don''t need to hack if they are a rich family. The general information will be available on the internet."


    He typed the keywords ''Liu Jinhai'' and hit the search button.


    "Liu Jinhai. CEO of Liu Corps. His wife is Liu Nana. They have five children. Four sons and one daughter."


    Zhan Yahui widened her eyes.


    Which son was it that I saw that day¡­?


    "Wait, he wears glasses!"


    Hou Lin searched for some family pictures but firstly, there were very few pictures available and the ones which were, showed no picture of a boy in glasses.


    "I don''t see a boy with glasses. Do you remember anything else about him?"


    She thought hard about it and said, "I guess¡­he was wearing a school uniform too¡­? Yes it was definitely a school uniform!"


    "Did you see the name of the school on his uniform?"


    "That''s too hard to remember¡­I was really dizzy at the time-"


    "Lin."


    They froze as Hou Luli''s voice from the living room. "Lin, where are you?"


    "I need to tell Mom that you are here."


    "Wait!" She pulled him back and whispered, "She will see me and will throw me out of your house. Do you think your parents would let a girl stay who you picked up from some dirty trash? I cannot leave from here."


    He blinked cluelessly.


    Zhan Yahui said, "I don''t wanna live my life in some orphanage but I need money to survive. Your family seems well to do. I might as well live off of your parents'' money."


    "Why will they agree to support you?"


    She smiled. "They will once they see me pointing a knife at your neck."

 Chapter 605 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (4)

    ?


    "We should definitely call the police!" Hou Luli said with urgency in their room.


    Hou Fa sighed in exasperation, "She has Lin with her. We cannot act recklessly."


    "So what should we do? What she is asking is ridiculous! She is forcing us to adopt her. I don''t even know what happened! How could Lin just randomly bring a girl off the streets like that? We should call the police. They will bring the child care services with them or whatever and take her to an orphanage where she can live. Threatening us is not the solution! She even took our phones away so that we cannot contact anyone!"


    "We cannot argue this in front of her until she has Lin with her."


    She gritted her teeth. "So you mean to say that we should adopt her? We are not in a position to feed another mouth!"


    Hou Fa sighed in frustration. "Use your head for a second! She has Lin on a knife point! We will agree with her for the sake of it and then when things calm down, we will figure out some way to send her away."


    On the other side, Zhan Yahui was casually twirling the knife in her hand, whistling and waiting for Lin''s parents to come out. She long let go of Lin as soon as his parents went away to talk.


    Hou Lin thoughtfully said, "From what I know, threatening is a wrong way to achieve anything."


    She looked at him and snorted. "Sure it''s all colorful rainbows for a privileged boy like you. But for me, this is the only way to survive. I need money and your family has that."


    "Other families have money too."


    "They didn''t pick up the dirty girl from the streets, you did."


    "So am I wrong?"


    She shrugged. "Not for me. For your parents, yes."


    "Why is it always so confusing? To be right and wrong at the same time?"


    "Because the same situation applies differently to different people. Something that can be wrong for one person can be salvation for someone else."


    "Oh," he stared at her with wonder.


    Zhan Yahui heard the click of the door and narrowing her eyes, quickly returned to the position of pointing the knife on Hou Lin''s neck.


    Hou Fa and Hou Luli cautiously stepped out so as to not alarm her. Hou Luli''s eyes watered, seeing her son helpless.


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "Have you thought about it?"


    Hou Fa felt his throat going dry. "Okay. We will do as you say. If you want us to adopt you, we will. Now, will you please let Lin go?"


    "And how can I be sure that you won''t call the authorities to send me away to an orphanage as soon as you get back your phones?"


    Hou Luli swallowed a gulp. "W-we won''t. We only want our Lin safe."


    "Along with wanting to kick me out," she smiled. "I can see it in your eyes."


    "Look, you really have to trust us¡­" tears slid down her cheeks, "We won''t go anywhere with this if you don''t believe us."


    "You are right. We won''t go anywhere with this until you believe in me too. That if you genuinely mean to give into my demand, I won''t hurt your son. And when I say that I want you to adopt me, it''s only until I am eighteen. I will be out of here once I hit eighteen. But until then, I need your money and home."


    Hou Fa and Hou Luli exchanged worried glances. Their troubled gazes expressed how they found it difficult to understand the girl before them. She wanted them to adopt her but only until the legal age. Did that mean they would be free from her once she turned eighteen?


    It was such an odd demand that they couldn''t wrap their heads around it.


    Hou Luli asked, "But¡­h-how can you say with certainty that you will leave by eighteen? What if you¡­change your mind at the last moment?"


    Zhan Yahui grimaced. "Rest assured. I have no interest in living with a pair of constantly bickering parents with egos as tall as the Burj Khalifa. In fact, just the seven years alone would be a dire challenge for my mental survival in your company. So like hell I will change my mind. I feel like I should time travel and turn eighteen already," she rolled her eyes.


    Their jaws dropped in shock.


    How did she know about our arguments anyway?


    "Lin did you¡­" Hou Fa questioned, stupefied.


    Hou Lin answered without much emotion. "We were chatting when she was eating food."


    "You were chatting with someone who has a knife pointed at your neck!?"


    "She didn''t have the knife pointed at me back then."


    "Are you st-"


    "Quit with your lovely family chit chat and just give me the answer," Zhan Yahui coldly cut them off. "Do you agree in letting me stay here for the next seven years or should I poke a hole in his neck already?"


    "No, no!" Their faces quickly lost their color and Hou Fa said, panicked. "W-we agree. Seven years, right? We will take your responsibility for seven years. And when you turn eighteen, you will leave¡­that is your commitment."


    "Yup. Trust me, if I see any authorities here and I come to know that you secretly called them, then somebody will definitely get hurt," she squinted her eyes, "I am being very nice and clear so you just better lay low and let the seven years pass peacefully."


    It took a few moments for them but they eventually agreed. At first, they had planned to secretly alert the authorities once things calmed down but now neither of them felt that it was the right option.


    "Cool~ Now we are on the same page. Since we will be tolerating each other for seven years now, we should at least know each other''s names so that we can freely curse if we piss each other off," she chuckled.


    She withdrew the knife from Hou Lin''s neck, making his parents release a big sigh of relief.


    She faced Hou Lin and smiled, offering her hand for a handshake. "My name is Zhan Yahui. Nice to meet you."


    Hou Lin stared at her hand and then looked at twinkling eyes, filled with her own motivations to achieve. He slowly mingled his own palm within hers and said, "My name is Hou Lin. Nice to meet you too. Hope we have a good time."

 Chapter 606 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (5)

    ?


    "I like you! Please go out with me!"


    Hou Lin unblinkingly stared at the girl standing before him. It was a typical confession with a typical anonymous letter put in his locker box and asking him to privately meet a certain someone near the sports grounds.


    The certain someone was Da Shang, Hou Lin''s classmate in their senior and final year of high school. At eighteen, they were ready to graduate, which would be in a couple of weeks after which they would enter professional universities of their choice.


    Wanting to take this chance as the graduation ceremony was rapidly approaching, Da Shang decided to confess to Hou Lin before they would leave high school and probably never meet again.


    Hou Lin stood still, trying to process her confession because this was the first confession he had ever received. "Umm¡­" He wasn''t sure how to answer her confession so he could only ask questions, "Why?"


    "Because you are smart, handsome and we suit each other very much! You are like the prince of our high school and I am the campus belle. Aren''t we a perfect match?" She proudly grinned.


    "I am not a prince. I am just Hou Lin."


    "Not for the rest of the school, duh. You are super popular."


    "I am really not¡­This is the first confession I got."


    Her jaw dropped. "You cannot be serious! Girls totally swoon over you! Ohhh I get it," she facepalmed. "Well they must think that they are not worthy of you which I totally understand. Not everybody is a campus belle like me. So, so! When can we go on our first date?" She eagerly asked.


    "But I haven''t said yes yet."


    Her eyes widened. "Are you telling me that you need time to think? What is there to think?"


    His heart mildly started to panic and he looked around, searching for that one person who always helped him decide. But she was nowhere. In the end, he managed to convince Da Shang to give him some time to think. After she left with pouted cheeks, Hou Lin released a sigh of relief.


    "Tch. And here I thought you would be able to reject her."


    Hou Lin looked up and saw Zhan Yahui leaning outside the window from an empty classroom on the second floor.


    "Yahui."


    "You should be able to handle things without me. Remember I kept my end of the bargain and left your house, right? After graduation, I won''t be there to hand hold you anymore."


    Which was true. As soon as Zhan Yahui turned eighteen, she packed her bags and left Hou Lin''s house, doing exactly as she had promised seven years ago. She now lived in a rented apartment that was easy on her budget which she had earned and stashed from doing all the part time jobs.


    Hou Lin said, "This is my first confession. I don''t know what to do."


    She raised her brow. "What do you want to do? She confessed because she likes you. Now, you have to think if you like her or not."


    "I have never thought of her that way."


    "You haven''t thought of any female classmates that way."


    "So what should I do?"


    She shrugged. "Upto you. Think about the conversation you just had with her and decide."


    He pursed his lips. "You don''t want to help me?"


    "I think the right term here is making you independent. It''s only a few weeks before our graduation after which we will completely part ways. You need to learn to live without me."


    "I see."


    She winked and left, leaving Hou Lin to his own thoughts. After much consideration, he thought it was better to accept Da Shang''s confession.


    "I don''t know if I like you and I also don''t know if I dislike you romantically. So I think we should give ourselves a chance. That way, we will know for sure."


    "Perfect! I knew I would hear a yes haha! Oh Gosh Lin, I am so excited!"


    The news of their relationship spread like wildfire. It came as a huge shock to everybody. The prince and campus belle of high school were officially dating.


    Hou Lin thought that things would gradually start to change but they didn''t. On the contrary, as he got included in Da Shang''s friend circle, he felt it was harder to communicate with any of them.


    "Damn you two look so good with each other."


    "No kidding!"


    "Everybody is totally jealous of you Shang hahaha!"


    He began to understand that Da Shang and him were different in most aspects and there wasn''t really any common ground between them, which only started to exhaust him even though he tried hard to adapt. At one such karaoke event after school, Hou Lin couldn''t bear the crowd and loud music and the laughter but despite him urging to leave, Da Shang convinced him to stay with her pouty and pitiful look.


    "You have to stay, pretty please! How will it look if you suddenly leave? People will unnecessarily spread rumors and gossip behind my back."


    "But I am¡­"


    "Please, please?" She threw another pitiful look, giving Hou Lin no choice.


    But he convinced her to let him go outside for a breath of fresh air for at least a few minutes. He panted breathlessly in the corridor with dizziness making his head spin around.


    "You should speak up when you are feeling uncomfortable."


    Hou Lin heard a voice and turned. "Are you talking to me?"


    "We are the only ones here."


    The figure stood near a vending machine across a pillar with his back to him. Hou Lin figured it was a boy around his age or so but he couldn''t clearly see his face.


    Hou Lin said, "She likes this stuff."


    "Do you?" He asked while inserting a coin in the vending machine''s coin slot.


    "...Not really."


    "So you should tell her."


    "She doesn''t like it."


    "So you should leave her."


    His eyes widened. "You mean breakup?"


    "Is there a point to a relationship if things are only going as per one side''s wishes? Sometimes you listen to her. Sometimes she listens to you. You both try to adjust. That''s how it should work. My mom says so."


    Hou Lin thought about it.


    "I saw your group as I was passing by. She is a kind of show off girl. The fake laughter, the need for attention, the desire to show off that she is dating a handsome boy. She is your classmate, right? Did you not notice it before? She isn''t exactly hiding it."


    The soda can rattled against the vending machine and the boy bent to pick it.


    Suddenly, something struck Hou Lin, making him realize a point he had missed before. He bowed before the boy. "Thank you so much."


    He paused and nodded.


    Hou Lin turned and ran outside as he took out his phone to make a call.


    The boy opened the soda can but as he was about to take his first sip, he heard a voice filled with complaint call him out. "Broooo! Mom is done with her work. We have to head back to Beijing and we are getting late! Where are you?"


    Jun stared at his soda can and sighed. "Coming Nuo."

 Chapter 607 What Is Right And What Is Wrong? (6)

    ?


    It was the next day when Hou Lin broke up with Da Shang just before the graduation ceremony.


    "What? But why! Isn''t everything going perfectly?"


    "It''s not. We are very different. I am not the guy who can keep up with your loud and dazzling life."


    "That''s not true! Didn''t you accept my confession because you like me too?"


    He shook his head. "I told you that I don''t know if I like you or not so we should give ourselves a chance. After spending time with you, I realized that we should part ways."


    "That''s ridiculous!" Da Shang''s face flushed red with embarrassment. "You never liked anyone. That''s why you never accepted anybody''s confession this whole time! But you accepted mine. Doesn''t that mean I am special to you?"


    "But I never received anybody''s confession till now. Yours was the first one."


    She burst into laughter. "You cannot be serious. All the girls swoon over you and you say you never got a confession? Some might be too shy to say out loud but I don''t believe that none of the girls reached out to you before. Last year, I heard a floating rumor that Suyi from Class E was going to confess to you."


    Hou Lin blankly stared at her. "I don''t know anything about that."


    Da Shang widened her eyes but then it dawned upon her. "Don''t tell me that Zhan Yahui interfered with your confessions?"


    "What?"


    "The girl you keep hanging around with! Honestly she is a nuisance and has too much attitude. Everybody hates her. Hah! If you never got a confession then I am pretty sure she purposely didn''t let any of them reach you."


    Hou Lin''s brows creased in confusion. "Why would she do that?"


    "Because she likes you! That''s why she selfishly did this! Even now¡­it''s because she fed something in your ears that you are breaking up with me, right?" She trembled in fury.


    "No," he stared at her unblinkingly, "I realized myself that we are very different. I am a quiet person and you are someone who likes attention. That''s why it''s better to-"


    "Y-You¡­are you saying I am a show off?" She couldn''t believe her ears.


    "I guess that''s the word," he plainly said, remembering what the boy near the vending machine had said yesterday.


    "Hou Lin! How dare you humiliate me!"


    He slightly widened his eyes. "I am not."


    "You are!"


    He couldn''t understand the source of her anger. "Isn''t that why you like to take so many pictures and upload them on social media and take me to your large groups of friends because you want the other people to know that I am your boyfriend? You like the attention you get because of me."


    Hou Lin didn''t mean it in a condescending way but the words reached loud and clear to Da Shang.


    "I am not comfortable at such places. I did try to tell you many times but you didn''t listen. I feel tired and if I feel tired then I don''t like you because I don''t think that a person feels tired around the one they like."


    "That is wrong!" She lashed out. "You are wrong¡­How dare you say that I tire you!" She bit her lip hard.


    "I don''t know how to say it any other way."


    "You cannot break up with me Lin! Tomorrow is the graduation ceremony! I will become a joke if everybody comes to know that we broke up!" She paled.


    Hou Lin frowned. "But I don''t want to lie and I won''t."


    She gnashed her jaw. "It''s all because of that bitch Zhan Yahui, right! She felt jealous of all the girls who like you. That''s why she is meddling with your life! I won''t forgive her for this! And you too! You did the wrong thing by breaking up with me and I will prove this to you!" She stomped and ran her way out with tears and fury reddening her face.


    Hou Lin walked back, her words ringing deep in his ears.


    ''You did the wrong thing!''


    If I don''t like her then I should break up with her. Isn''t it only right?


    Near a plum blossom tree on the school grounds, Hou Lin spotted Zhan Yahui, who was lazily peeling an orange. She whistled as she saw him. "How did the breakup go?"


    "She was very angry."


    She snorted. "Who cares?"


    "But why was she so angry?"


    "Because she lost her ticket to her spotlight. She is the campus belle. Imagine the rumors that you broke up just after a few weeks and tomorrow is literally the graduation. That''s gonna hit hard on her image," she shrugged. "Show off."


    "That''s why you asked the first thing yesterday why I did not reject her already? You knew we wouldn''t match."


    "That and she doesn''t really like ''you.'' She likes the attention the people around her give her because of you. Not you as a person," she popped an orange piece inside her mouth.


    Hou Lin said, "She also said that you meddled with all the confessions until now. That''s why I didn''t get any."


    Zhan Yahui stopped eating her orange and raised her brow at him as if giving a dramatic effect to his statement. "And what if I did?"


    He looked away for a moment thinking about it. Then he looked back at her. "Do you like me?"


    "Not as a lover."


    "Do you care about me?"


    "Only because you were my ticket to my survival for seven years."


    He paused to think again. "Were all those girls like Da Shang?"


    "More or less."


    "Is that why you didn''t let them confess to me? Because you didn''t want me to potentially like any of them and then get hurt?"


    She smiled and dusted her skirt as she jumped on her feet. She handed him the remaining orange and yawned. "My part time job is calling me. Ba Bye."


    "Wait. Am I right?" He quickly asked, seeing her retreating back.


    "Figure it out yourself," He could hear her chuckling as she said that.


    ---


    Hou Lin immediately sensed the distress in his home as soon as he returned from school.


    Hou Luli exclaimed, facing her husband, "What the hell! How can they fire you like that!? This is ridiculous!"


    Hou Fa had his temples pressed in stress. "I don''t know either! The director, Da Pei, suddenly said that I wasn''t fit for the company and sent me to HR to collect my last paycheck. We never even met personally before nor did I offend him in any way so why would he do this to me!?"

 Chapter 608 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (7)

    ?


    Hou Lin blinked, not understanding the context of their conversation. His brother, Hou Cai, ran up to his side in distress.


    "What is going on?"


    "Bro, Dad is fired."


    "Why?"


    Hou Cai made a gesture that he didn''t know. "Dad returned home cursing the hell out of that director, Da Pei, whoever he is. He fired Dad for God knows what reason."


    Hou Lin knitted his brows in wonder.


    Hou Luli held her head, tensed. "What will we do now? It''s not easy finding a new job and moreover if the new company knows that you have been fired, then it will be even worse for your prospects."


    Hou Fa gritted his teeth. "Why the hell should I find a new job when I did nothing wrong in the first place!? I just delivered a successful project a few weeks back. We even celebrated. My performance cannot be the reason at all!"


    Hou Lin walked forward to talk to them but neither of them were in the mood. Hou Fa simply got up and left angrily while Hou Luli followed him.


    "This is so strange¡­This is completely unfair. Why isn''t Yahui here¡­" Hou Cai mumbled to himself. "You know if she was here, she would have told Dad what to do. She comes up with super crazy but super cool ideas!" He then bitterly said, "That director must be secretly jealous of Dad! Or he must be pulling strings for someone who wants Dad out of the company!"


    "It''s neither of those reasons," Zhan Yahui said to Hou Lin when he returned to his own room some time later and called her number.


    "Then what might be the reason?" He asked.


    "Da Pei. Does the name ring any bells?"


    "No."


    "You are an idiot."


    "..."


    "There is still 0.1% of uncertainty but I am pretty much sure that Da Pei is Da Shang''s father. You broke up with her today and your father got fired. Doesn''t feel like a coincidence."


    "Why?"


    "Because it''s not. He got fired because Da Pei taught him a lesson as if saying ''How dare your son break my daughter''s heart?''"


    Hou Lin frowned. "Why will Dad suffer because of that? I broke up with Da Shang, not him. Why should he be punished?"


    He heard a chuckle from her. "Because Da Pei cannot exactly punish you. So he is expressing his grudge on your father instead."


    "But why is Dad being punished? We get punished if we do something wrong, right? Then was breaking up with Da Shang the wrong thing to do?"


    "Why did you end it with her? How did you decide?"


    Hou Lin mentioned the boy he came across at the vending machine.


    "Hahhhh finally someone who sees for what that bitch truly is unlike all those blind boys in her beauty. Smart boy~" she laughed.


    He nodded.


    "Well then you stick to your decision. You don''t like her and you know why. You decided what was right for you."


    "So what should I do if I am right but Dad is still suffering?"


    There was a pause after which Zhan Yahui said, "Think about it yourself. I don''t live there anymore, Lin. I cannot always help you."


    He lowered his gaze, flickering with a tinge of sorrow.


    "Heheee but if I need your computer skills, then you will help me, right?"


    "I will," Hou Lin answered.


    "You should be saying ''Why should I help you if you won''t be helping me?'' I don''t understand why you didn''t learn the important stuff from me while I was there?" She released a deep sigh in helplessness. "Learn to be a little cruel, Lin."


    They ended their conversation on that note, and Hou Lin met Da Shang the next day, which was the graduation ceremony. The school was filled with hustle and bustle, excitement but mixed with melancholy and loud cheers that also held nostalgia in them.


    It became a buzz instantly around the statements when Hou Lin asked Da Shang to meet him privately.


    "*Ahem* so the couple wants to celebrate the graduation together~"


    "Yo Lin, will you be giving her your shirt''s second button~?"


    "Wooooooo!!" The cheers grew even louder with that guess.


    Hou Lin furrowed his brows with this chaos. As they stepped outside to talk privately, he asked, "They don''t know that we broke up?"


    Da Shang proudly smirked. "They don''t need to know now, do they?"


    "Why not?"


    She stared at him, wide-eyed and surprised. "Because you came to say to me that we are getting back together, right?"


    "No. I want to ask why your father fired my Dad?"


    Her brow twitched.


    Da Shang nervously smiled. "Why would I know? Your Dad must have done something wrong for him to get fired."


    "He led and delivered a successful project a few weeks back. His performance cannot be the reason. He doesn''t know your father so he hasn''t offended him either."


    Usually Hou Lin found it hard to read expressions and facial cues but because he had talked to Zhan Yahui yesterday, he could sort of link her words with Da Shang''s fidgety behavior now.


    "Does it have something to do with our breakup?"


    She stiffened, unable to hide her reaction which he guessed was the right question.


    "Why will your father punish my Dad because of our breakup? It doesn''t have any connection."


    "O-of course not! Dad did no such thing!"


    "Then why are you sweating and looking away? I have read those are the signs of telling a lie."


    "I am not lying!"


    "Lying is supposed to be a wrong thing," he said seriously.


    Da Shang''s face twisted in fury. "I am seriously not lying! How is it my fault if Dad saw me crying yesterday and assured me that he will take care of it? That''s why he must have fired your Dad."


    Hou Lin stared at her, not understanding her nuances.


    "Because then you would come to me, apologize for breaking up with me and then getting back together with me, right?"


    "Why would I do any of those things?"


    She was left stunned. "Don''t you care about your father?"


    "I do. That''s why I came to ask why Mr. Da Pei fired Dad."


    "Exactly so that we get together for your father to get his job back!" She breathlessly said.


    Hou Lin gave her a blank look.


    Why will Dad get his job back if we get back together?


    Just then, he heard a message ding on his phone. He opened it that read,


    ''In plain terms, she is threatening you. We get back together and your Dad doesn''t suffer.''


    Hou Lin looked left and right but didn''t see Zhan Yahui anywhere. But the implication then finally dawned upon him and he asked Da Shang, "Is it right to get back together like this? By threatening me?"

 Chapter 609 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (8)

    ?


    Hou Fa''s face registered pure shock as if he was struck by lightning that replicated Hou Luli''s expression as well. Listening to the real reason behind being thrown out of the company was mind boggling, but there was something even more harrowing in it for them.


    "You didn''t know that Da Shang was Da Pei''s daughter so your breakup led to these consequences but now that you did, why did you refuse to get back together with her!" Hou Fa exclaimed.


    Hou Lin stared at him and then at Hou Luli. "Threatening someone¡­is not supposed to be right¡­"


    Hou Cai chimed in his brother''s favor. "Yes, yes! Da Shang certainly has bad news! She couldn''t handle rejection so she played dirty by targeting you! Why should bro date such a selfish girl?"


    "Because that''s how the world works Cai! Do you think there are all kind and selfless people in the world? If we have to survive, we have to play their game. Da Pei is at a very senior position and I cannot fight him no matter how hard I try."


    Hou Luli added. "Yeah and we are not saying that Lin has to date her seriously. Just pretend to go out with her for sometime until things will naturally fall out. Dating and actually getting married in the future are two very different things."


    "Pretend¡­?" Hou Lin asked, "But that would mean that I am not serious about the relationship."


    "That''s exactly what pretending means, Lin," Hou Fa said, "You say yes to her, Da Pei will get happy and I get my job back and then later, and things will eventually come to an end for you two. I know you are a very serious boy, Lin but you can just purposely act like a bad boyfriend. That way, she will herself break it off with you and nobody will get offended."


    He quietly listened to each and every word of theirs, but something in his heart didn''t feel right to him. "Pretending to have feelings for her¡­will hurt her."


    Hou Luli snorted. "Only if she knows. Pretending means not telling the other person that you are pretending. That''s the whole point. And she kinda deserves it for using her father''s position for her own benefit like this. You don''t have to feel any sympathy for her."


    Hou Cai, at this point, felt confused. He was angry at Da Shang and certainly felt she deserved this tit for tat treatment, but he knew his brother all too well. A serious person like Hou Lin would never agree to this.


    "I cannot do this¡­" Hou Lin slowly said while thinking at the same time, "I won''t pretend to date Da Shang. I have broken up with her and it will remain that way."


    "Nonsense Lin!" Hou Fa banged his palm on the table, his face reddening with fury. "Do you realize this is the only way for me to get back my job? And you say you won''t do it? It''s because of you that I lost my job, so now you have to take responsibility!"


    Hou Lin slightly jolted. His breaths became shallow, finding it difficult to challenge his parents.


    Hou Luli sighed in exasperation. "This is the only way for us, Lin. Please try to understand us. Even if Fa tries to find a new job, the stain of getting fired from his previous company won''t let him get any opportunities. Nobody would understand his situation. So if there is a way out of this mess, we should do everything we can to sort it out."


    Hou Lin pressed his lips, trembling. He felt many things were wrong with this solution but he couldn''t voice them out.


    Hou Cai jumped to his rescue. "Dad, you shouldn''t force Bro into doing all this pretending stuff if he isn''t comfortable. Instead, shouldn''t you admonish that director for using his personal grudges to fire you? That is definitely unprofessional and illegal!"


    "And I should destroy that tiny chance I might have of getting back?" Hou Fa was speechless. "I am not nuts in wagering that! I can shout all I want of his unethical behavior but without evidence, it''s all just empty words. It will only make me look like an idiotic and desperate person who doesn''t hesitate to make false accusations to get what he wants!"


    ''Think about it yourself, Lin. I cannot be there to help you anymore.''


    Hou Lin took a deep breath and said with his lips quivering, "...But you are not hesitating to make me pretend in dating Da Shang to get what you want. Doesn''t that make you look desperate too?"


    *SLAP*


    A crushing and loud sound of a slap sharply resounded in the room. Hou Lin stared at the floor, the stinging feeling of the slap burning on his cheek.


    "Bro!"


    "Fa!" Hou Luli exclaimed. "What are you doing!?"


    "I am doing what he exactly needs! How dare he talks back to me so disrespectfully? We are in this mess because of him in the first place and he has the audacity to lecture me!?" Hou Fa''s angry voice roared in the room.


    "Bro!" Hou Cai tearfully looked at his brother, not knowing what to do in this situation. Things had escalated to a point where he felt helpless, yet he braved to show resistance. "Dad don''t¡­d-don''t hit my brother!"


    "Shut up Cai or you will get a slap too! Stay out of it when your parents are talking!"


    He stiffened, his eyes growing wetter.


    Hou Lin tremblingly stood straight and stared at Hou Fa and Hou Luli. The burning tingling of a slap was the first time he had ever felt. And for what reason?


    For something that he felt from the bottom of the heart was wrong? For planning to fool Da Shang and play with her heart which he couldn''t agree to?


    "Why¡­why did you slap me?"


    "Because you are acting foolish! I am telling you to do a simple thing and just for a few months at the most and even for that, you are disregarding me!?"


    Hou Lin''s breaths grew heavier and shaky and so did his voice. "I-If Mom¡­if Mom would have lied to you about her fe-feelings¡­if she would have pretended to love you and then l-leave you¡­how would you have felt?"


    After a brief spell of silence, Hou Fa stared at his son and said with finality, "You will go to meet Da Shang tomorrow and say that you want to get back with her. No more debate on this, do you get it?" He then left the house without saying a further word.


    Hou Luli quickly said, "I will bring some ointment for you, Lin. Listen to Fa, Lin. It''s for the best for all of us," she left to fetch the medicine box.


    Hou Lin stood still in the room, staring at the vacant space ahead. His father''s anger, the slap, the cruel words - all made him feel numb. He lowered his gaze, his eyelashes flickering.


    I don''t know what to do, Yahui. I don''t know¡­anything anymore¡­

 Chapter 610 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (9)

    ?


    The next day arrived with Hou Lin waiting for Da Shang to arrive outside the subway station. He stared at the crowd pass by him in silence.


    "Lin!"


    He turned and saw Da Shang eagerly waving her hand at him with a radiant smile on her lips. It was evident that she had taken efforts to dress up for this meeting.


    "I hope I didn''t make you wait for long," she said with a blush appearing on her cheeks.


    "Thirty-three minutes and twenty-four seconds. I don''t know if that counts as long or short," he said, not meaning any ill-intent or scorn.


    "I-It was hard choosing my dress for today¡­" she coughed, abashed. "I wanted to look my best. A-anyway!" She cleared her throat.


    She gazed at Lin, hoping he would compliment her. But that notion seemed to completely bounce off his head and he asked, "Shall we go?"


    "W-wait!"


    "Yes?"


    "Don''t you have anything to say?" She nervously asked.


    Hou Lin stared at her. "I do and I did ask you. Shall we go?"


    Her right brow twitched. "Not that. I m-mean how do I look?"


    He blinked. "Pretty as always. Did I have to separately mention that?"


    Her jaw dropped. "You didn''t say anything¡­so I thought you didn''t notice."


    "I did notice. But I thought I didn''t have to mention it explicitly because you already know you are pretty. Isn''t that why you are the campus belle of our school?"


    Her jaw remained dropped, not knowing how to counter the argument which seemed to make a valid point. Nevertheless, she felt her heart pounding faster. It was normal course for a girl to get mad if her date failed to notice and compliment her on looks. But Hou Lin stated it as an obvious and assumed fact which didn''t give her any reason to be angry at him at all.


    They made their way towards the cafe and sat down. Da Shang fidgeted with her fingers and frequently threw glances at him. "Why are you still being so nice to me? After what happened with your father¡­shouldn''t you be blaming me? I thought you would humiliate me instead of saying I look pretty because you are mad at me."


    "I do blame you and your father for unjustly firing my Dad," Hou Lin bluntly said.


    She stiffened.


    "But that doesn''t have anything to do with your beauty. If you are pretty, then you are pretty. It''s a plain fact. I have no reason to say anything otherwise."


    She stared at him and felt as if she was getting to know him for the first time. "You¡­you are really a nice person."


    Hou Lin considered her words. "I think it''s supposed to be a compliment so thank you."


    "It is a compliment."


    "Yes, that''s why I said thank you."


    Her brow twitched again.


    Hou Lin slightly leaned forward and said, "I invited you out to give my answer about our relationship about which we talked yesterday."


    Da Shang wryly smiled. "I thought a lot about it yesterday too. When you asked me if threatening you was the right thing to do?"


    He nodded. "I pondered about it too."


    She clutched her bag on her lap. "So then¡­what did you decide?"


    ''You will go to meet Da Shang tomorrow and say that you want to get back with her,'' he recalled his father''s orders.


    Hou Lin stared straight at her and said, "I am sorry, but it''s not possible. We cannot get back together."


    Da Shang said nothing. It was after a few moments that she quietly released her breath, not knowing that she was holding it all along.


    "I thought you would say the opposite."


    "That''s what my Dad wants."


    Her eyes widened, and she jerked her neck up to look at him, aghast. "And you are confessing that to me so openly?"


    "You threatened me. Wasn''t that practically confessing that you used your father''s position for yourself?"


    Da Shang choked in her throat, and she felt like she would puke blood at any moment. She took a deep breath and regained her composure.


    "If your Dad told you what to do then why didn''t you listen to him? It would secure his job. Isn''t that what you want?"


    Hou Lin stared into her eyes and said those words that he thought long and hard about the entire night. "Because it''s not right to pretend to love you and play with your feelings. Even if that comes at the cost of my Dad''s job. I don''t want to commit one wrong in order to correct another."


    Tears plopped down her cheeks before she knew it. His words shot straight through her heart, filling her entire being with guilt. "I-I¡­I am sorry Lin¡­I am so sorry¡­" It was difficult to speak for her. "I am so sorry for being so selfish¡­"


    She lowered her head, hiding her face in her palms and quietly sobbing. "I am really very sorry for making your Dad suffer. And¡­thank you so much for not agreeing to your Dad¡­" she gasped and said with broken words. "I-It would have¡­hurt a lot more¡­if you were to be acting with me¡­"


    She quickly wiped her eyes and cheeks with a tissue. "I regret not treating you nicely when we were together. I wanted to be more popular with you beside me. You are smart and handsome too. I was indeed a show off. I am sorry¡­"


    She looked at him and wondered if she had taken genuine efforts to understand him, then had her relationship turned out differently? He was blunt but he had a good heart.


    Hou Lin nodded. "It''s okay. I think it was fun getting to know about Karaoke, but I would limit myself to just knowing about it."


    Da Shang involuntarily burst into laughter. "You are funny as much as you are nice."


    And I am an idiot for not seeing it earlier¡­


    She almost asked him out loud if it was possible for their relationship to get a second chance. But that question couldn''t escape any further from the tip of her tongue.


    I guess it''s too late, isn''t it¡­? The guilt stabbed her heart mercilessly. Not that I deserve the chance after treating him so rudely¡­


    She cleared her throat and smiled with radiance. "Thanks for giving me your answer, Lin. I will talk to Dad and tell him to give your Dad his job back to him. I will also personally apologize to him though I understand it would be hard to forgive me."


    Hou Lin trembled, his gaze expressing his shock. "R-really?"


    "Yes."


    The same radiant smile shone on his lips too as he hadn''t expected this pleasant outcome. "Thanks a lot, Shang."


    Da Shang stared at his blindingly handsome and pure smile and then bumped her forehead on the table.


    I really am such an idiot¡­

 Chapter 611 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (10)

    ?


    As soon as Hou Lin returned home, Hou Fa already flew next to his side and with his brows creased with tension and apprehension, he asked him, "What happened? Did you tell her you would get back together with her?"


    Hou Lin stared at him and said, "I didn''t."


    They stiffened, widening their eyes. Hou Luli asked, distressed, "Why, Lin? Didn''t we tell you yesterday what you have to do?"


    Hou Cai heaved a sigh of relief. His brother on the other side, explained. "I know. But I thought about it and concluded that you are wrong. I cannot fool someone with false feelings even if it might be for sometime. But¡­" his hands trembled with joy as he was about to say that despite doing the opposite, Da Shang appreciated him for not lying to her and agreed to talk to her father.


    His eyes beamed with the light of good news but as he looked back at his father, he noticed his gaze darkened with fury and scorn. "Hou Lin!"


    He loudly exclaimed and raised his hand to slap him like yesterday but Hou Luli quickly stopped him this time. "Stop it, Fa!"


    "Stop it!? You are telling me? Why don''t you tell this useless son of ours!? He had just one thing to do but he betrayed us in the end! My job¡­how I worked hard to earn my position over the years¡­he let it go down the drain in just a minute!"


    Hou Lin tried to intervene. "It''s not like that, Dad. Da Shang said-"


    "Shut up! I don''t want to hear a single word from your mouth! I thought you were an obedient son but you turned out to be a curse! It''s easy for you to disregard my job right? You are just a brat. You don''t earn your own money yet, how will you understand the gravity of losing my job!"


    Hou Lin parted and shut his trembling lips. Hou Cai glared at his father and said, "Dad, Bro wants to say something. Please at least just listen to him once-"


    "Is there anything left to listen to!?" Hou Fa''s body trembled with anger. "Was it so hard to do a simple right thing for me that would have given me my job back? But no. He ran his mouth and did whatever he wanted! I cannot believe that he showed loyalty and sympathy at a girl who threatened him over his father who fucking damn raised him! It was then better that we wouldn''t have ever given birth to a traitor son like you!"


    It was at that moment when everything went still for Hou Lin. His father was in a rampage mode and his mother did little to nothing to stand by her son''s side. Even the air he breathed felt prickly to him as if he was breathing thorns.


    The noiseless atmosphere then got stirred when Hou Fa''s phone rang. He had an urge to throw it away but as he noticed his company''s number flashing on his mobile, his eyes widened. "Luli, it''s from my company¡­"


    She gasped. "P-pick it up quickly!"


    He did so and immediately the person on the other side asked him to come to the office with his family. He hung up and said, confused, "They are calling all of us at the office."


    ¡ª


    Hou Luli lightly pinched the center of her neck in nervousness as she asked, "Why would they have called all of us here¡­?"


    As they stepped into a big meeting room, Hou Fa recognized several high position directors and managers assembled in the room, including Da Pei, who had his head lowered.


    One of the executive directors, Miss. Lin Yawen stepped forward and smiled. "Thank you for coming, Mr. Hou. I know it was really on a short notice to call you here especially with your family, and I really appreciate it."


    Hou Fa straightened up as the woman before him was at a very senior position, even higher than Da Pei in authority. "Of course not, Miss. Lin. It wasn''t any trouble."


    She nodded. "We called you here because it came to our attention that Mr. Da Pei used his position to unfairly fire you from your job which is a serious violation of our company policy and code of conduct."


    Hou Fa and Hou Luli widened their eyes.


    Huh? How did this get exposed?


    "We received an anonymous tip where it was clearly said in the conversation that he fired you to put pressure onto you and your son, Hou Lin. We sincerely admonish this unethical behavior, which is why we called you here. First is to respectfully invite you to rejoin our company and second to hear out Mr. Da Pei''s apology."


    Hou Fa was in disbelief the entire time. How did the worst situation suddenly turn into the most favorable one that he wanted?


    Da Pei pursed his lips and walked towards Hou Fa in front of all the leaders, ashamed and embarrassed. He looked at him and said, "Hou Fa. I would sincerely like to apologize for my wrong actions. In no way was it ethical to use my position for my personal gains and unnecessarily put you and your family through such distress. Not only you but I want to apologize to your family too. I am extremely sorry. Seeing my daughter disheartened and broken, I couldn''t control myself. I felt really angry at your son for breaking up with Shang. She is my only daughter. The apple of my eyes. Her tears made me weak¡­"


    He exhaled out a small breath and then focused on Hou Lin with a soft smile. "But I thank you from the bottom of my heart, Hou Lin. I appreciate that you didn''t succumb to the pressure. I know it sounds stupid because I threatened you in the first place. But I talked to Shang today and even though you refused her, she was really happy. I thought she was being foolish but¡­"


    He awkwardly smiled as he felt further embarrassed. "After listening to her, it occurred to me that I was being the foolish one instead. I was only inviting more pain for her because if you had decided to just pretend and love her to help your father his job back¡­it would have hurt her even more. It was easy to lie to her given your circumstances but you didn''t," his eyes ached with tears, "I am really sorry. I am an adult. I should be doing the right thing, but I acted foolishly instead that would have only hurt her more. Please forgive me."


    Da Pei then looked back at Hou Fa and smiled. "You must be feeling so proud of Lin, right? You are very lucky to have a son like him, who could hold his ground and do the right thing when it was easy to do the wrong thing. You are really very lucky, Mr. Hou. You have a good son."

 Chapter 612 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (11)

    ?


    Hou Fa could feel his throat burn with a sense of embarrassment as he listened to Da Pei''s words. Who knew that the man who threatened them would turn out to be the one to stand by Hou Lin''s side? Not only that, if Da Pei came to know that he had indeed ordered Hou Lin to do ''pretend dating'' with Da Shang for the sake of his job, the tables would completely turn against him.


    "Y-Yeah¡­" a nervous chuckle escaped his lips. "I am very lucky indeed¡­"


    At this point, Hou Luli too, felt too ashamed to meet her son''s gaze who did the right thing from the beginning. She could feel Hou Cai''s burning gaze directed at them as if saying, ''Bro was right but you humiliated him!''


    The executive director, Lin Yawen, sternly said, "I appreciate Mr. Da that he apologized for his actions. But what you did cannot be easily overlooked. Mr. Hou, if you want, you can register a human resources complaint against Mr. Da for his unethical behavior. It will¡­surely bring a negative image for the company," she softly sighed, "but I don''t want to stop you from getting justice."


    Hou Fa quickly said, "No, no, Miss. Lin. If Mr. Da has sincerely apologized, then I have no reason to bear anymore enmity. I don''t want to file any complaint."


    Hou Cai sneered.


    Heh. Your guilt of wanting to fool Da Shang is stopping you from doing that, otherwise you only endlessly cursed him!


    Da Pei bowed his head. "Thank you so much, Mr. Hou. I truly appreciate your kindness."


    Hou Cai scoffed.


    Lin Yawen said, "Mr. Hou would not want to pursue this but at the company level, we cannot ignore this serious matter either. You will face salary cuts and a temporary suspension. Please come to meet me after this, Da Pei."


    He gravely nodded. "It''s alright. I deserve at least this much punishment."


    She smiled as she looked at Hou Fa. "Welcome back, Mr. Hou. It is a pleasure to work with you again."


    "Thank you, Miss. Lin!"


    As the meeting was dismissed, Hou Lin turned and quickly followed after Lin Yawen. Hou Fa almost stumbled at his place, "Wh-where is he going? Don''t tell me he wants to bust me in front of her!" He anxiously whispered to Hou Luli.


    "I don''t know either¡­" she worriedly answered.


    Hou Cai, who had enough of it, glared at them fiercely. "Can you two bother to think at least a little outside of your selfishness!? Even after Bro saved your damn job, you keep doubting him! I¡­I so hate you two! And I won''t forgive you for slapping Bro and scolding me to shut my mouth yesterday! You two are the worst!"


    "C-Cai you¡­" Hou Fa trembled.


    But Hou Cai stormed his way out, not wanting to talk to them any further.


    ¡ª


    "Miss. Lin!"


    She stopped and turned, surprised to see Hou Lin rushing towards her. "Yes, Hou Lin. How can I help you?"


    He breathlessly asked, "Um¡­you said you received an anonymous tip about Da Shang admitting to her father''s guilt."


    "Yes."


    "What was the conversation about?"


    Lin Yawen blinked in confusion. "Wait, so¡­you didn''t send me the recording?"


    Hou Lin''s expression mirrored her bewilderment. "I didn''t send you anything. That''s why I came to ask you who did it and what it contained."


    "I thought it was you because the recording is a conversation between you and Da Shang talking to each other. Wait, follow me."


    She took him inside her office and played the recording on her laptop which she had saved.


    ''I am not lying!''


    Da Shang''s voice echoed from the recording.


    ''Lying is supposed to be a wrong thing.''


    ''I am seriously not lying! How is it my fault if Dad saw me crying yesterday and assured me that he will take care of it? That''s why he must have fired your Dad. Because then you would come to me, apologize for breaking up with me and then getting back together with me, right?''


    ''Why would I do any of those things?''


    ''Don''t you care about your father?''


    ''I do. That''s why I came to ask why Mr. Da Pei fired Dad.''


    ''Exactly so that we get together for your father to get his job back!''


    Lin Yawen paused the recording and asked, "There is a little more of it left but it''s clearly you and Da Shang talking. Since it''s you talking, I thought you secretly sent me this in order to expose Da Pei. That''s why I didn''t mention the source of this clip."


    Hou Lin definitely recognized that it was the same conversation that occurred on the graduation ceremony day.


    But we were talking privately-


    Suddenly, his eyes slightly widened and it dawned upon him. He looked back at Lin Yawen and bowed. "Thank you."


    "Wait so if it wasn''t you, then who was it?"


    His gaze flickered with warmth. "Somebody¡­who said that she won''t be there to help me anymore but even so she did."


    ¡ª


    As the Hou family returned home, Hou Fa cheerfully laughed with joy. "Haha we should celebrate this."


    Hou Luli beamed. "Yes, yes how about we all go for a family dinner tonight?"


    Hou Cai grimaced. "Before that, don''t you think that you should apologize to Bro?"


    He stiffened, but he knew there was no way out of this. He looked left and right, feeling embarrassed, even humiliating to admit that he went too far with admonishing Hou Lin.


    He stood before him and faced him, his expression contorting with the sense to quickly end this. "L-Look Lin¡­I know I was hard on you. But please understand your father. I was under a lot of stress. You don''t know how it feels to lose your job and think how to feed your family without any money. I told you to do what I felt was right to do for our family to live peacefully. But now everything is okay, right? So we can let go of the skirmishes past us and focus on the future," he grinned and patted his shoulder, "I am proud that you stood your ground."


    Hou Cai was left flabbergasted with his shamelessness. "Then you should also apologize for slapping him, right?"


    "Cai, you¡­" he gritted his teeth, feeling irked. "Why do you have to keep poking the same thing again and again when everything is already resolved now!"


    "Easy for you to say because you got what you wanted, right? Now that you got your job back, you don''t feel the need to say a simple sorry because it would lower your head in shame, wouldn''t it?"


    "Hou Cai!" He exclaimed. "Mind your tongue or I will ground you!"


    "Stop it you two!" Hou Luli stepped in between them, exasperated. "Enough of this fight. We already have suffered a lot of stress. This is not the time to keep holding onto grudges."


    Hou Lin slowly parted his lips and said, "I won''t hold any grudges."


    The couple heaved a big sigh of relief.


    "Because I am leaving this house."


    They blankly stared at him, his words not registering within them. "What?"


    "I am leaving from here."


    "Where?"


    "To live away from you two forever."


    Hou Fa''s jaw dropped while Hou Luli exhaled a sharp gasp. "What nonsense are you saying!?"


    Hou Lin plainly said, "It''s not nonsense. It''s my decision that I arrived at after thinking about it a long time. I don''t want to live with you and Dad."


    "Y-you cannot be serious! Just because you and Fa had differences just one time doesn''t mean that you just up and leave this house!"


    He stared at his parents. "I am not leaving because of this matter with his job or because he slapped me. I feel¡­there is a fundamental difference in what you feel is right and wrong versus what I feel. Our ideologies don''t gel. This is not just today. For a long time since my childhood now, I learned that our beliefs are in stark contrast. And if they are so different, such clashes will continue to exist. Today it happened to get sorted out. But tomorrow? The day after tomorrow? Two years later? Five years? Ten years later? I don''t feel there will ever be an end to this."


    His lips trembled and so did his heart. "So, I will leave this house. This is my right decision."

 Chapter 613 What Is Right And What Is Wrong (12)

    ?


    Hou Fa and Hou Luli thought that their was son was spouting nonsense and a heat of the moment thing but not until he actually brought his packed bags that they were forced to believe it.


    "Lin, don''t be an idiot!" Hou Luli angrily scolded him amidst her falling tears and trembling figure. "You cannot be serious about leaving the house! Where will you even go?"


    Hou Lin calmly replied. "Where Yahui lives."


    Their eyes widened in shock. Hou Fa gritted his teeth and grabbed his collar. "Don''t tell me that it was that brat who brainwashed you into making this foolish decision! Right¡­I understand now. It must be Yahui! That''s why I kept telling you to cit off all your contact with her! I knew a manipulative girl like her won''t be so easy. Even for seven years, she was nothing but a pain for us! And now look how she manipulated you now!"


    Hou Luli sniffled, her gaze seething with anger. "You are right, Fa. She must have done something to make him go against us. Otherwise Lin would have never done this¡­"


    Hou Cai spoke, his voice filled with bitternes, "For your kind information, it was the same Yahui who sent that recording clip to your company, Dad."


    He jerked his head to face him. "What?"


    "Yes! You were lucky that Da Pei turned out to be a sensible man who admitted his guilt. Da Shang was gonna talk to him and make him confess anyway. But we didn''t know that he will have this change of heart. So Yahui told me her plan. She had recorded Bro and Da Shang''s conversation at school and that was a sureshot way to expose Da Pei if he refused to budge. Did you think the clip just appeared out of thin air!?" His nostrils flared. "It was Yahui''s plan that would have saved your ass and of all people, you are blaming her?"


    He clenched his fists, his eyes watering. "You two don''t have any right to suddenly act like good parents now! For all this time, you only bothered to fight and argue the whole time, dragging Bro and me into your fights, blaming us and lashing out your anger at us whenever it was convenient to you! You never cared about us but only about proving each other wrong and winning your idiotic arguments! Then things got stable with Dad''s job, so now you two began to act all civil. But your messy fights ate up our entire childhood! Can you give us that back?"


    Hou Luli stared at her son, aghast and feeling breathless. It was the first time that this had happened but somehow, she couldn''t speak a word or protest.


    "You talk about hating Yahui¡­but it was her presence that made us feel bearable to live with you two! She is strong. She is smart. She is cool. You say that she was a pain for you? Only because you two acted shit towards us! That''s why she always meddled with your peace whenever you unjustly took your frustrations out on Bro and me. Not because she is some psycho sadist but because she cared about us!"


    He angrily laughed as tears slid down his cheeks. "Which is ironic, don''t you think? A girl who threatened Bro at a knife point at one time cared about us siblings more than their actual parents."


    Hou Lin trembled, his eyes brimming with tears. These were all the words he wanted to express to them for so long. But he didn''t know how.


    His brother held his hand, his face reddening with agony as he fought his tears back. "B-Bro¡­can I not come with you¡­? I want to live with you and Yahui too!"


    Hou Lin gazed at his parents, who looked defeated and in a stupor. He looked back at him with a gentle gaze. "They will be left all alone if you leave them."


    "So what! They ignored us too. Wh-why should I care about them when they didn''t?" He bit his lip hard.


    He placed his palm on the top of his brother''s head. "It''s not always necessary to give a tit for a tat. They need you, Cai. They need a son who didn''t disappoint them and whose birth they didn''t regret."


    Hou Fa froze hard. He felt his voice choking and those harsh words he threw at Hou Lin like poison just a few hours ago all came back to him, stabbing his heart like lethal arrows.


    "...I¡­I¡­" he felt like a strangling sensation around his neck, "I di-didn''t mean it Lin¡­I was¡­angry. It just got¡­"


    "I know," Hou Lin quietly said. "But it made me realise that¡­" his eyes held sorrow and lips a wistful smile, "words once escaped from your lips are impossible to take back."


    His face paled and his body trembled.


    "You can apologize for those words spoken, but it cannot undo the pain from one''s heart who listened to them."


    Hou Lin bowed. "Your words caused me sorrow, but I won''t hold any grudge over that. I won''t hold any grudges against you for anything. Thank you for providing for me all this time. Home, food, clothes, education - I promise I will repay you for everything you have done for me."


    "Bro¡­" Hou Cai cried hard, hugging his brother hard. He didn''t want to let him go, but he knew in his heart that it was only Yahui who could keep him happy.


    Hou Lin smiled and bumped his forehead against his. "Be a good son, Cai and always do the right thing."


    Hou Luli stumbled her way and ran to his side. "Lin, please! Stay back, Lin! Pl-please don''t leave us¡­I-I beg you please¡­" she broke down, profusely apologizing for all her wrong actions, "I will become a good mother from now on¡­I-I will-"


    But his pure smile made her stop. His compassionate gaze made her heart clench with immense pain.


    "Yes, Mom. Be a good mother to Cai. Give him all the love that you couldn''t give him before, including my part of your love."


    It was the first time that Hou Lin wore a genuine smile on his lips as he said his last words. "Goodbye."


    ¡ª


    *Ding Dong*


    "Ughhhh! Who is it at this time?" Zhan Yahui made a face as she munched on her chips and laid lazily on her couch.


    *Ding Dong* *Ding Dong*


    "Oh fine I am coming!"


    Zhan Yahui muttered curses under her breath and opened the door with a bang. "Who the hell- oh~" she cocked her brow, looking at Hou Lin from head to toe, standing outside her apartment''s door and holding bags in his hand. "You seemed to have listened to me."


    He tilted his head. "Yes. But it was my decision too."


    She snorted. "Whatever. Good for you to leave that toxic house. So why did you come here?"


    "I don''t have any place to stay. So I came to live with you."


    "I cannot pay rent for an extra soul here."


    "I have saved up some pocket money."


    "So use it to rent another apartment."


    "It''s not that big amount of money."


    Stalemate.


    Hou Lin then looked away for a second and unzipped his bag to take out a shiny object. He pointed that knife at her with a plain expression.


    Zhan Yahui choked in her throat but felt amused at the same time. "Haah¡­So it''s your turn to threaten me now, is it?"


    "Yes."


    "This is not your idea, is it now?"


    "Cai told me that it will serve as a good refresh for your memory as you are my only source of survival now," he didn''t even twitch before exposing his own brother.


    She sneered. "I knew it. Only that snarky brat could come up with this."


    He nodded.


    She lazily waved her hand. "Keep it down. It''s not necessary. Hop inside. I can manage with an extra person here but only if you do all the housework."


    "If we divide the rent equally, then we should divide the housework equally too."


    Her brow twitched. "You don''t have to be right all the time!"


    "I see."


    "Better settle fast because we have tons of planning to do."


    "Planning?" He blinked at her.


    She sneered, her gaze burning with animosity. "Yes planning. My revenge against Liu Jun. That''s what you will help me with. So we better get started soon."


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter 614 Very First Friend

    ?


    Jun and the group reached the place situated on Beijing''s outskirts and they looked at the almost haunted and dilapidated house. Another car followed after theirs which had Zhan Yahui and the guards keeping their watch on her.


    Nian was the first one to rant with a cold expression. "How dare Hou Lin take my Xing Bi to such a dirty place! I will kill him!"


    Jin grimaced. "He has kidnapped her, Bro. He is not gonna take her to a garden."


    "My Xing Bi must always be taken to beautiful places whether kidnapped or not!"


    Jun stared at the house for some time with a thoughtful countenance. "It''s Hou Lin we are talking about. I can tell that it cannot be just a random place he chose to keep Xing Bi."


    "Hey don''t you take his side!" Nian glared at him.


    "I am telling from what I know working with him all this time, not taking his side."


    Ai said, "Let''s call him out. Once he talks to Zhan Yahui, he will let Xing Bi go, right?"


    Nian clenched his jaw. "That is not an option, sister-in-law. He HAS to free Xing Bi or I will kill him if he goes back on his word!"


    Jun kept his gaze fixed at the house and said, "He won''t."


    As soon as they stepped out, they immediately heard Zhan Yahui fiercely protesting against the guards handling her. "You fuckers get the hell off me!" She snarled. But as she noticed the surroundings around her, she quietened down for some moments.


    This is Lin''s old house.


    She kept staring at the old and dusty house until she set her gaze on the figure stepping out of it. It was Hou Lin, who came out with Xing Bi beside her.


    "Xi-Xing Bi¡­!" Nian almost took large strides to rush towards but he stopped. He wasn''t sure if Hou Lin held a weapon or not, so he grudgingly took a step back. His heart furiously pounded in his chest seeing her safe and sound. "Xing Bi¡­"


    Nian was the first person for Xing Bi too, who caught his presence immediately as soon as she came out in the open. It was only a few hours since they were away but it already felt akin to long years passed. She waved her hand back at him. "I am okay, Nian!" She wiped her eyes and sniffled. "This is the first time I don''t feel like beating you up."


    Nian broke down, feeling emotional. "Y-You don''t? Th-this is a miracle¡­!"


    Jin watched the duo with his jaw dropped.


    What is with this couple? They are getting emotional for the wrong reasons!


    The cats lazily meowed and snuggled in his arms.


    Ai heaved a big sigh of relief, seeing Xing Bi safe and sound. She wiped the corner of her eyes, tension dissipating from her heart.


    Jun took a step forward, meeting Hou Lin''s gaze and said, "We brought Zhan Yahui here as you asked us to. You want to talk to her, right?"


    Hou Lin nodded.


    "Will you let Xing Bi free after that?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay. But I cannot allow you two to talk alone, considering Zhan Yahui''s scheming nature. Whatever it is, you have to talk to her in front of all of us."


    "That''s fine, Sir."


    Jun paused and blinked for a moment but nodded after that.


    Zhan Yahui burst into a fit of rage. "You all are idiots! Do you think Lin would really ask you to call me here just for a simple talk? It''s an exchange, you fools! You let me go that side if you want Xing Bi to stand at yours," she sneered.


    Nian''s countenance twisted with a sense of an alarming danger. "That is fucking not happening. Let you go? The woman who brought hell into our lives and we will just let you scott free? Did you hit your head somewhere in the car while coming here? We will have Xing Bi back and also punish you for your crimes."


    She sneered. "I think you have hit your head somewhere, Liu Nian."


    Jun glanced at her. "You might have known Hou Lin for a long time. There''s no denying that. But I think you are wrong about him this time. See it for yourself."


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. She looked at Hou Lin who calmly remained still at his place. It was then that she noticed that he wasn''t holding any weapon. No gun, no knife to threaten Xing Bi to make an exchange. He wasn''t even keeping an eye on Xing Bi. He was simply gazing at her with an indecipherable emotion in his eyes.


    She stared straight back at him and her eyelashes soon trembled as the unnerving and nauseating realization dawned upon her. "Ah¡­So you believe in the crap that they said. Are you¡­now against me, Lin?"


    Hou Lin''s lips curved into a trembling but sorrowful smile. "I am never against you, Yahui. I cannot stand against the person who taught me the ways of this world and who made my dull life so cheerful. You were my very first friend, Yahui."


    "And you are betraying your very first friend, aren''t you?"


    He gently parted his lips and said, "All this time, you taught me what was right and what was wrong. You helped me learn to make my own decisions. You helped me see the world the way it was. You told me what to do and what not to do because you knew the right thing to do and also because you cared for me as your friend. That''s why I always trust you. So if today I ask you to do something which I feel is right¡­does that not make me your friend anymore?"


    Silence. A tingling of suffocation seeped into the cold, night air.


    "If today I tell you to accept the bitter reality of your father and surrender your hatred and revenge for the Liu family, will I not be your friend anymore, Yahui?"

 Chapter 615 The Choice She Couldnt Forgive

    Zhan Yahui balled her fist, her eyes brimming with tears. "My Dad was not a villain, Lin¡­It''s the Liu family concocting these stupid stories to clean his blood off their hands! How can you fall for that!?"


    Hou Lin said, "They have no reason to concoct such an elaborate story just to defend themselves in front of us. They are the wealthy Liu family. We are nothing compared to them. They don''t need to lie to us about a thing like Sir''s kidnapping. They didn''t lie about your father''s debts either. They showed you the proof," he softly lowered his gaze, "And you also know, right Yahui? You must have also realized that he had abducted you that day. Not just Sir but you too."


    Zhan Yahui bit her lips until they bled. Her heavy and restless breaths heaved her chest up and down.


    She knew. After Jinhai told the entire truth from the start to finish, she was quick to remember the last thing she did with Ouyang Haitao and that was to eat the chocolate cake he made for her.


    She lost consciousness, and it had nothing to do with Jun or the Liu family. It was only Ouyang Haitao with her at that time. So it could only be him to tamper with the cake.


    She knew. She realized it. But it was hard to accept it.


    Zhan Yahui had dedicated her whole life to take her revenge. That single emotion was what drove her sanity. But if she took a step back now, it would mean that the entire ordeal was pointless. She waited for so many years to take the Liu family down but in the end, it was all meaningless.


    But even more than her revenge going awry, it was harder to accept the sour reality in itself. The fact that Ouyang Haitao was really a bad guy. He was the villain in Jun''s life, not the other way around. He used her mother, her feelings, her money all for his benefit.


    To accept that Ouyang Haitao didn''t consider Zhan Kai-Ming and Zhan Yahui as his family when they did from the bottom of their hearts was a reality she wanted to turn her head away from.


    In her eyes, Ouyang Haitao was her father. The man who would complete her family. The man who would make her stop envying the other kids. The man who would protect his daughter like other fathers did.


    But to think that that same man never loved her back, that everything was an act and that she was just a property to be sold for him¡­


    It was that certainty that was killing her at this moment.


    "They¡­" Zhan Yahui trembled in the cold, "they killed Mom too¡­"


    Hou Lin said, "Shi Shuren is responsible for her death. You heard that too, Yahui. He confessed it himself."


    "That fucker is responsible but that doesn''t mean that the Liu family gets to escape scot free! If they hadn''t killed Dad, then she wouldn''t have been heartbroken and forced to leave the city when she was pregnant! She wouldn''t have undergone all that stress! Yes that bastard assaulted Mom but the Liu family is equally responsible for her suicide! They had no right to so creully snatch my family from me! I will¡­I will never forgive them!"


    Hou Lin slowly started to walk towards her, which instantly made the guards surrounding Zhan Yahui cautious. They almost pointed their guns at him, but Jun raised his palm. He shook his head by a tiny fraction, indicating to them to stay put.


    Since Hou Lin walked away, there was nobody beside Xing Bi so Nian sprinted towards her at full speed and pulled her into his embrace. He didn''t miss the chance to safely secure her.


    He slightly shivered but his eyes and lips held a beautiful smile. "Hehe I caught you now~"


    Xing Bi, who was stunned for several seconds, finally realized that Nian was already beside her. Her eyes watered and she tightly hugged him back. She inhaled his scent and felt his warmth which she missed like crazy. "You were late!"


    Nian seriously admitted. "It was my fault. You can punish me as much as you want."


    "That I will!" She sniffled and very, very quietly muttered under her breath, "In bed."


    "Did you just say bed?" Nian scintillated like the golden sun.


    "..."


    What the hell is with his ears!? How sharp are they!?


    On the other side, Hou Lin stood before Zhan Yahui. He gazed into her tear-filled irises filled with fury, indignation but pain, grief and blame too.


    "Who will you not forgive, Yahui? Is it really Sir and the Liu family? Or is it¡­your mother?"


    She stiffened. Her eyes reddened further with anguish, making her lash out at him. "What nonsense! Why will I blame Mom?"


    "Because she killed herself and left you alone. Yes, she suffered a lot but so did you in your own way. Your father''s life and death was out of her control but not hers. She was the only family you had but when¡­she ended her life, she left you to fend for yourself. It wasn''t Ouyang Haitao but your mother who truly left you alone."


    Zhan Yahui stared at him unblinkingly, but he could see the soft tremors in her body.


    "Yahui, I asked you this once when we lived together. What happened when you learned about your mother''s suicide? I had always wanted to know more about you. But you always brushed it off."


    "Shut up, Lin¡­"


    "But now that I know everything, I thought about my question a lot during the time you were coming here. And I felt I got my answer. When you saw her dead when you were eleven years old, I don''t think that you blamed Sir for it. He wasn''t the first person in your mind to get angry at. He came later. But the very first person you couldn''t forgive was your mother."


    It became deadly quiet.


    "Suicide¡­was her choice," how voice trembled with agony, "she was assaulted, she miscarried. It was a devastating time to bear. But she had you too. You felt that she should have lived for your sake. How would an eleven year old girl bear the pain of her mother''s loss too when she had already lost her father? She didn''t seem to understand that or even if she did, she left it at that. Nevertheless, she made that choice and I now understand Yahui¡­that it''s that very choice you couldn''t forgive."

 Chapter 616 Lies And Sincerity

    ?


    "Zhan Yahui!"


    A car stopped just a few yards behind the Liu family cars and Guiying stepped out of it, rushing towards her. Zixin came out of the driver''s seat, taking aback the Liu siblings.


    Jun asked, "Bro Zixin. What are you doing here?"


    "Guiying wanted to meet her."


    Ai was also surprised to suddenly see Guiying here but considering her and Zhan Yahui''s relationship, she thought it was natural. Zhan Yahui to Guiying was how Xing Bi was to Ai.


    "Stop," Zhan Yahui forced Guiying to stop in her steps with a hardened voice. "Why the fuck are you here? To enjoy laughing at me like the rest here?"


    "No. I didn''t come here to laugh at you," Guiying pressed her lips, her vision blurring. "I just re-realized that ever since ''she'' came out, I never got to talk to you."


    "There is nothing to talk about."


    "Not for you perhaps. But for me, you were¡­" tears fell as her voice trembled, "always someone I could count on."


    "That was all a farce. You were only a chess piece for me to reach Liu Jun."


    "Yes. I know that. That''s why you could go as far as hurting Zixin to manipulate me. I cannot forgive you for that. You put his life in danger. But it also doesn''t change the fact that it was you who grew the confidence in me as a writer. You might have had your own agenda but it helped me stand on my own two feet. E-even if y-you had your plans¡­I don''t feel that all the time we spent was a lie. I truly¡­" the tip of her nose turned red, "felt happy when we worked together and I wouldn''t have felt that if¡­there was no sincerity in those moments."


    She stared at her, her misty eyes shining. "You used me. I do feel hurt about it. But I think that sometimes¡­maybe sometimes you showed a side that cared about me. Maybe just a little bit. Maybe because our situation was similar. Neither you had a family nor I had anyone to call as my family. So I want to believe that you chose me as a writer to work with you instead of Ai after our high school competition was not because I won the big prize but because you thought that I was the same as you. Lonely."


    "I knew nothing about your family situation."


    Hou Lin ever so slightly smiled.


    You knew.


    All the winners and runner ups of the writing competition were celebrating it with their families, including Ai with Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying. Of course, Guiying was with them too.


    But Zhan Yahui had noticed that it was just her friend''s family, not her own. The first prize winner of the competition had nobody to celebrate her achievement with.


    Later, she learned that Guiying had an elder brother, but it was strange that he didn''t come for the big day. It was then that she came to know through Hou Lin that Cai Lingyun was an abuser. It was an irony. Though Guiying always craved his attention, she also didn''t prefer him to be anywhere near her.


    So even if Guiying wanted him to see her win and praise her, the abuse he inflicted on her over the years also made her unable to invite him to the event.


    Tears continued to stream down Guiying''s eyes, making her softly gasp. "I think you did know. I think¡­you also knew that Ai was supposed to win the competition had she adhered to the theme. If you knew the judges favored her, I think that you should have chosen her. Me winning the best writer prize was just a decoration to follow the competition rules. Even so¡­you took me in. Your intentions might be what I think or might be not¡­but I just came here to thank you. To me, you were a good editor and a good friend."


    Zixin pursed his lips and stepped closer to hold her hand. "Don''t cry," he softly said.


    Zhan Yahui burst into laughter. "Thank you for the heartfelt speech my dear but it''s all meaningless now. I lost. I failed."


    She looked at Hou Lin and said, "It was not her fault¡­I don''t hate my Mom¡­" Zhan Yahui said with a shivering quietness in her voice. "She loved me. She loved my unborn sibling. She was a good mother¡­I never hated her. But I hate all those people who made her life miserable¡­whether it was Shi Shuren or the Liu family. They all forced her down that road in some or the other way! Everybody was equally responsible!"


    Hou Lin trembled. He thought she would come to reason if he talked to her. But years of hatred, sadness and loneliness had left no place in her heart to understand anything.


    "Yahui, please-"


    "No! Don''t talk to me, Lin. Don''t try to read my heart and act as if you know me. You don''t! You never will¡­because you are a traitor!" She shakily exhaled, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I thought that no matter what, you will always stand by my side. But even you¡­you switched sides¡­"


    That hurt the most of all to Zhan Yahui because it was at this moment when she felt that she was truly alone.


    "I won''t forgive anybody here. If I am going down, then so would you all!"


    With that said, Zhan Yahui suddenly bent, grabbed mud off the ground and violently threw it across the guard''s face.


    "Ah!"


    The mud entered his eyes and he instinctively shut them up, feeling a harsh, stinging feeling in his pupils. He couldn''t open them no matter how he tried, and taking this chance, Zhan Yahui grabbed the gun from his hands.


    Her actions were so sudden and unexpected that nobody could wrap their heads around what just happened.


    With a dead and soulless expression, she pointed the gun at Jun before the other guards could lock their aims on her. "If I see even a single twitch of your hands, I will shoot your young master right in front of your eyes."

 Chapter 617 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (1)

    ?


    Jun narrowed his eyes. Even in the face of being Zhan Yahui''s target, he remained calm and unfazed. But not the others.


    "Lower that gun, Zhan Yahui," Ai was badly shaken to see Jun in her line of fire, but she tried to maintain her poise.


    Xuan Hui was rattled as well, but he couldn''t move an inch with Zhan Yahui aiming that gun on Jun. "Drop the gun, Zhan Yahui! I won''t spare your life if anything happens to the young master!"


    Needless to say, the ones absolutely triggered in the worst way possible were Nian and Jin. His fury topped off all the charts and his threatening demeanor leaked out. "Just like your shitty father. Aren''t you such an obedient daughter following in his footsteps? First, it was Ouyang Haitao who pointed a gun at my brother and now it''s you. I will kill you if you dare twitch that finger of yours."


    "Don''t be an idiot, Zhan Yahui!" Xing Bi had lost her patience with her as well.


    I so want to slap her hard!


    "Give up, Zhan Yahui!" Jin trembled with fear and rage. "Nothing will come out of this madness. You won''t be alive if you dare hurt my brother!"


    Jun-cute and Ai-chan felt him shivering and saw his face turning pale and whiter. The gun pointed at Jun terrified Jin and tears began to pool in his eyes.


    Zhan Yahui laughed with a dead look in her eyes. "I won''t be alive either way. Does it make any difference? My actions are unforgivable to you. I will be dead by your hands anyway so why not I die after I quench my thirst of hatred?"


    "Yahui¡­" Hou Lin didn''t know why but he felt a nauseating sense of foreboding. "Please put that gun down. We will ask for their forgiveness. Y-you will only kill yourself if you do this."


    "I don''t care," she squeezed the gun tighter in her hands.


    "You have to," he stared at her. "You are needlessly giving away your life which you can protect if you just surrender. Why can''t you give up, Yahui?"


    Her lips quivered. "Because there is nothing else left in my life."


    Hou Lin could feel his breath stop.


    ''Guiying'', who felt Guiying tremble and desperately wishing to do something to stop her, exclaimed amidst this breathlessness that gripped Hou Lin.


    "Nothing else? Don''t you have Hou Lin in your life? You might not care about anybody else but you at least care about your friend, right? Isn''t he precious to you? Stop this madness for at least his sake, you fucking idiot!"


    That momentarily broke her chain of violent thoughts.


    "He stood with you through thick and thin and listened to everything you had to say all this time. Can''t you listen to him just once this time!? Does your friendship go far only that much?"


    Zhan Yahui said without any remorse. "That friendship ends now."


    Hou Lin froze.


    "It was nice knowing him until I wanted my revenge. But now that I have failed, there is no point in keeping this friendship anymore."


    ''Guiying''s'' expression twisted. "Oh please. Don''t talk shit like you used him like you used the idiot inside me because you didn''t."


    She chuckled. "Doesn''t matter if I used him or not. This is the end for everything. My revenge, my life and my friendship. So if everything is going to end tonight, I will end it on my terms. Somebody has to die and that somebody will be¡­"


    Frightened, Ai instinctively pushed herself in front of Jun, but he was a step faster and pulled her away. "Ai! Don''t be an idiot! You do this stupidity one more time and I won''t forgive you!" Jun snarled.


    She resisted his grasp and glared at him with misty eyes. "You don''t tell me what to do!"


    His face blackened. "If it''s about you taking a bullet for me then hell yes!"


    She gritted her teeth, whispering to him. "I won''t let you die a second time."


    "I think you are conveniently forgetting your own past life''s demise."


    "Ah how touching," Zhan Yahui laughed maniacally. "Your love and loyalty have indeed shook my heart. It was fun seeing you two alarmed. But¡­"


    To everyone''s shock, Zhan Yahui moved her arm and changed her aim. The gun now pointed at Nian. "It''s a pity your twin isn''t here, but I can at least kill one of you two who ordered the murder of my father."


    Xing Bi felt like the earth just shattered beneath her feet and tears slid down seeing the gun aimed at Nian''s chest. "N-Nian¡­"


    ''Guiying'' gasped, feeling absolutely stunned. "You cannot be serious! Do you still think that man treated your mother and you as his family that you are fighting for his sake? There is a limit to being delusional!"


    Zixin looked at the Liu family guards and signaled them with his eyes to use any opening they could to subdue Zhan Yahui. But the situation currently wasn''t in their favor. She had already maintained some sufficient distance from them. If she as such saw even a tiny movement from their side, she wouldn''t hesitate to pull the trigger.


    Xing Bi gnashed her jaw. "Enough is enough Zhan Yahui!"


    I won''t let anything happen to Nian¡­I won''t let anything hurt Nian, she chanted endlessly in her mind.


    Nian, who was enraged until a few minutes ago, strangely turned calm. "It''s cool as long as you don''t point that gun at my brother. Go ahead if you want to shoot me."


    "Bro!"


    "Liu Nian!" Xing Bi exclaimed. "Stop saying idiotic things or I will be the one to kill you instead!"


    Zhan Yahui smiled as she started to press the trigger. "You won''t, Xing Bi. He will die by my hands."


    No¡­


    Jun felt suffocated.


    Not Bro¡­


    He remembered the painful memories of Jin and Nana dying in his past life. In this life, he didn''t want to lose anybody precious to him. He didn''t want anybody''s life to end in a tragedy like the past.


    Bro cannot die¡­This cannot happen¡­


    At the same time, Jin felt as if everything was going in slow motion. He didn''t want to suffer despair anymore. He didn''t want this second life to be filled with mourning for his brother''s death.


    Bro cannot die. Bro cannot die¡­


    Zhan Yahui smiled. "Farewell, Liu Nian. My father will at least be in some peace now."


    Jin inhaled a deep breath and shouted, "Bro, you cannot die!!!"


    *Meow*


    The two cats meowed at once. All of a sudden, Zhan Yahui froze at her place and with it came a massive headache and a golden light as bright as the sun, blinding her eyes with its sharp radiance.

 Chapter 618 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (2)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui couldn''t understand what was happening to her and it all felt like a dream to her because in no way she thought she could be seeing a tremendous golden clock, shining brightly in mid-air. The gong sounds that continuously reverberated pounded in her head so hard that threatened to give her a seizure.


    But as if an invisible force was there that neither let her collapse nor shut her eyes to the phenomenon happening before her.


    At first, it was just some whispers creeping into her ears and hazy flashes appearing before her eyes. It was so frightening that the gun in her hands trembled.


    What the hell is¡­going on¡­?


    The memories and the voices crashed at her with a force akin to a destructive tsunami wave and it was only an instant that the reality began to sink deeper into her heart from where there was no way to escape. At one moment, it was the night sky and at another moment, she was in a strange world that terrified her from within.


    "That bastard Liu Jinhai! Only three days¡­only three days to pay sixty million. Is he nuts! Does he think money grows on trees?" The loud, outraged and resentful voice of Ouyang Haitao burst into a room as he kept cursing Jinhai.


    Zhan Yahui froze. She couldn''t believe her eyes and ears.


    Dad¡­?


    "Impossible! I won''t be able to pay sixty million! Kai-Ming too doesn''t have that kind of money! I already sold all the jewelry she had¡­The meager amount of money her job gives is nowhere enough!"


    His fellow gambler and drinking buddies suggested. "But doesn''t she have a daughter?"


    "Yeah so what? What will that annoying and pesky brat do! Yahui only knows how to irritate me! It feels disgusting when she calls me ''Dad, dad.'' I am not her father and neither do I want to be one!"


    Zhan Yahui stared at Ouyang Haitao, her heart almost stopping to beat.


    "If only I didn''t need Kai-Ming''s money for my businesses, I wouldn''t have had to deal with their shit."


    "Now, now, it''s not the time to curse her but use her instead."


    "Kai-Ming doesn''t-"


    "I mean her daughter, idiot. Yahui? Or whatever her name is," hus friends leaned and whispered, "You know there is a good market for girls like her."


    "Market?" Ouyang Haitao frowned.


    One of them chuckled. "For selling her. There are all sorts of men in this world and some men are very interested in young and budding flowers~ If you could secretly sell her, you have no idea how much cash you will land in. You will bathe in money, buddy."


    "Are you crazy?" His jaw dropped. "Don''t you know who rules the underworld? Liu Jinhai is the law himself. It''s next to impossible!"


    "It is possible," he whispered even lower, "Word is that some fallen organizations are scraping here and there to make a new route for this transport. Trust me, Liu Jinhai doesn''t even have a whiff of it."


    Ouyang Haitao found it extremely tempting but also dangerous. "But I need the money in three days. The route isn''t even established yet. It''s too soon and too risky."


    He smiled. "Some special arrangements can be made to accommodate your request but of course, you have to cough out money for that."


    He grimaced. "Why would I be frustrated like this if I had money already?"


    "Pipe down, Haitao. You are so impatient. No wonder your businesses ended up in losses."


    "You¡­"


    "You are gonna get loads of money after selling that daughter. You have no idea how much people can spend their wealth to get sex. Enough that you can repay sixty million and also the cost of this request."


    Ouyang Haitao blinked. "So you are saying that they will let me sell her first and I can pay after I get my money?"


    "Pretty much."


    The greed naturally set in Ouyang Haitao but more than that, it was desperation and fear of Jinhai that made him utter the next words. "I will do it. Not like I have a choice."


    The friend chuckled. "That''s the spirit. I have a contact. I will let you know when we are ready."


    "But what about Kai-Ming? Once she realizes that Yahui isn''t anywhere, she will run off to the police!"


    "That''s tricky indeed but until the cops will learn about her disappearance, the girl will already be sailing out of this country. There is no way that either the cops or Liu Jinhai will be able to get her back. It''s indeed at the last moment. Three days are quite the crunch-"


    "I will take it," Ouyang Haitao breathed hard. "I just want to get rid of Liu Jinhai''s debt once and for all. If I have to sell Yahui for that, then so be it. Kai-Ming isn''t useful anymore so let her daughter do the job then!"


    When Ouyang Haitao left, the friends had a debate among themselves.


    "This is too risky! Why did you offer this deal to Ouyang Haitao?"


    "Yeah, it''s already so difficult to make this secret way under Liu Jinhai''s nose. If any leak happens¡­"


    The friend who talked to Ouyang Haitao all this time said, "Because we also need money, you idiots. And fast. It''s not gonna happen for free. We will squeeze all the money Ouyang Haitao will get after selling that daughter and that money will only help us to make all the arrangements faster! We cannot delay anymore. The longer this project goes on for, the more we are at the risk of getting caught by Liu Jinhai."


    Floating in a strange world of clouds and memories, Zhan Yahui watched the entire conversation unfold and the fact that Ouyang Haitao didn''t hesitate even once to agree to the plan of selling her made her feel as if her heart was stabbed by a chain of thorns.


    Before she could process that grief, the memories cruelly swirled around her showing bits and pieces of all the love she showered on Ouyang Haitao but how he never returned the same.


    And eventually, the memory of that fateful day came that had changed her life forever.

 Chapter 619 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (3)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui stood motionless before reality, crushing every part of her heart. She thought that Ouyang Haitao had lovingly baked the cake for her but it turned out to be a store bought one in which he added some sort of a liquid, grinning evilly to himself.


    What she thought was one of the warm and loving moments of her life turned out to be a horror when she fell unconscious after eating the cake.


    "Finally!"


    Ouyang Haitao picked a fainted Zhan Yahui and immediately carried her outside. For others outside, it looked like she fell sick and a worried father was taking her to a hospital. But nobody could have imagined that behind the mask of a concerned father laid a selfish and greedy man who was about to sell his daughter.


    "You are his son. I saw you that day in the base."


    Zhan Yahui saw the man outside Jun''s school, towering over the little boy as he carried Zhan Yahui.


    "Who were you going to call?"


    "She will suffocate," Jun narrowed his eyes. "Stop holding her so hard."


    She stared at Jun calmly talking to Ouyang Haitao.


    "Who were you going to call?"


    "Mom. I am waiting for her to pick me up."


    Ouyang Haitao stared at him. His movements were slightly fidgety. "You were going to call because you saw me, right?"


    The conversation between them continued and Zhan Yahui felt her breath stop when she saw him holding a blade in his hands.


    "I have a small blade in my palm. If you don''t listen to me, don''t blame me for stabbing this girl with it."


    Tears fell down her eyes, watching, staring and understanding the situation before her. The truth was exposed by Jinhai and the twins before, but it was now that it was getting hammered in her brain.


    This cannot be real¡­What is this place anyway?


    This is a dream¡­This is ridiculous¡­


    Why is this happening to me? I don''t want to be here anymore.


    "You have to," a voice echoed in the space.


    Zhan Yahui heard that ringing voice in her ears, and she froze hard. She looked left and right, baffled.


    "Wh-Who? Who is talking?"


    "You don''t need to know. The only thing that matters is you have to see the truth. You are not going anywhere until every last bit of your illusion is shattered."


    Those words sounded extremely cruel, and her heart pounded faster in her chest.


    The memories around her came crashing before her and even if she shut her eyes, those images continued to flow.


    "You cannot escape."


    "Shut up!" She gritted her teeth, her eyes reddening. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"


    That voice whispered in her ear, "A little respect, young lady. Because we are going to meet very soon. You wouldn''t want to be in my bad books. Open your eyes and watch. Keep watching until reality gets imprinted in your heart."


    Zhan Yahui collapsed on her knees as she was forced to watch the past.


    "Hey, wake up."


    She saw little Jun gently trying to wake her up but went back defeated when she didn''t.


    When Ouyang Haitao returned to take Zhan Yahui and Jun, she saw Jun''s fierce struggle against him and every attempt to protect her. In that scuffle, Jun pushed him hard to force him get away from Zhan Yahui and he hit his head on the wall.


    But he wasn''t dead. He woke up sometime later and realizing that too much time had been wasted, grabbed her and Jun and ran out of the house.


    The final confrontation between him and the twins came before her and every word that Ouyang Haitao spoke, stabbed her heart ruthlessly.


    "You kidnapped my brother, hurt him and planned to sell your own daughter as if it wasn''t a big deal so are you really in a position to talk back to us?"


    "It''s your father who didn''t leave me with any choice! He reduced my time to just three days!"


    Zhan Yahui felt tired. She knew what was coming and felt exhausted to watch anything further. She had no vitality left in her and the moment she heard the gunshot that killed Ouyang Haitao, the last bit of light dulled away from her eyes.


    It was over. She had realized the truth but now she had seen it with her own eyes or been forced to.


    "Let me¡­go already¡­from this place¡­"


    "Not yet," the mysterious voice was heard again. "This was just one part of the past that was necessary to show you."


    Her brows slightly crinkled.


    One part¡­?


    "The second part is how it shaped you to become evil and how you eventually destroyed the Liu family."


    She wryly laughed. "I don''t think that you see who is the fallen one over here."


    "That is because history didn''t repeat itself this time. Because fate was made to change and time was made to turn back. You can say that whatever that happened NOW is the second iteration of your lives going. You have to see what you did in the first."


    The memories floating before her changed to show that of the past life''s. Things like Zixin''s accident or bribing the judges in the Authors'' Summit was familiar to her because she had done this in this life too.


    But some memories were too different.


    "When did Guiying win the Summit?" She stared wide-eyed. "It was Ai who won¡­"


    Things were different in the sense that instead of Ai winning and getting popular, it was Guiying who went ahead as Zhan Yahui pulled the strings at the back to flourish her career while destroying Ai''s at the same time. Ai still worked at Dream High but Zhan Yahui''s constant interference in her work never allowed Ai to go further. She did this only for the sake of killing all the competition against Guiying so that she could gain power in Dream which she could then use to enter and control Shi Publishing.


    The last thing that was joyous in Ai''s life was her relationship with Yating. But that changed too when he broke up with Ai one day and got together with Guiying, breaking Ai''s heart beyond repair.

 Chapter 620 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (4)

    ?


    But making Yating break up with Ai was difficult because he loved her as much as she loved him. To Zhan Yahui, it was imperative to throw Ai out of Dream High once and for all and stall her writing career forever.


    For all these years, she secretly manipulated Yating''s father Gu Rong, who had his own connections at Dream High. Since he didn''t like Ai, he didn''t like his son''s closeness with her either and he tried every possible way to set roadblocks in her way so that Ai would quit Dream High herself. But she remained stubborn and so did Yating in supporting her.


    All this time as Zhan Yahui watched herself plotting and concocting all these situations, she couldn''t understand the hell out of it.


    "What is going on¡­? This is me but I never did those things."


    Sure, it was in my plans to use Gu Rong against Ai but it became unnecessary when Ai quit Dream High and joined Sky.


    Then what is happening here? Why is Ai still at Dream High anyway?


    As if already reading her question, the mysterious voice answered, "This is a life that you have lived before and where everything worked the way you wanted to. Or at least for the large part of it until you died."


    "What the fuck are you talking about? I lived this life before? Then what am I living now?" Zhan Yahui grimaced.


    "You are living the same life but with your actions yielding different results. You will soon understand. Keep watching."


    The past life''s memories continued and she saw that to break off Ai''s relationship with Yating, she used the last card that would work against Yating and that was his father.


    She slowly widened her eyes seeing all the things she did behind the scenes that eventually led Gu Rong to collapse from a heart attack.


    "Dad¡­"


    Yating stayed beside him, trembling and watching his father die before him.


    "Yating¡­Please¡­" tears slipped from his eyes as he begged him, "for my sake¡­please leave that girl."


    Yating stiffened.


    "I don''t want to¡­see you with her. Sh-she is not good enough for you¡­" he breathed laboriously.


    He gritted his teeth in fury. "Dad, is this¡­is this your way of emotionally blackmailing me into leaving Ai? I cannot believe that you could do this!"


    Gu Rong trembled and tiredly shook his head. "I¡­am not¡­Please¡­"


    "No! Was this all your act to manipulate me?" His eyes ached and stung with tears. "Even though we had our differences, I still loved and respected you but instead you are stooping so far just because you hate Ai!"


    When the past life''s Zhan Yahui saw that Yating was adamant about not breaking up with Ai, she was forced to play the last card that finally budged the unmoving boulder of his refusal to part ways with Ai.


    ¡¤?¦Èm It was then that Yating was left truly defeated and obliged to listen to his father. The plan succeeded. Yating broke up with Ai and she left Beijing forever.


    At the same time, she also manipulated Guiying to learn the truth of Jun''s MrPerfect''s identity on Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday that made her revolt against him forever. Before that with Zixin''s accident, he had already forgotten about Guiying and CherryBlossom and they never crossed paths again until Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday when Guiying, who thought Jun to be MrPerfect confessed his love to Shui instead.


    The heartbroken Jun was thrown out of the family, refusing to accept Shui''s rejection of his love. Zhan Yahui made full use of this situation to completely cut him off from the Liu family so that there would be no scope left for him to ever get back in his family. It was at that time that Hou Lin secretly exposed the fact that Jun was Sky''s CEO, thereby starting Sky Publishing''s downfall.


    "Send your brother to his condo where he is living so that he could keep an eye on him," Zhan Yahui said to ''Guiying'' as they planned to destroy Jun. And so Cai Lingyun entered as a sort of a butler to work under him.


    The most important day came when Grandma Liu fell extremely sick and was on her deathbed where she wished to see Jun one last time. But with Cai Lingyun''s interference, the news never reached Jun and she passed away without seeing her grandson''s face one last time.


    Zhan Yahui, watching all these actions of the past, slightly parted her lips, stunned. If this was the same Yahui who was illusioned in her father''s love, she would have laughed in victory now.


    "Ah it feels nice¡­Liu Jun must be feeling the same like I did in the past. I lost my Mom without getting to see her one last time," her eyelashes flickered. "She left me just like that. Not seeing his lovely Grandma before her death would have broken him from inside too, right?" She chuckled. "Excellent."


    Zhan Yahui was watching herself and hearing her own words. She still had no clue of these scenes flashing before her and when they happened but she understood the motive behind her actions.


    But seeing Grandma Liu''s funeral where Jun struggled and cried to see her one last time but who was met with animosity and resentment by his family - a revolting feeling against herself rose in her heart for the first time.


    ''You are suffocating her. Stop holding her too hard.''


    ''Hey wake up.''


    ''Where are you taking her? Let us go!''


    It was little Jun''s words that kept circulating in her mind.


    Time moved forward in those memories and during those five years when Jun was away from his family, ''Guiying'' tried to manipulate Shui into marrying Jin to crush Jun''s heart forever. But to ''her'' and Zhan Yahui''s disappointment, Shui never budged from her decision.


    "I love Jin. But I won''t marry him, Guiying. I broke Jun''s heart. It''s my fault that he is away from family. Everybody¡­is broken in that house, Guiying. I won''t marry Jin out of my selfishness. Never."

 Chapter 621 The golden clock shows the past (5)

    ?


    Shui''s adamant decision posed a big problem for Zhan Yahui. For the past five years, Jun had completely lost himself in grief and alcohol and this was the golden chance to put the last strike on his heart. It would break him forever.


    But before Zhan Yahui could play the last card to force Shui, another problem crept before her in the form of Xing Bi.


    Xing Bi, who had lost her job at Dream shortly after Ai left Beijing, passed the five years scraping by and hopping between multiple jobs, barely making any money for herself. But she had never stopped believing in Ai and one such day, she caught sight of one of the Summit''s judges in a bar where she did odd jobs.


    Xing Bi had recognized him and she immediately asked, "You are that judge¡­"


    "Ah?" He was totally drunk but amidst his haziness, he managed to see her. "Who are you?"


    "Zhou Ai''s editor," she lowered her gaze. "...was her editor."


    "Ah? Who is Zhou Ai?"


    Xing Bi clenched her fists. "She is an awesome writer! She is the best writer! How dare you forget her! She participated in Authors'' Summit."


    "Huh¡­?" Suddenly his eyes widened. "Aahhhhh. THAT Zhou Ai? Where that other one won right¡­? W-what was her name?" He stammered, drunk. "Yeah Cai Guiying. The popular one right now¡­"


    "Ai¡­" she bit her lip, tears forming in her eyes. "Ai would have become popular too¡­super popular. Only if Dream High had given her a chance¡­"


    He laughed. "No way¡­Zhou Ai would have never-" he hiccuped, "gone far hahaha¡­"


    She glared at him, feeling an urge to punch him. "She is an awesome writer! I know it. She just needed good opportunities which Dream High never gave her¡­That doesn''t mean that she didn''t deserve rising to the top."


    "You don''t understand," he laughed again and made ''Sshh'' gesture, "This is a secret¡­Nobody knows this. Only me and that o-other judge¡­"


    Xing Bi furrowed her brows. "Secret?"


    He chuckled and leaned forward, signaling her to do the same and whispered. "The Summit was fixed."


    She froze.


    "T-that Summit¡­and the re-results," he felt dizzier, "were already pre-decided¡­Doesn''t matter what Zhou Ai did. My vote was bought for Cai Guiying and so for the other judge."


    "...What?" Xing Bi stared at him, flabbergasted. "Y-You mean Ai was supposed to be the winner of the Summit?"


    "...Ah?" His head rolled left and right. "What?"


    "I am asking if Ai was supposed to win the Summit!?"


    "Hey, hey don''t shout. My h-head aches¡­" he hiccuped, "What do I know¡­We don''t know who¡­was the winner, b-but it didn''t matter. Irrespective of it¡­Cai Guiying would¡­have¡­won¡­"


    Xing Bi couldn''t believe the truth she accidentally stumbled upon. She had tons of questions to ask him but he had already passed out.


    Who¡­? Who would have bribed the judges! This is preposterous and blatantly unethical!


    She gnashed her jaw, feeling furious on Ai''s behalf. If Ai was plotted against such a prestigious competition then how much of Ai''s failure contributed to her own lack of talent all this time?


    Was it really that Ai was less talented than Guiying or was she purposely pushed back to kill all competition against Guiying?


    Suddenly all those past years of Ai''s failures didn''t feel so simple to Xing Bi, and so she promised to herself that she would unearth the truth at any cost.


    For the following months, she did everything in her power, including talking to that judge she came across in the bar to know in detail about the rigged results, but nothing came to fruition. He refused any such claims of talking about the Summit to Xing Bi and neither did she have any evidence to support it.


    But since Guiying won the Summit and she went so far in her career, her suspicions naturally upon her and Zhan Yahui.


    "But Ai and Guiying were best friends! Why would she do this¡­"


    She remembered that Ai broke up with Yating after which he began to date Guiying.


    She gasped. "Is it because she felt jealous of Ai and Yating''s relationship? Is it because she loved Yating too that she went against Ai?"


    She didn''t know if it was true or not but she swore upon her name that she would dig out the truth and give Ai her rightful place. After a certain point when she felt helpless to find out any way, she hired a private investigator to look into Guiying and Zhan Yahui.


    A few months later, he too had suspicions that somebody was doing something in the background to make things in Guiying''s favor. Majority of resources and promotions went to her. Yating''s relationship with Ai had also fallen apart and the Chief Editor now dated the popular writer.


    Everything was so perfect for Cai Guiying, whether career or love wise that even the investigator felt odd about it.


    "They are being very cautious and also cunning about this. They are not leaving any evidence and they are not doing anything directly. It''s like they are manipulating others to do what they want."


    "Guiying or Zhan Yahui can hide or play smart as much as they want! But I won''t let this go¡­" Xing Bi trembled. "I will prove it to the world that Ai was wronged!"


    The stubbornness that Xing Bi showed naturally didn''t bode well with Zhan Yahui, who was already aware that she was being investigated.


    "I cannot let her roam around anymore," she coldly said to Hou Lin, "she won''t stop until she digs out something against me. She is hell bent on bringing the truth out, and I cannot let that happen. Everything is going just as I wanted and I cannot let her of all people ruin it for me," she smiled. "It''s unfortunate but she must die. We can deal with the investigator later."


    The next day was the last day of her life as Xing Bi set out to meet the investigator to work upon the clues. But her car''s brakes failed, and it skidded and crashed hard into a tree.


    "Ai¡­I will¡­prove¡­just wait¡­please¡­Ai¡­" she mumbled as she took her last breath, her eyes getting blurred by the dripping blood from her forehead. Her injuries were so severe that she couldn''t last until the ambulance arrived.


    "Why is everyone gathered there?" A man asked sometime later as he looked out of his car''s window, passing by that location.


    "It seems an accident has happened, young master."


    "I see..."


    By then, the ambulance had arrived. Xing Bi was taken out of the car and laid on the ambulance stretcher.


    A pair of black eyes stared at Xing Bi''s dead body on that stretcher.


    "Young master Nian? Is something the matter?"


    Nian''s stupor broke and he softly said, "Nothing," his eyelashes flickered once, "Or maybe yes. It''s strange. I don''t know who she is...was. But I feel this sense of loss as if¡­I have lost somebody really important to me."

 Chapter 622 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (6)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui watched Xing Bi''s death unfold in utter silence. She was still at a loss of all these strange memories that never happened in her life but she could very well imagine taking Xing Bi''s life for the sake of protecting her revenge.


    First it was Zixin who lost his memories because of the deadly accident she planned and then it was Xing Bi''s death. One threat was sorted.


    But on the other hand, the situation of making Shui agree to marrying Jin remained at a stand still even months later. So as the last resort, Zhan Yahui hatched a plan.


    She made Cai Lingyun add heavy sedatives in Jun''s drinks to make him fall unconscious. Taking advantage of this, ''Guiying'' threatened to kill Jun if Shui didn''t agree to her demands.


    "Why are you doing this!" Shui asked, crying hard. "What has Jun done to you that you are being so cruel! He is already broken¡­How much more do you want me to break him?"


    "Until he is unable to stand on his feet," ''Guiying'' ruthlessly said. "Do as I say or you won''t see Jun again. Nobody will."


    The conversation left Shui shattered. There was no way she would ever see Jun die. Thereafter she did the only thing that she could do in that situation to save Jun from harm''s way. She knew Jin wouldn''t agree if she just abruptly asked for marriage. So she cut herself in order to threaten him.


    Zhan Yahui watched all this in a stunned stupor. She was aware that Jun and Shui were good childhood friends but to put her life in danger for his sake and also making Jin hate her forever was something she had never imagined Shui would do.


    She rejoiced when she got the news of Shui and Jin''s wedding. That would be the last straw to completely and utterly annihilate Jun from within. The man who destroyed her family would be destroyed beyond repair.


    But it was as if Zhan Yahui''s happiness was short-lived because around the same time, she also learned that Ai was back in Beijing.


    "She came back after she learned of Xing Bi''s death," Hou Lin said. "But she doesn''t seem to believe the forged record of her drink and driving accident."


    She gritted her teeth. "Oh God! First Xing Bi and now Zhou Ai! What the hell is their problem? It''s like these people keep on coming. They already left Dream High so why can''t they just stay quiet in their own life?"


    "Zhou Ai is trying to contact the private investigator that Xing Bi had hired."


    "But you already dealt with him."


    "Nevertheless, she is trying to find out about him."


    Zhan Yahui shut her eyes and said, "Let me think."


    She cut the call, throwing curses at Ai.


    "I have to do something about her. I don''t care how many people die, I won''t let anybody come in my way."


    At the same time, she saw Guiying in a strangely off mood that day. Her gaze looked lifeless and defeated.


    "What happened to you now?"


    "...Ai returned to Beijing."


    "Yeah so? Don''t tell me you are worried because you feel threatened by her."


    She said nothing.


    Zhan Yahui''s expression twisted. "Oh come on you cannot be serious."


    "You know what? All this time¡­Bro hardly talked to me. He never bo-bothered with me. But as soon as Ai came back, he changed. He smiled at me but only because¡­only because he was talking about Ai. Only because¡­" she trembled, "he cannot wait to meet Ai. How he missed her so much. He even told me to keep Yating away from her¡­He doesn''t want Ai to meet Yating and rekindle her love for him. Everything¡­was all about Ai. Then¡­" it pained her to speak as tears fell, "Then wh-what about me, Yahui?"


    Zhan Yahui didn''t know what to say.


    "I am¡­I am tired, Yahui¡­" her eyes grew wetter and her body shivered harder. "I am so tired. Every single time¡­it''s all about Ai for him. I came this far and I thought that there would be one day when Bro will feel proud of me. But that day¡­just never comes for me because the only person he looks at is Ai. A-and it hurts, Yahui¡­It hurts bad because it looks like I am invisible to him."


    Zhan Yahui yawned. "And I told you a million times to ignore the hell of your useless brother. If you are invisible to him, then he should be invisible to you too. Have some self-respect even if he is your only family. That''s your problem. You feed too much attention to his ego. Whatever. Just go back home and calm down."


    Guiying was mentally exhausted so she did as she was told. But this conversation brought forth a deadly idea in her mind.


    She said to Hou Lin as she smiled. "I heard Zhou Ai is coming to Dream High tomorrow to fetch some remaining things Xing Bi had left. And I see Guiying is at her limit. It will explode if they meet face to face."


    "How will this help us?"


    "When Zhou Ai used to work here, she liked going to the terrace. She frequently hung out with Gu Yating at a particular spot too. I had seen them together a few times. Considering their past relationship, I am sure Zhou Ai would be emotionally pulled to go to the terrace and at that same place once again."


    "So?"


    "That will be her last time."


    "I don''t understand."


    "Let''s just say we need to do a little bit of tinkering with the railing."


    "You mean to say that Ai will fall from the terrace?"


    "Thanks to Guiying."


    He frowned. "She won''t push Ai to her death."


    "Not purposely of course but I will be sure to spread more poison in her heart that she will feel compelled to feel violent."


    Hou Lin stayed silent.


    "What?"


    "Xing Bi is already dead. How many people will have to kill, Yahui?"


    "As many as would dare to come in my way."


    "Do you think¡­this is the right thing to do?"


    Her gaze burned with a sense of madness. "There is no right and wrong for me, Lin. My world starts and ends with revenge. I won''t stop until I cripple the Liu family and if people will meddle in my business, then yes, I will kill them without mercy."

 Chapter 623 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (7)

    ?


    The fateful day arrived. On one side was Shui and Jin''s wedding. Jun, who woke up clueless, had no idea what happened to him and how he fell unconscious. But Cai Lingyun was ready with his story to fool him. He, who used to drown himself in alcohol, didn''t feel anything wrong to know that he had collapsed and passed out hard after some heavy rounds of drinking.


    "I am glad you are okay, Sir¡­"


    Jun noticed his hesitation filled expression and asked, "Why do you look so tense?"


    Cai Lingyun brushed him off but Jun remained adamant.


    "Th-that¡­it''s better you are off without knowing Sir¡­"


    "Huh? What is this thing that I am better off without knowing?"


    "Sir I don''t-"


    "Just shut up and tell me already!" Jun only got further irritated with the headache he was already having.


    ?andasnovel¡¤?om "Today is your brother and Miss. Han Shui''s wedding!"


    Jun gave him a blank stare. "What?"


    Cai Lingyun feigned more tension between his brows. "Yes¡­It''s their wedding today."


    "Jin and Shui?"


    "Yes."


    "That''s not possible."


    "I-It''s true Sir¡­"


    Cai Lingyun was scared shitless with how Jun reacted. Jun''s expression twisted with such violence and his body trembled with such rage that he had a strong urge to run away from him. It was scarier when Jun took out a gun and stormed off the condo without saying a word further.


    "H-he reacted as you expected but damn that was scary as hell! He is definitely gonna kill his brother today!"


    Zhan Yahui chuckled. Whether he kills him or not doesn''t matter. What I want will happen for sure. There is no going back for Liu Jun after today. This is his end."


    The present Zhan Yahui watching all this clutched her dress tightly in her palm. Her heart raced faster in her chest, feeling that the moment she was waiting for and why these strange memories were being shown to her would present itself before her at any moment.


    The scene of Jin''s death came crystal clear before her eyes as Jun accidentally fired a shot to his chest. Cai Lingyun''s words came true. Indeed, Jun became the reason behind Jin''s death and also the last straw why Nana collapsed.


    But the even more sickening feeling pitted in her stomach when she saw herself getting dressed as a nurse and meeting Jun outside the hospital. He was desperately waiting to hear the news that Nana was out of danger.


    But instead what he got was - "I am sorry to say but Mrs. Liu has passed away. My condolences."


    The past''s Zhan Yahui enjoyed Jun''s misery, but it was at this moment that the Zhan Yahui of now witnessed the true moment of Liu Jun breaking forever. His brother''s and his mother''s death had shattered his heart to the point of no return. She stared at his dark brown irises which said countless unsaid things.


    Repentance wasn''t going to be an option. Not after today. I think you should take a look at pandasnovel.com


    The regret had utterly killed his very soul and it was then she could see the question arise in his eyes - ''Then what was the point of keeping this body alive?''


    The will to keep living on had dissipated from his being.


    As Jun had seemingly come to a decision, Ai on the other side, faced her own heartbreak for a second time. And this time not just from Yating but also Guiying, who she always considered as her best friend.


    Things went just as Zhan Yahui had planned. Ai came to Dream High. After collecting Xing Bi''s things, she went to the terrace, not being able to hold herself back from reminiscing about the time she had spent with Yating.


    But instead of a peaceful time, what she got was hatred and poison from Guiying.


    "Then my career wasn''t enough for you. My elder brother''s praises weren''t enough for you that you took away the last thing I had in my life. The last thing which was keeping me sane. The man I fell in love with. You had to snatch him away too from me, didn''t you?"


    The words stung Ai sharper than thorns but the anger in Guiying''s eyes hurt even more.


    "Only if we hadn''t met Zhou Ai!"


    Guiying''s push made Ai stumble and just as Zhan Yahui had already made all the arrangements, the railing behind her broke apart and she rapidly fell, leaving Guiying and Yating aghast.


    Ai fell and kept falling until she landed harshly upon someone''s car roof which had just crashed against Dream High building''s entrance.


    This whole time, Zhan Yahui had her breath stuck in her throat. Her eyes widened as she realized the almost impossible to believe coincidence that Ai fell to her death on none other than Jun''s car.


    She stared at the scene unfolding before her, wide-eyed and with her lips parted in shock.


    How is this¡­


    She had two separate intentions towards Jun and Ai. Their worlds were different. She had planned differently to get them out of her way but somehow fate connected the seemingly disconnected threads as if it was all a part of just one big knot.


    Two people met in their final moments who turned out to be connected to Zhan Yahui. It was so hard to digest that this whole incident felt arbitrary to her.


    They breathed their last, ending Liu Jun and Zhou Ai''s lives forever.


    "This doesn''t end here. You didn''t stop here."


    The same mysterious voice echoed in Zhan Yahui''s ears, making her shudder. "What is wrong with you! What is wrong with this place!?"


    Instead of any answer, more of the past life''s reality came before her to show her what happened after Jun and Ai''s deaths.


    The Liu family had broken like never before. The three deaths had crushed them to their bones. It was nothing but despair that continued to loom upon them after that dreadful day.


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying looked soulless. Ai was their entire world and that in itself had ceased to exist now.


    Then there were Guiying and Yating who couldn''t believe that Ai fell to her death right before them, especially Guiying who had forced the last push on her.


    "What did I do...I killed Ai...I..." Guiying collapsed on her knees, "killed Ai. I am a murderer..."

 Chapter 624 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (8)

    ?


    Ai''s death had left a gaping hole in everybody''s lives. The shock had left Yating dead from inside but when reality dawned upon him, the guilt he felt towards himself was unimaginable.


    "She was there¡­She was right there. I could have caught her hand¡­"


    The butler of the Gu family, Uncle Mo, was heartbroken to see Yating in this state. Ever since that night, Yating had never come to regain his composure. He would be in his room the entire day, mumbling to himself and staring at the empty space ahead with a dead gaze.


    "I could have caught her hand¡­I would have reached her if I had just¡­Ai would have not fallen¡­I could have caught her hand¡­"


    "Young master¡­" Uncle Mo vigorously shook his shoulders to make him snap out of it. "Young master, please hold yourself together! Nothing was your fault," he trembled tearfully. "You know what happened in high school with your friend who fell from the third floor. It''s not like you didn''t help Miss. Zhou purposely, so please stop blaming yourself."


    "It''s my fault¡­It''s all my fault¡­Ai died because of me¡­I killed her¡­She would be alive if I had held her hand¡­" his misty eyes shone even though the light in them had died ages ago. "I shouldn''t have¡­broken Ai''s heart. I shouldn''t have betrayed Ai. I-If we were still together th-then she wouldn''t have had to leave Beijing¡­She would have been by my side. I would have protected her. Is fate punishing me¡­? But then it should have killed me instead, right¡­? Why¡­Why did Ai have to die¡­"


    ?andasnovel.com "Young master¡­"


    Butler Mo felt helpless. He didn''t know what he should do to help Yating. Nothing seemed to work.


    "Gu Yating!"


    Suddenly an extremely raging and ferocious voice roared from the living room. As Butler Mo slowly helped Yating out of his room, Yating trembled upon seeing the man.


    He had never personally met Ai''s parents, but he knew that the man standing before him right now was Ai''s father, Zhou Yichen.


    Yating went ahead with Butler Mo feeling anxious. "Young master, he is furious. He might hurt you-"


    "He has lost his daughter, Uncle Mo. He is in pain¡­more than anybody else here. That''s why, I will be more than happy if he kills me," he wryly smiled.


    Zhou Yichen trembled in anger seeing Yating facing him. It was evident that Yating himself was in despair. He had bags under his eyes, he was thin and lacking sleep and he looked as if somebody had snatched his vitality away from him.


    But none of that affected Zhou Yichen. He grabbed his shirt''s collar and looked straight into his eyes with red, teary and tired eyes. "Ai¡­My Ai loved you a lot, Gu Yating. She wanted nothing more than a happy life with you. The five years away from Beijing and away from you had crippled her."


    His eyelashes trembled.


    "She could never forget you. No matter¡­" his voice broke, "No matter how much I tried to cheer her up, she would only give me a smile filled with pain and sadness. She had lost everything, Gu Yating. Her career, her love, her respect and dignity as a writer¡­She was just passing her life in Xuanhua. So¡­wasn''t that enough already that she had to die as well?"I think you should take a look at pandasnovel.com


    Yating closed his eyes, tears plopping down on his cheeks


    "Give me answer, you fucker! Why did my daughter have to die!? What did she do so wrong that she never got anything she wished for?" He gnashed his jaw, his fingers tightening on his shirt. "Why did the two most important people in her life have to betray her trust? Why couldn''t you save her Gu Yating!?"


    "Young master didn''t do it on purpose-" Butler Mo interrupted to anxiously explain Zhou Yichen Yating''s side of things.


    But Yating made a small gesture to not speak a word. He didn''t want anybody''s defense or give Zhou Yichen any excuses.


    "And as if everything has happened is not enough already that your company is accusing my Ai of committing suicide!? My Ai would never kill herself and you know that too! Why¡­why is the world being unjust to her even though she is already dead! Why can''t you all just leave her alone!? Even in her death, you selfish bastards are only thinking about protecting your company''s image even if it would come at the cost of my daughter''s!"


    Yating stiffened. His eyes slowly widened in shock. After Ai''s death, he had locked himself in his room and lost all contact with the world, so he didn''t know what news was being flashed around social media. He and Guiying knew the truth more than anybody else.


    Who the hell did this¡­?


    He gritted his teeth, now just as furious as Zhou Yichen.


    "Un-Uncle Zh-"


    "You have no right to call me, Uncle. The man who was too cowardly to meet his girlfriend''s parents even once has no right to act so familiar to me!"


    Butler Mo shed helpless tears.


    Young master didn''t meet you because he wanted to build a company for Miss. Zhou and prove himself before facing you. He wanted to step out of his father''s shadow. Young master never¡­


    But at this point, none of that mattered to Yating, neither did he have interest to defend his intentions to Zhou Yichen.


    Yating''s lips lifted into a soft but sad smile. "You are right. I lost that right years ago already. Mr. Zhou. I didn''t know that this news was being spread in the media otherwise I would have already stopped it. I don''t know who is gutsy enough to mask this accident as a suicide, but I promise you I will end this farce right now. I killed Ai¡­I failed in protecting her. I will confess my sin and face my punishment."


    "I don''t need your sorry punishment, Gu Yating," Zhou Yichen laughed without any hint of warmth in it. "Ai was never a coward to end her life and I want that stain taken off her. I only came here to tell you that Dream High made a big mistake by targeting my daughter. I will prove her innocence and take selfish company down. Neither you nor anybody else will be able to stop me."

 Chapter 625 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (9)

    ?


    At her home, Guiying was in a similar state as Yating, devastated and hopeless. She had buried herself in her room, hugging her knees to her chest and trembling hard as the sight of Ai''s fall refused to leave her mind. The only nightmares that greeted her sleep were that of Ai''s death.


    "I killed Ai. I killed Ai. D-Did I really kill Ai? I-I really pushed her¡­?"


    Her body shivered harder and her tears fell fiercer. Whenever she looked at her hands, all she could see was blood on them as if she was a murderer.


    "No¡­No, no! I¡­I¡­didn''t want to push her¡­I didn''t want Ai to die¡­"


    "Stop it already! You didn''t kill her!"


    ''Guiying'' within her lashed out, unable to bear Guiying torturing and blaming herself. "Get it through your thick head! You didn''t kill her! You pushed her because you were agitated, not because you wanted to murder her! You didn''t know that the railing would fall off. How is it your fault-"


    "Stop! Stop! Stop!" Guiying shut her eyes and ears crying hard. She knew what her alter ego would say but even though she wanted to believe in her words, she couldn''t. She couldn''t just brush off Ai''s death as an accident when it were her hands that had pushed her.


    She was so ashamed of herself that she couldn''t gather the courage to meet Ai''s parents even once. She wanted to owe her blunder, but her legs felt numb to take even a step forward. Ever since that night she had been trembling and crying in her room all alone, feeling she was going crazy.


    But another huge storm barged into her house in the form of an angry Cai Lingyun who was just as shocked and miserable over Ai''s death. He kicked the door open and immediately grabbed her by her hair, his eyes and expression fuming with black smoke of fury.


    Apart from Yating, he was the only one who came to know later that Ai had last met up with Guiying because Guiying had herself confessed this in a state of imbalance.


    "You killed Ai! You fucking killed Ai!"


    An excruciating pain shot up in her scalp and she yelped but Cai Lingyun''s outrage was beyond control. "I loved her so much. I loved Ai so much¡­But you pushed my Ai? How dare you!!"


    He slapped her hard on her cheek, making Guiying fall on her knees. Her eyes watered, her heart pounded faster.


    "Why did you have to kill Ai!? Why!? What did she do to you!" He clutched her neck and dug his fingers in her skin, choking her hard. "You snatched my Ai away from me, Guiying¡­My own sister snatched my love from me! Are you really my sister or my enemy!"


    He pushed her on the floor and kicked her body in a fit of rage. "You know what? I don''t care if that other person comes out today¡­" he gasped and breathed harder, "that other crazy woman who threatens me and protects you. I don''t fucking care because you killed Ai! You killed Ai, Guiying!"


    Guiying writhed in pain on the floor and naturally, ''Guiying'' fought hard to take control of her body but she didn''t let her. She didn''t let her possess her mind and body even though she could feel ''her'' burning resentment in her heart.


    For the first time in her life, Guiying felt like she didn''t need nor did she deserve any protection. If Cai Lingyun wanted to hit her, then she held no qualms.


    I killed Ai¡­I think you should take a look at pandasnovel.com


    Cai Lingyun let out his anger in the form of his physical abuse as he gritted and gnashed his teeth. "You were nowhere near Ai, Guiying! Did you fucking let your success in your head that you thought that you were greater than Ai? Never! Did you push her because you felt jealous of her? But it was useless because you could never compare to her!"


    She froze. She parted her lips but couldn''t make a sound. Guilt, remorse, shame, regret - every emotion took root in her heart. But the feeling to know that she was always lesser than Ai in her brother''s eyes crushed her anew every single time even after all these years.


    Her body suffered his kicks and beatings, but her heart felt too barren to feel the pain. Cai Lingyun left the house after taking out all his anger on her for the day, but she knew he would be coming back again. Tomorrow, the day after and the next¡­His violence after losing Ai forever was never going to end.


    She tremblingly supported herself and stared at the purple bruises forming on her skin. Her phone lit with continuous calls from Zhan Yahui, but she didn''t receive any of them.


    Guiying vacantly opened her cupboard and took out a photo album. It had pictures of those innocent days when they were in high school. When competition and comparison hadn''t crept in her heart yet.


    She feebly smiled, her eyes turning misty looking Ai in those pictures.


    Those were such good days¡­


    Why couldn''t we remain friends like that, Ai?


    Ah I am so foolish¡­


    It''s my fault¡­It was always my fault¡­


    I snatched Yating from you first and now I snatched your life from you too¡­


    I am¡­unforgivable.


    Guiying kept the photo album back and shakily unlocked her phone. She ignored all text messages, including Zhan Yahui''s. Steeling her heart, she read the news circling on social media which was all filled with not only Ai but also the deaths of Liu family sons.


    Her blurred gaze slowly widened as she read the names of Jin''s accident and Jun''s suicide. Then it was flashed everywhere how Ai committed suicide instead of any accident occuring.


    ?andasnovel¡¤?om She clearly remembered how her alter ego had threatened Shui. Was it that one action that took Jin and Jun''s lives? Not just theirs but also Nana''s who couldn''t bear the grief of losing her two sons.


    The phone fell from her hands, and her body shook even more fervently than before.


    How many people¡­have I killed?

 Chapter 626 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (10)

    ?


    The past life''s Zhan Yahui was beyond frustrated with the lack of Guiying''s answers to her numerous calls.


    "If she hated Ai then why is she so traumatized? When will she snap out of it!"


    Hou Lin slowly said, "Zhou Ai was her best friend."


    She snorted. "Not for the last five years that I know of. If she was such a good friend, it wouldn''t have been easy for me to manipulate her. Why is she being so dramatic now?"


    Her phone rang but instead of it being from Guiying, Yating''s number flashed on it. Before she could even greet him a hello, his agitated voice exclaimed from the other side. "What the hell is happening!"


    Zhan Yahui took the phone away from her ear. "Hey, pipe down. Why are you shouting at me?" Her gaze darkened.


    "Of course I will shout at you! I will scream at the entire Dream High. What bullshit is this news of Ai committing suicide!?"


    She cocked her brow lazily. "How is it bullshit? She fell from the terrace. What else should the news show?"


    "The truth, Zhan Yahui! And the truth is that Ai died of an accident! She¡­" it took a few moments for him to calm down and speak without stammering, "She died because of me. I couldn''t save her in time. I lost Ai because I was a coward¡­"


    The grief in his voice was so deep that it could tug anybody''s heartstrings. But it hardened again. "If it was my fault that Ai died then why the fuck did Dream High give a statement that she killed herself!? This is bullshit!"


    "It''s not bullshit if you cool down and think things through," she dryly said, "I know it''s because of Guiying that the accident happened. She fought, things got ugly and then¡­well unfortunately, we cannot change the situation but we can salvage it to prevent it from screwing any further."


    "...What the hell are you talking about?"


    "I am talking sense, Gu Yating. You don''t possibly think that Dream High will own up to the accident and let Guiying be in the line of fire, do you? Did you seriously think that we will confess that Zhou Ai died because Guiying accidentally pushed her?"


    "That''s the fucking truth!"


    "Which shouldn''t be out or else Guiying''s career will be over. Can you think of the repercussions this will have? It was an accident for sure but will people completely agree to it? I cannot afford any rumors to be made against my top author. Who knows what sort of toxicity will spread against her? This one incident will ruin her and Dream High''s image too."


    Yating couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "You¡­you cannot be seriously thinking of career or reputation here, Zhan Yahui. Ai has died for God''s sake! She died by falling off the terrace because of Guiying and me! You think that instead of owning up to our sin, we should push the reason onto Ai herself? That she killed herself? Are you out of your fucking mind!? Like hell I will allow this!"


    ?andasnovel¡¤?om Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes.


    "Ai¡­" his voice broke as he choked, "Ai is already no more¡­I have lost her. I will¡­I will never get to see her again, Zhan Yahui. Do you really understand what it means to lose someone? What it means for somebody to die?"


    She wryly chuckled. "Oh trust me, Gu Yating. I know that pain very well¡­"


    "Then please don''t disrespect Ai''s death and her dignity. She wasn''t a coward to take her life, Zhan Yahui. I know that and so do her parents. I won''t allow anybody to put a stain on her reputation to save Dream High''s. Do you even understand what her parents might be feeling!? Dream High is covering up an accident to show it was a suicide. This is beyond lying!"


    She sneered. "It''s not your decision but Dream High''s."


    "And I won''t sit down and take this shit. I will come out and confess everything no matter what the consequences would be. I don''t care about Guiying or myself because Ai doesn''t deserve this," his shaky breaths could be heard from the other side.I think you should take a look at pandasnovel.com


    "I suggest you think about your late father a little, Gu Yating. Mr. Gu Rong is already no more and you have Gu Corps'' responsibility too. Imagine everybody knowing young master Gu getting involved in a scandal related to his ex-girlfriend. Do you think the board will let you go scot free? You running Gu Corps was your father''s dream and last wish. I hope YOU think more on that front rather than giving justice for a woman you had already broken up with five years ago."


    Silence. Her every word squeezed Yating''s heart as if it was being twisted. It only brought upon more agony.


    "You are right¡­I have been a terrible boyfriend. I have been a horrible person to Ai. That''s why this time¡­I will try to correct my sins. I am irredeemable and I know that, Zhan Yahui. But if it brings peace to Ai''s soul even a little bit¡­even a tiny bit¡­then I won''t hesitate to do what it takes to make her happy. Neither you can stop me nor Dream High."


    This stubborn man!


    Zhan Yahui gritted her teeth in fury.


    How the hell am I supposed to deal with him!?


    But before she could think any further, Hou Lin''s grave expression made her furrow her brows.


    He glanced at her with a deadly serious countenance and showed her the latest post trending on social media. A post that was made by Guiying just a few minutes ago and already going viral everywhere.


    Zhan Yahui grabbed the phone and as she read her message, she froze and her eyes widened.


    Guiying, with her pen name CherryBlossom, had typed -


    ''I killed Ai. It was me who pushed Ai from the terrace in a fit of anger. I fought with her. I blamed her. I spoke harsh words to her. I snatched her love from her. I¡­was the one to break off our years of lovely friendship because of my jealousy and insecurity.


    It was always Ai who was more talented than me. She was the real winner of the national writing competition held when we were in high school. She was a true gem in every sense and I was nothing but a fake. She had every capability to shine as a writer but I snatched it all away from her¡­


    I always felt jealous of her because I was always lacking as compared to her. But now that I have lost her¡­I realize how foolish I have been. I lost the only true friend I had and now I am completely alone. It feels¡­miserable. But it''s too late. I cannot bring Ai back. No amount of regret will turn time back.


    But at least¡­before I bid you all goodbye¡­


    I want to confess that Ai didn''t kill herself. She was a very, very strong woman. Much stronger than me. More beautiful than me, much more talented than me and much kinder than me¡­


    And I killed that very same friend with my own hands. My hands are forever stained with her blood that I won''t be able to wash off. I not only used Ai but also Han Shui that only brought upon the tragic deaths in Liu family and all...all because of me. I will never be able to forgive myself. That''s why I will atone for my sins the only way that I can think of¡­


    Thank you everyone for loving me all this time. I am forever grateful for your kindness. But I cannot live a shameless life where my hands pushed my best friend to her death.


    That''s why this will be CherryBlossom''s end.


    I am sorry, Ai. I know it''s too late for everything. I cannot undo the damage and pain I caused to you. Thank you for being my friend Ai¡­and I am sorry that I couldn''t be the friend to you that you wished for.


    I am so¡­very sorry¡­''

 Chapter 627 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (11)

    ?


    The door was forcibly pushed open and as Zhan Yahui, Yating and some other higher ups of Dream High rushed inside the house, they felt the eerie silence in the air. Zhan Yahui ran towards the bedroom and she, along with everybody else, found Guiying lying on the bed.


    Zhan Yahui slowly walked towards her, taking light and quiet steps. She saw a small and open bottle and considering how it was empty from inside, it was easy to draw the conclusion that Guiying had consumed all the sleeping pills from it and died from an overdose.


    Yating stared at her blankly but the reality still refused to register in his mind. His unblinking eyes looked at her dead body in a daze and so did Zhan Yahui''s. Yating quickly propped his knee to feel her pulse but there was none. There was no use calling for an ambulance.


    Cai Guiying was no more.


    "Cai Guiying re-really killed herself!?"


    "I-I cannot believe this¡­"


    "What will happen now?"


    "First Zhou Ai''s death and now Cai Guiying''s! How will we handle this? Especially her readers and fans!?"


    Everybody suddenly stopped talking as they felt a deadly and cold stare from Yating. They zipped their mouths shut, not speaking a word further.


    "Guiying gave up on her life¡­and all you can think about is PR right now?" The danger in his voice made them sweat hard.


    Zhan Yahui kept staring at Guiying, her last words on her post echoing in her mind.


    ''I am so¡­very sorry¡­''


    She clenched her fists, an unknown emotion swirling in her gaze. Without saying a word further, she turned and left Guiying''s room. Everybody else was puzzled by this behavior as they expected Zhan Yahui to give more of a devastated reaction. Guiying was the writer under her after all.


    But all they saw was indifference.


    Zhan Yahui left Guiying''s apartment and headed straight towards where Cai Lingyun was. Her sudden appearance jolted him in shock.


    "What are you-"


    Before he could complete his question, a sharp and deadly punch landed on his face. There was no chance or time to defend himself and he fell back hard, pain shooting over his entire face. His nose bled like anything and her knuckles had hit his left eye, making him almost blind from the impact.


    "Are the bruises on Guiying''s body because of you?"


    Her voice was so quiet that it sent shivers down his spine for a moment. But remembering Ai''s death discarded the fear erupting within him.


    "Ye-Yeah so what!" She retorted harshly with tears forming in his eyes. "She deserved it! She killed Ai. She killed my Ai¡­! I want to marry Ai but she killed the woman I love! That useless sister of mine cannot be even compared to Ai and the nerve of her to push her! I should kill her too rather than just punching the shit out of her-"


    A second punch landed on his face that was even more lethal than before. This time, it wasn''t just limited to a punch but several kicks landed on his body.


    "You¡­Because of you, Guiying killed herself. It wasn''t the sleeping pills but your fucking poison that killed her¡­"


    His eyes widened amidst the pain stinging his body. "Huh? Kill herself?"I think you should take a look at pandasnovel.com


    A sense of madness enveloped her gaze and her lips curved into a creepy and sinister smile. "How do you feel after killing your sister? I suppose you would be very thrilled, wouldn''t you?"


    "Gu-Guiying committed suicide¡­?"


    "Oh my look at the shock on your face as if you never expected this."


    Cai Lingyun was genuinely aghast by this news but soon, an angry laughter escaped his lips. "Guiying¡­Guiying killed herself huh? That''s great! That''s what she deserves! Finally, she did something right, otherwise I would have strangled her with my own hands!"


    Her gaze darkened further.


    "She was nothing but a useless girl ever since childhood! The only merit she had for me was that she became best friends with Ai. But now even my Ai¡­sh-she killed her¡­she deserved to die!"


    "I killed Ai."


    ?andasnovel¡¤?om "...What?"


    Zhan Yahui took out a small bottle from her bag and bent on her knee. She casually uncapped the bottle and spilled out all the sleeping pills from it.


    "You are right. It was Guiying who pushed Ai but it was my intervention that killed her. Guiying was simply agitated at that man who was supposed to be her elder brother but turned out to be a fucking abusive ass. A man who should have treasured his sister in their parents'' absence but turned out to be the biggest curse of her life. It wasn''t the guilt that killed Guiying but her brother''s years of indifference and comparison instead."


    She smiled. "Responsible elder brothers protect their sisters. You couldn''t do the protection part for your whole life but at least you could join her in the afterlife before you move to spend your entirety in hell."


    "Y-you¡­!" He freaked out seeing her manic expression. "Don''t blame me as if you were any good to her! You used her for your own selfishness too!"


    "Yes, I did. But I don''t feel guilty, neither Guiying should feel sad about it because I am not her sister. I didn''t make any promises. We don''t share the same blood, that''s why I was not obligated to be nice to her. But you were and you failed. Pathetically I must say so."


    "S-so why are you here punching me if you don''t care about her!?"


    "Because I lost the writer I so painstakingly groomed to be my winning ticket for my revenge plan. So you have to bear the responsibility now."


    Zhan Yahui grabbed his hair and forcefully pushed all the pills down his throat. He resisted crazily, but the punches on his face were so painful that it hurt more even if he moved slightly.


    Cai Lingyun violently coughed after being forced to gulp all the pills. He tried to puke them out, but she didn''t let him.


    "No, no, don''t bother. You die here. This is your end, Cai Lingyun. Your sorry life doesn''t deserve to breathe anymore."


    Cai Lingyun struggled helplessly on the floor and wriggled, clutching his neck. His face grew pale as the overdose of sleeping pills started to kick in.


    Zhan Yahui coldly stayed there and watched him the entire time until Cai Lingyun breathed his last and lay dead.


    It was silent once again and after a long time, Zhan Yahui stood up and headed out as if nothing had happened. She walked on the road in the dead of the night, her mind devoid of any thoughts and an expression so vacant that felt deserted.


    But even through that seemingly deadpan gaze, yet another tiny tear had trickled out of her irises that settled on her wet eyelashes.

 Chapter 628 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (12)

    ?


    The news of Guiying''s suicide spread like wildfire everywhere, including Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying.


    Xie Nuying tremblingly read the news, tears spilling out of her irises. She couldn''t believe what she was reading. Never did she imagine that Ai''s best friend would be the one by whose hands she would die one day. Neither did they realize how much resentment Guiying silently carried against her heart.


    "Ai¡­"


    The phone fell from her hands and she wailed with Ai''s memories gushing inside her. The fact that Ai would only remain as a memory from now on was a grief beyond her capacity to bear.


    Not only Ai, Guiying''s suicide affected them equally as they never considered her any less than their daughter. Though she was responsible for Ai''s death, a numbing pain still hurt them to know that Guiying was no more.


    With Guiying''s last message, the misunderstanding clouding over Ai''s suicide had become crystal clear. Naturally, such a huge cover up brought bad press for Dream High. The scandal left a huge black stain on its reputation, which should have made Zhou Yichen happy but he was far from it.


    It was true that he was at peace knowing that the ridiculous claim of Ai''s suicide had proved to be wrong, but there was something else that bugged him like crazy.


    Xie Nuying noticed his cold gaze and asked, wiping her tears. "What is it¡­?"


    "I don''t buy it."


    She didn''t understand. "Buy what?"


    "Ai-chan''s death. I don''t buy it. It''s not possible that she would fall off just because Guiying accidentally pushed her. The terrace was obviously supported by a railing that was as high as up to someone''s chest. So how did she fall beyond the railing? It just broke off? I visited Dream High the day they spread shit news about Ai-chan. How come only that part of the railing broke off and the rest is fine!? There is definitely something fishy!"


    Xie Nuying stiffened. "D-don''t be foolish, Yichen. You cannot possibly imply that¡­somebody plotted f-for Ai to¡­d-die?" Her voice shivered at the end.


    "I don''t know but I will find it! Until I get all my answers about Ai-chan''s¡­" he bit his lower lip hard, "I won''t let this go. We have lost our only child, Nuying. I won''t rest until I know from A to Z as to what happened and why it happened!"


    And so Zhou Yichen set towards unearthing the real tragedy behind Ai''s death by hook or crook, but he always met a dead end. Refusing to budge, he eventually contacted his friend from the police department he was acquainted with at one point during the time he worked part time as an assistant for a reputed lawyer. Working with the lawyer had helped him form connections with a retired police officer in Beijing.


    Who was none other than Shui''s Uncle, Soo Yunru.


    As Soo Yunru heard his story, he couldn''t help but part his lips, stunned. "Zhou Ai¡­She was your daughter?"


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying blinked at him. "Yes. Did you know her?" He anxiously asked.


    "You are the one who met Liu Jinhai at the hospital, right?"


    "How¡­do you know?"


    His gaze was dim as he said, "I know his family. I am Han Shui''s Uncle. She and Liu Jun were in a relationship at one point."


    Their eyes widened in shock.I think you should take a look at


    Xie Nuying softly gasped. "Liu Jun¡­you mean¡­"


    "Yes. The same man who died with Zhou Ai that night."


    There was a beat of silence. Zhou Yichen trembled as he said, "Ah¡­I never knew w-we would be connected like this¡­" he chuckled wryly, "this is the worst way to know each other, isn''t it?"


    Xie Nuying broke down into soft sobs, the pain of her daughter''s death reliving fresh in her heart. A few moments later, she softly asked, "H-How is your niece?"


    He clenched his fists, his eyes reddening. "How will she be? She lost Jun and Jin on the same day. One was her best friend and the other the love of her life. Their mother passed away too."


    They jerked up, aghast. "Mrs. Liu Nana?"


    He solemnly nodded.


    Zhou Yichen stammered. "B-But we had met her too along with Mr. Liu Jinhai¡­"


    "Indeed. But her health was already too fragile and her sons'' deaths were the last straw. She couldn''t¡­hold on anymore¡­"


    The news of Nana''s death shook them. They had met the Liu family only once but that one meeting was enough for them to know that they were good people.


    "You can imagine Shui''s state. My wife and kids are at the Han villa to stay with Shui. But¡­the situation isn''t improving. She went into a total shock after their deaths. She isn''t recovering from it."


    Zhou Yichen smiled through his tears. "Han Shui will be fine. I know it. She will definitely be able to overcome this."


    Yunru wiped the corner of his eyes. "I hope so. Coming to your visit. You think that something was tampered to cause Zhou Ai''s death?"


    Zhou Yichen nodded furiously. "I am sure of it! She¡­she cannot stumble just like this!"


    Yunru furrowed his brows with a grave expression. "It''s indeed strange for the railing to just dislodge like that and not then whole but just a part of it."


    "That''s why we need your help. Nuying and I want to know who is behind this. Why would somebody target like this? She was nobody''s enemy!"


    Yunru was looking at them but inwardly, his mind was churning with different possibilities.


    "She was nobody''s enemy till she was at her home city in Xuanhua. But she died as soon as she returned to Beijing. I don''t think it''s a coincidence. Do you know why Zhou Ai returned to Beijing?"


    Xie Nuying said, "She had said that she wanted to collect her late editor Xing Bi''s stuff from Dream High. She recently learned about her death in a car accident that happened around six months earlier. Ai was really heartbroken. Xing Bi wasn''t just her editor but like her sister too¡­I remember she was really in a hurry and anxious to leave for Beijing. I did ask her, but she brushed me off."


    "Then let''s start with what brought Zhou Ai to Beijing after five years," Yunru stated. "Xing Bi''s accident."

 Chapter 629 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (13)

    ?


    The investigation of Xing Bi''s death, at first, really didn''t bring anything new to light. It was a simple drunk and drive accident.


    "But Ai told me once that Xing Bi hated drinking," Xie Nuying said. "Her mother was an alcoholic and it has been a difficult life for her. She was strictly against drinking. That''s why it''s hard to imagine that Xing Bi would drink and drive."


    Zhou Yichen furrowed his brows. "True. The Xing Bi I knew too was never so irresponsible."


    Which begged a question of how Xing Bi got drunk? And which kept on digging out more such questions about what exactly had she been doing before her death?


    Where all the answers led to the private investigator who Xing Bi was working with.


    Yunru cocked his brow. "That''s strange. Why would she need the help of a private investigator? What was she trying to find out?"


    But it proved to be difficult to find him. Yunru sent out a notice for his son Yijun and the cops to keep searching for the investigator, but his current house was empty. There were no signs of him being anywhere. He wasn''t among the deceased, so he was definitely out there but where?


    Zhou Yichen grew more and more restless and frustrated as time passed by because he felt it in his gut that the investigator knew something. Maybe even about Ai. Reaching him was extremely important.


    But where had he disappeared?


    The police were having a hard time tracking him so Yunru thought it would be beneficial if another kind of a search party would also be behind the investigator


    And so he reached out to Jinhai, giving him all the details. But Jinhai was in no state to help him. The loss of Nana, Jun and Jin had left him paralyzed and blank. He didn''t know what to think. He didn''t know what to do. He would simply stare out of the window with an empty gaze.


    "Dad, look Uncle Yunru has come to meet you," Nuo smiled and gently held his hand, trying to break his trance.


    The twins stood behind Nuo with a somber expression. Jinhai didn''t give any reaction for a long, long time.


    "Dad."


    Nuo patiently kept him company, trying very hard not to choke in her voice. Jinhai finally turned his head, his black eyes meeting Nuo''s. At first, his gaze felt soulless but it shone and his eyelashes trembled as tears pooled in them. "Nana¡­"


    Jinhai shook as he held her face in his palms with his tears rolling on his cheeks. "Nana, wh-where did you go¡­? I missed you so much," he tightly hugged her in his embrace, breaking into quiet sobs. His body trembled as he felt the warmth.


    Nuo bit her lower lip, her eyes reddening. She resembled Nana a lot which illusioned Jinhai into thinking that Nana was alive. Not just her but as he looked at the twins, he brightened with joy even more. "Jun! Jin! Y-You three are all back¡­I knew it was ridiculous for you to leave the family like this¡­Where have you been!"


    Jian''s expression hardened and he broke his sweet fantasy. "I am Jian, Dad. He is Nian and she is Nuo. We are not Jun, Jin and Mom."


    "That''s ridiculous. Look, she is Nana! Who else can look like Nana other than Nana herself!? Stop speaking nonsense, Jun," he coldly retorted.


    "Nuo always looked like Mom, Dad," Nian sadly smiled. "You might forget your sons for once but not your daughter, right?"I think you should take a look at


    Jinhai stiffened.


    "N-Nuo must be outside somewhere¡­That''s why the woman before me right now i-is my wife! Enough nonsense, Jin!"


    "We are not them!" Jian screamed and shouted with fury ablaze in his gaze.


    "Jian¡­" Yunru tried to stop him, but he didn''t listen.


    "I AM JIAN, HE IS NIAN AND SHE IS NUO! Please don''t confuse us as the dead members of our family!"


    Jinhai stared at him with a defeated gaze, his shoulders slumping sorrowfully.


    "Bro!" Nuo exclaimed. "Please¡­don''t talk to Dad like that¡­" her voice quivered. "I don''t care if Dad thinks that I am Mom. If it makes him ha-happy¡­" she broke down.


    Jian let out a helpless and crazy laughter. "And then what? The next thing you will do is sleep with your ''husband?''"


    "Oh shut it Jian!" Nian lashed out with a raging voice. "Can you say anything sensible rather than spouting garbage out of your mouth!?"


    "Oh now you two realize how messed up this is? I will keep on spouting on garbage until he snaps out of it! You two are not understanding what is happening. Dad is refusing to accept their deaths and that is making him confuse US as THEM. Do you understand what he is doing? He is replacing our existence - Liu Jian, Liu Nian and Liu Nuo''s existences with Liu Jun, Liu Jin and Liu Nana''s!"


    Nian closed his eyes and released a sigh. He gently placed his hand on Jian''s shoulder but he shook it away harshly. "Jian¡­"


    "Fuck off Nian! Don''t you dare lecture me on anything or I will seriously punch the shit out of you. Mom, Jun and Jin are dead and I am not going to let Dad replace us as them and live happily as if nothing is wrong. He is¡­not the only one suffering, Nian!"


    Tears brimmed his eyes as he trembled. "I miss Mom too. I miss my brothers too. I want them back so badly! But we cannot bring them back. And now Dad is being like this. I don''t¡­I don''t have the strength of losing our father too, Nian! I cannot watch him forgetting us in order to reminisce about dead people in us! He cannot forget that we three exist because he wants to remember Mom, Jun and Jin!"


    Expressing what he had to, Jian stormed out of the room.


    "B-Bro¡­!"


    Nuo wanted to chase after him but Nian held her back. "Let it be, Nuo. Let him be alone for sometime."


    He looked back at Yunru and said, "I am sorry for his outburst, Uncle. You were talking about some investigator, right? The one a woman named¡­Xing Bi, was it? She was in contact with him and you want to find him?"


    "Yes."


    Nian nodded. "Don''t worry, Uncle. I will track him down by any means and find out why exactly Xing Bi needed him."

 Chapter 630 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (14)

    ?


    "...What?"


    Zhou Yichen was on a call with Yunru, who told him about the private investigator named Shao Ming. Nian was able to locate his whereabouts after much digging and searching him through his Underworld route and what awaited Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying was nothing but a series of back to back shocks.


    His body shook and trembled as he learned about how Zhan Yahui had secretly plotted out all the events for making Guiying succeed in every step of the way. There wasn''t concrete evidence against her yet but on Xing Bi''s request, he had explored all the possibilities of the events and failures happening in Ai''s life.


    "It was very difficult for even Nian to find him. He disappeared from the radar as soon as he lost contact with Xing Bi and even more so when he learned about her death," Yunru said. "He knew the killer might come after him, so he hid as well as he could."


    "Gu-Guiying''s editor is behind all this?" Zhou Yichen couldn''t contain his shock. "But why? They just worked at the same company! She wasn''t even Ai''s editor!"


    "What Shao Ming said and what I believe to be true too is that it wasn''t a personal grudge against Zhou Ai. Not even against Xing Bi. Xing Bi accidentally stumbled across the corrupt judge and soon, she grew dangerously closer to finding Zhan Yahui''s identity behind everything. But she died. Then Zhou Ai came to Beijing six months later and began to pry in Xing Bi''s accident too."


    Xie Nuying spoke as tears fell. "My Ai¡­she was killed to keep her silence? S-so that she wouldn''t find out why Xing Bi d-died?"


    "That''s what we believe because there is no personal connection between Zhan Yahui and Xing Bi or Zhou Ai. I checked that part too. So the reason why everything that happened was because they came to know about her deceit. Shao Ming didn''t get any direct evidence, but based on the investigation he did to connect all the threads and situations, he concluded that it could be only Zhan Yahui and Cai Guiying working together.


    It ties up in all ways that Cai Guiying''s career soared while Zhou Ai remained unpopular. She broke up with Gu Yating and then news came that he was dating Cai Guiying after that. Considering all this, it could be very well assumed that Zhan Yahui and Cai Guiying worked together. But Cai Guiying ended her life out of guilt, which means that either she really regretted her actions of being part of killing Xing Bi and Zhou Ai or that she genuinely didn''t mean for Zhou Ai to die so her death left her in a huge shock and she chose to give up on her life."


    Yunru released a troubled sigh. "I feel it''s the latter. From what I learned, Cai Guiying hadn''t shown her face even once ever since Zhou Ai fell. She never received any calls either from anybody outside or people from Dream High, including Zhan Yahui''s. She had holed herself in her house which tells me that your daughter''s death left a huge, huge shock and void in her heart. Her last post¡­clearly expresses a lot of those genuine feelings. It''s hard to say how much and how much not she was involved, but I don''t feel she knew about the intention behind Xing Bi''s accident or intended to kill Zhou Ai."


    Zhou Yichen couldn''t believe his ears. For his daughter to die as some kind of a collateral damage to protect their own self interests was beyond the rage he could control.


    "But don''t worry. I will take this forward-"


    Suddenly Zhou Yichen hung up on Yunru''s call and he stormed out of the house with a deadly aura emanating out of him.


    "Where are you going Yichen!?" Xie Nuying exclaimed.


    "To confront Zhan Yahui obviously! Where else will I go?"


    "Don''t be stupid! How can you think of going just like that?" Xie Nuying was beyond stunned. "Do you think Zhan Yahui will admit her actions before you just because you went to confront her? Or do you think she will leave you alive if she knows that you got to know about her? It''s reckless!"


    "I don''t care!"I think you should take a look at


    Xie Nuying froze. Zhou Yichen''s reddened eyes filled with tears and the ache in his gaze of his lost daughter shook her heart.


    "I¡­I just want to give justice to my daughter! I don''t want anything else! Like hell I will let a person go who first, made our daughter''s life miserable and two, went as far as killing her as if making it miserable wasn''t enough already!"


    There was nothing to be heard or convinced after that for Zhou Yichen no matter how much Xie Nuying tried. The only thing that she could do was stubbornly accompany him to face the villain of their daughter''s life.


    ¡ª


    On the other side, Yunru couldn''t calm down after hearing the abrupt hang up from Zhou Yichen''s side. Considering everything, he was pretty sure that Zhou Yichen could have stormed off to meet his daughter''s killer, which was a very dangerous thing to do when she had already hurt and killed so many people. He was about to hurriedly leave to stop Zhou Yichen when he got a call from Nian.


    "Sorry Nian but I have no time right now-"


    "This is also important, Uncle Yunru," Nian''s grave and impending voice from the other side. "I just saw the news that Cai Guiying up on her life."


    "Yeah¡­You knew her?"


    There was a beat of silence.


    "No. But I had seen her on Shui''s twenty-fifth birthday."


    "Huh?" Yunru was clearly taken aback but as he focused on his memory, he could remember some bits and pieces. "Yeah I remember now¡­She was there. I never heard much about her from Shui though. Maybe my sis and brother-in-law would know her better. That''s some damn coincidence though¡­"


    "It''s not a coincidence when we know who Cai Guiying was connected to, which I came to know just now," Nian''s voice was as icy as the Arctic.


    "Zhan Yahui?"


    There was a long, long silence.


    "Yes. And there is a long history¡­between Zhan Yahui and the Liu family. I don''t think that whatever happened with Jun and Mr. Zhou Yichen''s daughter is unrelated at all."

 Chapter 631 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (15)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui laid on her bed, slightly drunk and delirious and staring at the ceiling with a bored expression.


    "Ah this sucks¡­" she mumbled. "But this is the last time it sucks for me. The bastard of that brother is dead¡­" she sinisterly laughed at Cai Lingyun''s death. "It felt good to see him choking like that haha. Guiying, you idiot. You must be feeling so happy now. He is finallyyyyyyyy dead~"


    She let out a sigh and rolled lazily on her bed. "But you are not alive anymore to see him dead and feel free, are you now? A pity¡­" she clicked her tongue. "You are such an idiot, Guiying. You should have told me that he was fucking beating you¡­Or maybe I should have realized that he would come for you¡­Ah we both were stupid¡­"


    Zhan Yahui chuckled. "But this sobbing and moping ends today. This is soooooooo not me. I have better things to do than just feeling so weird over Guiying''s death," she slightly hiccuped, "I was just using her anyway¡­I am not done with my revenge yet," she drunkenly laughed. "I have to completely annihilate the Liu family and I have to¡­take control of Shi Publishing for that¡­"


    Suddenly, the door banged with such fierce intensity that Zhan Yahui felt a headache popping in her.


    "Fuck who is that!?" She exclaimed.


    That idiot''s death is already messing with my head and now somebody is banging on my door like it''s the end of the world! I will fucking kill you!


    She somehow made her way outside her room and opened the door with a twisted, angry countenance that leaked of bloodshed. But before she could say anything, she was violently pushed inside, facing the wrath of an outraged father.


    "What the hell!" Zhan Yahui gnashed her jaw and looked at him, balancing herself. "Who the fuck are you barging in my house like a hooligan!? Do you want to die!?"


    She noticed another woman standing beside him, but she focused on the man right now.


    "I guess killing people comes easy for you, doesn''t it?" Zhou Yichen clenched his fists as he stared at the woman and the villain of his daughter''s life.


    My Ai-chan¡­died because of this woman¡­


    His eyes ached with grief but they still carried the blaze left behind by the injustice of Ai''s murder.


    "First you killed Xing Bi. Then when Ai wanted to know the truth, you killed her too! This is the truth, isn''t it?"


    Zhan Yahui narrowed her eyes. For a few moments, she couldn''t understand who these people were suddenly talking about Ai. But looking at them closely made her aware of their identity.


    "Ah¡­You are Zhou Ai''s parents."


    The carefree smile on her lips agitated and irked Zhou Yichen even further.


    "Yes, we are Ai''s parents. The same Ai''s whose life you destroyed ever since she stepped into Dream High! Whose dreams, career and aspirations - all of it which you eroded like a slow poison killing your body¡­" his moist eyelashes fluttered. "But then you went as far as murdering the only thing left in her life and that was her life itself! Who the hell do you think you are fucking and messing up with someone''s life as if it''s a toy!"


    The fury of a father roared in every corner and crevices of her house.


    Zhan Yahui was inwardly wondering where Zhou Yichen could have found out her link in Ai''s death. But she had a feeling that he had evidence of her involvement or even if he didn''t at the moment, it wouldn''t be so far.


    She gritted her teeth at her own foolishness.


    I remember now. Lin was telling me that somebody was poking in Zhou Ai''s death and refusing to let go of it like a stubborn mule. But I was¡­


    She remembered Guiying lying dead on her bed with an empty bottle of sleeping pills at her side.


    If only I wasn''t mulling over her death so much!


    At first, Xie Nuying was trying desperately to make Zhou Yichen leave with her but seeing Zhan Yahui''s casual attitude was as good as her admitting that she didn''t care about Ai or regretted having any hand in her death.


    "You really¡­plotted her death, didn''t you?"


    Zhan Yahui smiled. She walked to the side of the couch where there was a small table.I think you should take a look at


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying stared at her drawing a gun out of it and pointing its nozzle at Zhou Yichen.


    "I get it now why your daughter was so annoying. Being stubborn is a hereditary trait it seems. Don''t blame me for anything, Mr. and Mrs. Zhou. Zhou Ai had no business in returning to Beijing and digging up the buried truth. Couldn''t she have just lived quietly?"


    They gazed at her, aghast.


    "Trust me. I don''t have any personal grudge against her or even Xing Bi. But they were just¡­" she sighed. "I would like to say that they invited death into their lives rather than me planning it just like how you are doing it right now. And I am sorry to say but this is as far as you go."


    Without even a twitch of her brow, she pulled the trigger. The bullet hit straight into Zhou Yichen''s chest, causing a deafening silence to follow.


    "Yichen¡­?"


    Zhou Yichen clutched his chest and saw his palm wet with his blood as he collapsed.


    "It was my mistake that I ignored your interference earlier. So let me rectify my error."


    "Yichen!"


    Xie Nuying caught his back and supported his weight on her thighs as she tremblingly looked at him. "Yi-Yichen¡­Blood¡­You are bleeding¡­"


    She couldn''t think straight as her thoughts kept jumping here and there.


    Wh-what should I do¡­? Ho-Hospital¡­I should take him to the hospital¡­


    Zhou Yichen felt the blood sapping out of him and so did his life slowly but surely. His eyes teared up as the world was blurring before him.


    "I¡­am sorry Nuying¡­" he said with a hoarse voice. "I should¡­have listened¡­to you¡­But Ai-chan''s death¡­I couldn''t¡­" tears slipped from the corner of his eyes, "I couldn''t hold¡­back¡­Indeed I am¡­always so stupid¡­"


    Xie Nuying vigorously shook her head. "N-No! You are not stupid! A-and don''t talk like you are dying! I will¡­I will-"


    "Nuying."


    He felt his consciousness fading away and he strongly knew that he wouldn''t wake up ever again once he closed his eyes.


    "Even after¡­we got separated¡­I always kept loving you. I¡­" he painfully gasped, "love you, Nuying¡­I am sorry¡­I couldn''t say it all this time¡­But I never stopped loving you¡­"


    With a last painful breath, his eyes closed themselves and his body slightly shook. That movement made a tiny, round thing slip out of his shirt''s pocket.


    Xie Nuying numbly stared at his wedding ring. He thought he would have thrown it away but¡­


    Just like me¡­he didn''t.


    "Yichen¡­wake up Yichen¡­" she blankly shook his shoulders. "You cannot close your eyes like this. This is not the time to sleep¡­W-wake up Yichen¡­I-I have so many things to say to you¡­You cannot keep sleeping like this Yichen!"


    Tears fiercely poured out of her eyes as she hugged him hard, wailing like a child.


    But none of it affected Zhan Yahui as she pointed the gun at Xie Nuying. "Don''t worry. Let me end your sorrow for you. You will be more than happy to join your daughter and husband in the afterlife, won''t you? So let me fulfill your wish."


    With that, a second gunshot echoed, the bullet piercing Xie Nuying this time. She didn''t resist nor did she scream. She painfully lowered her head and bumped it on Zhou Yichen''s forehead, whispering her last words.


    "I also¡­ never stopped loving you, Yichen. I still love you¡­very, very much¡­"

 Chapter 632 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (16)

    ?


    Jinhai slowly opened his tired and exhausted eyes, but the space beside him on the bed was empty. Just like the last few painful days.


    He always shut his eyes and went to sleep in hopes that the tragedy would turn out to be a dream and he would find his family all happy and smiling just as before. But everytime, his hopes would get slashed and the light in his eyes would dim.


    Not a single day and moment went by when Jinhai didn''t remember Nana, Jun and Jin and their memories only brought more hollowness and grief to his heart.


    He slowly got up, his body feeling heavy and painful. His gaze was blank and so did he try to make his mind the same way too, but he failed. Taking slow steps, he went outside and found the villa eerily silent.


    There wasn''t the usual goofiness of Liu Hai, the playfulness of Jing, the idiotic laughter of the twins or Liu Chunhua''s scolding to be heard anywhere in the villa.


    Jinhai kept aimlessly walking and as he passed by Nian''s room, he heard some frantic whispers and talking. He stopped for only a second before he decided to continue walking. But he stopped again as Jian''s words fell on his ears loud and clear.


    "Nothing was a fucking accident! It''s all because she wanted fucking revenge!"


    He felt as if he was suddenly splashed with ice cold water and woken up from deep sleep as those words hit him.


    Revenge¡­?


    Jinhai entered the room, making everybody inside taken aback for several seconds.


    "Dad!" Nuo ran up to him and held his arm. "What are you doing here? Are you feeling okay? Should I bring anything for you?" She asked, concerned.


    Jinhai looked down and stared at his daughter whose tired and reddened eyes matched just like his. He never wanted to see those beautiful irises filled with tears, but now here they were.


    "What is this¡­about revenge? Who are you talking about?"


    She hesitated. The twins exchanged glances while Yunru and Liu Hai remained somber. Jinhai felt the deep silence as if there was some hidden mystery. "What is happening?"


    Yunru started off by talking about Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying. "They had come to me to help them investigate their daughter''s death."


    His brows tightly furrowed. "...Zhou Ai?"


    "Yes."


    "But she died by falling off the terrace¡­" his own words pained him. It was hard to bear the death of the woman too who had brought a smile and peace in his son''s life even though it was for a few moments.


    "It''s what the world knows but apparently, that''s not the truth. And as we dug deeper, we found out about Zhou Ai''s friend Cai Guiying, who recently committed suicide after accidentally pushing her."


    "What about her?"


    The silence turned heavier and prickly.


    Nian said, "Zhan Yahui was her editor."


    "Who?"


    "Zhan Yahui. I am sure you remember that name."


    Jinhai stared at Nian hard for several long seconds. At the back of his mind, he was remembering everything that had happened till now in slow motion.


    "...Did Cai Guiying know anybody from our family?"


    "She was Shui''s friend. She was at her twenty-fifth birthday banquet."


    Another deep silence hit the bleak atmosphere.


    "Was¡­she somehow the reason why Jun''s identity as Sky''s CEO was leaked?"


    "I am pretty sure that''s the case," Nian said with a hardened gaze.I think you should take a look at


    "Was she the reason why Jun couldn''t come to Grandma''s funeral?"


    "I guess so."


    Then he asked the question that was sending tremors in his heart, "Did Cai Guiying have anything to do with¡­Shui suddenly asking to marry Jin?"


    Liu Hai said, "I think only Shui can answer that question."


    Jinhai grabbed Nuo''s phone, who was still standing beside him and dialed Shui''s number. But it wasn''t picked up so he dialed her brother, Siying''s number instead.


    A low voice filled with longing but also slight surprise came from the other side. "Nuo¡­"


    "Give the phone to Shui."


    "Uncle?" Siying was naturally taken aback to suddenly hear Jinhai''s voice. "Shui¡­Shui isn''t talking to anybody, Uncle."


    "She will talk to me. Go to her right now."


    Siying felt the urgency in his voice and wasn''t sure what was happening but he quickly rushed to Shui''s room and told her about Jinhai wanting to speak to her. But as expected, Shui was zoned out and didn''t answer.


    Siying put the phone on speaker and helplessly said, "She isn''t responding¡­"


    Jinhai cut straight to the chase. "Shui. Did Cai Guiying threaten you to marry Jin?"


    Since the day hell broke loose, it was the first time in days that Shui''s expression finally cracked.


    "Shui?" Siying on the other side was stupefied by seeing the sudden change, but Jinhai''s question threw him off even more.


    "Threaten to marry? What is this about?" He anxiously asked.


    "First, I want to know her answer."


    Shui started to tremble hard and gasp breathlessly. Tears flowed out and she hugged herself, crying hard. She wanted to answer yes to his question, but there were so many things to explain that she didn''t know where to start. Nothing could escape her lips, but the sound of her cries was enough of an answer for Jinhai.


    Jinhai quietly said, "Take care of Shuiz Siying. I will explain everything later."


    "...Okay, Uncle."


    He almost uttered Nuo''s name, wishing to speak to her, but he left it unsaid and cut the call.


    Liu Hai released a deep and silent sigh. "It was indeed her."


    Jinhai trembled with rage and darkness occupying every corner of his heart. Through Guiying, Zhan Yahui had been manipulating the chain of events for years now and nobody had a clue.


    "She¡­Everything that happened in Jun''s life was because she¡­"


    Ouyang Haitao''s death made him grit his teeth hard and ball his fists, the murderous intention filling him entirely.


    "All because of that one man¡­all because of him¡­that so much grief and misery¡­"


    The strength in his knees sapped away and he stumbled. "Dad!" The twins and Nuo quickly caught him.


    "It''s all my fault¡­I shouldn''t have let them live. I should have killed them back then¡­" Jinhai shuddered, feeling the repercussions of his decision to give Zhan Kai-Ming and her daughter a second chance.


    His tearful irises soon grew icy as he ordered in a voice akin to a demon breaking loose out of a fiery hell. "Find her¡­Find Zhan Yahui and bring her to me right now."

 Chapter 633 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (17)

    ?


    Zhan Yahui tried to escape. Not because she wanted it but on Hou Lin''s insistence once he got to know that she had killed Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying. He knew it in his heart that the situation was manageable until they had a hand in Ai''s death. But killing her parents when they were already in contact with a police officer was a dangerous ship to sail.


    Their disappearance would raise eyebrows and it wouldn''t be so far when they would be found out and captured. Though Zhan Yahui was against this, Hou Lin kept on being stubborn.


    "We will think of what to do next once we are safe. But considering that Soo Yunru knew Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying, we cannot be here anymore."


    She gritted her teeth. "Are you blaming me for killing them?"


    "We could have handled them differently," he didn''t mince his words. "They still didn''t have evidence to touch us so it didn''t matter what they believed if they couldn''t have proved it. Let''s go away-"


    They stopped abruptly, sensing a few shadows on their path as they walked towards the airport. The air became still as they realized that they had no place to escape.


    "Come with us. You have a lot to listen to and a lot to answer us," the quiet but imposing voice of Jian resounded across the silence.


    ¡ª


    ? ? ? ? ? ?.


    Zhan Yahui and Hou Lin were thrown into the base where Jinhai was waiting for them. His black eyes watched her from head to toe with a dullness in them but which also glinted with a silent rage.


    "I was right years ago. I should have killed you and your mother¡­"


    Zhan Yahui stiffened. She was now directly facing her arch enemy. Though it wasn''t planned, the years of built up hatred shone through her eyes, especially when he talked about her mother.


    "You fucking-"


    "Sshh," Jinhai placed his finger on his lips, and his single lifeless but knife-edged gaze sent shudders across her spine. Hou Lin looked calm but inwardly, he felt the heavy pressure bouldering on him too.


    "You have talked a lot. Through your actions in all these years, you have talked a lot, Zhan Yahui. Now, you will only listen. Listen to the story of the man you called as your father and know the utter damage you caused for his sake. For that person because of whom, nobody deserved to get hurt and nobody deserved to die¡­"


    Jinhai spent the next few minutes telling Zhan Yahui the real story behind Ouyang Haitao and his crimes. The twins were beside him the whole time, watching Zhan Yahui''s expression twist with disbelief as she listened to him.


    "For the deaths that you have caused in my family, I could have just simply tortured you to death without explaining anything," Jinhai said expressionlessly, "You harmed my family. You will die for sure. But I thought you should know that for what kind of a person you reduced yourself to be an utterly despicable woman."I think you should take a look at


    He bent on his knee to match his gaze at her level. "The Liu villa¡­had never been so silent. But do you know how it feels like now? Haunted. Lonely. As if nobody lives there. And why is it like that? Only because I pitied your unborn sibling and let Zhan Kai-Ming live? Only because I thought that you were also Ouyang Haitao''s victims? Just because¡­"


    His lifeless gaze transformed into the most menacing and bloodthirsty instinct ever as he grabbed her neck and dug his fingers into her neck, the wrath of a husband and father oozing into her with his pressure.


    "Yahui¡­!"


    Hou Lin wanted to rush to her, but the guards didn''t let him.


    Jinhai trembled with anger and grief pouring out of his heart as he tightened his hold on Zhan Yahui. "Just because I showed kindness to her children? But then¡­"


    She gasped for air and choked with the building pressure, threatening to take her life.


    "But then why did that kindness for her children ruined my children in turn? Nana¡­" his eyelashes flickered with her memory, "She says that the world gives you what you give to the world. If we show kindness, then we receive the same kindness in return in some or the other form¡­But it didn''t¡­Leaving you alive only ruined my family."


    He slowly withdrew his hand from her neck, making her cough hard. She shivered, her eyes looking frightened.


    "Why? Why did Jun have to suffer so much? Why did Grandma have to pass away without seeing her grandson for the last time? Why did Jin have to take his brother''s bullet? Why did everything cause irreparable damage to my childrens'' relationships?"


    Jian lowered his gaze, curling his fists and thinking of his broken relationship with Leina, which was the same situation with Nuo and Siying.


    "Why did Nana have to watch her children die before her? Do you know that if Jun had heard of Nana being well, he wouldn''t have been forced to take his own life¡­"


    Nian bit his lip, his eyes aching as he controlled his tears from falling.


    Jinhai shook. "Jun wouldn''t have taken that step but you¡­you disguised as a nurse lied to him that Nana died. Jun killed himself and then Nana gave up too," he looked at her, tears slipping down his cheeks, "Nana, Jun, Jin¡­they left us. The relationships fell apart and so has Shui, who blames herself for their deaths. You killed Xing Bi, Zhou Ai and her parents only to protect your revenge. Do you realize just how much¡­how many lives you have taken and ruined for the sake of a man who wanted to sell you?"


    Zhan Yahui was staring at the floor, her mind blank. Her gut told her that there was truth to Jinhai''s words, but her heart resisted to believe them.


    "Do you know that Ouyang Haitao would be laughing at you from hell for you foolishness? My family..." He strangled her neck once again, his gaze glinting with cruelty, "suffered needlessly for something that Ouyang Haitao did. I will make you suffer, Zhan Yahui. It''s your turn now. Just like how we are dying everyday and every single moment even though we are breathing, so will you."

 Chapter 634 The Golden Clock Shows The Past (18)

    ?


    An excruciating death was what awaited Zhan Yahui. But before that, an excruciating torture was what she was made to go through. First, it was through watching Hou Lin suffer. That alone immensely pained her because even if she didn''t admit, Hou Lin was the only person in her life she remotely had any human connection with.


    He was being tortured and punished because he loyally supported Zhan Yahui through her revenge. And Jinhai made sure to make him pay every cent of that loyalty that betrayed Jun in Sky Publishing.


    "Lin¡­"


    To see Hou Lin suffer and die in front of her was a punishment far more painful than all the bruises she had on her body. She thought that Jinhai would immediately kill her, but that was far from the case.


    Jinhai made her life a living hell. If she thought that his anger of losing his wife and children would make him end her life as soon as possible, then she was very wrong.


    Five years of grief and suffering that led three precious people in Jinhai''s life to their deaths and forever bringing a gloomy silence within the walls of the Liu villa.


    It was for five years that Jinhai let Zhan Yahui live and die at the same time. He kept both her and Hou Lin alive but such that they wished for death to greet them and end this miserable life instead.


    Everyday Zhan Yahui watched Hou Lin in pain.


    Everyday Hou Lin watched Zhan Yahui in agony.


    For both of them, death was what they wanted the most, but it was death that Jinhai never gave them.


    "You will suffer. Like my children did. Like my wife did. For all those happy memories that you snatched away from us, for all that lost time that you can never give us back¡­you will keep suffering and you will watch your dear friend suffering too."


    It was after five excruciating years that Zhan Yahui took her last breath. Throughout the five years in the dark, underworld base, screaming out with the torture of every single pain she caused to the innocent, her end came on Jun''s fifth death anniversary.


    Jinhai first ended Hou Lin''s life in front of her eyes after which he said, "It was just one man and you were already so miserable? Quite weak of you I must say."


    ? ? ? ? ? ?


    His cold and callous words fell on Zhan Yahui''s ears but she had no strength. The truth of Ouyang Haitao had killed her from within and seeing the man she cherished the most in her own way to be tortured and killed before her eyes had made her soul beyond broken so much so that even tears had left her side long back.


    "Lin¡­" she weakly mumbled under her breath. "You¡­didn''t deserve this end¡­You didn''t deserve¡­to be punished¡­for my sins¡­I am sorry¡­"


    At the end, she kept whispering to herself rather than talking to Jinhai. She was zoned out, wishing for an imaginary happy ending for her and Hou Lin in her own world.


    "I am sorry¡­If I could get¡­another chance¡­I would not¡­make you suffer¡­like this¡­Lin¡­you deserve to be so¡­so happy¡­"


    Those were the last words as her eyes closed themselves.


    Jinhai kept standing there, staring at her bruised and tortured dead body for hours. He didn''t know what he was trying to find in her, but he didn''t leave the base for a long time.


    When he did, he visited the cemetery where he silently stood before Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying''s graves. Five years ago when he had learned of their deaths by Zhan Yahui''s hands, he made it sure to give them a proper resting place beside their daughter''s grave.


    "You can be...at peace now. And... thank you for everything, Zhou Ai..."


    He thanked the Zhou family from the bottom of his heart.


    He then stood before the graves of his wife and his two sons, lonely and silent. He parted his lips but nothing came out of it for a long time.


    "Nana, Jun, Jin¡­" His cheekbones hurt as he tried to rein in the tears but failed miserably. I think you should take a look at


    "She is dead," he declared with a choking voice, "She is¡­finally dead. I am sorry that I made you w-wait for so long¡­I am sorry. You must be angry at me that I kept her alive for five years. It was hard for me too¡­But I wanted to give her the same pain that she inflicted on us and now finally¡­Finally you get your peace¡­"


    Jinhai trembled with his warm tears plopping on the ground.


    "I could finally give you justice¡­So¡­so can I j-join you three too? Please¡­? Nana, I¡­I cannot live without you. I cannot live without my complete family. It hurts so much¡­that I don''t want to feel this way¡­So can I please die too?"


    His knees grew weak and he softly collapsed, crying his heart out for the first time. "But you won''t allow me, won''t you?" A wry chuckle escaped his lips, "How can I be cruel to the twins and Nuo? They need me, right¡­? Especially now that you three aren''t there¡­They need me more than anything. But it''s just so¡­painful, Nana¡­"


    After a beat of silence, he continued with a tremulous smile. "But you know what? I am so proud of the children we have raised. Jian is handling Natsukashi just like you used to. Nian''s Natsukashi bakery has grown so far that you would have cried tears of joy. Nuo has taken over Liu Corps. It''s a surprise, isn''t it? She wasn''t much interested in the company before, but she was so stubborn in taking over. You all would have loved seeing her work as a CEO¡­"


    He gazed at Jun and Jin''s stones, his gaze dimming. "So don''t worry, Jin. Your sister is doing a fine job and so is¡­" he whispered as he stared at Jun, "Shui. Jun. Shui¡­Shui has been working with Yunru to revive Sky Publishing. Shocking, right? I hadn''t expected this. But she came to me one day and said that she wanted to revive Sky¡­She had eyes just like you at the time you wanted to start your own company. I couldn''t reject her wishes. It''s hard, but she is doing very well."


    His eyelashes fluttered with the gentle wind blowing across his face.


    "Everybody is slowly moving on. Everybody is learning to move on. But it feels like only I cannot¡­Will I be able to, Nana? Will I be able to become as brave as our children? I don''t know¡­"


    He left the uncertainty in the silence. Soon, he felt the presence of three figures kneeling beside him and softly hugging him.


    "You don''t know but we do," Nuo smiled. "You are our mighty Dad and we are right here with you."


    "For all these years, you helped us stand on our feet whenever we stumbled," Nian said.


    "This time it''s our turn to help you stand up," Jian said, gazing at the tombstones. "I know you wish to join Mom, Jun and Jin but sorry Dad. You have a long life to live."


    He slowly turned his head to face him and smiled for the first time. "You have a lot to teach your grandchild."


    Jinhai froze.


    "It was hard giving our relationship a second chance. I didn''t wish to. Not when¡­Mom, Jun and Jin have left us. Not when there was so much bitterness between Leina and me. But I thought and thought a lot, Dad. And I decided that I want to watch my father see the rest of his children living a happy life. I want to see him smiling and laughing," he smiled as he gazed at Jinhai, "You are gonna become a grandfather, Dad. There is no way you can leave us."


    Nuo held his hand and softly enclosed it with her palm. "That''s why Dad, you cannot think of dying or who will walk me down the aisle at my wedding? Please don''t kill Siying, okay? Shui worked hard a lot in¡­" her eyes ached, "getting us back together¡­"


    Nian chimed in. "Yes, yes so you can forget about me because I have decided to live a happy, single life and raise my nieces and nephews~"


    Jinhai shook hard. "You-you¡­when did you¡­"


    "We wanted to give you, Mom, Jun and Jin a surprise," Jian chuckled.


    Nuo wiped his eyes and pouted. "So no more tears, Dad. We have to show Mom, Bro Jun and Jin that we are super happy!"


    The three of them together supported Jinhai and helped him stand up. Jian held his shoulder and said, "Let''s go, Dad. Mom, Jun and Jin aren''t here in the cemetery. They will always be in the Liu villa living with us and watching us with smiles on their faces. That''s their home. Always was and always will. Let''s go back to them, Dad."


    Jinhai lowered his head, tears quietly slipping past his eyes and silently nodding to them as they left the cemetery.


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter 635 Doesnt Matter Anymore

    ?


    *Present*


    It felt like forever to Zhan Yahui as she witnessed the events of past life. Her fruitless revenge had brought immense pain but even amidst that darkness, the Liu family found strength to survive and find happiness.


    It was a timeline where she had lost. But if that timeline had already passed, then what was the life that she was living now?


    As if her question was heard, she saw the sequence of events unfold before her that led to the rebirth of Jun, Ai and Jin.


    If seeing a huge golden clock in the middle of confrontation had shook her then learning the truth of their rebirth had completely blown her mind away.


    Re¡­born¡­?


    She watched time flowing back for Jun and Ai to ten years ago where they had a chance to rewind their decisions and strive to live a new life without any suffering.


    They were reborn. They changed themselves. They discarded their weak self and moved forward to forge a new path for them.


    Ah¡­


    Everything then made sense to Zhan Yahui very slowly and gradually.


    Why did her plans fail at times? Why did she feel as if her intentions were already being read when Jun and Ai weren''t supposed to know anything about her?


    ? ? ? ? ? ?.


    They had used the knowledge of their past life to change their fate for the better. The happy ending that they couldn''t get in their past life was a gift that was granted to them by a sacrifice made.


    But what did it change for her?


    Whether it was the past or this life, she had lost both times. She faced her death in the past and she was staring at it now too.


    She would die just like the past. Hou Lin would die just like the past too.


    But for what? For whom?


    Ouyang Haitao?


    "I am sorry, Yahui¡­"


    A mournful voice echoed in the air and as Zhan Yahui looked ahead, her eyes slowly widened. She wasn''t sure if she was dreaming, but she felt she could see the apparition of her dead mother.


    She raised her arm trying to reach out to her but it just passed through her as if she was waving at empty air. She was there and yet not at the same time.


    Zhan Kai-Ming stood before her, watching her daughter with heartache. "I only wanted to protect you, Yahui. But I didn''t know that my one decision¡­would plunge your heart into such darkness that would eventually lead you to your own death¡­Please¡­forgive me Yahui. I¡­" her tears fell as she weakly trembled, "I should have told you the truth about Haitao. I should have freed you of your love for him. I should have given you a good life. I¡­shouldn''t have left you alone."I think you should take a look at


    She simply stared at her in silence with a lost gaze. She wished to run to her side and hug her like she did when she was a child. She would always jump in her embrace whenever she felt hurt and feel her gentle pats on her head.


    "But where am I supposed to go now, Mom?" She asked in a voice that was neither filled with joy nor sadness. "You left me long ago. So who am I supposed to hug? You were the only one that I relied on. But you left me too. The only thing alive inside me was revenge. But now that turned out to be meaningless too. A meaningless hatred over which Lin is going to be punished. Over which he died before and he will die once again. Tell me, Mom¡­why did my life have to turn out to be this way?"


    Zhan Yahui continued with a defeated voice, "You left me without giving any answers. You kept stroking my love for Da-..." The glint in her eyes flickered, "...Ouyang Haitao. Why did I have to give up my life for that monster? Why did I have to waste my emotions over something that never¡­mattered to him? Why did you leave me alone to deal with all this shit by myself? I needlessly¡­hurt so many people, Mom. I am unforgivable but so equally are you¡­"


    Zhan Kai-Ming trembled, watching her daughter''s lifeless gaze.


    "I am¡­sorry¡­Yahui¡­" she desperately whispered.


    "It''s too late, Mom¡­" Zhan Yahui blankly said, "Neither your apology matters now nor mine," a sorrowful chuckle escaped her lips, "Lin and I died once. We are going to die yet again. Can you imagine me dying because of the same man twice? A man who never considered us family¡­For the sake of that man, I burned other happy families with despair. I hurt¡­so many people because I loved and cared about you two. But both of you left me. I am sorry for what Shi Shuren did to you, Mom. But did you¡­never felt sorry for leaving an eleven year old girl behind you with nobody to care for her?"


    At the end, Zhan Yahui smiled with an indecipherable emotion in her gaze. "It was hard, Mom. Living without you, living with carrying an unending hatred in my heart instead of living a normal and happy life¡­It was a harsh life. But nothing matters anymore, Mom. I know my end is near. Just like the past. Once again. I love you, Mom. But I cannot forgive you¡­just how I cannot forgive myself."


    Zhan Kai-Ming''s apparition slowly disappeared along with the cloudy haze that the golden clock brought her into. It might feel forever that she looked into the memories of the past but for the outside world, it felt as if only a few seconds had passed.


    That''s why when Zhan Yahui found herself back in the present and outside Hou Lin''s home, Jun had already pointed a gun at her, taking advantage of a few seconds of her daze and grabbing the gun from a guard. To him, she had her gun still pointed at Nian, ready to shoot him at any moment.


    But to Jun''s shock as he was about to incapacitate her by shooting a bullet in her leg, she herself chose to turn towards him with a smile.


    Jun was puzzled to see a mysterious smile on her lips but even more so with her words.


    "I lost, Liu Jun. I lost yet again," she said with a sense of calmness in her tone.


    Hou Lin felt a sharp shudder across his neck, feeling something strongly off about her. "Yahui¡­what is the matter?"


    Zhan Yahui gazed into his eyes that made her remember their old days together. "I just have only one wish and that is for you to keep living, Lin. You are a good man and you deserve to live a good life. Marry a good woman and become a good father. That''s why Liu Jun¡­" she then looked at Jun, "Even if I have been the biggest villain in your life, I only have one request for you and that is to spare Lin''s life."


    Jun stared at her hard.


    What is she¡­


    "You bitch, don''t be crazy!" ''Guiying'' exclaimed with her heart beating in trepidation.


    "Y-Yahui what are you-" Hou Lin stammered.


    Instead Zhan Yahui only said, "My remorse won''t matter to you all. But my death will. That''s why¡­" she aimed the nozzle at her temple and smiled one last time, pressing the trigger, "Liu Jun. Zhou Ai. I envy you two so much. You are so lucky to be born to the parents you did. I wish..." Her voice slightly trembled at the end, "I could have gotten a family like yours...Even if it would mean nothing to you after all that I have done, I will still say it. I am truly...sorry. Goodbye."


    *BANG*

 Chapter 636 Someplace far

    Chapter 636  Someplace far


    She wanted to live.


    A minute before Zhan Yahui shot herself, she had only two choices with her.


    Either she would meet her end as the Liu family killed her or she would kill herself to end what she started.


    Which neither of the choices were she wished for. After spending her life and youth in hatred over a family who didn''t deserve any of it, she really, desperately wished to live a life of freedom.


    Free from her love for Ouyang Haitao that had bound her ever since she was a child and which made her blind in her thirst to destroy everything and anything that would come her way. She lived her life for his sake and now that her eyes had opened to the grim reality, she realized that she was too late in living her life for her own sake.


    Whether she chose this way or that, death was what awaited her nevertheless. Her wish to live her life and her guilt to end her life were at odds. She could drop on her knees and beg Jun to spare her life. But she had gone so far with the damage that sparing her life just wasn''t an option.


    And now that she had seen the past life, she thought it was the only right thing to do to end her life herself.


    The Liu family has already killed me once. It is only fair that I punish myself this time.


    As she thought this, she gazed at Guiying one last time and remembered her suicide in the past life. She was a star that was supposed to shine but the loom of darkness was what got to her in the end.


    It wasn''t just Guiying''s life she took but her love too. If she hadn''t hurt Zixin, then they would have lived a happy life together. But she had snatched that happiness too.


    And Hou Lin¡­


    The only person in her life she considered as close to her. His last breath and the longing gaze of the past was burned in her heart.


    I didn''t want your end to be like this Lin¡­I don''t want your end to be like this.


    It was at that moment that Zhan Yahui knew what she had to do. She wanted to trade her life to protect Hou Lin''s. That was the only way she knew to pay the price of killing a good man who died because of her in the past. She could bear any pain on her body but not on Hou Lin''s. She knew that as long as she would be alive, Hou Lin would follow her to the ends of the earth. Even if it meant suffering the hellish death punishment along with her.


    And the only way to make him stop was to leave for someplace so far where he wouldn''t be able to follow her. She didn''t waste any time before pulling the trigger because anymore time and she knew Hou Lin would step in to stop her at all costs.


    She was now at a place where Hou Lin would never be able to reach her and as he saw her body collapse on the ground, a scream filled with agony and tears resounded in the air.


    "YAHUIIII!!!"


    He caught her before she touched the ground. The bullet hole in her temple and the blood dripping out made his gaze vacant. With his trembling hands, he held her.


    He felt no movement. He felt no breaths.


    Zhan Yahui was no more.


    Hou Lin kept staring at her closed eyes in hopes that this would be all just his imagination because the Yahui he knew would never give up on her life. It had to be a joke. This could be another plan to escape.


    But it was as if time remained still.


    "Yahui¡­Yahui¡­!" His shaking hands patted her cheeks as tears fell from his eyes. His trembling fingers combed through her hair. But nothing had any reaction.


    "Why¡­did you do this, Yahui¡­" his empty black orbs questioned her dead body even though he knew he wouldn''t get an answer.


    What has changed so much in a few seconds that Zhan Yahui suddenly pulled the trigger?


    Did you¡­Did you really¡­leave me¡­?


    The question kept circling in his mind and everytime its answer struck his heart like poison. Grief of her loss hadn''t knocked on his door yet because the shock of seeing her dead in itself was hard to shake off.


    "This cannot be. This cannot be. Yahui, you have to wake up! I know you are not a weak woman to do this! So¡­so what the hell is going on here!?"


    On the other side, Jun and Ai were equally aghast with the sudden and sharp turn of events. One moment, she was aiming the gun to take Nian''s life and the next moment, she suddenly took her own?


    It was just a span of a few seconds that transpired but what changed in her so much that she suddenly felt guilty?


    "Jun¡­!"


    Ai ran to his side, hugging him. Zhan Yahui''s sudden death shook her heart, and she found it difficult to breathe. It was true that Zhan Yahui was the source of all problems in their life but seeing her take her own life was unsettling in a sense.


    "What¡­why did she¡­?"


    Jun pulled her into his hug, his voice filled with disbelief too. "I don''t know either, Ai. She was just ready to¡­shoot at Bro Nian. Then what did¡­? Ai, you don''t think that she¡­saw the golden clock, right?"


    Her eyes widened as she stared at him. "But why will she? Only we saw it because we are reborn. But Zhan Yahui isn''t. And she didn''t react the way...we did when we saw it the first time..."


    "But she looked so different, Ai. I couldn''t really notice it because everything happened so fast but something did happen with her. Otherwise, why would she suddenly change like that? Is it possible that she...saw the past life?"

 Chapter 637 Wish

    Chapter 637  Wish


    Four days later.


    "Is it done?"


    "Yes, Sir."


    "Hm. I will come by later."


    Jun hung up the call and rested his head on the back of the couch. As he closed his eyes, the last image with which Zhan Yahui ended her life flashed in his mind. He felt satisfied to see that the perpetrator behind all the wrongdoings was gone. But something about the beaten expression of hers didn''t feel so appealing to him either.


    Jun felt the gentle pressure of two soft palms on his forehead and he smiled. "Ai."


    "What are you thinking?"


    He made an expression as if he wasn''t sure how to explain it. "I should be rejoicing that Zhan Yahui is out of our lives. I should feel happy that she is dead."


    "Yes."


    "But I am not. Which is strange. I cannot and will not ever forgive her for sure but it is like¡­Three ought to be responsible adults who should have taken care of her, betrayed her. Whether it was Ouyang Haitao, Zhan Kai-Ming or Shi Shuren, I feel that she was just tossed around like a sack until she was thrown away for good. Shi Shuren abandoned her, Ouyang Haitao wanted to sell her and Zhan Kai-Ming killed herself. I don''t know whether to feel angry at her or sorry for her."


    "You can feel both," she pressed his forehead with her fingertips and softly smiled. "We have the right to not forgive her for her cruelty, but we can also be human enough to empathize with her. We cannot say for sure that if we were put in her situation then we would have been noble enough to let go of the pain and injustice we would have felt. It''s fine Jun. It''s fine not to celebrate her death."


    Jun released a soft sigh. "You always know to say the right things."


    Ai proudly smiled. "Because I am a naturally lovable and warm person."


    His brow twitched. "It''s been a while since I have heard that."


    "It''s been a while since I have said that."


    Jun chuckled and pulled her on his lap. He kissed her forehead. "I love you, Ai."


    "I love you too, Jun. Though I still see a question mark on your face."


    He sighed again. "I am wracking my brains over what happened to Zhan Yahui at the last moment to suddenly change like that. But it happened so fast that I don''t know what to think about it. Or did something even happen to her? I strongly feel that she must have seen the golden clock but¡­I don''t know."


    "Even if she did see the golden clock, what are you curious about?"


    "Why would she have witnessed that if she wasn''t reborn?"


    "We don''t completely understand the golden clock phenomenon. We are assuming that it only showed us who are reborn but didn''t it happen with Xing Bi too? She isn''t reborn either. Nature works in mysterious ways."


    "That¡­is true. I was also curious what she would have seen? The past life?"


    "I guess so. Maybe that''s what changed her."


    He tilted his head. "So in her last moments¡­did she know that we are reborn?"


    "I think so. Otherwise there wouldn''t have been a past life in the first place. There is a past life because we got a second chance."


    He kissed her lips. "I couldn''t be more thankful for that. I don''t know how fate decided to give us a second chance, but I cannot express my gratitude enough."


    She pinched his cheeks. "Me too."


    A serious question struck her as she asked, "How is Hou Lin? What have you decided to do with him?"


    Jun paused for a moment. "To your first question, as you can expect, he is not doing well. He hasn''t left his old house since the incident. He is still at the place where she died¡­To your second question, I don''t really know..."


    He pulled her closer and said, "He betrayed Sky. I do feel hurt because I treated him as my family. I cannot forgive him either. But he also came to his senses and tried to talk Zhan Yahui out of it by standing on our side after he learned the truth. Also¡­It was Zhan Yahui''s last request to spare her only friend. I cannot really explain it but for some reason, I want to respect that wish. Bro Zixin said the same thing to me.


    But he was involved with the judge''s murder from the Summit. Bro Zixin and I won''t press any charges, but we cannot help him with the punishment he ought to face. I asked Yijun to spare him some days and then make an arrest."


    She nodded. "I see."


    Ai then asked, "How long will Hou Lin be at his old home? I know he is devastated over her loss but¡­"


    "It will take time for him to heal. But I have a way to make him step out of that place.


    ¡ª


    Hou Lin stared at a certain grave as he stood inside the cemetery. Before, it was as if he had taken an oath to never come out of his shell. But the moment he heard the news, his feet automatically moved out of his house for the first time in four days.


    The news of Zhan Yahui''s funeral.


    When her body was taken away, a question arose of what to do with it. She had no family to take care of her last rites. She only had Hou Lin, but he wasn''t in the state to arrange anything.


    Jun gave some thought and decided to prepare a funeral for Zhan Yahui. To the Liu family, it didn''t come as a shock to know that Jun took responsibility for his enemy''s last rites. They already knew that after everything that happened, Jun was just that kind of a person to do that.


    At present, Hou Lin was the only man who stood before her grave and that was enough for Jun because he was the only person Zhan Yahui needed.


    Jun and Ai stood afar, simply watching Hou Lin in silence.


    Hou Lin gently bent on his knees and gazed at the name engraved on the stone. It was a harsh reality to feel again that Zhan Yahui would only be present in the form of a name engraved on a stone from now on. He wasn''t sure what he was thinking but compared to his old home, he strangely felt at peace here.


    As Ai stared at Hou Lin''s lonely back, she asked, "Do you know, Jun? I know you will think that I am crazy."


    Jun couldn''t help but raise a soft smile. "I already know you are crazy. But I love all that craziness. Tell me what you feel."


    She slowly said, "I feel that Zhan Yahui deserved a second chance more than anybody else."


    There was a beat of silence.


    "Even if she hadn''t meddled in our lives in the past, we would have been happy nevertheless. We would have found our way to it. Even though you couldn''t accept Shui''s rejection, I know you would have moved on eventually. I wouldn''t have given up on my writing. We don''t know what the future held for us beyond those five years. You have a good family. I have a good family. I think we could have held it together. We had so many people to lean on. But Zhan Yahui had none. Her loneliness and her grief wouldn''t have changed no matter how many years would have passed."


    Jun remembered Zhan Yahui''s last words.


    ''I envy you two so much. You are so lucky to be born to the parents you did. I wish¡­I could have gotten a family like yours¡­''


    "Yes. You are right, Ai."


    "That''s why Jun, I hope she doesn''t go to hell for her sins. I sincerely wish that in her next life, she gets the family she always wanted to have."


    Jun''s dark brown irises reflected the same emotions as hers. He gently intertwined his hand with hers as he wished from the bottom of his heart. "I wish so too."

 Chapter 638 Beyond Redemption

    ?


    Sometime later, Jun walked up to Hou Lin and stood behind him. He still hadn''t uttered a word yet as he kept staring at Zhan Yahui''s grave.


    Jun said after a few moments, "I know you want to be here with her as long as you can, but don''t destroy your health for that. You are cold, hungry and thirsty."


    No answer.


    "I don''t think she will like seeing you like this."


    No answer.


    "You cannot mourn for her if you fall sick."


    No answer.


    Jun narrowed his eyes. "My guards will come later to take you back home. Resistance will be futile so you better do as they say."


    Without saying a word further, he turned around and began to leave when a small voice echoed behind him. "Why aren''t you killing me?"


    "Because I was asked to spare you. So don''t take light of that request. I won''t kill you and neither does Bro Zixin wants to, but you will repent your sins in jail."


    A silence ensued.


    "I...wanted to stop Yahui."


    His eyes slightly widened.


    "When we killed the judge, when we planned Chen Zixin''s accident, I did...try to stop her. Yahui has always been the person for me to tell me right from wrong. She brought sense into the things which I couldn''t understand. But then it was her going astray...


    I couldn''t play with a girl''s feelings in the past because I felt it was wrong. I didn''t want to play with someone''s life too. I knew that...it was a very wrong thing to do. But she would become withdrawn if I talked to her about it. She isolated herself and looked at me as if I was betraying her too. If I had crossed my boundaries, she would have cut off every last relationship with me and truly become all alone."


    Hou Lin emptily stared ahead. "And before the woman who stepped into my life as a ray of sunshine, who became my first friend I genuinely could cry to, I...couldn''t cross that limit of being the right. She would have become an empty shell if she had to give up on her revenge.


    And I...I didn''t want to see her like that. Her revenge killed others, but that was what kept her alive. I would have lost her if I had snatched that away from her, and I didn''t want to. But I also didn''t want her to bear the sins all alone. So, I willingly bloodied my hands with her."


    Hou Lin looked up at Jun. "I am sorry, Sir. I acted the way Yahui wanted me to be because in her wretched life, my support was the only thing that made her happy. And I always wanted to see her happy. I am sorry that I was the selfish and the worst."


    Jun clenched his fists, his eyelashes slightly trembling. "You were indeed the worst. But in the end, you stood against the woman you loved dearly and kept your ground even if you had to lose her. It was a hard thing to do."


    He stiffened and panicked. "I...I-I didn''t l-love...I mean see her that way..."


    Jun simply stared at him.


    "Don''t be out for too long," In the end, he didn''t said nothing further and walked away.


    ---


    Hou Lin slightly trembled in the cold. With his gaze fixed at Zhan Yahui''s name, he whispered, "It feels really lonely, Yahui. You are selfish. You are really very selfish. It hurts so badly¡­but you don''t care, do you?"


    He kept mumbling and whispering to her grave for a long time until two Liu family guards came to take him just as Jun had ordered. He felt their presence and before they could say anything he himself got up, albeit weakly and stumbling in his steps. His feet and knees ached because of being in the same position for a long time, but he didn''t feel any of it.I think you should take a look at


    "I won''t come here again, Yahui," he said with certainty in his voice, "I won''t come to meet you again. I have been hurt before but not like this and not by you. That''s why this is my last farewell to you because this time...I cannot forgive you."


    He faced the guards and said, "Thank you for coming all the way here but I am fine. I will go back home by myself."


    "Boss has explicitly ordered us to drop you home and not listen to you. Also to keep an eye on you after taking you back too so that you don''t sneak out here in the middle of the night."


    "I won''t."


    "We only listen to Boss''s orders."


    He stared at them hard, but it hardly budged them. "Fine."


    He took a step forward and paused just for a moment to look back. But he decided against it and walked away from her grave, never once turning back.


    ¡ª


    Apart from Hou Lin, there was another figure in the cemetery gazing at Zhan Yahui''s grave but not having the courage to walk further.


    Shi Shuren knew he had no right to be here. He also knew that Zhan Yahui would loathe his presence near her, yet here he was. He watched Hou Lin near her for a long time until he left with the Liu family guards.


    Eventually he left the cemetery too. He was the first person to abandon Zhan Kai-Ming and Zhan Yahui and he was the last person to put the last straw in Zhan Yahui''s life that began her journey towards a deadly revenge.


    With slow and heavy steps, he returned to the Shi villa only to see the scenario unfold before him which he had expected.


    Bags lay packed in the living room and Shi Zhelan and Shi Huan were ready to leave the house.


    Shi Zhelan felt his presence but refused to even look at him. Instead, she said, "You will directly meet my lawyer now. The divorce proceedings and the legal proceedings regarding the company will all be taken care of. You just have to sign the papers."


    Shi Shuren trembled. With a defeated look on his face, he asked, "Can you¡­please give me a chance?"


    Shi Zhelan clenched her fists as her eyes reddened. "Shuren. I should have left you long back when you cheated on me. But I remained stubborn. I was afraid to lose you. Even though you betrayed me, I foolishly kept stroking your ego by staying with you. I gulped the bitter truth of your affair. But I cannot live with a man who forced himself on a woman. That''s way too low and unforgivable."


    She mockingly chuckled, "And don''t even get me started on how you behaved with Huan all this time. It wasn''t like you ever divided your love equally between her and Yahui. It''s that all of your love always belonged to Yahui and that''s what always hurt me. Huan and I¡­never existed for you, Shuren. It was always¡­always Zhan Kai-Ming and her daughter for you."


    Shi Zhelan pulled her bag and sternly told Huan, "Let''s go. We have nothing left here. We were always just decorations for him."


    Shi Zhelan passed by him and walked away. The air was grim as there were only Huan and Shi Shuren left.


    He tremblingly looked at Huan, who was slowly approaching him. She placed a notebook in his hands and said with a dim voice, "I always wanted to read my stories to you. I have loved writing since I was a child. I¡­wanted you to praise me for my grammar and vocabulary. But you never got time for me. And now¡­" her eyelashes fluttered, "I don''t know what to do with this book anymore. I have written all my stories here. You can read it if you feel like it."


    As she was about to leave too, Shi Shuren said, "You must hate me so much, right?"


    Huan took a breath. "I didn''t. Believe it or not, I never resented you. I have felt it ever since Zhan Yahui came here. I was just your responsibility. But she was your daughter in a real sense. For a while, it hurt me. Then I accepted reality. But now, I am glad that I got used to your ignorance because separating from you today isn''t as painful anymore."


    She wryly smiled. "I wanted you to love me, but now I cannot love a father who lost himself in his monstrosity. I can accept that you never treated Mom and I fairly because we were a burden to you, but to even ruin the life of the woman you loved is beyond deplorable and redemption. That''s why goodbye. We will never see each other again."

 Chapter 639 Facing A Mothers Wrath

    ?


    Things were gradually returning to normalcy. The past that always haunted Jun and Ai came to a close and leaving those dark days behind them, the glitter of a hopeful and bright future greeted them with a smile.


    But before Jun could embrace that future with Ai, he had to first face the most difficult conversation of his life with a person super important to him and who now stared daggers at him and Jin with her arms folded to her chest.


    "So I guess there are some things that you two are more comfortable sharing with your father than me, is it?"


    The two brothers, Jun and Jin, were kneeling on the floor with their hands on their knees and backs straight but with beads of sweat forming on Jun''s forehead as they faced their mother. Jin, on the other side, was slightly fidgety but still maintaining his poise.


    "It''s not like that, Mom," Jun had difficulty swallowing.


    "Is that so? But what I heard was that you had gone straight to Jinhai once you realized you were reborn. Or perhaps I misheard?"


    Jun opened his lips and then closed them, not knowing how to express himself.


    "I remember that day. You were acting strange and asked me to cook all sorts of dishes for you. I also asked you what was wrong, but you didn''t tell me," Nana''s voice turned edgy.


    "...I was figuring things out myself¡­"


    "And yet you went straight to him to share such an important event regarding you which is fine because Jinhai is your father and he has the right to know. But I am your mother too if I may remind you."


    Jun was now having a hard time breathing too. He peeked at Jin for any help but instead Jin only said, "Mom, in my defense, I never told about my rebirth to Dad either. He figured it out on his own," he said in a tone as if he was the safest person in the world.


    Which he wasn''t.


    Jun inwardly facepalmed.


    Do you really have to look so proud?


    Nana smiled which didn''t feel like a smile. "Oh so you mean you didn''t show bias? Well then as your reward, you will kneel for two extra hours."


    "..."


    "Why am I getting punished?"


    "If you keep taking pride in wrong things then only my punishments await you, Jin," she barked.


    "My legs are already hurting, Mom."


    "Good. Let them hurt for two more hours."


    "..."


    Nana shifted her attention to Jun, who didn''t know if he should feel pitiful for his little brother or not. She narrowed her eyes, watching him like a hawk. "Why is it that you couldn''t share this with me?"


    Jun pursed his lips, somber. "How could I tell you that you died because of my shameful actions? I made you weak and tired. I only made you sad and pushed you away," his dark brown eyes teared up. "With what face could I have told you that I had shot Jin? I was the worst in my past¡­"


    "But you showed that side to Jinhai. Then why not me? Did you think I will stop loving you?"


    "...I don''t know, Mom," his voice choked, "You have always held our family tightly together and I was the one to break it in the past and bring so much sorrow. I destroyed all the happiness you built over the years in this family. I was afraid to confess to Dad too. But I told Dad because I wanted him to punish me for my mistakes. I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you to be disappointed in me and push me away like I did to you- Ouch ouch!"


    He yelped in pain as Nana twisted his ear hard. "You two boys¡­are hopeless! You seriously thought that I would have thrown you away? I am not ruthless like your father to disown my son from the family. By the way, he is facing his own punishment."


    That''s why Dad looks so dead these days, Jin wondered.I think you should take a look at


    "You all gang up among yourselves and leave me out of all important conversations! Do you think I am too weak to break so easily? Your mother has weathered far too vicious storms in her life and I didn''t yield in front of any of them. If I am not there when my children need me the most, then who will be? Do you think an important thing like my children dying once and coming back to life is something that should be kept from me?"


    They lowered their heads with guilt. "I am sorry, Mom."


    Nana wanted to scold them more but with their down and regretting expressions, she couldn''t be any more harsher. With her eyes turning misty and wet, she touched the back of their heads and pulled them into her hug. "Both of you have suffered a lot¡­Now I want you two to be lots and lots of happy! And no hiding things from your mother from now on!"


    Jun hugged her back and smiled. "I promise, Mom. This time, I will be the happiest and I will keep everyone happy too."


    Jin said after a pause, "...Hm. Me too, Mom."


    Nana nodded hard and wiped her eyes. "But you will still keep kneeling."


    "..."


    *Click click*


    "Yes, yes, let them keep kneeling!"


    "They are looking so dashing~"


    Jun and Jin narrowed their eyes and turned back to see the twins laughing and taking their funny pictures.


    "Ahhh for a change it''s so pleasing to watch the most responsible and mature siblings get punished~" Jian winked.


    Nian sniffled. "My heart is overflowing with pure joy."


    Two seconds later, the scene had a dramatic change as the twins kneeled beside Jun too.


    Huh? Why did we join them?


    Nana smacked their heads hard. "Don''t think that I don''t know that you knew the truth too but didn''t bother telling me! You father and sons! Nobody cared about me to tell what was going on! Do you even think of me as your mother?"


    "..."


    "..."


    "So keep kneeling! And Jin, you for two extra hours."


    "..."


    "Mom, I already apologized!" He whined.


    "So the two extra hours will change your heart for good once and for all."


    She left them to their misery and shut the door behind her.


    Jun sneered at the twins. "Welcome to the party. How about you take the pictures now?"


    The twins exclaimed at once. "Shut up!!"

 Chapter 640 The pasts ending for all

    640  The past''s ending for all


    Jun slightly trembled with his aching knees and thighs towards, sighing numerous times. His part of facing Nana''s punishment just got over, but he worried about his brother. He insisted on continuing to kneel beside Jin until the two extra hours were done too so that they could leave together, but he vehemently disagreed.


    "No means no, Bro. I am not a child to sulk and get afraid of the dark like before," Jin snorted.


    The twins laughed. "Aww you still remember that day we locked you up in the room with no lights? That was entertaining~"


    "Shut up!"


    "And as always, Jun is a softie~"


    Jun barked. "I am not a softie. How about you offer to stay back too as good elder brothers?"


    Nian scoffed. "As if! I know we act like idiots sometimes but we are not THAT much of an idiots to willingly extend our punishment time for the sake of our little brother."


    Jian said, "It was Jin''s fault in the first place to act all proud, so let him suffer. You baby him too much, Jun-cute~"


    They said as they stood on their feet, yelping and gasping with pain. "Ow, ow, ow, ow¡­"


    Jun''s gaze blackened further. "Stop calling me that!"


    "Never~"


    Nian chuckled as he rubbed his painful knee. "If Jin thought that Mom would spare him because he is the youngest sibling then he is wrong. The only person being doted upon in this family is our dearest sister, Nuo."


    Jin clicked his tongue. "...She stole my role," he mumbled.


    A voice filled with grievance echoed behind them. "Yes, I am the one doted upon the most in this family except my brothers!"


    The twins beamed upon seeing Nuo and jumped to hug her, but she ruthlessly kicked them away. "Don''t act so chummy! You all ganged up against me and Mom!"


    Nuo''s gaze glinted with complaint and hostility as she narrowed her eyes at Jun. "You are very mean, Bro."


    Jun pursed his lips and sincerely apologized. "I am sorry, Nuo to keep you in the dark."


    "Me too, Sis," Jin hung his head low.


    Seeing their sulking faces, Nuo couldn''t be any more harsh to them. She hugged them and patted their heads. "Oof! It''s alright. You two have struggled and fought in your own ways. I just want to say that I am so proud of you two," she mumbled, "But I would have felt better if you would have let me support you in your difficult times. You know, I am super mad at Dad for kicking Bro Jun out of the family! Hmph, that''s why I am not talking to him anymore"


    That''s why Dad looks double dead these days, Jin wondered.


    The twins clutched their chest as if an arrow pierced right through their hearts. "Nuo¡­our dearest and sweetest sister¡­why did you kick us but hugged them!? Why this injustice!"


    Nuo shot them a deadly glare. "You two hid the truth from me too!"


    "So did they!"


    "But they are genuinely guilty about it!"


    "We are guilty too!"


    "It surely doesn''t look like that!"


    Nuo turned her head away and spared them no further attention, breaking their fragile hearts.


    Her brown irises brightened as she looked back at Jun and Jin. "I am so happy that you got a second chance at life. At the same time, it''s so mysterious too, isn''t it? I cannot believe that something like rebirth happens in real life too! Oh, I also know about the golden clock! It lets you see the past, right?"


    "At least that''s what happened to us," Jun said, scratching his temple. "But we don''t fully understand the phenomenon."


    "It must be scary, but the golden clock must look so beautiful too, right?"


    Jun smiled. "Aside from the confusing and mystical experiences we had, it was truly a beautiful sight to behold. It made me realize that there are so, so many things that we as humans cannot see and don''t know about and would never come to understand them either. I am simply grateful for our rebirth."


    Her gaze softened. Then she asked as she wondered, "Oh then did you perhaps also get to see how it all ended in the past? Like what happened after you, Jun and Mom¡­" her expression turned somber again as her eyes teared up.


    The twins'' ears perked at that question too.


    A sigh escaped his lips. "Unfortunately, I didn''t. I mean I saw some bits and parts here and there, but I never reached the conclusion. What happened to Dad and the family, what happened to Zhan Yahui¡­I never got to see that."


    "Oh¡­"


    "It all ended well for everyone."


    Suddenly, Jin spoke with a soft and quiet voice.


    Jun blinked and stared at him, confused. "What?"


    Jin looked at his siblings, their expressions filled with question marks. A gentle smile lifted his lips. "It all ended well. Surely, it was dark and gloomy in the beginning. But everybody found their happiness eventually. Zhan Yahui and Hou Lin were punished and killed by Dad five years later. What we always thought that she won was wrong. Dad gave us justice in the end. Bro Jian and Sis Leina got back together and so did Sis Nuo and Bro Siying. You had very cute children too~"


    Jian and Nuo felt their breaths stuck in their throats.


    "Really¡­?"


    "Yes."


    The two weren''t sure of the emotions they were experiencing in their hearts. It was something that had happened in the past but to them right now, it felt like it was their future which made their eyes turn misty.


    "Bro Nian was-"


    "No, no, no! Don''t tell me about my past!"


    "Huh? Why not?" Jin asked, dumbfounded.


    "Because Xing Bi was¡­no more by then. I don''t want to hear if I married another woman in the end and spent my life with her. There is only my dearest Xing Bi in my heart! I don''t want to hear about any other woman!"


    He even tightly shut his ears with his palms to express how much he resisted.


    "Open your ears, Bro-"


    "No, no! I am not hearing anything! It''s only Xing Bi for me!" nov?dot?\o\?


    Jin''s brows twitched. "Listen to me-"


    "La La La La La Laaaaaaaaaaaa¡­"


    "..."


    "Oh shut it! Your sorry ass remained single till the end so rejoice!" Jin screamed.


    "Ah?" Nian slowly opened his ears and blinked at him. "You just said¡­"


    He was exasperated. "I just said that you chose to be single till the end. Instead of getting married, you were happy to raise your nieces and nephews for the rest of your life. Don''t worry, Bro. There was no other woman you got married to or had children with."


    A waterfall of tears escaped his eyes. "R-Really, Jin? Are you telling the truth? Because if you aren''t, then I will feed you to the sharks."


    "Get lost!"

 Chapter 641 Eavesdropping

    ?


    Nian cried tears of joy. "Thank God that I didn''t betray my Xing Bi!" He sniffled. "I cannot imagine my life without her!"


    Nuo grinned and elbowed. "Oof such true love, Bro. Even if you had never met sister-in-law in the past, you still happened to be single."


    Jian snorted. "Of course. Only Xing Bi can handle this brat. No other woman would even bother to spare a glance at him."


    "I only want my Xing Bi to look at me!" He harrumphed in response.


    As the trio bickered, Jun asked Jin, "When did you see all this?"


    Jin replied. "The night I had that accident and almost crashed into sister-in-law Xing Bi. I saw the whole of the past."


    "I see¡­"


    Jun surely got his answer, but he still had questions.


    Why didn''t Ai or I get to see the end?


    He shook his head, not dwelling on it further. He pinched his cheek and helplessly smiled. "You should have told me before. You know, I always wanted to know what had happened after we died¡­How did everybody live in the years to come? How were Bro Jian and Nuo? But I am so glad to know that everything worked out for them. I had broken their futures apart, and I cannot be happier to know that they brought everything back together¡­"


    Jin nodded. "Yes, Bro. If not for the twins and Sis Nuo, Dad wouldn''t have gotten the courage to move on. Our deaths tore them apart, but our family managed to collect the broken pieces and join them back together. Our family was happy, Bro."


    Nuo, who was squishing the twins'' cheeks, immediately caught the tears in Jun''s eyes. She gasped and threw the twins away.


    "Hey!"


    Nuo hugged Jun and asked, "Who made my brother cry!"


    "Hey, hey it''s nothing!" Jun quickly clarified. "I just felt a little emotional, that''s all."


    "Our little brother cannot cry!" The twins crashed into him, almost choking him in the process.


    "Careful you two!" Nuo glared at them and scolded. "You are strangling Bro Jun!"


    "It''s the strangle of our sweet love, Nuo!" The twins squeezed Jun from both sides. Jian pulled Jin in their ''sweet and harmless'' hug too, much to his horror. "Leave me alone!"


    Nian pulled Nuo from the other side, albeit with extreme caution lest his father would throw him in the sea full of sharks.


    Jian took out his phone and took a selfie of the siblings'' hug. "Tadah! Look, we all five together look so cute!"


    "...I beg¡­to differ¡­" Jun voiced out his complaint, gasping for air.


    "Don''t be shy, little brother~ I know you are secretly enjoying this bonding time~"


    "I want to exit this bonding time," Jin ruthlessly said.


    "No chance, little brother~"


    From outside, Nana watched their violent bonding time and sighed. But seeing the five siblings together also brought a sweet smile on her lips.


    It feels like a long time¡­


    "*Ahem*"


    She narrowed her eyes, recognizing the clearing of someone''s throat.


    "Now that you have forgiven our children, c-can you please forgive me too?" Jinhai asked with a pleading edge to his voice.


    Nana looked into his eyes that expressed the torture he had been subjected to ever since she had thrown him out of their room.


    She slightly puffed up her cheeks, apparently not willing to forgive him so easily and started walking away.


    "Na-Nana!" Jinhai chased behind her and begged her with his watery black eyes. "Please forgive me, Nana. I understand that I was very wrong. I was the cruelest and I am very sorry¡­Please forgive me. Please, please?"


    Nana folded her arms and stared deep into his black irises as if staring right through his soul.


    "You threw Jun out of the family."


    Jinhai lowered his head. "I am sorry."I think you should take a look at


    "And you didn''t bother telling me anything about it or discussing it with me. Something so important about our son''s life."


    "I am really sorry."


    She glared at him. "I feel like leaving you alone for good and only live with my children forever!"


    His face paled. "I will die. You left me in the past and I was really alone for the rest of my life¡­Even though I don''t remember any of it, I pretty much know how hellish it must have felt like."


    "Don''t play the past life card with me to garner sympathy!"


    "I am not. I just want you to forgive me¡­"


    Her brow twitched.


    Jinhai grabbed her hand and maximized his puppy expression. "Nana, please. I am suffering without you by my side. I have learned my lesson, Nana. I will go crazy if I have to spend another night without you."


    She pursed her lips and felt her heart wavering. "Our children are a very important part of my life, Jinhai."


    He nodded. "I know."


    "I cannot bear you treating any one of them unfairly or unjustly."


    His brows furrowed together in tension. "I-I know¡­"


    She mumbled. "But I also understand where you were coming from¡­I was super mad at Jun too to learn that he had killed himself."


    He nodded hard at that as if he finally found his common ground.


    "As a parent, I would have given him a big, big, earful for that and then hugged him in my embrace, not throw him out like you did," she threw another glare at him. "It was a time he needed us the most."


    "I-I¡­"


    "But what''s passed away has passed away. Everything is finally the way it was always supposed to be. So¡­" she said, taking a deep breath, "I forgive you."


    Jinhai almost cried at that. "Nana¡­"


    She rolled her eyes at him feeling so emotional. "You know, you cannot always blame Dad and Jing as the reason for the twins being always dramatic. I think your genes are part of the reason too."


    Jinhai sniffled, rubbing the tip of his nose, "Can I finally sleep with you?"


    "..."


    Her face reddened like a beet. "Don''t spout nonsense when we are talking outside!"


    The twins whistled from the other side. "Go for it, Dad! Don''t worry. We will see to it that nobody bothers you lovebirds. Nobody will question you if you got up late tomorrow morning. And we will definitely not give you any teasing smiles tomorrow either~"


    Nana gritted her teeth, pulled out a slipper and threw it at the twins. "Shut up! What are you all doing eavesdropping on our conversation?"


    Jin shrugged. "It was their idea."


    "And you joined in," she shot him a deadly glare.


    "We didn''t hear anything," Jun and Nuo defended themselves together.


    Nana threw laser beams at Jinhai. "Look at what you did!"


    Jinhai blinked. "What did I do? I meant that I can finally return to our room."


    "But you said it in a misleading way!"


    "How can it be misleading when it''s gonna be reality?"


    "..."


    All the five siblings choked at that. They promptly turned their backs and left.


    Good luck, Mom¡­

 Chapter 642 Mean And Forgetful

    ?


    A few days later, Ai whistled and hopped in a good mood as she walked down the street, and the reason behind her jolly demeanor was that she was visiting the most favorite place in the whole world after a long time.


    She stood before the library entrance, her light brown irises radiating pure bliss. It was the same library where she met Jun for the first time and spent some good, old peaceful days.


    As she opened the door, she greeted another important person to her who she missed a lot for these past few months. "Mrs. Quan!"


    Mrs. Quan, who was working on a laptop with slow and cautious actions, raised her head from the screen. Imaginary flowers blossomed around her head as soon as she saw. "Ai!!! Oh dear. It''s been a long time!"


    They rushed for a warm hug as their eyes turned slightly misty. Ai said, "Mrs. Quan. I missed you a lot. I am sorry I couldn''t visit the library as much for the past few months."


    Mrs. Quan lightly tapped on her head. "Why this apology huh? You are treating me as a stranger now," she pouted her lips.


    Ai vigorously shook her head. "Never! Mrs. Quan is just like my cute and beautiful grandma!"


    "Aish¡­" she waved her hand in dismissal though her cheeks turned cherry red, "You and Jun are just the same. You expertly know how to speak buttery words."


    She slightly widened her eyes. "Jun? He is here too?"


    "Oh yes! It was good to see him after a long time too. He brought me a bunch of sweets as an apology for not getting time for his assistant librarian''s work," she sighed, "That boy is such a sweetheart. Though I told him not to worry about the library, he still feels guilty. That''s why he is so cute, but he just doesn''t agree."


    Ai pursed her lips. "He didn''t tell me or we could have come together. I also asked him if he was going to Sky, and he said yes. He didn''t say anything about going to the library," she sulked.


    "Hahaha. You two are cute as ever. Even your bickering hasn''t changed. But don''t blame Jun."


    She harrumphed. "It must definitely be wanting to prove to me that he remembered you first than me. Then he would tease and laugh at me at how I forgot about you."


    Mrs. Quan smiled. "It''s pleasing to see you fighting over silly things. But he has good intentions. Look, Jun brought a new laptop for me!" She proudly showed off her new laptop to Ai. "Though I scolded him as to what I would do with a laptop and he is wasting money over this, he sternly told me that he would teach me how to work with it. Things have gotten so convenient and digital now and other stuff that I really didn''t understand, but that''s what he said. He even gave me my first assignment," she giggled. "I feel like I am back in my school days~"


    Ai felt betrayed. "Why didn''t Jun tell me anything about this surprise for you?" Her nostrils flared. "I will punish him for this. Where is he?"


    Mrs. Quan laughed. "Where he always works. The third floor. Don''t be too hard on him, okay?"


    "I think you favor him more than me, Mrs. Quan," she felt hurt.


    "Aish, that''s not it at all~"


    Ai harrumphed again and moved to climb towards the third floor. There was a lesser crowd than usual as she reached the floor. She immediately spotted the tall and handsome back of her boyfriend as he was brushing his fingers against the bookshelf and looking past the books with a daze.


    His side profile looked so charming that for a moment, she forgot all her grievances and kept staring at his attractive posture. She soon cleared her throat and walked towards him with a serious expression.


    Ai poked his shoulder, making him turn and a moment later cough hard. "Ai. What are you doing here?"


    "I should be the one asking you that. You didn''t tell me this morning that you were coming here. If I knew, I would have accompanied you. You didn''t me tell me anything about the surprise for Mrs. Quan either. Mr. Liu Jun. Please explain yourself."


    Jun raised his brow, feeling amused at the way she held her waist and confronted him as if he was in grave trouble with his girlfriend.


    "I thought you would be going to Sky."


    "That''s not any reason. I would have happily agreed to come to the library whenever that was the case."


    "Aww, are you feeling guilty that I remembered about Mrs. Quan first and came here first too? Do you feel salty that I beat you here~?"I think you should take a look at


    "It was never a competition."


    "Very convenient for the last person to say," he laughed.


    "The last person is always the most charming."


    "What kind of an argument is that?"


    "As pointless as the argument of meeting Mrs. Quan first being a competition."


    "..."


    Jun smiled and pinched her cheek. "You never fail to amaze me with your comebacks, do you?"


    Ai brushed away his hand and asked, "You should have told me."


    "You didn''t tell me about coming here either, did you now?" He squinted his eyes.


    Ai stared at him. "At first, I was indeed going to Sky but decided to head to the library first. You haven''t checked your phone yet, have you?"


    "..."


    Jun promptly took out his phone and saw an unread message from Ai. It said that she was going to the library to meet Mrs. Quan and then head to Sky.


    He coughed. "I was busy showing Mrs. Quan her new laptop so didn''t check my phone."


    "I am responsible unlike a certain someone here. I feel like you are ignoring me these days," Ai watched him with scrutiny.


    He raised his brow. "I definitely don''t ignore you in bed."


    "That''s the only place where you don''t ignore me is what I feel."


    "That''s preposterous."


    "Fine. You are being very mean and forgetful these days and missing to talk to me about a lot of things. I can do the same! Don''t complain to me if I ignore you."


    Ai turned in a huff and left with Jun clearly seeing the fumes of resentment escaping the top of her head.


    A minute later, Mrs. Quan quickly came by his side and asked, "I saw Ai leaving angrily. Did you tease her too much?" She scolded him.


    "I promise I didn''t."


    "She is such a sweet girl. I cannot see her being disappointed like this."


    Jun smiled. "Me too. But it won''t be for long."


    Mrs. Quan squealed like an excited child. So, so! How is the surprise planning going?"


    He brightened. "Very well. I know Ai is mad at me right now but once she sees the surprise, she will forget all her displeasure," he winked. "The only thing to greet her beautiful face would be a big, wide smile."

 Chapter 643 Suspicious Behavior

    ?


    At Sky, Ai was seated on her chair, wheeling it round and round twirling herself round with it. Her little ride came to a halt as Xing Bi applied her breaks on the chair. "Do you want to feel dizzy with so much circling?"


    Ai looked at Xing Bi, pondering whether to share her questions with her. "Xing Bi, can I ask you something?"


    "Of course! I am always happy to help you. Tell this sister what is bothering you?"


    "Have you ever felt that Nian acts suspicious sometimes?"


    "He always acts suspicious."


    "..."


    "You should ask when he does not act suspicious," She snorted. "He always has ulterior motives in his shady mind!"


    Xing Bi grabbed her shoulders and asked, "What happened? Why are you asking this? Did Nian do something to you? Did he bully you!?"


    Ai felt dizzy with Xing Bi pushing her back and forth rather than the spin of the chair. "No. Nian didn''t do anything. I am asking because Jun is acting suspicious these days."


    Xing Bi stopped and blinked her eyes. "Jun? What do you mean? He cannot do anything suspicious. He is well-behaved than Nian anytime."


    Ai''s brow twitched.


    Nian''s heart would break into pieces if he heard this.


    "I mean I feel like Jun is acting differently these days."


    "Different how?"


    Ai pressed her lips. "I don''t know how to explain it. Like he went to the library to visit Mrs. Quan, but he didn''t tell me about it. I thought he would tell me so that we can visit her together."


    "That''s it?" Xing Bi waved her hand. "I don''t think it''s such a big matter to dwell upon so much."


    "Really? It''s not just about that. Overall, I feel that Jun seems to be hiding something from me."


    Xing Bi cleared her throat. "I am sure you must be mistaken. You know Jun isn''t that kind of a person."


    "I know¡­" her voice trailed off with uncertainty.


    "Yes, yes! You don''t need to worry about anything! I think you are feeling tired. How about you head back home?"


    "Ah? But I am not tired."


    "Sshh. If I am saying you are tired, then it means you are tired. Now shoo!"


    ¡ª


    "And so I was thrown out of Sky because Xing Bi feels that I am tired. But I am not."


    "I see," Xie Nuying calmly commented. "However I find some truth to her words. Your eyes look puffy and your skin looks dehydrated. Are you sure you are eating well?"


    Ai touched her face and frowned. "Really? My skin feels fine though."


    She shook her head. "How can it be? After everything that has happened over the last few days, you must have been under so much stress. No wonder you are doubting my innocent son-in-law. Ai, you are being rude."


    "..."


    "I am not rude. I just feel that Jun is acting mysterious for some reason. I want him to share his concerns with me."


    "There are no concerns because if there were, then he would have definitely shared them with you. Jun is such a sweet boy, after all."


    "But-"


    "If you will now allow me, I have assignments to grade."


    "..."


    Ai then went for her father''s solace, thinking that at least he would understand her.


    "Ai-chaaaan, you are overthinking! Jun-cute cannot be suspicious. He loves you so much," Zhou Yichen shook his head with lament. He then shed tears as he sniffled. "Ai-chan, you cannot become like your mother and start doubting your partner. Do you want to end up like we did? No, right? No, right? So have faith in Jun-cute. Men aren''t as mean as you think them to be!"


    At the end, Ai wasn''t sure if he was defending Jun or husbands in general.I think you should take a look at


    ¡ª


    So Ai let the matter go, thinking that she might be really over analyzing until one day when she saw Jun returning late at night.


    "Was there too much work today at Sky?"


    He sighed. "Indeed. But I cannot complain. It''s what I love doing," Jun smiled and kissed her forehead.


    "How about I help you out?"


    Since Hou Lin had left, Jun had took over all the management part in his bucket too, keeping him busy the whole day. Though Sun Bai was extending him a helping hand temporarily, she was still new to learning Hou Lin''s responsibilities.


    Jun quickly pecked on her cheek and smiled. "You are already so busy with your novel. Trust me, I doing well. This is only until the time I find a new assistant."


    He swiftly pulled the duvet over him and went to sleep.


    ¡ª


    "And so I feel that Jun is doing something behind my back but I don''t know what. Do you know anything?"


    With a hardened expression, Jin threw a not so welcoming glare at her. "I don''t know anything and I don''t care either. Now leave from my room!"


    *Meow*


    The two cats purred against Ai, though Jun-cute kept his distance. Ai hugged the cats, feeling emotional. "Only you two love me."


    Jin''s mouth vehemently twitched. "You are being annoying! Leave me alone!"


    "But I came here to ask you for help. Jun dotes on you a lot. He will tell you if you ask him," Ai seriously nodded.


    He sneered. "And why do you think that I will help you?"


    "Because I am a naturally lovable and warm person."


    His fingers twitched with an urge of violence.


    The next moment, Ai found herself kicked out of Jin''s room. She looked back, pursing her lips. "How will we bond as a brother and sister if you always refuse to help me?"


    "Exactly. I don''t need any bond between us," he sneered and shut the door on her face.


    ---


    Around almost midnight, Ai sat on the third step of the main staircase connecting the living room with the floors above.


    "Everybody is being mean."


    "Who dares being mean to my daughter-in-law?"


    Ai''s eyes widened and as she looked back, she saw Jinhai''s tall figure leaning over her. He cocked his brow at her with interest and joined to sit beside her.


    "Dad."


    "Why aren''t you asleep?" He asked.


    Her expression sulked. "I am worried about Jun. I feel that he is keeping something from me."


    "Oh."


    She nodded. "After everything that has happened, I don''t want him to carry any burden alone."


    "I am sure that''s not the case."


    "Then I don''t understand why he would behave so oddly since these few days."


    "Isn''t it because he is planning a surprise for you?"


    Ai blinked at him, puzzled. "Surprise?"


    Jinhai chuckled. He took out a small box wrapped in a gift wrap and placed it in her palm. "Happy Birthday, Ai."

 Chapter 644 Competition

    Chapter 644  Competition


    Ai stared at the small but beautifully gift-wrapped box in her palm. A gasp then escaped her lips. "Today is my birthday!"


    "You are strange in forgetting your birthday," Jinhai teased her. "Nobody forgets their birthday here in the Liu family. Everybody starts giving their long list of demands from one month before, especially the twins."


    Ai could very well imagine the chaotic twins getting super excited for their birthday.


    "I completely forgot. I was so wrapped up in Jun acting oddly that I couldn''t think of anything else."


    Her eyes shone with pure joy as she thanked him. "Thank you for your wishes, Dad. Can I open the gift?"


    "It''s your gift. You don''t need to ask."


    Ai happily untied the ribbon and gently and carefully unwrapped the gift paper. Inside the small maroon box lay a beautiful heart-shaped diamond pendant, scintillating in the dim yellow lights of the living room.


    Her jaw dropped as she felt blinded by the pendant''s luster. "It''s so beautiful."


    "I thought the symbol of your name would be a perfect gift for you," Jinhai smiled and continued to say with a gentle gaze. "For me, it also signifies how you healed my son''s heart. I am forever grateful to you for that."


    With so much thought and emotions put into her gift by him, Ai felt her eyes tear up. More than the diamond, the meaning behind the diamond filled her heart with bliss.


    "Thank you, Dad. I love it very much."


    "Great!" Jinhai''s radiance shone brighter than the diamond.


    She said with a soft smile. "I will always cherish your gift. But," she coughed, "this is very expensive."


    "You will get used to it. This is nothing. I am sure Mom, Dad and your uncles would have arranged for an even more expensive gift than mine," he shrugged as if it wasn''t a big deal. "Dad always wants his gifts to be the most expensive, the loudest and the best."


    "..."


    "You are gonna be showered with nothing but gifts and lots of love today."


    Ai''s phone buzzed with Zhou Yichen''s incoming call and as she picked it up, she saw Xie Nuying''s call coming parallely.


    "..."


    "Ai-chaaaaaaaaan!!! My dearest, loveliest and super adorable daughter! Wish you a very, very happy birthday from your super adorable-"


    "Wish you a very happy birthday, Ai," Xie Nuying''s pleasant voice cut Zhou Yichen''s hyper birthday wishes midway.


    "Thank you, Mom."


    "Hey! Nuying! How dare you interrupt my birthday wish! Are you that jealous of me?"


    "Excuse me, I don''t need to be jealous of you when I already have the top spot in Ai''s heart."


    "Hah! You only have the top spot in your students'' hearts who curse their strict and not so fun professor! And for your kind information, Ai picked up my call first. This goes to show that I am more important to Ai-chan than you."


    "This only goes to show that you are an idiot to quantify such foolish things."


    "Don''t feel salty because I wished Ai-chan first!"


    Ai cleared her throat. "Actually, Dad wished me first."


    "Yes, yes that''s what I am saying Ai-chan~"


    "I mean Dad Jinhai."


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying - "..."


    "He also gave me his gift."


    "..."


    "..."


    "Mr. Liu Jinhaiiii!" Zhou Yichen''s scream of agony was heard by Jinhai crystal clear. "Ai hasn''t even officially become your daughter-in-law and you are already snatching my role!? How can I ever forgive you for this betrayal!? How dare you wish her before me!?"


    Jinhai shrugged with arrogance. "Get used to it."


    "You! Ai-chan is my only daughter! I won''t let you steal her from me!"


    "She is already living with us," he flashed an evil smile. "You can hardly do anything."


    Xie Nuying expressed her sour reaction. "I didn''t expect this from you, Mr. Liu. Shouldn''t I, as her mother, give wishes to my daughter first?"


    "Yes, yes and so do I as her father!"


    He cocked his brow. "Nana and I are her parents too now."


    "You are GOING to become her in-laws. Don''t use the present tense already!" Zhou Yichen said, aggrieved.


    "From what I see, the wedding doesn''t seem so far away. At this point, the present and future tense doesn''t really matter."


    Ai coughed hard, her cheeks blushing pink.


    Xie Nuying coldly said, "You are evil, Mr. Liu."


    He chuckled. "You have only understood the tip of the iceberg, Miss. Xie. Anyway, I will give some privacy to my daughter to talk to you two."


    "Hey! Don''t talk as if you are doing us a favor! Mr. Liu, how could you?" Zhou Yichen sniffled dramatically. "Didn''t we bond like best buddies when we worked together in your company with Jini-boy? How could you stab me in the back like this, you scheming capitalist!"


    Jinhai stood up on his feet, his chuckle continuing to echo and poke their hearts further. "Good night, Mr. Zhou, Miss. Xie."


    He left her on the staircase to her complaining parents, smiling and whistling.


    "They are not the only ones to complain, Dad."


    He heard his son''s bitter voice and turned to see Jun with a salty expression which he was sure would be on Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying''s faces too at the moment.


    "This is Ai''s first birthday with me. I wanted to wish her first!" He competition starting from her parents till me. And sorry to say, you can never beat your father."


    urgently whispered.


    Jinhai smiled. "You couldn''t have won, son. There was too much competition starting from her parents till me. And sorry to say, you can never beat your father."


    His expression twisted. "Is this your revenge for Grandpa managing to wish Mom birthday first every year?"


    He sneered. "I have suffered a lot in these past years, Jun. Time for you to taste my pain."


    Jinhai patted his shoulder. "You couldn''t be the first one to wish Ai but make sure you are the only one to give her a surprise she wouldn''t ever be able to forget. That''s how I defeated Dad no matter how many awesome gifts he gave Nana."


    The mention of surprise made him sweat. "Yeah I have it all planned already, but I am suddenly not so sure¡­"


    He snorted. "You aren''t but I am sure that we all will hear the good news. Put the ring in her finger quickly so that Mr. Zhou would stop talking about the future and present tense with me."


    "..."

 Chapter 645 Birthday wishes

    Chapter 645  Birthday wishes


    When Ai merrily walked into the room, a certain sulking and displeased figure immediately grabbed her in his arms, narrowing his eyes at her. "Why am I the fourth person to wish you a happy birthday?"


    Ai raised her brow, watching the grievances overflowing in his expression. She smiled. "It''s your punishment for acting sneaky with me."


    "When did I act sneaky with you?"


    "For many days now. You were acting oddly and now I know why."


    "Is that so?"


    She nodded after which the luster in her eyes became all too evident. "So, so what is my surprise?"


    Jun clicked his tongue. "Do you think it will be so easy to squeeze the answer out of me?"


    Ai cleared her throat and twirled her finger on her chest and shyly said in a husky with rose-tinted cheeks, "What if I seduce you?"


    He pressed his palm deeper on to her waist, making her heart race faster. She felt his handsome face inching closer towards her with his jaw longingly brushing past her cheek. "That is a tempting offer¡­" he whispered.


    She nodded. "Very tempting."


    "So tempting that I almost slipped up."


    "..."


    Jun immediately withdrew with a crafty smile on his lips. "You were very close, darling but your boyfriend has worked very hard for your surprise. It would be such a shame to spill it now~"


    Ai inwardly made a tch sound.


    I was so close.


    He walked to the bed and picked up his pillow and blanket. He kissed her lips and smiled. "Happy Birthday, Ai. Though I am the fourth person to wish you and I am definitely salty about it, I will compensate for it with my surprise."


    Ai saw him ready to leave the room and asked, "Wait, where are you going?"


    "To sleep in another room. I don''t want my girlfriend using some other seduction trick in the middle of the night to get her answer."


    "How rude," Ai threw him a displeased look. "Do you think I am so shameless?"


    He smiled. "You have been part of the Liu family for long enough to learn shamelessness from us. I cannot take any chances. Good night, love."


    "..."


    ¡ª


    "Happy Birthday sister-in-lawwwww!!!"


    "Happy Birthday Aiiiiii!!!"


    As soon as the next morning''s sun lit up the sky and Ai stepped out, she was cornered by four figures rushing and running towards her at the same time.


    The twins, Liu Hai and Jing caught her in such a massive bear hug that nothing beyond them was visible to her anymore.


    "Hey take your hands off her!" The twins pulled Ai to her side.


    "You get away, you stinky brats!" Liu Hai and Jing pulled her towards them in turn.


    "Shut up. Ai''s birthday will brighten more with us beside her and not with some bunch of old people!" Jian sneered.


    "Who are you calling old!?" Liu Hai''s gaze darkened. "I still beat you in all levels of handsomeness and beauty!"


    Jing rolled his eyes. "Let''s just say that this house survives on my beauty, okay?"


    "Um¡­" Ai tried to intervene but it was useless in front of the bickering quadruple gang until they were smacked hard by Nana and Nuo.


    "Leave the poor girl alone!"


    "Can you not see that you are making sister-in-law breathless!?"


    Nian pouted. "How mean, Mom and Nuo," he squished his face against hers and cheerfully exclaimed, "We are just expressing our love and wishes for Ai, who by the way, is celebrating her first birthday in the Liu villa!"


    Nana''s one hard stare was enough for everybody to take a step back.


    "Good."


    It was then that Nana and Nuo gave her their wishes too.


    "Happy Birthday sister-in-law!" Nuo eagerly hugged her and twirled with her. "I am so excited! Especially for Bro Jun''s surprise~"


    Ai''s ears perked up with that. "Do you know what it is?"


    She grinned. "Hmm I have a little idea about it but sorry sister-in-law. My lips are sealed."


    their expressions.


    "Ai dear. Happy Birthday! I pray for you to have a wonderful life "That''s not fair."


    From the back, Liu Chunhua too arrived wheeling Great-grandma Liu outside. Both of them had one eighty degrees of contrast in their expressions.


    "Ai dear. Happy Birthday! I pray for you to have a wonderful life ahead."


    "Thank you Grandma," Ai''s eyes shone with warmth as she hugged her.


    Naturally, Grandma Liu harrumphed at this get-together. "Why are you all crowding like it''s a festival?"


    "It''s sister-in-law''s birthday, Grandma!" The twins chirped.


    Ai sincerely bobbed her head. "So please wish me, Grandma."


    "..."


    "You have some nerve to shamelessly ask me to wish you!"


    "Because you won''t wish me otherwise."


    "Why do you think that I will wish you if you ask for it?" Her brow twitched.


    "Because I sincerely ask for your blessings and you won''t deny my innocent request, right? It''s my birthday."


    "Hah!"


    "And I am cute too."


    "..."


    Nana and Liu Chunhua coughed.


    Great-grandma Liu gritted her teeth, glaring at the troublesome quadruple gang. "Stop hanging out with her. She is catching on to your shamelessness!"


    Jing raised his palm. "Excuse me but why are we always unfairly blamed? You gave birth to Dad. Dad gave birth to Bro and I, Bro had five siblings so doesn''t it mean that the source of the shamelessness is flowing from you and Great-grandpa?"


    He immediately made a rest-in-peace sign for his late great-grandfather. The twins and Liu Hai followed.


    Great-grandma Liu''s expression twisted so hard that she wanted to bang her head on the wall. "Shut up, Jing! You spout nonsense as always!" She then tiredly exhaled. "Why do I bother talking to you? Chunhua, take me away from here until I really kill one of these four today."


    Liu Chunhua silently glared at them, signaling them not to make any more trouble.


    Nana smiled after she left. "Don''t worry about Grandma. She might not show it, but she has slowly started to accept you. Hehe, I know that she must have brought her own present for you but is too embarrassed to give it."


    "Aiiiii!!"


    Another thrilled voice soon echoed in the villa as Shui arrived to wish Ai too. "Happy Birthday!"

 Chapter 646 Onto Shopping!

    ?


    "Shui!"


    The two girls had their own twirl of happiness as if they had met after a long time. Behind Shui, Siying also followed giving Ai his wishes.


    "Happy Birthday, Ai," he grinned and gave her her birthday gift on behalf of the two siblings.


    "Thank you, Shui, Siying," Ai replied with sincerity.


    Liu Hai squeezed his way in and chirped. "So, so when am I getting the cake?"


    Liu Chunhua smacked him on his head. "The day has just started and you are already hogging for the cake! Cake is for the evening!"


    Nian sneered. "And don''t worry Grandpa. I have taken special arrangements to protect the cake from you. You won''t get even a single bite until I bring it out hahahahaha!"


    Siying laughed. "Don''t be like this, Grandpa. We should all enjoy the cake together in the evening. Unless¡­Bro Jun will snatch the birthday girl from us~"


    Ai coughed. "Why will he snatch me away?"


    "Heh. Jun must have definitely planned some amazing surprise for you. I can bet on it," Shui nodded seriously. "He is the most creative of all with surprises."


    The twins''s faces immediately blackened. "What do you mean, Shui? Are we less creative than Jun?"


    Shui stared at them for a moment and focused back on Ai. "So, how many gifts have you got until now, Ai?"


    "Heyyyyyy! This is outright cruelty!" The twins sobbed. "Mom! Say something!"


    "Stop crying you two!" They got scolded instead.


    From the back, a figure stepped down as he asked, "Mom, have you seen my new jacket-"


    Jin abruptly stopped in his tracks upon seeing the Han siblings, specifically Shui.


    *Meow*


    Jun-cute and Ai-chan who were following after him, casually climbed on his back and then on his shoulder.


    Jing rolled in laughter. "Haha, Jini-boy. The cats really treat you as some circus tool, don''t they?"


    Shui''s gaze naturally fell upon Jin too, who looked to return from a fresh shower. His hair was still damp and shiny. But suddenly her sight was blocked as Ai-chan leapt from Jin''s shoulder onto Shui''s head.


    "..."


    *Meow*


    Nuo cried with joy. "That was so cute. Hey, hey, can you jump on my head too?"


    Jian said with disdain, "You have some weird fetishes, little sister."


    "Shut up."


    Though it was seemingly a jolly atmosphere, Ai, Nana and the siblings clearly felt the tension in the air. Jin had suddenly gotten silent. Clearly, he hadn''t expected Shui''s arrival to be so soon.


    Jin smiled and greeted Siying. As for Shui, he threw a quick one second glance at her with a polite smile and looked back at Nana. "Mom, where is my new jacket?"


    Nana cleared her throat. "You boys really don''t know how to search for your own things. Look in your cupboard again. It''s on the left side, second compartment."


    He nodded. "Thanks, Mom."


    He turned to leave while all this time Ai was churning her brain to do something for Jin and Shui to be together.


    Nuo came to her rescue and grabbed Jin''s elbow, making him almost stumble. "Hey!"


    She grinned. "Jin, won''t you be our chauffeur for the day?"


    "Huh?"


    "So, we all girls are gonna hang out for lots of shopping, especially to make my sweet sister-in-law ready for her birthday celebration!"


    "Really?" The birthday girl who was unaware herself blinked in confusion.


    "Of course! We will be having a super blast today! We will doll you up so beautifully that Bro Jun will faint with pure joy~ Leina, Xing Bi, Shui and I - we are all gonna be there," she chirped.


    "Leina!"I think you should take a look at


    "Xing Bi!"


    The twins brightened at the same time and declared. "We will come too!"


    "No."


    Nuo ruthlessly rejected their enthusiasm.


    "Little sisterrrrrrrrr!!!" They cried.


    Jin shrugged. "Cool. Enjoy yourselves."


    He turned to leave again only to be harshly pulled back once again. "I wasn''t done yet!" Nuo flared her nostrils. "We need a strong man to carry all our bags and drive us around."


    "..."


    "You cannot be serious about this."


    "You don''t have any work today anyway."


    "I have office, Sis."


    "One word from me to Dad and you won''t have any office today, little brother," she innocently blinked.


    "..."


    At that moment, Ai felt like she saw a reflection of the mischievous twins in Nuo.


    Jin tried to be polite. "Sis, the twins are more than happy to become your chauffeurs."


    The twins furiously nodded their heads.


    "But I don''t want them. They are troublemakers. They will only do the work of inviting trouble instead of actually helping us."


    With that sharp jab, the twins lost all their HP, and they lay dead.


    Nuo clapped twice. "Good! Now go back and get ready. We are waiting here for you."


    "Sis-"


    One cold squint from Nuo, and Jin promptly took a step back. Jun-cute yawned.


    It was a lost war anyway.


    Nana nodded. "Good, good. That''s a good way to bond with your sister-in-law too, now isn''t it?"


    "I don''t want to bond with this woman!" Jin exclaimed.


    Ai harrumphed. "I will change that today at any cost."


    And change your stunted dynamic with Shui too, she added.


    ¡ª


    "So, so! Where do we head first?" Xing Bi asked with anticipation. "I cannot wait to try all the amazing dresses on my Ai! So which one first? Clothes, shoes or jewelry?"


    Leina proudly grinned. "Ai is in good hands. I am a platinum star member of a super awesome brand that will make you drool at their collection. We will have just the perfect dress for Ai~"


    "Great!"


    Nuo said, "But it will take a lot of time if we go shopping for all the things one by one. We then have to take sister-in-law to the salon too. We cannot get late for the birthday celebration and then she has to go with Bro Jun too. We have very little time."


    Ai gravely chimed in. "Yes, yes, I cannot be late. So how about we divide the shopping?"


    Leina''s eyes gleamed. "Cool! We will go in couples then~ Ai and I will be at the clothing brand shop I am a member of. Nuo and Xing Bi can look for sandals and join us while Jin and Shui will shop for jewelry! Isn''t that awesome?"


    Jin choked hard.


    What!?

 Chapter 647 The black sheep of the family

    647  The black sheep of the family


    "Welcome Sir. Welcome Mam," the attendant welcomed Jin and Shui with a bright smile as they entered the luxurious jewelry store.


    "What are you looking for? We have a fresh stock to show you for diamond earrings. There is a new collection of pearl necklaces too. Would you like to take a look at it?"


    Shui said, "It''s our friend''s birthday today, so we are looking for some elegant jewelry for her birthday celebration."


    "Sure, Mam! Please come this way. For events like these, we have just the right jewelry sets for you."


    Shui followed behind the attendant when he quietly said, "You go ahead and choose. I will wait here. I am pretty much useless in this section."


    Her brow twitched.


    I know he has some issues with me and God knows what those are, but does he always have to be so wary of me? It''s just jewelry shopping for Ai!


    She wasn''t shy to show her displeased smile. "Am I some kind of a virus that you have to always steer clear from me?"


    "What? No."


    "Or do you think that I am going to jump on you and eat you up?"


    "Of course not."


    "Then shut up and come with me. It''s Ai''s birthday and it will be more meaningful if we both take part in her celebration. What are you always so afraid of, Jin?"


    They exchanged hard stares like that for a whole three seconds. In the end, Shui lowered her gaze and said in a soft voice, "I know that you don''t like me, but you don''t have to be always so distant from me and keep hammering the fact to me. I got it already, so can you please loosen up when we are together? You¡­don''t have to be on guard like that all the time."


    "No, I didn''t mean it like that-" he raised his hand towards her, but she quickly walked away. It was as if he was trying to get hold of her, but his fingers caught nothing as they hung emptily mid-air.


    He slowly withdrew his hand with an inexplicable emotion swirling in his eyes.


    The one I am afraid of the most is myself, Shui.


    From outside, the gang of four were peeping at them and witnessing the entire scene that transpired.


    Nuo angrily stomped her foot on the floor. "What is Jin doing! How dare he make Shui sad?"


    Xing Bi complained. "I thought this was a great chance for them to get closer but Jin is being so stubborn in keeping his distance! I think what he needs is a good ear squeeze from this elder sister!"


    Leina joined them in their rant. "And we created such a golden chance! The Liu family men have always shamelessly pursued their love interests. That''s how their reputation has always been."


    "Why is Jin being the black sheep then?" Ai was heavily dissatisfied as well. "It''s high time for some spark to crackle between them."


    She beamed.


    13:50


    Jin scoffed and mumbled under his breath. "Don''t become Bro Jun part two."


    Back at the store, Shui and the attendant got busy with the selection but everything looked so pretty and elegant that she had a hard time choosing.


    "Hmmmm. Both of these sets are so beautiful. Ai will look so awesome no matter what she wears!" She beamed.


    Jin scoffed and mumbled under his breath. "Don''t become Bro Jun part two."


    Shui threw a deadly glare at him. "What did you say?"


    Jin wasn''t afraid of anybody so he openly sneered. "I said don''t be Bro Jun Part 2. If he had been here, he would have said the same thing."


    "And what is wrong with that? Ai would look the prettiest in either of these sets."


    The gang of four shamelessly listened to their conversation while hiding themselves an aisle away. Ai blushed with Shui''s compliment.


    Jin snorted. "The second set is beautiful, but it will be heavy on Zhou Ai. That naturally lovable and warm person will be buried under its gravity. Heh, she is so short after all. That petite woman won''t be able to handle its weight."


    Ai - "..."


    Excuse me, since when was I short? I am five feet and four Inches!


    Leina sympathetically patted her shoulders. "We will teach that brat a lesson later."


    "You still call her Zhou Ai. Why don''t you address her as sister-in-law?"


    His expression darkened. "I will never accept her as my sister-in-law. She isn''t good enough for him."


    Ai - "..."


    Shui was dumbfounded. "Then who is good enough for Jun, please tell me."


    "Nobody."


    "..."


    Shui blinked at him and squinted her eyes dangerously. "Soooo you mean to say that you didn''t think I was good enough for Jun when he and I were dating?"


    The sharp and lethal edge to her voice made him pause and furrow his brows. "When did I say that?"


    Nuo smacked on her own forehead.


    Little brother, why are you being so stupid today? Do you have a death wish!? She cried.


    Shui smiled. "When you said ''Nobody.''"


    "That didn''t include you, duh."


    "..."


    "How come ''Nobody'' doesn''t include me? And don''t duh me!"


    Jin made a sour face. "What has happened to your intelligence? Obviously by nobody, I mean nobody after Bro dated you because he was still sane back then. But then Zhou Ai put some black magic on him and he lost his ability to choose a decent woman because clearly, Zhou Ai is a weird creature from head to toe!"


    "..."


    Ai was left speechless beyond words.


    I am not even a human for Jin. Does he think I am a witch to hypnotize Jun?


    "You¡­" Shui was just at a loss for words just like Ai. She wasn''t sure if she should feel happy that the ''Nobody'' didn''t include her or feel sad that the ''Nobody'' did include Ai.


    Jin pointed at a jewelry set behind the glass shelf and said, "Pack that one."


    It was a scintillating and light-weight set that would shine Ai''s beauty brighter when she would wear it and which would accentuate her facial features perfectly too.


    Shui was amazed by his choice and also slightly irked that it was actually better than hers though just by a small margin. "You just said you were useless in the jewelry department."


    He shrugged. "I just mixed and matched combinations of Zhou Ai with all the jewelry sets here in my head. That is the set which I found to look at least a little decent on her."


    Her jaw dropped. "Huh? Since when?"


    "Since we stepped into the store."


    Shui and the gang of the four - "..."

 Chapter 648 Prepare Your Heart

    ?


    The evening birthday celebration consisted only of a small get together with the close families just as Ai wanted. Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying had their eyes sparkling like gold upon seeing their daughter dolled up so breathtakingly.


    Zhou Yichen cried and hugged her. "Ai-chan, are you leaving me already!?"


    Ai blinked. "What do you mean? I am right here before you."


    "But seeing you dressed up so beautifully makes me look like¡­makes it look as if it''s your wedding! Even your birthday celebration is being held in the Liu villa."


    She pursed her lips and pinched the tip of his nose. "It''s just my birthday celebration, Dad."


    For the first time, even Xie Nuying sided with Zhou Yichen. "These Liu men are very crafty. How are you living with them before you are married to Jun too? It''s like they are hogging you to themselves."


    "But I used to live with Jun in the condo before."


    "That was then. This is now. Since we came to Beijing, shouldn''t you be living with me?" She sternly asked.


    Zhou Yichen hugged her harder. "Why you? Ai-chan should live with me!"


    "She has always been living with me back in Xuanhua too. Is your memory failing with age, Yichen?"


    He glared at her. "It''s not my memory, it''s your eyes that are failing because clearly, you cannot see how Ai-chan loves me more than you and prefers to live with me!"


    Ai scolded both of them. "You are fighting even on my birthday."


    They immediately quietened down at that.


    "Didn''t I tell you before that you two shouldn''t waste your time fighting? But I see you don''t listen to me."


    Xie Nuying anxiously said, "No, no dear. How can we not listen to you? You are our sweetest daughter. I promise I won''t fight with Yichen."


    He nodded hard too. "I won''t argue with her either."


    She harrumphed. "It shouldn''t be just for today."


    They glared at each other.


    "If your father stopped wearing bright clothes that don''t suit his age and act like a normal middle-aged man, then I won''t have to tire myself out so much."


    His expression twisted. "Well excuse me and I am really sorry if you have such poor fashion sense. I pity your students who have to bear watching a plain old lady all year round."


    "At least plain is better than blinding bright."


    "Only someone who has lost their sense of colors would say that," he snorted.


    Lightning crackled between them but they shuddered hard as soon as they saw the dark clouds of gloom on top of Ai''s head as she held an extremely dry expression.


    "I am sorry!"


    "I am sorry!"


    They immediately apologized.


    "Fighting comes so naturally to you two. It would have been so peaceful if understanding would have come naturally instead."


    They began to sweat. I think you should take a look at


    "Now if you will fight again, I will cut the cake without you."


    "No, no!" They hugged her from both sides and begged her. "We won''t fight again! But don''t throw us out of the party!"


    They went outside like that, furiously sticking to Ai''s side. As they opened the door, their gazes gawked at the figure of a handsome man dressed charmingly in a white shirt and black suit and the black trousers highlighting his tall and attractive stature.


    Jun turned and smiled at Ai only to twitch his brow upon seeing the weird duo of parents clinging onto Ai for their dear life.


    "Uncle, Aunt, Good evening."


    Xie Nuying brightened with all praises for Jun. "Now, now Jun-cute, this is what I call to be looking appealing and dashing. You look wonderful," she nodded with pride.


    Zhou Yichen''s expression darkened. Even though she didn''t directly point at him, her indirect sarcasm at him was pretty much evident.


    "Thanks, Aunt. You look beautiful too. It''s like there are two Ai''s standing before me."


    Zhou Yichen smirked. "Isn''t my Ai-chan just perfect? Have you fallen for her all over again~?"


    His loving gaze settled at the woman he gave his heart to. "I fall for her all over again every single day. She keeps messing up my heart beats without a break."


    Ai''s rose-tinted cheeks blushed further as she found herself unable to meet his passionate dark brown irises.


    Xie Nuying coughed. "You are such a sweetheart, Jun. I am so happy that you two found your love in each other," she then cleared her throat, "Yichen and I will go ahead. You bring Ai down."


    "Why?" Zhou Yichen whined. "I want to see them cuddling- ow, ow!!!"


    Xie Nuying pinched his ear hard as she started pulling him away. "Have at least a bit of shame in you. Peeking at your daughter''s private time like that¡­"


    Jun breathed out as the duo left.


    Ai asked expectantly, "How do I look?"


    Jun raised his brow, stepping closer to her and with every inch of distance lessening between them, Ai felt her breaths growing shorter and shallower.


    He curled a lock of her hair gently around the tip of his finger, smiling with a glint of mischief. "Beautiful."


    With a light but an alluring pull, she stumbled into his arms and he bent to press his lips on hers. Ai felt as if her heart put a hard brake on its beats as his lips ventured deeper to capture hers. His unhurried pace made her even dizzier, and she found herself kissing him back with the same fervor.


    As he pulled back, he whispered near her forehead, "So much so that I don''t want to stop at just this kiss."


    Jun chuckled as he could see the steam of shyness escaping from the top of her head. "You cannot fall weak already. The celebration has just started. Prepare your heart for my surprise and for the night to come to. I promise to leave you spellbound."


    Ai stammered. "L-let''s go! Everybody must be waiting for us..." She wanted to quickly leave and feel the air against her cheeks to cool down her heated face.


    He raised his brow. "Sure if you don''t mind others seeing your smudged lipstick."


    "..."


    Ai instantly touched the corner of her mouth that smudged the stain on her fingertips. Her nostrils flared in grievance. "It''s all your fault that I will be late."


    And she ran back to the room with lightning speed.


    He sighed and muttered. "I was fine with it though."

 Chapter 649 Birthday Wish

    ?


    "Happy Birthday Ai!"


    Ai''s one and only favorite idol and star, Chyou gave her warm wishes as she hugged her with a bright grin.


    "Thank you, Chyou," Ai felt as if she was floating on the clouds with her idol being a part of her birthday celebration. "I am so glad you came."


    "Of course!" She handed her a birthday gift. "How could I not come to my adorable fan''s birthday? I am so, so happy for you!"


    Behind her was another figure, hesitating to approach Ai. But with some courage, he faced her and smiled. "Happy Birthday, Ai."


    Her eyes slightly widened upon seeing Yating. He was invited to the celebration too, but she wasn''t sure if he would come. "Thank you, Yating," her heart was filled with genuine joy as she happily accepted his gift.


    For a moment, she was worried about any awkwardness between them, but it was Yating himself whose warm gaze and smile felt pure and disengaged from his previous feelings from the bottom of his heart. There neither felt any burden that weighed him down nor the sense of loss of his unrequited first love.


    He had truly moved on.


    Ai said with sincerity, "Thank you for coming, Yating."


    His presence lightened the load off her chest that they might not share love in this life like they did in the past but that also didn''t mean that they couldn''t be friends either.


    "Che! How come am I not seeing some spicy drama unfolding here?" Chyou clicked her tongue on distaste. "Gu Yating, who had feelings for Zhou Ai at some point, is right before her. There should be sparks and tears and heartbreak flying ever-Ow! Hey! Why did you hit me?" She glared at him.


    Yating had smacked a karate chop on her head, rolling his eyes. "This is a real life birthday celebration, not in one of your movies. Pipe down on the drama part, Miss. Zhu."


    "Movies have been inspired by real life drama all the time. The two worlds are not so far~" she chirped.


    "I think there has been enough drama already in Ai''s life. She doesn''t need more chaos," another karate chop landed on her head.


    "Heyyy! My fans will kill you if they see you beating me," she snorted.


    "I will make sure to make them listen to their favorite idol''s craving for drama."


    She grinned. "I am no less than a Goddess for them. They will surely defend me with all their might~"


    His brow twitched. "Shameless."


    Ai curiously observed their interaction and for some reason felt an odd atmosphere between them. They were bickering like any good friends and having fun with cheery smiles and laughter but¡­


    Why am I sensing some undiscovered chemistry between them? Is it only me? Am I overthinking about this?


    But isn''t Chyou dating Cheng Yin?


    Though he was a selfish man through and through and ruined Chyou''s life in the past, Jun had given him a time of three months to prove himself, though Jun was well aware that these three months were not for proving himself right for Chyou but to show his true colors to her.


    "Chyou, how are you-"


    She abruptly paused as she noticed Guiying walking towards her from the corner of her eye. But before she could reach, another hyperactive person zoomed past Yating and Chyou to jump to hug Ai.


    "Sister-in-lawwww!!! Happy Birthday!!!"


    Yunru sparkled at her with the brightest shine in his eyes among everybody. He looked like a big, furry dog, eagerly flapping his ears at the most favorite person in the world.


    *SMACK*


    "Don''t suffocate sister-in-law!" Yubi took this chance to thoroughly smack senses into her twin.I think you should take a look at


    "Don''t be jealous of me, Yubi!"


    "Who the hell is jealous of a potato like you!"


    "Who are you calling a potato!"


    "You, of course duh!"


    "N-No fighting!" Guiying anxiously separated them. "It''s Ai''s birthday today."


    The twins immediately softened at Guiying''s request. "We are sorry, sister-in-law!"


    !!!


    Yating and Chyou''s brows raised as they heard this new form of endearing address.


    Guiying almost stumbled upon being openly addressed as sister-in-law. "I-I am not your sister-in-law¡­!" She urgently whispered with her heart threatening to stop in her chest. "I t-told you not to call me that¡­" she lacked tears to shed.


    They chirped. "But you are already living with us at our home. It''s just a matter of time till you actually become our sister-in-law!"


    Guiying didn''t even dare to meet anybody''s pointed gaze at her. The gift box she held in her hand was shaking, but it was her hands that were trembling.


    A gasp escaped from Ai''s lips and her brown irises looked hurt. "You didn''t tell me this, Guiying. Can I not be a part of your happiness?"


    "Th-this is not really what it looks like¡­" she began to sweat.


    From behind her, Zixin walked up to the group and tilted his head, curious of the conversation going among them. But first, he gave his warm wishes to Ai. "Happy Birthday, Ai."


    "Thank you, Zixin."


    He nodded and then asked, "What were you all talking about?"


    "Nothing!" Before anybody could bring that topic back, she hastily closed it herself. She pushed her gift in Ai''s hand and wished her. "Ha-Happy Birthday, Ai!"


    The twins giggled at her shyness and panic and so did Ai.


    Huan and Sun Bai also arrived by then for the celebration. Yunru''s face immediately turned bright red as her dreamy beauty made his heart race faster. He could feel his twin sister teasing him from the other side. "Sh-Shut up! Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Why are you looking at Shi Huan like that~"


    "I-I am just looking at her normally¡­" steam escaped from his pink ears.


    "Yeah, yeah I can see that," she rolled her eyes.


    The huge birthday cake arrived, made by none other than Nian as he proudly wheeled his creation towards the birthday girl.


    "Cake! Cake! Cake!" The hyper voices belonged to Liu Hai, Jing and Chyou.


    Nian lit the candles on the cake and grinned as he handed Ai the knife. "Now make your wish and blow the candles, sister-in-law~"


    Ai stared at the huge marvel of a cake with glittering eyes. She took the knife from him and bent to make her wish. She softly closed her eyes and sent her wish to the heavens.


    ''My only wish is for everybody to get their happy ending in this life. An ending filled with smiles and joy that they always deserved.''

 Chapter 650 Ais Birthday Surprise (1)

    ?


    "Jun, where are you taking me? You are keeping me in surprise for too long now," she said in an aggrieved voice.


    After the small birthday celebration was over, Jun quickly snatched her away, especially from Liu Hai and Jing, before they would have hogged her for the entire evening.


    "You have patiently waited all this time. Just some few minutes more," he chuckled.


    "Even for those few minutes, you have tied a cloth around my eyes."


    "Because the place is just as special."


    His playful voice made her harrumph. "I will take my revenge someday," making him roll his eyes.


    The car stopped and Ai bobbed her head left and right in confusion. "Have we reached?" There was an edge of excitement in her voice.


    Jun opened the passenger seat and held her hand. "Will you do me the honor of celebrating your special evening with me, Miss. Zhou?"


    Ai couldn''t see him but she imagined him slightly bowing before her as he asked for her hand with a sly smile on his lips. She played along as she straightened up with elegance. "If you insist, Mr. Liu."


    She placed her hand in his and walked with the aura of a queen escorted by her bodyguard. Her cute expressions made him laugh.


    Ai felt as if she entered the place and then was climbing steps towards her destination. Somehow the path felt familiar to her, but she couldn''t point out where.


    As they stopped, Ai could feel her breath stop too in her chest. There was a calming silence in the atmosphere that soothed the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.


    Jun slowly untied the knot and removed the black cloth around her eyes. As she gently opened them, she was enthralled to see herself standing on the third floor of the library.


    The book shelves at the center part of the library were shifted to make space to create a cozy dinner atmosphere with a small table and two chairs being perfectly aligned. From afar, she could see that the menu didn''t look like a regular menu. Instead, the font and paper style reminded her of the vintage typewriters that writers used in the past.


    The entire room was lit with paper lanterns made from book pages as they hung in the air and gently swayed with wind. The soft golden glow the lanterns emitted cast a pleasant and entrancing light, making Ai feel as if they had stepped into a whole another fantasy world altogether.


    Jun stood before her, gazing at her transfixed light brown eyes. Those beautiful irises that made her take his breath away. In a deep but soft voice, he pressed her hands and said, "Happy Birthday, Ai."


    She broke from her stupor and met his gaze, mesmerized. "Y-You did this all for me¡­?"


    Not in a million years did she imagine that Jun would plan her surprise in a library.


    "Do you like it?"


    Her jaw slightly dropped with the question. "Like it? I-I don''t know how to describe my feelings even though I am supposed to be a writer. So yes, Mr. Liu, I love it," the warm lights from the adorable lanterns made her eyes misty. "It''s really beautiful¡­"


    "This is just the part 1," he chuckled and walked up to his desk where he worked as an assistant librarian.


    Ai blinked and curiously watched him taking out an empty book cover. It didn''t have any pages inside it. He gave her the book cover and smiled. "This is part 2 of your surprise."


    "But it''s empty," she said, opening the empty book cover, which actually didn''t turn out to be completely empty. There was a single page hooked on inside the cover.


    She brought the cover closer to her and read the writing on the page.


    ''Happy Birthday Ai.I think you should take a look at


    I thought a lot of how to surprise you. I wanted it to be super special and super close to your heart. I racked my brains over it and then felt stupid that the answer was always before me. An answer that connected us in this life and made us meet. An answer that was the beginning of us moving on from the past and embracing our new life together. It is the most beautiful and special journey for me and I know it is for you too. How about we relive that journey together?


    PS - Where do you think you will find the next page~?''


    Next page¡­


    It then struck Ai what Jun was trying to do. Just like he added this single page as a starting point in this book, she was supposed to find the next pages and keep adding on to it as if she was creating a book. The realization made her sparkle her eyes with glitter and pure bliss.


    "Y-You really created a book for me¡­?" She asked, holding her breath.


    Jun shrugged hai shoulders with a tease. "Up to you to figure out."


    Ai jumped like a little girl in joy. She couldn''t wait to fill this book with its pages and complete his surprise.


    Next page right? I know where that is!


    She hurriedly ran towards her destination, but she immediately felt a pressure at the back of her dress. Jun was tugging it slightly to stop her marathon. "How about we relive the journey TOGETHER, Miss. Zhou?" He accusingly squinted his eyes.


    "..."


    Ai coughed and guiltily looked away. "It''s all your fault anyway that I got so excited. You planned a very creative surprise after all."


    He snorted. "Shameless to blame me."


    She urgently scolded him. "Will you keep standing there and pulling my dress or come with me already! I have to find the next page!"


    Which side of my girlfriend have I awakened with this treasure hunt?


    Ai hopped towards a particular bookshelf and looked up at a certain book.


    "Any problem?"


    She turned and found Jun behind her, asking her with an amusing glint in his eyes.


    Ai smiled in return. She looked up and pointed at the book. "I cannot reach it."


    Jun pulled a ladder towards him. "This is here just for that. You can adjust its height depending on how far the book is."


    "Naturally, I saw the ladder."


    "So may I point out why you haven''t naturally used it yet?"


    She smiled. "I am scared of heights...Or I used to. But now I have someone beside me who won''t let me fall no matter what. He won''t just let me fall. That''s it."


    And she held the ladder and slowly took her first step on it.

 Chapter 651 Ais Birthday Surprise (2)

    ?


    At first, Ai felt her chest pounding back and forth akin to a drum player passionately beating his beloved drums with his soul. But she was aware of Jun''s presence and how he hadn''t left his gaze off her even for a second. She softly exhaled a breath and took a second step on the ladder and then on the third.


    Jun watched her cautiously placing her steps with sincerity and courage. If it was before, then Ai would have felt dizzy and collapsed. He remembered the time when Ai fell in his condo the night the lights went out, afraid of falling in a never-ending space.


    But now her brown orbs shone far from any hesitation as she met her fear of heights head on.


    When Ai reached the last step and pulled out the book from the shelf, her face beamed with joy and with stars glittering in her eyes, she looked at Jun. "I did it! Look, look, I took the book all by myself!"


    A warm and doting smile curved on his lips filled with pride. "Yup I saw every second of it. I cannot be more proud of you. Now, step down just like that."


    She sheepishly grinned with a goofy smile. "Why do I need to climb down when you are there to catch me?"


    "What? Hey-"


    But Ai took a small breath and softly jumped off the ladder only to safely land into Jun''s warm embrace just as planned. He quickly locked his arms around her waist and secured her firmly. He narrowed his eyes. "Haven''t you become daring now?"


    "Only because you were right beside me," she innocently blinked. "And look, I am taller than you now," she proudly pointed out.


    He raised his brow. "Well what do you want to do with this new gained height, Miss. Zhou?"


    She blushed. "I want to fulfill my wish of a romantic scene that I have read in my favorite novels."


    "And what that might be?"


    Ai chuckled at his curiosity and slowly bent, capturing his lips with hers. She pressed them hard as she grabbed his neck and pulled him towards her. Before Jun could pry open her lips further though, Ai pulled back with a victorious smile on her lips.


    His brows twitched with dissatisfaction. "You¡­"


    "I fulfilled my wish! I couldn''t do it before because I was so afraid of being in the air, hehe~"


    "What about my part of the kiss?" He demanded.


    She gave him a look as if it was so obvious. "The taller one in this hug gets to kiss."


    He smiled. "You do realize that the shorter one in this hug gets to decide if he wants to let the taller one down or not, right?"


    "..."


    She coughed and sneakily tried to get down on her own, only that she couldn''t with Jun refusing to budge. "Going somewhere?"


    "Today is my birthday, you know. You cannot bully a birthday girl on her birthday, you know. You will be struck with lightning, you know."


    "You don''t excite your boyfriend and pull back when he is about to kiss you back, you know."


    "You don''t need to always have a retort ready, you know."


    "The art of retorting is what I have learned from my talented girlfriend, you know," he smirked.


    Seeing her purse her lips pitifully, he snorted and finally let her down. "I will have my fill later when the bottom one will be at the mercy of the top one."I think you should take a look at


    She choked. "Yo-You are a pervert!"


    "Only for you. You just realized that?" He laughed. "Open the book."


    Ai looked at her prize which she so courageously won by defeating her fear. It was the story of Romeo and Juliet, the same book which Jun had helped her get the first time they met. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she still remembered how Jun openly expressed his distaste for books with tragedy endings.


    She noticed the border of a paper slightly slipping out from the middle of the book. She eagerly opened it and held the page in her hand.


    ''The first time we met holds a very special place in my heart, Ai. Our story began here. I saw you staring at the bookshelf and hoping the book would fall towards you, sensing your concentration or maybe the ghosts in the library helping you out or a meteorite striking the library and knocking it off for you. The first thought that came to my mind was - This woman has some screws loose.''


    "..."


    Ai threw a displeased look towards Jun. "How rude."


    He lazily said, "Can you really blame me?"


    She continued reading.


    ''You were a weird existence for me. You said it to my face - ''You are not my type.''''


    She snorted. "Serves you right."


    ''At that time, I wondered what type of a man this weird woman prefers? So tell me now, Ai. Am I your type?''


    Ai coldly stared at him. "My type won''t ever say that I have screws loose."


    "My type won''t stick a cactus in front of my face either but here we are anyway," he chuckled.


    She cleared her throat. "I actually never really had a type¡­"


    "Hah!" Jun widened his eyes, incredulous. "Look at you always taunting me before that I wasn''t your type. You liar!"


    "It was your fault anyway. You always glared at me as if I was laying my eyes on you like a wolf out to eat a rabbit."


    "..."


    "Just because you are handsome, you thought that every woman was after you. I didn''t like that you included me with them because not all women are like that. That was my net of keeping a safe distance from you."


    Jun thought back and coughed as he admitted that he was indeed like that.


    She is right.


    Ai turned the page and read the ending of it.


    ''But it doesn''t matter to me that our first meeting had a bumpy beginning. The only thing I cherish from the bottom of my heart is that morning where you stood near the bookshelf with the sun outside faintly kissing your beautiful face with its soft light from the window. It was that morning, it was your light, it was the gaze of your light brown eyes that tore through the darkness of my past and pulled me out from its clutches. Our first meeting will always be the most special and the most memorable for me, Ai.''

 Chapter 652 Ais Birthday Surprise (3)

    ?


    The page wasn''t just an expression of Jun''s emotions but for the journey that they walked together, this page was the first chapter of their story.


    Ai''s heart fluttered with joy and the day they first met felt like it just happened yesterday. She placed the first chapter in the hook of the empty cover and the thrill of their love story being written really like a story brought a wide smile to her lips.


    "Our first meeting was just as special to me," Ai said with warmth in her gaze as she gently moved her palm across the page. "I recognized it was you the first time I saw you. I could never forget the dark brown eyes that were the last that I saw as I died. I didn''t understand what twist of a fate it was that you stood before me. I was almost about to say that it was you. But I thought that only I was reborn and you won''t recognize me."


    Jun smiled and kissed her forehead. The tender glow from the lanterns illuminated above them.


    At the very last on the page, there was a note written.


    ''PS - The next chapter should be around the place you woke me up hard from a never ending maze of darkness.


    Ai blinked for a second and then her eyes widened upon realization.


    "The window!"


    She hurried towards it with a gleam in her eyes and saw a bucket of water on the floor near the window. There she noticed a beautiful, colorful page just like she found the first one earlier placed upon a pretty case and floating on the water.


    ''I remember the day you poured a whole bucket of water on me and cruelly opened the window to let the cold air in when Jin came to meet me. It was after a long time that I saw him and the moment I did, the past haunted me once again. I thought I was moving on. But I was wrong. The hatred and animosity inside me was bubbling again.


    If you hadn''t splashed the water on me at that time, I knew I would have lost myself then. If you hadn''t stayed by my side, then I might have hurt Jin once again. It was you who stopped me from embracing my villainous side. It was a moment that marked the connection between us of slowly becoming more than just strangers.''


    She added that page in the book too and with two pages already inside it, she felt like she was floating on the clouds. But a trickle of water drops on her cheek made her snap from her dreamy stupor.


    Jun chuckled as he sprayed a few drops of the water on her face. "My tiny revenge for that day. It''s not the whole bucket, but it still counts."


    "How can you take revenge from me?"


    "A tiny one."


    "Nevertheless."


    "If I remember correctly, I had fallen sick the next day."


    Ai coughed. "Don''t forget that I took responsibility and care of you too."


    "Yeah¡­" he cocked his brow up, "You took great care of me. Till the point of changing my clothes. Tell me honestly. Did you take advantage of me while I laid weak and helpless on the bed?" He walked towards her, trapping her between his arms at a bookshelf.


    Ai gulped with the proximity. "I told you that I had closed my eyes. I didn''t take any advantage."


    "Really now?" He narrowed his eyes.


    She bobbed her head, but gasped with the space within his arms constricting. "But I am not feeling so virtuous right now."


    "T-That''s bad. I still have more chapters to find. I want to complete this book," she shakily nodded.


    He snorted. "You do realize you cannot escape for a long time, right? Especially after you finish making this book."


    To his surprise, she tiptoed and pecked his lips. "I wouldn''t want to escape either."


    And then she quickly ducked and escaped from under his arms and ran away at a safe distance.


    "..."


    Just like that, she kept finding the next pages that entailed the special moments they shared and brought them closer to each other.


    The first accidental kiss they shared outside the cafe, the book signing event where Jun met her as MissImperfectlyFine, the special Christmas evening where Ai came to live with Jun in his condo - He recreated all those moments in the library and as forms of pages of their story.


    Ai was captivated by the small Christmas tree between two rows of bookshelves which Jun decorated and where she found the next page of the story hanging from the star from the top of the tree.


    "You brought a Christmas tree¡­" she whispered under her breath.


    "Do you like it?" Jun popped from behind her and asked.


    She slightly turned her head, sniffling. "At this point, you shouldn''t ask me this question. I love the Christmas tree but more than that, I love how much effort you have put in for my surprise. It must have taken a lot of it¡­"


    No wonder Jun used to come late and seem distracted. To plan this scale of a surprise is indeed something¡­


    Jun kissed his cheek. "It''s your birthday. It''s my Ai''s birthday. This is still the least I have done I feel. I could have made it more special-"


    That earned him a glare from Ai and a nice scolding. "Don''t you dare say that this is less! If this is less, then I don''t know your definition of grand."


    Ai grabbed the letter from the star and read.


    ''I thought that it would be a lonely Christmas evening for me. But it wasn''t. I had made plans to drown into alcohol and forget about the night but you filled it with laughter and the passion that we shared for books. It was an amazing night of debate and banter that I never thought I would share with anybody. I didn''t know I could even talk so much.


    But Zhou Ai can make everything possible. It was the first time that I felt I genuinely laughed from my whole heart ever since I realized I was reborn. The past stuck behind me but you were always there in the front, shining your presence before me and never making me look back at the tragedy.''

 Chapter 653 Ais Birthday Surprise (4)

    ?


    Through the next places as she went by the library and found the pages written with Jun''s heartfelt words, she couldn''t grasp the extent of surprise that he had planned for her. Which came as a blow of a shock for her when she stared at the crescent swing just some distance away from the window. There was a page lying inside the swing.


    A soft melody began to swirl in the air and, taken aback, she turned and saw Jun offering his hand for a dance with a smile, "Shall I teach you how to dance?"


    She blushed as she clearly remembered the night of the wedding anniversary banquet. That evening had marked the night that made them grow more intimate than ever before.


    She placed her hand in his with Jun kissing the back of it. He circled his arm around her waist and the entire space in the library became their dance floor. As he turned and moved the steps, Ai followed him with sync. Their rhythms matched with their warm breaths as they closely held each other.


    "I see my student has certainly improved a lot," he chuckled, arching his brow.


    Ai was filled with a sense of pride. "I am a quick learner."


    "That''s true without a doubt¡­" As he twirled her around his finger, he pulled her body closer to his until their faces were just inches apart. "You have demonstrated your quick learning in bed too quite a number of times~ I must say you are very talented."


    The proximity heated her neck all up to her cheeks. She wanted to escape from his passionate gaze scanning her with scrutiny, but he grabbed her hand effortlessly and picked her in his arms.


    "Let me go! I still have to read and add the page to my book," she complained in an attempt to run away.


    But his villainous laughter rang all the way as he walked back. "I am taking you just there."


    He placed her inside the crescent swing just beside the letter and climbed on top of her.


    "W-What are you doing¡­?" She asked with her throat going dry.


    "How mean Ai. I know that you remember that that night was a pretty important night for us, right?"


    The redness reached all till her head now. "Don''t say misleading things. We had only¡­" she whispered under her breath, "made out¡­"


    "A pretty passionate makeout, wasn''t it?" He teasingly asked.


    "I-I have to read what''s written on the next page!"


    He waved his hand. "Don''t bother. I will give you a live demonstration of my feelings right here just like that night. I am sure I will be able to portray it more clearly than my words on a page."


    "I d-don''t need so much clarity¡­"


    "I think you do~"


    Even though Ai wanted to, there was just no space in the confined crescent swing to push him away. Not that she could gather any strength in her hands either as Jun''s lips found his way to drop kisses on shoulder and neck. The air inside turned hotter and mistier and the gasps and moans grew louder as he left light traces of his bite marks on her half naked body.


    She was completely at Jun''s mercy, and it was only until he saw how Ai''s face was flushed with satisfaction that he let her go. Breathless and gasping, Jun let her out of the swing with her lips looking too redder than before.I think you should take a look at


    "Y-you are a horrible person¡­" she sniffled as she straightened up the messed up creases on her dress.


    Jun snorted. "And who was it that was pulling this horrible person''s head to kiss her more?"


    She blushed even more furiously. "That''s just your misunderstanding! I was very well-behaved."


    "Uh-huh. We will get to see that soon."


    The next parts of their journey involved a short but painful separation when Ai had left his condo. It brought tears to her eyes as she read them. But a smile encased her lips, reading about the day Jun learned about her identity as MissImperfectlyFine and also stayed the night in her house. The chocolate day when Ai had made chocolates for Jun with a crying Nian''s help.


    This time, it was Jun who prepared a box of chocolates just for Ai. As he fed her one piece, she exclaimed with delight. "Delicious!"


    She gobbled up all the chocolates from the entire box in no time. The sweetness from those chocolates in her mouth left a tingling smile on her lips.


    It was then that the big night which marked the beginning of Ai''s career and their relationship became the next chapter of their story.


    The eve of Valentine''s Day.


    To celebrate that event, Jun had arranged for a small stage in between two rows of bookshelves and decorated the area close to how the Summit was organized that night. That entire space made Ai relive as if she once again back at the Summit stage. The shine and luster of this place radiated more brilliantly than all the other ones where Ai got the previous pages as if marking how special the night was to them.


    The paper lanterns cast their lights on the center of the stage. There was a mic with a page attached to it. Ai eagerly hopped towards the stage to grab it.


    ''Congratulations MissImperfectlyFine for winning the Authors'' Summit. The day that marked the beginning of the ending of the tragedy that killed your writing career in your past life. As I listened to you on stage, I couldn''t be more proud of you. You swept the audience off its feet with your story and me¡­with your confession.


    I never had imagined that your story would be the mirror to reflect your feelings for me. And as it did, it washed away every last doubt I had in my heart. I chased after you to give my answer. I chased after you to tell you how important you were to me just how I was to you. I chased after you to kiss you and make you mine forever.


    But the thing I kept in my heart was that I won''t let you win again. The next time, it would be sweeping you off your feet and making your heart tremble with happiness like you had made mine.''


    There was a PS at the end.


    PS - Look down, Ai.


    Ai blinked and moved her gaze away from the letter and as soon as the page left her sight, the one that greeted her made her mind go completely blank.


    On the stage, Jun kneeled before her on one knee, holding a small box in his hand with the diamond on the ring shimmering like the infinite stars in the night sky.


    His dark brown eyes peered into her light brown ones and with every ounce of love and sincerity, he asked, "Will you marry me, Ai?"

 Chapter 654 Tearing Through The Darkness Once And For All

    ?


    As Ai''s heart raced with anticipation, her eyes widened in shock as she watched Jun on his knee with the ring in his hand. A surge of emotions overwhelmed her as her breath caught in her throat. It was as if the world around her was fading away, leaving only the two of them in a blissful bubble of joy.


    Time seemed to stand still as her eyes were lost in his beautiful ones filled with warmth and sincerity. The question he dropped was akin to a melody, dancing in the air and resonating deeply within her soul. The ring scintillating so brightly had the weight of his love, commitment and loyalty enveloped within it.


    At that moment she didn''t know why but the agonizing memories of the past flooded in her mind. She couldn''t even begin to express the loneliness that was left behind for the rest of her life. The ecstatic reality of her rebirth had brought a vigor in her broken soul, but it all felt like a floating dream which could come crashing at any moment. Even when she met Jun, even as she fell in love with him, even as they started living together, she couldn''t suppress that tiny restlessness in her heart that poked holes in her happiness and dream.


    But as she witnessed Jun dropping on his knee and asking her hand to be held in his for the rest of her life, the cruel restlessness was gradually diminishing from within her. His gaze and the ring were proof of the happy ending that she had visualized for themselves for a long time.


    A surge of euphoria flooded her being, spreading a radiant smile across her face. Tears welled up in her eyes, glistening with a mixture of surprise, joy, and sheer emotion. She reached out, her trembling hand gently cupping his face, as if confirming the reality of the moment.


    Is this really happening¡­?


    In that singular, breathtaking instant, her heart soared with a mixture of gratitude, and the purest form of love. She thanked the heavens over and over again for the second chance that they were blessed with. She didn''t believe in the concept of perfection because it was nature''s way for an anomaly and imperfection to always reside in everything. But against her own ideology, for the first time, she felt that this moment was perfect. Their life would be perfect once Jun would slip the ring past her finger.


    With each beat of her heart, her mind raced with a whirlwind of thoughts and visions of their happy future. The pain and joy they shared, the ups and downs, the laughter and tears had all converged into this beautiful moment of significance.


    In this moment, she knew that this proposal wasn''t just about him wearing a ring to her finger. It was an affirmation of their bond that had forged since their deaths in the past life. They had held their hands as they had taken their last breaths and once again, in this life too, they will be beside each other as husband and wife to share their life and death together.


    "Is¡­Is this¡­" she couldn''t hold her voice together from stammering to express the emotions riling in her heart, "... really happening?"


    Jun could very well read every last emotion in her irises that were buried deep in her all this time. He gently squeezed her trembling hand that held his cheek and smiled. "Two hundred percent."


    "This is not a dream¡­?"


    "No."


    "Are-are you really proposing to me?" At this point, tears were falling as if a dam had broken apart.


    "Yes. I am proposing to the weirdest and the craziest woman I ever met in my life without whom I cannot live for a single moment anymore. I want to hold that woman in my embrace for the rest of my life."


    "You are mean¡­" she softly gasped, staring at him through her blurry vision, "I had plans to propose to you."


    "No, no, no," he shook his head. "I wouldn''t let you steal my thunder a second time. You confessed to me. It was only fair that I proposed to you."I think you should take a look at


    "My heart is beating like crazy."


    "Yeah that''s exactly how I felt at the Summit."


    "You proposed to me on my birthday¡­Is this supposed to be the best gift I have ever received?"


    "This is just the beginning, Ai. There will be many, many more happy surprises for you."


    She sniffled. "You have no right to make my birthday so special by infinite times when today was already overloaded with tons of happiness for me. My heart is not able to handle it¡­"


    "What about you overloading my heart and making Valentine''s night so special for me? I had decided that night itself that I would give you the most breathtaking proposal ever," his charming smile reached all up to his eyes. "Will you give me this honor?"


    Ai laughed through her tears. "Yes¡­"


    As she finally found her voice, a joyous gasp escaped her lips, followed by a resounding echo in the library.


    "Yes!"


    Her happiness radiated like a sunbeam, illuminating even brighter than the paper lanterns. The book slipped from her hands and dropping to her knees, she flew into his hug and let out a wail of tears and the joy overflowing her heart.


    Jun might have been smiling and chuckling before Ai, but only God knew how hard his heart was pounding in his chest. Unknown to her, his hand was ever so slightly shaking which held the ring as he had awaited her answer.


    But the moment Ai''s Yes echoed loud and clear, he couldn''t hold back the wetness from enveloping his eyes. There was a time in the past where his proposal had left him a lifetime of scar with Shui''s rejection. All the expectations, joy and dreams of a happy future with her had amounted to nothing as she tearfully said no. Even though he had no reason to be afraid in this life, a similar sense of restlessness was poking his heart as well as if he was getting pricked by needles.


    The trepidation that Ai would reject him too. That he would once again stand at the same position from where the despair in his life had started. And it was Ai''s simple yes that broke light through that fear and darkness once and for all.


    He had a ring to put on her finger but before he did that, he simply hugged Ai back who had immediately flown into his arms. He was the same as her. He broke down in tears just like her. He hugged her tighter to feel her warmth and inhale her scent. Before he slipped the ring, he wanted this moment to sink in his heart by just sharing a simple but firm embrace. He wanted her Yes to imprint upon his past life''s darkness and bid it goodbye forever.


    They simply wanted to hug each other, relishing the feeling that they finally got their happy ending they had always wished for.

 Chapter 655 A Long Night (1) *

    ?


    Ai gazed at the two very precious gifts from tonight that made her birthday the most special and memorable one for her.


    First the book which Jun had prepared just for her, signifying their beautiful journey together. And this treasure hunt of story pages had continued even after the proposal. After all, their love had just begun on Valentine''s night. She spread her palm across the book cover, thick with all the pages that completed their story. For a writer and a reader, nothing could be more of a precious gift than a book and one of their own story was even more dear to her heart.


    The last page of the book was the most beloved part just as the first page was


    There was a picture of Jun, Ai and the cats Jun-cute and Ai-chan, posing together in a family picture. Jun held Ai-chan while Ai held Jun-cute in their arms, smiling brightly facing the camera. She remembered they had taken this picture on her insistence after Ai-chan had started to live with them too. It was like their first family picture. Below the photograph, there were also paw prints of the cats, making her heart melt.


    Jun-cute would have definitely hissed in distaste upon his paw being dipped in ink, she coughed. She could imagine his struggle and resistance. She honestly wondered how Jun pulled it off.


    The second gift she couldn''t lift her gaze away from was the ring in her ring finger of her left hand that sparkled like a bright star. She could feel butterflies in her stomach as her heart trembled with pure bliss.


    Fiance.


    That was what they were as of this night. Not just boyfriend and girlfriend anymore but fiance''s soon to become husband and wife. The term husband made the fluttering feeling in her stomach grow even wilder and crazier.


    Her stupor broke when the car came to a stop, and she looked around. Her light brown irises immediately beamed upon seeing the all too familiar condo where they had shared some of the most treasured moments of their life.


    ¦Ñ¦Ánd¦Ásn¦Ïv¦Ål.c¦Ïm Jun pouted as he pinched her cheek. "You ignored me the whole ride till here."


    Ai furrowed her brows. "I didn''t ignore you. I was enjoying the joy of your surprises. You are the one to give them to me so I was actually paying attention to you only," she seriously justified herself.


    He snorted. "A smart way to cover up, huh? But just paying attention won''t be enough anymore."


    He stepped out and opened the door to the passenger seat but instead of letting her come out, he lifted her in his arms with a grin. "I am expecting your passionate gratitude for the surprises. Shall we continue from where we left off in the swing?"


    Jun didn''t waste time before he placed Ai on the bed and undressed himself, climbing on top of her. Tonight was just as priceless as Valentine''s because this was a further affirmation that Ai belonged to him. Him and him only. And an extra bit special because it was official.


    He wanted his lips on hers the moment he slipped the ring in her finger. It looked beautiful on her. But he held himself. He restricted himself from not losing to his desires because he knew that if he didn''t, he wouldn''t be able to stop. And now there was nothing to stop him anymore from unleashing the delight and ecstasy that had filled his heart to the brim.


    It was on the tipping point of overflowing, and he let them all out as he shut his eyes and captured Ai''s lips in a deeply fierce and burning kiss that sent a tremor right down to their souls. He had no plans on being gentle tonight and from the get go, his lips and teeth carving his marks on her skin were a sign for Ai that it would be a long and intense night.I think you should take a look at


    With which she didn''t have any problems because her own agenda wasn''t anything different. The library, the pages, Jun''s emotions within them and the ring to make her his forever was more than enough to shake her to her core. It was a sense of happiness that she wasn''t able to express through words so the only means to convey her feelings was through the heat and fever they were sharing just now.


    They kissed each other for a long time before even beginning to explore the other parts of each other''s body. Their teeth dug into their lips, their tongues meshed against each other and this fervent kiss continued until the blissful reality of their joyous future was sinking in their hearts. They didn''t even let their breathlessness stop them and it was only when they were truly out of their breaths that they broke apart, gasping for a deep breath.


    But it was a momentary separation as their wet lips found their way to each other once again. Jun snaked his arm to her back and pushed her body closer against his, wanting to go deeper into her mouth. There wasn''t even a tiny space left between their chests anymore.


    Ai let out soft and muffled moans with the pleasure of the kiss making her tremble deep till her bones. She wondered what it would feel like when he would actually make love to her. The tempting imagination made something warm gush within her. It was right on the cue that Jun finally left her delectable lips and sunk his teeth in her neck and breasts. A moan and gasp escaped together from her lips, darkening Jun''s dark brown orbs further with hunger.


    He stared deep into her eyes while he made his way down to feel her entrance. It earned him a sensual jolt from Ai whose soft breasts squished against his chest. He cocked his brow, feeling it wet. "Somebody is already growing very naughty."


    "I have body parts other than my lips too," she harrumphed.


    "Are you complaining?"


    "Yes."


    "You are already complaining about the long kiss. What will you do when I enter you because trust me once I do, I am not pulling out no matter how much you cry and complain," his shady smile made her gulp, "And trust me once again because I have no plans of being gentle tonight. So I am kissing you longer to train you in not complaining during that time."


    "..."


    "If your lips are occupied, you really cannot do much about it, ca


    n you?"


    "..."


    "So are you ready, my dear fiance? It''s going to be a long night~"

 Chapter 656 A Long Night (2) *

    ?


    It was two rounds later that Ai''s whole body from top to bottom was completely flushed in red and sweat. But the night was far from over. The bedsheets by now were all crumpled and messed up, the creases proof of the rounds that just transpired.


    Jun kissed the top of her nose. "You look beautiful."


    "I am not beautiful, I am messy right now," she breathlessly corrected him.


    ¦Ñ¦Á¦°d¦Ás¦­¦Ïvel.c¦Ïm "A beautiful mess, I must say," he pecked her jaw and as he said that, his palm traveled across the length of her back, caressing every inch of it.


    He dipped his head to suck her breast, making her release a moan and clutch his head tighter. His kisses trailed upwards towards her neck and clavicle, biting the hickeys he already dropped before.


    Without pulling out of her, he slightly lifted her and turned her to lie on her belly, dipping his head once again to claim her back. His lips moved across her soft skin and his tongue glided to lick her while his hand was busy in the front cupping and kneading her breast.


    The pleasurable gasps and ecstatic breaths which Ai couldn''t control from letting them out urged Jun to slowly start moving inside her. Eventually his pace quickened and his hits turned harder as he pounded inside her from the back. Lifting her waist, his thrusts reached deeper and deeper until Ai completely surrendered to the gratification coursing through her veins.


    She looked at the ring perfectly fit in her finger which shone so brilliantly not because of the diamond resting in it, but because it was the reflection of Jun''s sincere love and promise.


    "Ahhhnn!"


    She felt a sudden blissful jolt break her stupor, sensing Jun grow bigger and harder inside her. It was as if her walls were trying its hardest to contain his passion from overflowing. She saw Jun place his hands beside her head on either side of the pillow and felt him leaning towards her. His chest grazed against her back, and he gently tucked a lock of her hair away from her ear, whispering in her ear, "You don''t understand what you do to me when you gaze at the ring like that."


    A shudder tingled on the back of her neck as she dared to ask, "What does it do?"


    "The jolt that you felt just now."


    She exhaled a trembling breath as a tear slipped down the corner of her eye. "Are you going to stop at that?"


    Jun bent, wiping away the culprit from her eyes that he never liked to see and kissing her eyelashes. "Not in a million years."


    He pulled out and his hard and hungry member pushed back inside her once again with a thrust that rang madness till the deepest part of her soul. She cried with pleasure tingling all over but as his thrusts kept greeting her endlessly, Ai''s moans grew more muffled with the heightened sensitivity. Every touch and every thrust sparked a fire within her.


    The third round of passion continued for a few intensely pleasurable minutes, raising the temperature of the air higher and higher. As Jun climaxed inside her with his last thrust, he wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her from the back, resting his head by her side. He held the back of her head and turned her to make her face him. Staring into the depths of each other''s brown irises, Ai inclined to kiss him on the lips, her body quivering with the warmth of Jun''s climax gushing inside her.


    After all this time of protected sex, this was the first night that they truly laid bare before each other. It was a decision none other than Ai''s who wanted him to enter naked inside her without any barrier.


    Jun had asked after a pause, "Do you not want to wait till the wedding night?"I think you should take a look at


    "I don''t. The wedding night symbolizes a happy forever in all true senses. But you gave me the precious happy forever tonight which I was always waiting for," she said as her vision got slightly blurry, "There is nothing for me to wait for anymore. The promise that your ring holds is enough for me."


    At present, Jun reiterated his feelings which he already did before they started their first round. "You...you will really be the death of me one day..."


    Though Jun seemed to complain, in reality, Ai''s words couldn''t have made him happier.


    She kissed his cheek and pouted. "Didn''t you want to?"


    His gaze darkened. "You better not question the patience I have been holding. I wanted to come inside you all this time."


    She squinted her eyes. "How is it that I am hearing this for the first time?"


    He choked and realized that he spoke far more than he intended. "Ignore."


    "You!" Ai squeezed his ear hard as if punishing him. "You hid this from me."


    "Because I didn''t want you running away from me seeing my greediness."


    Her nostrils flared. "It''s not about greediness, it''s about your desires just like I have mine! You should have shared this with me!"


    Jun arched his brow, amused. "Would you have allowed me?"


    "We certainly could have mutually decided the frequencies of protected and unprotected sex," she said with all seriousness, making Jun choke again with her boldness.


    "Yeah I was right. You will really kill me one day."


    A naughty thought struck Ai, and she slowly climbed on top of Jun. After a moment of silence, he asked, "...What are you doing?"


    She placed her palms on his toned chest and curved towards him, kissing him on his jawline. "There are many ways to kill you, you know." She traced her fingertip against his neck while simultaneously also squeezing her breasts against his chest. "It''s my turn to punish you."


    He exhaled a gasp and pulled her head to kiss her hard. The thought of Ai riding on him was as intoxicating as being dead drunk with alcohol. "Please continue with your punishment, Miss. Zhou. If this is your way to kill me, then I am willing to die for you everyday."

 Chapter 657 The Order Of The Weddings

    ?


    The news of their engagement naturally became the talk of the family the next day. Seeing the mesmerizing ring glow on Ai''s finger made the women squeal to their hearts'' content.


    "This is so pretty!" Nuo couldn''t take her gaze off it. "Bro Jun certainly has chosen the perfect ring for you, sister-in-law. And the book. Gosh! I didn''t know that he could be so romantic." She teasingly nudged Jun''s elbow with a sheepish grin.


    Liu Chunhua excitedly clapped her hands. "Does that mean we get to plan the wedding now? Oh my God, I am so excited!"


    "Not so fast!" The twins protested. "We are the elder brothers here. What about us?" They whined.


    Nana rolled her eyes. "There is no question of the elder siblings getting married first necessarily. Besides, have you even proposed to your partners?"


    Jian raised his hand like a child in the classroom. "I have already made plans! Leina and I have been dating for a while now so..." he blushed like a teenager, "I have been thinking that I should take our relationship to the next step~"


    The women squealed once more, this time including Ai too. "Jian you sneaky brat!" Liu Chunhua smacked his head.


    Nian raised both his hands as if trying to become the center of attention. "Me too! Me too! It won''t be so far when Xing Bi and I will get engaged too!" He cried. "You cannot leave me aloneeeee!!"


    Jun dryly said, "This is not a competition, Bro. Besides, you and Xing Bi have just gotten into a relationship. Isn''t a little more time needed?"


    He glared at him. "I know my heart and my heart only wants Xing Bi!" He flared his nostrils in confidence.


    "Yeah I am talking about her heart, not yours."


    "..."


    "If it''s you, her heart can change any time."


    Nuo burst into laughter.


    Nian grabbed his head and squeezed it in animosity. "Don''t you get it, little brother? If my dearest and cutest sister-in-law said yes, that means Xing Bi would say yes too," his black eyes sparkled with hope, "They are like sisters so I am sure their sisterhood will definitely reflect in their decision-making too!"


    Ai''s mouth twitched with the bizarre logic.


    He grimaced. "Yeah we are brothers too, but I don''t think our brotherhood reflects any of our common decisions or traits."


    "Shut up! Sisters are different from brothers!"


    Nana shook her head. "You three are arguing over the silliest of things."


    The twins jumped to hug their mother with genuine grievances in their hearts. "Mom! As the responsible and respectable elder brothers of the Liu family, shouldn''t we get married first?"


    Jin, who was lazing around on the couch with the cats, sneakily laughed to himself.


    Responsible and respectable...


    As if their imaginary antenna caught his reaction, the twins dangerously narrowed their eyes at him. "Jini-boy, are we sensing some sarcasm there?"


    "I didn''t even say a word. And don''t call me Jini-boy!" He threw a pillow at them.


    "Hmph, we will see you later!" They turned their attention towards Nana again and cried. "Mom, as responsible and respectable elder brothers, it''s also our responsibility to guide our cute little siblings the way to lead a happy marriage~"


    Jun snorted. "Seriously? We need you two as the guidance for understanding a happy marriage?"I think you should take a look at


    They nodded their heads.


    "You do understand that you are not going to ''lead'' any marriage but only follow your girlfriends then wives orders, right?"


    ¦Ñ¦Ánd¦Ás¦­¦Ïv¦Ål ?¦Ïm "We will show you the correct way to do it! It''s a long and treacherous path..." they dramatically emphasized their point.


    "I don''t need to learn that from you!"


    "When someone is in a relationship for a second time, yes they do!" They argued.


    "..."


    Nuo, Jin and Ai coughed hard and tried very hard to hold their laughter.


    Liu Chunhua smacked their heads hard. "I cannot believe that we are arguing over the order of getting married here."


    Jian sheepishly grinned. "It makes sense. First we, the super adorable twins, then Jun, Nuo and finally Jin!"


    "You two like to be the eldest in everything, even if it''s marriage," Nuo shook her head, not understanding for the hundredth time as to who is really the eldest here.


    Jun waved his hand, apparently too tired to carry on this little spat with him. "You two can do whatever you want. Anyway, Ai and I are engaged but it''s not like we are going to marry tomorrow."


    Ai chuckled. "Yes. We mutually decided that we will think of a wedding after I publish my book I have been working on since I joined Sky. Until then..." she showed the ring, "we will be lovey-dovey fiances~"


    The twins brightened like the morning sun. "We love you, sister-in-law!"


    "Show some of that love to me too," Jun sneered.


    Ai laughed thinking about last night when they were having this conversation. Jun had told her he was pretty sure that the twins would cause a fuss over them marrying first. It was childish but that''s how the twins always were. It was then that he suggested they wait until Ai''s book was out.


    "I want you to be the best writer out there in the world before you become my wife. Also, I am selfish. I want people to say that Liu Jun is marrying the best writer of China. How could he possibly marry a dreamy woman like that?"


    Her heart melted with his words. "And the women are going to be the same. How dare Zhou Ai snatch the most handsome and eligible bachelor from us?"


    In the present, she shook her head, thinking about their last night''s banter. But eventually they decided that it was indeed for the best if she completed her book. Jun wanted the world to recognize Ai as a writer first before it recognized her as Liu Jun''s wife.


    Nana beamed. "I think that''s a great decision!"


    Jin gave the twins a thumbs up. "Good. You two have more time to reflect on yourself and become good boyfriends."


    The twins'' faces blackened. "We are very good boyfriends!"


    He sneered. "I think Leina and Xing Bi will have something different to say~"


    "Y-You..."


    Liu Chunhua twisted Jin''s ear and scolded him. "Talk about them later when you get yourself a girlfriend first, Jin. What about you? Do you have anybody you like?"

 Chapter 658 To Forgive Yourself

    ?


    "I don''t have anyone like that, Grandma. Besides, I am just focusing on learning business from Dad right now. I don''t have the time," Jin was quick to answer.


    He seemed calmed and unaffected by the question and neither could anybody read his rattled emotions if he had any towards Shui.


    Liu Chunhua squeezed his ear. "Work is important but so is finding your life partner. Don''t be lazy about that."


    He grinned. "I can take my time, Grandma. My four other brothers and sister have found their soulmate. I don''t really have to hurry, do I?"


    "Well you don''t have to hurry but you can be on the lookout too," she scolded.


    "Haha, cool Grandma."


    His laughter might have fooled Liu Chunhua but not the others. They knew that something was off about the way Jin ignored Shui.


    "Anyway, I gotta be ready for the office."


    He hopped up on his feet and went back to his room with slightly hurried steps.


    ¦Ñ¦Á¦°d¦Ás¦­¦Ïvel.c¦Ïm ¡ª


    "Jin."


    He turned and saw Jun walking towards him. The two cats were jumping and playing with each other as they followed him.


    "Bro. What''s up?" He casually asked though he could read the question in Jun''s eyes.


    "I just wanted to talk about what Grandma was asking you."


    He shrugged. "What is there to talk about?"


    "You know what is there to talk about, Jin," he sternly observed him. "Tell me the truth. Is there something you are hiding from me?"


    The look of confusion marred his face. "Hide? What will I hide from you?"


    "About how you still keep ignoring Shui. If everything, if our present has been sorted out now, if there is no threat to our future, then why are you...why aren''t you considering getting together with Shui?"


    Jin held his gaze, not saying anything.


    "Is it the guilt of your past life? You behaved recklessly with her to avenge the hurt she caused me. Is that what is stopping you, Jin? Are you not able to forgive yourself?"


    Jin remembered the past life''s memories as if it was just yesterday. Everything that Shui did was to only protect Jun and his legacy. Whether it was marrying Jin to protect his life despite knowing that she would garner hate from everybody for the rest of her life or being the one to undertake the task of reviving Sky after his death - Shui had only and only ever thought about Jun. Her past rejection had hurt Jun but her future actions went up and beyond to pay for the pain she gave him.I think you should take a look at


    And Jin had thought of and done every method possible to wound her and break her from within only to know that she didn''t deserve any of it.


    Jin smiled. "You are right, Bro. It''s not so easy to forget. Shui might not know anything. It''s my choice too if I want to confess the past to her. She might come to hate me if I do. If I don''t, then she doesn''t have to know anything and we can be happy, right?"


    Jun''s deep brown irises were filled with trouble. "Jin, look..." he held his shoulders and the urge in his voice was desperate to make him understand, "This is your second chance too. I was the one to snatch your life away from you and end your future with that. I don''t want you to keep getting wound up in the past and unable to move on. That''s not why we got this chance. We got it so that we find the happiness that we couldn''t in our past life. I understand you, Jin. Trust me, I do. I was the same as you. I thought I don''t deserve to be happy even with this second life. But Ai proved me wrong. She made me forgive myself."


    His palms slightly squeezed his shoulders. "And I want you to forgive yourself too, Jin. Please. I know your happiness is in Shui. Shui''s happiness is in you. You let go of her once because of me. I don''t want you to let go of her again because of the past this time. After all this time of grief and loneliness, I don''t want you to put yourself through it again. It''s fine if you want to take some time to heal and forgive. But don''t hide behind the past and lose Shui again."


    ¦ÇoVeLusb.Com


    Jin smiled through his misty eyes. "Thanks Bro. I couldn''t be a good brother in the past but this-"


    "No, idiot," he tapped on his head. "It was me. I couldn''t be a good brother to you and a good son of this family."


    "I just...want to see you happy. I don''t want anything to take away that happiness from you once again."


    "I am happy, Jin. A lot. But it will only be complete when I see my brother find his happiness too." Jun patted his head. "Don''t be harsh on yourself, Jin. Please think about Shui and you."


    ¡ª


    ''Please think about Shui and you.''


    Jun''s last request and the strain in his voice echoed in his mind as he silently sat in the church. There were some people around and some at the aisle but overall, there was peace and quiet.


    Jin was seated somewhere on one of the middle benches and was staring into the empty space without a twitch in his expression.


    A while later, the small crowd had also left the church, leaving Jin all alone. A minute later, he felt someone''s presence beside him.


    "Can you please sit somewhere else? I want to be alone here."


    "Oh, I think it would be interesting to talk to you."


    "There is nothing interesting to talk to me about."


    "I beg to differ."


    Jin frowned and was slightly annoyed with the stubbornness. He took a glance at his side and noticed an elderly woman with a calm and mysterious smile on her lips.


    He stared at her unblinkingly for a long while, eventually recognizing her. "You are that Grandma from before. The one who had Ai-chan...the cat and left her with me."

 Chapter 659 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (1)

    ?


    The woman smiled. "Am I?"


    "Of course you are. I didn''t forget you. You just selfishly left Ai-chan with me that day! What if I had abandoned her too?"


    "I knew you wouldn''t."


    Jin''s gaze darkened by the arrogant confidence in her voice. It was then that thinking about her voice, he seemed to pause.


    Where have I heard it before? She sounds familiar...


    "Why did you come to the church?"


    He frowned. "Why should I tell you?"


    "Maybe I will be able to help you."


    Jin still wasn''t able to figure out where he had heard her voice apart from the time they had met in the church.


    "I don''t need your help."


    She chuckled. "You are really stubborn, you know. Whether the time you refused to admit your feelings for that girl and had to be locked up in the time-space or now when I am generously offering my help."


    A razor-sharp silence descended after that, and he slowly turned to look at her, this time with extreme scrutiny.


    "You were the one who talked to me both times. When I had the fever and...after the accident. Both the times when I saw that clock."


    The woman simply smiled. "I think we have talked a third time too. Much further back."


    He suddenly felt a sense of nervousness creep in and his back straightened up, alert. It was evident that her presence wasn''t so thrilling to him. He looked at her up and down, gauging her from head to toe. He was well aware that whatever he, Jun and Ai had faced regarding the golden clock was an otherworldly experience. Anybody associated with that phenomenon couldn''t be...


    "You...cannot be a hu-human."


    Even though he was Liu Jin, the son of the prestigious and influential Liu family, he couldn''t help but slightly stammer because his status didn''t matter before someone whose existence was beyond power and money.


    "Oh, I can be anything I wish," her eyes twinkled.


    "What are you doing here? Are you keeping an eye on me?" He slightly gritted his teeth, feeling irked with her response. For some reason, she reminded him of his grandfather or his uncle or the twins. The glint of mischief in her eyes was very similar.


    "Oh my. Why would I do that?


    "Because you don''t want me getting closer to Shui!" He barked. "I heard your warning crystal clear at that time itself! You don''t have to keep reminding me again and again..."


    He then threw accusing glares at her. "You are the one who had suddenly made the clock appear before me, right? So that I would lose control over my car and then that accident..."


    The woman held a solemn look. "It was time I reminded you of the condition."I think you should take a look at


    He clenched his trembling fist. "Yeah I remember that very well now...So you can leave! I won''t do anything to jeopardize my brother''s future."


    "But I came to offer my generous help here."


    "I don''t need your generous help. I don''t trust you! Especially after how you planned that accident! You unnecessarily dragged Shui and Xing Bi in danger."


    "I wouldn''t have let anything happen to them," she mysteriously smiled.


    "Leave!"


    ¦Ñ¦Ánd¦Ás¦­¦Ïv¦Ål ?¦Ïm The woman tilted her head. "You are really stubborn, you know. One of the many stubborn souls that keep me busy. But you were different because you extended that stubbornness even after your death. It was the first time that I witnessed a soul gaining consciousness of its own through its sheer willpower. You refused to let your soul move on to your next birth only for one wish to be fulfilled."


    *Flashback*


    It was in those very last moments that Jin, who was just shot in his chest by his brother''s bullet, could see and sense something unnatural happening to him. It was as if his time as Liu Jin was over. It was a feeling as if he was getting sucked into something which resembled a mysterious pathway. His head ached by the blinding white light before his eyes, and his instinct told him that this was his end...or was it his new beginning?


    Whatever it was, Jin felt a strange but strong repulsion and resistance. His human body was already dead, yet he felt an immense sense of pain as if he was getting burned into ashes. It was extremely agonizing and painful. On one side, his resistance was pulling him back and on the other side, some mystical force was pulling him into the opposite direction.


    He couldn''t speak. He couldn''t articulate himself as if he had become mute. But the sheer force of his protest resounded the thoughts circulating within his soul.


    ''Bro is still back there...''


    ''Where are you taking me?''


    ''I don''t want to go anywhere.''


    The few painful moments felt like forever and after a while, he felt liberated from the other side as if some link had just shattered. And as it did, the world suddenly spun around Jin, and he began to hear voices and see the people before him. He looked down and stared at his human body, which was lying bleeding on the floor.


    He stared at it hard for a long time before it registered in him that he was looking at his own dead body. The voices he was hearing belonged to his family, mourning over his death. He saw Jun kneeling before Jin''s body with his gun slipped long ago from his hands.


    "Jin..."


    Shui was in a similar state, kneeling beside Jin with her white wedding gown marred with the drops of his blood splatter.


    The shock, the disbelief washing over Jun''s and everybody''s faces gradually was growing deeper and deeper.


    What is happening...


    Jin looked at himself from top to bottom. His whole body seemed to shine and look transparent. He could see his family, but as he moved his hand to touch them, his hand simply passed through them and neither could his family see him anymore.


    That''s when the reality actually sunk in him.


    I am dead...

 Chapter 660 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (2)

    ?


    Jin witnessed the events that followed what happened in the church. The dark atmosphere at the hospital, the looming, impending news of Jin''s death, Nana falling seriously ill and Jun...Jun who stood outside the hospital with a gaze that said that he had lost everything. His hand which held the gun was shivering, and his eyes were transfixed straight ahead.


    "Bro...Bro I am here...! Why...can''t you see me...?"


    Jin knew the answer to it, but he desperately wished for his presence to be felt. He could do nothing to stop his crumbling heart. At the very beginning, he indeed carried some animosity towards Jun who was able to shoot him for the sake of the woman he loved. Kill his own brother and their brotherhood.


    But he couldn''t hold onto his bitterness and malice for long seeing that same brother realize the gravity of his sin. Jun''s eyes didn''t reflect the rejoice of the victory over killing him but the regret of becoming a monster being able to do so.


    "Don''t...Don''t look like that Bro...I forgive you, Bro! It wasn''t your fault! I-It''s all Shui''s fault, Bro! She forced me to marry her...She forced me to agree to this wedding! Everything happened because of her. I-I don''t blame you, Bro..."


    But there was nothing he could do besides staying with Jun who awaited the news of his mother''s health.


    "I am sorry. Mrs. Liu has passed away," Zhan Yahui in the disguise of a nurse had said.


    The news was the last straw that had completely broken any hint of semblance that Jun had been holding to. The last light of hope had also flickered.


    "No...N-Not Mom...Mom cannot...She won''t leave us...This cannot be true!" Even his soul shuddered upon hearing it.


    But somewhere in his heart, Jin knew that he was probably just creating an illusion for himself and Jun. Nana''s health had already weakened, and Jin''s death might have been the last trigger for it to decline even further and unable to hold on.


    He saw Jun take a step back and slowly withdraw with a lifeless gaze.


    "Bro, it''s not like that...I know you are blaming yourself, but it''s not like that! Please listen to me!" His cry echoed from the bottom of his heart.


    An imminent and dark fear twisted his heart as if he knew something terrible was going to happen. That fear turned out to be true as he saw Jun in his car and started the engine with an empty look ahead. Though his gaze was vacant, it also held a strange and dangerous determination.


    The resolve to repent for his sins through his own life. There was nothing he could do to pay for the crime he had committed other than giving up on his life.


    Jin was there. He was right beside him when Jun reached that unshakeable decision.


    "Bro, y-you cannot be serious, right?" He smiled tremblingly with fear laced in it. "You cannot do this, Bro. T-This is not the solution! Listen to me...You have to listen to me!"


    The more the speed increased, the tighter of a knot he felt squeezing in his stomach. Jun had only one purpose and that was to crash his car. Jin''s soul could watch him throwing himself into fatal danger but other than begging and pleading with him, he was rendered helpless.


    "Bro stop!" He cried. "Please don''t do this...Please think about Dad, Sis, the twins...our family...they will be miserable if you kill yourself! They don''t want you to die, Bro...Nobody wants you to die...! I know that they won''t blame you! Nobody will, so please...stop the car!"


    Through his transparent state, he tried to grab the steering wheel and take control, but the effort was meaningless. He could touch nothing. He could hold onto nothing. He could only watch his brother driving himself towards death.


    The heart wrenching moment arrived as a tear slipped out of Jun''s eyes and he shut them, bracing for the impact.


    From the car crashing into Dream High building''s entrance to the impact hitting Jun fatally - Jin witnessed everything. He saw his head collapse on the steering wheel with blood streaming down his temples.


    Pandemonium ensued around the place as people screamed and asked for help.I think you should take a look at


    "Oh my God! The car just crashed!"


    "S-somebody please call for an ambulance...The man is bleeding!


    "Was he drinking and driving?"


    "He must be! Seriously, these drunk people...Didn''t you see a cat getting under his car...?"


    "Is that true? That''s horrible!"


    "Bro...?" He stared at him hard, not wanting to believe that Jun would die. He raised his shaking hand towards him, but he stopped midway as another loud impact resounded from the top of Jun''s car. It froze Jin in his place, and he slowly lifted his gaze.


    A woman fell from above and had just crashed on the car''s roof. A secondary bouncy tremor led her to fall on the car''s hood. He inhaled a sharp gasp. He didn''t understand what was happening.


    Who was this woman? Why did she fall? What happened to her?


    He looked up and only saw Dream High''s building standing tall. The terrace was way up, hidden in the dark.


    Did she commit suicide...?


    When he looked back at Jun, the moment that he witnessed completely shook him. Jun was staring at the woman and so was she. They held each other''s gazes as if there was something that only they could understand.


    To Jin''s shock, Jun actually took the initiative of lifting his hand in an attempt to hold hers. This was something he never imagined would happen. Jun never thought about anybody else but Shui and now he wished to reach out towards this strange woman he had never met before. The woman similarly raised her hand, weakly and painfully but managed to hold Jun''s hand.


    "Bro..."


    Tears slipped from Jin''s eyes, and he stood still and quiet, simply watching their last moments unfold. But what made him tremble was Jun''s smile.


    The very last and the very faint smile that lifted the curve of his lips.


    ¦Ñ¦Á¦°d¦Ás¦­¦Ïvel.c¦Ïm Jun was smiling.


    For the first time in five years, Jin had seen his brother smile and all because of a woman who was sharing her death with him.


    You...smiled...You smiled Bro...


    Ah you finally...smiled...


    Something which I...couldn''t make you do for a long time...

 Chapter 661 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (3)

    ?


    With the last and peaceful smile on Jun''s lips came the first tragic end to his life which Jin couldn''t do anything to stop.


    The air was heavy with grief as the night sky was filled with the epiphany of his loss.


    His gaze remained transfixed at Jun, who had ceased to breathe. This dark night reminded Jin of the time he was locked up in the dark room. He had sat huddled, his shoulders trembling and tears rolling down his cheeks and guilt and fear screaming inside him. But it was Jun''s comfort that poked a hole in that fear, letting him breathe. It was that little toy''s light he had brought with him that flickered within the dark, not making it so scary anymore.


    It was that similar darkness that had blanketed the sky but this time, it was Jun locked up in the car, ridden with guilt and fear. His eyes were stained with tears that couldn''t even begin to express his regret. Jin was right beside him. But he couldn''t help his brother the same way that he had helped him. He couldn''t erase that repentance that exhausted the last thread of any redemption within him.


    The night lights shone across Jin''s tear-streaked lines of his face, reflecting the raw emotions that consumed him. It was all pandemonium and chaos but in that moment he felt isolated, as if a piece of his heart had been wrenched away, leaving an unfillable void.


    He still felt the echoes of Jun''s laughter filled with memories of happier times. The weight of the past and their childhood pressed upon him, the memories crashing like waves against the fragile walls he had built to protect his heart.


    *Meo..w...*


    Amidst the screams and rush of people trying to make sense of the two deaths that they had witnessed, Jin heard a soft and weak whimper. He tore his gaze away from Jun for some unknown reason and noticed a cat lying weak and fragile at the entrance of an alley. Jin floated to her side as if a force pulled him towards the cat. When he reached closer, he found that the cat was severely malnourished. She had bruises on her body which told him that she was bullied a lot.


    The cat looked up, staring right at him as if she had already felt his presence.


    "You can...see me...?" He asked with a voice devoid of any emotion.


    But he then noticed her eyes which were a beautiful shade of a light brown. Jin peered into her shiny irises, and he trembled.


    "My brother had...similar eyes as you. Just that the shade was darker..."


    *Meow...*


    It was a mournful whimper from the cat as she was staring towards Jun''s car with great concentration. She weakly flailed and waved her paw in that direction as if she was desperately calling out to somebody.


    Jin didn''t understand what she wanted to show him, but what he did understand was that the cat before him didn''t have long to live. Her breathing was labored, and she was very hungry and thirsty. It was simply a matter of time when she would give up on her struggle. She was shivering with the cold, and Jin moved closer to her in an attempt to provide some warmth even though he knew it was physically impossible.


    Yet the cat''s tremors calmed down as if she could really feel his soul''s warmth. She laid still in that warm comfort and tenderness for sometime until her eyes eventually but gently closed themselves with her last breath.


    In the quiet darkness, Jin stared at the lifeless cat. He bent and moved his hand to pet her, but it passed through her body just like the time he tried to touch Jun. She looked peaceful in a way as if she was finally liberated from all her grief. As if the wretched life filled with desolation had finally ended.¦ÇOVeluSB.cOm


    Staring at the cat, he wondered if Jun was feeling the same after his death? Just like this cat, was he finally experiencing relief?


    Was he happy now? Was he smiling now? Was he feeling liberated now?


    As if he was bound to get his answer, Jin saw a flicker of something white and shapeless escape Jun''s body as he turned. It was the same with Ai, who lay dead on the hood of Jun''s car. He stared at the form disintegrating...or disappearing into nothingness.


    It was at that very moment that he paled and in an instant, he ruthlessly discarded his previous thoughts.


    What happiness after his death? What smile? What liberation?


    "This all means nothing to me!" Jin screamed. "This wasn''t how it was supposed to end! This wasn''t how he was supposed to die! He is the kindest and the gentlest person I have ever known! A kind man like him doesn''t deserve this fate! This cannot end here. He only ever loved one woman in his entire life..."


    He raced towards the car and drove his apparition straight through the shapeless forms of Jun and Ai who seemed to be still connected even through their souls. He fearfully wondered if the same was happening with Jun. The feeling of getting pulled into some pathway.


    But what lay at the other end?


    Jin didn''t know, but what he did know was that if he allowed Jun''s soul to disperse, then he would never get him back. He would lose him forever and that would truly be the end of Jun''s life. Tears spilled out of his eyes as he seemed to hug Jun''s soul.


    Was Jun feeling the same affection that he had showered Jin in their childhood?


    "Look Bro...This time I am there for you. I don''t resent you. I don''t hate you. I don''t care if your bullet hit me. It was all my fault that I forced you to become that monster which made you loathe yourself. So please don''t die, Bro...You deserve to be happy. You deserve to marry the woman of your dreams. You deserve to have a wonderful family...That''s why you..." his voice choked, "cannot leave, Bro..."


    Jin had no idea if what he was doing was even working but the transcendence of Jun and the woman''s souls seemed to halt.


    Jin looked above at the sky, gritting his teeth and demanding answers.


    "Bro only ever loved one woman in his entire life...This shouldn''t be the cost for my brother to bear just because he loved a woman with all his heart! This wasn''t how he was supposed to live. A life filled with loneliness, hatred, despair, pain, loss...My brother didn''t deserve any of this! So, I don''t care how but you have to give him a second chance! He cannot die here because I won''t let this end here!"


    With the last of his scream resounding sharply in the air, a streak of a blinding golden light tore through the crevices of the dark and night sky. Before Jin could fathom what


    was happening, a loud shrill ripped through his ears.


    *GONG*

 Chapter 662 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (4)

    ?


    The clicking sounds of the hands of the clock moving hung silently in the air that seemed to become still. Amidst the clouds that looked to have taken the form of a spun cotton candy hung a magnificent golden clock. It shimmered like a guiding star amidst the dark skies, illuminating the world below with its seraphic glow. For Jin who took a glimpse at the clock, it didn''t seem any less than a celestial jewel adorning the heavens.


    Even though he was dead, he could still feel his heart in his throat as he witnessed the magical phenomenon right before his eyes. The clock''s intricate design was a marvel to behold. He immediately knew that no jeweler - absolutely no jeweler in this whole wide world would be able to even think, much less produce that level of creativity and accuracy.


    The frame was crafted from pure gold which gleamed with a lustrous radiance and with the delicate engravings of the ethereal and celestial constellations. He felt as if he was getting sucked into the infinite cosmos just by staring at the wonder. The numbers on the clock face appeared like stardust, twinkling softly with an otherworldly glow. They were not the familiar digits of mortal earth but rather looked like indecipherable celestial symbols that held secrets which the heavens could only know.


    As the clouds shifted and danced around it akin to a fog clearing a blurred pathway, the clock remained steadfast, seemingly untethered from the earthly world. The clock''s delicate hands glided gracefully, signifying the passage of time in the realm where seconds and minutes held no sway. The clock''s presence in the sky was both captivating and surreal as though time itself had been transformed into an artful masterpiece.


    Jin felt as if he could lose himself in the clock''s beauty forever, but a deep voice seemingly echoing from the clouds broke his trance.


    "You are a very troublesome soul."


    He blinked his eyes and immediately felt a shudder by the bright and blinding golden light, threatening to close his eyelids.


    "Wh-who...who are you...?" His voice could only escape as a whisper.


    He didn''t know why but a sense of fear engulfed him as he instinctively knew that whatever was happening was beyond his control. It was a space where he couldn''t possibly even begin to imagine intervening. Even so, he kept his tight hold on Jun as if he wanted to protect him from this goosebumps-inducing event.


    Suddenly, the scenery before him changed. There were no people around, shouting and screaming or the rush of vehicles and emergency. There wasn''t the building of Dream High visible any longer where the tragedy had unfolded. Instead, it was a strange place where Jin wasn''t sure how he was supposed to describe it. It was simply beyond his imagination.


    But far ahead of him, he thought what he saw were three apparitions floating in front of him. The light which the golden clock casted upon them made it difficult to decipher their figures, forms or faces any further.


    "Where is this place!?" He exclaimed a little agitated because he had absolutely no clue of what was happening. The golden clock, the weird space in the sky and now the three unknown figures.


    "Don''t you think we should be the ones more agitated here?" The voice from the left shapeless form echoed with a hint of annoyance. "You already broke your own chain and the fate that would have guided you to your next birth. Instead, your soul gained consciousness by your sheer attachment you hold towards your mortal brother. I am really not so sure whether to be fascinated by it or punish you for your ignorance?"


    Jin frowned.


    Chain? Next birth? What the hell is he talking about?


    "What the hell am I talking about?"


    His eyes widened by the apparent mind-reading but at this point, he thought that he shouldn''t be surprised by any more inexplicable events.


    "You do realize that you are dead, right?" This time, it was the right figure talking to him.


    Jin stiffened. "...Yes."


    "Correct. As such, all your mortal connections that you held with your family ceased to exist the moment you breathed your last. After your death, the cycle of your next birth was supposed to begin. But even if it was an excruciating experience for you, you managed to shatter the link and remain on earth as a soul. We don''t allow for souls to wander after their deaths or it hinders the fates and births of not just their own but for the other living beings too who might share fate with them ahead. What might remain would only be an aura of their strong earthly feelings hovering around but that too dissipates soon enough."


    The left figure said, "But now you are here, completely aware of your identity and memories. You are an anomaly for us and now you are extending that anomaly to the souls that you are not letting go of. You are hindering their cycle of birth as well. You really shouldn''t have been able to intervene with another''s soul fate and birth, but your feelings towards him are so strong that your brother''s soul is being able to feel a fraction of that love, attachment and desperation. That soul, unconsciously though, is allowing you to hold onto him. Is it his regret of killing you?"


    Jin stared at the shapeless form of his brother''s soul and the woman''s soul too with whom he had shared his death. "I am not doing anything to her."


    He heard the middle figure''s enigmatic and calming voice. "Their deaths are linked in a way that they would start their journey to their next destination together. But because you are not letting go of your brother, the woman''s soul is also being suspended in time-space along with him."


    Jin didn''t really know who these figures were, but he knew that they were the only ones who could turn this impossible situation to what he wished for.


    A tear rolled down his cheek as he clenched his jaw. "Yes. I am not letting go of my brother. I won''t let him go because I don''t accept his death! I don''t accept the miserable ending he had to face. I don''t care about the next birth or the next fate. The only thing I know is that his destiny as Liu Jun cannot end here. I know you can do what I wish for. That''s why...That''s why I want you to turn time back and let my brother live once again!"

 Chapter 663 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (5)

    ?


    "Hoooo..." the middle figure found amusement in the soul''s declaration. "Turn time back?"


    The right figure also spoke as if it held a smile. "That''s some gutsy wish indeed."


    Only the left figure was audibly agitated. "Yeah this is not a fun theme park ride that you two are enjoying this. You do realize the gravity and stupidity of the wish, right? I won''t even call it a wish. It''s pure foolishness."


    "You are always so uptight," the right figure let out a troubled sigh as if dealing with a petulant child. "Learn to have some fun. That''s why humans are so interesting."


    The left figure clearly wasn''t thrilled by the remark. "You want me to loosen up? Then how about you carry the burden of EVERYONE''s fates? I am sure you will like my job, God of Death."


    "It''s much better than my gloomy job of greeting everyone for the first time which also happens to be the last," it seemed to fan its face as if feeling a deep sense of melancholy and regret. "I just wish to give a friendly greeting to the humans, but they tend to run away from me. Do you realize how lonely that is, God of Fate?"n0velusB.c0m


    "As if you need any human companionship," it scoffed.


    "It proves to be quite entertaining in the underworld."


    The middle figure intervened, scolding them with a stern voice. "You shouldn''t be arguing in front of a troubled soul."


    "You have it the easiest, don''t you God of Time!" The left figure expressed its heartfelt grievances, unable to bear this injustice. "Time always flows the way it always has. It''s constant in a sense that you have the least work to do! You just have to oversee the passage of time, that lazy Death God only has to appear when the human''s time on the earth is over whereas there is me! I have to painstakingly write everybody''s destinies taking into account all of their previous actions. I am the most overworked here!"


    So even Gods argue, Jin thought.


    "Shut up, you insolent brat!" A heavy, gusty wind violently stormed in the time space, manifesting in the form of the God of Fate''s frustration.


    Jin could literally feel the strong currents tearing through his soul. But the winds halted abruptly as the God of Time raised its hand. The deafening noise from the storm and its deadly force took the form of pleasant silence. Everything seemed to freeze in its place, right down to the concept of motion itself.


    The God of Time took charge of the conversation because God of Fate was too riled up to hold any meaningful dialogue whereas God of Death was simply bored.


    "You wish for time to be turned back?"


    Jin steadied himself after being almost blown away by the storm. He remained equally firm in his wish. "Yes!"


    "Why do you think we should entertain your wishes?" It asked with a voice that was neither cynical nor friendly.


    "Bro-"


    "Your brother is not the only human living on the earth. We are responsible for everybody, not just a particular human. He might be ''The'' Liu Jun in the mortal world but here, he is beyond that title. To us, his existence is one of the many billion people living on the planet. He doesn''t become more special than anybody else to give him a special treatment."


    Jin felt irked. It was true that before the Gods, they were simply humans. To them, they might even be similar to ants crawling on the ground. Nevertheless, he couldn''t bear for Jun''s existence to turn into something very common.


    "Do you realize how much of a pandemonium will arise if every soul could ask for time to be turned back or if everyone wished for a do-over? Time and fate don''t work like that, dear. There is only one chance and one has to make the most of it in that life blessed to him or her."


    The deep-seated anguish made Jin tremble. "Bro didn''t get the chance to make the most of his life! He devoted himself entirely to a woman who he had dreamed his future with. That long dream, that long wait since childhood amounted into nothing when Bro was rejected! How was he supposed to live his life when the person who made him breathe walked away just like that...?"


    The God of Fate fluttered its fan near its face and sneered. "Your brother is not the first nor will be the last human to get rejected in love. Among the billions, how many people''s first love do you think gets realized? Hardly. It''s because I know what destiny should lie ahead of them. I am the bearer of fate. When something isn''t fulfilled, when something doesn''t become fruitful, it simply means that the event was never supposed to happen. It''s because your fate takes you where you are supposed to be."


    Jin clenched his fist. "And Bro''s fate took him to his death? To a life of misery and loneliness? Was that the horrendous fate you wrote for him?"


    "I didn''t write that fate for him as much as he chose that for himself. Losing love is devastating but when the night is the darkest, it is a sign that dawn is very near..."


    The God of Fate took a glance at Jun''s soul and then at Ai''s. Its gaze paused at her as it said, "If he had decided to emerge victorious through that darkest despair, he might have been embraced by the light he was always searching for."


    Jin failed to understand God of Fate''s cryptic words.


    The God of Time stared deeply at Jin''s soul. "It''s not just a matter of chaos. Your brother chose to end his life, which is a great sin. Hardships are a part of life. That''s how the whole system is designed. If you give up on your life, there can be nothing more insulting than that to nature. Life is precious. You are not allowed to treat it as something expendable. The reasons don''t matter. Guilt, regret, shame, failure - nothing must urge a human to take their own life. Even if we could, we cannot grant a second chance to such a human."


    He froze.


    "The other thing you don''t understand about your wish is fate. Turning time back inevitably grants the human to change their destiny. And it''s a power humans are not allowed to possess. It''s like a cheat code with one having their past life''s memories and changing the past outcomes of the decisions that they chose in the first place. How could it be fair to the other mortals who simply pass on to their next birth? Turning time back and changing fates with it is a wish that has greater repercussions. It simply cannot be granted to you."

 Chapter 664 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (6)

    ?


    A tightening feeling seemed to squeeze Jin as he sensed the futility of his request. The resolution in the God of Time''s voice held such finality that he could feel it deep within him not to challenge their decision. It would be impossible for him his wish to get fulfilled.


    But then Bro...will I have to let him go just like this? I-Is this how everything will end?


    A flicker of mixed emotions flashed in his sorrowful gaze. He tightly held onto Jun''s soul, not wanting him to pass on when he didn''t even get the chance to he happy. All because he snatched it away from his brother.


    If I get just one chance then, I won''t ever let the dreadful past repeat! I won''t ever let Bro and Shui drift away from each other.


    Just one chance...


    The God of Fate leaned towards the God of Time and whispered. "Hey, do you think that brat has given up?"


    The God of Time heared the question but was keenly fixated at Jin''s soul. "It seems that is far from the truth."


    It was then that Jin''s unwavering voice resonated in the time-space realm. "There has to be a way for fulfilling my wish," he met those Godly figures with an equally unyielding gaze, "If I could break through the cycle of my next birth''s chain and become a soul that gained my consciousness strong enough to remain on earth and hold Bro''s soul back from passing on - all of which were impossible events to begin with according to you, then I know that there must be a way to turn time back. And..." his lips quivered, "I want you to give a second chance to my brother and...this woman too."


    Silence descended in the realm.


    The God of Death amusingly whistled. "He did use some head over there. Looks like he is adamant to defy death by all possible means."


    The God of Fate was clearly not impressed. "He will increase my workload if we ever happen to fulfill his wish. Just look at how many fates will go through a drastic change! Does he want me to die? The audacity of a measly human soul to torture a God!"


    The God of Death yawned. "Can you think something other than your workload for once?"


    "Then how about you take over!"


    The God of Time left them be and instead zeroed in her concentration on Jin. "Why do you wish for the woman too?"


    He lowered his gaze with a perplexing emotion that swirled in his eyes. It was difficult to articulate how he felt.


    "Honestly...I don''t like her."


    "You have never met her before."


    "That''s why it stings even more. A woman who Bro never met in his life managed to bring a smile on his lips for the first time..." a lump formed in his throat as his voice shook, "f-for the first time in five years. Something that I couldn''t do despite being the closest to him. I really, really...wanted to see Bro happy. I thought that by letting go of Shui, I was doing just that. Even so, I failed. I wanted to see him smile again. Laugh again. And strangely...this woman was able to do it."


    He exhaled a shaky breath. "That''s why I don''t like her because I feel she snatched something away from me that I was supposed to do but...at the same time...I am grateful to her for bringing peace into my brother''s life even if it was just for a few moments...


    I don''t know who she is or why she died. But I had seen her bereaved eyes too. I think someone who could make an expression like that...cannot be a bad person. So if she could get another chance too, I think she won''t have to die so miserably by falling off a terrace."


    The three Gods exchanged mysterious glances and after a moment, The God of Time spoke again,


    "Do you realize what you are asking? I told you before. Trying to change fate is going against nature''s laws. It is not something allowed to happen and...if you are so desperate, then are you willing to sacrifice something equal in exchange? There will be a price. You need to understand that you aren''t just changing your brother and the woman''s fates but whatever other fates are interlinked to them will also get changed. You are not taking the responsibility of just their destinies but of many others too. It''s like a domino effect."


    "I will pay any price I have to in exchange!" Jin didn''t take even a second''s pause to think over or hesitated for even a moment. "I...I don''t care what price I have to pay. I don''t give a damn about the sacrifice. I just want Bro to get the happiness that he always wanted!"


    "Even if the sacrifice is to give up on your happy future instead? If you want to give a blissful future to your brother and that woman, then you must give up on your future in exchange. A life lacking companionship and an eternal forever with the one you love."n0velusb.c0M


    "The one I love..." a wry chuckle escaped his lips, "that future was already bleak the moment I let go of Shui. I don''t have any happy future. I never expected one either."


    "Because you had spent only a few years when you decided to sacrifice your feelings. I govern time, my dear. There is a big difference between remaining alone for some years and being alone for your lifetime until the day you breathe your last," it''s voice quietened with a heavy ring of sadness laced in it, "Loneliness is crippling."


    As it gazed at Jin, it thought of his other elder brother, Liu Nian - he who chose to remain single for the rest of his life.


    And he who secretly and desperately yearned for a happy future just like Jian and Nuo had. He never showed it from the outside, but the utter pain of being alone had made him hollow from the inside. Jin was choosing the same path for him now.


    "That''s why, I urge. Think very carefully."


    "I don''t have to think," once again, Jin didn''t take any moment to contemplate, "This is what I wish. If you have to take my future away, then do so. But give my brother and the woman their future back."

 Chapter 665 The Wheels Of Time Turning Back (7)

    ?


    I see..." The God of Time exhaled a soft breath. "Your certainty is admirable."


    The God of Death had no qualms and the God of Fate grudgingly agreed if the soul in question was willing to pay the price of turning back time.


    The God of Time then asked, "What about yourself? Do you wish to be reborn?"


    "Me..." Jin hadn''t given it a thought. Ever since he witnessed his brother dying before his eyes, he was desperate for only one burning wish to be fulfilled. That wish would be granted to him now.


    But what about himself who turned the tide to Jun''s favor in the first place?


    He didn''t think his rebirth was necessary. At first. As long as Jun would realize that he was given a second chance with the memories of his past life back, he would resolve his heart to not follow the same path as the past. This time, he would drive the fate in such a way that Shui would never choose to leave him.


    But an impending fear loomed in a tiny corner of his heart. What if somehow things still didn''t turn the way it had to be? Especially regarding Shui''s feelings.


    Shui...Shui liked me. She rejected Bro because of me. What if that still becomes a problem?


    Her feelings were a dynamic that was out of Jin''s control. A deep, unsettling apprehension tugged his heart strings. If there would be even a slight chance that Shui''s heart would begin to sway his way, then it would be only up to him to stop any such sprout from taking root. He bit his lip, a determination enveloping his gaze.


    I won''t let anything mess up this time. I will handle any problem that comes in Bro''s way of happiness! I need to be there...I need to be there to make things right for Bro and Shui.


    "Y-Yes!" Jin faced the most powerful three entities before him and gave his answer. "I...I want to be reborn too!"


    The God of Time seemed to slightly tilt its head, her gaze penetrating deep into his soul. "I see. I would like to tell you that as the bearer of this wish, you would be bound to get your memory back anyway. You have agreed to the condition behind fulfilling your wish and that is to sacrifice your future. As such, you must be aware of not acting in any way that would make you walk towards that path. You will get a warning if you do."


    Jin''s stance never wavered. "I don''t care about-"


    "You might not care now," The God of Fate harshly interjected. "But you will have a long life ahead of you. What you are saying now with such confidence might not reflect the same certainty a few years later. You underestimate the heart too much," it clicked his tongue. "Also, there is another thing that you must keep tightly noted in your brain."


    Jin stumbled back when the God of Fate suddenly appeared before him akin to a deadly storm that hounded the dark, black clouds of the sky. Jin''s breath stopped in his throat as those mesmerizing eyes squinted at him, threatening to draw out that hint of fear within him.


    "Time might turn back. But fate..." The God of Fate put its finger on its lips as if imitating a ''Sshh'' signal, "might not necessarily change to be in your favor. The red thread of destiny connects two souls who are meant to be with each other. The circumstances, the adversities together form the bridge towards their union. A mere human like you cannot bring any crack in those souls'' interwoven destinies no matter how much you try to take control of the situation."


    The God of Fate then tapped its finger on Jin''s chest. "Fate leads the way and the souls'' decisions carve the path ahead for them. You think your brother''s happiness lies in the woman who didn''t return his love. But that might be destiny''s message to him that another future lay ahead of him. Rebirth is not just about getting second chances. It must make the soul wiser and not because it has its past memories but to understand to shed that desire of chasing towards a destiny that led them to their doom."


    Jin couldn''t fathom why but tears brimmed his eyes. "You are...talking as if Bro and Shui are not meant to be together. But not this time. This time, they will definitely find their happiness."


    The bewitching pair of eyes seemed to hold a cunning smile. "Happiness is not when you mold the situation to give you the outcome of your favor. It is about what you must change within yourself that will make bliss itself chase after you. If you hold the courage to walk on a different path than the past, then who knows if you might find your destiny standing right in front of your eyes and perhaps..." The God of Fate''s irises twinkled with mischief, "wishing for a book to fall, sensing a certain someone''s deep concentration."


    "..."


    The corner of Jin''s mouth twitched. The last cryptic part went all above his head and he was too embarrassed to admit it.


    The God of Fate was very pleased to see Jin like that.


    "As always, you are more of a bully than me," The God of Death chuckled.


    "Shut up or I will kill you right here!" The God of Fate lashed a hurricane towards its direction and the God of Death hopped lightly on its feet to dodge.


    The God of Time conveyed. "It will be as you wish. You, your brother and the woman will be reborn. But you will forget this conversation that transpired between us in this realm. When you wake up, you will have no memories of what happened or what you witnessed in your soul form, neither will you know that your brother or the woman are reborn too. You would only know two things. One, that you have your past life''s memories and second, that you must not act towards your happy future."


    Jin tremblingly nodded. He deeply bowed before them, tears falling from his cheeks. "I am really grateful to you!"


    The God of Time ever so slightly nodded. It raised a finger and out of thin air, two cats appeared in the space that had their eyes closed and seemed unconscious.


    Jin blinked and widened his eyes upon recognition.


    "I...I know this cat...Sh-she died before my eyes..."


    "Yes. She is the same one. The other is the one who died by coming under your brother''s car as he was returning to bring food for this little one."


    Jin froze. His heart twisted with a deep sense of regret and loss as he could understand how painful his death must have been.


    Jin bowed before the cat. "On my brother''s behalf, I am really sorry...Bro would have never forgiven himself for this..."n0vELusb.c0M


    He then looked towards the God of Time and asked, "Wh-why are they here though...?"


    "Your brother and the woman''s souls were becoming unstable because they weren''t allowed to move on in the next cycle. I suspended them in the time-space realm, but I needed some vessels to contain that instability. That''s why, I let their souls dwell in these cats until a decision was made."


    "O-Oh..."


    He bowed once again before the cats with gratitude. "Thank you for your help."


    The God of Time smiled. "It''s time to fulfill your wish. Good luck, my dear."


    With that, the golden clock shone with its golden brilliance and the intricate engravings adorning its frame sparkled as if sprinkled with stardust. The clock''s hands began to move back with precision and grace, their faint ticking resonating like a gentle whisper in the stillness of the realm. With every tick that wheeled backwards in a circular motion, it seemed to transcend the boundaries between the past and the present until they merged into one.


    With a loud gong, the clock''s hands halted at a point and with it, the golden clock and the mysterious time-space realm seemed to fade away. Jin felt himself floating in a void until his surroundings started to take the shape of a familiar place.


    "Haaaaa!!!"


    Jin suddenly woke up with a gasp, his forehead and temples filled with small beads of sweat. He ever so slowly looked around his room, the past life''s memories flowing into him like a gentle tide of the river. He took a look at the calendar and his hands shook as he grabbed it.


    "I am back..." he whispered as soft, warm tears fell with a realization dawning upon him. "I am back ten years in time..."


    *Flashback ends*

 Chapter 666 Crafty Plans

    ?


    the serene quietness of the church reflected in the elderly woman''s eyes who held a soft smile on her lips. though jun didn''t remember the conversation in the time-space realm, she did very clearly.


    she looked at him with stars twinkling in her irises. "so. did you get what you wished for?"


    jin threw a scowl at her. "what do you mean?"


    "didn''t you want your brother and your love to be together?"


    he was quick to clarify. "i don''t love her."


    "ah but your heart doesn''t say so."


    her playful smile was frustrating the hell out of jin. "okay you might be god or something but you are annoying! why are you here? what do you want from me? i already told you that i am keeping my distance from shui!"


    she sincerely nodded. "and i came here to offer my generous help."


    "i don''t want your help."


    "aish, did my intervention with your accident cause such a trauma?" she innocently blinked. "don''t worry, this time it''s very safe."n0velusb.c0m


    he glared at her. "i don''t care about your assurance of safety! you...you not only orchestrated the accident but that time, you locked me up in that strange, cloudy place...showing me all those memories of my childhood and forcing me to..."


    "but you were denying reality, dear. running away from your emotions to achieve your wish or turning your head away from something or someone that matters to you is not the path you must take. acceptance eases the heart."


    jin stood on his feet, carrying the weight of his anguish and annoyance for this ''godly'' woman before her. "i don''t remember much, but i do remember the condition that made you grant my wish. rest assured, i will never waver from my stance. i will never..." his eyelashes faintly fluttered, "allow myself to give into my feelings for shui."


    he didn''t spare her single glance and left in a huff. the woman could clearly see an imaginary steam of fury escaping from his ears.


    a chuckle escaped her lips. "very stubborn indeed. and here i wanted to help him with good will."


    "your good will always sounds suspicious," a voice sneered at the woman, seemingly echoing from within the walls of the church.


    she smiled. "what do you mean, god of fate?"


    "hah! don''t you try to act innocent. you cannot blame the soul for being so vigilant about you. you were always the crafty one among us."


    "i don''t understand what you are talking about."


    "save your ignorance for someone who doesn''t know you."


    the woman aka the god of time could imagine the god of fate rolling its eyes.


    "you never really wanted him to sacrifice his future in the first place, didn''t you?"


    "oh my but the deal between him and us does exist."


    there was a scornful pause after which god of fate asserted. "you are the entity to govern time. as such, you know that turning time back will have repercussions because fate has changed for many souls in a ripple effect. souls who were dead in the past are alive in this second life which brings a different set of problems. you put the condition before the soul not to test his loyalty for his brother or make him pay a price for his wish but because you have seen the future. an event will happen which will prove to be devastating to his family."


    "so?"


    "heh. you made the condition because you knew that it''s possible to dissolve it by making another soul prove its worth."


    the god of time was amused. "oh my, you really do know how to read me so well."


    it scoffed. "the one who suffers by rewriting the fates is me. me! as such, i am fully aware of all your shady conspiracies!"


    "what can i do?" the god of time waved its hands sideways as if it was beyond its control too. "i have always found humans fascinating, especially when their limits are pushed. it shows us the true face lying beneath that mask. and i want to see the true face of one such soul. what decision that soul takes. to prevent the dreadful future from happening," an indecipherable light swirled in its enchanting irises, "or to bring doom."


    ¡ª


    jin aimlessly drove around, not being able to decide at any particular place to go to. the meeting with that strange elderly woman had rattled him, and he couldn''t concentrate on anything. eventually, he felt tired and turned the car towards the liu corps.


    i will just bury myself in work and not step out of my office for the whole day...


    the employees greeted him with a smile as he entered and he nodded at them. he asked his assistant, "bring me all the files i have to work on. and bring as many as you can. i am not in any hurry to go home today..." he mumbled.


    his assistant instead put a flight ticket before him, making jin raise his brows. "what is this?"


    "your ticket to guangzhou, sir."


    "huh? i don''t understand."


    "sir jinhai said that you know about this trip. you and miss. han were supposed to go together for the project you are working on and give a presentation together."


    his jaw dropped. "i-i don''t know anything about this!"


    "sir jinhai said that he had already informed you."


    "that was ages ago!"


    it was true that jinhai had mentioned about a business trip with shui but due to unexpected situations arising at sky and with jun, the trip went into the back burner for sometime.


    jin rushed towards his father''s office and demanded an answer. "what is this trip! i am just coming to know about it!"


    jinhai didn''t even raise his head to face him and continued working on his laptop. "you were well-informed about it before. things just got postponed and you know why."


    "but i am not ready!"


    "i don''t think the son of liu jinhai has to mentally prepare himself for a simple presentation."


    "not the presentation but...!" he pressed his lips, hesitant to express the true source of his problem.


    "then keep your personal and professional matters aside."


    his gaze darkened. he knew that jinhai was being unreasonable on purpose.


    "i-"


    "the flight is in two hours. your bags are already packed. leave for the airport already. shui is waiting for you."

 Chapter 667 Clashing Emotions

    ?


    jin reached the boarding gate, wheeling his overhead cabin luggage with him with his head lowered down. his heart raced with jitters crackling like fireworks in the sky. he had completely immersed himself to achieve and maintain only one status quo with shui, and that was to behave professionally with her at all times. there won''t come a time where he would let the distance breach between them and whether alone or with people, there would only be professionalism radiating from his demeanor. he took several deep breaths and nodded to himself as if practicing his behavior for the next few days.


    just act cool and calm. it will be all fine. it''s only for a few days. they will be over in a jiffy.


    jin moved his shoulders in a swag and straightened them with his aura exuding an air of confidence. but that balloon of confidence deflated soon enough the moment he caught the outline of a familiar figure he vowed to keep his distance with.


    he immediately ducked his head down and pulled the corner of his coat over his mouth as if wanting to camouflage himself in the dispersed crowd. he quickly zoomed past her, his heart pounding in his chest. he was so occupied in avoiding her space that he almost crashed into an incoming man walking in the opposite direction.


    "hey man, watch where you are going," he grumbled with complaint and annoyance.


    "my bad," jin apologized and quickly walked away. he stood at some corner, trying to placate his heart which felt like jumping up and down on a trampoline.


    it was all of a sudden that she came before my sight...! it''s not my fault if it alarmed me...


    he exhaled another deep breath and decided to board the flight at the very last. as he turned, he jumped like a scaredy cat and stumbled several steps backwards.


    shui watched him with her arms folded on her chest. "you realize that you are looking like a terrorist by pulling that coat over your mouth, right?"


    his brow twitched hard. his heart palpitated in his chest like a violent seesaw. he immediately pulled down the collar and cleared his throat. "i was feeling a little cold on my nose."


    "cold only when you saw me?"


    he threw a pointed glare at her. "everything is not about you."


    "no, it isn''t. but you make it all about me," she replied with an equally pointed tone. "what next? were you going to swap your seat with somebody else so that you won''t be tortured to sit beside me?"


    jin almost scoffed at the ridiculousness of her suspicion but stopped midway in deep thought.


    it is not a bad idea actually...


    shui could clearly decipher his expression like an open book. his brain was definitely churning in that direction as if he accidentally discovered a great idea.


    shui smiled. "fine. if that is what you want. also don''t bother swapping the seats. i will move out of your way myself. rest assured, liu jin. i only intend to succeed in our professional endeavor for this trip, nothing else. i will make sure to protect your innocent purity and keep a safe distance from you."


    "..."


    her long, untied hair fluttered in the wind as she turned in a huff.


    jin awkwardly remained standing at his place, his expression slightly perturbed by shui''s nonchalance.


    this makes things easier then...


    ¡ª


    the other passengers waiting to board their flight felt a strong tension circulating in the air with shui''s presence. she was tapping her finger on her arm, her countenance wrenched with indignation.


    that idiot! now i am so intolerable to him that we cannot even sit beside each for a few damn hours!?


    the more she thought about it, the more she rapidly clicked her heels on the floor in frustration, which only made the other passengers make some distance from her, afraid of her exploding at any moment.


    her phone chimed with a ding and as she saw ai''s name as the sender, her eyes watered. she immediately typed back, unleashing all her grievances.


    ''jin is being very stubborn, isn''t he?'' ai replied.


    she furiously typed. ''''he is being the epitome of stubbornness! he should be crowned as the stubborn prince! ai, you said that jin really likes me too. he is shying away from it because of his emotional burdens. but how will i be able to release those burdens if he wants to keep a distance as wide as a football stadium! you should have seen him now. he was acting like a terrorist covering his face! he doesn''t even want to be my neighbor on the flight!''


    ai consoled her. ''this is just the start, shui. there are many more days ahead to bridge the gap between you two. i am sure you will be able to definitely break his defenses. just be sure to follow my tips. there is no way jin would be able to resist for long.''


    ''master aiiii!!!'' shui cried her heart out. ''i will follow whatever you have to say!''


    the other passengers made some more space between them and her. first, she was furious, now she was crying. her unpredictability was scary.


    the boarding finally started and shui was ahead in the queue. she slightly coughed and requested a passenger two rows ahead to swap seats with her. he had come alone, so he really didn''t mind switching the seats.


    jin arrived, cursing the whole way and questioning jinhai''s decision.


    why did dad book economy seats?


    it felt way crowded and obviously there was no privacy like in the business class.


    he narrowed his eyes with suspicion.


    did dad do it purposely so that shui and i...


    he gritted his teeth and texted jinhai, demanding an answer.


    ''business class was full.''


    was jinhai''s short reply.


    somehow jin sensed the stern rigidity from the full stop at the end of his message as if he would entertain no further questions about this trip.


    as if the great liu jinhai would be helpless to arrange two business class seats! who are you fooling, dad!?


    he noticed that shui wasn''t in her booked seat.n0velusb.c0m


    she really did swap. good for me, he nodded.


    he searched for her and found her two rows ahead. but his gaze immediately darkened, seeing her already get comfortable and laughing with her male passenger neighbor. he was fairly good-looking and seemed to be around jun''s age.


    their interaction irked jin even further when the man held shui''s hand in his and was seemingly tracing the lines of her palm with a thoughtful gaze.


    what the hell...!?


    shui, who was excited for her neighbor to do his job, felt a sinister shadow creep over her head. she looked up and was dumbfounded to read the outrage on jin''s handsome face.


    jin smiled through the seething indignation burning within his heart. "i changed my mind. let''s sit together."

 Chapter 668 Fortune Check

    ?


    the change in jin''s mood swings was even faster than a woman on her periods who looked like he was dealing with a giant leap of bouncing back and forth hormones in him. his fiery gaze tracking every moment of that man touching shui''s hand felt as if he was dumped into a cyclone of fire.


    "what are you doing?" he asked with a rough edge to his voice.


    "what do you mean what i am doing? i switched seats just like you wanted. then why are you showing that grumpy face to me?" shui couldn''t believe his audacity.


    "i didn''t ask you, i am asking this man," jin spit a vicious glare at him.


    the other passengers coming in and placing their bags in the overhead luggage cabin could feel the crackle in the atmosphere. it felt as if electricity was coursing through the air that would strike in the form of his wrath at any moment. they gulped in fear and quickly went back to do their own work.


    one courageous man tried to film the drama for fun, hoping for it to go viral, but jin''s doom-filled voice reverberated the chill within the closed space of the flight. "turn your phone off before i turn it off forever."


    a knife-like shudder steeply beckoned him to drop his phone. he fumblingly picked it up and rushed back to his seat''s solace.


    jin then directed his pressurizing command towards the man beside shui, who seemed to hold him with interest instead of alarm.


    "hey, you don''t have to be jumpy~ why are you getting so riled up? are you her boyfriend?"


    his mouth twitched hard. before the possibility of an explosion happening, shui quickly replied. "we are friends. we have known each other since childhood."


    "ah such a beautiful friendship," he smiled. "is that why he is so protective towards you?"


    her expression soured.


    he is protective for a different reason, but why would this stubborn prince admit it?


    "or maybe it''s jealousy?"


    "or maybe you are shamelessly hitting on a beautiful girl who happened to sit beside you. did you think you got lucky?"


    the man''s eyes gleamed like gold. "luck is an interesting topic. it works mysteriously just like fate, don''t you think?"


    "i don''t care. you just stop hitting on her before i hit your face," the black clouds looming on top of his head turned to become darker and darker.


    shui urgently whispered to diffuse the situation. "jin! go back to your seat. anymore and the air hostesses might come to rebuke us!"


    "tell him not me!"


    "oh for god''s sake he is just doing palm-reading! he is into this fortune stuff, which i found interesting!"


    and maybe i held a small hope too to know if i would get lucky on this trip...


    nevertheless, the anger fuming out of his ears made her feel pleased. a few minutes ago, he was adamant to be away from her and he was the one himself urging her to come back. the age-old jealousy trick surely worked for her good even though it wasn''t intentional on her part.


    reminds me of the time when jun used to be the same...oh wait. he is still the same. ai is the witness.


    and jin was being exactly like jun right now.


    sometimes, i get amazed with the similarities between them even though i am aware that they are brothers...


    the man gave jin a business-like smile. "oh yes. i wasn''t having any not so innocent intentions towards this young lady. i sensed deep trouble in her heart, and i wished to help. now it is as clear as the sun that you are the source of her trouble.*


    jin''s face twisted in god knew how many furious creases. "excuse me?"


    shui choked hard with the man''s bravery. it was a monumental task to stand up to the liu family men and here he was relaxed, seemingly unaffected by the fear of any consequences.


    "i read a treacherous path ahead for this lady. i was just giving her some tips~"


    "get lost! shui, come with me."


    "how about i read your palm too?" he offered.


    shui clapped with delight. "yeah that will be fun."


    jin''s gaze darkened. "that will be hell, not fun.


    "oh come on now don''t be a spoilsport," with twinkling eyes, he grabbed jin''s hand and pulled him to sit on the aisle seat. he was in the middle while shui occupied the window seat.


    the passengers silently gasped with his valor.


    jin''s face contorted with all possible shades of red.


    i wanted to pull out so why the hell i got pulled in instead!?


    he tried to shake his hand away, but the man strangely seemed to have more strength than jin. he blinked rapidly, feeling the pressure oozing onto his wrist through his fingers.


    the liu family brothers had trained themselves to their core to become the physically strongest. the underworld training was far from being a flowery garden and that time in the same dark dungeon had hardened their minds and bodies. they were amidst thugs and goons their entire life and as such, they had forged a physical strength that was almost impossible to beat.


    who is this man? jin questioned himself, alarm bells ringing in his mind.


    shui eagerly asked, "tell me what his lines say?"


    "with pleasure!"


    he forcibly opened his fingers and stared at his palm. he traced the different points and lines of his dominant hand''s palm and said with intrigue. "the mount of venus on the base of your thumb suggests some passionate days ahead~."n0velusb.c0m


    shui curiously asked, "what is mount of venus?"


    "it links to love, attraction and romance. i can sense the energy from this point which feels to be throbbing at the moment. i guess something interesting is going to happen which will take him to an adventurous ride on a rollercoaster of fatal and fiery attraction~"


    jin - "..."


    jin peered into his eyes and the craftiness in those irises felt similar to...


    no, no! fuck, that''s impossible!

 Chapter 669 The key to freedom

    chapter 669 the key to freedom


    "you cannot be that woman...you are a man now!" jin angrily whispered.


    an enigmatic smile encased his lips, not really bothered with jin''s guess. but shui''s mouth did twitch. n0velusb.c0m


    "you are a man now...what are you even talking about, jin? of course, he is a man. do you have any doubt about his gender?" she coughed.


    "ah don''t worry, dear. he is just confused," the man''s eyes mischievously twinkled. "i might feel familiar to him though i would very much like to say that i am indeed a man. the woman you met previously might be somebody else~"


    jin recalled the elderly woman and now fixed his gaze at the man.


    he means that they belong to that same weird cloudy space but are different entities?


    "i must stress that i am very much a man," he smiled.


    his countenance soured.


    for some reason, i don''t want to believe him. whatever, i don''t care!


    jin grabbed shui''s wrist and said with a chilly voice directed at the mysterious man. "we will get back to our seats."


    shui pointed a displeased glare at him. "first, you say that it''s good to swap seats and now you suddenly changed your mind? i am not going to follow your unpredictable whims and wishes!"


    at that point, the speakers hummed with a mild crackling noise and the captain''s voice vibrated through them to give his passenger announcement, greeting the passengers, informing them about their destination and weather ahead and lastly to buckle their seats as the flight would take off in a few minutes.


    jin remained persistent. "come with me!"


    "no!" she shook off her hand, sending another glare his way.


    the man waved his hand carefreely. "just sit here with us. i don''t mind. the aisle seat is free anyway."


    "no, thanks," he managed to say through his gritted teeth, tension tightly clenching his facial muscles. "shui..."


    "no."


    "..."


    "i might as well enjoy my time with an expert''s palm reading than sitting beside a grumpy face who clearly doesn''t appreciate my company."


    "..."


    there was no more time to change seats as the flight was about to take off. "fine then! then you!" he scowled at the man. "you take the aisle seat."


    clearly, jin wouldn''t allow for them to sit together.


    "nope~"


    "no way!" shui exclaimed her rejection too. "you didn''t want us to be neighbors before so what''s the point of sitting beside each other now whether that row or this row?"


    "you..."


    amidst jin''s various protests and resistances, the flight finally took off with jin unsuccessfully still stuck at the aisle seat, unable to change anybody''s mind.


    this man...he seethed with anger, he is definitely that same woman! or maybe another one like hers! nobody dares to give me that attitude! did he come here to keep an eye on me? to keep me in check?


    the more he thought about the possibility, the uglier and nastier he felt. it worsened upon seeing shui already cozying up to him and continuing her palm reading adventure.


    "your heart line," the man smiled, tapping his finger at the said line on shui''s palm. "it shows a bright future ahead of you although a little patience is required for that moment to realize."


    "patience?" she softly gasped.


    is he hinting at jin accepting his feelings for me?


    "yes. that soul will come to you. he will confess his feelings to you. but it requires time. the burden on that man''s shoulders needs to be lifted. the guilt in his heart needs to be set free. only then will his heart welcome you."


    jin''s expression darkened, watching the man lean closer and closer to shui and seemed to be whispering to her. the proximity didn''t affect shui but for jin, it felt as if he was dropped into a pool of bubbling volcano. he couldn''t hear his complete reading, but jin managed to catch the initial words.


    that soul will come to you. he will confess his feelings to you.


    who is he talking about...? jin couldn''t help but wonder.


    the deal set with the gods disallowed him to dream of his happy future. a future where shui belonged to him. that''s why he couldn''t be the man to confess to her. if he wasn''t a part of shui''s bright who would sweep her off her feet and make her forget jin.


    future, then it meant it would be somebody else.


    another man to walk in her life and capture her heart. another man who would sweep her off her feet and make her forget jin.


    jin''s fury-laced dark gaze turned somber upon this realization.


    what was the point of getting all salty with this man''s company beside shui or even if they grew closer? there would come a time where he would have to watch shui embraced in somebody else''s arms. he would have to give his blessings to her and the man who would vow to live their life till deaths do them part.


    was there any meaning left to his petty jealousy then? he wondered.


    the flight had well reached its altitude and the seatbelt sign was then switched off. passengers could now move. jin unbuckled his seatbelt and got up from his seat.


    shui noticed him stepping out and asked, speechless, "where are you going now?"


    "back to my seat. it was right to swap seats. you sit here. i will head back."


    he silently left and returned to his original row, occupying his original seat.


    shui caught the abrupt change in the light of his black irises. something happened to make him change his mind and discard their petty banter. whatever it was, the hint of melancholy his demeanor gave off made her eyes slightly well with tears. it was that feeling again.


    the feeling that jin was bearing a heavy burden all alone, all by himself. the invisible wall somewhere that always stopped him from taking a step forward and putting a brake to his emotions.


    "that burden...can i help to release that burden chaining his heart?" she asked in a hushed voice, not wishing for man to realize her slightly breaking voice.


    the man slightly squinted his eyes, offering her a veiled smile which seemed to hold a myriad of secrets. "you are an important key for him to attain his freedom for sure. but it''s a freedom that he must achieve by his own efforts too. it will take time. as much as he needs your forgiveness, so does he needs his own."

 Chapter 670 Sure shot tricks

    chapter 670 sure shot tricks


    the rest of the flight was uneventful and it touched down guangzhou three hours later. jin grimaced, not wanting to see shui''s neighbor again. but there he was laughing with her as if they had known each other for years.


    shui felt lament upon bidding him goodbye. "it was really fun talking to you. is guangzhou your home city?"


    "hm not really~ my home is very far away. i just came here to have some fun with a certain someone."


    jin sent a deadly and hostile glare his way, who was definitely enjoying his misery.


    all these people are sadists! spying on me as if i am some criminal!


    jin had enough and he grabbed shui''s hand. "let''s go already."


    "wait, let us at least invite him for lunch, you know."


    "as if! we are going to the hotel!"


    the man chuckled at jin''s full hostility on full display as he stormed his way out with shui.


    "what do you think is going to happen on this trip?"


    he didn''t have to glance at his side to know that an elderly woman was standing beside him. she held a similar calm countenance as him.


    "whatever it will be, it will challenge his limits for sure~ whether it''s the proximity with that girl, his promise to keep himself away from her or...something else that will threaten to completely break him apart, he will have to find a way to pull himself out of that marsh. he needs to achieve his freedom and that girl is an important key to unlock it. i just wanted to let her know what is coming," his eyes twinkled.


    ¡ª


    stuffing his suitcase near the entrance, jin took off his shoes and collapsed on the warm, fluffy bed. he let the fluffiness of the mattress seep into his shoulders and dissipate the burdensome feeling out of them. it was just a three hour flight and this was just the beginning of the trip, but he already felt drained as if somebody had just sapped out his vitality.


    he put his arm over his eyes and released a tired sigh. n0velusb.c0m


    i want to go home...


    a few long minutes later, he jumped on his feet to take a quick hot shower. as he stepped out of the steamy bathroom, he saw the time on his watch. it was past three-thirty in the afternoon and past the time for lunch.


    but he was starving and so he thought of grabbing a quick lunch from a nearby restaurant. he put on a fresh set of clothes and went out to knock on the door of shui''s room. but he stopped himself just before the knock.


    i thought of inviting her out to lunch but...it''s better if i just bring takeaways with me. she will eat in her room, i will eat in mine. i will be able to avoid her that way.


    he took a step away but the door opened just then and shui stepped out as well, all showered and freshened up. she was surprised to see jin in front of her room. "were you here to call me for lunch?"


    jin clearer his throat. "no. my legs felt stiff so i am just out for a walk-"


    his stomach grumbled with hunger at the same time, making him curse the timing.


    "hah! just what i thought. you are going out for lunch, but you must have suddenly thought that it wouldn''t be so wise to call me anymore," she sneered. "aren''t you such a gentleman?"


    his gaze darkened. "for your kind information, i was going to bring a takeaway for you too. i am not so heartless."


    "oh let''s not talk about your heartlessness which wanted me to stay far away from you in the flight as if i was some deadly virus. oh how pleasant i felt."


    his brow twitched.


    "so to compensate for the pleasantness you showered on me, we will be having lunch together. no takeaways."


    he shot a glare at her. "we just have to work on the presentation together. that doesn''t mean we have to hang around next to each other for the rest of the trip too."


    shui raised her brow. "i see. i might as well then invite the handsome man from the flight."


    "..."


    "what?"


    "the handsome palm-reading guy."


    he stared at her dumbfounded.


    "you already forgot? my handsome neighbor who-"


    "you don''t have to keep emphasizing on his handsomeness," eyes are failing you. he wasn''t that of a pretty face," he scorned.


    she snickered. "at least he was that much of a gentleman than you gnashing his jaw, jin expressed his deep resentment for that otherworldly entity whose only motivation was to harass him. "your eyes are failing you. he wasn''t that of a pretty face," he scorned.


    she snickered. "at least he was that much of a gentleman than you who thought of going for lunch all by himself."


    "i wasn''t going to keep you hungry."


    "you were going to keep me lonely. doesn''t matter. we exchanged numbers on the flight~ i don''t have to rely on you for company."


    his countenance twisted in the darkest shade of black. he grabbed her phone, stopping her from dropping any such message to that annoying creature who frustrated the living hell out of him.


    "fine! let''s have lunch together. it won''t be that long anyway."


    he shoved the phone back into her hands and with a furious stream of steam escaping his ears, he stomped hard on the floor, expressing the resentment of his failed plans.


    shui locked her room''s door and followed him, silently chuckling to herself and simultaneously typing out a message.


    ''it actually worked, master ai! he agreed for the lunch~''


    a notification popped up a minute later which turned out to be ai''s reply.


    ''ho ho ho~ i knew it. jin would be too weak to challenge this threat. even if he wants to stay away from you, he wouldn''t be able to bear the presence of a next man beside you."


    ''hehe~ you should have seen him on the flight. he was so cute giving him death stares.''


    ''*nods* jun exhibits similar cuteness. that''s why these are sure shot methods to work on jin too.''


    ai''s lips held a scheming grin when a deep, low voice rang in her ear from the back. "what sure shot methods are you talking about, my dear fiance? please let me in too."


    she froze and very slowly turned her head to find jun smiling a not so friendly smile. "what are you up to, ai?"

 Chapter 671 Gullible Targets

    ?


    ai cleared her throat and took a step aside. "it''s nothing. i am just talking to shui."


    jun took a step towards her, making the distance she created pointless. "and exactly what were you talking about? or should i ask, what you were teaching her?"


    "what would i teach?" ai shook her head with lament, "i am just a simple writer. sadly, i don''t have anything to teach her."n0velusb.c0m


    he smiled. "writers are the ones with a lot of imagination, shouldn''t i say?"


    she pursed her lips. "why are you looking at me with those doubtful and suspicious eyes? i am your fiance. it hurts you know?"


    he grimaced with her dramatic acting. he pinched her chin and softly bit the tip of her nose.


    "..."


    "stay away from the twins. they are infecting you."


    "how rude. they are not some viruses."


    "no. they are even worse than them. now..." he narrowed his eyes, "tell me more about these teachings, teacher zhou. i think there''s some interesting stuff going on."


    she coughed. "there is nothing interesting. shui and jin are on a trip as you know and she was just sharing her grievances to me as to how jin is being grumpy."


    his mouth twitched.


    "as somebody who has faced similar hardships, i feel it is my duty to help shui," she nodded with all sincerity.


    his gaze darkened. "excuse me? similar hardships?"


    "of course. i have dealt with a fair share of your grumpiness. jin, being your younger brother and also as somebody who really adores you, displays the similar traits."


    "..."


    she beamed. "the lesson of jealousy worked pretty well. he is taking shui for lunch now. i knew it will work because i have had first hand experience. whether you saw me closer to jin or yating, you always refused to leave my side. remember how you taught me to dance and then that night too where you stayed at my apartment for the night because you saw yating leaving? or valentine''s night when you saw us talking and confessed to me? you were even jealous of xing bi too when she offered me her house to stay in. same with guiying."


    "..."


    she bobbed her head. "jealousy works really well with the liu family men."


    jun suddenly felt an urge to lash out and scream out for his defense, but he couldn''t upon contemplating. "y-you...are you saying that we are easy to deceive!?"


    ai thoughtfully looked at her side once and then back at him with her answer. "yes."


    gritting his teeth wasn''t enough to express the grievances he felt at this point.


    "jin being a carbon copy of you, this method was bound to work," ai taught him the ropes as if he was a student of hers too. "i have already thought of the next move in case jin refuses to budge," she brightened.


    she kissed his cheeks and merrily hopped away. "i should ask mom and grandma too. they are the veterans. they surely must have tricks of their own for dad and grandpa."


    he watched her leave with his jaw dropped wide. she was planning in broad daylight to deceive his younger brother like a hooligan and yet for some reason...


    why do i find her so cute?


    he slapped himself and woke up.


    i have gotten totally blind in her love, his brow twitched. should i warn jin?


    but he didn''t wish to face ai''s wrath and her puffy cheeks and her ignoring him. so he decided to keep his lips zipped.


    he shrugged.


    sorry jin but you are on your own.


    ¡ª


    jin felt really all alone as he and shui were seated in the restaurant and for him to have no place to escape. he wished for the lunch to arrive faster so that he could eat faster and leave equally faster.


    shui noticed the restless tapping of his foot on the floor and smirked. "why are you so anxious, jin?"


    he scowled. "why will i be anxious? i am just waiting for lunch."


    "by burying your head in the phone for the whole time?" she cocked her brow. "are you afraid of looking at me?"


    he shot her a defensive glare. "why would i be afraid of looking at you? i have looked at you since my whole childhood."


    "as a friend first, then as a sister-in-law and now that jun and i have broken up a looong while ago, i wonder how you look at me now?" she rested her palm on her chin and gave him a lazy look.


    shui wasn''t holding back with her punches. she knew that subtle, soft balls were not going to work against him so she went for the fast and hard ones.


    that hard ball hit straight to his heart with a bang because it was as unexpected as it was a fast move. but he maintained the poise in his gaze and faced her with a smile. "wouldn''t it mean that you would simply go back to being my childhood and annoying and frustrating friend?"


    she chuckled. "is that why you tolerated your annoying and frustrating childhood friend by not failing to come to her house to play with her even once?"


    "i was there only for bro."


    "you really know how to always hide behind jun''s excuse, don''t you~?"


    "i don''t need to hide!"


    by then the lunch arrived, and jin swiftly grabbed his plate before the waiter could even place it on the table. the waiter quickly left after serving shui, feeling the tension in the atmosphere.


    jin hastily gulped down large bites, forcing shui to scold him. "i am not going to eat your food so relax. and i am not allowing you to leave until i am done anyway."


    shit! i thought i could make up an excuse and leave!


    he swallowed another large, angry bite which immediately made him choke and cough hard.


    "*cough, cough! cough cough!*"


    shui''s eyes widened and she quickly sprung up to help him. she patted his chest and rebuked him. "now look what happened! that''s why i was telling you to slow down. but no. liu jin doesn''t know how to listen at all! now drink some water first!"


    she held the glass of water near his lips and helped him drink it with slow, easy gulps while she simultaneously gave a few hard pats on his back to ease his coughing.


    jin began to feel much better after a few sips, and he inhaled a deep breath, feeling finally relaxed. "thanks..."


    he expressed his gratitude but froze as he lifted his gaze, feeling the proximity against her chest.

 Chapter 672 Notorious Intentions

    ?


    jin immediately turned his head away, staring at the outside world with a trembling gaze. he clenched his fist to distance his mind from the image he just saw with a deep breath.


    shui barked. "why did you turn your head away?"


    "nothing."


    "then look my way," she grabbed his jaw and forced him to face her, which brought jin''s attention back to her chest. a sharp, gasp remained stuck in his throat, sensing as though her two lovely breasts were inviting him to touch them.


    he could feel the heat rush inside him such that it sent shockwaves across his chest, making his heart pound back and forth with vigor.


    shit! shit! shit!


    "why is your face so red?" shui frowned. "did the choking raise your temperature somehow? that''s strange..."n0velusb.c0m


    with that concern in mind, she edged closer and inclined near him. she placed her palm on his forehead to check the temperature, which seemed normal to her.


    but jin wasn''t. at this point, her chest was way up close and almost brushing the space between his chin and neck. he didn''t realize that he had stopped breathing upon feeling shui''s touch. her soft fingers on his temples felt relaxing and comforting but not the area below her chest that nudged dangerously closer to him. it seemed to embark jin on his own journey of patience and control.


    "shui..." his hoarse voice managed to speak up, "i don''t h-have any fever. i am fine...really..."


    her eyes narrowed. "is that the truth or a way to put distance between us again?"


    oh god how it is for the latter but not in the way you are thinking...


    his trembling breaths urged a gush within him that was threatening to knock down his senses the more their intimate position remained in a lock. his gaze accidentally fell on the source of his tension again. her sweet scent invading his nostrils along with the delicious sight causing his fingers to twitch was increasingly making it unbearable to sit still without giving away his notorious intentions.


    jin grabbed her shoulders and gently pushed her back to make space for him to stand. "i am done!"


    he marathoned outside as if he would die if had to be near shui even for a second more. the blast of cold wind against face seemed to calm down the heated zeal tingling his body. his numb senses were beginning to normalize


    "yuze, please listen to me!"


    a shrill instantly diffused the push and pull of jin''s situation, breaking away the one-sided fervor reverberating in his heart. he abruptly stopped in his tracks, following the woman''s voice.


    he slightly turned towards a corridor and stared at the direction of a woman chasing after a man who clearly looked like he wanted to have nothing to do with her.


    shui, who breathlessly ran after jin, was also taken aback by a woman''s loud exclamation and naturally turned to give her a look.


    jin stiffened. "why are you following me?"


    that earned him a vicious glare. "that was really nice of you to run away from your friend who was concerned and trying to help you and your audacity on top of that to leave her alone for lunch. you are so grateful, aren''t you?" her voice dripping with sarcasm ruthlessly attacked him.


    jin was itching to give a retort, but he held back.


    who do you think was the source of my problem!


    he focused back on the man and woman and tilted his head, squinting his eyes at them.


    "i saw them back at the restaurant too," shui slightly craned her neck. "i had noticed them on the other side. but he didn''t seem to be angry at that time. quite the opposite actually."


    jin looked closely and blinked at the man, recognizing him.


    kang yuze, isn''t he...?


    for tomorrow''s meeting with the delegates, he was also going to be a part of it, representing kang industries. but he didn''t recognize the woman, desperately following him.


    his girlfriend?


    she held his arm, stopping him in his way and trying to talk to him. jin and shui couldn''t hear their conversation as they were far away but after sometime, it was evident that kang yuze wasn''t so interested in talking to her as if there was nothing left to talk anymore.


    the woman''s countenance looked extremely guilty and regretful, making jin sure that she definitely made some mistake which got on his nerves. however he still maintained a respectful distance and tone as he seemed to voice out his displeasure.


    at one point, the woman stubbornly kept refusing to let go of him, making shui feel sorry for kang yuze. she was trying to cling onto him despite the fact that it made him genuinely uncomfortable. shui seriously wondered how they were talking then so civilly back at the restaurant. what had something went so seriously wrong in just a matter of a few minutes?


    jin suddenly realized that he had been peeping at a private conversation and long crossed his line of initial curiosity. he cleared his throat and began walking away.


    "what do you think happened between them? they looked cool in the restaurant," shui voiced out, trying to figure out what might have gone wrong.


    "kang yuze?" he shrugged. "might be a date went wrong."


    she blinked at him. "you know him?"


    "he is going to be a part of tomorrow''s meeting. kang industries."


    she gasped after a second. "no wonder he seemed familiar. i remember him now. kang yuze," she facepalmed at her silliness. "was that woman his girlfriend then?"


    "who knows and who cares?"


    she scowled. "how insensitive. he looked clearly troubled back there."


    he shrugged. "doesn''t matter to me. kang industries is considered wealthy and influential in its own right. i have seen women like her. i am sure you have too for bro siying. the ones to cling onto a man''s status and money. her stubbornness reminded me of exactly those women."


    "i know she seemed to be the problem but i feel it''s too soon to judge. we might be wrong about her."


    he gave her a sideways glance and cocked his brow. "stay away from her if you see her tomorrow. she is definitely a trouble attracting magnet."


    jin looked ahead as he walked but his thoughts floated to another question that kept popping up.


    kang...where have i heard that last name before?

 Chapter 673 The Ultimate Trump Card

    ?


    the same evening, jin stayed back in shui''s room to discuss the next day''s presentation. shui scooted closer to him to have a better look at the screen, and jin would shift a step further away whenever she did so. this cat and mouse game went on for a little while until shui banged her palms on the table, making him slightly jump.


    he knew it. shui''s patience had thinned out.


    just then shui received a message from her father, zhiyuan, asking for the twelfth time in the entire day of her wellbeing.


    ''that liu boy isn''t troubling you, right? tell me if he is! i will set him straight! hell, i will talk to liu jinhai and get you out of guangzhou! just give me the green signal.''


    her brow twitched, and she shook her head with her father''s over protectiveness. she narrowed her eyes though, feeling an itch to really complain about him to zhiyuan and starting a war. jin would suffer like anything if zhiyuan went onto rampage mode.


    she smirked, thinking of her plan that wouldn''t need zhiyuan''s intervention. she would have her own sweet revenge, an evil plan concocted by none other than master zhou ai by taking into account all the time she spent with jun.


    the jealousy ingredient to force jin to go on lunch with her worked great. the only spice needed to get them closer was to make jin actually spend time with her. but looking at how jin would always find a chance to steer clear from her, the distance between them seemed to not have any mood to shrink.n0velusb.c0m


    but that was soon going to change.


    shui first replied to zhiyuan''s message that she was doing all fine. then she carried her fury-laced gaze and aimed it straight at jin, lashing out at him. "you do realize that you are acting like a child, right? do you want me to call uncle jinhai so that he could set your priorities?"


    he immediately toned down as jinhai''s name came into the picture. who knew what he would do to punish him? maybe he would even extend the stay just to set him straight.


    but after the super close encounter with shui back in the restaurant, the caution within him to put up his guard was raised to the max. he didn''t want any other such incident to occur in the rest of the evening that would change any equation between them.


    jin coughed a bit and avoided her gaze. "i was just feeling a little hot, so i was just making some breathing space."


    her expression twisted hard.


    if only i didn''t love this man, i would have dumped him in the ocean for good!


    she stomped heavily on her feet, standing with a jerk to rebuke. "you are- ah!!"


    she stumbled back as a gasp escaped her lips. jin was avoiding to meet her eyes but the moment he heard her painful cry, he wasted no time in jumping to her rescue and grabbing her waist to prevent her from falling.


    "what happened!"


    the pitch of his voice rose by several notches as he saw shui opening and shutting her eyelids and holding her temple with discomfort.


    "w-what happened?" jin anxiously checked her temperature which felt to be fine. he had no idea she exhibited such a sudden, strong reaction.


    he noticed her biting her lower lip and clutching her abdomen as if that was the source of her pain.


    "is your stomach hurting?" he asked in a concerned, quiet voice. "did the lunch not suit you?"


    it worked!


    shui inwardly rejoiced as this was the exact reaction that she had been expecting. however, she did feel remorseful of playing the pity card, but it was a trump card sureshot to work. not just ai but even nana had given her green signal to adopt this method.


    liu family men were weak to the women they loved, especially when they were sick.


    sorry jin but even aunt is on my side here...


    shui weakly shook her head and looked down, seemingly embarrassed. "the food was alright."


    "then why are you hurting?" he asked with a pensive edge to his voice. "should i take you to the hospital? this definitely seems like something serious!"


    "no, no!" she vigorously shook her head. "i know what it is. you don''t need to worry. you can go back to your room. i will work some more and then rest-"


    his black eyes sent a deadly glare her way. "don''t be stupid! no work, only rest. just tell me what is wrong!"


    "y-you really don''t need to know..."


    "i can hold you like this for the entire night until you say it."


    "you! it''s...it''s my period!" she shut her eyes, her face turning red. even though she wasn''t on her periods, the mention of it to jin did make her abashed.


    ''master ai...don''t you have some other way to play the pity card...? p-periods are...''


    ''it''s nothing embarrassing. it''s a part of a woman''s life. embrace it with pride and use it thoroughly to your advantage.''


    "..."


    shui could imagine ai nodding her head seriously. behind her innocent face, she had never imagined that she would get to hear these words from her.


    ''jun was my servant for four full days. he was so cute when he took care of me. he would even pat my belly to soothe my period cramps.''


    shui coughed and her ears reddened with a flush. ai might or might not have been blushing, but she surely was. but learning about jun petting her stomach was so adorable that shui squealed.


    will jin do the same for me?


    there was only one way to check out.


    jin blinked and formed an o with his lips, not really embarrassed with the turn of events. "then you should definitely rest."


    he didn''t hesitate to pick her in his arms and walk the short steps towards the bed to lay her down. the entire time, shui stared at him wide-eyed, unable to process the information overload.


    am i really...in his arms right now?


    it was a short-lived happiness as he gently put her to bed.


    "wait, wait, this was too soon!"


    "what was?" jin didn''t understand.


    "lying me on the bed! you carried me in your arms, but it was so shocking that i didn''t even get the time to grasp the situation and feel myself in your arms! so carry me again."


    "..."


    "and this time, walk a little slower," she frowned.


    "..."

 Chapter 674 The Grumpy Cats Care And Concern

    ?


    jin squinted his eyes at her expectant gaze who was impatiently waiting for him to pick her up again. he sneered, giving her a disdainful look, "why does it seem like you are enjoying this, han shui? you were just on the verge of collapsing."


    oh oh. i got a little too excited...


    shui expressionlessly figured out the problem, but she was more than capable enough to handle jin''s suspicions. her brows knitted together tensely as if she was being harassed by another kind of pain.


    "do you realize jin that ever since the beginning of this trip, you have been avoiding me as if i am some virus?"


    he stiffened.


    "i just want our work to go smoothly and i am fully dedicated towards it, but you keep leaving me alone...it hurts because it feels that you are not even allowing me to be your friend..."n)o(vel)u/s/b.,.c.o-m


    that rattled him and his lips struggled to form a response.


    "after so long for the first time, you looked genuinely worried about me. you, who always found a chance to escape from me, actually carried me in your arms. do you realize how happy it made me feel? it''s like i got validation that jin still cares about me even if it''s a little bit. and it came so fast and unexpected that i wasn''t simply able to process it. i even forgot about my pain and dizziness. can you really blame me for my reaction?"


    "n-no...i mean..." jin fumbled in his words, not expecting that carrying her led to such a significant impact.


    shui pressed her lips and lowered her gaze. "it''s okay. i was being childish anyway. you can leave. it''s just periods anyway. i can take care of myself-"


    "no," a determined look flashed across his face. "i won''t leave you alone when you are suffering. if it will make you happy that i carry you again, then i will."


    flowers blossomed inside shui''s heart, and she almost cried with happiness seeing the change in jin.


    did my acting actually win?


    shui was left shocked by her own unexpected talent. she didn''t realize that the arrow will pierce exactly where she wanted to. she was being dramatic for sure and half part of it was definitely to tug jin''s sympathetic heartstrings, but the remaining half part of the conversation was a reality anyway that jin wouldn''t be able to protest. it was hard to tell whether shui was acting or genuinely disappointed because her words reflected both spectrums of her emotions.


    jin gently lifted her again in his arms and walked away from the bed to where they previously stood. he cleared his throat. "now i will walk slowly..."


    shui inwardly coughed at his innocence and an urge arose within her to record this on her phone. but instead, she focused on basking herself in the warmth of jin''s embrace. her heart squealed and tickled with the sensation of his fingers softly pressing into her waist, the sight of his handsome jawline melting her heart and his beautiful black irises that were filled with concern for her. the light away against his chest made a blush greet her cheeks.


    she wished for this moment to never end and dreamily thought of never parting away from jin. he placed her on the bed for the second time and asked, "is this...okay now?"


    the dreamy daze came to an end, and she inwardly sighed. but she wasn''t going to let this atmosphere to go to waste thay she so painstakingly built all by herself. she weakly smiled, letting him clearly see her ''struggle.''


    "thanks jin..." her lips then parted irregularly as if bouts of pain greeted her like a see-saw.


    alert and alarmed, jin quickly said, "wait here for me. i will be back in a minute!"


    he rushed outside, causing shui to give him a dumbfounded look.


    where did he suddenly rush off to?


    but now that he was gone for sometime, shui stepped out of her bed and hopped and jumped in excitement. she covered her face with her palms, recalling the short but sweet time in his arms. giggling, she immediately grabbed her phone and sent a status message to her master.


    ''master aiiii!! your plan actually worked! jin got so worried about me that he is refusing to leave my side now~ he just rushed off now but i don''t know where.''


    a ding came a few seconds later.


    ''i told you so.''


    shui chuckled, imagining ai''s nose to have grown longer with pride. she had nailed down jin''s reaction to perfection.


    ''it is absolute heaven when the liu family men serve- care for us,'' she added another message.


    she laughed.


    "shui!"


    the phone almost slipped off her hands, and she choked hard.


    he came back so soon?


    shui quickly locked her phone and jumped back to bed, covering herself with a duvet. she brought back the troubled expression as she saw jun return. "jin..."


    he was holding a glass of warm drink and walked up to her anxiously. he noticed the beads of sweat on her forehead and widened his eyes. "you are sweating."


    her mouth ever so slightly twitched.


    is that because of my hyper jumping around in joy a minute ago?


    she coughed. "it''s nothing really. i am just a little uncomfortable."


    jin quickly took a seat beside her and said, "i made this warm drink for you. it has some good herbs that will help ease your discomfort. this is mom''s recipe. it''s magic. you should drink it."


    "you made it...?" she asked, suprised.


    "yes."


    "but how? this is a hotel, not liu villa''s kitchen. you cannot just enter in the kitchen and..."


    he blinked. "i can go wherever i want. perks of being from the liu family."


    "..."


    at least show a little shame of abusing your power...


    nevertheless, her heart was so overwhelmed by this gesture of his that she sincerely felt like kissing him on his lips. he ran all the way to the kitchen, possibly threatened the kitchen staff to let him do whatever he wanted and personally made this drink for her.


    can i really not kiss him...? she lamented.


    oh wait. maybe i can. i just have to strike at the right time...


    with this newfound hope, she took the glass and gulped the drink. even though she wasn''t in actual pain, the warmth and sweet taste brought an unknown relief as if she was floating in the clouds.


    this is really magic...


    jin carefully observed her expression and nodded in satisfaction to see that the drink''s effects seemed to be working. shui peeked at him as she swallowed the last gulp of the drink. she had to act again and act fast. if he felt that she was alright now, he might leave for his room. and she wanted him to stay beside her as long as possible.


    she kept the glass on the table and shifted a little uncomfortably on the bed.


    "what is it?" jin didn''t waste any moment to ask.


    "it''s just the cramps..." she awkwardly smiled. "aunt''s recipe indeed is working like magic. i already feel so much refreshed. but there are still some light cramps haha..."


    her tired and fatigued smile clenched jin''s heart further with distress. "can i help with anything? anything you say!"


    well...


    she had an urge to say to pat her belly, but she wasn''t sure how it would turn out. she didn''t want this progress between them to go to waste.


    but before she could even decide, jin gave a look as if a great idea struck him. "i am an idiot. why didn''t i think of this earlier? i will pat your belly. we do this for sis nuo at home. it really works. i will do it for you. you will feel better in no time!"


    "..."


    am i dreaming?

 Chapter 675 Seductive Threat

    ?


    jin smoothly tapped his fingers on shui''s belly while also circling them around in gentle, fluid motion in an attempt to provide her some comfort. even though a thin line of her dress separated the contact, the euphoric sensation of a thousand butterflies tickling still grabbed the inside of her belly. nov(elu.sb,c.o/m


    his black eyes looked calm and patient, something very opposite to how evasive they seemed until an hour ago. the minutes ticked by and jin''s stay in her room kept getting equally longer too, a notion which shui highly appreciated.


    "are you feeling better now?"


    shui, who was still in the daze of enjoying jin''s concern, didn''t clearly hear his question.


    "shui?"


    her stupor popped like a balloon, making her cough. "y-yes, it''s so much better now..."


    which wasn''t a lie. though shui wasn''t really having periods, she still did feel the relief out of those gentle pats washing over her which seemed to extract her lethargy of today''s trip, including dealing with jin''s strange behavior.


    can this last forever? she sobbed.


    suddenly, from outside the hotel and through their window, they heard the sparkling boom of firecrackers lighting up the night sky into beautiful shades of red, yellow, green, purple and orange. another cracker simultaneously bursted in the sky, making shui''s eyes gleam. "so beautiful!"


    jin, too, felt mesmerized by those bright colors that seemed to bring life to the dark, black clouds. "yeah."


    "i wonder if there is some celebration going somewhere."


    a third firecracker also blossomed in the sky, filling the crevices in between the clouds with the breathtaking spectrum of the rainbow.


    "could be."


    enjoying the beauty of those fireworks, shui couldn''t help but chuckle as she looked back at jin. "seeing fireworks makes me remember your failed attempt to light one back in the day. were you what nine or ten? you were always so afraid of firecrackers that you stayed far away from them."


    because their unpredictability reminded me of the twins which i absolutely detested, his expression grimaced to that of displeasure.


    "you always kept your distance. it was so funny when you tried to light up your first firecracker," she laughed. "what was it, the cone? you kept pulling back even when aunt was right behind you and when it burst, you immediately ran to jun''s side and cried your heart out to him. the way you clung onto him so fiercely was so cute."


    jin''s gaze darkened. it wasn''t a very prideful memory to recall as he was the subject of everybody making fun of him for a long time to come, especially by the twins, grandpa liu and his uncle jing. the quadruple gang of hyperactivity and an ever happy go lucky attitude.


    "i wasn''t that scared!"


    "..."


    shui''s lips twitched while she laughed to her heart''s content at the same time. "of course you weren''t. that''s why you didn''t let go of jun for the rest of the evening. oh and by the way, grandpa still has the video of you escaping like a scaredy cat."


    "..."


    "should i ask for it to refresh our memories~? there are many other enjoyable videos too, capturing little jin''s best moments. l-like the time..." by this point, tears slipped out of her eyes as she couldn''t hold back her laughter, "the twins fooled you into declaring to marry aunt nana. that too in front of uncle jinhai. and that too..." she bit her lip, "on their wedding anniversary with you stating that uncle was a bad husband. you even said that he kidnapped her. ahahahaha..."


    jin gnashed his jaw with the extremely embarrassing and frightening memories that shui sprung up on him out of nowhere. he still recalled that horror as if it was yesterday. calling jinhai a bad husband wasn''t nearly as bad and dangerous as jin declaring to marry nana. that effectively meant kicking him out of her life, which was a notion jinhai hated to feel even if it was somebody''s tomfoolery. facing his father''s cold wrath and punishment made it traumatic for him to be anywhere near the twins from that day.


    he sneered. "don''t laugh so hard that your cramps will return. don''t blame me if i stop caring for you then."


    shui simply waved her hand, still busy laughing off on jin''s tragedies. "you were s-so cute...th-that trying to act strong and holding back your tears but clearly frightened like anything..."


    "han shui! i order you to stop right now!"


    she innocently blinked. "aren''t you my servant though right now?"


    his angry smile dipped into his heavy sarcasm. "oh yeah, your servant who is supposed to tend to a woman in her period who is supposed to be in a lot of pain right now."


    shui coughed. "how is it my fault? i feel my stomach aching but at this point, i am not sure if it is because of the periods or because your tragedies are way funnier to make it ache by laughter."


    glaring at her, he jumped on his feet and exclaimed. "well since you look all fit and fine, you don''t need me anymore, right? great. so i will head back to my room and prepare for tomorrow while you keep wasting time on some stupid childhood memories!"


    shui hastily grabbed his wrist. "no, no! you don''t need to leave. i am sorry. i promise i won''t laugh anymore..."


    nevertheless, jin could still hear her mild, sneaky chuckles and his expression further twisted. "no way!"


    "don''t be like this pleaseeeee," she cutely widened her eyes. "can we not even reminisce about our childhood anymore? there were so many fun things!"


    "not for me," he coldly barked.


    shui kept tugging his hand, refusing to let him go. "okay i promise-"


    "no way! i am leaving! i don''t want your promises. you are just like the twins," he glared at her.


    she flared her nostrils upon his stubbornness and gave his wrist one hard pull until he stumbled off balance and fell on top of her. which wasn''t what she had intentionally planned or expected to happen.


    she was quick on the uptake and before jin understood his position to react, she reached out and whispered into his ear. "move even an inch and i will kiss you. so don''t test my patience."


    "..."

 Chapter 676 A Responsibility And A Burden

    ?


    in the dimly lit room, a gentle breeze rustled the curtains, casting the delicate and soft glow of the brightly lit fireworks from outside. the vibrant shadow of colors kissed the contours of their faces as jin held his breath.


    his eyes locked for a brief moment, surprise evident in his expression and so was a hint of uncertainty. hia heart raced, a mix of emotions flooding his senses. on one side, the time back in the restaurant invaded his thoughts and now his acute senses were too sensitive to feel the brush of shui''s chest against his. he held in his breath, trying to think of random thoughts but failing to do so. on the other side, an equally strong sense of responsibility trapped his heart into a prison-like state where he knew for certain that he should be getting off shui and immediately leave the fleeting embrace he was in.


    shui gazed into those troubled black pupils that seemed to hold an endless maze of secrets known to only jin. under the faint light of those fireworks, she could see his lips trembling that suggested the restraint he was trying to exert on himself. but the question still bugged shui.


    "why?"


    jin widened his eyes ever so slightly as he steeled himself to meet the question in shui''s eyes.


    "...what?"


    he could feel the warmth of shui''s body beneath him, the softness of the cushioning underneath, and a magnetic pull that only made his struggle harder with the dangerous attraction. the atmosphere between them felt like a lethal marsh which would swallow jin completely if he succumbed to take a step into it. he would get pulled down by the weight of the love that he had been holding back for a long time now.


    "why are you struggling so much, jin?" she asked.


    at first, she wanted nothing more than to tease jin and just to get under his skin, making him grumpy and annoyed. but the pain that brought a very small tear to settle in his eyelash made her act otherwise.


    "what burden is it that you are carrying on your shoulders that is making...you so miserable like this?"


    "nothing," jin instinctively replied. he could feel the rise and fall of her chest, and he swallowed hard, willing himself to regain his composure. "there is no burden. you are mistaken."


    "then tell me why it is so that you are seemingly battling your own self? you look like you are defending yourself against someone and that someone is none other than you," she firmly asserted.


    every passing moment that drove their proximity to stretch thin between them made him feel as if he was running out of time. he could hear shui''s questions crystal-clear but he had no answers to give to her. he couldn''t help stop his gaze from tracing her neckline, her clavicle and her chin that led him to greet her pink, flushed lips.


    and shui traced his eyes tracing her figure. it was faint because she knew that he was reeling his desire to bridge the gap between them as if making his own heart a prisoner. she ever so gently raised her hand and placed her palm on his cheek. the tips of her delicate fingers hovered near his temple, brushing away the small tear from his eyelash, making him stiffen.


    "if you want to kiss me, then say so."


    that bold assertion froze his heart ice-cold. the rhythm of his breaths fell apart, feeling exposed and vulnerable.


    in that fleeting instant, jin''s struggle seemed to crumble the walls he was painstakingly building to imprison his heart. he could sense the desire building within him, an unmistakable pull toward her. but his restraint was equally powerful, driven by his desire to protect everybody''s future.


    everybody but his.


    the woman he loved acknowledged the emotions he was striving to hide from her and with a bold declaration, asked him to confess it as well. he felt as if his admittance was just on the tip of his tongue. if he said yes, then would she agree to let him kiss her?


    if she agreed to let him kiss her, then that would change the dynamics between them forever, was it not? there was no way to kiss her and undo it. her question was simple but the answer to it was anything but that.


    so close...shui is so close...


    if i say yes then...would she lean and kiss me? or would i lean and kiss her?


    he felt his heart race and with every ticking moment, their lips seemed to inch closer as if driven by an invisible force. neither were initiating the kiss, yet it felt like the distance was dissipating somehow.


    with a controlled exhale, jin shifted his weight, carefully pulling himself off shui and settling on the bed beside her. their proximity remained, but the air had shifted from a passionate and unpredictable tension to a shared moment of vulnerability. he felt cold as soon as he lost the warmth of shui''s hand from over his cheek. he simply remained still on the bed with his feet touching the floor.


    shui, too, slowly rose and quietly sat beside him, her feet touching the floor too. "it feels like you gave me a yes but also a no at the same time. you are mean, jin."


    jin softly closed his eyes, trying to stabilize his erratic breaths.


    she bit the corner of her lip, releasing a painful sigh. "i cannot see you suffering like this, jin."


    "i know," he whispered back.


    "i want you to share your burden with me, jin."


    "i know."


    she then very slowly asked, "so you admit there is a burden?"


    "...it is a responsibility that i chose for myself. i won''t back off because it holds the happiness of a very important person very dear to me. but it also is a burden in a way that i cannot explain to you. there is a responsibility i am willing to take and a burden i am willing to bear."


    he then turned to face her as he said in a hushed and trembling voice, "both of which don''t allow me to be with you."

 Chapter 677 To Drill The Crack Deeper

    ?


    arriving at the meeting destination the next day, jin and shui were all prepared for the presentation. after last night''s short but grim conversation, she tried to break the ice today en route to the meeting place. but jin was adamant on ignoring her and instead only buried his face in his laptop.


    shui sighed, shaking her head.


    "does it hurt now?"


    surprisingly, jin took a check on her wellbeing after almost getting a scare last night. it took a moment for shui to remember, but then her eyes sparkled with hope.


    oh, he is asking about my periods!


    thank god. at least he has not completely blocked all his communication towers.


    she cleared her throat and softly nodded. "the cramps have gotten better..."


    jin heard this and nodded. before shui could embark on to the journey of continuing the conversation, he had already looked away and stared wide-eyed at the laptop screen as if his life depended on it.


    he clearly doesn''t want me to pry any further, her brow twitched.


    seeing jin''s body language made it sure to her that he wouldn''t entertain anymore talk, especially about last night.


    she released another sigh and looking out through the window, she wondered about jin''s responsibility and burden.


    i don''t get it. what could be coming in his way of confessing his feelings for me? what could be the responsibility, what could be the burden stopping him...?


    in a way, shui was happier to get at least some insight into jin''s problem which at first, he was hell bent on not admitting that there was a problem in the first place. if nothing else, this trip managed to change at least some part of the stunted information that she had. jin confirming the existence of a problem was a big feat in itself.


    now the next step was to slowly but surely drill the crack in jin''s shell deeper and deeper until she reached the source of it.


    but when...?


    for some reason, she recalled the words of that handsome palm-reading man she met during the flight.


    ''it will take time. as much as he needs your forgiveness, so does he needs his own.''


    time...patience...


    this ride went on in silence until they stepped out and walked towards the meeting room. jin excused himself for a few minutes, and shui was left alone. she thought of waiting inside the conference room and as she opened the door, her eyes slightly widened in surprise upon immediately seeing a man already on his seat.


    oh he is kang yuze...


    the man heard someone''s entrance and raised his head. "miss. han shui?"


    "yes. kang yuze, right?"


    he smiled. "yes. nice to meet you."


    "same here."


    she slightly cleared her throat and took a seat at the corner of the table, placing her laptop on the desk.


    i thought jin and i would have gotten here earlier...


    she looked up and curiously studied his figure, especially after remembering his confrontation with the woman at the restaurant last night.


    tall and commanding, his presence filled the room, yet it wasn''t just his stature that drew attention. his posture was impeccable, projecting an air of assurance and confidence. dressed in a tailored suit, he exuded a sense of refined style. the smile on his lips was neither too wide nor too slim that made shui think of chivalrous men. it was that aura he emanated that made her quickly feel at ease. a sense of poise in his irises was strong enough to tone down anybody''s restlessness.


    "miss. han?"


    shui blinked and let out a cough. "yes."


    kang yuze thoughtfully touched his chin and asked, "were you at the restaurant yesterday?"


    "..."


    did he catch jin and me spying on him?


    "i think i did see you, but i am not sure..."


    "well..." she awkwardly smiled, "i was there with jin. we had come for lunch."


    "oh you mean liu jin?"


    "yes."


    "makes sense," he slightly gave a nod. "i think i did see him too but my table was farther away. i couldn''t really be so sure. i would have met you two yesterday itself but i didn''t want to disturb your date."


    she choked. "that wasn''t a date. we were just out on lunch."


    kang yuze stared at her intently. "my apologies. when i was leaving the restaurant, i noticed liu jin..."


    was blushing furiously with how close you stood against him so...i think i made a wrong guess.


    he waved his hand. "nothing. i guess i jumped to the conclusion too soon."


    shui paused and asked, "did it look like we were on a date?"


    kang yuze tilted his head. he wasn''t really sure of the dynamics between jin and shui. he had only observed jin for a few seconds and from his perspective, it did feel something more from jin''s side.


    he had assumed shui, who had her back to him, might have felt the same. but now...that was an answer he couldn''t guess. if she wasn''t interested in jin, then would his answer make everything unnecessarily complicated?


    instead, he asked, "did you want it to look like a date?"


    her brow twitched. "not really."


    "so you mean yes."


    "what?"


    "not really is not a complete no. so maybe, you did wish it to look like a date."


    well...


    kang yuze chuckled and let it go. "i understand. it''s complicated."


    "...complicated is an understatement," she muttered under her breath.


    "i wish you all the best," he laughed.


    it was evident that he had clearly heard her muttering too.


    "you have sharp ears," she said, slightly dissatisfied.


    "and so do i have sharp eyes for noticing you and liu jin peeping into the corridor yesterday."


    "..."


    shui pressed her lips, holding her breath. "i think you are mistaken."


    "i''m pretty sure i am not," he smiled.


    she tapped her finger on the desk and eventually gave up. "okay fine. but mind you, jin and i aren''t so shameless. we heard the woman who you were with suddenly exclaim in the corridor and our attention fell to your side. also, it felt strange because i had seen you at the restaurant too. you two seemed to be enjoying yourselves, so i just wondered wh


    at had suddenly gone wrong..."


    "i see."


    "if you don''t mind me asking, who was that woman?"


    "ren alix. my ex-girlfriend."

 Chapter 678 Haunting Memories

    ?


    a mild tone of chilliness set within kang yuze''s eyes as he mentioned her name. that reflected in his demeanor too which shui caught. but she wondered whether to pry or not. curiosity was bugging her, but she hardly knew the man.


    "i never heard of the ren family though..." she mumbled.


    kang yuze read the questions in her mind and smiled. "they have a medium scale business, which is growing quite well. since we felt potential in them, we reached out to them for one of our projects. that''s how i met her father, ren yong. through him, i met his daughters. ren alix and her sister. after then..."


    the strain and distaste in his countenance was evident enough to highlight that whatever happened next had been bothersome for him, which he wasn''t comfortable sharing.


    shui said, "it''s alright. you don''t have to say anything further if you are not comfortable. i was only curious because the atmosphere at the table was quite nice but then outside..."


    "ah well that''s sort of a long story," his calm gaze cracked with a hint of displeasure. "or to make it short, alix used my sister to follow me here in guangzhou. my sister, xue, insisted on coming here with me and then i saw alix yesterday. i thought it was a coincidence but it wasn''t. it irked me because i felt my sister''s kindness was being used, which doesn''t sit well with me," his expression hardened.


    her eyes widened. "then how come you spoke so decently with her yesterday?"


    "we were already inside and had ordered food. when i talked to alix, i felt that something was wrong and then she spilled it out when i egged her on. i didn''t react back then because i didn''t want to create a scene. and let''s say that...alix can get quite stubborn and impulsive. she would have made a fool out of herself in front of everybody. we are exes now, but i still don''t want her to become the target of public''s mockery. you know how a crowd can get when they smell drama."


    "you are very thoughtful..." it genuinely slipped out of her tongue.


    i don''t know if i would have been that patient with someone like that...


    the door opened and jin then stepped in, narrowing his eyes at kang yuze.


    "nice to meet you, liu jin," kang yuze offered him a pleasant, welcoming smile.


    "...hm. same here."


    he glanced at shui who seemed to have been talking to kang yuze before he had come in. he took a seat beside her, staring at her intently.


    "what?" shui frowned, confused.


    "nothing."


    "there is definitely something."


    he threw a glare at her and then tore his gaze away a moment later.


    kang yuze blinked once and lifted his lips into a very light smile. "we were just casually chatting."


    "i didn''t ask."


    "not every question is asked out aloud."


    he squinted his eyes, making shui hold in a silent chuckle. jin was being like an open book where he didn''t even had to articulate his thoughts. his bitter gaze and sour expression was more than enough to let his unsaid questions seep into the air.


    jin immediately jerked his head towards shui, but she had brought back her unaffected, plain expression back. he couldn''t really accuse her of laughing behind his back.


    the rest of involved parties for this formal get-together arrived within time as well and soon the meeting started. the conference in itself wasn''t going to be lengthy or extensive and after three hours, it came to an end.


    jin heaved a big sigh of relief. the source reason for coming to this trip had come to an end and he could finally return to beijing where he could keep his distance from shui.


    kang yuze offered shui a handshake. "you did well," he sincerely praised her.


    "really?" shui asked with uncertainty, "i was slightly nervous though."


    "then you did double well because if you were nervous then that didn''t show in your voice and posture at all. well done," he smiled.


    she beamed with the compliment. "thank you!"


    she then turned to her side, throwing her pointed tone at a certain someone. "and this is how you appreciate someone."


    "..."


    jin looked up, twitching his brow. "what do you mean?"


    "appreciation. which i doubt if the word exists in your library."


    his gaze darkened. "i was confident that we will do a good job. we had done our part of preparation very well."


    "it is still a different feeling at show time. a nice compliment goes a long way."


    jin forced a smile on his lips. "my apologies, miss. han for being so slow, insensitive and narrow-minded."


    the annoyance began to twist his expression. it wasn''t that he hadn''t thought of saying some nice, appreciative words to shui, but kang yuze beat him to it by a second earlier. the feeling of being a second late frustrated the hell out of him. for some reason, he felt he lost to kang yuze.


    shui could kind of read what was going through his mind, and she shook her head, helpless, "so petty," she whispered under her breath.


    jin sprung up on his feet, glaring at her for the hundredth time probably. "well nobody is asking you to like this petty man, now is anyone?"


    "..."


    kang yuze let out a soft cough.


    "jin, wait! where are you going?" she rushed behind him, who was about to leave the conference room.


    he smiled at her. "you are free to bask in his compliments as much as you like and what more? even go out for lunch with him because clearly, i will be eating alone!"


    shui helplessly laughed, and she felt like pinching his cheeks. "don''t worry. my day won''t be complete without dragging you for lunch and bothering you the whole time~"


    "no need!"


    he opened the door with the weight of his frustration and blindly collided into a person who was coming inside.


    "ouch!"


    kang yuze craned his neck and slightly widened his eyes. "xue! are you alright?"


    "yeah i am fine bro..." she sent out a displeased stare in jin''s way. "be a little careful, you know..."


    but instead of an apology, her words were only met with silence. shui observed jin, who had suddenly gone pale and frigid.


    "jin?"


    but he didn''t respond and instead felt difficulty finding his breaths as more time passed.


    kang yuze stepped out as well and patted his sister''s head with concern. "good that you are unhurt."


    he looked at jin and shui and smiled. "she is my sister, kang xue."


    but the name only proved to be haunting to jin as memories of the past life came flooding in his mind.


    xue...kang xue...

 Chapter 679 Jins Burden (1)

    ?


    "jin?" she lightly tapped on his shoulder, worry increasingly settling in shui. something was wrong with the way drops of sweat perched on his forehead and his chest stopped moving as if he had forgotten to breathe.


    "are you okay, jin?" she whispered.


    jin took a trembling step back, gasping silently for breath but finding it unable to suck in the air.


    kang xue frowned upon observing jin''s odd behavior. "hey. you still didn''t apologize for crashing into me."


    he stiffened, swallowing a hard gulp. shui quickly gave an apologetic smile. "i am really sorry on his behalf. he is not feeling well. glad you are not hurt."


    kang yuze blinked once, bewildered. he stared at jin, who seemed to look fit and fine just a few minutes ago.


    the suffocation in the air reached beyond jin''s tolerance limit, and he pushed himself away from the crowd. "e-excuse me..."


    "j-jin..." shui looked at him, stupefied but quickly brought her attention to the siblings. "i am really sorry. i will go check on jin. i think he is..."


    "it''s okay, miss. han," kang yuze smilingly assured her. "the conference is anyway done here. we are all free to leave. mr. liu doesn''t look so well. he should definitely take care of himself."


    "thanks."


    shui urgently followed jin, leaving the kang siblings behind.


    "that man was strange..." kang xue muttered.


    kang yuze narrowed his eyes. "what''s more strange is you insisting on accompanying me here and then alix coming out of nowhere. care to explain this coincidence?"


    she cleared her throat but soon enough glared at him. "you should be ashamed of yourself, bro. she genuinely wanted to see you, and you ruthlessly pushed her away."


    "wanted to see me by using you? so you joined hands with her? thanks, sis."


    "i was just trying to help her! she sincerely wants to make things right so i thought...by the way," she sneakily asked, "are you interested in that woman?"


    "who?"


    "the one who just left."


    kang yuze widened his eyes. "han shui? no. why are you even asking?"


    "oh. nothing," she shrugged.


    kang yuze squinted his gaze. "what is the problem?"


    "nothing-"


    "xue..." his stern voice gave her a final warning.


    kang xue mumbled. "alix...said she saw you two chatting together through the glass window of the conference room. she got anxious seeing you two together. you two looked quite comfortable so-"


    "so tell her that it''s none of her business."


    "you are being too harsh, bro," she coldly emphasized.


    "because i want her to move on. i have no business with the people she meets, and it shouldn''t bother her who i meet either. i cannot tolerate this spying anymore, xue. she has caused enough troubles in our family already and now we have broken up. i don''t want to do anything with her anymore. you might like the ren sisters, but it doesn''t mean that i have to always go along with you. tell alix not to follow me anymore."


    he announced his cold decision and left taking large strides.


    ¡ª


    jin couldn''t feel any strength in his legs as stood by the elevator side, desperately pressing the up button to return to his room. he clutched and touched his neck, rubbing it to feel some comfort while breathing, but he found none. tears pooled in his eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to collapse on his bed and never wake up from inside his duvet.


    "jin!"


    his mind numbed upon hearing her voice, and his desperation shook him even harder. the elevator arrived with a ding and he quickly stepped inside, shutting the doors on shui''s face.


    "jin!" shui stomped her foot in frustration.


    how dare he close the doors on me!


    to her luck, the second elevator just arrived as well, and she quickly got inside. reaching the floor where their rooms were, she stepped out and found jin fumbling with his keycard. he somehow managed to unlock the door and staggeringly went in, closing the door behind him. but shui zoomed past the space between the elevator and the corridor and grabbed the door before it closed on her.


    "jin, what is wrong? please talk to me."


    jin jerked his head, shocked and aghast. he applied pressure to close the door, but shui refused to budge. "leave...leave!"


    "i am not leaving you in this state! either you allow me to come in or i will force my way inside!" she remained firm while pushing the door to make space for her to enter.


    "i don''t want to talk to anybody," he said, a sense of nauseousness gripping him.


    "and this ends now."


    she gave another hard push to the door and finally squeezed her way in. she immediately locked the door so that jin wouldn''t have any path left to escape.


    "leave...leave...i...i-i don''t..."


    jin ran inside, covering his ears with his hands and shutting his eyes that pressed the tears to slip out. his trembling body shuddered as if he was locked up in a dark and freezing room. losing all his strength, he collapsed on his knees, bursting into tears.


    shui gasped in shock and fell on her knees to support his body, which was helplessly leaning against the bed. "jin, calm down...w-whatever the problem is, we will solve it together."


    his pale and colorless face that shone with the traces of his wet tears didn''t agree with her.


    "you...y-you cannot solve it. n-nobody can solve it. please...leave me alone, shui. i just..." he brought his knees closer to his chest akin to a child afraid of the dark. "leave a...pathetic man like me alone..." he struggled to find his voice amidst his pressing sobs.


    tears welled up in shui''s irises as her heart twisted to see jin in pain and so helpless. he clutched his head as if he was trying to escape from something, as if he didn''t want those voices and thoughts striking him back.


    shui took a few breaths to calm herself first. she knew she had to be strong herself if she wanted jin to find his strength too. after stabilizing her heartbeats, she slowly reached out to hold his head between her palms. naturally, jin resisted and tried to shake her off as if even her touch pained her. but shui didn''t yield to his protests.


    "jin. i will always stand beside you no matter what it is you are going through. no matter how much of a problem you think you are in, i will not, i will absolutely not let go of your hand. please...please trust me, jin," a tear slipped out of her eye. "i will accept every fear and every ugliness that is forcing you to shut yourself. i won''t abandon you, jin. please talk to me..."


    jin chuckled with tremors in his hushed voice. "d-don''t make promises that you won''t be able to uphold, shui. you will never be able to forgive me. y-you will never be able to accept me. you will be disgusted by me. you will loathe me a-and i know i deserve every bit of it," he breathed hard.


    "there is no way i will loathe you, jin. there is no way i can hate the man i love so much. not you. never," she frigidly iterated.


    jin gave a wry, knowing smile. "you won''t...i have hurt you. a lot. i know i don''t deserve your forgiveness."


    "let me decide that, jin," she narrowed her eyes. "you are talking about some mistake that has possibly hurt me, right? so let me be the judge of whether it is forgivable or not. tell me, jin. please..." she whispered, gently resting her forehead against his.


    jin stared at her blankly for a long, long time. his empty gaze mirrored how defeated his heart felt. their warm and quivering breaths hung in the air between the narrow gap of their faces.


    "...burden."


    "burden?"


    "i told you yesterday..." his monotonous voice lacked luster. "there is a responsibility i am willing to take and a burden i am willing to bear."


    "yes..."


    "kang xue...is that burden," he felt his heart stop beating as he confessed his sin, "i had slept with her in the past."

 Chapter 680 Jins Burden (2)

    ?


    jin was well aware that shui would not understand where he was coming from without context. they never met kang xue in this life so how was it possible for him to have any relationship with her? it was just as jin expected. the look of utter confusion reflected across her face.


    "...slept with kang xue? kang yuze''s sister we just met outside?" more than feeling hurt and crushed, the oddity of the entire conversation puzzled her.


    the mental exhaustion seeped into every crevice of jin''s heart, and a strong fear gripped him. "just...leave..." his voice had no strength left as his eyes turned redder and redder.


    "no," she stared at him fixedly, gaining determination in her stance. "i will stay here with you."


    trembling, he turned his head for the first time ever since he had abruptly left. meeting her gaze, he asked, stupefied, "you...want to hear me talking about my intimate past with a woman when you like me?"


    "i want to hear everything you have to say, jin."


    "you are only going to get hurt."


    "not more than the hurt you have been going through."


    he inwardly bit his tongue, his jaw tightening. "you won''t believe me. you will think i am talking nonsense."


    tapping her finger on her thigh, she thoughtfully asked after a pause, "is this...related to the incidents at the church and liu corps where you suddenly collapsed with a high fever?"


    he froze.


    "is this also related to our car accident?"


    the turbulence in his gaze was his silent admittance.


    "this is something jun, ai and i think...uncle jinhai knows about too. i was always suspicious of your sudden sickness but on the contrary, they weren''t. as if they knew what was going on with you."


    jin looked away, feeling breathlessness settle in his throat.


    "so yes, i already have an inkling that something strange is going on between you, jun and ai. don''t worry about it being nonsense. i will believe everything you have to say. so please tell me about your past with kang xue. where did you meet her? i don''t think i recall you ever mentioning her."


    there was no answer for a long time, and shui didn''t push for one either. eventually, jin seemed to gather his words as he hoarsely said, "i met her for the first time today."


    which only made shui more confused. how could there be a past if this was the first meeting?


    "but when i say the past...i don''t mean this life."


    she blinked.


    he took a deep, silent breath. "shui, this is the se-second life that i am living. i had...died once before and then i was reborn. time turned ten years back for me to live my life again," his voice faltered. "not just for me but for...b-bro jun and zhou ai too..."


    jin spent the next several minutes gradually revealing every truth of the past life and everything that had transpired until now. beginning from all the tragedies that took root in their past lives till the moment of their deaths that ended everything.


    shui listened to jin in complete silence as her heart violently shook upon learning this grim truth. concepts like rebirth and second chances were supposed to be fantasy, not reality. but if jin was talking about this with pain, guilt and shame filled in every corner of his heart, with a grief that had been eating jin from within for such a long time now, then there was no way that the events were a lie.


    jin would never lie or joke around about something like this. no matter how hard it was to believe, the miracle of rebirth had indeed happened.


    he lowered his head, covering his face within his palms that grew wetter with his tears. "i co-collapsed in the church because i saw the golden clock. it had trapped me in a space until i accepted that i...i held feelings for you. i fell again in the company because i saw a blink of the past memories of you meeting cai guiying when i touched your forehead. then the accident...happened because the light from the golden clock suddenly blinded me. you couldn''t see it, but i did...that light was a reminder to me to not get astray from my promise..."


    staring blankly at the floor, he didn''t know how to continue anymore. "but...coming to kang xue. she was somebody i met in those five years when bro lived away from us. you rejected bro. you hurt him. he kept suffering because of you, and he started hating me because of you too. i co-couldn''t see bro like that. he misunderstood that i cheated behind his back. it was miserable living for him and i only blamed you for his despair. he lost everything...you, his ties with the family, his company that he built himself with all his devotion...everything was gone..."


    jin clasped his trembling hands together as he reached the part that was the source of his guilt. "i wanted to punish you for hurting bro to this extent. he loved you with all his heart, but you crushed it. so...i thought to crush your heart that loved me. what better way was there to break you apart other than sleeping around with a woman? seeing the man you love touching another woman would be the ultimate weapon against you, right? i did just that. i met kang xue in the bar once and since then we..."


    the light in his black irises soon began to converge in the shadows of self-loathe and hatred. regret and shame imprisoned him at first, but now only disgust for himself occupied his heart.


    "i made it a point to make you aware of my flings. i know it was hurting you deeply to see me with another woman, but i didn''t care because you hurt the person most important to me. i wanted to give that grief to you a hundred folds. the hatred grew even more when you threatened me to marry you because it would have completely broken bro apart. it did too in the form of his bullet piercing my chest."


    he broke down in tears as he painfully continued. "but i was wrong about you. y-you weren''t wrong in rejecting bro when you clearly knew you didn''t love him. lying about your feelings to him would have crushed him even more. you were...right shui. but i couldn''t accept it. you wanted to marry me because you wanted to protect him against cai guiying, even if it meant to bear my and everybody''s hatred for the rest of your life. i realized then...


    nobody cherished bro more than you. not even me. you always..." his voice broke and he closed his eyes, "always protected him...and towards a woman like this who treated my brother so preciously, i...hurt her in the worst way possible. i made you go through utter bullshit that you never deserved. that''s why kang xue is a burden i cannot forgive myself for and neither do i want you to forgive me either. ever."

 Chapter 681 Broken hopes and dreams

    681 broken hopes and dreams


    a nauseous feeling arose in his throat and a silence as deep as the eerie depths of the sea floated in the air. it felt thin and unbreathable as if he was strenuously climbing a tall, majestic mountain but with no summit in sight. he didn''t dare to meet her gaze, in which he knew that loathe, hatred and disgust for him would be manifested by now.


    shui stared down at her knees, but her attention was distant and far away as she processed the truth. it felt like a vicious web of deceit, betrayal and revenge that had swallowed down the liu family in its net.


    in this life, the fates were different. jun and ai who were equally devastated in the past had found a new path for themselves. but it was only jin whose freedom was still entangled in those strings, where every twist of that web seemed to bleed him from within.


    and shui could witness that bleeding very well. jin''s every tear, every tremble and every streak of immense pain in his tired black eyes was a testament of his burden. he was struggling because of a responsibility that propelled the miracle of rebirth, but the wounds left behind by his past life''s actions weighed far greater than the responsibility itself.


    even if the condition of sacrificing his future were to be taken off by some chance, shui could tell that jin would have still chosen not to have any relationship with her ever. the sin of misunderstanding shui, blaming her for all the chaos and hurting her through kang xue was so beyond salvageable for him that he willingly chose to punish himself in this life and pay for the mistakes made.


    even though the past had already transpired and he could tread on a new path to find his own happiness, he wasn''t able to let go of its shadows and embrace a new future.


    ''as much as he needs your forgiveness, so does he needs his own.''


    shui stiffened, remembering the words of the palm-reading man.


    this was what he meant...


    tears rolled down her cheeks, unable to hold them back anymore. her trembling fingers tried to hold his hand, but he immediately shook her off, retreating himself further to the bedside. "don''t touch me."


    it was a cold and frigid rejection. but now she finally understood that it wasn''t because of her but himself.


    "because you think you are dirty?" she asked very slowly.


    jin didn''t give an answer but the action of tensely rubbing his neck as if he was trying to find air to breathe proved that her suspicion was true. shui tried reaching out to touch the tip of his finger again, but he shut himself just like before.


    "do you think i hated you in the past life because of your relationship with kang xue?"


    "isn''t it obvious!?" he exclaimed, feeling agitated. he didn''t want to think of those memories but exactly opposite he was forced to go through right now.


    "i don''t think so. i don''t think my past self would have hated you as much as you are imagining it to be."


    "because you are the embodiment of mother teresa?"


    jin couldn''t stop himself from spewing bitter words to her. he immediately regretted his tone, and he knew he had no right to be so disrespectful when he had wronged her so much.


    "please just...leave..." he broke down, begging her to leave him to his misery.


    before i hurt you even more...


    she stared at his shut eyes, tears seeping from between his eyelashes. "you won''t ever recover if i leave. i know, jin. you would truly lose yourself after today if i walked out of that door right now."


    she contemplated holding his hand but this time, she leaned forward to gently touch his cheek - a gesture which naturally met with a fierce protest from his side but from which she didn''t back down.


    "i cannot say much about the past life. you know it better than me. but i know myself better than you think you do, at least in this case. i must have not hated you in the past because i don''t hate you at this moment either when i know everything."


    "it''s a lie."


    "i am not lying. neither i am showing you any sympathy.


    "i don''t...want to talk about this. you were adamant to know the truth and now that you do, you can stop your tricks for getting us close. there can n-never be anything between us."


    shui took a deep breath and pulled his head with a slightly harder force in order to make him face her. "you are running away once again, jin. will you please just listen to me?"


    the brush of her soft fingers against his cheek rattled him hard as if a deep hidden emotion inside his heart was struggling against the chains to escape. shui inches closer till they both felt each other''s warm breaths greeting their cheeks. she first gently wiped his tears, holding back her own. her voice that shook with tremors hushedly reached his ears.


    "i had indeed wronged jun. i don''t know what i was thinking in the past life, but i kept waiting and waiting. every day, every month, every year that passed...i kept piling up jun''s hopes and dreams. i might be understanding from way before that our relationship was going nowhere, but i couldn''t convey it to him. i was..." her sight blurred, "very cruel to jun. i broke his heart when came to me with a ring. years of his expectations had just come to an end in a single night...a-and all because of me. i started everything jin. if i had been more vocal earlier, maybe...i c-could have saved his heart. but i destroyed it in the worst way possible..."


    she faced him, her hands trembling. "when you told me about kang xue, i did feel hurt. i won''t lie, jin. i must have felt pained in the past too. but...i could also understand where you were coming from. i still do. you didn''t have to tell me you did all this for jun. when you said that i rejected him in such a way, i already felt it coming. you love and respect jun a lot. you absolutely cannot watch him getting hurt and the woman who was supposed to make him happy did just that. i broke the person the most important to you..."

 Chapter 682 Succumbed

    682 succumbed


    "no...no, no, no!" jin breathed hard. "all excuses. i don''t deserve this. i don''t deserve your understanding and forgiveness so don''t act like that!"


    "i am not saying that i am not hurt jin!" her eyes reddened, and she tightened her hold on him. "yes, i feel the pain. even imagining you with another woman is crushing my heart. but what i am saying is that i don''t want to shrug off my irresponsibility. i made a grave mistake by fooling jun with my feelings. even this time... i knew that something was off about jun and my relationship, but i-i just couldn''t confront him about this. if not for the argument that happened between jun and i on christmas, maybe i would have still acted the same way as in the past!"


    "so are you saying that it was fine for me to act that way!?" he demanded an answer, glaring at her.


    "no! taking out your hatred for me by sl-sleeping with another woman is a terrible thing to do! but somewhere, it was me who...pushed you this far. i had been a pathetic girlfriend to jun who couldn''t even be honest with her feelings and inadvertently, i brought hatred in his heart towards you. the mistakes lie with me too. that''s why...even if it feels painful to think about you with kang xue, i cannot be fully mad at you. and even if it had been completely your fault, my stance would have been the same. i might avoid you for sometime but i cannot give up on you, jin..."


    jin trembled, his heart feeling uneasy. he felt leaning in her forgiveness and easing the burden off his shoulders, but he couldn''t. it was tempting to believe in shui''s words, but the chains shackling him were almost impossible to let go of.


    "if you think that kang xue is your burden, then it''s not a burden for you to bear all alone, jin. i am equally responsible."


    "no...you are wrong..." he lowered his head, his eyes red and tired from shedding tears. "you wanted to protect bro. you took sky''s responsibility to revive it after his death. you did so much for him, and i...


    like a bastard, i kept hurting you shui. i don''t deserve...a future with you..."


    "you didn''t know that! it was all zhan yahui''s crafty plans who fooled cai guiying into going against the liu family. she slyly manipulated all of us. you, jun, guiying, the liu family...her devious plans ruined us all. we all were her targets, so there is no use in pinpointing the blame at a specific person."


    he shook off her hand and said breathlessly. "i don''t want you defending me. i don''t want anybody defending me! i was harsh. i was cruel and i...i am dirty-"


    "for god''s sake you are not dirty!" shui clenched her jaw, her patience thinning out. "which era are you living in? fine, you slept with her and i understand your guilt. i understand my pain too, knowing what happened. but that was the past. it has no bearing on us now. since when does having sex equate to the person becoming dirty!? i don''t understand your logic!"


    "because i love you!" he exclaimed. "i loved you even when i slept with her! yes, i was furious at you for hurting bro, but somewhere...somewhere deep in my heart i knew that you were right in rejecting him instead of giving him a false, happy life. i..." his jaw tightened, recalling those shameful nights, "betrayed you despite loving you...i cannot forgive myself-"


    his words were cut off as a fierce, passionate sensation settled on his lips. his eyes blankly stared at the culprit, trying to process the meaning behind the warmth making his heart race and his body tingle. it was when shui bit on his lips that realization zapped him about the reality. he was being kissed, all his negative emotions drowning away by the sound left by the tantalizing force that made his heart drum the loudest.


    it was his very first kiss with shui which he never dared to imagine, neither in the past nor now. but at this moment with her hands wrapped around the back of his neck and their lips shut in a frenzy lock, all his shackles chaining him seemed to disappear as if they never existed. his mind protested to step away, but he found his hands making their way to hold her head back and return the kiss, bridging any crevices left between their lips.


    it was for those few precious moments that he submerged his worries and strain as the feel of her soft lips against his melted his heart like butter. his trembling fingers ever so slightly tightened on her jaw, as if knowing deep somewhere that he might not be able to gather his courage again. he found every possible way to mark and press her lips and fill them with his presence that would disregard the past life and simply allow them to be in this moment.


    since the past life till now, jin had irrefutably held himself back and his feelings towards shui, but their touch, their erratic breaths, their proximity was crumbling the force that had forced them to be apart as if it was set in stone.


    his tongue gently glided across her upper lip, his heart deeply thumping with satisfaction. the force of shui''s pull to kiss her harder stopped his breath in his throat, urging him to bite her lower lip, an action that was met with a muffled moan. he slid down to trace his fingers against her neck and shoulder line as he slightly invaded her mouth with his tongue, finding comfort in her warmth.


    shui welcomed him, her heart dancing ecstatically. even though she knew she might be temporary with a fervor of agitated emotions making jin act this way, she grasped this little chance she could get to break the walls built between them. she gasped and moaned, her stomach twisting with a fluttering of a thousand butterflies as their lips and tongues kept crashing against each other. their face and cheeks heated up as a trail of moistness settled on their lips.


    it was a long time before they parted, breathless and gasping for air. their bodies shook, not just with the kiss but also the lasting realization it left in their hearts, especially for jin, who was well aware that he shouldn''t have succumbed himself in that vulnerable moment.


    he quivered. "thank you shui. thank you for wanting to forgive me, for wanting to share my burden. but i cannot forgive myself. you might, but i cannot. i don''t want you to get tied down by the path that i have chosen for myself - whether it''s the condition that i have to fulfill or the brunt of shame that i have to carry. i love you, shui. i love you a lot," his lips lifted into a warm and tranquil smile, "that''s why i set you free."

 Chapter 683 Not simple but not complicated either

    683 not simple but not complicated either


    jin waited outside the hotel for shui the next day as it was time to return to beijing. a strange sinking emotion unsettled him. light bags had formed under his eyes, evident of the sleepless night that had filled his mind with the kiss and his own wavering emotions.


    he looked up at the blue, cloudless sky, afraid of the consequences. kissing shui was crossing a line in regards to the deal he made with the gods. the fear of something untoward happening ate the peace of his mind. what if last night''s kiss counted as him stepping out of his line and jun would be punished for it? all that happiness that have embraced him would be snatched away from him?


    but after talking to jun this morning, he was assured that nothing sort of impending danger he had imagined took place. he and ai were doing just fine. jun was naturally curious of how things were going between him and shui and he indirectly asked him about it, but jin diverted from that topic and hung up.


    jin released a tired sigh.


    "i am ready."


    he stiffened with shui''s voice whispering behind him. a small choke formed in his throat, not knowing how to face her. with his heart racing, he turned and gazed at the light smile on her lips. her eyes looked just as fatigued as him, indicating that it had been a sleepless night for her as well.


    an ache spread in his heart, feeling remorseful behind her condition. he never wanted to see shui like this but once again, he felt he was the cause behind her sorrow. a thin stretch of silence hung between them for a few seconds. nobody spoke about last night.


    "let''s go..."


    shui stared at him and quietly nodded. despite jin''s predicament which she was finally able to understand, she had not given up on him yet. she refused to believe that all ways and paths had been shut for jin and that there lay no hopes for his happiness.


    jin patted his pockets and realized he left his wallet back in his room. clicking his tongue, he softly said, "...just wait for me for a minute please. i forgot my wallet."


    "no problem."


    jin quickly headed back while shui waited for him.


    "hey!"


    shui turned and was taken aback to meet the palm-reading neighbor of her flight. "you..."


    with his hands in his pockets, his glistening gaze held an enigmatic smile.


    "we meet again," shui expressed her sincere joy. "i really didn''t expect, haha."


    "fate is always mysterious~ i recognized you and wondered why not i ask you about how your trip went?" he leaned and asked in a whisper, "did my fortune turn out to be true?"


    her cheeks slightly blushed. he had indeed guessed during the flight that something passionate could happen with her and if she thought about the last night''s kiss, then it was definitely a good start. but it was a kiss filled with pain as much as love. the passion didn''t hold simply a romantic meaning but also which contained a sense of loss and goodbyes, as if that would be the first and last time they would ever be so close.


    "it did..."


    "i sense questions in your eyes."


    shui gave it a thought and asked, "can i ask you something?"


    "sure."


    she wasn''t going to reveal the facts about rebirth and time turning back to practically an acquaintance she might never meet again. but his mystical aura urged her to share some of the burden to him as if his fortune might find some way out.


    "i know a person who...who has given up everything for someone who he cherishes more than anything in this world. he made it possible for everybody to find their happiness except his own because it''s a price he has to pay for making something impossible possible. so i wonder..." she looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of answer, "what would the gods think of such a person?"


    he peered into her questioning eyes, slightly tilting his head. "to make something impossible possible, he must be a very stubborn soul. honestly, a pain in the ass for the gods~"


    her mouth twitched.


    "naturally to make something impossible possible, there would be strings and conditions attached," he smiled. "it wouldn''t come without a cost associated with it."


    she bit her lip, clasping her hands together. "but does he really deserve that? he has carried that responsibility all on his own. he has borne too much to change everybody''s lives then why would fate show no mercy to him? why...would only he have to be left all alone?"


    he chuckled and ever so slightly leaned towards her. "fate is not so simple that it will readily show mercy to somebody irrespective of good intentions. if you have asked for something, then you should be ready to shoulder the consequences that come with it."


    she stiffened, her shoulders drooping with lament and a loss of hope.


    "but," he raised his index finger, wanting to highlight the importance of his next words, "it''s not so complicated either to find your way around your seemingly impossible destiny."


    she blinked twice.


    the man with his secretive smile watched her confusion with amusement. "the gods are watching everything," he said in a hushed voice and..." the light in his eyes flickered for a moment, "their plans are far beyond what you can imagine. the only thing you should do is place your faith in fate because it is never set in stone."


    a series of harsh and furious steps clicked behind shui and out of nowhere, a bucket full of cold water was splashed on top of shui''s head. she froze, the wind blowing past the water droplets trickling down her skin making her shudder.


    what the...


    still in shock with the sudden turn in events, she slowly turned to confront the culprit. her gaze fell on a woman, anxious and furious and fidgeting in the place she stood. but she wasn''t any stranger to her.


    shui stared at her hard, her gaze turning icy, "ren alix?"

 Chapter 684 Jins icy threat

    chapter 684 jin''s icy threat


    shivering and with trepidation reigning her heart, ren alix faced shui. her heart was consumed with bitterness as she bit the corner of her lower lip, not backing down from glowering at shui. the hotel staff working in the lobby witnessed the confrontational scene unfolding through the glass doors and rushed outside.


    "miss. han, are you alright?," the receptionist hurriedly asked. she turned towards a steward and quickly whispered. "bring a fresh towel!"


    "yes, mam!"


    shui kept a placid smile and assured her. "i am fine. it''s just water. but i would like to know the reason behind her rudeness towards me," her sharp, cold voice bellowed across the air, making the culprit further rattle.


    but her slightly reddened and exhausted irises depicted the sour emotions she felt. "y-you know pretty well why i did this."


    "i have no idea why you would throw a bucket of water down my head when i haven''t even met you before. so it puzzles me that a complete stranger would act like a hooligan."


    ren alix clenched her fist, glaring at her. "am i the hooligan or you!" she raised her voice in tension, "you were se-seducing yuze yesterday. blushing at him, laughing with him...h-how dare you!? i-i am yuze''s girlfriend and you don''t have any right to act so close with a committed man...!"


    shui gave her an aghast stare. fury made her grit her teeth. "so you made me go through this shitty ordeal because you thought i was seducing kang yuze? are you drunk? or are you on drugs?"


    she stiffened, her chest slightly gasping for air. "sh-shut up! don''t you dare try to run away now! yuze...yuze is my b-boyfriend...don''t you feel ashamed of targeting somebody else''s man!"


    the more shui heard, the more dumbstruck she became by her nonsense allegations. "you are seriously out of your mind! first of all, we all were here for a business meeting. so contrary to what you are alleging, my conduct was all and only professional. secondly, i have no romantic interest in kang yuze and thirdly, i think you are the one escaping from reality here when you are kang yuze''s ex-girlfriend."


    she froze.


    "he himself said that you two have broken up. so before you barge in at a person with a bucket of water to attack her, get yourself on the same page as the man in question first."


    "n-not true!" ren alix burst out, agitated. "there is just a misunderstanding between yuze and me. he s-said that in spite. there is no way yuze and i are separated!" tears welled in her eyes as she trembled hard.


    shui wasn''t sure if she wanted to remain furious at her or pity her.


    she is seriously delusional...


    "you need that conversation with kang yuze, not a random woman who happened to be in the same room as him for a few hours," shui icily made her point clear. "will you attack every other woman like this who kang yuze would come in contact with? out of your jealousy and insecurity? you are only going to drive him farther away from you like this."


    ren alix paled and she stumbled back, unable to answer for a few long seconds. tears streamed down her eyes and she kept biting into her lip until it bled. a second later, she straightened up and out of nowhere charged at shui. "you are wrong! yuze and i are still together! you are the one coming in between and ruining everything!"


    the steward tried to hold her back. "mam, please step back-"


    but she violently pushed him away and tried to grab shui''s shoulder when a hand caught her wrist, bringing her to a stop.


    the tension in jin''s brows and facial muscles coupled with his iceberg cold black gaze dropped the temperature of the air by several degrees. he slightly twisted her wrist until she gasped in pain. "step back before i fucking end your existence right here."


    it felt as though the wind became completely still that forgot to blow under jin''s intense pressure. ren alix clasped her wrist tearfully, pain jolting down her nerves.


    "apologize to shui for all your nonsense act right now before i make the situation very, very worse for you, ren alix. trust me," his eyes glinted with a murderous intent. "you don''t want a liu doing that to you."


    shui lightly coughed. at this moment, jin looked exactly like zhiyuan and jinhai whenever they would enter their rage mode. "it''s okay, jin."


    he shot her a glare. "it''s not okay at all."


    he grabbed the towel that the other steward hurriedly brought and placed it atop her head. his movements were gentle and slow as he rubbed her hair and face, wiping away the water. his concerned gaze studied her for any injuries but found none to his relief.


    "i am sorry for being late. i don''t know where that idiot wallet got lost..." he muttered under his breath in frustration.


    i was sure the wallet was on the bed so how did it change its place!? he was genuinely puzzled with the mystery.


    "alix!"


    a series of anxious footsteps sounded against the ground as kang xue hurried her way in. jin froze the moment his sight fell on her. shui caught his reaction and noticed how stress had made his brows crease and made his face lose color. she pulled his hand and tightened her palm against his, wishing to share her warmth and assurance - the assurance that she didn''t want him feeling ashamed.


    she didn''t know if it had that desired effect on jin as he left her gaze and faced kang xue, taking a deep breath. "where is kang yuze?" he coldly asked but with his lips slightly trembling, "he is the right person to be here and knock some sense into this woman. i don''t need his sister here."


    kang xue, who was trying to pacify an agitated ren alix, shared a look of distress at jin. "i came here alone."


    "does your brother have a problem controlling a woman throwing water and attacking an innocent woman who has nothing to do with the drama going on between him and his ex-girlfriend?" he sneered.


    her jaw tightened. she looked at shui and pressed her lips. a moment later, she bowed. "on alix''s behalf, i sincerely apologize to you, miss. han. i know it will sound ridiculous to you, but alix really didn''t hurt you on purpose or had any bad intentions."


    jin''s face blackened. his past guilt and shame mixed with his present fury and resistance as he lashed out. "i think you are equally out of your mind if you want us to seriously believe that. i don''t give a damn to what you say. i want ren alix to apologize to shui. if she knows how to violently charge at somebody then surely it wouldn''t take much to say a sorry right? she doesn''t need you to do her part. make her say sorry or i will crush the ren family into smithereens."

 Chapter 685 Apology

    chapter 685 apology


    jin awaited ren alix to come forward and apologize even though there didn''t seem to be any sign of her doing so. the situation seemed to arrive at a stalemate.


    "i-i didn''t do anything wrong...! she was indeed seducing yuze!" ren alix stubbornly kept pushing the blame, much to ignite jin''s fury.


    kang xue quickly pulled alix back and said, "alix has not been in a good condition for a few days so-"


    "you want to give me an excuse that she is sick? that''s why she attacked shui?" he smiled. "sorry but i don''t buy this. she was agitated just like this yesterday when she was chasing after kang yuze, then it seems that she stalked him all the way to the meeting location and targeted shui just because they talked for some time. i don''t think she was really sick."


    kang xue''s gaze filled with a chill, biting her lip inward. "like i said, i apologize on her behalf."


    her stubbornness to defend ren alix irked him further. "i. don''t. care. she could have done much more dangerous to shui and then what? would you have been still standing here as her lawyer? well if she refuses to apologize, then i will drag her all the way to jail. there won''t be a problem pressing charges for physical harm and harassment and defamation against her."


    kang xue''s eyes widened. she gritted her teeth, feeling the situation going out of control. "you...! you really have no heart, do you!? i am telling you that she is sick and you still refuse to take my apology!"


    "how about i throw some water on you and charge at you to strangle you?" he sneered. "and then claim that i am just sick and didn''t mean it. i cannot believe you could be so shameless to outrightly lie to protect this woman. ren alix was harassing your brother yesterday and now she is doing the same to shui. the most irritating thing is that she is not showing any remorse, and i don''t want an apology from someone wanting to cover it up."


    thin lines creased on her forehead. she definitely didn''t want to take this matter to the police. on top of that, more people kept adding to check the drama happening.


    she pulled ren alix and whispered in her ear. "alix for my sake. please apologize to han shui."


    "xu-xue, no! she was really-"


    kang xue squeezed her hand and assured. "please just listen to me. i know something is wrong within your family. we cannot let this situation escalate and make the liu''s and the han''s against us. please, please just apologize. with bro''s help, i will expose the person playing games in your family! i just need your help. that''s why for now, please just listen to me..."


    ren alix bit her lip hard. eventually, she conceded seeing the desperation in her gaze. she nervously looked at shui, shifting her weight from one foot to another. "i...i am sorry. i am sorry f-for throwing water at you a-and accusing you..." she balled her fist, breathing hard.


    jin narrowed his eyes. shui released a sigh and nodded. "it''s okay. i will drop this matter here."


    she tugged jin''s hand and urged. "ren alix has apologized now. let''s leave. i don''t want to stay here any longer."


    he noticed her slightly going pale and fearful of possibly catching a cold, he said, "hm. let''s go."


    he threw a squinted and cold gaze at kang xue and without saying anything further, he grabbed shui''s hand and left. the hotel staff breathed a sigh of relief with the tense situation finally coming to an end. everybody quickly went back inside the hotel to carry on with their regular tasks.


    as they were finally left alone, kang xue left a string of curses for jin, who strangely acted too hostile to her more than necessary. "ugh! liu jin! i feel like beating him up!"


    at the same time, she received a call from her brother, and the steam of her fury changed into anxiousness.


    shit, did bro learn what happened?


    "xue, where are you? we have to leave and you are gone for a long time now. is everything okay?"


    "everything is fine bro. i...just came out to talk to alix for a while..."


    ren alix stiffened. listening to kang yuze on the other side made her feel ecstatic, but there was no way that he wanted to talk to her.


    "xue," kang yuze said with a hint of coldness, "i told you i want you to keep contact with her."


    "she is not a bad woman, bro," she defended.


    "when will you understand that she is using you?"


    there was silence for a moment as she didn''t answer, and she heard a sigh from the other end. "let''s talk about this later. come back for now."


    kang xue knew she would be pushing him with this, nevertheless she asked, "can alix accompany us as we return?"


    "xue! you are being impossible now! sometimes i don''t understand if you are my sister or hers..."


    "we have to return to the same place so what does it matter? i promise alix won''t bother you," she eyed ren alix, and she tremblingly nodded.


    now, the sigh sounded even more frustrated. "fine. but i really don''t want to talk to her, and i hope she respects that because she wasn''t being so mindful yesterday."


    "yes, bro."


    finally they hung up, and she signaled. "he agreed. let''s go. bro is waiting for us. we will decide what to do when we return."


    ¡ª


    beijing.


    as jin returned to the liu villa, nana greeted him with a warm smile and a kiss on his cheek. "how was the trip?"


    "it was good," he smiled back.


    ai hopped to his side and asked with a sparkling gaze, "how was the trip apart from the business stuff?"


    he glared at her. "why would it be different? everything was normal."


    she pursed her lips. "i mean you would have enjoyed a lot with shui so tell us all the fun things that happened."


    his gaze flickered thinking of the kiss and he looked away. "i am tired. i will go and freshen up."


    nana sighed seeing jin escape their questioning. "did nothing change between them?"


    ai thoughtfully said, "i think something did but...jin doesn''t want to recognize it."


    a hint of sadness traced nana''s eyes. "i want to see my jin happy. but...when will that day come?"

 Chapter 686 The only flicker of hope

    chapter 686 the only flicker of hope


    shui stepped out of the hot shower, feeling her muscles relaxed and energized. rubbing her head against the towel, she sat in front of the mirror. she pressed her lips, thinking of today. her heart raced when jin had caught ren alix''s hand just in time. the anger, the possessiveness for her sake made her feel as if it was so natural.


    but that momentary joy ended as they made their way back to the airport. there was no conversation between them and with a suffocating, pin drop silence, they returned to their homes. and now, shui had no idea what she was supposed to do.


    she could somehow help jin with his guilt by being firm about her stance. it would take time, but she figured if jin continuously watched her determined resolve, then one day might come that he would be kind enough to forgive himself. that scar would take time to heal even if jin knew that shui didn''t hold any resentment against him for his relationship with kang xue.


    but what about the sacrifice that bound him? there wasn''t any way to interfere with that. she was in dark about the deal that jin forged with the gods or what would be the consequences if he broke it.


    will the gods get angry and time would turn back again?


    will everything turn back to how it was in the past?


    will all the happiness that they have achieved be lost forever?


    she pursed her lips, pressing her palms against the thighs. such questions puzzled shui. her daze broke when she saw an incoming call from ai. she faintly smiled, knowing what it was about. after the last night''s kiss, shui hadn''t sent any message to ai or provided any update of what was happening between them.


    shui picked the call and smiled. "ai."


    there was a pause at the other end. then ai''s voice came. "i am sorry for calling you. i know you must be tired. silly me. we will talk later-"


    "no, no! master ai can call me anytime haha!" she beamed. "i am fit and fine~"


    "that''s good. so..." ai took a moment and asked, "how were things with jin? he returned but when we asked him about the trip, he wasn''t very responsive and went straight to his room. is everything alright?"


    she bit her lip and her gaze lowered.


    ''don''t tell any of this to anybody. you have to promise me. you won''t tell them about the deal or...or my past with kang xue to bro or zhou ai.''


    that was the only thing said when their flight had touched down to beijing.


    "yes, ai. everything is alright. jin and i...did have a serious conversation and he seriously conveyed it to me that he doesn''t want a relationship between us."


    "b-but why? there must be a reason. jin must have definitely told you the reason!" her anxious and troubled voice held desperation.


    shui weighed her options and after thinking for a moment, she revealed. "jin...told me about the past life."


    ai stiffened on the other side. she parted her lips, not knowing what to say.


    "about time turning back and jun and you getting second chances..."


    ai held in her breath. she never imagined that the conversation would have taken this turn between them but if she thought about it, it made sense too. shui was an important part of jin''s life. if jin was hesitating because of something that happened in the past, then shui had every right to know. it was a question of her future too, after all, who loved jin and wanted to spend her life with him.


    "i see. jin finally told you."


    "...yes," shui answered, releasing a breath. "i believe him. i believe everything that jin has to say. but it still...feels so surreal. a past life where we all lived but ended up in tragedy. this second life where you changed your fate."


    ai felt her eyes turning misty. "yes, shui. it was unbelievable for us too. i remember the moment i died very clearly and the moment when i woke up and found myself alive ten years back in time. i couldn''t believe it for a long time. but i had decided then and there that i won''t let the sad past repeat. jun made the same decision. even if we thank fate endlessly, it''s still not enough. so many things changed and so many...tragedies were prevented from happening."


    shui felt a lump forming in her throat. nobody knew that granting this second chance was only possible because of jin. but the very same person now was forced to hold himself back and sacrifice his happiness. she covered her mouth, not wanting ai to hear her chokes.


    "shui?"


    she wiped her tears and forced herself to calm down. "i am very happy for you and jun. because of you two, everybody else''s future was saved too."


    "but if jin told you about the past and rebirth, then did he tell you what it had to do with his refusal to accept his feelings?"


    she trembled. it was a truth that would crush jun and ai. they would never accept such a future where they happily lived together but at the cost of jin''s sacrifice.


    "...there was nothing in particular, ai. it''s just that everything that has happened in the past has left a deep scar in his heart. there are many things he c-cannot forgive himself for. even my reassurance didn''t help him. it...wouldn''t be so simple for jin, ai. he needs time."


    a long silence stretched between them. but shui didn''t want to end this on a negative note, and she quickly said, "but worry not, ai! no matter how stubborn jin is or how deep his wounds are, i would never give up on him. if he needs time, then i will give him that. i will patiently wait for him no matter how long it takes," she stared at her reflection in the mirror and said, "i believe that the gods who made this miracle happen would never be cruel towards jin. they would definitely...find a way."


    ''the gods are watching everything. their plans are far beyond what you can imagine. the only thing you should do is place your faith in fate because it is never set in stone.''


    those words were the only flicker of hope lighting shui''s heart, and she wanted to believe in them with all her heart.


    shui and ai talked some more and eventually hung up. as she was about to keep her phone back, a news flash displayed on the screen.


    ''en-route from beijing''s airport, a dangerous car accident fatally injures the members of the kang and ren family - kang yuze, kang xue and ren alix. condition critical.''

 Chapter 687 To give time

    chapter 687 to give time


    the same night, jun grimly listened to ai as he learned the gist of what happened on jin and shui''s trip.


    "should i talk to jin?" he asked, brushing his fingers through his hair with frustration and helplessness.


    why did only jin seem to be so stuck in the past?


    "i know jin has his own regrets just like how i had. but something is wrong..." his dark brown irises carried a hint of suspicion. "jin cannot be so unreasonable. what would have gone so wrong in the past that is pulling him back so hard? why is he being so stubborn about this?"


    ai had no answer to this either. she looked at the cats jun-cute and ai-chan playing on the other side of the room.


    "shui sounded so defeated, jun..." her shoulders collapsed sorrowfully. "she is doing every possible thing to break jin''s walls, but nothing is working. she was trying to hide it from me, but she was crying. i just knew it."


    "that''s it. i need to talk to jin and figure out what is bothering him. i have been having the feeling that he knows something more than us. and now i want to know what he is keeping us in the dark about. it''s not just about jin''s happiness but shui''s happiness too. they are both suffering!"


    ai held his wrist and softly shook her head. "not now, jun."


    "then when ai?" he pinched the space between his brows, his body mildly trembling. "this cannot go on. i cannot see them like this. i-is it because of me? is jin still feeling guilty that he doesn''t deserve this because shui and i were together in the past?"


    "no, jun," she placed a soft kiss on his forehead and smiled. "i don''t think that''s the reason. we have all moved on from that darkness. the blame and shame, the bitterness between two brothers - we are definitely past that."


    "then why ai...?"


    ai lowered her head, twiddling with her thumbs. "sometimes, we don''t know the bigger picture. sometimes, we don''t know everything about our loved ones. i never knew that yating always had the best interests in his heart when we were in a relationship. i don''t know what he suffered in those five years when i was back in my hometown. i just assumed he was happy with guiying. but the truth was far from different."


    she looked back at jun. "in the same way, you might not know everything that happened to jin in those five years you lived separately from the family. where his emotions and hatred for shui took him, we don''t know. there might be wounds he could be hiding from all of us."


    "then all the more i need to convince him-"


    "what if he feels the truth will disappoint you?"


    "that''s absurd! i will never be disappointed with jin," he firmly said.


    "but that is not what he is feeling. shui told me this story one day. you were all kids and you and jin were at the han villa. she was drawing pictures to show you, and jin purposely dropped paint on them and ruined them. jin got so panicked when you were about to come back that shui didn''t complain you about it because she knew you would have scolded him."


    "something like this happened?" he cleared his throat.


    "yes."


    "i wouldn''t have really scolded him though..."


    "but you would have definitely felt a little disappointed for sure. don''t lie."


    jun mumbled something inaudible.


    with a poignant smile, she said, "jin respects you a lot. out of all the siblings, he is the closest to you. he is not ready to share the full extent of his pain and we cannot force him either. we shouldn''t. he might be carrying his own regrets that we don''t know. that''s why i agree with shui. i feel we need to give jin some time. we cannot weigh jin''s problems on the same scale as us. we moved on. it was indeed difficult, but we cannot put his struggles on the same page as ours."


    she shook her head again. "it''s not a sound argument for him to move on just because we were able to. of course, i want him to let go of the past. but some things need time. we should give jin that. let''s not hurry him. time will slowly heal everything. i think shui has understood that somewhere too and has steeled her heart to wait for him."


    his eyelashes slightly fluttered. "will the wait end?"


    this time, ai''s lips curled into a confident smile. "definitely yes! the miracle that gave us a second chance at happiness would not leave jin alone. it might take time, but fate will lead jin to shui one day for sure. i just know it in my heart."


    her bright and optimistic smile made jun''s heart feel lighter. he bumped his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "i hope so too."


    *meow*


    the cats jumped on the bed, staring at the couple with their beautiful, watery irises. ai grinned and placed the cats in her lap. "tell me jun-cute, ai-chan. do you feel the same as me? your favorite jin would definitely be happy, right?"


    *meow*


    ai-chan softly meowed as if giving her nod of agreement. jun-cute was struggling to jump out of her lap and kept throwing deadly glares at her.


    "hahaha! look, the cats feel the same, jun. the cats are the ultimate bosses so now it''s confirmed~"


    jun chuckled and ruffled the top of their furry heads. "i feel even more assured now."


    the cats jumped away, making ai pout. jun pinched the tip of her nose and said, "let''s do as you say. let''s wait for jin to defeat his own monsters. i know he will do it."


    "yes! and we will always be there for him."


    he placed his arm around her neck and pulled her against his chest. "i will definitely look after jin but what about you looking after your novel?"


    she sheepishly grinned. "i have been procrastinating for a bit but i promise i will get back tomorrow!"


    "you better because..." he kissed her lips, "i cannot wait for missimperfectlyfine''s brand new book to hit the shelves~"

 Chapter 688 The big day

    chapter 688 the big day


    six months later.


    ai looked at her reflection in her mirror, which dripped of jitters and restlessness. she took several deep breaths to pacify the pounding of her heart, but the thought of the upcoming event only added to the drum beats in her chest.


    dressed in a breath-taking light-cream gown, she paced the vanity room back and forth, trying to ease her nervousness. intricate embroidery adorned the gown while delicate tendrils of silver thread weaved in the shape of vines running down across the side of her waist. as it cascaded downward, the silk flared like a regal cape.


    but this incredibly light-weight dress also felt burdensome on her. she lacked tears to shed, and she quickly grabbed her phone, rapidly typing.


    ''can i run away? i am shivering.''


    a reply arrived an agonizing minute later.


    ''all the doors are closed. there is no way to escape.''


    ai felt heavily wronged at her fiance''s threat. she expected his understanding and support, not evilness.


    she plopped back on the couch, rushing into the furry embrace of the cats. "jun-cute. ai-chan. look, how jun bullies me. shouldn''t he be on my side?"


    ai-chan simply yawned and went back to her nap while jun-cute hit her head with his lethal paws, hissing a fierce meow.


    don''t always come crying to us, you pesky human!


    his dark brown irises glared at her. despite the hostility, ai snuggled in their warmth. amidst this cuddling, a booming voice resounded from outside.


    "ai-chaaaaan!! your father is here!!"


    he made a suave entry with the brightest and the most proud grin embracing his charming face. "my dear, you look beautiful!" he gasped, clutching his chest, unable to bear his daughter''s cuteness.


    his string of compliments abruptly got cut off as he was pushed aside by his long-time enemy. he threw a glare at the interference that disturbed his sweet time with his daughter. "xie nuying!"


    she ignored his existence and instead focused on ai for whom it was a very big day. tears welled in her eyes seeing her beautiful daughter all ready to set the stage on fire.


    "my ai is so pretty..." she hugged her into a warm, loving embrace. "i am so proud of you. you reached this far with your own efforts and determination. i can hardly contain the happiness in my heart..." she sniffled.


    "mom..." her voice turned hoarse.


    "hey, hey! today is not the day for my lovely daughter to be crying~" he grinned, pulling her cheek. "you will ruin your makeup and nobody will be able to recognize missimperfectlyfine on the stage. you are the star, so you should be all sparkling and shining~"


    a chuckle escaped her lips as gently wiped off the tear off her eyelash. she held their hands and confessed. "i am nervous, mom, dad."


    xie nuying and zhou yichen placed their hands on top of hers. "there is no need to be nervous, dear. everybody out there is present to cheer you on. everybody has been waiting for this day ever since you won the summit."


    "so hold your head high and walk on the stage with a straight back," his eyes gleamed. "it''s the launch event of your first book with sky. your readers are waiting for you. i know you will do great and so will your book. it''s the day you have rightfully earned it so enjoy it to the fullest~"


    she hugged them again, bursting into tears. "sorry, i couldn''t hold them back."


    they laughed and hugged her back but harrumphed meeting each other''s gazes.


    xie nuying kissed her forehead. "i will do the touch up for you."


    ¡ª


    fifteen minutes later, the time came for ai to head to the back stage.


    "can i really not run away?" ai clutched her belly, feeling a weird sensation pitting in her throat.


    but zhou yichen and xie nuying pulled her arm and dragged her out of the vanity room. she gave them a hurtful and betrayed look as she climbed the steps to go past the curtain.


    the backstage was dimly lit and the roars and cheers of people outside reverberated inside the space. it signified that the time was very near. ai gulped with the pressure mounting on her, and she started inching backwards. but a pair of hands firmly held her shoulders.


    "you are really naughty, aren''t you?" a helpless sigh tickled her ear.


    jun wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her exposed shoulder. "it''s a time to celebrate, not be afraid."


    "there are too many people outside," ai seriously voiced her concern.


    "so did the summit. but you did just fine. just consider it as the same stage, the only difference is that it''s solely meant for you."


    "th-that only difference is making me anxious."


    jun kissed her cheek. "why fear when i am here? even if you stumble or stutter, nobody will dare laugh at you. just treat the stage as your playground~ you know what? dad and grandpa sitting in the audience are already on the lookout for any ''potential threats'' who would dare make fun of you. if they do, that will be the last time they will laugh."


    "..."


    he softly flicked her temple. "it''s your very own book launch so be proud and confident. it''s a time you wish you had in the past. that''s why you should relish this moment to its fullest."


    his gentle but firm squeeze coupled with his encouraging words provided her with the much needed optimism. ai kissed his cheek back. "why are you so cute?"


    he frowned. "i will be generous and forgive you since it''s a big day for you."


    she rolled her eyes.


    the emcee on the stage started with her announcement which was a cue for ai to soon enter after the introductory part will be over.


    jun pulled her face and placed a kiss on his lips, pouring every bit of his pride and love he felt towards ai. his gaze met hers and he whispered, "let''s go, ai. the world is yours."


    ai exhaled a shaky breath and nodded. she turned and parted the curtain, and as she stepped out, roars of claps thundered at her entrance.

 Chapter 689 The book reveal

    chapter 689 the book reveal


    the click of ai''s heels tapped on the stage that gradually slowed down the cheers, but the excitement in everybody''s eyes never died down. people waved the banners of missimperfectlyfine, expressing their support. the trajectory of ai''s popularity grew higher ever since she won the summit and now the whole world couldn''t wait to read the creation that embarked on the journey of the lovers she told in the summit.


    sitting in the audience was guiying too, who clapped for her best friend from the bottom of her heart. if it was before, then her insecurities would have interfered but today, she was truly happy for ai to get the stage she always wanted.


    the launch event at sky marked the beginning of ai''s success. from reporters, sky employees to fans, everybody gathered to meet the author behind the book that was garnering the headlines for a long time. the expectations were finally going to be fulfilled today.


    ai reached the center of the podium, her heart pounding faster in her chest. seeing the huge crowd who came for her support filled her heart with gratitude. she held the mic and greeted everybody. "he-hello. i am zhou ai. you also know me as missimperfectlyfine. i humbly thank you for coming to my book launch event today."


    "missimperfectlyfine!!!"


    "we love you!"


    with all the cheers and praises, zhou yichen''s nose grew longer with pride. same with jinhai who held a poised but a proud expression as if saying,


    ''isn''t she so amazing? that''s my daughter-in-law for you.''


    nana chuckled, remembering all those times he acted similarly for nuo''s achievements.


    ai said, "after months of effort and tears, i finally present to you all today the story which is very special to me. it is a story that hits close to my heart and no matter how many stories i write in the future, this journey...will always be something very precious to me. this is not only because it is my first book with sky but also because this story helped me conquer my past. there was a time that i felt lost. i felt insecure. i...almost thought of dropping my career and going back. i felt i met the end of my road."


    ai referred to the past life where she had eventually given up on writing and went back to xuanhua to live an aimless life. though it didn''t happen in the present, she could feel that time and it''s grief as if it was just yesterday.


    "but one day," her eyes flickered with inexplicable emotions, "as if a miracle happened, i found my strength to go on. i didn''t want to live a life where i would have to give up on my love for writing. that would be just too...painful. that''s why this time, i chose to walk down no matter what. it is meeting a special someone that brought me back. it is this story that saved me. it saved me that''s why i penned down the words in hopes for others going through a similar darkness that i had to gain strength."


    her words that struck the chords of numerous hearts reverberated in the air. silence filled every nook and corner of the auditorium.


    "the short story at the summit was a simple beginning. the characters faced many trials and tribulations that hurt them, broke them but which also taught them a lot. it is with those lessons that they swore to live a meaningful life where they would leave no regrets. it is a story of not just two people finding love in each other but also of a second chance that they desperately needed to change themselves and right all the wrongs. writing this story personally shaped my beliefs and confidence.


    through this book, i want to let you all know that even if life feels bleak and hopeless at some point, fate...fate has always good plans in store for you. it''s hard to discard your weak and vulnerable self but if you reel the courage to take that one step forward, you will find that glimmer of hope to pull you out of that black hole. and through this book, i hope to give at least a little courage to you to make that small start."


    xing bi looked at ai with tears welling in her eyes, and she covered her mouth to hold back her sniffles. nian pouted and took out his handkerchief, wiping her tears off. "i don''t like seeing you cry."


    "these are happy tears, silly."


    "happy or sad, no tears!"


    "my cute ai has grown so much..." saying that, she burst into sobs, pride and joy overflowing her heart. "can i go on the stage and kiss her?"


    "..."


    "you can kiss your boyfriend all you want~"


    she glared at him. "you are not ai!"


    his heart broke into pieces.


    on the other side of the hall, yating smiled at her, feeling joyous and happy for ai. at his side, chyou whistled, giving an ear-to-ear wife grin.


    liu hai emotionally waved a flag in which it was written, ''my granddaughter-in-law is the best! i found her! i found her first! praise me!!!''


    liu chunhua only hid her face in embarrassment, reading his childish claims.


    jun then stepped up on the stage with a female attendant following him, carrying a tray covered with a purple velvet cloth. squeals echoed throughout the room with the ceo''s entry and seeing the couple together gushed their hearts with bliss.


    jun gazed into ai''s beautiful eyes with warmth and love. he took the mic and faced the audience. "it is with great pleasure that i announce missimperfectlyfine''s very first and very special book published under sky publishing. will you please do the honors?"


    a brilliant smile shone on her lips as she nodded. the attendant offered her the tray and gently lifting the cover, ai took the book out.


    "yeahhhhhh!!!" cheers resounded once again. they couldn''t wait to see the book cover.


    a myriad of emotions swirled in her heart as she held the book between her trembling palms. warm tears filled her eyes. she faced the audience and with a deep breath, turned and revealed the front cover of the book.


    everybody in the audience gasped upon witnessing the breath-taking cover. even through that simple image, they could feel their hearts quiver.


    the book cover was painted blank. at the center, it showed two hands meeting each other - a man''s hand holding onto the woman''s, squeezing it with unsaid emotions. just behind the point where the hands met, golden rays of light shimmered across them and on top of the book in the black background was a single word book title embossed in gold.


    ai said with a shaking voice, "i present my story to everybody in which i have poured all my heart and soul - reborn."

 Chapter 690 Guessing game

    chapter 690 guessing game


    the chorus of everybody''s claps resounded far and wide. the cheers and excitement reverberated through the air and many fans popped the party poppers in celebration. the reporters clicked multiple pictures and captured this extraordinary moment of the book launch.


    a radiant smile illuminated on ai''s face as she looked at the crowd. it in turn brought a pleasing smile on jun''s lips as well. watching her bask in this moment of glory and achievement was all that he wanted.


    "you look beautiful," he whispered.


    ai turned, her light brown pupils swirling with joy. "you look handsome."


    he chuckled.


    jun took the mic again and announced that the sale of the book reborn would soon commence. he requested everybody to move to another hall where copies would be sold. that naturally erupted a frenzy between the fans and everybody rushed towards the hall. it was so chaotic that jun had to intervene and assure that there were enough copies for everybody, and there would be no problem of running out.


    the only remaining personnel were the media reporters who got busy asking jun and ai some questions. after that interview was done, ai''s part in the book launch event finally came to a close.


    as soon as she stepped down, guiying leina, shui, xing bi, nuo, chyou - everybody jumped to hug her.


    "you were amazing, ai!" chyou praised her bright grin. "you looked like a star! hehe, by any chance, are you interested in joining the film industry? you would go a-listed in no time~"


    a hand silently grabbed the back of her dress and pulled her back. "don''t you poach her to your side," yating snorted.


    "hey, i have the purest of intentions!"


    yating shook his head and heartily congratulated ai. "congratulations, ai. you might not be working in dream high anymore but everybody there still feels proud of you."


    "thank you, yating."


    "you rocked babe!" leina squished her cheeks against her too.


    guiying nodded with tears in her eyes. "i am really proud of you, ai."


    ai squeezed her hand, her heart feeling overwhelmed. it meant a lot to her to hear these words come from guiying who had strayed far away from her because of their passion for writing. but now those same distances melted away, leaving only pure friendship and respect for each other behind.


    zixin, yunru and huan gave their heartiest congratulations as well as sun bai who hugged her with joy.


    "of course because she is my talented granddaughter-in-law!" liu hai harrumphed with pride.


    liu chunhua smacked his head. "your banner was embarrassing!"


    "hey! don''t just blame me. the twins helped me too!"


    she glared at the twins, who were trying to escape. "is this true? hey! where are you running off to! come back!"


    jin sneered, watching the grandmother chase after them with her sandal and not forgetting to record this moment on video. he took a full turn with his phone to capture the running twins until the lens caught shui in it too. her bright eyes held a smile that shook his heart. he lowered his camera and looked away.


    the parents and in-laws had completely surrounded ai in a circle, squealing and gushing at her. jun could only helplessly wait for the excitement to die down so that he could get some quality time with ai.


    jun pulled ai back and raised his palm. "yes, yes now if you all may, i have to discuss some formalities with her regarding this event. so please go ahead and i will join you with ai later."


    nana pouted. "are you already stealing her away from us? we didn''t even spend two minutes with her."


    jinhai nodded, agreeing to this injustice.


    "hehe~ does jun-cute want to do some naughty things with ai-chan~?"


    he received a vicious heel stomp on his foot by none other than xie nuying, who threw him a displeased glare. "can you not act like a hooligan just once?"


    he scowled. "well someone has to when one of the parents is so stiff and rigid! where is the fun in life if you don''t act hoolignanish at times?"


    jinhai''s brow twitched.


    isn''t his constant mode of operation hoolignanish?


    jun got what he wanted and everybody left from the auditorium, leaving the two love-birds alone. ai asked, "what other formalities are there?"


    he grinned an evil grin and wrapped his arm around her waist. "no formalities. just an excuse to release you from their clutches~"


    "you are becoming more and more naughty," ai tapped his nose.


    he released a troubled sigh. "well what should i do? everybody hogs you so much that nowadays, i feel as if i am standing in a queue and have to take an appointment to talk to you. aren''t you becoming so popular?"


    ai sheepishly grinned. "i am a naturally lovable and warm person, so i am famous."


    his mouth twitched.


    "and..." ai folded her arms around his neck and with a mischievous glint in her light brown irises, she said, "the number of people in the queue to talk to me is going to increase~ but they will be special so no queue for them~"


    jun''s gaze darkened. "who else is left? aren''t all these people enough already?"


    "no, not enough. i am sure you would love the new addition too~" she innocently blinked.


    jun threw her a confused look. "is this real or are you pulling my leg?"


    "it''s very real and i am very serious," she nodded.


    "okay, who are they?"


    "you take a guess."


    jun frowned. he couldn''t understand where ai was getting at. he thought of everybody within and outside the liu family but nobody new came to his mind.


    "we have everybody covered."


    "nope. not everybody. there is somebody who hasn''t given his debut yet~"


    "give me a hint please."


    ai playfully chuckled. "well, only one hint. the person will soon be a part of the liu family."


    "will soon be?" he blinked.


    "now you guess~"


    jun glanced aside, thinking of the possibilities.


    who can be such a person to become a family member but hasn''t debuted yet?


    okay so exclude mom, dad, the idiot twins, nuo, jin, grandpa, grandma, great-grandma, uncle jing, uncle yukito, uncle yukira.


    leina, xing bi, shui and bro siying aren''t officially a part of the family yet but they have already been here.


    he tilted his head questioningly.


    then who?


    okay let''s count again. so, mom, dad, the idiot twins-


    he froze all of a sudden and turned to face her very slowly. ai recognized the realization in his expression and beamed.


    jun couldn''t find his voice as it broke and stammered, guessing the member. "a-are you ta-talking about o-our...child?"


    member. "a-are you ta-talking about o-our...child?"


    ai clapped her hands in delight. "ding ding! correct answer! the new naturally lovable, warm and cute member is none other than our child," she held his hands as her own hands slightly shook and said, "i am pregnant, jun."

 Chapter 691 Hooligan family

    691 hooligan family


    jun''s mouth dropped in an o as his gaze held on to ai''s. he felt as if he could hear the electric crackle of a short-circuit as if the connection just broke. it was the perfect description of his state, who was still trying to absorb the news.


    ai waved her hand in front of his face, who had long escaped into a daze of the unknown. she sighed and mumbled. "well, i might as well give this good news to everybody else since it would take some time for the father to process it."


    "w-wait!" his stupor snapped into two and he held her wrist despite she hadn''t moved an inch from her place. "you are...really pregnant?"


    she made a dramatic gasp. "you think i will lie about something like this?"


    she stared straight into his dark brown eyes, cutely flaring her nostrils. they played that staring contest for sometime until tears welled in jun''s eyes.


    "..."


    "i-i wasn''t that harsh...why are you crying!" she hastily wiped his tears that slid down his cheeks as he sniffled, leaving her more dumbfounded.


    "okay i was being just dramatic really..." she anxiously urged.


    jun stiffened and seemed to want to say something urgently, but his tears coupled with his choked voice only made it harder.


    "d-don''t be so sad," the worry in her voice only further increased, making jun want to kill himself.


    he pulled her into his embrace and sniffled hard. "i am very happy s-silly..." he managed to let out a few words amidst the whirlwind of emotions storming his heart upside down. "i want to say...don''t take any w-worry, it''s not good for y-your health..."


    "..."


    that''s what he was trying to say...


    ai facepalmed and pinched his cheeks, lifting her face from his hug. pouting her lips and puffing her cheeks, she scolded him. "you will become rapidly dehydrated at this rate..."


    he continued to inhale trembling breaths as he wiped his eyes this time. "what can i do? y-you dropped the happiest news possible on me...i thought that i would be ready for the day whenever this would happen b-but seems like i wasn''t."


    "definitely."


    "and now i am thinking all sorts of things...will i be a good father? will i be able to give proper education to our child?" he took a breathless gasp as he continued, "will he or she enjoy school and college? what if they don''t? what are we supposed to do then?"


    "..."


    what kind of a worry is that...?


    "will he or she want to go abroad in the future for studies? isn''t it terrible because i am going to miss him or her a lot so i might become a villain and ruin their admission process..."


    "..."


    "a-and what if they land into a terrible company of friends and lose their way? or worse, find a good partner and w-want to get married? it''s not a problem with a boy but i don''t want to lose my baby girl to any boyfriend or girlfriend, oh my god..." he covered his hands with his palm, finding enlightenment, "i finally get why dad is so possessive of nuo. now, i feel like killing siying too."


    "..."


    somewhere, siying felt a chill run down his back, and he shuddered.


    nuo blinked at him and asked, "are you feeling cold?"


    siying cautiously looked left and right. "...i do but this is a very familiar type of a chill, the one which uncle jinhai gives off. is he watching me from somewhere?"


    nuo chuckled. "you are just imagining things. even if dad gives you the cold stares, we have mom and my bros to control him hehe~ especially mom and bro jun. they are the sweetest!"


    a very bitter feeling, though, enveloped jun''s heart, thinking of walking down the aisle with his lovely daughter.


    "wake up!"


    ai shook him hard, and the tears finally stopped flowing. "you are going very faaaaaaaaaaar ahead. our child hasn''t even been born yet! and here you are already thinking of their education and marriage..." she helplessly shook her head. "how about we take this step by step and wait for the day when we will be able to listen to their heartbeat for the first time?" her eyes sparkled.


    "hea...heartbeat..."


    he looked down at her belly and thinking of his child''s heartbeat broke the dam of his tears once again.


    "i think our roles have been reversed," ai gravely nodded. "the father is crying more than the mother."


    "i am just so happy..." he whispered.


    her heart melted, and she pulled his head down to her neck, patting it with love. "i understand. i cried straight for two hours when i realized it." n.-o).v.(e.)1--b)-i/.n


    "a-aha! so you cried too..."


    "but it seems like you will cross my record."


    jun hugged her tighter but was careful not to squeeze it to make her breathless. "thank you ai. you...


    you have no idea how happy you have made me today. first your book launch and now our child," i cannot be happier..."


    "hehe~ me too. i finally had my revenge from you for sweeping me off my feet by your proposal," she proudly said.


    "..."


    "you were thinking of that?"


    "of course! i had plans to propose to you too but slyly snatched it away from me and even made me the happiest woman on the earth. so i wanted to make you the happiest man too."


    "you make me the happiest every single day."


    "but i wanted to give you something grand just like you did and when i learned i was pregnant, i just knew i got my ticket~"


    his brow twitched hard. "ai, you sound like a hooligan now."


    she pressed her lips against his into a fiery and melting kiss. "i have learned it from my fiance~"


    "i am not a hooligan."


    "no. you are a cute hooligan and soon, our cute baby hooligan will arrive too who will inherit your cuteness and my naturally lovable and warm personality," she seriously nodded. "we will be a hooligan family."


    jun thought about it and kissing her lips, he grinned. "our child will be one hell of a child, won''t he or she not?"


    her nose grew longer in pride. "there''s gonna be liu and zhou genes in him or her, after all hahaha~!"

 Chapter 692 Wedding bells (1)

    chapter 692 wedding bells (1)


    n.-0velbin


    after a long and restless wait which had everybody on toes, the special day when the wedding bells would chime in celebration, arrived. it was a hustle and bustle at the liu villa where the wedding preparations were in full swing and keeping everybody busy.


    laughter and bliss traveled in the atmosphere but inside a certain room, the aura of a dark and brooding father was ready to kill the groom at any moment.


    "so liu jian..."


    jian slightly wiped his forehead and tried to smile. "un-uncle liang. how are you-"


    "how will i be on the day of my precious daughter''s wedding!"


    leina''s younger brother, xu yuhan, gave him a thumbs up and only left his fate to god. he even made a prayer gesture to acknowledge this.


    jian inwardly gritted his teeth.


    aren''t you becoming my brother-in-law today! shouldn''t you be helping me out!?


    jian cleared his throat. "o-of course you will be really sad-"


    "sad? only sad!? i am devastated! how dare you make my precious leina have the thought of wearing a wedding gown!?" his reddened eyes were tearing up. "i have to walk down the aisle with her today..."


    jian nodded.


    "but if i shoot you, then i won''t have to anymore, right?"


    "..."


    jian quickly checked for any bulge of gun across his body. he sheepishly grinned, trying to touch his father-in-law. "stay far away from me, you daughter stealer! what hypnosis did you do to my daughter that she agreed to marry you!?"


    he sheepishly grinned again. "the hypnosis of love~"


    "shut up!"


    jian pulled back and shut his mouth.


    xu liang looked back at his son, wiping his tears. "how is it going with leina? did she agree to run away?"


    "..."


    jian felt his heart burst in his chest. "uncle liang! i will die if leina runs away!" he cried.


    liang threw him a glare. "do you think i care about your life!?"


    "what is going on here?"


    liang''s wife, xu ah cy, stepped in at the right moment as if a messiah had appeared.


    "aunt!!!" jian found his salvation and dove straight to hug her. "aunt, only you can stop uncle from destroying my wedding with leina! save meeeee!"


    "liu jian! you dare poison my wife''s ears against me!?" he would have beaten him into a pulp had yuhan not stopped him.


    ah cy pouted and pinched jian''s cheeks. "didn''t i tell you to start calling me mom?"


    jian burst into tears. "mom..."


    liang''s gaze darkened. "no need!"


    ah cy smacked her husband on his head. "i knew you would be up to no good! today is leina''s wedding! you should be giving blessings to her, not talking about shooting the groom and planning a runaway plan for her! shameless!"


    she harrumphed and patted jian''s head. "don''t worry. liang will definitely walk leina down the aisle. so you can be rest assured because i have liang and my divorce papers ready in case he tries funny to break your wedding," she warmly smiled.


    liang felt a ruthless arrow drive straight through his chest. "a-ah cy...this betrayal...y-you will divorce me?"


    yuhan consoled his father pitifully.


    "if you don''t stop being the bone in your own daughter''s wedding, then yes," she narrowed her eyes. "you also know that jian is the perfect man to keep our daughter happiest. she will be very happy in his family too, who already treasure her like their own daughter. as her parents, what more do we want?"


    liang mumbled something inaudibly to which jian cautiously stepped closer to him and smiled. "mom is right. i will never let leina cry."


    "that''s a given!"


    "i will be a good husband and always protect her smile and happiness," he sincerely said.


    "that''s also a given!"


    "she would be showered with so much love that it will be hard for her to contain it~"


    "that''s also a given given!"


    "so since leina will be just as loved, happy and protected with me as she was with you, can i call you dad?"


    liang flashed a razor sharp vicious glare at him. but jian''s genuine gaze and reassuring smile made him take a step ever so slightly back. then he suddenly burst into tears. "my daughter..."


    ah cy and yuhan sighed and hugged him with understanding. "dad, sis is living right here in beijing and still will after the wedding. so shed no more tears."


    "why can''t this brat live in the xu villa!"


    jian beamed. "i don''t mind! as long as i get to spend my life with leina, i will live with her wherever she wants~"


    feeling his genuine answer, it irked liang even more. he mumbled inaudibly again. "...i just wanted to test you. i know leina wants to live with you all..."


    thinking of leina going to the liu villa from today, a fresh wave of tears broke through his eyes.


    ah cy sighed and whispered, "this is going to take a long time so how about you check on your brother while we calm him down?"


    jian''s heart was overwhelmed with emotions.


    you are the best, mom!


    ¡ª


    leaving from his own vanity room, jian violently bumped into his twin. "hey! i just got ready!"


    nian looked at him up and down and grinned. "not more handsome than me~"


    "the one who isn''t a groom is not allowed to speak."


    "hey! just because you and jun share the same wedding day, you have no right to treat me as an alien!" his nostrils flared. "mind you, xing bi and my wedding in the future will be even grander than yours~"


    it was a mutually agreed plan where since jian had proposed to leina two months ago, jun-ai and jian-leina''s wedding would be held on the same day as a form of a double celebration. it would have been a triple celebration with nian and xing bi''s wedding too, but they mutually decided that they wanted to date for some more time as a couple first before taking the vows.


    nian grabbed his twin''s arm. "come on, you were about to meet jun, right? let''s go and have some fun with the second groom hahaha!"

 Chapter 693 Wedding bells (2)

    chapter 693 wedding bells (2)


    in jun''s vanity room, a very different scene was in place as the twins stepped in. instead of the bride''s father raining down with fatal threats upon him, he found the son-in-law and father-in-law duo playing cards.


    "what is happening here...?"


    zhou yichen looked back and his face brightened. "ah the twins! come, come! we are just playing some card games."


    on the other side, jin was playing the cats, who held no interest in joining their card game.


    feeling extremely aggrieved, jian stomped his way ahead and smacked jun on his head.


    "hey!" jun glared at him.


    liu jun, the groom, looked every bit the dashing prince from a fairytale. he sat tall and confident in his tailored black tuxedo. the jacket was perfectly fitted, accentuating his broad shoulders, and a sleek black bowtie adorned his crisp white dress shirt. his jet-black hair was impeccably styled, and a single white rose graced his lapel, adding a touch of elegance. his brother, jian, looked no less than a charming prince himself.


    "how is it that you are all chummy here with uncle zhou while uncle liang threatens to shoot bullets at me!?" he sobbed. "what is this injustice!"


    "it''s your reputation that you have built over the years that people feel like beating you," he sneered.


    "y-you...! what bad reputation! i have the most clean image in the entire liu family!"


    jin choked and burst into laughter, rolling down on the couch. "the twins...with a clean image...? ahahahaha!"


    nian jumped at him as the cats fled and ruffled his hair. "you dare laugh at your elder brothers! punishment time~"


    "don''t ruin my hair style!" jin barked.


    zhou yichen joined in their laughter. "don''t worry, kid~ if you are talking about the last minute ''father-talk'' with the groom, then i have done that too. if he makes my ai-chan cry, then he will become my perfect bait to scam people for my odd jobs~ it only makes sense because he would have broken his promise of keeping my daughter happy. i would bestow the tag of a scammer and liar upon liu jun and drag him to all my jobs! hahaha!"


    "..."


    what kind of punishment is that?


    "come, sit down! join us in our game!" he sparkled.


    jian slowly sat down while zhou yichen dealt with the cards. nian, who was basking in the flurry warmth of the cats, asked, "yo, we thought you are still getting ready. first it will be jian and leina''s turn and then yours."


    jun started to sweat. "i don''t know. for some reason, i couldn''t sit still."


    "is it the wedding jitters? hahaha! you look so cute!"


    "shut up! you will also feel that on your wedding day with xing bi!"


    zhou yichen chuckled. "to calm his nerves, i thought why not play some games? i asked mr. liu too, but he wanted to take care of other wedding preparations."


    jian started to wipe his forehead too. "now that you say that, i feel the heat too, especially double than you because i can imagine uncle liang ready to shoot bullets at me when he brings leina..."


    just then, nuo hopped in the room and squished her face against jian with a sheepish grin. "sister-in-law leina is all ready, bro~ aish, she looks so beautiful. i am afraid you will faint on the spot."


    "did you click a picture of her?" jian asked with a hyperactive edge to his voice. "show me! show me!"


    "no picture! you will only see her when she walks down the aisle. till then, no spoiling surprises," she whistled.


    "you are mean, little sister!"


    "and ai! ai! how is she?" jun asked with a hint of tension. "she is not too tired, right?"


    nuo laughed. "she is the one hopping around more than anybody else."


    jun''s gaze darkened.


    what is she doing jumping around when she is pregnant? nove-lb-in


    "let me talk to her."


    "hey, hey! no scolding my sister-in-law!" nuo stood straight, glaring at him. "she is doing perfectly alright. we are all there to take care of her, especially mom and aunt nuying. so, chill."


    zhou yichen waved his hand. "she is fine, jun-cute. and trust me, if you go there looking to scold ai-chan, you will be burnt to a crisp by everybody''s wrath."


    jun thought about it and could very well imagine the consequences. he released a sigh. "ai has been working non-stop for this day. i don''t want her to exhaust herself."


    "my ai-chan is very strong and so is my grandchild~"


    nuo said, "anyway, i came to say that it''s wedding time for you, bro jian!"


    jian stood up as if he was electrocuted and looked with a robotic expression. "i-i am r-ready too!"


    "awww, are you feeling the jitters? so cute!"


    "shut up."


    nuo looked back at the door and called out. "daaaaad..."


    "no, no!" jian quickly pulled her back and covered her mouth. letting out a nervous chuckle, he patted her head. "i was just kidding, little sister. how in the world would i even think of saying shut up to you? so you see, uncle liang is already pointing a gun at my back. please d-don''t add dad in the list too," he mercifully pleaded.


    "hmph. fine, i forgive you."


    zhou yichen packed the cards. "let''s go. it''s time. after jian, jun-cute''s time will soon come too~"


    jun felt his throat go dry and quickly gulped a glass of water. jian started to robotically take his steps out when jin called out. "wait."


    they stopped and turned. zhou yichen looked back and forth and figured he wanted a moment of privacy. "i will go ahead~"


    "what''s up, jin?" nian cheerfully asked.


    jin cleared his throat and walked towards them. he first readjusted the rose on jian''s jacket and then on jun''s. he stared at jian and remembered the past life where he and leina had finally gotten together. it was a wedding he didn''t get to witness, neither jun''s or nuo''s. but now here he was, his heart overwhelmed with mixed feelings.


    "no-nothing...the rose was just tilted. now you are ready. let''s go."


    the four siblings stared back at him and figured the emotions behind his gaze. a second later, tears welled in their eyes and they pulled jin into a big hug.


    jian cried. "i knew it! jin loves me the most!"


    "yes he only feigns that he hates us but he actually loves us a lot!" nian sniffled.


    nuo poked his cheek as she cried. "why is my younger brother so cute?"


    jun patted his head, not bothering to hide his tears. "we have missed out on a lot of things, jin and a lot of happy memories that should have been there. but not this time."


    jin quickly said, a lump forming in his throat. "i-i wasn''t thinking of the past..."


    "you sure did!" they chimed at once.


    jian grinned and pinched his cheeks. "we will witness everybody''s happiness, jin. mine, nian''s, jun''s, nuo''s and yours. nobody would be spared from laughter and joy! so let''s embrace the future we wanted all this time."

 Chapter 694 Wedding Bells (3)

    ?


    the atmosphere at the church was charged with vigor and excitement as the happiness of two weddings drove in the air. all the families had gathered to witness the couples take the beautiful wedding vows and become each other''s forever.


    from the right most corner, jun saw jian standing at the altar, inhaling and exhaling rapid and shallow breaths. he frequently adjusted his tie; that was just a sign of how nervous he felt. eventually the ticking waiting time ended and from the far end of the church, a beautiful woman in a white wedding gown stepped into the church, her arms locked with xu liang''s.


    gasps echoed at the sight of leina who walked with delicate steps with a white transparent veil covering her face and walking down the aisle as if a goddess had descended.


    caihong laughed, observing liang''s twisted expression which he was trying to hide for the best part of the walk. "smile a little, liang. it''s your daughter''s wedding."


    he pinched his lips harder. "that''s why i cannot smile. it''s her wedding, not her birthday!"


    everybody burst into laughter.


    on the way, he didn''t forget to throw deadly beams of his frustration at the liu family who apparently were the culprits behind stealing his precious daughter.


    liu hai and jing smirked and only did the job of adding oil into the already burning rage. nana gave them a narrowed stare to warn them of stopping their bullying to which they heavily pouted. it was only jinhai who gave a nod of understanding being the father of a daughter himself.


    leina pouted and inched closer to him. "how can i be happy if you are not happy, dad?"


    he pursed his lips. "i-i am very happy...for you..."


    shuang chuckled from the other side. "try saying that without clenching your jaw."


    "impossible!"


    they reached the altar and when it was time for the father to hand his daughter''s hand to the groom, he resisted a lot.


    xinyi shook her head, helpless. but she was more dumbstruck seeing zhiyuan sniffling and crying tears. "why are you crying?"


    "because i understand him...how will i ever be able to hand my precious shui''s hand to someone!?"


    shui and siying, who were seated beside their parents, cleared their throats. shui pinched zhiyuan''s cheeks and wrapped her arms around him. "you are thinking too far, dad. i am not gonna marry so soon and leave you!"


    "really?"


    she pecked his cheek and grinned. "yes!"


    she glanced at jin among the crowd who accompanied jun on the other side of the church. her heart skipped a beat with how handsome he looked in his attire and quickly darted her gaze away.


    jian offered his hand and cleared his throat. "may i?"


    "no!"


    "..."


    liang immediately felt pointed and stabbing glares from his wife, and his tone softened by only a small fraction. "i mean........yes."


    the yes came after a long, long pause. he squinted his eyes at jian and coldly reiterated. "keep leina always happy or i will kill you."


    "it will never come to that point, dad," he grinned.


    "don''t call me dad!"nove-lb)in


    "..."


    leina tried to hold in her laughter with all her might. from the right end of the chapel where ai was watching jian and leina''s wedding unfold, she could only thank her stars that zhou yichen wouldn''t torture jun like that.


    "poor jian," xie nuying sighed. "i feel for him."


    "indeed."


    ai coughed and sneakily tried to find jun in the crowd. but guiying pulled her back. "sit straight. you won''t see jun until it''s your time."


    "just a little peak."


    "no," xing bi rejected her wish this time.


    "don''t you two love me?" she slightly widened her eyes in a puppy manner.


    "don''t use that gaze on us! it will be useless," she harrumphed.


    guiying touched her chin. "is ai becoming more dramatic ever since she became pregnant?"


    she got a ping from zixin and her mouth twitched as she read the message.


    "you two really match, don''t you? jun is also secretly trying to find you. two peas in a pod."


    "thank you," ai sheepishly grinned with the compliment.


    "it wasn''t a compliment."


    "..."


    the priest started with his sermons on the altar as jian and leina faced each other. the ceremony began and the couple soon exchanged vows and then rings. leina felt her eyes redden as jian''s beautiful and firm vow of togetherness and protection shook her heart.


    the priest then pronounced them husband and wife and asked the groom to kiss the bride. jian spared no second in lifting her veil and capturing her lips in a deep kiss of promise that would forever bind their hearts.


    with the kiss, thunderclaps resounded in the church and roars of congratulatory wishes reverberated in the air. nian jumped on the altar to press the couple in a tight hug.


    "i am so happy for you two."


    jian grinned and bumped his forehead against his. "thanks, bro."


    liang watched his daughter twirl in jian''s embrace with the brightest smile he had ever seen stretch across her lips. he lowered his gaze, wiping the corner of his eyes. he then felt a soft hand holding his trembling one.


    "our leina will be super duper happy in the liu family," ah cy smiled a gentle smile as she squeezed his hand, whispering softly to him. she understood the mixed emotions a father was going through who had raised his daughter with all the love and affection of this world.


    "i know..." he hoarsely replied. "she will be very happy. jian...is a good man. don''t tell him that i said this though or he will become more cocky."


    "haha. my husband is the sweetest!" she rested her head on his shoulder, watching the bliss in leina''s eyes with a misty gaze.


    as the ceremony of the newly wedded couple jian and leina came to a close, it was now the time for the second couple to make their way to the altar.


    jin glanced at jun. "ready bro?"


    jun took a few silent breaths closing his eyes and remembering every moment between him and ai that finally led to this day.


    "yes. i am ready."

 Chapter 695 Wedding Bells (4)

    ?


    standing at the altar this time, jun thoroughly understood jian''s trepidation of fixing his tie as he waited for his bride to come. with his shoulders straight, he stood upright and patient, but the pounding heartbeats in his chest told a different story altogether. with every moment passing by, he could feel the tickling butterflies fluttering in his stomach grow stronger as he felt ai approaching.n(.0velbin


    his breath slightly trembled as silence completely reigned the church. it was then that he felt it. he turned to look at the most beautiful woman who looked ethereal in her wedding gown, holding onto her father''s arm.


    she walked down the aisle, her gown flowing like a cascade of shimmering moonlight. her dress was a masterpiece of ivory lace and satin, hugging her slender figure in all the right places and all the credit went to jing who took responsibility of designing the wedding gowns for leina and ai.


    the gown featured a fitted bodice that cinched at her waist, accentuating her graceful curves. the lace extended down the length of the gown, forming a delicate pattern that seemed to dance in the soft church light. her gown had off-the-shoulder sleeves, adding a touch of romance to her look, and her slender arms were adorned with delicate pearl bracelets.


    she held a bouquet of white roses which complemented her gown and added a fragrant charm to her attire. as she walked towards the altar, her steps were graceful and confident. slightly lifting her head to meet jun''s gaze, her eyes shone with the promise of a lifetime of love and happiness.


    i really want to faint...


    his racing heartbeats drew the breathless air away from him as if he forgot to breathe. the sight of ai crossing the aisle all the way to the altar was an image he firmly imprinted in his mind. his transfixed gaze on her was proof of how he wouldn''t mind staring at his beautiful bride forever.


    at the same time, ai''s heart gushed with a frenzied trail of excitement seeing jun so handsome and perfect in his groom attire. she was hopping around the entire place as she took time to get ready but now that her footsteps slowly and steadily approached jun, she felt her body trembling with a nerve racking breathlessness.


    "you are doing great, ai-chan," zhou yichen chuckled.


    xie nuying, who saw her precious daughter taking her steps towards a blissful married life, made her eyes well with tears. a bright smile encased her lips as she wiped the corner of her eyelids.


    aish my ai is so pretty...


    guiying and xing bi clapped hard upon her arrival, and yating joined them heartily, genuinely wishing the best for her.


    they reached the altar and zhou yichen gently placed ai''s hand in jun''s.


    "ai is my only daughter. my only child. i have showered her with endless love. i have doted on my precious little girl ever since i held her tiny body in my arms. your responsibility as her husband is to love and dote on ai even more than what nuying and i did. give her the future that we as her parents have envisioned."


    a soft and tender smile stretched jun''s lips as he firmly squeezed her hand. "that''s a promise, dad. i will always keep ai so, so, so happy that her little heart would find difficulty in containing it."


    "you both are making me cry..." ai sniffled, her eyes slightly reddening.


    zhou yichen gasped. "how dare i make my daughter cry on her wedding day? don''t worry, ai-chan! i will punish myself by forcing myself to eat all the delicacies prepared today!" he nodded.


    "hey!" liu hai and jing immediately jumped on their feet. "don''t you target my food!"


    "hai! jing!" liu chunhua was beyond flabbergasted. "sit down! have some decency!"


    jing''s husband, yukito, pulled him down too, glaring at him. "yeah, no talking about food!"


    his twin, yukira chuckled.


    "but he is plotting to snatch our food!" they cried and whined.


    "shut up!"


    jinhai''s black gaze looked distant as if he had nothing to do with them.


    that invited a burst of hearty laughter across the church, enjoying the trio''s antics.


    jun and ai faced each other, their breaths remaining stuck in their throats. they held each other''s gazes, anticipating what was to come..


    the priest smiled and recited his sermons for the second time of the day. as he finished speaking, he looked at jun and said, "i request the groom, mr. liu jun, to say his wedding vows."


    jun held in his breath for a second and slowly expressed his promises his heart had forged a long time ago. "zhou ai. i cannot begin to explain just how fortunate i feel ever since i met you. it might sound cheesy and cliche but if not for you, then i would have never been able to stand up on my feet. i would have never been able to shed my past self. you are eccentric but cute and every one of your weird tactics have only managed to make the space for you in my heart wider and wider."


    ai sheepishly grinned with the compliment, bringing a cherry tint on her cheeks.


    "you gave me the courage to fall in love once again for which i had lost all hopes. you truly painted my dark and dull life with colors that cannot make me happier. i never even realized when those grey shades faded away from my side. with every color you brought in my life, i promise to fill your life with those same brighter colors too by a hundred, no - by a thousand folds, ai. i will stand like an impenetrable mountain in front of you whom nobody would be able to cross and hurt you. i vow to cherish you and protect your smile forever, in this life and in all our next lives."


    the sweet vows that escaped his lips rang in her ears akin to a beautiful melody, bringing tears to her eyes. she knew he couldn''t openly mention the past life, but his words held the weight of the lost lives and happiness that reinforced the promises of this life.


    the priest nodded in appreciation and then looked at ai. "i request the bride, miss. zhou ai, to say her wedding vows."

 Chapter 696 Wedding Bells (5)

    ?


    ai''s heart fluttered like a trapped butterfly. her eyes were fixed on jun, her lips parted in anticipation as she prepared to speak the words that would bind their souls together forever. the weight of the moment hung in the air.


    "liu jun. the first time we met, the thing that caught my heart were your eyes. your beautiful dark brown irises that resonated so deeply within me that they shook my heart. so pure and full of emotions that they pulled me towards you to know more about you. before i knew it, the small moments, the silly banter and the fun time we spent in the library became a part of my life as if it was so natural and then slowly but surely...you too."


    her moist eyelashes trembled as she shakily exhaled. "you always held my hand so tightly that i never fall. i was so afraid of heights, but you didn''t let that fear take root in me because you were always there to catch hold of me. you defeated the monsters under the bed i was so afraid of. you supported my dream every step of the way and you cured the loneliness which felt like would never leave me. just like how you never let go of my hand, i promise i won''t ever let go of yours too."


    she gazed at his dark brown irises through her veil and a scintillating smile radiated her lips. "with all my heart, i vow to love and cherish you. i will be honest and loyal, never betraying your trust. there would be no problems that you would face alone because i will be right there by your side to weather each and every storm. i will always protect your heart that makes you so cute."


    jun''s brow heavily twitched, but it was a good dose of laughter for the rest of the families.


    "i will always be yours, in this life and in all our next lives."


    "you have no right to make me cry like this..." jun tightened his jaw, trying to hold back the tears from falling.


    the wedding meant more than just a simple exchange of vows and rings for jun. he had envisioned a beautiful and unforgettable wedding in his past life which never came to fruition. as he realized he was reborn, he had willingly withdrawn himself from this path that would take him to love and happiness. but ai broke all those walls and vows and today, this day marked as the true beginning of jun''s future that he failed to achieve.


    "awww that''s why jun-cute is jun-cute~" nian teased.


    "shut up," he glared at his brother.


    the priest smiled and asked jun and ai to exchange rings. on jun''s side, jun stepped up and brought up a small velvet box and on the ai'' side, guiying arrived holding a similar box. she squealed, coming closer to them. "you two look so amazing. right, jin?"


    jin frowned a bit. his brow twitched, getting it harder to agree. "i will be a little generous today and say that the naturally lovable and warm person looks pretty...but obviously, bro wins between you two."


    "you finally praised me..." ai covered her mouth, feeling emotional. "can i hug you?"


    "of course not!"


    jun chuckled. jin might act cold and stern towards ai, but he knew that he liked her in his own way but would never admit it.


    jun picked the ring from the velvet box and gently held her left hand, slipping the sparkling diamond ring that he had done so on her birthday for her surprise. ai took the ring and slipped it on jun''s ring finger too, exploding the church with roars of claps and cheers.


    they gazed at small rings that signified the vows and their everlasting love for one another. it''s weight felt heavy with the responsibility of their happy future on their shoulders, but it was a sweet responsibility they were willing to carry till their hairs turned gray.


    the priest stepped forward and said, "with the exchange of vows and the rings, i now pronounce you as husband and wife. mr. liu jun. you may now kiss the bride."


    his heart pounded with a loud thud in his chest and with it, he pulled her waist with one arm and lifted her delicate white veil with another. admiring his bride for a precious moment and gazing into her loving light brown eyes, he sealed her lips and their marriage with a firm kiss. ai gently tiptoed and returned the kiss with the same fervor of emotions swirling and overwhelming her heart with a single tear softly slipping out of her left eye.


    a race of claps resounded across the church mixed with the sniffles of tears and emotions. "congratulations!"


    jin silently fixed his gaze at the newly wedded couple with a hint of warmth glinting in his black eyes. his lips quivered with an unknown emotion as he whispered, "you finally got your happy ending, bro..."


    he clenched his fists, his heart feeling a sense of lightness it never felt before. he exhaled in relief as if it was the first time he could finally breathe ever since being reborn. it was today that the shadow of the past life had truly disappeared forever.


    the similar inexplicable emotions were held by shui too, who watched and recognized the myriad of feelings jin must be feeling as he stood at the altar. unknowingly, her tears greeted her eyes because only she knew the hidden pain in jin''s heart. he would witness the weddings of his loved ones and see them embrace their new life, but what about him?


    to him, there would never come a day where he would stand on the other side of the altar as the groom.


    sitting on the front bench facing the altar, xie nuying trembled, her heart overwhelmed with pure exhilaration of her daughter''s wedding, but it contained a tinge of melancholy too. suddenly in just a few moments, ai seemed so far away to her that it hurt and pricked.


    "she is jun''s wife now, but..." she felt zhou yichen''s voice from beside her turning slightly gruff and hoarse, "ai-chan will always be our daughter first. our precious little girl."


    she turned to look and noticed the tears welling in his eyes but his lips still holding that goofy smile albeit with a tremble. she hesitated for half a second and then slowly placed her hand on top of his, sharing the same sentiments. slightly nervous, she wondered if he would dislike the gesture. but zhou yichen placed his right hand on top of her, gently squeezing it to feel her warmth. with their hearts that came together to celebrate this moment, they continued basking in the happiness of ai''s laughter.


    jinhai, nana and the siblings watched jun twirling his wife in his arms with the most dazzling and shimmering smile on his lips and a brilliant radiance in his pupils. he was a husband now and would soon become a father. he would have his own family which was a stark contrast from his lonely life of the past.


    nuo rubbed the tip of her nose, with the twins pinching her cheeks and hugging her from both sides. "it''s the time to smile, not cry little sister~"


    "i cannot help it..." she sniffled. "look at your own faces first. you look as if somebody cut a hundred onions."


    "d-don''t expose us little sister...!" they wiped their cheeks for the tenth time now.n-(0velbin


    on the bench, jinhai gently pulled nana in his arms, who couldn''t hold back her soft sobs of contentment. her shoulders trembled, and she buried her face in his chest. no words were needed to be said and heard as he too eventually allowed for his tears to fall.

 Chapter 697 The Time For Bachelors Spotlight

    ?


    "congratulations, jun! congratulations, ai!" n/)o-)v-(e/(l-)b/-1--n


    mrs. quan, the head librarian, hugged the two as they stepped down the altar. the couple grinned and hugged back into her warm, kind embrace. she was the first guest for the wedding who jun and ai personally invited. not a guest but like a family member to them.


    it was her library and her continuous and kind support which led them to meet in this life and eventually find love in each other.


    "thank you, mrs. quan!"


    "you look so beautiful together," she nodded in appreciation. "i remember the days you used to bicker and banter."


    "we do that now too," ai chuckled.


    "and that''s a very good and healthy thing in any relationship. i am so proud of you two," her lips curled with warmth.


    their hearts melted with her tender smile, and they hugged her again. jun said, "let me introduce you to our families."


    ai beamed. "yes, yes. mom and dad will be excited to meet you too."


    they proceeded to meet the liu and zhou families that emerged a string of joy and laughter in the air. jinhai and nana especially appreciated mrs. quan''s presence at a point in jun''s life when he was alone and lost. when he was away from the family and had no one to lean on. it was the warm library that had given him his sanctuary. as his parents, they couldn''t be more thankful to her.


    the couple then finally approached great-grandma liu, who was observing the ceremony, seated from her wheelchair. she narrowed her eyes at them and harrumphed. "so you remember to come to meet me? you don''t have to."


    jun took a turn and standing on the back of the wheelchair, he bent down to hug her. "how can we forget you, grandma?"


    "yes, yes, now no need to use that buttery tongue on me," she looked away.


    ai stepped to her side and asked, "grandma, grandma, how do i look?"


    she even twirled to show her full wedding dress.


    "stop right there! do you want to trip and fall?" great-grandma liu gasped in horror and stopped her. "take better care of yourself! you are going to become a mother now!"


    she then mumbled. "you young people just don''t know the dos and don''ts of being a pregnant woman..."


    her ears perked, and she asked, "then will you teach me, grandma? i am a novice. i need your guidance."


    she glared at her but voiced down her tone. "are you trying to butter me up too?"


    "of course not!" ai gravely shook her head. "why will i butter you up? we butter up people who don''t like us."


    "i don''t like you!"


    ai gasped. "you are just like jin! or maybe i should say jin is just like you! he keeps saying the same thing, but he secretly likes his naturally lovable and warm sister-in-law. i now see how he became a tsundere!"


    great-grandma threw another glare at her and decided to wheel herself away to leina''s side. "don''t you talk to me again!"


    jun''s brow twitched as she left. he coughed and patted her cheek. "she will warm up to you in no time. she never liked grandma and mom either but look now. she cannot live without her daughter-in-laws."


    "i know," she chuckled. "she is hard to please, but i know she will eventually like me. it''s hard to resist the cute me," she innocently blinked.


    he snorted and kissed her temple. "stay away from the twins i tell you."


    a while later as the congratulatory wishes and gift giving was done and dusted with, nian took it upon himself to become the emcee of the event. taking the mic, he cleared his throat and his voice echoed through the speakers.


    "*ahem!* look at me! everybody, look at me!" he waved his hand at the audience, putting all his hyperactive energy behind it. "first of all, a hearty congratulations to my dearest brothers! you have officially become wife slaves for the rest of your lives!"


    everybody laughed and clapped hard.


    the shine on leina and ai''s faces was unmistakable. ai poked her husband''s arm, sheepishly grinning. "wife slave. you will do as i say. so you won''t scold me for calling you cute."


    he immediately glared at her.


    "you won''t glare at me either, hehe."


    jian''s nose grew longer in pride. "i was already a girlfriend slave, so now i have been promoted to a wife slave. it''s a promotion!"


    xu liang, leina''s ever so doting father, pointed his trembling finger at him as tears poured out of his eyes. "shut up or i will demote you to a divorcee!"


    "..."


    "liang!" ah cy smacked hard on his head.


    nian ignored that banter and grinned. "now that both the weddings are done, it''s time for you four to step aside and let us bachelors take the spotlight! hah, that''s right! it''s time for the one and only bouquet and garter toss! and xing bi and i will be the first ones to catch hold of them. ahahahahaha! we will be the ones to get married next!" he laughed with an evil and villainous ring to it.


    xing bi felt like she had no face left to show, and she buried her flushed face in her palms.


    what is this idiot saying!


    liu hai, who was munching on some meatballs, sneered at him. "are you sure she would wanna marry my idiot grandson unless you do some black magic on her?"


    "what the hell do you mean, stupid old man!"


    "talk with respect to your grandfather, stupid grandson!"


    "don''t you curse my beautiful love life then!"


    "i was just stating the truth!"


    "well grandma tolerated you for all these years so i am sure i will be fine too!"


    liu hai almost grabbed his shoe to throw at him. "we were always very lovey-dovey, you blind buffoon!"


    "enough!" nana placed her hands on her waist and glared at them. "one more snarky argument and i am ending the celebration right here, okay?"


    "grandpa started it, mom!" nian cried.


    "dad..."


    he coughed. "i will continue eating my meatballs."


    nian harrumphed and went back to his emcee mode with a sparkling gaze. "so let''s start with the tosses shall we!"

 Chapter 698 The Bouquet-Garter Toss (1)

    ?


    first came jian and leina to stand on the altar once again to become the props for the bouquet and garter toss. if anybody else would step in right now, they would be blasted with an air of ongoing war as if bloodshed was about to take place.


    the bachelors, especially the guys, had pledged to catch the garter by any means possible to become the next groom in line, which is why nian, zixin, yunru, siying and yuhan looked extremely focused and alert.


    chyou nudged yating''s elbow and looked at him suspiciously. "you don''t want to be a part of the garter toss?"


    he scratched his chin. "not really. right now, i am just taking it easy in the love department and focusing on work," he lightly chuckled. "becoming the next fated groom is far from my agenda."


    "it''s not just about actually becoming the groom. what if it means that you meet your fated person soon~?"


    "hmmm looks doubtful," he tilted his head.


    she gasped. "who told you such nonsense?"


    he shook his head and slightly tapped her forehead back. "as always the drama queen. what about you? participating in the bouquet toss?"


    she scratched her chin. "not really. right now, i am taking it easy in the love department since i broke up with cheng yin and focusing on my acting," she laughed, "becoming the next fated bride is far from my agenda."


    "i should charge you for plagiarizing my answer."


    "hawwww. how could you have the heart to charge me? i like charging people instead~" she innocently blinked.


    he smiled. "it''s not just about actually becoming the bride. what if it means that you meet your fated person soon?"


    "now you are copying my question!"


    he shrugged up his shoulders. "tit for tat."


    she harrumphed. "hmph. anyway meeting the fated person looks doubtful."


    he let out a gasp. "who says such nonsense to the queen of the entertainment industry?"


    "who is the person infecting you to become such a drama king?"


    "why don''t you take a guess? maybe the person is sitting right beside me," he smiled.


    chyou was lit up with a realization. "so that''s why! grandpa, you didn''t tell me! when did you take yating as your pupil?"


    huh?


    yating took a look at his left, and his brow immediately twitched.


    liu hai, who was now munching on the wedding cake after begging and pleading for a piece to his wife, stared at yating up and down. "i don''t remember, dear. you know, i am so popular and famous that yating might have sneakily become my disciple. right, right yating?"


    he grinned and furiously patted his shoulder. "don''t worry, young man. i am the finest in the drama department! you are in good hands. hohoho~!"


    yating narrowed his eyes at chyou. "sly of you."


    she flipped her hair backwards. "i know."


    back in the warzone, everybody was ready with their positions, except jin, shui and nuo. jin had his obvious reasons to stay far from this tradition while for the girls, jinhai and zhiyuan both had the same decision.


    "too early for my daughter to participate."


    the wives only stared at their husbands with a judgemental gaze. "you do realize that this is only a fun game and doesn''t really mean that it will become true."


    "cannot take the risk," was their reply.


    "..."


    jian whispered to his wife on the altar. "i feel that if nian couldn''t catch the garter, he is gonna kill me."


    "i will have my popcorn ready for that~" leina chuckled.


    "my dear wife, you should now be taking my side," he sobbed.


    on a count of three, the couple tosses the garter and bouquet at the same time. immediately, a frenzy ensued in the chapel.


    "mine!"


    "mine!"


    a collective gasp echoed after a moment of silence and as jian and leina turned, they were dumbfounded to see nian actually holding the garter. on the women''s side, it was guiying who was looking at the bouquet caught in her hand with a dumbfounded expression.


    "i caught it! i caught it!"


    the victory in nian''s gaze seemed as if he had conquered the whole world.


    jun answered with his jaw dropped. "what was with that high jump?"


    "the high jump of my motivation to marry my cute xing bi next at any cost!" his eyes sparkled.


    "..."


    xing bi further buried her blushing face, wanting to escape.


    ahhh this is so embarrassing...!


    "don''t worry if you couldn''t catch the bouquet my dear!" nian exclaimed to reassure her. "you don''t have to feel disheartened because i have secured our future, hahaha!"


    jun''s mouth heavily twitched. ai laughed on her side. "that was a real high jump indeed."n-)o-(v/.e/.l-.b/)1.-n


    "that was some weird acrobatics."


    "congratulations guiying dear!"


    serena eagerly clapped on her side. "zixin was slow to catch, but you surpassed him! i am so proud of you!"


    chen liling felt emotional. "as always, it''s only the women here who have to take the charge."


    yubi squished her cheeks against guiying. "yay, you will soon become my sister-in-law! i cannot wait!!!"


    guiying parted and shut her lips, not knowing how to respond. only her cheeks all up to her neck flashed a shade of deep red. "i-it just came like that...i really didn''t d-do anything..."


    serena grinned. "this only goes to proves that women in the chen family excel even in not doing anything but still scoring the victory~"


    zixin, jianyu and chen guiren on her side, listening - "..."


    serena glared at her son. "learn something from your future wife!"


    future wife...


    a dizziness set in guiying, and she turned into a puddle of blush and embarrassment just like xing bi.


    zixin pursed his lips and threw a pointed glare at nian. "he was way too hyper."


    yunru puffed up his cheeks. "yes, yes! it''s all bro nian''s fault! he hijacked the toss for himself!"


    siying sighed helplessly too.


    "boooooooo!" yuhan and chyou''s younger brother, xiang laughed and booed at nian.


    "hey!" nian glared at the salty


    grooms-and-boyfriends-to-be. "you are all just jealous! you have to take the charge and bulldoze your way through if you want luck to shine upon you. that''s why i rightfully win~"

 Chapter 699 The Bouquet-Garter Toss (2)

    ?


    next were jun and ai, standing at the altar ready for their tosses. since nian caught the garter in the first round, his clear skin radiated even brighter and a new wave of motivation burst within him. xing bi was furiously waving her hand at him to tone down on the shine a bit.


    "now who will be the lucky ones this time? are you excited? are you excited!"


    nana chuckled, seeing him hop around all charged with energy. jin simply let out a sneer. she stared at jin at her side and asked him, "why aren''t you playing with everyone?"


    feeling her sharp and pointed gaze, jin cleared his throat. "not really interested."


    "it''s just a game and it''s good to have fun," she emphasized.


    he broke into a cold sweat now. "i prefer to be an onlooker."


    nana''s fixed gaze made his heart race as if the mother knew exactly what was going on. "hm."


    on the altar, jun and ai were ready to throw the tosses. nian cheered. "are you ready?"


    "yup."


    "yes," both said.


    "cool! on my mark now. three, two, one!"


    with the last number hitting the air, jun tossed his garter at the back while ai did the same with the bouquet. they quickly and eagerly turned, wanting to see who would catch it.


    ai gasped when the garter was caught by zhou yichen while chyou held the bouquet in her hands. a moment of silence reigned in which both the parties were looking at the prize in their hands dumbfounded.


    chyou scratched the top of her head, suddenly feeling the weight of the bouquet in her hands. "i-i was just trying to get to the other side of the benches to mom and dad hehe..."


    but seeing something fall before her, she instinctively bent to quickly catch it. only then did she realize what it was.


    zhou yichen couldn''t wrap his head around the garter toss too. but somehow it managed to find its way to him.


    "wooooooo!!!" nian chuckled with a mischievous tone to it as if it held an underlying meaning.


    yating was also in a daze for several long moments because of the conversation they just had before not participating in the game. but now chyou held the bouquet, making him wonder of her future. for some reason, he thought even more deeply than he would of the potential person she would meet, making him sense a mild discomfort.


    xie nuying, on the other hand, has choked hard seeing her ex-husband with the garter. she wasn''t sure if she was furious or trying to hide her embarrassment.


    "what would y-you do catching that garter?" she harrumphed. "you are way past your shiny young days."


    zhou yichen glared at her. "i am still as charming as i was when i met you. maybe fate finally showed some mercy on me..."


    he slowly sat back down, clearing his throat.


    "what mercy?" her gaze narrowed with a tinge of tension. "you look confident as if you have already met someone...i don''t wish for another poor woman to get fooled by your charms," she twiddled with her fingers. "i-i know you the best after all."


    he glared at her again but just as quickly withdrew, going into the same nervous mode as hers. "h-hah! i don''t need another woman for my charm to work on. you should beware though. what if you fall for me again?"


    her face furiously blushed despite her hardest attempts to maintain her poise. "pr-preposterous! as if i will! go check your head. maybe your age is finally getting to you."


    ignoring their banter, ai was the one who shone the most. she grabbed onto jun''s wrist and shook it hard to express her fervor. "jun! jun! did you see? dad and favorite idol caught the tosses!"


    she squealed with such joy that it was hard to contain, especially when chyou had broken up with cheng yin.


    jun was equally stunned with the outcome but satisfaction and pleasure gushed in his heart. chyou had her fair share of misery in the past and zhou yichen and xie nuying had met their untimely death. but they were getting a do-over in this life to overturn their tragic fate and catching the tosses couldn''t be any more fortunate sign.


    "does that mean there is hope for mom and dad to get back together?" she asked with a beaming and hopeful gaze. "and chyou would meet the real and deserving man of her dreams?"


    she sneakily peeked at yating''s side who she figured was still in deep thought and at her parents who looked like two nervous and jittery teenagers in love.


    jun let out a wide grin too. "i am not hoping, i know for sure that it will happen."


    nuo, shui, yubi, huan, leina and all the girls clapped hard. "congratulations chyou, uncle zhou!"


    yunru, zixin and the rest of the guys brightened as well. "congratulations!"


    nian''s gaze darkened. "you mean people! how come you were not so happy when i caught the garter! what is this injustice!?"


    "you cheated!" yunru puffed his cheeks and stomped his leg hard.


    "how dare you falsely accuse me!"


    liu hai nudged yating''s elbow with a sheepish grin. "chyou did half of the job. isn''t she so great?"


    "..."


    "wh-why are you telling me this, grandpa?" yating''s brow twitched.


    "because you need to pump yourself to start the other half of the work~"n(-0velb1n


    "..."


    caihong was patting xiaosi''s shoulder, who had slipped into a trance of depression. "why chyou? hasn''t she just broken up? she needs time!"


    "take it as a good sign," caihong chuckled. "all you fathers get depressed so easily."


    xiaosi pursed his lips, still dissatisfied. secretly, he was bathing in joy that chyou wouldn''t think of a relationship for sometime now. liang gave him his condolences too. "i understand your pain, bro."


    on the other side, zhiyuan looked at his son, displeased. "siying! how could you do this! you failed to catch the garter when you had two golden chances!"


    siying''s brow twitched. "i wouldn''t get even one chance to be with nuo anymore if i had caught that garter. do you not see uncle jinhai throwing his dark and deadly beams at me?"


    "such a disgrace to get afraid of liu jinhai! that man''s son had the nerve to date my daughter before and you cannot raise your own guts?"


    "..."


    shui consoled him by patting his head.


    "don''t scold my son unnecessarily!" xinyi threw him a soft glare and he immediately pulled back.


    and with the mixture of joy, hopes, uncertainty and anticipation ringing in everybod''s hearts for their bright future, the fun tradition of the bouquet-garter toss finally came to an end.

 Chapter 700 Gratitude

    after a long day of wedding celebrations that lasted throughout the day with a series of fun games and entertainment, the families and everybody finally let off the two couples into their love nest.


    ai collapsed on the bed, exhausted to her core. she breathed in and breathed out as if dispersing her weariness. a second later, she felt lifted in the air and opened her eyes in surprise. she caught his neck in between her arms and slightly pouted. "where are you taking me, husband?"


    she felt tickled throughout her chest addressing jun as her husband. the sweet, tingling emotion of becoming mrs. liu had not completely set in her heart but just the mention alone filled it with immense joy.


    the sweet word of husband chiming inside his ears made him feel as if he was floating on the clouds. "say that again."


    giving a mischievous smile, ai kissed his inviting jawline and said, "husband."


    the fluttering in his heart overwhelmed to a point that he couldn''t handle it. he laughed and twirled ai in his arms. "this feels like a dream, my wife."


    her face shone like a beautiful golden ray of sunshine. "i assure you this is very much a reality."


    "indeed. also, the reality is that my cute little wife is fatigued like anything so now her husband will help her with a nice and long warmth bath," he smiled and walked towards the bathroom where a tempting bathtub emanating warm steam from the hot water was already filled in.


    jun gently let her down and turning her back to him, he began undressing her wedding gown. the touch of his fingers against her zipper brought a shy blush on her cheeks. "i can undress myself..."


    "how can i let my wife lift even a finger when she is so tired and exhausted? what kind of a husband would i be?"


    "you are just being a hooligan," she mumbled.


    "husband hooligan~"


    "..."


    he brought his face just closer to hover it around her cheek, making her even more aware of his presence. his whisper of a breath tickled her ear. "why the shyness now, wife? you have valiantly shown me your bold side quite a number of times."


    "o-of course not. that was somebody else..."


    recalling all those lovemaking times where she took charge brought a deep flush across her face. jun only let out a knowing chuckle.


    the wedding gown slipped down and she felt a light shudder with the chilliness. jun carefully placed the gown on the other side and looked at her, raising his brow. "time for me to undo your bra."


    "..."


    "i-i will do it myself!"


    "you do know that i have undid your bra and panties many times, right?"


    ai covered her tomato red turned face in her palms. "don''t say that!"


    "what? that i have seen you naked?" he grabbed the fun in teasing her and deepening the shades of red flashing on her face.


    "didn''t i say i won''t let you even lift a finger?"


    "i don''t mind doing these menial tasks..." she cleared her throat.


    "no, no, no," he shook his finger in dismissal. "i ought to be a responsible husband. besides..." his palm gently caressed her waist, pulling her towards him, "tonight is a very special night for us. more special than all the other nights we have spent."


    his husky voice floated in the warm fumes of water, notching up the heat up in the atmosphere.


    ai couldn''t show her face at all. of course, jun had seen her naked on all the lovemaking occasions but realizing the gravity of this day where they were finally pronounced as husband and wife, a different and more sweeter emotion took root in her heart. everything felt new just like the night of the valentine''s when they had first made love.


    eventually, jun placed her inside the warm bathtub as she continued hiding her blushing face. but she withdrew her hands as soon as the warm water hit her flesh. just the touch alone seemed to drain away the tiredness. the water temperature was just perfect, bringing a pleasant smile on her lips.


    jun splashed a few drops of water across her face and ai did the same. "how is this fair that you are still the fully dressed person here?" she complained.


    a brilliant light glinted in his dark brown orbs and he said with a wide grin. "with pleasure. seems like my wife doesn''t want to stay apart from me even by a few inches."


    "y-you know i didn''t mean it that way!"


    but it was too late and jun stepped in the warm water and claiming his spot behind ai, he took his seat and slid his escaping rabbit towards him. "where do you suppose you are going?"


    she pursed her lips. "i felt the soap was small."


    "there is plenty of soap and shampoos and oils and whatever you will need. your husband has thoroughly prepared everything."


    she clicked her tongue, failing to defeat his perfect and devious plans.


    "did you just click your tongue at your husband who only held pure intentions of helping his wife with a warm, relaxing bath?" he narrowed his eyes, looking hurt.


    ai giggled and buried her face in his toned, muscular chest. "i know all about how pure your intentions are."


    he harrumphed. "i only meant pure bathing. it''s not my fault if your mind is perverted."


    "and who made it this perverted?" she cast an accusing question at the perpetrator.


    "you always were. does anybody have to make you perverted?" he showed a surprised expression.


    "you are not only a hooligan but a shameless hooligan."n--ovelbin


    their sweet bickering echoed a tender laughter in the air. they fixed their warm gazes at each other, genuinely wanting to grasp this emotion. stepping out of their past shadows, they had forged a new path for themselves. it felt so surreal that a few moments of poised silence hung in the air.


    "thank you for everything ai..." he bumped his forehead against hers, whispering to her lips. "for coming into my life, for teaching me about my imperfections, for showing me the strength to overcome my past, for giving me the courage to fall in love again and now..." he placed his palm on her belly, wanting to feel the presence of their child. his eyes ached, thinking of a little jun or ai growing inside it, "for giving us this wonderful gift. our child ai...i cannot be any happier...thank you for everything. i love you, ai. i love you so much."

 Chapter 701 One forever (1) *

    chapter 701 one forever (1) *


    the bathroom was soon filled with steamy and soapy bubbles as jun began to gently wash her body. with soft and tender movements, his fingers massaged her sore aches that released a sigh of relief from her lips.


    "my husband''s massage is the best~"


    jun''s dark eyes watched her with danger. "you are saying as if you have experience in getting massages."


    ai tilted her up against his chest and said, "i do."


    "..."


    "they have given me a lot of good massages. but your massages are the best!" she chirped.


    his gaze darkened. "who are these people to give you massages?" he felt his knuckles crackling.


    "hehe, are you feeling jealous?"


    "no!"


    she frowned and looked away. "well, if you refuse to admit that you are not getting an answer."


    his brow twitched. "you are just messing with me, aren''t you?"


    she gasped. "this is just the first day of us being husband and wife and you are already doubting me? it hurts."


    "fine, fine. as always being the dramatic wife," he pinched her cheeks. "i am jealous. now tell me who gave you massages!"


    if it is that gu yating then i will kill him!


    "you are thinking it to be yating, aren''t you?"


    he let out a cough. "of course not."


    his sideways darting gaze proved otherwise though.


    she chuckled helplessly, shaking his chin. "you are still so guarded against yating."


    "i wasn''t until now," he harrumphed.


    her chuckle turned into a laughter and she kissed his lips. "it''s not yating. it''s mom and xing bi."


    "..."


    "what?"


    ai continued laughing watching the speechlessness in his countenance. "mom and xing bi have given me good massages at times, especially when i would overwork. i used to stay awake for long nights in the past to work on my stories. xing bi would also stay awake with me," her gaze was filled with warmth as she thought of her. "then she would give me super good massages! then when i used to go back to my hometown, mom used to do the same because xing bi would spill the beans that i wasn''t taking care of my health," she pouted.


    a pleasant smile curled his lips. "that''s good then. so you are saying that my massages are better than mom and xing bi''s."


    ai could practically see his nose getting longer with pride. she chuckled and pinched it. "yes."


    "are you sure they wouldn''t feel betrayed if they hear this?" he raised his brow.


    she cleared her throat. "of course they wouldn''t because this is a secret between us husband and wife," she sheepishly grinned.


    "hah! you sneaky liar. why do you think i will agree? i would gladly boast about it," he smirked.


    "how can you do this to me, jun? aren''t we on the same side here?"


    he was in disbelief. "what about the time when you join hands with the troublesome twins against me?"


    "i never did that," she sincerely bobbed her head.


    he sneered and lightly pinched her waist, making a soft yelp escape her lips. the crimson shade began to fill her neck and chest once again. "and now you are learning to lie just like them, aren''t you?"


    he pulled her back against his chest, the frothy lather of soap sliding their chests against one another. a sultry flicker of passion lit up his irises as he pushed her breasts against his chest.


    "you are falsely accusing me..." her eyelashes slightly trembled as his hands caressed her back and waist. she felt her body heat up but couldn''t tell if it was because of the warm bath or jun''s tantalizing touch.


    the desire grew thicker and denser as his eyes traveled down her body, tracing the naughty foamy droplets sliding down. his breath hitched, a lump forming in his throat. he stopped the journey of one such drop of soap bubble trickling towards her breast. he tilted his head, a hue of yearning forming in his eyes. he gently pressed the upper part of her breast with the tip of his finger. soon, the fingers joined in to cup her soft breast within his palm.


    he immediately felt her jolt with a mellow look of pleasure greeting her eyes. but she didn''t stop there and this time, she placed her moist palm on his chest, tracing the curves of his muscles with a sparkling gaze. "you are so strong."


    jun remembered her remarking the same on their first night on valentine''s evening. he pinched her chin and pulled it forward. with a raspy voice that tickled her breaths, he whispered, "and this strength is only to protect you."


    they automatically leaned forward to capture each other''s lips in a long and fierce kiss. ai wasted no time in parting her lips and letting in the enticing sensation of his tongue clashing against hers. their hearts remained in a beautiful, steady rhythm as they bit and pressed their lips, wanting to absorb this moment. the wedding, the vows, the rings - everything was so special about today that just one kiss wasn''t enough to capture the exhilaration.


    gasping and breathing heavily with hoarse moans ringing throughout the bathroom, they passionately dove into a deeper and fiercer kiss. biting on his lips, jun''s hunger grew even more intense as if a storm was about to encroach. his gaze as dark as the grey clouds was proof of the budding heat soaring through his veins.


    in turn, he left no chance to make a mess of her lips, occasionally getting to hear the sweet melody of her moans he loved so much. feeling her shivering body in his arms, he knew exactly what rogue sparks would ai be going through. with the countless times that they made love, he was well aware what her body craved and to satisfy her bubbling, tickling heat, he slipped his hand under the water and pressed her soft spot of pleasure while also entering her with his finger. n((0v¦Ålb1n


    a pleasurable cry escaped her lips with his fingers squeezing and clasping the spots, a shudder of ecstasy rushing in her blood. washing her body thoroughly, jun quickly drained the excess of water until they got the required space. removing his finger from her wet entrance, he caught her thighs, positioning her in front of him and gently and cautiously pushed himself inside her. he was being cognizant that she was pregnant and hence was taking every measure to tenderly make love to her.


    with how slowly and gently jun made his way to squeeze between her inside walls, ai felt the fullness approaching her with a satisfaction she failed to express in words. she could only rest her head on his shoulder, sinking deeper and deeper into this seemingly never-ending wave of warmth.


    with his warm breaths fanning her face, he continued to whisper her name in her ear, pushing himself in and out, striking the strongest friction with her core. ai had already climaxed long back with her body grown sensitive ever since she became pregnant. licking and biting on the soft flesh of her seductive neckline, jun, too, shuddered with his climax inside her, humming his love for her over and over again.

 Chapter 702 One forever (2) *

    chapter 702 one forever (2) *


    jun placed her gently on the fluffy, voluminous bed all fresh and warmed up not only from the bath but from a naughty lovemaking exercise too. ai''s small face flushed red as if she was intoxicated. with her soft giggles, jun tilted his head with an air of curiosity. "why are you giggling?"


    "i am just admiring your beauty. my husband is so handsome."


    he chuckled. "you sound drunk though i am pretty sure you had no alcohol to drink."


    "who needs alcohol when you have a cute and fluffy husband like mine~?"


    his brow heavily twitched. he was on top of her with her hands wrapped around his neck. he kissed the top of her head. "yup, you are definitely drunk but i wonder what it was?"


    "hmm right now..." she ever so slightly lifted her head, bumping her nose against his and giving a feathery peck on his eyelashes, "maybe it''s your dark brown eyes? you know i always find them mesmerizing."


    a hint of a dark storm glinted in them as he cocked his brow. "hooo."


    twirling a lock of her hair around his finger and placing it behind her ear, he whispered with a smile. "what else?"


    her eyes twinkled with mischief and she raised her head further to peck his brows. "or maybe it''s how you arch your brow. it tickles something inside me when you raise your brow like that. you look ten folds more handsome," she blushed.


    do i?


    that was quite a novel and refreshing compliment for him.


    "anything else, my wife?"


    she tapped the tip of his nose with her teeth, saying hoarsely as if it was a hushed secret. "or maybe it''s your long and sharp nose? i feel like chomping on it."


    his eyes narrowed and he inched his face closer to hers, a still but a sensuous silence rising in the air. they could hear the faint notes of their restless and wanting breaths. from behind her ear, his finger slowly started to trace her neckline and clavicle. "what else?"


    the stakes were growing higher, and ai huskily grazed her palm across his jawline, placing a firm kiss there next. "your jawline scores a very large chunk of the points," she said very slowly.


    he couldn''t help but bite his lower lip inwardly, trying to suppress his awakening heat. "next."


    he urged in anticipation knowing where ai would go next. but it seemed she had a different plan in mind as she licked his adam''s apple with the tip of her tongue. "this equally looks to be the culprit behind my inebriation."


    the space between his brows furrowed slightly upon not getting the expected answer. nevertheless, he was pleased.


    "next," this time his voice sounded more urgent.


    ai held his hand and intertwined her palm with his, kissing the tips of his fingers. "it feels dizzy when you touch and caress me with your big hands," her gaze softened, "they have so much strength in them yet are so gentle."


    the tickling, feathery kisses left by his wife were beginning to become the culprit behind the erection of his member. ai felt the rising scorching heat between her thighs, her body shivering.


    "next..."


    she watched the increasing fervor in his orbs growing fiercer and fiercer. she placed her other free hand on his chest where she could feel the thumping heartbeats becoming more and more erratic. "it feels spinning when i rest my head against your chest and listen to your heart beats like this..."


    she pressed her right side of her face against it, her ear listening to the drums of his beats.


    with a sharp shudder that sizzled his back, he pinched her jaw, slightly losing his control with his haywire breaths making a mess of his heart and body. "i think you missed something in between."


    his voice was more of a growl.


    a playful light passed in her eyes. sensing the trembles of his body, she felt her heart pounding in her chest too. she murmured. "hmm, did i?"


    "ai..." his gaze darkened almost akin to a threat as if to warn her not to provoke him further.


    this time she didn''t test his patience and placed her finger on his lips. "this wins the second place for making me drunk. do you have anything to defend yourself, mr. culprit?"


    her lips brushed upon his, not going in too further. with his mountain of patience finally thinning out, he forced her head back on the pillow, crashing his lips on hers as if the bubbling storm was finally here to make her his. gasps and moans echoed as he slurped his tongue on hers. biting on her lower lip, he tried to reign in his excited erection.


    he withdrew his tongue from inside her mouth and breathlessly confessed. "i have nothing to defend. the only thing i can do is to add up to my crimes."


    "then how about i help you with that?"


    her light whisper sent a crackling shudder down his spine.


    "first here," she pointed at the left side of her neck, "to all the way here," she then pointed at the right side. n--o--v/.e-)l(/b()i/-n


    jun willingly obliged, leaving a trail of his kisses across his neck.


    "then here..." her breath hitched as she raised her shoulder.


    with his lips making a firm mark there, she started to point down towards her chest where she had untied her bathrobe. "i like it the most when you act as a hooligan here."


    he almost stumbled off his balance. taking in a sharp breath wasn''t enough to calm his nerves either. "you...are going to be the death of me one day..."


    she grabbed his head and pushed it down in the middle of her chest. "this death is a thousand times more enticing than the past''s."


    fuck!!


    as the last thread of control broke apart, he put her breast in his mouth with a pleasurable moan instantly resounding in the room. clutching the pillow in her fist, she threw her head back with tears escaping her eyes as his tongue and teeth invaded the soft flesh of her breasts. she squeezed her thighs around his waist, urging him to enter her which he gladly did.


    ai drew in a sharp gasp, feeling her walls stretched and completely occupied by a sweltering hot presence. she moved herself in tandem with the rhythm of his member pushing itself in and then withdrawing itself out. it felt irksome to her for him being this gentle though she was aware that he was being mindful.


    jun choked hard, immediately feeling the rush in the pace. "ai, we should go slow."


    "i am fine and believe me, i know my limits. i won''t be careless."


    "still we should-"


    "will you move fast yourself or should i do it?"


    "..."


    eventually, he had to raise the white flag of defeat and grabbing her back, he thrusted inside her harder but not so hard like all the previous times. every penetration flooded a gush of euphoria that drove them into a never-ending bliss of delirium. climaxing once again after a series of hard and fast pounding thrusts, they found solace in each other''s embrace.


    "you are impossible, you know that, right?" jun asked as he panted, nestling his sweaty forehead in her neck.


    an ear-to-ear grin shone on ai''s face. "but you still love me, hehe..."


    he pinched her thigh, making her gasp. "h-how can you bully your pregnant wife? do you even have a heart?"


    "..."


    the audacity!

 Chapter 703 An unforgivable rift

    chapter 703 an unforgivable rift


    the same beautiful night when two newly wedded couples were basking at the peak of their bliss, the same couldn''t be said about a certain someone who was staring outside his balcony towards the open sea. the weddings were held in a church near a scenic beachside hotel where a one night stay was provided for everybody.


    jin breathed in the cool but faintly salty air, listening to the calming sound of the waves friendly greeting the shore. his mind was devoid of any thoughts but at the same time, it felt as if it was bombarded by many.


    as he lowered his gaze, his eyelashes blinked upon seeing shui stepping into the beach. she walked on the soft sand, making her way towards the sea. jin didn''t know why but instead of turning away back to his room, he chose to silently stare at her back. shui was watching the waves reach up to her feet and chuckling, she waved them back and forth, splashing the water around.


    a few strong gusts of winds made her hug herself and wrap the woolen shawl around her tighter. jin tapped his finger on the balcony''s railing and frowned.


    *meow*


    he looked down and found ai-chan staring at him and climbing on his body up to his shoulder. closing her eyes, she rubbed her face against him. a warm smile curved his lips and he tickled her under her chin. down, jun-cute was circling his feet, sending him his own signals.


    jin laughed and picked him up too. "you two are really cute."


    down at the beach, shui realized that it might have been a bad idea to come outside after all. she thought a stole would be enough, but the winds were growing gusty and cold, making her shudder. she was too lazy to go back and fetch a jacket. she flipped some sand in the air, sighing.


    she slowly felt a warm jacket cover her stole bound shoulders and surprised, she slightly jerked her head up.


    "jin...?"


    she couldn''t help but part her lips in shock. "you are awake? and the cats too..." she beamed and ruffled their heads.


    the two cats jumped down from his shoulders and began hopping around in the sand with each other.


    "they wanted to play outside," he shrugged. "then again, you are awake too."


    "ah," she awkwardly scratched her chin, "i was feeling bored and the beach looked fun. it is so beautiful at night. th-thank you for your jacket..." she clutched it closer to her.


    "hm."


    they stayed silent for several moments, especially remembering the trip and the kiss. even though everything seemed normal, both struggled to initiate more conversation.


    jin was tapping his fingers on his trousers with his thumb inside his pocket. "...you shouldn''t be out when it''s this cold."


    "i know," she smiled. "i just thought it would feel refreshing."


    jun-cute came and sat beside her feet, staring at her hard.


    "hehe, do you want me to hold you?"


    as if right on the cue, he jumped into her arms and settled like a king. with his furry body against her chest, she immediately felt the warmth seep in.


    ah it''s so warm... nove-lb)1n


    "let''s sit...?" she asked a moment later.


    jin didn''t mind and he joined her. they kept a small distance between them as they sat on the sand. ai-chan rested against his chest, tired from all the running around.


    they watched the dark horizon ahead in silence. the waves gently kissed their feet, sending them a sense of rejuvenation through their troubled hearts.


    shui smiled as she said, "i am really happy for jun and ai."


    "hm."


    she looked at him and saw the hint ofjoy in his gaze as well. it gave off a feeling as if a long journey had finally come to its conclusion. his shoulders seemed light and relaxed as if a burden was lifted off them.


    he then peeked at her and asked, "what are your plans now?"


    "my plans?"


    "yeah about your future. you said you were interested in taking art."


    "oh yes," she gave a wide grin, "mom is a cool artist too. she even helped aunt shuang with her multiple video games projects. i am thinking something along the similar lines. to become a design artist for marketing and advertising?" she scratched her head. "i am still not sure if i am cut out for it though hehe..."


    "you are. you always drew the good stuff," he smiled. "i know you will do great."


    with his black eyes so sharp and focused on her with an equally strong belief for her future, she felt her heart skip several beats. she pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. "th-thanks..."


    she coughed. "your days will be busy in the liu corps with uncle jinhai, right? ceo training must be tough. bro is doing the same."


    he didn''t answer.


    "hm?"


    "i will be leaving for paris."


    shui blinked rapidly, staring at him hard. "paris?"


    "hm. my grandma and grandpa are there. from mom''s side. you know that. they live on and off beijing and paris. i thought about it for a while and decided that i will work in his company and learn business management from grandpa."


    shui couldn''t wrap her head around this sudden bomb dropped on her and her heart sank as if she was thrown into the sea. "b-but why suddenly?"


    "it''s not sudden. like i said, i have been giving it some thought for a long time. bro nian had also studied in paris to become a patisserie. i thought it would be a good change of pace for me too," his stance didn''t faze, "i will not be leaving immediately though. once i see my nephew or niece and spend some time with him or her, i will leave."


    a long and sharp silence ensued. the sound of the crashing waves felt defeaning.


    "...o-oh."


    her voice trembled and her lips quivered with the cold. "so you are leaving. for how much time...?"


    jin clenched his fist, feeling his heart pound in his chest. "not sure at this point. it will be at least for five years though."


    she bit her lip hard, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. the cold wind hurt her moist eyes but she could care less. "and this is purely to have a bright career and future and nothing to do with the past or the condition or the fact that you will be forced to live in the same city as me and forced to bear my presence and forced to keep seeing my face again and again and again?"


    "it has nothing to do with that."


    the cats felt the disturbance in the air and raised their heads, worriedly purring and rubbing their paws on them.


    shui gently placed jun-cute on the ground and stood on her feet. she removed the jacket from the shoulders and handed it back to jin.


    he panicked and anxiously got up on his feet too. "it''s still cold-"


    "not really, jin. not anymore."


    tears streamed down her face as she forced a smile on her lips. "and you were right. you don''t deserve to be forgiven because you are a coward. you think that your past with kang xue has hurt me? then you are wrong because that pain doesn''t come even remotely close to this decision. you were right again. since it''s god''s condition, who are we to challenge it? we should keep following it with our heads ducked and mouths shut for the rest of our lives even if that means crushing our own hearts."


    "shui-"


    "i wish you good luck and a safe journey. i believe we don''t have anything to talk about anymore."


    neither did she say anything further or spare him any glance as she turned her back to him and walked away, hugging herself. but this time, the culprit for that embrace was not the harsh, cold wind but jin''s icy, callous words that froze her heart miserably.


    jun-cute and ai-chan stared at jin, who stood extremely quiet, his gaze fixed at a faraway distance. he watched shui''s figure disappear into the hotel, his heart trembling with the bleak realization that there would probably not be any next time to talk to her ever again. he could feel it within him crystal clear.


    it was not only shui''s love, but jin had brought forth a deep and unforgivable rift into their precious friendship too. and he didn''t know if those cracks would ever mend.

 Chapter 704 A pleasant night (1)

    704 a pleasant night (1)


    "xing biiiiiii!!!"


    nian zoomed past and caught her in his arms with a wide grin, firmly squeezing her.


    "ssshh!" she placed her finger on her lips, glaring at him. "it''s late at night so don''t make a ruckus or you would wake up the whole hotel."


    "my heart cannot resist whenever i see you," he held her face and found his way to her lips, locking them with his in a passionate kiss.


    her face turned red but she didn''t mind the onslaught of his peppery kisses. he pulled back and kissed her forehead, his eyes twinkling with delight. "the night feels so beautiful. how about we take a walk?"


    "sure."


    the cool, pleasant air swirled past their faces as they walked. she breathed in, feeling lighter and fresher. she looked at the beach in the distance, thinking of the past.


    mom always wanted to go to the beach...


    it was a trip she dreamed of every summer vacation, but it was a wish that never got realized.


    feeling slightly melancholic, she glanced at nian, walking straight with his left hand in his pocket and right hand dangling back and forth as he hummed a merry tune. her heart drummed as the soft light from the lamps on the pathway lit his handsome side profile.


    xing bi didn''t know why but a sense of trepidation filled her chest. she would sneakily move her hand towards him but immediately pull back.


    oh come on! it''s just holding hands! why am i so nervous? for god''s sake, we have kissed. this should be a child''s play!


    apparently, it wasn''t. after a few failed attempts, she lacked the tears to shed and gave up. on this pleasant and refreshing night and walking hand in hand with her boyfriend was simply a chef''s kiss for her.


    why is it so difficult...


    unbeknownst to her, nian was quietly observing her struggle and the hand inching closer to hold his. he knew what was in her mind but wasn''t able to put it into action.


    aish my xing bi is so cute, he inwardly smiled.


    nian could easily just extend his own hand and intertwine it with hers, but he refrained. instead, he slightly increased his pace of walking.


    xing bi felt a change in speed and walked faster to catch up. but once she turned breathless, she took a big step and instinctively grabbed his hand. "wait for me!"


    nian smiled a cunning smile but hid it as he looked back. "oh i didn''t realize i wasn''t walking faster. the atmosphere is so pleasant. sorry xing biii!" he showed a cute, apologetic face.


    he pulled the same hand that grabbed his and locked his fingers against hers. he kissed her cheek and asked, "shall we continue?"


    xing bi looked down and felt the warmth from his big, sturdy hand envelop her. her expression elated to know that she unknowingly crossed the hurdle she was struggling with.


    well this makes it my score even if it was unintended right? n.-o--v/)e-/l-)b./1.-n


    but i still have to improve next time...


    she beamed. "yes, let''s continue!"


    "hehe, where do you think we should hold our wedding? it will be even grander than jian and jun''s, hahaha!"


    xing bi shook her head but with a content smile on her lips.


    ¡ª


    guiying tried her hardest to sleep, but apart from rolling back and forth in the bed, she could do nothing. she didn''t feel drowsy and sighing, she got up and leaned her back against the bed. she took her phone and randomly scrolled up the weibo chat.


    a smile bloomed her lips seeing ai''s popularity grow with her first published book under sky. there was praise and acknowledgments showered everywhere.


    eventually, she felt bored and suffocating being cooped up inside her room and slipping on her fluffy slippers, she stepped out of her room. but a heart attack almost struck her as she crashed into zixin.


    she immediately apologized and asked, pushing her hair at the back of her ear, "zi-zixin. what are you doing here?"


    he jolted and looked panicky. "i am really sorry for giving you the scare. i wasn''t feeling sleepy so i was just walking around..."


    "oh. yeah same," she awkwardly smiled. "couldn''t sleep."


    zixin looked away for a moment and asked hopefully, "do you want to eat cake?"


    "cake?"


    "there is still a lot of wedding cake remaining."


    "at this time?"


    "yes."


    guiying burst into a chuckle with the strange proposition.


    hm but i never ate cake at two in the morning right? let''s do something different.


    "sure."


    they slowly walked down towards the hotel''s kitchen humming and talking. it was late, but zixin managed to get access. he grabbed two plates and a big slice of the cake in each.


    guiying dig her fork and took a bite, the sweetness just melting in her mouth. "yuummm!! i think it tastes more tasty because it''s so late at night."


    zixin beamed, seeing her small face light up with joy.


    "does ''she'' like cake too?"


    "not really. ''she'' likes more bitter stuff. ''she'' must be cursing me right now," guiying sighed. "''she'' appears so on and off these days."


    "indeed. i haven''t talked to ''her'' in a while."


    "maybe ''she'' is just being grumpy."


    guiying noticed a tinge of whip cream on his chin, and she coughed. "there..."


    zixin blinked. "hm?"


    "you got some cream on your chin."


    she pointed at the spot but he kept missing it, wiping altogether wrong places.


    "oof, not there," guiying leaned closer and wiped the cream off herself with the heel of her palm.


    she froze, her face glowing in red tint with the boldness she just displayed. "th-that...!"


    her heart pounded with his face so closer to hers but it just skyrocketed when he took her hand and ever so slowly but agonizingly licked her palm where the whip cream was.


    the moist sensation of the tip of his tongue sliding across made her go numb and blank. he licked her flesh clean, satisfied. "we shouldn''t waste food."


    her brain short-circuited and she pulled her hand back, struggling to speak. "y-you-you...y-you..."


    the place where he licked her felt burning hot. failing to think of anything, she simply ran away with a dark crimson hue on her face.


    zixin pursed his lips, seeing her escape and looking at the half-eaten cake. "i wanted her to finish the cake though."


    in the end, he took her plate and gobbled the remaining cake too. he murmured with a sly and pleased smile. "we shouldn''t waste food."

 Chapter 705 A pleasant night (2)

    705 a pleasant night (2)


    a tense and serious strain marked the creases on yating''s forehead as he stared down intently. he breathed in sharply, fully understanding the gravity of this life and death situation. just one misplaced outcome and he...


    "go on, yating. this is your last chance."


    chyou posed the grim question, her heart pounding faster.


    yating finally steeled his heart for whenever fate would lie before and with closed eyes, drop the precious on the floor that he hoped would give him the desired result.


    "hah! boooooo! you lose! ahahahaha!"


    yating half-opened his left eye and stared at the number three cast on the dice. her brow twitched hard and his shoulders slumped.


    "you landed right in the snake''s mouth hoho~" chyou expressed, very pleased. she threw the dice as it was her turn and without a doubt won the fourth round of the snakes and ladder game.


    her brother, xiang clapped hard while simultaneously consoling the loser. "don''t mind it, bro yating. sis is not just the queen of the entertainment industry but also of all kinds of games."


    her nose grew longer in pride. "i cannot believe i am so talented."


    "haish!" yating leaned back his shoulders and rested his weight on his hands. "it''s a bummer to not be able to win even once."


    chyou cheerfully asked, "what next, what next? oh, let''s play video games!" nove-lb)1n


    xiang released a heavy sigh. "ah, i am even worse at those."


    yating raised his brow. "i haven''t played much video games."


    chyou stumbled back, her hand trembling near her lips. "y-you didn''t? video games are so fun!"


    "they are so so i guess."


    the look of betrayal and hurt across her face shaded even deeper. "you must be playing so-so games. if you play the cool, fun games that i play, there is no way you won''t get addicted! i will show you the real world!"


    coming to a resolve, she locked her hands in his arms and tried to pull him up. "come on, stand up," she slanted her body to push him out of his couch potato spot.


    "good luck, bro. she is not gonna let you go."


    "obviously not," she harrumphed.


    yating sighed and pushed himself up to stand. chyou giggled and dragged him towards her state-of-the-art video games monitors.


    "how come there are such things in this hotel?"


    "i can arrange for anything~" she winked.


    she made him sit beside her and handed him the game controller. "let''s start with the easy ones until you get the hang of using the controller."


    "cool."


    xiang yawned and simply remained as a spectator of the video game tutorials by zhu chyou.


    "yes, now press the forward button!"


    "i am!"


    "but he isn''t moving!"


    "i think the buttons aren''t working."


    "hawwwww! don''t you dare speak ill of my precious babies," she glared at him. "they are top-class."


    yating''s awkward body movements were painful to watch who was trying his best to catch up with video game player queen chyou.


    "aha! i managed to throw the detonator!" eventually, it seemed that his level was increasing. he gave a proud and victorious smirk.


    xiang watched the duo, lazily leaning back on the couch and having chips. chyou''s laughter ringing in the air pleasantly filled his heart with satisfaction. the cheer in yating''s eyes felt peaceful as well. it was like two good friends having the best time of their life, bickering and bantering while playing video games late at night. he stared at them and their increasing physical proximity coupled with their laughter.


    they have grown so close and fond of each other.


    the comfort they unknowingly felt for each other was evident in their gazes. thinking of the particular video game, a thought came across xiang''s mind.


    if cheng yin has drained my sis''s hp then bro yating is like the healing potion.


    xiang shook his head with the silly analogy. he quietly got up and tiptoed out of the room, leaving them to enjoy this pleasant night.


    ¡ª


    in the calm and tranquil solitude of the church, xie nuying sat by herself on a bench in the third row. her gaze observed the altar where ai had been standing just a few hours ago, taking vows and exchanging rings with jun.


    a gentle, warm smile curved her lips.


    thank you for making my ai so happy...


    she expressed her gratitude to god from the bottom of her heart. as a mother, she wanted nothing else but for ai''s husband to love and protect her and never let go of her and she couldn''t imagine anybody but jun to fit that role.


    she exhaled a soft breath, continuing to gaze at the altar. along the way, she didn''t realize when her thoughts wandered off to her own wedding with zhou yichen.


    ''marry me.''


    the words tickled her ears as if she could still hear them crystal clear even after all the years that passed by. she blushed with the silliness of remembering something happened so far in the past.


    she then heard some footsteps and she turned, wondering who would come at the church at this late hour apart from her. her body froze and so did zhou yichen''s.


    zhou yichen was glad that he could maintain his balance. he thought everybody would be tucked in their pillows, sleeping soundly like babies but apparently, xie nuying was the night owl.


    he remained awkwardly standing at an odd angle for sometime because neither he could walk ahead nor go back. he gathered his calm and brought his casual demeanor back as he chose to walk forward.


    "so you couldn''t sleep either."


    xie nuying''s heart had almost jumped out of her chest.


    ''marry me.''


    she vigorously shook her head and slapped her face to wake up from the past.


    "..."


    "was ai-chan''s wedding so traumatic for you?"


    she threw him a soft glare. "i am fine."


    he scoffed. "yeah sure."


    "what are you doing here?"


    "nothing really. i was just bored," he took a seat one row back from hers.


    silence.


    xie nuying kept throwing sneaky glances at him while zhou yichen did the same, patting his hands inside his pockets and nobody being able to end the silence loop.


    both cursed themselves simultaneously.


    ugh! this is so awkward!

 Chapter 706 A pleasant night (3)

    706 a pleasant night (3)


    as if a rock had divided the free flow of water, the divide in the atmosphere reached their hearts too. xie nuying and zhou yichen would always find ways to bicker with each other, pointing out the hundred faults they found in them but today the struggle to even meet each other''s gaze was real.


    why would ai want us together? isn''t that ridiculous?


    she clearly remembered the time when ai and jun were hospitalized because of a sudden high fever. it was then when she had urged them to give their relationship a second chance. she wanted them to patch their differences no matter what.


    why would ai be so stubborn after so many years?


    zhou yichen, too, fanned himself to dissipate the heat despite the temperature in the church being cool and pleasant. he wasn''t able to stay still ever since he caught the garter.


    of course that was just a silly game, he internally placated his mind that was pacing back and forth like a game of ping pong.


    yes, it was just a silly game. just a tradition. it doesn''t mean anything.


    inside his pockets, he was fidgeting with his wedding ring, running it circles around his palm and fingers as if that would ease the tension.


    "the wedding was so much fun, right?" he randomly babbled, unable to bear the silence.


    xie nuying released a deep breath of relief. the awkwardness was eating her from within too. "indeed, it was," she stood straight, trying to pose an indifferent stance. "so much young energy around."


    "you are saying that as if we have become a bunch oldies."


    "not oldies but we are not exactly young either."


    "you are talking about yourself, right?"


    xie nuying gazed at him with a soft glare. "naturally, i am talking about both of us."


    "don''t count me in," he snorted. "just look at me. i am still as charming as ever~"


    "and how many skincare products do you use to retain that ''charm?''" she raised her brow.


    "as if i need to use any beauty products! you are just jealous!" he scowled.


    "i don''t need to be jealous of an old man who is growing out grey hairs just like me," she remarked.


    his gaze darkened. "that man is still swoon worthy to many women. but i don''t expect you to understand. you always had a bland taste before you met me."


    her cheeks plumped up in displeasure. "my taste was never bland. it''s classic unlike your blasphemous bright taste. but i don''t expect you to understand."


    zhou yichen leaned back with a playful smile. "classic taste as in that buffoon who you were almost about to marry to?"


    her brow violently twitched. "that was my parents'' taste, i remind you, not mine."


    "ah how can i forget? your tastes turned out to be quite adventurous for a young girl having a bright future set in becoming a top class professor."


    she threw him another glare. "don''t look at me like that. you weren''t any less of a troublemaker either."


    "well that was always part of my job description," he chuckled.


    "as was flirting with women like a hooligan. i can only imagine your inflated sense of confidence now that you caught a garter though that was just a fun game and has nothing to do with reality."


    "how rude!"


    "be honest. you must be thinking that you might get lucky soon with some woman as if this garter catching was a hint."


    she indirectly wanted to get a read of his mind.


    "what if i want to get lucky with you?" n//o.-v//e)/l-)b..i/-n


    she blinked rapidly, her question buzzing in her ears. "what?"


    she felt as if she heard the question but at the same time she didn''t. she was sure her heart would pop out of her chest at any moment.


    "hah!" zhou yichen grinned. "look how you got so serious. w-why will it be you knowing that we are separated? i was just pulling your leg haha..."


    he loosened his collar, trying to breathe. the earlier question had slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it. the moment she made that expression and he realized his error, his brain was working at full speed without brakes. he gripped the ring harder in his pockets.


    "oh," xie nuying nodded in understanding, "now i get it. you are a pro at joking around."


    um...


    zhou yichen could feel it in his guts. they knew each other''s moods and mannerisms so well that they could easily detect if there was anything unusual in the other''s tone.


    xie nuying sounded just like that as if she was dropped from a great height. her response didn''t have the usual pitch of her comeback and throwing knives back at his goofiness. she did make it sound like a normal taunt, but the hurt in her eyes failed to hide itself.


    fuck, i messed it up!


    "oh it''s getting late now," xie nuying calmly got up. "i will head back."


    no, no, no! wait, where are you going? i cannot let it end like this!


    he grabbed her hand abruptly and almost shook her off her balance. a gasp escaped her lips. "yichen! what is this?"


    zhou yichen cleared his throat. "i am sorry."


    she pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. "what are you up to? let it be quick. i am tired."


    that was just an excuse to return to her room and be alone. to her it was like she suddenly flew to the highest point of a blissful expectation possible only to crash down miserably.


    "ti-tickets," his throat felt dry.


    "what?"


    "i won two tickets to the favorite musical band''s concert you like so much. i won them in a lottery haha. their next show is in beijing."


    "so?"


    "well..." he loosened his collar again, "there are two tickets. you like the band so much. so how about...


    we...g-go together?"


    she stared at him. "you never liked that band and its music. you had the nerve to fall asleep."


    "i-it has been growing on me since the years you forcefully made me listen to it."


    she darted a suspicious look at him. "why don''t you go with ai then?"


    "she is newly married. let her enjoy her honeymoon phase with jun-cute."


    "..."


    ah please please agree!


    xie nuying''s expression changed through a myriad of permutations and combinations in the next several seconds with zhou yichen feeling that every new look meant rejection.


    he had given up on hope when she said, "okay."


    his eyes widened. "really!?"


    "yes. let''s go to the concert together."

 Chapter 707 False Allegations

    n(-o(-v/-e)-l-/b-(1/(n


    ?


    jun peeked his head inside the room the next morning to see if his dear wife had opened her lovely eyes. on the contrary, he raised his brow seeing ai occupy his half of the bed too. he had stepped away for twenty minutes or so to serve breakfast for her and here ai was already ruling the entire bed.


    softly chuckling, he kept the tray on the bedside table and took his place at the corner of the bed. he bent and gently blew air into her ear. ai''s brow furrowed in her sleep and she slightly tilted her head, feeling the tickle.


    amused, jun blew a soft exhale once again. this time a giggle escaped from ai''s lips as the tickling sensation deepened.


    cuteeeee!


    jun released a sigh, almost wishing to chomp on her cheeks. instead, he placed a kiss on her temple and smiled. to his surprise, his wife quickly caught his lips for a quick peck.


    "so my wife is awake," he put his arm around her head and pulled her towards him.


    "it''s your fault. i was having such a nice dream," she pinched his lips, dissatisfied.


    "and may i ask what dream that was?"


    her eyes beamed like the tranquil rays of sun outside as warmth spread in her heart. "we were on a family picnic. you, me and our child and we all were having super fun with each other. i was playing hide and seek and you were preparing a tasty meal for us~"


    "isn''t the scene usually shown opposite in the movies?"


    "you looked cuter taking care of the food," she blinked innocently.


    he snorted. "what else?"


    "then we all ate together laughing and cracking jokes. and..." her nose grew longer in pride, "i had brought a cake to eat for dessert which i baked myself. it was a successful and delicious cake!"


    jun gave her a judgmental stare. "why do i think that this dream of yours is more to advocate your improved baking skills rather than having some cool family time?"


    she let out a cough. "what do you mean? i care about you and our child. a lot. learning to perfectly bake a cake is secondary."


    he sneered. "i think your real primary thoughts just leaked into your dream, my dear ai-chan."


    she puffed out her cheeks and turned to the other side. "you always accuse me of false allegations."


    he cocked his brow up. he scooted closer to her, enveloping her in his embrace and rested her head upon hers. he whispered playfully. "i am helpless. you are becoming more and more of a trickster these days."


    "i was always the epitome of innocence," she gravely remarked.


    the corner of his mouth twitched hard. "who?"


    "me."


    "time to lock you up in the room and stop all your rendezvous with the twins, grandpa and uncle. they are spoiling you in the wrong direction."i think you should take a look at


    they chuckled and laughed and ai turned back to face him. she placed her arms around his back and smiled. "it''s a bummer though. i couldn''t make out if our child was a he or she."


    "that''s fine, isn''t it? i want it to be a surprise. though i will tell you that the probability of a girl seems really slim."


    "isn''t it supposed to be 50-50?"


    "the liu family, for some reason, always had boys. that''s why grandaunt liling and my sister nuo are so heavily doted and loved upon because it was after a long time that daughters were actually born in our family," he smiled.


    ai blinked in amazement. now that she thought about all the members one by one, men indeed had a higher population than women in the family. "i just noticed!"


    jun burst into laughter witnessing her adorable reaction. "dad and grandpa are really hopeful this time. since we are five siblings, obviously the probability of having a daughter gets a little higher. they refuse to believe that all of us will only have boys. trust me, they are just inwardly waiting for the good news and if you have observed dad these days, he seems to have a really different glow to his face, does he not?"


    it was true that since the news of pregnancy hit everyone, jinhai and liu hai in particular, were seen the most eager. jinhai would usually cast an unreadable expression, but his gaze whenever he met ai defeated his rigid stance.


    "that''s true..." she gasped in realization. "i feel dad and grandpa have gotten even more doting though they were already very doting to begin with."


    he chuckled. "that''s because they are expecting a granddaughter. but don''t worry even if it''s a boy. they will super dote on him nevertheless. it''s just that the scarcity of daughters makes them really hyper. that''s why you will also see that daughter-in-laws and daughters are cajoled more than the sons. whether it''s grandma, mom or now you, nuo, leina, xing bi and...hopefully shui in the future...you all will have complete control of the house."


    "that''s so cute..." her eyes welled up with emotions. the equation of the liu family men with the daughters made her heart melt.


    he pinched her nose and smiled. "let''s eat breakfast. you must be hungry."


    he helped her rest against the bed and as he brought the tray, ai curiously asked, "do you want a boy or a girl?"


    he looked surprised. "i told you i don''t mind either. whether it''s a boy or a girl, i will love them equally."


    "you know your eyes just twinkled two shades brighter when you uttered the word girl," she pointed out.


    "preposterous," he started coughing. "i think you haven''t fully woken up yet that you are misreading my expressions."


    "you also want a girl, don''t you?"


    "i am not at all biased," he said with a serious and sincere countenance. "are you seriously putting me in the same childish group as dad and grandpa?"


    "birds of a feather flock together."


    jun flared up his nostrils and turned his back to her on the bed, pulling over the duvet over his head. "you always accuse me of false allegations."


    "..."

 Chapter 708 The Liu thieves

    time flew by in the blink of an eye.


    in the dead silence of one late night, a figure cautiously tip-toed across the liu villa. the coast was clear and everybody was sound asleep, perfect to execute the devious plans. an evil laughter whispered in the corridor, but it was quickly held back lest anybody would catch the trace of it.


    the figure entered the gold mine-like place they had been dreaming of for a long time. drool formed on the lips, thinking of all the treasures hidden inside this magical mine.


    but the figure froze as they heard a soft hustle in the air. the sensitive senses quickly caught the disturbance the followed.


    somebody is here.


    whether to fight or flight was the question. the presence of the figure at such late night all alone would raise eyebrows.


    damn it! should i abort the plan?


    in the end, they thought it was better safe than sorry and quietly turned back to return. but a small whisper echoed.


    "is that you, leina?"


    leina stood rooted, her hands straight as if she was a soldier in position. she bit her lower lip, thinking that she was dead. but the familiarity of the voice began to calm her pounding heartbeats.


    i know that voice...


    she made a turn and took slow steps towards the figure seated on the floor in a conspicuous manner. a bowl filled with a spicy and zesty ramen on it rested like the most treasured king on the culprit''s belly.


    "ai!"


    leina heaved a big sigh of relief and slowly kneeled down too. "thank god it''s you. i thought somebody caught me. by the way..." her brow twitched, "that''s some pose."


    ai, now nine months pregnant, was very comfortably sitting on the floor behind one of the utensils tables and hiding her presence. she kept the bowl on her big, round belly as if it was another mini table. she was enjoying a delectable and fatty pork piece coated with the spicy broth.


    "and you are eating ramen."


    ai let out a cough. "ssh. speak very quietly. the walls have ears too. it will be a mess if jun catches me."


    leina burst into tears, holding her just protruding belly of five months and joining ai in the tragedy. "i am no different! jian has completely cut off my access to ice-cream! and i want to eat ice-cream so badly! what kind of a husband denies the request of his pregnant wife?"


    ai gravely nodded. "jun has been the same. for some reason, i believe that he has become harsher to me instead of being the lovable and doting boyfriend he always was. how marriage changes men..."


    she cleared her throat. "but i took matters into my own hands. i am an independent woman who can make her own decisions, definitely a decision to eat ramen whenever she wants."


    leina furiously nodded, sharing the camaraderie.


    ai giggled and pointed at the fridge. "i have stored some ice-cream stash at the very back."


    "you are a life-saver ai!" she kissed her cheek and hopped towards the fridge.


    but as she opened the door, the light from the freezer shone upon a person sticking his back on the fridge just beside it. leina sharply gasped, but the figure quickly covered her mouth with his hand to stop the alarm from raising.


    "it''s me! it''s me! it''s me! your handsome and favorite grandpa!"


    even ai was left stunned by the sudden appearance of liu hai.


    he wasn''t there when i came in! since when has he been hiding in there?


    after getting the most terrible jumpscare, leina felt her heartbeats going back to normal. "it''s you...what are you doing here, grandpa?" she urgently whispered. "you scared me!"n()o(-v--e--l()b.(i./n


    "more importantly," ai chimed in, "grandpa, did you see me eating ramen?"


    leina was speechless. "didn''t you just give yourself away?"


    "not really. it''s a trick question. he cannot see the bowl on my belly. i might be eating something healthy too."


    "yeah, you won''t have to hide from jun and sneak your way in the kitchen like a thief if you were eating something healthy."


    "..."


    liu hai waved his hand. "rest assured, my beautiful granddaughter-in-laws! your secret is safe with me!" he furiously and proudly patted his chest.


    he grabbed the stashed ice-cream from behind the freezer and handed it to leina. "here''s your reward for marrying my idiot grandson, hohoho~"


    he sat beside ai, drooling at the sight of the ramen.


    "let''s share, grandpa!" she beamed. "i won''t share it with jun since he is being petty these days."


    "yes, let''s share the ice-cream too!" leina chirped.


    liu hai wiped his reddened and moist eyes. "such filial granddaughters i have."


    ai asked as he dove his chopsticks in the bowl. "when did you come here, grandpa?"


    "ssshh," he munched on the juicy piece of meat, his heart entering a state of eternal bliss and euphoria. "just ten minutes before you came in. chunhua had made the dumplings tonight and it had been a long while since i had them! but she only restricted me to two dumplings," he grumbled with complaint. "so i came to steal some," he grinned.


    taking a bite of the strawberry ice-cream with its sweetness exploding in her mouth with satisfaction, leina asked, "how will you explain the disappearance of the dumplings?"


    liu hai snorted. "why do i have to explain? nian will since he stole them. isn''t it obvious that i will pin the crime on him?"


    "how dare you stupid grandpa!!"


    a figure jumped out of a closet that stored glass kitchenware.


    nian furiously glared at liu hai, crawling on his hands and knees. he tried to straighten his position but his arched back by being hidden in the closet for too long obstructed this motion.


    fuck!


    the arched back didn''t reduce the intensity of his outrage by even a percent. "you stupid, old man! do you even have a heart for you to selfishly accuse your adorable grandson of your shady crimes!? fear the justice a little!"


    the trio stared at him, dumbfounded.


    since when has nian been here!?

 Chapter 709 Caught red-handed

    chapter 709 caught red-handed


    liu hai twisted his ear and smacked him on his head. "where have you been hiding, you brat!"


    "hah! are you afraid of me revealing your dirty crimes? i saw everything! i witnessed with my own two eyes how you gobbled up four dumplings! four!"


    he pointed his finger at leina and ai next. "and you and you! sneakily eating ice-cream and ramen. betraying my dearest brothers!"


    they narrowed their eyes.


    "proceed with caution, nian or jian might wonder where his twin had suddenly disappeared."


    ai smiled. "since you were hiding in the cabinet yourself, you are one of us. a culprit."


    nian shut his ears and vigorously shook his head. "no, no, no! i am not any shady culprit. i just came here to innocently drink some water but what did i see? i saw grandpa sneakily entering the kitchen and hogging all the dumplings to himself! then my sister-in-laws came and betrayed my brothers!"


    "what is that on your shirt?"


    ai grabbed his shirt and pulled him towards her until he almost stumbled. he sheepishly grinned. "sister-in-law, this is so bold of you. i really do understand that i am very handsome, even more handsome than your husband but i am very loyal to my xing bi. y-you should be loyal to jun-cute too!"


    *crack*


    nian furrowed his brows. "did you hear that cracking sound?"


    liu hai squeezed his ear once again. "as if my granddaughter-in-law will fall for a buffoon like you!"


    ai smelled his shirt. "it''s sauce."


    "w-what sauce?"


    leina sneered. "isn''t that the pasta sauce that nuo cooked? so apparently, liu nian was enjoying some pasta all alone. how rude. you didn''t share it with us."


    "all f-false accusations!" he whispered.


    ai snickered. "so you are a thief just like us. i wonder what mom would have to say to it." nove-lb(in


    cold sweats began to form on his forehead. liu hai gasped with horror. "you are the first one to steal food and you dare point your dirty fingers at us! that pasta was supposed to be mine!"


    "so were the dumplings!"


    "oh stop it, you two!" leina separated their cat fight and said, "the most important thing is that we are in this together. naturally, we will cooperate and keep our mouths shut. nobody saw anything."


    the other three bobbed their heads hard.


    nian began to drool at the sight of the delicious ramen and asked, "can i have a bite, sister-in-law?"


    ai protected her bowl as if her life was locked in it. "this ramen is mine."


    "just one bite please!" he cried.


    ai pursed her lips and with a magnanimous heart, shared a piece of the delicious fatty pork with him.


    liu hai chuckled evilly. "this is life. stealing food at 3 in the morning. what more do you want?"


    "i know right," ai gulped in the zesty, tingling soup and said, "with our partners dead asleep, what can be more enjoyable than to fool them like this?"


    the four laughed as if they belonged to some evil cult. but that "how dare you call me buffoon, you old buffoon!" he glared at him.


    laughter was cut short as a bright burst of yellow light spread in the kitchen, which came none other than from the kitchen bulbs.


    liu hai scrunched his brows and smacked nian. "why did you switch on the lights, you idiot?"


    "you blind old man, am i not sitting right in front of you!?"


    while they bickered, it was only ai and leina who realized the gravity of the situation as they saw two pairs of legs standing at the kitchen''s entrance. they didn''t dare to raise their heads and verify whose heads were actually attached to those bodies.


    leina urgently tugged onto liu hai''s clothes and whispered. "it''s not nian who switched on the lights."


    "..."


    nian blinked and felt a strange chill at his back.


    *crack*


    "hey, hey! i heard the cracking sound again! did you hear it too?"


    "if you turn just a little back, you will get to see the source of it."


    "oh, really?" nian grinned and merrily looked back only to recognize the horror standing before his eyes.


    "a-a ghost! jun''s ghost! and jian''s ghost too!"


    the tall figures of the two brothers towered over the thief gang as if some loan sharks had come to collect their debt.


    jun''s cold and frigid smile coupled with his cracking knuckles was the sign that doom was here. "now it''s time to make you a ghost. what was that insinuation about ai falling for you? care to tell me that again?"


    nian cleared his throat and shamelessly pointed at ai. "well didn''t she grab my shirt and smell me like a hooligan first?"


    ai let out a betrayed gasp. she clenched her jaw, throwing killing beams towards nian. "this is what i get for sharing my precious piece of delicious fatty pork with you!?"


    she felt jun''s razor-sharp gaze fell at her and she quietly slid the bowl towards nian. "it was nian who finished it."


    "hawww!" nian clutched his chest. "how can you be even more shameless than me, sister-in-law! i didn''t even touch that bowl!"


    on the other side, jian smilingly asked leina, "enjoyed the ice-cream, my dear wife? there is no use hiding the cup now."


    leina, who was trying to get rid of the evidence, stiffened. but she then gave him a haughty look. "are you proposing that i am a thief?"


    "do i really have to propose at this point?"


    "well then i will happy to reveal the ugly truth that it''s all your fault for cutting down on my eating ice-cream!"


    ai found her chance and swiftly joined her. "yes, yes! jun has been just like that. not allowing me to have my cravings. in the end, the pitiful and helpless wives have to scrape up the food by themselves...let''s go from here, leina. it''s hurtful to see our husband''s diminishing love for us."


    "yes, let''s go!"


    ai had a snobbish exit in her mind but soon, she realized that her big belly was in the way for her to stand up. similarly, leina''s stomach was so full that she couldn''t even lift her finger anymore.


    "..."


    ai tried to lift herself more, but her pregnant belly had her butt glued to the floor. she pressed her lips inward.


    "where is that haughty, dramatic and hair-flipping-back kind of an exit you were going to give, ai-chan?" jun smiled.

 Chapter 710 Short-circuited couple

    chapter 710 short-circuited couple


    the four were made to sit in line on the chairs as they faced the charges. everytime jun tried to look at ai, she would move her head away, dismissing his eye contact.


    he folded his arms. "you know why i told you to limit your cravings?"


    "because you are a mean husband."


    "because you got sick when you ate too much."


    "i wasn''t that much sick."


    "you couldn''t step out of the bed for three days."


    her brow twitched.


    "do you want to fall sick like that again?"


    "i ask the same question to my wife too," jian asked with a smile. "you caught a terrible cold because you ate four cups of ice-cream at once."


    leina coughed and averted her gaze. "a simple cold cannot defeat me."


    "it defeated you so yes."


    "..."


    liu hai raised his hand. "but i am not pregnant so i can eat whatever i want!" he exclaimed, giving his side of defense.


    jun sneered. "you are not pregnant, but you are old. do you wanna kick the bucket so badly?"


    "hey! speak with respect to your grandfather!"


    nian raised his hand next. "i am not pregnant and i am not old either. so i can eat whatever i want!" he chirped.


    "but you cannot steal," jun''s gaze darkened. with a judgmental look at jian, he snorted. "i don''t expect you to reprimand him since you used to be an accomplice as well."


    jian cleared his throat. "excuse me, i was always against this mindless cheating and stealing. it was always nian who would brainwash me."


    they could hear the sound of something shattering which was nothing but nian''s heart. "you are my twin! how could you betray me like this!? we were in it together! and i never brainwashed you!"


    jun narrowed his eyes at ai. "coming back to the topic, do you learn your lesson or do i need to chain your legs with shackles at night?"


    "i want spicy ramen."


    "you will get as much spicy ramen as i give you."


    "you give very little."


    "that''s called portion control."


    "i don''t like that term."


    "then you like getting sick?"


    jian shot a deadly glare at liu hai and said, "grandpa, instead of joining them in this thievery, you should have done the scolding job and not us."


    "the liu family men never raise their voice against the women here! this is the ironclad rule of the liu family and you two have broken it! how dare you scold my granddaughter-in-laws! i disown you two!"


    "..."


    ai and leina clapped hard with this overwhelming support.


    "let me see who has the guts to touch you two as long as i am here," his nostrils flared.


    but soon, he felt a gloomy and looming figure behind him and felt his hair tingling at his back. "what if i have the guts, hai?"


    liu hai pressed his lips, slowly meeting the murderous gaze of his wife. "ch-chunhua dear...you are awake?"


    "why won''t i be awake when my husband keeps stealing food despite the numerous warnings?"


    "i thought you were sound asleep since we made such passionate love tonight."


    "oh my god, tmi! tmi!" nian closed his ears and eyes. "so shameless."


    the rest of them choked in their throats. it wasn''t new for the brothers for their grandfather to talk about his sex life so openly now and then and they thought that would have gotten used to it over the years. but apparently, they weren''t.


    liu chunhua stood frozen like a statue, not expecting the sudden bomb he would drop in front of their grandchildren. "liu...hai!!!"


    liu hai was aware of what was going to happen so before she could grab her slippers, he was already up and running on his feet.


    "i will kill you!" she exclaimed with a mix of a furious and blushing expression. nove.lb-in


    jian sheepishly asked, "grandma, is grandpa''s performance really good at this age too?"


    "shut up, liu jian!" she smacked his head with the slipper first.


    jun didn''t feel even a single ounce of pity for him.


    you asked for it.


    "come back to bed, wifey. your ''grandpa protection charm'' is running for his own protection now," jun smiled, looking down at ai, who was fruitlessly trying to escape with her accomplices leina and nian.


    ai touched her belly, furrowing her brows. "ouch, it hurts."


    "i will see all your drama in the bedroom, so come with me. i have seen this many times before," he pinched her cheeks.


    ai blinked rapidly and staring hard at jun, sweat began to accumulate on her forehead. "jun."


    "what?"


    "my water just broke."


    jun, in turn, endlessly blinked his eyelids as well. "what?"


    "m-my water just broke..." she breathed hard.


    jian, leina and nian froze at the same time and stared blankly at jun. "what did she say?"


    "she said her water just broke."


    "which means..." nian scratched his head, "is it baby time?"


    after a long beat of silence, the twins shouted. "fuck, it''s baby time!!!"


    leina gasped. "but how, how, how? wasn''t ai''s due date still a week away?"


    "guess my niece or nephew decided to visit us sooner!" nian jumped on his feet, his eyes radiating and sparkling golden. "congratulations juuuuun! you''re gonna become a father anytime now~ omg, let me give this good news to xing bi!!!"


    "h-huh what? a-ai''s water broke?" jun dumbly asked.


    the unexpected news had short-circuited his brain, leaving it to only one recording setting.


    jian laughed out loud. "this is not the time to break the fuse, little brother. reset your wiring when we are on the way to the hospital, but first we need to get going!"


    "hey what is happening here? liu hai breathlessly asked, still running away from his wife''s flying slippers.


    leina urgently squealed. "ai''s water broke, grandpa! it''s time for the little one to come!"


    "what!?"


    liu chunhua''s voice roared the loudest such that it woke up the entire villa. she abandoned the slipper and rushed towards ai. "r-really?"


    ai blankly nodded, who mimicked the same short-circuit state as her husband. it was really the time for the little dumpling to come into this world and that surreal moment was failing to register in them.


    jin then arrived, yawning and rubbing his sleepy eyes. "what is happening? why did grandma shout so-"


    "jin, take out the car right now! we have to take ai to the hospital! she is going to give birth!" she squealed hard. "let''s go!"


    all his sleep flew away in an instant. "what!?"

 Chapter 711 Enter little bun

    chapter 711 enter little bun


    the silence of the liu family men as their razor sharp gazes were staring intently at the delivery room was beginning to suffocate the women of the liu family men.


    nana held her hands on her waist, exasperated. "jinhai, what are you doing?"


    "praying for our first grandchild''s safety."


    "everything will be fine, jinhai. i understand it''s ai''s first delivery but we are not going to war."


    "it is war until i see my grandchild."


    "war against who, jinhai?" she dryly asked.


    "who knows?"


    "..."


    then why are you giving the chilling looks as if somebody is going to die?


    "aaaahhhhh!!!"


    the men jumped up with ai''s yet another scream resounding in the corridor. jian, who was next in line to become a father in a few months, narrowed his eyes. "is jun even protecting my sister-in-law?"


    leina asked, "from whom does ai need protection?"


    "the hospital staff of course! clearly they are doing something very wrong if it''s that painful."


    nuo coughed. "labor pains are just like that, bro."


    leina burst into tears. "don''t remind me, nuo. it will be my turn next soon."


    with every painful scream of ai, xing bi would also let out another bout of tears as if they had a shared connection. "my poor ai...why is god so cruel to women, aunt?"


    xie nuying nodded. her heart ached to imagine her delicate daughter in the agonizing pain of the labor too. she patted xing bi''s head who had buried her head in her chest. "my ai is very strong. she will be-"


    "aaaahhhhhhh!!"


    "sh-she will be fine! jun is there with her inside," she comforted her thudding hearts.


    zhou yichen similarly couldn''t concentrate. he couldn''t make up his mind if he was excited to meet his grandchild or worried about the pain his daughter going through.


    ai-chan...


    ¡ª


    inside the ward, jun was fighting a whole nother battle between the doctor and ai. the doctor wanted ai to push, but ai had already reached her maximum pain bearing capacity to push anymore further.


    "i...can''t..." she breathlessly pleaded. sweat filled her temples and eyebrows as they slid down along her hairline. she was clenching on jun''s hand so hard as if she had made up her mind to fracture it at any cost.


    watching his tired and helpless wife gasping for breath and unable to exert any more pressure, his heart squeezed as if it was tightening into several knots. he gently kissed the back of her hand, encouraging her. "just a little more, ai..."


    "i cannot..." tears pooled in her eyes. "i am a failure, jun. i am the mother but i cannot even give birth. is our child going to be forever in my belly?"n-)o/(v)/e--l.-b()1//n


    "what nonsense! you are not a failure! you are doing great! super duper great!" he bobbed his head up and down.


    "then why is he or she not coming out?" her eyes grew wetter. "he or she definitely doesn''t like meeeee."


    "your thoughts are heading in a completely wrong direction..."


    the doctor pitched in to comfort. "mrs. liu, please don''t be so hard on yourself. it''s nothing like that. first deliveries are always tough. we are almost there. if you could squeeze just a little more, we will make some progress!"


    jun hopped into that positivity train. "yes, yes. i am here with you, ai."


    the doctor suggested. "mr. liu, i have an idea. since it''s difficult for mrs. liu to push herself, you can aid her with that. keep your hands on her belly and push like this..." she acted it out to him.


    it was easier said than done because jun completely froze at that point. "i...i help ai? to push?"


    "yes."


    he chuckled with his face growing paler. "you are kidding, right? i am a man. i don''t know how much strength i will end up using. what if it hurts ai? what if it hurts our child?"


    she coughed. "you are worrying needlessly, mr. liu. you have to push, not smash her stomach."


    ai shed her fifteenth dam of tears by now. "you have to help me, jun. please, please, please!"


    jun couldn''t bring it in his heart to reject the urgent wish of his crying wife. "o-okay..."


    he glared at the doctor, letting her fully understand the consequences. "you better properly guide me all the way or if i end up hurting any one of them, you are done for!"


    "..."


    he placed his shivering palm on her belly, swallowing his saliva. "w-what now?"


    "now gently apply pressure."


    he did so and immediately asked, "did the baby come out?"


    her brow twitched. "mr. liu, you hardly exerted any pressure."


    he cursed in his breath and pressed his hand harder. "now? now? the baby is definitely out now, right?"


    the doctor shot him an impatient glare. "still very little!"


    his gaze darkened. "are you a doctor or our enemy!? how harder do i have to push? you are evil!"


    the doctor inhaled a calm breath and smiled. "i am the doctor here. i know how far you can go and how far you cannot. so until i don''t say stop, you keep pushing."


    jun grumbled in complaint.


    "mrs. liu. you too have to help with the pushing."


    she sniffled and nodded.


    after a few more tries, jun seemed to get the hang of applying the appropriate amount of pressure. clenching her teeth and shutting her eyes, ai did her best to go along with the help jun provided.


    "yes, yes! keep it going! i can see the crown."


    "waaaahhhh!!!"


    the melodious cry of the baby finally rang through the delivery room. the moment arrived with a mix of joy and emotions that were hard to describe.


    "congratulations. it''s a boy."


    jun stared at the tiny, delicate figure snuggling in the doctor''s arms and wailing heartily to get everybody his presence known.


    the doctor offered jun to cut the umbilical cord. he let the precious moment sink in and with trembling hands, he took the scissors.


    "a-ai d-do you see him...?"


    he looked back at her with his teary eyes and found her slipping into unconsciousness. he panicked hard. "what is happening to ai!?"


    "calm down, mr. liu," the doctor quickly assured. "she is exhausted and drained. it''s natural with such a painful and lengthy labor. she needs a lot of rest. she is fine."


    "ba...baby..." ai murmured.


    she could hear the sweet cry of her child, but the fatigue was inviting her to a tempting, peaceful sleep. her head was dozing off to the side, her eyelids closing in.


    the nurse gently placed the little bun in jun''s arms, who couldn''t stop the flow of his tears ever since he heard his son''s wail. his tiny eyes, nose, lips melted his heart.


    "welcome champ..." he softly hushed and then chuckled. "you bullied my wife with your entry quite a bit."


    he turned towards ai, who breathed steadily asleep. he carefully nestled their baby boy beside her chest and kissed her forehead with the most scintillating smile on his lips. "our ailun is here, ai."

 Chapter 712 Our complete and perfect family

    chapter 712 our complete and perfect family


    "oh my gosh..."


    nana hushed with her palms covering her lips. "my first grandchild...is the cutest. look at him sleeping so soundly. jinhai, isn''t he the cutest?"


    jinhai nodded hard. he wasn''t squealing like the idiotic duo of twins, but his warm gaze and doting smile couldn''t feel enough of seeing his grandson. he had this strong urge to poke his cheek, but with great patience, he refrained. he didn''t want to disturb his beauty sleep.


    the other set of grandparents were equally gushing with tears at ailun''s sight. xie nuying bent as the same time as zhou yichen to have a closer look when their heads bumped.


    they threw a glare at each other, but since it was such a special day of ailun''s birth, they stopped themselves from causing any chaos.


    xie nuying warmly tapped on his forehead, and he ever so slightly moved with that touch. "oh my gosh, he moved..."


    zhou yichen was extremely pleased. "i can see he has inherited my charm with full marks~ this grandfather is glad, hahaha!"


    the grandmothers leaked out squealing pink hearts in the air. but behind them was a long queue of people who wanted to meet ailun.


    "hey, hey! it''s my turn now!" the twins protested with complaint. "you four are hogging the place too much!"


    nuo squeezed between nana and jinhai and gleamed upon her nephew''s sight. "my ailun...! okay it''s decided that i will be the first to hold him in my arms once he wakes up."


    "how can she squeeze between you two but we cannot!?" they raised their voice against this injustice. "and why do you get to hold him first?"


    "the one and only aunt gets special privileges," she puffed up her cheeks in pride.


    jinhai completely ignored the sufferings of the twins. he was fully absorbed in staring at ailun and catching his faintest movements possible.


    jin didn''t even bother to stand in the queue. his company was the cats who were busy treating him like circus equipment. liu chunhua was busy consoling her husband who still didn''t get a hearty look at his first great-grandson.


    "don''t cry like a baby, hai," great-grandma liu snorted. "are you the baby or ailun?"


    amidst all this chaos, the parents themselves could only helplessly wait to spend some time with their son. ai couldn''t even see ailun''s silhouette in the crib anymore.


    it was the most exhilarating moment of her life as she opened her eyes after a deep, deserving rest and the first sight that came across her was that of her sleeping son''s face. no amount of emotions could capture what that moment meant for her. until just a few hours ago, he was in her belly and now he was right in front of her, cuddling in her arms.


    she reached out her trembling hand and placed it on his head, his snuggly warmth gently kissing her palm.


    "jun...is he really our son...?"


    his gaze softened. "you know when i first saw him in the doctor''s arms, i couldn''t believe it either. it was just so surreal. but without a doubt, he is our ailun."


    "he...he is so cute..." she gasped.


    he nodded.


    "just like you."


    "..."


    "oh my god, our son has inherited his cuteness from you! isn''t it so awesome?"


    "don''t make me zip your mouth right after your painful ordeal," he glared.


    "ignore your father, ailun. he is always in denial mode," she giggled.


    at present, ai''s delivery room was only filled with squeals and gushes. it proved to be a challenge for everybody to keep their voices down.


    "bro jun. i will personally give ailun the tour of sky publishing!" yunru sheepishly grinned. "i will wheel his stroller and let him introduce to my painstaking responsibilities."


    jun chuckled. "sure, why not?"


    leina, shui, xing bi, chyou, guiying and nuo were already busy doing photoshoots and posing selfies with him while jing came forward with his newest creation in front of the couple. "lo and behold! my special premium baby clothes that i personally designed for my grandnephew!"


    his nose grew longer with pride as he rained down all the clothes on the newly become parents. ai took one of the shirts and its soft texture made her face shine akin to the warm glow of the morning sun. "this is so soft! and adorable! thank you so much uncle jing!"


    "you don''t have to thank me~ i am always in charge of this important responsibility."


    jun had other concerns. "just how many clothes have you made, uncle? there are even clothes of sizes when he will be five years old."


    "yes, that''s why you should appreciate this uncle a little more hahaha!"


    liu hai violently pushed his own away and grinned. "it''s nothing in front of the big chunk of money i am gonna put in his name."


    "don''t you push me old man! also, that''s shallow, dad," he sneered.


    "it''s a very thoughtful gift! money is important to buy lots of food!"


    "are you sure you can compare with the magnitude of bro''s gifts though? the first time becoming grandfather has grand plans for his grandson."


    "hmph. as if that idiot can compare against me."


    ai didn''t even want to imagine the amount spent behind these gifts so she promptly refrained from doing any mental calculations.


    on the other side, jian proudly was on a completely whole different track. "since my sister-in-law and jun had a son, doesn''t it naturally mean that leina and i will have a girl? it only makes sense!"


    leina''s mouth twitched. "what kind of logic is this?"


    nian sneered. "keep dreaming because xing bi and i will have the first daughter of the liu family!"


    xing bi choked hard, throwing a pillow his way. "s-stop!"


    chyou nodded in appreciation. "yes, yes i see all the signs of a superstar in him. ai, jun. don''t forget to send him to me for training, hehe~ i will make him the king of the entertainment industry!"


    guiying vigorously shook her head. "he totally gives off the writer vibes."


    zixin nodded.


    "..."


    it was finally liu chunhua who took it upon herself to push everybody out of the ward. "now, now! let jun and ai get to spend some time with him. they deserve some peaceful time."


    "booooo..." the twins complained. "ailun wants to play with his handsome uncles!"


    yunru and yubi glared at them. "it''s our turn now!"


    "he is sleeping so no ifs and buts! get going!" liu chunhua scolded them.


    she even had to push nana and jinhai outside otherwise they had completely sworn to camp out here for the entire time. when the much appreciated silence came, jun breathed in relief. he brought the crib closer until ai could have a clear view of ailun. his lips escaped a tiny yawn, making a puddle of their hearts.


    *meow*


    of course the cats were in no mood to be left behind so they jumped on the bed and sat closest to the crib, staring at the sleeping ailun with great concentration. jun-cute waved his paw at the crib as if wanting to touch ailun.


    "now the family is complete, isn''t it?" ai smiled with misty eyes.nove.lb.1n


    jun wrapped his arm over the top of her head and kissed her hair. "yes. our complete and perfect family."

 Chapter 713 Last main extra: A hope for a new beginning

    chapter 713 last main extra: a hope for a new beginning


    three months later.


    "waaaaaahhh!"


    a wail sounded in the middle of the night that was a call for another round of milk time.


    "this is a dream..." ai mumbled in her sleep. "this cry cannot be real. i am asleep."


    jun, too, woke up with his son''s cry, big drops of tears filling his small hazel brown eyes. he smiled and kissed the top of his head. "so why is ailun crying this time?"


    he heard ai mumbling to herself and sighed. he could understand her denial mode because the dark circles under her eyes told the painful sobbing story of her sleepless nights. it had hardly been three hours since she peacefully stepped into her lala land when ailun dropped his signal again.


    "he must not be hungry. you had a filling milk meal, didn''t you?" he tickled his stomach.


    he took a look at his diaper and nodded his head in understanding. ai struggled to open her eyes and with them lift her sleepy body too. jun gently pushed her back to bed and said, "you sleep. diaper change time. i will do it."


    "ah...okay. jun, did i ever tell you how much i love you?" she mumbled amidst her closing eyelids. "you are a hero...all...hail to jun...cute..." she lethargically raised her cheery arm halfway which collapsed soon enough.


    jun chuckled. "you are the true hero, silly."


    he quickly changed the diaper for which he had achieved godspeed in a short period of just three months. ailun''s wails stopped as soon as comfort graced him again. his lips burst into a giggle, and he flailed his arms towards his father.


    jun took him in his arms and went outside for a short walk to lull him back to sleep. he slowly trotted along the corridor humming and rocking him against his chest. he came across jin''s room, whose door was slightly ajar with a flicker of light seeping out.


    jun knocked and a moment later, jin opened the door. "bro. you are up so late- oh must be ailun," he chuckled.


    jun-cute and ai-chan craned their necks from their royal pillows. ai-chan hopped to his side, meowing merrily at ailun''s sight.


    "hey ai-chan," jun bent and ruffled her fur.


    she nuzzled her face against his leg in return. jun-cute snorted at the other side.


    jun noticed the mess on the bed. clothes were sprawled on one side, pants and belts and ties on the other.


    jin coughed. "there is a lot of packing to do. i am almost done though."


    tomorrow was going to be the day when jin would leave for paris to learn business management under the guidance of his maternal grandfather. needless to say, when jin had announced his decision months ago, it did leave everybody in shock. everything was going fine with jinhai, but he suddenly decided to go abroad.


    jinhai, nana and the siblings immediately understood that his decision had nothing to do with his education or training but only an escape way to steer clear of shui. there was no way jin could fool them. the twins were so furious that they almost beat him into a pulp had jun and nuo not stepped in between.


    jinhai and nana had nothing much to say when jin looked so determined and unyielding.


    nana had said, "i respect all your decisions as long as they are right and make you happy. i know for sure that this isn''t a happy decision no matter how much you say otherwise. but i won''t resist nor will jinhai because sometimes even we as parents become helpless. sometimes, only time helps to heal the wounds."


    at present, jin took ailun from jun''s arms and tickled his neck. ailun burst into a melodious laughter, brushing his chubby palm against his chin.


    "will you help me pack my stuff, ailun?"


    with a beaming light in his eyes, ailun looked all ready. "baa..aaaa..."


    jun could only stare at his younger brother with mixed emotions in his deep brown orbs. "are you really sure about this?"


    jin didn''t flinch. "yup."


    "you do understand what you are getting into, right? by the time you get back, you might not find yourself in shui''s heart anymore. it will be too late to regret that time."


    jun still didn''t have a complete picture of what exactly jin had done so wrong in the past to hurt that it made him go so far to take such an extreme decision to run away from his love. jin never deeply talked about that part nor did jun force him. but jun could make a fair guess.


    if his past life''s regret of hurting shui was so deep and shameful that he felt he didn''t deserve to be with her even in this second chance, then jun could think of only one mistake that possibly fit in this scenario.


    sleeping with another woman.


    having a physical relationship with someone else was the most hurtful thing anybody could put a person through who loved them so dearly. by this point, jun was fairly certain that what he had guessed was most definitely true.


    to a great extent, jun did understand jin''s struggle and self-loathing. even imagining himself with any woman other than ai was a sin to him. if even by mistake, jun happened to touch another woman that way, he too knew that he would never be able to forgive himself even if ai would.


    but he never spoke to jin about it because jun knew that he didn''t want that conversation. and this wasn''t something where jun would be able to help him with even if he wanted to. only shui could free jin of his guilt, but now he was running away from that too.


    jin smiled. "i hope an even more deserving man than me captures her heart."


    jun smiled back. "and how many thorns stabbed your heart as you said this?"


    he had nothing to say to that.


    "baaaa..."


    ailun brought his attention back to him. jin tapped on his head and grinned. "let''s get back to packing, shall we little champ?"n./0velbin


    the entire time jin packed his bags, jun kept his fists clenched with a tremor shaking his heart.


    if the gods who made a second chance possible for us do exist then i want you to help jin. you have to make jin and shui happy at any cost.


    i won''t accept this future for them.


    ¡ª


    beijing airport.


    everybody had come to send off jin at the airport. nana sniffled. "take care of your health. you cannot skip meals. don''t even try because i have already warned mom."


    nuo had tears in her eyes as she hugged him. "take care, jin. give me a call if anybody bullies you there!"


    the twins weren''t exactly thrilled with this send off. jin could feel their cold, murderous glares and he wiped the invisible sweat off his forehead. despite their heavy dissatisfaction, they did give him a fleeting silent hug. the ones who caused the most ruckus were the quietest today.


    the elders said some goodbye words too. it was then ai who stood before him wheeling the stroller with ailun inside.


    "good luck, jin," she softly said. "no matter what you think you might have decided, i won''t stop hoping for the best."


    jin stared at her for a while and said, "take care of bro and my nephew...sister-in-law."


    she blinked hard until it registered that he finally addressed her as sister-in-law. tears rimmed her eyes and she jumped to hug him.


    "hey! i didn''t permit you to hug me!"


    "i finally melted your cold, stubborn heart. as expected of my naturally lovable and warm personality."


    "shut up!"


    her eyes reddened bidding goodbye to the cats too. at first, jin was supposed to go alone but ai-chan and jun-cute remained so stubbornly by his side that it became evident that they would continue to stay by his side. last minute arrangements had to be made for accommodating the cats in the flight too.


    "look after jin, okay?" she whispered in their ears with her misty eyes. the cats, surprisingly jun-cute too, softly meowed in response.


    leina, xing bi and chyou gave their teary hugs with leina shaking her head. "i don''t understand why shui couldn''t make time."


    the ones who knew better maintained a melancholic silence.


    lastly, jun and jinhai said some parting words too. despite the pain of seeing his brother leave, jun did his hardest to smile. "i will kill you if you don''t keep in touch."


    jinhai sternly nodded. his heart ached to see his son take this step, but there was nothing he could do except wish for the years to fly fast and wish for what jin was wishing for to never take fruition.


    "thanks all. of course, i won''t stop bothering you all," jin winked.


    the announcement of his boarding echoed, and he said, "time to go. see ya!"


    waving his hand at them, jin and the cats made their way to the boarding gate. nana couldn''t hold back her tears anymore and silently burst into silent sobs.


    from the corner of his eye, jin who kept walking away could see his mother breaking down, which settled a mistiness in his own eyes.


    sorry mom...sorry everyone...


    he kept walking ahead, not trying to show his trembling back. he didn''t hope to find shui anywhere as he looked back, yet his eyes searched for her figure.


    a wry smile laced his lips as he stared at the plane outside. he exhaled a shaky breath standing in the queue. he closed his eyes for a moment and opened them with a cheery smile looking at the cats.


    "let''s have a new beginning, shall we?"


    ¡ª


    the plane''s engines roared to life and the white, giant metal bird took its flight in the light blue sky. shui watched the plane fly farther and farther away till it became a small dot in the sky and eventually disappeared from her sight once and for all.


    her heart crushed at every moment the plane became smaller and smaller yet no tears spilled from her eyes. she stood in silence for a long, long time, her mind devoid of any thoughts and emotions. she kept her head lifted all that time in a bleak hope that she might see the plane return. but it didn''t.


    shui quietly walked back to the car and whispered tremblingly to the driver. "go back."

 Chapter 714 The bright shimmering sun

    chapter 714 the bright shimmering sun


    the days after zhan yahui''s death.


    guiying woke up with a start, gasping heavily for air one morning. a dull headache uncomfortably visited her temples. she poured herself a glass of water, gulping it while taking shallow breaths. she got off the bed and stood near the window, shifting the curtain aside.


    the sun was just beginning to rise with the sky gradually becoming brighter and brighter. the fresh scent of the grass outside invaded her nostrils and with the cool wind fluttering her hair backwards, she felt her numbing headache calming down.


    "it feels nice, right? waking up so early once in a while?"


    ''guiying'' responded after a long time. "this soft and gentle breeze is not for me. i want more action. like a storm."


    her mouth twitched. "we have weathered so many storms already. why do you want more?"


    a sardonic chuckle rang. "i was born amidst a storm. it has become my favorite thing now."


    guiying''s gaze lowered in sorrow.


    "you still think of that bastard rotting in jail? seems like my brainwashing has been fruitless."


    "he is still my brother..."


    "how many times do i tell you that abusive shit is never anybody''s brother, husband, father, lover bla bla. why are you such an idiot over a blood relation?"


    guiying softly whispered. "i don''t know why i still keep feeling bad for bro. i always want to think that the loss of our parents messed him up so badly that...even i became his enemy. the constant shifting of homes, the bullying, the comparison and pressure...it never hit me as badly as it did to bro, and it makes me wonder if he stood up in his own way to protect me. but when everything became harder to bear, that inflating balloon burst in the form of violence towards me."


    ''she'' grimaced after a long pause. "you still say that when he repeatedly chose zhou ai over you? so much that you began to hate her and become jealous of her."


    "ai..."


    her eyelashes mildly trembled. her gaze at the distant horizon ahead looked glassy and far away as if she stepped into a trance.


    "you know how ai is?"


    "i know your heart even if you don''t say it."


    guiying let out a soft smile. "i thought very long and hard about it. after everything that happened between us, after our differences were bridged, i began to think in retrospect."n/.ovelb1n


    lifting her tranquil gaze that looked at the rising sun with its gentle golden rays invading her bedroom, she said, "ai was like the sun to us. she came into my life and with just her presence alone, i felt as if the dark clouds from my life seemed so tiny and defeatable. with her by my side, i felt confident that none of my problems weren''t so difficult to face. it was and still is so easy for her to spread that cheer and positivity. her smile, her eyes, her kindness, her strength...just makes her that kind of a person. so i wonder if bro was just like me too."


    she clasped her hands together, smiling at the beautiful sight of the sunrise. "maybe he was also looking for a sun to shed away the nightmares from his life. just like me, he found that sun in ai. amidst that long and tiring stretch of darkness, he might have wanted to cling to that light by any means possible. everybody...wants to smile, right? everybody wants to be happy. but you know what happened?"


    ''guiying'' remained silent.


    "that sun began to rise higher and higher in the sky and its light became brighter and brighter until that same light blinds you when you look at it. she became such an indispensable part of bro and my life that her increasing glittering radiance began to blind us. neither he could see where he was going with his obsession nor i was able to look at the sun anymore. i was still down on the ground who was only able to see her go farther and farther away in the sky. that sun''s light began to hurt my eyes, and i...started wanting to run away from it, loathe it. i blamed it for our blindness."


    a peaceful sense of an understanding glinted the light in her eyes. "we were saved by that gentle dawn in her form that broke a slit through our ever so dark and gloomy days. but from that dawn, we burned ourselves with the emergence of that bright morning that was too blazing to look at. we tried to fiercely hold onto the sun, but we cannot do that, right? it would only incinerate us. it was us who failed to understand where to draw the line. and you know what?"


    "hm?"


    guiying lowered her gaze from the sun whose rays were starting to make her blink her eyelids. she simply basked in the glow and the warmth of the sunlight as if she had come to terms to an acceptance. it settled peace in her heart like never before.


    "it''s perfect that ai works at sky now. a sun like her is meant to shimmer in the vast, endless sky. her light will reach more people through her who look at the same sky from their window. her stories, her radiance might break through the darkness of many others too just like it did for bro and me."


    ''guiying'' let her enjoy the warm breeze that curled her lips into a placid smile. after a few minutes, ''she'' asked, "will you say the same thing for zhan yahui too? the one who used you and your brother for your brother for her own gains?"


    unknowingly, tears rimmed in her eyes as zhan yahui''s death invaded her mind. her last painful smile squeezed her heart with agony.


    "i don''t want to hate her. i don''t want to hate anybody anymore. not after so much hateful emotions i had towards ai. she used me, she hurt zixin and she plotted against liu jun...she has done many unforgivable things, but i don''t wish to loathe her for them any longer. i have already lost both my brother and the woman i treated as my sister. they will never be back in my life. but i want to hold onto those memories without any bitterness at the very least. it''s strange, right?"


    "what is?"


    guiying fully opened the window, letting the sunlight seep into it.


    "darkness blinds you as much as brightness. in a way then, zhan yahui and i were the same. we both went astray in our life because we both clung hard onto something which only makes us lose our sight."

 Chapter 715 The scent of the pressed ink

    chapter 715 the scent of the pressed ink


    "so what do you want to do, guiying?"


    inside the chief editor''s office of dream high, guiying faced yating with the question of the future of her writing career. zhan yahui was no more and so the spot of her editor''s position was vacant. but before yating began any process to assign a different, new editor for her, he wanted to have guiying''s opinion.


    a new editor...


    a state of conundrum occupied her heart. "i don''t know."


    yating pressed his lips, his gaze sympathetic. he understood the closeness guiying and zhan yahui shared and thus the conversation of her writing future was always going to be difficult when zhan yahui wasn''t going to be there anymore.


    "you can take your time considering it. there is no hurry. in fact, you are free to take a break and just focus on your personal life if you wish. i know a lot has happened and you need time to process it..." he leaned back on his chair, sighing.


    guiying lowered her gaze. to replace zhan yahui''s place as her editor felt almost as a crime to her. she thought about working with a new editor, but she just failed to picture it.


    "please give me some time."


    he smiled. "of course."


    guiying then asked, "what will happen to zhan yahui''s office?"


    "for now, we are keeping it as it is. i don''t wish to empty her stuff so soon like...we are kicking her out. but eventually..."


    "can i see it?"


    "of course. you don''t have to ask."


    ¡ª


    guiying stood in front of zhan yahui''s office, staring at the door with an unreadable expression. a few of the staff members passed behind her, giving her pitiful looks.


    "what will happen with her now?"


    "ever since the summit, it seems she has reached a kind of a rock bottom, right?"


    "poor her. now zhan yahui isn''t there either. i don''t know how she will manage."


    "i pity her. they were so close."


    "she could have reached far."


    "it doesn''t look like she could write anytime soon. writers are really sensitive people."


    "another writer could replace her as the star of the dream high anytime."


    the hushed whispers reached guiying''s ears. but her gaze was fixed at the door knob that she held. if she turned to face those hushed whispers, she would see the pity in their gazes. sympathy for a fallen star.


    it wasn''t those hopeless words that hurt her. it was the fact that there wouldn''t be zhan yahui anymore to fight them off. to sneer and mock at that knife-cutting sympathy.


    "pity is for weaklings. you don''t aim for people to pity you but to be envious of you so that they are incapable of spitting such nonsense. you know what stabs people the most?"


    guiying felt as if she could hear zhan yahui''s voice, speaking those same words to her and laughing that same evil chuckle.


    "success of others. and pity from a successful person feels like poison."


    guiying gasped and covered her left ear with her palm, stumbling a step back. she stared at the empty space ahead with a sense of disorientation gripping her.


    what was that...it felt like...she spoke into my ear just now...


    slightly breathless, she supported herself against the wall. a few people passing her gave her odd looks.


    "zhan yahui''s death seems to have taken a toll on her. she seems so lost."


    "yeah she is really piti-brrr!" the woman hugged herself. "it suddenly felt chilly."


    the woman accompanying her, gulped. "maybe it''s the aura around this place. after all, zhan yahui used to work here and now she is dead."


    "w-we should steer far away from this place..."


    the duo hastily scurried away, leaving guiying to herself. she softly slapped herself on her cheeks, waking herself up and exhaling a breath out. she gathered the courage to push the door and step inside.


    she looked across the interiors with a musky scent twitching her nostrils. there were traces of slight dust formed on the desk. she called somebody from the cleaning staff and asked for a mop and a duster.


    "mam, i will clean this room. chief gu has also asked to maintain the office."


    guiying smiled. "i know. but i would like to do it myself."


    after getting the tools, she closed the door and began to methodically clean the office. twenty minutes later, she softly collapsed on the chair, exhausted. staring at the seat in front of her on which zhan yahui used to sit and read her drafts filled her heart with a plethora of inexplicable emotions.


    zhan yahui wasn''t a person to carry much stuff around. there were only a few books and diaries inside the table drawers, her favorite phantom design pen stand which always spooked the hell out of guiying and some change of her clothes since there were many times she stayed overnight in dream high.n./ovelb1n


    guiying struggled to smile as she held the pen stand. this time, the familiar fear didn''t grip her over which zhan yahui used to laugh at her.


    "are you afraid of scary stuff that much?"


    "n-not really..."


    "your pale face tells a different story," she sneered. "such a coward. get used to it. there are scary things all around us. the real winner is the one who steps and tramples upon those ghosts threatening to eat you."


    "we...c-cannot really step on a ghost..."


    zhan yahui shut her eyes with lament. "you are supposed to be a writer but you severely lack imagination, don''t you?"


    even at present, guiying felt her face flush with embarrassment once again like that time.


    that was so stupid of me to talk so literally...


    guiying looked at the pen stand with a wry smile.


    she used to love this so much.


    she kept it back and walked around the table, opening the drawers. there were books and diaries with a lot of colorful sticky notes bookmarking different pages. she lifted one book and flipped through the pages.


    guiying trembled as she read the contents, tears brimming her eyes. the notes held all pointers about guiying''s improving areas in her writing skills and unreadable sketches of her plot outlines. the pages looked a mess with one arrow pointing from top to down and then many other words crisscrossing the already written words.


    holding the notes in her hand, guiying could feel the effort and the sleepless nights zhan yahui would have put into polishing guiying''s books. she might have wanted guiying to rise as a star for her own selfish motives, yet the scent of the pressed ink in those pages enveloped her heart with warmth as if they told a different story too.


    "not all of this...was just to use me, right? somewhere...somewhere you genuinely wanted me to become a good author, didn''t you?"


    tears plopped on the pages, her shoulders quivering as she sobbed silently.


    "you were a terrible person zhan yahui. but i don''t why i still...miss you."

 Chapter 716 The unexpressed (1)

    chapter 716 the unexpressed (1)


    stepping out of dream high, guiying was surprised by the sight of zixin leaning against his car and waiting for her. he became a spectacle in no time and women passing by began gushing at his charming appearance that housed a sincere, patient expression.


    with a light blush appearing on her cheeks, she walked quickly towards him. "why did you come here? aren''t you supposed to be at the office?"


    for the first few seconds, a beam of cheery light lit up in his gaze. it was a simple happiness of seeing her again, which deepened the redness on her cheeks.


    "the meeting ended earlier," he nodded. "so i thought to pick you up."


    "oh. okay. thank you."


    zixin felt something odd and bent closer. guiying rapidly blinked her eyes and with that lessening distance, her thoughts flew to a whole different world which assumed that zixin was leaning to kiss her.


    t-that cannot be true! we are in public!


    zixin lifted his hand towards her, making her breath stuck in her throat. she was at a threshold of taking a big step back to avoid the public display of affection. her mind raced with several, jumbled up thoughts and she closed her eyes shut.


    she felt the tip of his index finger pressing at the corner of her eye instead of the kiss that she was assuming to happen.


    "you were crying?"


    she blinkingly opened her eyes to notice the contours of his face marred with worry and concern.nove-lb(1n


    "your eyes are redder," his seriousness increased ten fold.


    "o-oh!" she stammered to speak with the warmth of his fingertips brushing on her cheek. "it''s nothing. i came to talk to yating about...about my writing future. we talked about a different editor but...i am not sure i am ready. i went to zhan yahui''s office and stayed there for some time. it reminded me of all the times i spent with her."


    he blinked once.


    embarrassment filled her heart and she quickly said, "i am sorry. i know you will be disappointed with me. zhan yahui..." her gaze lowered, "she made you go through such a horrible accident that you lost your memories. you don''t remember anything about your family. i know you must resent her. i too...feel betrayed. after bro lingyun, i looked up to her as the wise figure in my life. but she wanted to use me. yet...i strangely cannot despise her so much. i know it doesn''t make sense, but i really-"


    "ssh."


    he placed his finger on her lips, hushing her endless onslaught of confusion.


    "why are you explaining this to me? i never said that you must hate zhan yahui. if you cannot hate her for the things she has done, then it means that somewhere or the other, there might have been a little hint of genuinity in her heart for you. otherwise, you wouldn''t feel this way."


    "do you...do you really think that?" she clasped her hands together, wanting to cling onto that hope. "did she think of me, even if for a little bit, other than somebody who she could use for her plans?"


    zixin nodded. he glanced aside for a moment and said, "let''s go."


    "where?"


    "you will know."


    ¡ª


    guiying stared at zhan yahui''s house which lay empty after her death. there was a discussion going on about what to do with the house as she didn''t have family or next of kin.


    they stepped in with the melancholy and memories hitting her immediately as soon as the living room view greeted their view. last time, it was ''guiying'' who had come here to confront zhan yahui of the ugly truth. that was certainly the most bitter meeting but guiying also remembered the previous other meetings that she held in her house for work.


    "i have come here a very few times..." guiying whispered, brushing her hand against the headrest of the couch. "she didn''t really like inviting people home. but sometimes, she did. i think only me though? i don''t recall anybody else from dream high ever coming here. she used to torture me in completing the drafts until i did. till then no sleep. i was always scared of her glare."


    zixin softly smiled.


    "she used to sit there and work through her files as she waited for me. she had the habit of continuously tapping her finger on the armrest as she did so."


    there were tons of books placed in the shelves and small cupboards, but the house looked well-maintained and organized. standing inside her home, she softly breathed in the lonely air which was devoid of the owner''s scent. she looked back and asked, "why did you bring me here?"


    zixin replied. "i just thought you might like it here. you might find here something that would say that zhan yahui perhaps liked you in a way."


    guiying smiled. she walked into the bedroom and met with the familiar reclusive silence. she glanced across the room and randomly opened her cupboard. at the third last shelf, guiying was taken aback to see many gift-wrapped boxes neatly stacked inside.


    when she read the notes over them, she realized that those gifts were meant for guiying on her birthday.


    ''happy birthday guiying.''


    ''happy birthday guiying.''


    ''happy birthday guiying.''


    guiying tremblingly held one. she opened it and in it, there was a small, adorable musical piece with the figurines of two girls standing at the center. it would light up and play music when you switched it on.


    ''look, look here zhan yahui! isn''t it so pretty?'' guiying had asked one day as they passed by a store.


    zhan yahui scoffed. ''childish.''


    guiying pursed her lips for a moment and then burst into a smile. ''it''s childish but cute. the two girls are you and me and we are singing a song together. isn''t it adorable?''


    zhan yahui had only responded with a dry expression. ''i don''t like this melody. how about we sing a horror tune instead? this music makes me puke.''


    guiying let out a shudder. ''it''s supposed to be a cute piece of art and music.''


    ''there is nothing cute in this world. only war and blood.''


    ''...''


    guiying chuckled, remembering the small clash of their ideals outside that shop.


    i never knew she bought this as a gift to me.


    not just that but many other piles of gifts too which never made her way to guiying''s side on her birthdays.


    why... wouldn''t you give them to me?

 Chapter 717 The unexpressed (2)

    717 the unexpressed (2)


    not just zhan yahui''s own gifts to guiying, she noticed how her birthday gifts to zhan yahui were neatly placed around the house too. considering her real nature, guiying thought that she, who didn''t see guiying more as a tool for her plans, must have discarded her gifts long ago. but guiying''s different gifts were scattered throughout the place as if saying that they were cherished.


    guiying held the musical figurine piece close to her chest, imagining what zhan yahui''s expression would have been like when she bought it for her.


    "this is all for you," zixin mentioned in a soft voice.


    "yes...can i take them with me?" she asked with a tinge of doubt in her voice. she really wondered if it was okay to take them.


    he smiled. "these are her gifts for you. i believe she wanted you to have them."


    "but she never gave them to me."


    "maybe she didn''t know how to."


    guiying found sense in his words. maybe zhan yahui''s world was so painted in black that she couldn''t find the joy of doing these little things or even if she did, didn''t know how to express it.


    she slightly pressed her brows together at zixin. "how come you seem to understand her better than me?"


    zixin beamed. "are you jealous?"


    she coughed back a choke. "n-not in a way that you are thinking. it''s just that i have spent time with her as my editor, but there was so much i didn''t know about her. or maybe i didn''t take any effort to understand her."


    "there is something else she has left for you too."


    she blinked. "apart from these gifts?"


    "yes."


    "but i didn''t find anything else for me."


    zixin''s lips curved into a warm smile. "you don''t have to find it. you are already standing in it. the gift is all around you."


    she pursed her lips. "i don''t understand this puzzle."


    he showed her a file and said, "these are this house''s papers. zhan yahui has made you the owner of this property in the event something happened to her."


    guiying gave him a blank look. "huh?"


    "you can read the document. i thought this house would be important to you because this was where she lived. so i wanted to know what was going to happen to it. through her lawyer, i came to know that she has named this property after you. so if anything happens to her, you get the house."


    it was getting harder and harder for her to remain steady and find her voice. she looked around the room and outside and still couldn''t wrap her head around it. she took the file and read her name as the one receiving the house.


    "wh-why would she do so much for me...? i was just a writer. i don''t know if..." tears brimmed her eyes, "if we were even friends or not..."


    zixin''s eyelashes slightly trembled. "her lawyer didn''t have much idea either. i asked her if zhan yahui said anything to explain her decision. but she said nothing. her simple decision was to hand the house over to you. but i can make a guess. i don''t know if i am right or if that is what she thought. i think she wanted you to have this house simply as your house. away from cai lingyun maybe."


    guiying trembled, her eyes slowly widening.


    "the apartment where you lived until now actually belonged to your brother. he could come and go whenever he wanted. maybe that''s why she wanted you to have a place where he wouldn''t have the right. also..." he stared into guiying''s misty eyes, but his thoughts were occupied by zhan yahui. "she approached her lawyer for this after the incident at your place where he slapped you and abused you. because of which he went to jail and i offered you to live at the chen villa. maybe she wanted you to have a home where you would be safe and protected from his abuse. i don''t know. i can only think this is the case considering the timing."


    guiying softly collapsed on the bed, her thoughts a jumbled up mess. she was utterly left confused by zhan yahui''s existence. it was more of a mystery than anything. nothing was straightforward with her. nothing was as it seemed on her face. she held a different expression on the outside but a completely opposite thought process on the inside. n-(o).v/(e..l))b.)i)-n


    what did zhan yahui think of guiying?


    was she only a pawn for her plans or along the way, guiying''s presence grew much more and much bigger than that?


    guiying had so many questions to ask but the person to give those answers was gone. it was only through her gifts that she could try to make some semblance of the situation.


    zixin sat beside her, patting her head as she cried. this was the reason why he couldn''t really hate zhan yahui despite the unfortunate things that happened to him because of her. when he saw the last expression zhan yahui had, her gaze as she looked at guiying for the last time - zixin felt as if he could read a million, unsaid, unexpressed emotions within them.


    there was a lot to say. there was a lot to explain. but time had run out and so had her chances. defeat and fruitlessness glinted in her lost eyes. there was nothing left to articulate herself. even if she tried to, she wasn''t sure how to make guiying understand her conflicted feelings.


    it was at that moment that zixin felt any displeasure for her, dissipated. she did use guiying and her alter personality for which he couldn''t forgive her, but she wanted to be good to her too. she was struggling how to, but that raw emotion was still there.


    zixin gently wiped her tears as she silently sniffled and sobbed. maybe now guiying missed her more than ever.


    "it hurts zixin..." the welled tears in her eyes slipped down. "it hurts that she isn''t here anymore. it hurts that she couldn''t give me these gifts herself. it hurts that we couldn''t grow closer... closer like how ai and xing bi are. i couldn''t do anything for her."

 Chapter 718 Shopping (1)

    718 shopping (1)


    "broooooo!"


    the twins yunru and yubi jumped on their elder brother as soon as they just took one step inside. but one look at guiying and they realized instantly that something was wrong.


    "what happened, sis?" yubi asked, concerned. "why do your eyes look so red?"


    she put her hands on her waist and fumed at zixin. "bro, how could you! how come she cried when you were there with her? this is not how you are supposed to take care of her!"


    "you are right..." zixin lowered his head in shame, and his shoulders dropped.


    "no, no!" guiying hastily came to his defense. "zixin did nothing wrong."


    "then how can you cry with him around you?" yunru demanded an answer as well. "he did a poor job of taking care of you. that''s why bro must be punished!"


    "like i said, zixin is not at fault..." she anxiously continued to explain but the twins were lost in their world to resolve this serious matter.


    yubi declared. "to pay for this sin, bro will empty all his pockets for sis guiying''s sake!"


    "yes, bro will take sis shopping and will bend to her command for the entire day. the sky''s the limit hohoho!"


    zixin brightened with this idea and nodded heavily. "i will do whatever she says."


    the twins nodded with appreciation.


    "n-no that''s not required-"


    "sis, you don''t have to be reserved! after all, you are going to be the daughter-in-law of the chen family. you must learn to spend your future husband''s money to the fullest," yubi bobbed her head. "look at mom and grandma. don''t they do the same?"


    zixin followed with the nod. "spend all my money. everything belonging to me is yours only."


    guiying didn''t know how to face them. it had been some time since she had started living in the chen villa, but she still wasn''t used to them addressing her as the future daughter-in-law of the family. her cheeks turned pink everytime she would think of them as a husband and wife.


    b-but we aren''t even dating yet...


    "i...well, i...i remember i have to freshen up!"


    guiying scurried away like the squirrel, averting her gaze from the trio of siblings.


    "hehe, sister-in-law was blushing~" yunru sheepishly grinned.


    "it''s good now," yubi nodded. "now sister-in-law won''t think about the melancholic memories."


    zixin had already notified them how guiying was feeling low and missing zhan yahui. the twins didn''t completely understand her feelings as they still resented her for hurting their brother. but they also tried to understand guiying''s point of view who had definitely spent far more time with zhan yahui than them.


    yubi said, "it''s a hard time for sister-in-law. that''s why bro. you have to be extra careful and extra attentive towards her. it is only with everybody''s support that she would be able to come to terms with what has happened."


    "yes," zixin''s gaze dimmed. "i won''t let guiying become sad anymore. all those dark and gloomy days are gone. now it''s only time for her to smile and shine."


    ¡ª


    "you can take whatever you want here."


    zixin explained very sincerely to guiying that no matter what she wanted from the shopping complex, it would be hers. the shopping trip set up by the twins was a source of bliss for zixin whereas it was a source of a mountain of stress for guiying, who wasn''t used to visiting high-end, luxurious stores.


    guiying''s eyes lit up, who liked a beautiful purple dress passing by a fashion store. but as soon as her gaze fell on the tag, her lit up eyes popped out of her sockets, trying to control her choke.


    she promptly turned away but zixin''s intervention pulled her into the store. "the purple dress," he politely asked the store attendant, pointing at the dress.


    "nooo!"


    guiying urgently whispered. "i was just looking at it. i don''t want it."


    he frowned. "your eyes definitely lit up with joy. you definitely want it."


    "y-you are mistaken..."


    "i am not."


    "weren''t you looking at something else?" she sweated.


    "why would i look at anything else? i only look at you."


    "..."


    exiting the store, guiying held the delicate paper bag which contained the exorbitantly expensive purple dress. that light paper bag felt extraordinarily heavy to her.


    i think i have spent three years worth of my earnings on this dress? or is it five?


    to guiying, this shopping trip was definitely over. she had crossed way over her budget and there was nothing left to look around anymore.


    "let''s have lunch!" she chirped.


    zixin frowned once again. "it''s early for lunch. we haven''t toured through the whole mall either."


    "i d-don''t want to tour the whole mall..." her pale expression tried to bring a smile to her lips. "i am done."


    "but a woman has many things to buy. a woman''s shopping is very deep and complicated. it''s beyond the normal understanding of a human. how can it get over with just one dress?"


    "huh? deep and complicated? normal understanding? who told you that?"


    "mom, grandma and yubi."


    "..."


    "don''t worry. my shopping is not so deep and complicated. look, we are done already!"


    "we are not done. i haven''t spent anything on you yet," he pursed his lips.


    guiying felt betrayed at that moment.


    excuse me, the heavy bag that i am holding says otherwise!


    so more than guiying shopping around the mall, it was zixin who pulled her into all the stores and bought everything that she liked. though guiying did her best not to express any sense of liking towards any product, she failed miserably. the end result being guiying freezing over the bill amount and losing her sense of balance.


    ''guiying'' sneered. "get used to it. you have a very rich boyfriend now."


    "h-he is not my boyfriend...!"


    zixin tapped on her shoulder, and she turned.


    "y-yes...?"


    "is ''she'' also here?" he asked beamingly. "you were talking to her, right?"


    guiying blinked. "j-just for a moment..."


    oh no. did i look weird talking to myself?


    "what does ''she'' like? did ''she'' like anything from here?" he probed. "after all, i am taking you both shopping. but ''she'' didn''t say anything yet, so i thought nothing fancied her. is there anything that caught ''her'' eye?" n-(o).v/(e..l))b.)i)-n

 Chapter 719 Shopping (2)

    719 shopping (2)


    ''guiying'' suddenly took over and said as ''she'' folded her arms. "does it even make any sense buying anything for me?"


    "why not?"


    "guiying and i are the same people."


    "''you'' and guiying share the same body. but as people, you two are different," he blinked. "she may like something that ''you'' don''t and ''you'' make like something that she doesn''t. so tell me what you like."


    ''guiying'' snorted. "i don''t have any such likes."


    "but ''you'' like smoking."


    ''she'' threw him a glare. "is that condescending tone that i hear?"


    zixin obediently shook his head. "i mean it in a way that ''you'' like something that guiying doesn''t. so i surmised you might have some different choices in dresses and stuff."


    ''guiying'' frowned and then rolled her eyes. "nothing really. don''t bother about me. just get on with your shopping."


    ''she'' disappeared as quickly as ''she'' came. guiying pursed her lips. "i felt that ''her'' tone was rude."


    she apologetically looked at zixin. "i am sorry. ''she'' has been acting more and more cranky these days."


    "i don''t mind."


    guiying wanted to take this chance to escape and end the shopping trip, but zixin had other plans. her cries fell to deaf ears.


    as they walked towards the next store, zixin received a message from yubi.


    ''how is it going bro!?????''


    zixin could feel the squeals and excitement screaming from her messages.


    ''good.''


    ''huh? just good? i mean good is fine but what about spicy!!!!''


    he knitted his brows. ''spicy?''


    ''...''


    ''broooooo, don''t tell me that you are taking sister-in-law for just simple shopping! you should treat it as a date! a date! make some romantic, gushing moments with her! spark up the passion! you have to take the relationship to the boyfriend-girlfriend level, don''t you forget that!!!''


    zixin felt the truth of her wisdom.


    a date...


    he looked around the shopping arena and his now date-filter eyes could only somehow recognize the couples around them. some held hands while some men had their arms wrapped around their lover''s neck. zixin thought that the latter gesture was reserved for when guiying and he actually became a couple. but for now, they weren''t.


    so holding hands was a safe option.


    zixin looked down at his target which was freely wandering back and forth.


    "let''s hold hands, shall we?"


    guiying came to a sudden halt with this proposal.


    "wh-what...ho-holding hands...?" she stammered.


    zixin nodded. "can we hold hands?"


    it was fine until now, but guiying suddenly felt as if her hands turned sweaty. the simple gesture was tempting. chen zixin aka mrperfect was with her. she liked him, and he liked her back too. they were out shopping which was a perfect chance to steadily grow closer.


    but the consciousness overtook her thought processes, and she bit her lip. "i-i don''t know..."


    zixin tilted his head. "why not? you don''t want to hold my hand?"


    "no, no!"


    "..."


    zixin''s heart broke apart as if a thousand arrows just pierced through and through with that resounding rejection. guiying realized her error and bit her tongue hard.


    idiot!


    "i didn''t mean it that way! sorry, i misspoke. i mean...m-my hands...might be sweaty so..." she gulped, embarrassment filling every nook and cranny in her heart.


    zixin''s dropped shoulders immediately lifted up. "was that what you were worried about? i don''t mind if your hands are sweaty or dry. i just want to hold your hands."


    her mouth dropped.


    i think you should care about sweaty hands at least...


    his expression bounced back to his cheery self, and since guiying''s issue was something that he didn''t mind, he extended his hand and intertwined it around hers, locking their fingers together.


    guiying''s finger trembled in his as she struggled to breathe. it was a simple act of holding hands but just the firm squeeze of his hand rocked her heart into the wildest symphony. the warmth from his palm seeped into hers and suddenly, the level of intimacy for her just shot through the roof.


    zixin read the little blushes on her cheeks which made her look even more beautiful than ever. n--ovelbin


    "shall we go?"


    "yes..."


    at first, guiying robotically walked. her mind was a messy haywire of a plethora of emotions beating her heart back and forth. she looked at the other couples who looked so natural and comfortable around each other.


    come on guiying, you are a romance writer! you have crafted so many swoon-worthy moments in your books and you shy away when it''s your time? how can i be allowed to call myself a writer then!


    she felt a tug just then which was zixin pulling her closer to his arm. "walk closer to my side."


    his hushed whisper tickled in her ears and the brush of her arm against his made her heart tremble. the press of his long fingers erupted an urge within her heart to hug him. "h-hm."


    it feels like a dream...


    another two hours later, guiying finally managed to switch off the shopping mode from zixin''s mind as she cried real tears to stop the incessant spending of his seemingly limitless platinum card. with a heavy heart, he agreed.


    they stepped outside into a wide, rectangular garden with a big fountain mounted in between to take a break and catch up with their breaths.


    guiying beamed with the fountain''s sight. the water flowing upwards that kissed the blue sky radiated shimmering rainbow colors as it merged with the afternoon sunlight. she bent forward and let the cold fountain water fall on her hands. she tiptoed upwards trying to drive her fingers through the rainbow that had formed.


    "you like it?" zixin asked, standing beside her.


    "yes! it''s so pretty and sparkling," she said with a wide grin. "the rainbow is so beautiful. look at all those colors. red, orange, violet, blue...it feels so magical, right?"


    zixin stared at her smiles and giggles as she played with the fountain water. it felt a long time to him that he saw her truly unwinding herself like this so freely.


    lost in the pleasant sound of her laughter, he slowly raised his hand, wanting to hold her cheek.


    *splash!*


    drops of water trickled down his brows and cheeks as he rapidly blinked in confusion. that bewilderment was so adorable that the culprit guiying, who splashed the fountain water on his face, burst into a hearty laughter. "so cute."


    "you splashed water on me."


    guiying wanted to apologize, but she couldn''t hold back her laughter. "i...i am...s-sorry...hahaha..."


    "you are apologizing but also laughing," he pursed his lips. "well then let me return the favor."

 Chapter 720 Determined

    720 determined


    a splash of water then wetted guiying''s face as zixin took his sweet revenge.


    "h-hey! no, that''s unfair!"


    guiying scooped up some more water from the fountain and splashed it on zixin after which he mimicked the same actions. they circled and ran around the fountain while attacking and defending themselves at the same time.


    zixin''s face and upper half of his coat and shirt was completely soaked with guiying''s mischief. guiying pointed at his sorry state and laughed while stumbling back. she lost her footing just then, close to falling back in the fountain but zixin swiftly caught her waist, alert.


    a panicked gasp escaped from her lips for a moment but felt assured as he grabbed her just in time. she lifted her head and was about to say thank you but her gratitude remained stuck on her tongue.


    with drops of water dripping down the strands of his hair and the moistness that glistened on his cheeks, his sexiness and charm had just been maximized. she could hear the loud drums of her heartbeats in her ears, tracing the see-through of his shirt sticking on his skin because of the wetness. it was oddly satisfying and tantalizing.


    is that how he looks when he is out of the shower?


    guiying immediately admonished herself.


    what the hell? wh-why are your thoughts going inside his bathroom, guiying!?


    thank god he cannot read my mind or he would think that i am a pervert! n./ovelbin


    she felt the warmth of a soft palm gently making its way, holding her cheek as she continued to inwardly berate herself. under the sunlight too, a shiver passed through as his fingers buried deeper within the locks of her wet hair.


    she forgot to breathe as she looked into his dark black eyes, focusing on her with intense concentration. it was as if the hustle and bustle around them had completely turned silent. she sensed the press on her waist digging deeper as they inched closer and closer.


    zixin slightly tilted his head, brushing away a drop of the fountain pearl from her cheek. his gaze that traced the dampness on her neck line glinted with a tremble of an unknown desire awakening. that same thumb began to slip downwards to caress her jawline and made its way to her neck. the trickling drops were cold to touch yet his fingers were ablaze with a scorching heat of temptation.


    guiying''s lips quivered with the feathery and tickling touches on her neck, making her breaths more restless and rapid. she lowered her gaze by that point, unable to keep peering into the fervor of his black shining orbs. his forehead bumped on hers at one point, his lips narrowly hovering around hers.


    did their lips touch or not was an illusion they wondered. the sound of his erratic soft breaths invoked a melody in her ears as that sound matched her own fidgety breaths. here she was in the mrperfect''s embrace. an existence who she never thought she would meet was now standing intimately with her beside the sparkling rainbow fountain.


    "what were you thinking?"


    his whisper threatened to make her knees feel like jelly.


    "what?" she asked, breathless.


    "you were thinking about something when you were looking at me. then you blushed and it looked like you were scolding yourself."


    her eyes almost popped out of her sockets.


    "so what were you thinking?"


    "no-nothing! just random silly t-thoughts..."


    no, no! of course i cannot let him know!


    "tell me," his voice held an urge as much as a hint of stubborness. "i could tell. it was something about me. i want to know what it is."


    can you s-stop hushing like this in my ears or i will faint...! she could feel her brain short-circuiting.


    and no way i will tell you that i was imagining your after shower look!


    she lacked tears to shed, but this was something she was determined not to share with zixin at any cost.


    he frowned. he could very well see that it was definitely a naughty thought that had made her cheeks flush that way. his curiosity now skyrocketed even more. he wanted to break her defenses in some way but before he could plan that, their moment came to a halt with guiying''s ringing phone.


    she stiffened, her heart almost jumping out of her chest. as she accidentally looked back into those irises which felt like they would suck her away, she read his silent burning message of him not wanting her to pick the call.


    that woke her up from her reverie and with it came a grave realization that they stood so close and intimate like this in the public. with her face filled with shyness, she broke from their embrace, quickly looking around. thankfully, there were less people and that too on the other side of the fountain. she heaved a great sigh of relief.


    "a bummer..." zixin mumbled very softly.


    "what?"


    "nothing."


    he looked unfazed though great lament filled his heart for the abrupt ending of their proximity. but he soon realized that with ''guiying'' also inside her, he shouldn''t have acted this way with them. he closed his eyes, strongly criticizing himself.


    i need to apologize.


    he glanced at guiying, who had received the incoming call. but he noticed her countenance not looking good. trouble filled her gaze with her brows knitted together.


    "okay. i will come," she softly replied.


    as she hung up, zixin immediately asked with concern, "what happened?"


    he vowed to resolve any crisis for her.


    guiying pressed her lips inwards. "it was your cousin soo yijun from the police station. he said that bro has asked to meet me."


    zixin stared at her. "cai lingyun?"


    she quietly nodded.


    his expression immediately hardened and thinking how he always abused her physically and mentally, his clenched fist openly displayed his thirst of violence.


    "why does he want to meet you? it doesn''t matter. you don''t have to cater to any of his requests," he coldly rebuked cai lingyun''s daring to contact guiying.


    guiying''s heart was filled with a fluttering warmth by his anger and concern for her sake. she said after a long, thoughtful pause, "i know. i can reject meeting him if i want. but..."


    a strange will of determination shone in her eyes. "i will face him. i want to talk to him one last time."

 Chapter 721 Just Guiying

    721 just guiying


    guiying signed on the visitor''s register and prepared herself to face her brother. she exuded calmness from the outside but a violent turbulence was shaking her heart from within.


    she stood tremblingly on her feet and proceeded to follow the officer when zixin held her hand back.


    "don''t go. you don''t have to go..."


    his gaze pleaded her to stop in her steps. guiying had been hurt and wounded a million times by her brother. with a lot of courage and facing her past, she had come this far in her life. with great resolve she tore herself from the bleak and abusive past. zixin didn''t wish for all that strength to shatter in the blink of an eye. he didn''t want cai lingyun to break her heart once again. he knew he would because that was the only thing he knew to do. nove-lb-1n


    hurt guiying over and over again.


    "i will be fine, zixin," guiying smiled. she had made up her mind. "i really need to do this."


    zixin didn''t let go of her hand. it clung onto her hoping for otherwise. eventually, he freed her and understanding her decision, he slowly nodded.


    "i will wait for you here."


    "thank you," she genuinely meant it.


    guiying followed the officer and stood outside the door. beyond it, she would see her brother in the next room, separated by a glass panel. with quivering lips, she inhaled shaky breaths. she couldn''t control her mind from getting forcefully occupied by the painful memories of the abuse. tears pooled in her eyes and she quickly wiped them off.


    not today. i won''t be weak today. i won''t be afraid of him today.


    she tried to feel ''her'' presence, but strangely she couldn''t.


    "i know you are worried about me, but let me do this. i will face him today. no matter what he says or how painful it would be, i will face it all."


    she waited for any response, but ''she'' remained silent. guiying felt hesitant with the silence. ''guiying'' never remained so quiet whenever it was about cai lingyun. but today it was as if ''she'' just wasn''t there.


    "you can go inside, mam."


    guiying nodded at the officer. with a trembling hand, she clutched the door knob and went in.


    on the other side of the glass wall, cai lingyun was seated with a dreary expression. it was obvious from the first glance that he had lost a lot of weight. he looked older than his age with lines on his forehead and bags under his eyes.


    her heart tightened with the weary state of his.


    taking slow and quiet steps, she sat on the opposite chair of the glass wall. cai lingyun very slowly raised his gaze and stared at her.


    "you came. i thought you wouldn''t."


    "i thought so too...but here i am. i had to be here today."


    she clutched the purse in her hand, not wanting to show any sign of weakness before him. she stared into his eyes and knew she did the right thing by coming here.


    it was ''guiying'' at first, the alter ego within her, who came into being to protect her. ever since then, ''guiying'' had been on the front line to face cai lingyun.


    then she found comfort in ai''s friendship. a strength to find herself and heal herself. a means to run away from her troubled home.


    and then stepped into her life mrperfect. zixin. it was him whose words and encouragement let her strongly pursue writing. it was zixin who threw cai lingyun into jail upon first coming to know about his abuse.


    in every step of her life, guiying had somebody to lean on to escape from her brother. she hid behind ''her'', ai and zixin and protected herself all this time. she was pained and broken but could never stand up to him.


    but today guiying knew she had to. this time, she didn''t wish to rely on anybody but herself. more than to anybody, she wanted to prove to herself that she had grown. she had come far. she wasn''t the same little sister to cower at the sight of his raising hand to slap her.


    she wanted to face cai lingyun as cai guiying. as her own person.


    cai lingyun snickered. "you are trying to sound so strong. you are living such a good life too. and why not? after all, the mighty chen zixin is behind you, isn''t he? did you purposely go after such a rich and powerful guy to suppress me?"


    guiying trembled. she stared at him, stunned. "is that what you always thought of me?"


    "then what is the truth, guiying? is it even possible that somebody from our class can meet somebody of his class? people like us can only see that glamor on tv and newspapers. we never reach that far to actually touch that glitter. but here you are anyway. i wonder how?"


    the insinuation of her hugging a rich thigh shook her hard. she took a few moments to calm herself and said, "how would you know, bro? did you ever...look at me properly? did you ever try to know what i was doing in my life? what was happening in my life?"


    his eyes narrowed.


    "i had so many things to tell you. my writing. my stories. my journey. how i met zixin. how we are now where we are. how his family treats me so preciously. there are so, so many things you just don''t know about me. you only..." she shivered, "looked at me to hit me. you only looked at me to find ai. you only came to me for your own purposes. then how are you supposed to know anything about me, bro?"


    he clenched his jaw. "great. now you have learned to talk back to me too."


    "talking back? this is not my rebellion, bro," she wryly chuckled. "the time to rebel has long gone. it''s too late to protest about anything. this is just me finally finding my voice to talk to you. not ''her''. not ai. not zixin. this time, it''s just me talking to my brother. it''s just guiying."

 Chapter 722 Guiyings decision

    chapter 722 guiying''s decision


    guiying asked, "why did you call for me, bro?"


    "why?" he sneered. "now that i am in jail, you won''t even bother to meet me? you abandoned me just like that and i had to ask to meet my own sister. i cannot believe that you could treat me like that. i raised you after our parents passed away. i shielded you as we got kicked from home to home and..."


    the dormant rage was piling up, his body trembling. "you are so clueless about the reality of our childhood life, right? the disdain, the sympathy, the bias, the torture of our relatives...you haven''t even seen one percent of it. you always lived in your bubbly world while i took the heat. and now...and now you just shamelessly let me rot in jail! some backstabber sister i have raised!"


    guiying struggled to make any sense of his words. "do you think that i lived in a bubbly world? do you really think i have ever smiled in those days? you...how can you be so completely wrong, bro?"


    tears fell as she said, "i wasn''t spared either. the cousins would all bully me whenever they found me. they mocked us as orphans. they ridiculed us for shamelessly living in their house and stealing money that was supposed to be theirs. i have heard a lot of poison just like you. but all of that didn''t matter to me. i didn''t resent them for their treatment. we were just burdens to them."


    guiying clenched her fist, her heart being stabbed by knives. "but what broke me was you, bro. we were brother and sister, right? we were supposed to battle everything together. n-no matter how tough life was, we all face it with smiles. so...when did i become a burden for you? when was it that i became an outlet for you to release your anger?"


    cai lingyun''s eyes reddened with a mixture of rage and humiliation. "shut up! you don''t know what i was going through at all! you don''t understand the stress behind every penny i had to earn for our future and leave those wretched families! what do you know! as a big brother, i was doing what any brother would do. take your responsibility and do whatever i can to earn for you. so...so what if i hit you a little? couldn''t you bear that for the sake of your brother who was feeding your mouth!?"


    he breathed hard with his flared nostrils, veins popping up on the back of his hands. "the college and studies, the part time work, the job search, the house search and then after everything come home to become a joke and disdain for our relatives...after going through such a repeat of shitty day every single day, why was it so wrong if i beat you a couple of times? you never faced the stress so you will never know!"


    "who told you to do it all alone!" she broke down. "i was there for you, bro. i was there with you. i wanted you to share your burdens with me so why didn''t you let me help you? re-remember i wanted to take up part time job to earn money-"


    "shut up! shut up! shut up!"


    she froze.


    cai lingyun banged his hands on the desk, his body trembling hard. "i didn''t need your help! what? did you think that i was so weak that i would be unable to support you by myself? did you think i was a loser who wouldn''t be able to provide for you?" n--o--v)(e)(l.-b/)1)-n


    "no...no! i never thought that. why do you have to think that way just because i wanted to help you? we are siblings bro! why couldn''t have we dealt with the situation together? y-you didn''t have to bear everything alone because i was right beside you, but you...you never gave me that chance! no matter how much i tried to reach out to you, you always, always shut down on me...the only time you looked at me was when you beat me. i know..."


    her voice choked, her eyes growing wetter. "i know you....were...


    hurting. you were struggling, but why...why did it have to be like this? you kept hitting and beating me and slowly...i began to lose who i was my last family member too. i was losing you and th-then i truly had nobody in my life..."


    her vacant gaze looked faraway, staring back into the past. "i was tired. i just wanted us to be together. even if life was harsh, i wanted us to walk through it together. i believe nothing would have been impossible then. i just...wanted us to be happy. why was it so difficult? why did you stop looking at me? when i first introduced ai, you looked so happy. and that made me happy because i thought ai would become the bridge between us. i was sure that she was that friend we needed in our lives to...to just make us calm down and remember to take a breath. she was that order in our chaotic lives..."


    a tear traced the path of the wetness on her cheek. "but i disappeared for you yet again. you could only see ai and nothing else. i was just...nowhere in your life. what did i do so wrong, bro?"


    "ai..."


    guiying looked up at him as he whispered her name. he seemed to be in a trance as he mumbled her name. "where is ai? what is she doing now? i saw the news that her book is coming. isn''t it great? oh god it''s been so long that i have seen her. how...many months has it been?"


    cai lingyun''s mood and tone switched like a flip as if the previous confrontation was just an imagination. guiying stared at him emptily. everything changed about him the moment ai''s name came up.


    he is still the same...


    if it was before, guiying would have felt broken to pieces. the constant love and concern for ai would have made her miserable. but today strangely, she didn''t feel any enmity towards ai. not even a speck of any insecurity.


    as she stared at her brother, she could only feel pity for him.


    "ai...i want to meet ai. guiying, do something. let me out of this jail! i want to meet ai!"


    "ai is happy, bro. ai is happy with liu jun. she only needs him and nobody else."


    "ridiculous!" he exclaimed at the top of his voice. "she doesn''t know what she is doing. that liu bastard will never keep him happy! sh-she doesn''t understand. that''s why you have to help me, guiying! get me out of this jail! i am your brother! please help me!"


    guiying felt a cold shiver. his pleading voice and desperate expression twisted her heart. his frail body made her wish she could hug him. she wanted him to be free and live his life.


    she raised herself from the chair and stood on her feet. she stared into his gaze where she couldn''t find any trace of her existence.


    "i cannot, bro. i won''t. for the sake of ai''s and everybody''s happiness, you have to stay here. that is all i came to say to you."


    cai lingyun gave her a blank stare. "t-that is ridiculous! you cannot betray me guiying! i am your brother. you have to help me out! l-look, i promise i will treat you nicely from now on. i will become the big brother you want me to be, okay?"


    with a sad smile, she shook her head. "it''s too late for that, bro. i am sorry. you are a danger to ai and her happiness, not her friend and well-wisher. you..." a lump formed in her throat, as she steeled her heart, "will remain here for the rest of your time. that is what i have decided. this is the last time we meet."


    with her back and shoulders straight, guiying turned and walked away.


    "no! guiying, come back! i am sorry! please forgive me! i promise i will treat you better now but please let me out of here! guiying!"


    but his pleas went to deaf ears and the only sounds he heard were of guiying''s footsteps leaving and the door shutting in front of him forever.

 Chapter 723 To celebrate for herself

    chapter 723 to celebrate for herself


    zixin anxiously waited outside the bureau, unable to stand still and frequently throwing glances at the exit. the evening setting sun cast a dark orangish glow to the sky bringing the night in.


    "guiying..."


    a few minutes later, his jittery patience came to an end as he finally saw guiying''s figure exiting through the door. she had her head slightly lowered as she slowly walked. from that distance, zixin couldn''t clearly see her expression.


    he walked slowly at first, then increased his pace and with larger strides, he reached her before she could. immediately, he quickly but gently touched the back of her head with his palm and buried her face in his chest.


    guiying was taken aback but the familiar scent and warmth of a certain someone''s embrace soon pacified her chaotic thoughts. exiting the visiting room, she came all the way consoling herself, bringing her tears to a stop. but now listening to his heartbeats, she could breathe the breaths she had forgotten to.


    "i am proud of you," he whispered to her.


    he let that hang for a moment, welling tears in her irises. she wondered if she did the right thing by meeting cai lingyun. she pondered if she could face her brother the way she had envisioned. but she couldn''t find an answer to it.


    zixin''s pride in her vanquished the ambiguities making a rush in her mind.


    "i had to do this..." a tear rolled down her cheek, her lips quivering and voice breaking.


    "if i didn''t, then i would have never...truly been able to give a new beginning to myself. i wanted to meet him for a long time, but i couldn''t gather my courage..." she softly clenched his jacket with her trembling fingers, "but everytime it was either ''her'', ai or you protecting me from him whereas it should have been me to confront him all along. i a-always hid behind you all. when you sent him to jail, i was so relieved...that i didn''t have to make that decision. i was relieved whenever ''she'' came to my aid and said things to him that i couldn''t."


    she closed her eyes, letting her tears freely fall. she then gently withdrew and looked into zixin''s beautiful, shining eyes. "i always kept running and running away. i felt pathetic of myself as if i am a coward. but today i had to decide. i could guess why bro called for me and it was up to me to decide to set him free or not. i know you could have done that for me or...''her.'' but i wanted to come here on my own, talk to him and tell him looking into his eyes what my decision was. if i didn''t do this today, then i would have forever remained my weak self..."


    zixin softly smiled. there was a shine of victory in her gaze, signifying the long battle that she finally brought to a close. but he also felt the pain behind that decision. cai lingyun was cruel and selfish. but he was her only brother, her only real family and to take the decision of letting that person be in jail for the sake of everybody''s happiness wasn''t an easy decision at all. n/(o-/v/)e))l/(b.)i./n


    he cupped her face and smiled. "you are not weak at all, guiying. neither before nor now. i know ai and ''her'' would say the same."


    she lowered her head, slightly trembling. "i hoped that i might see bro change. i wish he could have looked at me at least once today. but even today, it was only about ai. he wanted me to set him free for ai''s sake...did he ever consider me as his sister even once?"


    the question pained her to ask, but it was a question brooding her for a long, long time.


    "it''s his loss, isn''t it?" zixin smiled. "in business, we would call such a person foolish. to not know how to recognize a precious gem would be deemed as stupidity. he had such a wonderful sister beside him all this time. he could have had a good family and cherished you. but he failed in treating you well. it''s his loss that he pushed you away and that''s the punishment he is suffering inside. you made the right decision, guiying."


    it was the first time that guiying took the initiative to fly into his embrace as she broke down for the last time for that man''s sake. she cried and wailed, letting this moment hurt her as deeply as it could.


    "i won''t cry for him again..." she whispered, hugging him.


    zixin nodded. "you are right. whatever it was with cai lingyun, it ends today."


    he wrapped his arms around her arm, assuredly squeezing her in his chest. feeling her shaking body and hearing her sorrowful cries urged zixin to go inside and punch cai lingyun just one last time.


    always, always guiying. but no more. guiying wouldn''t shed a single tear for you from now on.


    with a determined gaze, he made that promise to himself. she would get all that familial love - hundred, a thousand times fold which her brother snatched away from her.


    zixin lifted her face gently and dried away those tears from her cheeks. he leaned and ever so softly placed a warm kiss on her forehead. feeling the feathery sensation of his lips touching her forehead brought a blush on her cheeks that inadvertently brought a smile on her lips too.


    "let''s eat ice-cream, shall we?"


    guiying blinked twice. "huh?"


    he let out an awkward cough. "it''s been a long day for you. you deserve a treat for the courageous step you took today. i know you might not feel it''s anything to celebrate, but it is. you have come this far. it''s a celebration solely for yourself. shed away your guilty feelings for him because you should cherish yourself too. today is your moment, guiying."


    she trembled.


    can i really...?


    longing for her brother''s affection for all this time, guiying had lost the meaning of how to be happy just for herself and for the little achievements she made.


    but today, she would break that barrier too and become the guiying she always wanted to be.


    she smiled brightly through her misty eyes. "yes! let''s have some ice-cream."

 Chapter 724 Friends catch up

    chapter 724 friends catch up


    a month had passed since guiying''s last confrontation with cai lingyun. the initial days felt melancholic, thinking of her brother as a prisoner. but slowly and steadily and with zixin''s constant support, she overcame the period of guilt.


    she was gradually coming to terms to zhan yahui''s death as well but now and then, that void would hit her. there was nobody to guide her writing anymore and though yating assured that he would assign her the best editor possible, guiying couldn''t feel she was ready to face writing again.


    it wasn''t like she didn''t try.


    she would sit in front of her computer everyday, thinking about her next story but that page always remained blank.


    maybe i need to take a break...


    "what do ''you'' say? do ''you'' think i need some time before i can start writing again?"


    she asked for ''her'' opinion, but ''she'' remained silent as if ''she'' wasn''t interested in this conversation. guiying sighed with ''her'' lack of motivation.


    "''you'' should encourage me at times. i see ''you'' have become quite lazy," she pouted.


    her phone buzzed with a call and she checked. she beamed to see that it was ai.


    "ai!"


    "guiying!"


    the two friends chirped as if they had separated for a long time.


    "what are you doing, guiying? i called to ask if we could hang out? it feels like it has been forever."


    her gaze softened. "yes, ai. after our talk during sky''s anniversary, we didn''t get the chance to just meet and talk. i like it! let''s catch up."


    "cool! let''s meet for lunch then! we will have a blast!"


    "sure!"


    ¡ª


    "yummm this salmon is so delicious!" ai popped in another bite of the sizzling grilled fish into her mouth.


    guiying enjoyed her delicacy of the lobster which was quite expensive to her pocket for her but with ai''s insistence, she discarded that inhibition.


    "we should give ourselves such expensive treats once in a while. writing takes up all of our brain juice, after all," ai nodded.


    the mention of writing made guiying escape a heavy sigh. "don''t remind me of writing. i came to indulge myself so that i can run away from it."


    ai looked puzzled. "what''s wrong? ran out of your creative juices?"


    "i don''t know," guiying leaned back on her seat, her eyes holding a wistful gaze, "i feel like i am still stuck at that night when zhan yahui...i want to write. i try hard. but when i realize that she isn''t behind me anymore to scold me, to nag at me, to sometimes wryly mock me, i feel a strange void. i just cannot come up with anything." nove/lb/in


    guiying bit her tongue and apologized. "i am sorry. i know you wouldn''t like to hear about her. she has been your and jun''s biggest enemy..."


    "you don''t have to apologize," ai placed her hand over hers, smiling with understanding. "zhan yahui to you is how xing bi is to me. i cannot imagine anybody else but her. it was the most difficult time for me to leave dream high and join sky because i knew that i was leaving xing bi behind. i didn''t know what i was supposed to do without her. she was and is my anchor for writing. so i understand your relationship with zhan yahui. it went beyond just a writer and editor."


    her eyes ached, but she steeled herself to not cry.


    "i want to write a good story for her," she whispered.


    ai beamed. "you definitely will. it will come to you. so don''t force yourself. it never works with writing."


    guiying bumped her head on the table. "i feel like that inspiration will never come to me. how do you manage this blank state of mind, ai?"


    ai blushed. "my fiance."


    "..."


    "he is my greatest motivation and inspiration. the way he talks, the way he acts cute, the way he sulks...everything. i just look at him and suddenly, i feel this rush of ideas inside my head. don''t tell him though. he doesn''t like it when i base my characters off him."


    why do i feel that i am eating dog food? i am supposed to be enjoying my lobster, her brow twitched.


    the line of conversation triggered ai, and she happily recounted all the adorable experiences, especially his relationship with the feather duster.


    "he always gets mad at its sight, that''s why i keep using it," ai sheepishly grinned.


    "when...did you become a sadist, ai?" she gasped with disbelief.


    "i-i cannot help it. he is just too cute to not bully him at times hehe~"


    her jaw dropped. "you bully him? remember the time he threatened to burn down my house just because i offered you to stay with me at the time your house was burned? he was so cold and rude! how do you bully a man like that and be alive?"


    ai sheepishly grinned once again. "jun is very possessive of me, so he didn''t want me to leave. now that i think back, maybe he was starting to have feelings for me since then. it was the same for me. i didn''t like the thought of leaving his house and him either.


    "ughh stop, stop with the dog food!"


    "how is it dog food?" she frowned. "you must be having your own sweet moments with zixin, don''t you? you must be the source of dog food for everybody else the same way."


    "..."


    "w-we are not like you and jun...! y-yet..." she blushed furiously.


    "but zixin confessed to you and you love him too. you two live under the same roof too. so where is the problem?" she tilted her head. "oh! is it perhaps that ''she'' doesn''t like him?"


    "no, no. it''s not like that. ''she'' likes zixin too. i-it''s just that i am clueless on what to do...i mean of course i lo-love him..." she said that almost inaudibly, "but my mind just freezes whenever he comes before him. i think about all sorts of things. sometimes, i get anxious if i am the right person for him..."


    ai smacked her on her head and fumed. "you are the only woman for zixin. don''t ever doubt that. zixin, too, loves you more than anything in this world. he will readily become your servant if you just utter that wish. just like how jun and i are fated to be together, so are you and zixin. that''s why zixin found his way to you as mrperfect, didn''t he?"


    her heart raced thinking about all those sweet letters that zixin had sent her. it brought a warm smile on her lips.


    ai gave it some thought and her face sparkled with an idea. "i have an idea! come with me!"


    "where?"


    she chirped. "to meet zixin."

 Chapter 725 To learn Zixins world

    chapter 725 to learn zixin''s world


    ai dragged guiying inside the chen corps with some force who was trying to escape as soon as possible.


    "wait ai, why did you bring me to the chen corps?" guiying asked, her forehead showing signs of sweat.


    "to get inspiration of course! he is the source right here for you for your inspiration and you are searching it in the whole wide world!"


    "huh? i don''t get you."


    "you will soon understand me!"


    ai kept pulling her all the way to zixin''s office who was just done with a meeting. two men in business suits exited zixin''s office and finding this chance, ai peeked her head inside.


    "zixin."


    zixin, who was discussing a few points with his assistant, was surprised to see ai in chen corps.


    "zhou ai. hello," he politely smiled.


    she grinned. "i have a surprise for you."


    zixin tilted his head and his eyes slightly widened upon ai pulling guiying inside. guiying stiffened and an awkward, clueless smile formed on her lips. she was desperately nudging ai''s elbow but to no avail.


    zixin immediately took off from his seat and walked towards guiying, his gaze filled with warmth. "you didn''t tell me you were planning to visit here or i would have come to pick you two up."


    "ah n-no, i d-didn''t plan anything. it was ai who..." guiying threw her a sneaky glare. she didn''t know what was cooking in ai''s mind, but she felt completely unprepared.


    "how are you, zixin?" ai chirped. "did you like the surprise?"


    "i am doing well and yes, i loved the surprise. i am always looking forward to whenever and wherever guiying is involved."


    guiying furiously blushed who could very well see his assistant coughing silently.


    ai clapped her hands with delight. "i am so happy to see you care for guiying."


    "of course," he smiled.


    "that''s why i want you to help guiying."


    "help?" he questioningly raised his brow.


    ai gravely bobbed her head. "guiying is in a predicament and only you can show her way."


    "what predicament?" he pursed his lips, worried.


    he quickly invited them inside and made them take the seats opposite his chair. his assistant, mr. ling said, "i will take my leave, sir."


    "oh, no, no," ai waved her hand in dismissal. "we need you too. so please be here."


    "oh. sure, miss. zhou."


    guiying tugged her dress urgently and whispered. "what help do i need?"


    ai ignored her question and looked back at zixin. "so you see, guiying is quite in a slump."


    "slump?"


    "writing slump. she has been struggling to write for some time. as you know, too many things have happened. naturally, it will take time for her to gain her writing momentum back. but still, it is bothering guiying and i want to help her. as a writer too, i understand her pain."


    zixin pressed his lips again and met her gaze, hurt. "you didn''t tell me about this."


    guiying straightened up, her lips unable to form a response. "i-it''s nothing serious really. ai is exaggerating. every writer goes through ups and downs. it''s just the nature of creativity..."


    ai nodded. "it''s how creativity works, but it can take a lot of time to get the flow of your inspiration back. you look so depressed just now in the restaurant because you were unable to write. so if it keeps bothering us, we should do something about it. this is where zixin comes in."


    he donned an immense serious countenance as if this was a life and death situation. "tell me anything you need."


    "so guiying is in dire need of inspiration and the problem i see here is that she is cooped up in her room the entire time. well, that''s really not her fault. writers'' jobs are like that. but i believe that is also hampering her creativity."nove-lb-in


    "i see," zixin nodded in agreement.


    "plus she is not getting enough vitamin zixin."


    "sorry?"


    mr. ling - "..."


    guiying stared at her in horror.


    what is she saying!


    ai felt her pointed gaze and coughed. "i mean, she lacks interaction with you. i know guiying now lives in the chen villa so technically, there should be more chances of you two spending more time together, but that is not happening. you work in the office and guiying is in her room. it''s just at the end of the day where you get to talk. so, i think that increasing those chances will help her with her writing flow. you see, i was at a similar place as guiying some time back. it was a very rough patch. it was through and because of jun who helped me with the sort of stories that i wanted to write."


    she bashfully grinned. "we used to meet everyday at the library and then due to circumstances, we started living together. so his handsome face and cute personality was plastered in front of my eyes for the entire time. he, as liu jun himself, and the people around him were the greatest source of my creative juices flowing."


    oh was that so?


    guiying had now calmed down and listened to ai''s journey with interest.


    "i got exposed to a greater world because of him. i think that can help guiying too. if she meets you, the people around you more and more, then i believe she wouldn''t struggle so much."


    mr. ling said, "i agree, miss. zhou. my friend is an artist so i can relate. he tells me similar experiences. it helps him when he gets to see more of the world rather than just being inside his bedroom walls."


    ai beamed, appreciating his wisdom. "you know where i am getting to."


    "which is what, ai?" guiying asked, puzzled.


    she chirped. "the best way to get in contact with zixin and his world is if you work with him. so we came here to ask if guiying can become zixin''s assistant like mr. ling is?"


    "..."


    guiying''s mouth dropped with a proposal she never expected would come to hear.


    i as zixin''s assistant?

 Chapter 726 All hail to office romance!

    chapter 726 all hail to office romance!


    the office looked so bright and blinding that mr. ling had to shut his eyes. the source of that blinding, beaming light was none other than zixin, who was completely thrilled with this proposition.


    "guiying will be my assistant?" even a blooming flower would fail miserably in front of zixin. just imagining them working together trembled his body with immense happiness.


    ai clapped her hands once. "yes! i think working with you and having a change of environment and pace will help her with her stagnant creativity. there is just so much to learn from the outside world."


    "wait! pause, pause! time out! how can i be zixin''s assistant?" guiying asked, her throat feeling dry. "i don''t know anything about his work o-or the corporate life..."


    zixin sincerely washed away her source of tension. "i will help you. i will teach you everything."


    ai looked at mr. ling. "that''s why we need your help, mr. ling. you have worked with zixin as his assistant. you know how everything works so i wanted to request if you could help guiying understand her responsibilities."


    mr. ling brightened. "sure, miss. zhou. it will be my pleasure. an assistant''s job is not hard at all!"


    guiying couldn''t help but wonder why behind the radiance of his face lied tears and pain in his voice.


    after much back and forth discussion between zixin, ai and mr. ling pacifying guiying''s doubts and concerns, ai happily hopped away from the chen corps.


    "wait, why are you leaving alone? i will come too-"


    "what are you saying?" ai blinked. "take this as your onboarding day and learn as many things as you can from mr. ling. i am sure you will enjoy the fun~" she leaned in and whispered in her ear. "work is fun when it''s with the person you love, hehe. speaking from experience."


    "..."


    ai left her in the office all alone with a still brightly shimmering zixin, for whom it was a struggle to hold back his joy.


    t-too bright!


    guiying awkwardly smiled, her heart breaking with ai''s betrayal.


    mr. ling cleared his throat and felt it was wise to leave them alone. "miss. cai. i will take my leave and arrange for your access card and other setup you will need. i will then give you a brief of the responsibilities as an assistant. it will be just an introduction."


    she lacked tears to shed, nodding at him.


    zixin immediately walked to her side and with just one look, guiying could feel his excitement bursting from his aura and filling every void and space of the office. "ai gave such a brilliant idea. i wonder why it didn''t strike me before. i will properly express my gratitude to her later."


    she urged. "are you really sure about this because i am not. i have never worked in such an environment and i-i don''t want to make any mistakes that will negatively affect you."


    "it won''t," zixin held her hands and squeezed them. "it''s only flowery and positive when you are with me."


    a red tone of flush settled on her cheeks, and her gaze looked away.


    "plus, haven''t we worked together before? we used to meet to brainstorm for your stories," he smiled. "think of this job as just an extension of it."


    she pursed her lips and after much of a long thought, she decided that maybe it was for the best.


    i was bored at home anyway...i guess doing something different will be a nice change.


    she took a deep breath and answered. "okay. i will do my best!"


    ¡ª


    "you should do your best too!"


    an emergency but a secret meeting was held in the chen villa once the news spread that guiying would be working as zixin''s assistant from now on. tomorrow would be her very first and official day.


    the whole family except guiying was gathered in jianyu and serena''s room. serena gravely nodded her head. "you cannot slack here, zixin!"


    zixin gave her a blank look. "slack for what?"


    chen liling smacked on his head. "of course to seduce my granddaughter-in-law idiot!"


    "..."


    "did you forget that you confessed to her? where is it going now? nowhere! that''s why we want you to grab this chance and make her yours!"


    "yes, bro! you cannot forget this important mission!" yubi flared her nostrils. "sis ai has handed this golden chance in a golden plate to us. you should thoroughly use it to your fullest capabilities!"


    serena and chen liling nodded. "while helping her with writing block and amidst her assistant''s responsibilities, don''t forget to sneak in some intimacy. the earlier you win her heart, the earlier i get my grandchild!"


    behind them, the men had no place to speak in this entire conversation. the three super ladies of the chen family had completely surrounded zixin without mercy.


    "what evilness is cooking there?" jianyu asked, shaking his head.nove-lb-1n


    "they are not including me!" yunru complained with tears in his eyes.


    chen guiren was quiet, true to his nature, who was simply letting things flow as they were.


    "dad, you are suppose to stop your wife from concocting these shady plans," jianyu chuckled.


    his brows furrowed. "my wife isn''t shady at all. she is the sweetest and the loveliest woman in this whole universe and beyond."


    "..."


    a hard choke was hard from chen liling''s side, too taken aback with the sudden compliment.


    "ahhhh guirennnnn that''s why i love you so much!!!"


    she hopped into his arms, kissing his lips, not caring about the public display of affection in front of their children and grandchildren.


    "ugh! get a room, you two!" jianyu looked away, clearing his throat.


    the twins whistled hard, cheering for chen guiren to shed away his shyness too.


    serena glared. "it''s because of your genes that zixin is like this. i am trying to make him bold here and you are calling our plans shady! are you really my husband?"


    "..."


    serena grabbed zixin''s head and peered straight into his eyes, making him swallow a gulp down his throat. "listen to me, zixin. always ignore anything that your father has to say. he doesn''t know how to chase after a woman at all."


    "hello? i am still here," his jaw dropped.


    "but you cannot become like him! you have to take charge and make guiying say yes to your confession as soon as possible! you cannot slack at all! let this be the start of your office romance story!"


    yubi passionately raised her arms. "all hail to office romance!"


    serena and chen liling followed the beat. "all hail to office romance!"

 Chapter 727 Mission car ride intimacy

    chapter 727 mission car ride intimacy


    the next day after breakfast, guiying was all ready to leave for her first day at chen corps. she was crisply dressed in a formal dress with a navy blue top neatly tucked within a black knee length bodycon skirt.


    serena threw a side eye at her mother-in-law to which she sneakily nodded. serena flashed a sparkling look at guiying and said, "so it''s your first day, huh? aish, i am so proud of you. it''s such a great day to start your new venture too~"


    "thank you, aunt...i-i am very nervous though."


    chen liling waved her hand. "you don''t need to shed even a drop of sweat, my dear. zixin and ling are all there for you. don''t be afraid of messing up either. after all, we all learn and improve from our mistakes."


    chen guiren bobbed his head at his wife''s wisdom and slid a chocolate towards guiying. "start your day with something sweet. legend has it the day ends on a sweet note too."


    she blinked.


    which legend?


    but the sweet gesture from him warmed her heart and took the chocolate.


    "yes, sis! all the best!" the twins grabbed her from both sides and squished her hard. "we know you will ace it today~"


    "thank you..." she breathlessly replied.


    jianyu cleared his throat and threw a glance at zixin. "are you done with your breakfast? get going. take guiying with you too."


    he nodded.


    guiying quickly said, "i am fine. i will go by myself-"


    "how could we let that happen?" serena gasped. "zixin and you are going the same way to the same office. of course, you should go together."


    "b-but the employees might think it''s weird se-seeing us together in the same car? i will be just working as his assistant, after all."


    he will soon become your husband so what does it matter? the same fact echoed in everybody''s minds simultaneously.


    chen liling smiled. "don''t worry about the small details, dear."


    serena shot dangerous glares towards her son to signal him to get going. zixin quickly got on his feet and smiled. "let''s go?"


    guiying hesitated for a few moments but eventually agreed.


    ¡ª


    the atmosphere inside the car fumed with awkwardness and tension which resulted from a mixture of first day anxiety coupled with the privacy with zixin. guiying had ridden in zixin''s car many times before but for some reason, the space between them felt extra constructed.


    guiying kept rubbing her palms together, her shoulders stiffening with jitters. she saw the chocolate chen guiren gave her and feeling a little less tense, she popped the chocolate in her mouth with a soft smile.


    beside her, zixin threw glances at her and his own brain was churning with different ideas on how to make her relax. but then there was also the intimacy mission set by the super ladies of the house.


    clearing his throat, he shifted ever so slightly and slid his hand closer towards her in an attempt to hold her hand.


    we held hands during shopping too. it cannot be so difficult, zixin thought.


    but it proved to be impossible as guiying unconsciously tightly intertwined her knuckles to deal with the stress she was facing. zixin pondered on how to set those hands free.


    the driver in the front was witnessing the whole awkward silence and zixin''s struggle with twitched brows. he pitied zixin who was desperately trying to think of something to soothe guiying''s tension.


    "sir, should i play some music?" he asked.


    zixin blinked at the driver, who stared back at him, signaling that the suggestion was for guiying. his eyes lit up and he nodded. "yes, please."


    he was sure that guiying would loosen up by listening to her favorite songs.


    guiying did calm down a little as her fingers began tapping on the song''s beat and her lips humming with its rhythm.


    zixin craned his neck slightly to see if her hands were free. though slightly apart now, it seemed guiying had no intention to keep any distance between her hands. his mind was blank to think of any ideas to increase the proximity between them. it was just a car ride after all.


    the driver noticed his expression dropping once again, and his brow twitched.


    ahhh i cannot stand this tension!nove/lb/in


    he smiled at guiying through the mirror and asked, "pardon my intrusion, mam but i heard it''s your first day at office today."


    guiying immediately tensed up. what little relief she had gotten vanished in thin air. "yes, it is."


    "that''s wonderful. working with sir zixin is amazing. he helps out all his employees and staff despite holding such a prestigious position. if one has any concern, they can freely ask him. but sir is one step ahead. before anybody could ask, he takes it upon himself to make anybody feel at ease and explain all work and stuff. he is super helpful!"


    guiying beamed. she could easily imagine zixin like that. he had no ego of being the chen family''s son or chen corps'' ceo.


    driver su thought that zixin would understand his message and offer to help guiying with today''s work agenda. maybe zixin giving a brief of his schedule would prepare guiying mentally instead of diving into the unknown. they could come closer, discuss work related things and everybody would be happy.


    but that understanding didn''t get transmitted to zixin''s antenna who was still figuring out how to hold guiying''s hand.


    driver su''s gaze darkened.


    i just set up the perfect stage here and he wasn''t even listening!


    "isn''t it so, sir zixin?"


    zixin''s train of thought broke and he looked up at driver su. "what is so?"


    "that you are so helpful. you help people with all your heart. isn''t this a great day to help someone? maybe there is someone here who feels very stressed for some reason."


    zixin blinked twice, making driver su have an urge to just jump out of the car.


    okay. it''s okay. i can do this, he took a deep breath.


    he smiled. "carrying a laptop with you is so convenient these days, right sir? it has all the work we do. a great starting point to help someone who doesn''t have a laptop yet but still wants to understand their responsibilities."


    is this how zixin and driver su talk normally? guiying wondered.


    it was then that the bulb inside zixin''s head lit up.


    oh yes!


    he immediately grabbed his laptop from his bag and beamingly looked at guiying. "can you come closer? ling will explain stuff in detail later, but i can give you a headstart of how the day would look like."


    "yes, yes. that will help a lot."


    guiying didn''t think much and scooted closer to him, their arms brushing against one another. she leaned forward to get a clear look at his laptop and zixin did so too, making their heads bump. it then struck guiying how close they were seated with his lips hovering around her forehead, and her cheeks reddened with the proximity.


    finally!


    driver su shed emotional tears.


    mission car ride intimacy accomplished!

 Chapter 728 The side that bickers

    chapter 728 the side that bickers


    when the car was almost at the location just around two minutes to reach, guiying quickly said to driver su. "um, please stop here."


    "there is still just a little more way to go, mam," he frowned, confused.


    "i know, but i would like to get down here."


    she faced zixin and explained. "i still think it''s better if we go separately inside. you can go ahead and i will follow after a few minutes later."


    zixin pursed his lips, dissatisfied with this approach. but then again, his family had already forced her to share a ride with him. he thought the least he could do was let her do what she wanted now.


    "okay."


    guiying sighed in relief. "thank you."


    "i will get down here. you go first and i will enter some time later," he nodded.


    "..."


    driver su coughed.


    that''s sir zixin for you.


    "zixin, i cannot enter chen corps by stepping out from a lavish porsche."


    "why not?"


    "because this is clearly a ceo''s car and not someone who is just a writer. how will it look if the employees see the ceo walking his way to the office?"


    "but how can i use this car when you will be walking out all alone in this heat?" he furrowed his brow. "that is so strange and unfair."


    "no, strange is me stepping out of a porsche while the ceo comes walking," she wiped the sweat off her forehead. "so thanks for your concern, but i will get down here."


    zixin''s shoulders dropped but he couldn''t do much before guiying''s stubbornness.


    guiying stepped out and waved him bye with a smile. zixin asked driver su to go ahead.


    "yes, sir."


    as the car gathered speed, he looked through the back glass window, watching guiying walking towards the office at a faraway distance.


    "drive a little slowly."


    driver su obliged and he decreased the speed. zixin, still not satisfied, asked to go some further slower.


    "o-okay..."


    "a little more."


    "yes, sir..."


    zixin gauged the distance between her and the car. "more."n.-0velbin


    "..."


    "sir, the car is practically crawling now."


    the car went at such a snail''s pace that the people around wondered if there was a problem with the porsche. guiying, who was walking behind, parted her lips, dumbfounded as she reached the car.


    "how come you are still here?"


    driver su cried his sorrow. "mam, he just kept asking me to go slower and slower. he still wants me to go slow but how can i? you can also see that the car practically feels stopped, right?"


    her mouth twitched and she threw a suspicious stare at zixin. "are you troubling him to catch up to me?"


    "absolutely not," zixin lied through his teeth, his expression unfazed. "i was feeling a little dizzy with the high speed, so i asked him to slow down."


    driver su gasped.


    what feeling dizzy? are you faking your sickness!?


    guiying had trouble believing zixin''s claim as well. "you were alright just a minute ago when i stepped down."


    he nodded. "right. you got out and that''s when i started feeling sick. i miss you when you aren''t by my side."


    !!!


    what was with that smooth, buttery line?


    driver su had his jaw dropped too.


    sir is...sir is flirting in broad daylight?


    guiying almost slipped on her own step with imaginary steam exploding from the top off her head. "wh-what are you even talking about...! how can you miss me when we are going to meet just a few minutes later anyway?"


    "that''s the pain of my heart in love."


    "..."


    "how did you navigate through your days before today?" she asked with a heavily twitching mouth.


    zixin looked away. "i have a very responsible assistant."


    her eyes widened, horrified.


    assistant ling!


    is that why he looked so dead when he talked about work? was zixin dumping everything on him and torturing him?


    guiying''s nostrils flared, slightly raising her stern voice. "you cannot trouble others like that for your selfishness! apologize to mr. su now."


    zixin fixed his gaze at her with an unreadable expression. he then faced driver su with a lowered gaze. "please forgive me."


    driver su felt as if he saw his messiah in guiying.


    you made sir apologize to me? y-you are so kind! i swear my undying loyalty to you, miss. cai! he shed emotional tears.


    "th-that''s fine sir..."


    guiying nodded and said, "apologize to mr. ling too when we meet him now. i won''t talk to you if you make others'' life difficult because of me or for me, got it? i am leaving now and you won''t follow me!"


    with puffed up cheeks, guiying turned and walked away with big strides.


    driver su thought that zixin would be sulking with the love of his life angry at him and berating him. on the contrary, zixin had a one eighty degree difference in expression. he couldn''t control his ear-to-ear wide grin from settling down.


    was her scolding that traumatic to him that he is grinning like that?


    "are you okay, sir?"


    translation - do i need to take you to the hospital by any chance?


    zixin chuckled. "i am fine. i am very pleased to see guiying mad at me."


    "..."


    is sir secretly a masochist?


    "there was..." he tilted his head, "how should i say, always this sense of restraint in her. it didn''t allow her to be open to me. she always acted very polite and cautious as if she was limiting herself. i wanted her to ease up all this time. it felt like...she was minding her tone and actions a lot and in my heart, it was hurting to see her that way. she has lived a life where she was forced to bury her emotions inside. now, i want her to express everything that she holds in her heart."


    he smiled, his gaze filled with relief and warmth. "i love how she is kind and polite. how she blushes when we are close. but i would also love to see that side of hers who bickers, cutely argues, scolds me, puffs her cheeks and demands an apology. because only then it would mean...that i truly reached her heart."

 Chapter 729 First day at work

    chapter 729 first day at work


    "good morning, assistant ling!"


    guiying stood with her back straight and greeted him with a robotic voice.


    "good morning, miss. cai. how are you feeling?" nove)lb)1n


    "i am f-fine!"


    he laughed. "it''s fine to feel nervous, miss. cai. first days are supposed to be like that. the atmosphere in this company is also very friendly and everybody is helpful. so you can ease your tensed up shoulders."


    she appreciated his encouragement and felt the pressure drifting away bit by bit.


    "so yesterday, i gave you the general gist of an assistant''s responsibilities, right?"


    "yes. as an assistant, we are mainly responsible to manage the ceo''s calendar, correspond on his behalf, keep him informed of the latest developments, help him manage time and prioritize tasks, prepare documents and presentations, maintain confidentiality of sensitive information, organize meetings, events and conferences, plan his travel arrangements and itineraries, screen all the incoming requests to meet the ceo, handle administrative challenges, assist him with monitoring budget and expense reports, act as a liaison between different departments and provide support for any special ceo-led projects."


    assistant ling beamed. "that''s wonderful! you remembered every one of them. i see you have a great memory and understanding."


    he took a tissue and wiped the tears forming in the corner of his eyes.


    "a-are you okay, assistant ling?" she asked, concerned.


    "i am fine. i am just feeling emotional. finally, i will have somebody to share my seemingly never-ending workload."


    zixin stepped in just at that moment, making their heads turn. guiying held a somber expression and signaled zixin to apologize to mr. ling right now.


    look, he is crying because of you!


    zixin walked towards them and assistant ling greeted him. "good morning, sir. please don''t mind my tears."


    "i am sorry, ling. please forgive me," he lowered his head."


    "..."


    what was this response for my good morning greeting?


    "i have been a terrible boss, overloading you with my selfish requests all the time. i realize that this is unfair to you. i won''t do it again."


    assistant ling stepped back, covering his mouth in utter shock.


    did he just understand all the troubles of my life?


    he followed zixin''s gaze that looked at guiying for confirmation to know if he did it the right way to which she nodded.


    aha! it''s all miss. cai''s magic! otherwise how would this hopeless romeo have ever understood my pain and suffering!


    mr. ling gazed at guiying as if she was a fairy from a distant land who only came to bless him.


    i swear you will have my undying loyalty from now on, miss. cai! he shed invisible tears.


    zixin said, "let her know all that she has to do. i will be at my desk if you need my help."


    as he passed by mr. ling, he whispered in his ear, "give her the kind of work that will have her close to me at all times."


    "..."


    "also, don''t bully her with too much work," he cautioned him.


    he marveled at his hypocrisy and audacity.


    are you in any position here to warn me of bullying anybody!?


    he focused back on his conversation and cleared his throat. "so as you explained all the responsibilities very well, i will let you start with three of the easier ones. manage sir''s calendar, correspond on his behalf and screen the people wanting to meet him. this will help you get the hang of how his schedule looks and what kinds of people are in constant communication with him."


    her face lit up with a radiant smile.


    this sounds manageable! guess the charm of uncle guiren''s chocolate really worked.


    "yes, i got it!"


    assistant ling nodded with appreciation at her passion. "good, good. come with me. your laptop and access are all ready. i will initially guide you with his calendar management and the responses you need to draft according to the requests."


    "thank you!"


    at a desk that was a little farther away from zixin''s, guiying took her seat, taking a deep breath. she looked at her new, shiny laptop and her welcome kit all ready and set up. a nervous and giddy sensation spun her mind.


    does this how a corporate job''s experience feel like?


    from a distance, zixin read the excitement in her eyes and his heart jumped up and down with fuzziness. but a matter of grievance remained, which he asked assistant ling. "didn''t i tell you to give her work that will let us be together?"


    he smiled. "sir, you have placed your trust in me to guide, miss. cai, right? as her senior, i feel i have given her the right type of work to start with, considering that she knows nothing about corporate life. she can follow and assist you in meetings when she has gained enough experience. she needs to get used to your work life and style first."


    "you don''t have to make such good points," zixin sulked.


    after all, his family had given him his own mission to accomplish. how would he achieve that if there would be little to no chances to meet her?


    guiying logged in her laptop and as soon as she opened her mail, she saw a flurry of unread messages that made her head spin. at first, she couldn''t understand the context of those emails at all, but assistant ling had provided her with the files and resources to understand what every mail chain''s communication meant.


    i will first have to read these.


    after a good four hours of constant reading, guiying closed the last file and yawned. her stomach grumbled with hunger which was when assistant ling just arrived.


    "miss. cai, ready for lunch?"


    "yes."


    "i see you have been reading non-stop. you don''t have to consume everything on the first day."


    "oh that''s fine. i am done reading all the files anyway."


    "..."


    he stared at her, dumbfounded. "all of them? there are more than twenty files here."


    "yes."


    he gasped. "h-how? that too in just four hours?"


    she blinked. "oh it took four hours because i was new to understanding all this stuff and terminologies. but then i got the hang of it."


    "..."


    so it means it would have taken her even less time if she hadn''t been new to it?


    "no, seriously how? there is just so much data to read."


    guiying didn''t understand the source of his shock and scratched her head, embarrassed. "this much is actually nothing. i have read far bigger and fatter books than these files and all in a single day. i have been reading since middle school, i guess? plus, i am a writer. i am used to constantly reading a lot of stories because that''s what makes me learn and improve. so i became a fast reader over time."


    "..."


    how much time a regular newbie would have taken? hell, how much time i took to read through everything!


    "you..."


    guiying nervously straightened up.


    d-did i do something wrong?


    assistant ling burst into tears. "you are a goddess!"


    "..."

 Chapter 730 Introductions

    chapter 730 introductions


    zixin was all piped up for lunch because that was the time when he would finally get his chance to spend some time with guiying. he spent the entire morning gazing at the hardworking guiying who was immersed in reading through all the files.


    but assistant ling had some different plans as he dragged her to meet with the other important staff members. he inadvertently broke zixin''s happy dreams.


    "she is the head of the it department, zheng jiao. she is hr head jia lin. he is administrative affair''s head, wan yong and he is marketing team''s head, xun da. everybody, she is cai guiying. she will be working as sir''s assistant."


    guiying bowed. "it''s a pleasure to meet everybody."


    jia lin, a woman in her forties, clapped hard. "oh my welcome to the team! you have been selected for one of the most demanding jobs ever."


    "don''t scare the newbie, lin," xun da rolled his eyes. he was of similar age as jia lin.


    "hey! i am just appreciating the new talent!" she flared her nostrils.


    wan yong, who was younger in his late thirties flashed a welcoming smile. "nice to meet you, miss. cai. i have read your books. indeed, it''s an amazing feeling to meet the writer in person."


    guiying was dumbfounded.


    so there was my reader here?


    her face turned crimson with this unexpected twist and she stammered her thank you.


    "huh? huh? what is going on? what books? what writer?" jia ling had a big question mark over her head.


    "this is what happens when you are too disconnected with the world of books. cai guiying is a writer," he sneered. "ever heard of the authors'' summit? she won second place. her pen name is cherryblossom."


    the duo gasped in shock, covering their mouths. "so cai guiying is a celebrity!?"


    "no, no!" guiying hastily corrected them. "i-i am not any celebrity. i just write books...that''s all..."


    "that''s amazing!" xun da''s gaze sparkled with delight. "i have never met a celebrity before!"


    "n-no, like i said, i am not a celebrity-"


    he grabbed a notepad and eagerly asked her, "can you please give me an autograph? my fifteen year old daughter will be so proud of me," he sniffled. "i got a celebrity''s autograph!"


    "..."


    these people are quite passionate...


    initially, guiying held the impression that the senior leadership team would be quite rigid and stern, and she would face problems in gelling with them.


    "i-i am not a cele-"


    "autograph please!"


    assistant ling shook his head. guiying coughed and feeling helpless, she signed and gave his notebook back.


    "thank you! i will show this to my daughter! i will also tell her to read your books!"


    wan yong''s brow twitched. "what is this reverse order going on? how come you got the autograph before reading any of her books?"


    "don''t be jealous just because i got her autograph before you!"


    "you old people are really snarky," he grimaced.


    "who are you calling old you brat!? i am still quite the handsome hunk."


    jia lin grinned. "zheng jiao, won''t you greet our newbie?"


    zheng jiao, the only quieter person in the group till now, was only standing aside and observing the discussion without participating much. in her mid-thirties, she was the youngest person in the group. nove)lb-in


    "of course i will greet her. i was just wondering where i had seen her before and now that wan yong said she is a writer, it clicked me. i had seen her in the news before. and then i started wondering what is the connection between writing and working as the ceo''s assistant? are you not a writer anymore?"


    guiying slightly panicked. "i s-still am a writer."


    zheng jiao tilted her head. "then how are you working in a company here?"


    "t-that i just needed a change in pace so i thought i should c-change my work environment a little."


    guiying''s heart drummed in her chest. for some reason, she couldn''t directly look at her. something about her acute gaze unnerved her.


    jia lin touched her chin. "oh dear, i understand. creative work can get really taxing. i had tried drawing in my younger days because i wanted to become an artist," she sighed, looking faraway, "but reality is harsh, isn''t it? no matter what you dream, you just end up doing a corporate job, don''t you?" she cried.


    zheng jiao smiled. "wanting a change in pace is fine and all, but it''s puzzling to see cai guiying directly get a position as sir chen''s assistant. assistant ling can testify how hard it is to score the position of sir chen''s aid, yet you got it quite easily."


    guiying stiffened. a discomforting tension hung in the air as silence followed for a few moments.


    her head spun with the responsibility to answer.


    w-what should i say? if they know that zixin and i know each other, th-then it would look really bad, right? using his connection...


    "she got it easily because i vouched for her, miss. zheng," assistant ling smiled. "cai guiying and i are friends from before. i was badly overworked, and she wished for a change in environment too. so i suggested she work with me. that''s all. sir agreed. also to answer your unsaid concern, cai guiying isn''t really directly speaking to sir yet or handling any important responsibilities. i have assigned her the basic tasks to start with and learn her way to go up."


    xun da quickly laughed to ease the tension. "haha so that''s how it is. that''s good, that''s good. we got to meet a lovely young lady. thanks a bunch, ling."


    jia lin sneered. "how about i tell this to your wife? happy to meet a lovely young lady, aren''t you?"


    "..."


    "of course, i didn''t mean it that way! don''t you bully me!"


    zheng jiao took her coffee cup and raised her brow. "didn''t expect assistant ling to use his influence like that when he could have just easily hired somebody relevant from the market. many people need jobs, you know~"


    she left that question hanging in the air and giving one last look at guiying, she turned her way and walked away.


    guiying''s shoulders tensed up once again. she clearly felt the hostility emanating from zheng jiao''s demeanor.


    sh-she hates me, doesn''t she?

 Chapter 731 Test of knowledge

    chapter 731 test of knowledge


    guiying sat back on her chair, her mind wandering off to zheng jiao''s hostility. her expression dropped, and she couldn''t focus on the emails she was looking at.


    the door opened and zixin passed by her desk a few minutes later. he beamed and walked towards her.


    "hello."


    guiying looked up and smiled. "hi."


    lights¦Í¦Ïvel.c¦Ïm he caught her voice not sounding too energetic. "are you okay? is there any problem?"


    for a moment, guiying wondered if it was alright to share her predicament. but she decided against it and shook her head. "i am fine. it''s still the first day''s nervousness haha."


    a look of worry flashed in his eyes. he could tell that guiying was lying.


    "you don''t have to keep anything to yourself. i am always here to help you."


    that seems to be the problem here. is it okay for me to rely on you like this...?


    "no, really. there is no problem. oh! i have gone through all the files and assistant ling was very happy with me," her eyes shone.


    zixin nodded with pride. "naturally. you are very capable, after all."


    "i am still learning though," she scratched her chin."


    "miss. cai," assistant ling smiled as he came in too. "now that we are all energized with lunch, shall we start with the work? let me show you sir''s calendar for this week."


    "yes!"


    "i can help too," zixin sneakily offered.


    his mouth twitched.


    "i am here for that, sir," he gave him an assured smile.


    zixin showed a look of disappointment.


    how am i supposed to carry out my office romance mission then?


    with a slumped back, he went back to his desk, making guiying wonder what exactly was wrong with him.


    for the next two hours, assistant ling patiently imparted email correspondence and calendar management training to her along with screening the requests to meet zixin.


    "sir prefers to have a maximum of one hour meetings. there might be some exceptions here and there, but generally the meetings don''t extend anymore than an hour. be also very careful while scheduling the meetings such that there are no conflicts. never overbook sir''s calendar."


    she nodded, carefully noting down each point.


    "we set all his meetings at the end for the week for the entire week ahead. so around thursday, we start going through the meeting requests and set the calendar according to their priorities till friday. today is thursday, which means i will start with this process. will you help me out?"


    she beamed. "of course!"


    from afar, zixin watched guiying and assistant ling immersed in their own work and world, making him further sulk. there wasn''t a hurry since it was just the first day, but he was already starting to feel the heat of not being able to talk to her much.


    so close yet so far...


    assistant long''s mouth twitched once again as even from this distance, he could sense the ceo''s tragic sighs.


    he is acting like the whole world is conspiring against him to keep him apart from miss. cai. is he even working or just sighing?


    in the end, he couldn''t watch his expression getting further and further depressed, and he cleared his throat, facing guiying. "*ahem* oh dear. there is a slight confusion here."


    guiying asked, "what confusion?"nove)lb-in


    "well, there is this one company who wants a meeting with sir for an investment in his product. but they had some altercations in the past. nevertheless, he has been insisting for a long time to have another meeting with sir. we would pretty much have to give him a slot next week or there might be escalations. that startup head is from a politically influential family so it''s hard to keep denying him too. but there is also a board of directors meeting to be held. it''s pretty important. seeing his full calendar, we have space to set only one meeting."


    "i see."


    guiying pinched her brows, thoughtful to solve this predicament.


    "so can you please go to sir and ask his opinion?"


    "me?" she blinked, surprised.


    "yes. just ask him which meeting he would want to go with."


    "oh. okay."


    zixin was dragging his fingers to type on the keyboard when he caught guiying walking towards him from the corner of his eye. the office was suddenly filled with a bright, golden beam of euphoria as zixin pushed his laptop aside to talk to her. his dying spirit was lifted in a fraction of a second.


    assistant ling - "..."


    ugh, my eyes! my eyes! too blinding! and what''s with the one eighty change in his stance? just a moment ago, he was a tragic romeo!


    guiying stood straight, rehearsing in her mind to act professional. "excuse me, sir. can i have a moment?"


    "you don''t have to ask," zixin said with utmost sincerity.


    "..."


    she coughed. "sir, i am just an assistant."


    "doesn''t matter."


    "it matters to me because i wouldn''t want you playing favorites. a superior must always be fair."


    zixin sensed the light tone of a scolding from her voice, and he piped down on his excitement. "indeed. i will pay attention next time."


    "thank you."


    "so what do you need?" he asked, his aura dazzled with stars of joy.


    "there is a little confusion between these two meetings. so i wanted to ask which one would you prefer for next week?"


    zixin slightly craned his neck and gave a quick glance through her tab. he immediately understood the source of conflict. he looked up at her expression which expected an answer.


    "what do you suggest?"


    "huh?"


    "what do you suggest? should i go with the investee''s meeting or with the board of directors?"


    with a sudden question being thrown at her, guiying stiffened and her mind spun. she was already thinking along the lines of the resolution but hadn''t expected for zixin to ask her for it.


    assistant ling choked in his throat. with how happy zixin was, he expected he would just merrily chirp and let her know what he wanted.


    it''s just her first day, sir. have some mercy...


    it was a test to see how well guiying understood whatever materials she was handed until now and a way to gauge what she thought of this predicament. after all, an assistant''s crucial responsibility also entailed giving their sound suggestions to the ceo that would give him and the company the maximum benefit.


    but it''s just the first day! y-you can do this miss. cai! he inwardly cheered for her and then thought,


    technically, the answer is the board of directors. it''s going to be a very crucial strategic meeting, and they wouldn''t be so thrilled for that to be postponed.


    guiying steadied herself and taking a few deep breaths to calm herself, she looked straight at zixin and said, "i suggest we go with the investee''s meeting, sir."

 Chapter 732 Learn and experience

    chapter 732 learn and experience


    "why so?" zixin tilted his head. "i think the board of directors'' meeting is more important."


    this was the first time that a subtle pressure from zixin''s demeanor seemed to hang in the air. the ceo''s opinion was in contrast with the assistant''s and seeing that she had to explain her suggestion brought jitters to her body.


    d-does everybody feel this pressure when they meet him?


    a great sense of respect suddenly emerged in her heart for assistant long and all the employees in direct communication with zixin.


    the difference between zixin as zixin and zixin as the ceo was clear and evident.


    "y-yes so...!"


    why did i say the investee again?


    she forgot her own reasons and fumbled in her speech, twiddling with her thumbs.


    ah damn it, why can i not speak? it''s zixin. i have talked to him so many times. n-.o--v/)e-/l.(b.(1)/n


    she gazed at zixin''s posture, who had his chin resting between his index finger and thumb, staring at her with great intensity. that expecting gaze only served to make her more conscious and she darted her gaze left and right.


    "sir, i think she meant to say that even though we had altercations with miss. xian shun in the past, we can give her one more chance to hear what she has to say," assistant ling came to her rescue.


    "because she is a politician''s daughter?" he raised his brow.


    guiying vigorously shook her head.


    i read her new proposal and compared to the previous one, she has made genuine improvements to it. so i think that chen corps can benefit if you contemplate on this investment. the board of directors is not going anywhere, but if we lose on a potential profitable investment, then we might regret in the future if she doesn''t approach us again.


    every word of this answer was ready in her mind and on the tip of her tongue only if she could express it.


    "s-so she has made...good improvements..." she whispered.


    "sorry? can you say that again please?"


    "..."


    i spoke too inaudibly!


    assistant ling coughed. "miss. xing has made considerable improvements in her proposal, so we feel we can give her one more chance. the board of directors won''t be happy, but they aren''t going anywhere. but if miss. xing goes and we lose a potential good investment, then it will be our loss."


    guiying stared at him, slightly gasping in shock.


    this is exactly what i had in mind. h-how did he read my mind? or maybe he held the same opinion as mine? he is so cool and he spoke so confidently.


    her gaze sparkled with admiration towards him.


    "oh," zixin stared at the two of them with guiying''s shoulders dropping in depression. he blinked and couldn''t understand why her gaze held that sulking look.


    did i say something wrong? was i rude to her? he wondered and immediately felt remorseful.


    "guiying, i am sorry-"


    "sir," assistant ling smiled and cut his sentence midway. "miss. cai is fine. you don''t have to apologize for anything. it''s her first day, so she is nervous. i hope you can excuse her. she will steadily learn to express herself more confidently."


    translation - you weren''t at fault at all so don''t unnecessarily dote on miss. cai and hamper her growth.


    "..."


    zixin felt his pointed and warning gaze, and he pursed his lips.


    he is right...


    he nodded and said, "i agree with your suggestion.. let''s give miss. xing another chance. but this will be the last. set up a meeting with her."


    "thank you, sir."


    getting back to their seats, guiying could feel her soul flying away from her body. her trembling and shivering finally calmed down as she exhaled a deep breath.


    "i cannot believe i couldn''t talk to zixin," she expressed her shock. "i-i talk to him everyday. i even scolded him this morning for troubling driver su. but when he asked me to explain..."


    assistant ling laughed. "it''s alright, miss. cai. it''s actually pretty normal. he is the ceo, after all. he is a very different person at home and a different person at the office. you get the jitters when you are answerable to the ceo. i was the same in my starting days. i was pleased to see he had that effect on you because i don''t want him to unnecessarily spoil you."


    she did feel the difference between the modes of his life as she had peered into his gaze. his personal mode when he followed her everywhere and doted on her at every possible chance and his work mode where there were no chances to go wrong and waste a ceo''s valuable time.


    guiying lacked tears to shed. "you are so cool, assistant ling!"


    he cleared his throat. "it''s just experience. you will gain that confidence too the more you work. you just need patience."


    "writing is much easier than to talk and suffer this agony..." she muttered.


    as if an enlightenment dawned on her, she felt the huge difference between expressing herself on paper and through speech.


    he chuckled. "it''s alright, miss. cai. even if you had been off the mark, sir wouldn''t have berated you. it''s not like i am right 100% of the time. different situations call for different decisions. we may be right sometimes or we may be wrong. if we are wrong, sir corrects us and teaches us. sometimes, we teach him. we both keep learning from each other. that is what life is after all, right? learn and experience from each other."


    ah, i have gotten such a great senior...


    guiying didn''t know how to thank her stars.


    another thirty minutes later, the list of meetings and participants were all set. assistant ling said, "the week is all decided. can you start sending the meeting invites?


    "yes."


    guiying started her work and carefully created email invites with proper subject line, date, time and agenda. after cross-checking at least five times, she set the email addresses of the participants for their respective meetings.


    i am done for if i accidentally included any wrong participant.


    double checking everything once again, she nodded to herself and pressed the send button. she stretched her arms, her eyes beaming with joy and pride.


    phew! i finally did it!

 Chapter 733 Fair warning

    chapter 733 fair warning


    with the first day that came to an end, the aura around guiying took a one eighty turn as compared to the morning when she was just ready to face the day.


    it wasn''t so bad. but well, it''s my first day, after all. assistant ling was so helpful!


    she stepped outside for a last coffee break, thinking to herself.


    i should start thinking of a gift for assistant ling. it''s only right that i properly show my gratitude to him, she nodded to herself.


    "what do ''you'' think?"


    she asked ''her'' if ''she'' had any different suggestions to give. but ''she'' just remained silent.


    "come on, please say something. ''you'' shouldn''t be so moody. i really need ''your'' help."


    guiying sighed with no response.


    maybe ''she'' isn''t interested in this corporate life stuff, she thought.


    she grabbed a coffee cup and pressed the button on the coffee maker machine. she hummed a tune as she saw the coffee pouring from the machine.


    "you seem to be in a good mood," a voice whispered in her ear.


    she jolted, immediately cupping her ear and turned back stiffly. her eyes widened seeing zheng jiao behind her with her brow raised as she stared at her.


    sh-she scared me...


    the coffee machine dinged at the back.


    "h-hello," guiying greeted her with a nervous smile. she was the same person to insinuate that guiying used connections to become zixin''s assistant. she was the only one to be unwelcoming of her.


    zixin''s assistant. she was the only one to be unwelcoming of her.


    "who were you talking to?"


    guiying blinked at her. "sorry?"


    "you were talking to somebody just now."


    she froze.


    ah no! i was talking to ''her.'' she heard me!


    "nobody," she said with an anxious smile that she was trying for it to not falter. "i wasn''t talking to-"


    "are you gaslighting me?"


    guiying stiffened harder. "no! i wasn''t really talking to anybody."


    "but i heard you. it felt like you were asking somebody''s opinion," she narrowed her eyes. she stepped closer, leaning towards her. "but i didn''t see anybody around you."


    her heart pounded till she could feel it in her throat. "o-oh perhaps you heard me talking to myself?"


    a layer of sweat formed on her forehead.


    "so why would you mention ''you?'' you clearly weren''t talking to yourself," zheng jiao refused to let this matter slide.


    "th-that''s..."


    guiying was extremely bad at lying and now faced with such a stressful situation, her mind further blanked out.


    "hmm, a suspicious newbie working as a ceo''s assistant. interesting. in that case, why don''t you work as my assistant?"


    "huh?"


    the question was simply so odd that guiying couldn''t wrap her head around it.


    "yes," she smiled. "ceo chen really doesn''t need an extra assistant. trust me, assistant ling is more than enough. he can do ten people''s jobs at once. but i lack resources. so why not work with me? it department is fun too."


    why is she suddenly offering me a position in her department? doesn''t she hate me?


    "i...don''t really-"


    "why?"


    zheng jiao squinted her eyes, bridging the gap threateningly closer as if she would eat her up. "if it''s an assistant''s job, then it doesn''t have to be the ceo''s right? the responsibilities are fairly similar so you can go into any department. i am just being the frontrunner in poaching you," she chuckled. "well, no matter what i insinuated before, i believe in assistant ling''s choice. he would hire a capable person that he could trust."


    guiying''s elbow slightly bumped with the coffee mug at the back. the pressure built up in the air that made her feel like a bulldozer pressing her down.


    "sorry..." she felt her breath stuck in her throat, "i don''t th-think i would be able j-join your department."


    "why not? don''t tell me...the reason you are working as his assistant is because you have feelings for him? are you hoping you would score a chance if you continue working here?"


    the sharper edge to her voice was unmistakable. guiying''s countenance paled, and her body trembled.


    "it''s one thing to dream, but it''s another thing to live in it. please understand the difference. ceo chen will never be interested in you so throw away your expectations while your heart is still intact. trust me, i just want to help you," she smiled.


    "i don''t need it."


    zheng jiao blinked twice with the sudden change in her tone.


    guiying looked up, her gaze sharper and fiercer than the meek look she held before. to zheng jiao, the person standing before her was still guiying, but only guiying knew that it was ''her'' that had surfaced out.


    "thank you for offering help which i didn''t even ask for, but no thanks. i am not interested in joining your department, nor do i work here with the intention to seduce the ceo. i don''t care if you believe me or not. i only care about my coffee which is turning cold." nove.lb(1n


    ''guiying'' partially turned and took the coffee cup. ''she'' clicked her tongue. "and now it has become all tepid."


    ''she'' threw the coffee and discarded the cup in the trash bin. "now if you will excuse me. i had enough of ''talking to you quota'' today. i have reached my limit."


    zheng jiao stared at her with a deep puzzlement.


    how did her attitude suddenly take a one-eighty turn?


    zheng jiao pushed her foot forward to stop guiying from walking away, which only irked ''her'' further.


    "i am telling you. you should join my department. there is nothing kept in the job of a ceo''s assistant. it''s just too much stress and pressure. you will simply crumble."


    ''she'' sneered. "how about you let me decide if i will crumble or not. it''s rude to underestimate people, you know? or maybe...you are personally interested in the ceo yourself so you cannot see another woman working so closely with him?"


    zheng jiao narrowed her eyes. "i am only thinking of your well-being. i wouldn''t want you to regret it if something happens."


    "and what will happen?"


    "who knows? that''s why i want to save you from any untoward embarrassment."


    ''guiying'' smiled. "oh my, i really have such caring colleagues. i am so touched. i will deal with any embarrassment even if i happen to face any. i am not so weak for others to invest so much of their concern for me. i have weathered far worse storms. a little embarrassment will never break me. now if you will excuse me and this time if you stop me, you might feel the pain of my heel sandal stomping on your foot, so don''t cry that i didn''t give you a fair warning."


    zheng jiao stared at her hard but eventually backed off.


    "smart. thank you for ruining my coffee and my coffee mood. goodbye," ''guiying'' smiled. "hope we never cross paths again."

 Chapter 734 The number one mystery

    chapter 734 the number one mystery


    the next week arrived in the blink of an eye and within just a few days, guiying embraced the comfort in her role as an assistant. except for zheng jiao, she had grown quite close to the rest of the department heads.


    wan yong grinned. "shouldn''t we hold some sort of a welcoming party for the newbie? i mean she held herself pretty well this past week."


    xun da rolled his eyes. "our ceo is not a monster. also, with assistant ling by her side, there is no way she would lose her way."


    "yes," guiying awkwardly scratched her chin, "it''s been only one week but i still cannot get used to the sheer amount of work that he does. i am still doing behind the scenes work, but he works like he has ten hands."


    "oh i forgot to tell you!" xun da''s gaze sparkled and he grabbed her hands. "my daughter was so happy to get your autograph! turns out that she was your reader after all! she is even insisting that i let her meet you. how can i ever repay you for this favor?"


    "y-you don''t have to be so thankful. it was just an autograph..."


    wan yong sneered. "how about you thank me first? i was the one who revealed her writer''s identity."


    "yeah, thanks," he gave a flat response.


    "you old man! i think people start getting ruder the older they get!"


    "who are you calling old!?


    "i will never do the sin of calling a woman old so of course it''s you."


    "ughh! stop fighting like kids!" jia lin glared at them. you are humiliating us in front of the newbie. there is my cousin''s son who is being a brat and then there are you two."


    guiying blinked. "brat?"nove.lb(1n


    she sighed. "don''t make me start. he is looking for a job and he is depending on his aunt, that is, me. who am i? the hr head, after all. naturally, i have got resources. but he messes up in interviews," she released another sigh.


    "isn''t it so cheerful here?"


    zheng jiao passed by their spot, her countenance devoid of any particular emotion.


    "hey, zheng jiao," jia lin chirped. "come join us. you always coop yourself in your laptop. even your brain needs rest at time, you know~"


    she narrowed her eyes on her. "thank you for the offer but no thanks. i was just out to grab some coffee."


    the mention of coffee made her eye guiying, who had grabbed her cup tighter. unable to meet her gaze, she kept her gaze focused on xun da.


    "you shouldn''t be taking so much caffeine. ah young people these days..." jia lin touched her chin, "especially you, zheng jiao. you drink a lot of coffee."


    she smiled. "i can worry about myself, mrs. jia. i hope miss. cai can look after herself though."


    guiying knitted her brows in confusion.


    what does she mean by that?


    "things have been really smooth for her lately but it''s exactly at a time like this that something can mess up...?" she smiled.


    she said nothing more and walked away.


    wan yong loosened the collar of his shirt. "haish she finally left. she always brings this...strange mood."


    xun da nodded. "she has always been a loner. don''t mind her, okay cai guiying? she might act like that, but she is a good person at heart."


    guiying tensely smiled.


    why did it sound to me like a warning though? she didn''t look friendly at all...


    considering the confrontation between zheng jiao and ''her'' last week, this particular statement of hers felt all the more foreboding to guiying.


    "i never understood that child though," jia lin said, "she is always shrouded in such mystery. haven''t you heard of the three assistants before resigning chen corps not long after they joined her department?"


    guiying''s ears perked at that.


    wan yong looked thoughtful. "yeah we never got to know what happened, right? they were all so bright and cheerful but left only a few months later. and it''s only been a problem with zheng jiao''s department..."


    ''in that case, why don''t you work as my assistant?''


    guiying clearly recalled her offer to switch departments last week. a sense of unease filled her heart. none of the three assistants could keep working with zheng jiao and now she had asked guiying for the same position.


    what exactly happens with them...? her heart thudded in her chest.


    xun da karate-chopped the back of their heads. "stop with the conspiracy theories you two. nothing shady happens. you are scaring the newbie for no reason."


    "ah, no!" jia lin grabbed her hand and exclaimed in defense. "i didn''t mean to scare you at all, dear. and anyway, people talk about those resigned assistants all the time. it''s the number one mystery at chen corps."


    she smiled. "it''s fine."


    a shadow loomed behind her and the three department heads stiffened frozen like robots.


    "what happened?"


    "s-sir chen!"


    lightsn¦Ïv¦Ål she looked back and her eyes slightly widened in surprise. zixin was standing behind her but his gaze intensely focused at only one particular spot and that was how jia lin held guiying''s hand.


    i want to hold her hand too...


    an innocent wish erupted in his heart too.


    "good morning, sir," jia lin warmly greeted him.


    "good morning, sir," wan yong and xun da followed too.


    he nodded at them. "good morning."


    guiying greeted him too.


    there was a stretch of silence during which zixin was thinking of a way to find some time with guiying.


    "did you collect your laptop from it?"


    "ah no. i was just about to head there."


    "oh yeah there was some issue with your laptop two days back, right? i heard the commotion with assistant ling when i was leaving sir''s office after submitting him my report," jia lin remembered.


    wan yong sighed. "yeah such a bummer for the laptop to break just when you are new."


    "yes," guiying''s spirits dampened a bit. "i had to work on a temporary back-up laptop. but now it''s fixed."


    zixin''s eyes gleamed. "shall we go together? i have to visit it anyway."


    the three looked dumbfounded.


    why do i see flowers bloom around ceo chen?

 Chapter 735 A bad foreboding

    chapter 735 a bad foreboding


    "you seem to have gelled with the others pretty well," zixin commented as they walked towards the it department. n)-o(-v--e((l-/b-(1/-n


    guiying shone. "yes. they are so friendly and welcoming. they don''t make me feel like they are department heads at all. everybody is so nice."


    zixin nodded in appreciation. he mentally checklisted to increase their salary and reward them for making guiying happy. but there was a point of grievance that he still needed to address.


    "mr. xun da seems particularly close to you," his gaze ever so lightly stung with displeasure. "even to the point of holding your hand."


    has he forgotten that he has a wife and kid? zixin frowned. maybe i shouldn''t give him the raise.


    somewhere xun da sneezed. "achoo!"


    he rubbed his nose, sniffling. "is anybody talking about me?"


    guiying clapped her hands once in delight. "he was thanking me for giving him my signature for his daughter. kind of like an autograph. he said she is my reader so it really made her happy."


    zixin sulked.


    there is still no reason to be so intimate with you. his daughter should hold your hand, not him.


    a question mark popped on top of her head, not understanding the source of his concern. by then, they reached the it department and everybody working and chilling on their desks lost their footing as soon as zixin came into their view.


    the ceo is here!?


    they immediately straightened their posture and glued their eyes on their laptop with a completely professional atmosphere.


    is this some surprise test visit? and he came with the newbie!


    guiying reached out at one desk and politely asked, "hello. i am cai guiying. my laptop was submitted here. can i collect it?"


    the young man normally wouldn''t have a problem to speak but with the ceo''s figure looming behind her, he found his throat going dry.


    "umm...your laptop, right? yes, yes! it''s all done! l-let me get it for you..."


    he ran inside a room as if an apocalypse was coming. guiying felt the strange stares pointed at her and stress-filled silence.


    is it only me or everybody looks so tense?


    she looked at zixin and it occurred to her.


    ah! i have been roaming around with the ceo. of course, they would be rattled!


    she coughed. "s-sir, i think you had some work at it, right?"


    "yes."


    "okay."


    some time passed but zixin still didn''t budge from his place.


    shouldn''t you be off to what you were supposed to do here? she inwardly sweated.


    "so please go ahead, sir."


    "it''s okay. i will wait with you here," his black eyes gleamed with a golden warmth.


    guiying and the it staff - "..."


    did our department always shine so much? why is it suddenly so bright?


    "did you see? did you see? ceo chen wants to wait with his new assistant!" a woman whispered to her colleague sharing the desk with her.


    "he even personally came with her!"


    "is he already falling for her charms? the newbie is quite fast!"


    "just look at him how he is watching her so warmly," another woman cried. "when was the last time my husband looked at me that way? ceo chen is so cute!"


    "it''s a surprising side we are seeing today!"


    guiying lacked tears to shed. it was evident that she was now the center of attention. she simply glued her eyes on the young man''s desk as if she heard nothing and was only waiting for her laptop.


    ahhh when can i leave?


    "what a surprise to see ceo chen here."


    a voice echoed from their back side and they turned to see zheng jiao standing with her arms folded at her chest and staring at zixin with her raised brow.


    miss. zheng is here!


    the it staff cheered and rejoiced. now that the department head was here, they felt their nerves soothing.


    on the opposite spectrum, guiying turned stiff by her presence. her gaze fell pensive and she struggled to smile.


    can i really get my laptop and leave from here? she cried internally.


    zixin nodded. "just wanted to check on some things with you."


    "oh my. in that case, i would have visited your office. why would you take the trouble of personally coming to my department?" she indirectly threw guiying a side glance without actually meeting her gaze. "i believe your time is very valuable and precious."


    guiying''s brow slightly twitched.


    doesn''t she mean that his time is too precious to be wasted on me?


    "my new assistant wanted to collect her laptop. we met on the way here."


    guiying stared at him, dumbfounded.


    you asked me to accompany you here, yet you lied so smoothly!


    zheng jiao smiled. "you didn''t have to take the trouble, miss. cai. i would have sent someone to deliver your laptop. or maybe i would have visited myself. i have something to discuss with the ceo anyway."


    "no, no," guiying quickly said, "it''s my fault that the new laptop broke so soon. i am really very ashamed."


    zheng jiao narrowed her eyes for a moment.


    "no worries, miss. cai," she smiled with understanding. "accidents happen."


    the young man sprinted back with guiying''s laptop and huffed breathlessly. "your laptop, miss. cai. it''s all fixed. i will keep your ticket for some more days just in case you face any issue again."


    finally!


    "thank you so much!"


    she grabbed her laptop and swiftly turned on her heels.


    yes, time to escape!


    she hardly took two steps when zheng jiao interrupted her escape plan.


    "miss. cai."


    she froze and with great courage, met her gaze. "y-yes?"


    zheng jiao chuckled. "take more care of your laptop. it''s very important you protect it from harm."


    she blinked once.


    "and i guess i will see you soon again," she smiled.


    guiying failed to understand her implications.


    why do i get this bad feeling?


    she shook her head, shedding away the creeping negativity.


    maybe she is just trying to scare me because i rejected her offer before. everything is going smoothly. i have even prepared everything for miss. xian''s investment meeting tomorrow.


    everything will be alright.

 Chapter 736 Blunder

    chapter 736 blunder


    xian shun arrived the next day waiting outside the ceo''s office near the reception area. she was tapping on her laptop''s keyboard with nervousness gripping her fingertips.


    ah come on! i don''t want to ruin my makeup by sweating!


    "i won''t show any weakness in front of chen zixin," her nostrils flared in defiance.


    thinking of the last exchange of aggression between them last year, her face reddened with embarrassment. "this time, i won''t give him any chance to complain and point fingers. i know he only agreed to this meeting because he wouldn''t want to offend dad."


    she narrowed her eyes. "but i will prove to him that i am more than just my dad''s political influence."


    even though she said that, the drumming of her heart was a different matter altogether.


    she checked time in her watch and exactly fifteen minutes were remaining for the meeting to start. the secretary offered her tea and snacks to which she declined. she was then led into a board room where she was asked to keep her presentation and materials ready on the projector till zixin arrived.


    another five minutes passed as she arranged all the stuff. xian shun then heard the tapping of footsteps. the door opened and she recognized assistant ling easily enough who she had already met last year. but she didn''t know who the woman beside him was.


    "hello, miss. xian," assistant ling greeted her with a smile. "long time."


    "hello, mr. ling," she smiled back. "indeed it is."


    "she is miss. cai guiying. we have hired her as another set of helping hands for sir zixin," he said, introducing guiying.


    "oh."


    she remembered she had received the meeting invite last week from an email address that had her name in it.


    guiying bowed. "nice to meet you, miss. xian."


    "same here."


    assistant ling said, "sir will be here in some time. please wait here. till then, miss. cai and i will get some stuff done. please ring a call on the reception''s desk if you need any help."


    "sure."


    the door closed behind her, and she sat back on her chair. she clutched the pendant on her neck and took a deep breath.


    a few more minutes later, she heard some voices from outside and thinking that zixin finally arrived, she stood on her feet, ready to greet him.


    i will prove you wrong today, chen zixin!


    but she was met with disappointment and surprise together as a bunch of men and women, clearly senior and presumably important people, walked in the boardroom.


    the others were equally puzzled for a moment but thought that she might be a staff member. they took their seats talking to each other.


    lights¦Í¦Ïvel xian shun blinked in confusion and her heart sped faster.


    who are all these people? are they supposed to be part of the conference too? but this wasn''t mentioned in the meeting invite, she frowned.


    ugh what is this anxiety i am getting...


    a minute later, assistant ling and guiying stepped in once again and were surprised to see the crowd assemble.


    "mr. lang. mrs. huang and everybody..." he blinked.


    "good to see you assistant ling," mr. lang smiled. "we are just waiting for chen zixin for the meeting to start."


    "sorry? i don''t understand. which meeting?"


    "of course with the important strategy meeting we were supposed to have. you already forgot?" he chuckled.


    guiying was bewildered. she anxiously eyed assistant ling.


    but wasn''t this meeting supposed to be next week?


    assistant ling calmly said, "i think there is some misunderstanding. there is no meeting of the board of directors scheduled with sir today. it''s next week."


    mrs. huang shook her head. "that''s impossible. we clearly said that this meeting is important and so the conference was set for today. we all got the emails."


    xian shun widened her eyes. "but mr. chen is having a meeting with me right now for my investment proposal."


    the look on everybody''s faces grew even more befuddled. "impossible once again."


    just then zixin stepped in and he immediately noticed the confusion and strain in the atmosphere. "what is happening?"


    mr. lang pursed his lips. "what is this, chen zixin? aren''t we supposed to have our strategy meeting today?"


    "no. i came here for my meeting with miss. xian."


    "that''s ridiculous! then why were we called in the first place?"


    "but we didn''t," he furrowed his brows.


    mrs. huang opened her mail inbox and showed it on her tab. "look here. you can clearly see the meeting invite with the agenda all sent out to all of us, right? it''s sent by your assistant, cai guiying."


    guiying felt her heart stop.nove/lb-in


    she took a quick look and her expression paled seeing that it was indeed her email address. the meeting email was sent out to all board of directors.


    "no..." she slightly gasped for air as she tried to comprehend this blunder before her.


    "that''s not possible. i-i sent the meeting invite to miss. xian only. i didn''t send any such mail."


    "are you implying that we are lying?" mr. lang glared at her. "do you think we have so much spare time in our hands to come for a meeting that doesn''t even exist? rather than denying the error, you better admit that you overbooked chen zixin''s calendar. how could you cause two meetings to be in conflict on the same day and the same time?"


    "exactly," a third member, mr. tang spoke bitterly too, "and i cannot believe that despite our specifying that this meeting is very important, you went ahead and booked time with miss. xian? her investment proposal planning can be heard anytime. is that more important than this?"


    xian shun''s gaze darkened. "with due respect, my proposal is super important to me too."


    he frowned. "ah. i remember now. you are that politician''s daughter. is that how it is? chen zixin chose you over us because he was afraid of your father''s wrath over ignoring you?"


    her fury blazed ten times worse. "stop bringing my father into everything!"


    she glared at zixin, tears rimming her eyes. "mr. chen zixin. i know it would seem like i am the beggar here because i need chen corps'' investment, but don''t go so far in humiliating me!"


    cai guiying hurriedly said, "that''s not it, miss. xian. there is seriously some misunderstanding here-"


    "which happened because of you, right?" she trembled. "is that why i was called here? so that i could be publicly insulted as somebody useless? because clearly, everything and every time, it''s only about my father! i was chasing after this meeting for so long so this is how you chose to get rid of me once and for all."

 Chapter 737 Prove oneself

    chapter 737 prove oneself


    guiying''s desperation was crystal clear as her countenance drowned in anxiety. "assistant ling, please believe me. i did as you told me and only sent the meeting invites that we had decided last week..."


    the air turned a notch chillier as zixin''s gaze was filled with frost.


    assistant ling said, "miss. cai. i believe that you would have sent the right invites. we had worked very meticulously together, after all."


    mr. lang fumed. "i cannot believe that you are readily trusting her so much. she just recently joined last week, right? she is not as experienced as assistant ling so isn''t it plausible that she made a rookie mistake?"


    zixin''s gaze darkened further and his fists clenched. "they are my assistants."


    he suddenly spoke in his quiet voice that pounded the pressure in the atmosphere. "i trust in their capabilities. so before everybody starts firing off their missiles, i suggest you calm down and civilly figure out what happened."


    the cold warning was meant for both xian shun and the board of directors who targeted guiying without mercy. xian shun pressed her lips and quietened down with his intimidating aura leaking out. the board of directors felt unrest and annoyed.


    assistant ling asked, "miss. cai, please bring your laptop here so that we can clarify everything."


    "yes!"


    she rushed outside and quickly returned with her laptop. hurriedly logging in, she opened her email and slightly pushed the laptop towards him. assistant ling clicked on the sent items folder to look for the meeting invite sent to the board of directors. he scrolled down to last week''s emails.


    he found the email sent to xian shun to which she furiously nodded. as he glanced one email up, he noticed another meeting invite email which he opened. as guiying peered in, she froze and felt the ground shift beneath her feet.


    there laid another email to the board of directors, exactly as mrs. huang showed on her tab.


    impossible...


    mrs. huang narrowed her eyes. "seems like you found the evidence and obviously you would. this is such a humiliation for you to cross verify us as if you are insinuating that we are lying. we are respectable members of the board of directors!"


    guiying shook hard. "zix- sir, i-i really don''t know about this. i remember very clearly that i only sent the mail to miss. xian shun. i don''t know how this mail is in my sent items folder."


    her heart pounded hard and for several minutes, even she was left confused if she had really accidentally sent an email to the board of directors.


    her face turned crimson, not in embarrassment for herself but for assistant ling and zixin, who showed trust in her only to be proven wrong.


    lights¦Í¦Ïvel mr. lang shook his head. "now that it''s proved, you are still denying your mistake. it''s wise to own up and take responsibility. though this wasted our time, i can be forgiving for one time, considering you are still new."


    guiying felt her breaths going haywire. in front of zixin and important board members, a huge blunder from her was exposed. it was just one week since she joined, but she already brought shame to the company.


    she contemplated apologizing and ending the matter here. but one tiny corner of her heart refused to accept that she made this error.


    something is wrong. i had triple checked before sending the mail!


    zixin was about to intervene when guiying stuttered with a feeble protest. "i-if i can say something..."


    he immediately nodded. "go on."


    she bit her lip. "can i a-ask some time to investigate this? i know we can see the mail sent from my email, but i swear i didn''t do it. i am sure of it. i was very cautious of my job precisely because i am new. please give me some time to figure out what exactly happened..."


    the board of directors weren''t happy about this. "just apologize and get done with it. what is there to search for anything?"


    she stiffened.


    zixin coldly said, "so you are saying we should admonish her without giving her a chance to prove herself?"nove(1b)1n


    "well our time is already wasted...what does it matter even if-"


    "enough."


    his ice-coated voice brought a steep and sharp silence in the room. "i will let miss. cai figure out what happened. the strategy meeting will be next week as planned. now, i will have my meeting with miss. xian. please leave.''


    ¡ª


    guiying rushed into the washroom as soon as the confrontation was over and broke down into tears, locking herself in one of the stalls. it took some time for herself to calm down and steel for the next steps she had to do.


    she lightly sniffled and stepped out. she approached the wash basin and lightly sprinkled water on her tear-stained eyes.


    "oh my, is everything alright?"


    guiying turned and seeing zheng jiao, the discomfort in her heart increased. she didn''t like the idea of being alone with her, so she wanted to quickly leave.


    "hey, it''s fine. i don''t bite," zheng jiao blinked and smiled. "why are you so cautious of me? nothing like the time we met last week."


    she is talking about ''her''...


    she pursed her lips, looking away.


    "by the way, i heard what happened. i am sorry to hear that. the board can get quite nasty. you must have been terrified. is that why you were crying inside?"


    guiying pressed her palms together. "i have to leave. also..."


    zheng jiao raised her brow.


    "i admit i cried because it was sudden. i didn''t want this to happen. but i didn''t do it. i am sure i didn''t send any wrong emails, and i will make sure that i will prove that. i am...i am not responsible for this mistake."


    "hooo. the road seems difficult dear," she smiled. "all the best. unless you can prove a ghost sent that email, there is nothing you can do about it. but don''t worry. even if the ceo kicks you out, you are always welcomed in my department. see you later."

 Chapter 738 A ploy

    chapter 738 a ploy


    "guiying!"


    zixin, who was rapidly pacing back and forth in his office, impatiently waited for guiying. the moment she entered, she was pulled into his embrace.


    "zi-zixin?"


    surprised, she felt his reassuring warmth but was afraid if assistant ling would catch them.


    "i am sorry," his sorry voice was filled with lament and grievances.


    her eyes widened. "what are you sorry for?"


    "for all the blame and harshness you had to face."


    "..."


    "but why are you apologizing for it? it was proved that i sent the email so it was bound to happen. anybody would get angry at this conflict." n).o--v((e/-l).b-/1)-n


    he frowned and looked into her eyes. "i cannot see anybody admonishing you."


    "even if it is my mistake?"


    he nodded.


    her mouth twitched.


    "you...you shouldn''t spoil me like this. what if i take advantage of your kindness?"


    his gaze shone with warmth. "i know you wouldn''t. you are the kindest person i know. that''s why you wouldn''t take advantage of anybody. also, i am filling in the shoes of doting you for what your brother should have done in all these years. i want to spoil you lots."


    her face furiously burned with a red blush that failed her to respond.


    "you cannot do that. you are the ceo here. you should treat every employee fairly."


    "i do," he smiled. "every employee here should get a chance to prove themselves if they don''t agree with the accusation, right? that''s what i did. i would have supported another employee the same way. but..."


    he leaned in and crossed her face, his cheek tinglingly brushing past hers.


    "b-but?" she stood completely straight, her left side of her neck turning hotter.


    "i love you. i cannot help but be biased towards you. a little bit."


    his voice held a hint of mischief to it as well as if he was cutely pleading her to forgive him for his sin.


    guiying felt her words drown in the loud drumming of her heartbeats, and her tongue continued slipping in vain attempts to reciprocate his feelings.


    "i think this is the perfect time to say something back, don''t you?" zixin whispered extra closely to her ear. she forgot how to breathe for several moments.


    "i don''t k-know what you are referring to..." she said in a feeble voice.


    "the part i said but. it''s very simple," he raised his brow. "you just repeat what i said but just add ''too'' at the end."


    zixin had said i love you which meant...


    guiying coughed hard and pressed her palms on his chest to push him back. "sorry but i-i still don''t get it. i will take my leave-"


    zixin grabbed her wrist, blocking her attempted planned escape. "it''s just four words. you can say those and make me happy," her black eyes glittered with hope.


    it wasn''t just his gaze leaning her but his steps too that inched forward, making her go back. his tall, muscular frame towered upon her as if a rabbit was caught in a wolf''s den.


    zixin insisted. "don''t be shy. there are just four words."


    "..."


    there are just four words but i will die of a heart attack before i even try!


    she loved mrperfect. she loved zixin. but she couldn''t find a way of bringing those feelings to her lips that would reach his ears like a beautiful melody.


    "you shouldn''t bully me like this..." she protested.


    i am only following the mission set by mom and grandma. office romance. he sincerely nodded to himself.


    he slightly tipped his head to the side. "i am not sure who is bullying who here."


    "i don''t bully anybody..." she gasped in defiance.


    "but you are teasing me now," his lips pouted in a sulk. "it''s just four words."


    as if an angel heard guiying''s desperate plea, the door opened as a means of her salvation. assistant ling entered and with his gaze falling on the extra, inexplicable proximity between the ceo and the new assistant, his mouth twitched hard.


    "sir...?"


    guiying pushed him back with horror and steadied herself on her feet. she patted hard on his shirt. "y-yeah it''s gone. there was something on you sh-shirt..."


    assistant ling was rendered speechless.


    poor miss. cai...


    zixin threw a dissatisfied look at his assistant, expressing that he wasn''t so pleased with this untimed interruption.


    assistant ling didn''t care.


    he walked towards guiying and smiled as if he saw nothing that just transpired between them. "thank god you are here, miss. cai. i was worried about you."


    guiying cried and appreciated his avoidance of broaching the subject.


    "i am fine, mr. ling."


    "miss. cai. don''t worry at all. we will try to find out what exactly happened."


    that brought the subject and atmosphere back to the serious matter at hand and that was the blunder guiying seemingly made.


    "i don''t know how that mail got sent. i had only sent it to miss. xian."


    "i believe you, miss. cai and sir do too."


    zixin nodded. "leave this matter to me, guiying. i will find out what happened."


    that was sure the easy way out, but guiying shook her head. "i appreciate the help, sir but i will figure it out. it''s my mistake and i will take responsibility for it whether it''s apologizing to the board or proving myself right.


    "but how?"


    guiying, too, didn''t have any leads to go on. "i don''t know. but i thought about showing my laptop to the it department. if it''s some malfunction that happened with my email inbox, then they can check. but..."


    the two kept silent. zixin then urged. "but?"


    she hesitated. "i don''t think a malfunction or a technical glitch can cause such a specific meeting invite with time and agenda to be sent to the board members. there weren''t any more mails sent like that. only the conflict meeting."


    assistant ling said, "correct. i felt it was odd too. so that would suggest that somebody else sent the invite from your email without your knowledge. somebody accessed your laptop when you weren''t aware of it."

 Chapter 739 Determined

    chapter 739 determined


    the discussion with zixin and assistant ling brought guiying back to the it department the next day. the same guy who handed her the laptop was present at his desk. he was relieved to not see zixin following her this time.


    "yes, miss. cai. how can i help you? is the laptop working all fine now?"


    she smiled. "the laptop is fine, but something happened that i cannot put my finger on it."


    he blinked in confusion.


    "there was an email sent from my mail app which i have no idea of. it caused a conflict with another meeting which was really embarrassing for me. but i am sure that i never sent the second mail invite. so, i want to know if you have any idea of what could have possibly happened."


    his eyes widened. "that sucks. how is it possible? do you think it was a bug or technical glitch with the laptop?"


    "that is one of the possible conclusions i came to."


    he shook his head. "i had fixed your laptop myself. i did a pretty good job. there is no way that it could be any sort of a malfunction, certainly of not accidentally sending wrong emails. that just doesn''t happen. that has never happened before."


    with his confidence, guiying felt like she was going somewhere.


    "then...the only possibility remaining would be if somebody tampered with my laptop, right? or somebody accessed it without my permission?"


    the it guy furrowed his brows. "that seems to be like the only thing that could have happened?"


    she asked with a sense of urgency, "was there anybody around my laptop while it was submitted here at the it?"


    his eyes stretched wide again. "no way! we don''t expose employees'' laptops like that. all the laptops are kept secured in the storage room until they are fixed. the room is locked obviously and only miss. zheng and i have access to it. there is another colleague with access, but she is on a long leave. so it''s just me and miss. zheng. so you can see how it''s impossible for anybody to sneak around."


    guiying left the it department with her shoulders sulking and dropping. she had hoped that somebody would have seen something, any suspicious person unnecessarily near her laptop, but that wasn''t the case at all.


    but in the back of her mind, a thought still persisted.


    "hey."


    she stiffened with the familiar voice. from the corner of her eye, zheng jiao approached her and looked at her with lips curved into a smile. "did you find anything?"


    she didn''t respond.


    "i heard you were searching for some clues in my department. that honestly makes me sad. did you really think there is a bent person in my department who would be looking to frame you?"


    guiying squinted her eyes.


    "why do you look at me that way?" she raised her brow. "it almost feels like you doubt me too. but that cannot be so, right? what would i get by doing this?"


    "don''t you want me to stop being sir zixin''s assistant and join your department? only you and that guy have access to laptops. it wouldn''t be difficult for a person knowing about computers to send a simple email right? can you blame me for acting cautious?"


    for a moment, guiying was startled by her own demeanor. she wasn''t the kind of person to confront anybody like this or talk back. it was more of ''guiying''s'' way to deal with such unpleasant stuff.


    "oh my," zheng jiao narrowed her eyes. "this reminds me of our coffee time that day but not quite in the same way. anyway, you do make valid points though. come to my office. i will show you something interesting."


    guiying''s suspicions immediately deepened.


    "i don''t bite," she smiled.


    guiying thought for a moment and wondered if it was wise to follow a person she had suspicions on. but it was chen corps and she couldn''t be in danger. zheng jiao wouldn''t be so stupid either.


    the lights automatically switched on as they stepped in the office and zheng jiao fired her laptop on. she clicked on some folders that had video recordings in it.


    "security footage of my department. this is from the time you submitted your laptop till the time you took it back. see for yourself if i was being sneaky."


    guiying carefully watched the videos and to her dismay, nobody ever accessed her laptop. she was completely absorbed in finding any tiny hint of evidence she could but there was nothing incriminating.


    "see? i am innocent."


    guiying was startled as the voice came from behind her with zheng jiao standing too close and too intimidating to her taste.


    calming the sudden burst of a shock, she said, "this proves nothing. you could easily delete or alter the footage to suit your convenience. or you might not even physically need my laptop. i think you might be capable enough to remotely access my emails and play with them." nove)lb(in


    zheng jiao folded her arms and laughed. "i like your thinking. those are valid points too. but then it makes your job very difficult, you see. how will you prove that i am the culprit?"


    guiying had no answer to that.


    "i am flattered that you think i am so capable but i am not the only one you know," she smiled which faintly felt like a sneer too.


    guiying left the it department a second time, clueless of what to do next. she met everybody at lunch time where jia lin, xun da and wan yong expressed their sighs.


    "we heard about the conflict with the board. such a shame," xun da said.


    jia lin flared her nostrils. "i know, right? it was just an accident yet the oldies bullied the newbie like this."


    "it wasn''t an accident," guiying said, "i wasn''t wrong. i didn''t send any wrong invites. i was very focused when i was doing my job. there wasn''t any glitch either as the it guy explained it to me. he did a thorough job of fixing my laptop. that''s why i feel that somebody purposely did this to frame me."


    the three held shock in their faces.


    "but you just joined. who would have anything against you in such a short time already?" wan yong frowned.


    guiying looked determined. "that''s what i have to find and i will. i have thought of a way for that too."

 Chapter 740 Spotted

    chapter 740 spotted


    "guiying!!!"


    chyou jumped and twirled with her as she hugged her hard. guiying stared at her dazzling beauty with her mouth wide open and her cheeks blushed hard with being in proximity to the queen of entertainment industry.


    it wasn''t like guiying hadn''t met her before, but she had never gotten many chances to talk to her. like ai, she was also chyou''s fan who never failed to watch her movies. chyou was an aspiring figure to her, similar to how ai was.


    guiying was hesitant to contact chyou on her own, so she asked yating, who seemed to be on closer terms with her. yating was happy to help.


    but at this moment, a certain figure wasn''t so happy because chyou enjoyed the sparkling gazes and the red tints of blushes which he wanted all for himself.


    "th-thank you for meeting me on such a short n-notice..." guiying breathed hard. "i know you are super busy. b-but i would just like to say that i am a big fan. i love you a lot!" n--ovelbin


    "..."


    zixin touched his chest and could feel something shattering inside it. it was just yesterday that he was urging her to say the three magical words back to him. she ran away from that confession, but now chyou stole the ''i love you'' part from him too.


    he pressed his lips and threw his gaze at her filled with burning resentment.


    "you okay?" yating asked.


    "no."


    "why not?"


    "how come she is getting all the things so easily from guiying which i have been desperately wanting from her?"


    "because she is zhu chyou and you aren''t?"


    "..."


    "can you compare to the queen?"


    "..."


    "accept your fate and move on. you will always be second in guiying''s heart. chyou has that charm on her fans."


    "i am also charming."


    "everybody fails miserably before chyou," he smiled and patted his shoulder.


    on the other side, chyou nodded gravely. "i see. i understand now. your guess is a hundred percent right. somebody definitely accessed your email."


    "i believe or i think that it could be zheng jiao..."


    zixin tilted his head. "why her?"


    "well..."


    she gave a short gist of what transpired between them last week. zixin''s expression fell to a sea of darkness.


    how can a department head poach a ceo''s assistant in his own company?


    "why didn''t you tell me before?"


    "i didn''t feel much about it then, plus i had already rejected her."


    also, how could i cause trouble against a department head when i just joined?


    chyou proudly smirked. "do not fear when chyou is here. i will prove zheng jiao''s guilt for you, hoho~


    she tapped her fingers across guiying''s laptop''s keyboard where she tried to find any traces of remote bugs installed in her computer, but she couldn''t find any. she connected her system with her software, but the result came to null.


    chyou tilted her head. "strange. my software can catch any suspicious bugs installed in the system. even if they are deleted permanently."


    "what does it mean?"


    "it means your laptop wasn''t remotely accessed and controlled."


    "but then my laptop was always with me. nobody else has used it."


    "i will check the it department''s cctv footage to see if it was tampered with. no matter how capable the hacker is, i can catch everything."


    she punched in a few lines of code and pressed enter. but the software didn''t return with any malicious code or foreign entry once again.


    "the footage is clean. it wasn''t altered at all. there is no way my software won''t catch the alteration of timestamps and video clips. it didn''t catch anything because nothing happened at all."


    guiying looked dumbfounded.


    "so there is no evidence against zheng jiao? or in other words she is innocent?"


    "let''s look at this way. so this mail was sent a day later at 12.31 pm. the day after you sent the meeting invite to xian shun. do you remember what happened around this time?"


    she thought long and hard about it but shook her head. "i was working at my desk with assistant ling as usual. then we chatted with miss. jia lin who came to submit a report. then we went for lunch. that''s all. oh. but i remember that it was after the lunch break that my laptop broke. i mean i couldn''t switch it on no matter what."


    chyou narrowed her eyes. "something definitely happened within the time frame of that lunch break."


    her fingers flew once again on the keyboard and this time she checked the camera footage of the ceo''s office at the suspicious timeframe.


    guiying leaned in and saw herself working at her desk. then assistant ling left for a few minutes to talk to zixin around when jia lin hopped by to talk to her. they talked and laughed for sometime after which she left too. fast-forward half an hour later, zixin''s office was empty as they all headed to lunch break.


    guiying put all her focus on the next part. but still there wasn''t a trace of any soul. it showed them returning forty-five minutes later back to work.


    "bingo!" chyou exclaimed. "my baby is catching something here. this recording isn''t as clean as it looks like."


    "you mean this was altered?"


    "from what i see, yes. somebody sneaked in zixin''s office during lunch break, opened your laptop, sent the mail and left."


    "but you said you didn''t find any traces of bugs or suspicious files installed in my laptop. then how did they know my password?"


    chyou smirked and devilishly rubbed her hands. "we will get all the answers once i retrieve the original footage and find the dirty culprit!"


    "she is enjoying this," yating shook his head. "just look at her. she looks like she found some treasure."


    guiying patiently waited till she worked her magic with her heart pounding faster in her chest. she kept thinking who might have an agenda against her, but she couldn''t find any name except zheng jiao.


    "got the hit!"


    chyou replayed the original version of the footage of that day and to guiying''s shock, the person to enter zixin''s office and approach guiying''s desk was none other than jia lin.

 Chapter 741 Ploy exposed

    chapter 741 ploy exposed


    jia lin arrived at her cabin the next day with vigor and enthusiasm. she sat back on her chair and lazily stretched her arms. she checked her mobile and seeing the continuous onslaught of messages, her brow twitched in annoyance.


    people just don''t have patience. it will be any day now.


    her assistant stepped in and said, "mam, sir zixin has asked for you."


    "oh. okay. i will be heading there in a second."


    the door closed behind her, and she smiled.


    it seems the day is today. quite fast.


    jia lin entered the ceo''s office and bowed. "good morning, sir. you called for me?"


    "yes."


    zixin''s voice hinted at iciness and gaze unfriendliness.


    "is this about the luster project''s assigned resources? i am almost done with it. i will be ready with the presentation tomorrow."


    "i wonder if there is a tomorrow for you."


    "sorry?" she blinked.


    assistant ling arrived by then along with guiying, who stood at a distance from zixin''s table.


    "good morning, cai guiying," jia lin merrily chirped.


    guiying said nothing.


    assistant ling said, "sir has something to show you."


    she curiously craned her neck slightly to see him starting a video recording. her gaze stiffened at what was being shown to her.


    "doesn''t this...seem to be cctv footage of last week?"


    zixin said, "keep watching."


    the point in time came in the clip where it dawned upon her why she was called in the office. the clip ended and assistant ling closed his laptop.


    "do you have anything to say?"


    jia lin calmly but immediately responded. "somebody has framed me. i never sneaked into your office and accessed cai guiying''s laptop. is this about the wrong email being sent?"


    "you would know it better than anybody."


    "with due respect, sir, i don''t."


    "this clip was deleted. somebody did. guiying had to restore it to reach the truth."


    she looked at cai guiying with poise and confidence. "i am innocent. i don''t know who put me in there, but i have nothing to do with your predicament. i didn''t do anything to your laptop. didn''t the it guy himself say that your system was clean? which means nobody accessed it right?"


    "no. it means that they didn''t need to put any remote bug in my system. i thought about it. how did you just sneak in and logged into my laptop? i didn''t see you inserting anything in the usb drive or anything to break my password."


    "exactly."


    "but then it occurred to me that you approached to talk to me. you were standing behind me as we laughed. my laptop was locked at that time. then you asked me if i could show you a sneak peek of my story draft. just because you were curious."


    "yes? what was wrong with that?"


    "naturally, i had to login back into my system. my work is stored in my cloud account. so you saw me inputting my system password. you stood right behind me. you read my fingertips pressing the keyboard buttons and you remembered it." n.)ovelbin


    "that''s absolutely ridiculous."


    "it isn''t," guiying shot back. "if we rewind the clip again, we can zoom in to check that you were keenly looking at me typing. you stored my system password in your brain so that you wouldn''t need to maliciously access my laptop and pose the risk of getting caught."


    jia lin showed a hurt expression. "how could you believe all this? i welcomed you with open arms. we joked and laughed. why will i make this ploy? i don''t have anything against you."


    zixin intervened at that point. "not personally. professionally, yes. just yesterday, i received a job application. the position was cited as my assistant. this application came from none other than your nephew. it''s strange. the applications for my assistant position don''t just pop up whenever. this came at the time when it was possible that an action might be taken against cai guiying, especially since the board was involved."


    she stiffened.


    guiying said, "i remember. you said once that your cousin''s son was looking for a job but he always failed. i believe if i would be kicked out of the company because of my error, then you could get your nephew in for the job. you are the hr head. you would have easily made arrangements for the opening and convinced assistant ling."


    "that''s horrible!" she trembled. "i am being accused left and right. sir this is all false. let''s say for argument sake that i remembered your password, but how would i alter the cctv video clip? i am not an it person to hack. if anyone then blame zheng jiao. she must have some secret agenda against me."


    zixin stared at her. "you forget, mrs. jin. you are not an it person now. but you were before. your work experience entails working in the it industry for ten years before you switched to the hr side in chen corps."


    "...that was a long time ago, sir. i hardly remember anything about that world now. i have lost my touch. certainly, i am not capable of hacking into systems. and why isn''t zheng jiao being questioned? she is the most suspicious person of all. guiying''s laptop was in her department for two whole days. isn''t it so easy for her to just walk in and do anything she wants?"


    "she can but she hasn''t. the video clips of the it department are clean. no alteration. i cross checked it with my own hacker i know. she is the best. she is the one who found the altered clip that we just showed you. and not only that."


    he slid a file towards her.


    "you were smart to try to hide your presence behind fake ip addresses and countries and what not but not before the queen. she combed through and dug out your identity. you altered the footage."


    jia lin read trace log output files of chyou''s software that had neatly unmasked jia lin''s real home ip address from where she had deleted the video part of her sneaking into zixin''s office.


    one look through all those parameters was enough to tell her that the hacker wasn''t any bogus. in fact far from that. just from the trace file alone, she could sense how complicated but ingenious chyou''s software might be to catch her identity despite all the top protections she had used.


    zixin narrowed his eyes. "confess now?"

 Chapter 742 The lightning speed kiss

    742 the lightning speed kiss


    in the end, jia lin was left with no option but to come out with the truth. it was exactly as they had guessed. to somehow kick guiying out of her job and replace the position with her nephew.


    "please forgive me," jia lin bowed, clenching her fists. "i...couldn''t help before my cousin''s request."


    guiying lowered her gaze in silence. she thought she made good friends and would lead a good office life with her colleagues. she especially didn''t want jia lin to be the perpetrator who had welcomed her so warmly.


    but it turned out that the warmth was simply a facade behind her cold calculations. even though much time hadn''t passed since they met, the disappointment still crushed her heart.


    "you are not sorry," zixin said, "you wouldn''t have framed guiying in the first place. or if you really felt guilty, you would have come forward and confessed yourself. but you didn''t because you were confident that guiying wouldn''t pursue the matter. that she would definitely accept it as her mistake and apologize. who would bother investigating a simple wrongly sent email by a newbie is what you must have thought."


    jia lin said nothing. n/.o/-v))e)/l)-b.)i).n


    "i would have considered giving you another chance had you owned up to your ploy but you either repeatedly kept denying or gaslighting guiying or throwing the blame on zheng jiao. trust once lost like this cannot be gained back. not for me."


    "s-sir, please don''t do this! i-i am really sorry!"


    jia lin paled, the gravity of the situation hitting her. but none of the three budged.


    "guiying, please! just once. i promise something like this will never happen again!"


    guiying felt her heart waver which was a struggle for her to not get swept in those waves and in jia lin''s tears.


    "it was very embarrassing for me as the board looked at me with their judgemental stares. just one misunderstanding was enough to destroy my credibility in front of them. had i not remained stubborn to prove myself right, they would have always deemed me as irresponsible and unreliable. i trusted you but you didn''t hesitate even once before dragging me into this. you are only sorry because you got caught."


    "it''s not like that! just..."


    eventually, she was led out by assistant ling with her continuing to plead zixin and guiying.


    as the two were left alone, zixin walked up to her and read the loneliness in her gaze.


    "you did great."


    "should i have forgiven her?"


    "no. you did the right thing. she was selfish. she had no intentions to ever clarify the misunderstanding. she never cared about the impact it will cause on your reputation. people like her don''t deserve any sympathy."


    guiying released a sigh after a long time. he smiled and held her shoulders. "you have become strong, guiying. you stood up for yourself despite it being easy for everybody to blame you and end the matter. you confronted jia lin and punished her. i know how difficult it would have been for you but i am glad you stood your ground. and this time, ''she'' didn''t help you. you did it all on your own."


    a tremble moved her eyelashes.


    a tiny sense of pride enveloped her heart. she couldn''t imagine herself before being the center of such a scuffle and even winning it.


    but today, guiying felt an accomplishment that she had never before. the accomplishment of taking a stand on her own. it was either ai or ''her'' or zhan yahui supporting her and protecting her. but today, she proved herself all by herself. it made her feel like a renewed person. a strength gained that made her feel more confident.


    she wasn''t sure what changed. was it her repaired relationship with ai or her relationship with zixin and his family or zhan yahui''s death or seeing her brother in jail? but unbeknownst to her, the experiences she went through up until this point was slowly but surely changing her from within.


    a better person than before.


    a more confident person than before.


    zixin''s eyes shone with a smile. "since this was such a big accomplishment for you, we should have a small celebration."


    guiying scratched her head. "it''s not necessary. it''s all chyou who put the hard work-"


    "don''t negate your actions by something else," he frowned. "she found jia lin, yes, but you stood up for yourself from the beginning to the end. you decided to take chyou''s help. these are all your decisions."


    he nodded gravely. "it''s very necessary. every little step towards a good change must be acknowledged and celebrated."


    "you..."


    seriously, what good deeds have i done in the past to have someone like zixin by my side?


    "okay. let''s celebrate."


    he gleamed.


    "also," she said with a sincere smile, "thank you so much for believing in me. for standing against the board for me. i never wished for this altercation to happen."


    "i will stand for you even if i have to go against the whole world. board of directors are pep squeaks in front of that."


    "..."


    she choked. she cleared her throat. "i will head out for some coffee."


    he nodded.


    guiying turned and took two steps. she stopped and looked back, twisting her body halfway between walking ahead and turning back as if she was contemplating something.


    "what''s wrong?" he blinked.


    "nothing."


    it was nothing but she came back at zixin''s side, tiptoed, dropped a feathery peck on his cheek and zoomed past the office exit with a bullet train''s speed.


    zixin remained standing frozen at his spot.


    huh?


    when did she come back? when did she kiss me?


    did she really leave a peck on my cheek? i definitely felt her lips. or did i?


    he hovered his palm over his cheek, still trying to figure it out. it happened at such godly lightning speed that he couldn''t distinguish if it was reality or his wishful dream.


    slowly, a broad grin stretched his lips wide as he trembled with bliss and disbelief.


    the super shy guiying kissed me on her own!

 Chapter 743 The shameful dark past

    743 the shameful dark past


    four months passed by in the blink of an eye and by then guiying successfully joined assistant ling''s side in actually aiding zixin with his work and traveling to meetings with him.


    the shift in corporate life gave her a new perspective, especially working with xian shun. the person she chose over the board of directors. a politician''s daughter who was trying hard to get out of her father''s shadows. she had apologized to guiying after the meeting clash misunderstanding was eventually resolved.


    during the course of working with her, they even became good friends.


    "that''s amazing, you are a writer!" xian shun exclaimed. "doesn''t that mean you are a celebrity!"


    guiying looked at her sparkling gaze and found her enthusiasm to be quite similar to xun da.


    she coughed. "i am not a celebrity. celebrity is zhu chyou."


    "the a-listed actress!"


    "the queen of the entertainment industry."


    "i am her fan!"


    "me too! she is simply so charming and capable."


    then she tucked her hair away, feeling embarrassed. "it''s actually because of her that i ventured into my startup. you know she is a famous actress but her father is the ceo of zhu corps. yet she made her name, such a brilliantly shining name and persona outside her family business. u want to be like her."


    guiying beamed. "that''s wonderful. she is the same too. my best friend and i watch her every movie. since we saw her the first time, she became an inspiration for us both," she nodded. "you cannot help but be drawn to her."


    "you stole the words right out of my mouth," she chuckled.


    "hello," zixin approached behind them, making xian shun jolt up.


    she said a little annoyed. "sir, it would be helpful if you greet us from the front and not scare me."


    "oh. my apologies," he blinked. "i saw guiying but didn''t notice you. your view was blocked for me."


    "..."


    guiying cleared her throat, seeing her gaze darkening. it had been like this ever since zixin and her joined hands. though xian shun was very professional at other times, outside of business hours, it seemed that she didn''t gel with zixin at a personal level.


    zixin asked guiying, radiating a vibrant glow, "shall we have lunch?"


    xian shun pulled guiying back and smiled. "sorry, sir, but guiying and i have planned to eat outside."


    "oh. then shall i accompany you?"


    "no. it''s women only."


    "..."


    the look of disappointment clearly imprinted its marks on his face as his shoulders dropped.


    guiying quickly apologized. "i am sorry. we had planned this yesterday only..."


    zixin further sulked.


    lunch without guiying today...


    16:25


    he nodded in understanding but with grave difficulty and burden enveloping his chest. "have fun."


    he turned and walked extremely slowly as if he still expected an invite to lunch. that never came. eventually, his lonely figure disappeared into his office.


    guiying lacked tears to shed. she hated seeing zixin''s sad puppy face.


    "hmph," xian shun rolled her eyes. "why should the assistant tag behind him for lunch too? i don''t see him asking assistant ling with such vigor."


    guiying coughed.


    our relationship is different...


    it occurred to guiying and she curiously asked, "can i ask something?"


    "sure."


    "it feels to me that you don''t really like zi- sir zixin."


    xian shun grumbled. "it''s not like it''s his fault..."


    "what?"


    "well you know how i visited him last year for my startup proposal, right? it hadn''t gone well. i wasn''t really prepared in regards to my research. i thought i was, but chen zixin pointed out all the flaws one by one during my presentation. he did so with a very plain expression as if he was the least bothered. it felt really humiliating to me. actually, he wasn''t really so emotionless. on the contrary, he was quite decent and patient. but i was immature and naive then. being my dad''s daughter, i wasn''t ever criticized. so it was embarrassing to stand there in front of him and see that my efforts were a failure."


    ah...


    guiying now got a fair idea. positive criticism is never easy to take in the right attitude. somewhere in the corner of the heart, any criticism nevertheless hurts, making people defensive.


    "i made a huge scene because i felt he was insulting me on purpose and stormed away. i felt down. but later, i revisited my work. i remembered all his points. i realized that i was indeed lacking. he was right. and very polite about it too. any other ceo might have crushed me without mercy. so i started reworking to prove to chen zixin that i can do it right!"


    "that''s amazing," she clapped with a grin. "you proved yourself. sir zixin was really impressed."


    "of course he should," she flipped her hair back.


    "so then why don''t you still like him?"


    shouldn''t the story have a happy ending?


    "we-well because it''s difficult to forget that embarrassing day!" her cheeks flushed red.


    guiying stared at her.


    "i had no face to show him anymore," she cried, wiping her emotional tears. "whenever i see him, i always remember that day when i stormed out feeling ashamed and lacking."


    "but didn''t you make up for it the second time you met him? you impressed him with your rework."


    "but it''s hard to forget the shame i had to go through. that day will be forever marked as my dark past!"


    "..."


    even if something so positive had happened the second time, xian shun''s mind still delved into the past.


    "so i know that zixin was just doing his job. he wasn''t wrong, but...well, you can call me petty. but that day still irks me and i cannot help but not like him."


    guiying burst into a soft laughter, helplessly shaking her head. "hmm, might be petty but it''s cute too."


    "d-don''t laugh at me!" her nostrils flared. nove-lb)1n


    "i am sorry," she said with her shoulders still trembling with laughter.


    "i don''t feel your sincerity!"


    "what is happening?"


    a second person approached behind them and this time with guiying stiffening and jolting up. behind them stood zheng jiao, who had her brow raised at them.


    "zheng jiao!" xian shun chirped. "we were just waiting for you. let''s go!"


    guiying''s eyes widened. "go where?"


    "lunch? did you forget?"


    wait, was she invited too!?

 Chapter 744 Lunch gossip

    chapter 744 lunch gossip


    the atmosphere at the lunch table was all merry and chirping only because xian shun was doing the talking. she was in the dark about the odd dynamics between guiying and zheng jiao.


    guiying took a third sip of water from her glass, still trying to remember the part when xian shun said about adding zheng jiao to the lunch group too. n/)ovelbin


    she peeked at zheng jiao, who was calmly and silently listening to xian shun chattering and chirping with her arms folded at her chest. till this date, she was as mysterious of a figure to guiying as ever.


    after the entire fiasco with jia lin ended in her getting fired from her job, guiying had immediately approached and apologized to zheng jiao for her misunderstanding. she had simply smiled and let the matter go.


    "a shame that you cannot work in my department," she shrugged.


    guiying wasn''t sure how to answer that, so she kept quiet.


    yet the mystery of her previous resigned assistants remained. guiying assumed that she plotted to kick her out of the ceo''s office to pull her into her department, which wasn''t the case at all.


    then why did the previous assistants leave their job?


    it was a question guiying was really curious about but sadly, nobody had the answer.


    "are you thinking about me?"


    the sudden question dropped by zheng jiao made guiying choke in her throat.


    "no."


    "but you were definitely lost in your thoughts while looking at me," she arched her brow upwards. "i sense an intense question in your gaze."


    "n-not really."


    xian shun sheepishly grinned. "well, zheng jiao is pretty. i was asking her beauty secrets myself."


    "an it head sitting in front of her laptop the whole day has no beauty secrets, i am afraid," she smiled.


    "lies," she snorted. "i don''t see any dark circles around your eyes. and your skin is always so glowing."


    "different reasons. anyway, why did you invite me to lunch? i believe we haven''t talked much before. aren''t you working more closely with cai guiying?"


    wait, so zheng jiao is also confused about this? guiying thought.


    xian shun said, "of course i would invite you when i see you all lonely hanging around the coffee machine while the rest of the employees are enjoying themselves in their own groups."


    "..."


    zheng jiao stared at her. "you picked me up as if i am some pitiful puppy?"


    guiying choked for the second time in horror.


    was zheng jiao offended? would there be an altercation with xian shun by any chance?


    "i invited you because you were looking like a pitiful puppy. rather than eating a cold lunch all alone being cooped up in your office, it''s better to enjoy a hot served meal with your friends! plus, you are beautiful and look smart and i like talking to beautiful and smart people like guiying," xian shun proudly said.


    guiying felt shy with the sudden compliment. "thanks..."


    "i didn''t beg to be included, not by my words or gaze," zheng narrowed her eyes.


    guiying began to sweat.


    she is definitely angry.


    xian shun grimaced and gave a confused look at the same time. "don''t you know that your face is like an open book?"


    really? guiying had her jaw dropped in her mind. how come i am not able to read her then? do you have some special powers?


    just then, lunch arrived and xian shun clapped her hands with delight. "the food is finally here! let''s dig in and start talking about our love interests~ let''s start with guiying."


    guiying coughed. "i..."


    "and don''t you lie! everybody will tell the truth here," she declared.


    eventually, she helplessly said, "...well...i do have someone i like."


    "o.m.g! tell us more!" her eyes sparkled with an endless hunger of curiosity.


    zheng jiao tilted her head too.


    guiying gave a brief recap of her writing career and told the part where she received letters from one of her fans. those sweet letters grew closer to her heart and in no time, the person behind those letters too. the thought of zixin warmed her gaze and a soft, beautiful smile stretched her lips.


    xian shun gasped. "this feels like a lovely fantasy story but isn''t this dangerous? i mean sure he is your fan and all, but you cannot say these days. people hide their real identity all the time! what if it''s some creepy old man in his seventies eyeing you?"


    guiying choked for the third time who automatically thought of zixin as a seventy odd man.


    "i do know that this happens a lot but...i don''t know how to explain. i think i just felt it intuitively that he wasn''t anything like that. it''s just his words, his feelings that i have come across in every single letter of his made me trust him. i know you might still think that i am an idiot...also, i have met him already. he is not an old man in his seventies. young, in his late twenties. so i definitely wasn''t scammed."


    "you have met him? is he handsome?" she suddenly looked somber.


    "..."


    her brow twitched. "that''s what matters to you more?"


    "duh. everybody likes aesthetically pleasing people to the eyes~"


    she shook her head. "yes, he is definitely handsome," she cleared her throat with her slightly blushing cheeks.


    "a score! that''s half the battle won~ what does he do for work?"


    guiying couldn''t exactly tell that he was the ceo himself.


    "well...he works in a company. corporate world."


    which isn''t technically wrong, she thought.


    before she could dig deeper about zixin, guiying attempted to divert the attention from herself. "my story is over. what about you? do you have anybody you like? or..."


    she looked a little hesitant at zheng jiao and dropped the same question to her as it would be rude to not include her.


    "you?"


    xian shun went first. "i am currently in the process of searching! i did think of assistant ling as a candidate but he works too hard! i don''t like workaholic people."


    "..."


    poor assistant ling. i am sorry.


    assistant ling sneezed somewhere. "achoo!"


    for some reason, he felt irked. "why do i feel that somebody was pitying me just now? damn it, who dares!?"


    back at the table, zheng jiao simply shrugged when it was her turn. "i don''t know. maybe i am interested in someone? but it seems it will be impossible to catch hold of them."

 Chapter 745 The happy dream

    745 the happy dream


    guiying collapsed back on the bed, letting the softness of the mattress suck away the drain from her stiff shoulders. zheng jiao was still the only person with whom she couldn''t openly gel so well. there was always this sense of scrutiny she felt in her presence.


    as if zheng jiao was peering at her with great concentration. as if she was searching for something in her. but she didn''t know why. the air of mystery around her never subsided and guiying eventually gave up.


    suddenly, it occurred to her that she hadn''t talked to the other ''her'' inside her for quite some time.


    "hey, are ''you'' there? what do ''you'' think about zheng jiao? maybe you get something about her that i don''t," she sighed.


    guiying waited for an answer which she never got. she pouted. "why aren''t ''you'' talking to me? are ''you'' mad at me for something?"


    well even if ''she'' is mad at me, ''she'' won''t keep this silence. ''she'' would toast me until i would be burned, guiying chuckled.


    "nowadays, you don''t really appear so often, don''t you? you are totally bored of the chen corps, aren''t you? maybe you don''t like the taste of corporate life haha."


    still no answer. it was as if ''she'' was in a long sleep, refusing to be woken up by guiying''s annoying questions.


    guiying pursed her lips and harrumphed. "fine, if you want to act like a child, then i won''t disturb you anymore. you are really being very mean these days..."


    guiying mumbled out a string of a few more complaints until she felt sleep greeting her eyes. drowsiness made her yawn and she fell asleep.


    somewhere in her dream, guiying felt like she was floating. it felt light and pleasant. she didn''t know where this place was. there seemed to be no end to the sight. the horizon stretched endlessly.


    "hey."


    guiying looked back and was surprised to see her twin standing before her. her lips parted in shock.


    wait, i don''t have a twin.


    "you really are an idiot, aren''t you?" the alter ego sneered at her.


    guiying shone. "''you!''"


    "obviously, it''s me, duh. will anybody else look like you? why are you always so slow?"


    "..."


    guiying ran towards her with a beaming expression. thrill filled her gaze as she hugged ''her.'' "it feels like i am meeting you for the first time like this. wait, i definitely am. i have always talked to you but not physically like this."


    "was there a need to?" ''she'' rolled her eyes. "we were one and the same anyway."


    guiying grinned. "shall we walk? this place is so beautiful, right? it''s a first time we are having a dream like this, right?"


    "hm." nove-1b-1n


    they walked along the endless path with no particular destination in their minds. guiying eagerly recounted everything that happened in the chen corps and about her new friend xian shun and about the mystery surrounding cheng jiao.


    ''guiying'' was definitely impressed. "you did well. i didn''t even have to lift a finger. look at you finally breaking your shell."


    guiying''s chest overflowed with happiness with the pride glinting in ''her'' eyes. "thank you. it''s all because of you."


    "not only because of me. you have many people by your side now," ''she'' shrugged. "thank god for that. i was bored of babysitting you."


    her nostrils adorably flared in grievance. "how rude! why do you always speak so snarkily?"


    "because you don''t, so somebody has to compensate," ''she'' sneered. "how would this work if both are meek? anyway, how are things going with zixin. poor guy is patiently waiting for your yes. do you aim to become old and bedridden before you decide on your answer?"


    guiying choked. "th-that''s not it!"


    "and shyness should have a limit too."


    her mouth twitched.


    "i know it''s your first love and all but even teenagers are more wild and confident than you," ''guiying'' threw her a disdainful look. "have i taught you nothing? what are you waiting for exactly?"


    she smiled. "i wasn''t really waiting. it''s just...everything felt surreal to me when i met zixin. his loving family. i was afraid it would end up being only a dream and i would lose it if i woke up. maybe i just wanted reality to sink in. to feel confident that we deserve this happiness."


    ''guiying'' chuckled. "it''s you silly. you deserve this happiness. zixin is there for you."


    she tapped a flick on her forehead. "you talk silly things sometimes too, you know? how is it only me?"


    "because he loves you?"


    guiying frowned with confusion. "aren''t we the same? so how would his love be different?"


    "we are the same but at the same time, we aren''t. he cannot love both of us at the same time. not romantically. that''s impossible. he likes me as a friend and he loves you as a woman. simple. that''s beside the point though. what i want to say is hurry and get together with him already. don''t make your ultimate happiness wait anymore~" ''she'' winked.


    guiying couldn''t help but blush.


    as she looked back at ''her'', she realized that ''guiying'' looked a little distorted. akin to a movie on the tv screen breaking apart. not just ''her'' but the dreamy beautiful world too.


    "ah, guess the dream is over. it''s time for me to leave," ''guiying'' said.


    "so soon! i wanted us to keep talking," guiying''s shoulders slumped. "but this was really nice! hehe i want to have this dream again to keep meeting you like this."


    ''guiying'' smiled which guiying couldn''t make out if it was happy or sad. "don''t count on it, dear. you don''t need this dream any longer because you have already met your sweet reality. you should always look at what''s ahead of you, not the past."


    "d-don''t go please..." guiying tried to catch hold of ''her'' but the world kept getting distorted further. it just waved in the empty air. "i want to talk some more to you."


    the world vanished with a flick and guiying suddenly woke up with a start. tears fell from her eyes and her body trembled hard as if some unknown sinking feel took root in her heart.


    it was such a happy dream to meet ''her.'' so why do i feel like crying?

 Chapter 746 Unexpected singing talent

    746 unexpected singing talent


    *knock knock*


    "guiying?"


    guiying heard zixin''s soft voice from outside her room as she calmed down her erratic breaths. "yes?"


    "are you okay, guiying? i was passing by when i heard a sharp gasp. can you please open the door?"


    there was urgency in his voice. guiying opened the door and looked into his concerned gaze. zixin widened his eyes, surprised. "were you crying? your eyes look red."


    "ugh no..."


    "don''t lie," his eyes then narrowed. "let me check on you. are you hurt anywhere?"


    she shook her head. she let him inside and gently closed the door behind him. "i just happened to take a nap."


    he tipped his head sideways, still not understanding the reason behind her tear-stained eyelashes.


    "i had a strange dream. it was actually a happy one. you know, i met myself. i mean ''her.'' it was the first time i talked to ''her'' like a separate person. it was a nice place. we walked and i talked. ''she'' mostly just listened to me and scolded me as usual."


    "but?"


    her shoulders dropped at a downward angle. "i am not sure. at the end, it felt strange when the dream was breaking apart and ''she'' was disappearing. i don''t know if it was my imagination but i couldn''t make out if ''her'' smile was a happy or a sad one. it made me feel anxious. plus, these days ''she'' doesn''t talk to me so often. ''she'' hardly comes out..."


    zixin nodded in understanding. "you miss her."


    "indeed," guiying''s gaze flickered with an unknown emotion. "these days, ''she'' feels distant to me. i don''t know if i did something wrong."


    "you did nothing wrong," he immediately said.


    her eyes welled and her voice broke, "...i don''t know. i feel heavy and uncomfortable in my chest. ''she'' is there, yet i feel ''she'' isn''t."


    a sudden gush of loneliness tore her heart thinking of ''her'' mixed smile in the dream.


    zixin anxiously wiped her eyes. "please don''t cry. it was just a dream. everything is fine."


    she sniffled. "i am sorry for crying for such a silly thing."


    "nothing is silly if it makes you feel hurt and in pain," he then asked as he thought of something, "you should eat. you must be hungry."


    "i am not really feeling hungry-"


    zixin seriously cut her off. "i won''t let you sleep in hunger."


    he dragged her out of her room and made her sit on the chair at the dining table.


    "did everybody else already have dinner?"


    "yes. we figure you must be tired so we didn''t wake you up."


    she felt embarrassed. "i am really sorry for not being here." n-/0velbin


    "you don''t have to be sorry. it''s nothing unusual. the twins sometimes eat separately in their room too."


    zixin made sure that she had a filling dinner. to get some fresh air, they took a walk outside in the garden. they headed back inside after thirty minutes and zixin suggested she go to sleep early tonight.


    "i don''t think i feel sleepy."


    he thought for a moment and said, "i will help you."


    she blinked. "how?"


    "i will pay your head till you feel sleepy. if you want, i will sing for you too."


    "..."


    she looked away for a moment, imagining zixin singing a song. she suddenly had an urge to listen to his singing voice.


    "will you really sing a song for me?" she asked expectantly.


    zixin nodded hard. "i will do anything for you. if you want, i will dance for you too."


    she coughed. "i am fine with singing for now."


    guiying sat on the bed, waiting for him but he simply frowned. "you should lie on the bed. i am here to make you fall asleep."


    she took off her slippers and was made to lie back on the bed. zixin took his seat on a chair beside her. he cleared his throat and began to sing.


    surprisingly, guiying found his voice to be very melodious. the soft hum in his tone was gentle and pleasing to hear akin to the beautiful melody of a waterfall. usually, the notes as he would speak would always feel deep and husky. the contrast was so refreshing that guiying felt she could hear his voice forever and never get tired.


    the song ended and guiying clapped hard. "that was really unexpected. i really didn''t think you would have such a good voice."


    zixin tilted his head. "really?"


    "yes! i loved it. i mean, you could have definitely made a career in singing if you had gotten professional training."


    seeing her small face light up with stars and smile made his face shine too. his gaze softened. "i am glad you like it. do you feel sleepy?"


    "not yet. it will take a few more songs to feel drowsy. but you don''t have to take the trouble."


    mischief set in zixin''s gaze as a thought came across his mind. "i will sing as many songs as you want. but i have an idea to make them more effective."


    "what?"


    "how about i lie beside you and then sing? you will fall asleep faster if you hear my voice closer to your ears."


    "..."


    "you..."


    shameless! i know the trick you are trying to pull!


    "i only have the best and the purest intentions," he looked at her solemnly.


    guiying controlled the urge to roll her eyes. before she could protest, zixin sneaked onto the bed beside her, almost causing her heart to stop beating. his chest was suddenly up front. her once calm breaths turned ragged in the matter of seconds.


    "i think this is the optimal distance."


    her brow twitched hard seeing the negligible gap between them. their chests almost bumped into each other.


    is this even considered to be distance? she seriously questioned.


    his warm breath that kissed her forehead made her stiffen. she felt his face leaning closer and closer until he dropped his husky voice next to her ear.


    "shall i start with the next song?"

 Chapter 747 Me or my voice?

    747 me or my voice?


    zixin started singing another song after which guiying forgot all her grievances. mesmerized by his beauty and his voice, she hummed along with him in her mind. the soft notes of his voice hit her ears as if they were telling her some mischievous secret of their own.


    the second song ended and guiying felt herself floating in the clouds.


    ah, i can listen to him forever... nove-1b-1n


    "i love it," she whispered with a gentle glow in her gaze.


    zixin tipped her chin up towards him and said, "i should be praised when you look me in the eye."


    she cleared her throat. "i love it."


    "love what?" he innocently asked, "me or my voice?"


    "..."


    that was a sly and a trick question.


    "your...your voice..." she looked away.


    zixin squinted his eyes and tilted her chin to make her face him again. "don''t avert your gaze. so do you love me or my voice?"


    guiying felt her chest expanding and contracting more because of his deep, questioning voice whispering in her ear as if he caught a culprit rather than his question itself.


    "l-like i said...y-you sing well..."


    a sensation akin to an electrified current coursed through her veins as he pressed upon her chin with dissatisfaction.


    "so you only love my voice?"


    guiying was at a loss of words and lacked tears to shed.


    "but when you had missed me on the cheek that day, you had never heard my voice. so you didn''t know that you loved my voice or not then. so why did you kiss me?"


    "..."


    do you have to sound so logical for a peck on the cheek?


    "that would only suggest that you kissed me because of another reason," zixin bobbed his head on the pillow as he arrived at this important conclusion.


    guiying quickly said, "i-i should get back to sleep..."


    "but you are not asleep yet," he blinked.


    and whose fault is that?


    "i will sing you more songs till you fall asleep," he smiled. "but before that, you should answer my question. you know, that question has been bugging my peace."


    he made his shoulders slouch as if the pain and injustice of not getting an answer was killing him to no end. coupled with his dimming gaze, zixin could easily win the most pitiful person of the world award, if such an award existed.


    ''poor guy is patiently waiting for your yes.''


    ''guiying''s'' words floated in her mind, making a tiny blush appear on her fair cheeks.


    she peered into zixin''s eyes, whose beaming, expectant gaze was difficult to ignore. she parted her lips to speak, but anything beyond her throat was unable to reach the tip of her tongue.


    what is so difficult about this? i-it''s just saying yes!


    yes, zixin. it''s not just your voice but you...y-you...too...


    such was guiying''s condition who stuttered even inwardly in her mind imagining to give her answer to him.


    guiying made an attempt to turn to the other side but already expected this reaction, zixin pressed his palm on her back and restricted her escape route. he gently gave a tug to stop her from turning to the other side. but the tug was hard enough to bridge the gap between them even further.


    guiying faintly sensed the outline of his lips hovering over her forehead. her face was pressed further into his chest. they looked like any other married couple sleeping on the same bed.


    "no running away," he warned, his voice growing more sultry.


    from her back, zixin moved his hand to tip her chin once again towards him by which point, her small face was completely reddened. the tinge of flush on her cheeks was so inviting that it made his heart skip several beats. as if intoxicated by an unknown force, his fingers gently grazed past her face. staring into her beautiful, sparkling orbs, he felt his whole world suck into them without any resistance.


    guiying softly but on her lip inwardly, jolting wherever his touch passed by. she could feel his intense focus on her where there was no chance to escape those sweet clutches. she heard his heartbeats loud and clear and so did the raspiness of his breaths that explained his restlessness to her in the form of his trembling fingertips.


    she crumpled a small part of his shirt into her fist as his thumb made its way towards the corner of her lips. she felt her senses flicker in and out as she was being zapped by nothing less than electric currents. zixin let another soft tug to her waist bring them in such proximity that what was about to happen next was inevitable.


    too close to ignore the force pushing them together, zixin cautiously, gradually but surely made the first contact of his lips with her forehead. he felt guiying''s light jolt as a reaction but no protest. he continued further down to peck her nose and cheek. every feathery kiss was enough to burst their hearts with an endless surge of joy never felt before.


    the trip to her lips felt like a long and arduous journey but as that anticipation built up, their bodies trembled and shivered. it was warm amidst that embrace that made them feel like they were in a drunken stupor. their hearts drummed crazily.


    bridging the last gap of the distance, zixin slowly touched her lips first with his. it was just a soft, simple graze as if he was testing the waters. as he felt guiying slowly succumbing to the inevitable attraction and free herself from the burdens chaining her heart, zixin took a fraction of a step more, meeting his lips further with hers.


    it sent them both into such a frenzy that their souls rattled. he closed his eyes, simply wanting to let this happiness enter every crevice of his heart. it felt like a wait of an infinite long time had finally come to a closure. he pressed her face slightly to deepen the kiss after which the rest of everything was a mystical fantasy.

 Chapter 748 Needless concerns

    chapter 748 needless concerns


    when the morning sun''s rays illuminated the room with its soft and pleasant shine, a slit broke through guiying''s sleep and she comfortably yawned. immediately, she felt a sense as if she was wrapped around something and opening her eyes, it dawned upon her as to what it was.


    in front was zixin''s chest and at the back was his arm covering her akin to a prized treasure. she looked like a sweet chocolate carefully wrapped in a colorful paper with carefully tied ribbon around it. it felt warm and comfortable.


    zixin''s eyes were still shut in deep sleep with what looked like an infinitesimal smile on his lips as if he was having a pleasant dream. guiying stared at him hard and a few seconds later, steam was seen escaping the top of her head. she covered her face with her palms.


    not only had they made out with passionate embraces and kisses, they slept through the night entangled within each other''s arms. they slept on the same bed and shared the same blanket above them.


    w-what should i do now...!? if anybody sees zixin in my room, they will definitely get the wrong understanding!


    at that point, she lamented that she was seduced by zixin''s melodic singing voice. she looked at him aggrieved and couldn''t help but reach out to pinch his nose in protest.


    "that is not a nice way to wake someone up."


    her brow twitched and as she looked back, she found zixin''s sleepy gaze and black eyes staring at her with a soft smile. her heart skipped several beats. this was the first time she was witnessing his morning look just out of sleep. the meter of adorableness was filling up fast, gushing her heart with a melted happiness.


    "i would prefer a kiss."


    "..."


    his shameless request broke her reverie that was squealing at his cute morning look that was quickly sidelined.


    "i will go back to sleep and you can kiss me to wake up the sleeping prince," zixin nodded.


    the edge of her lips twitched. "you are the sleeping prince?"


    "yes. and you are the princess who lifts the prince''s curse."


    "you just switched the genders of the original story."


    "ignore the minor technicalities."


    "..."


    "aren''t stories rewritten and retold so many times? take this as our modern version."


    guiying pushed her palm on his chest and moved to wake up when his arm around her waist was already restricting her ability to slip past him.


    "i am still waiting for my kiss."


    "you should leave now!" she urgently whispered. "what if they notice that you aren''t in your room?"


    "then they will know that i am in your room," he blinked. "simple deduction."


    her jaw dropped in shock. "which is exactly what they shouldn''t know! w-we in the same room and l-last..."


    her throat went dry remembering the kisses and that hadn''t just traced her lips but also on her neck and various other inexplicable places. suddenly the settled down heat seemed to fire up on the kisses locations.


    "t-they will misunderstand us!"


    he raised his brow. "what will they misunderstand?"


    "that that actually happened when it didn''t!"


    "what what happened?" n--ovelb1n


    she threw him a glare. "you exactly know what."


    "i am sorry. i don''t know what you are talking about. i am the sleeping prince. i am still sleeping. my senses will remain numb until a kiss from the princess lifts my curse."


    the shock in her gaze changed to speechlessness.


    "are you the right chen zixin that i know?"


    "i am the only chen zixin you will ever know," he smiled.


    a furious blush spread on her cheeks and the sound of his amusing chuckle only added to the redness.


    "sis guiying! sis guiying!"


    loud and hard knocks were heard on the bedroom''s door as the twins banged on it with a sense of urgency.


    guiying''s face froze with horror while zixin''s face showed several frowns settling on his forehead.


    "that''s a rude wakeup call. i will scold them."


    guiying pulled his arm back, aghast at his proposition. "they are at the door! my bedroom door!"


    "indeed," he nodded.


    "so this is just what i was telling you about. they will see us together and mi-misunderstand the situation completely!" she spoke in a hushed voice, urging the sense of doom.


    "they won''t misunderstand the situation. they will understand the situation. the "mis" at the start is unnecessary."


    "what is there to understand in this situation!?"


    "that their big brother and future sister-in-law need some private time with each other."


    "..."


    "rest assured. i have the bosss'' approval."


    "bosss''?"


    "grandma and mom."


    "..."


    "sis! sis! are you still asleep? rise and shine! it''s a super pleasant morning outside!" the twins chirped.


    zixin''s frowned deepened. "they really need a scolding."


    guiying pushed him out of the bed and said, "first you need to hide!"


    he stared at her blankly. "why?"


    "don''t make me punch your face," her gaze darkened.


    zixin beamed. "is it ''you'' who is talking? nice to meet you again. long time no see," he then hesitated and guilt lowered his gaze. "please forgive me for what happened last night...i realize it was rude of me to not ask your consent. i am really sorry. i won''t repeat this again."


    guiying was about to reply when ''she'' came around and flicked on his forehead. "first of all, it was guiying who said to punch your face, not me. i am impressed. you are bringing out her hidden side. one that perhaps she herself didn''t know she might have. she thinks she can be uselessly kind but she can get zesty too~ second of all, you don''t need to keep apologizing to me again and again. i am just a small part inside guiying. you don''t need my consent."


    "i do-"


    "you don''t so i won''t bear this nonsense anymore. i want guiying to be happy. you want guiying to be happy. it has been a long journey to reach this point. don''t mess this up with needless concerns," ''she'' narrowed her eyes. "now i will take my leave and let guiying punch your face. adieus."

 Chapter 749 Surprise surprise

    749 surprise surprise


    guiying slowly opened the door, seeing the twins, yunru and yubi peering through the slit at her with vigor and excitement.


    "sis! sis!"


    guiying smiled and extended the opening to just one-fourth of the whole space. "good morning, you two. i see you two are bursting with energy today."


    "of course we will be!" they shone.


    yubi clasped her hands together and squealed as if keeping it in her heart was no longer a viable option. "it''s a secret so let us come inside and we will explain everything to you~"


    yunru made a sshh gesture with his finger. guiying slightly coughed.


    "oh inside my r-room? um..."


    the twins tilted their heads at the side simultaneously. "is there something wrong?"


    aishh, they are so cute. they tip their heads just like zixin does...


    ugh, this is not the time!


    "my room is a little messed up," she awkwardly grinned. "it will be embarrassing for me to let you in-"


    yunru waved his hand off. "you are worried about that? don''t be. my room is the messiest in this whole family. nothing can be compared to mine, so you don''t have to feel embarrassed."


    yubi sneered. "as always saying as if it is such a prideful thing. i should tell this to huan and see her reaction~"


    "..."


    "yubi, you idiot!" yunru glared at her. "why do you always have to poke me where it hurts? i might be messy now but i won''t be in the future!"


    "that future seems bleak. that part of you will never change," she laughed. "i can see huan running away from you at first sight of your room ahahaha."


    "she won''t because she will see a very organized and neat room!" his nostrils flared.


    she gasped. "don''t tell me you are planning to disguise my room as yours? that''s cheating and dumb!"


    "dumb is your brain idiot!"


    guiying quickly intervened. "now, now this is just the start of such a pleasant morning. not at all suitable for bickering."


    "tell that to her!"


    "tell that to him!"


    they pointed their fingers at each other, throwing blazing glares as well.


    "weren''t you going to tell me something important?" she tried to divert the topic.


    the twins remembered and the light bulb lit up on top of their heads. "yes! it''s super important! let us come inside."


    "yes, yes. we don''t have time. we don''t want bro zixin to see us!" yunru made another sshh gesture.


    "...*


    unfortunately, he will definitely be able to hear you. he is hiding in the bathroom...


    guiying had no option but to let them inside lest they became more suspicious and inadvertently, she might put the ax on her own foot.


    the twins eagerly hopped in their room and as soon as they did, they felt something odd in the atmosphere.


    guiying looked at them staring around the room and particularly at the bed thoughtfully. a gulp passed down her throat and she tried to maintain a neutral, innocent smile.


    yubi narrowed her eyes. "the bed..."


    guiying stiffened. "w-what''s with the bed?"


    "the bed looks different."


    she couldn''t help but rub her throat. "different how?"


    yubi beamed. "the new mattress is so fluffy!"


    she went ahead and jumped on it, laughing and giggling as she rolled on it. yunru snorted. "kiddo."


    "hey! who are you calling kiddo!?"


    guiying felt her life and breath coming back to her as she released a sigh of relief.


    she was talking about the mattress...


    she peeked towards the bathroom and that area looked silent.


    good. just stay quiet like that until they are gone.


    guiying smiled at him. "so what was it you wanted to tell me?"


    the twins became super aware and alert. even though the door was shut, he still gave a look around as if the wall would be able to hear their secret.


    "it''s time, sis!" yunru whispered closer to her.


    "why are you still whispering?"


    yubi gravely said, "we cannot afford our plan to be busted. so we will whisper and speak even amidst closed doors."


    "okay...so what time are you talking about?" n)-ovelb1n


    the twins'' faces radiated with infinite brilliance. "it''s bro''s birthday tomorrow!"


    guiying''s eyes widened.


    "zixin''s birthday...?"


    they nodded hard.


    guiying had wanted to score this information for a long time but one way or the other, she never got the chance.


    the same radiance now gleamed upon her face as well. she immediately remembered that zixin was still hiding in the bathroom and thankfully, they chose to whisper or he would have heard them talking about his birthday.


    "you came here to talk about his birthday planning, i assume?"


    "yes!" they urgently but joyfully whispered.


    yubi scratched her head awkwardly. "bro doesn''t remember his previous birthdays anymore. though it seems that he has gelled as part of us despite his memory loss, we are not sure if he will be comfortable with a birthday party."


    "yeah..." yunru rubbed his palms together. "we don''t want to make bro uncomfortable. but we also wish to celebrate his birthday. more so this year after how he just escaped death''s clutches. so we came to ask for your opinion. should we plan something for him?"


    "but we don''t want him to force himself and enjoy it for our sake. i know he doesn''t remember anything but we still want him to cherish the day he was born."


    the twins, with their genuine worries and concerns, looked so defeated and small that her chest tugged with immense pain. she came forward and gently pulled their heads against hers, mistiness welling in her eyes.


    "i believe zixin will be super thrilled to celebrate his birthday with you all," she whispered in their ears. "he would be the happiest man in the universe."


    "really?" theri voices choked a bit.


    "definitely. he doesn''t remember anything, but he considers each and every one of you as his family already."


    ''that was a rude wakeup call. i should really scold them.''


    a tranquil smile lifted her lips. "yeah...he definitely loves you a lot. just as his naughty, mischievous and little siblings. just like how any elder brother would dote upon them. he cherishes you two more than anything in this world."

 Chapter 750 What Zixin would want

    chapter 750 what zixin would want


    their eyes teared up and they sniffled hugging her hard.


    "yubi, you idiot. why did you poke me in the eye?"


    "didn''t you poke me first?" she shot back.


    they laughed some during which they heard a rattling sound from somewhere.


    yubi scrunched up her brow. "what was that?"


    guiying tensely glanced at the bathroom because it was that place from where the sound originated. she quickly said, "nothing. i guess it was just some bird outside."


    the twins talked some more in hushed voices and whispers and charged with excitement, they eventually left to do their jobs. with them gone, guiying swiftly locked the door in front of her and released a long sigh of relief.


    she turned and crashed straight into zixin''s chest, the tip of her nose hitting one of the buttons. she rubbed her nose and looked up.


    "what were you talking about? i couldn''t hear anything," zixin said with dissatisfaction laced in his voice.


    guiying coughed.


    i cannot tell you of your birthday surprise, can i?


    "um...they just came by to ask me if i would want to join shopping with them," she smiled, not wanting to show herself suspicious.


    sorry for lying, zixin.


    he frowned. "they came early in the morning and were banging the door just for that?"


    "they were very excited. you know how the twins are. i don''t mind. we were awake anyway."


    "but why were you all whispering to each other like it''s some secret?"


    her brow twitched.


    "we weren''t really whispering to each other. you were hiding in the bathroom. possibly, you couldn''t hear because you were far away. is that why you made the rattling sound?"


    "i wanted to join in too," he pursed his lips.


    "what if they would have caught you?"


    "like i said, they would have understood the situation."


    "you mean misunderstood."


    "understood," he remained firm.


    she walked behind him and started pushing him out. "time for you to leave."


    his eyes widened, surprised. "i am leaving?"


    "...this is my room."


    "since we shared the same bed last night, shouldn''t it be ''our'' room now?" he sincerely questioned.


    "..."


    she increased the strength in her palm and pushed him further and further out. "you are leaving right now."


    ¡ª


    "so i am confused about what to plan for zixin," guiying said with her shoulders slumped as she sipped on the juice.


    she was currently at the liu villa who came to ask for her suggestions for her predicament. beside ai, jun was seated, who was tapping his fingers on his laptop buried in his work. ai''s book launch event was very near and a lot of work had to be done.


    ai clapped her hands in delight. "it''s his first birthday celebration with you. it should definitely be something special. one that he will never forget."


    guiying nodded. "i am exactly thinking like that. just like his family, i want to make his birthday super special and memorable for him too. but he is chen zixin. he already has everything. what can i possibly give him?"


    "kisses and more kisses and a lot more kisses," jun chimed from beside ai.


    "..."


    ai looked back a little judgmentally and also questioningly. "hooligan."


    "a hooligan herself cannot call out other hooligans. do you know the spelling of hypocrisy?" he sneered.


    "i don''t because that word has nothing to do with me," she conscientiously said.


    guiying cleared her throat. "kisses cannot really be a gift, can they?"


    jun kept his laptop aside and leaned a little closer. "i am bro''s cousin."


    "okay."


    "and a man."


    "okay."


    "which makes me instinctively understand what he wants. believe me, he would be the happiest man on the earth if you rained kisses down on him because that''s all he is thinking about. i know that because that''s what i keep thinking about for an entire day. then the cycle repeats for the next day."


    she choked.


    ai stared at him and said with a hint of complaint. "why do you keep thinking about it when i always carry out my due diligence?"


    "it''s never enough for me." nove(lb)in


    she gasped. "what is your definition of ''enough'' then?"


    "better you don''t tread into that world," he smiled and pecked the tip of her nose. "you will run away from me."


    "i won''t."


    "as my fiance, i sincerely wouldn''t want to see you lose that challenge," he chuckled.


    he placed his palm over her lips to stop her further questioning line and looked at guiying. "so you see, he doesn''t want anything fancy. he wants intimacy from the woman he loves. he will be on the seventh cloud, i assure you."


    guiying blushed hard.


    "or even better," jun raised his brow, weighing the options in his mind whether to go ahead and suggest it or not. he didn''t want to put her on a spot.


    guiying curiously asked, "what is it?"


    "you love bro zixin."


    she clasped her hands together, abashed. "...ye-yes..."


    "how comfortable are you now telling that to him?"


    she blinked.


    "i mean confessing to him. or maybe it is answering his confession."


    her eyes widened.


    "the yes to his confession would make him fly beyond the seventh heaven. it''s even more tempting than the kisses. it''s the most exhilarating gift you can give him. that is only if you want to take that step."


    ai nodded hard amidst jun''s hand covering her mouth that was restraining her from speaking.


    "you both love each other. you have also lived with his family. by now, they would be completely head over heels for you, not just bro. is there anything stopping you?"


    guiying thought long and hard about it.


    jun was right. there was no roadblock between them anymore. at first, the insecurity had crept in if she was good enough for zixin. but now the comfort level with zixin had grown to an extent that the insecurity, the feeling of being something lesser and weaker doesn''t cross her mind at all. she was becoming stronger and independent, which was making her more confident day by day. she was beginning to think that she was slowly reaching the place where she could stand beside chen zixin with pride.


    her weak old self was making her hesitate all this time, but the new confident self that was taking shape was urging her to walk forward. it was a long journey to reach here but without a doubt, she was paving the way for herself.


    she slowly shook her head at his question as she herself came to the same conclusion.


    jun smiled. "well then you got your answer, didn''t you?"


    her heart pounded hard and fast.


    saying yes and crossing that last bridge...


    "also, a rain of kisses after saying yes will be the cherry on the cake for him. just saying."


    "..."

 Chapter 751 Enjoy the present

    chapter 751 enjoy the present


    crackers popped as soon as zixin came out of his room the next day and he greeted his family in surprise. the ribbons and sparkles rained upon his head as everybody simultaneously said, "happy birthday!!!"


    "birthday?" he tilted his head.


    the twins surrounded him and hugged his arm on each side. "yes! it''s your birthday today bro!"


    chen liling complained. "he just woke up and stepped out. did you have to pop the crackers?"


    yunru pouted. "it''s the tradition, grandma! we have done this every year." n(/o-.v..e..l/-b--i/)n


    "and every year, bro never fails to get surprised," yubi laughed. "just like now."


    every year? zixin thought to himself.


    he tried to look for any memory of those times, but he failed. his mind was still a blank slate as he was when he woke up conscious from his accident.


    chen liling and chen guiren came forward and hugged him. "happy birthday dear. as always, i wish you the very best. may you be blessed with all the joy of this world."


    tears brimmed her eyes as she lovingly stared at her grandson. this could have been the day where no birthday, no celebration would have made their place in the chen villa today had he been killed in that accident. the thought alone sent shivers down everybody''s spine. chen guiren patted his shoulder. he didn''t say much nor did he show much on his face but zixin felt his trembling fingertips.


    zixin''s birthday today was the most special and cherished one of all birthdays till now.


    serena and jianyu similarly wished him, their hearts overflowing with happiness. jianyu smiled. "may all your wishes come true."


    serena held his face with a smile that reached till her misty eyes. "aish, my son is handsome. as expected of his mother''s genes."


    "as expected of his father''s genes too," jianyu added.


    "you just cannot let me take credit of anything, can you?"


    he shrugged. "my dna is equally responsible for our children. how rude of you to hog the credit."


    "shut up!"


    zixin''s eyes lit up with a warm glow akin to fireflies shimmering in the night sky. "thank you all."


    he held his mother''s hand and gently squeezed it reflecting the hint of restlessness echoing in his heart. "i don''t remember anything. my previous birthdays...i try to but-"


    serena shook her head hard. "you don''t have to try anything. it''s fine if you don''t remember the past. we told you before. you don''t need to take the burden of remembering the memories. any memory. we just...we just want you to be safe and happy."


    jianyu nodded and as he held her trembling shoulder, he looked his son in the eye. "we just want you to enjoy the today that you wake up to. the present that you see and feel. trust me, son. we don''t want anything other than that. we have watched you slipping away from us forever. compared to you not breathing at all, memories don''t matter much to us. i know they do to you because it''s not a fair bargain that we remember everything but you don''t. which makes you feel like a stranger. perhaps now too. perhaps that feeling would never fade away. but...we only want to look ahead at our son who is alive, not think about him when he laid on the hospital bed fighting for his life."


    their voices held a mixture of fear of the past and relief of the present and future. zixin felt his eyes well and he hesitated just for a moment. but he took a tiny step ahead and embraced his parents.


    serena had her lips slightly part in surprise. it was common for zixin before his memory loss to hug them now and then. but ever since the accident, there hadn''t been much physical contact. there was a thin gap of discomfort to cross that step.


    and today it felt like any other day when zixin would hug his mother and smile at her. serena broke into soft sobs and rested her forehead on his chest. "i shouldn''t be crying on your birthday."


    yunru, who was wiping his eyes, complained as well. "yes, mom! your tears are ruining my handsome look!"


    yubi sniffled. "there is no handsomeness to ruin anyway, dummy."


    "mom, tell her to be quiet or don''t blame me if i beat her up!"


    "you want to try?" she glared. "you won''t last a second before me!"


    chen liling came in between and separated them. "enough, enough. you two really don''t let go of any chance to start a war, do you?"


    "yubi started it!"


    "it''s because you have a potato face!"


    "who are you calling a potato face, you pumpkin head!"


    zixin patted their heads. "no fighting."


    the twins beamed and immediately forgot all about their catfight and jumped to hug him. "okay!"


    jianyu scoffed. "no respect for elders i see."


    "bro is our elder brother. of course we respect elders!" they defended themselves with all their might.


    he facepalmed.


    it''s useless to argue with them.


    ¡ª


    guiying peeked from behind a wall and silently watched the family giving zixin their wishes. a soft, gentle smile lifted her lips. the family together looked so perfect.


    though she wanted to wish zixin too, she didn''t feel it was prudent to interfere in the family time.


    i will come by later, she nodded to herself.


    "we found you!"


    the twins hopped behind her and squished her face between their cheeks.


    "sis, sis! we have been looking for you all this time!" yubi said.


    "yes, yes where have you been hiding?" yunru narrowed his eyes suspiciously.


    "i...i j-just came out."


    "then come with us to wish him happy birthday!" they chirped.


    guiying glanced at zixin with his parents and grandparents and shook her head. "i don''t want to disturb them. i will come by later-"


    the twins grew more and more dissatisfied. "how can you say this? you are a part of our family too! there is no way you would give all lonely wishes to bro!"


    so they happily dragged her all the way and said, "bro, bro, look who we have brought! your future wife wants to wish you too!"


    they tugged her a little and she stumbled straight into zixin''s arms.


    while guiying was processing the situation, silence befell.


    chen liling clapped her hands in delight. "oh my such a passionate display of love! i believe they need some private time together. we should take our leave hoho~"

 Chapter 752 Unexpected truth

    chapter 752 unexpected truth


    in a flash of lightning, guiying and zixin were left alone with her still being stuck on his chest. his breathy, husky voice reached the tip of her ear. "see? i told you they understand."


    her face flushed crimson and she quickly moved back. she almost took a flight to escape but remembered that she still had an important thing to do.


    she cleared her throat and met his deep black eyes, her cheeks and neck blushing with warmth. "happy birthday, zixin. i wish you the happiest person on the earth."


    he beamed. "thank you so much."


    suddenly, the tone changed and ''guiying'' appeared with her sharp gaze and straight posture. "birthdays, huh? i never liked them. but if it''s you, i will make an exception. happy birthday."


    the beaming intensity on his face grew twice brighter. "''you.'' thank you so much." how are ''you'' doing? i believe we talk less often now."


    "what is there to talk to me?"


    "lots of things that i talk to guiying too," he blinked. "i want to get to know ''you'' better too."


    "no need."


    he frowned. "yes need."


    ''she'' gave him a thoughtful stare. "not really. anyway, i just came out to wish you. enjoy your day."


    "wait-"


    but ''she'' was gone just as fast as ''she'' had appeared. guiying blinked her eyes and shook her head. "''she'' is really acting strangely these days. ''she'' just comes and goes..."


    he patted her head. "it''s okay. i don''t mind. i am just happy to get her wishes."


    he then placed his palm forward expectantly. guiying didn''t understand the signal. "what?"


    "my gift," he shone, making her go blind.


    guiying immediately looked away, thinking of the real surprise she had in her mind. "n-not now! later after your celebration ends."


    he pressed his lips inwards. "that''s a long wait."


    "and patience is always rewarded."


    he curiously asked, "what would i be rewarded with?"


    "nothing notorious that you are thinking of!" she hastily said, "a-anyway, i am heading for office! b-bye!" and she scurried away before he could catch her.


    ¡ª


    "oh. my. god," xian shun covered her lips with shock, "you have decided to finally confess to the mystery love letter guy? t-that''s...so cool!"


    guiying could hear her heartbeats drum all the way to her ears. "yes. it''s a special day for him. so..." she trembled with the anxiety and fervor kicking as the minutes were kicking by closer and closer towards the inevitable moment.


    "so i thought to make it even more special. but i don''t know where and how...i am an idiot. i couldn''t plan for it."


    "a special day today huh?" zheng jiao cocked her head to the side. "which reminds me that it''s sir chen''s birthday today too." n/.ov¦Ålb1n


    guiying coughed.


    "oh really!?" xian shun looked surprised. "what a coincidence. is he coming to work? i will drop by to give him my wishes."


    guiying nodded. "yes. he will be coming but a little late though," she then quickly added, "that''s what assistant ling said to me."


    she couldn''t say that she ran away from chen villa and reached office early to escape his probing regarding her surprise gift for him.


    zheng jiao said, "planning a special confession, huh? isn''t it easy? just choose a place that is special for both of you. that will automatically make everything adorable."


    guiying was slightly surprised with her support. "that''s true."


    she leaned back on her chair and asked with a raised brow. "are you sure about this guy?"


    "very."


    "you wouldn''t have a change of heart?"


    "never."


    "you really cannot say about the future with so much certainty."


    "for the rest of the things, yes. but if it''s him, then it gives me nothing but assurance and certainty. it will always be him in my heart. nobody else."


    "that''s romantic hehe," xian shun smiled.


    zheng jiao stared at her for a few long moments and then shrugged. "good for you."


    guiying excused herself to the restroom while thinking about zheng jiao''s suggestion. she remembered how jun too, similarly planned ai''s birthday surprise at the library.


    a special place just for them.


    a special place for zixin and i...


    she stared at herself in the mirror washing her hands. she exited a minute later and walked back to the table. she reached closer and heard xian shun''s slightly agitated but defeated voice.


    "you are giving up way too soon, jiao jiao!"


    the stress in her voice took guiying aback.


    why is she so tense?


    guiying inched closer and heard zheng jiao''s reply. "give up what?"


    at the table, xian shun was throwing daggers at her. "don''t try to fool me. guiying didn''t feel it, but nothing escapes my sharp senses!"


    "oh dear, i am so scared," she chuckled.


    "be serious!" she said, exasperated. "you don''t have to laugh and act normal as if it isn''t hurting you. don''t even try to deny it because i know that you secretly like guiying."


    "i like all my colleagues-"


    "romantically. i mean romantically!"


    zheng jiao stared at her unblinkingly. guiying, who was listening, almost lost her footing in shock. she touched the wall for support as her mind still grappled with what xian shun said.


    xian shun''s figure became smaller. "that''s why i invited you to lunch that day without telling guiying. i kind of wanted to ignite the spark between you two. i wanted to be cupid."


    "i guessed your intentions."


    "but then she said that she already had someone she liked...i am sorry. i shouldn''t have poked unnecessarily."


    "more than that, i am curious. why did you surmise that i have any feelings for her?"


    xian shun gave a stare as if she was looked down at. "don''t underestimate me. you are very easy to read."


    "i am plenty sure that others wouldn''t have the same opinion."


    she shrugged. "not my fault if they have dull senses. but when i realized your feelings for guiying, i kind of figured it out when i heard the gossip of your previous assistants resigning from the company without any good reason apparently. they were all female assistants, right?"


    she didn''t respond.


    "i don''t know the inside news. maybe you approached them or maybe they somehow learned your sexuality. whatever it was, they were clearly not thrilled. i guess they began to become paranoid that whatever you did or said was to entice them. or get close to them. they were straight so it didn''t sit well with them. it was difficult to make the head of a department leave the company because you weren''t wrong in the first place. same sex love is not a crime. so they left themselves."


    f37c8f0d5cb079375efd239c41a82e59c405134d6dfb2a7e512480b019a0e724

 Chapter 753 Wrong understanding

    chapter 753 wrong understanding


    "you are very straightforward," zheng jiao commented.


    "what is there to sugarcoat in this? i do think the assistants were dumb. there was nothing to be so afraid of. must be homophobic. i understand that sexuality is one''s personal choice but it''s not a plague that everybody got running," she scoffed. n--o()v()e..l-(b--i--n


    xian shun then sighed. "i am sorry though. regarding guiying..."


    "you overthink. i was just a little curious about her, that''s all. it meant nothing more."


    "curiosity is always the first step towards crushing someone. and i have seen how your eyes have always followed guiying. even if it might not be full blown love yet, you are definitely interested in her."


    "doesn''t really matter now."


    xian shun pursed her lips. "by the way, guiying is taking a long time in the washroom."


    a minute later, they heard the sound of footsteps and saw guiying return to her seat. guiying cleared her throat and sipped some water as she sat slightly stiffened.


    "you are finally back!"


    "y-yeah. sorry for taking a long time."


    "no problem."


    xian shun thought that it wasn''t a good idea to continue the discussion of guiying''s confession and make zheng jiao more uncomfortable in the process, so she dropped it and started another random topic.


    by then zixin had already arrived in the office so there was chaos amidst the employees to give him their wishes.


    "happy birthday sir zixin!"


    "happy birthday!"


    the premises were decorated just for his welcome. zixin widened his eyes in surprise. "you didn''t have to do so much."


    one of the senior employees spoke, "how can we not? you have always been the best boss for us and took care of us just like your family. just like your father and grandfather. this is the least we can do."


    warmth filled his heart with their heartfelt wishes and gratitude.


    "thank you."


    women squealed and gushed at his handsome sight. there was a celebration held at the office premises too. zixin, who was searching for guiying''s figure, asked assistant ling, "have you seen guiying?"


    zheng jiao glanced at zixin for a long moment and then smiled at her. "well then, see you later."


    "y-you won''t join in?" she hesitantly asked.


    "i am not really interested in the cake."


    she turned on her heels and walked away. guiying remained standing at her place with a dazed look. a sense of discomfort flowed in her chest. she noticed zixin''s gaze following her with a beaming smile on his lips.


    she took one step forward to join in the celebration. but the discomforting feeling didn''t ease up as if something remained unsorted and unresolved.


    trembling, she lowered her head, clenching her fist.


    ¡ª


    zheng jiao returned to her office of her empty department where everybody was out busy with stuffing cake in their stomachs. she sat back on her chair and opened her laptop to go back to work.


    a few seconds later, she heard somebody''s restless and breathless steps rushing over. she looked up and was surprised to see guiying again.


    "what''s wrong?" she smiled. "something wrong with your laptop again?"


    guiying''s heart raced in her chest and her mind spun with fuzziness. "i-i want to talk about something."


    "yes?"


    she pressed her palms together, feeling her breaths struggling in her throat. "i am sorry but i...i heard the conversation between you and xian shun w-when i returned."


    she stared at her. "ah. that''s why you were late. eavesdropping."


    she quickly replied, embarrassed. "i really didn''t mean to! i just heard your voices and automatically-"


    she shrugged. "alright. you heard. and? why did you come here? are you feeling sorry for me perhaps?"


    "no, that''s n-not it..."


    guiying wasn''t sure how to explain herself. "i just...came to apologize."


    she smiled. "because you cannot return my interest?"


    "before that. i misunderstood you because of the resigning assistants. e-especially when the whole fiasco of the wrong meeting invites happened. i linked the two things together and thought that you had something to do with it because you wanted me in your department."


    "yes. you already apologized for the misunderstanding."


    "i did...but at that time i was unaware of the truth behind your assistants leaving. that''s why i feel terrible and guilty now. i hurt you because of my suspicion. it must hurt when everybody constantly doubts you, right? first your assistants who didn''t completely understand you and then me..."


    she lowered her head, tears brimming her eyes. "without comprehending the whole situation, i doubted you and blamed you too which made me just like them. i am extremely sorry for that."

 Chapter 754 Guiyings rejection

    chapter 754 ''guiying''s'' rejection


    zheng jiao narrowed her eyes and got up from her seat. her heels clicked as she took slow, deliberate steps towards guiying. guiying slightly jolted and sensing her sharp, intense gaze, she felt the jitters passing down the back of her spine.


    there were hardly any inches left between them yet zheng jiao showed no signs to halt her steps. instead, guiying started to drag her feet backward, swallowing her saliva. she felt this situation awfully familiar for some reason, but she couldn''t point it out where.


    eventually her back hit the wall after which it suddenly struck her.


    isn''t this the famous wall-slam that the stories show? the male lead capturing the female lead? why is it happening to me?


    b-by a woman nonetheless...


    she couldn''t help but blush though the emotion didn''t mean reciprocating zheng jiao''s interest. guiying was never approached romantically by any woman. this whole experience was completely new for her. added to that, zheng jiao was a beautiful woman with sharp features. it was inevitable for her heart to skip a few beats.


    "you are so cute. i never thought you would think in that direction. then again, that''s what makes you interesting."


    her voice echoed super close as if she was hushing a secret.


    she placed the tip of her finger on her cheek, making guiying froze like an icicle. "are you sure you want to keep your feelings tight for your fan lover? it''s such a waste to let you go."


    guiying struggled to find the right words.


    "oh my look at your face burning all so red," she chuckled. "but i am curious. i am not sure if it was my illusion but that one time we talked, you looked and sounded different. remember near the coffee machine?"


    her eyes went wide.


    that conversation...n--ovelbin


    "it was shocking to see you act in a completely opposite manner. but then you never acted like that again. that was the first thing that made me interested in you. i suppose i wanted to see that side of yours once more."


    "t-that was just...i was just nervous."


    she smiled. "nervous is what you are now. you weren''t nervous then. strong, confident and somebody who won''t tolerate any bullshit. it happened just one time but it got etched into my mind very clearly. how did it happen?"


    guiying contemplated.


    besides ai and zixin, nobody knew about her second persona. was it safe to tell zheng jiao who she knew for just a few months?


    then again, guiying was afraid of judgment. it wasn''t normal to have another ego present inside someone. she had no idea how she would react.


    "liking anybody is a foreign feeling to me. you ask those kinds of questions to the idiot inside me. but then again, she gets too overwhelmed like a teenager like she was just now. so i took it upon myself to come ahead and clear things out."


    "you specifically appeared to reject me? that''s harsh."


    "the faster, the sooner you will be able to move on."


    "that''s very pragmatic."


    "that''s the truth."


    "is the fan lover so special to you? or her? or both?" she asked.


    ''guiying'' shrugged. "to her, definitely yes."


    "and you?"


    "i don''t know. so so i guess."


    "doesn''t look like it."


    ''she'' narrowed her eyes. "are you interested in me or the idiot inside me?"


    "you two share the same body."


    "but different minds and personalities. we are the same yet we aren''t."


    "i would love to love the both of you. but then again, would you consider it as two-timing?"


    ''guiying'' smiled. "what do you think?"


    zheng jiao said nothing.


    ''guiying'' said, "i appreciate your feelings for her or me, whichever and whoever it is that you are interested in, but i am sorry that we both cannot accept it."


    "because i am lesbian or because you already have somebody you like?"


    "not because you are lesbian but because we are straight. there is a difference in the message. and of course, the fan lover part is true too for her."


    zheng jiao smiled curiously. "then i have a question. who does your fan lover...sir chen zixin likes? you or the other guiying?"

 Chapter 755 The hard question

    chapter 755 the hard question


    ''guiying'' narrowed her eyes in the period of silence that stretched between them. "so it''s not some mysterious fan lover for you. you already know who it is."


    "i kind of guessed it. there was always a subtle atmosphere between guiying and sir zixin. your entry as his assistant was suspicious itself for me. i never believed that assistant ling needed an assistant, yet a helping hand was hired. i surmised either you had something to do with him personally or sir zixin. then i slowly started to get the feeling that maybe it is sir. today, he was specifically searching for you in the crowd, right? he wanted you to join in the celebration. i could feel his gaze at you."


    ''she'' shrugged. "good observation."


    "so i am right."


    ''guiying'' looked at her and admitted. "it would feel terrible to gaslight a smart woman like you so i will just go ahead and say yes."


    zheng jiao stayed silent for some moments. "sir zixin. tough rival indeed. i know i cannot beat him both sexuality and otherwise. his kindness makes it very easy to fall in love with him. that means he was the one sending letters to you. hm, i could picture him doing it. that approach is very much him. he is cautious and a little shy at times."


    "you know well."


    "i have worked closely with him," she lifted a casual, airy smile. "he has sponsored my beer bills from time to time."


    now, ''guiying'' was curious. "i see. i wonder if that''s why he didn''t do anything with the gossip of your assistants resigning. technically, somebody would have felt it was suspicious that only a particular department faced this problem. he knows about you. so he knows that you aren''t in the wrong and those ex-assistants were over reacting instead."


    zheng jiao asked, "was it difficult?"n--o-(v-/e)/l-.b)-1--n


    "what was? and when?"


    "when he was in an accident and lost his memories. it meant that he didn''t know or remember anything about you. the letters, the sweet nothings, the feelings."


    "i came looking for guiying," he pressed his lips, furrowing his brows in more dissatisfaction. "what were you doing?"


    "just talking to your assistant who you awfully seem so possessive about."


    "did you have to stand so close to her while talking to her? i believe that was unnecessary," his eyes squinted.


    "oh my. did you think i was pulling any moves on the woman you love so much?"


    he said nothing. his expression remained unfazed. then he said, "it is possible. you like women and guiying is a fine woman. both of them."


    zixin guessed that with ''guiying'' appearing, a smart woman like zheng jiao would have definitely figured out what it meant.


    ''guiying'' silently looked up at zixin.


    "also, i overheard the last bit of the conversation," he pursed his lips, "i am sorry but you cannot approach her."


    "i am not approaching your guiying. i am trying to seduce the other one you are holding right now," she smiled. "or do you say that you like both of them?"


    zixin said, "indeed i do. they are both guiying. i want to treasure and cherish both of them. there is no way i would ignore any of them."


    "romantically too?" she asked.


    "yes. i unconditionally accept them to be a part of my heart. there is no doubt about it. they both are very integral and important to me. i know it might sound selfish. they are the same, yet different. is it okay to love both of them? i believe yes, it''s okay. i feel happy no matter which side of guiying is in front of me. the only thing i think about is how i can love and cherish this woman."

 Chapter 756 Unforgivable

    chapter 756 unforgivable


    zheng jiao smiled. "aw, that''s so sweet. as expected of sir zixin, you never fail to amaze me."


    she ever so slightly craned her neck watching ''guiying''s'' face who showed no hint of emotion or expression. but she did see a flicker of something unreadable flash in her eyes.


    zheng jiao raised her palms in defeat. "i got it. i got it. i could never rival sir zixin anyway. i already figured there was something going between you two. i have no intention of pursuing her when she is already taken. i was just doing some teasing~ it turns out that sir is quite easy to bully."


    "you sure you should bully the ceo?" he plainly asked.


    "will i be fired?"


    "you are a capable employee, so no," he shook his head.


    "then the bullying continues.*


    "but your beer bills sponsorship won''t."


    she paused with surprise but soon burst into a hearty laughter. "oh my. you are so adorable sir that i cannot even hate you for snatching my chance with guiying. and ''her'' too. since it''s you, i definitely give you both my best wishes. you are perfect for each other."


    zixin read her gaze glittering with fun and mischief. he figured she was hiding her lament and loss behind her laughter. the unspoken one-sided feelings burdened his shoulders with sadness. he cherished her as a good employee and friend so standing himself in the way of her happiness filled his heart with regret.


    "thank you," he sincerely and warmly replied.


    zheng jiao nodded and turned them on their backs. pressing her palms, she pushed them outside. "you should be out celebrating your birthday, not here."


    "you should be out joining in the celebration too," he said.


    "i have work to do." nove-lb/in


    "i am the ceo. there is no work to be done today."


    "wait, wait you are getting it all wrong. i am not talking about what happened the night before."


    but it was all too late. his guilt registered in his heart as if a molten glass taking its final and sturdy form. there was nothing else to be said and done.


    he bit his lower lip hard, his eyelashes trembling. "i am really sorry."


    the last of his voice that spoke escaped only as a tiny and broken whisper, mirroring the state of his heart at this moment. he mechanically straightened himself as if he was a robot and somebody else was commanding it. he turned to leave when he felt an aggressive tug to his wrist.


    he looked back and instantly recognized that it was guiying. her gaze hinted at the desperation that wanted him to understand how wrong his understanding was.


    "zixin, it''s not like that!"


    tears fell from her eyes. she clutched onto his wrist as if letting him go now would be the last that she would see of him. the sinking feeling courses through her veins as she stepped up to salvage the situation.


    "''she'' doesn''t mean anything like that. trust me, ''she'' is not offended over that night or blaming you for anything. you know how straightforward ''she'' is right? ''she'' wouldn''t have hidden her displeasure at all if ''she'' was pissed off."


    "but it doesn''t wash away my mistake that i should have been considerate of ''her'' wishes. i say it myself and respect that you two are different yet i keep missing ''her'' wishes and opinions."


    "no! you have never done that. every...every single step of the way, you have treated us both equally and preciously, never forgetting either of us. you have no idea how truly that has made us happy..." her voice choked. "i vouch for ''her'' too, please believe me. you didn''t and have never hurt ''her'' ever since you realized ''her'' existence, including that night."


    zixin didn''t respond. he slowly and gently removed her hand from his wrist. she stiffened and paled.


    "i want to believe you, guiying. i really do. maybe i will. but i need some time to process everything. sorry, but i will take my leave now."


    he couldn''t meet her gaze any further and left straightaway, leaving her alone.


    through her blurry gaze, guiying watched zixin leave, his shoulders drooped with misery and tremors. she clenched her fists, fury blazing in her eyes.


    "''you...'' ''you'' very well know and understand that zixin isn''t wrong. ''you'' were never hurt with what happened between us because ''you'' had sneakily taken over me for sometime that night, right? he didn''t realize it was ''you'' because ''you'' didn''t want him to."


    guiying didn''t hear any response from ''her.''


    "yet ''you'' selfishly went ahead and planted a seed of suspicion and guilt in him that never had any basis to it! much less on his birthday...it is supposed to be a happy day for him, but ''you'' ruined it for him! ''you'' made that man sad who never once disrespected us. who always walked with both of us hand in hand. who did his very best to understand us at every step of the way. ''you'' had no right to break his spirit like that. i will never forgive ''you'' for this!"

 Chapter 757 The boundary of separation and overlap

    n(/o-(v-)e-/l(-b((1-/n


    chapter 757 the boundary of separation and overlap


    the birthday celebration in the evening went on in full swing as the chen villa shimmered in lights from the top to bottom. the air felt extra special as it was the birthday after zixin had escaped the vicious clutches of death almost an year ago. the twins'' excitement ratcheted in the air with their loud cheery voices hopping from one part of the house to another.


    naturally, the liu family was a part of the celebration.


    "where is the birthday boy!?" the other pair of twins spoke with their loud and cheery voices too.


    "where is the birthday cake!?"


    that booming voice belonged to none other than liu hai who was also greeted with a smack from his wife.


    "we have just stepped inside and you are talking about cake!" liu chunhua glared at him. "it''s zixin''s birthday, not yours."


    "booooooo," jing made a face.


    "shut up jing."


    jinhai and nana got busy talking to jianyu and serena while ai impatiently started searching for guiying. her gaze glittered with the hunger of gossip.


    "what are you doing?" jun asked, swinging his arm around her neck and pulling her closer to his shoulder like two best buddies.


    ai could hardly contain her excitement. "guiying is supposed to confess today! i want to know if she already did or has planned a surprise. i cannot wait to hear the good news."


    guiying''s eyes welled up again. "everything went wrong, ai. i don''t know what to do anymore..."


    she trembled, her voice choking up.


    ai''s nostrils flared and she held her head between her hands. "nothing is out of control. if we put our heads together, we can figure things out. but first, you have to tell me what went wrong. don''t worry at all. i will help you. just talk to me please."


    she wiped her eyes and tiredly and listlessly recalled the sequence of events until today. ai''s eyes widened.


    "i cannot believe ''she'' would say something like this. do you know how hurt and guilty zixin looked? he isn''t at fault at all! i don''t know how to make him understand, but he was so distant and just walked away. we didn''t speak after returning home either. he has been inside his room since. today is his birthday, ai and i..." she broke down, "i ruined it for him. he was so happy this morning. i am so, so angry at ''her!'' ''she'' has been acting meaner and crankier these days, but today ''she'' crossed all limits. i wanted to give him my answer today, ai. but...but i don''t think he would believe me anymore."


    ai pursed her lips and gently brushed her cheeks, sliding those tears away. "of course he would believe you, guiying. this is a misunderstanding and it can only be resolved by talking to each other. he cherishes both of you. that''s why he is also very cautious towards both of your feelings. don''t be mad at ''her'' either. i believe ''she'' didn''t mean it that way. it just slipped out at the wrong time and with the wrong understanding. nobody is at fault."


    guiying shook her head. "you didn''t see him, ai. he looked so heartbroken."


    "which is precisely why only you can mend that wound. the more time will pass, the more you will allow that wound to fester. he says he needs time but really what he needs is to talk with you both. he cannot sort this out himself by punishing himself. that''s detrimental to him and you two too."


    she lowered her gaze thoughtfully. she wished to talk to zixin more than anybody else, but she equally felt ashamed to face him.


    "just talk to him please? not just to clarify the misunderstanding but also for him and your other self to know what they want from each other and what they see each other as. that conversation is equally crucial."


    guiying''s gaze flickered. because they share the same body, it sometimes would become difficult to identify each other''s real likes and dislikes. there was a thin boundary that separated them from each other but would also introduce confusion and overlap.


    if guiying had wrongly assumed about ''guiying''s'' feelings for zixin and she had a different idea of a relationship with him than her, then it was very important to talk about it.


    guiying took a deep breath, steeling her heart. "i will talk to zixin tonight. no. we both will."

 Chapter 758 Guiyings confession (1)

    chapter 758 guiying''s confession (1)


    the birthday celebration went without a hitch as zixin acted completely normal. though what happened at the office had eroded the joy from his heart, he couldn''t bear to show the same dispirited demeanor in front of his family.


    he looked at his mother, father, grandparents, siblings. this birthday meant a lot to them. he felt it in their gazes where the twinkling never ceased to stop. how could he let them down by expressing his own predicament?


    i have to smile. for their sake, i cannot appear like i am bothered by something.


    from the corner of his eye, he traced the silhouette of guiying''s figure and froze. he knew she was watching him and taking small steps to reach him. his hands trembled. an urge to just turn away engulfed within him.


    i cannot...


    neither had he the heart to avoid her nor the guts to face her. the more she came closer, the more disarray spread in his chest.


    "zixin..."


    even amidst the celebration, he heard her soft voice crystal clear. he didn''t see what expression she wore on her face. he didn''t know how she looked in her dress. but he imagined it would be nothing less than stunning.


    zixin gave a slight nod to her. at that moment, he desperately wished for somebody to call out to him so that he would get a reason to escape. but with a common understanding, nobody bothered zixin since they saw guiying stand next to him. they left the two lovebirds alone.


    serena and chen liling took special care of that. they are drooling on the hope that today would be a high chance for everyone hearing the official good news. he noticed his family giggling, but he couldn''t understand why.


    "after the celebration is over..."


    he slightly stiffened as guiying continued.


    the birthday celebration had long been over and as guiying decided, she arrived at the place where she asked zixin to meet her. she looked up at the night sky which was devoid of any stars. it stretched like a vast, endless blanket of nothingness that evoked a strange tightness within her heart.


    she had also been trying to talk to ''her'' since she lashed out at ''her'' a few hours ago. but the silence was so deafening that guiying felt a chill run up her spine. she didn''t wish to hurt her feelings, but she also couldn''t bear zixin''s broken gaze.


    she stood under the night sky, anxiously waiting for zixin to arrive. she wanted this prickly thorn-like feeling to disappear as soon as possible. she wanted to mend things between the three of them once again and hopefully still salvage zixin''s birthday.


    guiying didn''t see any figure nor heard any footsteps. every passing minute felt like an agonizing hour. her patience and hope was wearing thin as her eyes began to shine with tears.


    "please don''t cry."


    guiying blinked twice and looked up in a stupor. accompanied with that soft and pleasing voice stood zixin in flesh. a pleasant gust of cool wind fluttered his coat in the air. he had her cheeks in an attempt to wipe her tears, but he froze and forced himself to stop midway. lowering his gaze, he promptly withdrew his hand.


    guiying randomly waved her hands in an awkward posture, not knowing where to start even though she had practiced it a million times in her heart. only twenty odd minutes remained until zixin''s birthday would end.


    "thank you for coming, zixin!" she spoke raspily.


    zixin didn''t meet her gaze. but in his heart he knew that he could have never ignored guiying''s request to meet. he was incapable of denying her anything as long as it even remotely had anything to do with her. despite his mind desperately pulling him back to safety of his room and where he wouldn''t have to face his guilt once again, he eventually let himself be led by his heart.


    "you...wanted to talk about something," he spoke with a shiver in his voice, knowing all too well what it was going to be about.


    guiying forced her heart to calm down and stared at him with steely determination. "i called you here because i wanted to give you my answer, zixin. under this very tree that started everything for us."


    zixin blinked and looked up for the first time. it was then that his eyes widened, coming to the realization that they were standing under a huge and mesmerizing cherry blossom tree. the beautiful petals waved and danced sideways with the rhythm of the gentle wind. it reminded him of the first time he met guiying at the hospital under a similar cherry blossom tree.


    and tonight on his birthday, they stood underneath it once again.

 Chapter 759 Guiying’s confession (2)

    chapter 759 guiying''s confession (2)


    zixin breathed in the faint sweet scent in the air that the fluttering cherry blossoms emanated as they danced in the wind. his gaze traveled down across where the beautiful petals gently rained down in guiying. a few of them perched themselves on top of her head.


    zixin stared at her mesmerizing figure which never failed to steal his heart beats like always.


    "your answer...?"


    guiying tremblingly nodded her head and took a small step forward. then she took another step until she stood shoulder to shoulder with him.


    she raised her head, willingly getting sucked into those precious black orbs that always only held stillness and warmth for her.


    "yes. my answer," she whispered. "my answer to your confession. i know i made you wait for a long time. i...i had a lot of things to consider. i didn''t have the confidence to stand beside you. you always sparkled and shone so brightly. but i always held myself in a dark and miserable spot wherever i went. but i managed to break through from that vicious cycle. i am at a place where i don''t condemn myself. and that''s why, i can say it with confidence tonight...that i love you, zixin."


    her lips tremored as she said those last few words with a heart that pounded like an earthquake shattering her. despite being well aware that zixin returned her feelings, the three magical words were a long journey of their own that had finally come to her lips facing lots of trials and tribulations. her cheeks turned deep shades of red as her answer to his confession made her knees go weak.


    but on the other side, zixin froze.


    he instinctively lowered his gaze, unable to face ''her'' after what had happened.


    "don''t look like that, zixin," ''guiying'' smiled. "that sad and downhearted gaze doesn''t suit your handsome face. you look ugly."


    he trembled, unable to speak. he wanted to apologize to ''her,'' but nothing would escape his lips.


    seeing how torn apart zixin looked, ''guiying'' shook her head. ''she'' looked up at the cherry blossom tree. "it''s a beautiful tree, isn''t it?"


    ''she'' didn''t hear a response but knew that he was listening.


    "a bunch of cherry petals was what guiying gave me as a gift. when i appeared for the first time saving her from her bastard brother''s violence, this is what she gave me. i felt she was so stupid. i was like why is she gifting herself? do people really gift themselves? i didn''t know. i still don''t know. but she was clear that she was giving those petals to me, not herself. me specifically because i was different from her. she couldn''t fight her brother. but i could and i did. that''s what made us different and in effect, different people for her. we were two people in the same body."


    ''guiying'' caught a floating cherry blossom petal in her hand. "two people, two habits, two lifestyles, two sets of likes and dislikes. very complicated, right? there weren''t many things or people that we mutually loved."


    zixin sucked in a mouthful of breath, knowing where ''she'' was going with this. guiying confessed her answer as yes. but ''guiying'' was going to reject him. he strongly felt so in his heart. he wanted to shut his ears and spare himself from the heartbreak, but he knew that would be unfair and disrespectful to ''guiying.''


    ''she'' continued. "but that changed ever since you stepped into our lives. at first through the letters as mrperfect and then in flesh. i always scolded her so much for falling for you. you were just an anonymous person for me sending a bunch of fan letters. how could she love someone when she doesn''t know who that person really is? you could be mrperfect in the letters but a monster in real life for all i knew. but i must say the idiot has good instincts.


    she wasn''t crazy or stupid in believing you. she is a writer. she understands words better than anybody. she understands the feelings behind every stroke of the ink. she read your letters and overtime, very rationally and practically, formed an opinion that you were a genuine person. she chose to trust and love you despite never meeting you."


    ''guiying'' released a small breath. "but i didn''t."

 Chapter 760 ’Guiying’s’ confession (3)

    chapter 760 ''guiying''s'' confession (3)


    ''guiying'' folded her arms and brought them closer to her chest, feeling slightly chilly. from the corner of her eye, ''she'' noticed zixin fumble as if he wanted to cover her with his coat, but he stood hesitant and confused.


    "don''t bother. i won''t stay for much time."


    zixin stiffened.


    ''she'' then said, "she chose to trust and love you. i didn''t. i started to do so only when i met you. only when we started talking to each other and when you understood and accepted my existence. just like guiying, you treated me as a separate person who had her own heart and feelings. i have to admit, it did make me happy and special. you were cognizant to ask my opinion everywhere we went. and i started to treat you as a very good friend of mine. a very important person to me too."


    zixin slowly balled his fist. he understood it now. ''she'' only treated him as a good friend and nothing else.


    "i swore to myself that i will always cherish you just like i cherish guiying. i will fully support you two with all my heart. but then...i betrayed that determination myself."


    "betray...?"


    ''she'' glanced at zixin and smiled. "zheng jiao rightly said. it''s very easy to fall for you. you are kind, well-mannered, polite and to you, guiying and i were the whole world. you always look at us as if you cannot see anything else besides us. what kind of woman wouldn''t fall for it?"


    zixin stared at her, dumbfounded. a very eerie and unsettling feeling arose in his chest as if something extremely terrible was about to happen.


    "what are you saying?"


    ''she'' smiled. "exactly what i said. guiying doesn''t need me anymore because now she has a whole world of her own to look after her. she mended her relationship with ai. she stood strong and determined to not waver and free cai lingyun out of any blood relation responsibility. she couldn''t have ever done that before. she came out of her shell and made good friends like zheng jiao and xian shun. she was able to stand up for herself when the accusations fell on her without my help. her world steadily expanded for the better which only aided her to become a better and stronger version of guiying. and most importantly..."


    ''she'' gently held his cheek and whispered. "she has you by her side now. a man who would unreservedly love and protect her. a man who would never let the smile from her lips fade away. until your hair turns old and grey, you would always, always firmly hold onto her hand. now, she has your family who will treat her with so much love that her own family could never do that. she achieved all these milestones by herself, zixin. i couldn''t be more proud of her. as someone who came to this world to protect her, i don''t see any need to remain here or within her any longer. my role ends here."


    "no...no..." he shook hard and grabbed ''her'' hand. "you are wrong! she still cherishes and loves you and it doesn''t have anything to do with your role. your relationship with her is much more than a protector! ''you'' are a very important and special person to her. nobody can replace ''you.'' ''yo-you'' cannot disappear and leave her alone like that!"


    "but i am not leaving her alone. i am leaving her with the people whom she and i trust would never hurt her. she is finally in safe hands. she finally became the person i always wanted her to become. i want her to live her life to the fullest and without any inhibitions. a happy and peaceful life. i don''t have any place in that life, zixin. my existence is abnormal. my love for you or your love for me is unnatural, and i never want any one of us three to find ourselves in a crossroads someday which would ruin everything for us."


    ''she'' helplessly chuckled. "i am sorry for acting moody and cranky these past few months. i couldn''t help it. i knew my time to disappear was coming sooner, and it hurt harsher because i was beginning to fall for you too. i don''t want to put you in a spot of loving two women at once. you might accept it. guiying might accept it. but my pride won''t allow that, zixin. i am sorry to leave on your birthday. but this is the day guiying chose to finally confess her answer. i knew i had to meet you one last time as well. please apologize to guiying for me, will you? i...i wanted to talk to her one last time too. but i just don''t have the courage to face her. i cannot. such a coward i am. plus, she is very angry at me for hurting you, right?"


    "don''t... don''t do this please-"


    ''her'' hands trembled as ''she'' held his, pearls of tears sliding down her cheeks. ''her'' consciousness began to lift into someplace unknown, and ''she'' felt her existence floating into the abyss.


    "i cannot return your love, zixin, but please always remember that you would always be my very first and the most special and irreplaceable friend. thank you for everything," ''she'' spoke her last words as ''she'' drifted away forever.

 Chapter 761 Thank you for everything

    chapter 761 thank you for everything


    during the time ''guiying'' talked with zixin, guiying felt herself floating in a never-ending void. she dazedly looked left and right only to find nothing. strange black swirls and whorls confused her and she held her temple in a disarray.


    she heard some mumbling and talking, but she couldn''t pinpoint the source of it. she thought what she felt like zixin and ''her'' talking, but she couldn''t make out the words they spoke. it all felt gibberish to her.


    what is happening...


    why am i not able to hear them?


    she recognized the dark abyss where she was in. it was the same endless void where she would stay until ''guiying'' was out in her body acting as cai guiying. similarly, ''guiying'' would stay here when it was the other way around.


    but today, the place emanated a strange presence. guiying placed her palm on her chest, feeling breathless.


    what was the last thing that happened?


    guiying sorted her memory and it struck her. she had confessed her answer to zixin, so it was possible that ''guiying'' took over to confess ''her'' side as well.


    apprehension set inside guiying as she clutched her dress. she wanted ''guiying'' to say her real feelings to zixin and not hide away and hurt him again.


    will everything be alright?


    the worry only heightened as she couldn''t make out what was going on outside either. she only hoped that ''guiying'' would clear the misunderstanding between them and free zixin of the guilt he was burdened with.


    she kept waiting patiently in hopes to hear the good news. but as more time passed, a more disconcerting emotion caused a violent shaking of her body. she looked down and hugged herself to placate her pounding heart. as she lifted her gaze once again, she stepped back in surprise, seeing a blurry white apparition in front of her. it was in the shape of a woman, its image distorting like a broken tv set. guiying blinked.


    "who are you...?"


    "no!!"


    guiying urgently tried once again to hold her hand or make any kind of physical contact with her, but ''her'' figure only kept dissipating. "wh-why are you doing this to me!?"


    she burst into tears as the realization of the final goodbye evoked nausea within her. "i-i don''t want you to leave! i-is it because i got mad at you today? please, please forgive me for it. ''you'' know me, don''t you? i didn''t mean anything bad by it!"


    ''she'' said nothing and ''her'' silence only reinforced ''her'' decision.


    the once sparkling eyes lost their radiance only to look like two soulless orbs. "''you''...why do ''you'' want to leave my side as well? like my parents at first, then bro and then zhan yahui...haven''t i lost enough dear ones already...? why would ''you'' do this to me?"


    ''she'' stayed silent and hurt. guiying''s tears were the reason why ''she'' didn''t wish to face her.


    "because i cannot live a life like this, guiying. if you ever respected me as a person then please...i urge you to also respect my feelings that i cannot accept living a life as a second woman. you and zixin are meant for each other. i don''t have a place in that relationship nor do i want it even if i might love him. tell me guiying. who is zixin supposed to love? you or me? who is he supposed to marry? both of us? who is he supposed to make love with? both of us? who would be the mother of his child? both of us?"


    guiying felt stumped.


    "these are very difficult questions. i am sorry guiying. i cannot accept living a twisted life as such. i cannot see zixin dividing his love between us and not because i am possessive but i understand that it was always supposed to be you and you only. i don''t want you to share any of your rights with me either because that would be unfair.


    and lastly, i don''t wish to burden you two into accepting me. there can never be a place for a third person in a relationship. zixin and i can only be good friends, but i cannot be his friend at the same time as you would be his wife. we cannot have two different relationships with zixin with the same body."


    guiying trembled hard.


    "that''s why i am leaving. not because you don''t need me to protect you anymore but to let you two live in peace and happiness. you might miss me for sometime. you will cry. you will feel lonely, but eventually you will move on. time will make sure of that. time heals all the wounds."


    ''guiying''s'' figure began to dissipate in the dark space as it crumbled further. small star-like glitters rose up in the air as ''her'' body disintegrated.


    "don''t...don''t go...please don''t go..." guiying broke down, trying to cling on to her.


    ''guiying'' smiled though it wasn''t visible. "always be happy, guiying. i love you a lot. thank you for everything."

 Chapter 762 The painful doomsday

    762 the painful doomsday


    guiying stumbled back on her feet as the world view changed before her eyes. the familiar night sky and cherry blossom tree appeared before her vision.


    "guiying!"


    zixin caught her arm and pulled her back. she collapsed on her knees despite his support, breathing hard. "zixin..."


    "i am here right beside you," he wrapped her arm around her back, squeezing firmly in the warmth of his chest. his heart ached seeing her thin body tremble and shiver.


    guiying couldn''t wrap her head around everything that happened too fast for her to process. she tried to feel the presence of ''guiying'' within her, but all that met her was emptiness. there was nobody within her to talk to. all that remained was an incredible downfall of loneliness that tore her heart apart. the mysterious dark space within which ''guiying'' was just a distorted and dissipating apparition brought chills down her heart.


    suddenly, the past few months came rushing into her mind, and she thought of the distance ''guiying'' was gradually starting to put between them. ''her'' abrupt silence and refusal to appear, her mood swings, her crankiness and then the last dream she had in which she had walked with ''her'', talking and laughing.


    was that all a sign of this doomsday to come?


    ''she'' was gone. ''she'' had really disappeared forever.


    "''she''...''she'' is not here anymore, zi-zixin. ''she'' is really gone..."


    ''guiying'' was such an irreplaceable part of her life that the mere thought eluded her that one day would come where she would lose her alter personality. ''guiying'' said that with ''her'' gone, she would become the real cai guiying who was only supposed to be herself.


    but instead of feeling whole, guiying felt as if she was split into half. as if an important organ of her body had suddenly stopped working. ''she'' was here until a moment ago and now ''she'' wasn''t.


    "what should i do now, zixin? ''she'' really left me. how should i live my life now? am i supposed to just forget ''her'' and move on? ''she'' just...''she'' just decided all by herself to leave me and now i feel this void. i don''t...know..."


    zixin himself didn''t know what to say. even though he wanted to console her, ''guiying''s sudden disappearance left a gaping hole in his chest too. he tried to put a lid on that pain that kept erupting and bleeding his heart. the first memory of their meeting occupied him. the first sight of him seeing ''her'' smoke with the haughty look in ''her'' eyes had enamored him. though ''she'' was completely different to guiying, ''she'' had become an important part of his life just like guiying was.


    ''she'' claimed he was being forced to accept ''her'' alongside guiying, but truly and genuinely, that wasn''t how zixin felt at all. he wanted to give ''her'' the same happiness that guiying always deserved to have too. ''she'' had spent ''her'' life protecting guiying and now this time, he wanted ''her'' to step back and be protected and cherished, not fight and get wounded.


    ''guiying''s'' departure was just as hard on zixin as it was guiying and under the grim night sky, he searched to find an answer about how he was supposed to deal with this loss?


    the hand of the clock struck midnight at that moment and a new day was on the horizon. it was a new year for zixin after his birthday, but it felt incredibly lonely for ''her'' to be not there to welcome it for him with guiying. in this new year and in all the coming new years, ''guiying'' would never be there.


    the thought of that desolate future pooled tears into his black irises. they sat on the bench in silence, each of them trying to come to terms with the truth and ''guiying''s'' parting words in their own way.


    time would eventually heal their pain but to them at this moment, that time seemed far, far away.

 Chapter 763 Official yet unofficial

    763 official yet unofficial


    the months passed by and the time for ai''s first book publishing event with sky was already here. guiying and zixin were naturally a part of the event. they joined the liu family where a certain member was hopping around with his aura gushing out with shiny sparkles.


    "it''s ai! it''s ai! you know ai is going to come at the stage now, right? her book will officially make it to the stores today hohoho!!!"


    liu hai was taking everybody to dance with him one by one out of sheer happiness that he was unable to contain in his heart.


    "woh woh woh!"


    guiying saw the podium spinning in front of her eyes with liu hai''s twirl around his finger. "grandpa, everything is circling..."


    she stumbled a few steps back only to land on zixin''s chest. he held her shoulders and steadied her balance. "are you okay?"


    the dizziness snapped away and she found her focus back. she looked up, her eyes immediately blinded by his princely smile. she coughed and stood straight.


    chen liling glared at her brother, scolding him. "hey you! don''t you bully guiying!"


    "hah? when did i bully her?" he pouted.


    "poor girl was going to fall because of you!"


    "i was just dancing with her! don''t be so stingy. and i knew zixin will catch her anyway. if anything, the men in our families are excellent at not letting our women fall, ahahaha!"


    guiying at the side - "..."


    serena pinched his ear. "you idiot. why didn''t you say so before!"


    she said with her eyes tearing up. "my dear guiying has been suffering so much with such a devastating loss and so have you, but you didn''t say a word. no wonder you returned in that state. it''s terrible..."


    chen liling hugged zixin and patted his head with her gentle fingers brushing through his hair. "i am so sorry. i know how the other person was so important to you just like guiying. it''s okay to take some time, dear. i understand why you wouldn''t feel like going ahead further. let guiying have some time too to process everything. we will always be here with her."


    serena nodded hard. "you two can take as long as you want. in fact, we should apologize for assuming the wrong thing and rushing you two," she pursed her lips.


    zixin shook his head. he held her hand and brought it closer to him. "nobody is at fault, mom. i should have told you sooner."


    her eyes brimmed with tears once again and she embraced him too. so tightly that zixin felt at a loss for his breath. "you two have been so strong. i am so proud of you! but promise me that from next time, you will never hide such important things from me! i won''t see my children suffering all alone!"


    he smiled and nodded.


    they then went to visit guiying as well, offering her their support and strength just like they did for zixin. their hearts dropped to see her weak and frail. it was evident from her tired expression that she had been crying for days.


    serena pinched her ear next. "you are coming with me right now and stuffing some good, hearty lunch with me!" her nostrils flared. "i won''t accept no for an answer. i am a chef''s sister, you know. i won''t tolerate people torturing themselves by going hungry."


    chen liling grimly nodded. "and my brother and i have always been top-notch shameless foodies. it''s blasphemy for us to not feed our stomachs."


    guiying stared at them and a moment later couldn''t help but burst into a soft laughter. even she was left surprised by it. but eventually, she gave a small, tired nod to them. "i will eat."


    they beamed. "good, good! let''s eat something delicious now. hohoho!"

 Chapter 764 Not lose anymore time

    764 not lose anymore time


    guiying stared at ai who gracefully stepped up on the podium and joined everybody in welcoming her with a loud clap. her lips lifted into a nostalgic smile as she remembered their high school days scribbling and writing their own short stories. and here they were after years, each grown into a writer of their own. she was always afraid of seeing ai on that stage, always anxious of that future becoming real someday but today, there was none of that apprehension.


    today was a big day for ai and guiying felt peace like she had never before. but somewhere in her heart, she also couldn''t ease off the tiny hint of melancholy creeping in her heart.


    ai was moving forward. but she remained at the same place. that desolation only further heightened now that she didn''t have ''her'' by her side.


    guiying gently closed her eyes, fruitlessly trying to sense ''her'' presence somewhere. but just like everyday in the past few months, she heard no sound. nothing. she always thought that ''guiying'' would always be there to watch her become even more of a better writer.


    even if that time might come in the future, ''she'' won''t be there to feel proud of me, guiying listlessly thought.


    cai lingyun, zhan yahui and now ''guiying'' too - so many important people in her life to whom she wanted to prove her worth as a writer had left her in different ways, every one of them painful nonetheless.


    her eyelashes trembled as she looked at ai. she softly clenched her dress, feeling envious of her. she had her parents, jun and his family and all her friends by her side.


    even though guiying held the love and support of zixin and his family, it didn''t help but hurt her that she lost three most important people who she held so dear to her heart. the people who she could call as her own.


    zixin sensed her figure ever so slightly withdrawing to herself. he knew what she was thinking. he gently placed his palm over her hand, squeezing it with his silent reassurance. he wanted to let her know that she wasn''t alone in this pain.


    as the event came to an end, guiying saw how quickly jun''s family overtook and surrounded her. she shook her head helplessly.


    guess i can only congratulate later.


    she thought to step outside for a moment when she bumped into yating.


    "hey," he smiled. "how is everything?"


    it was similar to the time she had misunderstood that the mrperfect she liked, loved ai instead of her. to see the person you love not return your feelings was akin to a thousand arrows stabbing you all at once.


    "you..."


    guiying gauged his expression. a lot of time had passed but did yating still hold feelings for ai? did seeing her with jun and his family still hurt his heart?


    yating blinked. "why are you looking at me like that?"


    she cleared her throat. "n-no, i was just..."


    "hoooo. are you thinking if i am over ai or not?"


    she quickly said, "no, i don''t-"


    he gave her a flick once again. "don''t lie and don''t think i feel hurt or anything. it''s a very valid question and i believe i can give you a very positive answer. indeed, seeing ai with liu jun was a grave setback. i couldn''t imagine my life without her. i couldn''t help but curse him for stealing her away from me," his gaze darkened.


    then that same gaze softened. "but eventually i admitted that ai was happy with him and unfortunately, liu jun didn''t give me any chance to complain or intervene. i quickly realized that i had no chance. it hurt but..."


    he glanced at chyou for a second and looked back at her. "somebody helped me out and i appreciate it a lot. i moved on. i feel a lot better, but i admit it''s lonely not being in love. that''s why, i implore you to not lose any more time. time is very precious and before you know it, a bunch of it has already passed which we cannot bring back, and we end up regretting that we didn''t step up sooner. cherish the love you have for zixin, guiying. everybody is cheering for you."


    guiying shook hard.


    everybody is cheering...


    does that include ''her'' too?


    she stared at zixin at the other side who was talking to jun with an unreadable gaze. a lot of emotions swirled in her mind, bringing a mistiness to her eyes. at the very end, a sense of calmness settled in and she said, "you are right. i think i know what to do now."

 Chapter 765 What she wants

    chapter 765 what ''she'' wants


    the same day, the news of ai''s pregnancy also spread like an unstoppable wildfire after the event was over. everybody saw jun crying and helplessly using sign language as a means to communicate.


    "yeah just like that..." jian adjusted the phone camera pointed at ai. "aish, my little brother looks so handsome with the tears and snot running down his face."


    "shut up, bro!" jun exclaimed. "and take that phone away!"


    "how could i? this is the expression of the year. this photo will be framed in the liu family photo gallery for time immemorial! my unborn niece or nephew should definitely get to see this golden picture of their father crying."


    "i am so gonna kill you."


    "congratulations ai!!!"


    guiying rushed to hug ai with a bright grin coupled with emotional tears in her eyes. "oh my gosh i cannot believe it. i am gonna become an aunt!"


    ai sheepishly grinned. "thank you..."


    she pinched her nose and chuckled. "i am so happy for you, ai. oh god, i still cannot believe that a baby is coming! i already cannot wait to meet him or her," she squealed.


    she looked at jun, her mouth twitching at his still crying sight. he kept wiping the tears which got replaced by only more tears. zixin and yunru were at his side, consoling him but it had little to no effect


    ai shook her head. "those tears are not gonna stop anytime soon."


    "clearly."


    ai then asked cautiously, "how are you doing, guiying?"


    zixin thought about his own reaction if he would also learn in the future that he would soon become a father. "i might cry three times more than you."


    jun nodded and grabbed another tissue.


    "but that day," he softly gasped, "w-won''t arrive if there always remains this distance b-between you two...oh my god am i really gonna be a father after nine months?"


    "..."


    "can you decide if you are talking to me or yourself?"


    "both. don''t mind me. i will talk to you and then i will t-think of ai and our child and then i will cry and then i will talk to you again."


    his brow twitched. he then sighed and said, "i cannot forget ''her.''"


    "n-nobody is telling you to forget ''her.'' you two can st-still remember her and also walk together. it doesn''t have to be separate. fuck, will ai have to go through te-terrible morning sickness now?"


    thinking of seeing ai sick brought forth another gush of tears. "i cannot see her s-suffer. can i get pregnant instead?"


    zixin lowered his gaze. "but will this mean that i am choosing guiying over ''her?'' i cannot make that choice. both are equally important to me."


    "but you are not m-making that choice. ''guiying'' made that choice for you, and i think both you and guiying should respect that. if you cherished ''her'' as a in-individual person, then you must also cherish the decision ''she'' took. i need to start buying pregnancy related books. i cannot l-let my ignorance cause more trouble for ai!" he cried.


    jun shook his head. "just imagine ''guiying'' is standing in front of you. imagine ''she'' came back after months of seeing you two stuck in a loop. what do you think ''she'' would say to you? th-think very carefully and honestly, n-not letting your personal feelings take over. purely what ''she'' would say. i think you will get your answer. and then my question is if i should de-decorate the baby room in blue or pink because i definitely want pink but don''t tell ai about this. she cannot k-know that i am biased for a daughter."


    "..."

 Chapter 766 Official (1)

    Chapter 766 Official (1)


    ?Standing under the cherry blossom tree, Zixin had his eyes closed. A cold and pleasant breeze blew past his face and he slowly inhaled it.


    "I cannot believe you can be so stupid!"


    He suddenly opened his eyes and froze. In front of him he saw ''Guiying.'' A tremble passed through his body. He knew it was just his imagination or was it not?


    "I thought you were a bold and shameless man but what happened to you?" ''She'' sneered.


    His throat went dry as he watched ''her'' sneer at him. It was the familiar voice and the familiar gaze which he always knew.


    "Didn''t you always shamelessly approach Guiying and take advantage of every chance you got? Now what happened? You are already supposed to be lovey-dovey and cuddly and touchy. So what the fuck are you waiting for? It''s so pathetic that you forced me to come here to brainwash you! I have never been so frustrated before I tell you!"


    Zixin pursed his lips and whispered. "We miss you."


    "Of course you should. I never told you to forget me duh," ''she'' rolled her eyes. "But at the same time, I didn''t tell you to get all wrapped up in my memories either such that you two become slowpokes! Oh gosh, you have the most turtle paced love story ever!"


    "..."


    ''She'' folded her arms. "And who told you to feel guilty for me? Did I tell you? When I bid you goodbye, was there any part in my long-assed talking where I blamed you? So why are you feeling regretful when I don''t need it in the first place? What I hate the most is pity and you are giving me exactly that. You and Guiying both. It''s not leaving your side but your sympathy is what hurting me the most," ''she'' clenched her jaw. "So throw that out of the window and kiss her already! Or trust me, I will really curse your love story to sink."


    "Zixin!"


    Zixin turned and saw Guiying rushing towards him. She stopped at a few feet of distance from him, huffing and puffing. She sucked in a mouthful of air, feeling breathless.


    "There. That idiot is here too finally," ''Guiying'' smiled in disdain. "Guess she also got enlightenment. She had been so miserable, it was painful to watch. God I wanted to smack her so hard. You two really know how to provoke the violence inside me."


    "Forward? You two have been stuck in the damn same place for ages now. I feel like an old lady already," ''Guiying'' threw vicious glares at Zixin as ''she'' blasted out her bitterness.


    Zixin felt a blazing heat from ''her'' aura.


    "Now you know what to say, don''t you?" ''she'' squinted her eyes. "You do, right?"


    Zixin peered his gaze into Guiying''s beautiful eyes and nodded. "I do..."


    Guiying felt like Zixin uttered something but she couldn''t quite catch it. Zixin closed the distance between them and watched the cherry blossom petals fluttering past her figure. It was mesmerizing just like the first time he had watched her in the hospital.


    Guiying pressed her lips harder, tears threatening to spill out of her irises. "You might still think I am selfish. But truly this is-"


    She stopped with Zixin''s palm slowly reaching out to cup her cheek. "You are not selfish, Guiying. But yes, we have been silly."


    "Idiots is the better word," ''she'' sneered. "Silly is going soft."


    His brow twitched again. He cleared his throat and continued. "I also finally realize that we have been hurting ''her'' immensely. Then I wondered just like you if I was saying things out of convenience, but then I imagined ''her'' standing before me and talking to me. Imagining what ''she'' would say to me. And then I could see the picture of ''her'' fuming out lava of anguish and fury at me. It felt really hot and burning, you know. It still feels super hot."


    "..."


    Guiying couldn''t really understand the last sentence. ''Guiying'' only sneered.


    "We have burdened ''her'' with our unnecessary regret and emotions and now it''s the time to shed those feelings. So now, I will do what will make ''her'' the happiest. Make it official."


    Zixin leaned in and captured Guiying''s lips in a full swoop as if there was no tomorrow.


    ''Guiying'' smiled, watching their invisible walls finally crumble as they came together.


    "Yup, that looks so much better rather than seeing you like tragic Romeo and Juliet. Congratulations, you two," ''she'' whispered and with ''her'' gaze filled with warmth and satisfaction, ''she'' slowly drifted away.

 Chapter 767 Official (2)

    Chapter 767 Official (2)


    ?The cup trembled in Serena''s hands as she stared at her son. Then her gaze shifted to Guiying''s side whose face was the shade of a beet. They had finally announced that they were officially together. Needless to say, the family took turns in registering their shock.


    Chen Liling was the first to hug them who shed tears of joy. "Congratulations! Oh my gosh, the good news is finally here!"


    The twins joined in the chaos too and twirled round and round with Zixin and Guiying. "So sister-in-law is now officially our sister-in-law!"


    Yubi squealed. "I will go on loads of shopping trips together with her!"


    "You have already gone on loads of shopping trips with her. Don''t tire her anymore," Yunru glared at her.


    "Don''t be so jealous!"


    "Oof, move out of my way!" Serena dug her way through the fighting twins and reached them. "Aish, I am so happy for you two."


    Guiying cleared her throat. "Th-thank you Aunt..."


    "Shouldn''t you be calling me Mom now? It''s official!"


    She choked. "I-I am still his j-just girlfriend-"


    She waved a hand of dismissal. "It won''t take much long to become his wife. Might as well get used to it now."


    "..."


    "Don''t scare the poor girl," Jianyu shook his head.


    Serena glared back at him. "How come you always have to say something against me! Don''t you want her to call you Dad too?"


    "When she is comfortable and ready, not by pouncing on her. They have just gotten together."


    "You men don''t understand a woman''s feelings at all!" She let out her grievances. This essence is securely nested within the heart of N?v€l??n¡ï


    "..."


    Chen Guiren patted his shoulder as if it wasn''t wise to fight with the wives.


    Serena nodded with appreciation. She pinched Zixin''s cheeks and gave a pep talk. "Mom is very happy to hear this awesome news. Now as her boyfriend, you must always take care of Guiying and never give her any chance to complain like your father does."


    "But you just said that I am misunderstanding. That means you don''t want to throw me out. That means you want me to be here with you."


    Her brow twitched. "I mean that everybody is t-tired so everybody should rest."


    "I am not tired."


    "But I am."


    His mischievous chuckle made her feel more nervous than pleasant. "I will do all the work, I promise. I won''t let you lift even a single finger."


    Her face burned several shades of a mixture of red and pink. Before she could stutter her reply, Zixin sneakily snaked his arm around her waist and shut the few feet of remaining distance between them.


    His fingers traced their way from her cheeks to behind her ear towards her soft hair, twirling a lock of it against his finger. She shuddered with his teasing touch tapping everywhere on her face.


    He bent and whispered near her ear, his lips touching but at the same time not touching it either. "You should shed away all the shyness now. After all, I am your boyfriend."


    Her breath got caught in her throat, hearing the word ''boyfriend.'' It was still hard to believe that after crossing all the hurdles in her life in which at one point, she had almost given up on her love for MrPerfect, today would actually arrive where they now stood in a relationship.


    "Shall we continue from where we left off at the cherry blossom tree? You didn''t let me kiss you for long."


    "W-we were outside!"


    "But now we are inside."


    "..."


    He tipped her chin up and softly pecked her forehead. Then he kissed her inviting cheek bone and the even more inviting corner of her lip. Watching her lips tremor darkened his gaze and her quivering neckline expressed the gush of emotions coursing through her. He gently tapped a finger upon that tremble and her sweet, raspy gasp reached his ear.


    It was tempting to trouble her more so without any hesitation, he dropped a kiss on her neck, firm and passionate. A jolt passed across his embrace in which he held her and enjoyed every bit of her reaction. He didn''t intend to go that level of intimacy yet, but just wanted to rile up and make a mess of her heart.


    He smiled proudly. "This feels great."


    Then he seriously said, "It will feel more great if I sleep beside you. More comfortable."


    Guiying blushed hard and gently pushed away. "My b-boyfriend will have to wait for a long time for that."


    Hearing the sweet two syllables gushed a flood of happiness in his heart. He hugged her hard. "I don''t know if I should be happy that you called me your boyfriend or sad that you rejected me to sleep beside you."


    Guiying grinned. "Well, love is always bittersweet, isn''t it?"


    He pressed his arms across her back and whispered. "The bitter time is over for us. Our love will always be the sweetest from now on, Guiying. I promise."

 Chapter 768 Gift choosing

    Chapter 768 Gift choosing


    ?"Good morning Sir."


    "Good morning Sir!"


    Yating acknowledged the Dream High employees with a nod and smile as he made his way towards his office. He stuffed his bag on the couch as he entered his cabin and crashed on the chair.


    "Haaaash..."


    He pressed and massaged the space between his brows that glared with a headache. He quickly swallowed a painkiller and rested his head back on the chair, allowing himself to breathe. That permission was only for a minute after which he straightened up and got to work.


    That only lasted for five minutes after checking his emails when he slumped back on the chair, tired.


    "The day has just started Yating. Buckle up."


    He unlocked his laptop but instead of getting back to work, he had a side thought which made him open a new tab on the browser. He opened some well-known gift websites and started scrolling down the list.


    Unfortunately, his previous gift for Chyou was all burned down into ashes a few days ago when her film set got set on fire. It felt like yesterday when he had jumped right into it to bring Chyou out of the dangerous fire blazing in all directions. His gift fell right into it. Now was a good time to buy a new one.


    Yating touched his chin thoughtfully.


    Should I buy the same bracelet or think of something different this time?


    "Yating, I need to talk to you."


    The door opened and Zhan Yahui walked in swiftly. Yating immediately shut down his laptop with a loud bang so much so that he was sure that the impact had definitely cracked his laptop screen. He bit his tongue inwardly.


    Zhan Yahui paused and raised a brow at him. Yating smiled back albeit with a twitching smile. "Hey."


    "What are you hiding," her eyes narrowed.


    "Why would I hide anything?"


    "Because you shut your laptop so hard that the sound would have reached America by now."


    "..."


    "You are exaggerating, Zhan Yahui."


    "Your reaction to me was exaggerated too. It is like how a mom catches her son doing something shady."


    Yating choked hard. "Are you implying you see me as your son?"


    "Were you watching porn?"


    The choke struck him harder this time. He stared at her, incredulous. "Stop talking nonsense!"


    "That''s exactly how teenage boys react when caught."


    She thought of Hou Lin''s younger brother who often acted secretly like that when she lived with his family. The blush, the giggles and the secrecy. She had equally often helped him hide the unspeakable evidence. Yating exhibited only the secrecy part right now.


    Yating sighed, not having the energy to prove her wrong. "Do you need something from me?"


    "Were you watching porn?"


    He shut his eyes. "Why do you still ask?"


    "I like to be right about things."


    Zhan Yahui leaned back and cocked her brow. "But you might be interested in knowing the one I crave destruction for. You see, he is someone who has snatched someone important to you too."


    "Huh?"


    Snatch somebody important?


    The only such person was Jun with whom Ai fell in love with and who he lost to.


    "We can join hands~" her eyes twinkled.


    He didn''t really weigh her words to be serious, thinking that she might be just pulling his leg.


    He gave it a thought and asked her, "Hypothetically, what would you like for a gift?"


    She clicked her tongue at the change of topic.


    He doesn''t have the spark.


    "Are you buying a gift for me?"


    "No."


    "Then why does my opinion matter?"


    "Because you are a woman and I would like some suggestions."


    Zhan Yahui''s curiosity peaked once again. "Are you buying something for Zhou Ai?"


    He stared at her hard. "...No, but why do you ask?"


    She smiled. "It''s so cute you think that people are blind. I almost fell for you."


    "..."


    Yating cleared his throat.


    "Have you given up on her? That is so not manly of you," she made a tsk sound.


    "There is nothing much to do when Ai is happy. That''s what I want the most."


    Zhan Yahui contemplated to intervene but thought against it. Yating was too simple and straightforward to be of use to her plans. He wouldn''t become the type of jealous lover to want Ai by hook or crook like Cai Lingyun.


    "I am leaving."


    "You still didn''t say what you came here for."


    "I forgot because of you."


    His mouth twitched.


    Zhan Yahui got up and left but not before turning back and saying, "I guess I would like a pendant chain for a gift."


    He didn''t expect her to answer. "Oh."


    "A strong enough pendant chain to strangle my enemy when I want," she smiled.


    "..."


    The door closed behind him. He sighed once again and opened his laptop with a crack on his screen greeting him.


    "And there goes my laptop."

 Chapter 769 The angel and hero

    Chapter 769 The angel and hero


    ?Yating stared at the gift box in his hand and scratched his head. He was on his couch, contemplating if it was foolish to buy another gift, not because he was stingy but he wondered if Chyou was just kidding about it. Wouldn''t it be a real embarrassment to take a joke seriously?


    But Chyou said she is always dead serious about gifts.


    Then there arose another question.


    Chyou was already dating Cheng Yin. Was it reasonable for another man to give her a gift like this? He would imagine Cheng Yin would be so thrilled about it.


    Cheng Yin.


    Thinking about that man made Yating''s mind spiral into another web of thoughts. He had recognized Cheng Yin secretly to be some part of a deal sometime back in a club, which he could judge was a drug deal.


    But Chyou thought differently and he wasn''t sure if it was wise to believe in Cheng Yin. That concern refused to settle in his heart.


    Yating released a sigh. There were questions surrounding Cheng Yin and his life, but he didn''t feel it was right to poke into them anymore. He had nothing to do with their relationship and no right to become bone in it.


    I just hope everything turns out to be for the best, he thought.


    Eventually, Yating decided to hand over the gift to Chyou. Then there would be no reason left for them to meet anymore and both would move forward in their own life.


    ¡ª


    Yating''s plan was to meet Chyou for just five to ten minutes maybe, hand over the gift and leave her set. It was supposed to be a quick meet and greet and then bid goodbye. But a whole new chaos erupted when the film set staff also noticed him. Where Stories Blossom: N?v¦ÅlB?n.


    They burst into a roar of loud cheers and claps and excitement as everybody surrounded him.


    Um...


    Cheng Yin heard the rain of praises flowering upon Yating and cleared his throat. A trace of discomfort flashed across his eyes but nobody noticed it.


    Then everybody heard that the director was on his way so they quickly scurried away to do their own tasks before the director would arrive and scold them.


    Yating smiled. "Hey."


    "Hey back. What made you come here? Oh, is it about the help you need from Chyou?"


    Previously, Yating had asked her help to investigate the fraud and biased judgment of the judges in the Authors Summit against Ai in which there was a possible involvement of his father, Gu Rong.


    "No. She already helped me out with that."


    "I see. So who are you supposed to meet here then?"


    "It''s Chyou only. Well...she helped me with the favor so I wanted to show my gratitude with a little gift. I just came here to give her that."


    "Oh."


    Cheng Yin shrugged. "Well that''s a bummer, I guess. Chyou''s shooting is about to start soon. She is in her vanity getting ready. I don''t think she would get the time to meet you. How about I hand her the gift for you?"


    Yating paused. Though the reasoning made perfect sense, he wasn''t stupid to not understand Cheng Yin''s underlying tiny hint of jealousy and insecurity. He was a man himself and understood Cheng Yin''s thoughts well, especially now that they were dating. Yating and Chyou had only met up a few times so a gift from him would surely raise eyebrows for Cheng Yin even though it was a gratitude gift with no other meaning.


    He smiled. "I appreciate the gesture, but I would give it to her myself. She helped me out so it would look rude on my part that I won''t even show my face to properly express my gratitude. I don''t wish to make an enemy out of the Queen."


    Cheng Yin slightly faltered but bounced back. "That makes sense too..."


    The air then suddenly changed as footsteps were heard. The click of the heels tapped on the floor and with it arrived the Queen of the Entertainment industry.


    "Hellllloooooo everyoneeeeee!!!! Rise and shine my subjects because it''s a beautiful, sunny day!"


    Chyou furiously waved her hand as if she was at a fan meet, making everybody burst into laughter. She grinned at the staff, greeting everyone and then her gaze settled at two men at a distance, making her bubbly glow shine ten times brighter.


    She raised her arm, thrilled. "Gu Yating!"

 Chapter 770 See, think and hired!

    Chapter 770 See, think and hired!


    ?"Yating!"


    Chyou hopped to their side and grinned akin to a twinkling star. "A pleasant surprise! What are you doing here? What are you talking about with Yin? You didn''t include me in the gossip!" This essence is securely nested within the heart of N?v€l??n¡ï


    Yating arched his brow. "Apologies Queen but this subject thought that you would be busy with your film shooting. How dare I disturb you?"


    She stumbled back, gasping dramatically. "You are the angel of this set, Yating. Have you met the staff here? You are the hero for them!"


    Cheng Yin''s brow twitched hard.


    It wasn''t that of a big deal. Even I would have saved Chyou in his place. People are just overreacting.


    Yating said, "Yeah I met the staff. They were indeed very welcoming."


    Cheng Yin wanted Chyou out of here as quickly as possible so he said, "The director is on his way, Chyou. We should get ready with our script before he comes."


    "Yin and I will be perfect even without any practice~ After all, we are naturals, hehe," she winked.


    He pinched her cheek and chuckled. "Cheeky as always."


    The staff working around gushed with their flirting and chemistry.


    Yating was about to say when Chyou''s gaze fell on a small paper bag in his hand. "What is that? What is that?"


    "What I came here to meet you for. A small gift from me for all your help," he scratched his chin, "the first one fell into the fire unfortunately."


    Chyou shone so brilliantly that it was as if she became the source of sun in the entire set. They shut their eyes, blinded by her radiance.


    "A gift!!!"


    "As always, the happy-go-lucky Queen doesn''t take anything seriously. Who will pay for the damages if the shooting is delayed and so everything gets delayed in turn? We would be losing millions! Time is very valuable, you know."


    Yin rolled his eyes.


    There he goes all hyper about everything.


    Chyou chirped. "Time is very valuable, that''s why you should enjoy it to the fullest and not just think of work, work and work~"


    He glared at her but quietly grunted in the end. He then looked at Yating and thoughtfully said, "I remember you. You were on the set before. Wait, you were the one who saved Chyou from the fire, right?"


    "Yes, yes, he is the same man!" Chyou beamed as she patted his back hard. "He also gave me a gift! Look at this director. Isn''t it so pretty?"


    Director Murong took a closer look at the pendant. At first, he didn''t understand the significance of the letter Q because her name was Chyou, but it clicked him two seconds later.


    Q for Queen. Queen of the Entertainment Industry.


    Chyou kept babbling about how beautiful it was but a completely different thought process was churning in the director''s mind.


    "Huuhhh. I want to use that in the film."


    "What?"


    Then the sparkle on the director''s face heightened further. "It makes more sense for your character to have this pendant. You are taking the role of a fallen Queen betrayed by her subjects. But stripping away the title doesn''t mean that you are defeated. You struggle, you struggle more and then you eventually rise and earn the title rightfully back. In your struggling days, Yin, your husband, who has perished in the war would have brought this gift for you with all the money he had expressing that no matter what the world says, you would always be the Queen of his heart. And this pendant continued to keep giving you strength in your fight to get your kingdom back."


    He beamed more. "I just thought of a perfect scene! Not just an emotional significance, but it can have a physical significance too! To save her life from the enemy''s clutches, Chyou will use the pendant chain as the last resort to strangle him and flee! Just imagine the impact it will have on the audience! They won''t really expect that coming, would they?"


    Yating - "..."


    Is this director related to Zhan Yahui by any chance? Just when I told Chyou to not use it to strangle anybody...


    "The pendant becomes the royal heirloom as you pass it on to your daughter when the story ends. Like a protection charm for her kingdom and family."


    Director Murong pulled Yating to his side and smacked his shoulder in pure bliss. "That is a brilliant gift, young man! Why didn''t I think of this sooner!? You are amazing! And now that I remember you more clearly, you are Gu Yating, right? Dream High''s Chief Editor? So you know about stories and plot. You are a professional. Good, good! Just the icing on the cake that I needed. How about you help me out with writing the scenes? It''s your gift idea. You must be given the due participation and credit!"

 Chapter 771 Last time

    Chapter 771 Last time


    Where Stories Blossom: N?v¦ÅlB?n.


    ?"Action!"


    With the set lights turning dimmer, the focus was on Chyou and Yin. Yin played the role of Chyou''s husband and together they lived a harsh life after the Queen was banished. It was the scene which Director Murong crafted at the last moment of his pendant chain gift to his wife.


    Director Murong waved his hand silently at the camera, signaling him to focus on them and the pendant while keeping his gaze fixed at the lead actors.


    Yin, who held Yating''s gift in his palm, felt a burning resentment spreading across his heart. His palm trembled to feel the delicate chain that he was supposed to give Chyou. He was giving another man''s expensive gift to his girlfriend. It was a bitter feeling beyond anything.


    He knew his dialogues and he had no problems with learning a new script at the last moment. He had that actor''s training and experience. He could give a flawless take if he wanted to but Yating''s gift brought a wall in his heart he couldn''t overcome. And to add to that mess, Yating was right before him, watching both of them.


    "Yinnnn...." Chyou whispered without moving her jaw and lips. "Lines..."


    "Y-Yeah..."


    Director Murong frowned. Though Yin was saying the correct lines, he wasn''t delivering it correctly. The lack of emotions was painfully obvious.


    Beside him, Yating was seated on another chair, who was dragged by the director to take up an advisor role. He could also see Yin''s struggle to complete the scene and to a great extent, he could understand what was going through his mind.


    I shouldn''t have come to the set...


    Director Murong exclaimed. "Cut!"


    Yin heaved a sigh of relief and the tension eased from his shoulders. Chyou looked at his tension lines and asked in concern, "Are you alright, Yin? You look pale."


    Inside his vanity, Yin was laid back on the couch, heaving and panting breathlessly. His heart raced like a truck was running over it and the feeling only irked him further. He looked down and saw his fingers shivering and trembling. A sense of discomforting urgency squeezed his chest and he couldn''t think straight.


    "Fuck!"


    He cursed and bit his lip, rushing straight towards his cupboard. Rustling through the things, he opened a secret drawer and breathed hard. He held the drugs packet and swallowed a gulp.


    He remembered Jun''s warning that he knew of his drug consumption and that if he ever touched drugs again, Jun would destroy him. He had given him three months to prove himself to be worthy of Chyou, but he was already wavering.


    He thought of the gift, thought of Chyou''s happiness as she received it and thought how he had to act with the same gift in the scene. He didn''t want to be so petty but he couldn''t let it go. He couldn''t dismiss Yating''s gift and gesture or the friendship between him and Chyou. Ever since he saved Chyou from the fire, something about Yating had started to threaten him.


    What was it?


    Was it charisma, his charm, his style, his way of talking or simply his presence that gave him this unnerving feeling that Yating was a threat to him? That Chyou would be swayed away very easily?


    He didn''t want to turn to this, but he found himself tearing the packet and sniffing through what he felt was heaven. The pleasant sensation struck a deep chord in his heart as if all the earlier tension was all an illusion. He felt his nerves calming down.


    It was just this once...Nobody will know. Once I get the scenes right, I won''t have to come back to this again.


    He desperately nodded and convinced himself.


    Yeah this is the last time because Director Murong suddenly changed the setup! It isn''t my fault! It''s also that Gu Yating''s fault who came to the set and unnecessarily caused this ruckus!


    He then heard a knock on the door and panicked, he threw away the packet in his drawer, locked it and closed the cupboard. He took a few deep breaths and opened his eyes again.


    It must be Chyou. She must be very worried about me, he shook his head. I was an idiot to shrug her off.


    He opened his vanity''s door and froze at the person standing in front of him. The calmed down nerves were jostling in full swing once again.


    Yating stared at him and politely smiled. "Can we talk?"

 Chapter 772 The Chief Editor advisor

    Chapter 772 The Chief Editor advisor


    ?Yin said, "Yeah sure..."


    He grudgingly let him in while trying to placate his pounding heart.


    "Look, that gift has no other meaning."


    Yating came straight to the point.


    "I could tell what you were thinking and your discomfort was obvious. But it was just a gratitude gift for Chyou."


    Yin narrowed his eyes, trying to find the lies in his words. But in front of him, he smiled. "I am sorry, Gu Yating. I really have no problems with your gift. Did I look uncomfortable? It''s definitely not because of the gift, trust me. I am involved in multiple projects here and there so it''s that stress piling on me. An actor''s life is hard," he shrugged. This essence is securely nested within the heart of N?v€l??n¡ï


    Yating paused.


    It was like how a woman could understand a woman''s intentions. Similarly, as a man who had been in love, Yin''s insecurity was obvious to him though the latter was trying to deny it.


    Yin waved his hand in dismissal and chuckled. "Everything is good, Gu Yating. I can never be rude to the savior who saved my girlfriend''s life. Oh and congratulations for your new advisor job. It''s rare for Director Murong to appreciate somebody so much."


    "Ah, I am not going to be an advisor. He just got too excited. I don''t know a thing about films."


    His eyes widened. "What? No way. You should definitely consider the job. You don''t know about films, but you know stories, right? Films are just manifestations of those stories only. It will be a good change for you too."


    Yating said, "...Hm, you are indeed right. I will think about it," he scratched his chin. "Anyway, I just came by to check on you. I thought you looked down and that was because of me."


    "Chill dude. Everything''s cool."


    He glanced at her side and noticed her wearing the pendant chain. "Hey you are wearing it today."


    Her eyes brightened. "Of course! It''s so pretty that I had to wear it," she took a deep breath as if meditating, "I can feel the power of this Q pendant flowing through me. Ah, it''s so peaceful."


    "Drama queen as always."


    She stuck out her tongue. "That''s my job."


    Queen...


    Yating thought about it and asked, "How did you become a Queen?"


    "I didn''t become a Queen, rather people started calling me that from one fine day. It was after a lot of hardships and polishing that people recognized me with that title. Entertainment industry is a brutal struggle, especially for women," she smiled.


    "You know, I am very privileged. I never faced those struggles of casting couch and sexual advances that any struggling actress does. Because people knew my parents. My father is Zhu Xiaosi. My mother is Zhu Caihong. My grandfather is An Guoting. Nobody dared to mess with me because that was suicide with my family background. But not every woman has that background. I want to change that. This ugly reality of what a woman has to go through to get a foothold in this industry. I want to become so powerful and influential here that I make lives better for those women dreaming of performing on the big stage."


    Yating peered into her sincere and hopeful eyes. "You are amazing, Chyou. Very few people think like that."


    "Hehe..." she scratched her head, embarrassed.


    "Yup. That''s how you become a Queen and that is what is a little missing from this script."


    "Hm?"


    "Well, your character is really nice and your acting is on point. But what is missing is a little context here that will give more depth to your character. You are a Queen betrayed by her kingdom. You want to take revenge and get back what is rightfully yours. That is great. But there should be more motivation to that.


    The setting of this movie is Song Dynasty. It was an era where women''s rights were declining. Widows couldn''t remarry because they were deemed impure. They were forced to commit suicide. You are a woman who has lost her husband. You are being frowned upon and society is expecting you to die because you don''t have a man with you anymore. But just before the Song Dynasty, there was the rule of the Tang Dynasty, which was completely opposite. It was the golden era for women''s freedom and rights."


    He pointed the pencil at her. "Your character will be more powerful if you don''t just want to take revenge but want to bring back the Tang Dynasty''s glory. You want to bring back the era where women could take power and govern. Everybody wants you to die but you will persist and rise to bring the golden era of the Tang Dynasty once again. Facing all odds and hardships and winning against the patriarchal society, only then you will truly become the Queen."

 Chapter 773 Two votes against one

    Chapter 773 Two votes against one


    ?*Clap Clap*


    Director Murong clapped slowly and meaningfully, his gaze glassy with emotions. "I was right in making you stay, Gu Yating. You just proved why you are the Chief Editor."


    Yating turned, his brows raised in surprise. "You liked it?"


    "I loved it! I wanted to express Chyou''s character as a strong and relentless woman living in the Song Dynasty amidst the oppression and cruel rituals of the patriarchal society then. But it didn''t occur to me that I could relate her story with the golden age of the Tang Dynasty and her striving to want that era to return."


    He wiped his eyes and said, "I feel the script is so much more interesting now."


    "Thanks. But you don''t have to cry."


    "I am crying thinking of the box office records this movie will break. Chyou''s character will have so much more depth now."


    Chyou complained. "Director Murong. I never saw you cry because of my flawless acting, but now I see the stone-faced director shedding tears because of a new face here?"


    Yating glanced at her, arching his brow. "Is that jealousy I smell?"


    "Don''t you start flying too high," she frowned.


    Director Murong rolled his eyes. "I am always moved by your flawless acting, Zhu Chyou. But this is about the story, which your friend has given a new dimension to. Of course I will cry."


    "Isn''t this partiality, Director? I had to work very hard for your approval," Chyou stubbornly insisted, dramatically dissatisfied.


    "Every actor and actress should," he replied without qualms.


    Chyou released a dramatic sigh. "It''s hardly been some time since Yating joined us but I feel he has already become the apple of your eye. I am being sidelined. I feel lonely."


    "Of course you will know! Don''t underestimate yourself. You are the chief editor. You work with books and stories but that means you constantly keep thinking about the characters in it, right? They are not real people you meet in life, but they are alive in that story. When you read one, you know how they will act, how they smile, how they will walk, how they will talk. It''s like a whole movie goes in that brain of yours just by reading a book. Movies are not really anything different."


    "Yes, yes!" Chyou chimed in. "You just have to tell me if I am looking, expressing and acting the way you imagine my character in your mind. If I am not up to the mark, you will just know it. You don''t specifically need a director''s experience for that. You are Dream High''s Chief Editor for a reason. We know we can trust your judgment. How you work with the books is how you will work with the movie. It''s just the medium has changed~"


    "..."


    "You all are making this sound very easy."


    "Because it is~" Both said unanimously.


    "You are just nervous because it will be your first time on set but you will feel comfortable and in your skin in no time," Director Murong assured. "Trust me Gu Yating, we are the same. We love stories damn too much. In the end, it''s the stories connecting us, no matter if it''s in the form of books or movies. You have honed your instincts and experience as an editor. That alone is more than enough and what I need."


    "Yes, yes," Chyou chirped and raised her arm. "Two votes against one. We win anyway, ahahaha!"


    Yating threw her a judgmental look to which Chyou only innocently blinked and said, "A queen always rules, you know?"


    "And I am your subject?"


    "You caught the meaning so quickly~"


    He rolled his eyes. Director Murong expectantly asked, "So, so you agree, right?"


    Chyou reminded them. "It''s two votes against one."


    Yating smiled. "Like she said, it''s two votes against one and I am her subject so overall I don''t have a say."


    Chyou nodded. His brow twitched.


    It was sarcasm but she is ignoring it.


    He spread his hands to the side, giving up on his fate. "Fine. I will do it."

 Chapter 774 Sneaky dinner invitation

    Chapter 774 Sneaky dinner invitation


    ?Yating spent the next few days reading the entire script like he would do with a draft and completely absorbed it in his system. He was still skeptical of how much contribution he would be able to provide with the film-making process but that wasn''t any reason to stop him from giving his best


    "Well learning something new is always great," he smiled, leaning back with his tab in between his palms.


    He heard his phone ring and stretched his hand to pick it up, not leaving his attention off his script.


    "Hello?"


    There was a pause followed by a question. "How are you doing?"


    Yating heard his father''s voice and stopped his movement. He slowly kept the tab aside. "Dad."


    Ever since the Authors'' Summit and their heated confrontation of Yating''s blame on him that he interfered with the results and wanted Guiying to win, the father-son pair hadn''t talked. Though through Chyou''s help, which Gu Rong suggested it himself, was proved that he had nothing to do with the judging corruption, the ice between them still remained.


    Yating was indeed looking for a chance to apologize to him for unjustly accusing him, but that day somehow never arrived. Now he felt extra guilty that it was Gu Rong who ended up contacting him first.


    "I am doing well," he hummed and asked back, "How are you?"


    "How would I be with my own son not talking to me?"


    "We haven''t been talking for years."


    "I am not dead." N?v¦ÅlB?n: A Haven for Bookworms and Dreamers.


    Yating pulled his brows together. "I have been occupied with things."


    "So much that you didn''t even have the courtesy to apologize to your father and take responsibility," he sharply countered.


    Yating narrowed his eyes. "I didn''t hear an apology from you either for hiding the fact that you technically own Dream High because you wanted to spy on your son and make the corporate ladder climbing easier for me that I didn''t ask for. Guess that equals the score."


    There was silence at the other end after which he said, "I wasn''t spying or making things easy for you. I just want you back in the Gu Corps. That''s where you belong."


    "I am twenty-eight now, Dad. I think I am fairly old to understand where I belong."


    "How much does the Chief Editor job pays you?"


    Yating threw his phone aside. He felt it was like he stepped back into that time of his phase when he was in his early-twenties and things had started to go sour between the father and son. Yating''s dreams clashed with Gu Rong''s expectations which always came to a stormy end. The small conversation right now felt draining just like the old times.


    He released a sigh.


    "I need some beer."


    ¡ª


    Yating reached the hotel''s entrance at the exact time he was supposed to come. He stepped out of his car and looked for Gu Rong. He didn''t find him and so checked at the reception for a booking.


    "Yes, Sir. Please go straight and turn left. That''s the suite booked," the receptionist said with a hospitable smile.


    "Thanks."


    He followed the directions and found the suite. He turned the doorknob but felt some murmurs coming from inside, making him frown.


    Shouldn''t he be alone?


    He stepped inside and first saw his father''s figure seated in front of him and as the door opened wider, he froze seeing two other people opposite Gu Rong.


    Zhu Xiaosi, the CEO of S3 tech company and his daughter, Zhu Chyou, the Queen of the Entertainment industry.


    Yating gave a blank look and struggled to process the two additional members as a part of the dinner that was supposed to be private between a father and son.


    "Yating!" Chyou raised her arm up and merrily chirped. "Dot on time~"


    Yating pulled his lips together in a smile with great hardship. "Punctuality and chivalry is what makes a man..." he squinted his eyes at Gu Rong and added, "and so does truthfulness."


    Gu Rong naturally felt his pointed and accusing gaze and didn''t reply.


    Yating inwardly gritted his teeth.


    What the hell!? Don''t tell me this is just an excuse for another marriage meeting? I already told him it''s impossible between Chyou and me! For God''s sake, she is already dating!


    Xiaosi smiled at him and asked, "You okay, Gu Yating? I hope my daughter is not bullying you on the set."


    Chyou frowned. "I don''t bully anyone. I am a very nice person."


    Gu Rong was confused. "On the set?"


    "Yeah! Yating is helping Director Murong with the filming, you know? It''s so exciting. He is so talented with stories. Clearly, his Chief Editor experience and talent shines very bright~ You must be proud of him, right?"

 Chapter 775 Collaboration

    Chapter 775 Collaboration


    ?Gu Rong said, "I appreciate his talent but is that a really viable career choice for life is what I often wonder."


    Chyou chuckled. "Then you can stop worrying, Uncle. Stories make the world go around whether through books, music, art or films. Yating, with his talent, will definitely go very far."


    "I see."


    Yating slowly pulled the chair and took his seat while asking the burning question through his gaze itself.


    What are they doing here?


    Gu Rong sneakily narrowed his eyes back at him as if asking his own question, which Yating didn''t understand.


    What is he getting mad at me for?


    He left the question at that and pleasantly smiled at Xiaosi. "How are you doing, Mr. Zhu?" N?v¦ÅlB?n: A Haven for Bookworms and Dreamers.


    "As long as my family is well, I always do great, which they are so I am very happy."


    "Cool."


    Chyou waited and then flared her nostrils. "How come you didn''t ask me how I am doing?"


    Yating blinked at her. "We just met at the set this morning and I left in the afternoon."


    "Exactly. It was this afternoon and now it''s evening. Anybody''s mental state can change within these few hours, you know? What if I am not happy anymore?" she pouted.


    "Are you not?"


    "No. I am very happy because I am very hungry and this hotel''s food is great so I am looking forward to the dinner, for which we will be splitting the bill, but I won''t mind if you pay all of it~" she stuck out her tongue and grinned.


    "There you are. All happy and bubbly."


    "You should still ask," she sincerely pointed out.


    He smiled. "I will be sure to take an update every hour from next time and that means..." he looked at the time and said, "I will ask you again at 9.06 PM."


    He adores me? How come I never felt that?


    Xiaosi read his questioning and judgemental gaze towards his father like an open book and smiled. "Adoration and love is sometimes very silent, Yating."


    He then directed his gaze at Gu Rong. "But to you too, Mr. Gu. You can consider being a little vocal about your thoughts. Things are not understood when they are only kept in your heart."


    "He is always very vocal," Yating said in a deadpan voice.


    Xiaosi looked at him with a somber smile. "He isn''t. Not even 1/10th of what he is actually supposed to be saying. Right, Mr. Gu?"


    Gu Rong shifted uncomfortably in his seat. His expression marred with tension and slight panic.


    Yating furrowed his brows. "...You okay, Dad?"


    "I am fine," he cleared his throat, "Guess we went too off-topic there. Coming back to the main conversation and the reason behind this dinner, Mr. Zhu and I are collaborating for a project, and we would like Chyou and Yating, the next generation, to become the frontrunners for the brand promotion. You know, like advertisements, commercials, magazine photoshoots?"


    Xiaosi nodded. "Yating and Chyou are already well-established in their respective fields so we concluded that it would be an explosive marketing strategy if you two work together."


    Chyou brightened like the morning star. "Awesome!"


    Yating had the very opposite expression. "What? I am fine with interviews and all but photoshoots and ads? I cannot do that really...? I am not a model."


    She raised her hand. "I will teach you! It''s not a movie. Ads are just for a few minutes. The filming is not so hard. And well photoshoots you know. You just have to pose, that''s all."


    "You make it sound very easy just like helping with the script," he helplessly shook his head.


    "Because it IS easy and why fear when the Queen is here~"


    "But why not hire a professional model? I am just gonna goof up, I can tell," he scratched his head and coughed.


    Gu Rong grimaced. "Is that model my son or you?"


    Chyou laughed. "Goofing up is even more great. It will become a part of bloopers which we will specially release later for entertainment~" she winked.


    "..."


    "So you will be making me a clown?" he raised his brow, amused.


    "Everybody makes mistakes. Better to openly laugh at them and enjoy laughing with others. Spread happiness and positivity~ You should see some of my bloopers I do on set. You won''t have a stomach left anymore because it will be dead by too much laughing ahahaha!"

 Chapter 776 What they want

    Chapter 776 What they want


    ?After dinner, Yating and Chyou were chucked out of the room by their own fathers to give them some privacy for discussing business related matters. Yating awkwardly hung around and eventually suggested they could take a walk until then.


    Chyou chuckled. "You were bubbling like a volcano, weren''t you?"


    He refused to accept. "I wasn''t."


    "You were. You were throwing daggers at Uncle Gu the whole time."


    He rubbed the back of his neck. "I was kept in the dark. It was supposed to be a private dinner between us and then I suddenly saw you. I know how much Dad has pushed me for our marriage, so I thought it was regarding that...I was annoyed even more because I am supposed to be independent in choosing my life partner but here he was unnecessarily interfering again. And then I thought Dad put you in an awkward position knowing full well that you are already dating. I am sorry."


    Chyou sheepishly grinned. "Don''t worry. I was the same. I wondered why Dad was pulling me to come with him for dinner with you and Uncle Gu. But it turned out for a project! If it''s anything about the camera, I am always happy~"


    "First Director Murong and now this project..." Yating suspiciously narrowed his eyes. "Are you all secretly plotting something to make me an actor instead of an editor?"


    "You have the talent, so why not?"


    "Talent in acting?" His eyes widened. "For all I know I might degrade your hard-earned Queen image with my presence," he shook his head. "Cheng Yin is more suited for this commercial than me. I doubt the branding our fathers are imagining will even pass by my subpar camera skills."


    "Don''t be so pessimistic!" Where Stories Blossom: N?v¦ÅlB?n.


    "I am not a very camera friendly person. I cannot even normally smile in a selfie," he blankly spoke the bitter truth.


    She rolled her eyes. "It cannot be that bad. You are overthinking. Okay, wait."


    Chyou hopped a few steps away and took out her phone. She aimed the camera at his face and said, "Let''s take your picture. Come on, smile now~"


    Yating blinked and froze. He cleared his throat and awkwardly stood, not knowing what to do with his hands and with his expression.


    "Why don''t you keep your hands in your pockets? You know stand with a suave pose," she beamed.


    "What is a suave pose?"


    "I am so glad that you are aware."


    Gu Rong stared at Yating outside and said, "I don''t understand. Is it because I sincerely wish for them to get together that I am misunderstanding things or does my son really feel different for her? Or maybe starting to?"


    Gu Rong tilted his head, watching Yating very carefully. It felt as if he would never really forget Ai and move on, but the Yating in front of him now looked different.


    At this point, the duo outside was gasping for breath and Chyou asked for a pause. Yating took pity and agreed for a five minutes break.


    Xiaosi now gazed at them too. "But Chyou loves somebody else."


    "So did my son. Feelings can change."


    Xiaosi felt he stepped into twenty years of the past with a glassy gaze. "Sure, they can."


    Gu Rong''s brow twitched and murmured. "My son is way ahead and better than that Cheng Yin..."


    He looked at him. "Tell me that you don''t feel the same way about them that I do."


    "What matters is what Chyou and Yating feel."


    "Is Cheng Yin really that good?"


    "Chyou feels so."


    "And you and Mrs. Zhu as her parents?"


    He answered nothing to that. Instead, he said, "If you have this conversation with Yating, I believe he would see you in a very different light. You need to bridge the differences between you two. How long are the father and son going to keep building walls like that?"


    "I am not building any wall. It''s him who is not listening to me. I only want what is best for him whether it''s his career or marriage. He is being stubborn."


    Xiaosi smiled. "Like father, like son I suppose."


    Gu Rong stiffened. A faint flash of an unknown emotion settled in his irises and he looked outside the window once again.


    "Like father, like son indeed..." he whispered.

 Chapter 777 Two silly peas in a pod

    Chapter 777 Two silly peas in a pod


    ?The atmosphere on the set the next day was different. Yating felt it as soon as he stepped in. He glanced across the staff, who were eyeing him with some meaningful gaze where he didn''t understand what the meaning was. They were periodically looking into their phones and whispering something to each other.


    Did something happen?


    Yating tilted his head questioningly, wondering to himself.


    "Gu Yating!"


    Director Murong welcomed him with a happy grin and patted the seat beside him. "Just when I was thinking about you. We are about to start."


    "Yeah..."


    Yating took a cautious look around him once more and couldn''t help but ask, "Is something the matter today?"


    "Hm? What matter?"


    "I don''t understand why is everybody gazing at me...a certain way? Something definitely feels different."


    "Huh? Oh! Is this about the viral video?"


    "What viral video?"


    "Of you and Zhu Chyou."


    Director Murong asked with interest, "Did you two go on dinner last night?"


    Yating rapidly blinked his eyes. "...How do you know?"


    Sharp and shock-laced gasps echoed throughout the set as soon as Yating admitted a yes. The discussions turned into something more furious and ferocious.


    Director Murong took out his cell and swiped some left and right and up and down to show him the root cause of what was happening.


    Yating saw the video of him and Chyou in the restaurant''s garden last night where they were chasing each other.


    ''Okay, okay fine, I will delete the pictures!'' Chyou pursed her lips heavily with dissatisfaction. ''You are no fun at all. Okay just one picture, pretty please?''


    Chyou stared at Yating with her big, bright and pleading eyes to which he was averting his eyes. ''No. Delete all.''


    ''You have to let me keep one!'' Chyou whined.


    "Oh my God, is the Zhu and Gu family going to...?"


    "I don''t know what to say! Do their families want them to tie the knot?"


    "But then what about Cheng Yin?"


    "Does Mr. Zhu not accept him?"


    "Is this a love triangle? Wait, will the Queen and my prince''s love story end in a tragedy?"


    Yating couldn''t wrap his head around the rapid flow of the conversation at all.


    Well, even I had misunderstood that it was a marriage meeting so I cannot really blame them. I shouldn''t have said that.


    He said, "It wasn''t a marriage meeting. Our fathers are collaborating on a project and they want Chyou and me to work on its branding and marketing together. We were there to discuss that. That''s all."


    The frenzied crowd calmed down a bit after hearing that. The video and then the potential conclusions arriving out of it was a rollercoaster ride on its own.


    "I am ready~!"


    Just then, Chyou arrived ready in her getup but frowned at Yating''s sight. "You are a mean person! You didn''t let me keep even a single picture!"


    He shrugged. He gave it a thought and quickly whispered near her. "Chyou, you need to clarify a big misunderstanding. Have you seen the viral video? Everybody is thinking that we were on a date last night."


    She was confused. "I haven''t checked my social media yet."


    She quickly saw it too and facepalmed. "How is this a date when we were just running around like a bunch of school kids?"


    The same excited girl who had exclaimed before, asked once again, "Mr. Yating said that Mr. Zhu and Mr. Gu were there too. So, so, so! Was it a marriage meeting?"


    Yating''s mouth twitched.


    I just said it wasn''t. Is it so hard to believe me?


    She blinked twice. "Ah? No, it wasn''t. I mean, that was already done and dusted before so why would it be a marriage meeting again?"


    Yating and everybody else - "..."


    Done and dusted before meaning that there were indeed potential marriage talks going on between you two at one point!?


    "Huh, huh, huh?" Chyou sheepishly grinned, scratching her head and looking at the crowd that was beginning to fall out of balance. "Why this steep silence?"


    Yating closed his eyes and then gave a defeated smile. "I shouldn''t have brought up our fathers and you shouldn''t have brought up our past meeting. Aren''t we two silly peas in a pod?"

 Chapter 778 Insecurity and bitterness

    Chapter 778 Insecurity and bitterness


    ?"Cut!"


    Director Murong shook his head. "Where is your attention Cheng Yin? This is not how you have performed all this time. Your mind and your heart don''t feel in the same place."


    Yin stiffened and embarrassment flashed in his eyes. "I am sorry, Director. I will do the next take correctly."


    "No, I don''t think so. You don''t seem to be in the moment. Your mind is wandering somewhere. Until that gets fixed, we won''t go anywhere with the shooting. Let''s take a break and get back."


    Yin headed straight to his make-up roomz gnashing his jaw. He looked at himself in the mirror and exhaled a deep breath. He then felt a gentle poke on his cheek and glanced at the side.


    Chyou pursed her lips, worried. "Is something bothering you, Yin?"


    He tried to smile. "Not really. Maybe I''m not just in the zone."


    "Yin, we are together. I want us to share our joys and sorrows and hard times with each other. We can think about it and find a solution for it together. Nothing can be impossible then!" She beamed and tried to lighten up the mood. "The Queen always has a solution hohoho!"


    The awkwardness to initiate the conversation was clearly evident. Even so, he went ahead and said, "...I wasn''t aware that there were," he coughed lightly, "marriage talks going between you and Gu Yating before."


    Chyou blinked at him and opened and parted her lips. The realization then dawned upon her.


    "Wait, are you worried about the viral video?"


    A violent surge of bitterness swept in his chest. He didn''t want to admit it but seeing the two together in the video was enough to make his furious sparks fly. But at the same time, he didn''t want to sound petty and insecure because he knew that Chyou loved him. It was foolish to doubt her, so he locked up those ugly emotions. N?v¦ÅlB?n: A Haven for Bookworms and Dreamers.


    But the moment he heard that at some point, there were potential marriage talks going on between them, the wave of hateful, intense jealousy crashed once again.


    Chyou laughed and shook her head. "It wouldn''t be like that between us."


    She then asked, "Are you sure it will be fine if I do the commercial with Yating? Look, you don''t have to get stressed at all because of that. It''s my Dad anyway. I can just tell him that work is really keeping me busy. He would be cool with it."


    Yin was extremely tempted to take that offer and he had almost said yes to it. But he didn''t want her to have a shitty image of him, a boyfriend who controlled and dictated what she should do and she shouldn''t.


    "I am cool with the commercial, Chyou. It won''t take much time anyway," he shrugged.


    "...O-okay."


    She left his room after the conversation and bit her lower lip, thinking about something. She went back to her own makeup room and dialed Xiaosi''s number.


    "Dad."


    "Hey, what''s up?"


    Chyou cleared her throat. "Well, I was just thinking if I could withdraw from the commercial? You know, this movie is quite the big one and Director Murong is very demanding. So I don''t know if I will really get the time hehe~"


    There was silence at the end.


    "Did anybody say anything to you?"


    "Of course not. It''s just that I am finally realizing the scale of this movie and the Director''s expectations. It''s so exhausting. I know someone who will be perfect for the commercial with Yating."


    Xiaosi said nothing. At one point, Chyou wondered if the call got disconnected but it wasn''t.


    Ah? Why isn''t he saying anything?


    "I will talk to Director Murong about your workload and accordingly adjust your schedule for the commercial. The collaboration will go as planned. Don''t worry about anything. I won''t let anything exhaust my daughter."

 Chapter 779 Nothing else matters

    Chapter 779 Nothing else matters


    ?As the shooting for the movie continued, the work for the commercial also parallely started. Yating had now solely dedicated his focus on the commercial so as to do his best and not embarrass Chyou in the process.


    Just as when the take was about to begin, Yin, too, had arrived on the commercial set. The staff immediately erupted into a chaos of gushes as he waved a grinning smile at them.


    "Yin!"


    Pleasantly surprised, Chyou dove into his hug. "What are you doing here?"


    He grinned. "Well I was done with my other assignments so I thought why not come here to support you?"


    "You are the best boyfriend!" She chirped.


    She peered into his eyes a moment longer and heaved a sigh of relief. She hadn''t wanted to upset him so she wanted to withdraw from this commercial but Xiaosi assured her otherwise. But looking at his bright and cheerful self now, she wondered if she had been overthinking.


    "Hey, hey it''s Cheng Yin and Gu Yating! Queen Chyou''s boyfriend and ex-blind date at the same place!"


    "Ssh lower your voice. What if they hear you?" N?v¦ÅlB?n: A Haven for Bookworms and Dreamers.


    "But doesn''t it look odd to you? I wonder if Cheng Yin came here because he was uncomfortable with Gu Yating''s presence. Does he think that Gu Yating is actually interested in Queen Chyou?"


    "Didn''t you hear that Queen Chyou said that they are just good friends?"


    "No, no, no, there is definitely some chemistry going on there. Cheng Yin can feel it, that''s why he is so alert."


    She frowned. "Why did Queen Chyou agree to this commercial? Gu Yating might be a nice man but he is someone with whom her family was thinking of tying the knot. Obviously, any boyfriend would be uncomfortable. I don''t want Yin Gege to get hurt!"


    Yating felt the change in the atmosphere and sighed. "I am gonna become a clown."


    Chyou smacked him. "You will do great. Just follow my lead."


    Chyou''s jaw trembled and she couldn''t hold back her laughter. The second take failed but this time because of Chyou which left everybody in deep shock. Chyou hardly made any mistakes with her performance.


    "S-sorry..." she stuck out her tongue to the director to which he just shrugged.


    "As long as you enjoy and have fun. But don''t bully my cameraman too much."


    Yating tilted his head. "Why are you laughing?"


    Chyou pinched his cheek, still continuing to laugh. "Well when I mouthed you to say your line, you didn''t understand it and seemed so confused. *Ahem* you looked so cute~"


    He squinted his eyes. "You mean dumb."


    "I mean cute. Don''t you twist my innocent emotions," she blinked.


    Yating scoffed. "What I was afraid of is becoming true. I am becoming the clown Gu Yating, am I not?"


    She shook her head hard. "You are doing great! Plus, we aren''t really in a hurry for this commercial''s shooting so you can take your time in becoming familiar and used to the camera~ Queen Chyou will guide you every step of the way. Let''s see. The first thing is you should try to forget the people around you."


    "Everybody is literally looking at us. How am I supposed to ignore them?" He asked with furrowed brows.


    "By looking at me. Me and only me."


    Yating almost stumbled off balance. "S-sorry?"


    "Just imagine that I am the only one here. Forget about the commercial or the shooting or the brand. Just focus on me. You are looking at me. You are talking to me. Nobody else should come in your view. I know it''s easy to say but you will catch the drift the more you will practice."


    Chyou curiously leaned and asked, "How does it feel to be in love?"


    Yating''s eyelashes ever so faintly trembled. Just for a small moment, Ai flashed in front of his eyes.


    "Nothing else really matters..."


    She smiled. "Yup. Nothing else matters when you are with the person you love. That''s how we are supposed to be. And that''s how I want you to look at me."

 Chapter 780 Never like anybody else

    Chapter 780 Never like anybody else


    ?"We should celebrate!"


    Chyou declared after they wrapped up with the shooting for the day. As they were all packed up and ready to leave, Chyou was struck with an idea.


    "Today was Yating''s first day in front of the camera, officially acting like a performer. Just like us. We should celebrate such a great start!"


    Yin stiffened. He thought the day was finally over and he grab Chyou away from this man but instead, she suggested something that would only extend spending time with him even longer.


    Yating scratched his head. "It wasn''t such a good start really. I fumbled a lot of times. And I was still unable to get the scene right."


    "You will learn!" She furiously patted his head. "Everybody did a great job so we should definitely enjoy a wonderful team dinner~" N?v¦ÅlB?n: A Haven for Bookworms and Dreamers.


    Everybody''s ears perked up with that and their heads snapped at her with their sparkling gazes.


    A team dinner with Queen Chyou! And that too free food!


    The director was also in some mood for a chilled beer so he gave a thumbs up. "Cool. Let''s stuff our stomachs with some good meat and beer."


    ¡ª


    It was a chaotic time in the restaurant come club where three pots of hot pot were steaming and boiling with a delicious smell of the tender meat and veggies wafting in the air.


    "Ah, ah, hot, hot, hot!" Chyou fanned her mouth, stuffing a piece of cabbage wrapped in meat.


    Yin shook his head and took a tissue, wiping the corner of her mouth. "You are such a clutz. Cool down the meat first and then eat. Do you want to burn your tongue?"


    Three men from the team whistled hard at their public display of affection. One of them coughed. "Queen Chyou, will you please not burn the singles around here with envy?"


    Yin raised his brow. "If you don''t want to burn with envy, then you should quickly find an amazing girlfriend like my Chyou and burn other singles with envy."


    Chyou could see it like a movie playing out in front of her. Women on the set surely showed interest in Yating because of his handsome looks, his position in Dream High and the fact that he was Gu Rong''s son. But now their gazes turned to like those of wolves who hungrily eyed their prey.


    From just an interest based on looks and wealth, Yating had suddenly changed for them into an ideal man for every woman seated at the table.


    One of the guys asked, "Sir Gu, does that mean I should find a woman who wouldn''t judge me for the figurine collection I have?"


    "Ew, gross!"


    "Shut up! What do you know about figurines anyway!?"


    Yating laughed. "Yeah. If you could show her that then guess you have found your keeper."


    A woman gasped. "I look the silliest without makeup, Sir Gu. You must be joking if you say that I should meet my boyfriend without makeup on! That''s a nightmare!"


    "Do you intend to sleep beside your partner with your makeup on for the rest of your life?"


    "...It actually feels really uncomfortable."


    "Like a wise man once said, if your man cannot accept your dark circles, then he doesn''t deserve your fair circles either."


    The woman went quiet for a long moment and then laughed hard. "Fair circles? Is that even a thing?"


    Yating shrugged. "My knowledge about makeup is as limited as a penguin''s knowledge about surfing. We are both just waddling through uncharted territory."


    The air took a swing in Yating''s favor, making Yin''s chest swell with bitterness. Suddenly, everybody was surrounding him but what tugged his heart the most was Chyou who was laughing heartily right by his side.


    A laughter that was because of Gu Yating, not Cheng Yin.


    On the other side, Yating entertained the silly questions of the staff when a waiter stopped by him. "May I take your order please?"


    "Oh yeah, we need some more beer and-" Yating said as he looked up but froze hard. The waiter in front of him met his gaze and visibly stiffened too.


    "Ma...Dong?"

 Chapter 781 Guilty hiding

    Chapter 781 Guilty hiding


    ?As Yating took the beer from Ma Dong, his hand trembled. The club, the crowd, the people, the music - everything had turned eerily silent as he stepped back to those high school times. N?v¦ÅlB?n: Transforming Moments into Memories.


    ''Yating, save me! Please hold my hand! I-I am going to fall!''


    Ma Dong had pleaded from the third floor''s window as he had looked at Yating with desperation and horror, who held his arm and tried to pull him up.


    But Yating couldn''t save him. The hand slipped and so did Ma Dong, who crashed on the ground.


    *CRASH*


    The sound of glass breaking sharply tore through the air, snapping Yating''s daze. He looked down and saw the glass shattered into pieces. The beer spilled on the floor. He stared at the cracked glass, its image overlapping with Ma Dong who had fell on the ground just like the glass.


    "Oh God Yating, are you okay?"


    Yating slowly glanced at his side. He recognized Chyou''s voice, but her face looked blurry to him. He felt her concern and worry but couldn''t see the tense brows pressing together.


    She took a look at his hands and sighed in relief. "Thankfully, you aren''t hurt. Yating...?"


    His eyes seemed lost and unfocused. Chyou failed to understand what went wrong.


    He was fine a minute ago...


    She looked up at the waiter and apologized for the accident. "We are sorry for the glass. We will pay for it..."


    But even his expression was that of discomfort and a palpable tension. She alternated her gaze between them and frowned.


    Why are they looking like this?


    Yating breathed hard and suddenly stood on his feet. He felt the whole space going wobbly and he hoarsely said, "I-I will be back..."


    "Yating, wait...!"


    But he was already gone. The director and other staff members were puzzled too.


    "What happened to Sir Gu suddenly?"


    "He looked so pale. Don''t tell me the hotpot didn''t suit him?"


    Ma Dong stepped aside to bring a broom and collect the broken glass shards. He then wiped the spilled beer and smiled. "It''s all clean."


    Chyou said, "Thank you so much. I apologize again for the bother."


    "No!" He exclaimed without hesitation. "I am fine!"


    Why is he so agitated? Yating was taken aback with his tone.


    There was an urgent banging of the trash bin cover and a moment later, Yin stepped out. He showed a smile or at least tried to. "Hey."


    "Hey back. Why did you bang the door so loudly? You sounded really pissed."


    Yin laughed. "Pissed? Why would I be pissed? Oh don''t worry about that noise. It''s embarassing. There was wetness on the floor so I almost slipped and my foot hit the door."


    But you also cursed ''Fuck, fuck'' quite angrily, Yating thought as he stared at him. Should I mention that?


    Yating slightly frowned looking at his face.


    His eyes look...dizzy?


    Yin cleared his throat. "I will go back. Chyou must be missing me already haha."


    He didn''t meet Yating''s eyes anymore and quickly left the washroom. Something still unsettled Yating''s heart as if he knew that wasn''t the complete story he said.


    What was that plastic crushing sound?


    Yating pushed the door open and looked down at the floor. He blinked.


    There wasn''t any trace of wetness on the floor or any sign that Yin had slipped. There wasn''t a speck of disturbance or any graze of friction from his shoes against the floor. The floor was spot clean and dry.


    He lied. He really did kick the door on purpose. But why was he so angry?


    His gaze fell to the trash can, and he paused. He surmised that Yin threw something in the trash.


    He hesitated.


    He felt he was poking his nose into matters where it didn''t belong, but seeing his violent outburst for no good reason didn''t settle well with him.


    Yating pressed his foot on the trash can''s peddle and peered inside as the cover lifted up. He immediately found a small empty and crushed plastic packet sitting on the top. He tore a piece of some toilet roll paper and using, it he grabbed the packet.


    Yating stared at its front and back, confused.


    What is this?


    The plastic was empty but he could see a thin coating of something powdery along the packet''s walls. Yating took a very light whiff from a distance and he coughed hard, widening his eyes.


    He stared at the packet, flabbergasted. He thought back to Yin''s eyes which looked woozy and lost.


    What the hell...He was taking drugs?

 Chapter 782 Emphasize

    Chapter 782 Emphasize


    Where Stories Blossom: N?v¦ÅlB?n.


    ?Chyou was also in the ladies restroom on the other side, her mind wandering with Yating''s thoughts.


    "What must be bothering him...? He looked so pale," she mumbled to herself.


    "O-Oh Q-Queen Chyou!"


    One of the staff members, Qiu, stepped out from one of the stalls and greeted her nervously. "I d-didn''t know you were here too."


    Chyou chuckled. "You don''t have to call me Queen. It actually feels distant!"


    Qiu felt the tension ease from her shoulders. "Thank you, M-Miss. Zhu. Is that okay with you?"


    "Cool."


    Qiu stepped near the washbasin and switched on the tap. As she washed her hands, she noticed Chyou in a slightly tense mood. "Is everything alright, Miss. Zhu? You look worried."


    She sighed. "I don''t know. I was just trying to figure out why his mood suddenly turned like that? He was just fine before that."


    Qiu slightly widened her eyes. She thought back for a moment and said, "Well..."


    Chyou blinked at her. "Hm? You know something?"


    "I can kind of guess? He must not be feeling so comfortable."


    That took her aback. "But why so?"


    She scratched her chin in embarrassment. "I-I mean, please don''t get offended, Miss. Zhu b-but any guy would feel jealous. I could see it in his eyes that he was feeling extremely out of place."


    Chyou frowned. "Why would I be offended? Wait, why would he be feeling jealous and out of place?"


    In fact, Yating looked in place more than anybody else. Somehow I feel he stole my spotlight, she harrumphed.


    Qiu slightly parted her lips, shocked. "I mean...considering your and Mr. Gu''s history of marriage talks but despite that, you are such good friends with him, I think it''s natural for Prince Cheng to feel jealous."


    Chyou blinked rapidly. "Wait, you are talking about Yin?"


    She gave a small smile. "Thanks a lot. I will head out."


    Her heels tapped on the floor as she hurried outside. She ran all the way outside of the club. Becoming breathless, she finally stopped sprinting.


    How can I be such an idiot? I was hurting Yin and I didn''t even realize it. It''s so shameful Chyou that somebody else had to point that out to you...


    She inhaled a deep breath and decided what she had to do.


    I will have a good talk with Yin and make everything crystal clear. There is nothing between Yating and I and the only man I love is Cheng Yin! She nodded to herself.


    "Don''t you talk nonsense, Gu Yating!"


    Chyou jolted with the sudden, loud and angry exclamation. What shocked her more was that the fury-laced voice belonged to Cheng Yin''s.


    She walked slowly and cautiously towards the small alley beside the club where the voice came from. Her brows furrowed, puzzled.


    That was Yin, right?


    In the alley, Yating regained his balance after Yin had harshly pushed him off as he seethed in anger. His eyes dangerously narrowed. "Last warning, Cheng Yin. Don''t push me like that again. I didn''t come here looking for a fight. I just came to ask you what this empty packet means?"


    Yating held the small, plastic packet that slightly shone under the dim street light.


    Yin angrily laughed. "Why do I have to answer you? And why the hell are you spying on me!?"


    "I am not spying on you. I saw it in your eyes how you looked back in the washroom, and I felt something was very wrong. Then I found this. Cheng Yin...I heard from Chyou that you had stopped with the drugs."


    He froze hard.


    "You had assured her that you were never going back to that route again. But you really haven''t left it, have you?"


    Yin''s irises blazed with fury. "You...who do you think you are meddling in my business?"


    Yating took a dangerous, warning step ahead. His black eyes were as cold as the Arctic. "Chyou is my good friend, Cheng Yin. She believes in you and I don''t want that trust shattered. I don''t want to see her hurt."


    Yin met his gaze and sneered. "You are right, Gu Yating. You are worried because she is your friend. But let me emphasize the ''friend'' part. She is ONLY your friend, not your girlfriend so stop acting like she is."


    "Yin..."


    The color drained from his face as he heard the familiar voice. He slowly turned his head, his expression turning whiter.


    "Ch-Chyou..."

 Chapter 783 Unfair bias

    Chapter 783 Unfair bias


    ??Chyou stared at the small packet in Yating''s hand. Her thoughts circled around for how long Yin had been hiding this from her. She couldn''t trace her answer because it seemed like never.


    "Chyou, i-it is not how it looks...I just..."


    Heaving his chest back and forth breathlessly, he combed his hand through his hair in frustration. He couldn''t find the right words to explain himself.


    "Then what does it look like?" She quietly asked.


    She looked at Yating with an unsaid hesitation. "I am sorry you happened to get involved in this."


    Yin clenched his jaw.


    He didn''t happen to get involved by mistake. He is doing it on purpose! He is getting between us to break us apart!


    He threw a deadly glare at him.


    He must have known that Chyou was here. That''s why...


    Yeah that''s why he put up this act of confronting me. He wanted to embarrass me in front of Chyou!


    Yating didn''t know what to say. He balled his fist, angry at himself. He didn''t want Chyou to hear any of this. He precisely met up with Yin in the alley privately to talk to him and bring sense to him. Chyou trusted Yin and...


    I don''t want the trust to shatter.


    He parted and closed his lips and after a long thought, only an apology was what escaped his lips.


    "I am sorry, Chyou. I really didn''t want you to..."


    Chyou pressed her lips and asked, "Can I please talk to Yin alone?"


    He glanced at Yin, whose face was bubbly with fury and disdain for him. Yating didn''t care about any of that as long as he remained truthful and honest to Chyou. He didn''t want what he was going to say, but he wished Yin would apologize to her instead of deceiving her once again.


    "No, please," he urged and held her face. "I don''t blame you for anything. It''s just...Gu Yating."


    "Yating?"


    "To me, it looks like he definitely...feels something for you."


    Chyou widened her eyes. "That''s not it, Yin."


    "I knew you would say that Chyou, but Yating, he really does look at you more than just a friend!"


    She stared at him, trying to find her words. "I mean to say that Yating doesn''t like me in that way. And I am not invalidating your concern. It''s just that I know for sure. He already loves somebody else."


    That took Yin aback.


    "A-another woman?"


    "Yes. But..." she looked dismal, "it''s sad to see that she doesn''t return his feelings. She is really happy with somebody else. I know that other man too very well. They are perfect for each other. But that also means that Yating has to step back. And he did. But I also know that she is still in his heart. You understand, right? It''s not easy to forget your love and move on. But he is doing his very best."


    Yin failed to respond.


    Gu Yating likes another woman?


    "That''s also why we talked about how it wouldn''t work between us. Yating and me. He had somebody else in his heart and so did me. I know the thought that we were set up for a marriage meeting is uncomfortable for you. I completely understand. But trust me, there is nothing more than friendship. He was hiding his love for her while initially, I too, was doing the same regarding you. So we just naturally became friends because we understood each other."


    "But then this makes my point even stronger. If he loves somebody else and is now trying to move on, he could be...also wanting to use you to get over her. People do that all the time. Find a new love to forget the old one."


    Chyou released her hands from his, making him stiffen. She spoke calmly but firmly, "Yating is not like that. I have felt the love he has for her. He would never use another woman to get rid of it. He does want to move on, but he would never choose such a cheap way."


    He froze.


    "Y-you...you don''t understand, Chyou. You should have seen how he was confronting me! That wasn''t friendship. There is definitely something more there!"


    "Yin, if tomorrow, I find that Yating''s girlfriend is into drugs, I would have done the same as what he did tonight. Would that mean I confronted her because I love him? No. We are friends. We care for each other. But why does it need to have a romantic meaning behind it? Yin, it''s not like you don''t have female friends. You hang out with them, but I have never doubted their feelings for you. So why is Yating facing this unfair bias?"

 Chapter 784 Cherish both friendship and love

    Chapter 784 Cherish both friendship and love


    ??"I cannot believe that you are speaking for him, Chyou," Yin looked incredulous. "He is just somebody you met a few months ago. Whereas our friendship goes back years. Do you trust him more than me?"


    Her eyes stretched wide. "How did trust come here? I trust you but I also trust Yating. He is a man who gracefully stepped back to see the happiness of the woman he loved. That itself told me volumes of the kind of a man he is. You...really don''t know how much he is hurting inside. That''s why I cannot hear if you say that he would stop so low to use a woman."


    She then shook her head. "And let''s forget even about me. My family has known his family for years as business partners. That''s why I have heard of him from my Mom and Dad enough to know who and how he is."


    Yin trembled. "So it all still comes down to your marriage meeting. Mr. Zhu chose him because he trusts him. Whereas I..."


    "That''s how marriage meetings are anyway, right? The families generally know each other so they want to see their children get settled too. It''s simply that they are more familiar with Yating than you and that was only through business. If you meet my family tomorrow, I am sure they will like you too! They have seen you on the screen and they admire your talent a lot."


    Yin wasn''t really convinced. He could still feel Yating''s iciness from when he confronted him a few minutes back. That wasn''t a joke. His gaze was so dead serious as if he would let anybody hurt Chyou at any cost.


    "...Please give me some time, Chyou," he bitterly said with a clenched fist. "Gu Yating really makes me uncomfortable. But you would be friends with him. If you compare me and Gu Yating, then I lack miserably in front of him, right? Before the rich heir Gu Yating, I am not sure if your family...would even accept an actor like me."


    "What are you talking about, Yin?" Chyou said, incredulous, "Of course they will like you. Do you think my family is shallow?"


    "No...No! I am not saying that. But the difference between me and him is so clear, right?"


    He was taken aback by her rejection. This wasn''t what he had expected.


    "Why should I stay away from Yating? Why should I ignore him? Why should I end my friendship with him? My friendship with him and my love for you are two separate things. I am not mixing them up at all. Yet why is it asked of me that I keep my distance from him? Did I ever ask you to stay away from all the women you know? Will you do it if I ask you now?"


    "They are just my friends, Chyou."


    "And how are you so sure about that?" Her eyes narrowed. "If you believe that Yating can be a cunning man to hide his true feelings for me then so could all your female friends do the same, too, right?"


    "You...I just know it for sure!"


    "I am saying the same thing. I also know for sure that Yating doesn''t love me. Yet you don''t show the same trust in me that I show in you. How is it that a woman shouldn''t have an issue with her boyfriend''s female friends but a man gets the right to have problems with her male friends? You cannot agree to keep your distance from your female friends, so then why am I expected to do it?"


    Her eyes blazed with a firm determination. "Yin, I value my friends and family as much as I value and cherish you as my life partner. I would never agree to ending my ties with somebody just to keep my relationship intact. That''s not how I envision our relationship to be. I want it to be based on trust and mutual understanding, not comparison and insecurity. I don''t want you lying to me and succumbing yourself to drugs every time you feel uncomfortable about something."


    He shook hard, his eyes reddening with fury and hurt.


    Chyou somberly said, "We should head back for now. We both need some time to think. Right now, you are very high. Let''s talk when that intoxication wears off."

 Chapter 785 Talk

    Chapter 785 Talk


    Chyou collapsed back on her bed, exhausted. She put her arm over her eyes, wanting for some quietness but it evaded her. Her argument with Yin filled chaos in her heart yet again. She released a sigh.


    Was I too insensitive?


    ''I don''t want you lying to me and succumbing yourself to drugs every time you feel uncomfortable about something.''


    No, that was definitely insensitive and hurtful. I shouldn''t have said that.


    She rolled on the bed and buried her face into her pillow.


    But Yin also kept the truth from me. He had promised me that he was clean. I am also hurt...


    She felt a soft hand on her hand and she looked up to see her mother warmly smiling at him. "Seems like my daughter had too much fun."


    "I am exhausted...Wait, is that soup?"


    "You should have some. You look really worn out."


    "Mom is the best," she tiredly smiled.


    Caihong sat beside her and placed the tray on her lap.


    "Ummm delicious!" She chirped, taking a spoonful of it.


    Caihong asked, "How was the dinner?"


    She paused and her expression changed for a second. "It was good! We had lots of fun. Good food, music and dance haha. Yating has charmed everybody''s hearts by now. But a strange thing happened, you know? He met a waiter from the club and suddenly, he didn''t look so well. He became very pale and anxious."


    "Oh. Maybe he knows him from somewhere."


    "But then why would he look so tense like that?"


    Caihong released the frowns from her forehead and smiled. "Why don''t you ask him then? Maybe he would want to share his concern with you too."


    "Hmmm," she nodded hard. "I will ask him for sure."


    Her eyes slightly widened. "Of course, Mom. Don''t worry about the fight. We will sort it out."


    She smiled. "That''s good then. If he gets the time, then ask him if he can come here sometime. We will be delighted to meet him."


    "W-wait, isn''t it too soon? I mean meeting the family..."


    Caihong tapped on her forehead. "It''s nothing serious, silly. We aren''t giving your hand in marriage. Not like Xiaosi would allow it so soon anyway."


    She laughed.


    "But your father thinks that we should at least introduce ourselves. Us as your family and him as your boyfriend?"


    She slightly gulped the soup a little faster. "That''s a brilliant idea! I will definitely ask Yin about it."


    "Good, good," she nodded and kissed her forehead. "Now finish the soup and go to sleep. And don''t think about the fight or anything else, okay? You can only think of a solution with a calm mind."


    "Aye, aye, sir!"


    She facepalmed and sighed. "I don''t know where you get this dramatic side from."


    ¡ª


    At a park the next day, Yin anxiously paced back and forth. He saw Chyou''s message to meet her in the morning so that they could talk. The whole sentence unnerved him.


    Is she...Is she coming here to say that she wants to break up with me?


    Amidst his onslaught of negative thoughts, he caught Chyou''s figure walking down the park''s road. She removed her glasses and scarf and met his gaze. "Hey."


    "Hi..." he said back, tensely fidgeting his hands against his pants pockets.


    There was a pinch of an awkward silence between them after both of them said at once, "I want to..."


    Chyou said, "Yes, go on."


    "I am really sorry Chyou!" He looked down with a guilt-ridden gaze. "Please forgive me just this once. I-I really didn''t mean to go back to drugs. It''s just that sometimes...I just can''t help it. I just didn''t want to disappoint you...I really didn''t mean to lie to you and hurt you."


    He clasped his hands together in an awkward manner. "I apologize for...talking about Gu Yating like that too. I know you are good friends and I was just...high. I don''t know what I was talking about. Please forgive me, Chyou," he pleaded with reddened eyes.

 Chapter 786 Putting effort

    Chapter 786 Putting effort


    ?Chyou listened to his side and apology and softly smiled. She held his hand in hers and softly. "Thank you, Yin. I want to apologize to you too. I was really insensitive last night. I didn''t mean to say the things I did...not in the way that would hurt you. Let''s have a proper conversation. I don''t want any bitterness to stay between us."


    Yin''s eyes slightly widened and his lips parted in disbelief. It was out of his expectations that he would get to hear these words from Chyou.


    Was it...really that easy?


    He solemnly nodded. "Sure. Let''s talk."


    They walked along the park road and sat on a bench under a tree.


    Chyou twiddled with her fingers and asked, "First of all, let me tell you that I didn''t handle the conversation quite properly last night. Especially about the drugs part. I was really rude towards the ens. I should have listened to you more and understood your side."


    He gave an awkward smile. "That''s okay. Chyou. I don''t blame you. I did hide from you so I was at fault too."


    She pressed her lips. "It''s because you didn''t want me to be disappointed. I do understand that sentiment. But I believe we need to properly talk about this and find a solution," she then asked cautiously, "How...severe is your addiction?"


    He stiffened.


    She quickly said, "Please don''t be afraid, Yin. I don''t mean to judge you or anything. I love you. As someone who I cherish, I don''t want that person to continue on this path. It''s harmful, dangerous and addiction only ruins our life. That''s why I want to help you overcome it."


    Yin hesitated and didn''t know how to answer. He looked away, slightly squeezing onto her hand tighter. "It''s not that bad...Just sometimes when I am anxious or just worn out..."


    "If you want to rate on a scale of one to ten, how many times do you think you do it?"


    Yin felt a little difficult to breathe.


    I was terrified for no reason!


    Chyou broke his daze and continued. "It''s good that we decided on one part. Now concerning Yating..."


    Yin was about to respond when he paused and held back his words. He silently gave it a thought and changed his way to approach the subject.


    He helplessly waved his hand. "...It''s okay, Chyou. Forget that I said anything. I guess I was too high and agitated to make any sense. It must be the drugs and all perhaps that I...o-


    overreacted. I am sure Gu Yating just treats you as his friend."


    Chyou could read his eyes like an open book. Though his words expressed his understanding, his gaze told a different story.


    "Yes, you are right. Yating and I are just good friends. The marriage discussion that happened before is already a thing of the past. But...I have decided to keep my distance with him nevertheless. I understand your discomfort too. Maybe I would have been the same if it was me at your place?"


    Yin couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Until last night, she was extremely protective of her friendship with Yating, but now she was ready to let go of that for his sake.


    "No, no, Chyou! You really don''t need to-"


    She shook her head and smiled. "It''s fine, Yin. I...don''t think Yating and I will get many chances to meet anyway," she cleared her throat as she clasped her hands, "It was just because of the movie shooting and commercials that we started meeting frequently. So, I believe it''s for the best if we have a professional relationship."


    Yin choked a bit on his voice. "Chyou, you..."


    He pulled her in his arms and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Chyou. I am really the luckiest man in this universe to have you."


    She smiled with a little awkward tremble and stuck out her tongue. "Were you in doubt until now?"


    "Nope, but today just solidified it further."


    "Great! Ah, I feel so much lighter now. Oh yes!" She sheepishly grinned. "Mom and I were talking last night and she said how my family would love to meet you sometime. It''s nothing serious. They just want to know you better."


    "O-Oh..." he inwardly sweated, his heartbeats panicking. "Sure let''s plan for that too."

 Chapter 787 Meeting again

    Chapter 787 Meeting again


    ??After they packed up for the movie shooting for the day, Chyou and Yating were supposed to head to the location for their commercial shooting next.


    "Well, you don''t need my good luck but good luck anyway," Yin chuckled.


    "Thanks! I will do my best~"


    They waved goodbye and Yin left for the day. Yating, who stood at a distance, walked up to her. "Hey."


    "Hey!"


    Chyou turned and chirped at him but then remembered her promise to Yin to only keep a professional relationship with Yating.This chapter is updated by


    Yating''s hands were inwardly sweating in his pockets. "I am really sorry for last night. I shouldn''t have meddled in your matters."


    Her eyes slightly widened. "Why are you apologizing? You didn''t do anything wrong. In fact I am glad about the confrontation. Yin and I got a chance to have an open and honest conversation today. We talked a lot and decided what we have to do next."


    "Yeah, I could see that. It seems that you have sorted things out," he smiled. "I was worried."


    She shook her head. "It''s all fine now."


    Chyou gave it a thought and felt he should know what they had discussed, at least the drugs part.


    "I suggested to Yin that we start some rehabilitation activities. There are therapies and treatments that would help him with his addiction. If we sincerely give it our all, nothing is impossible," she hopefully said.


    "Did he agree to it?"


    "Yes!"


    Yating brightened. "Cool, cool. I am genuinely happy for you."


    Though at the back of his mind, he still wondered what Yin thought about him. The latter had accused him last night that he acted as if he was Chyou''s boyfriend. He didn''t know if that ever came in the fight or conversation with Chyou.


    He wanted to ask but hesitated.


    Chyou hesitated similarly. She wasn''t sure how to explain this ''professional relationship'' to him.


    No, no I cannot even mention that to him! Wouldn''t it be too hurtful? I mean I am not breaking our friendship but it would surely look that way right?


    Chyou''s driver arrived at that moment, breaking that awkward atmosphere.


    lightsn¦Ïv¦Ål "Mam, the car broke down unfortunately. I have called in for a mechanic."


    "Oh. No problem. You can directly bring the car home after it''s repaired."


    "Yes, Mam. But how will you go to your next set''s location?"


    "Ah that''s not a problem," Yating said, "She can come with me. We are heading the same way."


    The director greeted them with a smile. "Hey. Go get ready. We will start in a few minutes. And Mr. Gu. We need your best shot today."


    His brow twitched. "Don''t believe in me so much."


    "Hahaha."


    Chyou looked around and asked, "What is going on? There are so many refreshments coming in."


    The director replied. "Oh well, my team was really exhausted with back to back shootings so we ordered for some drinks.


    A server appeared from behind Chyou. "Mam, would you like something to drink?"


    Yating turned and froze and so did the server after meeting his gaze. Chyou''s eyes widened. "Oh you are the same person from last night."


    The director grinned. "Yup I really liked the food over there so I ordered from the same restaurant."


    Chyou looked back and as faintly expected, Yating''s expression didn''t look so good once again. It was the same with Li Dong, who kept averting his gaze from Yating''s.


    "Ex...Excuse me."


    Yating hurriedly walked inside, his expression turning whiter and paler.


    The director tilted his head. "So dedicated towards the shooting that he doesn''t even want to have a drink?"


    Chyou was now sure that something was definitely wrong and it was related to the man serving her drinks. They knew each other and certainly not in a friendly way.


    "I will be back!" Chyou hurriedly followed after Yating.


    ¡ª


    Yating gasped for air as he remained standing in front of the mirror. It felt as if his chest would burst at any moment. There were a plethora of questions in his mind that all swirled like a giant mess of a storm.


    Dong...


    He heard a knock on the door followed by Chyou''s voice. "Yating. Are you okay? Can you please open the door?"


    "Y-Yeah, I am fine. I am coming out in a minute."


    Yating softly slapped his cheeks and exhaled a deep breath. He opened the door with a smile. "Hey."


    Chyou suspiciously frowned. "No hey back. You look like a train ran over you. It was the same last night."


    He stiffened.


    "I am worried. You and that server know each other, right?"


    After a long time, Yating answered. "He is my high school friend, Li Dong who...fell from the third floor and almost lost his life because of me."

 Chapter 788 Cherish the strength in the present

    Chapter 788 Cherish the strength in the present


    ?Letting Chyou inside, Yating briefly described the incident that had transpired years ago between him and Ma Dong. It was a nightmare he wished would have never happened. But everyday he woke up, reality harshly made its presence known to him.


    "...It was the reason why I hesitated so much to save you during the fire on the set. It was just..." he shook hard, "all those memories came back to me and I feared I would lose you, I would hurt you and I would disappoint you the way I did to him too. And now out of nowhere, I saw him last night after years and then today too..."


    A soft flutter of air passed and soon he was pulled into a hug. His eyes blinked at first and then slightly widened with surprise. He felt soft pats on his head and a sweet scent invaded his nostrils. Chyou''s head was pressed by his head''s side, her chin resting on his shoulder.


    "You didn''t lose me or hurt me or disappointed me, okay?" She spoke in a gentle, whispering voice. "I only know the fact that you saved my life. And now I respect you even more. Despite your trauma and bad memories, you overcame it to pull me up."


    His eyes reddened. He tried hard not to let his tears form. "It was only because of your trusting words in me. To be honest, you saved yourself or I would have-"


    "Sshh! Don''t question the Queen''s words!" She flared her nostrils. "You are negating everything you have gone through and underestimating the awesome feat you achieved. I might have nudged you a bit but you were strong enough to grab onto that nudge. Don''t you keep belittling yourself like that."


    She felt his body tremble and heard his hoarse voice.


    "I still remember his fall so vividly...He was unconscious on the ground, bleeding from everywhere. And I remember...my empty hand quivering...I was supposed to pull him up but I failed. He could have died, he could have become paralyzed...everything had become so blank and vacant for me at that time. It still is...That night still haunts me to this day."


    Tears rimmed in her eyes thinking of a teenager Yating going through such a nightmarish ordeal all by himself. Updated from


    "O-Oof you will ruin my makeup you know? Nobody makes the Queen cry!" she sniffled as she wiped the corner of her misty eye.


    She continued patting his back and said, "I am not saying that you should forget the past. I wish you could but I know it''s not easy. But you also remind yourself of two things. First is that even though you were a teenager, you handled the horrifying incident in the best way you could to save him. You didn''t purposely let him fall."


    He tightly pressed his lips.


    "Secondly, you should teach yourself to overwrite the bad memories with good ones in which you have grown and stepped forward. Ma Dong fell, but I didn''t. We were in the same situation, but you were able to save me. You should think of the present where the cycle didn''t repeat and it didn''t repeat because you were strong and determined to not let it occur again."


    She pouted and looked at him, withdrawing from the hug. "You should be proud of yourself and not continue to delve into the past. Otherwise, what would be the meaning of a person becoming stronger? What I mean to say is that you shouldn''t be too hard on yourself. Cherish the fact that you didn''t let your trauma win."


    Yating hadn''t considered that but now as those pleasant words fell on his ears, he felt his burden easing off just a tiny bit. He was still far away from truly walking past the past but somewhere, a sense of freedom embraced his heart.


    "I am really sorry," he guiltily said, "I didn''t mean to cross my boundary like that..."


    Especially after Cheng Yin has some misunderstanding about our friendship, he cursed himself.


    Chyou waved her hands in dismissal. "It''s fine. I understand you. I mean it''s really hard to not adore my cuteness."


    "..."


    "And my cheeks are very soft. My friends squish and pinch it all the time and then I bask in their glory and compliments that I have flawless skin."


    "..."


    Yating went back and forth in his mind. "Has anybody perhaps told you about your narcissism?"


    She innocently blinked. "Is it wrong to appreciate yourself?"


    "Your male friends could get wrong ideas."


    She curiously asked, "Did you get any wrong ideas?"


    "I am a gentleman," he solemnly said.


    "A gentleman cannot get wrong ideas?"


    "Do you WANT me to get wrong ideas?"


    "Hah! I am in a very happy and loving relationship~" her nose grew longer in pride. "It''s alright to feel jealous."


    "Yeah, yeah, sure," he rolled his eyes.


    "Hey you are being too casual!" She glared.


    *Click*


    As the two of them were lost in their conversation and banter, unknown to them, the first sign of the trouble was silently beginning to creep its way towards them.

 Chapter 789 Voices in the head

    Chapter 789 Voices in the head


    ??"Are you ready?" The director asked from afar.


    Chyou and Yating nodded.


    "Good. Now action!"


    The camera rolled at them and they took positions. It was the same scene where he was with the woman he loved and holding her cheek, he was supposed to say his dialogue.


    He raised his hand and his fingers steadily approached her face.


    ''You are cute.''


    He froze abruptly and his hand hung in the air in an awkward position.


    Why did you suddenly think about that?


    "Cut."


    The director asked, confused. "Any problem, Gu Yating? You were doing just fine."


    He cleared his throat. "No, I just...I just thought I saw something..."


    "Okay. Let''s do this again."


    The camera rolled once again and at the director''s signal, Yating got in position. He approached her face once again, staring straight into her eyes. His mind wandered off to their hug as she comforted him.


    ''You are cute.''


    "You are cute," he ended up saying.


    "..."


    Chyou blinked and laughed. "That''s the wrong line."


    Yating could imagine himself being buried deeply into the Arctic.


    What the hell am I saying!?


    "Yeah that''s the wrong dialogue, Gu Yating. You also didn''t reach to hold her cheek yet," the director chimed in.


    "I am sorry. I will try again."


    The director laughed heartily. "No problem. I have safely recorded them as bloopers. The ad will be a double hit after I release them."


    Yating blinked. "What are bloopers?"


    Chyou answered. "Mistakes that actors make during their shooting. Many times we release those funny cuts to the audience for their entertainment and to grab their at attention~"


    He looked incredulous. "You are planning to release these wrong cuts?"


    "I think it''s fine! Anyway, we got a break so why not head outside?"


    ¡ª


    The fresh air was pleasant to breathe. Yating felt his stiff shoulders relaxing. "I am sorry, Chyou. I am getting such a simple ad commercial delayed."


    "You don''t have to talk that way. You are not an actor. It''s understandable," she pouted. "But what I don''t understand why your mood suddenly changed during the third take?"


    lightsn¦Ïv¦Ål He pressed his lips. "...Li Dong was there. I sensed him gazing at me and all of a sudden, I heard these voices in my head. Guess his presence just affected me..."


    Chyou gave it a thought. "It''s not your fault, Yating. Those bad memories would keep coming back to you again and again whenever you see Ma Dong. The only way to face them is to face Ma Dong."


    "Face Dong?" He frowned.


    "I mean you should talk to him."


    His eyes widened.


    She nodded. "The only reason why it''s affecting you so much is because you never got a chance to talk things out with him since the incident happened. You are directly meeting him years later. It''s natural to feel uncomfortable. That discomfort would only go away if you have a proper conversation with each other. I am sure he wouldn''t be blaming you because it wasn''t on purpose. But you need to personally listen that from him. It''s important to you or else you would never be able to forgive yourself."


    He spoke after a long moment, "I think you are right..."


    She proudly grinned. "I am always right."


    He clasped his hands together. "Do you think he would want to talk to me?"


    She glared at him. "Hey! I won''t allow you to meet him with that attitude. You look like you are already taking the blame. It wasn''t your fault, Yating. You did whatever you could and that''s the message that should go to him."


    "What if he doesn''t think the same way?"


    Her eyes narrowed. "Then I question if really was your good friend. He should know you better than me and that you would never even begin to think of hurting anybody. There is no place to play the blame game here, okay?"


    Yating coughed with her stern scolding. "Ye-Yes, Mam."


    "Hmph. Men are so emotional," she shook her head helplessly.


    "..."


    Isn''t it more applicable for women?


    "And gullible."


    "..."


    Yating felt the need to defend himself. "I am not gullible."


    "Then prove it to me by having the proper conversation with Ma Dong and sorting things out with him," she seriously said with a squinted gaze.


    Yating sighed and tried to mentally prepare himself. "I will talk to Dong just like the way you want."

 Chapter 790 The scary conversation (1)

    Chapter 790 The scary conversation (1)


    ?A few days later, it was Chyou and Yin''s first appointment with the doctor and psychologist who would be helping Yin combat his addiction. Since Yin was a big A-listed star, the matters were kept extremely private. Rumors could spread if it would be out that Yin was seen frequenting the hospital.


    Dr. Zhong smiled. "Rest assured, Mr. Cheng, Miss. Zhu. Fighting addiction is difficult and it requires a lot of encouragement and mental strength. But as your doctor, I will guide you every step of the way."


    Yin gratefully thanked him. "I really appreciate it, Dr. Zhong."


    They left his office with Chyou immediately hopping to hug him. She whispered, her chest overwhelmed with pride. "I am so proud of you, Yin. You were so great."


    She squished his cheeks and pecked it. "I love you."


    Yin grinned and kissed her forehead. "It''s all because of you, Chyou. I wouldn''t have come this far if not for you."


    Instead of hurriedly leaving the hospital, they decided to take a stroll outside. It was a small but pleasant garden with not many people to disturb them.


    "Chyou, can I ask something?" He asked with a trace of doubt.


    "Sure."


    "Is it alright if I meet your parents after I manage to curb my addiction?"


    Her eyes slightly widened but she kept listening.


    "I know your family wants to meet me. I also wish to meet them and properly introduce myself. But...it would be pathetic if I go there while still being an addict. Which family would like to give their daughter''s hand to such a man? So I thought a lot and felt that it would be only proper to greet them once I am clean."


    "Yin..." her eyes ached with his thoughtfulness.


    "I feel sorry that they would have to wait some time for it but..."


    She shook her head and squeezed his hand. "You don''t have to be sorry, Yin. It really makes me happy to know that you care so much about me. If that''s how you feel, then I support you. Don''t worry about my family. I will talk to them and make them understand."


    Yin brightened. "You are the best, Chyou."


    "I just cannot ignore the fact that we met again after so many years only to be avoiding each other all over again. There are things which need to be sorted out between us and I am able to bring this courage in me after a long, long time. I know I could have called you in the past years, but I didn''t. I couldn''t. But now that we have met, I don''t wish to...run away from this anymore. Please."


    Ma Dong bit his lip hard. Eventually, he gave up and said, "Okay. If you can wait till my break time then..."


    "That''s not a problem," he was quick to assure him. "I will wait."


    ¡ª


    They were seated on a table at the far side of the restaurant after Ma Dong got his break. He brought some refreshments and smiled. "Please have some. It''s on me."


    "That wasn''t really necessary, Dong," Yating hesitated.


    "Don''t be so uptight."


    "Thanks..."


    Yating sat straight, his heart pounding in his chest. He had rehearsed in his mind all the things he wanted to say and ask Ma Dong. But now it was as if all his rehearsal was escaping


    him with blankness taking its place.


    After a long moment of awkwardness hanging in the air, Yating finally asked, "How have you been Dong?"


    Ma Dong looked away. He couldn''t immediately answer.


    "It''s good."


    It was obvious that it was far from good or else why would he be working at a restaurant as a server?


    But Ma Dong didn''t emphasize more on that and kept his silence. Yating wished he could ask but thought this wasn''t the right time for his career conversation.


    Ma Dong smiled. "You are doing well, huh? You are the Chief Editor at Dream High, right? I am happy for you. You were always passionate about books and reading even back in the day."


    "Yeah."


    Silence hung again. Yating steeled his heart and said, "Dong, I wanted to...talk about that night."

 Chapter 791 The scary conversation (2)

    791 The scary conversation (2)


    Ma Dong clasped his hands together tighter. "What about that...night?"


    Yating pressed his lips which quivered. "I never got to know how you were doing after the incident. I wanted to meet you but I wasn''t allowed to."


    Ma Dong slowly said, "...Because of Mom and Dad right? I know. They were really pissed off. But I was doing fine. I was recovering. I told them the same thing but they refused to listen to me. And I...never blamed you, Yating."


    He froze.


    "That was one of the things you wanted to hear from me, right?"


    Yating wryly smiled. "There are too many things to talk to you about."


    Ma Dong shook his head. "There isn''t much to talk about, Yating. I was stupid that night. I brought upon the accident myself. I was...really an idiot. You did the best you could to help that idiot. I never had any complaints from you, Yating."


    Yating shook, his voice too trembling to speak up.


    Ma Dong''s own voice choked up too. "I am sorry I couldn''t tell you this before. I was just like you. We were kids back then helpless before our parents. But then we became adults. We became independent. We could have talked long back. I-I couldn''t muster the courage to call you either. I am sorry-"


    "Don''t be an idiot, Dong. Why would you feel guilty about it?" His eyes ached. "All this time, I felt ashamed of myself that I let your hand slip from mine. You fell and almost died because of me...I could never forgive myself."


    "No...No, Yating. Please..." Ma Dong''s voice was almost begging, "I never felt bitter about that night. I was responsible for it and I am saying it again that I brought it upon myself. Only I was to blame and nobody else. It was regretful that we parted ways in such a way...We were best friends," he struggled to smile.


    Yating exhaled a shaky breath. It was as if the mountain of regret and shame that had been suppressing him for all these years was finally crumbling down. He was afraid of Ma Dong''s disappointment the most. But now his assurance set his heart free.


    He lightly wiped away the tear off from the corner of his eye. He hoarsely said, "Th-Thanks..."


    He smiled. "You don''t need to thank me. You never did anything wrong."


    They let silence take place for a few long moments.


    Yating then asked, "How was your life after the accident? You got a scholarship, right?"


    "Huh?" Yating looked confused. "Wait, are you talking about the shooting?"


    "With the Queen no less."


    He scratched his head. "It''s nothing really. Her Dad and my Dad are into some collaboration, so we are asked to make some commercials for marketing. That''s all."


    He shook his head. "You should be more excited. You are living every man''s dream, you know? Who gets the chance to stand in Zhu Chyou''s vicinity with such proximity. I feel so jealous."


    "It''s just professional. Plus she is already dating."


    "Cheng Yin, right?" He shrugged.


    Yating blinked. "That''s a dull reaction."


    "Meh. He is okay. I mean acting wise, yes, he is flawless. No wonder he has an entire fan army. But I really wonder if they match as a couple? For all I know, her chemistry with you in that commercial shooting looked sexier than the movies I have seen her coupled with Cheng Yin. That''s just my opinion."


    Yating almost spit the water he was drinking.


    "Ew! Hey, man you want to fire me from my job? Keep that water down in your throat only," Ma Dong''s gaze darkened.


    "Sorry for that but what the hell are you saying? There is no chemistry between us," he coughed hard.


    Ma Dong frowned. "Only a blind person would say that. But hey, I am not insinuating anything. It''s just my opinion like I said. You two look really good together."


    His brow twitched. "You are imagining things! I will take my leave now. Your break is almost over."


    Ma Dong stared at him speechless as Yating hurriedly left the restaurant.


    "I was just saying. What was in it for him to get triggered so much?"


    His brow then arched. "Unless..."

 Chapter 792 A wish

    792 A wish


    Yating shared this happy news to Chyou the next day who was more than elated to see some progress between him and Ma Dong.


    "See, I told you! Ma Dong would never blame you," her eyes shone with genuine joy for Yating and then stuck out her tongue, "You should thank me for showing you the right way~"


    Yating sincerely nodded. "I should indeed express my gratitude. If not for your push, I couldn''t have gotten the courage to talk to Dong. So what do you want?"


    Her eyes sparkled at the question she wanted to hear. "How about some ice cream? I am dying to have some!"


    He tilted his head. "I believe your manager says you are cutting down on sugar."


    She made a face. "She is saying to cut down on sugar, not me. I am suffering because of her tyranny!"


    He slightly adjusted his collar in nervousness. "I am so dead if she catches me."


    "As a subject, you should show the spirit to sacrifice for your Queen," she grimly said.


    "..."


    She sobbed. "I am really craving for some ice cream!"


    Yating looked at her pleading eyes and his heart wavered.


    Death by the hands of her manager...I lived a good life, he thought.


    He released a helpless chuckle. "I will see what I can do."


    Her tears disappeared, replaced by a glowing aura of bliss. "I knew I could count on you~"


    His brow twitched.


    Did she just trap me by any chance?


    He observed her for a moment more and asked, "What''s the good news by the way? You always look cheerful but today it feels different."


    Chyou beamed brighter. "How do you read me so well~ You are right. I am super happy!" Updated from


    She looked around and slightly leaned closer to whisper to him. "Yin agreed to take medical help for his addiction. We met the doctor yesterday too and he has assured us that if Yin gives it his all, he will be able to come through his addiction."


    Yating slightly widened his eyes, pleasantly surprised and also relieved. "That''s great Chyou," he whispered back.


    ¡ª


    The set grew dimmer as the take started. It was a heartbreaking scene of a flashback when Yin as Chyou''s husband in the movie, was taking his last breaths as he handed over the pendant - his last gift and also his trust in her.


    Yating held his breath as Chyou emptily stared at the pendant in his hands. Her gaze didn''t show the courage to take it in fear that it would be the last time she would hold her husband''s warm hands.


    Yating didn''t feel as if she was Chyou at all. She had completely meshed herself into the character of a broken widow who would now have to face her life and battles all alone.


    He didn''t know why but a lump formed in his throat as he intently watched Chyou''s performance. The grief, the sadness and the loss in her beautiful eyes pricked his heart even though he knew that it was just a script and Chyou was simply acting her part.


    Hope you never look that painful in your real life...


    It was a flawless take on both Chyou and Yin''s part. As the set lit up again, Yating cleared his throat, wiping the corner of his eye. To his relief, it wasn''t just him alone. Many other people from the staff were equally affected by Chyou''s performance. Sounds of tears and sniffles echoed throughout the set.


    As Chyou returned to her vanity room, she heard a knock on the door. She opened it and was surprised to see Yating. "Hey!"


    She anxiously eyed left and right to see if Yin was nearby.


    Damn, it''s okay! I don''t have to be so nervous!


    Yating smiled. "Thank you for making me cry today."


    Her attention snapped to him and listening to his compliments, she beamed. "Really? Was I good?"


    "Well you made not just me but the entire staff shed tears. People are busy grabbing tissues."


    She laughed.


    "And just as I promised," Yating sneakily took out a paper bag and handed it forward, "Enjoy your ice cream."


    Chyou drooled and without any hesitation grabbed the bag from his hand as if she was on some covert mission. "You are an angel!" it was her turn to cry now.


    "Hey what''s going on?" Yin asked as he was casually passing by.


    Chyou froze and immediately pushed the paper bag back at Yating''s chest.


    Yating looked dumbfounded.


    What happened?

 Chapter 793 Slow and idiot

    793 Slow and idiot


    Yin looked at the paper bag in Yating''s hand, surprised. "What is that?"


    Chyou answered before Yating could. "Just some gift he wants to give his Dad. He wanted my opinion."


    "Ah. That''s nice."


    Yin''s eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Chyou. "Good, good. For a moment I thought if you fooled him into becoming your ice cream delivery boy."


    Her brow twitched. "Of course not. Why would I do that?"


    He nodded. "That''s good if you didn''t. We actors have to look a lot after our health and shape. We cannot just stuff things into our mouths sadly. By the way, all set?"


    "Yes, yes! I am all ready for our date~"


    "Let''s go then."


    Chyou eyed her apology through her gaze to Yating and he shook his head helplessly. She hung her arm around Yin''s and quickly said, "Let''s go, let''s go."


    He smiled. "Have fun."


    Even as Chyou walked away, she secretly kept glancing at the paper bag in Yating''s hand with a longing gaze. This chapter is updated by


    Yating watched her with his tilted head.


    No wonder she panicked.


    He let out a sigh and stared at the lonely ice cream. "Bad luck for you."


    He then received a text from Gu Rong which asked him to come to the Gu house. The message made him frown.


    What does he want now? It better not be a trick meeting like last time.


    ¡ª


    Yating placed the paper bag on the dining table as he took his chair opposite Gu Rong. Butler Mo was thrilled to see him. "It feels like a long time young master Yating."


    "I told you to call me just Yating so many times," he pouted.


    "How can I show disrespect?" He gasped.


    "You are elder to me, Uncle Mo. There is no disrespect," he shook his head.


    "Good. I am not very used to the camera so I make a lot of mistakes. If it was a seasoned actor instead of me, the shooting would have already wrapped up."


    He scoffed. "Nonsense. Don''t belittle yourself. It''s not a movie, just a few minutes ad. And Chyou is there to guide you. How difficult would it be?"


    "Well, yeah that''s there. Chyou helps me out a lot."


    Gu Rong immediately caught the faint trace of warmth in his eyes and a very light chuckle greeting his lips. He could tell that it was because of Chyou. He blinked and looked at the ice cream bag.


    Wait, was that for...?


    "I see. And how is she doing?"


    "Great. She is very happy with Yin. She is on a date tonight."


    Gu Rong stared at him. "I didn''t specifically ask how she is doing with Cheng Yin. Then why did you specifically mention him?"


    Yating threw him a confused look. "Huh? What''s wrong with that? Isn''t she dating him?"


    "...Yes, but you could have also mentioned her family or friends or her movies or anything other than her relationship. Why was she going on a date that came to your mind first?"


    Yating parted and shut his lips, befuddled. "I don''t know where you are going with this."


    Gu Rong looked utterly displeased. "Forget it. You were always an idiot anyway."


    Yating''s gaze darkened. "You called me here to call me an idiot?"


    "It''s not my fault if you are slow."


    Butler Mo sighed.


    Gu Rong asked, "What else is new?"


    Yating muttered to himself, still salty about the previous conversation flow. Ma Dong''s thought then came across his mind and he paused. He looked at Gu Rong and weighed the odds of sharing that with him or not.


    I guess it will be fine...?


    Yating said, "I met with Dong."


    "Dong who?" He frowned.


    "Ma Dong. My high school friend."


    Gu Rong froze. Fury immediately set his gaze ablaze as he banged his chopsticks on the table. "Ma Dong!? Why? Why the hell would you meet that guy!?"

 Chapter 794 I failed

    794 I failed


    "You should have nothing to do with that brat! And yet you met with him? Why would you do something like this?"


    Yating was taken aback by his extreme reaction. "No matter what you say Dad, Dong was my good friend in high school. I never got to talk to him after everything that had happened."


    "Yes and you should have never spoken to that liar brat either!"


    "Liar?" His gaze darkened. "What are you even saying?" Updated from


    "What else should I say when he tricked you by falling from the third floor?"


    Yating''s mouth fell open with sheer disbelief. "How could you say something like that! He would have died for God''s sake. Do you think he would be that stupid to put his own life at risk?"


    "You were so naive back then and still are!" He lashed out. "You are so blind to see how he fooled you!"


    Butler Mo tried to diffuse the situation, but Gu Rong didn''t allow that to happen.


    "Why are you trying to calm me down? Say something to him!"


    Yating angrily gritted his teeth. "It''s like you are my enemy more than my father. You have a problem with everything that I do in my life! Whether it was Dong or Ai or my career choice, you stood against every single thing that I held important to me! You never respected what I cherished."


    "You expect me to cherish your wrong decisions?" He shot back.


    Yating''s expression twisted with hurt and fury.


    "That shameless Ma Dong and his family took hefty compensation from us because they blamed you for his fall!" He angrily laughed. "They were more worried about getting the compensation money rather than their son who lay at the hospital with a broken body. What was that if not for a well executed plan! He became your close friend and feigned all that friendship just so that he could pull this move in the future! He saw you for the Gu family''s money, not you!"


    Yating turned to leave and Gu Rong exclaimed. "Wait! Where are you going? Come back! It''s disrespectful to leave in the middle of dinner like that!" He glared at him.


    Yating equally shot back a deadly glare. "You have been more than disrespectful to me and my choices, Dad. Perhaps to my entire existence. Leaving dinner hardly counts. You don''t gain respect by disrespecting others."


    He walked away with larger strides never looking back again.


    "Yating! Yating! Don''t you leave! Come back! Yating!!!"


    Gu Rong continued to breathlessly call him back but to no avail. His body trembled and he pressed his lower lip inward.


    "Master Gu!"


    Butler Mo helped him sit comfortably on the chair. He tried to calm down his haywire breaths as he offered him water. Gu Rong didn''t take it.


    "He left...Did you see him? He left just like that."


    He stared at the empty chair opposite him, his body continuing to tremble. "For the first time in twenty-nine years, he uttered that word."


    Butler Mo was helpless. He didn''t know what to say to comfort him.


    Gu Rong clenched the chopsticks in his hands, his nerves bulging on the back of his hand. "So I failed, right?"


    His eyes widened. "Master Gu, that''s ridiculous! How does it mean that you failed?"


    "He never felt the need to mention his mother in all these years but now he did...Now he wished she would have been there with us today. So I lacked somewhere. I failed if I made him feel that way. I have failed as his father."

 Chapter 795 Addition of doting

    795 Addition of doting


    Butler Mo released a troubled sigh. "Master Gu. I have told you time and again. You cannot be so controlling of young master''s life and uncaring about his choices."


    "So should I let my son get fooled!?" Gu Rong glared at him.


    "Master, the case with Ma Dong is understandable. But not when it came to his career path or Miss. Zhou Ai. Those decisions of young master''s were never wrong."


    "They are wrong..." Gu Rong breathed hard. "Yating would have never gotten any happiness with Zhou Ai. I will always be against their relationship!"


    He laughed mockingly, his hands shivering. "There is no peace and happiness with women like her."


    "Mr. Liu Jun would have some different opinion on it."


    "He would understand it one day soon enough." Updated from


    Gu Rong stared at his unfinished food and apologized to Butler Mo. "I am really sorry, but I don''t feel hungry. Even though you worked so hard to make dinner..."


    He smiled. "Like father, like son indeed."


    "Don''t remind me of Yating! The audacity to just up and leave the dinner table!"


    Butler Mo said, "Master, you should give him some time. You know how much he cherished his friendship with Ma Dong and how much that brought guilt in him after that night. So I suggest you let some few days go by and then apologize to him."


    His mouth fell open. "Why should I apologize to that brat? I was opening his eyes to reality!"


    "Not in the right way, Master. You were far from being sensitive."


    "Sensitive?" Gu Rong burst into laughter and looked up at the ceiling with a wry gaze.


    "There is no place for sensitivity if you want to survive this world. It''s only hard truth out there. You have to buckle up, accept it and move on. The world would otherwise just devour you."


    Butler Mo said nothing in response.


    Gu Rong exhaled a breath and said, "Pour me some drink, will you?"


    "Will you drink yourself to sleep, Master Gu?"


    He smiled. "That''s the only way to get sleep tonight, Mo."


    ¡ª


    Zhu villa.


    Chyou returned home from her date and collapsed back on the couch, tired but happy. Yin had planned one of the most romantic evenings for tonight that couldn''t make her happier. He arranged for a beautifully lit dinner table accompanied by her favorite music that played in the background and the fragrance of her favorite flowers that refreshed the air with its vitality. And of course food that made her stomach growl and mouth drool.


    "I am stuffed!"


    "Me too!"


    Her brother, Zhu Xiang, jumped on the couch with a big bowl of ice cream pressed closer to his chest.


    Chyou gasped. "What the hell? Do we have ice cream here? Nobody told me!"


    "What is it? What is it?" Xiang asked while eating ice cream on her face.


    Chyou unpacked the paper bag and her jaw dropped. There was a small box of ice cream neatly stacked inside. She took it out with a note attached to it.


    ''Nobody will ever know if you quietly dispose of the evidence. - GY.''


    "Who is GY?" Xiang asked, speechless.


    Chyou brightened with the shine of a million stars. "Gu Yating! OMG! He couldn''t give me ice cream back at the set so he had it delivered here!" She laughed, reading his note.


    "That''s unfair! Why do you have so many people doting on you?" Xiang looked hurt.


    "Hah! I have made extremely precious friends~"


    The parents were staring at the ice cream box with an unreadable expression.


    Chyou held it protectively to her chest. "Mom, you won''t let Yating''s kindness to waste, right?"


    Xiang chimed in. "Don''t worry sis. I will happily eat that ice cream. His kindness wouldn''t go to waste."


    "Hey don''t you eye my ice cream now! Eat your own!"


    Chyou grinned. "I will head back to my room now and call Yating to thank him~!"


    Caihong raised her brow, watching her daughter merrily hop back to her room. She eyed a glance at Xiaosi. "Seems like one more person has been added to dote upon her."


    Xiang cleared his throat. "But he is just a FRIEND, right?"


    Xiaosi grabbed a spoonful of Xiang''s ice cream for himself. "Only time will tell."


    ¡ª


    "Oof. Why isn''t Yating picking up his phone?" Chyou pouted.


    It was finally on the fourth try that she heard a click.


    "Finally! Where were you Gu Yating? I want to express my immense gratitude!" She beamed.


    There wasn''t any response.


    She blinked. "Yating? Why aren''t you saying anything?"


    No answer.


    She felt a bad foreboding the more he remained silent. She thought what she heard was the sound of his shivering breaths.


    "...Hey."


    It was clear that he struggled a lot to say that one word that came out as a trembling voice.


    Chyou made her decision at that moment. She kept her ice cream aside and asked, "Tell me where you are Yating."

 Chapter 796 Never to yield

    796 Never to yield


    Chyou hurried inside the club that blasted with loud music and dance moves. She disguised herself so as not to be recognized and it seemed to work. Nobody looked at her with recognition.


    But even if somebody recognized her, that was far from the problem. Right now, she was only concerned about Yating''s wellbeing, who she imagined to be lying around somewhere dead drunk


    Her eyes scanned around the club. The more she didn''t see him, the more worry set in.


    Shit. Don''t tell me he left in that drunken state! Is he driving himself?


    Chyou shuddered with that thought and brushed it off. Eventually, she thought what she saw was a familiar figure at the far end of the bar. Her eyes widened as she finally found Yating. She couldn''t see him clearly because of all the people dancing on the dance floor and blocking her view.


    It is definitely him!


    She quickly sped to his side as she had partially seen him hunched on his back with his head lowered.


    He is really dead drunk...the worry increased further.


    When she reached closer, she found the scene to be very different though. Yating was indeed holding a glass of whiskey in his hand but he didn''t look as dead drunk as she had imagined him to be. On the contrary, he seemed poised and sober as he was staring at the glass without any particular expression.


    Pursing her lips, she took slow steps towards him. A second before she reached him, another woman approached Yating. Locking her hair behind her ear with an inviting smile, she blushed before him.


    "Hey."


    Yating looked up for a moment and then at the woman.


    "Hey."


    "How about I offer you a drink this time~"


    He smiled back. "The offer is tempting but no thanks. Continue to enjoy your evening."


    "What if I want to enjoy it with you?" she arched her brow meaningfully.


    Wooo I am seeing Yating getting hit on!


    Chyou took a seat beside him at the bar and perked her ears up at their conversation in curiosity.


    Yating shook his head helplessly. "I am far from being entertaining. I will just bore you."


    "I haven''t found you boring as of yet."


    "Eventually you will. My life is nothing interesting."


    "Your face and body is at least~"


    Chyou pushed down her shades on the bridge of her nose by just a bit to reveal her twinkling eyes. "Why? So that I miss women hitting on you?"


    "Nothing fancy."


    "You could have enjoyed a great evening with her I suppose. I like her. Bold, confident and zesty~"


    "She thinks you could be violent though."


    "I might have been not so discreet in listening to your conversation. She must have misunderstood my intentions," she sheepishly grinned.


    He chuckled. "It''s bad manners to listen into conversations anyway."


    "Are you offended?"


    He shrugged. "Nothing happening was happening anyway."


    "Heyyy~ That is a good line. Maybe I would use it in one of my movies~"


    "Don''t forget to give me the credits."


    "Tch. Let people praise me for my creativity."


    "That''s my creativity."


    "So stingy! And that too after I sacrificed half of my precious ice cream to meet you! It must have become a puddle of a milkshake now," She complained.


    "Like I said, you shouldn''t have come here. I am fine."


    "You are not fine. You are down," she pressed her lips.


    "That''s a good line too."


    "Be serious, Yating. Tell me what happened. You couldn''t even talk properly without your voice choking."


    He let out a wry and tired smile. "Just another argument with Dad. It seems to me now that talking straight with him without fighting wouldn''t ever be possible."


    "What was the fight about?" She quietly asked.


    "As always about my poor choices in life. My past love for Ai, my decision to become an editor and...my friendship with Dong. Everything is meaningless to him," he said, gulping down another sip of the whiskey.


    He tremblingly laughed, his misty eyes shining in the club lights. "It turns out that my trauma of all these years was meaningless because that night wasn''t an accident, but a planned plot by Dong and family to get monetary compensation from Dad."


    Her eyes flew wide open.


    "But I don''t believe it," his grip tightened on the glass. "Dong would never do this. He would never play such a dirty game with me. There is a misunderstanding, but Dad already made his decision years ago. But I won''t yield to it, Chyou. I never will."

 Chapter 797 Understand perspectives

    797 Understand perspectives


    Chyou was in trouble for taking sides. On one side, Yating said he believed in Ma Dong while on the other side, Gu Rong had stark contrast views. Maybe those views were the truth too.


    "Dong would never do this, Chyou," Yating shook his head. "I met him. I talked to him. He was just like my very same friend. We talked like we were back in high school. He lost his job and is working in that restaurant for now. But if he wanted to use me like before, he would have jumped at the offer I put before him."


    "Offer?"


    "To arrange a job interview for him. I wanted to help him. But he rejected it."


    He peered into her eyes, searching for confidence. "I didn''t offer my help to test him. I genuinely wanted to give a solution to his predicament. But he rejected it. Tell me, Chyou. If he was selfish and greedy, would he have let this chance go? I...I would never believe that Dong would go this far!"


    Chyou was quiet for a moment before she asked, "Can you say the same thing with confidence about his parents?"


    He paused and blinked.


    "You trust Ma Dong, which is fine. But do you trust his parents too? What if they pressured him into doing something like this?"


    "That''s impossible. Why would Dong listen to this crap?"


    "Because you were only teenagers back then, Yating. Sure, you were older but not old enough to go against your parents'' wishes. Were you able to protest against Uncle Rong when he forbade you from meeting or talking to Ma Dong at that time?"


    Yating frowned. But he admitted he really couldn''t put up much resistance.


    "I don''t believe that his parents would be ready for him to just jump from the third floor and risk his life. That was too dangerous! As if they would have allowed for this to happen."


    This time, Chyou agreed to his point. Even if they wanted money, it was hard to picture them telling Ma Dong to plan his fall. No parents would ever risk their child''s safety in a million years.


    Yating shook his head again. "Dad is definitely misunderstanding things. Just because they asked for compensation doesn''t mean that they become bad people. They blamed me for the accident so it was natural that they would want it from my Dad," his hands holding the whiskey glass shook.


    That''s also true...


    Chyou asked, "Is it only because of compensation that Uncle Rong thinks of their guilt?" Updated from


    Yating slightly stiffened.


    Chyou nodded very slowly in understanding.


    They remained in silence after that. Yating kept his glass aside and looked at her. "Thanks for coming here. I feel better now."


    "People always feel better in my company," she flicked her hair back. "What were you going to do if I wasn''t here?"


    "Maybe drink some more."


    "A lot. Not some more. Then the earlier woman would have come to take your advantage~ And then next morning you wake up to a soft mattress and a very beautiful woman in your arms. Naked~"


    Yating choked. "I am sure I wouldn''t have gotten myself drunk that bad. You have some vivid imagination, Queen Chyou."


    "Thank you. As an actor, it''s my job," she sheepishly grinned.


    "It wasn''t a compliment."


    "I insist on considering it as one."


    Yating laughed. "Cheeky."


    "Also a part of my job description~"


    He rolled his eyes. He kept his finished glass in the front and paid for his drinks. "Let''s go."


    She tilted her head. "Where?"


    "As a good friend, you let me cry on your shoulders. Figuratively. It''s only proper that I express my gratitude."


    "You are such a gentleman to always express your sincerest gratitude. Uncle has raised you well~"


    Yating narrowed his eyes at her, making her cough. "Hehe~~"


    As they walked ahead to exit the club together, a familiar person spotted them from the back. They quietly took out their phone and clicked several pictures without anybody noticing, then disappearing into the shadows.

 Chapter 798 Dont need validation

    798 Don''t need validation


    Chyou gasped at the sight of an ice cream parlor. "O.M.G! So this was your plan."


    Yating said, "I feel guilty for the half ice cream you had to sacrifice for my sake. So you can eat all the ice cream you want to your heart''s content here."


    "I am supposed to be on a diet."


    "I am sure you will burn off the calories."


    "I am not supposed to be doing this. My sweet manager can become quite demonic you know."


    "Nobody will know if nobody speaks of tonight," he smiled. "It''s only you and me and my lips are zipped."


    Chyou wiped her imaginary emotional tears. "As my loyal subject, I will be sure to give you a handsome raise in your salary."


    He raised his brow. "Thank you, my Queen. I really needed that raise."


    Once inside, Chyou peered at the different ice cream flavors with gleaming and glittering eyes. "There are too many options. I want to try out new flavors too!"


    "Go ahead then."


    She shuddered in horror. "So many ice cream scoops will kill me. My manager will wring my neck herself."


    He sighed. "The dark reality of the entertainment industry."


    The attendant behind the service area chirped and grinned. "Sir, Mam I suggest why not try out the couple ice cream scoops~ We have launched a new ice cream set for couples only~"


    "..."


    There are things like that too? Couple ice cream set?


    Wait a minute, is she misunderstanding us as a couple!?


    "Ummm..."


    Yating smiled at the attendant. "We are not a couple. I just brought her here for a treat."


    Chyou sighed in relief.


    The attendant blinked twice. "Of course you are a couple. My eyes can never fail me."


    "..."


    "No, like I said, we are just friends."


    The message still didn''t reach the attendant and she waved her hand in dismissal. "Yeah sure. Oh, oh I got it now. You must be hiding your relationship. Maybe you feel that somebody would recognize you? Don''t worry. If somebody comes snooping around, I will act ignorant," she nodded.


    "..."


    Chyou''s brow twitched heavily. "Why are you so insistent that we are a couple?"


    "I couldn''t see his face clearly in the news but my spidey senses tell me the story of their sizzling chemistry. He was like such a charming knight!"


    Chyou lacked years to shed and didn''t know what to say.


    "And if it''s impossible between him and Queen Chyou then can I have him please?"


    Yating''s mouth fell open. A girl in an already committed relationship was openly flirting with the man in question though unaware.


    "I think you forgot the part where you said that you have a very loving boyfriend."


    "Aish, my heart can accommodate another handsome man, no worries~"


    His brow twitched.


    "What if your boyfriend says the same thing about another girl?"


    "I will kill him."


    "..."


    Seems like hypocrisy runs in the younger generation quite well too.


    "Can we get the ice cream?"


    "Oh yes I completely forgot!"


    She pushed the couple''s ice cream set before them and cheerfully said, "Here''s the bill!"


    "...We didn''t ask for the couple''s ice cream set."


    "I am sure your heart wants it though~ I am an excellent mind reader!" She flared her nostrils with pride.


    I don''t think so...


    Chyou grabbed the tray without any hesitation. "I am starving now! Let''s put the misunderstanding aside for now," she sighed helplessly.


    At the table where the tray lay in between them, there formed an awkward silence.


    Yating cleared his throat in an attempt to dissipate the awkwardness. "It''s all yours."


    "O-Of course! I had to sacrifice my precious ice cream so naturally, all of this is mine," she coughed, unable to meet his eyes for some reason.


    Chyou looked away, hesitant as took ice cream bites.


    Yating tapped his finger on the table as nobody talked. Eventually, he said unable to bear the silence any longer. "You really don''t have to take her words to heart."


    "I am not doing that."


    "Your gaze is troubled. You don''t have to lie to me. Neither you need validation of your and Cheng Yin''s relationship from anybody. So...don''t look like you need to prove anything to anybody."

 Chapter 799 Under the colorful lights of fireworks

    799 Under the colorful lights of fireworks


    His words washed over relief in her heart. "Thank you, Yating. I...I do believe I don''t need validation from others. Nobody should. Others don''t have a place in your relationship. It''s very personal, after all."


    Yating nodded.


    Chyou twiddled with the ice cream spoon in the cup. "But sometimes I feel Yin doesn''t feel the same way."


    Yating blinked his eyes, taken aback. "You think he feels he needs to prove himself? But he confessed to you publicly. He wouldn''t have done that if he didn''t have confidence in himself."


    "I thought so too. But lately..."


    Chyou failed to find the proper words. In the end, she chose to keep it to herself and smiled it off. "It''s nothing."


    He almost parted his lips to say something but held it back. Below the table, he softly clenched his fist. He blinked and lowered his gaze.


    Why does it feel...weird?


    Yating didn''t know why but a tinge of discomfort spread in his heart. Or maybe he knew.


    He looked at Chyou, who slowly continued to finish her ice cream. Her lips held a happy smile but the same didn''t reflect in her eyes. Chyou wasn''t ready to share that reason either.


    He averted his gaze awkwardly. He recalled how comfortable and at ease he felt when he had talked to her about his past with Ma Dong. He thought he wouldn''t be able to. But when she stood before him with concern and understanding in her beautiful eyes, it was as if a mysterious force easily compelled him to talk out his heart to her. It felt so very natural.


    Now something was troubling Chyou, but she couldn''t find herself to express her concerns to him like he did.


    That feeling pricked his heart akin to small thorns. He inwardly laughed it off.


    Of course she wouldn''t tell me. We are just friends. It''s not like we became super close or something...


    His own thoughts stabbed his heart painfully.


    I should just stop thinking, he closed his eyes.


    "I am done!" She chirped.


    He smiled. "Shall we go then?"


    "Yeah-"


    "Oh you won''t be going to the fireworks festival?" The young attendant from before called out.


    11:35


    Chyou blinked. "There is going to be a fireworks festival?"


    "Yes! In fact, we staff here are logging off from our shift early to watch it," she grinned. "It''s gonna be so beautiful! It''s just around the corner where that lake is."


    Her face brightened. "That will be so awesome! Yating, Yating, let''s go! Please, please!"


    He shook his head. "You didn''t have to plead so much. I would have taken you there anyway."


    "Aish, you understand my heart so well~"


    His gaze flickered.


    ...Not nearly enough.


    ¡ª


    The lake was at a short distance from the ice cream parlor so they lazily walked till there only to find that quite a bit of a crowd was already present. Chyou adjusted her glasses and scarf and acted like one of them. They somehow squeezed their way to get a place near the railing at the front row to get a clear view.


    At the other end of the lake, the organizers were almost ready with launching the fireworks. An orange light lit at a distance and an explosive sound erupted in the air as the firecracker flew high up in the sky.


    At the very top of the blanket of the night sky, it exploded into beautiful colors that shone their light upon the lake and everybody admiring it. Suddenly, the sky wasn''t black any longer. Instead, red, violet, blue, yellow, green - every single color glittered and sparkled in the sky as if lighting it like a Christmas tree. The back to back explosions blanketed the entire sky with its dazzle and luster.


    "So pretty..."


    Chyou whispered, dazed and lost in the beauty of the fireworks.


    Yating''s gaze was transfixed at the dancing fireworks just like Chyou. It was as if all the unease from before melted before this beautiful sight before him.


    He glanced at his side and saw Chyou admiring the view. The reflection of the captivating fireworks colors shone in her mesmerizing eyes. Her lips curled themselves into a blissful smile.


    Yating slightly coughed, feeling his throat go dry. His heart pounded loudly in his chest like a sweet delirium. He felt like his chest hurt yet it wasn''t painful in the least.


    His daze broke as Chyou was pushed to his side as the crowd increased. His eyes widened and his body stiffened for a moment. Her shoulder and back lightly pressed on his chest, making his breath stop.


    Why the hell am I feeling breathless? We had walked here, not run like a marathon.


    He then noticed a man standing beside Chyou, who had come with his own group of friends. He kept pushing Chyou because of the crowd''s wave and in turn, she was pushed to Yating''s side. He looked at his right side and saw that an all girl group of college students were standing, cheering and squealing.


    I should just stop thinking, he closed his eyes.


    "I am done!" She chirped.


    He smiled. "Shall we go then?"


    "Yeah-"


    "Oh you won''t be going to the fireworks festival?" The young attendant from before called out.


    11:35


    Chyou blinked. "There is going to be a fireworks festival?"


    "Yes! In fact, we staff here are logging off from our shift early to watch it," she grinned. "It''s gonna be so beautiful! It''s just around the corner where that lake is."


    Her face brightened. "That will be so awesome! Yating, Yating, let''s go! Please, please!"


    He shook his head. "You didn''t have to plead so much. I would have taken you there anyway."


    "Aish, you understand my heart so well~"


    His gaze flickered.


    ...Not nearly enough.


    ¡ª


    The lake was at a short distance from the ice cream parlor so they lazily walked till there only to find that quite a bit of a crowd was already present. Chyou adjusted her glasses and scarf and acted like one of them. They somehow squeezed their way to get a place near the railing at the front row to get a clear view.


    At the other end of the lake, the organizers were almost ready with launching the fireworks. An orange light lit at a distance and an explosive sound erupted in the air as the firecracker flew high up in the sky.


    At the very top of the blanket of the night sky, it exploded into beautiful colors that shone their light upon the lake and everybody admiring it. Suddenly, the sky wasn''t black any longer. Instead, red, violet, blue, yellow, green - every single color glittered and sparkled in the sky as if lighting it like a Christmas tree. The back to back explosions blanketed the entire sky with its dazzle and luster.


    "So pretty..."


    Chyou whispered, dazed and lost in the beauty of the fireworks.


    Yating''s gaze was transfixed at the dancing fireworks just like Chyou. It was as if all the unease from before melted before this beautiful sight before him.


    He glanced at his side and saw Chyou admiring the view. The reflection of the captivating fireworks colors shone in her mesmerizing eyes. Her lips curled themselves into a blissful smile.


    Yating slightly coughed, feeling his throat go dry. His heart pounded loudly in his chest like a sweet delirium. He felt like his chest hurt yet it wasn''t painful in the least.


    His daze broke as Chyou was pushed to his side as the crowd increased. His eyes widened and his body stiffened for a moment. Her shoulder and back lightly pressed on his chest, making his breath stop.


    Why the hell am I feeling breathless? We had walked here, not run like a marathon.


    He then noticed a man standing beside Chyou, who had come with his own group of friends. He kept pushing Chyou because of the crowd''s wave and in turn, she was pushed to Yating''s side. He looked at his right side and saw that an all girl group of college students were standing, cheering and squealing.


    He promptly walked behind Chyou and took his place at her left side, making her stand beside the girls'' group.


    Chyou asked, confused. "Did we just switch places?"


    He smiled. "It will be more comfortable to stand over here."


    She blinked twice and then came to notice the man and his group beside Yating. Yating now faced the momentum of their pushes, but he looked unfazed. His body was sturdy enough to take it. To her right was the girls'' group.


    She immediately realized his intentions and felt at a loss for words. "...Thank you."


    "No problem."


    "I think any other woman would have fallen head in heels for you at this moment."


    His black eyes bored into hers that made her heart almost stop beating for some unknown reason.


    She saw him part his lips and he said something. But his words got drowned into the blasting sound of another firework shattering in the sky. A new wave of colors detonated high above. Yating and Chyou weren''t looking at the sky but at each other instead.


    "...Wh-What did you say?"


    Yating let out a chuckle. "Nothing."


    He turned to gaze at the sky again but Chyou didn''t.


    Instead her body trembled and her black orbs stared unblinkingly at Yating.


    Years ago, she took up the role of a translator for one of her movies who could understand hand gestures and lip movement. She had taken classes back then so as to truly understand her character and bring authenticity to it.


    She couldn''t hear what Yating had said but her training kicked in at the moment and she naturally read his lips that said,


    ''What if I want that woman to be you?''

 Chapter 800 Not one-sided

    800 Not one-sided


    At the entrance of the Zhu villa gate, Chyou stepped out of the car and looked back at Yating. "Thanks for dropping me home."


    "I should thank you. Thanks a lot...for just being there," he smiled. "And of course, the fireworks were fun too."


    She smiled back. "Yes. It was awesome."


    "See you later. Good night."


    "Good night."


    He drove away while she remained standing at her place, watching him leave.


    ''What if I want that woman to be you?''


    Chyou found it difficult to breathe. She knew what those words meant but her mind resisted believing in them.


    Had Yating really fallen for her?


    "I think I misread his words. I am still not an expert in lip reading," she awkwardly smiled. Though even with this reassurance, her heart wasn''t at ease.


    She opened her clutch and held out the delicate pendant chain in her palm. The Q letter pendant sparkled gracefully. Updated from


    ''But he confessed to you. He wouldn''t have done that if he wasn''t confident in himself.''


    Chyou recalled all those times when she had noticed Yin''s discomfort with the gift. Whenever the pendant came into his view, he curled himself distant from it as if it made him extremely bitter. She later came to realize why he fumbled on the takes that day.


    Yating''s gift bothered him.


    Was it because it was an expensive gift or that it was given by another man? Or both?


    Chyou didn''t know, but she stopped wearing the chain in public. Instead, she kept it in her purse. She neither told Yating what she thought. She didn''t want him to feel that his gift with good intentions was discomforting Yin. She didn''t want him to look guilty and apologetic when it wasn''t his fault at all.


    "It''s cold outside, dear."


    Xiaosi spread a warm shawl over her shoulders and stood by her side. He smiled. "You have been standing here for quite some time. What are you thinking so deeply?"


    "Ah, it''s nothing, it''s nothing. It just felt very pleasant outside," she grinned.


    "It''s colder rather than pleasant."


    Her promise of keeping only a business relationship with Yating flashed in her mind. "...Yes."


    "That wasn''t an immediate answer, I am afraid."


    "That was immediate only. My throat went dry for a second," she looked away.


    He stared at her. "Then we should head back. I don''t want you to catch a cold."


    As they walked back towards their house, Chyou threw frequent glances at him.


    "Just ask what you want to."


    She coughed. "Nothing. Just a casual question."


    "Go ahead."


    "Why did you agree with Uncle Gu''s proposal? About...Yating and my possible marriage I mean..."


    "Why not? Gu Yating is one fine man. I know Gu Rong as a person and so I know how he has raised his son. Gu Yating didn''t disappoint at all."


    "I don''t think Uncle Gu has to say that."


    "That doting father is very rigid in some wrong ways but we can ignore that," he waved his hand in dismissal.


    "..."


    Xiaosi asked, "Why do you ask?"


    She shrugged or at least pretended to. "Just had a thought in mind."


    "Are you worried if your mother and I would accept Cheng Yin the same way as Gu Yating?"


    Why is Dad being so perceptive today?


    "Of course not. Like I said, it was a casual question."


    Xiaosi faced her and said with an ultimatum, "Chyou. We accept the man who makes you happy. If that man is Cheng Yin, then we don''t have a problem with it. But we just don''t want that happiness, love, trust and compromises to be only one-sided. If it''s like that, then your parents will have a big problem. Understood?"


    Chyou gulped and nodded her head. "Understood."


    Happy 800th chapter, my dearest readers~! I have never written such a long novel before and honestly I feel dizzy now coming so far. Thanks a lot for all your love and loyal following till now (?¨i?_?¨i?) My heart feels overwhelmed! Love ya all loads and loads ??????

 Chapter 801 Firm stance

    Chapter 801 Firm stance


    A storm hit the next day. Not a tsunami along the sea shore or a violent cyclone in the sea but a hurricane-like deadly force that was wildly tearing through its way in the social media.


    A woman in her late thirties walked with her high heels clicking against the floor as she made her way towards the office. Whispers, murmurs and gossip reached her ears but she looked unfazed to all of them.


    Opening the door, she came face to face with the President of the Stellar Entertainment Agency. He wasn''t the only one in the office. A man of a similar age as her had taken a seat opposite him. Sun Jiang took the other seat.


    "Yes, President Ye," she calmly said. "I am here."


    President Ye''s mouth twitched. "You are looking as if the storm has hit somewhere else and has nothing to do with the actor you are managing."


    "It doesn''t."


    The other man, Qiao Kang, looked stunned. "Have you seen the photos circling around?"


    "Yes, I have."


    "And?"


    "And what?"


    "Oh come on, Sun Jiang. You cannot act so ignorant!"


    Frustrated, he opened all the pictures on his tab that were going viral more and more every passing second. Sun Jiang didn''t look at it because she already knew what was in them.


    "Zhu Chyou has been seen on a date with the heir of the Gu Corps, Gu Yating," he pointed at the pictures. "First, they were in the club. Then they went to an ice cream parlor and from there, they enjoyed the scenic beauty of the fireworks on a lakeside. Just look at this last picture when they are facing each other."


    "Are you seriously judging my actor''s capabilities?"


    "I am just pointing out the mindset. Chyou never had any problems with Cheng Yin''s friendships nor was he ever accused of anything by any side of fans. So people shouldn''t be too quick to judge Chyou either."


    Qiao Kang looked helplessly at President Ye. "Only you can bring some sense into this woman, President. She isn''t understanding the gravity of this situation."


    President Ye said, "Sun Jiang. Your points make valid sense but unfortunately, that''s not how the world is looking at things."


    "Then we need to change that. My artist, Zhu Chyou, won''t be giving any press conference."


    Qiao Kang was beyond outraged. "This concerns Stellar and Yin''s reputation! Of course, Zhu Chyou will have to come forward and clarify the misunderstandings. Deny all the twisted meanings that everybody is thinking."


    Sun Jiang kept her stance firm. "Chyou isn''t guilty of anything so there won''t be any press conference. If we are forced to do that then Chyou and I will quit the agency. And no way Stellar company can afford to let go of the Queen," she jeered.


    "You...-"


    "In fact, it would be so heartwarming if Cheng Yin comes forward and denies all the allegations. It''s his fans that are causing chaos and ruckus so it only makes sense if he shuts them up."


    "You cannot be serious."


    "I dead am."


    "Why should Yin scramble over the mess that Zhu Chyou has created?" His expression twisted.


    Her eyes narrowed and she let out a cold smile. She unlocked her phone and displayed a picture to them, keeping her phone at the center.


    "If Chyou can be such a wonderful girlfriend to accept her drug addict boyfriend and to be even helping him in every possible way for getting him out of his addiction then certainly, Cheng Yin can be equally a wonderful boyfriend who shows a stellar trust in his girlfriend, right? Or is it that the responsibility of their relationship lies only with Chyou?"

 Chapter 802 Losing the spark

    Chapter 802 Losing the spark


    Yating woke up and stretched his arms, he let out a yawn. He exhaled a breath and opened his drowsy eyes further. For a long moment, he sat in silence as if he was meditating. But he wasn''t. Instead, a storm set forth in his mind and he covered his face with his palms.


    What was I thinking!?


    The memories of last night came gushing through like a tornado ripping him apart. The problem wasn''t the club or even the ice cream parlor. But what happened during the fireworks festival made him wish he could bury himself somewhere.


    What if I want that woman to be you?


    "Had I gone crazy? Why will I even ask her that? Why would that thought even come to my mind?"


    Yating collapsed back on the bed, exhaling another deep sigh.


    "Seriously, I was saved by the fireworks. What if she would have heard me? Aaaahhhh I had nearly fucked up!"


    He continued the string of curses towards himself for a long time. He finally calmed down and grabbed his phone.


    He got up with a jerk the moment he scrolled down to the news flashing everywhere. Several of the pictures from last night were plastered on social media. What was more outrageous were the headlines.


    He got up with a jerk the moment he scrolled down to the news flashing everywhere. Several of the pictures from last night were plastered on social media. What was more outrageous were the headlines.


    His gaze went cold.


    "Somebody really wants to die today, don''t they?"


    ¡ª


    "What were you thinking, Chyou?"


    Sun Jiang had her fingers pressed on the temples as she massaged them. The atmosphere at the Zhu villa also took a grimmer weight to it.


    Chyou paced back and forth in the same room, trying to get in touch with Yin.


    Damn it! I just hope Yin doesn''t misunderstand!


    His heart swelled at the thought and her face lost its color rapidly. But until now, there wasn''t any reply from him. Every passing second only made her heart sink further.


    "Are you listening to me, Chyou?" She snapped.


    "Huh?" She looked back in a daze. "Yes, yes! I am listening to you. I am really sorry Jiang-Jiang..."


    The latter stared at her in disbelief. Then from disbelief, her gaze became grim. "I didn''t apologize on your behalf to Qiao Kang or the President, then why are you apologizing? Are you insinuating that you actually made a mistake?"


    "If you are worried about what he thinks, then why are you even in a relationship at all?"


    "...It''s not like that, Jiang-Jiang," she pursed her lips, disappointed. "Look, Yating and I had some marriage talks history so it makes him a little uncomfortable that-"


    "Those marriage talks happened ages ago. Like you said, it''s history. Why is it affecting your present?" Her eyes narrowed.


    "He isn''t wrong, Jiang-Jiang. I might have felt the same way if I was in his place. And he is doing a lot. He is trying to change himself."


    "With the drugs?"


    She froze and threw a stupefied look at her. "...I didn''t tell you about it."


    "I found it anyway. Don''t ask how I got to know about it either. So you are saying he is trying to change himself. That''s good. I admire that. But what does it have to do with the current situation?"


    "Um...I mean..." Chyou couldn''t answer properly.


    Sun Jiang kept staring at her.


    "Chyou. I will be honest. It''s for the best if you end things with Cheng Yin."


    Her eyes stretched wide. Her body shuddered involuntarily. "Why would you say something like that?"


    "Because I can see you changing, Chyou. I don''t see the spark of the Queen within you but the dimness of subservience. And this change is not good at all. Relationships should make you grow for the better, not drag you down. Your presence is helping Cheng Yin to be free of addiction. But his presence is shackling you instead. It''s like he is getting all the glitter while you are left with only dirt."


    She trembled. A bit of frustration seeped in her heart. Chyou knew that Yin wasn''t like that. So hearing such things about him hurt her.


    "Wooo wooo! Have you seen the news?" Xiang barged in all hyper and excited.


    "Oof!" Sun Jiang glared at him. "At least knock before entering a woman''s room."


    He rolled his eyes. "Sis is sis. And are you a woman?" He looked thoughtful.


    "I will kill you for the disrespect, Zhu Xiang."


    "Kill me later but have you seen the statement from Gu Yating?"


    Sun Jiang gasped in horror. "No, no, no! I don''t want him defending Chyou at all! It will only insinuate that something compromising actually happened. It will only fuel Cheng Yin''s fans further!"


    Xiang laughed out loud. "Just read his statement. It''s far from any defense."


    "Oof, show it to me!" Chyou grabbed his phone and quickly scrolled down while Sun Jiang also peered from aside.


    ''It seems that people have real problems with a man and a woman being just friends. Which means either they can only be sons and daughters or siblings or husband and wife. Cool. Then I want every person in this country to break all their intersex friendships right now. It''s only fair that this rule is applied to everybody, right?''

 Chapter 803 An actors acting

    Chapter 803 An actor''s acting


    The storm had died down.


    At least for a few long minutes as if a funeral was going on. The silence was deafening. There wasn''t anything said about himself or Chyou in his statement. He directly hammered upon the concept of friendship. It was an unexpected stance that left many at a loss.


    Even so another storm soon erupted in response to Yating''s response.


    "Apparently Cheng Yin''s fans are offended even more now," Sun Jiang raised her brow. "People don''t like being stepped on their tail."


    Xiang scoffed. "Of course, they will feel slapped. You easily judge others but you don''t like it when others judge you. Nobody likes to be on that side of the spotlight."


    The pounding heart in Chyou''s chest was finally calming down. She knew they hadn''t done anything wrong, yet she had felt losing that confidence. But his statement rejuvenated that faith.


    Sun Jiang asked, "Are you feeling a little better now?"


    She smiled. "Yeah."


    "Why was sis worried anyway? It''s not her problem if there is a problem in people''s eyesight," he rolled his eyes. "By the way, did you hear from Cheng Yin?"


    She stiffened. Her gaze lowered in response.


    Sun Jiang shook her head in disappointment. "I am sorry to say Chyou, but it should have been Cheng Yin who should have come out with a statement first. You both are dating."


    "He must be busy," she pursed her lips.


    "There is a hurricane, cyclone, storm, tsunami, everything going on here and he is busy? In what? What is so important now?"


    Just then another notification popped up on the screen that mentioned the devil''s name. Chyou quickly opened it and saw that his manager, Qiao Kang, uploaded a small video in which Cheng Yin was addressing his fans.


    "This is very heartbreaking to hear. There has been some grave misunderstanding and it saddens me to see that everybody is targeting my girlfriend like that. Gu Yating is a wonderful man and Chyou and he are such good friends. It''s disappointing to see that people judge their pure friendship like it''s something sinful. Visit  for the best novel reading experience


    But I don''t care what everybody thinks. Chyou has always been there for me and I will always be there for her as well. If my fans can support my friendships, then I would want you all to support Chyou too. She has always been not only a stellar actor but a stellar person as well. With a pure and bubbly heart who always wishes and thinks well of everyone.


    ¡ª


    Yin splashed bouts of cold water on his face one after the other. His haywire and angry breaths refused to calm down.


    "Fuck!" he screamed out loud.


    "Yin? Are you okay there?" Qiao Kang knocked on the door.


    "Do you think I am okay!? I am fucking not!"


    He opened the door and met his manager, red-faced.


    "Calm down, Yin. You did a good job with the video."


    He angrily laughed. "Did I have any choice left with me!? I cannot believe..."


    He angrily walked outside and kicked the table hard. "I cannot believe that Chyou would tell Sun Jiang about my drug addiction! And to top it all, she even threatened you with it! For God''s sake, the President knows now!"


    He still remembered how he got the shock of his life when he personally received a call from the Stellar agency''s president. The President''s voice was not so happy to say the least. He was disappointed and furious at Yin upon learning his addiction. It was a grave matter for an actor like Cheng Yin to be involved in something illegal and if it came to light then Stellar would come into a crisis.


    The President chewed his ears off that Yin cannot absolutely be seen doing anything suspicious in relation to drugs or there would be grim consequences.


    That was part one reason for Yin''s fury. Chyou leaking the secret to Sun Jiang and then the President''s outrage.


    The second part was the pictures themselves. He defended Chyou in his video but his heart raged differently.


    "We were on a date last night, Qiao Kang! And right after our date, she goes to meet Gu Yating in a club, eats ice cream with him and enjoys a fireworks festival with him!?" Angry nerves popped on his forehead. "So I wonder if she considered the evening she spent with me as the date or with Gu Yating!"


    Qiao Kang sighed. "Look, you need to calm down, Yin. You cannot go outside looking like that, especially in front of Zhu Chyou-"


    "Yin."


    A soft knock was heard outside and they stiffened as they recognized Chyou''s voice from outside.

 Chapter 804 A failure

    Chapter 804 A failure


    Qiao Kang eyed him and mouthed. ''Zhu Chyou!''


    Yin trembled and bit his lip in frustration. "Why is she here?" His gaze darkened.


    The latter''s eyes and he pulled him aside, whispering into his ear. "Yin, calm down! Chyou is outside. Do you want to be a bubbling volcano in front of her? You look like you will chew her alive."


    "I want to chew her alive!"


    "Sshh!!! You cannot mess with her. Please understand. She is Zhu Chyou. Don''t forget the family behind her," her desperately urged.


    "So you think I should suffer the crap she is putting me through!" New n0vel chapters are published on


    Qiao Fang was now almost covering his mouth. "Chuck it! I will tell Chyou to drop by later. This time, you will cause a scandal now! Don''t come outside, okay?"


    He quickly attended the door and saw Chyou standing. She was about to knock again.


    "Zhu Chyou," he flashed a polite smile.


    "Qiao Kang," she asked with a tinge of haste. "Is Yin there?"


    "Well actually, he isn''t. He just stepped out-"


    "I am here."


    Qiao Kang froze. He wanted to faint.


    What is he doing!? I just lied to her and you are coming in front of her face!?


    Chyou blinked rapidly and she threw a glance at Qiao Kang. "Um...Yin is here though."


    His brow twitched and he failed to find an answer. He could only nervously chuckle and break into a sweat. He cleared his throat. "My bad. I didn''t see him in the room so I thought...Anyway, glad to see you, Zhu Chyou. I will take my leave. It seems you two have to privately talk."


    He rushed outside with the fastest speed he could.


    That''s strange...


    Chyou thought, feeling uneasy. She felt more uneasy, looking into Yin''s eyes.


    "Come in," he said in a monotonous voice.


    Her lips parted in disbelief. "He didn''t. Yating would never do this."


    His gaze darkened. "You are defending him?"


    "Because he doesn''t have a reason to do this."


    "You will say that even after all the pictures floating around?"


    Her eyelashes trembled. "Yin. Tell me just one thing please. Do you...also believe the narrative around those pictures?"


    "I don''t want to Chyou," he breathed hard, his body shaking hard. "But it''s very frustrating to see your girlfriend with another man late at night and that too just after her date with her boyfriend."


    "He was feeling down, Yin. I was just there to cheer him up-"


    "Was it cheering him on or triggering him to fall for you even more!?"


    She stiffened.


    ''What if I want that woman to be you?''


    Chyou lowered her gaze, unable to answer. Even though she didn''t want to believe in his words, it was difficult to not find truth in them.


    Was she overstepping her boundaries of friendship all this time?


    "You are out with Gu Yating even when you understand how uncomfortable it is for me and then you tell Sun Jiang about my addiction! Or it might be Gu Yating but even so, you are defending him! Is he your boyfriend or me!?"


    Her eyes ached and tears began to pool in them, but she didn''t let them.


    "I-If..." her voice sounded hoarse, "If you didn''t really believe in me, then...why did you post the video?"


    He stretched his eyes wide. "First of all, your manager threatened Qiao Kang and secondly, we cannot show our fans that there are problems between us, right?"


    She stared at him blankly.


    He cleared his throat. "Here I am doing everything possible to get rid of my addiction. Just like you want. Just so that I could become the man you will be proud of introducing me as your boyfriend to your family! But what I get in return is only your one-sided selfishness!"


    She bit her lower lip hard, her shoulders quivering further. She recalled Xiaosi''s words.


    ''Love, trust, happiness and compromises cannot be one-sided.''


    It was at that moment that Chyou felt something crumbling inside her. A tight knot twisted her heart as a bitter feeling enveloped her.


    The bitter feeling of being a failure.

 Chapter 805 Not to forget Gu Yatings status

    Chapter 805 Not to forget Gu Yating''s status


    The CEO of S3 Company, Xiaosi, was in his office and was calmly reading through the mess on social media. His expression seemed placid but his frigid gaze had a different story to tell. All the finger pointing and blaming at Chyou was more than what he could handle.


    The door knocked and his secretary half entered the office. "Sir, Mr. Gu is here to meet you."


    Gu Rong?


    "Hm. Send him in."


    She nodded and closed the door. A moment later, it opened again and Yating stepped in. "Uncle Zhu."


    Xiaosi''s eyes slightly widened in surprise. "Ah. By Mr. Gu, I thought that it was Gu Rong. Anyway, please sit. What brought you here?"


    "I think you know what," he grimly said. "I just came to apologize to you. If not for me, then all this nonsense wouldn''t have floated around Chyou. I didn''t know things would have taken this turn."


    Xiaosi raised his brow. "I read your statement."


    He cleared his throat. "I am sorry if you feel that I was overstepping my boundaries..."


    "You didn''t. That''s why I am wondering why you came to apologize. You are right in what you said. So why the guilt now?"


    For some reason, Yating couldn''t meet his gaze. Yet he smiled and said, "Chyou is your precious daughter, after all. I wouldn''t mind if you have murderous intentions towards me."


    He chuckled. "I have murderous intentions but not towards you."


    Yating paused. "Are you talking about the one who took the pictures?"


    "Yes. The one who had lots of free time to snoop around last night and then make headlines out of it the next day."


    His chilling smile was akin to bringing the Arctic inside the S3. The chill in Yating''s eyes matched the iciness of his smile as he said, "The other reason I am here is to ask you about that person. Was it just some paparazzi?"


    "A mere paparazzi to target MY daughter?"


    Yating coughed.


    "I believe the media industry knows better than that."


    "So who was it?"


    "That''s what I am already on it. It won''t take up much time," he smiled. "By the way, what will you do if you know about that person?"


    Yating blinked once. "Drop the same message as you I suppose. I work in Dream High, but I don''t want people to forget that I am GU Yating."


    "Hoooo. I thought you disliked the status of being the heir."


    He walked towards the elevator and tapped on the green phone icon. He waited. It was at the last ring that she picked it.


    "Hey."


    Yating stopped in his way and frowned. "What happened to your voice, Chyou?"


    It was after a pause she answered. "My throat is not well. I think it was because of the ice cream."


    Yating''s eyes narrowed. He thought for a moment and said, "I am sending you an address. Meet me there in thirty minutes. Don''t worry about any sneaky shots this time. I know that place. It''s safe."


    "I cannot-"


    "I won''t hear a no for an answer. Bye."


    Yating''s heart pounded in his chest with a bad foreboding as he hung up.


    Why isn''t Chyou feeling alright?


    ¡ª


    Yating looked at his watch and impatiently waited. It was more than thirty minutes now, but Chyou hadn''t arrived yet. He was about to ring her a call when she finally arrived. He heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Finally."


    Chyou sat opposite him and smiled, albeit a little weakly. "What is this place?"


    "It''s a restaurant where Dad and I used to come often when I was kid. The food is great here."


    "It''s beautiful and kinda feels nostalgic...even though it''s my first time here."


    "It has that vibes."


    Yating noticed her tense body movements and her gaze that looked far from her usual cheerful self.


    "I know things messed up a lot within just a few hours. I am sorry you have to hear such nonsense. Are...are you okay?"


    Chyou pursed her lips.


    He quickly said, "It''s great that Cheng Yin came forward. Things have calmed down a lot, right?"


    She said nothing.


    Yating surmised there was no point in beating around the bush. So he asked, "Maybe the right question is if Cheng Yin really alright with what happened?"


    She stiffened and noticing her reaction, he wryly smiled. "I guess not."

 Chapter 806 End the friendship

    Chapter 806 End the friendship


    Yating peered into her tense and defeated eyes. "What''s wrong, Chyou? What did he say to you?"


    His eyes narrowed. "Or my question should be how much did he say to you?"


    She shook her head. "It wasn''t like that, Yating. But it''s understandable if...the pictures upset him. It seems that I keep forgetting that we are in a relationship."


    "What? No!" His eyes widened. "That''s not how it is and you know that too. It''s all the media giving everything a wrong spin. I don''t want Cheng Yin to fall for it. If he isn''t happy with this, then why did he come forward with the video?"


    Chyou looked away. "He trusts me, Yating. That''s why-"


    "Then why is he not alright? It doesn''t make sense to stand up for you when he is wavering himself."


    "It''s to stop the fans from targeting and insulting me. He does care about me."


    "But he doesn''t trust you."


    Chyou didn''t know how to explain. "It''s not about trust, Yating. I was with you late at night. As a boyfriend, it''s not inconceivable for him to feel a little uncomfortable."


    He stared at her in disbelief. "So you are saying you aren''t allowed to spend time with your friends anymore? Will you stop doing the things that make you feel happy? In that case, has he also promised to do the same for you?"


    His razor sharp question struck her defenseless.


    "That''s a no then," he bitterly said.


    He exhaled a deep breath and asked, "Chyou, I will talk to Cheng Yin if you want. I will clarify the misunderstanding he has."


    Her eyes grew wide. "No. Please don''t. Y-you don''t have to do that."


    "He is doing a lot for me and now I am feeling that I am just being selfish and always going at my own pace even if it hurts him," the corner of her eyelash became wet with tears. "Maybe the feeling of our relationship didn''t sink in me yet, so I kept acting like that."


    Chyou''s breath remained stuck in her throat as if her own source of life was strangling her. She couldn''t meet his eyes, knowing what she had heard last night.


    If what Yating said was true, then she was not only unable to return his feelings but was also taking away the friendship they shared. The last semblance of connection they had was also vanishing.


    Yating could do nothing about it. He hadn''t expected for things to take this turn but now that they had, the only choice was to accept it.


    After a long time, he turned his gaze at her with a smile. "I understand, Chyou. We will do what you wish. I only want to see you happy."


    Tears slipped down her cheeks despite wanting them not to.


    "Heyyyy come on! Don''t look like that or Uncle will kill me if he learns about this," he sweated. "Uncle Zhu dotes on you a lot. I wouldn''t want to get on his wrong side."


    Yating joked, trying to dissipate the grim tension. But it didn''t make Chyou smile. Instead, a prickly sensation gripped her heart further.


    "I...I am really...sorry-"


    "Hey!" He glared at her. "I will seriously scold you if you apologize. There is no place for any apology between us, okay?"


    A lump formed in her throat, unable to speak anything.


    "Wellll since this could be the last time we are spending time like this together, let''s have a hearty lunch. And this time, you are paying, okay? Take this as compensation from my side," he grinned. "You cannot back out, okay?"


    Chyou stared at him. "This is too little of a compensation."


    He shrugged. "Less or more, you are paying the bill."


    A sad, melancholic smile formed on her lips. "Yes...I won''t back out....from this."

 Chapter 807: Fake smiles

    The social media storm lost its burning flame and it died out a few days later. Though tiny sparks flew here and there that still tried to drag her down, the overall sentiment was dissipating away as Chyou''s fans strongly pushed the haters away.


    ''Hmph! Every time something like this happens, a female actress has to suffer! Why?''


    ''We all cheer for Cheng Yin and his friendships too, right? So why does the world get salty with the Queen!''


    ''And it wasn''t just any friend but Gu Yating. Queen''s savior! She wouldn''t have been here with us if he hadn''t been there with her! Even so the nerve of people to shade on them!''


    ''Is it possible that the Prince''s fans are jealous of Gu Yating? Maybe that''s why they jumped at the chance!''


    It was as if Chyou''s fans triggered at that mention and the fury of comments increased by ten folds.


    ''You know what? It makes sense! Maybe they didn''t like that Gu Yating saved our Queen!''


    ''Hah! They must have regretted why it wasn''t the Prince who saved her like a prince charming?''


    ''Petty people taking out their frustrations on Gu Yating and Queen! Hmph Gu Yating rightly said. All these judgmental haters should end their friendships!''


    Chyou arrived on the set as she simultaneously scrolled through the comments. It seemed that the picture leak incident had brought a division between Cheng Yin''s and her fans. The wall wasn''t subsiding.


    "Oh come on! This curtain should go here. Is this your first time working on a set?"


    Director Murong''s frustrated voice bellowed throughout the set. Chyou walked over and poked his shoulder. "Why the angry veins early in the morning, Director?"


    Director Murong looked back. "Oh Chyou. You came?"


    "Why wouldn''t I?"


    "After all the fiasco, I thought you need time to recover."


    She smiled. "I am fine, Director."


    Though she could feel gossipping whispers, she ignored them. "But you don''t look fine, Director."


    He pursed his lips. "Why will I be in a good mood? I got a call from Gu Yating. He expressed that unfortunately, he wouldn''t be able to be the advisor anymore."


    Chyou stared at him, eventually looking away. "...Oh."


    Director Murong narrowed his eyes. "Did something happen between you two?"


    Chyou smiled it off. "Nothing is alright when Director Murong is angry," she pouted.


    He scoffed.


    "Well that''s great then. Let''s go, Prince Cheng."


    Yin rolled his eyes. "Will you all stop calling me prince?"


    "You will always be a prince for all your fans~"


    Yin laughed out loud.


    His hearty laugh only made it stuffier for Chyou to breathe. He talked normally to everybody else but even in that normalcy, there was a subtle avoidance towards her.


    Keeping the lid on her feelings, she chirped. "I will get ready. I don''t want Director Murong to chew my ears off if I am late."


    He glared at her. "You all chew my head off and then you blame me! Hypocrites! Out of my sight!"


    She burst into laughter. "Fine, fine, I am leaving."


    ¡ª


    The seemingly endless day finally came to an end and Chyou collapsed back in her vanity, exhausted. In contrast to what everybody thought, Chyou and Yin gave a flawless performance. It felt as if the storm on social media was just an illusion.


    They were the same lovey-dovey couple as before as if nothing could bring a crack in their relationship.


    Chyou gave it a long thought and decided to head to meet Yin. She didn''t like things the way they were now. She wanted to tell him that she and Yating ended their friendship and that they wouldn''t meet each other from now on. She hoped that it would reassure him and make him happy. She also wanted to ask about his rehabilitation appointments. Things were stressful but she wanted to be there for him.


    She quickly headed out and caught Yin exiting the set.


    "Yin!"


    From afar, she saw him stop just for a second but he didn''t turn. Instead, he continued to walk at a much faster pace now.


    "Yin, wait!"


    But refusing to acknowledge her calls, he walked away, disappearing from her sight.


    She remained standing at her place, stunned and in pain. Alone and silent.

 Chapter 808: No guilty, no hiding

    At Dream High.


    "That''s it then. We need to focus more on the niche genres," Yating said as he led the meeting. "Dream High and our writers will surely soar if we strategically handle its marketing. We need to make the niche as our USP."


    "Yes, Sir," the heads of the department nodded.


    The meeting ended and everybody left except for Yating. He shut his laptop and simply rested on the chair. He looked at the time and in normal circumstances, he would have gone to the other set for shooting the ad commercial. But now he had nothing to do. Not after how things ended with Chyou.


    A call flashed on his phone and he clicked his tongue.


    Who is it now...


    It was Gu Rong, who had been continuously trying to reach him since he was in his meeting.


    Ah shit I forgot.


    "Yes, Dad-"


    "I have been trying to call you since ages and you don''t even bother to pick my calls!"


    "I was in a meeting, Dad."


    "Then I would like to remind you that I never ignored my son in the past despite my back to back meetings. But you blatantly do."


    Yating exhaled a sigh. "I am sorry, Dad. Next time, I won''t."


    "Don''t you use sarcasm on me!"


    He was dumbfounded.


    I am being genuine!


    "I am sincere, Dad. I won''t ignore your calls next time."


    "...Th-That''s good."


    Yating slightly felt some oddity in his voice and he asked, "Is everything fine, Dad? You sound a little low."


    "Yes! I mean everything is fine, yes..." he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I didn''t call you so that you could take an update on my health."


    His brow twitched.


    If I don''t ask, you would still get angry. Damn it you do, damn if you don''t.


    "I got to know that you stepped back from the commercial. What happened? I think Mr. Zhu and I were pretty clear about how important this project is for us. Then why?"


    ¡ª


    Yating rushed as soon as he could and he found everybody working towards the arrangements just like usual. The only difference was the slightly furtive but also inquisitive gazes of people.


    After the leak of pictures and the scandal of the ''date,'' everybody was curious if this project would be abandoned.


    Would Chyou and Yating still show their faces for this project and continue as if nothing happened?


    The director came forward in relief. "Ah there you are, Gu Yating. Quickly head inside and get ready. Your makeup artists are all in place."


    The director was unfazed by the odd atmosphere.


    Yating walked closer to his side and asked, "Chyou is here too?"


    "Yes," he narrowed his eyes. "You had any doubt?"


    He coughed. "No. Not at all. I will go and get ready."


    "Cool."


    Still perplexed, Yating made his way towards his vanity. At the far end of the same corridor, there was Chyou''s room too. He paused and contemplated and then turned his way towards her room.


    Yating felt his heart racing with every step that he reached closer. His hand slightly trembled but eventually, he gave a light knock on the door. He waited, holding his breath.


    A moment later, the door opened and Chyou peeked outside. Her eyes slightly widened and she came outside.


    "Hey."


    "Hey..."


    Then the conversation already died and neither of them knew what to speak next.


    Yating went ahead and said, "I thought the commercial..."


    Chyou nodded. "I had thought the same. I spoke to Dad about it. But he was firm about us not withdrawing from this project. If we do then...it would only fan the flames higher. If we abruptly end the project, people would assume that there was truth in the pictures.


    We would look guilty. The stand you took and...Y-Yin did, everything would be for nothing."


    It was similar to the conversation he had with Gu Rong.


    "Dad is of the same opinion," Yating said.


    Chyou weakly smiled.


    Yating stared at her expression and asked before he knew it, "Is everything going fine with Cheng Yin?"

 Chapter 810: So stupid in love

    On the second and third take too, Chyou fumbled in her lines. At this point, even the director was flabbergasted to see her failed takes.


    "Are you not in your form today?" He curiously asked. More than annoyed, he was simply interested to know what was going on. "It''s surprising to see Gu Yating performing flawlessly against you."


    Yating''s mouth twitched. But it was true that Chyou''s focus didn''t feel to be in the zone. He stared at her, who was awkwardly scratching her head.


    "Hehe...I..."


    Yating whispered, "Should we cancel today''s shoot? You don''t look alright."


    "No, no, we don''t need to-"


    She didn''t want to but her gaze accidentally met his. It shook her to see his eyes solemnly watching her with a hint of concern.


    ''You don''t have to lie to me to keep me out of your life.''


    Her lips formed a tense smile. "Maybe yes..."


    He held her gaze for a moment and nodded. He let the director know about it and the latter agreed as well. "No probs. Everyone has their bad days. Take rest, Zhu Chyou."


    "Thank you."


    The shooting wrapped up with that and Yating, too, packed up. He headed outside towards his car when a hand suddenly grabbed his arm. His eyes widened with the sudden force and he looked back, confused.


    It was Chyou holding his arm, albeit breathlessly as if she had run a marathon.


    "Actually I want to..."


    "First take a deep breath, Chyou. Why are you huffing so much?"


    She awkwardly cleared her throat and eventually calmed down.


    "Yes, tell me now."


    "I just came to thank you for telling the Director..."


    He blinked, taken aback. "There is nothing to thank me for, Chyou. You shouldn''t force yourself to work if something is bothering you. Just go home and take a rest."


    "...Thanks."


    He smiled and said, "See you later."


    He turned and had just taken a step forward when he felt the familiar force pulling him back. This time, he almost lost his balance.


    Chyou inwardly bit her tongue. "Sorry...I had something else to say too."


    "No problem," he steadied himself. "What is it?"


    Her lips parted, but words didn''t come out. "Um so..."


    There was a bit of silence after which Yin said, "I am sorry for ignoring you for all these days, Chyou."


    Her eyes slightly widened.


    "I..." he pursed his lips. "I am sorry. Seeing you and Gu Yating together just flipped my mind. I didn''t want to. Really. I know you are also keeping your distance with him but I couldn''t help but still feel insecure.


    I shouldn''t have lashed out at you like that. I am sorry for saying all those rude things."


    She stared at him, surprised. It had been almost a month since the scandal and honestly, she had thought that Yin would keep ignoring her for some more time. The way she had witnessed his rage, she didn''t think it was possible to end this invisible ice between them so easily.


    He gently took her hand and asked, "I would really like us to get back together, Chyou. If you don''t mind...can we?"


    Chyou stiffened.


    Technically, it should have been a joyous moment for Chyou. She had been desperate for Yin''s attention but whenever she reached out, she only got his furious back.


    Now he wanted their relationship to go back to how it was.


    But why was it that Chyou didn''t feel so sure anymore?


    She felt uneasy. She felt burdened. This wasn''t how she was supposed to feel.


    Not getting an immediate response from Chyou panicked Yin. "Chyou...I-I promise I won''t ever hurt you like this ever again! I will never question your love for me. I was too agitated that day. But it won''t happen again!"


    Her breaths trembled. For the first time in her life, she didn''t know what to do. She really wanted somebody to give an answer to her.


    What should be her answer?


    "If you are that bothered to agree, doesn''t it already mean that you disagree?"


    They jolted with the sudden voice and looking back, they saw a woman casually sitting on the sand with a can of beer in her hand. Her face wasn''t really visible in the late night''s darkness but they could sense an amusing smile on her lips.


    "It''s rude to listen in to conversations," Yin grimaced.


    She laughed. "Oh my how cute when you don''t even know just how much ruder I can get."


    His gaze darkened.


    She didn''t stay much longer and chuckling, she dusted her dress to shake off the sand and left the beach. "Cheers~"


    Yin frowned. "Strange."


    He looked back at Chyou. "Yes so...what is your answer?"


    Chyou watched the mysterious woman leave. She looked at Yin and said, "I...need some time, Yin."


    ¡ª


    Zhan Yahui finished the last sip of her beer and threw it in the trash. She turned and looked back at Chyou at the beach and arched her brow.


    "People can get so stupid in love."

 Chapter 811: Closer and closer

    "Cut!"


    Director Murong frowned. "Yin, you are not giving the right expressions!"


    "My apologies, Director. I will do it correctly in the next take."


    And so he did much to everybody''s relief. The shooting wrapped up for a break and he headed to his vanity.


    A minute later, his manager, Qiao Kang stepped in and closed the door behind him. "Yin, are you alright?"


    "Why? What''s the problem?"


    "You had some bad takes."


    He was irked. "So? It wasn''t like I wasted everybody''s entire day."


    He combed through his hair frustrated. "Yin, there is not much time left for the shooting to end. We are almost there. So can we please get there already?"


    Yin threw him a glare. "Do you think I am doing this on purpose!? It''s Chyou who rejected me! She...she said she needs some more time."


    He bit his lip hard until it threatened to bleed. "I sincerely apologized to her. Even so...what more does she want? So what if I got a little angry? Any boyfriend would have in my situation!"


    Qiao Kang gritted his teeth. "Throw your ego away for some time Yin! The situation is already delicate and you know it too. Don''t message it up even more! Don''t forget why you asked Zhu Chyou for a patch up in the first place..." his eyes narrowed.


    Yin stiffened.


    "Yes. I believe you remember now. So stay cool and be the caring and understanding boyfriend you ought to be, okay?"


    "...Fine."


    A message chimed on his phone and it was a reminder of his appointment with the doctor for his rehabilitation treatment. He scoffed and deleted the reminder.


    I am fucking tired now...


    A knock was heard at the door and Qiao Kang left to open it. His brow twitched hard and his gaze darkened. "What are you doing here? I was pretty clear not to appear anywhere around Yin, didn''t I?"


    ¡ª


    As the shooting for the movie was in progress so did the shooting for the commercial which now finally came to an end.


    Yating and Chyou, both, gave flawless takes after much trials and tribulations, especially for Yating. It was as if he just swam through a sea of fire.


    "A little more."


    Yating coughed. "We are already close enough-"


    He glared at him. "Are you the director or me? Do you know about camera poses or me?"


    "..."


    "I am sorry."


    "Apology accepted! So get to work. Hm good. Now wrap your arm behind her back."


    "..."


    Even Chyou''s brow twitched at that. But she was an actor. She had to be professional. She slightly turned to his side. Yating cleared his throat and stepped a bit closer. His hand was slightly shaking as it brushed across her slender waist.


    He felt his throat go dry.


    But it went too dry and he asked, a little breathless, "Sorry, I want some water..."


    "Oof! Quickly, quickly! And here the position was so right," he complained.


    Yating gulped two glasses of water. He could feel his heart pounding hard in his chest.


    Shit! Calm down Yating! It''s just some pictures now. The shooting is already done. Just some more time...


    Some assistants in the background couldn''t help but giggle. Yating didn''t want them to have any wrong idea so he quickly headed back.


    "Sorry..."


    "No problem," Chyou smiled.


    "Now back to holding her waist!"


    His mouth twitched.


    I heard you the first time itself. There is no need to be so enthusiastic...


    Yating took a deep breath and closed the distance between them. His arm circled her waist while his gaze was fixed at Chyou.


    "Good, good. Now pull her towards you."


    "..."

 Chapter 812: Not one but three

    The director frowned. "What is wrong? Pull her closer? How can we click a picture of you so far away?"


    Yating looked away for a moment, trying to calm his racing heart. He glanced at Chyou to gauge her comfort level. But he couldn''t judge anything as only professionalism leaked through her aura.


    Damn it. Only I am getting affected like some high schooler here. It''s just a picture.


    "Chyou, if you don''t mind..."


    "Oh yes, yes. If the director is saying so," she nodded.


    Yating envied Chyou''s calmness.


    Actors are always so poised and elegant...


    Chyou wasn''t so poised and elegant. The story on her face and in her heart were two totally different matters.


    Whaaaaaaaat? We were supposed to click pictures like these too?


    Even though she knew about today''s shoot, it still came as a shocker to her. To add onto that, there wasn''t anything too mind-boggling of their position they were in. As an actor, she had acted intimately with male actors before. It was a part and parcel of the career she was in.


    However right now, she couldn''t think of this as a simple part and parcel of her career. He held her waist and that bubbled a strange sensation in her chest. She acted unaffected outside but inside, a whole fleet of fireworks was bursting.


    What the hell is wrong with me?


    "Chyou, if you don''t mind..."


    "Oh yes yes."


    He slightly dug his fingers in her waist and gently jerked her closer to hug him. She awkwardly shifted a bit. Suddenly, her right profile in close contact to Yating''s body felt extraordinarily warmer.


    "Good, good! Now Chyou."


    "Yes!" She stood in attention.


    "Now you lift your right hand and place it on his shoulder."


    "O-okay."


    "And look into his eyes."


    Chyou, too, clasped her hands together, feeling relieved.


    The director patted on Yating''s shoulder and grinned. "The shooting went so smoothly, didn''t it?"


    He smiled but something painful tugged at his chest too. He had no more reason left to come here. It was back to his life as Dream High''s editor.


    "Indeed. It was great working with you and the staff here. I learned a lot."


    "Hm? Why are you talking as if you are saying goodbye? You are in such a hurry to leave?"


    "Because the shoot is over?"


    The director blinked. "Yes. The shoot is over. The first shoot is over."


    Chyou furrowed her brows. "What do you mean first?"


    "There are two more left."


    The duo stared at him blankly.


    The director frowned. "What? Why are you looking at me like a bunch of confused school kids who are shocked to see their exam paper they didn''t study for?"


    "..."


    Yating said, "It''s indeed like that. Wasn''t it supposed to be one commercial ad?"


    "No. There were supposed to be three. What your fathers decided was that we would shoot three commercial ads and choose the best out of three for their branding. Obviously, the other two wouldn''t go to waste either. We would edit and use them for other marketing purposes."


    They gave even a more of a blank look.


    When was this decided?


    Chyou churned her memory back to remember if she had talked to Xiaosi about this but she couldn''t.


    "So...we have to shoot for two more commercials?"


    "Yes with different scripts~ So buckle up. We have a long way ahead."


    He merrily whistled and left, leaving the two alone with a million questions and cofused feelings in their hearts.

 Chapter 813: Not raised to be a coward

    "Dad!"


    Yating stormed in Gu Rong''s office with a voice that reverberated with frustration.


    "We were supposed to do three commercial shootings?"


    Gu Rong looked up and frowned. "Is this a way to enter your father''s office? So much disrespect!"


    Yating threw back a glare. "Forget about my manners now. Let''s talk about what you did!"


    "What did I do?"


    "Don''t act so innocently now. How did the ads grow from one to three? We just completed the shooting and the director there breaks the news that we have to be ready for two more."


    "Yes, that''s right. What''s the problem with that?"


    A vein popped up on his temple. "You didn''t tell me about this, Dad."


    Gu Rong stared at him. "Are you an idiot? Of course you knew about it."


    "Would I have barged in here if I did?"


    "That''s not my problem if you don''t listen to people which you never do!"


    His gaze darkened.


    "That evening when we were together with the Zhu family, we had discussed that you and Chyou would be doing some commercials for the project. Commercials. Advertisements. With an s. It''s plural."


    His brow twitched hard.


    Was that the case?


    "How could we just rely on a single ad? We have to think farther and have a multitude of options ready. Gu Yating, how can you be ignorant in business matters!" He scowled. "You should know how businesses and marketing works. Why are you acting as if somebody dropped a bomb upon you? So what if there are two more ads?


    And let me tell you. It''s not just ads. It''s pictures, interviews, everything. You two are the faces for our cooperation, after all."


    Yating collapsed on the seat, defeated.


    Damn did I really misunderstand all of this?


    Gu Rong''s brows furrowed seeing his son pressing his temples and releasing deep sighs one after the other.


    "Is everything okay?"


    "...Yeah."


    His eyes narrowed. "Everything is not okay. Why are you so agitated if you have to work with Chyou? And please stop bringing the marriage discussion excuse every time."


    "Ah for God''s sake, nobody is bullying me. Chyou and Yin are together and you know...about the recent scandal."


    "Of course. I have never been so disappointed in you," he sneered. "You seriously gave me hope that you were confessing to Chyou. I thought there was some reality in those pictures."


    He stiffened.


    "Th-That''s ridiculous. I already told you a million times that Chyou and I are just friends."


    "Fine, fine! You can never see me in peace even for a moment, can you? Anyway so go on. There was that scandal, so?"


    Yating grimaced. "Join the dots together, Dad. It will be problematic if Chyou and I continue to work together amidst all the nonsense accusations that were pointed at her that she was cheating. Plus, there were marriage talks between us before and the scandal just made it worse. It will only bring more problems between Chyou and Yin."


    Gu Rong stared at him and burst into a peal of hearty laughter.


    "Dad! This is not funny," Yating couldn''t believe his reaction.


    "It is funny. The same man who boldly declared that people should end their friendships if they are judging you and Chyou is now afraid of repercussions for their relationship?"


    Yating cleared his throat.


    "First, you should be clear on what your stance is. Then there are two ways. First is what you did before. You don''t give a shit about what others say because you know that your conscience is clear.


    Second is what you are saying right now. Take a step back in fear of gossip and potential problems in Chyou''s relationship. Now my question to you is why are you suddenly wavering from your first decision?"


    He looked away.


    "Yating," Gu Rong squinted his eyes. "It''s fine if you don''t want to tell me every fine detail about the problem. But I will tell you this. Backing off is cowardly. I have not raised my son to be a coward."


    Yating clenched his fist.


    "And if a meager problem like this is already threatening Chyou''s relationship, then why is she with that Chang Yin in the first place?"


    "Cheng Yin."


    "Whatever."


    Yating agreed one hundred percent with his father but that didn''t make the reality disappear that they couldn''t be friends anymore.


    "Thanks Dad-"


    "She should dump him and marry you," he snorted.


    "..."


    Yating sighed exasperated.


    There he goes again!

 Chapter 814: My win

    This was the same conversation that had happened between Chyou and Xiaosi too, who finally seemed to learn their plan for the cooperation project in detail.


    "Great. That''s so awesome~"


    Xiaosi tilted his head. "Had you forgotten?"


    She coughed. "Not at all. I was just confused about some things here and there."


    "So you forgot."


    "No..."


    His eyes narrowed, but he said nothing. "Anyway, Yating and you have already hit it off so well that it shouldn''t be a matter. The other two commercials would also get done in a breeze."


    Chyou quietly sipped on her coffee, trying to bury her face in the mug. That earned her a smack on her head by her mother.


    "You want your nose to drink the coffee too? Put some distance," Caihong scolded. "Drink properly."


    "Ew, sis drinks through her nose too? Disgusting! Should I expose this in the group chat?" Xiang''s eyes sparkled.


    Chyou threw an apple on his head. "Hey! That''s mean."


    "You say anything stupid and I will throw more apples at you!" She glared at him.


    "You just cannot ruin your perfect image, right?" He sneered.


    She rolled her eyes.


    Xiang quietly sipped on his own coffee and with a devilish and mischievous smile, he asked, "So, so when is Cheng Yin coming to meet us~"


    That painted a huge silence in the air, making Chyou choke.


    Damn you brat! Why would you ask that?


    Xiaosi and Caihong simultaneously looked up at her as if expecting an answer.


    Chyou laughed a broken chuckle as her fingers tightened on the mug''s handle. "Well...what is the hurry? He is not going anywhere."


    "Sooooo he can come here instead," Xiang beamed. "I am excited to meet him and fish out all the stories from him!"


    She gritted her teeth with an urge to hit her brother.


    "We are busy with shootings as you can see..." she sheepishly grinned.


    Caihong frowned. "Work would never end, Chyou. Can you and Yin not make some time for one evening?"


    Xiang furiously nodded.


    There was the reason for Yin wanting to meet her family only after he would prove himself clean, which would take a significant amount of time.


    Then the situation was also complicated as things were in a rough patch between them. Chyou had herself asked for some time and distance and now how could she ask Yin to meet them amidst all this?


    None of the reasons were something that she could openly tell them.


    Xiaosi softly patted his lips with the napkin and said, "They are right. You two are dating for a while and seem serious about your relationship. I think it''s time we meet. Talk to him and decide on a day. We are available whenever."


    Chyou swallowed a gulp. It was easier to talk her way around Xiang and Caihong but not so much with Xiaosi.


    The tense atmosphere slowly settled down with Chyou''s merriness.


    Qiu sniffled. "Thank you..."


    She smiled and pinched her cheek. She stared at Yin for just one second but it was enough to tell him that she wanted to talk to him.


    ¡ª


    "Hey..."


    Yin said as he stepped into her vanity room and closed the door behind him.


    He already knew what she was going to ask him. "Look, I am sorry," he looked away, "She just came at the wrong time bugging me for a drink."


    "She was just doing what she was asked to do," she pursed her lips, "Are you...perhaps taking out my frustration on her?"


    "What?" He stiffened. "Of course not. I understand your side, Chyou."


    His lips held an understanding smile, yet Chyou couldn''t feel any sincerity from it. Seeing his struggle and mood, she couldn''t help but question herself.


    Am I...doing the right thing by asking this distance?


    "Okay," she mildly replied.


    After much thought, she looked back at him and said, "How are your appointments going? Are they helpful?"


    Putting his hands in his pockets, he smiled. "Yeah! I am regular with my appointments. You don''t need to worry about that, Chyou. They help a lot. I am slowly getting there."


    Relief washed over her heart and a genuine smile blossomed on her lips. "That''s great to hear."


    Her warm gaze looked at him with pride. "I am proud of you, Yin. Despite our recent differences, you are doing everything you can to heal your addiction."


    "...Yeah of course I will," his smile faltered.


    Chyou then took a breath and asked, "Yin. I called you here for another thing too."


    "Yes?"


    She pressed her lips, hesitant. "I know things have been difficult. We are taking time because I want it. But...Mom and Dad were saying today that they would like to meet you."


    His eyes slightly widened.


    She clasped her hands together. "I cannot exactly tell them the real reasons for asking for more time. I know you will find it selfish of me to ask you this despite what I said on the beach that night...but is it possible that you meet my family?"


    "O-Of course, Chyou."


    He held her shoulders and smiled. "This wasn''t even worthy to take so much tension for. Why would I reject it? I will definitely meet your family."


    Chyou was taken aback. But she sincerely appreciated his thoughtfulness. He saved her from giving any awkward explanations to her parents.


    But Yin had other motivations though.


    Is she kidding me? Of course I will go.


    If I impressed her family then I will score! Chyou will forget all about the stupid time and distance she had asked that night and we well get back together, he inwardly smirked.


    It will be my win.

 Chapter 815: Prickly gossip

    The director in charge of the commercials, Director Si, was in a jolly mood. "Let''s start with the second script today, which will have you as a bickering couple for the ad."


    Yating - "..."


    So we are still a couple in the second script too?


    He eyed Chyou to figure out if she was feeling uncomfortable about this. He could indeed gauge a trace of hesitation as she read the script, but she also didn''t look to be too bothered about it. On the contrary, her gaze slightly beamed with a sense of hope and good mood.


    "Did something good happen?" He couldn''t help but ask.


    A soft smile radiated on her lips. "Kind of...Yin will soon meet my family."


    But she also felt her heart pounding as she looked at Yating. She didn''t know what kind of reaction he would give. Unexpectedly, he smiled.


    "That''s great. I am happy to see that things are going well between you two."


    Chyou looked away.


    It wasn''t that things were going completely well but rather she was forced to abide by this meeting. She was in no position to tell the truth to her family.


    Though things were happening out of order, Chyou held hope in her heart that maybe this meeting would change the situation between them for the better.


    Director Si exclaimed from the other side. "Ready to go?"


    "Yes," they replied simultaneously.


    "Good. Now you know the script. You two will bicker and argue and Chyou will storm out with her chest puffed out in anger. But you are also annoyed so you would walk the opposite way. Got it?"


    They nodded though Yating wasn''t sure how he was supposed to act frustrated.


    The first and the second take failed as Yating didn''t get his expressions right.


    "Aish, this reminds me of the first ad filming. You looked like such an adorable duckling~"


    Chyou immediately looked away, trying to hold her laughter. His brow twitched and his face reddened with embarrassment.


    "I will do perfectly on the next take!"


    "Woooo! This is the spirit! The actor within you is getting molded so well~" he emotionally said.


    "Okay let''s start with the third take."


    "Ah shit," Director Si pressed his brow. "You need medical attention first. Yating, you should take her to the infirmary. I will inform the doctor there right now itself."


    Chyou parted and shut her lips. "Th-That''s fine. I can walk-"


    "You cannot even turn, dear. How will you walk all the way? Sadly, we don''t have any wheelchairs on the set. So Yating. Show the muscles you got."


    Her gaze darkened. "What do you mean! That I am fat?"


    "..."


    Director Si grimaced. "You women always like to take a twisted meaning, don''t you?"


    "But but-"


    She suddenly felt herself lift in the air and her gaze blankly stared at Yating.


    "You can argue with Director Si later but right now, your ankle needs treatment."


    Some of the women on the set gushed with the scene.


    "Gu Yating holding Queen in his arms!"


    "He looks so hot, right?" One giggled.


    "Don''t they look like the perfect couple? Alas, Gu Yating isn''t an actor."


    "Hehe Queen is slightly blushing too~"


    "Sshh! You all still want to cause trouble after the scandal-"


    The group quickly quietened down and stiffened, seeing Yin arrive on the set.


    Shoot, did he hear us?


    Yin had. He was behind them when they were gossiping without noticing his presence. The moment he arrived on the set, he saw Chyou hugged in Yating''s embrace and in the next moment, she was in his arms.


    His fist clenched and as the group finally noticed, they quickly took their leave.


    Yin''s expression colder and more twisted as Yating walked off with Chyou but what pricked him even more was the gossip and gushing floating around as if they were made for each other.


    An angry vein popped on his head and in a fit of extreme animosity, he dropped a text to a certain someone. Without saying a word further, he left the set.

 Chapter 816: Jittery wait

    Some more days flew by in the blink of an eye and eventually the day arrived for Yin to meet Chyou''s family. Chyou was all set in her room just doing her last touch up. She looked at herself in the mirror and exhaled a silent breath.


    For now we just have to look like everything is okay...


    She didn''t know why but she couldn''t help be tense. It didn''t feel to be the right time for Yin to be meeting everybody when there was strain in their relationship currently.


    Added to that, Yin had not been responsive to her texts and messages in the last couple of days. She wasn''t sure what was wrong but she figured he must be busy with other shootings. Just like her, he had many projects on hand.


    She sat back on her chair, releasing a troubled sigh.


    Why am I so nervous? Everything will be fine.


    She slapped her cheeks to reassure her. She then heard a knock on the door and turning back, she saw Caihong smiling at her. "My daughter looks so pretty."


    Chyou grinned back. "I got all the wonderful genes."


    She pinched her cheeks. "Brat. Everything is ready by the way. Dinner is all set," she proudly said.


    "Mom is the best!"


    "So when will be be reaching?"


    She slightly cleared her throat. "Yeah he will be here. He might be already on the way."


    The truth that she was trying to reach out to him but he hadn''t replied back to her. She didn''t know if he was even on his way or not.


    "Good. Then I will take my leave and arrange for some snacks for your father and Yating," she shook her head.


    "Wait, what!?" Her eyes widened in utter shock. "Yating is here?"


    "Yeah. Xiaosi had some work related matters to discuss with Gu Rong actually but he was busy so he sent Yating instead. They are in the study room."


    Chyou failed to understand how she should be reacting. "I-I didn''t even realize that he was here."


    Caihong chuckled. "Well, you were busy getting ready in your room. You wouldn''t have noticed it anyway. He has been here for over an hour now. I should be serving them some snacks."


    Her face with the beautiful pink blush was now beginning to grow whiter.


    What if Yin sees him?


    ¡ª


    In Xiaosi''s study, Yating''s expression was similarly growing apprehensive as time ticked by.


    "Do you have to be somewhere?" Xiaosi blinked and asked.


    "Are you my mother or my enemy?" Xiang gasped, hurt.


    "Quiet!"


    Xiang pouted. "But it''s getting boooooring. When will Cheng Yin be here? I am so hungry!" he complained as he munched on the cookie.


    ¡ª


    Chyou, too, was now getting more and more jittery. Yin was supposed to arrive by 7.30 and the clock''s hands now were inching towards 8.30. It was almost an hour late but there had been no message from Yin yet.


    Is he in any trouble?


    She broke into a cold sweat and dialed his number again and again but none of the rings were picked up. She eventually called his manager, Qiao Kang, who did answer her call.


    "Sorry, Chyou. I also don''t know where Yin is. He left the set today as usual...I don''t know where he went after that."


    "I see....No problem. Thank you so much."


    Caihong came back again to ask, "Did you talk to Yin, dear?"


    She froze and couldn''t find any words to answer. "...Y-Yeah! He apologized for being late. He got stuck in traffic. But he will be reaching soon!"


    Caihong''s eyes slightly widened and she held her face. "You look pale. Is anything the matter?"


    "No, Mom," she tried to smile. "Don''t worry. Yin will be here in some time-"


    It was just then that the door bell rang and the pale, white color from Chyou''s face immediately vanished. She beamed with joy.


    It must be Yin!


    "Oh, I think he is here," Caihong said.


    She nodded. "I will go and get him. Can you tell Dad and Xiang too?"


    "Sure."


    Chyou''s racing and pounding heartbeats finally calmed down and she heaved a big sigh of relief as she ran downstairs. She opened the door with a bright smile to welcome him. "Yin! You are finally-"


    Her words abruptly stopped as her mind went blank upon what she was witnessing before her.


    It surely was Yin but a Yin who was heavily intoxicated. He had a breezy smile on his lips and he staggered at his place. There was no sense of balance.


    "Hm? Who is it? Ah...Chyou...it''s you, right?" He laughed dazedly.


    Chyou stared at him vacantly, her hands dropping to her sides. Her voice uttered very quietly, "Yin. What...Did you come here drunk?"

 Chapter 817: Poisonous and cutting (1)

    "Yin...please tell me that you are not drunk," Chyou could see it before her but she desperately hoped his words would prove otherwise.


    "Hm~?" Yin looked at her dazedly with a smile, "Hey Chyouuu~ You look so beautiful!"


    Chyou bit her lip harder. She could see it clearly before her eyes. If Yin would meet her family in this state then it was over. There was no way anybody would tolerate this behavior.


    Before anyone reached the living room, she quickly pushed him outside and urgently whispered while trying to reel her tears in.


    "You need to go, Yin. Please leave. You cannot look intoxicated and staggering like this in front of my family."


    Yin frowned. "What are you talking about? Just look at the number of messages you texted me..." he tremblingly showed her his phone, "and the calls too...Now that I am here, you want me to leave? That''s so rude!"


    "Yin, please!"


    "Why are you still at the door dear?" Caihong asked, stiffening her. "Let him in already."


    "I will finally get to eat!" Xiang raised his hands up in salvation.


    Xiaosi tapped on his forehead. "You are getting influenced by Grandpa Liu a lot."


    "I still cannot match the magnitude of his stomach, Dad," he solemnly nodded. "I need to up my game."


    Xiaosi slightly craned his neck and furrowed his brows at Chyou''s figure. He couldn''t clearly see Yin whom she was blocking.


    "Why are you still at the entrance?"


    "A-Ah Dad. Actually, I was telling Yin to leave...He is feeling a bit under the weather so..."


    Caihong''s eyes widened. "Oh dear. Is that why he got late? Did he force himself to come while still sick? That''s not good."


    Xiaosi took one, slow and purposeful step forward which was enough to lower the temperature to frigidity. "You are already rude by how you have presented yourself intoxicated before us. You cannot get any ruder. So leave."


    Caihong pinched the space between her brows. Xiang whispered in her ear. "Mom, I smell a war coming."


    "And I don''t want my daughter to see that war and get hurt. Please take her away, Xiang."


    He nodded.


    Yin''s expression began to twist with annoyance. "That''s so not fair at all! Here Chyou had been bugging and begging me the whole time to come and meet you all and now you are asking me to leave? That''s so not done!"


    Everybody froze. The temperature lowered to such an extent that the Zhu villa became a rival to the Arctic.


    "...Excuse me?" Xiaosi uttered dangerously, alarm oozing out of every syllable. "My daughter...My daughter was begging you?"


    Yin broke into another peal of laughter. "Why, yes! She was all so tense and nervous~ And why wouldn''t she? After all, she was the one who asked for a break between us and now she herself asked me to meet you all if possible. That was some cute hypocrisy, haha. But since I am such a good and caring boyfriend, I agreed despite her shamelessness!"


    Xiang''s countenance turned further ugly. "Did you just call my sis shameless?"


    "Don''t you agree?" He gasped. "I mean who would have the face to put this request after making me go through so much stress and pain! She is the one who is flirting and hanging out with...with that Gu Yating late at night and I don''t know what else she was doing with him. I got a little mad at her for that but I still apologized, keeping a big heart.


    But then she says to me that she wants some more time! And after all this, she comes to me and says she wants me to meet you all. If that''s not shamelessness, then what is?"


    Everybody was too stunned to speak. Chyou closed her misty eyes in defeat and hurt. Her cheeks ached as tears slipped past them. There were differences between them but she never imagined she would hear such poisonous and cutting words from his mouth.


    Shameless...


    A hand suddenly grabbed Yin''s collar and he met Xiaosi''s chilling pair of dark eyes that sent a sharp shiver down his body. A suffocating sensation wrapped around his neck.


    "You should exercise caution in what you are saying because if you utter a single more word that puts mud on my daughter''s character, then you seriously don''t know who you are messing with, Cheng Yin."

 Chapter 818: Poisonous and cutting (2)

    On the other side, Yating''s apprehension grew more and more as he waited in Xiaosi''s study. He wanted to leave before Yin would arrive, but now he had no chance to walk past the exit.


    He adjusted the collar of his shirt feeling like a thief who is imposing at a house he shouldn''t. Occasionally he heard the sound of Yin''s laughter and he thought that things must be going well.


    He shook his head.


    I shouldn''t have come here tonight. We could have had this meeting tomorrow too but Dad...!


    He took a seat back on the chair, releasing a sigh.


    I hope this ends soon.


    ¡ª


    If it was a sober Yin in his senses, he would have known it better than to mess with Xiaosi. But tonight, he wasn''t. His intoxication had given him a confidence he normally wouldn''t have had.


    Yin chuckled. "Ah, ah? Why do you look so mad Uncle- Oh I am sorry, Mr. Zhu? Yeah I cannot address you that way. But I wonder if Gu Yating can?"


    Caihong bitterly smiled. "We have known the Gu family as business partners for years. We have seen that boy grow up before our eyes. And seeing the man he has become now, he has earned that right to call us Uncle-Aunt unlike you who cannot even stand steady on his feet and humiliates his girlfriend in her own family home."


    Xiang sneered. "I would say that''s what we call shameless."


    Chyou bit her lip. She looked down, her body slightly shaking.


    "Dad, don''t bully my sister! She is already been hurt enough!" Xiang fiercely glared at him, stepping in between Chyou and Xiaosi.


    Xiaosi narrowed his eyes at him. "She is been hurt because she brought it upon herself. How come we didn''t know that their relationship took such a turn for the worse?" He took a step forward, meeting his son eye to eye, "Since when did my daughter had to put up with shit like ending her friendships just to please an insecure boyfriend?"


    Yin froze.


    Caihong icily backed him up. "Your father is right, Xiang. Don''t protect Chyou. I didn''t expect that..." she clenched her fists, "she would choose to degrade herself to this extent for the sake of a such a disgusting man."


    Yin stared at her blankly. Then as if a volcano erupted violently, he screamed. "I am disgusting? I am disgusting!? Your daughter is the one who is sleeping around with Gu Yating like a wh-"


    The hall flipped sideways for Yin and he suddenly landed on the floor with a hard thud on his back. A sharp, excruciating pain began to throb his left cheek. He couldn''t understand what just happened. For a long time, his daze didn''t end but the pain soon brought him back to reality.


    The reality stood before his blurry eyes where he soon recognized the familiar face staring down at him with contempt and fury.


    His eyes widened as if he was watching a slow motion picture before him. "G-Gu...Gu Yating...?"


    "Next time I will break what little jaw you have left if you ever tried to complete that sentence, Cheng Yin," Yating spoke through a gnashed jaw. "Say something more derogatory towards Chyou and there won''t be a pretty face left anymore for you to continue with your acting career."


    Yin struggled to stand on his feet but eventually he did. His vacant gaze still didn''t leave him. The stinging pain brought tears to his eyes and also fury in his heart.


    "What the hell..." pain jolted in his cheek but he continued, "are you doing here? Today was the day for me to meet the family yet why the man who Chyou''s family supposedly favored for their daughter is here when her boyfriend is here tonight? You all are playing some wild shit here and you had the nerve to punch me!?"

 Chapter 819: Poisonous and cutting (3)

    Chyou had her mouth covered as she looked at Yin in horror. The situation somehow kept worsening. A lump formed in her throat thinking of such a supposedly pleasant evening to be turned into a nightmare.


    As Yating paid attention to Chyou, his expression hardened and so did his fists. Her usual cheery and bubbly face was now marred with tears and hurt. Every nerve, every vein in his body twisted with revolt at the sight of her trembling body.


    His chilling gaze returned and he said, "Regardless of what you think about me, Cheng Yin, don''t ever utter that bullshit again."


    Yin slightly shook and it seemed the punch was sobering him up from his intoxication. His heart thudded hard as Yating''s murderous gaze threatened to squeeze his life out of him.


    In all this time, Yating never acted or carried himself in the way that expressed he belonged to a wealthy family. But now Yin felt that he did. The pressure of his status and influence mounted on his back and simply the way he stood, too, exerted a sickening feeling in his stomach.


    Yet amidst this, the bitterness equally swayed in his heart from all directions.


    "You...It''s easy for you to say! After all, you were enjoying all her advances, didn''t you!?"


    Xiang was quickly losing his patience. "Is anybody doing it or should I go ahead and kill this man? I cannot tolerate his nonsense any longer!"


    Yating stared at Yin as if he was speaking some alien language. "Advances? Do you understand exactly who you are talking about?


    The woman who unreservedly supported you knowing that you are an addict, who sincerely did everything she could to help her boyfriend fight it, who constantly gave reassurances of her love towards him and who went as far as breaking her friendship with me despite it going against her ideals - Being the best partner that she was, you think she deserves to listen to this crap from you?"


    Chyou stared at the floor, his words and resounding questions falling at her ears. Something struck at the deepest chord of her heart.


    Yin stiffened. Yating suddenly exposed his addiction out of nowhere and now that it was out in the open, a disconcerting feeling arose in her chest.


    Yating grabbed the collar of his shirt, his face reddening with fury. "You were so pathetic that you reduced the Queen as if she was a beggar for your love and understanding and you have the nerve to act all high and mighty?"


    Xiang stared at them blankly. "What did you say before? An addict? He is an addict?"


    She froze. "That''s not possible. He always said-"


    "He had lied to you."


    A sinking feeling drowned her as if she was being pulled into a dark abyss.


    "H-How do you know about..."


    "I squeezed the answer out of Yating later after the scandal happened. You were hesistant with the remaining ad shoots with Yating and I wondered why. I felt something was going wrong between you two so I insisted he tell me," his eyes squinted. "He was trying his best to protect your little secret."


    Yating cleared his throat.


    "And talking to you before, I had an inkling that something wasn''t right. Turns out that a lot of things were going terribly wrong. Cheng Yin was betraying your trust at every step of the way."


    "That''s not true!" Yin exclaimed. "That doctor is lying! I have been visiting her regularly! Gu Yating..." he gritted his teeth. "Gu Yating must have bribed her! Yes, he couldn''t see our happy relationship so he bribed her to tell lies and nonsense!"


    Chyou''s hands trembled. She felt as if she couldn''t breathe.


    "Chyou, you cannot believe what they are saying! I-I never skipped my appointments. It''s Gu Yating''s disgusting plot!"


    Xiaosi''s smile turned even icier. "Okay. Let''s give you the benefit of the doubt. Let''s say that Yating played behind the scenes to entrap you."


    Yin sighed in relief and nodded. "Yes, he did!"


    Xiaosi clenched his jaw as he knew that the next question would wreak havoc in Chyou''s life.


    "If Yating is responsible for that, then is he also responsible for your choice of sleeping with another woman while you were in a relationship with my daughter?"

 Chapter 820: Poisonous and cutting (4)

    The lightning at the Zhu villa struck so hard that its remnants of zapping sparkles and crackling still lingered in the air. The question dropped on everybody like a nuclear bomb, its blasting waves toppling everything in its way into smithereens.


    Chyou blankly stared at her father, his words not making any sense to her. But the most riled up was Yin, who now seemed to have completely sobered up.


    "Wh...What is this accusation against me? I-It''s preposterous! Mr. Zhu, you cannot question my fidelity towards Chyou like that that..."


    Xiaosi''s gaze turned cold. "Clearly, you aren''t questioning your conduct so somebody has to, right?"


    Caihong held his arm and lightly squeezed it. "Xiaosi, what is going on?" She whispered in a voice that shook and trembled.


    Xiang and Yating, too, were in a similar state. It was the little brother who exploded alarmingly. "You cheated on my sister, you fucking bastard!?"


    "That''s all a lie! That''s what I am telling you! I don''t know who poisoned Mr. Zhu''s ears against me-" his gaze then darkened. "Don''t tell me that Gu Yating-"


    "You blame me once again and you will face the consequences," Yating''s icy tone fell.


    He glared at him. "Then who else could it be!? I cannot believe you would go so far..."


    Xiaosi''s one step towards him made him turn towards him with sweat dripping down his forehead. "You are the one who went too far. And with the woman who put my daughter in the scandal in the first place."


    Chyou took trembling steps towards him, her blurry eyes dimming her clear vision. "There is a big misunderstanding here, Dad. Yin wouldn''t do this."


    He stared into her fearful gaze that was desperately holding onto the last straw of hope. Trust shone in her eyes but at the same time, an impending doom clouded them.


    "This has come too far, Chyou. This despicable man standing before us has not only broken his trust towards you to become clean but had the shameless courage to sleep with another woman just to get back at you. I am not the only one to say this."


    "Perfect. So now that we have that common understanding, let''s talk about what really has happened."


    He swallowed a painful lump down his throat.


    "That night when Chyou met Yating in the club and then they went to the ice cream shop and watched the fireworks together, there was a sneaky little someone who was capturing their candid and harmless moments. That was you, wasn''t you?"


    His gaze fell on Qiu that spoke the stated truth instead of trying to question her.


    Qiu''s face paled. She could hardly keep up with her balance now that she directly faced the one and only Zhu Xiaosi. "I really d-don''t know what you are talking-"


    "Be very careful when you are talking to me. You do realize who I am, right? You are the one who took the pictures. I know because I personally tracked you down. Or do you doubt the technical capabilities of S3''s CEO?"


    Tears rolled down her cheeks and words simply failed to come out.


    "I can prove it even now. You have that pictures in your phone. So if you feel that you are so innocent then by all means, please feel free to prove it."


    She immediately her clutched her phone harder.


    Yating''s black eyes chilled like frozen ice. "You are the one who released those pictures to the media?"


    Now it wasn''t just Xiaosi mounting the pressure but the heir of the Gu family as well. Her chest puffed with breathlessness.


    "Answer me!" Yating roared. "Who fucking gave you the right to intrude upon Chyou and my privacy? You twisted the hell out of a simple evening''s meaning and NOW you are trembling and looking down as if you made a huge blunder? You almost tarnished Chyou''s reputation!"


    Qiu''s knees were shaking as if they were now a jelly.


    Xiaosi said, "Tarnished Chyou''s reputation and then approached Cheng Yin with those same pictures too. You gave him a good, sympathetic shoulder to cry on and expertly, filled his ears with nonsense too. A boyfriend who was devastated to see his girlfriend fooling out with another man. So he thought if Chyou could do it, so can I."

 Chapter 821: Poisonous and cutting (5)

    "That was the whole purpose behind those pictures. Releasing on social media was your secondary objective. The primary objective was just to..."


    The rest of the truth was disgusting to even speak of.


    Caihong clutched her chest, her shaky breaths escaping in disbelief. She stared at Xiaosi demanding for an answer. "You knew about this since before and you are telling about it now?"


    Xiaosi could very well see the hint of anger and danger leaking through her irises.


    "Yes. I knew about it from before. When I tracked down Qiu, I came across the part when she met Yin in a club. It was quite evident what she was doing. They left together a few minutes later and I saw them entering a room. Since you didn''t care about my daughter''s privacy, I didn''t care about yours," he coldly directed the last sentence targeting Qiu.


    "So why didn''t you say so before, Dad!" Xiang glared at him. "Why did you allow sis to be with such a loser and cheater?"


    Xiaosi slightly lowered his gaze. A trace of guilt formed a layer on his irises. "I know I was cruel to Chyou. Believe me. Nobody was more desperate to break it down to her than me. I wanted Chyou to see for herself how far he could go to humiliate her.


    To see what kind of a person she was compromising for. Instead of me showing his true face, I wanted Cheng Yin to prove it himself. And he did."


    Chyou clenched her fists. "But...Yin had uploaded the video standing up for me..."


    Xiaosi narrowed his eyes. "That was AFTER Yating put up the video. Of course, the boyfriend would have to give some face to his girlfriend or it would have affected his reputation. He is an actor. He did phenomenal acting."


    ''First of all, your manager threatened Qiao Kang and secondly, we cannot show our fans that there are problems between us, right?''


    ''If you think he wasn''t acting being the Queen yourself, then I pity your future career.''


    Sun Xiang and Yin''s words reverberated in her ears and a chill spread along the spine.


    Yeah I knew he was forced to do it, didn''t I...?


    Yating stared at her incredulously. "Help him? Are you hearing yourself? You say that showing those pictures to him and getting in bed with him was helping him?"


    She bit her lip hard. "I-I just...didn''t agree to how Miss. Zhu was treating Prince Cheng. Everybody was...a-always praising your and her chemistry a-and how you looked like a good couple. Miss. Zhu was never bothered by it.


    B-but did she realize how it was affecting Prince Cheng. I have seen him hurt and angry but she never cared about it. I just wanted to see him happy-"


    "By seducing him!?" Xiang exclaimed.


    Yin shook her hand off his arm and pushed her away. "Get away from me! What nonsense are you talking about? Y-you are also framing me just like them!"


    Qiu stumbled off hard and looked at him blankly. She couldn''t believe that he threw her away in front of everyone. "You...H-How could you do that Prince Cheng?"


    She pleaded to Qiao Kang. "Mr. Qiao, please h-help me. You know everything right? Y-you...even told me to stay away from him because nobody can find out or else his reputation...But you promised me that you would find a way out!"


    A wry smile formed on Chyou''s lips. There was nothing left to hear anymore.


    Qiao Kang gulped hard.


    Yating''s gaze grew extremely frigid. "What kind of a way out? To have Chyou as your girlfriend and her as your secret kept mistress?"


    "No-No, Mr. Gu! I never said anything like that!"


    "So you admit that you knew about this?"


    "I..." he clenched his jaw.


    Instead of facing their wrath and making his life difficult, he chose to come out with it and probably earn some leniency along the way.


    "Yes...It''s true that Yin has slept with her."

 Chapter 822: Poisonous and cutting (6)

    "Qiao Kang, how dare you lie!" Yin gnashed his jaw. "Even you are betraying me-"


    "Come out of your fucking delusion, Yin!" He finally snapped. "You are the one who screwed it all up and now you are acting as if you are in some lala land to not see what is happening right in front of you! Wake up already! I cannot clean up your mess any longer!"


    It was that moment which rained down upon him like the harsh realization of reality. Everything was out and clear as daylight as if the rays left no scope to hide in the darkness any longer.


    From the corner of his eye, he could see the outline of Chyou''s figure, but he didn''t dare to look at her. He didn''t dare to look at what expression her face now held.


    What...what should I do-


    Before his jumbling thoughts could make any sense and come to a conclusion, a loud slap reverberated across the air as if an earthquake shook the ground. The slap landed at the same cheek as where Yating had punched him. The immense pain made him feel breathless and a slit cracked at the corner of his lip.


    "Ch-Chyou please listen to me-"


    He turned to talk to her but instead met Caihong''s fury-blazed eyes. Chyou hadn''t moved from her place an inch.


    Caihong''s slightly misty irises were filled with loathe and ire. It was a hard slap that stung her palm too, but she didn''t care about any of it.


    "First of all, don''t you dare talk to my daughter anymore..." her livid, shaking voice quietly threatened him like a fearsome tigress. "After everything that you possibly did to smash her heart like it''s a toy you can break anytime, you have the nerve to still face her!?"


    "M-Mrs. Zhu-"


    "Shut the fuck up, you piece of shit!!"


    Even Xiang trembled with his mother''s roar and promptly hid behind Xiaosi so as to not die as collateral damage. "Wow Mom is cursing..."


    Xiaosi nodded. "Nothing can save him now."


    His face paled harder.


    Yating balled his fist and made up his mind. Chyou had heard enough. He would take her away from the monster who would keep breaking her heart the longer she would stay. He took one step ahead but Caihong stopped him. "Let her be here."


    "No. She has heard enough, Aunt."


    "Not at all. On the contrary, she hasn''t heard anything yet. I want her to see every bit of truth about this man that there is to see."


    "It''s not necessary," his gaze darkened.


    Xiang applauded Yating''s courage.


    Wow, he is not afraid of his death at all!


    "It is necessary."


    Caihong maintained her level-headed gaze at Yating understandably but also resiliently.


    "There was a time in my past, Yating, where I lived eight long years in the dark. I hated the man I was supposed to love. I hated my daughter who I was supposed to cherish. The hatred was only because I didn''t know the truth at all. I just foolishly kept loathing the wrong people in my life only because things were kept from me to protect me."


    A faint flicker passed through Xiaosi''s eyes.


    "But that doesn''t help anybody, Yating. Know every bit of truth there is to know no matter how bitter it is because only then your heart can decide what path to follow. I know. Truth is blunt. Truth is poisonous. Truth is cutting.


    It makes you feel as if you are getting cut into half but unless you go through that excruciating pain, you will never be able to wake up to reality."


    Her gaze clouded, reminiscing the past, "I needed to see with my own eyes how far Xiaosi went to love me. And Chyou needs to see with her own eyes just how far Cheng Yin went to break her. She will have to see it so that there is not a speck of doubt in her mind that she would ever need to forgive him."

 Chapter 823: To be left alone

    After a long time of contemplation and building some courage in her heart, Chyou gathered the strength in her feet to move. It was dim and lethargic as if she was walking against the force of heavy chains binding her immobile. Yet she faced Yin with eyes that were too exhausted to shed tears. Millions of questions and thoughts in her mind seemed to make no sense.


    "Why...?"


    The one syllable question that escaped her trembling lips was Why?


    Yin panicked. "Chyou there is a misunderstanding! P-please don''t believe any of them. They just don''t want us to be together! I never had any relationship with this shameless woman!"


    Qiu stared at him, stunned, her eyes aching and her heart stinging to hear the crushing words.


    "Qiao Kang is lying too! This bastard Gu Yating has snatched him to his side too to go against me! You...you cannot fall for it Chyou!"


    Chyou still asked, "Why?"


    Yin blinked, bewildered, his chest thudding with max speed. "I-I am telling you Chyou y-you cannot trust anything that they say!"


    She tiredly gazed at him. "But you...believed those pictures. You didn''t trust me. Everything..." her eyelashes lethargically blinked, "showed to you was a lie. But you didn''t trust me. Everything shown to me right now is the truth.


    So why should I trust you?"


    He froze.


    "Yin...I just want to know why. That''s all."


    "Ch-Chyou that''s not..."


    It were her soulless eyes that finally made it register to Yin that no amount of blaming others would now help him. There was no space left to manipulate her.


    "I...I am sorry Chyou! P-please forgive me. I-I didn''t know what took over me," he pleaded and begged with tears sliding down his cheeks, "I was doing everything I can to fight my addiction b-but it was very hard...The rebound was hitting me too badly a-and the withdrawal symptoms were just too...It was around that that Qiu approached me one day showing those pictures! I know!


    His danger-leaking low voice brought a chill to his neck. But then he angrily laughed. "That''s the only thing you rich people know to do! Abuse your power against people like us who don''t match your status-"


    "Abuse?" Yating tilted his head. "You haven''t seen what abuse of power actually looks like otherwise you wouldn''t speak such ignorance. But you will get to see it now."


    He grabbed the collar of his shirt and squeezed it against his neck as if strangling him. Yin gasped with breathlessness but more than anything, Yating''s demonic pressure almost made him piss his pants.


    "You have done more than enough to warrant it. So just lie in wait now till your end comes to you."


    With a harsh push, Yin fell on the floor once more. He looked up at Chyou who remained silent and motionless. He tried to hold her hand but Xiang pulled her back, kicking him away. "Don''t you fucking touch my sister anymore! The nerve of you to ask for forgiveness after cheating on her and even calling her shameless!"


    Yin paled. "Th-That...I didn''t mean any of it! I was just angry. I really regret it-"


    "Enough!" Caihong roared in disgust. She called the guards and ordered them to throw the three of them out of the villa.


    Chyou stared at Yin''s pitiful state who continued to chant for another chance and then at Qiu. Qiu felt her gaze and stiffened. She immediately averted her gaze, guilt flashing in her eyes.


    "Let me go!" Yin resisted the guards but to no avail. "I have to talk to Chyou. She has to forgive me. It was just a mistake. I-I won''t do it again!"


    Xiang sneered. "Yeah this is the proof right here that you never worked on those rehabilitation appointments. Clearly, you are still sniffing the bad stuff and living in delusions. Take these disgusting people away. They have already polluted the air enough!"


    "Chyou! Chyou! Please stop them. I beg you. I will listen to anything you say now!"


    Silence returned to the villa as the three were finally taken away. Chyou remained glued to the floor for a long moment before slowly turning upstairs.


    Yating balled his fist, tears threatening to escape his eyes. He wanted to follow her. He wanted to stop her from leaving and talk to her.


    But he also knew that at this moment, what Chyou needed the most wasn''t anybody''s company but to be left alone.


    All alone and all by herself.

 Chapter 824: Prince Cheng Yins end

    Back in the living room, Caihong tiredly collapsed on the couch as she pressed onto her temples. "Why did this have to happen...I cannot believe Cheng Yin could be so shameless!"


    Her blood still boiled at the thought of how he spoke shit about Chyou when he was the one drowning and dripping with mud all along.


    She glared at Xiaosi. "And you knew this all along!"


    He pursed his lips. "I wanted things to naturally fall in its place and let Chyou see it for herself."


    "You caused her pain for no reason!"


    His fists clenched. "I know I could have ended her misery the moment I learned of his cheating and lies. But Chyou herself was heading in a direction in her relationship which was so not her. I couldn''t believe it when I heard that she broke friendship with Yating just to comfort him. Our Chyou would have never done that before."


    He glanced at Yating, who was looking in the direction of Chyou''s room. The concern glimmering in his eyes was as clear as daylight.


    "You must have felt hurt by that."


    His daze broke and he blinked at Xiaosi. "About?"


    "When Chyou asked you to not be friends anymore."


    His lips stretched into a light smile. "I didn''t mind as long as it made Chyou happy, Uncle. I let it end because I thought that was the best decision for her happy relationship."


    His fist trembled with self-loathe. "But I didn''t realize that Chyou had been killing herself with what she was doing. I thought our decisions would eventually make her life better but I was wrong. I also kept stroking Cheng Yin''s ego when I should have punched him long back."


    Xiang sneered. "I would have made a humiliating parade out of him if I knew sooner. But now he is gone for good! Now my sister won''t have to put up with a loser like him!" His nostrils flared.


    Caihong worriedly looked back and thought that she should talk to Chyou. But Xiaosi placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "Let her be for tonight. It''s been a lot for her. We should give her some time."


    Xiang mumbled. "I won''t let sis mope for that loser for too long though."


    Yating thought back and forth for several moments and asked, "Can I go upstairs just for a few minutes? I won''t force her to meet me. I just want to let her know something."


    Xiaosi stared at him and slowly nodded.


    He pushed him hard and flared into a bubbling volcano. "How dare you show your face to me! You shamelessly got sold to Gu Yating and now have the nerve to come here?"


    His expression darkened. "I wasn''t sold to anybody you fool! Can we really lie when Zhu Xiaosi was right in front of us and that too with all the evidence? In fact you were only falling in the pit deeper and deeper the more you lied!"


    "Shut up!" He grabbed the alcohol bottle and smashed it hard on the floor. "Get the fuck off my house!"


    Qiao Kang looked at him, stunned. Then he angrily laughed. "Fine, Cheng Yin. I will leave. I just came here to break the news to you that it''s all over for you."


    "What the fuck do you mean?"


    "All your present and upcoming projects have been canceled."


    His eyes widened.


    "You have offended Gu Yating and Zhu Xiaosi after all. Do you think they would let you go after the stunt you pulled yesterday? Check your phone. It will have tons of messages and missed calls and only to convey to you that you are cast out of every single drama and movie project. Gu Yating personally made sure of it."


    Yin heard him blankly. He leapt to grap his phone and unlocked it with trembling hands.


    Just as Qiao Kang said, there were so many messages and missed calls that even a whole day would not be enough to look through them. But reading only few of them got him the message.


    ''I am sorry Cheng Yin, but we are ending your contract for XX movie.''


    ''We apologize but we have found another actor to cast for YY drama.''


    All the messages had the same story to tell.


    Qiao Kang scoffed. "There''s more. Prepare yourself when you open your social media account because you are getting tons of hate. Somebody has uploaded last night''s video of whatever had transpired in the Zhu villa. Everything. How you acted, what you said to Chyou and your cheating revelation.


    It''s all out in the media."


    He froze.


    "That''s why I said. Everything is over for you. There is no Prince Cheng Yin anymore. Only Trash Cheng Yin. That''s what everybody is calling you."

 Chapter 825: Visiting grandparents

    Hiding inside her duvet, Chyou blankly scrolled on her mobile watching the latest gossip unfolding before her. Wrapped in the darkness of her blanket and with sleepless circles under her eyes, the white light from her cell flashed on her tired face.


    All of Yin''s contracts were now canceled and he had nowhere to go. His current projects and his future prospects all now went to a toss.


    Did Dad...? Or Yating?


    She didn''t know who did it but her heart felt nothing as if she was walking on barren land. There was no pleasure she enjoyed in this revenge and his misery.


    Once the news broke, her phone buzzed with tons of messages back to back. Shui, Siying, Zhenya, Yujin, Leina, Yuhan, Ai and Liu family siblings - everybody''s concerned messages and calls rained a storm on her phone. A gentle wave of warmth washed in her heart with their sincere feelings but she felt drained to respond to any of it.


    She was about to put her phone back but a certain someone''s call flashed on it and she blinked.


    It was her grandfather An Guoting.


    She hesitated while the call kept ringing. She could imagine her grey-haired grandfather pacing back and forth, deathly worried about his granddaughter. She knew he won''t rest until he would hear her voice.


    "...Grandpa," she whispered lethargically.


    On the other side, An Guoting''s heart sank as he heard her small voice filled with defeat. It wasn''t vibrant. It wasn''t as colorful as it always was before. It now only radiated a sense of loneliness etched deep within her heart.


    "Chyou," he softly and warmly said. "How is my little Chyou doing?"


    Chyou stared ahead in the endless dark void, contemplating what her answer should be.


    "Are you hiding inside your blanket?"


    "I am sleepy."


    "You also hide in your blanket when you are hurt. Grandpa knows you the best."


    Her eyelashes trembled. She wasn''t sure what to say. Her hoarse voice was close to choking. "Grandpa..."


    "Of course. Yueqin never lets me slack on food or exercise."


    "Of course I don''t or if I left you to yourself then you would already be lying on a hospital bed right now," her eyes narrowed.


    "Hehe, how can I greet the hospital bed so early? I have two wonderful grandchildren to look after."


    Xiang cheekily pointed at himself. "Grandpa, I am more wonderful than sis, right? Right?"


    "Hmmmm..."


    He cried. "Don''t think so much, Grandpa. The pause hurts my fragile heart!"


    An Yueqin rolled her eyes. An Guoting held Chyou''s hands and warmly smiled. "Come, come. I have a lot to talk about with you, especially all those times when your Grandma bullied me."


    An Yueqin raised her brow. "Don''t tarnish my name in front of her."


    "I am just letting out my grievances, that''s all," he said in his defense. He brightly looked at Chyou. "Let''s go to the garden. It''s so sunny outside after all."


    He quickly tugged Chyou outside before his wife would get to snatch her. An Yueqin shook her head. She then glanced at Xiang and worriedly said, "Chyou is not doing well at all."


    Xiang''s shoulders slumped. "Sis looks like a zombie and all because of that cheater and shameless Cheng Yin! Mom could hardly hold her tears back when she saw her in this state this morning..."


    An Yueqin narrowed her eyes and cracked her knuckles. "Cheng Yin needs some harsh punishment. I just have the men to do the job."


    An Yueqin had a long history with the underworld before she met An Guoting and married him. She had long left that world but the fringes of her connections still remained.


    He grinned. "Grandma is so badass. Cheng Yin just needs to see the dark world once~ I want to see his scaredy cat face~"


    She nodded. "He should understand the cost of hurting my beautiful granddaughter and also just who he has lost. Just ending his career seems too light of a punishment for me," she frowned.


    Xiang nodded hard. "He has hurt and humiliated sis a lot! He should suffer a hundred fold the pain that he gave sis!"


    She sneered. "He will. There is no way for him to escape. But now...I am only worried if Chyou would be able to escape the clutches of this pain. I hope Guoting can do something about it."

 Chapter 826: The process for a happy relationship

    An Guoting took the water can and walked towards the bed of beautiful lilies and roses. He tilted the can and let a sparkling fountain gently rain on them.


    He smiled. "The flowers are very pretty, right?"


    Chyou faintly smiled back. "Yes."


    "Take that other can and water them too. It will feel so refreshing~"


    She paused and nodded. She took the extra can lying in the shed and joined An Guoting with tending to the garden. As the water droplets sprinkled on the flower petals like a pleasant drizzle, she noticed a small rainbow forming as the sun''s golden light merged with the droplets.


    "Oh my so pretty!" An Guoting appreciated it with a bright grin.


    Chyou expressionlessly stared at the small and vibrant disperse of colors in the air. They beamed beautifully but that joy didn''t reach her heart. It was as if the only colors she could see was the dull and gloomy grey. Last night snatched every bit of color there existed in her world.


    "It feels so magical to see the white light lighting up with so many colors. But I guess...you are not able to see them."


    Chyou lowered her gaze.


    "Tell me little pumpkin. What are you thinking?"


    "...I don''t know," she quietly whispered. "Everything feels a mess."


    "Okay then. Let''s take it step by step."


    An Guoting got an idea and he beamed. "Let''s plant some flowers today. I just cleaned up that area a few days ago. It''s the perfect day for gardening hoho!"


    If the base itself would be all wrong then the flower is bound to wither one day. Just like that, trust is the base of any relationship. Lies are like these weeds. You lie and hide about your life or you keep piling more lies onto it. That love is bound to crumble one day."


    Chyou felt her eyes ache. Indeed, it was only lies and deceit so much so that she wondered just when Yin was truthful to her.


    An Guoting patted her hand with a doting smile. "Let''s continue. We chose the right spot and we prepared the soil. Now let''s add the compost. What does compost do, little pumpkin?"


    "Improves the soil''s fertility."


    He nodded. "What are you thinking about now?"


    She trembled and couldn''t help from letting her tears slide. "I don''t know...I don''t know, Grandpa. What did I do so wrong? I did everything I could to help him. To save this relationship. I made decisions I didn''t want to.


    Still...still everything fell apart."


    An Guoting looked ahead as if he fell into a trance. "Because it was only you who were putting in the effort, dear. A relationship is a process as much as planting this flower. It needs compost to bloom so does a relationship. You did what you had to but did Cheng Yin do what he had to? He was quick to give up on becoming clean.


    He was quick to cheat based on a few pictures. He was quick to dismiss all compromises you made. So where exactly did he try to improve his relationship with you?"


    He shook his head. "Both partners need to work and sail through the sea together. The boat will sink if only one is paddling all along. The person will get tired one day."


    Drops of tears plopped on the back of her hand as his words resonated hard.


    "Aish don''t cry dear. Now comes the most exciting part~!" He hopped like a little child. He handed her a little flower and said, "Go ahead and plant it. Then we will water it."


    Chyou sniffled and wiped her tears. She carefully placed the small, delicate flower in the dug hole and backfilled the soil. They thoroughly watered it and he grinned. "Perfect! Now we wait for the flower to blossom. I am sure it will be a spectacle to behold!"

 Chapter 827: More villainous than anybody

    Chyou stared at the delicate flower she planted in the soil. A lot of complicated emotions toiled her heart back and forth.


    An Guoting patted her head. "It''s alright, dear. Things are hard for you. But this shall all pass too. Have faith."


    "...I...feel so ashamed, Grandpa..." she choked as her misty tears dropped tears on the ground.


    He frowned. "Why would you feel ashamed?"


    She lightly gasped and rubbed her palms together. "I wanted to show Mom, Dad, Xiang that I...chose a good man. But I let them down. Not just let them down but Yin humiliated them...all because of me. I wanted to have a perfect relationship like theirs. I thought I found it in Yin.


    I was so happy...What must they be thinking about me?"


    An Guoting''s eyes widened. "My dear pumpkin you are thinking on an entirely wrong tangent. Xiaosi and Chyou would never be disappointed in you. They are disappointed in Cheng Yin for breaking your heart. It has nothing to do with you choosing him. You are the apple of their eyes.


    They are your parents. Even if Cheng Yin turned out to be the wrong guy for you, what is there in it for you to be embarrassed about? You should be proud of yourself. You did everything a good partner should. It''s him who didn''t honor the same."


    She pressed her lips inward, her cheeks aching to cry.


    He patted her head again. "You might feel that everything is over but that is far from the truth, okay? Just give yourself some time. Take a break from your work if you want. Things will get back on track for sure. And always remember to be grateful to fate that you learned of this ugly truth before it got too late."


    She trembled. She couldn''t imagine herself marrying Yin while she was being kept in the dark of his affair. Getting married to a cheater would have been the worst possible punishment for her.


    "You don''t have to invest your feelings in a cheater anymore. I know it''s painful for you but I don''t mind celebrating with a glass of wine that my granddaughter is free from such a man''s life," he harrumphed. "Th-though Yueqin won''t let me have any wine..."


    Chyou slightly burst into a chuckle seeing his shoulders droop. She softly wrapped her arm around his and said, "I will sneakily help you with it."


    His eyes shone. "Really?"


    "But only one glass. No overdoing it with your health."


    He nodded hard. "My granddaughter is the best."


    She lifted her lips in a tired smile. An Guoting released a silent sigh.


    It won''t be easy to forget that bastard...


    He gently smiled at her. "Promise me, pumpkin."


    "Hm?"


    "That you won''t deal with this all alone. You have so many friends who care for you. Don''t distance yourself from them because of one wrong man."


    She didn''t know why but Yating''s face popped into her mind first.


    *Flashback*


    "Damn this is gonna be a problem!" Sun Jiang was pacing back and forth in her office seeing all the supposed ''date'' pictures making rounds on the net.


    "I won''t ever let Chyou apologize for this nonsense!" She frowned. "But will Cheng Yin do anything about it? If he declares his trust in Chyou, then his stupid fans will calm down and everything will be sorted."


    Her eyes narrowed.


    That is provided only if he trusts Chyou too.


    Her phone then buzzed with a number she never saw before and she furrowed her brows. "Who is this?"


    "Liu Jun."


    Her eyes rapidly blinked.


    "You are Sun Jiang, right? Chyou''s manager. I want to talk to you. Can you come to Sky for some time?"


    He is from the Liu family Chyou keeps talking about...


    "Okay. I will be there."


    When she was at Jun''s office seated opposite him, she could feel her knees becoming jelly with the sheer iciness that had completely covered his dark brown irises.


    "Cheng Yin won''t be giving a statement."


    Her daze broke and her attention snapped towards him. "You mean about the scandal right? He has to. He is her boyfriend. If he doesn''t trust her then it will only make the mess bigger."


    Jun smiled alarmingly. "Not this time."


    "Sorry?"


    Jun slid his phone and showed her some pictures. "What do you make of them?"


    Sun Jiang squinted her eyes and gasped. "Is that...what I am thinking it is? The hell he is an addict!?"


    Jun sneered.


    "This is..." Sun Jiang felt her mind blown.


    "I want you to use these pictures to threaten him and his manager to put out a statement. Gu Yating already did half of the job with his own statement," he chuckled with an evil glint in his eyes. "Cheng Yin will give the finishing touches."


    Sun Jiang shuddered with the hair on her skin snapping straight. Jun was younger than her but right now more villainous than anybody in this world.

 Chapter 828: Magical powers?

    "Jun did that?" Chyou asked as she was left completely stunned.


    When did Jun learn about Yin''s addiction?


    "Yes. And that idiot Cheng Yin kept blaming you!" Sun Jiang shook her head. "Thank God you are out of his life. He didn''t trust you with anything!" Her gaze flashed coldly.


    An Guoting nodded. "We should be really grateful to him."


    Hiding behind a tree at a distance with his grandmother, Xiang scratched his head.


    "Liu Jun huh..."


    "Aish the Liu siblings are so sweet."


    "Yeah that...Oh that reminds me of something. Wasn''t Dad going to meet him today?"


    "In S3?"


    "I don''t know but this morning I heard Dad take his name. But I really wonder how he learned about everything."


    ¡ª


    "I am grateful for all your help, Jun," Xiaosi said, facing Jun, who sat opposite to the CEO''s seat.


    Jun shook his head. "You don''t have to thank me for anything, Uncle. I only want to see Chyou happy, that''s all."


    Xiaosi stared at him with scrutiny. "How...did you know everything? Right from Cheng Yin skipping his appointments and then cheating on Chyou with that assistant..."


    In the confrontation last night, Xiaosi had said that he dug the truth about Yin all by himself. But the truth was that it was Jun who gathered all the evidence against Yin through the shadows and told everything to Xiaosi.


    Xiaosi had indeed tracked the woman to be Qiu who leaked the pictures but it was Jun who went one step ahead and put before him his own pictures where Yin and Qiu were together for several nights.


    Jun had no proper and reasonable answer to give to Xiaosi. He had seen Chyou''s life going downhill because of Yin. He knew everything about him and what kind of a person he was. A person like Cheng Yin would only repeat history. That''s just what happened.


    He betrayed Chyou''s trust and stopped all his efforts to become clean.


    He cheated on her with other women after marriage.


    Maybe because of him...


    "How is Ai doing?"


    "As always hopping and chirping. She is very concerned for Chyou. She will definitely come flying to meet her at any time."


    Xiaosi chuckled. "That''s good. Chyou needs all kinds of good changes. I was wondering if they could have an all girls pajama party or something."


    "Oh that''s cool. Ai will be the happiest," his brow twitched.


    "You don''t seem to be pleased."


    "I am afraid I won''t get my Ai back if I leave her with Chyou. Chyou is as dangerous to me as other men eyeing Ai," he plainly stated.


    Xiaosi burst into laughter. "Well what can I say? She has got all the charming genes from my wife."


    Jun chuckled.


    I think Aunt has the opposite to say, he thought.


    ¡ª


    Qiu clutched her bag and stood in front of the set''s entrance. Her eyes were red and puffed up and her face looked haggard as if she aged by ten years. She slowly stepped in and immediately, shocked gasps echoed throughout the set.


    "Hey it''s her!"


    "She is the one Cheng Yin slept with!"


    "The nerve of her to come to the set after what happened! She seduced the Queen''s boyfriend and now comes here as if nothing happened!?"


    "I cannot believe she can be that shameless!"


    Qiu bit her lip with all the disdainful gazes and daggers being thrown at her. Tears pooled in her eyes as all the poisonous words stung her.


    With all the commotion, the director arrived and stood before her. Qiu straightened up and apologized. "Please forgive me, Sir. I g-got a little late today..."


    "You don''t have to ask for forgiveness because you don''t need to come here again."

 Chapter 829: Promotion!

    The biggest breakup in the entertainment industry resounded hard even after a few days had passed. They made the headlines that exploded every single day that only skinned Yin alive. He had no place to show his face nor he had any work left. All his contracts were now canceled and even his entertainment agency abandoned him. His fans abandoned him as well.


    From Prince Cheng who soared high in the sky, he was now left to the streets.


    After seeing the video of what transpired in the Zhu villa, everybody relished the treatment that the cheater was getting. Not only was his affair out but his addiction too and as an addict, no popular agencies wanted to associate with him anymore.


    Among them, only one person laid depressed in his office that saw all his hard work crumbling before him like a tower of cards toppling down. He was none other than Director Murong.


    The movie production was already in its finishing stages with some editing remaining here and there. But at this point, Director Murong didn''t see any point to do the rest of it anyway. With Yin''s reputation crashing like a stock going down in the market, he could see it as clear as the sun that the movie wouldn''t work in the box office.


    Even if Chyou was the lead actress, it was next to impossible to sustain the movie all by herself. Yin had an equally important role to play. But nobody wanted to see Yin on the big screen anymore. With Yin as the lead actor in the movie, there were high chances that nobody would want to waste the trip to the theaters to see him.


    His fans had left him and Chyou''s fans would loathe to see his presence anywhere. After all, he humiliated and betrayed Chyou to the point of no return. There was no way anybody would be forgiving.


    He had pinned his hopes on the popularity that they were a couple and audiences would love to see them together. But now all those hopes took a deep dip into the sea. Seeing them would only invoke disgust, much similar to what he was feeling right now.


    Then did that mean there was no future for this movie anymore? Should he pull out this project?


    Director Murong gnashed his jaw and banged his fist on the table.


    "If I ever see Cheng Yin again, I will beat the shit out of him! My precious baby..." he lacked tears to shed.


    He has big hopes and dreams for this movie.


    "But now everything went down the drain! I will kill him!"


    Director Murong''s shoulders slumped and he collapsed back on his chair. He casually scrolled down the social media. The rage against Yin was like wildfire. His huge following had shrunken into ant size.


    Sad and depressed, Director Murong posted a question on his account.


    ''How many of you will still come to see the movie?''


    The backlash he faced was instantaneous and immense.


    ''Director Murong seems to be a cheater too!''


    He was stunned and speechless.


    Hey hey don''t talk any nonsense against me! I just asked an innocent question, you know? What if my wife believes you! You want my loving marriage to end in divorce!?


    But the responses kept coming.


    ''No way I would tolerate that bastard on the screen anymore!''


    ''I want to support Queen Chyou with all my heart but I just cannot with Yin anymore! He disgusts me.''


    Yating wasn''t sure where he was going with this.


    "I have also heard the feedback from your commercial shooting. You are rough around the edges but you were quick to learn your role~ You looked like a natural in no time."


    "Thanks."


    "But I was wondering how long will you get stuck yourself to just an ad role?" He sighed dramatically.


    "Not for long. Only until the cooperation project is completed."


    His brow twitched. He then grinned. "Come on, Gu Yating. Think a little harder. Have a wider horizon. You can have the wings to fly high, high up in the air."


    Yating now seriously questioned the director''s sanity.


    "I don''t think I am understanding you."


    "You can get much better and bigger roles, you know!" His pitch was now increasingly getting eager and hyper.


    Yating blinked. "I am not looking for bigger and better roles anyway. I am a chief editor by profession. This is just temporary stuff I am doing for the project."


    Director Murong waved his hand. "I mean you would have surely dreamed of showing your excellent talent on the big screen right? Right? At least once?"


    "Not really."


    "..."


    His nostrils flared. "You surely would have! It''s just that you don''t know it yet. But as a very seasoned and experienced director, I understand your heart very well."


    "..."


    "Ad roles are fine and all but you would shine so much brighter on the big silver screen!"


    "Can you please tell me clearly what you have to say?"


    "Hehe, you care about Chyou, right?"


    "Of course I do."


    "You cannot see her hardwork and efforts going to waste, right?"


    "Never."


    "So you will take the lead role of my movie, right?"


    "..."

 Chapter 830: A movie together

    Chyou walked in the set with everybody''s attention snapping at her at a moment''s notice.


    "Queen Chyou!!!"


    The whole set broke into chaos as everybody surrounded her with tears in their eyes. Behind her, people could see some reporters and paparazzi roaming around and following her for some heated debate and answers but they glared at them and shooed them away.


    Don''t buzz around Queen Chyou!


    "Queen Chyou, we missed you!" One of the staff attendants burst into tears.


    "We are so sorry for what happened, Queen. I never thought that Prince Cheng- hmph, Cheng Yin would turn out like this!"


    "And on top of that, that shameless woman Qiu had the nerve to come to work here as if nothing happened!"


    "Queen Chyou, you look so thin..."


    "Are you not eating properly?"


    "You look so tired. Don''t worry, I will doll you up to be the prettiest Queen in this whole wide world!" One makeup artist proudly said.


    The concern in everybody''s eyes and words warmed Chyou''s heart. "Everybody...Thank you so much. I really appreciate it."


    "Hmph that cheater Cheng Yin doesn''t deserve our Queen! Don''t feel heartbroken, Queen. You will surely find a handsome and dashing prince charming soon for sure~"


    "Maybe fate has already arranged for that~ Queen, queen, you should head to Director Murong''s office! He has super important stuff to talk to you about!"


    She nodded. "Indeed. I also came here to talk about something important about the movie," she smiled. "I will head there to meet him now. Later on today, I have arranged for a feast today so enjoy it."


    "Yayyyyyy!!" Everybody''s faces lit up like Christmas trees. "A treat by Queen Chyou!"


    As Chyou left, one female assistant squealed hard. "I cannot wait to see what will come out of that meeting. We might just be able to see Gu Yating everyday!"


    "Kyaaaa!!" The hearts popping and bursting overflowed everywhere. Single men could only cry in the corner as the hearts weren''t meant for them.


    "He is definitely more charming than that cheater!"


    "Hehe I always found Gu Yating and Queen''s chemistry more sizzling~ Ah, ah, I cannot wait!"


    ¡ª


    Chyou took a deep breath and steeled her heart. It was important to discuss the movie''s future which she knew wouldn''t work on the big screen anymore. It was impossible for the movie to be loved after Yin''s stint.


    Everybody has worked so hard for this movie. I cannot let anybody''s efforts go to waste...


    "The lead actor is...Yin-"


    "Not anymore," he chirped. "We will soon start shooting with Gu Yating taking the lead role ahahaha! I am such a brilliant man!"


    Chyou remained seated like a statue. Suddenly, the meaning behind Yating''s complicated expression came to her.


    "Yeah that''s exactly my reaction," Yating said with a dry smile. "So now only you can convince him that this is not possible."


    Director Murong frowned. "Why isn''t it possible? You acted just fine for the commercials!"


    "Commercials are different...A whole movie is another story."


    "That''s right. Another story, another chance to shine~"


    We are not talking the same language, he closed his eyes in defeat.


    "Wait, wait," Chyou breathlessly intervened. "Please explain a bit more, Director."


    "What is there to explain? The point at which we stand, the movie is for sure a goner. But, but, but! Gu Yating can save it!" His excitement rivaled that to a child''s.


    "H-How...?" She asked, speechless.


    "By replacing Cheng Yin as the lead actor, silly what else? Gu Yating has become so famous ever since he saved you from the fire. Many, many fans actually secretly like your chemistry a lot."


    She coughed. She felt her cheeks warm for a reason she didn''t understand.


    "So why don''t we tap into it and make it a blockbuster? Many don''t realize that they actually like seeing you two together a lot. In fact, when you had released the teaser of your commercial some time back, it had gotten a hell lot of traction. Imagine seeing you two together on the silver screen!" He beamed. "Can you just imagine the reaction of the audience?"


    Can you please try to imagine my reaction for now? She cried.


    "A movie is impossible for me, I am afraid," Yating shook his head. "These are very high expectations and I cannot see the movie turn into some sort of clown amusement because of my hardly existential acting skills."


    "..."


    "And then again..." he glanced at Chyou and said albeit with hesitation, "We were in a scandal. I don''t know how people will take it seeing me replacing Yin as the lead actor. Maybe his fans will think about it as some plot against him. We cannot discard that line of thought process either."


    "I know. I have thought about that as well. But those blind people making noise won''t last for longer. Cheng Yin is completely screwed. Drugs, cheating and the humiliation he caused Chyou won''t be taken lightly. Nobody will have the face to challenge the replacement decision," he sneered.


    "And at the end of the day, movie making is also a business, Gu Yating. I will do what it takes to make this movie a profit and success. Surely as Gu Rong''s son, you understand that, right? Same with Chyou."


    They belonged to business families so if course, they understood that.


    He sighed. "But still. It''s important if you two are comfortable too. As much as I want for this to happen, I want you two to agree to it too. So I want you two to talk about it and decide."

 Chapter 831: Benevolent virus

    For a long time, Chyou didn''t know what to speak because she was too busy placating her rapid heartbeats. There were the commercials to be done and now Director Murong insisted on doing the movie together too.


    Huh, huh, huh?


    What should I say? What should I even say to him?


    A movie with Yating...can I even do it? But wait. Why am I so worried?


    A message hit her phone and she read it was from Sun Jiang.


    ''Oh my gosh, Chyou! I heard from Director Murong that he wants to cast Gu Yating as the lead actor! That''s freaking amazing! I am telling you the movie will be a blockbuster even more than when Cheng Yin was in it. People really adore the way Gu Yating carries himself you know~''


    Chyou peeked at Yating but she was too mesmerized by the sun''s soft glow lighting up his side profile. Yating felt her gaze and looked at her.


    She stiffened and stumbled.


    "Hey!" He quickly caught her arm and gently pulled her.


    He gazed down. "Are the heels uncomfortable for you?"


    She robotically shook her head.


    "That''s good then," he smiled.


    She instantly averted her gaze.


    "..."


    "Is something the problem?"


    I don''t know, she thought. But I am not able to look at you for some reason.


    "No problem..."


    Yating figured out the source of her tension and smiled with assurance. "It''s okay, Chyou. I won''t act in the movie. It''s impossible for me anyway."


    "Huh, what? It''s not impossible," she blinked at him, confused. "You definitely have the talent!"


    He paused, surprised. He was expecting a different reaction from Chyou.


    Her shoulders slumped and a tear fell on her cheek. "Why are you so nice to me?"


    He said with all sincerity, "Do a loyal subject need a reason?"


    She threw him a soft glare. "Yes, you do need a reason especially when I was the one who selfishly asked you to break our friendship. You..." she sniffled, "despite that you are still standing by my side as if nothing happened..."


    Yating thoughtfully touched his chin. "Yes because nothing has happened in the first place. Hmm, what is this memory that you have but I don''t?"


    "..."


    "Seriously?"


    "From the last stored record in my database, the Queen and this loyal subject were and still are always good friends. I never had a reason to not care for you."


    Tears pooled in her eyes and her voice choked. "But I remember."


    He nodded. "Seems some fault has entered your harddisk. You are retaining memories that never even happened."


    "..."


    "I must say you should skip those faulty memory records," he grinned.


    Her cheeks puffed up as she was trying hard to not cry. "Y-you should just walk out of this movie proposal. You shouldn''t think about it or me or feel responsible to save it when I made some foolish choices for the sake of the wrong man...Please don''t help me anymore when I have o-only ever hurt you."


    Yating tilted his head. "Hmm, this loyal subject still doesn''t remember the Queen ever hurting him. Perhaps a benevolent virus hacked my memory and wiped it out."


    "..."


    "You are super knowledgeable about computers right? How was my knowledge? Pretty impressive, right? I studied hard."


    Chyou could only tremble in grievance.


    He chuckled. "As far as I remember Chyou. We were always and still are good friends. Nothing ever ended between us. I am just too shameless to let go of hugging the Queen''s thigh~"


    At that point, Chyou felt like she was talking to a wall. "You...! You are seriously such a good man! Why are you such a good man?"


    "Only because you are so awesome," he laughed.


    Chyou felt dizziness surrounding her brain. His eyes, his laughter, his sweet words and his unwavering support were proving to be too lethal for her heart.


    Her helpless expression made Yating pinch her cheek. "The Queen can be as selfish as she wants with me. Gu Yating will gladly fulfill all of it."

 Chapter 832: Yearn for a mothers love

    "Chyou, my dear!"


    Gu Rong warmly hugged her as soon as Chyou''s head popped into his office. "How have you been? Aish, it feels like I am seeing you after ages."


    Upon his request, Yating brought her to Gu Corps, who wanted to meet Chyou ever since the whole pandemonium ensued.


    He looked at her from head to toe and furrowed his brows. "You are not skipping your meals, right? You look so thin."


    She smiled. "I promise I am eating well, Uncle."


    "Good, good."


    Yating was standing beside her but Gu Rong hadn''t yet acknowledged him. It was as if he was purposefully ignoring his presence.


    The last dinner hadn''t ended so well for them. Things were said that hurt both father and son and since then, there was complete silence between them.


    "How is your work going, Uncle?"


    "As usual, busy."


    At that point Yating was sure that he would surely throw a jab at him for not helping out with the business and wasting his time at Dream High, which would only turn the conversation into an argument. But surprisingly, Gu Rong didn''t use any sarcasm this time.


    Yating frowned suspiciously.


    How come he is so quiet today?


    Gu Rong held her hands and lightly smiled. "I am glad you threw away that cheater from your life. I am sorry. I know it''s hard to forget..."


    His jaw slightly clenched, his gaze looking somewhere faraway. "Selfish and greedy people like him ought to be cast away without any mercy. Otherwise they make our life hell even before we realize it. That''s why, don''t think about Cheng Yin anymore. You are free to think about my son tho-"


    "Dad!!!"


    Yating looked at him in horror. "I was right. I shouldn''t have brought her here!"


    Chyou cleared her throat. If it was before then she would have laughed but today, she wasn''t sure how to react.


    Gu Rong threw him a perplexed look and looked away.


    Idiot son. This is the time you should use to charm your way in her heart! Could you be any slower!?


    He said nothing.


    Chyou read an inexplicable emotion in his posture and said, "But that doesn''t mean that I wouldn''t have cherished Dad. In fact I would have loved him a lot, looooooot more. Because I cherish the present he is giving me. So it''s hopeless to chase after a future I wouldn''t have gotten anyway."


    "I see," he slowly nodded.


    She then asked, "Did Yating mention his mother?"


    He stiffened and lowered his gaze. "No..."


    She scrunched her brows. "Tell me the truth. Am I not your favorite Chyou?"


    His eyes shone with grievance. "I was just trying to make him understand that hanging around that selfish brat Ma Dong wasn''t a good idea! He and his family used my son''s kindness and friendship and stole money as compensation from me for the accident at high school years ago. They only looked at us as rich thighs to hug! But that idiot still thinks his friendship was and is still genuine!"


    Her eyes widened.


    "But Yating felt that I was targeting his choices and..." he trembled, "for the first time in these years he said that it would have been better if...she would have been here too. W-well he is free to leave then! He doesn''t have to suffer with a tyrant father if he doesn''t have to!"


    Gu Rong was shaking hard and at a loss of breath as he said that.


    "First, you should sit down, Uncle," Chyou made him sit on his chair.


    She stared at his trembling hands and misty, frightened irises.


    "You don''t have to say things that you don''t mean, Uncle. Isn''t Yating the apple of your eyes?"


    "What does it matter? He always fights with me. He always does the opposite that I want him to do. And now he wants his mother. If I am facing so many problems with my son, clearly, I failed."


    "Hm? You didn''t fail. You should see just how many times Xiang and Dad have arguments and clashes," she scratched her head. "But that doesn''t mean they don''t love each other."


    He clenched his fist. "But he mentioned his mother for the first time in his life..."


    She shook her head. "That doesn''t mean you lacked anywhere. It just means that you two simply need to have a proper conversation and listen to each other."


    He frowned. "I have always listened to him."


    She popped the balloon. "Not really."


    "..."

 Chapter 833: A person of the past

    Yating impatiently waited at the nearby cake shop, waiting for Chyou''s cake to be packed. He frequently glanced at his watch, worried about what his father would say to her.


    He was always very passionate about making Chyou as his daughter-in-law and now that she was single, Gu Rong wouldn''t leave a chance to sway her towards his proposal.


    I just hope he doesn''t say any nonsense! He thought as he rubbed his brows.


    Yating collected the cake box and quickly headed out of the shop when he heard a soft voice calling him from behind.


    "Ya-Yating..."


    Yating stopped in his steps and turned. A middle-aged woman stood before him with a hint of hesitation on her face.


    Yating stared at her for a long time. It didn''t click with him immediately as to the identity of the woman before him. He was very young when she left him and Gu Rong. The hazy figure of that woman from all those years back was almost a fleeting and distant memory now.


    But the resemblance slowly came to him and his feet remained frozen on the ground.


    "Mom...?"


    ¡ª


    "Duan Ren was never a good mother," Gu Rong remorsefully said. "She began to distance herself from Yating and that soon caused many fights between us. I don''t know if he even remembers her."


    Chyou''s gaze lowered. In a way then she and Yating were very similar. Both went through troubled childhoods with a lack of their mother''s love. The only difference was that eventually, Caihong came around and accepted her daughter at one point in time.


    But that time never came for Yating.


    She softly pursed her lips. "Did she leave because the responsibility was too much for her?"


    She didn''t hear a response and looked up to watch Gu Rong gazing at a distance with an indecipherable expression.


    "...I had enough of it so I told her to leave. There wasn''t a point anymore."


    Her shoulders dropped. As she gazed into his eyes, Chyou didn''t know why but his countenance made her feel a little uneasy. As if there was something more to his and Duan Ren''s relationship.


    The door opened and they saw Yating step in. He walked slowly as if still in a trance and pondering over something important.


    "Ah cake!" Chyou chirped and broke the father-son duo''s daze.


    Chyou beamed and clapped her hands once in delight. "Great! Let''s have some cake then!"


    Wait a second, where are your tears now?


    Yating rolled his eyes.


    She is the Queen for a reason.


    ¡ª


    As Yating returned home, he sat down on the couch in contemplation. He didn''t let it show in front of Gu Rong and Chyou but meeting Duan Ren after so long had shaken him up. Only he knew how he was holding it together.


    As he pondered in the deep silence, he faintly recalled some broken memories of her. But none of them were any sweet memories. There was only arguments, ignorance and avoidance in them.


    ''Yating...you have grown so much...''


    Yating could only stare at her. He saw her eyes rimmed in tears but he wasn''t sure how he was supposed to feel. Just days ago, he said to Gu Rong that it would have been nice had his mother been there too.


    Now she was really standing before him. But he wasn''t sure if he returned the same sentiments.


    "I know it must be shocking to you that I am appearing before you after so long. Gu Rong and I separated long back. You were hardly four or five back then..."


    He pursed his lips hard and blankly kept staring at her. The cake bag in his hand mildly trembled and his heart began to pound. He wished to run away from this puzzling situation but he couldn''t. In the end, he couldn''t utter a single word.


    "I understand I haven''t been a good mother..." she was close to tears. "I regret it a lot. But I still kept missing you. I couldn''t help but come to you today. I know it must be bothering you...I just wanted to see you..."


    He said nothing.


    "I will take my leave," she sniffled. "J-Just I have one request..."


    At that moment, Yating realized a distinct fear in her eyes. "P-please don''t tell Gu Rong about this meeting, okay? I beg you..."


    Yating opened his eyes at present. Duan Ren hadn''t said much and quietly left after that. But what he didn''t understand was why was so terrified as she mentioned him?


    Why did her eyes reflect pure horror as she uttered Gu Rong''s name?


    Yating felt that reaction a little too extreme. He knew that Gu Rong obviously wouldn''t be thrilled for Duan Ren to come meeting Yating again when they had already separated. He would fume to no bounds.


    But did that reason really warrant such a fear from her?

 Chapter 834: Not a threat anymore

    Yating''s final decision on Director Murong''s proposal was to accept becoming the lead actor in the movie. He still had tons of questions, doubt and hesitation in his skills. But there was Chyou behind him pushing and assuring him of the future.


    He paused and wondered what Dream High''s employees would think of this sudden decision by him. From being the Chief Editor, he would now enter the big silver screen as an actor. The transition could be a huge thing to digest.


    But a bigger situation awaited him somewhere quietly.


    Ever since he met Duan Ren, even if it was for a brief period, he couldn''t shake it off his mind.


    Why did she suddenly come to meet him?


    What changed for her?


    Was it a simple meeting or did it mean something more?


    "Yating?"


    Yating was lost in his thoughts so he didn''t respond. Then there was a poke at his shoulder but he still didn''t feel it.


    Then the poke jabbed a little harder and he snapped out of his senses with,


    "Ow!"


    He rubbed the slightly painful spot and looked at the culprit before him.


    "..."


    "...Ai?" His eyes slightly widened, taken aback.


    Ai blinked. "What were you thinking so deeply?"


    "No I just...wait," he looked around and asked, "What are you doing at the set?"


    She beamed. "I came here to meet Chyou. Not just me but Jun, Shui, Siying and Leina too."


    "Oh. Is it to give her company?"


    She nodded. "It''s hard to forget betrayal but we want to be there for her. My idol cannot be alone," she sincerely bobbed her head.


    He smiled. "That''s great. Uncle Xiaosi was talking about a small get-together too just for Chyou to feel better."


    "Hey."


    "Heyyyyy!!"


    They looked back and saw the group arrive too, Shui and Leina being the chirpiest.


    "Gu Yating!!"


    Jun then smiled at him. "You are damn right about the villain part. Nobody can eye my Ai or he won''t have any eyes left anymore."


    Ai clapped her hands once in delight. "That''s such a great dialogue. Can I use that line in my story?"


    "Don''t think you can divert the topic."


    "Tch," Ai looked away as yet another tactic failed.


    Jun sneered at her. He looked back at Yating and raised his brow. "Besides."


    "Hm?"


    "You aren''t a threat to me anymore."


    Yating grimaced. "I haven''t been a threat to you for a long time now."


    "You were," he smirked. "It''s now that you have ceased to be a threat to me."


    "What do you even mean by that?"


    "I think you know that answer."


    Siying chuckled, already catching onto the meaning and so did the others.


    "Hey you all!"


    Chyou was pleasantly surprised to see them together. Ai brightened and jumped to hug her. "Chyou."


    "My cute Aiiiiii!!!"


    Jun shot a deadly glare at her. "But you are still a threat to me!"


    Chyou frowned. "I am the most innocent person out here. Don''t blame accusations on me!"


    "You keep charming people left and right here and you call yourself innocent?"


    Siying said with grievance. "Sorry but I attest to this. When Nuo is with you, I just become a background," he shook his head.


    Chyou harrumphed. "How is it my fault if you, as boyfriends, pale in comparison to me in the charm meter? You need to step up!"


    "..."


    She sheepishly grinned. "Should I take you two under my wings as my students?"


    "No thanks!" Jun bitterly said.


    Director Murong called out from afar. "Chyou! Yating! Are you ready? It''s time for your first scene together~"

 Chapter 835: The Queens mistakes (1)

    Ai and the company squished to fit themselves at a corner to see the shooting right in front of her eyes. The most excited within them was none other than Ai herself. She had met Chyou before many times but this was the first time she was witnessing her in her work mode.


    Jun''s gaze darkened as he was completely sidelined. Siying chuckled. "There is no use getting cranky, bro. We cannot defeat Chyou."


    "I can. I just need to brainwash Ai," he sneered.


    His brow twitched. "Good luck with that."


    Back at the stage and under the set lights, Chyou''s outfit earned gasps as she looked ethereal in the historical outfit. She maneuvered herself flawlessly and comfortably while Yating, on the other end, had trouble walking steadily. He wasn''t used to wearing the robes that men in ancient Chinese Dynasty wore.


    Under Director Murong''s guidance, he did practice carrying himself with the outfit and he only prayed that his efforts would prove to be fruitful.


    Director Murong said in a louder voice from his seat, "So Chyou, Yating. You know the scene, right? I have tweaked the scene a bit so now it''s a flashback of you gifting the pendant to Chyou. Just close your eyes and remember what emotions you have to portray."


    Chyou took a deep breath. Up until now, she had spent countless hours practicing and shooting with Yin. There were memories associated with him and this movie and now everything was changing.


    Can I really do this...? I don''t want to remember him. I don''t want to think about him.


    I won''t think about him. I will only think about my part and this movie...


    She exhaled light, shaky breaths.


    As Director Murong gave the signal, they got into positions. Chyou was ready and she looked up to find Yating gazing at her with a warm smile. The set light shone on his left profile and the memory of the fireworks festival at the lake lit inside her mind like a firework itself.


    What if I want that woman to be you?


    Yating was standing before her. It was the same sturdy figure, the same warm gaze and the same soft smile with which he had quietly whispered that question. Suddenly, that exact moment of that night was etched so deeply into her that she stumbled back a step.


    Yating swiftly held her arm and pulled her steady.


    "Cut."


    Director Murong asked, "You stumbled back just now, right? Is everything okay?"


    Chyou blinked rapidly and snapped out of her stupor. "Ah...? Ah! S-sorry! I wasn''t paying attention."


    "No worries. Be careful. Let''s start again."


    Chyou awkwardly apologized to Yating to which he didn''t seem to mind. The cameras rolled once again and Chyou lifted her gaze, peering into Yating''s eyes.


    The words and the beautiful fireworks lights invaded her mind once again and she gulped down a hard swallow.


    Focus! Focus!


    "I want to give you something," Yating said in a low, whispering voice that was filled with love for his wife. His character as Chyou''s husband deeply loved her a lot.


    Natural. Be natural, she reminded herself.


    After a few takes, Chyou finally found her rhythm and did her part without any mistakes. Then came the next part when Yating stepped behind her as her eyes were closed.


    Chyou felt a strange warmth inching closer to her the more Yating approached her. Her back was lightly brushing against his chest, making her tremble.


    Huh, huh? What is happening? Why is he standing so close to me?


    She could feel tiny beads of sweat forming on her forehead. Then slowly and steadily, she felt the tip of his fingers graze against her neck till the back part of it as something metallic tingled her.


    She froze as his seemingly teasing touch tickled her. Her mind went blank. Right now, he was touching her, standing too close to her with his chest against her and with his warm breaths that felt too intimate as they hit her hair. His fingers grazed and brushed at the back of her neck as if he was playing and teasing her.


    Her mind short-circuited all of a sudden and she couldn''t think straight. With her eyes closed, every bit of any physical feeling and sensation was heightened even more.


    The result was that she stumbled once again, feeling weak in her knees.


    And Yating pulled her back yet again.


    Everybody - "..."


    "Cut!"


    Director Murong tilted his head. "What happened to you? Wait, your face looks too red."


    Chyou exhaled short, messy breaths. By this point of time, her face had reddened as if infinite strokes of blushes were painted on her.


    "I-I...why is Y-Yating standing behind me? Weren''t we su-supposed to walk?"


    Director Murong was speechless again. "Chyou...do you remember what scene we are shooting?"


    "Of course."


    "So why are you asking that question? The first scene is Yating gifting you the pendant as he wears it around your neck. Then you walk down the flowery path hand in hand. We are doing the first part."


    "..."


    Huh? Was it like that?


    Wait, don''t tell me I forgot my own scene!


    It was then Chyou remembered the sequence of the scenes and her face reddened with embarrassment.


    "Oh..." she waved her hands in dismissal and laughed brokenly. "O-Of course I remember it. I was just checking if you remembered it haha."


    "..."

 Chapter 836: The Queens mistakes (2)

    For the next scene, Chyou and Yating had to walk down a flowery path that blossomed with beautiful petals. Tall trees greeted them on either side and when the scene started, Yating held out his hand for her.


    Chyou smiled and with a tinge of nervousness, put her hand in his. His fingers then slowly intertwined with hers and with that, she could feel her palm trembling. They didn''t have dialogues in this scene. It was a simple and heartwarming walk as they basked in each other''s love.


    Or at least it was supposed to be a simple enough scene but Chyou couldn''t take her mind off the heat spreading and tingling her skin. When she looked up, she would always find herself lost in his warm gaze and back to the fireworks night.


    At one point, she was sure that she felt Yating ever so slightly pressing her hand firmer. Her heart almost stopped beating in her chest.


    I am an idiot! Why am I thinking so much today?


    In an attempt to shake off the confusing thoughts, she quickened her pace but her feet got entangled in her robe and she slipped. But Yating pulled her back in time.


    "Are you okay?"


    "..."


    "Y-Yeah..." she awkwardly said, her face completely reddened with shame at this point.


    Just how many times have I stumbled today! She lacked tears to shed.


    He smiled warmly. "Be careful. You seem to be in a daze today."


    "I-I don''t know..." her shoulders dropped.


    He chuckled and flicked on her forehead. "Don''t feel down. Happens with the best of us."


    Though he said so, somewhere in his heart he couldn''t help but be anxious.


    Is she thinking about Cheng Yin...?


    After all, she had many memories with him and now he was replaced. He wouldn''t blame her if everything would remind her of him.


    "Cut!"


    Director Murong beamed. "Perfect!"


    Chyou was dumbfounded. "Perfect? But didn''t I stumble?"


    He waved his hand in dismissal. "At first, I was going to stop you but this is a silent scene anyway. Backstory and memory. So it doesn''t matter because there were no dialogues. In fact, your stumbling and Yating catching you and then your little conversation actually improvised the scene!"


    She sighed in relief.


    Well that''s good then.


    "But how is it that you are falling so much today?" He tilted his head. "Look at Yating. It''s his first time wearing this ancient robe yet he walked more beautifully than you."


    "..."


    Director Murong didn''t mince his words at all.


    Chyou seriously felt she didn''t have any face left to show. Especially towards Ai who was so keen in watching her act today.


    "I almost felt bad for Gu Yating."


    Leina held in her laughter.


    Chyou glared at him. She leaned her chest towards him and pinched his ear.


    "Hey, hey!"


    Ai nodded. "He deserves that."


    "Take my side!"


    "I am always on Chyou''s side," she blushed.


    Veins popped on his forehead.


    I won''t forget this betrayal!


    Chyou harrumphed. "You don''t speak to your elders that way. You don''t point out their mistakes."


    He sneered. "Quite convenient to hide your emotions, isn''t it?"


    "Hey."


    Yating also then arrived behind Chyou and she immediately straightened up.


    Siying grinned. "Woh man, you did well there. You can seriously consider getting into the acting field."


    He smiled. "Well it''s all thanks to the Queen here. She had grilled me quite roughly during the commercials shooting. I learned a thing or two but I am still far from being a good actor."


    She coughed. "What roughly? I was never that harsh to you."


    He simply smiled and didn''t comment on that.


    "What? Hey! You are being very mean to me!" She smacked on his shoulder.


    "That hurt," he rubbed his shoulder.


    She scoffed. "Not more than my fragile heart."


    "..."


    Ai alternated her gaze between them and then glanced at Jun. He shrugged as if telling her, ''Now you understand?''


    Suddenly a bright smile laced her lips and she shone brilliantly. It was too blinding to the point that Yating had to say,


    "Ai, you are beaming too much. What happened?"


    She cleared her throat. "It''s nothing."


    Shui clapped her hands once. "I have an idea! How about we all go for some partying after the shooting is over?"

 Chapter 837: No remorse

    "Cheers!"


    Shui and Leina grabbed two huge glasses of beer and clinked it against each other.


    Siying shook his head and said, "Dad will faint if he saw you with that gigantic beer glass."


    Shui pouted. "You drink beer too!"


    "Apparently, the concern for sons and daughters are different."


    Jun let out an exasperated sigh. "You can say that again. The amount of doting Nuo is showered with is out of the charts."


    Leina flipped her hair back arrogantly. "Daughters are very special, you know? You should see my brother whining at home. It''s so adorable."


    "You don''t understand the plight of brothers!" Jun and Siying exclaimed their grievances simultaneously.


    She frowned. "You are all just jealous! Right Chyou? Sisters are bestest, right?"


    She nudged Chyou that sat beside her with a grin on her lips.


    "Ah?"


    It was then that Chyou''s attention snapped towards her. "What did you ask?"


    "Oof! How rude. Where is your attention? You should be enjoying the party with us~" she complained.


    Shui and Ai gravely nodded. The latter was quietly inching her fingers towards the big beer glass that Jun put a halt on.


    "What are you doing?"


    Ai stiffened. "Nothing."


    "Stay away from that beer glass, my dear fiance."


    She pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. "Why so? Don''t you drink? Then why am I not allowed to? Is this gender discrimination I am facing? Is my fiance biased?" She sniffled with ''hurt.''


    His brow twitched. "It''s all because you stay with the twins too much. You had fallen horribly sick the last time you drank alcohol so I refrain you from doing anything unnecessary."


    "I will be fine this time."


    "No."


    "..."


    Chyou replied from the other side to Leina. "Of course I am enjoying the party!"


    "N-No problem..." she replied with a hoarse voice. She was unsure if it was even audible.


    Jun sipped on his beer and scrutinized the duo between them. In the past life, Chyou had gone through a lot of pain because of Yin. He detested Yin from the bottom of his heart and helped Chyou escape from that dreadful fate this time. He didn''t know how fate would take her from there.


    But right in front of his eyes, he could see the wheels of fate rolling. It was still a little difficult to believe that Yating could be the man written for Chyou. He never thought that they would be even remotely connected like this.


    But then again, fate worked in mysterious ways. Just like it had for him, Ai and Jin.


    Yating cleared his throat and said, "I will be back."


    Chyou didn''t know why but she felt incredibly relieved. She peeked at him and saw a look of strain and tension flash across his eyes.


    She wondered what was wrong.


    Damn. Wait, am I acting rude to him? Is he feeling bad?


    Yating excused himself, leaving Chyou confused.


    ¡ª


    Yating returned from the washroom and stood in the smoking area. Nobody was there and he quietly let out a breath.


    Chyou''s strange behavior didn''t leave his notice. Ever since the shooting was on, she seemed to strangely panic and stiffen whenever he was close to her.


    He scratched his head.


    Did I do something wrong? Why is she suddenly so conscious of me?


    He sighed. Maybe it was because of the painful breakup she was going through that she might be feeling confused. The only solution was to give her some time and naturally let her forget about Yin.


    He took a long enough break and decided to head back when a voice called out to him.


    "Yo fucker."


    Yating stopped. He turned and narrowed his eyes, sensing the hostility in the man''s voice. It didn''t come as much of a shock to Yating but there stood Yin before him with his head covered in a hoodie. His eyes looked bloodshot and his face was haggard. Animosity was written in every stroke of his expression.


    "Must be enjoying partying and all right?"


    Yating arched his brow.


    "Oh wait, you must be enjoying yourself with Chyou too. After all, you cleanly cut me off from her life and now you must be enjoying her love and attention, right?"


    Yating smiled. "I knew that you wouldn''t give up so soon. But somewhere in my heart, even if it was impossible, I expected you to show at least some remorse for your actions. Clearly, you don''t. So guess my mind was right. You absolutely have no realization of your wrongdoings."


    Yin burst into laughter. "Look who is talking about wrongdoings. A man whose father''s past is nothing but made up of mistakes and sins he committed!"

 Chapter 838: Behind the facade

    Yating gave him a hard stare. "I guess you have lost your mind. You have a problem with me so talk to me. Don''t drag Dad into this."


    Yin sneered. "Of course you won''t like it. After all, you think that you have such a picture perfect life, don''t you? Rich dad, rich family, heir of a wealthy company - people must be flocking around you everytime. That''s why Chyou''s family wanted you just because you matched their status, right?"


    His eyes narrowed. "You know Cheng Yin? There is more to relationships and choosing the right person for you beyond status and money. But I don''t expect you to understand that."


    He took a cold and icy step ahead, his aura darkening. "You had a wonderful woman who loved you for you were. Her family warmly welcomed you. They would have access you had you been a decent person who didn''t betray Chyou time and again. And then you have the audacity to bring status in between? Don''t make me punch your face, you piece of shit."


    Yin angrily laughed. "Yeah it''s so easy for you to give this lecture and all, right? You must be basking in Chyou''s warmth and attention."


    He leaned forward, meeting his gaze with a jeer. "Tell me, Gu Yating. Now that you expertly cut me off Chyou''s life, how far have you went with her? You must have already warmed your bed with her ri-"


    Before he could complete the rest of his infuriating words, Yating''s fist landed dead on his face, crushing his nose with the weight of his bubbling anger.


    Yin stumbled back and gasped in pain. He immediately covered his nose in his palm, feeling dizzy and hazy. A tall, murderous shadow loomed upon him.


    "Speak such nonsense one more time and it won''t end up just with a punch anymore. I will fucking kill you."


    But instead of lashing back at Yating and creating a scene, Yin suddenly burst into an eerie laughter. "Why does it..." he gasped with the pain of a broken nose stinging him, "anger you so much? I should be angry here, Gu Yating. You snatched away Chyou from my life. Now you snatched my role from the movie and acting with her. You brainwashed Director Murong, right?


    You can do anything and everything to be beside Chyou. You methodically and cleanly cut me from her life and you have the nerve to punch me?"


    "Have you lost it!? You should see yourself in the mirror to know who cut you from Chyou''s life. Don''t you think nothing of your addiction or the fact that you blatantly and shamelessly cheated on Chyou? You fooled her by sleeping with another woman and you expect people to be blind about it?"


    "It was a mistake!" He exclaimed. "Mistakes happen, don''t they? Can''t she give me another chance and forget about it?"


    "Stay back, Gu Yating," Jun squinted his eyes. "These kinds of things really suits the Liu family."


    Yating gnashed his jaw at the interference. "Step away, Liu Jun! I will shut his mouth before it senselessly runs again!"


    Ai and Leina quickly pulled Chyou back to safety. "Are you okay?"


    I am okay...I am okay but Yating...


    He looked just as angry and dangerous as the time at the Zhu villa when he had punched Yin. His gaze was so frosty that pure terror leaked through it.


    Yating furiously tried to resist but Siying said, "Please calm down, Gu Yating. Why are you getting triggered by a trash''s words anyway? He is only doing this to provoke you and even you know it! He wants this to happen so that he could defame you! Snap out of his trickery."


    Yin, who was wobbling at first, steadied himself as he laughed again. "Trickery? Trickery is what Gu Rong is doing. Fooling everybody to believe that he is such a good and capable man but nobody knows his dark and bloody side...except his ex-wife."


    Yating slightly stiffened. Hearing about Duan Ren from him shook him.


    How did he know about her?


    Duan Ren''s timid and frightful expression appeared before him when she had met him. The mention of Gu Rong was enough to terrify her. That question still bugged him.


    What was it about Gu Rong that had made her so alert?


    Was it real that...his hands were stained with blood?


    Did the father he knew right now was just a facade?

 Chapter 839: Murderer father

    Jun''s eyes narrowed.


    When did he meet Duan Ren?


    He didn''t know when and how but his gut told him that it wasn''t anything good. On one side there was the ex-wife who was separated from Gu Rong and on another side was Cheng Yin who was thrown away from Chyou''s life.


    They were in a similar position so...


    Jun arched his brow.


    Do they have similar motivations?


    Yin continued laughing despite the pain numbing his senses. "What do you have to say now, Gu Yating? Always acting like the kind, gentle and perfect man but nobody knows the ugly truth of how your murderer father has raised you-"


    *SLAP*


    With a loud slap that sharply screeched in the air, Yin was left dumbfounded. He couldn''t make sense of what was happening and when he turned holding his cheek with his trembling palm, Chyou''s fierce figure stood before him.


    "I cannot believe I fell for a man who could stoop so low in his life," Chyou gritted her teeth. "Just what exactly do you think these baseless allegations will do?"


    "You...you slapped me..." he hoarsely said.


    "I should have slapped the hell out of you that day itself when I learned the truth. This slap actually came really late!"


    Ai, Shui and Leina nodded their heads.


    At that moment, Yin felt true fear. He thought that it was possible to manipulate Chyou if he would be smart about it, but seeing her defend Yating with all her might, he could see that plan crumbling.


    "D-Don''t be blind, Chyou! How can you trust a man like him?"


    Her fists clenched as she angrily let out a chuckle. "Trust a man like him? Perhaps because he hasn''t broken it or let me down at any point in my life? Perhaps because he was always a decent human being who stayed by my side as a good friend despite me hurting him every time? And I hurt him for whose sake? You?


    You who kept fooling me every step of the way?"


    Her eyes threatened to brim with tears but she didn''t dare let them show to Yin.


    "You..." he trembled. "H-How could you forget all the time we spent together Chyou? The times we were friends, the times we worked together and climbed this industry together!"


    She smiled faintly. "I never forgot those happy times, Yin. I never once forgot them. You did, not me."


    Seeing how Chyou stubbornly maintained her stance, Yin had left no choice but to leave.


    "You will regret this, Chyou. You will regret choosing Yating! His father is a monster so he is a monster too!"


    Yating''s gaze went cold.


    "You will understand it one day yourself," he sneered. "That day won''t be far."


    Peace returned as Yin finally took off, albeit with pain hammering down on his face.


    Shui''s face reddened with fury. "How shameless can he get to show his face despite what he did!"


    Leina shook her head. "We cannot expect anything from such people," she pursed her lips and softly held Chyou''s shoulder. "Chyou, don''t let him get to you, okay?"


    Chyou shakily nodded.


    Ai poked Yating''s shoulder and said, "You too. Cheng Yin is just fabricating nonsense to take revenge from you."


    Yating tried to smile but he couldn''t, which made Ai widen her eyes. "Don''t tell me you believe his words?"


    "I don''t believe him, Ai. But I met Mom a few days ago."


    Jun blinked.


    Duan Ren?


    "I don''t know why she came to meet me. But...something happened between her and Dad that makes her feel really terrfied. So when I...I heard Yin''s words, I couldn''t help but think-"


    Suddenly, Chyou slapped his cheeks with both of her palms and glared at him. "Couldn''t help but think that they might be true? No way. You will never think that way, Yating. He is just trying to manipulate you and make a mess of your head just like he did with me! Do you know Uncle Rong better or he does?


    You cannot lose your trust in your father just because of a despicable man''s insecurity, got it?"

 Chapter 840: Joining hands

    With his face being squished in between Chyou''s hands, Yating pretty much didn''t have any option to resist her.


    "Ye-Yeshhh..."


    Chyou nodded in satisfaction.


    Ai knitted her brows. "I am not liking this though. Why would Cheng Yin suddenly target your father like that? Why would he accuse him of any crime?"


    "I think..." Jun''s eyes narrowed thoughtfully, "I can make a guess."


    Two people with grudges seem to have joined hands. But why would Duan Ren suddenly appear in the picture after so many years?


    Chyou shook her head. "Whatever it is, I don''t want Yating falling into his trap. Or maybe it is that he learned that Yating and Uncle Rong are generally not on good terms, so he is targeting that weakness and thinks that he could bring even more differences between them."


    Yating agreed she had a point. With an unreasonable man out for revenge, Yin could do anything and adopt any method to bring Yating down. Attacking his sour relationship with Gu Rong would naturally look like a golden chance to Yin.


    Siying nodded. "I agree. We should be careful. Wait, I think we shouldn''t have let him go."


    Jun said, "No, it''s fine. We have pretty much guessed what he wants so it won''t be really that effective. Plus..." his dark brown eyes squinted, "I want to see just how much more he is hiding."


    ¡ª


    Yin ran and ran and stopped outside at a distance from the hotel. He breathlessly gasped as the sharp pain from his almost broken nose felt like his head was splitting open.


    Fuck you bastard!


    "Do you have any evidence?"


    Her voice sneered from the other end. "I don''t have any physical evidence. But it doesn''t matter. Rong is way too afraid of the truth getting out. That''s why he gave me such a huge alimony after we separated. It wasn''t just my demand.


    It was my hush hush money."


    "And now that hush hush money is depleting?"


    "I did contact him a few months back but he angrily shooed me off. He just has to give me more money but the nerve of him giving me attitude especially when he is roaming scot free in the society despite being a killer! Heh. So I think why not show Yating a little trailer of the truth he is hiding?"


    "You sure are rotten."


    "Hah! Look who is speaking? If I am clinging to Rong then aren''t you shamelessly clinging to Zhu Chyou too?"


    "Ugh, forget about it! Just tell me what do we do next?"


    "For now, nothing. But I have a plan to show Rong''s hidden and ugly side to Yating. Once Yating sees that side with his own eyes, he would have no choice left but to listen to me."


    Yin frowned. "I am wondering something. If you know his truth then why aren''t you threatening him with making it public? Would that be more effective? He could even go to jail."


    "No, he won''t. He simply has too much power. How do you think he was able to hide the murder for so long and show himself clean to the society? Plus I don''t have evidence. I had heard him confessing but that isn''t enough to fight him in the court. And I don''t want to go through that route either."


    "Why not?"


    "Because Rong doesn''t care what the world thinks of him. I am pretty sure he doesn''t care about going to jail either. The only thing that matters to him is what Yating thinks of him. His whole life and emotions all dwell within that boy. He can deal with anybody''s hatred but not his son''s. That''s what I want to target because that makes our side the strongest and his side utterly weak."


    On the other side, Duan Ren smiled as she combed her hair looking at the mirror. "Don''t worry. Once Rong sees the trailer for himself, he will automatically come in line. He will do what I want and then we will expose him for real. Then seeing their true face, Zhu Chyou will have no choice to leave Yating because who would want to associate themselves with a murderer family?"

 Chapter 841: The impending chill

    The same evening, Yating headed to Gu villa rather than returning to his own condo. First Duan Ren''s sudden appearance before him after so many years and now Yin''s accusation against Gu Rong failed to settle his heart.


    He was looking for an explanation not to prove his father''s innocence but the guilt of his mother and Yin''s. Though there were differences between him and Gu Rong, he would never allow for such serious accusations against him to linger.


    With Yin''s involvement, it had gotten even more complicated because Yating knew that he was planning something against him and the Gu family, possibly defaming them to take revenge against him.


    I won''t let Dad''s reputation get tarnished just because Cheng Yin has a problem with me, he thought to himself.


    "Young master Yating!"


    Butler Mo, who was setting up the dinner at the dinner table, beamed at his sight. He ecstatically rushed towards him. "What a pleasant surprise!"


    Yating gave a helpless smile. "Uncle, I have told you so many times to just call me Yating."


    "How dare I be disrespectful to you?"


    "It''s not disrespectful. You feel distant," he pouted.


    Butler Mo warmly smiled. "We are never distant, young master. Master Gu will be so happy to meet you!"


    It''s the first time in such a long time that you came on your own...


    Butler Mo couldn''t help but get emotional.


    "Why are you shedding tears for no reason?"


    Gu Rong arrived from the back and just as Butler Mo, he was visibly surprised to see Yating. "How come you are here? Did Mo call you?"


    Yating - "..."


    "Master Gu!"


    Butler Mo gave him an equally incredulous look and harshly reprimanded him. "That''s not how you speak to your son who is here to meet you!"


    Gu Rong''s mouth twitched.


    How should I know? Don''t you always invite him over!?


    "...I mean that''s not what I mean."


    After the last confrontation, I didn''t think that he would...


    He cleared his throat. "Anyway. Now that you are here, join me for dinner."


    It was more of an order than a request, making his brow twitch. But as he studied him, he observed that Gu Rong looked a little more tired than usual. His eyes looked fatigued and the lines on his face screamed of exhaustion.


    "Have you been working more? You look so weary."


    "Just the usual office work," he waved his hand in dismissal. "If only-"


    Gu Rong didn''t know what else to talk about, so he said, "I will be in my study. You can come around if there is anything on your mind."


    "Yeah."


    After Gu Rong left, only Butler Mo remained by his side. He smiled at him. "There is definitely something on your mind, right? Master Gu feels the same."


    Yating hesitated. "There is something. But Dad looks tired. I thought I will talk about it later."


    "What is it about? Maybe I can help you."


    "...It''s a little complicated."


    "That''s fine. We will figure it out together."


    Yating''s chest filled with warmth and ease with his words. He was the same Uncle Mo he knew from his childhood. Calm, patient and always positive.


    "I met...or rather...Mom came to meet me a few days ago."


    Butler Mo''s eyes ever so slowly widened as if a scene from a horror movie was playing out in front of him.


    "Y-You mean...Miss. Duan?"


    Yating blinked. "Yes."


    He stared at him as he tried to reel in his anxiety. "Why would she meet you after so long? Did she...say anything?"


    "I don''t understand it either. She only said that she missed me a lot and she felt like meeting me. But..."


    Butler Mo stiffened. "But?"


    "She asked me not to tell Dad and she looked really terrified of him."


    He inwardly clenched his jaw.


    This cannot be happening...


    Yating shook his head. "I just felt confused. I hadn''t seen her in years. I don''t know what I was supposed to feel. I still don''t."


    Butler Mo trembled.


    "What''s more bizarre is that we met Cheng Yin today at the party. He was uttering nonsense about Dad!" A vein popped on his forehead.


    "Huh? That''s odd," Butler Mo snapped out from his dilemma. "Cheng Yin spoke about Master Gu? What did he say?"


    Yating grimaced. "It''s absolutely garbage. He thinks that I snatched everything away from him so he is targeting my family. He wants to defame Dad by saying that he is a killer and so Chyou should keep her distance from us."


    It was at that point that Yating felt a steep silence and a sharp drop in the temperature.


    He looked up, puzzled with a sense of unease in his heart as he read Butler Mo''s pale expression. "Uncle?"

 Chapter 842: The dreaded abyss

    Yating slowly got up from his seat and faced Butler Mo, who was trying to keep his smile intact. "What''s wrong, Uncle?"


    Butler Mo held his hand and with his anxious gaze, tried to convey his complicated feelings. "Young master, you cannot believe in anything that they say! Whether it''s Cheng Yin or...Duan Ren! Th-They must have a hidden agenda!"


    "I am not believing anything-"


    "What...what is happening here?"


    They looked back and saw Gu Rong standing at the stairs with a dazed and lost gaze. The empty water jug in his hand was trembling and close to falling.


    "What is this...about Duan Ren I am hearing?"


    Butler Mo silently gasped.


    "Master, you heard it wrongly-"


    "No, I didn''t. You mentioned her...Why did you mention her?"


    He let go of the jug from his hands that shattered with impact on the floor and immediately rushed towards Yating. He grabbed his shoulders with a distinct fear laced in his eyes.


    "Y-you met Duan Ren?" The color from his face was rapidly draining out. "Why? W-why would you meet her?"


    If Mom had been there then...


    Gu Rong remembered those stinging words from before and thought that Yating chose to meet her himself.


    "Master, you are misunderstanding! Young master didn''t go to meet her. She did. She approached him herself."


    He froze. That felt akin to a bomb exploding upon him.


    She...approached him? After so many years...


    Gu Rong shook hard.


    Butler Mo still wasn''t convinced, but he was helpless.


    Yating pressed his brows and grudgingly narrated the incident to his father. But at every point of concern, he ensured that he wasn''t letting the conversation go astray or letting Gu Rong''s defenses break.


    But nothing proved to be useful because the moment Gu Rong heard the word killer, it was as if his whole world had collapsed. At that point, he felt he wasn''t standing on anything concrete but instead falling into an abyss that he always dreaded so much.


    Killer...killer...


    His gaze turned vacant at that and the flood of memories invaded his mind without his permission. The past surfacing before him made him tremble but the future consequences of it made him fearful like a little child.


    He knows now...Yating knows now...


    It''s over...


    It''s all over...


    I am never getting my son back. I have lost him...


    The more he thought, the more he lost himself into the vicious cycle of those painful imaginations. He imagined Yating looking at him with contempt upon the realization of the truth. He imagined him breaking all his relations with him and leaving his side forever.


    "Dad, will you please stop thinking useless things!" Yating shook him hard. "I am not believing anything he is saying! I know who my father is. I don''t need to hear it from anybody else!"


    Gu Rong paled and his heart sank further into despair.


    Yating expressed his unwavering trust in him but Gu Rong couldn''t even celebrate it because in the depths of his heart, he knew what the truth was. But Yating was believing in the false version of himself. A version he created only to keep Yating by his side at any cost.


    But now he could see everything collapsing and shattering before him.


    Gu Rong breathed hard and he couldn''t gather the energy to speak up anything. Instead, a sharp pain from within his chest jolted him and his palm clutched onto his shirt tightly.


    Butler Mo froze. "Mast-"


    Gu Rong''s vision dulled and he fell down on the floor with a soft thud. Yating stared at the empty space ahead where his father was standing just a moment ago but now remained motionless on the floor.


    "Dad...?"

 Chapter 843: Things kept hidden

    Chyou ran inside the hospital at full speed despite the passing nurses'' warning to go slow. But she didn''t care. She took a turn at the corridor and finally saw Yating sitting on a bench opposite a ward. Beside him was Butler Mo.


    She breathlessly came up to him and took a seat by his side. "Yating."


    Butler Mo looked taken aback. "Miss. Zhu."


    Yating, who had his head lowered in his hands, slowly looked up. "Chyou..."


    Chyou felt her chest squeeze. His eyes looked red and haggard as if he had aged by years. His handsome face was now marred with grief. She felt her eyes ache too but she wanted to be strong for him.


    She gently held his hand and squeezed it in her palm. Her delicate fingers wrapped themselves around his knuckles, providing warmth to his cold hand.


    "You don''t have to look so low and gloomy Yating because Uncle Rong will be all fit and fine in no time, okay? So cheer up or he will feel extra sad to see his son like this."


    Butler Mo wiped the corner of his eye.


    Yating stared down at her hand holding his and felt a little strength seeping into his heart. He slightly trembled as the tips of his fingers also attempted to hold her back.


    Chyou pursed her lips and gently wiped the tear off his eye threatening to fall. "Uncle Rong will be fine, Yating. My heart knows it."


    "It''s all my fault, Chyou. If I hadn''t gone home tonight then Dad would have been fine. I knew he looked tired yet I forced myself."


    She glared at him. "What is this self-deprecating nonsense am I hearing? Since when does a son have to feel guilty about meeting his father?"


    "But I met him to ask him about...what Cheng Yin said tonight."


    "Cheng Yin? What did he say?"


    Xiaosi arrived a minute later too, catching on to the last part that Yating said. His gaze fell upon them holding hands and he threw a look at Chyou.


    Chyou felt it and looked up. "What?"


    He calmly withdrew his gaze. "Nothing."


    He then looked back at Yating for an answer. Butler Mo came forward and hesitantly answered it. Xiaosi''s eyes slightly widened as he heard the tale of incidents that happened until now.


    He averted his gaze for a moment, contemplating Cheng Yin''s behavior. He kept his thoughts to himself and glanced at Yating. He patted his head and smiled. "You aren''t wrong, Yating. It was fine to ask Gu Rong."


    He threw a bewildered look at Butler Mo, who had his gaze lowered.


    So was it only me who didn''t know about Dad''s condition...?


    The doctor furrowed his brows. "It also seems that he has been skipping on his medicines."


    Butler Mo said, "Indeed...sometimes Master Gu can be careless. I do my best to make him take his medicines on time but he just doesn''t listen."


    He shook his head. "He has to follow his medications on time or such attacks can become frequent. He needs to be aware of his health and not take unnecessary stress."


    As the doctor left, Yating faced Butler Mo with hurt and betrayal reflecting in his irises. "Uncle. Since when has Dad not been keeping well?"


    Butler Mo hesitated but he knew there was no use of hiding things now. "It''s been ten years now..."


    Yating was in disbelief. "And I am getting to know about it now?"


    He quickly said, "Master Gu didn''t want you to be worried for him so-"


    "Worried? I am his son for God''s sake! Dad has been suffering from a serious heart condition all this time and none of you thought that I deserved to know about it?"


    "Young master..."


    "Just how many things have you been hiding from me? First his health, now there is something about Mom and his past that I don''t know about. Was he treating me more as a stranger than his son?" He gritted his teeth.


    "No, no! Young master! Please don''t misunderstand Master Gu."


    Xiaosi came forward and firmly held his shoulder. "I know you feel hurt and be sure to scold your father to death once he wakes up. But he really needs you now. Just stay with him inside."


    He bit his lip hard.


    Chyou nodded. "Yes, yes. I will also join you in scolding Uncle. But right now, you should be with him."


    Yating took a deep breath and nodded. He slowly walked inside the ward. Butler Mo bowed. "Thank you so much, Mr. Zhu..."


    Chyou frowned at her father. "Do you know everything?"


    Xiaosi glanced at her. "Not everything. Bits and parts of it. So I can picture what must have happened. But I never insisted Rong to tell me about it. It was his secret which now...


    Yating needs to know. It''s high time."

 Chapter 844: Fear

    Chyou peeked inside the ward through a small, round window that let her see Gu Rong and Yating, the latter seated beside him. Yating held his father''s hand, his gaze laced with an unreadable expression. It was as if his silence spoke volumes of his inexplicable thoughts.


    She tiptoed and stepped in without making any noise. She clenched her fists seeing him look so tired and defeated. She slowly dragged another chair and took a seat beside him.


    Yating realized her presence even without turning his head. He whispered wearily, "You should head back home and rest. I will be here with Dad."


    "And who will be here with you?"


    He shook slightly. "I am doing fine."


    "Say that while looking at me."


    He neither replied back nor moved.


    Chyou pouted and held his head, which she made it turn towards her. The traces of his past tears were visible and so did a sense of fear and uncertainty in his black orbs. He tried not to but he couldn''t stop his eyes from becoming misty again.


    He asked with a hoarse voice, "Why didn''t Dad tell me about his health? How could he keep something like this from me? I feel so stupid, Chyou. I have been fighting with him all this time to become an editor. He wanted me to lead the Gu Corps but I remained stubborn. I have been doing nothing but stressing him out.


    He is working so hard at this age and it''s all because of me. He should have already retired but I kept forcing him to work like a machine."


    She flicked his forehead. "That''s not true and you also know that."


    "He has been worrying over my career choice and future. Wasn''t it only bringing anxiety to him? It''s my fault that I am still unable to prove my job to him or make him see merit in it and in the end, he keeps worrying more and more."


    She shook her head. "You should understand, Yating. Uncle Rong is a little traditional in this sense. Even if you work hard as an editor, in the end, he would always prefer for you to take over Gu Corps. That''s because it''s the company he has built and he knows that it will keep your future safe and stress-free. So he won''t try to look at other career choices.


    He is a little rigid in that sense but it''s only because he cares about you."


    What''s that got to do with anything? He wondered.


    "Second of all, Uncle Rong is quite like my Dad. There was a time when Dad used to keep a lot of things in his heart. From outside, he gave a fierce and villainous vibe, but his heart held nothing but love and concern for his family. He is not the type to express his own feelings that much so he was misunderstood a lot. I learned it from him to not absorb things just at their face value."


    Yating stared at Gu Rong. No matter how salty or rude Gu Rong might have acted over the years, Yating knew in his heart that he could always count on him in the worst situation.


    "He actually babies you a lot, you know?" She said, "He doesn''t want you to work so hard in making a name for yourself and instead wants you to simply join his company and enjoy a carefree life. When we started working for the ad commercials, Uncle Rong had actually called me one day."


    "Huh? Called you?"


    She stuck out her tongue. "Don''t tell Uncle that I told you. It''s supposed to be a secret."


    "Chyou, I have a request. Please take care of Yating, okay?"


    Chyou blinked. "Is there any problem, Uncle?"


    "Of course there is. He is very new to this acting stuff. He doesn''t know anything about the entertainment industry. I am forcing this cooperation gig on him so it''s my responsibility I don''t let anything untoward happen. So I hope you could guide and protect him," he urgently said, "I don''t want anybody to bully my son just because he is a newcomer."


    "..."


    Such a doting father!


    Yating stared at her in a daze and quivering hard, he broke down into soft sobs. His head bumped against her shoulder as he let out his tears and held her like a child terrified of the dark.


    "I am scared Chyou...I don''t know what to think. I love him a lot but what if he has... really killed somebody in the past? I cannot imagine Dad to be a murderer. I am afraid to hear that...it might be the truth...I am afraid because I wonder if I will start hating him for taking someone''s life and I don''t want to hate him, Chyou. He is the only family I have.


    I don''t want to lose him..." He cried hard.

 Chapter 845: A fair chance

    He is the only family I have.


    Chyou felt his warm forehead resting against her shoulder that slowly grew hotter with the contact. His shaking fingers held on to her hand as if he was deathly afraid of being left alone. His soft sobs cried out the deep fear prickling his heart.


    With his quivering body, her breaths softly trembled too. She slowly raised her arms and brought them to tightly wrap around his back. She hugged him as firmly as she could to let him know that he wasn''t alone.


    Yating felt lulled by that gentle embrace and his exhausted heart found some comfort.


    Chyou weighed her words for a few long moments. It was an important but difficult conversation to have. It was a grave matter at hand she didn''t know how to console him. Some things were simply out of her hand.


    "Dad doesn''t know the whole story either..." she whispered. "He knows a little bit here and there but only Uncle Rong can tell you what happened. Perhaps Uncle Mo too. But you should listen to it from your father first."


    "...What will it change, Chyou?" He drearily asked.


    She glanced at an unconscious Gu Rong with a contemplative look. "There might be truth or there might not be in this case. But we should listen to Uncle Rong''s side of the story. You said it yourself, right? That you cannot imagine him to be a killer. So if something like that happened nevertheless, then something really terrible must have happened for him to take that step, right?"


    Yating pressed his lips inwardly. He wanted to believe that. He genuinely wanted to trust in Gu Rong''s innocence.


    "But everytime...I think about the time I met Mom, I remember her frightened face. Dad''s mere mention made her look as if she saw a demon. Cheng Yin too...was so confident in his guilt l-like it''s hopeless to defend him."


    Chyou furrowed her brows. She didn''t know much in depth about Duan Ren or her character. So she couldn''t say if what she was doing was genuine or that she was instigating something.


    I need to look into this, she thought.


    She said, "How can you let Yin''s words affect you? From head to toe, he is just a selfish person. He was always insecure about you and now he is doing everything to pull you down."


    Her eyelashes softly trembled. "I made the same mistake of getting trapped into his words and look where it got me. You cannot let him win, Yating. He wants to see you like this."


    She thought for a moment and held his face. She slowly lifted it up to make him face her. She pouted and wiped the tears off his cheeks. His reddened eyes pricked her.


    Her face flushed all of a sudden, realizing what she just blurted out in the heat of the moment.


    Cry on her chest...


    Suddenly, Yating''s thoughts converged more towards the chest rather than the crying part and it was then he realized that he had been actually intruding in her embrace all this time.


    He stiffened and with an extremely apologetic expression, quickly withdrew.


    "S-sorry I d-didn''t realize that..."


    Chyou wanted to cry but she couldn''t.


    What did I just say!? Am I an idiot? Look how I made things all awkward now!


    From outside the ward, Butler Mo glanced at Xiaosi and asked, "You look a little upset, Mr. Zhu?"


    "Hm? Do I?"


    "You are quite exuding a dark aura if I may say so."


    Xiaosi narrowed his eyes. "It''s the truth that I really like Yating. But it still hurts to see your daughter being taken away."


    His brow twitched.


    "I can see her feelings changing slowly and steadily and while I do appreciate it''s for Yating this time..."


    Xiaosi glanced at Butler Mo, "it would be hard to not resent Yating."


    "..."

 Chapter 846: To face the past

    Gu Rong''s eyes gently fluttered open the next day. He looked at the white ceiling above and felt it was different compared to his bedroom. He turned his head to the side and felt a presence near his hand.


    His eyes stretched wide and his light dizziness snapped away seeing Yating''s head rest on the bed. He exhaled soft breaths, fast asleep.


    Gu Rong couldn''t immediately grasp the situation but it slowly occurred to him that he was at the hospital. With that, the memories of last night started flooding in.


    His calm breaths began to grow laborious and he trembled. Yating, who was dozing off, felt his movements and woke up. He gasped seeing Gu Rong shaking and shuddering so unstably.


    "Dad!"


    Standing on his feet, he quickly held his shoulders. "Dad, I am here. What happened? I will call the doctor!"


    Gu Rong vigorously shook his head and stared at him with tears in his eyes. "Don''t leave...Are you leaving my side?" He breathlessly asked.


    "Dad, I will just head out to call the doctor-"


    "No! Just stay here..." his face knitted into discomforting creases as he urged him.


    Yating pursed his lips and sat down. "Okay. I am here. Just breathe now please and calm down. I am not going anywhere."


    Gu Rong felt relieved hearing that and he dazedly nodded. Yating grabbed his phone and dropped a quick message to Chyou to call the doctor.


    Yating smiled at him and tenderly placed his hand on his palm. He patted it with his fingers and said, "You are finally awake...I was so scared when you..." his hoarse voice couldn''t form the words.


    Gu Rong stared at him and his heart skipped a nervous beat.


    Does he know about my health...?


    The doctor and nurse stepped in just then followed by Chyou, Xiaosi and Butler Mo.


    "Master!" Butler Mo was already shedding tears even before he entered the ward.


    Chyou and Xiaosi stood by Yating''s side as the doctor checked him. He frowned. "Your pulse still seems a little unstable."


    Yating quickly rejected the idea. "I will eat later. I will stay here by Dad''s side."


    Chyou glared at him. "How will you nurse him when you will be weak yourself? Look at how malnourished you look already."


    Butler Mo nodded. "Yes, young master. Please eat something. I am here till then."


    Yating pressed his lips and sighed. Chyou grinned and locked her arms in his. "Let''s stuff our bellies with food hoho!"


    Xiaosi gave Butler Mo a signal and he silently nodded. He, too, left after a moment. Xiaosi took the seat where Yating was sitting before and helplessly smiled.


    "You are getting old, Rong. You know you should take care of yourself."


    He trembled and bit the inner side of his cheek. "You have n-no idea what happened..."


    "I know. Butler Mo and Yating told me. Though I don''t know the full picture, I have made my guesses. Now you also know that you need to tell Yating everything."


    Gu Rong already felt suffocated hearing that as his gaze turned blurry.


    "I-I cannot...He will hate me. He will leave my side."


    "That''s just your assumptions. Yating is an adult now. He can think and decide for himself. Have a little faith in your son," his eyes narrowed. "He is already hurt by the fact that you hid your medical condition from him."


    He stiffened.


    "Rong," Xiaosi used a stern tone, "You cannot keep protecting your own feelings all the time. You are way too afraid and overthinking something that I am sure won''t happen. But you just aren''t ready to give Yating a chance to understand you. Now you cannot back off anyway. So I am here to tell you that you have to be strong as you tell him the past. Just lay out the facts as they were."


    "It''s not that easy..."


    "It is easy but the problem is that you are not trusting Yating enough. Believe in your son, Rong. Believe in how you have raised him. You won''t be disappointed. He is calm, mature and smart. He is a good man.


    Why do you think I agreed to your marriage proposal?"


    He patted his shoulder. "Recover to your good health first and then talk to Yating. You cannot keep running away forever. Have faith in your son, Rong. He won''t leave you."

 Chapter 847: Digging into the past

    While Gu Rong was recovering in the hospital, Chyou took it upon herself to investigate Duan Ren''s past and her motives for approaching Yating.


    From a cursory glance, she learned that she had received a big chunk of alimony money from Gu Rong when they had divorced. It was huge enough to comfortably last for many years to come.


    Chyou blinked.


    Strange. The money...seems a little too excessive.


    The information further stated that there was barely any custody battle for Yating. Gu Rong easily got it because Duan Ren had no interest in taking the child with her.


    Chyou''s gaze turned cold.


    How could any mother be this cruel? She didn''t put up a fight at all for Yating?


    She touched her chin.


    "They could have also held joint custody, right? But even that route wasn''t taken. Why did she completely cut herself off from Yating''s life like that?"


    Duan Ren was disowned from her family as soon as the divorce proceedings got over. She then went to live in Xuanhua, the same place where Ai''s parents lived, and settled there. A few years later, she was remarried to a fairly wealthy man of the area.


    Her brows knitted.


    It seems that their marriage was going well. So why this sudden wish to meet the past years later?


    Chyou thought for a moment and fluently typed across the keyboard.


    Meng Jianhong - Duan Ren''s second husband.


    He held a very high and respectable position in one of the local corporation companies in Xuanhua. He accumulated enough wealth to start thinking of setting up his own business. So he retired from his white collar job three years ago and invested all his savings and money in his start-up.


    It seemed that his new company also boomed over the first year and the positive trajectory continued in the second year. All the invested money was recovered through the high returns and deals. But something changed last year and a rival company suddenly dropped a court case against Meng Jianhong, which plummeted his profits and reputation drastically.


    Many of his employees began resigning from their posts.


    Since then, he had been trying to get himself out of this mess but the struggle remained. Chyou felt an inkling that perhaps the rival company concocted some plan for his downfall in a fit of jealousy and insecurity.


    But the truth was right in front of her. Meng Jianhong''s assets had gotten greatly devalued and he could barely scrape money for a comfortable living. His lawyers demanded a mountainous fee for fighting his court case that was eating away any savings he had left. If something wasn''t done at the earliest, then the threat would loom over him to file for bankruptcy as his last resort.


    But Meng Jianhong didn''t want to go to that step.


    Chyou leaned back on her chair, folding her arms and raising her brow. She took her cell and dialed Butler Mo''s number.


    "Uncle Mo!" She chirped.


    "Miss. Zhu," he politely greeted her.


    ¡ª


    At the hospital.


    Yating gently pulled over the blanket over Gu Rong''s body. He was asleep after taking the medication and resting peacefully. Yating stared at him with a light smile and went on to give light pats on his head.


    He stepped outside the ward and said to Butler Mo, "Stay with Dad."


    "Are you going somewhere, young master?"


    "I am going to the office for a bit."


    "Ah Dream High," he nodded. "There must be a lot of work pending, right?"


    Yating shook his head. "Gu Corps."


    Butler Mo looked at him, surprised.


    "Dad is in this state. It''s obvious that he won''t be able to do any work and he shouldn''t either. So..." he awkwardly clasped his hands, "I will handle the company affairs in his absence."


    Butler Mo shed emotional tears.


    "Wh-what? Why are you crying?"


    "It''s nothing, young master. If Master would have heard this, then he would be so overjoyed."


    "It''s not a big deal really..."


    "For him, it is. He always wanted to see you take the lead."


    Yating lowered his gaze. "But I disappointed him."


    "No," Butler Mo warmly smiled. "He was and is very proud of you. He is just stubborn in not expressing it. But his chest fills up with happiness to see that you worked so hard and made your own name and position in the industry."


    Yating felt a dull ache as if something tugged his heart strings. "I will be back in sometime. Please call me immediately if there is any change in Dad''s condition."


    "Yes, young master," he bowed.


    Yating headed out in the parking area and a chime sounded as he remotely unlocked his car.


    "Yating..."


    Recognizing the familiar voice, he froze in his steps. He slowly turned and stared expressionlessly at Duan Ren standing before him.


    "...You."


    Duan Ren hurriedly approached him and asked with tears in her eyes. "I...I want to talk to you, Yating. Can we please go somewhere in private?"

 Chapter 848: Will not be so forgiving next time

    Yating slightly sucked in a silent breath. This wasn''t the time he wished to meet her.


    "I am a little busy."


    Duan Ren was taken aback by his distant tone.


    "How did you know that I was here?"


    "No I just...I wanted to meet you-"


    "That isn''t my question. How did you know that I was at the hospital?"


    "Of course since Rong was here-"


    "But how did you learn about his condition? I haven''t declared it to the world yet."


    She stiffened.


    How was she supposed to say that she had hired a man to keep an eye on Yating and give her updates if something happened?


    She was also shocked to learn that Gu Rong collapsed but she saw this as a golden chance to contact Yating and establish her relationship with him.


    Yating took another deep breath. "Please don''t come here anymore. I only want to focus on Dad''s health. I don''t...appreciate it if you come unannounced like this to meet me."


    "Ya-Yating you..." tears trickled down her eyes. "Is it that Rong t-told you anything? Like not to meet me?" She sniffled.


    There it was - the fear and uncertainty in her voice that had initially made Yating hesitant.


    He looked down at his hands and remembered the warmth with which Chyou held them last night and her words that gave him courage.


    "It''s my own decision so I hope you respect it. I don''t know completely what happened between you and Dad. He might be right or wrong but..." he curled his fists and looked at her, "I will first listen to what he has to say."


    Duan Ren felt awkward standing there. "I-I see..."


    Yating turned and opened his car door but looked back at her once. He studied her gaze and asked, "Do you...happen to know Cheng Yin?"


    "Oh he is that actor right? What about him?"


    "Did you ever personally see him around?"


    "Of course not. Why would such a big actor come to meet me haha...?"


    She tried to keep her expression intact but only she knew how hard her heart was thumping.


    "Answer what I have asked, Cheng Yin," Iciness laced her tone. "Who told you about Uncle Rong?"


    Yin furrowed his brows. "I...was trying to investigate Gu Yating. I know he is not as innocent as he is making himself out to be! That''s when I came to know-"


    "Who is the source of your information, Cheng Yin?" She cut him off.


    "N-Nobody, Chyou-"


    "Or maybe it is Duan Ren," she smiled.


    That made his expression crack and Chyou knew she was right on the ticket.


    "I see. That''s what I wanted to see. I don''t know who approached who but did you think that working with her and spreading accusations against Uncle Rong will help you get me back?"


    Yin paled.


    "That''s not true, Chyou!" He panicked. "I-I don''t know any Duan Ren. I don''t know who told you these lies!"


    Chyou grimaced. She showed some pictures from her phone and slid it towards him. "I am the Queen but I think you forgot that I can hack into systems too, you know?"


    Yin lost all his color when he saw some CCTV camera shots that showed him talking with Duan Ren in a cafe.


    "There are also call logs between you and her that I have with me. Well you might contest it as an invasion of privacy but then again, you started it, right?" Chyou''s face twisted with displeasure.


    Yin felt his throat go dry.


    "I thought that perhaps now you will be honest with me but no. People like you never change, right?"


    Her eyes narrowed and before he could say anything in his defense, she ruthlessly shot back. "Nothing will help you, Cheng Yin. We are over and I will never go back to a man who broke my trust and love. You are only making me disgust you even more by targeting Uncle Rong like this."


    He whispered. "Y-you cannot be serious! He is a killer!"


    Chyou stared at him. "There were many people who told me to stay away from you. But I didn''t. I kept giving you chances. If I can give you those chances, then I can surely hear what Uncle has to say too, right? Even if there is truth to the matter, it has nothing to do with Yating, right?


    Yating is his own person."


    Chyou calmly got up to leave. "I am warning you to stay away from Duan Ren and not cause unnecessary problems in Yating''s life. Otherwise I won''t be so forgiving next time."


    Yin gnashed his jaw. His heart burst into fury and jealousy seeing her defend Yating so passionately.


    He jumped to grab her wrist but a hand intervened and stopped it in his way. Chyou''s eyes widened and she looked up at the waiter.


    Ma Dong coldly looked down upon Yin and said, "Dear customer, I would refrain you from grabbing her hand like that. It''s impolite and we don''t condone such violent behavior here."

 Chapter 849: The sweet side and the ferocious side

    Yin gave him an incredulous look. He recognized Ma Dong from the time of the team dinner where meeting him had strangely shaken up Yating. He was that same waiter.


    "You...!"


    His gaze traced the path of Ma Dong firmly clenching on his wrist, which was now beginning to ache. He tried to shake him off and Ma Dong released it.


    "How dare you grab my hand like that!"


    "The same way you were trying to grab Miss. Zhu''s hand. Did it feel rude?" He coldly smiled.


    Whispers hushed amongst the other guests as they saw some drama unfolding at the corner side table.


    Ma Dong politely said, "The other customers are trying to enjoy their meals here. I would request you to please leave."


    Yin seethed in fury. "This is between me and Chyou. How dare a mere waiter interrupt-"


    "Right now, you are only causing a nuisance and if you continue to harass Miss. Zhu, then I will be forced to call the cops here. I don''t think you would want that so leave. Now."


    His knuckles turned white in anger and he wished he could punch him just once. He glanced at Chyou but there wasn''t any sympathy from that side either. He thought it was for the best to leave before anybody recognized him as Cheng Yin.


    "I will remember this," he spoke through his clenched teeth.


    Ma Dong flashed a smile. "I will too. So that I can bar you from stepping into this restaurant the next time."


    His face further twitched and reddened in embarrassment.


    After he stormed off the restaurants, Ma Dong released a sigh. "What a nuisance. Are you okay?" He asked Chyou in concern.


    "I am alright," she sincerely thanked him. "Thanks for helping out. I really mean it."


    "Of course I will. He was totally acting like a psycho there," he scoffed. "If he had been outside, I would have shown him a taste of my knuckles. By the way, are you really alright? You seem a little shaky. Should I call Yating?"


    "Not really. He just mentioned her once or twice back in high school. He didn''t have any fond memories of her. As far as he could remember, she never paid much attention to him. She preferred to attend social parties instead of his parents'' day meeting. That''s why it''s a shock to know that she suddenly appeared before him, claiming that she missed him."


    She pursed her lips. "Yeah there is something shady there too. Though I have an inkling of what that is."


    Her husband''s failing business.


    Ma Dong said, "But I should give it to his mother. To think she had the guts to come back and that too when Gu Rong himself chased her out. He is one scary man."


    Chyou''s ears perked. "I find Uncle Rong very sweet though. Though he is a little stubborn at times, he is sweet."


    He laughed. "He is only sweet for his son. Maybe Yating is his only son, that''s why he holds him so dear to him. When I fell from my school''s third floor and my parents blamed Yating, you should have seen how Mr. Gu was. It was like he became a demon.


    Even Mom and Dad weren''t able to stand before him for long. And he never allowed me to meet him."


    His gaze lowered thinking of the past that had separated two friends and also brought trauma for Yating.


    But that was thankfully in the past now and things were slowly improving between them.


    He clasped his hands together.


    I should apologize to Mr. Gu too, he thought. I hurt Yating all because I fell into Mom and Dad''s words.


    He then said, "I don''t think there is any truth to Cheng Yin''s words. The part where he said that Mr. Gu killed someone. I mean, that must be a ploy to mess with Yating''s head out of revenge, that''s all. But even if there is truth...I can only fathom Yating to be the reason behind anything."


    She looked taken aback. "Yating?"


    He shrugged. "Yeah I mean what other reason does he have? Even when my accident happened, I thought at first that Mr. Gu got so furious because his reputation will get affected through the accusation at Yating. But..."


    He broke into a cold sweat. "When he came to talk to me to warn me to never meet Yating again, I saw it in his eyes. He didn''t give a damn about his name or reputation. He was simply enraged because I used Yating''s friendship to get money for my scholarship. My parents falsely accused him of my accident.


    That''s why he stuffed them with loads of money so that...we never dare show our faces to Yating again. It was then that I realized that he was very protective of him."

 Chapter 850: Gu Rongs truth

    "Shit shit shit!" Duan Ren cursed out as she was walking away from the hospital. "What are you saying that Zhu Chyou know about us?"


    Yin gritted his teeth. "What can you expect from her? Her father is the CEO of S3 and she is a hacker herself. She had all the pictures where we met!"


    Duan Ren''s expression twisted.


    "First there is Yating who refuses to hear me out and now that bitch Chyou is poking her nose-"


    "Hey what the hell! Don''t you dare curse her!"


    She sneered. "You don''t have to stand up for her when you have already slept with another woman. So tone down on that anger. Even if we keep her aside by now, the main problem is Gu Rong talking to him first because I am sure that if Yating listens to him first then he will garner all the sympathy!


    He would twist the story in such a way that would make Yating pity him and in no way that should happen or we both lose our money tree."


    She narrowed her eyes. "Yating shouldn''t hear the truth from Rong."


    "About him killing somebody?" He rolled his eyes. "Does it even matter? Do you think Gu Yating or Chyou will forgive him? No matter what story he has to tell, he can never justify killing someone just like how in Chyou''s eyes, nothing can ever justify my cheating."


    He sneered. "So it will be a little two-faced to forgive one culprit but not another. How can Gu Yating and the Zhu family be hypocrites?"


    "You are an actor yourself but you don''t understand anything! Don''t underestimate the man named Gu Rong. He has silenced many powerful people that ever came in his way."


    Yin raised his brow. "Then shouldn''t he have killed you too? After all, since you know his truth, you are also in his way. Yet he keeps stuffing you with money for your silence instead of actually silencing you for good. Heh. Did he really kill someone...or are you making things up for fattening your bank account?"


    "Cheng Yin, mind your tone! Why will Rong give me so much alimony before and his money even now when I approached him months back if he is so innocent? He is not stupid. Obviously, his hands are stained in blood!"


    "You keep saying that but you are yet to tell me who is that person that Gu Rong has killed?"


    Duan Ren raised her brow.


    "A very important person for whom Yating will never be able to forgive him but only if I get to tell Yating the truth first, not Rong. Rong will only manipulate the story to justify himself. That''s why...I need to do something about Rong."


    Gu Rong nodded.


    Silence fell back in the ward and Gu Rong released a light breath. He stared at the ceiling and could feel his hands trembling.


    Today he was going to get discharged which meant that the time to tell the truth to Yating was also approaching nearer and nearer. The very thought made him sweat and shiver.


    Feeling slightly breathless, he gently closed his eyes. Like the doctor said, he tried some methods to calm down his racing heartbeats.


    "Thinking of what lies to spin to your son?"


    His eyes opened in a flash and his expression dropped pale as if hell had descended.


    Duan Ren stood before him, her eyes twinkling with a sneer and her lips curved into a disdainful smirk.


    "You..."


    "Yes, me. Since Yating was so adamant in not talking to me, I thought-"


    "Yating!? You...you dare show your face to-"


    "Ssh," she placed her finger on his lips. "Don''t shout so much, Rong. You have just recovered now, haven''t you? Do you want to get a heart attack again?"


    Gu Rong harshly shook off her hand as his countenance bubbled with fury.


    Duan Ren clicked her tongue. "At least show some love to your ex-wife, Rong."


    "Why did you...come here?" He spoke through a clenched jaw.


    "Well I heard that my ex-husband suddenly collapsed so I thought why not drop by for a visit? And..." She leaned closer, "I also heard that you are finally willing to tell the truth to Yating. But I wonder just how much of the truth will you actually tell him? After all, you cannot bear to lose your son."


    He angrily laughed. "Do you think everybody is like you?"


    She sneered. "At least I know what kind of a person you are. After all...you cruelly killed your first wife and Yating''s real mother."

 Chapter 851: Gu Rongs decision

    Duan Ren smiled. "Poor her. Who knew that the husband she got married to would so cruelly bury her with his own hands."


    Sweat formed on Gu Rong''s forehead. The callous words rang harshly in his ears and his chest began to expand with breathlessness.


    He had been mentally preparing himself with grave difficulty about this very conversation he was about to have with Yating. But with how Duan Ren spoke, insinuating some devious and sadist plot, he felt losing that confidence quickly. He thought of himself as a criminal who snatched a very important person from Yating''s life.


    "Rong, you-"


    "Get out."


    She blinked twice. It was because the voice hadn''t come from Gu Rong but from somebody standing behind her. She quickly turned, her eyes widening.


    Words weren''t enough to express the frigid aura Yating was leaking. He looked at Gu Rong and dashed towards him. He held his hand and said, "Dad, breathe. Calm down."


    Yating was panicking looking at his state. He thought if this continued, he could get another heart attack which was extremely dangerous considering he has just been recovered from one.


    Gu Rong stared at Yating with his blurry vision. "Yating..."


    Yating felt as if somebody was stabbing his heart mercilessly. He had never seen Gu Rong so weak and helpless before, almost as if he was begging.


    "Dad. I am here," he squeezed his hand firmly, trying to let him feel his assurance.


    He looked back at Duan Ren, his icy gaze throwing daggers at her.


    "I think I was very clear in what I told you. Who do you think you are to just barge in my Dad''s room like that?"


    "Because I had to come, Yating," she sneered. "You wanted to give him the first chance to talk to you? Do you know how he will manipulate you-"


    "Aren''t you doing the same thing?" He shot back. "If Dad might want to manipulate me into not hating him, then you also want to manipulate me into hating him, correct? Do you think that makes you a saint? You have your own selfishness in appearing now after all these years, right?"


    "Young master...?"


    Duan Ren''s smile cracked. "I don''t know what you-"


    "Yeah that''s exactly what he had said too and I can throw the same pictures and call logs on your face as well," she smiled. "So cut out the acting. As an actress myself, I cannot see my profession getting insulted like this."


    "You-"


    "And now you are here because you want to take advantage of Uncle''s weak health condition and scare a cheque out of him? For the third time?"


    Her eyes widened. Yating, too, was confused. "Third time?"


    Chyou glared at her. "She has been shamelessly demanding money from Uncle for a few months, threatening him that she will tell you the truth. But Uncle refused to budge the third time and so she planned to meet you, acting like a pitiful mother."


    "That''s not true! Don''t concoct wild stories!"


    Butler Mo furiously said, "I am fully aware what kind of a person you are, Miss. Duan. Don''t try to act like a noble person now. You purposely chose this time to meet Master because he was alone. You wanted to intimidate him using young master. That''s what you did years ago too."


    Just then, the nurse came in and was baffled with the scene. "What is happening here?"


    She glanced at Duan Ren and frowned. "Who are you? I don''t think you are in the register. We are limiting very few people to meet Mr. Gu."


    Butler Mo immediately said, "Nurse, please let her out. She barged in all on her own and even threatened the Master."


    "I am not doing anything like that!"


    The nurse looked aghast. "Mam, please come with me. This won''t be tolerated at all."


    "No..."


    Gu Rong''s tiny and frail voice came out from the bed. "Let her be here."


    "Dad! There is no need-"


    He weakly raised his hand and said, "I have decided. I will..." he was slightly breathless as he continued, "I will tell you the truth - everything that happened in the past and I will tell you in front of her so that she doesn''t think I manipulated you. Everybody can listen to it and judge me...however they see it fit."

 Chapter 852: Where did I go wrong? (1)

    *Flashback*


    Gu Rong loved Luo Liuxian.


    She was everything he ever wished her to be. Grace, elegance and kindness - Luo Liuxian had all the qualities Gu Rong was looking for in his wife.


    But she wasn''t the woman Gu Rong''s family wanted for their son. They valued class and status. He didn''t and so was adamant upon marrying her.


    The Gu family being furious, gave him a choice of choosing either the family or her.


    Gu Rong loved Luo Liuxian.


    The choice was pretty simple for him. They soon registered their marriage and had their red booklets with them.


    Naturally, Gu Rong''s father was unable to accept Luo Liuxian as his daughter-in-law and enraged, he disowned Gu Rong from the Gu family and also took back all his rights from being the heir to their family business.


    It didn''t matter to Gu Rong. He had a good aptitude for business like his father and he decided to start his own company and make a name for his wife and himself.


    Luo Liuxian wholeheartedly supported him. She held his hands and said, "I will be here with you, Rong. We will go through this difficult phase together."


    With the encouragement from his wife, Gu Rong felt that he would row his boat through all the high waves and obstacles. He wouldn''t let anybody sink the world they had built for themselves.


    But the dark clouds soon loomed over them as Gu Rong''s father began to interfere in his son''s business. He had naturally more influence than Gu Rong and hence, it was easy to create roadblocks for him.


    "I cannot believe you can go this far!" Gu Rong gritted his teeth. "You cannot see me happy at all, do you? I think you forgot that you disowned me yourself so can you stop interfering in my life?"


    Mr. Gu bubbled with fury. "I disowned you, so what? You are still my son!"


    Gu Rong was flabbergasted. "Then act like a decent father!"


    He nodded. "I don''t see why I shouldn''t. You have a great idea and a great execution plan. I have thoroughly done my own research and I feel confident in your abilities."


    He felt hesitant if he would pull out later because of Mr. Gu but Yu Chang assured him. "Your father cannot change my mind. The only thing that matters to me is your hard work and sincerity. That''s what I will be looking at entirely, not your dispute with Mr. Gu."


    This was the big break that Gu Rong needed. Something that would shatter the cycle of his father''s influence.


    "Thank you so much!" Gu Rong bowed deeply. "You have no idea how grateful I am..."


    Gu Rong finally had good news to give to Luo Liuxian today. He always wanted her to save her salary and money and use it for herself but circumstances forced them to run their house with her earnings.


    As a husband, he felt extremely happy and proud to rely on his wife, who was strong and independent enough to support him in this crisis. But guilt also filled his heart, knowing that their situation was putting a burden on her to earn more and trying to keep up with the rising costs.


    But all that was going to end today.


    "Liuxian!"


    A bright grin settled on his lips as he twirled her joyfully. "We finally found somebody! It''s Yu Chang. He is very influential abroad and he has agreed to invest in our company. Finally, Dad won''t be able to make a mess this time!"


    Luo Liuxian felt dizzy and asked him to put her down.


    "Hehe sorry~" he stuck out his tongue.


    "I am so proud of you Rong," her eyes shimmered with proud tears and trembled as she hugged him. "You finally...did it."


    She wiped her misty eyelashes and said, "I also have something to tell you, Rong."


    "Yeah, tell me," he chirped in a merry mood.


    "I am pregnant."

 Chapter 853: Where did I go wrong? (2)

    Yating''s birth was met with great excitement and vigor from Gu Rong. The next nine months were as blissful as they could be. Not only was his company on track, the good news doubled with him becoming a father.


    Gu Rong could hardly contain his tears as he held Yating for the first time in his arms. He was so tiny and delicate that his heart melted.


    "I cannot thank you enough Liuxian..."


    Luo Liuxian was on the bed in her ward, staring at him holding their son.


    Gu Rong''s expression was complicated as he thought about his parents. He knew they must be wanting to love their grandson but if they never accepted Luo Liuxian, then chances were that they would never accept Yating either.


    But he hoped that maybe after some years, they would eventually relinquish their hatred for her and accept her. Gu Rong strongly held that hope. The business was growing well and Luo Liuxian was on his side as his wife supporting him through thick and thin.


    Wasn''t that what his father wanted to see?


    Gu Rong sighed. "Let''s have some more patience, Liuxian. I am sure Dad will come around soon."


    Luo Liuxian smiled with a strained countenance. "Yes..."


    He kept Yating in the crib and hugged her. "Don''t stress out about it, okay? You are tired with the delivery and so much pain. I only want you to rest and recover."


    She gently hugged him back and nodded. "Please stay here with me," she whispered.


    He smiled. "Of course. I will always stay wherever you are, silly."


    ¡ª


    Everything was going well for Gu Rong for the next three months. Yating was growing into a healthy child. But lately, that wasn''t the case.


    Yating began to fall sick quite often. Nobody really understood the reason. Baby Yating didn''t have any health issues according to the pediatrician, which only unnerved Gu Rong more and more. The terror of something major happening to Yating crawled in his heart. He even took a break from his business to tend to Yating and help his wife out with the household chores.


    "It''s so strange..."


    Gu Rong pressed his lips as he helped change baby Yating''s diaper.


    That alone was enough for his protective instincts to kick in and though he didn''t fully comprehend the situation, he rushed ahead and pushed Luo Liuxian away. She fell back on the floor with a hard thud, her stupor snapping away.


    "Ya-Yating...!" Gu Rong immediately held him in his arms when Yating finally got to wail.


    "Waaaaaaaa...."


    His small face had reddened due to crying hard. Gu Rong saw some faint marks on his neck and his eyes glazed with an unreadable emotion.


    He slowly turned his head towards Luo Liuxian who was struggling to straighten up.


    "You...you were strangling Yating?"


    Luo Liuxian returned him a blank look. "Ah...so you came back...I failed..."


    He wasn''t able to register her words. Instead of explaining her actions, she was instead expressing her lament over how she failed in killing Yating.


    Gu Rong placed him back on the bed, covering him with a duvet. He then grabbed her arm and forcefully pulled her up on her feet. "I am asking you something! Why would you strangle Yating!? What were you doing!"


    Tears flowed down Luo Liuxian''s cheeks. "I-I had no choice, Rong. P-please forgive me..."


    "Huh?" He stared at her dumbfounded. "What are you even talking about? Are we even speaking the same language? What no choice? What forgiveness? How could you...I don''t understand anything.


    Yating is our son-"


    "He is not our son!!!"


    Luo Liuxian burst out breathlessly. Her head felt heavy and her chest gripped with dizziness.


    "He is not our son! He is not our son!" She kept screaming until her throat hurt. "He is my son but he is not your son! That''s why I want to kill him! I...I cannot bear this guilt anymore!!!" She collapsed on her knees, crying and shaking hard.


    "What are you-"


    "He..." her voice shook and tremored as she gasped. "He is n-not your son. He is from my c-colleague at office I slept with a year back!"

 Chapter 854: Where did I go wrong? (3)

    "It was all a mistake...I-I was wrong. I don''t know what to do anymore. I cannot see Yating''s face. I don''t want to see his face anymore..." she was looking down and murmuring to herself.


    Then she suddenly jolted and grabbed Gu Rong''s shirt. "Let''s...let''s not keep Yating with us. Y-you understand right? I cannot bear to see his face s-so..."


    Gu Rong could only throw her a blank stare.


    "...Not my son? What are you even talking about?"


    "It was a mistake, Rong..." she shook hard. "I do-don''t know why I did that. I really don''t know! At first, it felt really being with you..." she tremblingly smiled, recalling the past days. "But th-then you married me but you had to throw away your family for that. I...I felt so guilty.


    I didn''t know what to do. Your father a-also interfered in your business and it-it was only because of me, right?"


    She shook him hard as if trying to prove her point.


    "He was so against me that he wanted to prove that I am n-not right for you. I felt even more guilty. You were working so hard yet nothing was working out because of your father. B-But it wasn''t because of him. It was because of me! I was the villain in everybody''s eyes!" Her hoarse voice quivered as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    "Then our financial situation be-became so bad at one point that I had to bear the expenses with my salary..."


    She quickly followed it with, "But I was happy. Re-really! After all, we are husband and wife. We should support each other''s tough times. But then..."


    Luo Liuxian shuddered with her face growing paler. "Word w-went out in my office that I am running my house with my money. That my husband was actually a loafer just fooling around. E-everybody was mocking me. Everybody was pitying me. I-I did declare that they were wrong!" She exclaimed suddenly and breathlessly.


    "Nobody judged me when I was with him...But I was always the villain in your family''s eyes. I snatched their son for money. I fooled him into marrying me and n-now he was suffering because of me...I made him so helpless that he couldn''t even set up his business a-and make a name for himself. I was the cause for all. But he...understood me through all that."


    Luo Liuxian broke down.


    "But you have to trust me, Rong! I felt terrible...I...I couldn''t believe what I did. I couldn''t believe I dropped to such a despicable level...I l-let my weakness overwhelm and betrayed you, but I felt guilty! Because I know...I always knew that whatever you were doing was for us...You were fighting so hard for my sake.


    I understood it all b-but the circumstances...your father''s hatred, the money problems, the mocking...everything was so hard...so hard to take..."


    Her black irises turned glassy as she whispered. "And then I found out that I was pregnant...But I didn''t know who the father was."


    She clutched her head as if falling into an abyss. "I felt...so pathetic. So disgusting. To not know the father of my child...how much worse can I? But I held hope," she nervously laughed. "I mean f-fate cannot be so cruel on me, right?


    It ha-has to be your child. Yes, yes. It was your child. It must be your child!


    B-but I couldn''t get it out of my head! The doubt, the suspicion...what would I do if I aborted but it turned out to be yours? So I had no choice but to wait...Wait till the child will be born and then I would secretly do a paternity test because o-only then I would be able to live guilt-free...It will prove that you are the father. Yes, it was supposed to be that way..."


    She looked up at him, her face stained with tears.


    "But I was wrong. Fate hates me so much, th-that''s why this curse of a child turned out to be his and not yours! And su-suddenly, I couldn''t start looking at Yating anymore. Even his sight disgusted me because h-he reminded me of my distasteful betrayal! The part of me falling weak, the part of me doubting your capabilities, the part of me lying to you..."


    Tears plopped down on the floor as she clenched her fists. "So I thought that...I won''t feel this way a-anymore if-if Yating is no more, right?"

 Chapter 855: Where did I go wrong? (4)

    Gu Rong''s shirt was crumpled by this point with Luo Liuxian firmly holding it in her trembling fists as if she was forcing him to stay near her.


    "Rong, please...please listen to me. Please forgive me! I never...never wanted to betray you. I-I just don''t know what took over me...But!"


    She looked at him with a tiny silver of hope in her fatigued eyes. "But we can...we can p-put that past us, Rong! I beg you...I cannot see Yating anymore. I c-cannot raise him knowing what I did and y-you wouldn''t want him either-"


    Gu Rong slowly but surely tugged her hand off his shirt. He wasn''t sure what to think about but his heart craved for distance at this moment.


    "Did you make Yating sick all these times before?"


    "I-I had no choice!" She cried. "It was just hard watching him! I don''t know what to do with him..."


    He stared at her, unable to comprehend her thought process. "He is still your son."


    She screamed. "But he is not yours-"


    "Let''s not...shout, shall we? Yating is resting."


    She stiffened.


    "Waaaaaa..." Yating wailed from the bed, jolting with the sudden loud voice.


    Gu Rong breathed hard. "Leave me alone for some time."


    "Rong, please. You h-have to-"


    "Please Luxian. I heard what I had to. I just want to be alone now."


    Luo Liuxian shook hard, biting her lip. She threw a glance at Yating and couldn''t help but feel bitter. But she lowered her head and quietly left the room.


    As the door closed and silence filled inside, Gu Rong finally allowed to let out his shaking breaths. He was holding the urge to cry, but the truth was so devastating that even tears forgot to slip out of his eyes.


    I would get the strength from you and I got it. But instead of reaching out to me, you chose to hold somebody else''s hand."


    Luo Liuxian tried to speak but she couldn''t let out any words from her lips.


    "How would things be solved if we don''t communicate with each other? If you remain silent and show a false smile on your lips, then how does that take us anywhere?"


    He clenched his fists, bitterness filling his gaze. "That''s why I cannot just ignore what happened. I cannot forget or forgive what you did, Liuxian. I won''t be able to love you like before. How...How will I? You tell me, Liuxian.


    How should I forget that some other man made a place in your heart other than me? How should I forget that you allowed him to..."


    He bit his lip hard, tears threatening to brim his eyes. He didn''t dare complete that sentence.


    "Just tell me one thing, Liuxian. How should I trust you again?"


    "Rong..." her voice was almost a whisper. "I promise it won''t happen again! I-I have realized-"


    "Your promises...don''t hold any value to me anymore, Liuxian."


    She froze. Her heart thudded like crazy as his decision tore right through it as an ultimatum.


    "Please don''t do this, Rong! I..."


    A dull pain engulfed her head and she breathlessly began to tremble. Gu Rong''s eyes widened seeing her deteriorating condition and he immediately held her but she had already fainted by then.


    "Liu-Liuxian!"


    He checked her pulse but could barely feel it. Panicked, he immediately took her to the hospital.


    Thirty minutes later, the doctor stepped out and said, "There is nothing physically wrong with her. But mentally, it''s a different case."


    "I don''t understand..." Gu Rong said, perplexed.


    "I advise you to take her to visit her gynecologist who helped her with her delivery and also a clinical psychologist. I strongly believe she has been going through postpartum depression for a while. And if that is so, then your wife needs all the support and care from you as her husband in this difficult time."

 Chapter 856: Where did I go wrong? (5)

    Gu Rong''s world was turned upside down. With Luo Liuxian''s delicate mental and emotional condition, he had no choice but to keep her by his side.


    But it was an immense mental burden on Gu Rong himself. He was forced to live with a woman who cheated on him. How was he supposed to bear living with a person he could never forgive?


    Then there was Yating. Gu Rong hadn''t yet decided what to do with him. Technically, he wasn''t obligated to care for him because he wasn''t his child. But then again there was a risk since Luo Liuxian had attempted on his life multiple times.


    Yating was still a baby and she was in a fragile condition. The irony was that despite her trying to harm Yating, they both would have to live under the same roof because both depended on Gu Rong for their well-being.


    After much thought, Gu Rong decided to move to a bigger villa where both would have their own space and distance. Even if they had to live in the same house, he wanted them to be as far apart as possible.


    "Good morning, Mr. Gu."


    A man bowed before him one certain day.


    Gu Rong studied his profile and asked, "Mo Jiahao."


    "Yes, Sir."


    "Your profile is impressive. You can do housework and are well-versed with child-care too. I need someone capable to handle things after me."


    Mo Jiahao curtly nodded. "I assure you that you will have no complaints from me."


    After moving to a new house, Gu Rong then started to look for some househelp. At first, he thought to ask his mother but he refrained. They were anyway against his marriage and if they learned the truth, they would despise Luo Liuxian and Yating to no lengths.


    From that day, Mo Jiahao became the Gu family''s butler - Butler Mo.


    With his addition, Gu Rong felt like a huge burden lifted off his shoulders.


    But that didn''t help him mentally.


    "Rong!"


    Luo Liuxian ran to hug him as he entered her room on the first floor. Gu Rong let them have separate floors to themselves.


    A sour feeling crawled in his heart the moment she embraced him. He wanted to push her away, but he couldn''t.


    Luo Liuxian wiped her red and tired eyes. "I..."


    She was tongue-tied. The Gu Rong, who was ready to divorce her, brought her back home. She was made aware of her own condition and was advised to not take any stress.


    "You should rest," Gu Rong said, trying to be curt. "I will be on the couch here working. If you need anything, let me know."


    Gu Rong knew it was another one of her attempts to make things right between them. He pressed his lips and said, "I am sorry I am not really hungry."


    She stiffened.


    Gu Rong then got a work call and he headed outside to receive it. After hanging up, he went upstairs and stood at a distance from Yating''s room. He could faintly see Butler Mo playing with Yating. His laughs and giggles pleasantly echoed in the room.


    Gu Rong took one step forward but stopped. He shakily exhaled a breath. Whenever he saw Yating''s face, the only thing he could think of was that he wasn''t his father. That was another wall in his heart that he wasn''t able to overcome.


    In these past few months, he did his best to spend time with Yating, but he wasn''t very successful. Reality would always crush him into smithereens. He slowly turned to the other side and wiped his eyelids.


    "Gaaaaaa!!" Yating''s chirpy and excited voice came from nearer him.


    Gu Rong cleared his throat and sternly said, "Take him inside, Jiahao."


    "M-Master, turn back..."


    "Huh?"


    Gu Rong turned, puzzled. "I told you to take him-"


    He froze upon the scene he witnessed before him.


    Yating was trying to take his first steps towards him. His legs wobbled and he flailed his arms sideways to balance himself. He was extremely focused on his task before him but his face was lit up like a Christmas tree at all times.


    "Gaaaa..."


    Gu Rong blinked rapidly.


    He is...he is walking...


    Yating was slow and cautious but he didn''t lose his energy for a single moment. His goal was to reach Gu Rong and he wholeheartedly marched towards it.


    Gu Rong wasn''t sure how long time had passed but he finally felt a soft tug on his pants. "Gaaaaa!!!"


    At first, it was a tug but then Yating wrapped his arms around his leg and laughed with his beautiful black irises sparkling gold as if he had found a treasure chest.


    Butler Mo had tears in his eyes. "Young master took his first steps today..."


    Gu Rong trembled hard. His heart and mind were in a mess and he felt dizzy. He clenched his fists, trying to stop a certain emotion from overwhelming him.


    He whispered. "Jiahao... please take him inside."

 Chapter 857: Where did I go wrong? (6)

    "Gaaaaa!!!"


    "Gaaaaa gaaaa!!"


    Leaning back on his comfortable chair in his office, Gu Rong watched the video on his phone. Butler Mo had forwarded him the video he recorded of the time when Yating took his first steps.


    For many days, Gu Rong couldn''t muster the courage to see it. He didn''t want that overwhelming emotion to grip him again. It made him fearful of the path he wasn''t sure he wanted to take.


    He simply watched the video with an unreadable expression. Yating''s bright and bubbly face greeted him with the purest emotion of the world.


    A wry smile lifted his lips as the phone slightly trembled in his hands.


    Suddenly, he saw an incoming call from his father and his brows furrowed. Ever since Mr. Gu failed to stop his business from flourishing, there had been no contact.


    What happened now?


    "Dad."


    "Rong."


    There was a rough edge to his voice. "I want you to meet me at home."


    "...Why suddenly?"


    "Just come here!" And he furiously hung up.


    Gu Rong frowned and thought that this could only mean bad news.


    ¡ª


    As soon as Gu Rong stepped in, he was hit by a sudden realization.


    He had very confidently chosen Luo Liuxian over his parents. He went against them and married her. He ignored their warnings and left home. He left his mother and father for a woman who eventually cheated on him.


    He trembled.


    With what face should I meet them now?


    Mrs. Gu sniffled and nodded. She slowly held his face, her face marred with concern. "Your father is right. You really don''t need to do so much for her. She threw her happy life and your love with her own hands so why would you do this?


    Why do you want to raise her son? Liuxian and Yating are not your problem anymore."


    She gritted her teeth as her misty gaze filled with fury. "Why isn''t she going to Yating''s real father? He should be the one taking responsibility, not you! Why are you bearing the burden? Thank God we learned about this sooner than later or for how long had you planned to continue living a mess like this?"


    Gu Rong had no answer to give. He hadn''t figured things out yet. He simply went with the flow and hoped Luo Liuxian would heal as soon as possible.


    Mrs. Gu continued. "We cannot see our son living like this, Rong. Try to see things from our perspective. This is not kindness towards her. It''s foolishness towards yourself.


    You don''t deserve to live such a life. You have your whole life ahead of you. Let that woman and her son leave and start your life fresh and anew. Your father and I will find the best wife for you. We are not saying immediately, but you can consider a second marriage in the future and live a happy married life. It''s still not impossible."


    Mr. Gu gravely nodded. "She is right. It''s preposterous that that disgusting woman and her son still live with you!"


    Gu Rong felt his chest swell. His mother''s tired eyes only wanted the best for him. They held hope that he could still find his happy future.


    Throw them out...Throw them out...?


    He clenched his fists. "...I need some time to think."


    Mr. Gu was furiously exasperated. "I cannot believe your stubbornness!"


    Gu Rong''s phone rang with a call and he saw Butler Mo''s number flashing.


    "Yes, Jiahao?"


    "Master Rong..." his breathless and hoars voice sounded from another end as if he was in a lot of pain.


    "Jiahao?" He furrowed his brows. "What''s wrong?"


    His laborious breathing continued as he groaned. "Please come back...quickly...Master. Mrs. Gu...y-young master..."


    He froze with his eyes stretched wide. "Yating? What happened! Where is he? Where is Liuxian?"


    Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu were taken aback by the sudden change in his tone.


    Butler Mo said with trembling breaths. "Mrs. Gu suddenly...attacked me on my head...and took young master away..."

 Chapter 858: Where did I go wrong? (7)

    "Jiaohao!"


    Gu Rong rushed in his own home with mad speed. He headed straight up to Yating''s room where he saw Butler Mo trying to stand on his feet, clutching the back of his head that bled.


    "Ma-Master..."


    The tears formed in his eyes rolled down rapidly as he could hardly maintain his balance. "Please forgive me Master...She took young master away...and..." he gasped breathlessly, "I tried to stop her...but..."


    Gu Rong first made him sit on the bed and immediately headed to bring the first-aid kit. He checked his wound and froze.


    "Did...Liuxian do this? What just happened here?" he asked as he tended to his wound


    He shook his head slowly and trembled. "I don''t know...She su-suddenly came up a-and I didn''t notice her. I was busy changing young master''s clothes when I...felt pain in my head. I looked back and saw her. She pushed me away and grabbed young master. I couldn''t...understand what was happening at all...So suddenly.


    I tried to chase after her but the pain in my head..."


    "Jiahao, don''t blame yourself! You just lie down and rest. I have already called the ambulance."


    A look of terror flashed across his eyes. "She...looked different. She seemed angry b-but I don''t know how to put it into words...What did I do? I couldn''t protect young master? Sh-She is definitely out to hurt him."


    "Enough with the self-blame, Jiahao! Nothing will happen to Yating. I will bring him back, okay? You stay here and wait for the ambulance. I will...I will go after Liuxian."


    ¡ª


    Gu Rong pressed his fingers hard on his phone as he dialed her number. He did assure Butler Mo, but only he knew how hard his heart was beating in his chest.


    The call rang and rang but nobody picked up. The more time passed, the more he felt his heart sink. He crisply remembered the time she tried to strangle him.


    Yating...


    He called the cops as well and swiftly explained to them the situation. He hoped they could track her number and location as soon as possible.


    "Rest assured, Mr. Gu. We are already on it," the lead officer in charge of the case said.


    Where could she have gone? Gu Rong kept wondering to himself.


    Where could she take Yating?


    She saw that? He thought to himself.


    Tears brimmed and flowed down her cheeks. "But you cannot even eat the food I prepared for you..."


    "Waaaaa!!"


    Yating wailed hard as he flailed his small body hard against her chest. Gu Rong swallowed a nervous gulp. "I will eat your food, okay? Just give Yating to me."


    "You k-keep ignoring me, Rong," she said hoarsely.


    "I am sorry. I won''t ignore you from now on."


    She chuckled and shook her head. "Lies. You are lying to me. You will never pay attention to me. You will never love me again. Not until...he is here."


    She clutched Yating fiercely against her body, making him cry harder. He flailed his hands towards Gu Rong as if he desperately wanted him to take him away. "Waaaaaa! Waaaaa!!"


    A sharp squeeze gripped Gu Rong''s heart and a trace of fury began to settle in his eyes. "You are hurting Yating, Liuxian. Please...just give him to me."


    She turned towards the gas stove, taking the lighter closer towards it. Her hands trembled as she pointed at it. "It all...it all started because of my mistake. S-So I will be the one to fix it. I will make all my mistakes disappear...Yes, that''s the only way."


    "Don''t be foolish Liuxian!" He screamed and jumped at her. Somehow, he managed to snatch Yating from her.


    "Waaaaaaa..." Yating clutched him with his arms and wailed in the crook of his neck.


    "Give him back to me!!! I will rectify my mistakes today at any cost!!"


    Screaming that, Luo Liuxian grabbed a knife from the counter and stabbed Gu Rong at the side of his abdomen.


    Gu Rong''s eyes widened and he coughed hard. He slowly looked down and stared at the blood gushing out of his wound. Gasping in pain, he fell on his knees while still firmly holding onto Yating. Dizziness began to grip him.


    Taking advantage of his state, Luo Liuxian tried to snatch back Yating. "Give him to me! He has to die today! Until I breathe, I won''t let him live!"


    "Waaaaaaaaa!!!"


    She tried pulling him harshly, not acknowledging that her actions were only hurting Yating. Luo Liuxian almost dug her nails into his tiny arms to grip him that forced him to escape a loud shrill of pain.


    Gu Rong''s gaze went frigid. Sweat trickled down his forehead and he felt he was rapidly losing his consciousness.


    Luo Liuxian was elated as Yating was finally coming back into her grip. But before she could rejoice, she let out a gasp. She lowered her head and saw the same knife with which she attacked Gu Rong, stabbed deep into her gut by none other than Gu Rong himself.

 Chapter 859: Gu Yating

    It was after an entire day had passed by when Gu Rong regained his consciousness in the hospital. He remembered the events in a jumble.


    Before he thought he would be knocked out for good after the stab wound, he pulled out the knife from his abdomen. He violently coughed out blood and even though he knew it was dangerous to pull out the knife like that, he didn''t care about it and plunged it into Luo Liuxian.


    "Master!"


    Butler Mo rushed towards him, his head wrapped with bandages. "You are awake..."


    "Jiahao. Your head..." he swallowed a gulp. "I am sorry. I am really-"


    He shook his head. "It''s not your fault, Master. I am doing okay now."


    Gu Rong breathed out in relief for a moment. But tension gripped him immediately.


    "Yating...Where is Yating!? What happened after I passed out?" He asked in a state of panic.


    "He is here only," he pointed out at the back where the crib was. Yating was peacefully sleeping on his bed.


    Butler Mo''s eyes teared up. "He was awake for a long time, Master. He kept staring at you worriedly as if he was waiting for you to wake up."


    Gu Rong slightly trembled. He kept his gaze fixed at the sleeping Yating, not knowing how to feel. A lump formed in his throat and he couldn''t express enough how he was thankful to see him safe.


    "...And Liuxian?"


    Butler Mo pressed his lips in silence. "The cops brought her to the hospital too but...she couldn''t make it."


    He froze.


    The words hit him like a storm tearing his heart apart into two. Before he knew it , tears fell out, wetting the pillow beneath him.


    Luo Liuxian was dead. The woman he once loved so dearly was no more in this world and he was the one to end it for her.


    The short but happy memories gushed within him. The time that he spent with her. His heart that he shared with her. Everything came to him in slow motion. He had never imagined in a million years that he would end up killing her himself. He never thought that life would bring him to this point of so much hatred towards her.


    Gu Rong parted and closed his lips, unable to react. He felt his brain shut completely. Something tickled and fluttered in his chest as if the dark, menacing clouds were drifting away into oblivion.


    He raised his arm and tremblingly placed it over Yating''s head.


    "Daaaa?" Yating tilted his head and then laughed melodiously.


    Gu Rong stared into his sparkling black orbs and felt like an invisible force sucking him into his sweet world.


    At this moment, was he thinking that Yating wasn''t his real son?


    Was he thinking that he symbolized Luo Liuxian''s betrayal?


    Was he hating Yating at this moment?


    No. Those thoughts and apprehensions were far from what Gu Rong was thinking about.


    "Say Jiahao."


    "Yes, Master."


    "Yating is just like me. We are standing at the same place. Liuxian betrayed me as a wife and she betrayed Yating as a mother. The woman who was supposed to be the most important pillar of our life ended up leaving us all alone."


    Butler Mo lowered his gaze.


    "So...So Jiahao. Liuxian had already left Yating long ago. He was always dead to her. If I give up on him too, then who would Yating have to depend on? Who..." his voice choked, "Who would I be left with to rely on?"


    Gu Rong wrapped his arms around his back and pulled him closer. Yating brightened and laughed heartily.


    "That''s why I have decided, Jiahao," he said, his misty eyes coming to a firm determination.


    "Yating is my son. Yating will always be my son. I will raise him. I will give him everything that I couldn''t give to Liuxian. I will be Yating''s father. I am Yating''s father.


    Yating is Gu Yating from this moment."

 Chapter 860: Throw everything away

    "You cannot be serious about this, Rong!"


    Mr. Gu and Mrs. Gu, who were also in the hospital to meet their son, couldn''t believe Gu Rong''s decision.


    "You want to raise this kid?"


    "Yes," he firmly said.


    Mr. Gu was flabbergasted. "Absolutely not, you moron! Why would you raise an illegitimate and a bastard child!?"


    Gu Rong shot him a cold glare. "Don''t call Yating with those names."


    "And now you are defending him too? Are you out of your mind? He is the son your wife gave birth to with another man! How could you tolerate something like that? Why will you take his responsibility? Either dump him to his real father or in an orphanage!"


    He clenched his fists and remained undeterred. "I have already decided, Dad. Yating has nowhere to go and I won''t leave him alone."


    "I am not telling you to leave him alone. Just leave him in his real father''s care!"


    "I don''t know who or where he is and I don''t care about it either. Yating will live with me."


    Mr. Gu gritted his teeth. "Then leave him in an orphanage!"


    "That''s as good as leaving him alone."


    Like hell..." the cane shook as he trembled with rage, "I will let someone else''s child have Gu family''s name!"


    Gu Rong said nothing. He had no way to convince his parents. He was fully aware that it was impossible to make them accept Yating either.


    Mr. Gu wryly laughed at the lack of his response. "Good. This...this is what we get for raising you. We...we just wanted to see you live a happy life with your wife and child. But now you are throwing away that forever.


    You are forgiving that woman''s mistake that we cannot. It''s just one wrong decision after the other."


    For the first time, Gu Rong saw his father completely beaten up and defeated. He stared at the helplessness in his eyes which brought tears to his own. Mr. Gu had hoped that at least now, his son would come back to them.


    "Yet again...yet again, you choose somebody else over us. First it was her and now it is her son. We simply just don''t mean anything to you, do we Rong?"


    "It''s not like that Dad and you know it too..." Gu Rong lowered his head, sobbing quietly with his cheeks wetting with tears. "Please...please don''t leave me alone."


    Mrs. Gu held a similar wry and lost expression as her husband. "We are not leaving you alone, Rong. We are telling you to leave the child be. Right now...you look so pathetic, Rong."


    Her own words hurt her crudely but to her, that was the harsh truth.


    "You look so blind and desperate in Liuxian''s love that you are ready to forget your self-respect by wanting to raise her illegitimate son. It might look like a prideful sentiment to others for having such a big and kind heart. But to us..." her wrinkly fist trembled. "To us, it''s simply foolishness."


    Mr. Gu slowly turned his back. The conversation was over. Neither was ready to back down. Mrs. Gu broke down into tears.


    Seeing her son let go of the happy future he could have had with his own hands tore her heart apart.


    "Rong," he whispered in a crushed voice with his back to him. "Do not...show your face to us ever again. Yating might be the son that you can love, but he is not the grandchild that we can adore. I won''t see my son stooping so low and lose his dignity like this. If you cannot let go of this decision, then so be it. From now on, you are dead to us."

 Chapter 861: The second marriage

    Gu Rong didn''t decide that he would raise Yating but that also came with its own set of apprehensions. He didn''t doubt his ability to raise him financially since he was well-settled now. But that didn''t mean that there wasn''t a need for a mother in Yating''s life.


    The more he thought in that direction, the more he felt drowned in an endless sea of concern.


    Yating needed a mother too. At this point, he was too young to understand the absence of a mother. But he was sure that a day would come when he would ask questions about it and when he might feel that wished he had a mother too.


    That question also spiraled him in another line of thinking -


    What if Yating ever learned the truth of him killing Luo Liuxian?


    Butler Mo often tried his best to convince him. "Master, it wasn''t your fault. You were only trying to protect young master."


    He vigorously shook his head. "No, no! Now that I think about it calmly, I lost my cool over there. I could have handled the situation differently. I didn''t need to kill Liuxian. I could have...thought of something else!"


    He wallowed in that guilt and fear. That''s why it became even more necessary for him to find a mother for Yating. With that in mind, he decided he would remarry but only for Yating''s sake. He had no interest nor the intention to have his own family.


    It was simply getting into a contract for him.


    The woman would take all the responsibilities of a mother and take care of Yating and in exchange, Gu Rong would take care of all her needs.


    Butler Mo did try to talk with him if this approach would really work. Give and take when it came to a mother''s affection was complicated. He wondered if the deal would really work out.


    But Gu Rong was adamant. He wanted to give Yating the love of both a mother and a father. He wanted to fill that gap as soon as possible and settle that unnerving feeling gripping him.


    And so along the way, he met Duan Ren. She didn''t come from a family as wealthy as Gu Rong''s but it was more than enough from an average man''s perspective.


    He stiffened.


    "I don''t mind Mom going out. I love reading books," his bright eyes sparkled. "You have brought me so many books to read! So...so you don''t have to worry about me."


    Gu Rong felt as if a boulder just crashed on top of him. He could see it in his eyes that he was just acting to look tough and strong only to maintain peace in the house. But somewhere in his heart, he did miss Duan Ren''s presence.


    Gu Rong pinched his cheeks. "Don''t be silly, Yating. We are not fighting because of you. We are husband and wife and every couple has arguments now and then," he laughed. "It''s nothing serious. So you don''t stress about it.


    You just play and read and do whatever you want."


    That conversation with Yating was the final straw for Gu Rong and he gave an ultimatum to Duan Ren that if she didn''t change her ways, then he would be forced to end the contract himself.


    "Nothing ever works out for me Jiahao..."


    Gu Rong said one evening, holding a glass of whisky in his hands. His face was slightly flushed with intoxication.


    "Liuxian didn''t get the life she wanted from me so I thought...that if I give everything to a woman that Liuxian ever wanted then, there shouldn''t be any problem, right? Why are things always so difficult? I am...not able to do anything for Yating. Why do I always keep failing...?"


    Butler Mo softly said, "I did say before Master. Give and take in any relationship can only go as far. And especially parents'' love cannot be based on a contract."


    Gu Rong wryly laughed. "Then what is it based on? Blood? Because if that was the case then Liuxian wouldn''t have hated her son so much to the point...that I had to kill her."


    Suddenly a gasp echoed from behind the door. Gu Rong froze and ran to open it only to find Duan Ren stumbled back. She stared at him in horror.


    "Wh-What did I just hear...? Y-You killed your first wife? But didn''t you say at the time of our marriage that she died in an accident?"

 Chapter 862: Gu Rongs silent love

    Gu Rong turned pale. Thankfully for him, Yating was at school or else there would have been a huge commotion in front of him.


    Duan Ren gasped with her mouth gaping wide in shock. "Is it true? You killed your first wife?"


    He clenched his jaw. "It''s not what you are thinking-"


    "Don''t even lie to me! I heard it just now! Don''t try to cover it up. I-I have been living with a murderer all this time?"


    Butler Mo rushed out. "You are misunderstanding, Mistress. Master is not a killer."


    "Lies! You killed your wife and then you lied to me!"


    Gu Rong clenched his fists. It was true that hid the truth because he felt it was too complicated to explain. He didn''t know if Duan Ren would understand his side of the story and he didn''t want to carelessly reveal the truth if she rejected him.


    He thought to tell her in the later years as more time passed but he simply didn''t find the chance. She was doing well with Yating and he didn''t wish to jeopardize their relationship.


    Gu Rong tried to calm down and explain to her the real situation but Duan Ren held no interest.


    She sneered. "I admire your shamelessness, Rong. You expect me to abide by the contract when you broke it from the beginning! You kept such a huge reality hidden from me."


    He closed his eyes. He admitted he was wrong in keeping it from her. She had the right to know. But he was so desperate in completing Yating''s life with a mother''s presence that he chose to keep his silence.


    Luo Liuxian was in a delicate mental situation when she kidnapped Yating. Rather than believing that Gu Rong killed her to protect Yating, it was easy to believe that he did so to take revenge from her for her affair and betrayal when she was in her weakest state.


    "Then what? You were planning to kill your second wife too?" Duan Ren narrowed her eyes.


    He gritted his teeth. "Enough Ren. I will apologize how much ever you want for hiding the truth but please know that I had my reasons-"


    Just the thought of it was enough to make his chest frenzy.


    He looked up at her and said, losing any remaining hope he held to give Yating a happy life with a mother''s love in it, "Let''s divorce, Ren. I will give you whatever money you want. But you absolutely won''t utter a word about this to Yating."


    *Flashback ends*


    At present, Gu Rong slowly opened his eyes which expressed how fatigued he felt. Telling the whole story was akin to living through the nightmare once again.


    He forced himself to look at Yating though his heart was trembling to gather courage for it.


    "I am sorry, Yating. I killed Liuxian. I failed with Ren too. In the end, I couldn''t give you the life I always envisioned for you. Instead, I kept fighting and arguing with you, challenging your dreams and ideals...But I felt I had no choice. I didn''t want to lose you," he coughed.


    "You were walking down the same path as me and I have seen nothing but complications and betrayal. That''s why I wanted you to lead the company. You will never have to face any problems. I don''t want you to go through the same struggles like I did. That''s why I could never like Zhou Ai for you. She reminded me of my difficult times and of Liuxian.


    I couldn''t trust her. I *cough* don''t care if you call it bias. I don''t care if it was unfair to her. To me, that only looked like history repeating itself."


    His eyes turned wet as he let out everything he had been hiding from Yating so far.


    "But it''s such an irony, right?" He weakly laughed at himself. "The problem between me and Liuxian was communication. Yet I failed to do the same thing with you. The more you grew, the more I started feeling afraid that you will leave my side. It felt like this happiness was temporary...So I thought that if you take Gu Corps after me, then everything...will be alright.


    Your future is secured and you will always...be with me.


    But you dreamed of becoming an editor and to me, it''s still not a career I would like you to have. I worked hard for the Gu Corps because I didn''t want you to worry about your future. But you wanted to make a name for yourself. You wanted to be free from my shadows just like how I wanted at one point in time. And that...scared me, Yating.


    I was scared to drift away from you like I drifted away from them...I am sorry. I am so sorry for being such a terrible father..."


    With that and for the first time in years, Gu Rong wailed freely like a child would, letting those deeply buried tears, guilt and fear once and for all.

 Chapter 863: My son

    Seeing tears well in the mighty Gu Rong''s eyes, Yating''s own irises turned misty and blurry. He couldn''t hold his body back from trembling imagining what Gu Rong went through.


    It was as if the fog surrounding their complicated relationship had lifted off to reveal the true landscape behind it, which in this case were Gu Rong''s true intentions. He had no idea that behind each one of Gu Rong''s actions lay a deep seated fear etched in his heart.


    Whether it was agreeing to Zhou Ai for him or his choice of career - everything simply reminded Gu Rong of the painful past.


    But more than anything, Yating couldn''t be happier to know that Gu Rong never gave up on him, yet at the same time there remained a melancholy in his heart that his father could have chosen to be happy if he had married another woman. He could have had his own family. Stay updated with m-v le-mpyr


    Yet he gave away everything for a child that didn''t even belong to him. He unconditionally loved a boy who should have been the source of his despair because of his wife''s affair.


    Then how in the world did he contain such a kind heart to give Yating the Gu family''s name?


    "You..."


    A whisper escaped his quivering lips. Warm tears slid down his cheeks and he lowered his head to sob silently. "You didn''t...Why...?"


    Though Yating greatly appreciated Gu Rong''s kindness, in the end, he still couldn''t help but feel that he snatched away something that wasn''t his in the first place. He didn''t want to feel like an outsider but the prickly feeling refused to go.


    A child who could have been abandoned lived a life with Gu family''s name, enjoyed his father''s assets and wealth and became the rich heir of the Gu family. He understood that some things went beyond blood and not all relationships could be measured by biological connections.


    Gu Rong chuckled weakly. "The thought that you and I didn''t share the same blood didn''t cross my mind at all...That moment felt so magical to me. Like...after a long, long period of grief and suffering, I finally found the light I was searching for. Something or someone...that would give me a reason to continue living and work hard. That was you Yating.


    That was you when you walked towards me and when you spoke Dada for the first time.


    I felt like Aah...I feel so happy. I want to preserve this happiness. I couldn''t convince my mother and father but it was fine. I had you and that''s what mattered to me the most. That''s why Yating..."


    His hoarse voice was close to pleading with him. "Don''t think of anything otherwise. You were, are and will always be my son. I know I...didn''t appreciate your choices. But I still feel so proud of you. You took up the same path that I once did and though I opposed it because I was afraid of the past repeating itself, I also felt...really happy.


    Because you-you did something that I did.


    When Zhu Xiaosi used to say like father like son I couldn''t be happier. You know how children follow their parents'' footsteps? Or wh-when they take up their personalities because of genetics? I thought that difference would always remain between us. That''s a gap I will never be able to bridge because at the end of the day, I cannot fight blood, right?


    I couldn''t but you did. When you fought for your career, when you resisted in regards to Zhou Ai, when you left the Gu villa for your own dignity - everything that I did in my past, I felt like,


    Ah...Yating...Yating is really my son.


    We are not blood related yet you act like me. You are stubborn just like me and you cannot understand..." he cried, "you cannot even begin to understand just how happy that makes me, Yating. Because you proved to me that we don''t need to be blood related to feel similar. We are still father and son. You closed that last distance which I couldn''t have done it by myself...


    That''s why...you shouldn''t feel burdened or thankful by my kindness. I didn''t do any kindness. I just did what any father would do. It''s the opposite, Yating. I should be thanking you. Because...


    because by acting like me, you never let me feel that we were anything different. I don''t care whose blood flows in your body. I just know that you are my son and nobody can ever change that."

 Chapter 864: My father

    Yating held his trembling hand in his palms and breathed hard. "Thank you..."


    With Gu Rong''s sincere and heartfelt words, there was no trace of doubt left in his heart anymore. There was no question of accepting each other either.


    Gu Rong and Yating were father and son.


    Nothing could amount to the gratitude that flooded his chest and equally the regret that in comparison, he did nothing for Gu Rong other than resisting his presence and decisions.


    Yating also realized how Gu Rong would have felt when he mentioned that it would have been better if his mother was still around. Nothing could be more heartless than wishing for the presence of a woman that had betrayed everyone.


    "I am sorry...I am sorry for saying that stupidity that day. I was being an idiot."


    Gu Rong lightly shook his head. "It''s not your fault. I...I always lacked to properly communicate. If I had been more vocal about my reasons than just bashing you then...it would have...been better..."


    Butler Mo was continuously wiping his eyes as this was the moment he always waited for. He had urged Gu Rong multiple times in the past to be courageous and tell Yating the truth.


    But Gu Rong rather chose for the misunderstandings to remain than facing the possibility of Yating hating him for killing Luo Liuxian.


    Stay connected with m|vl|e|mp|y|r


    Xiaosi smiled and patted Yating''s shoulder. "I had told you, right? He loves you a lot. He literally dotes on you. Whenever the conversation is about you in all meetings and gatherings, he is very particular about calling you as my son. My son did this, my son did that.


    His chest fills with so much pride."


    Gu Rong''s brow twitched heavily. "I don''t do that..."


    He chuckled. "You haven''t realized it but everybody else has. You are nothing but just a doting father. People see flowers blooming around your head whenever it''s about Yating."


    His face flushed crimson with embarrassment. "Ridiculous!"


    "We just talked about being honest and you are already stepping back," he shook his head.


    My son...


    I didn''t even do anything! I am completely innocent!


    Chyou narrowed her eyes at Duan Ren, who was now reduced to a practically feeble existence at this moment.


    "Do you have anything to say or blame now, Miss. Duan?"


    Duan Ren''s expression soured. "You think it''s so easy to believe him? Who knows if he is telling the truth? His dead wife was going through postpartum depression and this heartless man killed her! I would still say that he took advantage of her mental condition!"


    Yating''s gaze hardened. He peered at her with such iciness that the temperature dropped down in the ward.


    "What advantage did he take when he decided for her to live with us? He could have easily divorced her back then. Who would blame him after her betrayal? He could have abandoned her after she tried to kill me the first time. But he didn''t.


    If you are talking about advantage, then he would have taken it ages ago to get rid of her. He was a good husband even in that situation. He wanted her to get healthy and still cared for her despite it hurting him miserably. He never left her alone even with what she did."


    His teeth gritted against each other. "What more do you expect Dad to do!?"


    Duan Ren gulped and stumbled back in fear. Yating had been polite until now but today, the ferocious blaze in his eyes was a different story.


    Gu Rong felt his eyes tear up. Never had he imagined for the day to come when Yating would defend him. He was always afraid of him leaving his side after the reveal but never expected him to voice out for his sake.


    Yating coldly said, "You can leave now. What you wanted is for me to know the truth, right? It''s out now and I know everything. You aren''t needed anymore so leave. And never..." his black orbs squinted with a deadly menace, "approach my father for money again. I will be handling Gu Corps anyway and I won''t stand to see my father''s hard-earned money get extorted away due to some lousy threats.


    You took more than enough alimony as is. So you have nothing to do with Dad anymore."


    He smiled unforgivingly. "I would appreciate it if you go back to your happy life with your husband and not bother my Dad again or I will make you face the consequences."


    "Ahahahaha!" Chyou laughed hard. "That''s how you do it~"


    Duan Ren''s jaw dropped in disbelief. "You..." she trembled, enraged. "Gu Rong! Is this how you have raised your son? Don''t forget that I was there for him too before we separated!"


    "He has raised me just fine. That was just a contract between you and Dad. Your love and care for me wasn''t selfless. Selfless is..." his irises blurred with mistiness, "what Dad did. So don''t even compare. Now my father has to rest.


    So please leave. This is the last time I am telling you or I will call the security."

 Chapter 865: Not to be on the sidelines anymore

    A few hours later.


    Yating accompanied Gu Rong as the latter now rested to sleep. Duan Ren was kicked out of the hospital and peace returned. Gu Rong was extremely fatigued after the cascade of conflicting feelings of retelling the complicated past.


    As he adjusted the duvet around his chest, Yating lightly smiled.


    "Why are you smiling? Tell me too, tell me too," Chyou whispered from his side.


    Surprised, he turned. "Hey."


    "Hey back. How about you rest a bit too? I will look after him."


    He replied softly. "I am fine. Let me be here for him. I have...hardly done anything for him in these years..."


    Chyou fumed and hit his shoulder. "You are self-deprecating again. Didn''t Uncle tell you not to think like that? You might have some apprehensions but he doesn''t. You are his favorite son after all," she giggled.


    Yating cleared his throat.


    "He always nagged me to join for meals with him. But I never bothered because I felt salty of all the restrictions he imposed on me...I have been a terrible son," his shoulders dropped.


    Chyou grabbed his face and forced it forward with an infuriated countenance.


    "Uncle doesn''t need your self-loathing right now. Now is the time when all the misunderstandings between you two have been resolved. You should be celebrating it with him and not looking back at the past. What''s done is done. Look ahead and think of what you want to do. Isn''t that what you have taught me?"


    Yating half-heard her words because he could only concentrate on the too little of a distance that was now between their faces. A gulp passed down his throat because at that proximity, he could clearly enjoy the beauty of her eyelashes and her black twinkling orbs. Her pink lips were too enticing to ignore and his eyes traced the curve of the side of her neck.


    Okay this is bad...


    "I-I understand..."


    Chyou frowned. "I don''t think you really understand. You seem lost somewhere."


    He glanced at her lips and back at her while hoarsely saying, "I am paying full attention I pr-promise..."


    He sneered again. "I could clearly see your impure thoughts. Pervert."


    "Dad!"


    He shrugged. "What is wrong with it? I was shameless like that too in my younger days. You got it from me."


    "You are at it again! She is my fr-"


    "Cut the friendship crap or I will dump you into the ocean!" Gu Rong gritted his teeth. "I mean it''s good that you started off as friends and got to know each other but even a blind person will be able to tell you now that things aren''t the same between you two anymore."


    His brows twitched hard.


    "Tell me the truth of what you feel for Chyou now. Do you still see her as a friend or love her as a woman?"


    Yating choked. "It''s nothing like that!"


    "I swear if I was healthy, I would have beaten you like hell! Your eyes, your expressions scream what it is in your heart but why won''t your lips confess it? What is so wrong? She has broken up with that Chong guy too now!"


    "Cheng Yin."


    "Whatever. The point is that she is single so you should take this chance and make your place in her heart before some other man claims it! Do you want to regret that because of your idiocy, you will lose out on spending your life with such a lovely woman and see some yet another buffoon take her away?"


    "..."


    "I want the next buffoon to take her heart to be you!"


    "..." Exclusive content from m,v lem|p,yr


    He called me a buffoon too...


    "And here you were talking about taking charge of Gu Corps. Don''t even think that I will hand over the CEO''s seat to you until I see Chyou as my daughter-in-law!"


    "..."


    Gu Rong breathed in and out and called down. "I want my son to be happy and I know your happiness is in Chyou''s. You cannot be on the sidelines anymore. Charge ahead and sweep her off her feet you idiot."

 Chapter 866: Fluster fluster!

    Time passed a little forward with the dreary past behind them. Gu Rong was fully recovered as well but this time, he didn''t take back the CEO''s seat. Or he was forced not to.


    He made a face as he said, "I don''t need your help running the company. Do you think I have gotten so old!? Hmph. You go and do your editor thing," he made a shoo gesture with his hands. "I can still stand tall as a mountain! - *cough cough*"


    Yating gave a dry look. "Yeah, that''s surely a tall and strong mountain right there. You just stay quiet and enjoy your retirement now."


    "I am too young to retire."


    His brow twitched. "Coloring your hair back black doesn''t make you young, Dad."


    Butler Mo choked hard but managed to keep his laughter. Gu Rong''s expression soured and hardened so badly that it was indescribable. "Gu Yating! Is this how you talk to your father!"


    "I won''t if you act reasonably. You have recovered but you cannot take stress from now on either. Don''t just conveniently forget what the doctor said."


    He scoffed. "They don''t know how tough I am."


    "Yeah, yeah, they don''t know anything," Yating shook his head. "I will take care of everything, Dad. Becoming the CEO doesn''t mean that I have to give up on being an editor."


    "You will grow old before me if you juggle between two jobs," he sneered.


    Yating smiled. "You haven''t raised a weak son."


    "Hah you have started speaking some buttery words now."


    He shrugged.


    Gu Rong then grabbed a pillow and threw it at his head.


    "Hey!"


    "But when will you speak such buttery words to Chyou and bring her here!?"


    "..."


    Gu Rong was an expert in driving the conversation back to Chyou anyhow.


    "Just look at Liu Jun! He got married!" Then he meekly mumbled. "Though to Zhou Ai who I didn''t agree with before but I guess she isn''t that bad if the whole Liu family supports her..."


    "What?" Yating furrowed his brow as he couldn''t hear the last part.


    He coughed. "Irreverent. The point is that when will you get married!?"


    Yating''s mouth twitched.


    She dreams of things that are too far away...


    Another reporter asked, "How difficult was it for you working for the movie after your breakup with Cheng Yin?"


    Here came the spicy questions that every reporter was dreaming of.


    "Very difficult," she admitted to everyone''s surprise. "It was difficult to work when you still have the person''s memories with you. They follow you everywhere even if you want to forget that person. Moving on is never easy."


    The air quietened.


    "But there is no option other than to keep walking ahead either. The more we keep looking behind and clinging to the good times of the past, the more we start to lose our present. It was Gu Yating who taught me this."


    Yating stared down at her with an unreadable expression.


    "I loved Cheng Yin with all my heart. Loved. It''s in the past now. But I will still express my gratitude to him. I thought that I always stood tall with my head up in pride. But his betrayal taught me that I wasn''t.


    Unknowingly I changed myself a lot. And all for the wrong reasons. I compromised with my ideals which nobody in a relationship should be forced to. So in a way I learned my lesson what to watch out for in the future."


    Her answer reverberated in the air and everybody let it sink in the moment. Your next adventure is on m_v_l_e_mpyr


    Chyou chirped, breaking the serious atmosphere. "Now that all the questions are over, I will head in for the premiere~ my cheese popcorn is waiting for me hoho."


    "..."


    Yating smiled as they stepped into the multiplex. "You did a great job out there."


    For a moment, he was worried that she might fall weak but she proved him wrong.


    Her bright irises shone with a gleam. "It''s because I have so many good people supporting me. It''s them who give me the courage."


    Especially you...


    Chyou suddenly turned her head away and internally screamed in her mind.


    Aaaaahhhh! Thank God the reporters kept me busy with their questions or I would have made a fool out of myself!


    Zhu Chyou! This is not the first time you are meeting Yating and you already know that he is handsome so why am I getting overly flustered today!?


    I know! It''s all because of that damn bouquet I accidentally caught in Jun and Ai''s wedding!

 Chapter 867: Too blinding and dazzling

    "I felt that you just dissed at my wedding, Zhu Chyou."


    Chyou blinked and looked back to see Jun and Ai approaching them with the former not holding a very pleasant expression.


    "Ai!"


    "Chyou!"


    The two ladies crashed into a hug and twirled in joy. Ai merrily chirped. "Thank you for inviting us to the premiere, Chyou. I am so excited!"


    "Haha of course I will invite you! But I am mad at everybody else. Why didn''t the rest of the gang come?"


    Jun shrugged and whispered to himself. "Maybe they wanted to give you and a certain someone some private time."


    "Did you say something?" She frowned.


    He sneered. "Yes. I said why did I feel as if you were just cursing my wedding?"


    Chyou''s brow twitched. "What nonsense! Why will I ever curse my Ai!?" She squeezed Ai harder to make her point.


    "Maybe because a certain someone was flustered after catching a certain bouquet," he sneered. Then he threw a meaningful glance at Yating.


    "..."


    "W-what is there to be flustered in that?"


    Ai frowned. "Don''t bully Chyou."


    His gaze darkened. "I knew it was a bad idea to bring you here."


    "Liu Jun," Yating smiled. "Congratulations once again."


    He raised his brow. "Thanks. Good to see that at least one of your struggles has ended. I cannot comment on the other ones."


    "Which other ones?"


    "It will be best if you don''t pretend," he smirked.


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    The movie premiere began once Chyou and Yating took their seats inside the theater. Behind them, Director Murong''s zealous voice echoed.


    "Hoho there are the stars of today~ Gu Yating, how do you feel now that you will see yourself on the big screen?" He smirked.


    "Somehow, I feel very weird," Yating adjusted his collar.


    "Aish, you are too humble," he waved his hands in dismissal. "You should get ready for the accolades you are going to be showered with after you leave from here."


    "Let''s hope for the best," he smiled.


    "Why are you crying?" Yating blinked. "It''s not an emotional scene."


    "It''s emotional for me. Now that I see you on the big screen, you look even more mesmerizing. You are such a natural! You should seriously consider acting," she sincerely bobbed her head.


    Jun smiled. "Yeah, yeah I know why you want that, Zhu Chyou."


    She glared at him. "Why are you smirking as if I am some villain plotting bad stuff?"


    He ignored her.


    Yating coughed and looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment. Chyou never flattered anybody unnecessarily so if she was praising him, it meant that she genuinely appreciated and recognized his efforts.


    He sheepishly scratched his head. "Thanks..."


    Chyou covered her face again.


    That was cute! His sheepish face was cute!


    Ai sincerely nodded.


    She is definitely head over heels, right? I was also similarly mesmerized time and again with Jun''s cuteness.


    Jun dryly said, "I think an ambulance should be ready just in case somebody fainted."


    "For whom?" Chyou asked.


    "For you, who else? Let us watch the movie in peace!"


    "..."


    "And Ai. Did you call me cute?" His eyes narrowed.


    "In my mind," she gasped. "How did you read it?"


    He dropped a smack on her head. "Your face tells me everything. Don''t think of useless things!"


    She furrowed her brows. "You being cute is not useless."


    "Zip your lips before I drag you away from here," his lips twitched angrily in a smile.


    As the movie progressed, one of the most crucial and important scenes flashed on the screen.


    The scene where Yating, as Chyou''s husband, gifted her the Q pendant. It was his last gift before he died.


    Chyou stared at the scene and silently clutched her small purse. The Q pendant that Yating gifted her was still safely and neatly kept in her purse. She carried it and wore it everyday until Yin''s insecurity made her hide it from everybody''s view.


    Yin was gone from her life now, yet Chyou couldn''t bring the pendant out for some reason.


    Ah...I really want to wear it again...

 Chapter 868: Resounding victory

    The first shows of the movie across the country were kept at the same time as the premiere so when the premiere show ended, Chyou and Yating and the entire film crew were already greeted with the onslaught of positive reviews from the audience.


    From a distance, they could hear the screams and squeals of her fans, especially female fans who were all top stoked after watching the movie. Naturally, the reporters rushed to hear their opinion and everybody only had to say the same thing.


    "Amazing, amazing, amazinggggg!"


    "It was so damn beautiful!!" One of the fans cried. "I cannot decide which scene was my most favorite!"


    "Why did Yelan have to dieeee?"


    Yelan was Yating''s character name in the movie.


    "I thought this movie was a goner once Cheng Yin was removed and honestly, I didn''t have any hopes for a rookie who didn''t know acting but Gu Yating proved me wrong. He did a phenomenal job!"


    "Yelan and Xiuying''s chemistry was so amazing! They look so perfect together!"


    "The walk in the garden scene was my most favorite! Queen looked so cute blushing in that. It didn''t feel like acting at all!"


    "I want Gu Yating to smile at meeeee. He has such beautiful expressions!"


    "Queen Chyou was so amazing too! The last scene of when Xiuying conquered the kingdom with the scars on her body made me cry and more so because she didn''t have her husband by her side to share her victory with..."


    "Aahhh aahhhh Gu Yating is so handsome!"


    The verdict of the movie was resoundingly clear. It was a massive hit. Accolades and praises flew from all directions. Director Murong basked in the appreciation with his prideful laughter echoing everywhere.


    On the other side, Ai held Chyou''s hands as tears shone in her eyes. Her heart was overwhelmed beyond words after watching the movie. "W-will you marry me Chyou?"


    Yating''s brow twitched.


    "Ahahahaha! Of course I will-"


    A karate chop landed on Ai''s head with a dark aura seeping its way out of a certain jealous husband. "I guess you forgot the part where we got married."


    Ai painfully rubbed the top of her head in grievance. "I didn''t but I want Chyou too!"


    "I am enough for you. Talk more nonsense and you will have it from me!" Jun bitterly said.


    "Scolding your pregnant wife like this...heartless..."Ai murmured.


    "..."


    Chyou clicked her tongue. "That''s not being a sport, Liu Jun. You should be a man and admit defeat where you should," she nodded.


    "It''s you brainwashing her every single time!"


    "How is it my fault if I am more appealing than you?"


    He gnashed his jaw in annoyance. Then he sneered. "Don''t fly so high, Zhu Chyou. Your days of bliss would soon come to an end too."


    "And, and Gu Yating can help you wear it just like he did in the movie," one woman squealed endlessly. "It was so romantic!"


    Chyou choked hard. There were indeed thoughts in her mind to start wearing the pendant again but imagining Yating help her tie it made her face go poof in blush.


    Yating was lost in his own world too as he imagined seeing and touching her slender and fair neck.


    Jun leaned against a wall and smirked. "What are you imagining, Gu Yating? I don''t think it''s about the pendant at this point."


    His stupor broke and he cleared his throat. Then his brows twitched with annoyance.


    Why is he so damn perceptive?


    "Ai, I think your husband is pretty bored now that he is insinuating some baseless questions. How about you take him back?"


    Ai frowned. "I want to be with Chyou a little longer. Jun can leave if he wants to."


    Jun sneered at Ai. "So that you allow Chyou to brainwash you even more than she already has!?"


    "Isn''t my heart already heartwashed by you? Why are you so worried about brainwashing?"


    "..."


    "My heart will remind me that I am married," she nodded.


    Jun laughed angrily. "You need to be reminded that you are married?"


    She averted her gaze and spoke softly. "Wh-when Chyou is around..."


    "I heard it!"


    She scrunched her brows. "You have unnecessarily sharp ears."


    His face blackened. He grabbed her arm and started dragging her away. "I am taking you back."


    Yating happily bade them goodbye as he didn''t want Jun to linger around any longer.


    Phew!


    The security finally settled down the crowd. They had nothing much to do since the main event was already over. But Yating didn''t wish for to leave so soon.


    March ahead you fool!


    Gu Rong''s words drummed in his ears as a reminder. Yating took some courage from it and asked, "Chyou."


    "Hm?" She cleared her throat and looked back.


    "If you don''t mind, will you come with me for dinner?"

 Chapter 869: Mental battles

    The car stopped at the entrance of a lavish hotel whose bright golden lights shone pleasantly in the evening.


    "Pretty..." she whispered as she looked up.


    But am I looking pretty for tonight''s dinner!?


    After the movie premiere ended and all its related interviews were finished, Yating and Chyou excused themselves. On the way, she was going to request Yating to take a detour at a mall first where she could buy a change of clothes and get some fresh makeup done as well.


    But then the whole anxiety gripped her and so did the realization that she was going for dinner with Yating. With it came its fair share of internal rolling around.


    Yating called me out for dinner, Yating called me out for dinner!


    But did he invite me just as friends?


    Chyou laughed at that as her forehead broke into a sweat.


    Of course it''s just as friends, silly. It-It''s not like we are a couple or something for this to be a date haha...


    Chyou tightly clutched onto her seatbelt.


    But it''s just Yating and me so this ought to be a date, right? Or is he treating me as a colleague who worked for the same movie?


    By the way, Yating looks handsome even when he is driving, a random thought popped in her mind amidst this chaos.


    No, no but then he would have invited the whole crew and not just me. So this is just a friendly get-together?


    What if I want that woman to be you?


    But I still clearly remember he said that! That question definitely meant that he...he l-looked at me that way, right?


    Which also means that this could very well be a date...


    The black suit really looks good on him.


    So does that mean he-he is planning to confess?


    But people go to dates after confession and when they become a couple, right? Or does the concept of a date before confession actually exist?


    I think golden cufflinks will really match with his coat. Won''t he just look nature-defying handsome then?


    She then suddenly let out a gasp.


    Why am I even imagining that Yating would confess to me!!?? I mean we-we a-are just g-good friends, right?


    I am overthinking this. It will be so embarrassing to think so far when this dinner wouldn''t really mean anything blasphemous.


    Why is Chyou looking back? Did she not like the venue? Should I have chosen another location for dinner?


    Yating tried his best to smile and cleared his throat. "W-We have reached."


    Since Chyou wanted to look her best for the dinner which she thought currently wasn''t the case, she felt herself slipping into an eternal abyss.


    Ah...I look terrible. I mean if this is my first date, then I look so miserable.


    "Yes we have reached..." she replied without a trace of her usual zesty energy.


    Mall...mall...I forgot about the mall...I am an idiot, she lacked tears to shed.


    "Mall..."


    Huh?


    Yating blinked.


    Chyou wants to have dinner at the mall? He wondered.


    Maybe there is a food outlet there which she really loves?


    Yating beamed as if he found his salvation and immediately unlocked his phone to cancel the hotel''s reservation. He ignited the car''s engine again and took a U turn to exit the hotel''s lane.


    Chyou blinked twice in confusion.


    Hm?


    "Where are we going? Oh wait, are you going for the parking?"


    He chuckled. "No. We are heading to the mall."


    Chyou stared at him hard as if she was dreaming. She pinched her cheeks too.


    "Mall?"


    "Yes."


    The sad mushrooms disappeared from her shoulders and she shone like a beam of blinding golden light as if she vowed to end the night''s existence.


    "We are heading to the mall!?" She clapped hard in delight.


    Yating was left dumbfounded.


    Just what might be that food outlet she loves so much I wonder?

 Chapter 870: The Queens failed attempt in acting

    Chyou glowed like sunshine as soon as she stepped into the mall. But in her excitement, she forgot to don her disguise which led the crowd in the mall in an immediate uproar.


    "Omooo it''s the Queen and Gu Yating!"


    "Queen, Gu Yating! I saw your movie today! It was amazing!"


    "You are my favorite actor from now on, Gu Yating!"


    They were immediately surrounded with a gushing flow of people asking for their autograph and pictures.


    Yating was still new to this fandom so he could only awkwardly thank them while secretly blushing from their compliments. Chyou, on the other hand, expertly navigated through the encore of their zeal.


    "Hahaha. Thank you, thank you, my lovely people," Chyou merrily waved her hand.


    "Queen, queen, how come you are at the mall today with Gu Yating? Oh, oh, I know! Are you here on a date?" One of the young female fans sheepishly asked.


    The crowd collectively gasped while Chyou almost stumbled.


    I don''t know if this is a date either! She cried silent tears.


    "Are Queen and Gu Yating together?"


    "Is it real? Are you two a couple?"


    "I knew it! Your chemistry was so off the charts in the movie! It was like you are made for each other~"


    Chyou coughed hard.


    Wait, wait, wait, this conversation is heading in a dangerous direction! What if this is not a date and Yating is put in a difficult position? Aahhhh I don''t want to see what expression Yating might be making, she shed silent tears once again.


    She cleared her throat.


    I need to clear up the misunderstanding as soon as possible before things go-


    "Chyou and I are not a couple yet," Yating blinked twice. "But this is definitely a date."


    A steep silence descended as everybody in the crowd stared hard at Yating. Then a shrill broke out.


    "WHAAAAAAAAT!!?"


    Chyou nodded her head furiously with the revelation, albeit in her mind.


    Yes, yes, whaaaaaaat!?


    Yating threw her a speechless look because of her reaction. "I can understand their shock but why in the world are you shocked?"


    "..."


    She sweated and averted his gaze.


    Yating - "..."


    He then took a reverse gear to his memories and asked, "What did you think my invitation to dinner meant?"


    She really wanted to look back and face him but her heart pounded too hard to calm down.


    Ahhh was it so difficult to look at him earlier? This is so embarrassing!


    "Wh-which reminds me that my shopping is awaiting me! Let''s go!"


    Though she said that, she ran ahead at full speed towards her destination, leaving Yating behind all alone.


    Shopping? Aren''t we going for dinner?


    But he soon realized that this was the mall and Chyou was a woman. Of course a trip to the mall wouldn''t end up with just dinner.


    He shook his head helplessly. He could feel his own heart running a marathon.


    Thank God she agreed...Ah I was so scared with the misunderstanding, he breathed out in relief.


    ¡ª


    After finishing up with the shopping, the next destination was a parlor where she aimed to get the best makeup done. Naturally, Yating had nothing much to do, so he quietly waited in the lounge.


    When it was all over, Chyou didn''t look any less than a Goddess who stepped out of the heavenly realm. Yating felt his throat becoming dry.


    He slowly got up, his ears filled with drum beats of something loud pounding but he didn''t know what. He loosened his tie to make some space for breathing.


    Now that Chyou was all dressed and freshened up for the date, she regained her confidence and chirped as she trotted to Yating''s side. "How do I look?"


    "Goddess..." he blurted out.


    Chyou''s face flushed as she expected something along the lines ''Beautiful'' or ''Gorgeous.''


    "Thank you..."


    This time, Yating buried his face in his palms.


    I want to hug her...


    Chyou shyly chirped. "I am all set and ready! Shall we head back?"


    His daze broke and he looked at her. "Head back where?"


    "To the hotel of course."


    "Why the hotel? I cancelled the reservation there. Didn''t you want to have dinner here at the mall?"


    "..."


    Chyou took a backward pedal down the memory lane and hazily recalled herself murmuring mall repeatedly in despair. She joined two and two together and...


    "!!!"


    Nooooooo!!!

 Chapter 871: Enjoy the nature of randomness

    An imaginary leaf rolled past her as she blankly stared at Yating. "Ca-canceled the reservation?"


    Yating felt a bad foreboding. "W-well, you didn''t look so happy with the location and then you murmured about the mall, so I thought that''s where you wanted to go."


    She collapsed on her palms and knees, albeit in her mind.


    Damn it!!!


    He tilted his head. "So you didn''t want to go to the mall?"


    She started to sweat. "W-well I just wanted to come here to get ready..."


    "Ready? For what?"


    "For dinner of course..." she blushingly murmured.


    He knitted his brows, puzzled. "Weren''t you already ready? We headed out straight from the multiplex anyway."


    "Waaaaaa!" Chyou burst into tears, jolting him in shock. "That isn''t called being dinner ready. That was for a different occasion and this is a different event but you asked out suddenly so I didn''t have time to go back home and so I wanted to go to the mall for a quick change of clothes and makeup!" she exclaimed in a single breath.


    "..."


    "Did you really have to go through so much trouble?" Yating still failed to see her logic.


    Chyou gasped in pain. "You mean to say my efforts were meaningless? But you called me Goddess just now!"


    He was speechless. "I mean it wasn''t really an issue even if you didn''t change or have a touch up. You looked beautiful nevertheless. I don''t mind a date even if you are in pajamas or without makeup for that matter."


    "..."


    It was a late reaction but her face flushed hard in a crimson shade and she lost count of how many times she felt her mind spiraling in chaos. The few women passing by cried a river of tears as they clutched their chests.


    Ah such a gentleman is already taken. The pain...


    Yating, who had no idea that he just dropped a smooth, buttery flirting bomb on Chyou, still remained standing, puzzled.


    "But I genuinely appreciate your sentiments and efforts so thank you very much."


    He cleared his throat.


    Being blinded by a Goddess isn''t so bad either...


    Chyou finally recovered from that unexpected attack and cried. "But the reservation...you already canceled it."


    Gloomy clouds formed on top of her head. "I am sorry..."


    A finger flicked at her forehead and Yating laughed. "You are worrying so much. There are many good restaurants here too so why not eat here? As long as I have your company, I am happy with even a small ramen shop."


    Ah!!


    Chyou brought her hands before her eyes yet again being too dazzled by his charisma.


    Chyou clapped her hands once in delight. "This is amazing!"


    Her eyes were glued to the band''s performance the whole time while Yating was left to guide her footing, albeit she fell because of a table. Her feet still tapped against the floor even though seated as she hummed the rhythm of their music.


    "This is so cool. Good that I left it to you haha!"


    The customers at the restaurant burst into a series of fainting gasps as nobody expected the Queen and Yating to be here tonight. They would have crowded their table if not for the owner who brought the situation under control.


    Chyou stuck out her tongue. "Aish! It''s so hard to be popular for this Queen~"


    "GU YATINGGGGG!!! WE LOVE YOUUU!!" A group of women squealed from afar.


    "..."


    What about me?


    "GU YATINGGGGG!!"


    She clutched her chest painfully.


    Ah, the betrayal...


    Yating grinned as he teasingly rested his chin on his palm. "Indeed, it''s so difficult to be popular, right?"


    "It''s okay. It doesn''t hurt at all. This Queen''s heart is very magnanimous," she proudly flipped her hair backwards.


    "GU YATINGGGG!!! Can we get a small peck on our cheeks?"


    "!!!"


    She looked back, dumbfounded.


    How come the demand suddenly skyrocketed to a kiss?


    And can you not see that I am right here!?? His date! His date!


    "Hahahaha!" Yating laughed heartily. "Your reactions...you are really so cute."


    "I am jealous! First of all, you are stealing my spotlight and second of all, they are openly asking for kisses."


    "Ah, so you want to openly ask for one too."


    "That''s exactly the point!"


    Yating - "..."


    A moment later, Chyou - "..."


    Then another moment later - "!!!"


    What did I just say!?

 Chapter 872: The Meditating Queen

    Chyou took a pause from the conversation and willingly stepped into a meditative trance. She was trying to find the last time she acted so comically to the point of her own embarrassment.


    Isn''t this Xiang''s forte? It''s the main duty of my little brother to make a fool of himself with that silly face of his.


    So why am I getting trolled so much today? Where should I bury myself for blurting out something like that?


    "Chyou."


    "Ssh. I am meditating."


    "Right now in the restaurant?" he raised his brow.


    "Certain situations demand certain resolutions."


    "Will you at least open your eyes?"


    "What''s the point of meditating then?"


    "You cannot see the menu and give your order to the server who has been standing here for five minutes and trying very hard to not judge you."


    "..."


    The server coughed. "Should I give you two some more time?"


    "I don''t think even the entire evening will be enough for her to step out of her meditation," he smiled.


    "*Ahem*" Chyou grabbed the menu and by opening only a tiny slit of her eyes, she scanned the menu or at least tried to.


    "Huh? You sell machos here? Macho men? Are they edible?"


    Yating coughed hard. He gratefully thanked the Gods above that he wasn''t drinking water right then.


    The server''s brow twitched hard. "...Nachos. Mam, it''s nachos."


    "..."


    "Oh," she then laughed out. "Of course I could see that. It''s not like I have my eyes closed."


    Mam, that tiny slit is as good as closed only...


    She quickly tried to find another dish. "How come there are bathing soaps in your menu? How is a customer supposed to eat soap?"


    "Huh? Bathing soaps?"


    "That''s what is written here. Soaps."


    Yating brought a bite of the delicious appetizer near her lips and said, "Say aah~"


    Chyou stumbled even though she was sitting. "I-I-I can eat by myself...!"


    "Aish, how can I let you take up such a dangerous task with your eyes closed? But worry not. I am right beside you. Veryyyyyyyy near. So rest assured."


    Chyou couldn''t make out what expression laced his face but felt an inkling that he was enjoying this. The band music drummed in the air and so did her heartbeats.


    She swallowed a gulp with his chest almost hugging her and parted her lips to eat the bite when she felt a tiny and faint brush of his finger on her chin. It tickled that spot and she jolted upright, knocking Yating''s chin in the process.


    Experience amazing tales on m vl-em|p-yr


    "Ow!"


    "What? What?" Chyou opened her eyes and found Yating rubbing the area of his chin where her head collided with.


    "I am sorry! I am so sorry!" She grabbed his face and worriedly looked for any injury anywhere. "It must hurt, right?"


    Yating placed his hand on the back of hers that held his face and smiled. "Now, it doesn''t when you are finally looking at me."


    She blinked twice and realizing her error, she blushed hard. "Y-you cheater! You planned all this, right?"


    "Knocking out my chin is completely on you."


    "..."


    "How d-dare you break my meditation spell?" she fumbled.


    "It''s not so fun as compared to seeing your adorable blushes and reactions," he chuckled. "So, Miss. Zhu. I hope you learn your lesson now and enjoy the dinner with me in peace with your eyes open or else I might just grant your wish."


    Wish?


    Ah so you want to openly ask for one too.


    That''s exactly my point!


    "Hahsksisagshwjw!!"


    Her thoughts twirled and twirled around themselves until she felt dizziness set in.


    By wish, h-he means he will k-ki-kiss me!?


    "That was the whole point of going into meditation but y-you...!"


    You reminded me about it again!


    Yating heartily laughed, returning back to his seat. "Let''s enjoy the dinner, shall we?

 Chapter 873: Hitting the dance floor

    After they filled their stomachs to their heart''s content after which it was time to leave the restaurant. But when a new band was just about to enter the stage to perform live, Chyou eagerly said, "Let''s watch their performance, shall we?"


    Chyou being an actor and performer herself was thrilled and excited about it.


    "Sure," Yating smiled.


    They sat back for some more time and a different music started to beat in the atmosphere. The theme of the music was love and life. The performers used their instruments to their utmost perfection to resonate a lively and spirited song that struck the chords of their listeners.


    It began to stir such passion and energy in the air that many other customers got up from their tables and tapped their feet to dance to their music.


    Chyou''s inner self was pouring out and her body was already half-swinging, trying to match their song.


    "You don''t have to hold back," he chuckled.


    She looked back and brightened. "Then shall we join the dance floor too!" Find your favorite tales at m v l e mp yr


    He coughed. "The music is really amazing but I don''t think I would be able to dance to that-"


    "Ssh, ssh!" She waved her hand in an obvious dismissal. "Dance comes to you naturally once you are on the dance floor. The music is so good!"


    She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the center where everybody was dancing. Tapping her feet on the floor to match the music''s rhythm, she went all out to sync her energy with the beats too.


    At first, Yating simply admired her dancing but she dragged him to join her too. It wasn''t a typical slow-music romantic song to invoke blushes and giggles. The vibrancy and the strong beats of the passionate music was made to leave their audience breathless. It left them sweating and huffing but invigorating at the same time.


    At one point, Chyou spun a little too hard to feel a little dizzy.


    "Ayeeee...the world is spinning. Wait, I didn''t even drink."


    Yating caught her by her waist and pulled her slightly away to prevent her from colliding into someone. Seeing how Chyou could see stars in front of her eyes, he chuckled.


    "Don''t twirl that hard."


    "But the music...was so good ayeee..."


    She finally broke through her dizzying daze and immediately understood the situation which was enough to make her enter into another round of dizzying daze.


    She was right into Yating''s arms all safely surrounded by his body like a shield. That was fifty percent part of her focus while the other fifty percent drooled at his exposed neck which was glistening with sweat. The sound of his short and rapid breaths made her slightly gulp down her throat.


    The sweaty and breathless version of Gu Yating is way too handsome! Ahhhh!!


    She covered her eyes as if blinded yet again. "Too sparkling for my eyes."


    Yating''s brow twitched.


    "..."


    I thought we were supposed to head out together.


    He went back to the table and saw her purse still lying on the chair. He shook his head and took it.


    "I guess she gets forgetful with a little bit of teasing," he smilingly murmured.


    ¡ª


    Safe...Phew!


    Chyou grinned as she got some time to regain her composure. But the sizzling sound of noodles diverted her attention and she followed the delicious fragrance. It was a noodles'' outlet and she brightened seeing all the delicacies in front of her.


    Yummy!


    "One bowl please!" She chirped.


    The cashier gave her the bill for payment. Chyou immediately felt something missing from her side.


    "..."


    I left my purse back at the restaurant! She sobbed.


    Then a sling purse hung before her eyes and she beamed.


    "I guess you are looking for this."


    Her brow twitched.


    She coughed and grabbed her purse without doing eye contact with Yating because she could very well feel his teasing and playful smile.


    Yating asked, "Are you sure you would be able to eat a bowl of noodles after all that heavy dinner?"


    "Haish! You don''t know anything. There is always some space for noodles in the stomach no matter how full you feel," she shook her head as if trying to teach him a very obvious fact.


    "Really?" Yating wondered.


    "Yes," she bobbed her head. "That''s what Grandpa Liu says."


    "..."


    "You are exactly right my dear hohoho!" A very familiar familiar voice boomed from behind Yating.


    Ah...why do I get a bad feeling about this?

 Chapter 874: Crashing date time

    Liu Hai waved his hand ever so eagerly from a distance with such vigor as if he would tear his arm off with all that movement. He brightened, his face emitting all those golden rays of sunshine.


    "Chyou, Chyou, Chyou! My grandson''s previous love rival! My grandson''s previous love rival! My grandson''s previous love rival! Your most favorite Grandpa is hereeeeeeee!!!!"


    Chyou''s face shone with the same intensity as Liu Hai''s, however Yating had a one eighty degree change of expression to give.


    The hell with grandson''s previous love rival? Seriously?


    "Grandpaaaa!!!"


    Chyou ran towards him and both of them twirled in a hug of eternal bliss. "Grandpa, I missed you!"


    "I missed you too, dear!" He sobbed.


    "You two live in the same city," Yating''s brow twitched.


    "Doesn''t matter. We still missed each other," Liu Hai huffed. "You are just salty because I crashed your date."


    Chyou blushed.


    Yating grimaced. "What was with the way you called out to me earlier, Mr. Liu?"


    "Aish!" Liu Hai patted his shoulder hard. "Don''t be so distant, young man! Why are you calling me Mr. Liu? Call me Grandpa too!" He chirped.


    "Well-"


    "You are not Jun-cute''s love rival anymore so we are all family now!!" He shone.


    "..."


    He gritted his teeth. "I haven''t been his rival since ages now."


    "Don''t mind the minor details~"


    Ah God give me strength...


    Chyou asked eagerly, "Who are you with Grandpa? Oh, oh, is the Liu family here too?"


    Liu Hai, who was carrying a bunch of food items, broke into a cold sweat. "It-It''s just me, dear. I am all alone!"


    "Huh? Why?"


    He burst into tears. "You should listen to me!!"


    Yating''s sense of discomfort increased by a hundred folds.


    "Grandpa, if we could excuse-"


    "No, you have to listen to my story!!" He cried.


    "Chyou and I are on a date."


    "Who can take her away? Nobody can."


    "Didn''t you just talk about that old man of a doctor?"


    Liu Hai widened his eyes. "He sure is plotting to win over my wife but do you think he really can? I mean, won''t I just kill him before he makes any move?" He looked puzzled, thinking as to why he had to explain this fact to Yating.


    "..."


    He brightened. "Killing pests is very easy for the Liu family, hohoho!"


    "..."


    Chyou sniffled. "Does this mean that Grandma and you fought?"


    He grumbled. "She caught me stealing Nana''s food and she lashed out at me. But I was really hungry and I couldn''t listen to her...So I ran away from home!"


    Are you a teenager? Yating''s mouth twitched.


    Chyou sighed and patted his head. "Aish, I understand. It must have been hard for you."


    Tears welled in his eyes. "Only you and Nuo understand me! My grandsons don''t even care about meeee! Nobody bothered when I left home!"


    She frowned. "Don''t worry, Grandpa! I will pull everyone''s ears when I meet them!"


    He nodded brightly and chirped. "That''s much better! So, so, now that you two are here and so am I, how about I join you two?"


    Yating''s heart rate dropped. "Huh?"


    "Old age feels very lonely you know and I have been walking around the mall all alone," he said pitifully.


    "But also thoroughly enjoying your loneliness with food," Yating raised his brow.


    "Shut up, brat!"


    Chyou''s heart swelled with sadness. "Of course you can join us, Grandpa!"


    Yating was at a loss for words. "Miss. Zhu and the Queen of the entertainment industry, you can see clearly that he is being dramatic, right?"


    Liu Hai glared at him. "You are just like my grandsons!"


    "Well, if you are crashing my date then yes I will be like your grandsons!"


    "Is your date more important than accompanying a lonely, aging man!?"


    "..."


    Chyou chimed in. "Please, please, pretty please? Grandpa Liu is Grandpa Liu. It''s fun to be around him, hehe."


    Clearly, his own family doesn''t think that way...


    With an utmost heaviness on his heart while also simultaneously cursing his luck, he said, "...Sure."


    The nature of randomness... surely sucks at times, he thought.

 Chapter 875: Hogging date time

    "Chyou, have you eaten the world famous udon noodles here? What about sushi?"


    "What about pizza?"


    "You definitely tried the paella right?"


    "We can find delicious croissants there!"


    Liu Hai was in a world of his own as he listed out different food items to try in the fairyland of the food court they were at.


    Yating tried to explain. "Grandpa. We already had dinner-"


    "These udon noodles are yummmm!" Chyou burst out in pure joy.


    "Isn''t your stomach already full?"


    Liu Hai smacked him. "Don''t you know the golden rule that there is always some room for udon noodles in the stomach?"


    "For how many dishes is that golden rule applicable, Grandpa?"


    "Pretty much all dishes!" He harrumphed.


    "You will make her sick!"


    "Food never makes anybody sick!"


    "Don''t compare everybody''s stomachs to yours!" He breathlessly uttered with annoyance.


    "Aish, don''t fight," Chyou said with her mouth full and her cheeks ballooning with food inside. "Don''t worry, Yating. I will be fine. My stomach is strong!"


    Liu Hai nodded with appreciation and so they started yet another journey towards other restros. "Yes, let''s charter into the uncharted territories, my brave soldier!"


    "Aye, aye!"


    Yating could hardly maintain his patience anymore seeing how Liu Hai was hogging all of Chyou''s attention and time.


    This was supposed to be a date, not a food picnic!


    My date...my date...


    With a blackened expression, he stepped aside and with a heavy heart, he dialed a number of a person he didn''t want to.


    An equally annoyed voice picked the call from the other end. "Gu Yating, why are you calling me? I don''t think we have common topics to talk about. Why doesn''t anybody let me be at peace!"


    Jun bitterly lashed out at Yating for being disturbed in his makeout time with Ai. It bothered him even more precisely because it was Yating.


    Yating angrily laughed. "Take. Your. Grandpa. Away!"


    "Huh? What Grandpa?"


    "Your Grandpa! Mr. Liu Hai! Take him away from here!"


    "From where?"


    "Ai..."


    Yating cried tears of relief. "Finally somebody understands me."


    "We are not going anywhere-" Jun exclaimed with his frustrated voice but was cut off.


    "Yes, we are. It''s your fault you didn''t talk to Grandpa so it shouldn''t be Yating suffering on his date."


    You are the best Ai! He sobbed.


    "We are coming, Yating. Text us the address."


    They hung up and Yating breathed a sigh of relief.


    I think my date could still be salvaged!


    ¡ª


    By the time thirty minutes went by, Yating looked like a deflated balloon who could only feel jealous and envious of Liu Hai laughing and enjoying with Chyou when it should have been him in the first place.


    Ah curse the Liu family!


    "Hohoho! My favorite red bean soup!"


    And they are still eating!


    Liu Hai chirped. "This is so tasty!"


    Chyou nodded hard. "Yes!"


    "What is so tasty, Hai?"


    A cold and stern shadow dangerously loomed behind his chair and the culprit immediately stiffened. He swallowed a gulp and looked back robotically.


    "...Chunhua?"


    Chyou beamed. "Grandma! Oh and Jun and Ai too! Seems like a whole party, hoho!"


    Yating''s gaze darkened.


    A party in which nobody invited them to!


    Chyou and Ai twirled as usual while Jun and Yating shared lightning sparks of frustration.


    "It''s only Ai who can knock some sense into you, doesn''t it?" Yating sneered.


    "Don''t imply my uselessness when you are unable to even save your own date," Jun jeered back.


    Liu Chunhua folded her arms and as she looked at the bowl of red bean soup in his hands, her brow twitched hard.


    "I so want to divorce you, Liu Hai!"


    Liu Hai gasped with the bowl trembling in his hand. He stared at Yating and Chyou and cried. "See? Didn''t I tell you about that old doctor''s evil plot to snatch my wife? It''s happening just like that! Now do you believe me!?"


    Yating and Jun - "..."

 Chapter 876: Liu Hais most handsome side

    A hard smack landed right on top of Liu Hai''s head. "What doctor? What evil plot? I don''t need somebody''s evil plans to leave you. You yourself are enough to make me go mad!"


    "Ah my delicate heart..." Liu Hai clutched his chest. "That stung a lot, Chunhua!"


    "That much stinging is nothing compared to all the troubles you give me! What is this running out of home? You aren''t a teenager and on top of that, you dare ruin Yating and Chyou''s date!"


    Chyou quickly said, "No, no, Grandma, he wasn''t being a bother-"


    "Yes he was extremely being a bother to my date so I am glad you came," Yating smiled dangerously.


    Chyou - "..."


    She wanted to protest but for some reason thought that it was prudent not to. Yating gave off similar vibes as Liu Chunhua.


    Ai touched her chin. "It''s fun to be with Grandpa though."


    Chyou nodded hard.


    Liu Hai shone. "Isn''t it?"


    Ai felt a poke on her shoulder and she looked back to see her husband descended in the form of a demon with the background behind him turning as dark as hell.


    "Uh huh, very fun, isn''t it?"


    Ai scooter a little closer to Liu Chunhua''s side and quietly averted her gaze.


    Grandma, you must protect me!


    Liu Hai cried. "Don''t say such cruel things, Chunhua! I will die if you leave me..."


    "You are already dying with the food you are eating!" She glared ferociously. "This is poison to your health now, yet you keep running after food like a stubborn child!"


    "It''s not poison, that doctor is fooling you!"


    "He is not fooling anybody. You just want to continue being blind!"


    "Grandma! Don''t cry!" Ai and Chyou tried to console her.


    Jun sighed and shook his head.


    "Ch-Chunhua!" Liu Hai jumped up, panicked and made funny faces to make her laugh. "Haha see clown Haihai coming up on stage! Which funny face do you want to see? Do you want to see me imitating that cold Jinhai? Or should I show how Jian looks like a squirrel when he stuffs up his cheeks? Or Nian acting like an idiot, haha?"


    She looked up at his ever so bright and shining demeanor. "I know how much you love food, you idiot! Isn''t that why I love you so much? You are the most handsome to me when you heartily eat. I have...I have always adored that sight of you eating to your heart''s content. You look so happy and free.


    That''s why, when you don''t get to eat what you want, it''s me who feels the saddest of all. Because I know how much it hurts you! So..." she sniffled, "So I have been trying to learn and change some recipes where you can eat the food you like so much and at the time are not harmful for your health either..."


    Liu Hai blinked rapidly.


    "But I didn''t tell you because I wasn''t sure if I could really do it...You look so forward to eating and if I failed, it would only disappoint you. Until then, I have no choice but to restrict you because I don''t want you to die, you idiot! You want me to live a lonely life without-"


    He gave a gentle tug to her back and pulled her in his embrace. For Jun, it was the very first time that he was witnessing an expression on his grandfather''s face that he had never seen before.


    Liu Hai was a very doting husband but in front of others, it was always mixed up with his goofiness. But right now, his black eyes smiled warmly and beautifully without a tinge of mischief in it.


    "Aish, so this is what my wife was hiding. I thought you were keeping something from me. But I was being an idiot like you said. I always want to be the most handsome man to you, Chunhua. So I thought if I stop eating and become all frail and thin and weak, then you wouldn''t like me anymore. You like me the most when I eat, right?


    I know. That''s why I eat because it makes you so happy," he grinned, patting her head.


    She bit her lip hard with tears spilling on his shirt. "It won''t make me happy if it makes you sick!"


    "I won''t get sick, silly. I promise I take good care of my health. Of course, I don''t want to die and let other hungry beasts eye my beautiful wife."


    Her eyes reddened. "I am too old to be eyed by men now..."


    "But still beautiful as a Goddess," he chuckled. "Like I always say, men are beasts. You must always be cautious."


    "You are also a man."


    His lips curved into a hearty grin and he lifted her chin to drop a gentle kiss on her lips.


    "Yes and I am the only beast allowed to have you."

 Chapter 877: Love is timeless

    The tense atmosphere settled down and so did Liu Chunhua''s tears as her husband comforted her. But another set of tears flowed out from Ai and Chyou''s eyes, their hearts melting with emotions.


    Jun frowned and wiped her cheeks. "That''s why I always say to stay away from Grandpa but you never listen."


    "That was so sweet."


    "I am also very sweet to you."


    "You are cute," she grinned.


    His brow twitched.


    Liu Chunhua looked at Chyou and Yating. "We will take our leave now. Hai has intruded upon your date enough."


    "What? We are leaving?" He whined. "But Chyou and I were enjoying so much!"


    She threw him a glare. "Exactly. You and Chyou. Where is Yating in this?"


    "In the background obviously."


    A moment later, a huge, red bump formed on top of his head as he quietly stood at the corner and reflected on his actions.


    Yating smiled. "Thank you so much, Grandma. As always, you come to the rescue."


    "Aish, you can always count on me," she waved her hand. "Hai is very troublesome so if he ever pulls off something like this again, you can directly call me!" she squished his cheeks.


    Jun stretched his arms and yawned. "I will still vote for the ocean option."


    "How dare you, you stupid grandson!" He exclaimed. "And Gu Yating, I can feel all the smiles and giggles behind my back. Are you trying to flirt with my wife!?"


    Yating arched his brow and sneered. "Not a bad option if you don''t allow me to flirt with the woman I want."


    Liu Chunhua blushed. "Aish, you flatter me, young man."


    Liu Hai - "..."


    "Ch-Chunhua my dear. I feel like my heart is bleeding for some reason..."


    "I see. Good for you then."


    He puked imaginary blood.


    "It''s alright dear. Your callousness is also very beautiful to me..."


    "So why are you crying while you say that Grandpa?" Jun smirked.


    "T-These are happy tears you idiot! They are definitely not because I feel any pain!"


    "You should say that they finally left."


    She gulped, feeling a shadow loom behind her. Now that the chaotic Liu family finally exited, she also realized the situation she was in.


    There is no place to run, right?


    "There is no place left to run for you anymore, Miss. Queen."


    "..."


    "That''s not good, Yating. I feel some animosity from your voice."


    "And why do you think that might be?"


    "H-How could I have left Grandpa alone...?" She sweated.


    "Well for starters, you left your date alone so I don''t see why Grandpa posed as a challenge," Yating tilted his head.


    Yikes! He is really, really salty about it, right?


    Chyou took a few deep breaths and with courage, she looked back all chirpy and bubbly. "Hehe, since it''s our first date, how about we end it on a goodwill? You see, when things end in a good way, they also start in a good way," she nodded earnestly.


    Which translated to ''Please let this matter slide and I will be good next time, I promise.''


    Yating''s brow twitched.


    "Let''s head outside. We have a lot to talk about."


    "..."


    Her eyes almost teared up.


    I am done for today!


    ¡ª


    At the big garden in the front yard of the mall, Yating and Chyou quietly walked in the darkness of the night sky. She was repeatedly clasping her hands together, her heart thudding in nervousness.


    What should I do? What should I do? I cannot think straight at all!


    Yating''s soft voice then whispered from beside her. "They are still so loving."


    "Hm?" Her daze broke and she looked up. "Who?"


    "Grandpa Hai and Grandma Chunhua. I don''t appreciate Grandpa crashing our date but guess it was good in a way. I got to see how Grandpa and Grandma still adore each other so much," he said with a glassy gaze that seemed to look far away.


    "It was just me and Dad for all this time, so I never witnessed a relationship in that sense. It''s tonight that I saw it through Grandpa and Grandma. They still care for each other so much. They still seek to do things for the other''s happiness. Love is so timeless, isn''t it?" His gaze flickered. "Which makes me wonder if I can have the honor to live that life with you."

 Chapter 878: The Q pendant shining once again

    Chyou stopped in her steps, taking a deep, silent breath. She was aware what this date would end up in and most probably, Yating would confess to her tonight.


    And now as those words finally echoed in her ears, it felt as if the world had come to a standstill. She could hear the loud heartbeats as if they played their own orchestra. It made her tremble and breathless.


    It was her turn to answer but the words kept slipping from her the tip of her tongue. Her lips kept parting and shutting.


    Ah come on say something, damn it!


    In the end, what came out were not her words but tears that quietly slipped down her cheeks.


    Yating''s eyes widened and he held her hand. "Please don''t cry, Chyou. If I am putting you in a difficult position then-"


    She replied to that by shaking her head in disagreement. The world slightly blurred before her as she said, "It...it feels...like..." she said in a hoarse voice, "a long, long time since I have felt so much happiness. The past was so painful that I really couldn''t imagine a day like this be-because even after I hurt you so much, you still...stand here and confess your feelings for me," her eyes ached.


    Yating tilted his head. "When did you hurt me?"


    "Don''t lie. When I broke my friendship with you to please Cheng Yin, it must have definitely pained you. It hurt you when I distanced myself from you. I selfishly did whatever I wanted, yet you were always there even when everything tumbled down for me..."


    What if I want that woman to be you?


    "...I have kept hurting you for a long, long time."


    Yating poked on her shoulder and she looked up as she sniffled. Then a soft smack landed on her head.


    "Ow. Violenceeeee," she gasped.


    "What violence? It didn''t hurt."


    "That is a very valid point," she nodded.


    "Yes. So...can you please...?"


    At first when they had started their walk, Yating was all cool, calm and collected so seeing the tense wait in his gaze was too adorable for Chyou. Maybe it was because of that that all the embarrassment and shyness dissipated off her mind.


    She opened her purse and took out a chain that sparkled and glittered in the night. She placed the pendant in his palm and turned to face her back at him.


    "Will you put it on me?"


    Yating blinked at the Q pendant in his palm and trembled. It was the pendant he gifted her which she later kept locked in her purse to not wear it again.


    Now that pendant gleamed in freedom once again.


    Was that her way of her answer?


    Yating clutched it in his palm and smiled. He lifted her long hair to one side and put his hands forward to wrap the chain around her neck. He felt her softly tremble as he fastened it on the back of her neck.


    The Q pendant hung in the front down her clavicles, shining brilliantly in the darkness. It shone as if putting an end to an endlessly stretching spell of pain and loneliness and welcoming a new chapter in their lives.


    Chyou slowly turned and met his gaze. "How do I look?"


    Seeing the pendant delicately shining on her neck made him forget to breathe. It was as if something that was lost now came back to him.


    He smiled. "As always, beautiful like a Goddess."


    With that, he leaned in to kiss her lips.

 Chapter 879: The sweet intoxication of first kiss

    The first kiss of their official relationship felt sweet and tickling. It was a sensation never felt before as they let themselves drown in the immense bliss this night had to offer.


    They trembled at first, unable to grasp this moment fully with their thoughts going haywire and bouncing back and forth like a game or ping pong. But the more their kiss deepened, the more sweet reality began to sink in.


    Yating gently grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her to softly bite on her lips. The corner of his eyes caught the sparkling light of the pendant and as he saw it adorned on her neck once again, an immeasurable joy flowed through every cell of his body.


    The Queen was back and the Queen was his.


    Chyou, too, could hardly keep up with her balance as the sweet kiss made her knees go weak. She thought she would faint when he bit her but she held on. She held on because she didn''t wish to come to the surface yet. The sinking feeling was so addictive that she wished she could float on it forever.


    They parted, slightly breathless but still holding onto each other as if this moment would fly away if they let go of each other. A tinge of red blush spread across her cheeks and she wished she could fan herself. They let the warm sensation left after the kiss linger between them as they tightly clutched onto the following silence.


    Once Chyou started to cool off, she realized what just happened and couldn''t help but shake in a mix of a bunch of emotions knocking against each other.


    "Are you cold?" Yating asked.


    He immediately took off his coat and wrapped it around her back and shoulders.


    Ah...so warm and comfortable...


    Chyou grinned with a silly expression lacing her face.


    Then she hid her beet red face in her palms.


    "What are you thinking?"


    Stay immersed with m_vl_em_p_yr


    "Y-your coat''s size is much bigger for me. I practically look like a child."


    He chuckled. "Which means it''s warm enough for you."


    "No, no, you are not getting the point! Isn''t this the trope of a girlfriend wearing her boyfriend''s oversized clothes like we watch in dramas? I am getting to live that! And so I am blushing."


    Yating blinked twice and then held her hands to move them away from her face.


    "Noooo! I am still blushing!" she protested.


    "I am a simple man. I don''t hide secret plots."


    Chyou paused and then smirked. "Hah, you liar. Of course you hide your feelings. That evening we watched the fireworks festival, do you remember what you said to me?"


    He tilted his head. "What did I say?"


    "''What if I want that woman to be you?''"


    He blinked rapidly and the memories of that evening became crystal clear to him. He naturally remembered what he said because that was his first ever admission of his feelings for Chyou.


    "...How...How do you know?" For some reason, he gulped.


    "Ahahahaha!" She laughed. "I can read lips, you know~ I had trained myself in lip reading for one of my roles. So I couldn''t hear you but I understood what you said at that time because I read your lips."


    "..."


    It was as if lightning struck straight upon Yating without mercy. He gasped in utter disbelief.


    "You...you had understood that? Wait, so you knew about my feelings from that long ago!?"


    "Hohoho, yes!" Chyou proudly stood with her nose growing a few inches longer. "I am very talented, you see~"


    "Ahhhh..."


    This time, Yating covered his face to hide his embarrassment.


    I was totally exposed all this time and I didn''t even know!


    "Awww, are you blushing? Are you blushing?" She poked his cheeks teasingly.


    "Why didn''t you confront me at that time...?"


    "Well, you know how the situation was at that time. Even if I had confronted you, it would have only been to reject you and..." her gaze flickered, "I couldn''t gather courage to touch that conversation. Or perhaps...I showed you pity because Ai didn''t return your love. You had already gone through the pain of one-sided love before so maybe I didn''t want to hurt you.


    When I think of it that way, I am a terrible person, right? Possibly seeing Gu Yating as a pitiful man-"


    He landed a smack on her head and then pinched her cheeks. "Say anymore useless things and then don''t blame me for causing a fight on our very first day of relationship. I won''t allow my girlfriend to deprecate herself like this."

 Chapter 880: Couple ice cream set!

    Chyou sniffled, her head slightly lowered. "You don''t have to be so understanding. Now that I retrospect upon it, I might have unconsciously thought along that way, which was definitely unfair to you."


    Yating wiped her cheeks and pulled her in his embrace. "Nothing was unfair, Chyou. It was the situation that put everybody in a difficult position. But that was the past and it doesn''t affect our present anymore. It''s time to celebrate now."


    Chyou nodded. "Yes, yes! It''s not time to bring gloomy things onboard. So, so, how should we celebrate!"


    "Well, provided your stomach still has some space left for dessert, we can go to a special place."


    She beamed. "I always have space for some dessert!"


    "As I thought you would say," he laughed.


    ¡ª


    As Chyou stepped out, she blinked twice at the ice cream parlour and her lips formed an O.


    "This ice cream parlor."


    He smiled. "Yes the same ice cream parlor where we visited that one evening. The same fireworks evening. And then a scandal greeted us the next morning."


    She shook her head. "It''s so hard to be a popular celebrity, you know~"


    He rolled his eyes. "Let''s head in."


    A small bell chimed in response to Yating opening the entrance door. A familiar face spotted them and gasped.


    "The King and the Queen!"


    Yating coughed. "Well Chyou is definitely the Queen but I am not any King."


    The attendant behind the desk, Xiang Xiu, grinned and waved her hand. "Everybody saw your performance, Mr. Gu. I believe that title is not so far away."


    She was the very same attendant who insisted upon letting Yating and Chyou have the couple ice-cream set the last time they came here.


    Chyou waved her hand eagerly. "How are you doing?"


    "I am doing great!" She flashed her ring finger coyly. "I am engaged!"


    "Yes, I do remember you had a boyfriend," Yating said. "Congratulations."


    Her gesture and bright demeanor touched their hearts and they thanked her from the bottom of their hearts.


    Chyou raised her brow at him. "Last time, you let me eat all the ice cream so this time..."


    She scooped a big bite on the spoon and dumped it in Yating''s mouth. His eyes widened for a bit but then a smile laced in them. He, too, buried the spoon in the ice cream and fed her a bite.


    "Hope your manager doesn''t chew me out for feeding you ice cream."


    Chyou blinked. "Oh she definitely will. But," she blushed, "my boyfriend is strong so I have full faith in you facing her wrath with courage and determination."


    His jaw dropped in speechlessness. "How about all the food your stuffed back in the mall with Grandpa Liu?"


    "Shouldn''t you sacrifice yourself for your girlfriend''s wellbeing?" She pitifully blinked.


    "..."


    "So you want me to willingly jump into the bubbling volcano?"


    She sheepishly grinned. "You did jump into the fire to save me before. Do you know how much touching that was?" She sniffled. "I don''t mind being touched by that gesture again and again~"


    "I don''t know about the gesture but you should definitely stay away from Grandpa Liu. For some reason, he makes everybody shameless."


    She pouted with her puffed cheeks.


    After having their fill of the delicious ice cream, they waved goodbye to Xiang Xiu and stepped out. They walked towards the lake where the fireworks festival was organized the last time.


    The only difference was that last time, they walked with hesitation and distance between them.


    But tonight, they held hands without reservation.


    Standing at the corridor near the lake, they stared at the water flowing in peace and calm. They remembered how that one evening had changed a lot of things between them. Though the sky didn''t shine tonight with the colorful fireworks, the beautiful imagery was still fresh in their minds as if it was yesterday.


    He held her hands slightly tighter and leaned to her level. She froze, her heart skipping several beats.


    "I love you, Chyou."


    She trembled. There wasn''t a need to explain anything. The significance of this place or how special it meant for them.


    She slightly tiptoed and wrapping her hands around his neck, she kissed him hard. "I love you too, Yating."

 Chapter 881: Official introduction

    Yating loosened and adjusted his tie as he breathed in and breathed out. He checked himself in the mirror and exhaled once again.


    "Why do I feel that you are going out for a war?" Chyou blinked.


    She was seated beside him in his car that was parked outside the Zhu villa.


    "How can I not feel nervous? I will be facing Mr. and Mrs. Zhu as your boyfriend now. Just thinking about that gives me the chills..."


    "Mom and Dad are really cool! They won''t eat you alive," she chirped and then murmured, "Hopefully..."


    "I heard that," his brow twitched.


    She grinned and locked her arm in his. "You are stressing out for no reason. I am sure they will welcome you with open arms!"


    However, Xiaosi''s hands were in his pockets as he stood eye to eye with Yating, narrowing them now and then.


    "Broooooooo!!"


    Xiang was the first one to drop a tight bear hug as he dashed towards him with lightning speed. "Some of my secret sources leaked the good news to me~ You will be my future brother-in-law from now on!"


    He sparkled enthusiastically, enveloping the whole villa in his golden might.


    "I finally got somebody on my team!"


    Chyou frowned. "What do you mean by your team? Yating is on my team!"


    "No way! Brother-in-laws always form the strongest bonds! Naturally, he is with me," he nodded thoughtfully.


    "Hey, Xiang," Yating smiled, ruffling his head. "It''s great to see you hopping energetically as always."


    "Hehe~"


    "By the way, what are the secret sources you were talking about earlier?"


    Xiang smirked. "Well it''s supposed to be a secret because they are secret sources. But you will be my brother-in-law, so no secrets will be kept! The secret source is none other than Grandpa Liu!"


    "..."


    Why didn''t I think of this earlier?


    "Ohhhh," Chyou laughed. "Well, we did meet at the mall."


    "So he spilled out everything," Yating coughed.


    "Grandpa Liu can only keep food in his stomach, not secrets," Xiang rolled his eyes.


    "So why make things difficult?" she asked.


    Xiaosi sighed and unlocked his phone. He smiled at Yating. "I am sorry for the tension buildup but I couldn''t help but tease you a bit as revenge."


    "Revenge?" Yating looked puzzled.


    "Do you know how many times Gu Rong has hammered down on my phone with his continuous messages?" Xiaosi grimaced.


    "Huh? Dad?"


    "See for yourself."


    Zhu Xiaosi. I heard the good news! My son finally confessed to Chyou and so I imagine that he will definitely come to visit you first after their date. I know that you are Chyou''s father but don''t make things difficult for Yating, okay?


    Yating will keep Chyou very happy. So don''t bully him!


    I am telling you if you will make things unnecessarily difficult for my son just because you have a daughter complex, then you will face my wrath!


    I have secretly watched many dramas and the girl''s father always acts strict and hard towards her boyfriend. Don''t be like that towards my son, okay?


    Zhu Xiaosi? Helloooooo? Why aren''t you replying to me? You have definitely seen my messages, haven''t you!


    You are not going to bully my son, right? He is a good man!


    Yating - "..."


    He pressed his lips inward, not having the courage to break the awkward silence.


    Dad!!!!!!! Why would you drop such messages to Uncle Xiaosi!? I am not a kid!


    Xiaosi smiled. "First of all, I wasn''t going to bully you or make things difficult for you. Second of all, he calls me a father with a daughter complex but doesn''t he have a son complex as well? A big one at that. Pot calling the kettle black?"


    Yating wiped his forehead. "Well..."


    Chyou looked through the messages too and burst out into laughter. "Hahaha, Uncle Rong is so cute!"


    Find adventures on m v l e m p y r


    Caihong helplessly chuckled too.


    Ugh, Dad! I won''t forgive you for this! Yating lacked tears to shed.


    Somewhere inside the Gu villa, Gu Rong sneezed. "Is this a sign? Is Zhu Xiaosi bullying my son? I should be going-"


    Butler Mo forced the duvet upon him. "Just go to sleep, Master."


    "..."

 Chapter 882: Envy

    The same introduction happened at the Gu villa as well the next day when Yating brought Chyou to his house.


    Gu Rong, who was now fully recovered after the hospital''s discharge, had tears mistying his eyes. It was hard to imagine the day when everything was going so well for them, including their relationship, which has been battered for a long time.


    If it was a few years ago, Gu Rong would have laughed off in mockery had somebody predicted this future.


    "Uncle Rong! Uncle Mo!"


    With her ever so brightened demeanor, Chyou filled the slightly gloomy atmosphere with her light.


    "This villa will feel so lively from now on..." Butler Mo couldn''t help but choke a little. "This father-son pair were always at odds and so there was never a moment of peace. Especially me, who was always sandwiched in between them."


    The said father-son pair coughed.


    "But now Miss. Zhu can finally bring some sense and joy to this house," he wiped his eyes.


    Gu Rong frowned. "I wasn''t being that difficult all the time."


    "Let''s not talk about that Master," he curtly replied.


    "..."


    He furiously diverted his attention away from Butler Mo and with a one-eighty degree change in his countenance, met Chyou''s gaze.


    "You have no idea how happy I am today, dear. My idiot son finally showed courage to come out with his feelings. It doesn''t feel real at all."


    "Dad," Yating threw a dry look at his father.


    "What? I am praising you!"


    "It doesn''t feel that way."


    "When have you ever felt my sincerity anyway!?"


    Chyou puffed up her cheeks. "No fighting!"


    They quietened down immediately. Your adventure awaits on m,v le,mpyr


    "Good. This will be the first rule of this house. We will all be nice to each other."


    Gu Rong felt an arrow strike his heart.


    It came as a surprise to him that Gu Rong even admitted this. He was a stubborn man who didn''t appreciate admitting his restless feelings.


    "It''s hard to explain. He has a good eye for people which is why he always chose the right people in his life, whether it be for himself, his sons or his grandchildren," he averted his gaze a bit because this part also included choosing Ai in the picture.


    "And when there are the right people in your family, it automatically becomes so lively. Whenever there has been any party or function, the most chaotic people goofing around have always been the Liu family."


    Chyou fully nodded in agreement. "No doubt about it."


    Gu Rong hesitated. "That''s why...I know it''s not nice but I have felt so envious of the Liu family. So happy, cheerful and lively as compared to the life I gave to Yating. I know Mr. Liu''s life wasn''t always so easy. His mother had especially been against Mrs.


    Liu and even Liu Nana at one point. But he and Liu Jinhai handled that animosity well and still managed for their family to stay together.


    I, on the other hand, could neither choose the right woman for myself nor let my parents stick around like a tight knit family. At one point, everything fell apart for me. So I always kept wondering. How did Liu Hai and Liu Jinhai manage to do it? If I could have done that, then the Gu villa might have been a little more buoyant for Yating."


    Yating slightly trembled.


    Dad...


    "Well..." Chyou scratched her chin and said, "It all boils down to one''s personality I guess. I mean to say that Grandpa Liu is..." she coughed, "a very crafty person."


    Gu Rong rolled his eyes. "No kidding."


    "And so is Uncle Jinhai, though in a different sense than Grandpa. They are also greedy in a way that they want everything to be right the way it should be."


    She stuck out her tongue merrily. "So when you add their craftiness in the equation, it simply means that they will bend and manipulate the situation to their advantage anyhow. But Uncle Rong, you are very straightforward. So it''s like this.


    For example, you didn''t pull any bad plots to separate Ai from Yating at the time he liked her. You simply demanded him to forget about her because you didn''t like her.


    But if it had been Grandpa Hai or Uncle Jinhai for that matter, they would have definitely planned something dubious as long as it served their purpose. They are simply like that."


    Chyou coughed again.


    It basically implied that Gu Rong was pure-hearted and honest while the Liu family...not so.


    Chyou chirped. "So you don''t have to feel bad about anything Uncle! You handled the situations the way your ideals allowed you to. There is no comparison because everybody''s approaches towards their family are different~"


    Gu Rong was on the verge of tears with her heartfelt words, so he quickly coughed and said to avoid breaking down in front of everyone, "Yating, why don''t you show her your room? It''s going to be her room in the future, so let her see it so that she can plan it to her liking haha."


    Yating shook his head at his feeble attempt to escape the situation.


    "Sure."

 Chapter 883 : Boyfriends room

    "There are so many books!"


    Chyou was amazed as she scanned her eyes across Yating''s room with shelves of books neatly lined up at the side.


    "Have you read all of them?" she asked as she brushed her fingers against their covers.


    "Yup."


    "That''s so cool! Mom always wanted Xiang and I to develop good reading habits but hehe..." she stuck out her tongue, "we never did really."


    He chuckled.


    Chyou then asked, beaming with anticipation, "Hold on, have you kept your graduation albums too?"


    "I do."


    She clapped her hands once. "Perfect! I want to see it, pretty please!"


    "No way! Those are very old pictures of my high school days. I look like a brat in them."


    "You are supposed to look like a brat, silly. Everybody was a brat when they were sixteen."


    He cleared his throat. "It''s embarrassing. You are free to look around at anything else."


    She folded her arms. "Nope. I have decided~ I want to see the teenage Yating."


    "No."


    "Yes."


    "No."


    "Yes."


    "No."


    "Should I ask Uncle Rong then? I believe he would be thrilled to let me have your yearbook," she confidently smirked.


    He nodded sadly. "After he fell and injured himself, he could complete his graduation according to the normal timeline."


    A pang of sorrow filled his heart to feel that he and Ma Dong, being best friends, couldn''t share an important time such as the graduation ceremony together.


    Chyou could see that pain reflecting in the picture as well. Yating surely was smiling in it but only for the sake of the picture. There was no genuine joy in his eyes that lit up to celebrate the occasion.


    As she continued to look through the other pictures, Yating felt his gaze drawn to her beautiful side profile. Her left profile faced his side where a few locks of her hair dangled across her cheek. Her eyes looked immersed to enjoy the album and her lips that formed that soft smile made his own eyelashes tremble.


    Closer...


    A wish took root in his heart.


    The melody of her chuckles escaping her lips forged the wish to grow stronger.


    Closer.


    Chyou felt a slight tickle and she glanced at her side, noticing Yating''s hand gently hovering near her cheek. The touch of his fingers swayed her hair strands further back to her ear''s side.


    Suddenly, Yating''s face that felt obscured before because of her hair locks, was now in clear sight. With it, his intent gaze on her was all very apparent, causing her heartbeats to drum faster.


    She then happened to realize that she was in her boyfriend''s room and right now, there was hardly any inches of distance between them. The realization of that proximity sparked small fireworks in her chest.


    The even more nervous part was that Yating wasn''t saying anything. He was simply gazing at her and the silence only added to her slight breathlessness.


    She felt her head slowly inch towards him as she didn''t even realize when he slid his fingers through her hair towards the back of her head and was now gently bridging the remaining gap between them.


    Her thoughts were all in a dizzying jumble but at one point, his lips tenderly met hers. Her eyes automatically closed themselves, allowing him to capture her lips further.


    The album slid off from her lap as the tips of his fingers felt hotter on the back of her neck where they touched. Her chest naturally bumped against his with the kiss that continued to deepen. The taste began to linger on their lips, their tongues ever so subtly exploring each other.


    Chyou couldn''t stop her lips from forming a wide smile as butterflies tickled her stomach. It felt surreal to share this moment with Yating and as all the shyness within her slowly dissipated, she parted from the long drawn liplock first and urged him to leave his marks on her neck.


    "There are many more exciting parts to explore, you know~" she huskily whispered in his ear, guiding his fingers to undo the hook of her dress.


    A shiver escaped his body and the same smile stretched on his lips too. Dropping a feathery kiss on her clavicle, he buried his face in it. "I cannot wait for it."


    The sleeve of her dress slid off exposing her shoulder. Trembling with anticipation, she said, "So let''s not."

 Chapter 884 : Crashing waves of ecstasy *

    *Warning - Mature scene*


    Dropping a tickling peck on her forehead, Yating smiled and kissed her cheekbone too. His hands were at the either side of her head with his right hand''s fingers entangling and playing around her silky hair and occasionally tickling her ear.


    He buried his head in her neck, pressing his lips on it. He could see the red flush spreading down to her chest and felt the warmth that kissed his lips back. The mild tremors shook Chyou that made her clench his shirt with growing anticipation.


    Her dress was already slid off till her shoulders and Yating slightly tugged it to push it down further. His soft, tender kisses continued down her neck till they reached her chest where even he could feel his throat going dry. The twin soft bulgings that were pushing themselves against him only added onto the chaos in his mind.


    But he was also curious as to how they would feel in his palm. But at the same time he wanted to gauge Chyou''s reaction. He threw a quick glance at her and in response to it, her face blushed hard.


    "Why are y-you looking at me that way?" she stammered. "I know what''s going on in your mind!"


    "So do I have your permission?" He lightly pinched her cheek.


    "Will you ask me this e-everytime?"


    "It''s safer to pause and double check rather than make it uncomfortable for you at any point. Also, weren''t you so bold just now?" He raised his brow.


    "I-I still am..." she coughed and tried to look strong.


    "Cute," he bent and kissed her lips. "So do I have your permission?"


    "Oof, yes, yes! Don''t b-bother me with these questions anymore!" She sobbed.


    Yating let out a soft chuckle and with a little hesitation at first, the tips of his fingers pressed on the top of her right breast. Then he slowly brought down his palm and ever so gently squeezed it.


    The sensation made both of them equally dizzy. The touch of her breast against his palm was so soft that he didn''t ever want to let go of this feeling. Chyou immediately felt a zap shuddering through her body and throwing her off her pace.


    It was as if they were exploring into uncharted territories and discovering all forms of ecstasy this intimacy could take them. Their half disheveled clothes only served to stroke their sensitivity even higher.


    Chyou was tempted to feel his chest too but her trembling hand could only clutch his shirt tighter and not take the courage to unbutton his shirt.


    Yating slowly withdrew and huffed out of air just like her. He reached the peak of his orgasm a few minutes later too and they both collapsed, out of breath.


    Chyou wondered internally if he wanted to go further and she blushed thinking about that. Though she didn''t want to show it, Yating clearly read that question.


    "Well, my naughty girlfriend who claims that she is not perverted."


    "..."


    "Making love is reserved for after marriage."


    "Huh? Wait, what? Wait, seriously?" she threw him a dumbfounded and speechless look.


    "I am a traditional man in that sense. Making out is fine but going any farther is a serious step for both of us physically, mentally and emotionally. So I strongly feel that we should cross that bridge after we become husband and wife," he nodded.


    "You mean we have to wait till we get married?" She gasped.


    "Yes."


    "Tch..."


    "Did you just click your tongue?" He was speechless.


    "O-Of course not!" She averted her eyes and then sobbed as she hugged him. "It warms my heart so much that you think this way. Aish, you are a fine gentleman!"


    "Uh huh..." his eyes narrowed. "You...you better not think of any tricks to seduce me."


    Her lips twitched hard.


    "You got to learn some shamelessness from Grandpa Hai."


    "..."


    He thought about the Liu family and kissed her forehead. "No thanks. I am fine the way I am."

 Chapter 885: A face from history

    A year later.


    Chyou whistled in a good mood as she reached the set. Her manager, Sun Jiang, waved her hand at her.


    "Chyou!"


    "Jiangjiang!"


    "You seem to be in a good mood," she raised her brow.


    Chyou grinned. "Yes, I am in a very good mood. I don''t know why though. My sixth sense tells me that something awesome is going to happen today~"


    "Only awesome things have been happening with you~ First you won the best actress award and your boyfriend won the best newcomer award. I am telling you Chyou!" She sobbed. "Drag Gu Yating in this industry. Today he has won the newcomer award but if this trajectory continues, then he has the making of a King! The Best Actor award is not so far in the future."


    She sighed. "I would also love for him to come here but he is already the Chief Editor of Dream High and also the CEO of Gu Corps. Two major responsibilities are already tiring enough. A third career at this point will be too much."


    Sun Jiang covered her face. "It bleeds my heart to see such great talent slipping past me. Ah the pain..."


    "Editor, CEO and actor," Chyou grinned. "Isn''t my boyfriend''s resume so amazing?"


    "Yes, yes, you boyfriend-complex woman," she rolled her eyes. "We all know how lovey-dovey you two are. Shoo, take it somewhere else."


    Chyou stuck out her tongue and went to her dressing room. The rest of her day was consumed by the new movie shooting and when dusk settled in the sky, she had no energy to lift even a finger.


    "Haish...!" she collapsed back on her chair, exhaling in exhaustion. She sent back her makeup assistants for the day.


    "Are you sure Mam? Everybody is leaving a little early today."


    "Yes, yes. Don''t worry. I will be leaving in sometime myself once Yating comes to pick me up~" she winked.


    The assistants got blinded by her ecstatic golden zeal.


    Ah the Queen looks so beautiful! Is this the shine of loveeee?


    I also want a boyfriend! The assistants unanimously thought.


    They bade her goodbye for the day and closed the door.


    Chyou did some simple exercises to relieve her shoulder stiffness and felt relaxed. The Q pendant twinkled on her neck as usual and she grinned. She picked her phone and scrolled through her messages.


    She raised her brow. "Huh..."


    "If it allowed me to keep my status, career and happiness intact then why not?" He laughed without a hint of remorse.


    "You..."


    "But it''s too late," he sighed. "I have been secretly following you for a long time only to get this chance to have my revenge on you and Gu Yating," he walked forward, the knife shining even more viciously than before.


    "Stay away from me, Cheng Yin!" She screamed with all her might, her eyes fearful and desperate.


    "I will kill you today, Zhu Chyou. Kill the Queen once and for all. Only then my heart will get some peace..."


    With a callous and cold gaze, he raised his arm to stab her. He enjoyed the sight of tears and fear in her eyes and the smile which was now gone from her lips. He had longed to see a helpless Chyou.


    But his happiness was short-lived when a hand pulled his wrist backward and knocked out the knife from his hand.


    "That''s enough, Cheng Yin."


    He jerked his head back and his eyes widened the next second.


    "Are you done?" Yating met his gaze with an extremely frigid countenance. "I must admit that''s some serious guts to be wanting my girlfriend dead."


    "Oh you are finally here!" Chyou chirped merrily and got up on her feet, dusting her dress.


    Cheng Yin blinked at her, his mind not registering the sudden positive change in her demeanor.


    What the fuck...


    She frowned at him. "Why are you looking at me like an idiot? You have worked with me before so you should have realized that I was acting, right?"


    He stared at her hard.


    She gasped with his reaction. "Oh my gosh, I am so talented Yating! I fooled the ex-Prince of the entertainment industry! He actually believed my tears just like I had believed in his fake feelings for me at one point."


    She brightened. "Oh my this tit for tat feels so amazing!"


    Yating dotingly smiled. "As expected of my girlfriend."


    She sheepishly blushed. "Thank you, thank you."


    "Shut up!" Cheng Yin exclaimed, his rage bursting forth with the unexpected turn of events. "Why the hell is Gu Yating here and why the hell are you laughing?"


    Chyou rolled her eyes. "Well duh~ Of course I will laugh if you fell prey to our plan, right?"

 Chapter 886: Chapter close

    "Plan...?" Cheng Yin felt an odd foreboding.


    "Ahahahaha!" Chyou laughed out loud with an air of supremacy. "Yes, our plan to expose you once and for all~"


    Yating narrowed his eyes at him. "It was quick of you to escape after the whole matter with Duan Ren calmed down. It was as if you never met her. You tried to tarnish my image using my Dad''s past and then ran away when the plan didn''t work out."


    Cheng Yin clenched his jaw.


    "But I knew that you won''t be gone so easily from our lives," he smiled sardonically, "You are just that kind of a shameless man."


    "You...!"


    Cheng Yin lost his control and he lunged forward to punch his face. But Yating dodged it and landed his own punch in his abdomen. It carried the weight of all his anger on which he had kept a lid on in his heart and all the injustice that Chyou and Gu Rong had to face because of him. The punch was cruel and painful.


    Cheng Yin broke down into a bout of cough as he collapsed on his left knee, clutching his stomach. He felt as if his insides were torn apart.


    Yating grabbed his collar and forced him to look into his icy eyes.


    "I knew you were waiting for a chance to show your face. So I began to keep an eye on you and guess what? I found out soon enough that you were indeed stalking Chyou and observing her movements. You were planning to hurt her when there will be nobody around her. I didn''t nab you then because you were only stalking at that point.


    But I knew that you had harmful plot in store for her and I wanted it to get exposed. I didn''t want to leave any scope of a lighter punishment for you. So thanks for proving us right," he smiled in disdain.


    "That''s ridiculous! I knocked out the guard myself!" He screamed.


    Chyou sighed in helplessness. "Obviously, that was an act. I, the Queen and such a popular star is still on the set and you thought that the security will be lax? The guards will never slack or drop their guard until everybody has left the set. I thought being an ex-actor, you would know it better but aish..."


    Cheng Yin couldn''t even begin to describe the torment, rage and humiliation he was experiencing.


    "Pipe down, Mr. Cheng," the lead officer said, "We saw everything that happened and we have evidence of you attempting to kill Miss. Zhu Chyou. We arrest you on those charges."


    "That''s not true! They...! They trapped me!"


    "Whatever explanations and defense you want to give, give it in the court now. Officers. Take him away."


    Cheng Yin was dragged out of the room while still shouting at the officers and protesting heavily to release him. His face had turned white with horror as he could very well imagine his future behind bars. In front of him stood Chyou and Yating together - happy and blissful.


    It''s supposed to me...It''s supposed to be me at her side!!!


    But time was up. It was too late to feel guilt and remorse.


    "Don''t curse your fate now, Cheng Yin," Yating said one last thing. "Chyou gave you many chances, but you kept betraying her trust. You can only blame but yourself for what is happening to you now." Dive deeper into the story on m-vle-mpyr


    Cheng Yin didn''t get to respond as he was already out by then. Not that he had anything to talk back either.


    The chaos calmed down and Chyou breathed out in relief. "This is finally taken care of! Gosh this was so nerve-wracking."


    Yating kissed her forehead. "Even more nerve-racking for me. God knows how I controlled my urge to not kill him before when I knew that he was stalking you."


    She sheepishly grinned. "Aish I love this possessive side of yours too~"


    He raised his brows. "Well, you are going to love many more sides from now on. Just wait and watch~"


    She blushed. "When would I get to see those sinful sides of yours?"


    "After I do an important step today," he smiled mysteriously.

 Chapter 887: The next take

    "Why is the theater so empty?"


    Chyou asked as they made their way towards a screen devoid of any people.


    "It''s a date and I thought to enjoy a private screening with my girlfriend," he smiled. "And now that Cheng Yin is gone, it''s time to celebrate."


    Her eyes shone. "Absolutely!"


    They entered the VIP screen where large, comfortable recliners were placed equidistantally. Soft yellow lights guided them the way. They took the center seats and the lights soon dimmed.


    "What are we going to watch?" Chyou eagerly asked.


    "I always wanted to enjoy the movie we worked together in privately with you."


    "How can you read my mind? I was thinking to have a movie date just like this one~"


    As the film rolled on the screen, it had their full attention once the credits part was over. The scenes that played before Chyou took her into a trance as she walked down that memory lane.


    She sobbed emotional tears. "I feel so proud. That''s the end product of my efforts."


    "Hm?" He tilted his head.


    "Training you, I mean," she sniffled. "You did such a fine job. I feel like a proud mother hen."


    "..."


    His mouth twitched hard.


    "That''s the famous pendant scene!" She exclaimed joyfully.


    Then came the walk in the garden scene where Yating smiled at her. "I remember how the mother hen was struggling in this part."


    She coughed. It was the day when Jun, Ai and the gang came to visit the set and Chyou made back to back mistakes in following the script.


    "I am telling you, that was your fault only," she cleared her throat.


    "Suuuure," he snorted.


    "S-Shut up. Who told you to make me so happy? Everything is overflowing. Ah my patience is finally rewarded..." she cried. "We can finally go further than just making out!"


    "..."


    The ring box was very close to slipping off his hand.


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    "That''s your point?"


    "That''s the main point, you dummy! Do you know how envious I felt when I listened to Ai and Leina telling their passionate bedroom stories to me? I had such limited stories to share with them! I felt so left out. But now my time to shine will come too!"


    He choked out hard but he was very close to choking blood too.


    "You ladies...just what do you talk about in your pajama parties?" His jaw dropped in speechlessness.


    "Boyfriends, husbands and hush-hush stuff," she said in a matter of fact tone. "Don''t act like you don''t do the same in your men''s version of pajama parties?" She looked at him suspiciously.


    He gave her a dry look. "...We don''t."


    She gasped in shock. "That''s the whole life of the party!"


    "..."


    "My dream has finally come true now," she shed heartfelt tears and immediately brought her left hand forward. "Quick, quick! Put the ring on!"


    Yating had completely different expectations with how this proposal would go down but Chyou was Chyou after all. Always bringing the unexpected.


    He burst into laughter and slid the ring in her ring finger.


    "So pretty! As expected of my boy- oops, my future husband of his choice~ First the pendant and now the ring."


    Chyou dropped her body into his embrace and crashed her lips on his. Yating grabbed her head and kissed her back with the same fervor that tickled their veins of their beautiful future to come.


    After a long and breathless kiss, Chyou whispered, "This has been the world''s best proposal. I love you."


    He kissed her lips again and smiled. "I love you too."

 Chapter 888: Jins return

    Six years later.


    Jin wheeled his bag towards the airport exit while also carrying two carrier bags with him. The winter''s warm sunshine lit up his handsome face as he stopped and waited.


    Something moved in the carrier bag and he smiled looking down. "Cannot wait to meet Bro, right?"


    *Meow*


    Ai-chan softly meowed from inside the bag, earnestly looking outside through the netted frame. In another bag, Jun-cute looked away as if it had nothing to do with him.


    "Jiiiiiiin!"


    A pleasant, familiar voice was heard from afar a few minutes later but it only served to annoy Jin. His brow twitched heavily as a figure rushed towards him who he didn''t want to see at all.


    "Zhou Ai..."


    He felt an urge to run back and catch the next flight to Paris.


    Ai furiously waved her hand with the brightest smile on her lips. "I am here!"


    She was a little breathless by the time she reached him. "I finally see you!"


    At thirty now, Ai''s beauty blossomed like the spring. Her soft facial features looked more pronounced and the six happy years definitely reflected in her demeanor.


    His gaze darkened. "Don''t tell me you came to pick me up." Experience tales with m v|l -NovelFire


    "Is there a problem?"


    Jin looked left and right in hopes of finding a face which would bring some relief to his heart but his expectations came only crashing down.


    "You purposely did this, didn''t you?" He spat his bitterness.


    She scrunched up her brows. "What''s the matter in coming to pick you? Aren''t you my adorable brother-in-law?"


    "You are not my adorable sister-in-law though," he dryly said.


    "Yes, because I am your naturally warm and lovable sister-in-law," she proudly beamed.


    "How come Bro still lives with you?"


    "He loves me very much and so do I."


    "I refuse to believe this!"


    Ai chuckled. "You are just like how you were six years ago. Cute and grumpy. But definitely more handsome than before. You look so much like Jun now."


    His ears ever so slightly perked up at that and a bit of sourness seemed to dissolve from his expression. "I see."


    Ai frowned. "How come you still don''t believe in my pure feelings for my cute brother-in-law?"


    "Stop calling me cute!"


    "Then Jini-boy?"


    It was the nickname that Zhou Yichen came up with.


    Jin''s expression turned further ugly.


    Jun rolled his eyes. "How about you two continue your bickering in the car? We should head back. Everybody is waiting for Jin."


    Jin beamed. "I cannot wait to see everybody again. Especially my nieces and nephews!"


    ¡ª


    The air in the Liu villa burst into a celebration mood as Jin returned after six long years.


    Nana softly cried as she hugged him. "You grew up so tall and healthy. I missed you."


    "I missed you too, Mom," his voice slightly choked. "Mom, Dad, Grandma, Nuo..."


    A series of gasps were then heard.


    "What about us!!!"


    As soon as Nana withdrew from the embrace, the twins squeezed and squished Jun from both sides till he felt breathless.


    "How dare you not include us in your missing list!" Jian glared at him.


    "Aren''t we your most favorite brothers who you cannot live without?" Nian gritted his teeth.


    No I can definitely live without you two...he thought amidst their suffocating hug.


    "Hey you didn''t include me too!" Liu Hai had serious complaints as well with the way he was excluded.


    "Me too! That''s not fair!"


    And so did Jin''s uncle, Liu Jing.


    "Quiet you all. Do you not see how my poor grandson is tired?" Liu Chunhua reprimanded them.


    "B-But we are facing injustice, Grandma!" The twins cried.


    "Go away!" Jin pushed them back, annoyed.


    Before the twins could grab him again, a small figure dashed in the living room and hugged Jin''s legs. His hazel brown irises that were a beautiful amalgamation of the color of his parents'' eyes sparkled at him brightly.


    "Uncle Jin!"

 Chapter 889: The Liu family six years after

    "Uncle Jin!"


    "Ailun!" Jin gleamed with bliss. He bent on his knees and hugged him. "It didn''t look like that in the video calls but you are so tall!"


    Ailun brightened with the compliment but nodded with a serious demeanor. "I am six years old now. I got to be tall."


    Jing snorted. "Brat. He is clearly happy but showing otherwise."


    The little boy narrowed his eyes. "Grand uncle Jing, the last I know your husband is still angry with you."


    Yukito''s other twin, Yukira choked. "Yeah he is still living in my room. Do I smell a divorce coming up?"


    "Don''t be so harsh! And you brat! Who is the one who made him angry at me in the first place!?" Jing demanded an answer.


    "You," Ailun coolly snorted.


    "You...!"


    Liu Hai shook his head. "Where did I go wrong in raising you?"


    "Zip it, you old man!" He cried. "You go and count your limited number of days that you have got to live."


    "Oh shut up! I am easily going to outlive you! Just look at you. You already seem to be having a hunched back. At your age, I was still very much active in bed-"


    "Hai!!!" Liu Chunhua warningly glared at him. "At least think of the fact that Ailun is here!"


    Ailun calmly said, "It''s okay, Great Grandma. I have heard many more unspeakable things for my age. I am used to it now."


    Liu Hai nodded in appreciation.


    Jun felt his wife slowly trying to disappear in the background, but he dragged her back. "It''s you and Grandpa, right?"


    "I am a writer. I just tell my son pure stories."


    "I highly question the purity of those stories," he pressed his lips.


    Jin ruffled his head and whispered. "Keep your distance from the clowns, okay? You know who clowns, right?"


    Ailun obediently nodded.


    The chaotic gang shuddered at once. "Jin, why do I feel that you just dissed at us!?"


    Jun and Ai had Ailun, Jian and Leina had two sons, Aang and Taio and Nuo, who was now happily married to Siying, also gave birth to a son, Muyang two years ago.


    Naturally, it was and still is a moment of great pride and happiness for Nian that Xing Bi gave birth to a girl.


    Jian glared at him. "Are you not conveniently forgetting your one-year old son?"


    Right on the cue, Xing Bi slowly climbed down the steps with a sleeping Baihu in her arms. His chubby cheeks peacefully rested on her shoulder.


    A minute later, the last missing person of the family arrived too, carrying a little girl in his arms. Yina, Nian and Xing Bi''s daughter, was laughing as she played with Jinhai''s hair.


    Nian covered his mouth with his palm and tears flowed out of his eyes incessantly. "My lovely daughter..."


    He collapsed on the floor on his knees. "Is this heaven? Every day, she looks more and more adorable than before! I still remember how I held her in my arms for the first time in the hospital...She was so delicate. She is still delicate as a fairy! Ah, I feel so blessed..."


    I will seriously feed him to the sharks! Jun and Jian cursed him together.


    Yina brightly said, her bubbly aura matching that of her mother''s who would be happy just like this, "Uncle Jin, look, look, Grandpa gave me pocket money!"


    It was a thick wad of cash. Very thick wad of cash.


    The men of the family almost fainted with that sweet heart attack.


    An angel...Everybody spoke in unison.


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    Aang clutched his chest. "Grandpa! How come I didn''t get my pocket money?" He cried.


    "You are not my granddaughter," Jinhai calmly said.


    Aang and Taio looked betrayed. To pacify their hurt heart, they ran towards the cats for some solace.


    Nana rolled her eyes.


    Jin smiled. "Ah, that takes me back to my childhood days. The only difference is the daughter part has been replaced by granddaughter."


    Jinhai nodded without any remorse.


    Xing Bi handed Baihu over to Nian, who was still sobbing over his daughter''s cuteness. "Baihu, you are cute but Yina is a fairy, okay?" He sniffled.


    She walked towards Jin along with Leina and simultaneously squeezed his ears. Ai joined in by pinching his nose. "You made us wait for too long, brother-in-law!"

 Chapter 890: The upcoming Business Summit

    Jin took a few steps in his bedroom and scanned it throughout. The familiar scent brought a soft smile on his lips. There wasn''t even a speck of dust anywhere. It was evident that Nana didn''t let it make its home here even for a single day.


    It was now that he could finally stretch his arms and relax his body after the long trip. He strolled his bag aside and hopped on the bed in silence. Exhaling a deep breath, he closed his eyes.


    He was back home after six years.


    Six long years without his family and without...


    He didn''t think of the name but her face automatically flashed in his mind anyway. He kept himself distanced from all news related to her. But now that he was back, he was bound to meet her one or the other day.


    What was she doing for six years? How was she living her life?


    He felt like he wanted to know but didn''t want to know at the same time. But no matter what path she took, Jin had also forged his own. He would bury himself in the responsibilities of a CEO and stay far away from her just like he had promised himself.


    *Knock*


    "Jin."


    He recognized Leina''s voice and opened the door. But Xing Bi and Ai''s smiling faces greeted him too.


    "Brother-in-law!" Leina chirped. "How about we gather in my room? There are so many things to talking about~"


    Xing Bi nodded. "Too much gossip to hold in my stomach."


    Ai followed with her own nod. "And the kids are waiting for your gifts. They have occupied themselves playing with Jun-cute and Ai-chan for now, but I imagine them coming after you soon."


    "Ah the gifts, yes!" Jin scratched his head. "Yeah I brought tons of gifts for everyone, especially my cute nieces and nephews."


    Ai sparkled. "What is my gift?"


    He scowled. "There is nothing for you."


    "Lying is not good, Jini-boy."


    His gaze blackened.


    "Pfft..." Xing Bi and Leina burst into hearty chuckles.


    They gossiped and laughed a lot more and at a point when it was time for their kids'' naps, they said, "Aish let me put them to sleep."


    Jin nodded. "I will go and meet Dad."


    As he stepped out, the trio of sister-in-laws collapsed back and sighed.


    Leina asked, "What do you think?"


    Ai said, "He looked completely normal on the outside."


    "But I seriously doubt the matter of his heart," Xing Bi pursed her lips. "It won''t be long before he meets Shui again."


    Leina shook her head. "It will come sooner than we think. The Business Summit will have all the CEOs and entrepreneurs at one place. Naturally, our family is invited. I am just wondering how Jin will take the gossip."


    Ai tensely said, "Those are still rumors only. There is no truth to them. Shui hasn''t confirmed anything about it."


    "But she hasn''t equally denied them either," Xing Bi added. "That''s why Nuo didn''t come here today I feel. She stayed beside Shui precisely because Jin is back."


    She paused and asked, "Should we somehow stop Jin from going to that Summit?"


    Leina said, "It''s pointless. Jin will be the main face of the Liu family because Dad will soon officially hand over the CEO position to him. He has to be there. And anyway, we cannot hide him forever from these rumors floating around. You know how gossip works anyway."


    There was a brief period of silence.


    Ailun dragged his feet to Ai''s side and cutely rubbed his sleepy eyes. "Why is everybody sad?"


    Ai pinched his nose softly and smiled. "We are not sad. We are just worried for your Uncle Jin."


    He tilted his head. "But Uncle Jin is a big boy now. You still worry about him?"


    She laughed. "It has nothing to do with his age. We have our own fate and we live our life according to it. But sometimes...that path is really painful and difficult."


    "Uncle Jin is in pain?" He gasped, his eyes stretching wide. Read exclusive content at m_v-l''-NovelFire


    Her smile slightly faltered. Xing Bi and Leina looked solemn.


    "Yes, he is in pain. We cannot see it because he is not showing it. But Uncle Jin is in a lot of pain. And so is...somebody else too."

 Chapter 891: The woman in the hospital

    "When is the Business Summit?"


    Nuo asked Siying as she was wrapping up with her work that Jian shamelessly but pitifully dumped onto her with the excuse of spending time with Leina and their boys. She had her own restaurant and while Jian handled Natusukashi''s affairs, he would sometimes take Nuo''s help here and there.


    Idiot brother, she sighed.


    Siying, who was overloaded with his son''s cuteness as he played with Muyang, said, "I don''t know how to thank you enough for giving birth to Muyang..." he sniffled. "He is too adorable just like you."


    "..."


    And this person is just like Bro Nian!


    Two years old Muyang seemed to be in a very deep thought as he held two colorful marbles in his hand. After much contemplation and careful calculation, he handed one marble to his father with a sparkling smile. "Dada pink!"


    Siying burst into tears. "You are sharing your precious marble to play with me? You are so kind."


    Muyang placed another marble in Nuo''s hand and grinned. "Mama blue!"


    "Aww, thank you. You are the best!" She kissed his cheeks.


    Siying was close to fainting. He could only see bubbles and flowers all around his wife and son.


    Nuo pinched the space between her brows. "I asked you a different question, you doting father."


    He sincerely held onto the gift from Muyang and replied. "The Business Summit, right?"


    "So you were listening."


    He dropped a peck on her forehead. "How can I dare ignore you? Of course, I was listening to you. But Muyang..."


    Nuo could see his eyes well with tears again. "No, stop! No more crying!"


    Muyang mimicked his mother. "No stop! No mo cwying!" Then he laughed.


    Siying squeezed his son in his embrace. "You looked and sounded just like your mother. You are awesome, Muyang!"


    A knock sounded on their door and a figure stepped in. Her black hair fluttered at the back just beyond her shoulders. The earrings chiming on her ears followed the same rhythm. From a twenty odd year old young girl, Shui had matured into a beautiful, wise woman.


    "Bro is being bro, huh?" She kept her bag aside and smiled.


    "Please talk to him," Nuo sighed.


    "Well, I cannot completely blame him because my nephew is such a cinnamon roll!"


    "So it''s set! Bro will be the hard laborer here while you and Muyang visit the Liu family~ Bro has no right to complain, okay?"


    "When did I ever?" He shook his head.


    Shui grinned and handed Muyang back to Nuo. "I have to rush to the hospital now. See ya!"


    Muyang waved his hand in a goodbye and she returned it with a flying kiss.


    "She figured out that I stayed back because of her, right?" Nuo sighed.


    "I told you she would."


    "I know but I just couldn''t..."


    "It''s okay, Nuo. Today was going to be difficult." Siying pursed his lips. "She spoke about Jin very normally."


    "She wants me to visit the villa because she wants to show that she is okay with Jin''s return. But she is not. That''s why she doesn''t want to go to the Business Summit. She knows she will see him there."


    "She...can''t be running away like this forever," Siying shared a look of concern.


    Nuo let out a strained smile in return. "She can''t and neither can Jin. We can only hope that these six years would have made them stronger."


    ¡ª


    Shui opened the door to one of the hospital''s private wards and stepped in silently. A woman laid on the bed unconscious. A monitoring machine and some other medical equipment were connected to her through tubes.


    Shui replaced the old flowers with a fresh bouquet in the vase and then sat on the chair beside the bed. A second vase contained another set of fresh flowers.


    "How are you doing, Alix?" She smiled. "The tulips are so fragrant, right? Do you like the scent? It feels so calming. I guess Xue beat me in coming here first today," she chuckled. "She put that second bouquet there, right?"


    She got no response but she continued to talk about random everyday stuff. The machines continued to softly beep in the background.


    "You know, Jin is back," Shui whispered after some time.


    "You remember him, right? You met him in Guangzhou when he and I were on a business trip. Yes, the same man with whom you had clashes and he made you apologize to me. But let''s not dwell into the past," she coughed awkwardly.


    Shui felt like she wanted to talk more, but she stopped at that sentence. She simply stayed beside Ren Alix in silence, giving her quiet company.


    Suddenly, the machines beeped louder and a moment later, Shui noticed her finger move ever so faintly.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief. "A-Alix?"

 Chapter 892: Cherishing life

    "Alix?"


    Along with the gentle movements of her finger, her eyelids fluttered slowly open and the hospital''s room came to her view.


    Shui gasped with slightly parting her lips. "You are awake..."


    She immediately rushed outside and brought the doctor-in-charge a few minutes later. He quickly did a cursory checkup and asked some questions.


    "Miss, Can you hear me?"


    Ren Alix slowly shifted her attention towards him and nodded.


    "Good," he wrote it down, "Do you know your name?"


    "...Ren Alix."


    He proceeded with some basic cognitive and memory tests and then asked, "Do you remember the day of your accident?"


    "Not clearly."


    He nodded. "That can happen."


    "How long since I have been here?"


    "Four months."


    "I see."


    "Do not take stress, Miss. Ren. You will recover in no time," he reassured her with a smile. "For now, please focus on resting and regaining your strength."


    He stepped outside with Shui and she asked anxiously, "What do you think?"


    "As you saw, Miss. Ren remembers pretty much everything about herself except the accident. That is normal. It would still take some time for her jumbled up memories to align within herself. But otherwise, I don''t see a long lasting negative impact on her brain or other vital functions. She should fully recover soon in a month''s time at best."


    Shui felt greatly relieved. "Thank you so much!"


    "It''s my pleasure, Miss. Han. If you want, you can go inside and talk to her. But just don''t stress on the accident part. It''s better if she remembers it at her own pace. I will go and inform her family."


    As he left, Shui quickly dropped an eager message to someone, informing them of this great news.


    Shui stepped in and smiled at Alix. "Can I come inside? It''s fine if you don''t want to. I can come later."


    Alix, who was staring outside the window, slowly turned her head and met her gaze. She held onto it silently as if searching something in it.


    Should I or should I not...?


    "Ah...And here I thought I would finally get to know that bastard who did this to her!" Xiao gritted her teeth.


    She shook her head. "We cannot rush her, Xiao. Right now she only needs to focus on recovering."


    Xiao nodded helplessly. "I understand...It''s just so frustrating. We have been trying to find out what had happened, but we didn''t get any clue until now. It''s only Alix that can help us."


    "We can only wait till she is better."


    "It''s okay," Xiao smiled. "We have waited for four months. What''s waiting for some more time? I will head inside too."


    "Sure."


    Shui stood at her place, releasing a relieved sigh. She got an incoming call and picked it up.


    "Yuze," she smiled.


    "Shui, I heard about Alix. Is she doing okay?"


    "Yup."


    "She didn''t lash out at you or something, right?" He sighed.


    "Of course not. You know our relationship was already improving before the accident happened."


    "I do but I wasn''t sure how she would behave after waking up. What if she forgot your friendship and reverted to her old ways? But I am glad to hear that nothing of that sort happened."


    "Me too."


    "Oh yes, I called you for another thing too. You must know about the Business Summit, right?"


    "Yes."


    "Actually, I wanted to ask if you would be going too?"


    Shui paused. "Well...I wasn''t planning to go."


    "...Because of Liu Jin?"


    "No. It''s not that."


    "Then in that case, how about you come along too? You cannot always bury your head in your work, you know? Plus I am sure, Xiao will ask you out anyway for Alix''s sake. You three have been the closest."


    "Alix?"


    "Yes, the Ren family is invited too. Naturally, her family and Xiao and I want Alix to be with the people she is comfortable with, so Xiao will definitely bug you."


    "I see," Shui pressed her lips, taking a moment to reply. "I will think about it."

 Chapter 893: Business Summit (1)

    A week later came the evening of the Business Summit. Nana adjusted the tie on his collar and smiled. "Perfect. As always my son looks so handsome. Go and take all the ladies'' hearts all there~"


    Jin cleared his throat. "It''s for business, Mom, not a dating setting."


    "Well who knows. Fate is very mysterious."


    Listening to her, the image of the God of Fate flashed by his mind at the time he accompanied him and Shui on their business trip six years ago.


    He was very annoying, his brow twitched.


    *Meow*


    Nana looked down and beamed at the two cats. "Aww, you look all so groomed and adorable!"


    "Wait, they are coming too?" He looked surprised.


    "Jun-cute and Ai-chan were following me everywhere today and then I realized that they might want me to groom them for the Summit!" She chirped. "See, they look so royal."


    "..."


    "How did you translate their following you around to the fact that they wanted to come too?"


    "A mother''s heart understands everything," she nodded.


    "..."


    Does the Summit allow pets? He wondered.


    "There are no restrictions, I heard."


    "How did you read my mind?"


    "A mother''s heart."


    "Sometime, you should teach me this magic too."


    She winked. "It''s a trade secret. Anyway, hurry now. Jun and Ai are waiting for you outside."


    In the living room, Liu Chunhua was squealing over her great-grandson''s cuteness, who looked too handsome in his small business suit.


    Liu Hai touched his chin. "He still doesn''t match my charm."


    "Shut up, Hai."


    Ailun brightened as Jin brought the cats and ran up to their side. "They are so cute."


    Ai-chan meowed in response and Jun-cute showed a look of pride.


    Of course little human. We are always superior.


    Jun chuckled and picked him up in his arms. "Shall we go?"


    Ai raised her hands. "I am ready!"


    Jinhai kissed Nana''s forehead and sulked. "I will miss you."


    Guiying choked.


    So lovey-dovey! Stay connected with m-v l|e''-novelhall.net


    She coughed and smiled at Jun. "Hey."


    "Hey back. By the way, congratulations on your new book. I heard it''s topping all the charts," Jun smiled.


    "Thank you."


    Zixin shone with pride. "Guiying is very talented."


    "Ziyi, don''t run around. You will hurt yourself!"


    From a distance, they saw Yating''s helpless figure chasing after his daughter. He finally caught her and another boy with whom she was messing around.


    "Ruwen," Guiying shook her head. "Didn''t I tell you not to run around?"


    "But I saw cake over there Mama!" The five years old boy defended himself with all his might. "And Ziyi was trying to get ahead of me."


    Four years old Ziyi harrumphed, feeling proud. "Anything for food."


    Yating''s brow twitched. He eyed Chyou. "You know she has got that from you, right?"


    "Doesn''t that make her so charming~?" Chyou winked.


    "..."


    "Nice to see you back after a long time, Liu Jin," Yating greeted Jin.


    Zixin nodded too. "Yes."


    "Same here," Jin replied.


    Down below, the kids were having their own confrontation. Ailun snorted. "Brats."


    Ruwen and Ziyi''s faces puffed up with grievances. They launched their very own attack on him by pinching his cheeks. But Ailun showed his line of defense in the form of Ai-chan and Jun-cute. "You won''t get to play with them if you hurt me!"


    Jun-cute clearly wasn''t so pleased in being used as a shield.


    "Cats...They are so furry and cute!" Ruwen and Ziyi trembled with excitement.


    "Yes, yes, and all you kids are melting my heart," Ai sniffled as she clicked several pictures of the little trio. Ziyi looked adorable in her yellow summer theme dress and Ruwen matched Ailun''s handsomeness in his brown business suit.


    "Hey are all you not forgetting meee!?"


    They turned and saw Nuo''s zesty figure approaching them quickly. Jinhai beamed at his daughter''s sight. But his expression returned to his original place after seeing Siying, who was following Nuo and carrying Muyang in his arms. Jinhai''s face shone once again seeing his grandson.


    Siying lacked the tears to shed.


    The usual, huh? He thought.


    The only person not to face towards them was Jin, who was suddenly too anxious to turn.


    Sis Nuo and Bro Siying are here. Does that mean...

 Chapter 894: Business Summit (2)

    Jin happily talked to his sister and brother-in-law but in the depths of his heart, it hammered down with an uneasiness. But it settled down when he didn''t see Shui anywhere.


    Jin took Muyang in his arms and grinned. "I finally got to hold my nephew."


    Little Muyang laughed.


    The Summit soon started with many important discussions and announcements taking place, one of which was the announcement of Jin''s position as the next CEO.


    Jinhai took the center stage and talked about Jin, who first trained with him and then went to Paris to learn from his maternal grandfather. He achieved great things in Paris and he was positive that he will see the same confidence here. The takeover would soon be announced.


    Jinhai kept it simple and brief, just as he was. Jin looked at everybody and said, "I am looking forward to working with everybody."


    The Liu family stepped away amidst everybody''s claps and cheers and as soon as they got down, Jin became the center of attention. Many congratulated him and many smoothly attempted to make their way to work with the Liu Corps.


    One of which was Kang Nanyou, Kang Yuze''s father. "Congratulations, Liu Jin."


    "Thank you."


    Jin already recognized him and remembered his son Kang Yuze, who he met during his Guangzhou trip with Shui.


    "I believe you will make your father''s name very proud. It''s finally time to hand the reins over to the next generation and I just handed it over last year."


    Jin asked, "Kang Yuze?"


    He nodded.


    "I see. Your business processes raw materials for clothing if I am not wrong."


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    "Correct. Your Uncle, Mr. Liu Jing is one of our customers. Thanks to his fashion designing career, our name got widespread for its finesse and quality very quickly," he smiled.


    Jin knew that was a part of buttering up to let Jing continue being one of his primary customers. He didn''t mind as long as his Uncle was satisfied.


    "And how are things with the Ren family? They work exclusively on designing, right? So...sort of my Uncle''s rivals," Jin said with a tinge of smile.


    "Han Shui has quite made a name for herself in the art industry. Xiao is interested in it so she asked her to teach her art and then she pulled in Alix too so that she could at least invest her time in learning something meaningful."


    Art...


    Jin''s gaze warmed up.


    Shui always liked to draw just like Aunt Xinyi. She was always an amazing artist, his chest filled with pride.


    He was aware that Shui would pursue a career in the art industry with the interest she held in it. There were some art exhibitions held in which Shui had participated and despite Jin''s strong desire to see them, he refrained himself. He was afraid of his own vulnerable heart falling into love all over again.


    Kang Nanyou''s voice broke his daze.


    "I am not really so concerned about Han Shui''s friendship with Alix but I am glad that Xiao became friends with her. Through her, Yuze and Han Shui have become quite close, haha. You know what I mean, right?"


    Jin stared at him unblinkingly. "Close..."


    He coughed. "Well, it''s nothing really set in stone yet, but since Xiao introduced Han Shui, Yuze and her became good friends too and gradually...got closer. I can very well see my son''s interest in her and fortunately, it seems like Han Shui might hold the same interest towards him too."


    Jin felt like he was dropped straight into the depths of an ocean.


    Calm down, calm down, calm down...


    This was supposed to happen one day or the other, right?


    Shui and me are impossible...so...so...it is natural that she finds another man sooner or later. So calm down.


    Yes, it''s okay. Everything is okay. So calm down.


    Kang Nanyou asked, "Is everything okay, Liu Jin?"


    "Yes..."


    "Ah that''s good. You seem lost for a moment there. Well, as I was saying about them - oh wait! They are supposed to be here already," he frowned.


    He stiffened. "Here?"


    Kang Nanyou looked around and then brightened as his gaze fell at the Summit''s entrance. "Ah, here they are!"

 Chapter 895: After six years

    "Where are Xiao and Alix?" Shui looked back searching for them.


    "They are coming in another car with Mui. Don''t worry about them. Shall we go inside?"


    Kang Yuze threw a glance at the Summit and spotted his father one side talking to a man. His back faced him. "There is my Dad."


    "I cannot see sis Nuo and Bro anywhere," she sighed.


    As they came in together, eyes followed them everywhere they walked. Nobody openly talked but she could sense the hidden whispers going from one ear to another.


    "See, Kang Yuze and Han Shui came together again."


    "It''s been more than a year since they have known each other so well."


    "And look, look. They are heading to meet Kang Nanyou. Doesn''t it feel like they are already a couple?"


    Yuze smiled as they reached his side. "Dad."


    "Ah Yuze my boy! You are finally here. You just came at the right time. We were just talking about you only."


    Shui''s gaze darted left and right as if searching for a certain someone. But the man whose back was facing them turned slowly. She stood completely still as she naturally looked up.


    It was at that moment that both had forgotten to breathe.


    Jin looked into the familiar pair of black orbs and fell silent. The tremors of reunion shook his heart so hard that he felt his chest would burst. From a dainty college student, Shui grew up to be one fine woman, her gaze steely and more determined than before.


    It was as if he was meeting a whole new person but at the same time, there remained the warmth of the old memories softly tugging at his heart strings.


    Six years.


    It had been six long years and Jin used to wonder how he would react to meeting her after so long. He had completely buried himself in work during his stay at Paris and dedicated himself to become the best businessman.


    So he wondered if he would become stronger to bear the pain and longing or he would collapse by just one sight of hers?


    He got his answer.


    Whether it be six years or sixty, he would never be strong enough to see Shui right in front of her yet not being able to love her.


    No matter after how long she would appear before him, Han Shui would always sweep off Liu Jin by his feet.


    With a gaze as warm as the morning sun, his lips formed a gentle smile. "Long time no see Shui."


    ¡ª


    Ai had been sipping back to back on mocktails in tension of what was about to come. She had seen Yuze and Shui entering the Summit hall together and approaching Kang Nanyou with whom Jin was talking to.


    Then arrived the moment of truth where Jin and Shui finally met.


    "I wonder how she will act now. She was a nuisance for Kang Yuze and his family."


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    "Not just a nuisance, she was just completely mental. I fail to understand how Kang Xiao still hangs out with her. Does she not love her brother?"


    "Do you think she will cause a scene today? After all, Kang Yuze and Han Shui came together tonight and by now, she would have heard the rumors about them, right?"


    Mui narrowed her eyes at Alix. "Sis, no matter what happens, just stay calm tonight, okay?"


    "I am calm."


    "No, I mean even if you meet Kang Yuze."


    Alix glanced at her. "I know how to carry myself. I might have caused problems before but that old me is gone. So chill."


    Mui''s brow twitched.


    Well, we will see about your temper.


    "This is my cake!"


    "No, I got it first!"


    "No way you already had two!" Ailun glared at Ruwen.


    "I didn''t! You are being mean!"


    Ruwen grabbed the plate from him and ran ahead aimlessly until he crashed into a figure. The pastry got smeared on the dress and his eyes widened.


    He looked up and at the same time, Alix looked down. Her dress was ruined.


    "Ah...I-I am really sorry, Sis..." Ruwen looked afraid, realizing his mistake. Tears pooled in his eyes.


    Mui shook her head helplessly. "Sis, stop scaring him! He is just a kid and it was an accident."


    Xiao gritted her teeth. "She is not doing anything like that!"


    People murmured in disdain. "As I had expected of her. Ren Alix hasn''t changed."


    "Look how fiercely she is glaring at Chen Ruwen just because of a ruined dress. She won''t even spare a little kid."


    Alix squinted her eyes at Ruwen, the plate trembling in his hands. "S-sorry..."


    She bent down as if threatening to gobble him up but then tilted her head.


    "Stop crying kid. You don''t shed tears for idiotic reasons like these."

 Chapter 896: Pastry aunt

    On the other side, Kang Nanyou laughed. "I am glad you came, Han Shui. I was wondering why you previously refused."


    Shui smiled. "Business summits are not really my thing..."


    "Guess Yuze dragged you in anyway, haha."


    "I did have to convince her a lot," he shook his head. "Otherwise she would have shut herself in her room drawing and painting the whole night."


    "Don''t make it sound like it''s boring," she frowned. "It''s fun for me."


    "Going out and meeting people is fun at times too. See, we got to meet Liu Jin after so long."


    Jin silently observed their conversation to which he thought as low key playful bantering. It did express that they had become good friends.


    But was love in the mix too?


    It has got nothing to do with me, he tried to calm down his pounding heart.


    Jin smiled. "Indeed it''s been a long time."


    *Meow!*


    The two cats ran among the crowd as if their life depended on it and jumped on Shui with glee.


    *Meow*


    Shui was left speechless. "Oh my gosh, Jun-cute! Ai-chan! You are here too?"


    The furry cats rubbed their heads against her and she carried them in her arms with sparkling eyes. "Ah I missed you so much!! You look so beautiful!"


    Jun-cute was thoroughly pleased.


    Of course I am.


    Yuze asked, taken aback, "You have pets?"


    "Ah, they are not mine. They live at the Liu villa. Jin mostly takes care of them. The cats were with him in Paris too for over the years so I really missed them a lot!" she nuzzled her nose against their faces, her eyes tearing up.


    "Seems like you missed them a lot more than I thought," Yuze smiled.


    "Ah well..." she wanted to quickly wipe her eyes but the two cats kept her arms busy.


    A moment later, Jin took Ai-chan in his arms but instead of snuggling against his chest, she jumped on his shoulder and to the top of his head. She calmly pressed her paws and made her royal seat there.


    Shui burst into laughter, wiping the corner of her eye. "Cat hat. There goes away your hairstyle."


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    He noticed Alix''s ruined dress and Ruwen on the verge of tears. Ailun was also beside him.


    Xiao replied. "Just a small accident, Bro. Everything is fine."


    "Everything is not fine. You spoil sis Alix too much," Mui was speechless.


    "Because clearly you don''t," her eyes narrowed. "You always paint her in a bad light."


    "You want me to take her side for scaring a little kid?"


    "She wasn''t scaring him. You are blowing things out of proportion."


    Shui bent and ruffled Ruwen''s head. "Are you alright dear?"


    He wiped his eyes. "Aunt Shui, the dress..."


    Jin, too, reached carrying Ziyi in his arms. He looked down at Ailun, who looked bewildered and confused for some reason.


    Seeing Ruwen''s pitiful state, Yuze exhaled a sigh and threw a stern look at Alix. "Alix, can you not cause a scene for such a minor issue? Your dress can still be fixed."


    Alix raised her brow and scanned him from head to toe without a word.


    "Alix?" Yuze frowned.


    Shui gently smiled and consoled Ruwen. "Don''t worry. Aunt Alix is a good person. She is not mad at you."


    Ailun nodded sincerely. "Finally somebody who understands. As expected of Aunt Shui."


    Jin tapped on his head. "What do you mean?"


    He puffed up his chubby cheeks. "This aunt is not mad at us at all. She is actually cool though!"


    His eyes gleamed with gold. "She said,


    "Stop crying kid. You don''t shed tears for idiotic reasons like these."


    I was going to say the same thing to Ruwen myself!" He harrumphed. "He is too much of a crybaby when he already said sorry, so what Aunt said is right. And she said it so coolly!"


    Ruwen tearfully nodded. "Aunt is very cool."


    Ailun scrunched up his brows. "So I wasn''t understanding as to why this aunt-" he pointed at Mui, "is talking meanly to the pastry aunt."


    Alix''s brow twitched.


    Pastry aunt...


    Ailun frowned. "She never scolded Ruwen for the dress so why is pastry aunt becoming the bad person here?"

 Chapter 897: Then and now

    Mui was left flabbergasted. "What are you talking about? Sis was clearly angry!"


    "Somehow I feel that my sister understands my feelings more than the person herself," Alix smiled.


    Her brow twitched.


    Xiao said, "I have been trying to say the same thing since the beginning. But Mui always has to make things difficult."


    She glared at her. "I was only worried for the kid."


    Shui smiled. "Ruwen is fine and so is Alix. I am glad nobody got hurt. And Ruwen is a good boy. He swiftly apologized to the good aunt."


    Ruwen looked shy. "Mama taught me..."


    Ailun raised his hand with all his little might. "I also told Ruwen to not be a crybaby!"


    Jin chuckled. "Yes, yes. You did great as the elder cousin."


    Ailun felt proud.


    Yuze sighed in relief. "Well I am glad that things ended well."


    "Not really," Alix spoke, raising her brow. "Where is my apology?"


    Mui looked at her suspiciously. "What apology?"


    "You seem to have a problem with your memory, dear. Is it me who has woken up from the coma or you?"


    Her expression twisted.


    "I went through a terrible accident, was in a coma for four months and now I only came here for a change on Xiao and Shui''s insistence. I just wanted to have a fun time but I didn''t take even a step inside the Summit that I was already getting blamed left and right. And for a mere ruined dress?"


    She snorted. "Why do I have to worry about a dress? Doesn''t my sister own the family''s design business? You can easily arrange for a new one in a flash. I am sure you would have some good stock. We always have some clothes ready."


    Xiao nodded.


    "I thought my sister would kindly offer me one. How much time would it have taken to call for a new dress anyway? But alas...it didn''t even occur to you."


    "T-That..." she was tongue tied and on top of that, people''s judgemental gazes were falling upon her.


    Alix glanced at Yuze. "You should have thought about this too, right? I mean our families are business partners. But you were also quick to blame me, Kang Yuze."


    It was now that everybody, who saw the drama unfolding, was aghast.


    "Hey I thought Ren Alix will cause a scene seeing Kang Yuze and Han Shui together. But she is pretty calm."


    "Yeah I cannot believe my eyes. She always has been so obsessed with him but now she seems...normal?"


    "I only did what was right. Mom tells me to do the right thing and be a good man," he nodded.


    Jin arched his brow. "You are already a man now, huh?"


    "I am six years old. Dad says that I am old enough now. I should protect Mom from all the bad eyes."


    Shui choked. "What bad eyes?"


    "Bad men who would like to become my father."


    Their brows heavily twitched.


    "Bro really told you that?"


    He nodded.


    Jin smiled. "Don''t worry, Ailun. Your mother is safe. It''s only Bro who is madly in love with Zhou Ai. Others won''t be."


    "Really, Uncle?" Ailun seriously wondered.


    Shui smacked Jin''s arm.


    "Hey! What''s your deal?"


    "Why the hell are you still addressing Ai as Zhou Ai? She is your sister-in-law," she fumed.


    Jin''s expression looked sour. "You don''t need to remind me..."


    "I know you have accepted her so why does it not come on your tongue? Or perhaps..." Shui raised her brow. "Is this some sort of special treatment for your most favorite sister-in-law? Aww, I should tell this to sis Leina and sis Xing Bi. Ai is the first in your top favorite list~" Your journey continues at m v|l-e''-novelhall.net


    "No way!" Jin was speechless. "What special treatment? What top favorite? You are definitely drunk!"


    Shui rolled her eyes.


    Alix watched their exchange with an unreadable expression and glanced at Ruwen. She straightened up and said, "I will excuse myself now. I need a drink."


    Xiao asked in concern, "Should I come with you too?"


    "I am fine," she said flatly.


    Yuze asked Shui with a smile, "Shall we go too, Shui? I know some people who wanted to meet you."


    Shui threw a quick check at Alix and replied. "Okay."


    They walked past Jin after which he finally exhaled his breath he had been holding onto.


    Ailun tugged his pants. "Are you fine, Uncle?"


    Jin smiled. "Yes, I am fine. Of course I will be. Things are going...just the way I wanted them to be. I am very happy."

 Chapter 898: Catching up

    Shui went out to the terrace and walked fast towards the railing, her breathing becoming shallow and messy. She clutched the railing for support and finally exhaled the uneasiness she had been holding out for within herself.


    The city glittered in a mix of yellow and golden before her, shining brightly in the night. But the pleasing landscape before her didn''t calm down her heartbeats. She exhaled a breath, staring down at the city view.


    When she heard some footsteps behind her, she quickly cleared her throat and straightened her back.


    Who is it?


    "Is it you Yuze-" she asked as she turned back but froze upon seeing a different figure instead.


    Jin abruptly stopped in his steps too, unable to speak for a moment.


    She was expecting Yuze...


    "I didn''t know you were here," he quickly said to escape the awkwardness. He placed his cold hands in his pockets for some warmth.


    "I will leave. I don''t want to disturb you."


    Shui replied. "Oh no, you are not disturbing me. We are childhood friends. Since when do we disturb each other?"


    Jin scratched his chin. "...It seems that you were expecting Kang Yuze so I wouldn''t want to intrude."


    "Ah..." she slightly rubbed her palms. "It wasn''t like I was expecting him. I just thought it might be him."


    "I see."


    A beat of silence fell.


    Jin hesitantly and slowly stood near the railing too, albeit keeping his distance from her. Nobody knew what to say.


    In the end, Shui initiated. "We finally got some time alone to talk haha. Liu Jin was completely surrounded."


    He grimaced. "Don''t even start. It was tiring to keep meeting so many people so I came out for some fresh air."


    "This is just the beginning. This is like a pre-CEO warmup."


    He chuckled.


    "How were things in Paris? Oh how are Grandma and Grandpa Liang?"


    "O-Oh..."


    Shui pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear and silently looked away. "Yeah. It''s just that he doesn''t really like Xiao''s friendship with Alix so he was happy to see me getting along with her..."


    Jin gauged in her gaze that that was only a part of a reason. There was something more that tied her with Xiao and Alix, but it was clear that she was uncomfortable to share that.


    "Is that the only reason...?" Jin whispered to himself.


    "Did you say something?"


    Jin had a lot to say and a lot to ask.


    Was Kang Nanyou happy because he thought that Shui and Yuze would get together?


    Did Shui''s friendship with Xiao also bring her and Kang Yuze closer to each other too?


    Did that friendship turn into something more?


    Jin couldn''t ask the questions. The six years brought a wall between them that made him unable to pry into this aspect of her life. He was well aware that he had no right to complain either because it was a wall that he brought upon it himself.


    He gently smiled. "Nothing. I am just very happy for you."


    Kang Yuze is a good man and the Kang family also has a respectable business set up, he thought.


    If Shui...if they really ended up getting together then who better man for her than Kang Yuze?


    The thought stabbed his heart painfully and his breaths began to tremble. Before Shui could catch if something was wrong with him, he quickly said, "I will take my leave now. I intruded upon your time enough."


    She stared at him with slightly squinted eyes. "You didn''t intrude. Guess you didn''t change much. You are always so stubborn in believing the wrong things."


    He stiffened. With a faltering smile, he looked away and hastily left.


    As he exited, Shui noticed something dropping out of his pocket as he took his hands out.


    "Jin wait, something fell from your..."


    But he was already too far away to hear her voice. Shui shook her head and walked towards the fallen object herself.


    Reaching near, her brows knitted together seeing what laid on the ground. She bent and picked it up between her fingers.


    "...Since when did Jin start to smoke?"

 Chapter 899: Dinner together

    Back at the Business Summit, Alix was quietly sipping onto her drink, observing Shui and Yuze at a distance. This time, they were with Nuo and Siying and not some distant business partners.


    "Like I thought, you are not a good actor."


    Alix glanced at the side to see her sister scoffing at her side. "What did you want to prove?"


    "Prove?"


    She snorted. "With all that attitude from before. You want to show that you aren''t affected by Shui and Yuze''s closeness but you are. You even reprimanded Yuze which shocked me the most. Is this some new tactic to win him over?"


    She chuckled. "Is this jealousy I am smelling?"


    Her expression twisted. "I have nothing to feel jealous of."


    "Then why are you wasting your time with such an insignificant person like me? Go and invest your time with the businessmen out there."


    Mu.i''s brow twitched. She stared at her suspiciously. "Why are you talking like that? You have changed so much."


    Alix smiled again. "What can I say? I had an otherworldly experience in the coma. Let''s say it''s changed my perspective to look at people and things. I know what is more important now and what I can discard."


    She shrugged and jolted a little to suddenly find a woman standing before her.


    Guiying quickly apologized. "I am sorry. I didn''t mean to surprise you."


    Alix silently stared at her. "...Yes?"


    Mui was interested in the conversation unfolding so she listened in.


    Guiying said, "I came to thank you. I heard what happened from Jin and..."


    A small head popped out from behind Guiying''s legs, and he clutched onto her dress. His eyes sparkled at Alix''s sight.


    "On Ruwen''s behalf, I apologize for your dress and thank you too, for not being harsh with him."


    Ruwen tugged at her dress. "Pastry aunt said cool things!"


    Mui inwardly clicked her tongue.


    That''s boring...


    Guiying was dumbfounded and urgently corrected him. "Don''t call her pastry aunt! That''s rude."


    Ruwen pursed his lips. "Ailun also calls her that."


    She shook her head and awkwardly looked at Alix. "S-sorry for that."


    Alix didn''t respond much. She simply stared at the mother-son duo. "Not a big deal really."


    Guiying felt relieved. "Thank you again-"


    Alix fiercely said, "I don''t need connections."


    "So go and settle in the mountains. Why live in society then? Just shut up and let''s have dinner with them. Don''t forget that we are a business family too."


    She gritted her teeth but Mui didn''t care. She flashed a smile at them. "We will join you."


    ¡ª


    Ailun was sincerely staring at his plate and questioned his mother. "There are carrot slices in here, Mom."


    "Yes, indeed."


    "I don''t like carrots."


    "Your body likes carrots," Ai tickled his head, but he wasn''t amused.


    He looked up at Jun. "Dad."


    Jun raised his brow. "Don''t look at me. It''s healthy so I cannot tell you to skip."


    "Grandpa."


    Jinhai looked down. "How will you fight if you don''t eat carrots?"


    "Who do I have to fight anyway?"


    "The men here who are eyeing my daughter-in-law."


    Jun nodded. Ai''s mouth heavily twitched.


    "You and Dad can fight."


    .net


    "The baton goes to the son''s hands sooner or later."


    Ai didn''t know how to contribute to this conversation at all.


    Jin came to his nephew''s rescue and popped all the carrot slices in his mouth. Ailun beamed. "Uncle is the best!"


    Ai gasped in injustice. "And you say that I dote on him too much! What are you doing then?"


    Jin sneered. "This is the Summit. Let the kids eat what they want. He is not escaping healthy food everyday. Right, buddy?"


    Ailun nodded.


    At a distance, Jin''s gaze fell on Yuze who was talking to other businessmen but at the same time, his gaze seemed to be looking for somebody. He knew who it was and a tinge of uneasiness took root in his chest. He unconsciously put his hand in his pocket and blinked in confusion, not finding the item he was looking for.


    Where is my cigarette?


    "Are you looking for something Jin?" Shui asked, her shadow falling on his back.

 Chapter 900: Love is a powerful emotion

    Jin looked back and blinked. "Ah it''s..."


    He cleared his throat and said, "It''s nothing important anyway."


    "I see."


    He quickly looked away and picked Ailun in his arms. He grinned. "Let''s grab some more shrimps for you."


    He beamed and nodded hard. "Shrimps!"


    Everybody gathered at a big table which was large enough for the group to accommodate. Somehow, Jin ended up sitting beside Alix and on the other side, he saw Shui and Yuze taking their seats together.


    Chyou was the one to get things started. "Cheers everybody!"


    Everybody was at a little edge with Jin and Shui''s presence and more importantly of what Jin thought about Shui and Yuze.


    Ai and Nuo exchanged worried glances.


    Yuze raised his brow and remarked. "It must always be so much fun to enjoy it with you all. I have many friends too but this group is humongous."


    Mui added. "True. I thought the Summit will be very boring but it''s fun being here with you all."


    Nuo chuckled. "Well there are many families here and we all know each other very closely. Plus this isn''t even remotely fun as much as when my twin brothers would have been here."


    "Nuo..."


    "Sis..."


    Jun and Jin replied to her with a bitter expression. "Do you hate our peace?"


    "Don''t be so dramatic you two."


    "Indeed it''s more fun with the twins around," Ai nodded sincerely.


    "Nobody asked you!" Jin glared at her.


    "Don''t be grumpy. Shouldn''t we celebrate the evening for you? After all, the new CEO was introduced," she sheepishly grinned.


    Siying coughed. "I think the first rule Bro Jin will set in Liu Corps is sis Ai''s ban."


    Ai gasped. "Jini boy wouldn''t do that"


    Shui choked on her drink and tried hard not to laugh.


    Jin''s gaze darkened. "Now I will definitely ban you!"


    The banter continued and so did Shui and Yuze''s conversation.


    Mui sneakily threw a glance at Alix, worried if she would explode with their closeness but to her shock, she wasn''t even looking at them. It was as if nothing bothered her at all.


    "I am not sure which is why I am asking you."


    "To me, it looks like you are pretty much convinced."


    Jinhai stared at her. "Love is a very powerful emotion. It can make you commit a lot of idiotic mistakes. Wearing a mask to hide your feelings is the easier part actually."


    "It looks like you speak from experience."


    "Because I do."


    "And you think I won''t lie about my intentions?"


    He flatly said, "I will understand if you try to lie. It''s pointless to hide before me."


    Alix smiled. "...Yeah it''s not so hard to believe that," she then said a moment later, "You really love your son."


    "Most parents do."


    "Not all?"


    "We are humans. Foolishness can happen to the best of us."


    She said nothing for a few seconds.


    "Did you perhaps consider that Shui might also love him back?"


    "She doesn''t love Kang Yuze. That is a fact and I am not saying this out of my love for Jin. I just know."


    "Even then, things are bleak for them. Jin and Shui I mean."


    "Very, very bleak."


    "Still you ask."


    "He is my son. I want to see him happy. I don''t know why he is punishing himself and Shui like that, but that is not any solution."


    His gaze turned slightly icy. "Tragedy is not a solution I will accept for my children at any cost."


    Alix unconsciously shivered. But she calmed herself and said, "I am not interested in Kang Yuze anymore. Period."


    Jinhai scrutinized everything about that claim. Her gaze, her expression, her words and her little movements.


    He nodded. "I believe you."


    "Really?"


    He paused. "I said before. Love is a very powerful emotion. How successful are Jin and Shui trying to hide their feelings tonight?"


    "Not really."


    "Exactly," he meaningfully smiled. "If you really like Kang Yuze, you wouldn''t be able to mask it a hundred percent. Not in front of me anyway. Like I also said before, it''s pointless to hide before me."

 Chapter 901: History repeats itself

    Alix stepped out in the open compound and breathed out in the cool night air. When she saw a hotel attendant pass by, she stopped her and asked her something. The attendant nodded and went inside.


    As she waited, she suddenly sensed a bad foreboding and jerked her head back. She couldn''t see it clearly but a figure in a black coat moved across the compound. She didn''t know why or who he was but a chill arose in her back.


    A few minutes later, the sound of Jin''s shoes pressed against the ground. He blinked at her lonely figure and stood beside her. He was puzzled as to what Alix would need from him.


    "You asked the attendant to call me?"


    "Thought to help you out a bit," Alix shrugged.


    "Help?" Jin was suspicious.


    "Don''t look at me like that. I am not going to eat you."


    She took out a cigarette and passed it to him. Jin stared at it and looked back at her. "Why are you giving it to me?"


    "Because you need it."


    "...How are you so sure?"


    Alix smirked. "Considering what you are going through, I bet you need more than just one. It''s fine. Life sucks for everyone."


    His eyes narrowed. "If you are talking about Shui and-"


    "I am talking exactly about them."


    "You are over analyzing things."


    "Am I now?" She arched her brow. "Weren''t you so fierce six years ago? You couldn''t see Han Shui hurt at all, but now..."


    Jin took a step ahead with a cold smile on his lips. "I thought you changed. I genuinely believed it. But here you are trying to put things in my head that I am not even thinking about."


    "Then you shouldn''t be needing cigarettes."


    "I don''t smoke."


    "Nice try," she smiled.


    Jin''s brow twitched.


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    "What is she looking for?" He murmured to himself.


    He thought to ask her himself and had just moved when Alix suddenly and sharply leapt forward. His eyes widened.


    What is she...?


    Ai was still anxiously pacing around and didn''t notice the figure creeping behind her. But Alix was already running towards him at full speed. She was figuring out what to do with a lack of a weapon when the heavens smiled at her.


    One of the male servers of the hotel was hurriedly passing by carrying a plate of a big cake in his hands. It had a cake knife placed beside it.


    Not the perfect choice but something is better than nothing, she thought.


    Alix grabbed the cake knife, making the server stumble back in shock. "H-Hey where are you taking that away!"


    She didn''t bother answering and continued her dash towards the suspicious man. He was fully focused on Ai so he did not notice at first. He approached closer to Ai, but he soon felt somebody''s rapid footsteps approaching him.


    He turned to take a took and was shocked to see a woman madly chasing him with a knife in her hands.


    What the...!?


    He didn''t waste his time to think because he could see Jin rushing towards Ai from the other side too. He took a turn to the other side to disappear in the dark bushes when a sharp stab suddenly jolted him in immense pain.


    "Ahhhhh!!!"


    Ahead, Ai jolted with the sudden cry and looked back. A strange man''s back faced her with Alix stabbing his leg.


    "You okay!?" Jin ran breathlessly and asked. A few seconds later than Alix, he too, noticed a strange man quietly approaching Ai. Alarm bells rang in his mind but Alix''s actions shocked him even further.


    The man tremblingly looked back and was horrified to see blood oozing out of his leg.


    Alix had plunged the cake knife deep into the back of his right thigh with all her force. Since it wasn''t a sharp one like its counterparts, Alix had to put more strength into her attack and it worked.


    "W-what the hell are you doing!?" His heart pounded hard in his chest.


    Alix''s eyes squinted dangerously with a cold and twisted smile lifting her lips upwards, making him shudder.


    She moved closer and whispered with an eerie so that only he could hear her. "Long time no see, Cai Lingyun. I guess one death by my hands wasn''t enough for you that you walked right towards it yet again. How history repeats itself so wonderfully~"

 Chapter 902: Get rid of the nuisance once and for all

    "What the hell happened here?"


    Jin was flabbergasted to see the scene unfold before him. Alix, with a knife, had stabbed a man before her. Ai couldn''t fathom her actions either.


    But upon closer inspection, they realized the horrifying reality before them.


    "Ai?"


    Jun stood at the top of the steps and was puzzled to see her and Jin at a distance. His senses tingled that something was wrong and he swiftly made his way towards them.


    "Ai."


    Jun pulled her arm and softly hugged her against his chest. "What''s wrong? Why are you outside? I have been looking for you all over."


    "Jun..." she tremblingly pointed towards the man who was just stabbed.


    Jun blinked and turned, his expression turning the same as Jin. For a moment, he thought he was hallucinating.


    "Cai Lingyun?"


    Cai Lingyun was in no state to respond with a knife plunged deep in his thigh. Sweat swimmed down the side of his cheeks and his chest huffed breathlessly to grasp for some air.


    Suddenly a threatening shadow loomed over him and as he looked up, it was as if his soul was forcibly sucked out.


    "...What the hell are you doing here?"


    Cai Lingyun was in jail for all his wrongdoings. It was Zixin who had personally ensured his jail time.


    "He was released on parole, Bro. I just checked out," Jin said. "He behaved like a reformed person in these years and the parole officer granted him another chance."


    A vein popped on his forehead. "Reformed? A reformed man will stalk a married woman? That''s the entire reason he was here, right?"


    Jun turned and asked, "But what were you doing outside?"


    Ai was herself speechless seeing the hateful man before her after so many years. "An attendant came up to me and said that Ailun was in trouble. He got hurt outside. When I looked around, I didn''t see him anywhere either so I quickly headed out to check."


    His gaze darkened and he looked down at Cai Lingyun. "You planned this, didn''t you?"


    "Sh-Shut up! Can you not see that this mad woman stabbed me!? H-hospital...Take me to the hospital!"


    Jun glanced at Alix, who seemed unfazed and the least bothered. "How come you suddenly attacked him?"


    Alix yawned.


    This is laughable at this point...


    "Jun..."


    Ai stumbled in her steps and her head bumped against his shoulder. Her brows were furrowed with discomfort as she took his support.


    "Ai!?"


    He quickly supported her. "What''s wrong?"


    "Not...feeling well..."


    "It is definitely those mocktails you have been gulping back to back. Look, now your stomach must be hurting," his mouth twitched.


    Jin said, "Take her inside, Bro. You look after her and I..." his eyes squinted at Cai Lingyun, "will look after him."


    Jun nodded and swiftly picked Ai up in his arms. But before he left, he gazed at Alix and bowed. "Thank you for saving Ai. I cannot imagine what would have happened if this bastard had gotten his hands on her. Thanks a lot. I really mean it."


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    Alix stared at Jun for a long time. "Consider it as..."


    "As?" He blinked.


    "Nothing," in the end, she let it be. "Tell her to not fall into such silly traps."


    His mouth twitched. "She will blame it on a mother''s heart. I am sure of it. But I will give her a good earful," he smiled.


    Jin sneered. "Yes give her a good scolding."


    He shrugged and left.


    Alix stared at his retreating figure and whispered.


    "A mother''s heart huh..."


    "By the wat, what were you saying to Cai Lingyun just a few minutes ago?" Jin asked, blinking at Alix.


    She looked up and smiled. "Just thinking of the old times. Pay no attention to it."

 Chapter 903: Congratulations congratulations

    Jin collapsed back on his bed, heaving a deep breath of relief. The Summit was finally over. He loosened his tie and dumped it aside.


    *Meow*


    Ai-chan was staring at him, her eyes reflecting worry. It made him chuckle and he patted the top of her head.


    "Why are you looking like that?"


    *Meow*


    She nudged her face against his cheek and settled beside his face. Jun-cute was already royally seated on his chest.


    "Hahaha, you two are cute as always. Don''t worry. I am totally fine."


    Jun-cute only snorted at that, making his brow twitch.


    Suddenly, the door banged with a zesty excitement. "Jin! Jin! Jin!"


    Xing Bi pounded on the door with an excitement like never before. "Open the door quickly!"


    He tilted his head, confused. "What got into her...?"


    Carrying the two cats in his arms, he opened the door to see a brilliantly shining Xing Bi standing before him.


    "You are shining too much, sister-in-law. What happened?"


    "You will shine too once you hear the news. Come quickly to Jun and Ai''s room!"


    Bro?


    When they reached his room, he saw Jun''s eyes shedding tears. Ai was beside him lying on the bed.


    "..."


    Huh?


    "B-Bro, why are you suddenly crying?"


    Maybe Zhou Ai got really hurt somewhere...


    Nana clapped her hands in delight. "Ai is pregnant!"


    His eyes widened in shock. "Oh...Congratulations Bro!"


    The shock soon turned into pure and genuine joy and his expression brightened. "But why are you crying? Shouldn''t you be celebrating?"


    Ai helplessly touched her cheek. "Jun had cried a lot too when I revealed him about my first pregnancy. He is a softie."


    "I am not crying!" He said, while rubbing his eyes."


    "Then what is that coming out of your eyes and rolling down your cheeks?"


    "S-shut up. These are not tears at all."


    Her brow twitched. Enjoy exclusive chapters from m-v l''e|-novelhall.net


    The twins grabbed Jun and squished their brother in their arms. "We will becoming uncles again!"


    A soft knock sounded on the door and Alix turned. She arched her brow and said, "Yes?"


    "It''s me. Can I come in?"


    She shrugged. "Your house."


    A small cough sounded and an elderly woman stepped in. She closed the door and stared at Alix. Ren Cuifen, Alix''s mother, clasped her hands together.


    "I just came to ask h-how you are doing...Was the party too tiring?"


    "Not really. Tiring or not, it depends on the people you talk."


    "I see..."


    Ren Cuifen looked left and right in hesitation but eventually said, "I will take my leave then."


    "Is that the only thing you came to ask?"


    "...Yes."


    She slowly turned, her shoulders dropping as if she was defeated by something. She touched the door knob and her lips quivered.


    "Is..."


    Alix stared at her back.


    "Is she...really gone...?" she whispered.


    Alix saw her body softly trembling. It had taken every bit of her strength to ask that question, whose answer she already knew very well.


    "Are you r-really not my Alix...?"


    Ren Cuifen clutched the door knob tighter, her tears threatening to fall. Her heart pounded in fear but with a tiny hope too that perhaps, she would get to hear a different answer this time.


    "No, I am not."


    She froze and felt like she crashed to the ground, falling from a massive height. It was hard to imagine that something like this could happen in real life. But Alix''s words were always firm and unyielding ever since she had woken up from her coma.


    "Then...w-who are you?"


    Alix looked away and smiled, staring out of the window. "You better not know, Mrs. Ren. You wouldn''t be too thrilled to know the identity of the person who has taken your daughter''s body."


    Ren Cuifen breathed out slowly and closed her eyes. "I will take my leave."


    The silence in the room returned. It then broke with the sound of her phone ringing. She furrowed her brows at the unknown number.


    "Who is it?"


    "Hello. I am Liu Jun."


    Alix stared ahead at the empty space unblinkingly. "...Hello."


    "I am sorry for calling you out of the blue. I got your number from Shui."


    "I see."


    "Yes. Actually, I called you to thank you once again for saving Ai. Ai also wants to personally meet you. So I wanted to ask if you would be free to come to the Liu villa for lunch tomorrow?"

 Chapter 904: Past position

    Alix stood in front of the Liu family the next day with complicated feelings. The guards let her in and she walked towards the villa with slow and deliberate steps.


    "Pastry aunt?"


    A small head popped out of one of the small bushes in the garden. Alix stared at the little boy.


    Then three more heads popped out one after the other.


    "..."


    They multiplied...


    Aang, Taio and Baihu circled her curiously as if she was some historical specimen.


    "Don''t bother pastry aunt!" Ailun harrumphed.


    "We are only playing with her!" Aang defended himself.


    "She doesn''t want to play with you."


    He looked up at her and smiled with pride. "Pastry aunt likes me more."


    Alix raised her brow.


    Baihu frowned. "Ailun is silly. She cannot like you more because I am more charming than you."


    Ailun''s brow twitched. He let them be and asked her with a beaming face, "What is pastry aunt doing here?"


    "Your father invited me for lunch."


    He gasped in horror. "Dad? Dad did? Dad called another beautiful woman for lunch in front of the family? Is Dad cheat-"


    A smack landed on top of his head and Ailun looked up and behind him, rubbing his head.


    "Don''t say nonsense things," Jun threw a dry look at his son.


    Aang and the other two boys sneered. "Ailun got hit haha!"


    Ailun put his hands on his waist in confrontational mode and his small face looked extremely serious. "I...I am not scared of Dad because I care for Mom!"


    "Is that so?" He smiled.


    "Yes. Dad is being suspicious. Are...are you going to leave Mom alone...? Will you throw Mom out of the house and evilly laugh at her face with another woman at your side?" He sniffled.


    "Who the...hell teaches you this?"


    "Uncle Jian and Nian show me a lot of movies and Mom has told me a lot of stories! I hereby judge that Dad is not innocent!" He pointed his finger at him.


    "Do you want another smack again, drama queen?" His eyes narrowed.


    He blushed and sheepishly grinned.


    "That wasn''t a compliment...You are just like your mother," Jun shook his head.


    He glanced at Alix, who was calmly watching the antics of the kids before her.


    This old man is just hungry!


    "Be careful of your weight Grandpa," Nian sneered. "You are becoming fat."


    "The nerve of this brat calling me fat! Fat is your stomach you idiot! I am still the most handsome and desirable man in the entire Liu family. Hah, none of you buffoons can match up to my charm!"


    Nana intervened as the peacemaker as always. "Yes, yes. Dad is the most handsome. No fighting now. We have a guest here."


    Liu Hai was extremely pleased. "Hmph! Only Nana understands me."


    The second sentence made a certain someone frown. Jinhai tapped on her shoulder and pursed his lips. "What about me?"


    "..."


    "You are the most most handsome!" Continue your adventure at m|v-l''e -novelhall.net


    Ah the betrayal, Liu Hai''s heart broke.


    The villa looked as if spring had arrived and Jinhai''s gaze felt warm and satisfied. He kissed her forehead.


    "PDA alert! PDA alert!" The twins exclaimed. "Everybody close their eyes! Things are going to get spicy!"


    "Shut up Jian! You want me to beat you up!?" Nana gritted her teeth.


    "Please go ahead, Mom," Jin jeered. "I have my popcorn ready."


    "Shut up Jini-boy!"


    "Don''t call me that!"


    Ai, Leina and Xing Bi had already escaped to the kitchen to prepare for setting up the lunch with the adorable little gang of thugs following them like baby chickens.


    Jun sighed. "Please don''t mind them. It is always rowdy here like this."


    Alix stared at the chaos entwined with laughter, tomfoolery and energy. "...It doesn''t feel so bad."


    "Yes?" He thought he heard something.


    "Nothing."


    "I see. Please be seated. I will go in the kitchen and help them out," he smiled. "And also keep an eye on my wife who is definitely stuffing something suspicious in her mouth that she shouldn''t be."


    Alix threw him a side glance but said nothing.


    She remained standing for sometime until Jin came to her side and asked, "You are still standing?"


    "I am fine," she looked at him and smiled. "So did you end up using my gift?"


    "Gift? Which gift?"


    "Which I gave you in the garden last night."


    His brow twitched. "Like I said...I don''t smoke cigarettes."


    Alix only chuckled. "I have learned from my mistakes, you know. We only suffer because we constantly lie to ourselves. But then the time eventually comes when we have to face the truth no matter what. You...seem to be in my past position."

 Chapter 905: Expression of art

    The lunch was uneventful and the rowdiness from before only continued at the dining table. Nana was the only controlling factor who could rein in these pranksters or they would have caused a world war three over food.


    Alix, who somehow coincidentally got seated beside Jin again, glanced at him. He held Ailun in his lap, trying to feed him the boring carrots slices.


    "Oh my God I am so sorry!!!"


    A pair of hasty steps came from the entrance and Shui entered the Liu villa with her chest heaving breathlessly.


    "Oh my God...I am so sorry...Was busy...in an art exhibition..." she rubbed the sweat off her forehead.


    "Oh Shui, what a pleasant surprise!" Ai beamed.


    Jin stiffened.


    "Shuiiiii!" The twins got excited as if they were seeing her after a long time just like all the kids who were furiously waving their hands at her.


    "Yes, yes, please join us for lunch," Nana chirped. "But why did you arrive in such a hurry?"


    "Ah? Well Alix called me here and I came as quickly as I could. But I was stuck in an exhibition..."


    "Oh so Alix invited Shui too? That''s perfect!" Xing Bi grinned.


    Alix said, "More like I wanted to get my appointment done here because I was here anyway."


    "Appointment?" Everybody tilted their heads questioningly.


    Shui quickly replied. "It''s nothing really. It''s more of an art class really. Alix is interested in learning art so I teach her sometimes along with Xiao."


    She frowned at Alix. "What was the problem at your house?"


    "My little sister is too noisy."


    "Hey!!!" Jian and Nian somehow felt personally attacked. "Being noisy is not that bad..."


    Jun sneered. "Yes, please go ahead. Defend yourself more."


    Liu Hai was too busy to defend himself because he was stuffing his mouth with food.


    "We could have done it in my house too."


    "I am already here," Alix shrugged. "Too bothersome to head to the Han villa after this."


    Shui scratched her chin and apologized to Nana. "I am sorry if this is too sudden, Aunt but can we have our art class here?"


    She returned to Alix''s side, who was busy flipping pages through Shui''s sketch book with an unreadable gaze.


    "No, no! Don''t look at them. They are still incomplete!" Shui tried to snatch the book away but Alix didn''t let her.


    "What is the problem? Every future art is an incomplete piece of sketch in the beginning. It''s interesting to see the process forming from its hatching. Stories are like that too, you know." Discover stories with m,v l''e-novelhall.net


    Shui thought about something and burst into a soft laughter.


    "I didn''t say anything funny," Alix frowned.


    "No. I laughed because I thought about Ai. I have seen her on sleepless nights with her hair messed up and her face looking like a zombie because she had been working on her story draft."


    Alix stared at her. "Hm. Authors look all sparkly on the outside but the inside is a very different story."


    "Haha, I am starting to feel that I am stepping in her footsteps."


    "I know that."


    "Hm?"


    "I have seen your paintings from five years ago."


    "...O-oh! Ah those! T-They are really not that great actually...I was just starting out as a professional artist," Shui nervously pushed a lock of her hair behind her ear.


    "They are actually the best so far," Alix raised her brow. "Though I wonder why the themes all depicted loneliness. Was it the only thing you could relate to back then?"


    Shui laughed. "Haha, w-what are you talking about, Alix? My paintings have nothing to do with myself."


    "Of course they are. Art is an expression of yourself. At times you don''t realize it, but you tend to give shape to those feelings in your heart."


    Shui faintly smiled. "Why do I feel that you are taking my class instead of the other way around?"


    "Not really. I am just speaking up my mind," Alix said with a bored expression. "Can I get tickets to your future art exhibition?"


    "Of course! You don''t need to ask," she chuckled. "I will be happy to have you there. And Xiao too."


    "Don''t invite Mui. I want peace."


    Shui slightly widened her eyes with surprise. "Well, I have been wanting to ask you something for a while."


    Alix arched her brow questioningly.


    "You always liked your sister but for some time, I feel that you have grown distant from her. Before the accident, you relied on her quite a bit but not since you woke up from your coma. Is it... something to do with your accident?"

 Chapter 906: Art therapy

    Alix looked at her. "Accident huh..." .net


    Shui said, "I don''t want to put pressure on you regarding your accident. It''s just that...there is not much clarity about it."


    "I don''t remember much about it either. I fell from the stairs."


    "...Correct."


    Alix gave her a curious look. "Do you think that somebody was behind it?"


    "Ah, no no," she quickly waved her hands. "The accident happened at your home and your family was there at that time. Of course, why would any family member try to harm you?"


    "Harm?" She raised her brow. "You give too much credit to a family. At times, your family is your own enemy, you know?"


    Shui blinked. "Well...I wouldn''t say that it is not true. There are all kinds of people in the world."


    "Correct. So tell me what kind of a person you are?"


    "Me?"


    Alix said, "Yup. I have my memories quite jumbled up and they are all over the place. So I want to know what we are doing by learning art here? As far as I remember, I wasn''t so much interested in art. And why did I agree to take help from the woman I had clashes with six years ago?"


    Shui looked at her. "Well Xiao thought it would be a good idea if you focus on something other than Kang Yuze. You were getting too agitated because of him and of the people surrounding him, especially women. So she wanted to help you."


    "You know that could be easily interpreted as Xiao not liking me enough that she wanted me to learn art instead of chasing her brother and that too from a woman I accused once."


    Her eyes widened. "No way. Xiao truly cares for you."


    Alix stared at her. "Hm. At least I remember that part. So what is going on here?"


    "I am just teaching you art."


    "Correction. An art therapist is teaching me art, not an art teacher. So I wonder what am I doing with a therapist?" She then shrugged. "Well technically, you can be considered as an art teacher too but I highlighted doubt that you come to me with that capacity when there is a therapist tag against your name."


    "Okay and then?"


    "Then slowly you started to use grim colors like here. Your drawings couldn''t connect either. I could see your distress because you don''t know what you were drawing about. Then they become more chaotic as if you are fighting with yourself."


    Shui showed one drawing which was just a huge lump of black color violently shaded over the entire white page. There was nothing else. She looked at Alix to see any reaction but there wasn''t any.


    "This makes you understand my state of mind?" Alix asked.


    "Not a hundred percent but it does give some clarity."


    "But what does this conclude?"


    "I feel that you were a bright and confident girl before. The drawings when you remember those times signify the same as well. Xiao also said the same thing about your personality. But then as time passed, you began to lose your confidence and self-esteem and your later drawings denote exactly that."


    Alix frowned. She tried to search in her memories of any time that warranted such a change, but she couldn''t grasp it fully.


    "Do you remember something?"


    "Not really...Do you know something?"


    Shui hesitated at first but seeing the recent changes in her, she made up her mind. "It seems to begin from the time when Kang Yuze rejected you."


    "Sorry?"


    "Yes. You confessed your love to Kang Yuze but he didn''t return your feelings. That time coincides with the change in your basic personality-"


    "No, no. You are wrong. Why the hell would my personality change because of Kang Yuze?"


    Shui blinked. "I mean...you liked Kang Yuze so-"


    "When? When did I like him?"


    She was taken aback. "Always? You confessed to him, right?"


    "What? No. I never confessed to him. It was Kang Yuze who had confessed to me. I rejected him."

 Chapter 907: Drawing competition

    "...Are you sure of that?"


    Alix''s mouth twitched. "You think I am making things up? Well, maybe you feel that way because I kept chasing him around."


    "Exactly. Why would you chase him if you had rejected him?" Shui blinked.


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    Certainly, that didn''t seem so six years ago...


    Alix squinted her eyes. "Unfortunately, those memories are a bit hazy."


    "When did Kang Yuze confess to you?"


    "Don''t remember that either."


    "Then how are you so sure that things went that way?"


    "I just know. They are a part of my feelings. I don''t remember the exact day and conversation, but I still know that I never liked him that way."


    Shui was puzzled.


    This is really strange...


    She stared at Alix''s drawing of the black painted chaotic picture and pondered. She then asked, "Do you feel like drawing something now?"


    Alix was sipping on her coffee and arched her brow. "Oh my, is this therapy session going on?"


    "I would just like to know how you are feeling now."


    "I am not much of an artist."


    "Art therapy is about what you draw, not how well you draw it."


    "So this really is art therapy," she smiled. "I am being treated for my craziness."


    Shui smacked her head. "You are being difficult on purpose! You are not crazy. Neither Xiao nor I believe so. Just take this book and draw."


    Alix chuckled. "The therapist is being very jittery. What''s wrong? Are you missing somebody?"


    "Missing? Not really," she blinked, confused.


    "Think a little harder. Perhaps that person is right here in this house," she meaningfully took another sip of her coffee.


    Shui stared at her. "I don''t know who you are talking about."


    "Think a bit more. Childhood friends. Paris. Reunion."


    Shui breathed deeply. "There is nothing going on between Jin and I."


    "There was something going on six years ago~"


    "It was just a business trip."


    "Not for your hearts."


    Shui took another breath. "Things are a little different now."


    "So you do agree about missing him," she smiled. "Well then what''s stopping you? Your object of interest is right here, probably thinking about you too."


    She smiled. "We have moved on now. That''s why things are different. Now, take the pencil and draw."


    She simply shrugged and took the drawing book and stationery. The door slightly creaked open and a knock was heard followed by somebody clearing their throat.


    "May I come in?" Jin asked.


    Jin scratched his head to come up with an idea, but he didn''t get any. He peeked into Shui''s drawing board to which she glared.


    "No copying!"


    "I am not a cheater!" He glared back.


    "Hah. You used to steal my ideas back when we were kids too," she scoffed. "Turn your head to that side!"


    He gritted his teeth. "Just you wait! I will show you!"


    The competition ended thirty minutes later and everybody was ready.


    Shui clapped her hands in delight. "Oh my, these are all such beautiful drawings!"


    Jin nodded with appreciation too. "As expected of my talented niece and nephews."


    When the brothers saw Mina''s sparkling eyes filled with expectations, they unanimously came to a decision.


    "Mina wins!" The boys cheered.


    Mina beamed. "Really?"


    "Yay!"


    The adults - "..."


    Jin was sure that they were more afraid of Nian bursting out into flames of fury if he heard that his angel daughter had lost.


    Mina chirped. "As winner, I will ask Dada to make chocolates for us!"


    The boys shone.


    Shui shook her head. Alix said, "Well we didn''t get to judge anything then. Cool. Now it''s our turn."


    The kids eagerly took a look at the three drawings.


    Jin had drawn the two cats, Ai-chan and Jun-cute playing with each other. He coughed a little in embarrassment.


    "Jun-cute and Ai-chan!" The children laughed.


    "It''s really cute," Shui nodded earnestly.


    "Th-thanks..."


    Next was Shui''s turn. She had drawn about the children drawing in the competition.


    "This is me!" Ailun beamed.


    It was so beautiful and realistic that the kids were very happy to see their own picture drawn to perfection.


    She grinned. "Thanks."


    Jin was losing his confidence and he sighed letting out a chuckle.


    The last was Alix and she drew a picture of a little girl running around a garden as if she was searching for something.


    Mina sniffled. "Is she looking for her doll?"


    Aang said, "No silly. She is definitely looking for the lost cookie."


    Jin''s mouth twitched.


    Shui looked at the picture and was taken aback by the art style. It was clearly different and much clearer than Alix''s previous drawings.


    "...What is this girl looking for?"

 Chapter 908: The winners prize

    In response to Shui''s question, Alix stared at her quietly, her gaze contemplating something mysteriously.


    "I don''t know. She is still searching for it."


    There was a beat of silence which Ailun broke when he tugged her dress.


    "Don''t worry, pastry aunt! I will help her find what she has lost," he nodded with all earnesty.


    Jin smiled and ruffled his head. "Really?"


    He nodded. "Pastry aunt helped Ruwen and me at the party. So this time, I will help pastry aunt!"


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    Shui chuckled. "It''s Aunt Alix, silly."


    "Pastry aunt sounds more fun," he sheepishly grinned. "Right, pastry aunt?"


    Alix peered into his bright caramel eyes and bent closer. "She has been trying to find it for a long time, you know?"


    He nodded. "I will help her."


    His gaze looked determined and unwavering.


    Alix let out a smile. "I see."


    Aang, Mina and Taio burst out with excitement at the same time. "Me too! Me too!"


    Jin sneered. "Do Bro Jian''s sons know how to find things or only hide them?"


    The brothers glared at him.


    Shui said, "Okay, so tell us kiddos. Who is the winner among the adults?"


    "Pastry aunt!!!" They chirped together. "Pastry aunt wins!"


    Alix leaned back on her chair, smirking at her victory.


    Jin blinked. "The art teacher failed?"


    Shui scowled at him. "What do you want to imply with that?"


    He sneered. "Somebody was accusing me of copying their drawing. Seems like the art teacher didn''t fare so well either."


    "You keep quiet!"


    Jin snorted.


    Shui pitifully looked at the children. "H-How could you all betray your lovely Shui aunt like this? Isn''t my drawing better?"


    Apart from the fact that she wanted Alix to focus on the session by winning this small competition, Shui was very competitive too.


    Mina pouted. "The girl in pastry aunt''s drawing is cute."


    "Shut up."


    Come ooooooonnnn...


    As she exerted more pressure on his shoulder, her whole body slightly swayed towards him in an attempt to grab her target. Jin stared at her face that inched closer to his and her chest that was threatening to brush against his. He unconsciously swallowed a gulp down his throat.


    He focused on her eyelashes that fluttered gently, her brows that furrowed in dismay to catch hold of that pillow, her lips that pouted with struggle and her hair that swayed back and forth as she tried to reach him.


    At that point, Shui''s gaze too, fell at Jin and she stiffened. She realized the proximity and warmth between them and his beautiful jet black eyes strongly focused on her. She unconsciously swallowed a gulp too, her heart racing faster and faster. A tinge of blush greeted her cheeks with his handsome face so up close.


    "C-Can you..." Shui found it hard to breathe, "bend a little?"


    "Hm...?"


    Jin hummed in the sweet daze and lowered himself to her height.


    Suddenly, his hand only held air as Shui successfully grabbed her target. "I got it, ahahaha!"


    The stupor broke apart and he blinked rapidly. He looked up to find his hand empty.


    "..."


    The children burst into hearty laughter. "Uncle Jin was so silly."


    "Uncle Jin lost!"


    Jin''s brows twitched heavily and he gritted his teeth at Shui. "You cheated!"


    She was dumbfounded. "Don''t be so salty now! I played it very fairly!"


    How in the world was that fair...? You played with my heart!


    But it wasn''t like Jin could accept that loudly in front of everyone.


    Alix smiled. "So boys, what do you learn from this?"


    Ailun, Aang and Taio tilted their heads.


    "Don''t bother competing with girls. You will only lose very miserably. Women have many weapons at their disposal to compromise for where they lack~"


    Shui''s mouth twitched. "Somehow...that makes me look like a villain..."


    "Would you not agree that you played a crafty trick over there?" She chuckled.


    Shui averted her gaze, slightly coughing. Though she was looking all calm on the outside, her heart was in a mess.


    "A-anyway, since you won, what do you want me to do?"


    Alix cocked her brow up. "I don''t want you to do anything. It''s Liu Jin."


    Jin, who had finally calmed down now, heard her. "Me? What do you want me to do?"


    She smiled. "I want you to join me in Shui''s art therapy sessions."

 Chapter 909: Long road ahead

    "What?" Jin looked at her, incredulous. "I should join you in...Shui''s art therapy sessions?"


    "Yup."


    "A-Alix...! What are you talking about?" Shui demanded an urgent answer too. Continue reading on m_v--novelhall.net


    She shrugged. "Yeah why not? It''s boring to be all by myself. I will enjoy some company. Also, I believe Liu Jin would find it beneficial too."


    "...How will I find it beneficial?"


    "Everybody has troubled hearts," she smiled. "It would be nice to use art as a medium to express yourself."


    He stared into her eyes with a hint of warning. "I am not troubled."


    "Sweetheart, that''s what everyone wants to believe about themselves."


    "Don''t call me sweetheart."


    She chuckled. "Why, you want somebody else to call you sweetheart?"


    His brow twitched.


    This woman...


    Shui quickly said, "If Jin says that he doesn''t n-need it then, we shouldn''t force him."


    Alix frowned. "You don''t want to help your childhood friend?"


    "Of course it''s not like that! Don''t put words into my mouth!" She glared at her.


    "Then what''s the problem? It''s a nice way to connect for all of us and understand each other''s feelings."


    They stiffened.


    Understanding each other''s feelings was exactly what they didn''t want to do.


    "Liu Jin has returned after six years and will now take over the company''s responsibility. It can become overwhelming, you know. It will become so even more now~"


    "Don''t talk like you know me," his gaze darkened.


    "Do you want me to spill the specific reason why you would feel even more overwhelmed?" she asked, sneakily eyeing Shui.


    His warning gaze turned even more severe which Alix casually ignored.


    "You don''t get to reject it anyway. I am the winner of the competition and we have agreed to the terms."


    How would I know that you were planning this!? I would have refused! Jin screamed internally.


    Alix laughed, reading his mind. "It''s too late now. It''s a pleasure to have you on board."


    He clenched his jaw.


    "It''s a good deal, you know. You don''t look too far ahead, Liu Jin. Isn''t it a good chance to know more about Shui and Kang Yuze''s relationship?" She lazily stretched her arm.


    "...I don''t want to know about them."


    "Don''t fool yourself, honey."


    "Don''t call me honey."


    "Why, you want Shui to call you honey?" Alix hit it straight to the heart this time.


    The veins continued to pop on his forehead.


    Alix said, "Do you care about your own heart more than Shui? What if Kang Yuze is not a good man for her?"


    He immediately straightened up. "What do you mean not a good man?"


    She lied about the next part without any qualms. "Kang Yuze could have his own intentions in getting close to Shui. Shui is from the Han family after all and compared to her family, the Kang family is only well-to-do. Perhaps, he is taking advantage of Shui and Xiao''s friendship to weave his place in her heart."


    "Which could be said about the Ren family too."


    "Don''t forget that Xiao brought in Shui first and introduced us," she sneered. "I am just saying to be alert~"


    He pressed his lips inward, a small seed of discomfort growing root in his heart. He grabbed the now empty plate and stormed out without saying anything.


    Alix felt a tug on her dress and she looked down at Ailun watching her curiously. "Is Uncle Kang bad?"


    "Who knows?" she shrugged.


    "You don''t know?"


    "He should be a good man I guess, but who cares?"


    He gasped. "Does it not mean that you lied to Uncle Jin?"


    Alix raised her brow. "Sometimes lies are what gets you out of your predicament, you know. Lies are not bad, provided you know how to use them effectively."


    "But Uncle Jin will misunderstand Uncle Kang. It can cause fights and Grandma says fighting is bad," he nodded.


    "Do you like to see your Aunt Shui with Uncle Jin more or Uncle Kang?"


    "Uncle Jin!" He said it in a heartbeat.


    "Then we are onboard," she smiled.


    "You will teach a kid to lie?" Ailun held his waist.


    "I will teach you to be real in the real world. So buckle up. It''s gonna be a long road ahead."

 Chapter 910: Party invitation

    "Yes Yuze?" Shui asked as she walked on the corridor outside.


    "Hey, Shui. Sorry, was I disturbing your class with Alix?"


    "Not at all. Alix was not taking the class seriously anyway."


    He chuckled. "She wouldn''t like your classes anyway. She hated art back in college. I feel guilty though. Xiao is dragging you into all this."


    "Don''t worry about it. In fact, I feel happy though. Alix seems serious enough to be wanting Jin to join the art classes too," she slightly pressed her lips at that.


    "Hm? Wait, I don''t understand. How does...Liu Jin come here?"


    "Well, I am at the Liu villa right now. Alix is here too."


    "Oh..."


    "Yes. We were just having a silly competition and Alix won," the taste of defeat was still bitter on her tongue, "So she asked Jin to accompany her for art classes too."


    "Ah. So what did Liu Jin have to say?" He asked with a slow pace.


    "I don''t really know. But Alix won the competition so that''s her demand. She seems to have made up her mind," she released a sigh. "Anyway, what did you call me for?"


    "A-Ah? Oh yes..." he cleared his throat. "I just called to ask if you could join me in my company''s small party. My company has been performing exceptionally well since the last two quarters so I thought to organize a small celebration for the employees."


    "That''s sweet."


    "Yup, Mui will be there too. You know our companies are partners and of course Xiao will be there as my sister. I am pretty sure she would drag Alix in there too, so she would most definitely call you too. I am inviting you before she will."


    She chuckled. "Okay. I will be there."


    "I am sorry though. I know you don''t like to attend parties so much and we just had the Summit," he sighed.


    "Don''t be like that. I am happy to join."


    "Great. Then...shall I drop by the Han villa to pick you up?"


    "S-sure," Shui quickly replied and immediately bit on her tongue in lament.


    I didn''t want to trouble him...


    "Perfect! Then I will be there by seven. Catch up with you later."


    "See ya. Oh wait-"


    But Yuze had already hung up by then. She softly sighed.


    I will ask him later...


    Shui breathed out in silence and turned in a daze. "Ah!"


    She gasped out with Jin''s broad chest suddenly coming up in a close up view before her eyes. She placed her palm on her chest. "Y-you scared me!"


    ¡ª


    Kang Yuze could have his own intentions in getting close to Shui.


    Perhaps, he is taking advantage of Shui and Xiao''s friendship to weave his place in her heart.


    Alix''s words echoed in his ears like some curse and anxiety spilled in his heart.


    "Party? Do I hear a party?"


    Ai popped in from behind, her face glowing with happiness. "I want to go too!"


    She scurried towards them and brightly looked at Shui. "Can I join in too?"


    Jin frowned. "Why are you so excited? We don''t really have anything to do with the Kang family."


    "I like parties and gatherings. I get a lot of inspiration and writing material."


    "So basically, we are guinea pigs for you."


    She nodded and his gaze darkened.


    Shui said, "I can ask Kang Yuze. I don''t think it will be a problem but are you sure? Shouldn''t you be resting?"


    She pouted. "I am bored. Either it''s the house or Sky office for me."


    Jin sneered. "Is it really boredom or are you eyeing the mocktails over there?"


    Her brow twitched. "I don''t go to parties for mocktails..."


    "Then why did Bro have to scold you for it?"


    "It''s not nice to be hung up on the past, you know."


    He scoffed.


    Shui shook her head. "Well, I will drop him a message. You would be a welcome addition."


    Ai clapped her hands in delight. "Perfect!" She wrapped her arms around Jin''s and chirped. "It will be a fun evening, Jin!"


    Shui''s eyes widened and Jin, too, looked at her, dumbfounded. "Say what? Why am I included in this?"


    "Jun is busy tonight and he would definitely want a bodyguard to keep an eye on me even though I really don''t need any guarding," she mumbled the last part, "So you take his place. He wouldn''t mind me going if you will be there too."


    He was speechless. "Not interested-"


    Ai sneakily pinched his arm, making his brow twitch heavily.


    "That is a yes, right?" Ai narrowed her eyes.


    He gritted his teeth.


    How dare she threaten me!


    "...Fine! I will come with you too!"

 Chapter 911 : Moved on?

    "This was a mistake, Zhou Ai!" Jin urgently whispered near Ai''s ear, who was busy choosing the next appetizer in line to eat. She picked up a puff made up of some bread with a thong and happily placed it on her plate.


    Then she looked at Jin. "Did you say something?"


    His gaze darkened. "Listen to people when they talk."


    "The music is a little loud here."


    "I am saying that it was a mistake coming here. This is Kang Yuze''s company party. Why are we even here? I know you are here just to eat out of Bro''s view, which I won''t let you do it anyway."


    She glared.


    "But there is no point in me coming here!"


    "Why not? Shui will be here. Ren Alix and Kang Xiao too. You should make new friends," her brows furrowed. "And the main point here is why we didn''t go to the Han villa to pick Shui?"


    "...I-I mean it wasn''t necessary really. Wouldn''t she come by herself?"


    Just then a black car arrived at the entrance and Yuze stepped out from the driver''s seat. The Kang company employees cheered upon seeing their CEO.


    Yuze walked around and opened the door to the passenger seat. Shui, dressed in a beautiful coffee color dress, stepped out and smiled at him. The employees turned on their gossiping mode.


    "I told you something is going on between our CEO and Miss. Han Shui! They are always together nowadays!"


    "He even invited her to our company party. What else would it mean?"


    Everybody''s whispers and talk was falling on Jin''s ears and he pressed his lips slightly. From the back passenger seat, Xiao also came out and accompanied her brother and Shui.


    Ai glanced at Jin, whose expression didn''t look so good. "Well, he certainly went ahead to pick Shui up."


    "...What is the problem with that?"


    "You should ask that yourself."


    Yuze smiled at his employees as he entered and said, "Continue with the party guys. I will raise a toast when everybody is in. Stuff up your stomachs all you want."


    The crowd cheered him.


    Shui found Ai and raised her arm. "Ai!"


    Ai eagerly waved her hand too. "Shui, you look so pretty! I love this dress. It makes me think of Jun''s eyes," she blushed a little.


    "Which you lost so show some sportsmanship. Are you that afraid of getting close to Shui?"


    "There is nothing to get afraid of!" He glared at her. "You are just having fun at my expense, don''t you?"


    She sneered. "I have better things to do and my definition of entertainment is not so boring."


    She limped and walked and stumbled off balance. Jin caught her arm and helped her stand straight. "Why don''t you ask someone to get you a new pair? It''s still not too late."


    Alix narrowed her eyes. "Somebody did this to embarrass me and I am not afraid of a challenge."


    "Your sister?"


    "She is going to pay for this," she smiled. "Don''t you dare interfere."


    "You are already interfering in my life though," he dryly said.


    "Will you believe me if I say that I have a certain someone''s permission to meddle in your life?"


    "You are drunk?"


    She shrugged. "I wish I was so that I just sleep through this boring party and tadah! I will be back home already."


    "Then why did you even come?"


    "Why did you come?"


    "I was forced," his gaze darkened.


    "Ah, how our fates match so perfectly. Somebody has to prove that she is a good sister so here I am."


    "Leaving you here alone to come by yourself in a broken heel is not really proving anything."


    She shrugged. "Who said a human''s thought process can be understood?"


    Jin offered his hand without a word. Alix chuckled. "Shui will feel really hurt."


    "...I already said that we have moved on."


    "So it didn''t hurt you when she came with Kang Yuze?" she smiled.


    He froze.

 Chapter 912 : Get on the dance floor

    The party continued after Yuze''s toast and he went busy talking to some of the investors. Ai, who was sipping on her strawberry milkshake, threw a glance at Jin. He was in turn staring at Yuze talking and greeting everybody really professionally.


    "Why are you staring at Kang Yuze?" Ai asked.


    "I am not specifically looking at him."


    "You are specifically looking in his and his group''s direction. Is there something bothering you?"


    Jin frowned and looked at her. "Focus on your milkshake."


    "I already am."


    He rolled his eyes and leaned back on the couch. A minute later, he asked, "That man Kang Yuze has been talking to. He is one of the Han Corps'' shareholders."


    Ai blinked. "Is that so?"


    "I wonder what their connection is."


    "Don''t all business people just know each other?" She scrunched her brows.


    "Well enough to come to his party?"


    "You don''t know him well enough either but here you are anyway."


    He gnashed his jaw. "And I wonder about the person who dragged me here without my will."


    "I wonder about it too."


    He scoffed.


    "Why did you mention him?"


    Jin couldn''t find any particular reason. "Just like that..."


    He shifted a bit restlessly and sneaked a few glances at Ai. He cleared his throat. "Seems like he is close with the Han Corps. Is there some business partnership that is going to happen?"


    Ai tilted her head. "I didn''t hear Shui say anything like that. But does it really matter? I mean, even without the Han Corps, Kang Yuze is close to the Han family anyway. He and Shui are such good friends."


    "The rumors say otherwise..."


    She sighed. "If there is something going on between them anyway or something could happen in the future, then I don''t see anything wrong with it. But..."


    "But?" His ears perked immediately. "But what? Is there something wrong?"


    "I don''t like Kang Yuze for Shui," she pursed her lips.


    "Why not?" His eyes narrowed. "Is it something related to Kang Yuze?"


    "It''s related to you."


    "Me?"


    His mouth twitched. "Let me complete."


    "This party will be over if I let you complete," she furrowed her brows. "Bye. Love you!" Ai hung up.


    Jun on the other side - "..."


    Just you come back!


    Back at the party, an employee came forward and said as he held the mic. "Now that all the greetings part is over, how about we begin the real party? Let''s get to the dance floor, guys! The formality part is over!"


    "Wooooohhh!!!" Cheers roared across the hall.


    "So what are you waiting for? Find your dance partner and get going! Maybe..." he smirked, "we might find some hidden couples and confessions in the making~"


    The cheers amped up with more excitement.


    Ai''s gaze burned with a fiery determination.


    I need to get Jin and Shui dancing together at any cost!


    She began her hunt for Jin while Shui remained with Xiao.


    Xiao chuckled. "So who would you want to dance with Shui?"


    She scratched her chin. "I will enjoy it from here."


    "No way! You have to pick a partner!"


    A shadow soon approached them and Shui looked at Yuze. He raised his hand forward and offered. "May I?"


    The employees erupted into even more chaos.


    "It''s nothing guys," Yuze rolled his eyes. "Calm down. It''s just a dance."


    Nooo!!!


    Ai sobbed at the situation going out of hand.


    Where are you Jin!? I will pinch your ear if I don''t find you today!


    "W-Well..." Shui asked a little hesitantly, "Are you sure?"


    He was surprised. "Of course. Why would I have second thoughts? And don''t mind my employees. They are just kidding around. Nothing serious."


    Shui didn''t have any plans to participate but with everybody''s gazes upon them, she relented. "Okay."


    She put her hand in his and they went towards the dance floor amidst the roaring, eager shrills.


    At the same time, Jin was back from his sneaky little trip from smoking and his gaze immediately fell at the center where Shui and Yuze were. He shook for a moment as they stood closer to dance.


    He shut his eyes and exhaled deeply for a long moment. As he opened his eyes again, a figure stood in front of him and he was slightly taken aback.


    Alix smiled, offering her hand. "Care for a dance?"

 Chapter 913: Failed relationship

    Jin blinked rapidly, surprised at the invitation. "Why do you want me to dance with you?"


    "Because I feel pitiful for you. Is that reason enough?"


    His gaze darkened. "I don''t need your pity!"


    "But I need some entertainment," Alix frowned.


    He sneered. "Not my problem."


    "Will you accept my hand or should I scream at the top of my voice about your feelings for Shui?"


    He scoffed. "You won''t do that."


    "You know you can try to hide that smell with a gum, but you have definitely smoked, right?"


    His eyes narrowed.


    She smiled. "Why would you smoke at such a cool party? Are you sad? Are you depressed?"


    He glared at her.


    "Dance with me or I will scream. And I will scream if you don''t agree. What do I have to lose anyway? My reputation is already in the dumps," she chuckled. "Oh, you can also use this chance to make Shui jealous~"


    Jin grimaced and accepted her hand. "I don''t want to make anybody jealous. And I want you off my back, so let''s get this over with."


    "I am not getting off your back anytime soon," she laughed heartily.


    Mui, who was dancing with one of the reputed professionals, watched in shock as Alix came on the floor with Jin. Not only her but everybody had their jaws dropped.


    Yuze''s eyes slightly widened. "Alix and Liu Jin will be dancing...?"


    Shui, too, was surprised to see that Jin would agree. Usually, he never liked to become the center of attention. Then she considered Alix''s nature and sighed.


    She must have threatened him for sure... .net


    The music started and as everybody danced, the more burning question in everybody''s mind was about Jin and Alix. At first, Alix chased after Yuze but ever since she woke up from her coma, it seemed that her craziness for him had settled down.


    "Well, during our last art class, she had something different to say. She said that you had confessed to her instead of her confessing you and she rejected you."


    Yuze stared at her, speechless. "Huh? That''s...the complete opposite of what actually happened."


    "That''s what she is sticking to."


    He shook his head. "Then it''s definitely her memories that are messing up her mind. I don''t blame her though. Ever since our breakup, she hadn''t been in control of her emotions...Maybe her coma is mixing up the order."


    From the other side as Alix and Jin were tuned to their own dance, she smiled. "It''s nice to see people''s envy."


    "Envy?" Jin raised his brow.


    "Look at how the women are biting on their nails with frustration. A previous madwoman is sharing a dance with Liu Jin. How come she deserves to dance with him? Has she now changed her target from Kang Yuze to Liu Jin? I want to dance with Liu Jin too," she mimicked their pouted expressions with a touch of her own comedy.


    His brow twitched. His gaze then fell upon Shui and Yuze.


    "That''s the eleventh time you are looking that way. So insulting when a beautiful woman is right in your arms~"


    He scowled. "I am not looking at them."


    "Sure if you say so," she said insincerely.


    "Why did you offer to dance?"


    "I like to spite people."


    "..."


    "Don''t look at me like that. Touching people''s sore spots earns me some very interesting reactions."


    "You like people cursing you?"


    She snorted. "Only cowards curse. I like people who are courageous enough to act on their stupid impulses. I like it even more when I can use their little acts of impulses for my own purposes."


    "I have no clue what you are talking about," Jin gave up. "You only talk in circles."


    "Ah trust me, Liu Jin. The party has been very boring. It''s now that the real fun will begin~"

 Chapter 914: Cute trickery

    "Jin!"


    Jin saw Ai puffing her way towards him with her hands on her waist. "Where were you?"


    Jin and Alix were just done with dancing. "Dancing?"


    "Before that."


    "Outside for some fresh air. Any problem?"


    "Fresh air huh..." Alix whispered meaningfully that Jin''s ears caught easily. He threw her a glare.


    "I was searching for you!" Ai said with a hint of frustration.


    "And now you have found me."


    "Too late!" She complained while throwing a look at Shui, who was still dancing with Yuze. Her plan was to get them to be dance partners.


    Ai pursed her lips and after brooding for a moment, she grabbed Jin''s hand.


    "What?"


    "I am bored sitting in one place so let''s dance," she chirped.


    His brow twitched. "I don''t want to dance with you."


    "I am your sister-in-law."


    He smiled. "Precisely why."


    "I am also a naturally lovable and warm person. Who wouldn''t want to dance with me?"


    Alix stared at her, trying hard to not her lips twitch.


    Ai pouted. "Just for sometime. Please?"


    Jin released a sigh and took her hand. "You are impossible."


    "I am convincing is what you should say hehe~" Ai grinned.


    And so they went back to the dance floor. Jin tried hard to not focus his attention towards Shui, but the more she and Yuze laughed and talked, the more uneasy he felt in his heart. He just wished for this dance to get over as soon as possible.


    Ai looked into his hurt gaze and slowly said, "This reminds me of that time."


    He forcibly tore his gaze away from her and looked at Ai questioningly as he twirled her around once. "That time?"


    "Mom and Dad''s anniversary banquet. You and I were dancing just like now and Shui was dancing with Jun. And you are staring at Shui right now just like you did back then. Guess some things never change."


    ¡ª


    Jin made Ai sit on a bench near the washroom while Shui brought a glass of water for her. "Ai, here. Drink some water. You will feel better."


    "Hmm..."


    Find your next adventure on m_v l|e-novelhall.net


    Jin fidgeted with his hands. "Should I take her to the hospital? Wait, should I call Bro instead?"


    Ai suddenly coughed hard and waved her hand. "I-I am fine...Just a little bit dizzy."


    "Ai, are you feeling nauseous?" Shui asked with concern.


    "A little perhaps...I will go to the washroom. Can you two wait for me?"


    "Let me come with you too."


    "No, no, I will be fine-"


    Jin glared at her. "Don''t be silly. Let Shui accompany you too. You cannot even walk straight."


    Maybe I overdid with the acting part...Ai coughed.


    "I will be fine. I will call for Shui if I need help," and she quickly walked away.


    Jin shook his head. "She should have been at home resting...Ugh, I shouldn''t have listened to her."


    Shui patted his shoulder. "Don''t blame yourself. Ai is not sick. It''s the usual pregnancy symptoms. You have seen it during Ailun''s time, right?"


    "Yeah but I am supposed to take care of her and I-"


    "You are looking after her," she chuckled. "Man, you are such a tsundere."


    He scowled at her. "Huh?"


    She snorted. "You claim that you dislike Ai so much but look at your face just now. You looked just like Jun, panicking and all. Very cute. Like brother, like brother, haha."


    He glared at her.


    "That glare is also cute. Just like Jun''s."


    A vein popped on his forehead and he angrily laughed. He pinned her against the wall with his forceful steps and smiled. "I can also show you that side of mine which is not so cute at all."


    Blocked by his wide chest, Shui gulped a little as she looked up. Her breaths lost their rhythm.


    Jin leaned closer to her face and whispered, "Shall I?"

 Chapter 915: One step forward, two steps back

    Shui felt a layer of heat spreading across her neck, tingling it crimson with the proximity. "...I was just t-teasing you."


    He sneered. "I don''t think so."


    "Cute is a compliment, you know?"


    "I would rather prefer the handsome adjective," he snorted.


    "Why do I need to tell you that though? I already know you are handsome. But more people should learn of your cute-"


    Jin threw a warning glare to her side, cutting her off mid-sentence. He pinched her chin slightly upwards and narrowed his eyes. "Is Ai brainwashing you?"


    Her hands were mildly trembling at their place. Her eyelashes fluttered gently that made her unable to look into the depths of his jet black eyes. That small action was enough to bring a small tremor to Jin''s lips. Their merry banter flew out of the window and he stared at Shui with a gaze that held a million of jumbling thoughts.


    The thought of Shui and Yuze coming together for the party.


    The thought of Yuze introducing Shui to his world as if there was something special between them.


    The thought of Yuze asking her for a dance.


    The thought of Yuze holding her as they had danced.


    The thought of Shui slipping away from his hands...


    He lived six years in Paris exactly to make peace with the fact that Shui would no longer be his. Despite knowing her feelings, he refused to explain anything to her and left for a distant land where he hoped the memories wouldn''t haunt him.


    Yet...


    Yet when he saw Shui for the first time in six years, it was so easy for the warm memories to flood back.


    But he had a promise to uphold. A promise that protected his brother''s family and happiness.


    A jolt spread through him as the reminder of the promise cruelly splashed icy water on this little moment between them. Shui caught the little realization that struck him that immediately put a huge wall between them yet again.


    It was the same anguish she had seen in his eyes in Guangzhou during their business trip.


    The anguish that not only hurt but which pained Shui too...


    As the realization of the current situation dawned upon her, she quickly took a step back. "I-I forgot I had something to do. I will take my leave. Call me if Ai needs any help..."


    He stiffened.


    Seeing her escape brought forth a feeling as if something paralyzed his arms and legs. He bit his lip hard, cursing himself in all the languages he knew.


    "Hey. You are still here. I thought you would have already run off."


    Alix smiled. "I wouldn''t run away so early. The party has just started."


    "I think it''s close to ending."


    "I mean, the real party."


    "Real?" Shui furrowed her brows but she was too lethargic to play her word games. "Thanks for the drink but Yuze is already bringing one for me."


    "So?" She shrugged. "Have both. Will your stomach burst if you had two drinks?"


    Her brow twitched. She sighed and took the glass. "Thanks."


    She took several sips in succession and felt relief wash over her throat. "Ah that felt nice..."


    "Much better than being trapped between Liu Jin''s arms?"


    She stiffened. "You..."


    "I was heading my way to the washroom but then I saw you two. And then I had this really cool intuition that I shouldn''t disturb you two," she chuckled.


    "No-Nothing happened! We were just talking."


    "That is what is so saddening for you, right? Talking but no kissing," she smiled.


    "You..."


    "Hey," Yuze returned with a drink and was surprised to see Alix. He saw Shui''s face flushed and asked, "What''s wrong? Wait, toh already have a drink."


    Shui pushed it back in Alix''s hands and glared at her. "I don''t want it anymore." .net


    "Tsk, so petty."


    Yuze stared at Alix with squinted eyes but he didn''t let it linger for longer. He smiled at Shui. "Here. Your drink."


    "Thanks, I think Xiao is calling me," she craned her neck.


    Shui threw another glare at Alix and left. Alix didn''t bother and was about to leave when Yuze called out. "Wait."


    She stopped and turned back, frowning. "What?"


    He walked two steps towards her and asked, "Why...Why did you mislead Shui about your confession? You said you rejected me but that is not true. Why did you lie to Shui?"

 Chapter 916: Old tricks

    Alix squinted her eyes. "You think I am lying about the confession when I remember rejecting you?"


    Yuze slightly widened his eyes. "But we dated in the past and I broke up with you-"


    "Because I was getting unbearable?" She smiled.


    He frowned. "I think your mind is still jumbled up because of the coma."


    "Yeah sure. Everything that you can''t explain or goes against you should be related to my coma," she sarcastically gave him a thumbs up.


    His gaze slightly turned cold. "I just don''t want you to lie to Shui. She trusts you as a good friend and I don''t want her to get hurt."


    She arched her brow. "Oh my, you really love Shui. So caring and protective."


    Yuze narrowed his eyes. "Alix...if you are doing all this to get my attention, then please stop. We are over and I don''t want Shui getting dragged in all this."


    She shrugged. "Then go ahead and tell her to stop with the art classes. I don''t mind. That is, if you are ready to tell her that I am the least bit interested in you, yet you want to disturb everything that is going well for no reason."


    Yuze paused. "No reason? You are wrong, Alix. There is some reason at least. If that reason is not me, then are you..." he was still doubtful but said it anyway, "doing this to get Liu Jin''s attention?"


    Alix arched her brow with amusement.


    "You two talked to each other outside at the Business Summit and tonight at the party, you offered to dance with him. You also want him to be a part of your art classes. Did you lie because you want to give a clean image of yourself? That what happened in our relationship was my fault?"


    "You are right."


    "Sorry?"


    "I said you are right," she shrugged. "I like Liu Jin."


    That left Yuze dumbfounded. "...Seriously?"


    "Why? Is it wrong to like him? I don''t see a problem," she rubbed her chin, "He is rich, handsome and single. I am rich, beautiful and single. One single man plus one single woman equals...?"


    He got her taunt but grimaced. "He likes Shui."


    "So it is the other way around too but is that stopping you from getting close to her?"


    Wiping her cheeks, she dazedly opened her contact list when she faintly heard the sound of somebody''s footsteps tapping against the floor. She froze. Her heart sped fast.


    Was it the person who spiked her drink? Was he coming to take her away?


    Color drained from her face and he quickened her movements.


    Come on, come on...


    She was anxiously sliding her finger against the screen to find the name of the person to call, but her reading abilities were worsening. It all looked like a bunch of black text bubbles on a white screen.


    The footsteps suddenly took speed and what felt like walking before was rushing towards her at full speed. Shui gave up on her phone and struggled to stand. Running away was a better option than getting caught.


    But a hand touched her shoulder and she stiffened. Shui didn''t give up. She violently shook off the man''s hand.


    "Let go of me you jerk! Don''t you dare touch me!"


    Shui heard him talking but she couldn''t make out his words. This time, she felt her arm getting grabbed and once again, she violently threw it away.


    "You...g-get away from me!" she stumbled, rapidly losing her sense of judgment and decision making. Tears fell from her eyes.


    I am done for...I am...losing...


    Suddenly, a burst of icy cold water got splashed on her face, and she gasped. The abrupt chilliness felt so jarring that it left her disoriented for several moments. But little by little, the world didn''t feel so spinning anymore.


    "...Shui?...okay?"


    She blinked rapidly in a daze and saw somebody''s outline in front of her.


    "Shui, I am...to you! Can you...hear me?"


    She felt another splash of cold water across her face, and she shuddered. Her headache lessened and now she clearly recognized the face and the voice.


    "Shui, please talk to me!"


    Despite the slightly double vision, she saw Jin''s face marred with worry and fear. Tears fell once again but this time with the gripping fear leaving the walls of her heart.


    Not afraid any longer, Shui let her body give up and collapsed in Jin''s arms.

 Chapter 917: Unbridled rage

    "Kang Yuze, why are you standing there all alone? Come on, it¡¯s your party. Enjoy it with everyone," Mui walked up to him with a grin.


    She pointed at his employees. "Everybody is playing games and getting drunk. So go. Let them also get a chance to let loose with their CEO. Don¡¯t worry, I will be sure to capture all the embarrassing moments."


    Yuze rolled his eyes. "Very funny. I will join them soon enough, but..." he looked around, "I am not seeing Shui anywhere."


    Mui raised her brow. "Oh my, you want her to join you too? Like a big happy family?"


    He slightly cleared his throat. "Not like that. I just want her to have fun. But where is she though?"


    "Must be somewhere. I..." she looked around, "I don¡¯t see Alix around either."


    "She would be-"


    Suddenly, a hand ominously grabbed Yuze¡¯s shoulder, threatening to crush his bone under its deadly pressure. Yuze was forced to turn and face the blast of wrath of the man standing before him and gritting his teeth. Mui was, too, taken aback.


    "Liu Jin?" Yuze was confused. But what was more puzzling was his source of anger that he was directing to his shoulder to break it.


    Jin almost dug his palm into his shoulder to which he turned slightly annoyed. "What are-"


    A punch landed on his face the next moment. There were no heads or tails of any conversation or explanation, just pure rage flowing into Jin¡¯s knuckles. It was a pretty strong punch that knocked Yuze off his balance and he stumbled heavily.


    The merry atmosphere dropped into a steep silence.


    Yuze somehow regained his footing and touched the corner of his lips. Blood smudged on his thumb. His gaze darkened and he stared at Jin, mirroring his anger.


    "What...the hell do you think you are doing, Liu Jin?"


    Ai snaked around the crowd and came out at the center of the retaliation. Her eyes widened at Yuze¡¯s state and she rushed to Jin¡¯s side. She lightly held his arm, concerned and anxious. He looked at her and whispered something in her ear.


    "What?" Her shock increased ten fold. "Is she okay?"


    Amidst the hushed whispers, Yuze stared at him blankly. He couldn¡¯t figure out where things went so wrong. But then, something suddenly occurred to him.


    "Wait. It wasn¡¯t just my drink that Shui had!"


    Jin¡¯s expression twisted.


    "Before I gave Shui the drink I brought, she was already having another drink. The drink that Alix gave her!"


    Jin¡¯s eyes narrowed at the same time as the crowd let out another round of shocked gasps.


    Ren Alix?


    Ren Alix spiked Han Shui¡¯s drink?


    Everybody¡¯s gaze immediately fell on Alix, who was leaning on the wall adjacent to the bar. She frowned. "Why is everyone looking at me?"


    "Alix..." Yuze pressed his lips. "Shui was drinking something else before I came to her and you were the one who gave her that drink. I had even mentioned that Shui probably didn¡¯t need the drink that I brought because she already had yours."


    It was that lightbulb moment when everybody felt that the situation perfectly fell in its place.


    "Oh gosh, Ren Alix did it because she was jealous of Han Shui!"


    "She wanted to ruin her!"


    "Such an actress! Ren Alix claimed that she has moved on from Kang Yuze, but she actually hasn¡¯t!"


    "Her change was just a farce!"


    The scathing gazes would have burned anybody in Alix¡¯s place to a crisp, but she stood poised and unaffected.


    "How is it my fault?" She shrugged. "I wasn¡¯t really in the mood for the drink so I casually asked Shui to have it in my place because she was thirsty. I gave the glass to Shui that was in turn handed to me by my sister, Mui. So if anything, ask her."

 Chapter 918: Anger and bitterness

    Jin sharply questioned. "Who gave you the drink?"


    "Well, it was my sister Mui but I don¡¯t see how that is relevant," Alix tilted her head.


    When all the gazes fell upon Mui, she felt her breaths stuck in the throat. Her heart was hammering in the chest the whole time since Jin first punched Yuze and demanded an answer.


    "W-what? What sis saying is not true! I didn¡¯t hand over any drink to her!" She blabbed out.


    Alix blinked. "Then how did I get the glass?"


    "I don¡¯t know but I cannot believe that you would blame me sis," she gritted her teeth, her eyes getting teary. "Is it because Mom and Dad trust me with the family business and not you, so you are feeling jealous?"


    "Excuse me? I am not interested in the family business. So I don¡¯t see a point in being jealous when I don¡¯t give a damn about it. Also, that was a nice try to divert the topic but I didn¡¯t get the drink from a ghost," she smiled.


    "Sis, please don¡¯t lie. Yuze and Liu Jin might still forgive you if you come clean and apologize. But don¡¯t drag me into madness! You don¡¯t even have evidence that I gave you anything, but you are still blindly shooting arrows at me!"


    Alix¡¯s smile only widened which unnerved Mui for some reason. "Who said I cannot prove myself? You think that you gave me the drink away from everybody¡¯s sight so nobody would really remember, but I am pretty sure you were touching the glass when I took it from you. I mean obviously it would look stupid if you hold the glass with a handkerchief or gloves to not let your fingerprints come on it."


    She froze.


    "So you see little sister, if you push my buttons too far, I will not hesitate to make a whole deal out of this, which includes calling the cops here and handing them the glass for fingerprint analysis. Since you were never even around the glass according to you, you shouldn¡¯t feel so worried about the results, right?"


    Mui gulped hard. Everybody¡¯s scathing gazes bore into her as if urging her to deny Alix¡¯s claims. But her mouth failed to open. Alix looked dead serious about taking it to the cops if she wanted and if they were involved then...


    "It...It was just..."


    The crowd was shell shocked.


    His gaze darkened. Though Jin surely apologized for his misunderstanding, he did hold another accusation in his heart too.


    "I will take care of her. You...take care of your party and the people that you invited," he said icily. "Hopefully, you bring sensible people from next time or don¡¯t bother dragging Shui in such parties in the first place."


    Yuze narrowed his eyes. "I have invited only the known people in my circle. There are no strangers here, including Ren Mui. I have known the Ren family for years. How would I have predicted that she would slip up like this? Can the host really vouch for everybody¡¯s intentions when they hold a party?"


    Jin was well aware that it was a far fetched accusation and it was practically impossible to be a hundred percent sure. But when he remembered Shui tears, the fear in her misty eyes and her attempts to escape to protect herself, he couldn¡¯t help but feel angry and sour. Fury blazed in his heart.


    Surely, Mui was the main culprit but if Yuze hadn¡¯t insisted Shui to come to the party in the first place, then she wouldn¡¯t have gone through such horror that no woman should ever come across.


    Jin simply stared at Yuze and walked away but not without his gaze warning him to back off for now. Yuze understood the same and didn¡¯t insiste on see seeing Shui any further.


    He squinted his eyes at Mui, making her jolt. "I think we should talk." Your journey continues on freewebnovel


    ¡ª


    Shui gently opened her eyes in a daze, the room still spinning in front of her eyes.


    "You are awake!" Ai heaved a sigh of relief. She quickly brought a glass of water for her.


    Shui suddenly woke up with a jump, remembering what had transpired. "How am I here?"


    "Jin brought you. You don¡¯t remember?"


    She blinked twice. The last part of her memories before she passed out were fuzzy. But now, they were slowly coming back to her. She recalled seeing Jin¡¯s face and collapsing in his arms a moment later. She held her aching temples.


    At the same time, the door opened and Jin stepped in.

 Chapter 919: Pure evil

    Ai stood up and placed her palm on Jin''s shoulder. "Stay here with Shui and make sure you drop her home."


    "Wait, what about you?"


    "I have already called Jun to pick me up," she smiled. "He is almost here."


    She whispered near his ear. "She needs you the most now."


    Jin said nothing and simply nodded. Ai excused herself and left, filling an awkward silence behind. He walked up to her and gently took his seat beside her. Her slightly reddened eyes still expressed the horror she felt.


    Jin saw her quivering hands clasped together. He pressed his lips, gauging the right and wrong choices. But he figured there was nothing right or wrong in this situation.


    He gently placed his hand over her trembling hands and firmly pressed them. "It''s all okay now."


    His gesture and words exhibited the assurance she wanted to feel. He hesitated for a moment and stretched his hand to wipe away the moistness from her eyes.


    "Who did it? Who had spiked my drink...?" She asked with a bitter expression.


    Jin''s own gaze darkened with rage. "Ren Mui."


    "What?" She was dumbfounded. "Why would she...she plot against me?"


    "It wasn''t against you but against Alix. The drink was meant for her to consume but she offered it to you instead unknowingly."


    Jin felt something jarring as he said it out loud.


    Unknowingly? Was Alix really unaware...?


    He squinted his eyes. The Alix with whom he had few conversations till now post coma seemed to be too smart to fall for such a trap.


    Wait a minute, she did say something about teaching her sister a lesson tonight...


    It was at the time he helped her outside before the party started. Since Ren Mui naturally got exposed during Jin and Yuze''s scuffle, was it not possible that Alix had planned it beforehand?


    If it is like that and she used Shui for her own purposes then...


    A vein popped on his temple.


    Mui angrily laughed. "And yet you wanted to do the same with Shui."


    "You see now that was not stupid. That''s the difference between you and me. Unlike you, I think two steps ahead."


    "Huh?"


    She smiled. "How would I have exposed you had I consumed your drink? Nobody would have believed my drunken babbling or it is more right to say that everybody would have just thought that I probably drugged myself to get Kang Yuze''s attention. Throw myself at him."


    Her mouth twitched.


    "On the other hand..." Alix''s eyes sparkled with joyful mischief, "because I involved Shui, the reality suddenly became very credible, right? It wasn''t a story or a lie anymore. People wouldn''t have believed me who acted crazy before, but nobody would have dared to ignore Shui''s plight.


    Han


    Shui''s plight to be precise," she emphasized her last name a few notches deeply.


    Mui stiffened.


    "And through Shui, Liu Jin got involved too, which I knew would happen. He was the icing on the cake. So now two big families got involved. The Han and the Liu families~ Giant families where people generally don''t think to mess with."


    Mui shuddered. Jin''s ultimatum was still fresh in her mind. He was going to destroy her.


    "I could have just thrown the drink if I wanted to," she shrugged. "But then where is the entertainment if I won''t drag you down for plotting against me? It was more about making you the Liu and Han family''s enemy rather than me protecting myself."


    She gnashed her teeth hard and in a fit of rage raised her hand to slap her. But Alix caught her wrist and pressed it so hard that made Mui see stars in front of her.


    "Ahhh!"


    Alix violently pushed her back against the car and narrowed her eyes. Mui trembled hard. Suddenly, Jin''s terror seemed like nothing in front of her eyes that leaked of pure evilness.


    "You see, little sister," Alix whispered icily. "I don''t really remember what problem you have with me. I am even willing to forget the fact that it was you who had pushed me down the stairs."


    Mui froze.


    "I don''t care who you are. I don''t care if you run the family business. I don''t care if you want Kang Yuze all for yourself. I just want you to stay out


    my


    way and let me live peacefully the way I want. Trust me, you really, really don''t want to mess with me because..." she leaned, whispering in her ear, "you have no clue who I really am."

 Chapter 920: Drive back home

    Jin drove Shui back home in silence. But soon, the silence started to feel suffocating. He peeked at her and looked back at the road.


    "I didn''t get to ask you before. Why do you think Alix was targeted? I mean even before tonight''s incident happened..."


    Shui''s expression turned slightly solemn. "Well..."


    Jin slightly tilted his head seeing her hesitation.


    "It was around two years ago when Xiao came to me for help."


    "Why would Kang Yuze''s sister need your help?" He frowned.


    She scratched her chin, trying to think where to start the story. Find more chapters on m_v l|e-novelhall.net


    "To help Alix and help her mend her personality change."


    He blinked twice, more curious than before.


    "Xiao thinks that the way Alix acted before, including the time in Guangzhou where she tried to splash water at me or cursed at me for trying to get close to Kang Yuze - she says that Alix wasn''t like this before."


    "Maybe, but love changes people, sometimes for the worse."


    Shui shook her head. "It can but Xiao is sure that it''s not relevant in Alix''s case. Alix was a bright and confident woman before and she had her own mind. She was not the type of person to cling onto a man and keep chasing after him by sacrificing her self-esteem."


    Jin recalled the couple of times he talked to Alix and he admitted that the latter conjecture fitted the most with her. But equally was the truth that he had seen her acting crazy and unreasonable before.


    "So?"


    "So Xiao thinks that something caused her personality to slowly change over time especially after her breakup with Kang Yuze. As more time passed, she grew more unreasonable and stalkerish which Xiao knows for sure is not her personality at all. Alix wasn''t the begging type."


    Jin could now vouch that Alix didn''t fit to be in that category at all. There was something mysterious about her. He didn''t feel that way in the past but he believed the post coma Alix he was seeing.


    "But then how can you help her?"


    Jin regained his composure and asked, "Did you learn anything during the time you were giving art therapy lessons?"


    Shui sighed. "For a long time, Alix refused to even meet me because she remembered the trip and hated me. Xiao finally managed to coax her in the end. Her drawings do express a lot of confusion. Like...she is helpless. She doesn''t know what she wants but is still running towards it blindly."


    "Strange..." he muttered.


    "Seeing Alix now makes me believe that whatever it was affecting her finally washed away when she woke up from the coma. But the question still remains as to what happened to her in the middle?"


    By that time, they reached the Han villa and Jin stopped the car in front of the gate. A moment of awkward silence remained.


    "I will take my leave...Thanks for dropping me and...for your help back at the hotel too..."


    "Are you sure you are okay? I should come with you to drop off till home."


    "No, no!" Shui quickly said, "Mom and Dad will definitely sniff out that something went wrong and I don''t want them to know what happened at the party. It will just worry them unnecessarily."


    "Those are valid worries for parents to have."


    She frowned. "Don''t act too grown up."


    He shrugged. "I am a handsome twenty-seven years old mature man."


    "..."


    "Jin! Shui!!!"


    They turned and saw Nuo furiously waving her hand at them from a distance. Jin smiled and waved at her from inside the car.


    "You came to drop Shui off?" She loudly asked from a distance trotting towards them.


    He nodded.


    "What did you say? You will also stay the night here? That''s so awesome!! It will be fun!"


    Jin and Shui - "..."

 Chapter 921: Big sisters deviousness

    Zhiyuan tapped his finger on the table, his brows furrowing continuously as he stared at Jin seated opposite him.


    "What is going on?"


    "I just came here to drop Shui off. That''s all."


    "And you did. So how did it translate to you staying the night here?"


    "Sis Nuo is insisting," Jin pressed his lips.


    Zhiyuan also pursed his lips in return. "Is she missing her family?"


    "No it''s not-"


    "Are we not treating her well enough that she still misses her family so much?" He burst into tears. "I have failed."


    "..."


    Jin cleared his throat. "Uncle Zhi, it''s not like that. Of course she loves it here. It''s just one night anyway."


    "You don''t understand the significance of just one night!"


    Xinyi came in just then, bringing some hot chocolate for him. "Here," she grinned.


    "Thanks Aunt."


    "Why is Zhiyuan crying?" She blinked.


    He sniffled. "Nuo doesn''t like it here, Xinyi. She is definitely missing her family so much."


    Jin threw a helpless look at Xinyi to which she sighed. "As always, you overthink."


    "Mom is right! Who made my sweet Dad cry?" Nuo pouted and rushed to Zhiyuan''s side. Behind her, Siying carried Muyang.


    "See who is here Muyang. It''s your Uncle Jin."


    Muyang stared at Jin and his eyes immediately sparkled. He cooed and babbled, his hands flailing furiously at him. Jin obeyed his nephew''s command and took him in his arms. "Hey buddy. As chubby and adorable as always."


    "Baaaaaa!!!" Muyang giggled against his chest.


    At the same time, Shui slightly coughed and quietly joined in too.


    Nuo flared her nostrils. "So who made my Dad cry?"


    I shouldn''t have nudged the tigress...


    Xinyi warmly said, "Just call me if you need anything, okay dear?"


    "Y-Yes Aunt..." with a pounding chest, he followed Shui upwards.


    Xinyi grinned. "Hehe it feels so nice to have Jin here."


    Zhiyuan restlessly said, "Siying could have also shown him the guest room."


    She threw him a glare.


    "W-what? Shui is my precious daughter!"


    On top of that, he was well aware of their complicated relationship and feelings. He couldn''t help but switch on his overprotective mode.


    Nuo chirped. "Don''t worry Dad! Shui is your precious daughter and my sister-in-law which is why I insisted Jin to be here. I want them to make up as soon as possible."


    Zhiyuan choked hard and he clutched his chest. He really really loved his daughter-in-law but that same daughter-in-law was plotting to mend his daughter''s relationship with the man she loved. If she succeeded then it meant he could get to hear the wedding bells soon.


    Zhiyuan held mixed feelings.


    "M-My daughter-in-law is so sweet and caring..." He said that while his heart bled.


    Xinyi and Siying, who had no qualms about the plan, nodded their heads.


    Nuo pouted. "See? I care so much about my little brother. I wonder why he would call me devious, hmph."


    ¡ª


    Jin breathed out with a big relief as soon as he stepped into the room. "Haash."


    Shui, who was taking out the blankets and other necessities, raised her brow. "What happened to you suddenly?"


    "Better I don''t tell..." he adjusted his tie, recalling Nuo''s murderous expression.


    A few minutes later, Shui coughed and said, "I have taken everything out that you might need. If you need anything else, you can call me or Bro."


    "Sure."


    A moment of awkwardness hung in the air after which Shui quickly trotted towards the door. She turned the doorknob.


    Jin noticed her struggle and blinked. "What''s wrong?"


    Shui gulped and turned back very slowly. Her expression held confusion and incredulousness. "The door is locked."

 Chapter 922: Locked in

    Jin applied force to the doorknob as much as he could, but the door refused to budget. "I think it got jammed..."


    Though he could guess what was probably happening, he wanted to give this whole situation his benefit of the doubt. But a few minutes later of fruitless tries made him finally believe that they were locked in.


    He pressed his lips.


    This is definitely sis''s work...


    Was this always her plan or she thought about it because I almost exposed her in front of brother-in-law?


    His phone buzzed with a message just then that was none other than from Nuo.


    ''Good night, little brother~ I am sure you would be jumping in joy with my gift, right? Right? Worry not. Nobody will disturb your private time with Shui~''


    A look of horror flashed through his face.


    Sis!!!


    He was frantically typing back when he got another message.


    ''Also, you know not to raise an alarm and free Shui from the room, right? I have an image to maintain, you know~''


    A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his cheek. It wasn''t a question but an ultimatum laced in a threat.


    "Is it working?" Shui asked.


    "Not really..."


    "Oof. I think there is really some problem with the door then. It cannot get suddenly locked out, right?"


    He closed his eyes.


    If sis is here, then yes it''s possible...


    "Let me call Bro here," she sighed.


    "No!" Jin grabbed the phone out of her hands, taking her aback.


    "Huh? What happened?"


    Jin placed his hand on his chest trying to pacify himself. Shui blinked in confusion. "Is everything alright?"


    He struggled to smile. "It''s...gotten late. Everybody has already retired to their rooms so...it''s not nice...to disturb them..." he said as a broken whisper.


    Her eyes slightly widened. "But how can we stay here locked in for the entire night? We have to tell someone. And don''t worry. Bro is a late sleeper," she rolled her eyes.


    "Don''t worry. I figured it out by myself. You didn''t rat me out so you are safe. Mom won''t kill you."


    Yeah because I will be already dead by sis''s hands by that time!


    "Pleaaaaaaase."


    Shui''s jaw dropped. "Was my Mom always this terrifying?"


    No, it''s sis but you better not know that side of hers.


    Her heart ached seeing Jin in such a pitiful state, moreso because this shady plan was her mother''s concoction.


    "Fine...But I will definitely need to talk to her tomorrow. She cannot bully you like this," her brows furrowed.


    Yeah, tomorrow''s problem is tomorrow''s concern!


    "I owe you my life!" he wiped his eyes and tightly pulled her into his relieved embrace. "You are the best!"


    Shui blinked rapidly. Her body was suddenly pressed against his with his arms firmly wrapped around her back. A tickling feeling arose in her stomach that made her eyelashes slightly tremble. Jin was hugging her on his own.


    It feels nice...she couldn''t help but think.


    When the threat looming over Jun''s life dissipated, he realized what he just did. He quietly withdrew and couldn''t meet her gaze.


    "T-that...I got too excited. I am sorry..."


    Shui stiffened. Her expression dropped and she pursed her lips. Jin took a glance at her and his own countenance slightly paled.


    Damn it, you stupid Jin! I made her all uncomfortable now! Control your emotions!


    Jin fidgeted around a bit but eventually walked towards the bed and grabbed a pillow. He cleared his throat. "I will sleep on the couch."


    Shui stared at him and simply nodded in response. It made him feel even more miserable.


    They freshened up taking turns and got changed into comfortable night pajamas, which the guest room''s wardrobe strangely held extra sets of clothes.


    Sis had planned quite far ahead...he shook his head.


    Jin laid back on the couch and stuffed the pillow near the head rest.


    Shui asked, "Are you sure you will be comfortable on a couch?"


    "Yup. Don''t worry about me," he smiled.


    "...Okay."


    They didn''t talk much after that and switched off the lights. Shui pulled over the duvet and breathed out in silence. She couldn''t help but get slightly nervous with Jin''s presence. She stopped herself from thinking about it and closed her eyes.

 Chapter 923: Unfulfilled promises

    Jin tossed and turned on his couch but couldn''t get sleep no matter what. He laid on his back staring at the ceiling.


    This is not a big deal really. Stop overthinking...


    He placed his hand over his forehead, releasing a tired sigh. From between his fingers, he peeked at Shui. He thought she was soundly sleeping by now, but he noticed some movements from her side. Her legs seemed to constantly fidget inside the blanket as if she felt uncomfortable somewhere.


    Jin blinked and quietly stood up. He walked towards her slowly and scanned her from top to bottom. Upon closer look, he also heard some soft distressed murmurs and mumbling from her lips. A light layer of sweat had formed on her forehead.


    "Shui?" He whispered.


    She made a muffled sound and moved restlessly. Jin sat on the edge of the bed near her and gently shook her arm this time. "Shui."


    Seeing her tremble, he quickly placed his hand on her forehead.


    She doesn''t have a fever. But at this point, she also began to feel breathless.


    "Help...please...Jin..."


    His eyes slightly widened and he scooted closer. "Shui, I am here. What''s wrong?"


    "...Go...Don''t touch me..." a small tear escaped the corner of her eye.


    Suddenly, it struck Jin.


    She is having a nightmare. The incident at the party...


    He gnashed his jaw, his fury for Mui bubbling even deeper. A murderous flash of light passed through his eyes, but he forced himself to calm down.


    "Shui, Shui. It''s me. I am Jin. Wake up."


    When he didn''t get any response, he shook her shoulder slightly harder which woke her up with a gasp.


    Shui stared dazedly ahead, her heart pounding in her chest as if somebody was hammering on it ruthlessly. Feeling moist on her forehead, eyes and near her ears, she heaved breathlessly.


    Her lips formed a small smile. "Would a friend go as far as cutting off the bad man''s arms and legs?"


    "...My brothers would do that for you. You know it."


    "Hm, I agree. And you?" She asked, "Would you punish the bad people for me only as a friend?"


    Jin couldn''t immediately answer the last part of the question. "...Yes."


    "What if...I want more than that?"


    He stiffened. "That''s not possible..."


    "Why?"


    He pressed his lips inwardly in silence.


    "Do you like somebody else?"


    "No," that answer was immediate.


    "Then do you like me?"


    He bit his lower lip.


    She smiled. "I take it as a yes. So you like me, but you cannot go further than that for some reason. Yet, you still promise that you will always be by my side. That''s a little cruel, don''t you think?"


    He panicked. "I...! I didn''t mean it...I mean..."


    Jin wasn''t sure himself what he was trying to explain.


    "Don''t..." Shui''s lips slightly quivered. "Don''t make promises that you can''t keep, Jin. I was lucky that you were at the party tonight. But remember you weren''t supposed to be there, right? Ai forced you to come. If she hadn''t, then..."


    Jin paled. "Shui..."


    "You won''t be by my side, Jin. Just like how you weren''t there for the last six years. B-but you still act in a way that makes me feel you will. It gives me hope. It makes me happy. I...don''t want to live in that hope again, Jin. It''s very painful because then I crash land and I realize that ah... it''s hurting everywhere."

 Chapter 924: Ball of fire

    Jin tossed and turned on the couch restlessly. His chest felt stuffy and he felt difficult to breathe. He stared at Shui, who looked to be sleeping more peacefully than before. He clenched his fists.


    What was I doing...Shui is right. I had no right to utter such foolishness.


    I am just...How can I say such cruel things to her!


    He pressed the space in between his brows, frustration bubbling in his heart. He turned on his side facing Shui and breathed out silently. He closed his eyes slowly, feeling a gentle breeze of sleep lulling his heart with calmness.


    ''Time might turn back. But fate...might not necessarily change to be in your favor.''


    ''The red thread of destiny connects two souls who are meant to be with each other. The circumstances, the adversities together form the bridge towards their union.''


    Jin''s breathing in his sleep slightly grew restless.


    ''A mere human like you cannot bring any crack in those souls'' interwoven destinies no matter how much you try to take control of the situation.''


    Who is...talking to me...?


    ''Fate leads the way and the souls'' decisions carve the path ahead for them.''


    Please stop...I don''t understand...


    ''Rebirth is not just about getting second chances.''


    ''It must make the soul wiser and not because it has its past memories but to understand to shed that desire of chasing towards a destiny that led them to their doom.''


    Jin''s eyes flew wide open but not a sound escaped from his lips. He placed his trembling hand on his chest where he felt the soft vibrations of his erratic heartbeats.


    What was that...? He thought breathlessly.


    Who was talking to me? I never had this conversation with anyone.


    But why did it feel so real...?


    He felt his throat going dry and he quickly grabbed the jug beside the couch, gulping large bouts of water non-stop. He was so thirsty that he finished half of the hug in one go. He breathed out, feeling a little better.


    It was probably just a stupid dream...


    Jin leaned back on the couch. The room''s silence felt extremely uncomfortable.


    "Yo-"


    Jin slapped his palm on his lips to shut himself. He couldn''t even curse out loud with Shui sleeping right in front of him.


    He typed back, more agitated than before.


    ''It''s not just about the danger. Do you know how traumatic this is!? You are a woman yourself! Shui had a nightmare because of this! Do you know how scared she is?''


    This time, it took two minutes for Alix to respond.


    ''How do you know she had a nightmare? Oh my, are you two...together at this ungodly hour?''


    Jin let out a silent but angry laughter.


    ''I will kill you.''


    ''You cannot kill a woman who was already dead once.''


    ''You were in a coma, not dead.''


    ''No comments.''


    Jin gritted his teeth. ''You not only used Shui but me too. You knew I would get involved!''


    ''That''s called striking two birds with one stone. Now if my dear little sister herself presented me with such a golden opportunity tonight, then how could I have let it go to waste? So direct your anger and revenge only towards Mui okay? Keep me out of it.''


    Jin was baffled by her shamelessness.


    ''Apologize to Shui the next time you meet her or I will sure as hell drag you into the fire too!''


    ''Hmm, it will be interesting to fight you head on~ But not interested this time,'' she placed a shrug emoji. ''So rest assured, I will confess and apologize to her for this evening.''


    Jin didn''t expect her to yield so easily.


    ''And for the future in advance too if I need to use her again.''


    At this point, he was completely enveloped in an imaginary ball of fire.


    ''Is there fire extinguisher in the room? I can feel the heat till here.''


    I will seriously kill this woman!

 Chapter 925: Earful

    Shui yawned and rubbed her drowsy eyes as she stretched her back. She saw Jin over at the couch, sleeping in an awkward position. She blinked, confused.


    Why is he sleeping like that?


    She let out another small yawn and walked towards him. She was puzzled at his seemingly annoyed expression he showed while in his sleep. He loosely held his phone in his right hand that was close to slipping away.


    A popup light flashed on his phone and she curiously leaned in. Seeing Alix''s name highlighted on it surprised her. She cast a sideways glance.


    Jin was talking to Alix at this hour? Strange, she thought.


    Shui stood like that for a few moments in the early morning''s silence, staring at Jin''s sleeping face.


    I promise I will always be by your side.


    A small, defeated smile laced her lips.


    No, Jin. You won''t.


    Shui raised her hand, slowly inching it towards him to touch his face. Her fingers hovered above his cheek, hesitating to bridge the last distance. The more she looked at him, the more the fact took root in her heart that nothing was the same between them anymore. On the contrary, the distance between them seemed to be widening even more despite the fact that he was back.


    Shui smiled to herself and withdrew her hand silently.


    ¡ª


    Jin woke up an hour later and the first thing he didn''t see was Shui on the bed. His eyes widened and he looked at the time.


    Damn I was late...


    He took his phone and his mouth twitched seeing Alix''s new message. His gaze darkened.


    She talked nonsense the whole night and ruined my sleep!


    His gaze darkened.


    Zhou Ai!


    "She told me how Shui got in danger and you saved her."


    "D-Did you tell Uncle Zhi or...?"


    "No. I think Shui doesn''t want to let them know about it either. That is beside the point. You got so angry that you punched Kang Yuze and confronted him in front of everybody. You took it upon yourself to destroy Ren Mui. Is this


    only


    friendship I am seeing? Or maybe I have gone blind," her eyes narrowed.


    That felt like a punch on his face. Jin felt like he was standing in the witness box in front of a court judge. "Anybody will get furious sis. We have known Shui since she was little. Of course-"


    "Of course what? Of course that you get to pass off your feelings as just friendship just because it''s so convenient? Your denial of feelings is just hurting Shui. And she doesn''t even know why. She at least deserves to know the reason, right? You plan to keep her in the dark for her entire life?


    Nobody here is forcing you two to be together. Yes, we are creating chances but only because we hope that something might change between you two. We have that hope because we know how you feel for each other. But if things are really impossible then tell that to Shui and give it closure once and for all. For the sake of Shui''s happiness, don''t be so weak."


    Muyang was close to coming to a wailing point and Nuo quickly took him back. "Aish, you don''t have to cry. Your idiot Uncle is making everybody cry."


    Jin pressed his lips.


    "So he better get his act together before I punish him for real."


    She glared at him and left the room in a huff.


    Jin stood in silence for a long time and stepped out of the room himself too. He passed by Shui''s room and found the door slightly open. Through the slit, he saw her getting ready as she stood in front of the mirror. He clenched his fist, his breathing becoming ragged.


    I...I should tell her...

 Chapter 926: In good hands

    Jin nervously stood rooted in his place, clasping his hands together. He let out a quiet breath with Nuo''s words replaying in his mind. Nuo was wrong in the sense that Shui was unaware of his predicament.


    Six years ago on a Guangzhou trip, Jin was forced to confront his feelings and share the burden he carried to Shui. Even if Shui was ready to move past it, Jin couldn''t. He had made too many mistakes to forgive himself. He even went to Paris to distance his heart from Shui.


    Then what was this strange pull they held between them six years later too?


    Why did it feel that things were still unresolved between them?


    "Jin?"


    He snapped out from his daze and blinked at Shui, who now faced him.


    Oh shit!


    "I wasn''t being a pervert!" He babbled out unconsciously.


    "..."


    Shui held his stare. "You know, when you say it like that, it feels even more suspicious."


    He coughed. "I wasn''t really..."


    "I know," she smiled. "You are a gentleman. But why were you standing here? You looked zoned out."


    He stiffened. "I..."


    "Jin, Shui!" Xinyi called them out from a distance. "Breakfast is ready. Come down already."


    "Yes, Mom!"


    She glanced at Jin and asked, "Shall we go?"


    Jin was busy staring at something inside Shui''s room. "H-Huh?"


    "Mom called for breakfast. See, you were dazed again," she frowned.


    He coughed again and quickly smiled. "It''s nothing. I was just thinking about something. Let''s go."


    ¡ª


    Mui cried. "Dad, it''s a misun-"


    He raised his palm and forced her to stop from talking anymore.


    Ren Luoyang stared at Alix. "That''s why he must know that we are not taking this lightly either. We don''t forgive Mui''s actions. That''s why we want you to take over our family business."


    Mui stared at them blankly. "Huh? Wh-What do you mean?"


    Ren Cuifen said, "It means what you understood. We cannot let you run the business anymore. Not after what you did. You cannot expect things to still be normal."


    "That''s preposterous!" She jumped on her feet, breathless. "You are making sis the CEO? I don''t accept this! It''s my company and I won''t-"


    "It''s a family business," Ren Luoyang cut her off, "You were in charge, yes, but some decisions need to be taken when you make us go through such a situation. We have not decided this. You made us decide this."


    Mui''s already reddened eyes teared up once again.


    "Hopefully, this placates Liu Jin''s anger."


    "Y-you...you cannot do this!" She then glared at Alix. "You planned this, didn''t you? You aimed for this the whole time! You were eyeing my chair...!"


    Alix gave her a disdainful look. "I don''t need your seat. I can build my own empire from scratch if I want to."


    Mui begged her mother, tears continuously rolling down her cheeks. "Mom, t-this is not fair. I have worked so hard for this company!"


    Ren Cuifen narrowed her eyes. "Fair? What you tried to do with your own sister...how was that fair then? You should feel thankful that we didn''t disown you. It''s only the CEO''s position we are taking away. You should take this time and reflect upon your actions. Maybe we could reconsider your position in the future. But not now."


    Hoooo...Color me impressed, Alix thought.


    Mui gritted her teeth and feeling hopeless, she ran upstairs tearfully.


    Silence befell again and finally getting some privacy, Alix openly stared at the old couple.


    "I clearly stated who I am when I woke up from my coma. Well...not who I am exactly but who I definitely am not. So why? Is it because I am your daughter by blood so you don''t see any other choice but to put me in the CEO''s chair?"


    They remained quiet.


    "Alix..." Ren Luoyang whispered, "was always supposed to lead our family business. She was passionate about it. She worked hard to learn everything. Unfortunately..." his voice quivered, "she lost her way and she wasn''t in the mental state to run the business. We had to decide what was practical at that time. But after what Mui did last night, we cannot let her take the reins anymore and you..."


    He couldn''t complete the sentence or rather he didn''t know how to frame it.


    "I think...Cuifen and I feel...that you will do a fine job just like," his eyes ached, "she wanted. We can feel it. Our company will be in good hands."

 Chapter 927: Human nature

    "Hmm, I smell something scandalous," Alix said with squinted eyes.


    Jin raised his brow and Shui, too, glanced up. The trio was huddled together in Shui''s office room. It was her art therapy session and as promised, Jin was present too. Alix had won the bet after all, and she wasn''t ready to have it any other way.


    "What scandalous?" Shui frowned.


    "I smell something suspicious between you two. I heard the good news?"


    "Huh? What good news?" Shui gave her a blank look.


    "That Jin stayed at the Han villa last night. Congratulations."


    Jin''s face blackened. "What is there to congratulate you for?"


    "Don''t make me spill out the obvious. So did something spicy happen?" Her eyes twinkled.


    Shui grimaced. "If this is your way of avoiding the session then I tell you it''s not gonna work. Go back to your drawing."


    Alix frowned. "Useless."


    She looked back at Jin. "You should step up as a man and reveal all the juicy gossips."


    A vein popped on his forehead. "Why do you care? Go back to your work!"


    "You both are so made for each other."


    Shui slightly shifted uncomfortably in her seat.


    "Hey, Alix! Shui!"


    A light tap on the door was heard and they saw Xiao at the entrance. Jin stiffened. He quickly lowered his head as he tried to hide his restless breaths. He had been trying to avoid Xiao ever since he returned from Paris. The friends with benefits relationship he held with her in the past life still continued to haunt him. It was a blot on his life that he knew he would never be able to erase.


    "Hey," Shui warmly welcomed her. "Come in."


    She eyed Jin for a moment, knowing the truth very well. Jin had confessed everything during the business trip six years ago.


    "Nothing," he curtly but coldly answered. But that chilliness wasn''t directed at Alix for asking that question. It was more of a loathe towards himself, recalling his past life''s actions.


    Alix got even more curious. "I don''t believe you. There is definitely something cooking. You were so stressed out when Xiao was here until just now."


    He shot angry laser beams at her. "Drop it. You are imagining things. Right now I am stressed because you are here," he gritted his teeth.


    He quickly glanced outside to see if Shui was coming back and glared back at Alix. "You let Shui go through-"


    Alix flapped the drawing book in her hand and got back to seriously focusing on her art therapy session. Green nerves could be seen appearing on the back of Jin''s hand at her blatant disregard. He angrily laughed.


    "Ren Alix! Don''t you dare ignore me! And what the hell was the message last night that you will keep on using Shui if needed?"


    Alix sneered. "This world is not as colorful as you think Liu Jin. You have to step on people to be at the place you want. If I hadn''t used Shui, then Mui would have used me. Who would have believed me even if I had tried to expose her? They would have just thought of me as a jealous sister. But people''s perception of the same situation so drastically changes when it''s a different person involved."


    He scowled.


    "And admit it. You would have been just like them," she smiled. "We just happened to meet personally a few times before so you know that jealousy and insecurity wouldn''t be my reasons to throw shade at her. But otherwise, you would have been a part of the same crowd, judging me."


    "I wouldn''t have-"


    Experience new tales on mvl


    "Human nature," she shrugged. "Don''t worry. I forgive you in advance."


    His expression twisted. "I don''t like you."


    Alix raised her brow. "But I do. Will you marry me?"


    "..."


    "Plus I wasn''t going to let any harm come to Shui in the first place. I would have called her knight in shining armor - Kang Yuze," her eyes twinkled.


    Jin''s face blackened as a burnt pot.


    Alix leaned back on her chair, proud and satisfied. "Everything was in my control."

 Chapter 928: Past mystery or golden future?

    "Where is your delivery?" Xiao asked, trying to find the delivery man outside.


    Shui coughed and felt guilty of lying to her.


    "Guess he must have gotten lost. Don''t worry, I will handle it from here."


    "Nah, I will wait with you," she grinned.


    Oops, Shui had a thought.


    Xiao scratched her head and asked Shui with a tinge of hesitation. "Liu Jin...doesn''t seem to like me, I guess."


    Shui stared at her. "Why do you say so?"


    "He seems to be an aloof man but really not to everybody. Not even towards Alix, whose sister caused such a huge chaos. But when I came today, he barely even recognized my existence. So I just wonder if I pissed him off somehow haha..."


    Shui slightly clasped her fingers together. She knew the past life was like a thorn in Jin''s heart and seeing Xiao reminded him of his heartlessness and cruelty.


    "It''s nothing like that Xiao. Jin is always grumpy like that."


    "Are you sure? Or maybe it''s because I am Bro''s sister? He doesn''t like me-"


    "Nope," she grinned and patted her shoulders. "That''s not the case at all. So cheer up." Enjoy new chapters from mvl


    She sighed in relief seeing Shui''s bright and confident smile. "That''s great then. Anyway, how is Alix doing? Is she cooperating with the sessions?"


    Shui frowned. "She acts like it but not really. I am telling her that it''s super important to learn the gaps in her past but-"


    Shui''s gaze that was randomly wandering outside as she talked froze in a particular direction.


    "Shui?"


    Shui stared at a man who stood at a faraway distance, lifting heavy boxes inside some dilapidated store. Her lips slightly parted in shock.


    Xiao shook her shoulder and she snapped out. "Huh?"


    "Where did you get lost?" She waved her hand in front of her eyes.


    Shui was still reeling in from the confusion and she said, "J-Just wait here for a minute, okay? I will be back!"


    Alix arched her brow and glanced at him.


    "I mean with your lost memories. There is a gap in them and you behaved starkly differently. Shui wants you to draw because she and...Kang Xiao feel it''s important to learn what happened. But it doesn''t seem like you do."


    Alix faced the window again and gave a light shrug. "Not really."


    "You aren''t curious or worried? People''s personalities don''t just change like that."


    A small smile formed on her lips. "It can. When your world crashes down, everything changes. Personality sounds like be a minor issue to be honest."


    He raised his brow. "There wasn''t any reason for your world to change as you rejected Kang Yuze, not the other way around. Still you did. And you still aren''t curious?"


    She shrugged. "That was the past. I don''t have the time to dwell on it."


    "Huh.." he slightly tilted his head. "So let''s talk about your future then. You aren''t considering taking your parents'' offer to run the business?"


    She continued to gaze outside. "Mui had the reins till now."


    He scoffed. "Please. Don''t talk like you care about her losing the CEO''s chair. If your parents wouldn''t have done it, then I would have."


    Alix paused and looked at him. "I am not interested in the CEO''s seat."


    "So you don''t want to solve the mystery of your past nor grab the chance of your golden future. Then what do you want?"


    "Untangle the present."


    "Yours?"


    "Yours," she chuckled evilly.


    His brow twitched. "First of all, my present is not entangled."


    "Yes because the threads have clamped your view so shut that you cannot even recognize anything is entangled."


    He scowled. "Secondly, I don''t want you anywhere near me, entangling or untangling anything!"


    "And here we are at Shui''s art therapy session anyway. Could you do anything about it?"


    "..."


    She patted his shoulder. "So give it up~"

 Chapter 929: Shuis art

    Shui didn''t know how she was supposed to react. She was well aware how close of an aid Hou Lin was for Jun at Sky. He trusted him but he only got betrayal as the cruel result.


    Does Jun know that he is released?


    Shui noticed Hou Lin close to hyperventilating and her eyes widened. "H-Hey, I am not doing anything!"


    But he continued to sweat and clasp his hands together. Shui looked left and right and ran outside again. A minute later, she returned with a bottle of water and offered it to him breathlessly.


    Hou Lin didn''t accept it. Instead, he went back to sorting out his boxes albeit with errors. His fingers trembled as he rummaged the stuff inside and completely avoided eye contact.


    That blatant ignorance irked Shui. He was a person who had hurt and betrayed Jun and who joined hands with Zhan Yahui to destroy him and Sky. He had even kidnapped Xing Bi at one point and put her life in danger. Not only in this life but in the past life too, he didn''t stop Zhan Yahui from committing all those horrors that eventually led to everybody''s downfall. She could never forgive him for his wrongdoings.


    So on top of a criminal up and running and casually bringing cardboard boxes in a store, he was also ignoring the little help she was providing with a sincere heart.


    Shui impatiently tapped her fingers on the bottle as she squinted her eyes at him.


    "How did you get released from jail?"


    He didn''t respond.


    "Does Jun know that you are free now?"


    His movements grew more rattled but not a word escaped his lips.


    She gritted her teeth. "I haven''t...nobody has forgotten your crimes. That''s why there better be a good reason for you to be enjoying the sunlight."


    No answer.


    "How are you out and why are you in this store here?"


    Her questions were only met with silence.


    "Fine," she let out an angry smile, "I will find out for myself. There is no way I will let you hurt Jun or anybody in the Liu family ever again," she clenched her fists.


    Alix''s eyes narrowed and another smile formed on her lips. "Oh my I think I should give you and Shui some privacy once she returns. Your chemistry sparks reach all the way here and keep poking me. I will give you two some room."


    "You like chit-chatting nonsense so much, right?"


    She tapped her index finger on her chin thoughtfully. "Or maybe I should give Shui and Kang Yuze some room."


    That sparked a slight fury in his expression. He decided to ignore her and get back to clear the mess he created.


    "Yup it should be Kang Yuze. At least he is so open and confident about his feelings about her. Look how everybody knows that he feels something for her."


    A frost was forming in his black irises. He breathed in and chanted to himself to ignore her ramblings. He took one book that was half-opened as it fell.


    "If I give them some room, then I am almost certainly sure that they will come out as a happily engaged couple~"


    His heart almost stopped beating and a wave of frustration filled in his chest.


    Can she not leave me alone!?


    His gaze fell on one of the drawings and he blinked. It was a woman sitting on the bed in her room alone. She stared out of the window, looking at the sky with a somber countenance. Even though it was only a drawing, Jin felt some discomfort seep in. He couldn''t help but turn over the page.


    The second art held the same anxious sentiment. The woman seemed to be in a club filled with people enjoying and dancing around her. But she was the only one seated on a couch, aloof from the crowd. It was as if no matter how much she tried, she couldn''t be a part of that fun.


    He saw several such drawings and a sinking feeling began to fill inside the pit of his stomach. When he turned another page, he froze.


    The same woman stood outside a huge building. There was a family at a distance, but she wasn''t a part of that group. Instead she remained still at her place, staring at the beautiful, blue sky. An aeroplane was painted in the middle of it and the woman''s gaze seemed to be fixed at the departing plane. Her eyes held a mix of longing, grief, hurt and hopelessness - all at the same time.


    It was by far, the most beautiful and reasonating piece of art.


    Stay updated through mvl


    Jin felt constricted at his chest as it got difficult to breathe because he knew what it represented.


    It was the day Jin left for Paris, leaving his family...and Shui all alone. It was Shui in all those pictures.

 Chapter 930: Voices

    Jin quickly stuffed Shui''s art books inside and got up on his feet. He saw her coming through the glass door and swiftly headed back to his seat. Alix arched her brow with interest.


    "What was so disconcerting in that book?"


    Jin stared at her. "Nothing."


    "Oh, were you snooping into Shui''s personal art?"


    His stare turned into a glare. "I wasn''t snooping! And don''t you babble this unnecessarily to her!"


    She sneered.


    Shui huffed as she stepped in and said, "We need to talk."


    Jin blinked at her. There was no context or background, just a deep sense of urgency.


    "Oh my. Do you have psychic powers?" Alix asked with surprise.


    Shui frowned. "What are you talking about? And I see your drawing board empty."


    She smiled. "Don''t worry. I just got the perfect inspiration of Liu Jin getting beaten up in the near future. Very near future actually."


    Jin''s brows twitched.


    Shui placed her hands on her waist. "Focus on your life, memories and feelings, not Jin."


    "But I just proposed to marry him."


    Shui almost puked blood. Jin''s frustration was now through the roof. She looked at Jin. "Huh?"


    "It''s not like that! She is just fooling around!"


    Alix smirked as she leaned back on her chair. "Why did you find it so shocking, Shui? Did my proposal erupt some unspeakable feelings in your heart? Perhaps it starts from J?"


    Shui narrowed her eyes and smiled with a hint of alarm in it. "If I don''t see a proper expression of your art by the time I come back, you will suffer."


    Alix frowned. "You two are not fun at all. Where is the thrill? Where is the drama? The passion? That''s why you are made for each other."


    Jin''s face blackened.


    Shui ignored her and urged Jin to step outside with her.


    "Ooo private talk after the private night in a private room~"


    ¡ª


    "What''s wrong?" Jin asked with concern as it was quite clear that Shui''s mood was not far from jolly.


    The frustration in her eyes was quite palpable. "You won''t believe who I saw."


    "Who?"


    "Hou Lin."


    Jin''s eyes slowly stretched wide. "Hou Lin..."


    "Yup, the one and only Hou Lin who colluded with Zhan Yahui to destroy the Liu family. He is released from jail! I...I just saw him in an old store where he was carrying some boxes in!"


    The shock in his black irises soon turned into pure rage. His fingers curled into a fist, threatening to break apart anything that would come in his way.


    "How dare he? He should be rotting in jail for all the misery he put us through! How the hell did he get released?"


    Shui shook her head. "I don''t have any idea. But this is bad news."


    "It''s worse."


    On top of Hou Lin being out of jail, he was setting up something that was so close to where Shui worked.


    What the hell is he planning?


    His iciness trickled in the atmosphere. There was no way he was going to let Hou Lin harm anybody this time.


    "Where is he? We need to talk."


    "No, no," Shui grabbed his hand and stopped him. "He won''t answer anything. I tried it myself."


    Jin was flabbergasted. "You...you shouldn''t have approached him! What if he tried to hurt you?"


    "I didn''t think he would do that, not when he is out of jail. One mistake and he could land there back again. I questioned him but he didn''t answer me. You wouldn''t get any different result either."


    He shook his head, an unsaid fury claiming his heart.


    "He doesn''t deserve this freedom..." he spoke through gritted teeth. "After all that he did..."


    It was a great lament for Jin that Hou Lin couldn''t be tried for the crimes of his past life. If those horrors were counted, then he deserved a death sentence. A far worse punishment. But rebirth was a fantasy concept which would never be accepted in the court of law.


    He angrily laughed. "No way I am letting that bastard live his life as if nothing happened. Freedom? Not a chance. The only place where he belongs is the jail and I will make sure he returns to his home before the day ends!"

 Chapter 931: Simple dream

    "I know about Hou Lin''s release."


    In the Liu villa, Jun dropped the bomb on Jin instead of the former receiving a shock.


    "You know he is out?" Jin was too flabbergasted to comprehend. "How a-and why aren''t you doing anything?"


    Jun released a soft sigh. "Uncle Yunru told me, especially what happened after Cai Lingyun''s release. He said Hou Lin was being considered for parole."


    His eyes widened. "And you agreed?"


    "Not initially. Not for a long time, Jin. I didn''t want to take the risk after how Cai Lingyun almost hurt Ai. So at first I told Uncle Yunru to cancel his parole plea. I didn''t want anybody hurting my family again. But after a few days, I decided to meet Hou Lin myself."


    *Flashback*


    "I shouldn''t really be here, you know that, right?" Jun faced Hou Lin in the bureau''s private meeting room, his dark brown eyes squinting at him.


    "You shouldn''t be getting this chance at all. I heard that you have been behaving very well in jail. Not causing ruckus. Not getting into fights...not that you are that type of a person anyway. But Cai Lingyun planned the same thing. Act decently and get a chance for parole. Are you doing something like that?"


    Hou Lin had his handcuffed fingers intertwined and twiddling against each other close to his stomach. He stared at Jun for a long time without an answer. He wasn''t sure what he was feeling after meeting him.


    Jun looked at Hou Lin, who seemed to be looking back at him but also staring into empty space at the same time. He held a serene and peaceful expression. Jun waited patiently for some reason after which Hou Lin moved his lips.


    "...How are you?" he asked in a very quiet voice.


    Jun blinked. "Fine."


    Hou Lin looked away, slightly nodding. "How is...Sky doing?"


    Jun''s gaze fell on his fingers that seemed to tremble a little bit. But the small, soft smile on his lips remained intact. It seemed as if he was unfazed by Jun''s confrontational stature.


    "Sky is doing well..." he answered his own question, "I read the news that...Sky won the award for the best publishing platform. It was a close race with Dream High," he nodded to himself again. "Congratulations."


    Hou Lin clasped his palms together, exhaling a silent breath.


    "Yahui killed herself," he stated though it tore apart his heart.


    "She killed herself because she wanted to bring an end to it. I...felt that in her eyes that night. It''s strange. I have a hard time understanding what others think and feel. But strangely, I got what she was thinking. She doesn''t want revenge anymore."


    Jun let the silence be.


    "What if she was still alive?" He asked somberly. "If she still wanted revenge and asked you for help, would you have helped her?"


    Hou Lin stared at the empty space again as if he was lost in his thoughts.


    "I think...I would ask her to be the cafe''s co-owner. I would make coffee. She would talk to the customers. I cannot do that. She is good at talking to people. It would be a good life," he nodded to himself, a hint of sparkle shining in his eyes with that imagination.


    Jun had nothing more to say or ask. He slowly got up and turned to leave when Hou Lin said, "Thank you."


    Jun stopped and turned back.


    "Thank you for burying Yahui and making a tombstone for her six years ago. You are a good person Sir Jun."


    Jun held back a slight choke forming in his throat. Hou Lin was like a family member to him. His betrayal had hurt him a lot.


    "You...you were a good person too, Lin. Only if you hadn''t let Zhan Yahui use you."


    Hou Lin said nothing to that and only saw Jun leaving him in silence.


    *Flashback ends*


    There was a spell of silence in the room as Jun talked about his meeting.


    "He wants to live a simple life. His eyes were not lying. I just...know it."


    Jin slowly nodded. "If you believe in him, then I will too. But I will still keep an eye on him because he is too close to Shui''s office. That is what I will do."

 Chapter 932: A villainesss claws (1)

    A few days later, the situation at the Ren family''s company was slowly beginning to deteriorate. Mui was forced to step down from her position while Alix hadn''t quite given her answer to take up the responsibility.


    The elderly couple, Ren Cuifen and Ren Luoyang, once again approached Alix in hopes of a firm decision from her end. Alix leaned back on her chair, pressing the space in between her forehead. On the table before her laid stack of important business files and documents.


    She wasn''t unaware of the family business but she wasn''t so deeply involved with it to know the specifics either. She recalled the parents'' hopeful gazes and a feeling of discomfort crawled in her chest.


    Do I really have to do this?


    That idiot sister. If she hadn''t messed with me, then I wouldn''t have had to deal with this...


    Alix casually grabbed a file from the pile, intending to only glance through the details. She flipped through the papers and at one point, her brow arched. She picked up a second file and found similar details as in the first one. She frowned.


    That idiot woman was really running the business like this?


    Alix spent the rest of the day reviewing each file despite her own disinterest in the beginning. By the time she ended her last call, Alix''s expression didn''t look so good.


    There were problems. If swift action wouldn''t be taken to mend the gaps, then it was only a matter of time before the Ren family company would have to shut down.


    Alix''s expression turned saltier. She got up and stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself.


    "This is not what I want to get into," she said.


    She wasn''t expecting an answer.


    "Unfortunately, you are a big part of why I am able to stand here in the first place. The least I can do is set some things straight." Your next chapter awaits on §Þ??


    ¡ª


    "We need to set some things straight."


    Yuze blinked at Alix, who had walked into his office without any prior notification the next day. She simply knocked and took her seat opposite his CEO''s chair.


    "When I say you, I mean the Kang family."


    She smiled at him and slid a file towards him. "This is a report of our quarterly earnings of the last two years."


    Yuze took it and glanced through the report. "This is correct. The Ren family''s designs have not been doing well in the market since the last two years. The clothes aren''t selling and the stock is just piling up in the warehouses. Everything is in red here."


    "Why do you think that is?"


    "Because the designs are not attractive. They are not grabbing people''s attention. I was going to hold a meeting with Uncle Ren about this anyway," he shook his head. "At first, the Ren family''s designs were what everybody wanted. But there has been a steady decline."


    "Steady decline because we are lacking or because you are?"


    Yuze was taken aback. "Us as in the Kang family? What are you talking about?"


    Alix raised her brow. "Refresh my memory. Why is it that my family is in exclusive contract with the Kang family for raw materials supply? You are the sole supplier of fabrics and underlying raw materials which we use to design. But why is it only you?"


    He blinked. "There is a long history between the Kang and Ren family that includes being business partners. Aunt Cuifen had a great design sense but Uncle Luoyang was a little conservative with the business idea. There were lots of people outside wanting to take advantage of Aunt''s talent and my dad came forward to help. The exclusive contract was only to protect their designs from falling into wrong hands."


    "Which ultimately ended up in the wrong hands anyway. The Kang family wanted to protect Mom and Dad? Or did you want to monopolize the market through their designs?"


    Yuze''s expression turned bitter. "How can you even say that? Especially after our long years of-"


    "Long years of friendship and partnership between the families will make you serve us substandard quality of raw materials?" Her eyes narrowed.


    "We are at a loss not because we lack in the creative department but the base on which we are showing creativity isn''t up to the par. The fabrics that you have been sending our way are of bad quality. The threads start to fray away quickly. The color of the fabric fades away after a few washes which ruins the whole design. It is not my designs that are defective - it is the raw materials that you are supplying us and the blame is conveniently falling upon us."


    Alix leaned forward, her cold gaze demanding answers from him.


    "And I absolutely won''t believe that my idiot sister wasn''t aware of this. She was the CEO until now. Obviously, she would have come to know the source of our losses. If she couldn''t, then her brain is just a piece of decoration.


    But I don''t think it is. She knew, yet she let things remain as they were anyway. I will grill her later but for now, you start talking Mr. Kang Yuze. What is the Kang family exactly doing in the name of protecting my family?"

 Chapter 933: A villainesss claws (2)

    "That is just not possible. We have never compromised on the quality of our raw materials. This is business, Alix. If we give you low quality stuff, then your designs get affected and ultimately, won''t the Kang family''s reputation suffer as a business too?" Yuze countered her with a grim expression.


    Alix smiled with a notorious twinkle in her eyes. "This is where it gets interesting. Your company doesn''t suffer because the Ren family isn''t the


    only


    family you are supplying your fabric too. There are other private designers and firms as your safety net. So even if I fail, you have tons of fish to choose from in the sea.


    But I - the Ren company only relies on you. That''s the exclusive contract which binds me from contacting other manufacturers. So if our sole supplier gives us shitty stuff, then where are we supposed to go?"


    Alix sharply asked, "How does it work that we are bound by exclusivity but not you? So in the end, I always end up in a loss but not the Kang family."


    His eyes widened. "You don''t understand-"


    "Don''t go that way, Kang Yuze. I understand plenty. I didn''t come here to baselessly blame you and make a fool out of myself. Before coming here, I went to my company''s warehouse and checked the stock myself."


    From a small paper bag, Alix took out three pieces of fabrics. She placed it before him, all three side by side.


    "These are the samples of the fabric that has been sent to us. I took one from six months ago, the second from three months ago and the third one that just came from a fresh batch last week."


    Yuze scrutinized the pieces of fabric in his hand very carefully and stayed silent for sometime. His eyes would squint at some points but overall his countenance didn''t change much.


    "Did you have a revelation?"


    "...I understand that the one from six months ago has a little rough texture. But I don''t see a problem with the other two."


    She raised her brow. "Are you sure?"


    She let that question hang in the air for a few moments, but Yuze didn''t seem rattled.


    She smiled. "Good. I thought I would have to fight you for that. Secondly, I came here to end the exclusive contract."


    His eyes widened at that demand. "What? That''s...Alix, don''t be hasty. I know there has been serious mistakes from my side but I assure I will rectify it-"


    She raised her palm. "No. I will be taking the CEO position of the company and I cannot afford to rely on a single manufacturer. It was so stupid in the first place. I don''t know why my parents and sister even agreed to this. Having backup and multiple sources is always paramount. This is business. There is no need for feelings to get hurt here."


    "You don''t get it. With the state of your company, you won''t get a manufacturer to work with you anyway. Even with my compensation, you won''t have enough money to cut out that deal. Definitely not multiple deals if you are looking to score multiple suppliers, which you are."


    Alix raised her brow and stayed quiet. The latter part of his argument was definitely true. The Ren family really lacked reputation and money.


    Yuze tried to explain patiently. "That''s why please think about it. You will fall into an even deeper pit if you end your contract with us."


    "Hm, you bring some valid arguments."


    Yuze nodded.


    "Currently, I lack the reputation and money. Reputation - I will give it some thought of how to go about it. But money..." she chuckled with an evil ring, "Money is the least of my problems."


    ¡ª


    "I need you to loan me twenty million." Enjoy new adventures at §Þ??


    Alix put out her request with a dead serious expression.


    Jin, who was working his first day of office as the CEO of the Liu Corps, looked up at her with a dry stare from his seat.


    "Sorry, I don''t think I got that right. Did you just say that you want me to loan you twenty million?"


    "Yup."


    "..."

 Chapter 934: Three requests

    Jin stared at her and Alix stared back at him in what was called a silent staring competition.


    "You know, I am still kinda trying to fathom that you just appeared in my office out of nowhere and asking for twenty million out of nowhere."


    "How long will it take for you to digest it?"


    His brow twitched hard.


    "You really want twenty million or are you just pulling a prank because you are bored?"


    Alix frowned. "I really need twenty million."


    "And you thought that I would...give it to you just like that?" He knitted his brows.


    "Why not? Aren''t we such close friends?"


    Jin smiled. He pressed a button on his desk phone and said, "Come to my office."


    A minute later, a guard respectfully knocked on his office door and stepped in. "Sir Liu, you called for me?"


    "Yes. Please escort this woman outside."


    Alix - "..."


    "Hey, what is this disrespect? I came here with a legitimate request. Are you going to ignore your friend in need?"


    "I won''t, provided you remind me of the exact time we became good friends."


    "You are Shui''s friend. I am also Shui''s friend apparently? A super rich friend''s super rich friend becomes my super rich friend too," she shrugged.


    The guard stared at her dumbfounded.


    I don''t get the sense here...


    He coughed. "Mam, if you would kindly come with me."


    Alix arched her brow. "I am not done talking with your boss yet. Apparently, he doesn''t understand my sincere request."


    Jin signaled the guard to leave and he did so with a bow.


    She is a...strange woman, he couldn''t help but think.


    Jin looked at her and asked, "Why do you suddenly need the money?"


    "To break free from Kang Yuze''s exclusive contract, I will need money to make more deals out in the market. His compensation won''t be enough."


    He raised his brow. "So you are taking up the CEO''s chair?"


    She paused and looked away. "Not really. I am not interested."


    "Then what''s the point of doing this?"


    The question slightly irked her but she didn''t know why. "Is this part of the background check?"


    "It''s twenty million. I should be asking some questions."


    "Fine, if not a hooligan, then definitely a villain."


    Alix raised her brow at that. "Now that...is something I won''t argue against."


    When Jin saw that Alix wouldn''t budge until at least she was heard, Jin leaned back on his chair and gave up on his fate.


    "What exactly happened with Kang Yuze?"


    "Long story."


    "You need twenty million. Hell yes I want the full story."


    Alix made a face and grudgingly explained her circumstances. The more he heard, the more his brows furrowed.


    Was he really that careless?


    "I would get ten million from him in compensation and I have some of my own savings but it''s not enough to bring the company out of this hell hole. So give me twenty million. I promise I will double it," she threw an innocent look.


    Jin''s jaw slightly dropped. "You are talking like some shady scammer."


    "Whatever."


    "You can ask from Shui too, right? I believe she will be more open to helping her patients."


    "I don''t just need your twenty million."


    "So?"


    "I need your brand name. I want to show that the Liu family is investing in my business despite it going downhill. That would surely attract some suppliers and give them the trust they need," she smirked, "I want your reputation to fill the gaps of mine."


    Jin stared at her, speechless. "That is quite...shameless of you."


    "Not nearly as shameless as compared to what I am going to ask next."


    Suddenly, Jin didn''t wish to hear anymore.


    Alix smiled with a playful glint in her eyes. "Your uncle is a fashion designer. Liu Jing."


    "...Yeah."


    "He must have his own sources for procuring raw materials for his designs."


    Somehow Jin didn''t like the direction this was going into. "And?"


    She beamed. "I want you to become the bridge between those suppliers and me. Help me get those contracts with them."


    Jin wanted to puke blood. He gazed at her as if she had lost it.


    "Miss. Ren Alix. You are Uncle Jing''s rival from the same industry. You think I should help my Uncle''s rival with a twenty million loan, let her bask in the advantage of the Liu family''s name and go as far as securing her the deals with my Uncle''s suppliers?"


    Alix counted the requests on her fingers and nodded. "Yup. Pretty much that''s it."


    "Pretty much? Pretty much...!? That''s a hell lot to ask of someone who now doesn''t even consider you as his acquaintance anymore!"


    "..."

 Chapter 935: 99 problems

    Shui was dazedly sitting in her office, her pencil barely touching the white paper. Yet the nip of it grazed against it as she lightly shaded something.


    Jun says that he believes in Hou Lin but...is it really okay?


    Somewhere in a small corner of her heart, anxiety was creeping its way in.


    What if his simplicity was all an act?


    What if he wanted revenge for Zhan Yahui''s death?


    Everybody knew how much he loved her. So was it easy for him to let go of his anguish and sincerely start anew?


    Feeling restless, she left her office and headed outside. She walked the distance where she had seen him last. The view shocked her.


    The slightly dilapidated shop looked almost as good as new. There was a banner that hung on top of the door on which it was embossed


    Lin''s Coffee


    . Apart from some minor fixtures here and there, the coffee shop was almost ready for business.


    Shui walked closer towards the shop but still kept a distance that would make her stay out of Lin''s sight. From a distance, she found Lin standing near the cash counter where he was dusting and cleaning the area. There was another man roaming inside the shop, sorting out the leftover boxes and arranging the tables and chairs. She blinked twice.


    Who is he...?


    She stayed at her spot for thirty minutes but did not find anything suspicious in the way he carried himself. A small tempo had arrived as she waited and Lin and his helper carried a big, heavy box inside. Through the glass windows, she saw that the box revealed an exquisite coffee machine and many other supporting tools. By the looks of it, it definitely wouldn''t have been a cheap deal.


    The tempo driver left and Lin and his helper got back to the business of setting up the machine. Lin looked extremely serious and careful as he properly checked its working.


    It''s not like Hou Lin will show his true colors so soon anyway. He will be cautious and take it slowly if he is planning something... Continue reading on M V L


    "Shui!"


    Her daze broke and she looked back, surprised to see Yuze waving at her with a smile.


    "Hey."


    "Hey back," he smiled. "I went to your office first but you weren''t there. I came outside to attend a call and look who I found. What are you doing here anyway?"


    Shui cleared her throat and said, "Nothing. Just looking for some lunch options."


    "Then that''s a great coincidence because I came to visit you to ask you out for lunch only. If only you don''t mind obviously."


    "Sure," she didn''t particularly mind it. She also wanted to distract herself from her overthinking about Lin''s situation.


    Yuze craned his neck and commented. "Seems like a new coffee shop is opening."


    "Huh? Why?" Shui was taken aback.


    Yuze gave her a small gist of what happened and looked heavily troubled.


    "I cannot even begin to express how ashamed I feel. I had no idea something like this was happening right under my nose. Even Mui never mentioned a word of it. Naturally, I apologized to Alix and am also ready to give the compensation, but she still went ahead and ended the contract. I tried my best to convince her to give me one more chance to make it right, but she is firm on her decision," he shook his head.


    Ah...


    Shui released a sigh. There were definitely big and shocking lapses on the Kang family''s side.


    "But that''s strange. How come Ren Mui didn''t highlight this before? It was her responsibility until now. She could have well avoided these losses," she narrowed her eyes.


    "I wonder the same and so I will definitely talk to her too. I have already started an investigation into the quality issues at my part. But Alix...our families have been close and now the partnership has ended like this..."


    Shui wondered.


    Is Alix going this far to completely cut her off from Yuze in order to end all the rumors and gossip between them?


    Like a clean slate?


    "Shui if you don''t mind..." Yuze scratched his chin awkwardly, "Can you talk to Alix and suggest she give some more thought on this? We don''t want to lose them and I know it''s a blunder from my side, but I am doing everything I can to make this right.


    We might not be dating anymore but I still consider her as my good friend. Her company''s state will worsen even more without our backing. And no, I am not being arrogant about it. It''s just the reality of her situation."


    "Of course. I will talk to her and see if she can give it another thought. But I cannot promise if I will be able to convince her."


    "No, no, that''s okay. I don''t need promises. It''s enough if you just talk to her and she hears your point of view too," he helplessly smiled.


    Shui''s phone buzzed at that point and she saw that it was the devil herself. Alix had sent her some picture on chat. She choked hard as soon as she opened it.


    Yuze was bewildered. "Did you see a ghost or something?"


    "Nothing less than that..." Shui was still reeling from her shock. "Yuze, I am sorry but I think...Alix might really not need the Kang family''s partnership anymore."


    "Huh? What are you talking about?"


    Shui coughed and showed him the picture.


    In the selfie, Alix posed with a victory sign and smirk, holding a twenty million check in her hand with Jin besides her, who was seated on his CEO''s chair with a heavily grumpy expression as if he was forced to sign the check at gunpoint.


    Alix had captioned the picture as -


    Got 99 problems but money ain''t one when Liu Jin''s around~


    #SorryButNotSorry #CashCow

 Chapter 936: Uncle Jing to the rescue

    *Knock Knock*


    Jing popped his head out of the cupboard and blinked at Jin, who was standing at his room''s entrance. Jin coughed awkwardly. "Can I come in?"


    His uncle blinked once again and suddenly, the room was filled with a golden brilliance - the source of which was his brilliantly shining face.


    "My dearest nephew!!"


    Ugh...


    Jin gave out a tight expression as Jing jumped to hug him as if he was meeting him after a hundred years. He was almost crushed in that hug.


    "Uncle I cannot breathe..."


    "Don''t be such a spoilsport! You don''t visit your Uncle at all these days!" He burst into tears and squished his face against his as if he came face to face with his long lost child.


    Ugh, dramatic as always...


    Jin pushed him away with all his strength and heaved breathlessly. He pouted heavily. "You wouldn''t mind sister-in-law Nana hugging you like this or even Nuo! What is this unfair treatment against your fluffy Uncle!"


    His brow twitched. "Do you always act so childish with Uncle Yukito too?"


    Jing shyly grinned. "My Yukito spoils me a lot~ He is the best husband in the whole world!" He beamed until Jin thought he would go blind.


    Jing then wrapped his arms around his neck and raised his brow with a sly smile. "What about you?"


    "Me?"


    "When will I get to see my nephew''s doting side for his lover? I really want to see it because you are always so grumpy except the times Jun''s with you~ I wonder what your doting side looks like."


    "Not gonna happen."


    Jing choked hard with lightning shock dropping upon him. "Why not!? Did something happen to Shui! Let me call her right away!"


    "..."


    He glared. "Shui is fine, idiot Uncle!"


    "Oh. Phew..." Jing let out a huge sigh of relief.


    "Why did you even mention her in the first place?"


    "Aren''t you gonna marry her?" He didn''t beat around the bush at all.


    "Then?"


    "It''s for somebody else."


    His brow twitched hard. "Obviously, I understood that. I am asking who?"


    Jin''s heart filled with bitterness and grievance. "...Ren Alix."


    "Ah? Wait, Ren family''s Ren Alix?"


    "Yes."


    "Why does she need it-"


    Suddenly Jing was lost in his own train of thoughts and he swiftly concluded. "Is this about her taking over her family business?"


    "Yes."


    As a fashion designer himself, he was well aware of all his big and small rivals in the industry. He also knew about the turbulence in the company.


    "So she is taking over but how is it related to us?"


    Jin made a face and said with long pauses in between. "I...might have..."


    Jing blinked and waited.


    "...given her...a twenty million check to revive her failing company."


    "..."


    Jing stared at his nephew and Jin looked anywhere but at him.


    "Huh?"


    There was a period of steep silence.


    "Huuuuhhh!?" It finally registered in Jing''s brain. "Wait, wait, wait! You did that? Why? Isn''t she your adorable Uncle''s rival? So not only did you invest in her company but are also asking me to give her my contacts so that she can compete with me with my own resources? Why this betrayal, my dear nephew!?" Jing cried a swimming pool of tears.


    Because I would rather betray you than let Bro Jun know about my smoking...


    His bitterness increased ten fold. It would look like a ridiculous threat to others but Jin, who respected Jun so much, didn''t want him to know about his smoking habit at any cost.


    "Is she threatening you? She must definitely be threatening you, right? Don''t worry Jini-boy! Your Uncle will come to your rescue! Nobody can bully my nephew!" His nostrils flared. "Call Ren Alix right away! I will set the record straight!"


    "..."

 Chapter 937: Love sure makes it easy

    Alix raised her brow as she sat facing Jing and Jin the next day. She was slightly uncomfortable at the prospect of being at the Liu villa, but she kept it aside and maintained a poker expression.


    Jing''s squinted eyes gave the expression that she wasn''t going to be let off so easily.


    "I will come straight to the point. How dare you threaten my nephew?"


    Ugh...


    Jin wanted to hide somewhere. The interrogation felt more like a father protecting his five year old child from bullies.


    Alix shrugged. "Because it was easy?"


    "..."


    "If your nephew has a very glaring weakness, then it''s not my fault. I would be a fool to not use it to my advantage."


    "..."


    Jing looked at her dumbfounded. He expected her to fluster and try to defend herself even if a little bit but here she was acting all hawty?


    "...Should I commend your audacity?"


    Alix smiled. "Why not? I like being praised. Is that why you called me here? To take back the check? Sorry, but you aren''t getting it back."


    Jing said, "It''s not about the check. It''s something even more important."


    Jin frowned at his super grim expression.


    All of a sudden, Jing radiated the brilliance of a million suns all clubbed together. "I called you here for gossip! You threatened my nephew which means that my nephew has a secret he could be threatened about. Right? Right? So spill the beans. What is Jin''s secret!?"


    Jin stared at him aghast. "That is why you called her!?"


    "Duh. Will I let go of such juicy gossip and secrets?" He rolled his eyes. "If you are hiding something, then I must know about it!"


    Alix blinked her eyes rapidly. "...Sorry?"


    Jing sheepishly waved his hand. "Don''t treat me as Jin''s uncle. Treat me like I am your best friend! Besties share everything with each other, right~?"


    A look of horror flashed across Jin''s eyes. He shot urgent looks at Alix, signaling not to mention even the c of cigarettes to Jing.


    Alix ignored Jin''s desperate gazes and was focusing on Jing as if he was some puzzle she wasn''t able to crack.


    "...So you are eager to know the secret rather than admonish me for using it?"


    "Yeah? Well if you could use it so effectively against him then it''s Jin''s fault in the first place for getting so easily threatened. That too right now when he has taken charge of the Liu Corps. Jini-boy, you need to sharpen your senses," he pouted as he looked at him.


    Jin''s gaze darkened.


    "..."


    Jing tremblingly raised his hand at her while his other hand clutched his chest. "That''s some deep shit 4d chess you are playing."


    "Thanks."


    "You want a rival to help you and that rival is none other than the great me?"


    "It''s Liu Jing which is precisely why I chose you," she sneered. "You will have a lot of time in your hands so might as well help me save my sinking ship."


    "Are you crazy?" Jin was flabbergasted. "This is the height of shamelessness!"


    "I have somewhere heard that nobody can be more shameless than the Liu''s. What I am doing hardly counts."


    "..."


    At that point, Jin clutched his chest too and began to sweat.


    Is she overconfident or too stupid? I don''t get it.


    "Why do you think I will agree to help you though?" Jing couldn''t understand the source of her confidence.


    Alix smirked. "You really love your husband, don''t you?"


    That made Jing shine like a fluffy ball of light. "I love Yukito the most!"


    Jin got a bad feeling about this.


    "I have a secret video recording of his where he said his deepest and heartfelt feelings for you. It''s a very old video and it was a gift for you. But he never showed it to you because he found it embarassing. But he kept it with him anyway. I have that video."


    Jin''s gaze darkened. "You are obviously making this up."


    "A very credible source told me this. You wouldn''t to accuse her of lying, you know~"


    Alix shrugged. "If you see that video, you will definitely be over the moon. It sure made me swoon a bit too. But it''s a secret video and I am not sure if I should share it-"


    "I agree!"


    Jin was stupefied. "Uncle!!! Don''t be so hasty about this! It''s obviously a farce!"


    "I can prove it by showing you a little clip of it," she chuckled evilly.


    Jing emitted a new golden aura. "Yukito confessed his deepest and sincerest feelings for me and I don''t know about it? It cannot be that way! Of course I want to watch that video! Ren Alix. I agree to whatever you want me to do but promise me you will definitely send me the video!" He burst into tears.


    "Deal~" her eyes sparkled.


    She smiled at Jin. "See that wasn''t so difficult, was it now?"


    "..."

 Chapter 938: Secret grandson?

    "Tell me the truth, did you create a fake video?"


    Jin demanded an answer as soon as they left Jing''s room, his expression a mixture of fury and disbelief.


    Alix frowned. "You are always so doubtful and suspicious. Of course, it''s a real video. Would I be stupid to bet on his help for a fake video?"


    "How come nobody knew then?"


    "That''s why it''s called a secret and a secret which only Shui knew," she smiled.


    His eyes slightly widened.


    Shui?


    "She was very helpful when I asked something to be used in my favor to convince Mr. Jing."


    "And she told you Uncle Yukito''s secret just like that?"


    She shrugged. "I can be very persuasive."


    I cannot believe her...


    He chuckled with a hint of loss and frustration. "Aren''t you so crafty?"


    "I promise I want to live a straightforward life but I cannot help it if these methods are quicker to show the results."


    She scrolled through Jing''s supplier contacts which were now safely saved in her phone with also a cloud backup and smiled in satisfaction.


    The first step is success, she thought.


    "Ah. The taste of victory is sweet~"


    "Victory?"


    Suddenly, she felt a shadow loom over her and a chill spread through her back with somebody''s low voice reaching her ears. She turned with a slight jolt and saw Jinhai standing behind her. His eyes blinked at her, puzzled.


    "Miss. Ren was here today?"


    Alix stared at him, not knowing what expression to make.


    "...To meet Mr. Liu Jing," she responded as neutrally as possible.


    "Jing?"


    Jinhai was confused for only a moment before it struck him why.


    "Oh. I understand now. Smart call."


    She blinked once.


    Jin made a grumpy face. "Don''t praise her Dad."


    He raised his brow. "I have taught you that it''s business. Making profits is secondary when you know how to use your connections. I must say she did a fine job knowing that Jing is going to retire and that you are his nephew. Sound business acumen."


    Jinhai slightly tilted his head, a thought coming to his mind. "But only Jing''s contacts and support isn''t going to help you. With the state your company is in, you need money and capital."


    Jin - "..."


    Alix replied. "Liu Jin was very generous in giving me a hefty check."


    Jinhai glanced at his son with Jin averting his gaze at the same time. The question he shot with his eyes was crystal clear.


    "Yup! A golden chance hoho~!"


    Alix failed to understand his motivations which he was telling with such a straight and beaming face.


    She smiled amidst that confusion. "It''s a deal between Liu Jin and me so I will pass."


    Liu Hai sniffled and said, "I-I will give you my cookie in exchange..."


    Why is he crying over a cookie?


    "You think I will tell his secret for a cookie?"


    He replied, munching on one. "Why not? Cookies are delicious and strong enough to break a person''s will!" He flared his nostrils.


    Her brow twitched.


    What is wrong with him?


    Alix gave it a thought and sneered. "Let me have that cookie in exchange for not ratting you out that you stole them."


    "..."


    Liu Hai looked at her, aghast. "Y-You are threatening the threatener?"


    Is that even a word? She wondered.


    "Well threatening is fun indeed as you said. I have done it countless times~" she chuckled evilly.


    He pointed his trembling finger at her and then suddenly patted her shoulder hard, laughing heartily. "Yes, yes! That''s what I am talking about! Smart woman."


    Alix wasn''t sure how to react. But her shoulder was going numb with his furious pats.


    Liu Hai waved his hand at Nana, who he found passing by from a distance. "Nana! Nana! Come hereeee!"


    Alix slightly stiffened.


    Nana was taken aback and she quickly trotted to their side. She greeted Alix with a bright grin. "Hello dear!"


    "...Hello."


    She then looked at the cookie in Liu Hai''s hand and put her hands on her waist. "Dad! You stole them again! Mom is seriously going to get pissed off, you know."


    He waved his hand. "It''s okay, it''s okay. I will grovel at Chunhua''s feet for her forgiveness. But first things first! Nana, are you sure I have only four grandsons?"


    "Huh?" Nana gave him a blank look.


    "I am saying if there is a fifth grandson you might be secretly raising?" He asked beamingly.


    Nana stared at the cookie she made. "Did I...accidentally add some drugs into the mixture?"


    "Oof! I am not high, my dear. It''s a very genuine question," he seriously nodded.


    "...Whether or not there is a sixth child I am secretly raising is your genuine question?"


    "Yes!"


    "Why?" her mouth twitched hard.


    He chirped and pointed at Alix. "I like her! She is smart and zesty~ So I was thinking that she could marry the fifth secret grandson and become our family''s daughter-in-law!"


    Nana and Alix after puking three liters of blood - "..."

 Chapter 939: The Liu familys different equations

    "Dad..."


    Nana watched Alix''s expression turn to all different shades of colors, clearly showing that she wasn''t keeping up with Liu Hai.


    Ugh, she is not used to our family''s craziness.


    She coughed. "There is no secret son I am secretly raising, Dad."


    He pouted. "Are you sure? Did you not get tempted into the corrupt path even once and had some mushy mushy time with another man? Don''t worry, I promise I won''t utter a word of it to Jinhai," he nodded.


    "Dad!" Nana looked horrified. "How could you even insinuate something like that?"


    He grinned. "As long as I get a secret grandson~"


    Her mouth twitched. "Did you ask Jinhai about a secret son from his side?"


    His nostrils flared. "As if that stupid of a son would even dare to think about cheating on my precious daughter-in-law! Would I not chop off his arms and legs myself and dump him to the sharks!?"


    "..."


    The sons in this house are really pitiful...


    Suddenly, he beamed with an idea and clapped once. "Oh I know! Xinyi''s nephew, Soo Yijun is also single, right? How about I adopt him into the Liu family and then Alix can marry him~?"


    "..."


    Nana held his shoulders and started pushing him away. "How about you try to save your marriage first, Dad? Be sure to properly grovel at Mom''s feet."


    He burst into tears. "Will you accompany me to soothe her bursting lava, my dear?"


    "After you sincerely apologize to her yourself."


    He squished his cheek against hers. "Yay, my daughter-in-law is the best!"


    Liu Hai furiously waved Alix goodbye with a sparkling gaze as he was hopping away. "Don''t worry dear! This handsome and charismatic Liu Hai will definitely find a way for you to marry into my family!"


    Nana let out a breath of relief.


    The storm has passed.


    She looked back at Alix, who was simply staring at them this whole time without saying a word.


    Nana cleared her throat. "I am sorry for that. Please don''t mind Dad. He is always goofy like that."


    She looked at Nana with an unreadable expression. "It was a joke, right?"


    "Even if he has to help his rival?"


    "When compared to love, helping a rival is insignificant for him," she chuckled.


    Alix frowned.


    How does that equation work really?


    Sure Alix had used it to manipulate him but a part of her wasn''t sure if it would even work because it was definitely stupid.


    "Then what about wanting to know Liu Jin''s secret to take advantage of him? Mr. Liu Hai was the same, all shining and sparkling as if he found a treasure chest."


    Nana laughed. "That is just pulling each other''s legs. Dad, Jing and the twins are made from the same mold. They always look for ways to have fun and goof around especially at Jinhai, Jun and Jin''s expense because they are quieter as compared to them. So they like teasing and poking them to get a reaction out of them. Then the latter group does react and settles the score with them and takes their revenge. It''s a never-ending cycle."


    Alix blinked.


    "Don''t worry. It''s nothing serious. It''s just their way of expressing their love, which is bringing chaos," she sighed.


    How does this equation work really?


    "...And Mr. Liu Hai''s way of expressing his love is...allowing you to cheat but killing his son for the same thing?"


    At that point, a drop of sweat formed on Nana''s brow. "Well...daughters and daughter-in-laws are really doted on in this family haha..."


    Alix stared at her. "Is Mr. Liu Hai really Mr. Liu Jinhai''s father?"


    "..."


    "Y-Yes, my dear."


    "But he is fine with you cheating and not his own son...?"


    Nana slightly wiped her temple. "Maybe...? Anyway, he was also just goofing around with those remarks."


    "Is it that you are perhaps his real daughter and Mr. Liu Jinhai, his son-in-law?"


    Nana choked. "No, dear. Jinhai is really his biological son."


    "So how does a father-in-law ends up being like Mr. Liu Hai?"


    She smiled. "The Liu family was always this way. Super doting on daughters and daughter-in-laws. Of course, he loves his sons too but is a little more biased for us hehe. He always takes our side against our husband''s~"


    Alix stared at the cookie plate, thinking to herself, still genuinely confused.


    How does this equation work either?


    Just what is up with this family?

 Chapter 940: Chaotic session

    A few days later, Shui studied Alix''s drawings with a keen eye. She glanced at her, who was tapping something on her phone.


    "With your current drawings, I get a sense of your happiness. Seems like things are going well currently."


    Alix''s eyes shone. "Is it that evident?"


    She gave a smile while giving Jin a meaningful look. Yes, Jin was also a part of the art therapy session as Alix had insisted with her win.


    "All thanks to Liu Jin here, who is so kind and accommodating."


    While Alix''s side looked sunny, Jin''s side had dark clouds hovering over him. Clouds of gloom, frustration and confusion. Shui coughed with the state of his bubbling anger that was close to exploding.


    She quickly asked, "So is Uncle Jing helping you?"


    "Yup. With Liu Jin''s generous check and Kang Yuze''s compensation, I managed to secure good deals with his suppliers. Now it''s time to plan relook at our current business model and make some hard changes where Mr. Liu Jing will help me~"


    "That''s nice. Taking charge of the company looks to be going well. How is your sister taking this?"


    Alix frowned. "She is such a crybaby. When I demanded an answer from her for not being aware of the low quality fabric, she burst into tears. She said something along the lines of -


    Wasn''t snatching my seat enough for you that you are blaming me for being a bad CEO too? How much crueler can you be sis?"


    Alix continued, speechless. "I mean duh. You were the CEO. Who else should be answerable if not you? You know, she should join the entertainment industry. I feel she fits there."


    Shui shook her head. "Anyway. It''s great that things are going as per your plan, but it''s important to focus on the past too. It''s important to learn about the gaps."


    She clicked her tongue at that. "I thought you forgot about it."


    "..."


    "I am your art therapist. How would I forget? Don''t try to fool me!"


    She just shrugged at that. "I don''t remember much. How is it my fault?"


    "That''s why you are supposed to be drawing to draw out those memories. Even any hint of it. Your brain still has those memories. The art will help you connect you with them."


    She made a face. "Is it necessary?"


    "Xiao cares about you and so do I, so yes, it is necessary. And don''t forget, there are a lot of questions and mysteries floating around your accident which you shouldn''t take lightly. We cannot afford for that to happen again."


    Alix leaned back on her chair, puffing out a tired breath. Shui let her be and then focused on Jin, who was brooding heavily about something. He was dazedly shading on the paper without much energy into it.


    Shui took a look and asked, concerned. "Something is bothering you, right?"


    Jin stiffened and rubbed his hands together. "A-Are you sure...?"


    He thought she would be uncomfortable with that request.


    "Yeah," she smiled and nodded.


    Alix lazily stretched her arms but in a good mood. "Perfect. We will have so much fun."


    Jin''s eyes widened. "The hell? You are coming too!?"


    She innocently blinked. "As Shui''s good friend, I want to support her too."


    Jin pointed his finger at her once again and faced Shui. "Please don''t allow her!"


    "Hey, that''s cheating. You two childhood friends cannot gang up against me, okay?"


    Shui got a headache. "Alix...I will force you to be here for two extra hours if you don''t stop messing with Jin."


    "..."


    Alix grudgingly grabbed the paper again and cursed under her breath.


    Shui then looked at Jin again. "You just stay away from Alix and everything will be fine."


    His nostrils flared. "The problem is that she doesn''t stay away from me!"


    "She will or else she knows what will happen to her like how I just gave a demo."


    Alix - "..."


    Jin felt some peace after hearing that.


    Shui said, "Now that''s settled, I want to know more about what''s bothering you."


    Jin blinked. "Me?"


    "Yes. You were brooding quite heavily. I don''t think it was just about asking about the exhibition."


    "Ah...Oh, that''s nothing. It''s just business related. A few days ago, I had a meeting for a merger deal with a fintech company. But it fell through and I don''t know why..." he released a sigh.


    Alix raised her brow. She remembered him mentioning it to Jinhai and asking for his help regarding it.


    Liu Jin lost that deal?


    Strange...

 Chapter 941: A promise to himself

    "It''s not strange at all. Deals fall through all the time."


    Jiang Yazhu, the CEO of a fintech company, nervously fidgeted with the tissue, seated in a coffee shop.


    "Indeed. But deals fall through with normal companies. The Liu Corps is not a normal company. It''s a giant. Do you...really think I did the right thing?"


    Yuze raised his brow. "Why do you look so doubtful now? You didn''t hesitate to back out when I offered you double the deal."


    And now I feel I made a huge mistake...


    "Yes but it is the Liu Corps. The merger would have been extremely successful."


    "Is that the only way you measure your success? With money?" Yuze shrugged. "You would have started living like a dog, under his thumb for your whole life."


    A man approached them just then, bringing a tray containing two cups of hot cappuccinos. He neatly placed the two cups in front of them and bowed.


    Jiang Yazhu said to the server, "Thanks."


    Yuze just barely acknowledged him and continued. "Do you think Liu Jin wanted the deal because he saw potential in your company?"


    Lin, who had just turned to walk away, froze hard at his spot.


    "No, he didn''t. He saw a chance to hoard a beneficial deal for himself and use your company to propel his own. You would have gotten peanuts," he smiled.


    Jiang Yazhu blew air over the hot coffee and took an anxious sip.


    "Big companies like the Liu Corps only know how to crush developing startups like yours. I should say you have saved your self-respect."


    He seemed to sway again and felt pensive.


    "I think you are right, Mr. Kang...My company is the result of my hard work, sweat and tears. I won''t let any bigshot ruin what I have built."


    Lin stood rooted at his place and the tray in his hand shook a little.


    Yuze noticed Lin''s still posture and frowned. "Why are you still standing here?"


    He jolted and replied. "Nothing...Please enjoy your coffee, Sir."


    Lin walked away with swift steps and shut the door to the kitchen. He let out his shaky and trembling breaths.


    He was so lost in thought that he didn''t even notice the cafe''s entrance door hitting the welcome bell.


    "Hello."


    Maybe I misheard that man, Lin thought or more precisely, he wanted to believe that.


    *Tap tap*


    Lin broke out of his daze and looked up to see a customer at the counter. He bowed. "My apologies for not noticing you, Mam. Welcome to Lin''s Coffee."


    "Is everything alright?"


    Lin was taken aback. "Yes...?"


    "You were thinking very hard about something," she stated.


    He blinked once. "How do you know, Mam?"


    Alix gave a light smile. "Hm...I just know it."


    Lin furrowed his brows. "How do you just know it?"


    He felt it wasn''t a very logical answer to his question.


    "Some things are better left unsaid. Can I get a latte?"


    "Sure, Mam."


    "Please brew some extra espresso and make it strong. Also, two packets of sugar too. And I don''t want it too frothy."


    Lin stared at her.


    "What?"


    He looked down at his small notepad, his lips slightly quivering as he read the order. His eyes slightly tinged and ached with tears. Even with his protests, the memory of a certain person kept invading him.


    She...used to order just like this...

 Chapter 942: Caught red-handed?

    The Horizon Gallery was one of the top three art galleries which held an art exhibition every year. It paved the way for all young and experienced artists to showcase their unique art talent.


    Shui was going to be a part of it and was currently smothered by the love of her father from all sides. Zhiyuan had his nose grow in length by a few inches with tears of pride shining in his eyes.


    "Isn''t our daughter so amazing!" Then he covered his tearful face, "I am so proud of you..."


    Nuo patted her father-in-law''s shoulder nodding her head. She understood how doting fathers worked.


    Siying touched his chin thoughtfully. "People really pay for your art or are you just scamming them?"


    Shui kicked his leg with her sharp heel and he yelped. "Ouch!"


    She sneered. "Don''t worry Bro. Even if I am scamming them, I will make sure you are the Boss they chase for their money."


    "..."


    Xinyi pinched Siying''s ears and frowned. "No teasing and fighting today."


    "Aunty Xinyiii! Shui!" Xiao waved her hand to them for a greeting and pulled the matter in a warm hug.


    "I am so happy for you hehe~"


    "Xiao!" Shui brightened. "Thanks for coming."


    "Of course I would," she then bowed before her family and everybody started gossiping.


    Zhiyuan was happy to see Xiao as Shui''s friend who came to the gallery to show her support. But he wouldn''t be so thrilled if her brother was here too.


    "Is Kang Yuze here too?" He couldn''t help but enquire with a twitched brow, making Xinyi and Siying sigh.


    "Oh...Ah, yes. I mean not right now but he will be arriving soon," she gingerly tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear.


    "Tch..." he clicked his tongue.


    "Zhiyuan," Xinyi held a slight warning tone and he averted his eyes.


    Suddenly, another person hopped to hug Shui from her back and chirped with an unmatchable zeal. "My dear Shuiiiii!! It''s your most favorite Uncle Jing!!!"


    "Uncle Jing! And Uncle Yukito too," Shui''s expression beamed like the sun and she warmly hugged him back too. "You came too!"


    "Of course I will! As a fellow artist of the same world, how could I not come here and show my passionate support~?"


    Yukito pinched her cheek. "Cannot wait to see your painting."


    "You are the best!" she grinned.


    "And how is my dearest Nuo and Muyang!" Jing sparkled as he grabbed them in his embrace too.


    "Gaaaaaa!!" Little Muyang was evidently thrilled to see his great-uncle.


    Nuo said, "As you can see, happy and rolling as always~ Like you and Uncle Yukito. Tell me the truth. You came here to show off your happy marriage, right?"


    Yukito''s brow twitched. "We are old for that now..."


    He had used Jing''s tomfoolery as an excuse to enter the gallery without them but truth to be told, he hesitated to go in. He didn''t know what bothered him, but he suddenly didn''t have the urge to see Shui''s art.


    What did she draw about?


    Was it something similar to what he had found in her drawings?


    And if it was, then what was he supposed to do about it?


    He thought that six years in Paris would make moving on for him and Shui easier, but he wasn''t feeling exactly that. On the contrary, it only got more difficult.


    Going into the exhibition with all these questions and unresolved feelings felt more stressful than ever, so he couldn''t help but step out to take a smoke.


    "I see one naughty child here," a voice called out.


    Jin froze and slowly looked up to find Alix meaningfully smiling at him.


    What the hell...


    "You look like that teenager who hides from his parents for a smoke or to watch porn."


    His brow twitched. "What are you even doing here?"


    This place is supposed to be secluded...


    The car keys jingled in her hand. "Just finding my parking spot."


    "In this lonely place?"


    "Everybody is lonely in this world. A lonely parking space hardly counts," she shrugged. "Plus, spots like these make me feel alive~"


    He grimaced. "What kind of a twisted fetish is that?"


    "A fetish where I can plot some shady stuff in secrecy," she blinked with pure innocence.


    Jin felt it was better to not interrogate that line of her thought process so he ignored her and continued to puff out a small stream of smoke out of his lips.


    Alix raised her brow. "Does that calm you down?"


    He glanced at her side once and looked away. "I want to think it does."


    "So you are still thinking about Shui despite the fact that the cigarette should help you into not thinking about her."


    Jin threw daggers at her. "Yeah thank you so much for that completely unnecessary reminder, genius!"


    "Thank you. It''s my job to keep you reminding of her~"


    He gritted her teeth. He was about to bark at her when Alix suddenly pulled out the cigarette from his lips out of nowhere and held it in between her fingers.


    "Hey! That''s my-"


    "Jin?"


    He froze hard, recognizing his elder sister''s voice. He slowly turned back, seeing Nuo carrying Muyang in her arms. She blinked at him, puzzled.


    "What are you doing..." her nostrils twitched and she sniffed the air a bit, "Is that cigarette smoke?"

 Chapter 943: Falling petals

    Cold sweat broke on Jin''s forehead and his lips parted open and shut. He couldn''t even swallow down his throat properly.


    Shit...Did sis catch me smoking!?


    Wait, wait, wait. Calm down. I can still get out of this-


    Alix smiled. "My bad, Mrs. Han. It''s me," she slightly waved the cigarette in between her fingers, showing it to her.


    "Ah."


    "I am sorry. You are with your kid too," she quickly dispersed the slight traces of cigarette smell.


    Jin stared at Alix and was wondering if Nuo really believed her or not. But it seemed like she did.


    She waved her hand. "No problem, no problem."


    Muyang, who was fussy until now, brightened at Jin''s sight.


    "Jiiiiiiinnnnn..."


    Muyang had started to learn and speak broken words. He flailed his arms towards him with sparkling eyes.


    "Hey buddy..." Jin was half-relieved, half-stressed. He took him in his arms and the little boy immediately nestled his head in the crook of his neck with a giggle and started slapping his chin.


    "...How come you ended up here, sis? This place is quite far away."


    "Ah! Don''t even ask!" Nuo shook her head. "I just came out for a walk because somebody was getting cranky here."


    "Gaa?" Muyang gave an innocent clueless look. Alix stared at him quite intently for some reason.


    "But ugh. This place is like a maze! I didn''t even realize when I landed here," she sweated.


    "Oh..."


    "But I can ask you the same question," her eyes narrowed with suspicion, "What are you doing here at this lonesome place?"


    He stiffened. "U-Um..."


    "I called him here," Alix said without breaking her eye contact with Muyang.


    Jin''s brows crinkled.


    Huh?


    "I had something to discuss about my company with him, so I dragged him here to meet me."


    "Oh yes!" She clapped her hands. "Uncle Jing is helping you, right? Wow, I cannot believe you made that man move to your favor."


    She smirked. "You just need to know the right strings to pull. Shui had that thankfully."


    At that point, Muyang craned his neck to stare back at that gaze and he tipped his head to the side. "Baaa?"


    She innocently blinked. "But bad luck can crash down on me anytime you know? Running a business is hard. I would need a rich hand to bless me and solve my problems in one snap of his finger. Now who is this rich man that I know of?"


    His body trembled in rage. "You..."


    He couldn''t believe the woman''s shamelessness.


    Ugh, things just keep getting worse!


    ¡ª


    The exhibition had finally started with the guests already taking rounds of the gallery in awe and amazement.


    As Jin, Alix and Nuo reached, the entire group waved at them eagerly from afar.


    "Nuooo, where were you!" Leina harrumphed. "It''s time to unveil Shui''s painting!"


    "Sorry, sorry, I got lost!" She cried.


    "Are you a kid?"


    "It''s not my fault this place is like a maze! Oh where are Ai and Xing Bi?"


    "They are already at the front seats which is why I came rushing to pick you up! Let''s go!"


    The space where Shui''s painting was to be exhibited was slightly darker and the atmosphere felt cozy and mysterious. Shui stood at the side near the hanging handle of the veil.


    Jin found Yuze''s figure and for a moment he felt as if Yuze was staring at him until he looked back.


    He is here too...


    A wave of distaste gripped his heart.


    Why does he always have to be everywhere where Shui is?


    From the other side, Ai beamed. "Alix! Come, come. Sit here!"


    Alix didn''t move from her spot.


    Ai blinked. "What''s wrong? Quick!"


    After a long thought, she finally left her place and took a seat beside Ai''s chair. "Why did you call me here?"


    "So that we can have the best view and enjoy!" She nodded.


    "No, I mean...Nothing," she left it at that.


    Shui cleared her throat, slightly nervous. But she looked at her family and friends and gained her momentum.


    "Thank you all for coming here today. Today is a very special day for me and so is my painting that I have worked so hard at completing. I...have been working on this for the past five years and this is...every bit of my heart and soul. This painting means the whole world to me and I think I am ready to show this to the whole world too."


    Zhiyuan couldn''t help but cry.


    She pulled the curtain''s handle and said, "I present to you - Falling petals."

 Chapter 944: An impossible wish

    One''s instinctive assumption about Shui''s painting was that she would have drawn a beautiful cherry blossom tree whose petals would be showering down.


    But it turned out to be quite different.


    The painting Falling petals depicted a mesmerizing moment of cherry blossom petals defying gravity, floating upward as if pulled by an invisible force. Each petal, painted in pastels of delicate pink and faded rose, appeared to be rewinding its journey.


    The petals spiraled and swirled, caught in a gentle upward current that led toward a hidden light beyond the canvas as if representing an unreachable destination. The dark, muted background contrasts created a poignant sense of longing. Some petals appeared crisped and vivid, while others were almost translucent.


    Beneath that fate-defying fall of cherry blossoms, a lone woman stood in a yellow dress. Her hand was stretched forward with her palm facing up as if wishing for a petal to land upon it. Her gaze held an indescribable emotion as if she wanted to float along with the petals too - and reach that far, faraway destination.


    The guests were in awe as if something seemed to tug their heartstrings.


    "Beautiful."


    Shui stared at her painting and said, "This is Falling petals. It''s a painting I have poured all my heart and soul into for the past six years."


    One of them asked, "Why does it look like the petals are falling upwards?"


    She held a light smile.


    "Because they are. They are floating backwards. They cannot in real life but that is the theme of my painting. We cannot," her lips slightly trembled, "go back in our life. Life only moves forward because...time only moves forward. But don''t we think at times? How great would it be if we could go back and change our past? It''s a crazy wish. It''s an impossible wish."


    Ai stared hard at the painting, her eyes aching with mystiness. Nobody had to explain it to her. She trembled as she slightly clenched her fists.


    Behind the rows of seats where the guests were seated stood another person who slightly clenched his jaw - Shui''s painting evoking unsaid feelings in his heart.


    Ailun furrowed his brows, watching a strange expression form on his father''s face.


    "Are you crying, Dad?"


    Jun broke from his stupor and tried to slow down his shaky breaths.


    "...A little."


    "Why? Did you get hurt anywhere?" Ailun pursed his lips, concerned.


    Jun smiled. "I am fine. Now. But...there was a time I was hurt a lot. Your mother too."


    He frowned. "Who can hurt Mom and Dad? Are they not afraid of death?"


    He couldn''t help but laugh. "It''s not always others who can hurt us. Sometimes we make mistakes that we fall into a deep, deep pit and we cannot come out of it."


    Even if they were not a part of this life because they never happened, the past life''s memories were not so forgiving.


    There was no way for him to rewrite his sins.


    So there was no way for him to forgive himself.


    And so...there was no future for him and Shui whatsoever.


    ¡ª


    Shui slowly stepped out of the washroom in a daze. A minute ago, her eyes were reddened with tears. It had taken all her strength to come out with her art in front of the whole world and especially in front of Jin.


    She wanted Jin to understand that if the past was such a gruesome thorn for him to move on, then she wished she had the power to snip it off before it had taken root in the past. Only to lift Jin''s burden off.


    She was ready to do anything for those shackles to break and help him accept his feelings for her.


    "That is not the problem, dear."


    Shui turned her head towards the voice and her eyes blinked for a few seconds. It then widened with recognition.


    "You...You are that passenger from six years ago. We were on the same flight to Guangzhou, remember?"


    He smiled. "I don''t forget anything."


    And neither did Shui. He had made such a mysterious impression upon her that she never really forgot about him as if he was another random passenger she met by chance.


    "I really didn''t expect I would meet you here," Shui couldn''t exactly pinpoint but she felt happy for some reason.


    He walked towards her and handed her a tissue. "I think you need it."


    She coughed. "...Thanks."


    "I saw your art piece. It''s wonderful."


    "Thank you."


    "But why do you want to break the flow of time and rewrite anything?"


    Her lips pressed into a thin line. "So that a person very important to me would be left with nothing to forgive himself for."


    "An admirable thought," he tilted his head with a smile. "But ultimately pointless."

 Chapter 945 Hurt again and again

    On the other side, Alix watched Ai gently wiping her eyelashes as she sniffled and composed herself.


    "Shui is such an amazing artist, right?"


    Alix then moved her gaze towards the painting too, expressionless. "Too amazing of an artist I must say. But she is wrong."


    "Wrong?" Experience new tales on empire


    "...Nothing," she then glanced at her. "Did the painting have that much effect on you?"


    Ai held a faraway gaze. "Yes, it has. Time...It''s strange, right? We don''t realize its passing until it gets too late. We are only filled with regrets when we turn and face our lives and the decisions we made. I have been in that place. I have been very lucky that I got a golden chance to change my life. It was something very important bestowed upon me. That''s why, I don''t take my life and my blessings for granted anymore."


    Alix said nothing.


    "Pastry aunt!!!"


    A euphoric ball of energy landed straight towards Alix''s legs. She blinked down to see Ailun sparkling at her.


    "Pastry aunt! You are here too!"


    Alix wasn''t sure how to respond to his energy. "Hello."


    Jun followed him, making Alix squirm a little.


    "I see you have been behaving."


    Ai made a pout. "I always behave."


    Jun didn''t fail to notice the slight redness in her eyes and so did Ai too. They glanced at Jin, who they saw walking away with an uncomfortable expression.


    "Pastry aunt, this gallery is so cool, right? So many amazing art works. Do you feel like having another competition with Aunt Shui and Uncle Jin?" His head tilted.


    "I am not much of an art person. I would rather write," she shrugged.


    Ai beamed. "Are you a writer?"


    "Omo, are you a writer?" Xing Bi also joined in.


    Alix''s brow twitched. "No."


    "Do you want to become a writer?"


    She raised her brow. "Not really. Though...I have helped with a little editing and polishing here and there."


    Xing Bi shone brighter.


    This time, Jun was interested. "You have publishing experience? Like an editor?"


    Ailun smiled. "It''s okay. I will sneak away pastry aunt from your boring talk."


    "You brat!" he glared.


    He then looked around and asked, "Where is Jin?"


    ¡ª


    Jin was walking around the gallery aimlessly in a daze. He clenched his fists, his eyes aching with fatigue.


    I shouldn''t have come here...How long will this go on for?


    From a distance, he recognized Shui''s figure in the hallway. She was talking to somebody though he couldn''t see his face.


    Jin inhaled a shaky breath, staring at her for a long moment. He felt his heart clench, recalling the lone woman standing under the cherry tree, wishing for an impossible wish.


    Shui...


    A tear formed in the corner of his eye. He walked a few steps towards her, his feet moving without his notice.


    Shui...


    An urge gushed within him to hug her. Embrace her so firmly that there would be no chance of a distance between them. His heart sped in his chest as he moved closer and closer.


    Shui...


    But seeing Yuze approach her right in front of his eyes was akin to crash landing on a thick block of ice. He froze in his steps and forgot to breathe.


    Jin saw the other man walking away. It seemed like Shui tried to stop him for a moment but he was already gone. Then Yuze whispered something closer to her ear as if asking Shui something.


    Jin pressed his lips hard. He looked away here and there, not knowing what to do. Eventually, he turned and sped off in the opposite direction.


    He walked faster and faster almost bumping into people many times. His chest heaved in breathlessness as he finally came to a stop.


    Calm the fucking down, Jin!


    He had a fair idea that Shui and Yuze getting together could be a very real possibility. He thought he had steeled his heart to accept that outcome.


    But why did it still hurt so badly?


    Jin took a few deep breaths and decided to return to his family''s side. The more time he would be disappeared for, the more everybody would get suspicious.


    As he raised his gaze, his eyes widened at a dense crowd forming in front of him. He thought it would be another painting that might impressed people but he was wrong.


    A fragrant scent of fresh coffee beans invaded his nostrils and as he moved further that it was a coffee stall.


    But it wasn''t just another coffee shop.


    It belonged to Lin''s.

 Chapter 946 Buliding connections

    946  Buliding connections


    "Ah, so this is the talented young lady you were talking about, Mr. Liu," Mr. Jeng laughed. "She indeed shows some spunk."


    Jing''s nose grew long with pride. "She definitely has the spunk of becoming my protege. Don''t I have an eye for treasure~?"


    Yukito''s brow twitched.


    Alix came to you, not the other way around.


    "So Miss. Ren, what are your plans for your business?" he asked with twinkling eyes.


    Alix flashed a business smile. "For now I am focusing on restarting the stalled production of the clothes that was due to the issue with quality of raw materials."


    "I thought you were looking to revamp your business model," Mr. Jeng blinked.


    "That is for a little later when I would have learned all about fashion from Mr. Liu. But right now, I want to secure the starting line. The designs that we currently make is Mrs.- I mean, my mother''s creativity," she slightly coughed, "That is the base of the company and I want to restore that first. I feel that element somehow got lost."


    Jing nodded solemnly. "Never forget your roots."


    "Then I would look to expand the designs in different sectors but still keep my mother''s strengths as their base."


    Mr. Jeng and his associates accompanying him were pleasantly surprised.


    This wasn''t the kind of sensible and mature talk they had expected from Alix, who until a year ago, only devoted her heart and soul in chasing after Yuze.


    Jing chirped. "See? My gut feeling can never be wrong~"


    Great-uncle only knows how to hog all the credit, Ailun scrunched his little brows.


    Mr. Jeng smiled. He himself was quite convinced with Alix''s attitude. It didn''t look like she was going ahead without any plan. On top of that, she had Jin''s investment and Jing as her mentor. In short, she had the Liu family backing her up.


    And the Liu family had a reputation for having a keen eye for doing business and associating with trustworthy people.


    He laughed. "Haha, you are right. I almost feel jealous of you. I wish I could have met a smart woman like her too as my protege."


    "Don''t you even dare to poach her, okay?" Jing glared.


    "No way, no way. I wouldn''t dare, Mr. Liu," he chuckled, "But I would indeed like to offer my help to Miss. Ren. Getting a business back on foot is quite tough. I would like to invest too. I have faith in Miss. Ren''s vision."


    Alix raised her brow a bit and smiled. "That means a lot to me. Thank you so much, Mr. Jeng."


    "Aish, don''t mention it," he waved his hand in dismissal.


    He pouted. "I can see she is definitely envious."


    Alix said, "I am not envious."


    "But you are wondering as to what makes me so happy being with Yukito, right? I will tell you all about my husband''s awesome points!"


    "Perhaps. I notice you smile and laugh a lot. You are a very jolly person."


    And somehow, somewhere that was slightly irking Alix in her chest.


    Exactly what kind of a life did Jing have that he had the luxury to be a happy-go-lucky man?


    It was so far from her own reality that it stung her.


    Jing chirped. "I am a jolly person as long as you don''t touch my stuff, you know~?"


    "Sorry?"


    "I am a jolly person as long as you don''t touch my stuff, you know~?"


    This time, there was a distinct emphasis.


    Suddenly, Alix took a trembling step back and exhaled a sharp but silent breath. Her lips quivered as she met Jing''s gaze. The back of her neck tingled with fear.


    A very familiar feeling of the past just broke through the walls of her heart as she looked at him.


    His lips were smiling.


    His eyes weren''t.


    Jing''s expression coincided with an image that looked too much like him.


    Liu...Jinhai...


    Why did I suddenly think about him? Is it because he is his brother...?


    Jing laughed. "That wasn''t very jolly of me, right?"


    Sorry for slow updates last week. Diwali festival was hectic and author caught a bad cold too (?*?_?*?;?)


    enthu_reader

 Chapter 947 Brothers

    947  Brothers


    Jin stared at Lin''s stall from the crowd, a wave of fury gripping him.


    What is he doing here?


    He wanted to confront him then and there but there were so many people lined up that his confrontation would have only caused a scene. Lin and Cai were too occupied with the order requests that they didn''t even have the time to look around anywhere.


    Jin inhaled a small breath and decided to come by later.


    He is definitely planning something. First he makes his shop outside Shui''s office and now he is at this exhibition too?


    He wanted to pass them off as coincidences but Zhan Yahui had wrecked such havoc in their lives that he couldn''t fully believe Lin despite his reassurances to Jun.


    He turned in a furious huff and almost crashed into an incoming figure.


    "Hey watch out where-"


    Alix paused her cold voice and looked at Jin. "You."


    "Uncle!" Ailun beamed.


    Jin slightly widened his eyes. "You two."


    He quickly bent on his one knee and patted his nephew''s head. "Are you okay? Did I hurt you?"


    He furiously shook his head. "I am fine."


    He sighed in relief. "Sorry bud. I should have watched my back."


    "I am not hurt, Uncle," he grinned. "So it''s okay."


    He smiled and then looked back at Alix who wasn''t shooting her icy stares at him anymore. He saw how Ailun and Alix held hands and Ailun standing slightly behind her legs.


    Did she pull him back from getting hurt?


    Wait, why did it feel like she was about to kill me for a second there?


    Jin frowned at that notion.


    Ailun sparkled and asked, "Uncle, Uncle, pastry aunt and I are walking around the gallery and seeing so many cool paintings! I don''t understand many of them..." he blinked.


    Jin laughed. "Well don''t worry about it. More than half of the adults surely don''t understand them either."


    "Uncle join us, no? It will be fun! I didn''t understand many paintings but pastry aunt explained it to me! Then we came here for a coffee break. But I am still a boy so I will drink hot chocolate," he seriously nodded.


    Jin''s lips pressed into a straight line at the mention of the coffee shop.


    Don''t...think about her. It''s just a coincidence. Other people can have the same tastes...


    They stepped out of the queue with Ailun beaming with joy. "This hot chocolate is super tasty!"


    Jin took a sip and had to admit that the coffee was indeed worth it. Lin definitely has talent in that department.


    "Is it good?" Alix smiled.


    "...Hm."


    He looked back and glanced at Cai once more who had faced him without any fear.


    "Does he remind you of somebody?"


    "Huh?" His attention broke and he asked, "Remind me of what?"


    She slightly tilted her head. "Another brother who is just like him? Another brother who will do anything to help and protect his brother."


    "...I don''t know what you mean," he couldn''t help but look away.


    Alix stared at him, a myriad of questions racing through her mind.


    "Brothers...Must feel nice to have them. They will fight and bicker and make a hell out of each other''s lives, but-"


    "Won''t stay still if their brother gets hurt."


    She said nothing.


    Jin smiled. "It''s the same with sisters too. Sis Nuo will gnaw a person out if they hurt her brothers, especially me because I am the youngest."


    Ailun scrunched his brows. "I don''t feel like protecting Aang and Taio. They are always fooling around."


    He chuckled. "Trust me, you do."


    He harrumphed. Then he beamed. "Uncle, join pastry aunt and me! We will look around the gallery together!"


    Jin ruffled his head. "Cool."


    Alix smiled, satisfied.


    He is a natural.


    Previously, she had included Ailun in her plan to drag Jin with them around the gallery and somehow make some chances for Jin and Shui to meet, especially after her painting was revealed.


    Nieces and nephews are always such great choices of weapons, aren''t they?

 Chapter 948 Confessions and confusions

    948  Confessions and confusions


    Lin retired to one of the back rooms, putting his apron aside. He slowly sat down on one of the chairs and breathed out. He couldn''t help but keep thinking about Alix.


    Even though it was a face he had never seen before, he still felt a hint of familiarity. The feeling of familiarity only hurt his heart though.


    I don''t...I don''t want to feel this way...! No?v(el)B\\jnn


    He clasped his hands together, his breathing growing shallow.


    "Bro, are you alright?" He felt a hand on his shoulder. His eyes widened seeing him on the verge of tears.


    "Bro! What''s wrong?" Cai asked urgently.


    Lin trembled further and he clenched his jaw. "She...That woman with Sir Jin..."


    "Yes?"


    "S-She keeps reminding me of...her. Her tastes, gestures, posture, gaze...everything feels like...her."


    Cai stiffened. He exhaled a shaky breath too. He slowly held his hand and softly said, "It''s okay, Bro."


    "It''s not okay," he breathed sharply, "I shouldn''t think about a person who doesn''t exist anymore."


    Cai smiled sadly. "Our hearts don''t work like that Bro."


    He slightly gritted his teeth. "It should. I...I-I hate this feeling. Even after six years, it doesn''t go away. I hate it. I...don''t want to feel this anymore."


    "Bro, bro, calm down," Cai patted his shoulders to pacify him because of how suffocating Lin looked to be. "It''s okay. We will...get through this together."


    Lin looked at his brother with a glint of desperation and tiredness.


    Cai faintly smiled. "You can do this, Bro. You opened your own cafe and are handling it so well. Look, you have become so popular now! Just like this..." his voice quivered a little, "step by step, we will move on."


    He grabbed his hands and pulled him up. "Let''s go back, Bro. The more you sit here, the more you will mope around."


    "I-I cannot deal with the customers anymore..." he looked away nervously, "Too crowded and excited."


    He pouted. "That''s because they like your coffee and your face too. You are actually walking on the right path, hoho! Okay, now enough talks. Go back, go back."


    His brother practically pushed him out in the open, making Lin softly sigh. He saw the shadows of two figures approaching and he breathed in to get into his service mode.


    He bowed. "Hello. Welcome to Lin''s coffee."


    He looked up, his eyes slightly stretching wide. His lips parted a bit seeing Shui and Yuze standing in front of him.


    On the other side, Shui slightly stiffened too. Her eyes squinted seeing Lin at the gallery.


    He is here too...?


    "Ah..." Shui remembered.


    Yuze smiled. "It''s okay. There is no pressure. I asked you out because that''s how I feel about you. I didn''t want to keep those feelings in my heart anymore. I just hope to get one chance."


    Shui didn''t respond.


    Lin almost dropped the spoon from his hand in shock.


    Huh...? Asked her out?


    How he feels about her?


    Is he...Did he confess to Miss. Han?


    But how? That''s not possible. Aren''t Miss. Han and Sir Jin together?


    "I know about your feelings for Liu Jin. But...I still don''t want to give up, Shui. You can reject me if you truly cannot go forward. But after thinking long and hard about it, I decided that I don''t want to give up doing nothing."


    The cup slightly clinked against the platform as Lin''s hand slipped.


    The man who was talking negatively about Sir Jin is confessing to Miss. Han? W-what is going on?


    What about Miss. Han and Sir Jin then?


    Shui didn''t know how to answer. On one hand, her heart held Jin but on the other side, she also knew that their relationship seemed impossible.


    Yet she wanted to hope but recalling the man''s words from before, she didn''t know what to think about anymore. It was just one difficult decisions on top of the other.


    *Clink*


    Her daze fell apart when Lin placed the two coffee cups on the counter. She found Lin staring at her with a complicated expression.


    Why is he looking at me like that?


    Yuze took the cups, paid for them and offered the cappuccino to Shui. He smiled. "Cheer up. Don''t worry, even if you reject me, I am ready. My heart is as strong as a steel wall."


    Shui faintly smiled.


    "Let''s go. I want to see the other paintings with you if you don''t mind."


    "Sure."


    Shui glanced at Lin, who didn''t look too comfortable.


    As she went away, Lin exhaled a heavy breath. Cai, who stepped out, asked, "What happened, Bro?"


    Lin trembled. "I...I don''t know. I don''t know what''s happening. But...But I don''t think that man who was with Miss. Han just now...is up to any good."

 Chapter 949 Prerogative

    949  Prerogative


    "Uncle, uncle, those stars are so pretty!"


    Ailun tugged at Jin''s collar and pointed his finger at one of the paintings at a distance.


    It was a painting of the beautiful night sky with twinkling stars amidst the grey clouds. However, the ground was a barren land with leafless trees all around and not a single soul present to admire the stars'' ethereal shine. It almost looked like a desert.


    Jin stared at it, faint memories of his childhood tracing in his mind.


    Shui loved looking at the stars. They would always spend a lot of time on their villa''s terraces to gaze at the night sky and trace the stars in them, trying to find different constellations.


    Little Shui giggled. "That is Aries!"


    Jin seriously said, "That is Leo, silly."


    She puffed up her cheeks. "That is definitely Aries! You are just bullying me."


    "Yes...they are pretty," he murmured.


    "The bottom is just a sad desert though."


    Jin''s brow heavily twitched with Alix''s comment.


    "You always have to ruin the mood, don''t you?" He dryly said.


    Alix shrugged. "Don''t blame me. It''s how the painter has painted."


    "I would still prefer to look at the beautiful stars."


    She paused and gazed at him. "...I have learned it the hard way. You should look at the complete picture. Half understanding...makes you lose your way."


    Jin slightly tilted his head. "Are you pointing out your fruitless chase after Kang Yuze?"


    She gave a wry smile. "I wish I could have made an easier mistake like chasing after some dumb love."


    "What other mistake have you made?"


    She stared at him and then smiled. "Too many to count I guess?"


    Ailun raised his hand. "Mom says to sincerely say sorry when you do something wrong."


    "Wish life would have been that simpler. Not all mistakes can be resolved with just a sorry, kid." No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Jin hummed. "You should let the other person decide that."


    Alix threw him a look. "Like how you let Shui decide your future?"


    He stiffened.


    "If forgiving or not forgiving is the other person''s prerogative, then why are you running away, Liu Jin? What mistakes have you made that you cannot face?"


    Shui quickly said to diffuse it, "It''s okay, Yuze. You go with Alix and Ailun."


    "I am sorry..." he apologized.


    "Don''t be."


    Alix snorted and looked at Jin. She slowly leaned towards him and whispered in his ear. "Let Shui have that prerogative to decide her future with you."


    His eyes widened. "You-"


    "Don''t be a coward," she winked.


    Ailun sparkled and flailed his arms towards her. "Let''s go, pastry aunt!"


    She frowned. "You can walk."


    "But I want you to hold me."


    He jumped from Jin''s arms into hers without much discussion and chirped. "Let''s go."


    Alix stared at his bubbly face with another frown. "So naive and trusting."


    Yuze stared at Alix and silently followed her.


    There was a beat of silence as Jin stood awkwardly. Even more so when he felt Shui gazing at him quite intently.


    She is...she is definitely thinking about her painting.


    O-or does she want to know what I think about it...?


    He breathed in, unsure of what to say.


    Shui kept her eyes fixed on him, watching every trace of his expression and the knit of his brow change.


    "Sh-Shall we go too?" Jin asked.


    She said nothing at first. Then she clutched her purse and said, "Jin."


    "Hm?"


    "...Yuze...Yuze confessed to me today."


    He froze.


    "He asked me out and also asked me to consider him."


    Jin blankly stared at her.


    Co...Confess...?

 Chapter 950 Once and for all

    950  Once and for all No?v(el)B\\jnn


    The worst of what Jin imagined had happened. The day he was afraid of finally stood in front of him, throwing a slap across his face.


    It was the time when Jin had to watch another man entering Shui''s life and Shui possibly deciding to move on from Jin for good.


    It was as if everything surrounding him turned into slow motion and the voices that reached his ears until now dropped down to a complete silence.


    "O-Oh..."


    He breathed in hard, his heart violently drumming back and forth in his chest. The most nightmarish question erupted in his mind.


    Was it finally the time for Shui to leave him?


    Was Shui here to give him his answer?


    He unconsciously and tremblingly took half a step back, too afraid to know the truth.


    Shui said, "Yuze confessed to me. I came here to tell you this because I want to know...I...want to know what you want me to say to him."


    Me...?


    Shui took a step towards him amidst the passing crowd, yet she felt as if they were the only ones in this space right now.


    "What I...want you to say?" His hands quivered.


    "Yes, Jin. I want to know what you think and want. I know that you left the country for six years to be away from me. I know that this was the way you thought of repenting for your past actions. Even though I accept you with them, even though I forgive you for them - you still think that you don''t deserve to be happy."


    Jin said nothing to that.


    "But why don''t you ever think about my happiness, Jin? We both know that we love each other. Yet we are being bound by a past that has not even happened in this life. So why..." her voice slightly turned hoarse, "can you not allow me to hold your hand and walk together with you...together with you and away from that past? Is that painful past so important to you that you are willing to let go of our happy future?"


    He shook hard.


    No...I don''t want to let you go...


    Shui, please don''t go...


    "That''s why I want to know your answer, Jin," she looked at him, undeterred. "What answer do you want me to give Yuze?"


    Jin stared at Shui''s beautiful eyes and a soft smile lifted his eyes.


    How wonderful it would be if he could wake up to see those eyes every morning?


    How wonderful it would be to hear the pleasant laughter from her lips every day?


    Jin''s hand ever so slowly raised in the air, his trembling fingers inching towards her face. A tear slipped out of Shui''s eye as she felt his warm hand gently grazing against her cheek.


    "Jin..."


    19:16


    What do I want Shui to say...?


    Say...say no to Kang Yuze, Shui.


    Say that you don''t love him.


    Jin''s lips parted. "Say that you...want to b-be with..."


    "Shui!!"


    As a familiar voice broke through the air, Jin froze in place. With a sinking feeling, he lifted his gaze to see past Shui''s shoulders at a distance behind her.


    His expression paled as if he saw a ghost. And it was genuinely nothing less than a ghost for Jin.


    The ghost of the past that came to haunt him again - In the form of Kang Xiao who was happily waving her hand at Shui.


    His hand from her cheek immediately dropped and he stumbled a few steps back. The horror of his mistakes resurfaced in his mind. The horror of casually sleeping with a woman he didn''t love solely to get revenge on Shui crushed him from within. It was as if he was reliving the past all over again that filled him with disgust and loathe for himself.


    Shui turned slowly and as she saw Xiao waving at her, her heart sank just like Jin''s had.


    She quickly turned and held his hand, panicking. "Jin, please be calm. You don''t have to -"


    Jin let out a broken chuckle, his eyes reddening with sorrow. "I...I understand now, Shui. I cannot move on, Shui. Even if...I try to take one step forward...the past will take two steps towards me. It will...always catch up to me."


    "No, Jin!" She vigorously shook her head. "Y-you are not thinking it straight-"


    "I am thinking it all just fine. I...was right about us all along. That''s why..." he exhaled a shaky breath, "If...if your future and happiness is in Kang Yuze, then..." he smiled, tired and defeated, "I want you to accept his confession. Let us end any hopes for our future...once and for all."

 Chapter 951 Black and white

    951  Black and white


    "What did you want to talk about your company?" Yuze asked as they strolled along the gallery.


    Alix adjusted Ailun''s position in her arms and replied. "Nothing."


    He blinked in confusion. "Nothing? Then why did you call me out?"


    "For Shui and Liu Jin to talk."


    Yuze stared at her. "Why do you want them to be together?"


    She smiled. "I don''t think you are that clueless about their dynamics."


    "...You are creating chances to get them closer? Why?"


    "Well it''s quite simple math. A loves B and B loves A so it makes sense that A and B get together?" She shrugged and adjusted Ailun''s position again a little.


    Yuze raised his arms and offered. "Let me hold him."


    Ailun tightened his hold around her neck and frowned. "I want pastry aunt to hold me."


    "Your pastry aunt is tired-"


    "I am fine," she cut him off. "I can hold him."


    Ailun pursed his lips with a downtrodden expression. "Am I heavy, pastry aunt?"


    "Better than to be malnutritioned like my sister," she sneered.


    Ailun beamed and hugged her back. "Pastry aunt is the best!"


    Alix''s eyes slightly widened and she furrowed her brows. She remained absolutely still with a puzzled countenance as he hugged her.


    Strange...


    She then felt Yuze''s stare at her and asked, "What?"


    He faintly smiled. "I understand why you wanted Liu Jin and Shui to be left alone, but I think this is the right time to say now that I don''t appreciate what you did."


    "Huh?"


    He squinted his eyes and said, "I confessed to Shui."


    Alix slowly turned and faced him. "...What?"


    "I confessed my feelings to Shui today. I asked her to consider me."


    She kept her gaze fixed at him for a long time, unresponsive.


    Her eyes suddenly stretched wide and she harshly shook her arm off. "Don''t touch me!"


    Her shriek was so sudden and abrupt that it brought the nearby crowd''s attention to them. Yuze stood stiffened, confused by her extreme hostility and reaction.


    "You were not looking well so I was just..."


    Despite his reasoning, the iciness in her eyes didn''t settle down. "Don''t...touch me again like that. Never."


    He parted his lips, incredulous.


    Ailun worriedly patted her cheek. "Are you feeling sick, pastry aunt?"


    Alix''s messy breaths were beginning to calm down. She stared at the floor in a daze and confused.


    What was that? Who was talking in my mind?


    She looked left and right and the strange black and white images were gone. Her gaze fell on Ailun, who had scrunched up his brows in anxiety.


    "I am fine. You don''t have to be worried about me."


    His nostrils flared. "I like pastry aunt so I will worry!"


    She frowned but let it be. She then looked at Yuze''s perplexed expression and squinted her eyes. "We broke up a long time ago so keep your distance from me."


    He stared at her. "Can I not worry about you even as a friend?"


    "No, because we are not friends."


    She shot him another cold look and turned to walk away with hasty steps. She eventually slowed down after creating some distance between them.


    "Are you scared of that uncle, pastry aunt?" Ailun tilted his head.


    "Scared?" She knitted her brows.


    The hell I will be afraid of Kang Yuze?


    He pouted. "But you looked really afraid of the uncle just now. It was just like how I get scared of bad dreams," he nodded. "But Mom and Dad hug me and then I am not scared anymore. So I will hug you too!"


    He beamed and wrapped his chubby arms around her neck with a grin. "Bad dreams, go away hehe~"


    Alix stared into his bright, pure eyes and an uncomfortable feeling pricked her chest.


    Very strange indeed...


    But she had to focus on another important subject for now.


    I need to find Liu Jin right away.

 Chapter 952 To forge a new path

    952  To forge a new path


    Seated defeated on a bench, Shui stared at her painting that hung on the wall with a vacant gaze. The number of guests visiting the gallery was steadily declining as the day was coming to an end and few and few people passed by her now.


    She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Xinyi smiling at her. "What are you doing here all alone? Zhiyuan was looking for you."


    "Ah...nothing," she smiled back. "I was looking at my painting from a guest''s perspective rather than an artist''s."


    Xinyi stared at her pale expression and asked, "Did something happen, Shui?"


    "Huh? What would happen?" Shui lied. "Oh don''t worry, Mom. It''s just the painting that makes me emotional sometimes, haha."


    She knitted her brows, understanding that Shui was definitely keeping something from her.


    She pulled her head against her stomach and softly said, "Don''t overwhelm yourself, okay? We are all ready to leave. Come by when you are ready."


    I will give her some space and ask about it later...


    Is it related to Jin again? Xinyi couldn''t help but wonder.


    "Mm. I have something to discuss with the director and will then quickly come back."


    Xinyi softly pinched her cheek. "Okay."


    Seeing her walk away, Shui released a trembling breath from her lips. She wasn''t sure if she had completely fooled her mother.


    As she looked back at her painting, Falling petals, the tears couldn''t help but roll down her cheeks which she was struggling to hold onto.


    If...if your future and happiness is in Kang Yuze, then...I want you to accept his confession.


    Let us end any hopes for our future...once and for all.


    Shui broke down into silent, soft sobs as she lightly hugged herself. She continued to gaze at the painting with a previous conversation with the stranger man reliving in her mind.


    *Flashback*


    Shui asked, stupefied, "Pointless? How is my theme pointless?"


    "Oh you misunderstand me, dear. It''s a good theme from an artistic perspective. Simply as an expression of art. But not from a practical one," the stranger replied.


    Her lips pressed into a thin line. "...I am sorry but I disagree. I don''t think it''s pointless to wish for going back in time and rewriting your past."


    "Hey," Yuze called her out with a smile. "There is something important I want to talk about. Can I?"


    *Flashback ends*


    Shui let out a breath and slowly opened her misty eyes. She revealed about Yuze''s confession to Jin because she wanted to prove that man wrong. She believed that the fear and reality of losing her would finally make Jin move.


    He almost had too but eventually lost himself into that pitch black darkness yet again.


    Forge a new path...


    Shui chuckled bitterly.


    There is no other path anymore.


    "...Miss. Han."


    Shui slightly jolted and quickly wiped her eyes. She half-turned and froze upon seeing Lin.


    "You..."


    Lin stood, doubtful and hesitant. He rubbed his hands together and looked left and then right multiple times.


    Seemingly coming to a decision, he said, "I...have something to say to you."


    Shui stared at him and slowly stood up. She faced him and asked after a long moment''s pause,


    "Say something to me?"


    "Y-Yes. It''s very important."


    She burst into a peal of self-deprecating laughter.


    "What do you have to say to me? Or should I ask - what else is remaining for you to say to me?"


    Lin blinked, confused.


    "You and that woman...destroyed everything for us. You plunged a good man into such a hell that he cannot see a way out of it no matter how much he tries. No matter how much I try. Your revenge blinded him with guilt and remorse to the point of no return. Everybody is happy but only he is living miserably and only...only because you and Zhan Yahui chose to do so."


    She gnashed her jaw in hatred. "So after everything that you have put us through, what else is still left for you to say to me!?"

 Chapter 953 Mess, guilt, remorse, loathe (1)

    Shui truly wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt. She trusted in Jun''s belief that Lin only focused on living a changed life with his brother and fulfilling the small dream he had.


    But the sleeping resentment erupted within her once more as her heart broke today.


    Once again.


    The only people she could blame were Hou Lin and Zhan Yahui, who wreaked havoc in their lives. Zhan Yahui was no more, but Lin was. Right there in front of her.


    She stood closer, her balled fists shaking and trembling. "Do you think...that it''s over? Zhan Yahui died and you faced your punishment. Now you are back in society so do you think that everything has gone back to normal?"


    Lin stared at her in silence.


    She wryle laughed. "Nothing has changed, Hou Lin. For a certain man, nothing has changed for him. He is still at the same place he was years ago. He would always be in that position because of what you and Zhan Yahui put him through!"


    He parted his lips but he didn''t know what to respond. He didn''t know who she was talking about or why that person was still suffering because of them.


    He didn''t know that Zhan Yahui had forced Shui through Guiying and Cai Lingyun to marry Jin in the past. And in revenge for that forced marriage he didn''t want, he crossed every limit possible to hurt her in the worst possible way.


    Though that didn''t happen in this lifetime, the memories and the scars remained in Jin''s heart.


    Scars which Lin was unaware of.


    "...Miss. Han, w-who are you talking about?" he asked with a pale expression.


    Shui stared at him, chuckling again. "Look at you all so distraught and disturbed. Is this genuine or an act? I don''t know and I don''t care. The only thing I do know is that I don''t ever want to see your face again."


    He stiffened.


    "I...keep trying and trying and trying but the past keeps coming between us," her eyes shone with tears and a moment later, they slipped out on her cheeks. "Every single time...we fail. I just don''t know what to do or what to say to him anymore. And then you stand before me."


    A fierce fury of fire laced her gaze. "Why? Why are you here? What do you want to say to me? Why should I listen to you? What the hell do you want from us now after destroying everything for us!? Is it not enough already!?"


    "Why the hell are you talking so crankily to me?" His gaze darkened.


    "Why the hell are you moping here when the woman you love is so close to being taken away?"


    "It doesn''t have anything to do with you so leave!"


    "It has everything to do with me!"


    Jin stared at her. "Excuse me? How is Shui and my relationship any of your business?"


    Her lips pressed into a thin line as she impatiently tapped her heel against the terrace floor.


    Okay, let''s approach it a little more sensitively, she thought.


    She smiled. "I am just talking in your best interests, Liu Jin. You are not cut out to be a tragic Romeo. You are just hurting Shui with your running away."


    He stared at her, laughing mockingly at himself. "Hurt huh? I have already hurt her more than enough."


    "...So now you are hurting her even more to compensate for hurting her before?" Her brows furrowed. "How does this work exactly?"


    "What do you care!?"


    "Because you are making things a big pile of mess!" She gritted her teeth.


    Suddenly, Jin grabbed her arms and faced her with a deadly icy gaze and a gnashed jaw. "And what do you understand about it anyway? My mess, my guilt, my remorse, my loathe - what do you understand any of of it?"


    She stared at him in silence.


    "You know nothing about me. We are not even friends so why should I be answerable to you!?"


    "Because you are not the only one in this whole wide world who has made mistakes, got it!? Your mess, your guilt, your remorse, your loathe..." she bit her lip, "nobody can understand that any better than me. So don''t give me that crap!"

 Chapter 954 Mess, guilt, remorse, loathe (2)

    Since Jin had grabbed onto her arms, Alix didn''t feel much shy in grabbing his collar and crumpling it into her fist. Her eyes glazed with an inexplicable fierceness.


    "Don''t cry like a baby, Liu Jin. Are you so crippled by your mistakes that you cannot face them anymore? Then more than half of the world should be lying comatose right now! But people still keep moving on, right? People still try to find hope in their lives. Do you see this world dead in your eyes? Then why do you think that you are so special?


    You are not the only one who has made some irredeemable mistakes! I...By the time I realized that my whole life was a lie, everything had gone so wrong by that point that there was no turning back for me. I thought dying was my only salvation but...let''s just say the Gods weren''t quite done with my repentance."


    Jin''s brows slightly moved as he stared at her, exhaling trembling breaths.


    He was angry. He was still very angry with Alix''s interference. Yet he remained still as she lashed out at him.


    "So here I am once again. I know the purpose of my life and honestly, it''s not a thrilling life to live. Not when...each and every mistake of yours keeps burning in your very soul until you feel like you cannot breathe. That flame never goes out. The mistakes don''t turn into ashes. There is no hope that they would get scattered away by the wind one day and I can finally live my life without this fucking mountain of burden crashing down on me!"


    Jin inhaled a sharp breath. He didn''t know why but every word escaping her lips struck his heart akin to a knife piercing it. Her words were expressing exactly how he felt towards Shui. The hands gripping her arms trembled.


    Alix bitterly laughed. "But I am still standing on my feet. Because I don''t know how else I would face myself. If I collapse right now, then what am I supposed to do with this life? So I am doing what every person who makes mistakes does. Fixing it! Fixing the havoc that I left behind because of my stupidity! Trust me Liu Jin. In face of what I have done, your mistakes...amount to nothing."


    Jin stared into her almost teary eyes that slightly shone with the setting sun''s light cast on her face. She was holding back her tears with all her might because it was a weakness she didn''t want anybody to see.


    I want to love her, Alix. I want to love her too the way Bro Jun loves Zhou Ai. The way Dad protects Mom. The way Grandpa bickers with Grandma. I want to do all these things with her too. But..." the light in his gaze began to fade away.


    "I see myself in the mirror everyday and I think to myself that I cannot be so shameless to wish for this. Not with what I have done. Shui..." he said very slowly, "has forgiven me. She wants me to move past it. But I-I am not able to accept her generosity, Alix. I-It''s crazy, right? She forgives me but I cannot forgive myself.


    Do you know why Kang Xiao is her friend? Not because they naturally grew closer because of you. She...she wants to show me that being with her doesn''t bother her. She wants to tell me that ''Look. I can face Kang Xiao. I don''t feel uncomfortable around her. I don''t care what relationship you had with her in the past, but that doesn''t affect our present.''"


    Jin tightly clasped his hands together, slightly gritting his teeth. "I am not making any sense, am I? But sometimes...we fall in our own eyes so badly that nothing fixes it anymore. Even the forgiveness from the person we hurt feels like torture.


    You said you have made some irredeemable mistakes too. Then tell me. If you have hurt the person you care about so much, how easy is it to look into their eyes and not get ashamed of ourselves?"


    Alix parted her lips as the realization finally set in. The blur picture became clearer to her and her firm grip automatically released itself from his collar.


    Ah...


    That''s what he means...


    He cannot face Shui like how I...cannot face Lin.

 Chapter 955 Unspoken echoes

    Alix stood still at the gallery''s terrace, staring at the setting sun in the sky at the horizon. Jin had left, leaving a heavy silence behind him.


    This wasn''t how this was supposed to happen, she thought.


    "This ruins everything..." she muttered under her breath.


    "Ruins what Alix?"


    She turned and saw Yuze standing before her. Her eyes narrowed.


    "What do you want?"


    "Some answers."


    He took a step closer and asked, "Before when we were walking...why did you panic so suddenly and shake me off?"


    "I think I was clear that I didn''t like you rudely grabbing my hand like that."


    "I was only concerned for you but didn''t your reaction feel a little extreme?"


    Alix grimaced. "Can you leave? I am really not in a mood to talk about your offended feelings."


    He let out a scornful smile. "Sure. Then are you in a mood to talk about what you are doing?"


    "Sorry?"


    "Interfering in Shui and my relationship?"


    "There is no relationship between you two."


    He stared at her. "We are friends which I would like to become something more but without caring about my feelings, you wanted Liu Jin to be with Shui. Even now, I heard your conversation with him here. You are angry at him for not doing anything and letting Shui go. Why are you doing this?"


    Alix smiled. "Because it makes sense that they get together?"


    He chuckled. "What sense, Alix? Liu Jin left Shui on his own accord six years ago. He made it clear that he didn''t want anything more than friendship with her. He returned but he hasn''t changed his stance. So why are you so invested in bringing them together?"


    She felt a chill zap her again, mistying her eyes a bit.


    What the hell is happening to me?


    "I am very serious about Shui so..." he inched towards her with another ominous step, bringing a wave of dizziness within her.


    But suddenly a firm palm pressed onto Yuze''s chest, pushing him a few steps back. He blinked, taken aback and so did Alix.


    "Are you that threatened by Alix''s actions that you have to resort to such an uncouth behavior?" Jin threw him a frosty glare.


    "Excuse me?" Yuze looked peeved.


    "I don''t care what problems you have with her but cornering a woman into giving to you is not so gentlemanly. Especially considering that you two dated once upon a time. Have a little respect towards your ex-girlfriend."


    He gave a strained smile. "I wasn''t trying to threaten or hurt Alix, but I want to make a point that I don''t appreciate-"


    "Then give up on Shui," he sneered.


    "Huh?"


    "Don''t assume another meaning behind what I said. If a little interference shakes you up this much, then you better give up right now.


    Ultimately..." his eyes flickered for a bit, "it''s Shui''s decision. If she genuinely wants to be with you, then it doesn''t matter if it''s Alix or a hundred other women interfering in your love life. She would still choose to be with you. She is smart and sensible. But if little pebbles on your path are enough to make you trip like this, then better give up before you actually fall flat on your face. Loving somebody is more than just dealing with little annoyances."


    He smiled. "So am I not allowed to feel afraid of losing Shui?"


    "Feel afraid all you want," Jin''s eyes squinted his eyes. "I am saying not to take that fear out on somebody else. Alix is not the problem. Your lack of confidence is."


    Yuze''s expression didn''t look so good. He stared at Alix for a moment. He then gave a long, hard stare at Jin and quietly left the terrace.


    Jin snorted in disdain. He looked back at Alix, who seemed to be calm now.


    "What happened to you so suddenly looking terrified like that? Aren''t you invincible?"


    "..."

 Chapter 956 Fickle lines

    Alix frowned. "What do you mean?"


    "I certainly hadn''t expected a woman who could threaten twenty million out of me to cower like that in front of her ex-boyfriend," he raised his brow.


    "I wasn''t cowering."


    "If the meaning of cowering has changed, then please let me know. I will update my dictionary," he smiled.


    She sneered. "Why did you come back? Oh, is it probably because you realize the error in your ways?"


    He pressed his lips into a thin line. "I only came back to tell you that I won''t be a part of Shui''s art classes anymore. Not that I can be when...I have clearly drawn a line between us now."


    "Did you happen to draw it with chalk? Then you can just wipe it off, you know?" she innocently blinked.


    "..."


    "...Chalk? Seriously?"


    She clicked her tongue. "So you used a permanent marker? Not cool."


    He stared at her with clear disdain in his eyes. "What do you think lines drawn in relationships are?"


    She shrugged. "Fickle?"


    "...You know I...sometimes don''t understand just how to hold a conversation with you."


    She smiled. "You just don''t understand the merit in my awesome thoughts."


    "I don''t want to."


    He then diverted the topic. "What was with Kang Yuze? Why did he suddenly get so confrontational?"


    "Apparently, he thinks I am still into him so I want Shui out of his way by bringing you together with her."


    "How much truth is in that?"


    "The latter part is but not for the reason he thinks."


    "But I am also curious," he frowned. "Why are you invested in us? You and Shui are good friends but I don''t think you two are that close yet."


    "I am a good Samaritan by nature."


    He scoffed. "A person who threatens cannot be a good Samaritan. At least tell me why you were so close to crying."


    Her gaze darkened. "I wasn''t crying, okay?"


    "You were close to."


    "No, I wasn''t."


    He paused. "Why do you want to deny it so much?"


    "Crying makes you weak."


    "Crying makes you human," he shot back.


    "...I am human?"


    His brow twitched. "What species do you think you are?"


    "You were staring at me."


    He pressed his lips upon realizing that he got caught. "...I...I wasn''t-"


    "You cannot lie so let''s skip it."


    He looked at her with an unreadable look.


    "What?"


    "...How do you know?"


    Alix looked away for a moment.


    Did I say too much out of the line? She wondered.


    She shrugged and looked calm. "Your innocent face screams of your inability to lie."


    Lin said nothing.


    "So why were you stalking me?"


    His brows furrowed. "I wasn''t stalking."


    "What do you call a person secretly looking at somebody from behind the pillar then?"


    "I..."


    Lin clasped his hands together.


    "I wasn''t just looking at you, Mam. I was also...looking at Sir Liu."


    "Very honest," she smiled.


    But her brow twitched for a moment.


    "Liu Jin? Why were you looking at him? Do you know him?"


    Lin couldn''t say. From the corner of his eye, he saw Jin''s car with him in the driver seat stopping near the entrance.


    ''There is nothing you can say or do now, Hou Lin. I don''t want to hear a word from you.''


    ''Just stay the hell away from our lives. Whether it''s me or Jin or Jun...don''t ever try to cross paths with us again.''


    ''You just live your life and let us live ours!''


    Lin tremblingly breathed in and quickly said, "No. I don''t know him."


    He quickly turned and left without explaining anything further.


    Alix frowned.


    Like I said, you cannot lie so why...?


    She heard the sound of a car horn honking and she turned. She stared at Jin, who signaled her to take the passenger seat.


    She slowly walked towards the car in a daze wondering to herself.


    What was Lin doing staring at Liu Jin? What does he want to do?

 Chapter 957 Not so gentlemanly

    957  Not so gentlemanly


    "Is it really true?" Ai gasped as she stared at her son.


    Ailun sincerely nodded with a troubled expression.


    "That uncle confessed to Aunt Shui."


    "A-and what did Shui say?" She broke into a sweat.


    "I don''t know. But pastry aunt and I made Uncle Kang go away from Aunt Shui so that Aunt and Uncle Jin can talk!" His eyes sparkled.


    Ai threw an urgent look at Jun, who was just beside the mother-son pair in the car returning to the Liu villa from the exhibition.


    Jun himself felt helpless. He pressed his temple and let out a sigh.


    "I didn''t know things would move that fast. We kind of knew about Kang Yuze''s interest in her but I thought we still had more time and Jin would..."


    Time...


    Jun held a faint smile thinking about it.


    "I forget time is never in our hands."


    Ai''s expression dropped. "What will happen now?"


    She held Ailun''s shoulders and keenly asked, "Did you see what Jin and Shui said? Or how they looked? Did it look like Jin confessed?"


    Ailun pouted. "Aunt Shui would have told you herself if that had happened."


    "Well..." she coughed.


    He has a point.


    "I was with pastry aunt anyway and we were walking with Uncle Kang away from them. I did not see much. Pastry aunt was holding me the whole time!" His eyes gleamed.


    Jun smiled. "Is that so?"


    He chuckled. "Oh."


    "And she is very cool too! She explained the meaning of all the paintings to me. She didn''t let Uncle hold me when he offered. Pastry aunt looked like an ice queen."


    Ai grinned. "That''s awesome."


    "But I don''t like Uncle Kang," Ailun scrunched his brows in displeasure. "He was bullying pastry aunt!"


    They blinked at the same time. "Bullying?"


    He nodded hard.


    "First, he was telling pastry aunt that he likes Aunt Shui. He doesn''t like that pastry aunt always lets Uncle Jin and Aunt Shui talk and be together. He also asked why pastry aunt always does this."


    Jun sighed.


    Well...


    Then Ailun flared his nostrils.


    "But then Uncle Kang was scaring pastry aunt! He rudely grabbed her hand and she did not like it at all. She really looked afraid of Uncle Kang."


    Jun and Ai shared a puzzled look.


    His mouth twitched. "Why?"


    "You. You are the reason."


    "Huh? What did I do?"


    "Make my life super complicated. Why can you not be like an obedient kid and listen to the wise adults?"


    "..."


    What the hell is she talking about?


    He smiled. "Yeah, it was a mistake letting my curiosity get the better of me."


    Alix opened her eyes and squinted them at him. "Your sense of loyalty is very admirable."


    "...Thank you?"


    "But is it really worth it to lose Shui over it?"


    He took a sharp breath.


    "Did you not already punish yourself by being away for six years? Do you really think you should suffer the consequences until your last breath? And make Shui suffer the consequences too?"


    He gave her a long, hard stare and then slowly and eventually looked back at the road.


    Alix waited for some response but he remained silent. She closed her eyes back again.


    Time to enter the zen mode again.


    With closed eyes, she felt an uneasy chilliness gripping her once again.


    You cannot do this.


    Her lips quivered and her brows furrowed. Her teeth softly clashed against each other as if she was shivering with the cold.


    Who is talking...?


    Whatever those voices were, Alix didn''t like it one bit. She didn''t like the feeling of a noose hanging around her neck.


    A while later, she felt the car stop and she opened her eyes, thinking they reached her home. But instead, she saw that they were parked beside a bar.


    "You have some work here?" she asked, puzzled.


    Jin shrugged. "Grab a few drinks."


    "How will you drive me back then?"


    "This area is very close to your home. Walking distance."


    Ahh...she realized it as she looked around.


    She sneered. "Not so gentlemanly of you to not drive me all the way back when you offered me a ride in the first place."


    He sneered back. "You just said before you aren''t a helpless princess. Would a few minutes of walking hurt your legs? Aww, are they so delicate to break with just a few steps? You are free to join me for some drinks. At least then, you would have an excuse to act like a helpless princess."


    A faint green vein popped on her forehead as her lips curved into a dangerous, almost evil smile.


    "Sure, I will join. Let''s see who gets to make the excuse of being the helpless princess first."

 Chapter 958 Shots downed

    958  Shots downed


    "Bro, we made so much sales today!" Cai chirped as they were closing down their little shop in the gallery.


    "I can only imagine the increased crowd from tomorrow. Word of mouth is very effective you know~"


    When he saw his brother was unresponsive, he furrowed his brow. He let out a sigh.


    He sat beside him and looked at his strained countenance. "Bro, stop thinking about the Liu family. It was just a coincidence that we got a chance here. They won''t be angry."


    "I...am not thinking about that," Lin clasped his hands together.


    "Then what is bothering you?"


    He anxiously half-turned towards his brother. "Did you see that man with Miss. Han today?"


    "Hm, yeah?" He blinked once. "What about him?"


    "He..." he slightly pursed his lips. "He came to our cafe a few days back too. He was talking with another man and I heard them when I was serving them."


    He gave him a small gist of what happened.


    He pressed his lips again. "I think he doesn''t like Sir Liu Jin for some reason."


    "Well they must be business rivals, right? Seeing how he was supposedly talking to the man Sir Liu was supposed to deal with. Such things keep happening in business, don''t they?"


    Lin shook his head. "I don''t think so. That other CEO had called him Mr. Kang. I searched and found out that the Kang family is in the clothes and raw materials business. It isn''t a rival to the Liu Corps at all. So why...why did Mr. Kang ruin Sir Liu''s business deal?"


    Cai sighed thoughtfully. "Hmm, it''s hard to say Bro. Maybe he did it for a friend who is Sir Liu''s rival? Like a middleman?"


    Lin wasn''t convinced.


    "Don''t tell me that you want to warn Sir Liu of this?" He shook his head. "No way, Bro. We should keep our distance from them as far as possible."


    Lin breathed in. "I think...Sir Jin will be fine. The Liu family can easily bounce back from such hiccups."


    "Then what are you so worried about?" Cai tilted his head.


    "...I heard he confessed to Miss. Han."


    "So?"


    "I...get a bad feeling from him. I don''t think he is right for Miss. Han. What if she says yes?"


    "Huh? When was I intimidated?"


    "I think the part where your eyes were misty and your body was trembling and your words pretty much failed to come out of your mouth? Yeah that is feeling intimidated in my dictionary."


    She scoffed in annoyance. "You have a habit of making up non-existent stuff?"


    "I ground myself in reality and existence. So feel free to drink more or even dance if you want," he shrugged and then looked away. "It sucks feeling that way..."


    Alix drank her fifth shot and slightly gritted her teeth. She was furious at herself for letting out those reactions, though she herself didn''t know why it happened.


    "I wasn''t afraid of him."


    Mentally at least.


    Jin threw a side glance her way. "Just drink and forget about him already."


    She paused. "You said a very sensible thing today."


    He gnashed his jaw. "I always say sensible things!"


    "Not when it comes to Shui."


    He smiled. "Good for you then. You are living such a prim and proper life where you don''t feel ashamed to face your loved one. I am so jealous of you."


    Alix fell quiet.


    "I have someone I cannot face either."


    Jin gulped down his seventh shot. "Then stop being a hypocrite if you know how it feels."


    "Hm, fair point."


    She rested her chin on her palm as her elbow supported itself on the counter. She looked at him in silence. He felt her stare.


    "What?"


    "Just wondering to myself. I don''t know where to go from here anymore."


    "Go where?"


    She simply smiled in disdain.


    "I don''t know myself. But I have to figure it out because apparently, some shitty Gods above won''t give me a straight answer."

 Chapter 959 Grumpily thoughtful

    959  Grumpily thoughtful


    "Gods?"


    Jin was a little tipsy by this point but his ears perked with that word.


    He chuckled. "You know the Gods too?"


    Alix paused drinking and raised her brow. "Hmm...maybe?"


    He frowned, his cheeks slightly flushing red. "That''s not an answer."


    "Well then, you give me the right answer. Do you know the Gods?"


    Jin sneered. "What can I say...I don''t want to know them. One of them particularly gets on my nerves."


    "But you still know them?"


    "Hm...I didn''t have a choice..." his gaze turned slightly glassy as he looked far away. He took another gulp and said, "I had an important person to protect..."


    She stared at him. "Important person, huh?"


    He dazedly nodded.


    "Were you able to protect him?"


    A soft smile curled his lips up and his gaze softened. "En. He is very happy now."


    Alix slightly leaned forward. "And what about you?"


    "Me?"


    "You were able to protect your important person. He is happy now. That''s great. But what about you? What...did you give up for his happiness''s exchange?"


    His black eyes stared back at her, transfixed. "Not much really."


    "It''s not much, yet you don''t look so happy to me," she pointed out.


    He let out a snorted chuckle. "I am doing just fine..."


    10:23


    "If you were doing fine, then I don''t think you would have been sitting in a bar right now, getting all tipsy and drunk."


    "It doesn''t matter really. I don''t see my actions..." he hiccuped, "as any great sacrifice. I was in the wrong anyway even though...he might say otherwise..."


    Her eyes narrowed. "I think your important person might hold some other views about that."


    He chuckled. "He doesn''t need to know about it."


    Jin stood up and said, "I am done here-"


    He stumbled midway and Alix quickly grabbed his arm.


    She smiled with a hint of sarcasm. "Who is the helpless princess now?"


    He knitted his brows and shook her hold away. "The chair was unstable. I didn''t stumble."


    "So childish."


    I can usually hold my liquor well but why am I feeling so drunk tonight? Jin thought in a drunken daze.


    Alix rolled her eyes. She grabbed his arm and wrapped it around the back of her neck. "I don''t want to see the accidents you get yourself into."


    "I...I won''t!"


    Seeing Jin''s state, Alix unlocked her phone and tapped on a contact name. She slightly hesitated for a moment but dialed it anyway.


    "Hello."


    ¡ª


    A black car stopped near the bar and Jun stepped out from his driver''s seat. He took a look around and found the ones he was searching for.


    He walked upto the bench and pressed his lips. "Jin."


    "Hmm...?"


    Jun looked at Alix and said, "Thanks for informing me."


    Alix paused and then shrugged.


    "Just how much did he drink?"


    "A couple of shots."


    "That''s strange. Jin can usually hold his liquor well," he frowned.


    "Bro!" Jin recognized him and gleamingly waved his arm at him.


    Jun let out a sigh. "I am sorry you had to deal with this. Today, he is a bit..."


    Alix threw a glance at Jin.


    "I think it was more to comfort me rather than himself," she muttered.


    "Sorry?"


    "Oh wait. I will drop you home first."


    "I will be fine. It''s walking distance from here."


    "It''s not a big deal really. Plus, you had a few drinks too and it''s quite late now. It''s better to be safe than sorry."


    Alix gave it a thought and reluctantly agreed.


    Jun helped Jin inside the car and Alix joined to sit beside him.


    "Jin''s car...?"


    "It will be picked up, don''t worry."


    Jin had dozed off in his seat while Alix continued to stare at him with an unreadable expression.


    Jun noticed it from the front mirror and coughed. "Did Jin, by any chance, misbehave with you in his state?"


    "Huh? Not at all," her eyes slightly widened. "Why?"


    "No, you are staring at him quite intently so..."


    "It wasn''t because of that."


    "Oh," he sighed in relief. "That''s good then."


    "He is actually quite cute."


    Jun choked hard and he almost lost his grip from the steering wheel. He stared at her, speechless. "Huh?"


    "He acts grumpy most of the time but he can be very thoughtful."

 Chapter 960 Hidden talent

    960  hidden talent


    "yes, he is very thoughtful," jun smiled.


    though i am sure he wouldn''t like himself being called cute...


    alix focused her gaze on jun with lots of jumbling thoughts swirling in her mind. similarly, jun was immersed in his own thoughts.


    "by the way, thank you for taking care of ailun at the gallery. he said you were very patient in explaining the paintings to him. he had a lot of fun with you," he smiled.


    "i didn''t do much. it was just a stroll," she said slightly uncomfortably.


    "which he enjoyed a lot so thank you."


    "...sure."


    jun took a left turn and said after much thought, "ailun was quite concerned about you."


    "concerned?"


    "yes. he saw that you suddenly looked very uncomfortable with kang yuze. is everything okay now?"


    alix cleared her throat. "i wasn''t really uncomfortable or anything. ailun probably misread the situation. i am fine."


    ugh, why am i getting pity from everybody?


    jun slightly raised his brow, getting a feeling that she wasn''t so interested in exploring that incident.


    "that''s good then," he promptly left it at that.


    he then cleared his throat and asked, "did jin...say anything about shui and kang yuze?"


    she recalled their conversation they had on the terrace.


    "he has given shui full freedom to accept his confession."


    jun closed his eyes and released a long sigh.


    what are you doing jin...?


    he pressed his lips and looked at her through the mirror. "i have tried to make him understand countless times by now. but he doesn''t listen to me. maybe you can talk some sense into him."


    "i tried and it didn''t work."


    "he cannot be serious. he doesn''t understand it now but he will only regret this in the future," he slightly clenched his jaw.


    i don''t want my brother regretting anything anymore...


    alix inwardly pressed her tongue against her cheek with a grim expression.


    "i think...he knows that. it is inevitable that he will question his decisions and feel regret at some point in his life. maybe at the time when shui will be walking down the aisle?"


    jun swallowed in uneasiness.


    "why would he do something which he knows he will regret later?"


    she smiled again. "it''s a secret."


    jun glanced at his brother at the back.


    sorry, jin. your life is going to be chaotic with her around you. i only have your best interests in mind. you know that, right? right?


    jun let out a mix of a polite and helpless smile. "th-that''s great. glad to have you around jin. oh yes, ai and i will be happy to have you come by the liu villa too. ailun really likes your company."


    she paused at that. "i don''t think so."


    "you cannot come by?"


    "no, i don''t think he likes me."


    "he is pretty honest about his feelings."


    alix couldn''t help but raise her brow. "do you really want him to play with me?"


    he blinked twice. "that''s why i suggested it."


    you wouldn''t have suggested it if you knew the reality.


    she hummed. "i will think about it. i am not good with children."


    "his eyes sparkle like gold when he talks about you so i guess it''s just about you not realizing your hidden talent," he smiled. "good night. thanks again for taking care of jin."


    "...sure."


    the car sped away from her sight and she stood in silence near the gate for sometime.


    "sis indeed has many hidden talents," mui''s chuckle echoed from behind her.


    alix lazily turned. "sorry?"


    mui walked and stood before her. "first, you made liu jin dance around your fingers somehow to help you with the business and now his elder brother is dropping you home. which brother is next in line? liu jian or liu nian?"


    alix softly gasped. "awww. are you jelly, little sister?"


    mui''s eyes narrowed.


    "don''t worry. it''s very easy to get close to the lius''. you just need to have that perfect balance of smartness and wittiness like me," her eyes twinkled.


    "but alas!" she shook her head. "it''s impossible for you, right? if you had been just half smart and witty as me, then you wouldn''t have reduced into such a sorry state of stalking your sister''s home entry and exit times."


    "you are...getting way too over confident, aren''t you?" mui grimaced.


    "in terms of trampling you like a bug anytime i want?" she looked taken aback. "yeah, pretty much."


    she sneered. "a wounded tiger is far more dangerous."


    "so cute to think of yourself as a fierce tiger."


    alix placed her hand over her shoulder with a mock sweet smile. "i have dealt with enemies far beyond the meager league you fall in. trust me, dear. you don''t even register as a challenge, let alone incite any adrenaline inside me. so do yourself a favor and don''t come in my way. no need for the little tiger cub to get hurt any more than it already has."

 Chapter 961 Sincere apology

    961  sincere apology


    liu corps.


    jin''s head collapsed on his desk the next morning with a mild headache.


    ugh, what was i thinking last night? how did i get wasted by just a few shots!


    the even more embarrassing part was that jun picked up a drunken jin.


    the even more more embarrassing part was that jin hadn''t expected himself to get wasted. so after a couple of drinks to calm alix''s mental state, he was going to drop her home all the way all along like a responsible gentleman.


    but jun took care of that as well.


    is there a well to jump in? jin cursed himself.


    i manipulated her to come to the bar with me but got myself wasted? how much more irresponsible i could get!


    that induced even more of a headache.


    in that half-lying state on his desk, jin fiddled with his phone. he opened his contact log and hovered his thumb over alix''s name.


    oh god help me-


    he realized he wasn''t too fond of the gods anyway and he grimaced.


    yeah, i don''t need your help!


    he cleared his throat and pressed the call button.


    when it clicked, alix''s lazy voice chimed in. "so the helpless princess is finally awake?"


    jin''s face blackened. he had his apology at the tip of his tongue but he had an urge to gulp it back now.


    "i...am not a helpless princess!"


    "it''s okay, liu jin. it happens. having a low alcohol tolerance is not a big deal~"


    he trembled in frustration.


    i don''t have a low tolerance! i just don''t know why it happened last night!


    ugh, why did it have to happen in front of this woman?


    jin took a deep breath and forced himself to be calm. then he exhaled the same breath.


    "listen to me. i am telling the truth. i usually have a good tolerance level, otherwise i wouldn''t have wanted you-"


    jin coughed hard, flabbergasted that he was going to expose himself.


    "i m-mean-"


    "otherwise you wouldn''t have manipulated me with your sarcasm. i must say, liu jin. i didn''t expect i would call a man cute for working so hard, albeit indirectly, to cheer up a woman."


    "..."


    "hmm...but don''t you feel you should do something more than just say sorry? be a little more sincere?" she said while casually filing her nails in front of the mirror.


    jin furrowed his brows, perplexed. "what more can i do?"


    alix smiled on the other side. "how about you give me some desk space in liu corps to work?"


    "...sorry what?"


    "you know that i am handling the company business now, right? there are so many responsibilities and so many things to do," she sighed.


    "so?"


    "so i want a quiet space where i can work peacefully," she nodded.


    "that quiet space where you can work peacefully is your own ceo office at your own company if i may remind you," he grimaced.


    "yes, but it''s not fun working there. plus, there might still be many of my sister''s secret supporters lurking in the corners to take me out. i cannot afford to make any mistake and let them take advantage of it."


    he gritted his teeth. "so rent an office in some building..."


    he didn''t like where this conversation was heading.


    she smiled. "you see, i did think of that too. but i am in a tight crunch about money. i don''t want to waste it in renting and would rather invest it in the business. then i remembered that i am now your uncle''s protege too. so wouldn''t it be more beneficial if i work at liu corps where it would be easier to meet mr. liu jing?"


    "...you cannot be serious. no way am i allowing you to work at liu corps! who even does that? a ceo of a company working from an office of another company?"


    "isn''t it what makes life interesting?" her eyes twinkled. "unexpected circumstances leading to unexpected solutions~"


    "i don''t accept this solution!" he breathed fire through his mouth.


    "does that mean you are not sincere about your apology?" she frowned. "i thought you were a gentleman."


    "don''t you use that to manipulate me!"


    she chuckled. "then should i use your smoking habit instead?"


    "..."


    jin was beyond speechless by that point.


    why...why does she always seems to have something holding against me?


    "always threatening somebody is boring. so i thought to challenge your ethics this time. now it''s not my fault that you got drunk and brought trouble to me, right?"


    "i..." he clenched his jaw, "i will kill you one day..."


    alix stopped and looked at herself in the mirror for a long moment.


    "hmm, once was enough so no thanks. i think we are at the same page now. so when can i bring my stuff in~?"

 Chapter 962 A father to father

    962  a father to father


    late, late, late! i am getting late!


    shui did a last touch up to her makeup and hurried down the hallway. zhiyuan beamed upon seeing his daughter.


    "there you are."


    "and there i go. i cannot stay for breakfast. i am getting very late!"


    siying snorted. "somebody overslept."


    shui glared. "shut up."


    nuo pulled her down on a chair. "eating a proper breakfast is more important than getting late."


    everybody else seriously nodded. xinyi said, "listen to your sister-in-law."


    zhiyuan pouted. "you should take it easy a bit. you had such a successful art exhibition. look at all the comments on social media flowing with your praise," he proudly showed them.


    helpless before her family, shui was forced to sit down for a proper breakfast meal. she buried herself in the food to fill her belly.


    zhiyuan shared a sneaky glance with the rest of the family members, signaling them with eye contact.


    ''somebody ask her. siying, you do it!''


    siying''s eyes widened.


    ''look, she will just end up beating me with her heels for annoying her. why don''t you do it? you are her father!''


    zhiyuan gritted his teeth.


    ''don''t you care about your sister?''


    ''don''t you care about your daughter?''


    he banged his palm on the table, making shui jolt.


    "what''s wrong dad?"


    everybody let out a cough.


    "sorry for startling you, dear. happened by accident..." zhiyuan threw deadly glares towards siying, the latter glaring at him in return.


    xinyi and nuo stared at their husbands with a grimace.


    everybody released a sigh.


    siying asked, "what do you think of kang yuze?"


    "doesn''t deserve my daughter," he coldly said.


    "yeah for you, no man deserves shui. i excluded you when i asked that question," he rolled his eyes.


    "you brat..."


    xinyi gave it a thought. "he seems to be a decent man. he is good friends with shui and cares about her. i thought with alix as her friend too, it could get awkward considering they dated in the past...but i guess they look alright to me."


    nuo pursed her lips. "i guess so too..."


    xinyi held her hand and smiled. "i know what you are thinking, dear. you really root for jin and shui to be together. i feel the same. but we cannot force them into a relationship. if jin doesn''t feel the same way as shui does, then we should let him decide that for himself. and for shui''s sake as well."


    she sighed. "it will be hard for shui to move on. but if giving kang yuze a chance would help her find love once again, then i will respect shui''s decision whatever that might be. whether she accepts or rejects his confession, i will always support her."


    siying said as his gaze flickered a bit, "i agree with mom. i cannot see shui holding on to her hope anymore and continuing to wait for brother-in-law jin. it is just hurting her too much...if kang yuze could give her the happiness she deserves, then i am all up for it."


    zhiyuan''s expression didn''t look so well.


    that damn liu brat! how dare he hurt my precious daughter?


    ¡ª


    "tell your son to stay far away from my daughter from now on!"


    zhiyuan''s voice almost broke through the speaker. jinhai was forced to distance his phone from his ear, lest it would become deaf.


    but as a father, he also understood where zhiyuan was coming from.


    "i will speak with jin on this-"


    "no," zhiyuan icily cut him off. "not anymore liu jinhai. my daughter won''t beg for your son''s love."


    "that is not what i meant."


    "a part of me knows that. but another part of my heart - a large part of it - cannot see my daughter getting rejected every single time. first he left for paris, leaving shui devastated. you didn''t even see in all these years how hard it was for her to just...get through her day," zhiyuan''s voice quivered with pain. "i have seen it every single day, liu jinhai. i have seen her fighting her grief every single day, every single moment."


    jinhai said nothing.


    "he returned and shui hoped for a change. but yesterday - once again - jin made his stance pretty clear. crystal clear in fact," zhiyuan coldly smiled on the other end. "so now i firmly believe that shui should give up and move on and i will support her wholeheartedly. i just called to warn you and remind you."


    his eyes narrowed. "this is jin''s decision. he better stick by it because i as hell ain''t gonna accept his regrets in the future."

 Chapter 963 Sharing is caring

    963  sharing is caring


    the elevator stopped at the highest floor and jinhai stepped out. the two secretaries in front of the ceo''s office stood up in respect and bowed.


    "good morning, sir jinhai!"


    "good morning. is jin inside?"


    "not in his office, sir but..." one of the secretaries, miss. bo, coughed awkwardly.


    "then?"


    "in one of the empty secretary offices over there. we were not aware but i think sir jin has hired a new secretary."


    "oh?" jinhai blinked once.


    why does jin need a third secretary?


    at an empty and slightly dusty office space, alix walked around, studying her new office in great detail.


    "compared to my expectations, this room is quite spacious and well-maintained."


    at the side where jin stood were brewing dark, ominous and gloomy clouds of despair. he gritted his teeth. "why should your office be on the same floor where i work?"


    alix turned, her eyes twinkling. "so that we can be close to each other as possible~"


    "did your thick skin perhaps stop to think that i might not return those sentiments?" his cold gaze was as freezing as the arctic.


    she shrugged. "it''s as you said. i have thick skin. it automatically filters out unnecessary thoughts and imaginations. oh, can you please put that box on the table here?"


    jin glanced at a large cardboard box filled with alix''s work necessities and files related to her company.


    he glared at her. "i am not your assistant!"


    she paused. "ah. my bad. is the box too heavy for a helpless princess to carry?"


    his brow twitched with his expression blackening like a charcoal burned pot. he laughed angrily and lifted the box to dump it on the table with a loud thud.


    alix frowned. "a little gently please."


    a vein popped on his forehead but ignoring that altogether, alix took a seat on the chair attached to her desk. she adjusted her position and twirled the chair around.


    "very comfortable. oh, i can see your office from here. see, we can wave at each other from here."


    a shudder escaped jin.


    i should call someone to block her view of mine!


    he sneered. "we will see about that."


    a deep voice then echoed from behind them.


    "jin?"


    jin froze and so did alix. he slowly turned, his eyes widening. "dad..."


    ¡ª


    on the other side, shui buried herself in work back in her own office. she held alix''s art book in her hands, going through her drawings. alix couldn''t come for her session today, but shui thought she could get some work done by studying what she drew.


    she came across a particular page where she knitted her brows. it was a little messy, but she saw two figures standing below a tree. one was taller than the other so she guessed it was a man and a woman.


    the woman seems to want to run away, shui thought.


    shui tilted her head and studied each stroke with which alix drew. some were lighter as if alix didn''t remember much about it but at some places, the strokes carried a heavier pressure as if it had really unnerved her while drawing it. it made her remind her of the time before alix''s coma where she would sometimes draw similar chaotic drawings.


    the strokes and shades in and around the man''s figure seemed particularly dark and forceful.


    is this woman alix...?


    shui couldn''t be sure, but her gut said she was right.


    a knock on the door brought shui out of her daze.


    "yes?"


    "miss. han. somebody is requesting to meet you."


    she stiffened.


    it must be kang yuze...is he here to talk about yesterday?


    shui released a breath. "please let him in."


    "sure, miss. han."


    a few moments later, another knock sounded and the door opened.


    let''s do this shui.


    she looked up with a smile but it froze as soon as she recognized lin standing before her desk. she stood up on her feet, gritting her teeth in anger.


    "what the hell are you doing here!?"

 Chapter 964 A plea for redemption

    Lin bowed to which Shui could only drop her jaw in disbelief.


    "It was just yesterday when I clearly told you not to show your face to me and yet you...!?"


    She angrily clenched her jaw. "Are you trying to prove that Jun made a mistake in agreeing to your parole and that you were better off in prison?"


    Lin shook his head. "I am not here to hurt you, Miss. Han. I came here to tell you something important which I wanted to tell you yesterday."


    "And again. I think was I clear that-"


    "You don''t want to hear anything that I have to say. I know," he said with a calm breath and steady gaze. "But you have to listen to me because it''s for your own good."


    She snorted with a hint of fury. "My own good? Now do I have to know from you what is for my good and what isn''t?"


    Lin stared at her, his eyes wielding a strange determination in them.


    "I hope you do because..."


    His heart in his chest thudded as he thought of the past.


    "Because I care about Sir Jun. I care about Sir Jin, the Liu family. That''s why I care about you because you are precious to them."


    "Care..." her fingers curled into a fist. "You wouldn''t have betrayed Jun if you had really cared about him. Your betrayal...had hurt him the most, Hou Lin."


    She stepped towards him, her cold gaze leaking with threat and animosity.


    "You two worked together. You made Sky grow together. You were hard-working, talented and dedicated. Jun really liked working with you. He admired your spirit. Maybe it was the reason why Jun agreed for your parole."


    She wryly chuckled. "Maybe he thought that if not for Zhan Yahui''s manipulation, you would still be working with him...as a part of his Sky family."


    Lin bowed with gratitude, his heart beating fast with excitement - not regarding the news he was about to share with her, but the fact that his sincerity reasonated with her - even if just a little bit.


    He met her gaze and said, "I hope you will not accept Mr. Kang Yuze''s confession. I think he is hiding something from you."


    ¡ª


    Jin stared at his father who stood at the room''s entrance, staring back at them. Jin looked at him, then at Alix and then back at Jinhai.


    He immediately withdrew his hands away from Alix''s head in panic. He took a look at his position that was practically leaning over Alix on her chair.


    This looks so wrong...


    Jin stood straight in attention as if he was attending some military camp. Alix, for her own reasons, abruptly jumped on her feet as well with a stiff expression. She looked away, not able to meet Jinhai''s gaze.


    "T-This is not what it looks like..." Jin stuttered with his heart violently crashing back and forth in his chest.


    Jinhai walked further in and blinked once. "I didn''t insinuate anything."


    "Ah...is that so?"


    I still don''t know if I should feel relieved or not...


    Jinhai glanced at Alix. "Hello Miss. Ren. Nice to meet you."


    Alix pressed her lips and greeted him back. "Hello, Mr. Liu. Same here."


    "Will you be working as Jin''s secretary?"


    Jin''s eyes widened, horrified. "Huh? What? Who will be my secretary? This woman here? No chance!"

 Chapter 965 Prying deep

    965  Prying deep


    "Oh," Jinhai said, "But then why is here in the secretary''s office?"


    Jin scratched his chin with a lava of frustration flowing through his veins. "Loaning her office space for her work..."


    He blinked once in puzzlement.


    Alix unconsciously clasped her hands together and attempted to explain herself with a racing heart. She didn''t have to because Jinhai answered on her behalf.


    "You believe working anywhere outside your own company is safer because you don''t know who could be siding with your sister there to bring you down."


    She stared at him in slight wonder.


    "It''s also easier to meet Jing here," he concluded.


    "...Yes."


    Jinhai gave a slight nod. Jin looked at him, aghast.


    Dad, won''t you say something against this!?


    "Your forehead is slightly reddish," he pointed out.


    Alix immediately touched it and threw a disdainful look at Jin. "I bumped against something incredibly hard and thick."


    Jin felt his father''s sharp gaze and he swallowed a nervous gulp. "Liu Corps doors are very sturdy as you know..."


    Alix looked at him, amazed.


    He lied?


    Jin tried to remain still under his cold scrutiny. Jinhai eventually withdrew his gaze from him and looked at Alix. "Jin will take you for first-aid."


    Why me!?


    Jin wanted to protest from the bottom of his heart but refrained in front of Jinhai.


    "That is not really necessary," Alix said a little uneasily.


    "It is," Jinhai plainly but firmly said.


    Jin gulped his resentment and put up a smile. "Yes, Dad. Oh by the way, I didn''t know you were going to come today."


    He looked at him, peering into his eyes. He had an agenda for coming here but instead he said, "Just dropping by."


    Shui stared at Lin, wide-eyed and with her lips parting in disbelief. She couldn''t make any sense of what she just heard.


    Lin nodded.


    "I was shocked to hear it myself because I know the Liu Corps doesn''t work like that. They treat all business owners with respect, whether big or small."


    Shui had heard about the sudden loss of Jin''s deal with the fintech company''s CEO he was working with. It had bummed out Jin quite a bit as it was also his first major deal to crack since taking office as the CEO. But she didn''t know that Yuze had any hand in it in the background with Jiang Yazhu''s manipulation.


    Jin lost the deal because of him...?


    A wave of fury flowed into her veins.


    Why would Yuze say something like that?


    Wins and losses were common in the business world. But to lose a deal based on fabrication, lies and manipulation was what Shui vehemently opposed.


    Just like Lin, Shui was well aware of the Liu family, especially knowing them since childhood.


    Using small and honest business owners?


    Offering them disadvantageous deals?


    "They are fair in whatever they do," she said, "They have always been fair and transparent. That is why they could reach this far. But for Yuze to insinuate the opposite..."


    Why would he go against Jin like this?


    Lin looked at her and seeing the wheels of her mind churning with disbelief and contemplation, he felt satisfied. That was the reaction he wanted from her.


    "I don''t exactly know what is going on between him and Sir Jin. But I just got a bad feeling seeing him meet Jiang Yazhu privately in a cafe and talking things against Sir Jin..."


    He lowered his gaze, reminiscing the past.


    "I have worked with Sir Jun. Even if..." he pressed his lips, "I had an agenda, it doesn''t change the fact that I have seen him work. As a CEO and a boss, Sir Jun has never let any Sky employee down...including me. I know the values with which the Liu family members work. Deceit and manipulation aren''t one of those."


    There was a beat of silence in the air.


    Lin lifted his gaze and peered into Shui''s eyes. "When I heard about Kang Yuze confessing to you, I couldn''t help but get tense. He might...really like you. I have no right to judge that and maybe this is really an unneeded interference on my part. But hearing him say those things about Sir Jin didn''t sit well with me."


    Shui turned and eyed Alix''s art book lying on her desk.


    Alix''s drawing where she drew two shaded figures below a tree came to her mind. It wasn''t connected to Jin''s business deal, but she couldn''t help but wonder if that tall, imposing figure was in fact Yuze himself.


    Does Yuze''s act regarding Jin''s deal and the figure in Alix''s drawing have any connection?

 Chapter 966 Bet?

    966  Bet?


    Alix stared at the board of the restaurant which read Natsukashi.


    It was Nana''s flagship restaurant which she had built with her own hands and which was now run by her children, Jian and Nuo.


    She glanced at Jinhai, whose gaze held softness and warmth. Even after more than twenty years had passed by, his love and pride for Natsukashi remained as strong and firm as an immovable mountain. The place built by Nana always held a special place in his heart.


    For some unknown reason, Alix couldn''t tear her gaze away from that tender expression filled with immense love.


    She leaned closer to Jin, whispering to him, "Are you sure I should be here?"


    Jin looked puzzled. "Why shouldn''t you be?"


    She couldn''t answer that question.


    "Plus, it''s Mom''s restaurant. Why would we have lunch at any other restaurant? Even if it''s four hours away from wherever he is, Dad would still choose to eat here."


    "...He really loves Mrs. Liu."


    Jin stared at her. "That is a gross understatement. Really doesn''t cut it out. He is crazy for her. Let''s not get into understanding the depths of his love. It''s a bottomless pit."


    A shocked gasp echoed as they walked in.


    "My dearest little brotheeeeeeeer!"


    Jian bolted like lightning and crushed Jin in his hug. "Jin is hereeeee!!!"


    Alix stumbled a few steps back, her eyes slightly widening.


    What is wrong with him? Why is he excited like he is meeting some long-lost brother?


    "Hmphfff!!" Jin felt smothered in his tight embrace and violently pushed him away.


    "Stay away from me!"


    "Brothers are supposed to be super close and tight knit with each other!"


    "That doesn''t include you and Bro Nian!"


    Jian burst into tears. "Dad, did you just hear what he said? My little brother is drifting away from me!"


    Jinhai didn''t bother. Instead, he looked around the restaurant, trying to find somebody else.


    "Dad!"


    Nuo came running with a bright grin and jumped straight into her father''s arms. Jinhai''s gaze softened and glistened at the same time.


    He patted her head. "Nuo."


    Jian clutched his chest. "Jin, did you just see what I saw? Do you see the garden blooming around Dad''s head?"


    He grimaced. "Doesn''t that happen like always? Say something new."


    Jian cried. "Dad! Your handsome son is here too. Where is my hug!?"


    "So, so, how did you convince Jin to allow you to work at Liu Corps? Isn''t he like super grumpy?"


    "Sis, I am not grumpy..."


    "Sshh! Let Alix talk."


    Alix eyed Jinhai once and tried to be calm in his presence.


    She cleared her throat. "He is grumpy but also a gentleman. He felt very bad for being unable to drop me home last night from the bar. So he compensated by fulfilling my wish."


    "Bar? What bar? Which bar?" She rapidly blinked.


    "We were in a bar together last evening after the gallery exhibition was over."


    She gave a short gist of what happened last night.


    Nuo was speechless. "You were able to drag him into a bar? How did you achieve that feat?"


    "It''s actually the other way around."


    Jin scoffed. "Excuse me? I wanted to hang out by myself but you invited yourself."


    Alix smiled. "Indirect ways of using sarcasm is your method of inviting somebody for a drink is what I have come to realize."


    His gaze darkened. "Don''t taint my name. As if I will do something so childish."


    "You should be a little honest with yourself," she sneered. "Lately, you have been lying quite often. I have a very, very fresh example of it with me right now."


    He sneered back. "I think you need another bump on your forehead to fix your delusions."


    "I am sure your forehead can do the trick."


    Jin broke into a light sweat.


    Don''t you expose me!


    "Aaand here comes the feast!" Jian grinned, trolleying in a sea of delicious food items starting from soup to appetizing lobster curry.


    Jian invited himself and joined them for lunch. "Eat up! Your handsome and talented head chef has cooked everything after all~"


    Jin thought that Alix wouldn''t be able to handle the lobster curry as it was one of the spiciest items on the menu. So, he served her the dish quite generously. Even Nuo felt the chilli burning her throat from that serving.


    "Aye, Aye, my dearest little brother, you are pouring a bit too much," Jian sweated. "Just because you can eat that much doesn''t mean-"


    "It''s her first time at Natsukashi. She should eat without any reservations," Jin smirked.


    Alix arched her brow at the piping hot and spicy curry before her. Her lips curled into a smile.


    "First, the shots and now the curry. You always are in such a mood for losing, aren''t you Liu Jin?"


    He scoffed. "Not everybody can handle our menu''s lobster curry, okay?"


    She sneered. "Wanna bet?"

 Chapter 967 Tug of war

    967  Tug of war


    Shui had to figure out what was going on. Lin''s revelation troubled her and with her faint suspicions about Yuze and Alix''s relationship, her heart was at unease.


    She looked at the time and waited. She was fifteen minutes earlier than the set time to meet Yuze.


    "Shui."


    She looked up, surprised. "Hey. I thought I came too early."


    He chuckled. "I couldn''t sit back at the office and wait anymore. I was just nervous the whole way."


    They were at the river walkway and watching the gentle waves flowing back and forth, Yuze said, "Honestly, I didn''t think that you would call me so soon."


    She pressed her lips. "I know what you are thinking about, but I didn''t call you out to give my answer."


    He smiled. "That is fine too. I am just happy to meet you for any reason."


    When he studied her somber gaze, he felt something was off.


    "Is everything okay...? You look tense."


    "I want to hear your side of the story too before coming to any conclusion."


    Yuze blinked, confused. "My side about what?"


    Shui folded her arms and peered straight into his eyes. "I heard something concerning Jin in which you could be involved."


    His brows furrowed. "I don''t understand."


    "That is not-"


    "It is that way, Shui," he stared at her with a no nonsense gaze. "What peeves me even more is that somehow, he is getting involved with Alix."


    She was taken aback. "Alix is just our common friend."


    He smiled with a hint of helplessness.


    "Only you see it that way, Shui. Not me and certainly not Liu Jin. There are too many instances to count now where I can see them getting closer...than just normal friends. I am not saying this as her ex-boyfriend but as a man who loves Han Shui. Liu Jin keeps confusing you with his wavering stance about your relationship but at the same time, he has no qualms in growing closer to Alix."


    Shui threw him a look filled with disbelief.


    "I was talking to Alix after the exhibition, and I simply wanted to understand her motivations behind getting you and Liu Jin together. But he angrily pushed me away and taunted me to give up on you."


    Yuze took a step closer to her and the piercing intensity of his stare made her shift uncomfortably.


    "And I cannot tolerate this, Shui. Alix is getting sucked more and more into his space and messed up emotions. I cannot help but feel that he is playing around with both of you. He goes to Alix when it''s convenient to him, but when he feels threatened about losing you, he returns with a roar. I truly want to give him the benefit of the doubt. But it''s really difficult, Shui. If you stand at my place, then it''s hard to see the distinction in his intentions as a childhood friend or...as a man who still has feelings for you."


    Shui said nothing.


    Yuze took a step, giving her the space she needed.


    "That''s why I interfered. The friend wanted to score a deal anyway and yes, I might have exaggerated things a bit against Liu Jin. I admit it is a childish way of getting back at somebody. But I just wanted to see him defeated. It angers me to see what he is doing with you."


    Shui saw him raising his hand, most probably to hold her face, she assumed. But he lowered it back and smiled with resignation.


    "I care about you Shui. I will accept your rejection, especially now that you know what I did. I just hope...you don''t hate me. I only did what I did because I love you and I cannot see the woman I love keep getting hurt."

 Chapter 968 The spice showdown

    968  The spice showdown


    Natsukashi.


    Alix and Jin, both, finished eating two servings of the spicy lobster curry without any qualms.


    Jian gasped, impressed. "You can hold your spiciness, aye?"


    Nuo zoomed in too by closing in on her chair. "I have never seen customers go beyond one serving, but you are passing like flying colors! Only Jin has the appetite for really spicy food."


    "Sis, please. We have not even started. Don''t get so impressed by her."


    Jian chuckled. "You should be careful, little brother. Ren Alix seems to be a formidable opponent."


    Alix shrugged.


    "Yeah, we will see about that," he snorted.


    Jinhai watched their silly competition and quietly focused on his own meal.


    The third serving was finally beginning to tingle their tongues with the fiery zest while the fourth one formed sweat to their foreheads. They took quick, short breaths with their tongues becoming hotter and hotter.


    Jin gritted his teeth.


    Damn, she is matching up to me!


    Jian clapped in delight. "Are we seeing a winner here?"


    "Don''t be so quick to judge, Bro," Jin sneered.


    Alix smirked. "Spicy is not just my tolerance level but my way of life, Liu Jin. You will never defeat me at my forte."


    The elder siblings whistled.


    "See, that is the attitude that I am talking about!" Jian beamed and clapped merrily. "Ren Alix, I am your fan now. My money is on you~"


    Jin''s jaw dropped. "Even if you are an idiot brother, you are still my brother, idiot brother!"


    "That dialogue was really cool, okay? Ren Alix, you have to win this!" He chirped. "I can think of a prize too. If you win, you get the special privilege to call him Jini-boy~"


    Jin - "..."


    The threat suddenly seemed very imminent to Jin.


    Nuo laughed. "Aw, Jini-boy. That''s cute."


    "...Sis, you are on my side."


    She innocently blinked. "Of course, Jin."


    He sighed in relief.


    Jin grabbed a tissue before anybody could even move. He dipped a part of it in a glass of cold water and squeezed it. He bent closer and gently stretched her eye with his fingertips.


    "Hurts, hurts!"


    "Stay still," his gaze darkened.


    With his other hand holding the wet tissue, he lightly pressed the thin paper in her eye, absorbing and wiping off the spice with it. The chilly moistness provided Alix with some relief.


    He did so a few more times and asked, "Is it okay now?"


    Alix blinked twice and felt the burning sensation subside. "Yeah..."


    He glared at her. "Chopsticks'' place is in the bowl, not in your eyes. Do I have to teach you how to use chopsticks now?"


    She looked away. "It was an accident..."


    "Which almost took your eye," his gaze darkened again. "You don''t have to win every damn competition. Look at how your hands are trembling!"


    "You are just as competitive as me."


    He sneered. "But not stupid enough to get the chopstick into my eye."


    Her brow twitched.


    "Clearly, you have the energy to throw comebacks so better use it to go to the washroom and wash your face."


    Alix cleared her throat and got up from her chair. "Excuse me."


    "Wait, wait, I will come with you too," Nuo said.


    "I will be fine."


    "Don''t be silly. It''s our fault for pushing this silly contest too far. You even got hurt," Nuo hung her head low guiltily.


    "Sorry..." Jian scratched his chin. "D-Don''t kill me please?"


    Alix smiled. "I was fooling around by my choice. Why would I kill you for that?"


    Jin sneered. "Yeah, but I should kill you for sure."


    "Your feelings are rejected!"


    "Get lost!"


    Nuo and Alix left the table together. Jin shook his head and pushed his bowl away as he had lost his appetite.


    Jian chirped. "Wow, Jin. That was quick thinking. You didn''t waste a second there."


    He frowned. "Of course, I wouldn''t. She was hurt."


    "So hurt that you completely forgot your own burning face, aye?"

 Chapter 969 If not her, then who?

    969  If not her, then who?


    "Here."


    Nuo offered a fresh towel to Alix after washing her face with cold water.


    "Thank you," she gently patted her face with the soft cloth.


    Nuo scratched the top of her head. "I apologize again. We should have stopped you two before."


    Alix looked in the mirror, gently checking her eye that was struck with the chopstick.


    "Like I said, you are not at fault. Jin and I are not children for anybody to keep an eye on us."


    Alix paused and turned to face Nuo. "I meant to say that it was fine even if something happened. We can handle it. This much is nothing," she pointed at her eye.


    Nuo smiled. "You are right."


    Alix returned to touching up her makeup. She felt something off about the silence between them and looked back at Nuo with a puzzling expression.


    "Is there anything you want to ask me?"


    Nuo glanced left and right and laughed with a little hesitation. "Nothing really."


    "Why do I feel suspicious? Go ahead and ask whatever it is. I hardly feel offended," she shrugged.


    She took a moment to think and carefully worded her question. "...How is Jin feeling?"


    "About?" Alix then realized it. "Oh, you must be asking about Kang Yuze''s confession to Shui."


    Nuo simply hummed at that.


    Alix said after much thought, "I believe that if Liu Jin had to do something, he would have done so yesterday."


    "What if he changed his mind?"


    "He has steeled himself, Mrs. Han. He had six years to change his mind, yesterday being the life changing day. I don''t think we should underestimate his resolve anymore."


    "You seem to understand it very well."


    She put her make-up stuff back in her purse and was ready to leave.


    "Can I ask you something else?"


    She shrugged.


    "You betted to have Jin join Shui''s art therapy sessions because you wanted them to be closer, right?"


    "Maybe?"


    "Yesterday too at the exhibition, you drew Kang Yuze away to give Jin and Shui the privacy to talk. You have always been beside them as a good friend who wants to see them together, right?"


    "Well, they are two birds in love so why not?"


    "But you said so yourself that it''s pointless to hope for Jin ever changing his mind. So why did you request to work at Liu Corps this time? Even if you keep trying, you won''t achieve anything, right?"


    Jinhai looked up and eyed his son.


    "Why did you bring them here?"


    "It was lunch time."


    Jian pressed his lips again. "Why did you invite Ren Alix?"


    "Apologize for Jin hitting on her forehead."


    He blinked at him rapidly.


    "Didn''t she bump into some door?"


    "Apparently, Jin''s forehead can be as sturdy as the Liu Corps'' doors too."


    "...Why did he hit her?"


    "Just fooling around."


    "Dad."


    "Hm?"


    "I don''t think it''s just fooling around."


    "Then what is it?"


    Silence.


    Jian rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze becoming complicated.


    "Are Jin''s feelings-"


    "It''s for him to decide."


    Jian stiffened.


    Jinhai looked at Jian with a dead serious expression. "It''s for Jin to decide what his heart wants."


    "You brought them here because you knew Nuo and I would see it too, right?"


    "See it and decide on a stand."


    He said nothing.


    Jinhai placed the napkin back on the table and stood up. He turned to leave when Jian asked,


    "What is your stand?"


    Jinhai stared ahead, expressionless.


    "Jin is my son. I want him to be happy, that''s all. That is my stand."

 Chapter 970 A name left unasked

    When evening struck in the sky, Alix found herself standing at some distance from Lin''s Cafe. She craned her neck a bit to take a look and found the rush hour to be even busier than usual.


    Guess coming to the exhibition yesterday turned out to be a great marketing strategy, she thought.@@@@


    She stared at Lin and Cai running and hopping around the cafe to take and manage the orders. She walked just a bit closer but didn''t step in the cafe.


    Why did I even come here?


    Alix wasn''t sure.


    If not Shui, then what if it''s you?


    ''What do you mean?'' Alix had asked, feeling sincerely confused.


    ''Just asking,'' Nuo replied. ''If it so happens that...something more than friendship forms between you and Jin, then I wonder what you will think about it?''


    Alix''s eyes slightly widened but then she burst into a chuckle.


    ''Liu Jin and me? Your imagination is taking quite the leap, Mrs. Han?''


    ''...Is it now?''


    Nuo simply smiled at her, making Alix furrow her brows uncomfortably.


    At present, Alix remained still, watching Lin in silence.


    Love huh...? Why would she insinuate something like that? That too Liu Jin and me?


    She laughed at herself sardonically.


    That is not an equation that fits my life...


    With anybody.


    Alix exhaled a chilly breath and turned back.


    "Excuse me!"


    She froze.


    Lin rushed outside towards her and stopped slightly breathlessly. "Hello. I...noticed you standing outside but then you didn''t come in..."


    Alix''s fingers tightly clutched her purse. She didn''t respond for a few long moments. She gradually turned to face him. Her complicated gaze met his bright and cheerful gaze.


    Lin peered closer and said, "Your eye looks a little red. Are you okay?"


    She shrugged. "Just a small accident. It doesn''t hurt anymore."


    "Ah, that''s good," he breathed out in relief.


    She smiled. "You look happy."


    Lin blinked. "Happy? Ah maybe because today we got more customers than the previous days. It''s quite the rush hour."


    "Why it''s a maybe? You are definitely happy because of a booming business."


    "I am happy to see you too."


    Alix slightly stiffened. She looked into his expectant eyes that shone with a hint of satisfaction.


    "I was just passing by."


    "W-Wait...!" Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire


    Lin''s arm raised to stop her but she was already gone. He slowly lowered it, pressing his lips in disappointment.


    I didn''t get to ask her name...


    He stared at the empty space in front of him for a long moment.


    "Broooo! Where did you run off to?"


    Cai came running outside, crying buckets of tears.


    "Why were you out for so long? I think my hands will fall off now!"


    Lin calmed his emotions and looked at his brother. "They won''t."


    "It''s a figure of speech! We have to hire some more help but until then, we sail this rush storm together," he nodded. "You cannot leave me alone!"


    He smiled and ruffled the top of his head. "I won''t. Let''s go in."


    "Finally!" He grinned and pressed his hands on his shoulders, pushing him forward.


    As the brothers shut the door behind them, a man slid down his car''s window which was parked some distance from the cafe. He swiftly tapped on his mobile screen and pressed the call button.


    When it clicked to life, the voice on the other end asked, "Anything?"


    "Mr. Jiang Yazhu is clean, Sir. He was in his office the whole time and wasn''t anywhere near Miss. Han''s office building today."


    "I thought so. That man won''t run his mouth. So? Was my guess right?"


    He nodded. "Yes. Mr. Jiang didn''t visit her but the cafe owner just across the street had in fact. He went to her office this morning to meet her."


    On the other side of the call, Yuze leaned back on his chair, holding a glass of wine in his hand.


    "Ah. I was right."


    "How did you know, Sir?"


    He smiled, staring at the wine rippling inside the glass.


    "Shui knew the exact words that I said to Jiang Yazhu about Liu Jin. Only two people had heard that. Jiang Yazhu himself and...that cafe owner, who was oddly standing still at that time. I didn''t give it much thought. But he was at the gallery exhibition yesterday too. And then today, Shui suddenly happened to learn about my involvement? No. It wasn''t sudden. Somebody told her. If it wasn''t Jiang Yazhu, then it could only be him."


    "Understood, Sir."


    Yuze tilted his head. "Lin''s Coffee...Is that his name?"


    "Yes, Sir. Hou Lin is his name."


    He raised his brow. "Nice. Now that I know who the little wolf is, find out who he is exactly and how he is related to Shui."


    "Only Miss. Han?"


    "Who else then?"


    "Not Miss. Ren too?"


    Yuze blinked once. "...Why Alix?"


    "Miss. Ren was here too until just a few minutes ago. She and Hou Lin were talking for quite some time and it looks to me like they know each other."


    Yuze stared at the vacant air in front of him unblinkingly.


    "Huh...Now that''s interesting. Good suggestion. Find out what''s cooking between them too."

 Chapter 971 Tit for tat

    971  Tit for tat


    "Good morning, Sir,"


    The two secretaries gave a soft bow before Jin, who had just stepped into his office.


    "Good morning," he nodded. "Are the files on the Sisi project ready?"


    Secretary Zhi said, "Yes, Sir. I have already kept them on your desk."


    "Okay."


    "Sir," Secretary Wu checked the tab for the emails. "There is an email from Wang Tianhui''s team."


    "The politician Wang Tianhui?"


    "Yes, one of the regional party members."


    "What does he want?"


    "He wishes for Liu Corps to sponsor an international fashion show here in Beijing."


    "He should go to Uncle Jing for that."


    "But the mail for you, Sir."


    Jin raised his brow. "It is his son only right who is making headlines regarding the cheating scandal."


    They nodded.


    Secretary Zhi said, "They are planning to launch his daughter for her modeling debut."


    "So it''s for her career?"


    "It seems so."


    Jin smiled with disdain. "Don''t bother replying to their emails. Liu Corps won''t sponsor any fashion show. Certainly not to cover up the public''s attention from his son''s unethical deeds while simultaneously also paving the way for his daughter''s career. Hitting two birds with one stone? Crafty one he is."


    "Understood, Sir."


    Jin made way to his office when his gaze fell on the opposite room, finding that Alix was already present.


    He blinked and looked at his secretaries. "I am quite early myself. When did she arrive?"


    "She is done changing."


    "I refuse to peep into a woman''s bedroom."


    "What about Shui''s?"


    A deadly laser beam glare immediately came her way. But he quickly looked back, thinking that the video was still on.


    "Mind your words or you are free to find another office accommodation," his gaze darkened.


    Alix chuckled. "Just kidding. You can turn now. I have closed the video."


    Jin moved his head by just a fraction of an inch and noticed that she had indeed shut it down.


    "But my efforts won''t. See, this is why she comes up with stupid ideas and I come up with smart ones."


    "When will you get the smart idea to leave from here and return peace to my life?" He dryly asked.


    "Hmm," she tilted her head, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Maybe when I see a woman sweeping you off your heart and feet~?"


    "So never," he dryly remarked.


    "You are so pessimistic, Liu Jin," Alix rested her chin on her palm with a frown.


    He wryly smiled. "I have not done many good things in life to be optimistic."


    Alix stared at the faint glint of guilt flashing by his eyes. It was only momentarily which passed away as soon as it came.


    Jin turned to leave.


    "Now you be good and just stay in your office here. Do not bother me or even turn your head in my office''s direction."


    She innocently blinked. "What if you get into some trouble and only I can be your knight in shining prince? As a helpless princess, you should weigh your words before you speak."


    His teeth rattled against each other in rage. "Just be quiet!"


    And he exited with a bang on her door.


    Alix arched her brow and she whispered to herself.


    "Sometimes I don''t like how similarly pessimistic we both are. Neither you see any light at the end of the tunnel nor do I..."

 Chapter 972 Heartfelt and heart fluttering

    972  Heartfelt and heart fluttering


    "Jini-boyyyyyyyyyy!!! Look who is here to meet you!"


    Jin, who was having a peaceful day at work, was very close to falling into the abyss. The coffee in his mug was warm as opposed to his soul which had frozen now.


    A head popped inside with the brightest grin on the lips. "Jini-boy!"


    Six years later too, Zhou Yichen''s charm and charisma held the same vitality as before the time Jin had left for Paris. He was his usual self wearing the same mismatched clothes and the signature twig in between his lips. The delight in his eyes matched the shine of the sparkling stars.


    Jin''s expression was unbearable.


    "Uncle Zhou..."


    "Jini-boy!"


    He hopped over to his side and pulled him into his hard hug. "I missed you!"


    "I didn''t. You came to the wrong place."


    He pouted. "What do you mean? I have returned after a long time and you don''t even look happy." @@@@


    Jin pushed him away to escape his smothered hug and glared. "Your daughter will be happier to meet you than me! She is at home, not here!"


    "I know that. But I came here to meet you to give you gifts," he grinned.


    He put some paper bags on the table and Jin peeked in them.


    "Hehe, I had travelled to Malaysia for some work and I brought tons of sexy gifts for everybody~"


    "What''s sexy?"


    "Aish, Jini-boy. You are at that romantic age now. You should understand."


    He gritted his teeth.


    "Thank you for your gifts so you can leave now."


    "So soon? Won''t you give me a company tour as the CEO?"


    He dryly said, "Haven''t you already seen it six years ago when you forcibly barged in to work here?"


    "Weren''t those the golden days~" he waved his hand.


    Jin held his shoulders and forced him to face in the direction of the door. "The exit is that way."


    "No, no, noooo! I don''t want to leave so soon!" He cried.


    "I thought you would be over the moon to meet Zhou Ai who is pregnant with your second grandchild," he arched his brow. "Aren''t you showing your excitement to the wrong person?"


    He beamed. "Of course I am! My heart bets on a daughter this time!"


    "Ai-chaaan!!"


    "It''s me, Grandpaaaa!" Ailun exclaimed.


    The stars in his eyes lit up further. "Aiyaaa it''s my cute little junior Ai-chan!"


    "Hmph, I don''t want to talk to you."


    "Why!? Didn''t you miss your handsome and charismatic grandpa?"


    Jin rolled his eyes.


    "I missed you so much but you still didn''t come to meet me!" Ailun expressed his grievance. "I thought you would fly to meet me the soonest you return...But you don''t love me..."


    Thank God, Jin was relieved. Love you, Ailun. I will bring a big chocolate for you.


    "Hmph. I am giving you only thirty minutes. Otherwise, I will ignore you for the rest of the day!" he hung up.


    Zhou Yichen was in crisis.


    "Jini-boy, I am sorry. I know you would have loved to spend some time with your favorite uncle but my relationship with my adorable grandson is at risk!"


    "Oh no I am so heartbroken," Jin sneered.


    "Don''t be," he patted his shoulders.


    His gaze darkened.


    "Off I go!"


    Zhou Yichen zapped out of Jin''s office with lightning speed only to crash into Alix. She stumbled back with some force. She steadied herself and raised her gaze, slightly squinting her eyes at him.


    "I am so sorry dear!" he gasped. "Are you hurt?"


    "...I am fine."


    He cried. "I really apologize. I was in a hurry..."


    "No problem."


    "I will definitely give you a proper treat as an apology!" He flared his nostrils. "Don''t worry, the bill will be on Jini-boy."


    Jin, who had heard him - "..."


    Alix paused. "How is it your treat if he is paying?"


    He sheepishly grinned. "We are all family, dear. His money, my money, same thing."


    Jin was speechless at his shamelessness.


    This old man...!

 Chapter 973 Sparks of confrontation

    973  Sparks of confrontation


    "Your father is acting very suspicious these days," Xie Nuying held a frown on her face.


    They had gathered in Jun and Ai''s room where her mother had a mystery to decode.


    "After hearing everything I said, what do you think Ai? He is hiding behind his embarrassment, right?"


    Ai had long kept her writing materials aside, completely invested in her story. Her face wasn''t shining with just the pregnancy glow anymore but the hope of parents'' bright future.


    "Finally! It was long due."


    Xie Nuying slightly furrowed her brow. "I didn''t say anything about accepting his advances. On the contrary, he is accusing me of plotting everything. He even joined the same pottery class."


    Ailun raised his hand. "Grandma, so will I get to eat a wedding cake?"


    "..."


    "Hahaha!" Xing Bi burst into laughter as she cradled her son, Baihu, in her arms. "So cute. Yup, yup, Ailun! We can get to hear the good news soon~"


    Xie Nuying said, "Like I said, your grandpa is just fooling around."


    Ailun''s big eyes turned watery. "But I want to eat the wedding cake..."


    "I should get remarried for the wedding cake."


    "And because Grandpa loves you so much!" He grinned with a gleaming face.


    She pursed her lips. "This cannot be true because-"


    "Where is my junior Ai-chaaaaan!"


    The zeal of a familiar voice tore through the air as Zhou Yichen entered. Ailun shone. "Grandpa!"


    "Ailun!"


    They both ran towards each other, hugging as if there was no tomorrow.


    "Grandpa, I missed you," he sniffled.


    He cried. "I missed you too!"


    "You two had just met two months ago..." Ai shook her head.


    They pouted at her together. "Two months ago! Very long!"


    Zhou Yichen looked at Xing Bi. "Aish, Xing Bi is also glowing so much. Clearly, I see the hearts floating~"


    "Uncle..." her cheeks flushed.


    "And Baihu seems energetic as usual!"


    "Baaaaa!" The little one agreed to it wholeheartedly.


    "Wedding cake..."


    "..."


    "Grandpa and Grandma don''t hug me together too," his chubby face was close to crying now.


    Xie Nuying quickly got up and rushed towards her grandson to hug him. "Here, here. Look, I am here."


    "Me too!" Zhou Yichen joined in with a grin but the sparks threatened to sizzle once again as their hands touched. Then their hearts thumped for no reason and they quickly looked away.


    Xing Bi was very close to laughing with Ailun''s dramatics. She quickly dropped a message to Chyou.


    ''I see potential in Ailun. Please groom him to become the best actor~''


    She got an immediate reply from Chyou.


    ''I know, right!? See, I keep telling Jun but he doesn''t believe me at all. I recognize talent when I see one!''


    Ailun wiped the imaginary tears from his eyes and hugged them hard and pushed them even closer. Two distinct sounds of coughs came with that increased contact.


    Ai chuckled and shook her head. She got up to fetch something when she noticed somebody''s faint shadow lingering outside the room. She blinked and curiously walked out.


    "Who''s there-Oh! Alix!" Ai beamed.


    Alix hadn''t expected her to suddenly come out so she almost jolted.


    Ailun''s ears perked up. He ran outside with his mighty speed and his face shone like a thousand bulbs lighting up all at once.


    "Pastry aunt!!!"


    Alix let out a hesitant and broken smile. "Hey."


    Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying quickly withdrew and looked away awkwardly. He saw a chance to escape the situation.


    "Oh yes, I was wondering where you disappeared to! Why are you standing outside, dear?"


    Ai asked, "You two came together?"


    "I met her in Jini-boy''s office and when I was rushing out to come here, she joined me on my way to meet Liu Jing. He was supposed to come to the office but Yukito is sick so the plans got changed."


    Alix gave a light nod.


    "Ah, yes. Uncle Jing is in complete nursing mode," Xing Bi chuckled.


    Alix cleared her throat. "...I won''t stay here for long-"


    "Pastry aunt, let''s play!"


    "I am not here to play."


    Ailun''s eyes watered again. "Grandpa and Grandma don''t want to give me wedding cake and pastry aunt doesn''t want to play with me too...?"

 Chapter 974 Lost and found

    974  Lost and found


    After an entire day of playing and fooling around, Alix was finally able to satiate the little Ailun and the other kids.


    "Today was so fun pastry aunt!" His eyes twinkled with delight.


    I could hardly get any work done...


    Alix wasn''t really sure what to think about it. Ailun still looked energetic as if he could continue with another round of the same games whereas she was very close to collapse.


    Liu Hai, who had barged his way in to join their games, chuckled. "Aish, you are so weak, Ren Alix. You should build up some strength."


    Alix stared at him.


    Then there was Liu Hai, who even at his tender and old fragile age, also looked as if he would be able to continue this for the remaining night.


    What do these people eat?


    Then there were Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying, whose bickering and bantering throughout the day felt endless like the endless stars in the sky.


    Yet everybody still had the energy to laugh. In all this chaos, she couldn''t get the time to meet Jing at all and her original purpose of coming to the Liu villa remained unfulfilled.


    She cleared her throat at Ai. "I will take my leave now."


    "So soon?" Ailun and Liu Hai''s expressions dropped.


    "...Soon? I was here the entire day."


    Liu Hai pouted. "It didn''t feel that way at all! And, and, you are such an all rounder player!" He gleamed. "I knew it. Teaming with you was the right decision. We hardly lost~"


    Ailun nodded in all seriousness. Zhou Yichen, who was in the same team as Alix''s, held the winner''s glow on his face.


    Xie Nuying, on the other side and who was on the opposite team, threw displeased glares at him.


    And then they say that he is being so romantic to win me back. Yes, I can see how much he wants us back.


    Zhou Yichen asked, "But seriously, Ren Alix. How do you know how to play so well?"


    Xing Bi cried. "No kidding! She hardly gave any opening!"


    "Opening?"


    Jin entered the living room, done with his exhausting work day. His gaze fell at Alix and he blinked in surprise.


    "You are still here?"


    Liu Hai slapped his arm. "Hey! Talk with respect, brat. We won all the games thanks to her!"


    "Games? I thought she was here to meet Uncle."


    Zhou Yichen and Liu Hai shared glances, a bulb lighting on top of their heads in realization.


    "Ohhhhh yeaahhhh."


    Jin was left dumbfounded. "What...You forced her into your tomfoolery so much that she forgot her main purpose?"


    "Mom, don''t be like this. They were just games. Let Dad drop you home. I won''t have to worry then."


    "Tell him to keep his distance from me then."


    Zhou Yichen glared. "With pleasure!"


    The four headed out in the night and Jin said, "Wait here. I will bring the car."


    Zhou Yichen quickly walked away too to book the cab. A minute later, Ailun came running out of the house.


    "Grandma!"


    Xie Nuying turned, surprised. "Ailun."


    "Grandma, you dropped something."


    "Oh my. What is it?" Her eyes widened.


    Ailun held a shiny object in between his fingers and grinned. "It''s your ring, Grandma."


    Xie Nuying blinked once. She slowly took it in her hand and stared at the shining golden band.


    "...Where did you find this?"


    He chirped. "It fell near the table. I read your name on the band so it''s Grandma''s right?"


    Alix took a glance at it. "Is it a wedding ring?"


    Xie Nuying pressed her thumb along the metallic band''s circumference, her heart pounding faster.


    This is Yichen''s ring...Why was it here?


    A realization struck her and she fell silent.


    Ailun scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "But it looks too big for Grandma''s finger. How do you wear it, Grandma? It''s a loose size for you, that is why it fell off," he nodded earnestly.


    Alix said, "It is not her ring, kid."


    He blinked. "But Grandma''s name is written on it."


    Jin honked his car from a distance. "Get in."


    Alix waited a moment and turned to leave. "Ask your father to show you his ring sometime. You will understand," she smiled at Xie Nuying. "Right, Miss. Xie?"


    "H-Huh?" She slightly jolted. "I..."


    Zhou Yichen exclaimed from a distance. "Hey I got the cab!"


    "Good night, Miss. Xie. Your ride is waiting."


    She walked around Jin''s car and opened the door to the passenger seat. Jin had noticed Xie Nuying''s odd countenance.


    "Why does Aunt Xie look so lost?" Jin didn''t understand.


    Alix put on her seatbelt and paused. "Maybe because she seems to have finally found her way."

 Chapter 975 Memory glimpses

    Alix leaned her head against the car''s window, staring out at the night street with a gaze that expressed nothing.


    "Did they bother you too much?"


    She turned to face Jin. "Who bothered me?"


    "Grandpa, Uncle Zhou, the kids. They just forced you into the games, right?"


    She shrugged. "It was fine I guess. Though I sincerely question just what is the source of their endless energy."


    He grimaced. "Wish I knew how to turn off that switch, especially with Grandpa, Uncle and the twins."


    Alix slightly tilted her head. "It''s strange."


    "What is?"


    "You are the youngest in the family, yet you are very calm and measured. The elders are the hyperactive ones. Isn''t it usually the opposite in a family?"


    He shrugged. "It''s just the gene distribution I guess? Uncle Jing and the twins are Grandpa''s Xerox copy while the rest of us are more like Dad. We like to conserve our energy."


    "You have a very colorful family. I feel jealous."@@@@


    Jin tilted his head. "You have a nice family too...well except for your sister. But your parents love you. Isn''t that why they gave you the company''s responsibility?"


    Alix slowly looked back outside the window again.


    "Only if they were my parents..."


    She muttered it under her breath which Jin couldn''t hear.


    Jin stopped his car at the signal and waited. Alix stared at the park in the distance where families and couples had headed out for a nice, long evening walk. Couples walked hand-in-hand beneath the trees, making Alix''s brow slightly furrow. She opened and closed her eyes, her eyelids feeling heavier.


    Out of nowhere, black and white images suddenly sprang in front of her sight that took her by shock. Under the same tree where a couple flirted with each other, she now saw two stranger black and white figures arguing with each other.


    ''Don''t even think of...''


    ''Let me go! I don''t want this anymore!''


    ''What do you mean you don''t want anymore?''


    ''Exactly what you hear. I had enough of this! You are just too much!''


    ''Too much? Am I too much? You don''t understand my feelings at all!'' The taller figure gritted his teeth.


    ''Feelings? Are they feelings or just your attempts in controlling me? That''s why I have had enough. I want to have my space!''


    The tall dark figure took a threatening step towards her. ''You cannot do this. You cannot do this...''


    Alix clutched her head, a sharp pain buzzing back and forth as if somebody was hammering hard upon it. The jumbling memories crashed like tsunami waves that baffled her.


    "It was a different story a few minutes ago so stop talking," Jin sourly said. "You think I was supposed to drop you home in that condition?"


    "What condition? I can walk and talk."


    "Will you stop talking?"


    The nurse''s brow twitched. They were at the hospital right now where Jin insisted for Alix to have a checkup.


    "Please wait for a moment. The doctor will be here soon."


    The nurse left and Alix immediately said, "This is a waste of time. The headache was temporary."


    "It could be related to your memory so it''s not a small deal. Why are you taking it so lightly?"


    Alix made a face.


    "...I hate hospitals."


    Jin glanced at her. "It is just a checkup, not like you have to sleep the night here."


    "You are being a busybody."


    His face blackened. "That''s what I get for showing concern?"


    "I don''t deserve any concern."


    "You deserve concern as much as the next patient in the ward here so zip it."


    Alix frowned. But she zipped her lips for real this time.


    The doctor came in and greeted her with a smile. "Miss. Ren. Long time." Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire


    He was the same attending doctor during the entire time Alix was in coma.


    "You finally remembered your way here."


    Alix''s brow twitched.


    Jin blinked. "Meaning?"


    "She has been skipping on her regular follow up appointments despite the numerous reminders."


    Jin stared at her, his lips lifting into a sneer. "No wonder you felt this was a waste of time. Somebody just wanted to escape."


    Alix just shrugged. "Look, I am still out of coma, alive and kicking. Why do I need followup appointments?"


    The doctor replied. "Because we need to understand if your memory gaps are coming back to you or not. It could be dangerous if not monitored regularly. So Miss. Ren. Did you recall something today?"


    "Yes. About my ex-boyfriend."

 Chapter 976 Late night customers

    On the other side, Lin was shutting his cafe for the day while his brother arranged the tables inside.


    "Hey, man! Is this cafe open?"


    Lin looked back at a man wearing a black leather jacket with his hands buried in his pockets. He wore a cap on his head and stared at him with a trace of tension in his eyes.


    "I am sorry," Lin bowed. "It''s closing time."


    "Hey, don''t do this man. I am starving. I have walked a long way. Let me in please. You must have sandwiches and other stuff, right?"


    "There is a convenience store just 10 minutes away-"@@@@


    "Dude, I cannot even last another 2 minutes, you want me to walk for another 10? Like I asked before, you would definitely have some sandwiches left, right?"


    Lin hesitated. "We do but it''s-"


    "I will just take five minutes, dude! I don''t wanna walk more just to find another cafe or supermarket."


    Lin released a sigh. "Okay, please come in."


    "Yo, thanks!"


    Cai saw a customer coming in with Lin and he frowned. "Bro, aren''t we closing?"


    "He said he will be done in five minutes..."


    He shook his head.


    You should have outright rejected him Bro...


    Lin felt his scolding stare and quickly looked away, coughing.


    "Can you please make some coffee and sandwiches for him?"


    "Fine..." he grumbled to himself.


    Ten minutes later, the customer returned from the washroom, wiping his hands with the tissue.


    "Thanks bud. You are a good man."


    The man with the leather jacket left the cafe as quickly as he had arrived.


    Cai pointed out. "He took ten minutes, not five."


    Lin nodded. "I have learned that people tend to add five-ten minutes more to the original time they proposed."


    "That is not really punctual."


    "Indeed."


    Cai let out a sigh. "Bro, don''t allow customers after the closing time in the future. It would become very chaotic if somebody saw and started demanding the same thing."


    "I am fine."


    She frowned. "No, it''s not. I am not really a customer right now and you aren''t serving me as an attendant, so why should you be standing?"


    Lin looked away and thought that Shui''s argument held merit, but he couldn''t bring himself to share a table with her.


    "It''s really fine."


    "In that case, I will stand as well."


    "Please, no!" Lin nervously exclaimed in a slightly higher pitch and quickly grabbed a seat.


    "Is it okay now...?"


    "Much better."


    Lin fiddled with his collar with anxiety setting in, pressing his lips now and then.


    Where is Cai? He should be done with the coffee by now...


    In the kitchen, Cai was taking his own sweet time and speed to brew Shui''s coffee.


    Let''s stay here for as long as I can~


    Outside, Shui said, "...I just thought I should let you know what Yuze told me about his involvement with Jin''s business deal."


    Lin faced her and blinked once. "Did Mr. Kang...admit his involvement?"


    Shui nodded and recapped the entire conversation to him. Before she could continue, Lin expressed breathlessly.


    "Th-that''s not true..!"


    Shui was taken aback. "Sorry?"


    "Sir Liu Jin i-is not playing with your feelings, Miss. Han. He-he will even never think of doing that! I don''t know...what Mr. Kang means by acting conveniently to suit his needs, but Sir Jin is not like that!" His breaths grew ragged and his trembling hands clasped together.


    Shui parted and closed her lips, slightly stunned. "I know that, Hou Lin. Jin will never have any bad intentions towards me. It''s just that Yuze misunderstood him. Of course, it doesn''t mean that I support him or what he did but that''s how things looked to him from his point of view as somebody..." she cleared her throat, "who confessed to me."


    Lin leaned back, relieved upon hearing Shui''s words. "I see...But he should not have messed with Sir Jin''s deal."


    "Naturally, I expressed my disappointment regarding that. It was an important deal for Jin. But he won''t interfere again."


    Lin''s brows slightly furrowed. "Is that so...?"


    He stared down at the table in deep thought.


    Shui said, "That''s all I came to tell you. You..."


    She fiddled with her thumbs and exhaled a quiet breath.


    "I know it must have been really hard for you to still come to my office and tell me about this incident despite how I lashed on you at the gallery. So...thank you. Thank you for telling and caring about Jin."

 Chapter 977 Collage of memories

    Chapter 977  Collage of memories


    "So you remembered a fight between you and Yuze?" Shui asked.


    Alix was currently at Shui''s office for her art therapy session, who recalled the black and white glimpses she saw yesterday.


    "You said those memories struck you when you watched a couple standing beneath a tree at the park."


    She shrugged. @@@@


    Shui paused to think and quickly walked back to her desk. She took out a drawing book and flipped some pages.


    "Did it feel like this?"


    Alix leaned and said, "That''s the drawing I drew some time before."


    "Yes and it''s similar to what you are describing. Here too, you drew a tree and two shaded figures under it and it seems like they are fighting."


    "That''s what the flashes show sometimes."


    "I see...Did the memories show what you two were fighting about?"


    "I don''t really remember the underlying cause of the fight but it seems I had problems with his controlling behavior."


    Shui''s eyes slightly stretched wide. "Controlling and...Yuze?"


    "Yeah it''s strange. He doesn''t give that vibe to be honest. But then again," Alix smiled. "People live their life wearing a lot of masks."


    Shui stared at the drawing and slightly bit her lip.


    "You had said before that you broke up with him and not the other way around. So was it related to this you feel?"


    Alix had tried to find an answer to that herself since last night but apart from those memories, she couldn''t feel anything else.


    Shui noticed Alix''s bored expression and twitched the corner of her lips.


    "Alix, you just had some glimpse into your memory. You should be a little serious about this."


    She arched her brow. "Why? Kang Yuze was my past and I don''t care how that relationship ended. I am more interested in my present and saving the sinking ship of my company."


    Shui''s jaw dropped. "How could you...be so relaxed with gaps in your memories? Isn''t it frightening to not remember?"


    Alix stared at her. "It''s more frightening to remember certain memories than forget them. So I am quite in a comfortable space I should say."


    She frowned. "I don''t think you came here today on your own accord."


    "No, I did not," she sneered. "A certain Liu forced me to meet you and share my progress with you."


    "..."


    Shui could easily guess who that Liu might be.


    "Wait, Jin was there with you when this happened?"


    "He was dropping me back home."


    Alix''s gaze darkened. "I am done here."


    "Not before I give you your assignment."


    "I hate assignments."


    Shui ignored her resentment and continued. "It is very good progress that you are beginning to remember things."


    "Congratulations to me~" she sardonically laughed.


    "To bring more progress, I was thinking of getting you to the next step."


    "By any means, is there an escalator to skip to the top?"


    "Shut up and keep listening. Your drawings have provided good insight until now and now we can take it a notch further. So how about making a collage?"


    "This feels like a school project," Alix remarked.


    "A project to connect your memories," Shui corrected her. "You can use anything to make it - cutouts, clippings, mementos. Anything you find that helps you create a timeline and explore the unknown within you. That could help us make the bigger picture and connect the dots."


    Alix frowned. "This looks like too much work. Aren''t you aware that I am a CEO now? CEOs are supposed to be very busy people."


    Shui sneered. "If given a chance to irritate Jin, you would gladly waste your ''precious CEO time'' to harass him anytime."


    Alix tried to but couldn''t retort to that allegation.


    "I want to see progress every week," she patted her shoulder. "Off you go."


    "Two peas in a pod they are..." Alix muttered to herself. "Who''s gonna get the time to make a collage?"


    ¡ª


    From Shui''s office, she hopped her way to Liu Corps and got to work as usual.


    Today I will receive a sample batch of the raw materials and then there are some meetings pending...


    As she memorized her to-do list for today and passed along Jin''s office, she saw a middle-aged man seated opposite him.


    From the deathly looks that Jin threw, it was evident that this guest wasn''t welcomed.


    "Who is that man?" She whispered to herself.


    Jin''s secretary answered from behind her. "That is Wang Tianhui, one of the regional politicians."


    She turned and blinked. "A politician and a businessman...huh. Nice combination."


    She sighed. "He is here to convince Sir to host the fashion show for his daughter''s modeling debut. He has been denied multiple times so he personally came to meet him. As if that will change anything."


    The gears in Alix''s mind started to turn. "I think it will this time."


    "Huh? Why?"


    She looked back at her and smiled. "Because I am about to crash that little party."

 Chapter 978 What goes around comes around

    Chapter 978  What goes around comes around


    Jin was rubbing his temple with a pounding headache as he stared at Wang Tianhui with a brooding expression.


    Wang Tianhui didn''t realize Jin''s evident disinterest as he continued pushing him towards his agreement.


    "Mr. Liu. This fashion show is extremely important for my Xia Xia and if the Liu Corps sponsors it, then it will only shine her career in the right direction. Of course, this has benefits for you too. My daughter will be more than happy to support you in your future marketing and advertising ventures. Will it not be profitable for you if a supermodel becomes the face of your company?"


    Jin tried to hold his patience. "Didn''t I tell you to bug my uncle for this?"


    "I tried but it seems that Mr. Jing is completely sold by the idea of his retirement. He is not picking up anybody''s calls...You are only my last hope, Mr. Liu."


    He inwardly sneered.


    Last hope, yeah sure. Last hope to save your son you mean. @@@@


    Jin smiled. "Thank you for your trust in me but as you know, I recently took over as the CEO. I have responsibilities and fashion shows are not one of them right now."


    Wang Tianhui slightly narrowed his eyes and kept a placid smile on his lips. "Don''t be so hasty, Mr. Liu. Working with me will only be advantageous for you. I heard about your fintech merger deal that couldn''t go through."


    Jin gave him an acute stare.


    "Trust me, if it was me then there was no way that deal could have fallen apart," he nodded.


    "Are you insinuating that I am careless?"


    He smiled. "That you lack experience. You are young and full of energy, which is nice, but business requires much more than that."


    Political connections and influence being one of them, Jin added in his mind, knowing where he was going with this.


    *Knock knock*


    Jin thanked his stars, thinking it was one of his secretaries needing him.


    Finally I got my excuse to throw him out!


    "Come in."


    However, a third head popped in, different from the two secretaries he knew.


    "Can I come in Mr. Liu?" Alix''s eyes twinkled.


    Jin was left speechless.


    What is she doing here?


    He trusted his instincts and said, "No."


    Alix had anticipated this and smiled. "It''s very important for the fashion show that you are discussing about."


    Immediately, Wang Tianhui turned before Jin could even get a chance to respond. "Fashion show? What is it?"


    He folded his arms and smiled. "I appreciate your hindsight as a CEO. As a businessman, I would have thought of the same."


    "Glad we are on the same page then~"


    "The only tiny problem is that I won''t agree."


    "..."


    "Why?" She blinked and tipped her head to the side.


    "Because I won''t let anybody use the Liu family''s name for their own dirty and selfish purposes."


    "Selfish, yes, but what is dirty in my agenda?"


    "Not yours. Wang Tianhui''s."


    "What has he done?"


    He was dumbfounded. "Don''t you read the news?"


    He shook his head and scrolled a bit on his phone as he showed it to her. She leaned forward and read the news articles. The webpages were filled with Wang Tianhui''s son, Wang Yi''s cheating scandal.


    Her brow ever so slightly raised.


    Jin said, "Do you understand now? His daughter, Wang Xia, wants to debut as a model and Wang Tianhui is using this opportunity to bury his son''s scandal under the fame of his daughter''s. I won''t allow a selfish politician to use my company name and hide his family''s dirty laundry. If his son cheated, then face the consequences. Don''t drag my company through your muddy waters."


    Alix stared at the pictures and the small video clips of reporters trying to interview Wang Yi''s wife, the victim of her husband''s cheating. Though she wore a mask, the lines below her eyes were still faintly visible.


    A tiny smile soon curved the corner of her lips which burst into a full blown laughter.


    "Ahahahaha!"


    Jin''s eyes widened, taken aback by her abrupt laughter.


    Alix held her stomach and laughed heartily.


    Has she finally lost it? Jin couldn''t decipher her reaction at all.


    "What is there to laugh about in this?" he asked, maintaining a safe distance from her.


    Alix tried her best to answer amidst her laughing bouts. "This is like dropping a golden egg onto my lap. Come here. Let me tell you."


    Jin refrained from getting any close to her, but Alix grabbed his arm anyway and dragged him to her side. She tiptoed, bringing her lips closer to his ears and whispered something into them.


    At first, Jin didn''t get it but soon choked, upon realizing her plan. He stared at her, jaw-dropped.


    "Were you a villain in your past life or something?"


    Alix lazily stretched her arms with a lazy smile on her lips. "What goes around, comes around~ Who said that only Wang Tianhui can use you?"

 Chapter 979 Nothing to hide?

    Chapter 979  Nothing to hide?


    On the other side, Lin''s Cafe was busy like any other day. A flood of customers streamed in for their morning breakfast and coffee. Their hands were full with trays and orders.


    "Two chicken sandwiches and two cappuccinos."


    "Coming right up," Cai said, his hands already full with two other orders.


    Lin got busy with his own set of orders when his brother cried. "Bro, it''s high time we hire some help. We don''t even have a cashier to take care of the bills!"


    Lin nodded. "We will put out some flyers today."


    Cai sniffled. "Thank God. I am gonna die with this workload!"


    "You are not going to die," he frowned.


    "Figure of speech!"


    "I see."


    "Hou Lin!"


    A sharp, unforgiving voice came from outside the kitchen. Lin blinked, confused and so did Cai. They quickly stepped out to see a slight commotion in the cafe. Customers whispered to each other as they saw a bulky police officer standing in the middle of the cafe with a stern expression.


    Lin''s eyes slightly widened upon recognizing his parole officer, Mr. Peng.


    "Inspector Peng," Lin quickly walked upto him and bowed.


    He looked at him and asked, "You are here today...? I thought our meeting was supposed to be next week."


    "Something urgent came up because of which I had to come today."


    Lin noticed the discomfort of the customers and the suspicious looks in his direction.


    "Shall we talk in the kitchen?"


    "Hm."


    They headed in the kitchen with Cai quickly closing the door behind them. A tense glint flashed in his eyes as he clasped his hands at the back.


    Cai nervously stepped forward and asked, "We didn''t expect you to be here today haha..."


    Inspector Peng narrowed his eyes. "Is there something wrong if I came today?"


    Why is the parole officer giving a surprise visit?


    Inspector Peng said, "I see your cafe is doing well."


    Lin calmly explained. "He was starving and couldn''t walk properly."


    "That was just his acting. There is a convenience store just ten minutes away. He could have very well gone there, yet he came here and you let him in too."


    Cai asked, "What do you want to imply? That my brother is one of them?"


    "I can only ascertain that after checking your cafe."


    He was flabbergasted. "T-This is ridiculous! Are you bullying my-"


    "Cai!"


    Lin cut him off, throwing him an acute stare. He shook his head. "We served him like any other customer. It''s fine if Inspector Peng wants to search the cafe."


    "Plus, you don''t have a choice. You are still on parole, remember?" The inspector''s eyes squinted.


    Inspector Peng called two of his officers, who were waiting outside for his order. He told them to comb through the cafe while he waited with them.


    Cai clenched his fists. "What are you even looking for here? That man literally stayed for only ten minutes!"


    "Ten minutes are more than enough to commit a crime."


    You...what crime is he even talking about!


    "Bro..."


    "It''s okay, Cai-"


    "It''s not okay, Bro! What will the customers think seeing two police officers searching through the cafe? We worked so hard to make our cafe super popular. What will our reputation be if this happens?"


    A junior officer came in just then. "Sir!"


    "Did you find anything?"


    "Sir, I found these stuck hidden at the back side of the toilet seat and under the washbasin sink far away."


    Lin''s eyes widened, seeing the inspector holding two small packets containing white powder.


    Inspector Peng showed it to him and asked, "Do I need to spill it out what this is considering the man you just fed last night is a drug dealer?"


    "I...I don''t know anything about this," Lin breathed out shakily.


    "A drug dealer came to your cafe and hid these packets in your cafe''s restroom and you have no idea about this? Do you even know how much these two packets are worth? You could become rich overnight. You wouldn''t have to work so hard to run a small cafe like this. Is this why you let him in? Or maybe you are another link in the chain?"


    Cai burst out with impatience. "That is not true!"


    "What is true and what isn''t is what we will learn upon further investigation. But for now, Hou Lin has to come with me. He is on parole and he is already associated with a drug ring? There is no way we can let him roam freely. Come with me to the bureau, Hou Lin. You have some answers to give."

 Chapter 980 Drown the mess

    Chapter 980  Drown the mess


    "Hahaha, that''s the spirit, young man," Wang Tianhui laughed as he shook Jin''s hand with a hearty gaze.


    He glanced at Alix and smiled. "It will be a pleasure to work with you too, Miss. Ren. I am sure my Xiaxia will be thrilled."


    Alix smiled back. "Of course. It will be an honor for your daughter to debut with my designs."


    He then asked, slightly fiddling with his watch, "So when do we schedule the fashion show?"


    Jin inwardly sneered. He could read the worry in Wang Tianhui''s eyes. He wanted the fashion show stage to be set as soon as possible so that media coverage could get busy with that instead of targeting his son.


    Alix said, "We will propose the final dates for a month from now."


    Wang almost couldn''t hide his shock. "A month? Isn''t that...a little far?"


    "Yes. The talks and discussions about my company''s designs are in place but now that we will be holding a fashion show, I might need to tweak them a bit to fit the overarching theme. Afterall, it''s my company''s debut on that stage as well, right? I cannot make mistakes," she innocently blinked.


    "Haha of course."


    "Plus planning and production takes its own time. But worry not. Your daughter''s future will be very sparkly is what I see~"


    Jin struggled to keep his face straight.


    This woman...Suddenly, I pity him...


    Jin smiled. "Any problem Mr. Wang? I see some hesitation in your eyes. Of course a fashion show is going to take time if we want it to be perfect. Otherwise...you wouldn''t want a negative limelight on your daughter too, now would you?"


    Wang Tianhui squinted his eyes.


    That too suggested Jin''s sarcasm where Wang Xi was already being chased by the media. He wouldn''t want to add his daughter to the mess, right?


    How am I supposed to handle this chaos for a month? He inwardly cursed.


    "Mr. Wang seems concerned for some reason," Jin arched his brow. "If a month seems too much for your then you are free to ask somebody else for sponsorship-"


    Alix smiled. "That''s what I am talking about. Glad you understand."


    "I will take my leave. Let me know once you make the plans for the show''s organization. We can discuss it together."


    "Ah, no, no, Mr. Liu," he waved his hand in dismissal. "A month is not a problem. It''s better to take your time rather than regret later because of haste."


    Alix smiled. "That''s what I am talking about. Glad you understand."


    "I will take my leave. Let me know once you make the plans for the show''s organization. We can discuss it together."


    As he left, Alix whistled in joy. "Ah I see money and fame in the future~"


    Jin smiled. "You are still welcome to pack up and leave."


    Alix sneered. "Sorry, I am not going to abandon my cash cow."


    He glared. "I am not going to give you anymore money!"


    She snorted. "You are way more useful than just a money check. Look, that politician was also so stubborn to get the fashion show sponsored by you," her eyes twinkled. "Doesn''t it show you your value? You are my harbor to anchor my company''s ship onto~"


    "..."


    So shameless...


    "Oh what if the politician''s daughter - what was her name again?"


    "Wang-"


    "Whatever. What if her father wants you as a sponsor because she is interested in you?" Alix touched her chin thoughtfully. "My spidey senses feel something more deep."


    Jin threw her a dry look. "His daughter? I haven''t even met her."


    "But she knows you. By reputation, by family, by face, by wealth, by handsomeness - basically by all meters a woman checks against her future love interest."


    "Not interested."


    "She might be interested in you."


    "I will politely decline her interest then," he smiled.


    "Do you want to be celibate all your life?"


    Jin smiled again. "Talk to me when your relationship status gets changed to committed, okay?"


    Alix frowned. "I am happy being single."


    "So let me enjoy my single life too."


    "You are not adventurous at all."


    "Talk to me when you bring some adventure in your life too, okay?"


    She sneered. "I have enough adventure in my life as is."


    Jin took his seat and motioned Alix to leave. She snorted and left.


    "Thank you in advance for the ride to your house for the evenings to come~"


    "..."


    What the hell? I am not gonna be your damn chauffeur!

 Chapter 981 Dress-undress

    Chapter 981  Dress-undress


    Liu villa.


    Jing studied the pile of files before him in great detail. They held Alix''s plans for her own company''s debut at the fashion show. He was a little aware of the recent designs that were on the market when Mui was in charge.


    "I remember your sister had taken the modern route when she was the CEO. They were very popular once upon a time. Your designs feel like they are going back in time."


    Alix nodded.


    "Do you think this will work? It''s like you are taking several steps back."


    "It''s called going back to the roots. The whole reason Mr.-" she coughed, "Dad started the company because he loved Mom''s simple yet elegant art. That was his whole concept. Basically, I want Mom back in the market."


    "Oooooohhhh these are good."


    Alix jolted and looked up to see Liu Hai peeking at the files in her hand as he munched upon some popcorn.


    "My Chunhua will look so great in them~ My Chunhua looks great in everything!" His eyes shone.


    Alix stared at it and slowly asked, "...I don''t think you are allowed to eat that."


    "Hm? The popcorn?"


    "Yes."


    He sheepishly grinned. "I am not allowed to eat half of the things. Who cares? Anyway!"


    Liu Hai took a seat and grabbed the files from Jing''s hands.


    "Hey! Have some manners, old man!" Jing glared.


    "What are manners?" He shrugged. "You shoo."


    Liu Hai excitedly leaned towards Alix. "So, so! I want my Chunhua to wear these clothes too. I will be your first customer!"


    Alix paused and said, "I see. Thank you. But these are just the plans."


    "Which are good but need some tweaking," Jing tilted his head as he flipped one page. "They are slightly more traditional which won''t resonate that much with the younger generation."


    She blinked. "Why not? I like traditional clothes. I even like traditional weddings more than church weddings."


    Liu Hai beamed. "You too!? Aha! I like you even more now! Traditional weddings are the best! My Chunhua looked so beautiful in Xiuhefu," he sniffled emotionally. "Ah, that was the best day of my life."


    "Are you sure it was the best day for Grandma too?" Jin sneered, who just stepped in the study room.


    Liu Hai looked back and threw a deadly glare at him. "Why not!"


    "I am certain you kidnapped her otherwise there is no way she would have agreed to even look at you."


    Liu Hai clutched his chest, breathing hard. "You terrible, terrible grandson!"


    Jing ignored them and looked at Alix. "It''s not wrong to go back to the roots but considering the current trends, we just have to carefully balance the proportion."


    "No wonder that politician was so stubborn in working with the Liu Corps. I knew you were impressive but seeing you in action is a different feeling."


    "What politician?" Nian blinked.


    Jin''s expression turned sour at that and he gave a quick gist of today''s meeting with him.


    Jun said, "I admire his serious guts in using our company for his own benefit."


    Jian chirped. "It''s actually fun to play with these people. It''s not something to get annoyed by Jini-boy~ You just lack imagination to enjoy~"


    He smiled. "I might but certainly Alix doesn''t."


    "Oh, oh, what do you mean?" Their ears perked.


    Alix shrugged and told them her plan which she thought of.


    Everybody except Jin stared at her hard. Then a series of gasps escaped with Liu Hai clutching his chest again.


    "Th-that''s diabolical!"


    "You are evil!" Jian shook hard.


    "Oh God I cannot imagine his embarrassment..." Nian wanted to faint. "I would need to have more cookies ready to enjoy that show."


    "But we approve!" The trio exclaimed joyfully with their eyes shining with delight.


    Jing grinned. "That''s the spirit, young lady," he then glared at Jin. "Learn something from her!"


    Jin was dumbfounded. "To become a villain?"


    "Being a villain is cool!"


    Jun snorted. "Don''t worry, I already consider you a villain in my life, Uncle."


    Jing burst into tears. "How cruel nephew..."


    Alix stared at them when a shadow crept behind her again and peeked at her files.


    "These look good," a quiet voice said.


    Alix - "..."


    "Nana would really look pretty in them."


    "..."


    Nian grinned, popping another cookie in his mouth. "But it''s more fun to undress, right?"


    Jinhai raised a brow at his son. "Always."


    "..."

 Chapter 982 Curiosity kills the cat

    Chapter 982  Curiosity kills the cat


    On the other side at Ren villa, Mui paced back and forth in her room, muttering under her breath, her brows furrowed in agitation. She rubbed her temples now and then with a sense of urgency and helplessness.


    Her plan was all set to spy on her sister by planting the cameras in her office but nobody knew why Alix refused to work from there. On top of that, she had no clue where she was currently working from.


    "Ugh! Why the hell sis doesn''t go to the company? How the hell is she supposed to work then?"


    The only positive effect Alix''s actions were having for Mui was discomforting the board members. Despite resistance, Ren Luoyang had somehow managed to shift the powers to his eldest daughter with the support of his allies. But there were some who were not at all happy with this decision, considering Alix''s previous personality issues and a lack of sense of responsibility.


    How was such a woman supposed to lead the company and revive it from the muddy swamps?


    Though this was working out in Mui''s favor unexpectedly, it wasn''t enough. She needed more to bring her down and for that, she needed to know what Alix was planning to restore the company''s name.


    She sat down on the bed, covering her face in her palms. She jolted when her phone buzzed to life. As she checked the name, she lightly bit the corner of her lip.


    Damn...


    Mui hesitantly slid the call button and cleared her throat. "Yes."


    "Hm? What is this? I feel some discomfort from your voice."


    "It''s just about sis. She doesn''t work from the company office and I have no clue where or what she is planning..."


    "Ah...Seems like Alix doesn''t trust you like before."


    The corner of her mouth twitched.


    "There was a time when she relied and depended on you. You two were such close sisters. What changed after waking up from the coma then?"


    Mui pressed her lips. "I don''t know-"


    "You do."


    She stiffened.


    "She remembered that you pushed her off the stairs. Her sweet sister who was always by her side tried to kill her. How heartbroken she must have felt."


    "Th-That..."


    "That was a foolish thing to do, Mui. Why would you do that? You just ruined everything for me."


    Mui breathed in a slightly shaky breath, cursing profanities in her mind.


    "Naturally, if she knows that you almost killed her then she wouldn''t be so stupid to keep working from the company office, right? As a previous CEO, you have your own loyal dogs and she doesn''t want them to sniff on her."


    "...Yes."


    Damn it! It is the Liu Corps for God''s sake! How am I supposed to figure things out now?


    ¡ª


    Liu villa.


    *Knock knock*


    "Are you ready?" Jin asked Alix if she was ready to leave.


    But with her earphones on and her eyes glued to her laptop screen, she didn''t notice Jin''s presence or heard his voice. Jin walked up to her side and peeked at what she was watching with such focus.


    It turned out that Alix was making good use of the spy cameras she had set in Mui''s room. She was watching Mui speak to somebody on the phone with a mix of impatience and worry.


    He raised his brow with interest. Feeling a little curious, Jin tapped his finger on her shoulder. That broke Alix''s daze and she looked up.


    She paused the video and asked, "When did you come?"


    "When you were too busy spying on your sister."


    "Spying is fun. You get to know how deep the iceberg actually is," she smiled. "I will be done in a minute."


    "I see," he cleared his throat.


    She put her earphones back on but didn''t see Jin leave. He remained standing beside her, staring at the paused video.


    Alix arched her brow. "I thought you were a respectable gentleman who doesn''t like to peek into a woman''s bedroom."


    "..."


    "I was about to leave only..."


    He took a step ahead when Alix held his wrist and pulled him back. She removed her left earphone and offered it to him.


    "Listen in if you want."


    Jin coughed. "No, thanks. Not interested."


    She sneered. "Yeah, sure."


    She pulled him down to the chair beside her and jabbed the mic into his right ear, shifting her chair closer to his.


    "Curiosity kills the cat, you know? I don''t want you dead so soon."


    "..."


    Alix resumed the video and smiled. "Time to enjoy the movie."

 Chapter 983 How far and how long?

    Chapter 983  How far and how long?


    "It''s just about sis. She doesn''t work from the company office and I have no clue where or what she is planning..."


    "I don''t know-"


    "Th-That..."


    "...Yes."


    "No, no! She doesn''t know anything about-"


    "That won''t happen."


    "Therapy? Those are just useless art lessons."


    "Wasn''t it your sister who..."


    "I will find out what she is up to."


    "Y-Yes."


    "What!?"


    "Hello? Hello?"


    Alix removed the earphones and clicked her tongue in distaste. "Did my sister not go to school? Cannot even speak full sentences."


    She tilted her head.


    What was she talking about that thing I don''t know about? I thought her only secret was that she pushed me off the stairs but which I already know.


    But is there still something I don''t know about?


    She glanced at Jin, who held a similar severe expression.


    "What was she talking about art lessons? And she thinks they are useless," his eyes narrowed. "Useless for what?"


    He raised his brow. "It doesn''t look like your sister wants you recovered. She vehemently wants to disagree with the effectiveness of Shui''s art therapy."


    "Considering she had pushed me to a coma, it''s not such a surprise."


    Alix stared ahead at the vacant space in deep thought.


    "There is something else going on."


    Her stupor broke as Jin voiced out his thoughts. "I thought it was all your sister. She hated you, so she hurt you. But it looks like she did something more that you aren''t still aware of. The person she is talking to on the phone knows it and they are in it together. Miss. Ren Alix, you seem to have too many enemies."


    She smiled. "What can I say? It''s a tough life to live as a villain."


    Jin fixed his acute gaze at her.


    "Why this distance, Liu Jin?"


    "I feel we should stay far away. Your villainous tendencies are terrifying."


    Alix sneered and shifted to his side, much to his distaste. "We should stay the closest, Liu Jin. You are very useful to me."


    He gritted his teeth. "Can you not always talk in terms of usefulness and uselessness?"


    Her eyes twinkled innocently as she rested her chin on her palm. "Then in what terms should I talk to you? Maybe intimate? Romantic?"


    Jin''s gaze darkened. "Who wants to be intimate with you!?"


    "It''s not a bad proposition. Am I not pretty?"


    "..."


    "You can ask your nephew. Ailun really likes me."


    Yeah I should make him stay away from her too...


    He glanced at her. "How are you going to find out whose number it is?"


    Alix shrugged and simply pressed the dial button from her phone.


    Jin''s eyes widened. "Idiot! Why would you expose your number!"


    "Relax. I am calling from a different number."


    The call didn''t reach anywhere. Instead, a robotic voice said that the number didn''t exist.


    "Seems like it''s not just me who uses untraceable numbers. This number doesn''t even exist anymore. Clearly, that mysterious person is smarter than my sister."


    "So how are you going to find him?"


    "I will figure something out."


    Jin tapped his fingers on the couch''s armrest, his mind racing to think about the possibilities.


    Was it really Kang Yuze she was talking to? But there is no evidence...


    Doubts and nervousness crept in his heart, especially now that Yuze had confessed to Shui. Did he want such a person shrouded with mystery to be with Shui?


    He looked at Alix, who was watching the spy cam''s video again.


    On top of the pressure and responsibilities of saving her family business, on top of the memory gaps she was facing after the coma, she was fighting her sister and an unknown enemy all alone. It was like one wrong step and she would end up stepping on a landmine, yet not even an inch of her brow ever creased with worry.


    Alix was smart and resourceful. She was strong and undeterred too.


    But how far and for how long would she be able to deal with these piling situations all by herself?


    Jin said, "I have somebody who can help you."

 Chapter 984 False accusation

    Chapter 984  False accusation


    The next day, Shui was on her way to her office when her car stopped by a signal near Lin''s cafe. She was looking over some files to study her next project for a company''s marketing and advertising strategy when her gaze causally fell on his cafe. She looked back at her files but felt odd that the cafe wasn''t open yet.


    That''s strange...


    A few seconds later, Cai haggardly walked towards the cafe with an almost ghostly appearance. Tired lines were formed under his eyes and it looked as if he lost more than half of his weight overnight.


    He looked at the cafe''s locked shutter with reddened eyes and his pressed lips quivered hard as if he would burst into tears at any moment.


    He felt a poke at his shoulder and looked back, making Shui gasp in surprise.


    "Miss. Han...?"


    She placed her hand on her chest, taken aback. "W-What happened to your face? Why...do you look like you just came out of a torture camp?"


    Cai''s eyes teared up and he sniffled.


    "..."


    "Seriously, what happened? Also, where is your brother?"


    The tears rolled down his eyes in full swing as the dam of sorrow burst in his heart. Her jaw dropped, shocked.


    The passersby stared at them oddly as if Shui was bullying an honest, hard-working man first thing in the morning.


    Shui cleared her throat. "How about you open the cafe and we talk inside?"


    He wiped his wet eyes. "Is there even a point of opening for business today?"


    He murmured to himself but unlocked the shutter anyway. Stepping in, he switched on the lights and asked Shui to take a seat.


    "Should I make you some coffee?" He asked with a teary face and shaking voice.


    "Can you first tell me what happened? Why do you look like your world just ended?"


    "O-of course it feels like my world has ended...! How can I be happy when Bro is in custody!" A fresh wave of tears fell from his eyes.


    Shui''s eyes widened. "Huh? What? Who is in custody?"


    "Bro..."


    "Hou Lin?" She was left speechless. "But why? Isn''t he out on parole?"


    Cai''s nostrils flared. "It''s all because of that hooligan of a drug dealer!"


    Though the immense sorrow and injustice made it hard to decipher his story as he was all out of place, Shui still understood the gist of it.


    "That bastard used Bro''s kindness for his own filthy intentions! A-as if Bro has anything to do with drugs! But his parole officer refuses to believe us...! We didn''t even know when that dealer hid his drugs in our washroom. Now he thinks that Bro is a link in this drug chain just because he walked into our cafe!"


    Cai cried, trembling hard.


    "What will happen now...? Bro is not involved in anything shady! He is just trying to live a simple and honest life and run our small cafe the best he can...But if his parole gets cancelled, then all his efforts will go down the drain. What is this nonsense anyway? Bro never even smoked a cigarette in his high school days. He was always far away from this addiction stuff. As if he will be involved with drugs!"


    Shui''s lips parted, stunned.


    Why did Hou Lin have to get involved in something so messy?


    Cai slightly gasped, struggling to breathe as he cried. "I spent the entire night looking for that man, but I couldn''t. I didn''t even find any clue about him to prove Bro innocent. I am so useless..."


    No wonder he looks so haggard, she thought.


    Shui pushed him to sit on a chair and said, "Okay. First, please calm down."


    "How can I calm down? I don''t know what to do anymore," he bit his lower lip. "Do you know how the customers looked at him when he was being taken away? It was so humiliating and incriminating. All of them left the cafe. Many didn''t even paid the bill! They looked at my brother as if he was some shameful criminal!"


    Cai cried another bout of tears and she released a sigh.


    "Okay, I know the situation is a little difficult but we cannot sit still and do nothing, right?"


    Cai looked up, staring at Shui with his blurry gaze. "We?"


    Shui blinked. "Well, yes. I will help you."


    "...Why? D-Don''t you hate Bro? You don''t have to get involved in this."


    Shui paused and felt merit in his logic. For a man who only brought chaos in their life to support Yahui''s revenge, she had no business in helping him out of this pinch.


    "...Let''s just say that I am returning the favor."


    "Favor?" He blinked once.


    She lightly pressed her lips. "Hou Lin told me what he saw and heard about Yuze interfering with Jin''s business deal. It was...a hard thing to do, considering our past. Even more so when I already rebuked him so harshly at the exhibition. Yet he approached me again to tell me all about it because he cared for Jin. I know that it took him a lot of courage."


    "You be-believe in Bro?" His voice quivered with hope.


    She said after some thought, "I cannot let go of what happened, so I still have my reservations about Hou Lin. But as far as this case is concerned, yes, I believe in him. I don''t think he is the one to get involved with drugs."


    Cai nodded hard. "You have no idea! That parole officer doesn''t understand anything! It feels like just yesterday when Bro had caught me smoking in middle school. He didn''t scold or beat me but his gaze and  silence that followed was terrifying..." he shuddered.


    "Y-you really have no idea. Bro doesn''t kid around when he goes all silent mode. I had kneeled before him the entire day for his apology until I could barely stand on my feet...It still took five whole days for his heart to yield. I never touched a cigarette again in my life."


    Shui tried to imagine Lin as how his brother just described but somehow, she couldn''t form an accurate picture of his fury. She left it at that and looked back at Cai.


    "Anyway. You have a picture of that drug dealer?"

 Chapter 985 Root out

    Chapter 985  Root out


    Liu Corps.


    "Did you understand?"


    Alix leaned back on her chair with a raised brow as she completed her briefing to the design team. The design team from Ren Designs consisted of three main designers who were in charge of the art and production of the clothes and new designs.


    She had just completed explaining her plan and vision of what she wanted to achieve at the fashion show, a request made by the politician, Wang Tianhui. The three designers shared shocked glances.


    Zou Guo cleared his throat. "Mam, are you sure you want to go through this?"


    "Why? What is the problem?"


    "Isn''t this too risky for the company right now? Wang Tianhui is a very influential politician..."


    She let out a yawn. "Every politician is influential."


    "I mean to say if anything goes wrong, then we will directly make enemies with a politician''s party," he rubbed his throat in nervousness. "S-Shouldn''t we go slow?"


    Feng Yusheng''s opinion was divided about this. "It''s a risky bet. The concept behind these designs is good but it''s kind of...a 50-50 chance that it will work."


    Alix smiled. "I take mindful risks, not mindless ones. So rest assured. I am not throwing an arrow in a blind alley."


    The last designer, Zhong De, was still studying the design drafts. "How did you come up with this idea, Mam?"


    Her eyes twinkled. "Unlike your old Boss, your new CEO is very talented."


    He let out a cough.


    "Plus, we have to go big if we want to make any impact. Small steps are not going to work," she shrugged. "The bigger the display, the flashier the outcome."


    Zou Guo gulped. "But isn''t the Wang family covered in scandals from head to toe? Are you sure you want to make...Wang Xia the face of your new designs?"


    "It''s a fashion show, Zou Guo. She is not going to be the only model walking down the ramp."


    "But Wang Tianhui will work to make only her as the highlight of the show..."


    "Well, if she does her modeling job well, then why not?" She shrugged.


    Zhong De asked, "How much time do we have to work on this?"


    "A month. The fashion show will be held around four weeks from now on the 17th. The first Saturday of the month being a weekend day, the eyes will be all upon us~"


    "But the raw materials and fabrics to make the clothes...it is not suitable. I don''t think we will be able to handle such a big project at this point in time," Zhong De solemnly said.


    Alix chuckled. "Like I said, your new Boss is very talented. You will get everything you want and of the top quality. So rest assured. I know what I am doing."


    Feng Yusheng stared at her thoughtfully and held no apprehensions to voice out anymore.


    After they left, Alix stretched her arms in a good mood and made her way to Jin''s office, whistling along the way. She knocked on the door, making him look up.


    "You are not allowed in my office."


    "Don''t you want to hear how the meeting with the designers went?"


    Jin focused back on his laptop. "I should install blinds on your office door."


    "So you saw everything~"


    "I just saw you enjoying yourself," he snorted.


    Alix walked in and took a seat opposite him.


    "You are still not allowed here," he glared.


    "Don''t be like that. Who will I talk to if not you?"


    "Go talk to Grandpa. He has a lot of free time these days," he grimaced, seeing a text from Liu Hai on his phone.


    ''Jin, Jin, Jin! There is a new ramyeon restaurant that has opened up! Don''t forget to bring one bowl for your most favorite Grandpa while you return~! I will give you a good reward!''


    Jin gave a disdainful look.


    What am I, a kid to get lured in by reward at this age?


    He ruthlessly deleted his message without a second thought.


    "Sure," Alix replied. "Is it okay if I talk to him over a bowl of ramyeon?"


    "..."


    "How do you..."


    Alix showed her phone with Liu Hai''s text.


    ''Jini-boy must have definitely deleted my message so you keep reminding him of bringing my ramyeon okay? Okay? I will give you a super good reward!''


    Jin stared at the message, dumbfounded.


    "First of all, when did you two exchange numbers?"


    "The day when Zhou Ai''s parents came to Liu villa. He can be very persistent."


    His brow twitched hard.


    Grandpa!!!


    "Delete his message," he scoffed.


    Alix frowned. "He wants ramyeon."


    "And many other delicacies to eat. But you cannot get everything you want, right? He is an old man. Let him behave like one if he wants to live for longer."


    Alix typed back.


    ''He wants you to behave like how an old man of your age should.''


    She got an instant reply.


    ''WHO THE HELL IS OLD HERE!??? I will beat the crap out of that brat!''


    And there were angry and crying emojis at the end as if expressing his injustice and grievances.


    She got another message.


    ''Keep reminding Jini-boy of my ramyeon, okay? I will definitely add your name in my will!'' He texted, ending his message with an emoji with sparkly eyes.


    Alix looked speechless.


    He will add me in his will just because I could feed him?


    "Anyway, who was the crooked one?" Jin asked with a raised brow.


    "Hm?"


    "Among the designers."


    Her eyes twinkled. "Oh, you finally look curious."


    "I surmise you won''t leave until you are done explaining your shady tactics so I might as well speed up the process," he smiled.


    "Smart thinking."


    His gaze darkened.


    "The right answer is Zhong De, ding, ding, ding!"


    She waved her phone at him. "I read some texts between him and my dear sister. She definitely has him on her side. The low quality clothes out in the market before were all thanks to him."


    "So the other two are clean?"


    "I didn''t see any text messages or calls from those two so I don''t have evidence. But I won''t close my eyes with blind trust even for a moment."


    Jin tilted his head. "Why did you tell them of your plan? That first one is definitely going to spill the beans to your sister."


    Alix chuckled. "It is exactly what I want. It''s time to root out my sister and the mysterious person she is hiding behind from the muddy waters. To get her involved with the fashion show is the sureshot way of ending their deal once and for all~"

 Chapter 986 Return the favor

    Chapter 986  Return the favor


    "Come out, there is somebody here to meet you."


    Lin looked up and slightly knitted his brows. "Is it my brother?"


    "No, it''s a woman. Now get going."


    Lin slowly got up and walked out from the custody room he was being held at. The officer guided him to a small meeting room and opened the door.


    His eyes slightly widened, seeing Shui seated in the chair. He quietly pulled his chair on the opposite side and faced her.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "Your brother told me about the situation."


    Lin tensely asked, "Does Sir Jun know about it too?"


    "No, he doesn''t," she blinked twice. "It looks like you don''t want him to know?"


    He pressed his hands together. "Yes. This is...my problem. I don''t want Sir to get involved."


    Shui asked, "...Are you worried that Jun might not believe you?"


    Lin wasn''t sure how to answer the question.


    "I am not sure. I think he will believe me," he said, albeit with hesitation.


    "So why didn''t you call him yet? You didn''t have to stay here for the entire night."


    "No!" He exclaimed stressfully. "Please, Miss. Han. I don''t want Sir Jun to learn about this incident. If he does, then...I just have a feeling that he will look into it and try to help me."


    "Don''t you want help?"


    He looked up at her calmly. "No. It''s more than enough for me that Sir Jun agreed for my pardon and helped me become free. I don''t want to latch onto his kindness anymore."


    Shui remained silent for some time.


    "What do you plan to do then? How will you prove yourself innocent? It seems like your parole officer here has made up his mind of your guilt."


    Lin didn''t have an answer to that question.


    "You have to consider Hou Cai too. He is worried sick about you. He spent the entire night looking for that drug dealer."


    Lin widened his eyes, a sinking feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. A tinge of whiteness spread across his face.


    "No...Please tell him not to do something so stupid! These are dangerous people! They won''t hesitate to hurt him if he tries to get in their way."


    Shui was taken aback by his passionate reaction. The fear in his eyes felt real for some reason.


    Lin breathed in and exhaled deeply, trying to calm his erratic heartbeats. "P-Please tell Cai to stay put. I...I will figure something out."


    She folded her arms and stared at him. "And how are you supposed to do that? Even associating with a criminal are enough grounds on which they can revoke your pardon. Bail hearing is next to impossible even if you try for it. The only way to get acquitted is if the investigating officers find that drug dealer and he confesses that you are innocent and have nothing to do with the drug link. Otherwise...the drugs found in your cafe are already strong enough evidence."


    Silence ensued for a few long moments. He looked away for a moment, contemplating on his next actions.


    Shui let out a breath and said, "Let me help you."


    His daze broke and he stared at her, stunned.


    "If you don''t want Jun to know, then I won''t tell him. I will respect your decision. But at the very least, let me help you."


    "No, no-"


    "Take it as my gratitude for caring about Jin," she lightly pressed her lips. "Despite our history and hate for you, you tried to help him. Let me return that favor this time. Jun and Jin would have felt the same."


    Shui picked her handbag and hung it around her shoulder as she got up.


    "Don''t worry. I won''t let your pardon get revoked."


    She opened the door and exited the meeting room while Lin continued to follow her walk away in a daze. He pressed his lips, his heart racing in apprehension.


    What should I do...Is it really okay for Miss. Han to get involved?


    Another officer walked in to take him back to the detention room. Lin slowly followed him, his mind still confused and in a mess. He looked at the officer and asked, "Excuse me?"


    The officer looked back. "Yes?"


    "Can I make a call?"


    ¡ª


    Shui was lost in her thoughts as she was making her way out of the police bureau. She stopped and asked an officer passing by. "Excuse me?"


    "Yes, Mam?"


    "Can you tell who Hou Lin''s parole officer is?"


    "Ah Hou Lin. The one who got detained just recently for the drug case. His parole is Superintendent Chang Fang."


    "Can I meet him?"


    The officer led the way to his office and said, "He doesn''t have any appointments right now so you can go ahead."


    "Thank you."


    Shui knocked on the door twice and waited. When she didn''t hear a response, she slowly turned the doorknob and gingerly stepped in. She found him, standing near the window with his back facing her and talking to somebody on the phone.


    On the other side, Chang Fang said, looking out through the window, "Yes. We have enough evidence to detain Hou Lin. The drugs were found in his cafe''s washroom. It is only a matter of time before we get his confession."


    A deep voice crackled from the other end of the call.


    "Make sure that there are no loose ends. You understand what I am talking about, right?"


    "Of course, I understand. We are trying to find that dealer who hid the drugs but it''s proving to be a difficult search," he said in a meaningful tone.


    "Good. Keep up that farce for sometime."


    "Yes."


    They hung up the call and Chang Fang let out a sigh. He turned towards his desk and jolted upon seeing a woman standing in his office out of nowhere.


    Ah crap! When did she get in?


    But a few moments later, he recognized her. "Miss. Han?"


    Shui blinked at him and said, "Yes, it''s me, Han Shui. I knocked but I didn''t hear a response."


    "Ah yes...I was in an important call," he quickly said while simultaneously wondering about her presence at the bureau.


    "Yes, I saw that. I also heard you mention Hou Lin. I came to meet you regarding him. Can you tell me who you were talking to about his case?"

 Chapter 987 A pleasant family dinner?

    Chapter 987  A pleasant family dinner?


    Upon reaching home in the evening, Alix was about to head back to her room when she heard Ren Cuifen from behind.


    "Alix."


    She turned. "Yes?"


    "...Dinner is ready. You should join us."


    Alix stared at her with an unreadable expression. "Continue with my sister. I am tired. I will eat later."


    Ren Cuifen held her wrist and stopped her from leaving. "I...!"


    "Yes?"


    She pursed her lips hesitantly. "L-Late night snacking is not good for health. Also..."


    Alix blinked.


    "Did we do something wrong?" she gathered her courage and asked.


    "Huh? No, you didn''t. When did I say that?"


    Ren Cuifen heaved a sigh of relief. "It''s just that you have not been joining us for breakfast or dinner quite often these days...So Luoyang and I wondered if we did something wrong."


    Alix stared at her.


    "It''s nothing like that so be at ease."


    "Really?"


    "Yes. But I would rather keep my distance from all of you."


    Ren Cuifen stiffened.


    "It doesn''t have anything to do with you."


    She quickly asked, "Then is it because of Mui-"


    "She hardly exists for me," she dryly remarked.


    "Then why...? If it''s not too much, then can you join us sometimes? Luoyang misses having everybody at the dinner table too."


    She frowned. "Even now?"


    Ren Cuifen understood the hidden context in her puzzled question and smiled. "You are still our daughter."


    Alix said nothing. She looked away for a moment.


    Ah well, I am still their daughter on the outside. Not debatable at all.


    "You do remember what I had said after the coma, right?"


    "Yes, I remember it well."


    Alix furrowed her brows.


    Well as long as she doesn''t forget the truth, she shrugged inwardly.


    "Luoyang!"


    Ren Luoyang and Mui lifted their gazes as they saw Ren Cuifen happily accompanying Alix towards the dining table. He held her gaze for a long moment and slightly nodded to himself.


    "Come, come. Dinner will get cold."


    Mui threw a narrowed gaze at her side as Alix took a chair beside her.


    "Why are you staring at me so passionately, dear sister?" Alix chuckled. "Did you miss me so much?"


    Mui scoffed. "In your dreams."


    Ren Cuifen berated her. "Mui! That is not a way to talk to your sister."


    "Yeah sure. Now sis has become your dearest and most favorite daughter."


    "There is no dearest and most favorite. We love you both equally."


    "And that equal love made you throw me out of our company, humiliate me and make her the CEO," she gritted her teeth.


    "Ouch," Alix clicked her tongue. "That feels like too much hurt you went through."


    Mui sneered. "Oh, so you realize that?"


    "Hmm," Alix dramatically touched her chin, "I wonder if that hurt is graver than what I would have gone through at the company party night."


    She froze.


    "If anybody gives me a choice as to whether I rather give up being the CEO or wake up the next morning with my dignity blown into smithereens, then hmm...which option should I choose? What do you think, dear sister?"


    Mui''s cheeks reddened with fury and her trembling fingers curled into a fist.


    "...That was just a misunderstanding."


    "For your record, I still have that glass with me if you ever want me to send it for fingerprint testing~"


    She almost puked blood at that. "What!?"


    Alix winked. "You don''t discard important evidence, my dear. But like you said, I might have misunderstood you, so you don''t have to be so afraid, right?"


    Mui was trying her best to remain calm.


    "Enough Mui," Ren Luoyang sternly interjected the argument.


    He acutely stared at her. "I thought you would be reflecting on your actions. You schemed the worst possible plot against your own sister and you still have the nerve to be so disrespectful? Be glad that we didn''t disown you."


    "Dad, h-how could you..." Tears brimmed her eyes.


    Alix rolled her eyes.


    And here we go with the crocodile tears.


    Ren Cuifen said, "Okay, that''s enough. Let''s get on with the dinner. This is not the time to say hurtful things to each other."


    Alix raised her brow.


    She is cute.


    She took the clam soup bowl and served some of it in Alix''s bowl first and then into Mui''s. "Eat some warm soup."


    Alix stared at her pleasant smile that brought an uncomfortable feeling in her chest.


    I could have that served myself.


    Mui wiped the corner of her eye and grudgingly grabbed the spoon.


    They ate in silence for a while after which Ren Luoyang asked, "How is it going for you, Alix?"


    Alix looked up.


    "I mean with the company matters and all."


    She hummed. "Going well."


    Mui''s eyes squinted. She quietly continued to eat her soup with her ears perked at their conversation.


    His brows slightly creased in worry.


    "What?"


    "You can tell me if you need any help."


    "I am doing fine."


    "Of course but...I have heard that you don''t work from our company office? Are you facing any problems there? Are the employees not cooperating with you?"


    "Yes, yes," Ren Cuifen said with a concerned voice, "You should tell us if you are facing any grievances. We will resolve it for you."


    Alix watched the genuine anxiety and worry in their gazes and a sincere desire to help her. That discomforting feeling arose in her chest again.


    "It''s nothing like that. I am working from the Liu Corps by choice."


    Their eyes widened. "Liu Corps? The Liu family?"


    "Yup."


    Their lips parted, stunned.


    "Why would you work from there? And wait...Liu Jin has no problems with it?"


    She smiled. "He welcomed me with open arms in fact."


    Somewhere inside the Liu villa, Jin sneezed aloud. "Achoo!"


    Alix continued. "He even organized a grand office space for my work."


    "Achoo!"


    "He considers me as his dear friend so he is always ready to help me for even my slightest request."


    "Achoo! Achoo!"


    Jin rubbed the tip of his reddened nose and sniffled. "Did I catch a cold? Damn it, colds are frustrating," he muttered in annoyance.

 Chapter 988 Making collage (1)

    Chapter 988  Making collage (1)


    Ren Luoyang wondered if it was truly fine for Alix to get so close to the Liu family. They were one of the giant families in China and compared to them, the Ren family surely was at a lower place.


    "Are you sure you want to keep working from there?" He cleared his throat.


    ""Why not? Liu Jin doesn''t mind."


    Ren Cuifen said, "I think your father just wants you to be careful. They are a very huge family from every perspective so..."


    "You are talking about their status?"


    They coughed.


    Alix glanced away for a moment and recalled the number of times she visited the Liu villa. She looked back at them.


    "Yeaahhhhh, they aren''t the type to get offended and all. The oldest person in that family fights over cookies."


    They were taken aback. "Really?"


    "His second son either wants to romance his husband or find incriminating stuff to bully his nephews."


    "..."


    "The said nephews aren''t so innocent either, especially a certain pair of twins. So you don''t have to worry about them getting offended or treating me any differently because of status. They literally care more about food than anything else."


    Their brows twitched.


    Mui muttered a scoff under a breath.


    Ren Luoyang said, "Well if you say so. If you feel more comfortable working from the Liu Corps office, then we won''t stop you. We just don''t want you getting into any trouble."


    Alix alternated her gaze between them and slightly clenched the spoon in her hand.


    "I can take care of myself."


    Mui smiled. "Be careful sis. You wouldn''t want to step on anybody''s toes with whatever you are planning. The company is already not faring so well."


    "And whose fault is it that the company is not faring so well?" She arched her brow. "If a certain ex-CEO hadn''t been so lax with her responsibilities, then we wouldn''t be here talking about it right now."


    He smiled. "Yes, yes, we can see that. I thought it would be a burden for you to suddenly take the CEO''s responsibilities, especially when things are looking abysmal for us...But you are managing it well. Have you thought of a plan?"


    "Hmm, I have something in my mind~"


    Mui smiled. "Be careful sis. You wouldn''t want to step on anybody''s toes with whatever you are planning. The company is already not faring so well."


    "And whose fault is it that the company is not faring so well?" She arched her brow. "If a certain ex-CEO hadn''t been so lax with her responsibilities, then we wouldn''t be here talking about it right now."


    "You..."


    "And by the way," Alix smiled. "Why do you think that I will be stepping on anybody''s toes?"


    She stiffened.


    "It''s as if you feel that I am venturing into something complicated and troublesome."


    "I...I mean I was just saying, that''s all."


    "Hmm, are you only saying that? Or does it have some backbone to it? Aish, little sister. Is it possible that you are spying on me?"


    Her eyes widened and for a moment, all the color faded away from her face. She looked extremely white as if she saw a ghost.


    Alix sneered.


    How did she survive as a CEO until now? She is like an open book.


    Alix chuckled and patted her shoulder. "Chill, my dear sister. I was just joking. Of course, I know that you won''t do something so cliche like spying. Wouldn''t you want to lay low after the stunt you pulled at the company party~?"


    Mui quickly shook her hand off, gritting her teeth at her. "Y-You, what nonsense are you spouting! You just want to humiliate me in front of Mom and Dad!"


    "I mean I was just saying, that''s all~"


    Her expression contorted in rage seeing her throw her own words back at her.


    When Alix returned to her room after dinner, she collapsed back on the bed with a sigh.


    Ah, I want a good shoulder massage...


    She grabbed her phone and typed a message.


    ''I want a good shoulder massage.''


    Jin''s reply came a minute later with a hammer sticker.


    ''I only give hammer massages. I won''t even charge you for it.''


    Alix sneered.


    So petty.


    He dropped another text.


    ''Why did you order ramyeon delivery for Grandpa? Look at how he is hopping around like a kid.''


    The status read that he was recording a video and a few seconds later, he sent it. Alix downloaded it and immediately came Liu Hai''s booming voice.


    "Ramyeon! Ramyeon! I am eating Ramyeon! Ramyeon is delicious! Ramyeon is free!"


    Liu Hai was singing and dancing all around the house, carrying a bowl of ramyeon in his hands.


    "Hai! Keep that bowl aside or I will divorce you right away!" Came Liu Chunhua''s enraged voice.


    ''Anything to defend, Miss. Ren?''


    Alix smiled. ''Apparently, I am now entitled to inherit a part of Liu family''s property according to his will~ It only took a bowl of ramyeon.''


    ''...''


    ''Don''t do anything like this again. As if he is not spoiled enough. Oh yes, before I forget, I will take you to meet Chyou tomorrow. So don''t go straight to the company. I will pick you up from your house.''


    Alix raised her brow. She typed back.


    ''Cool.''


    Ending their short chat, she kept her phone aside. She got up and tied her hair behind into a bun.


    Time to complete my homework.


    Which was none other than making a collage of her memories as Shui had ordered her to complete.


    Hm, should I make a physical collage or a digital one?


    Nah, physical collage will be too time consuming. We should embrace the digital age~


    Translation - Alix was simply lazy.


    She unlocked her laptop and opened a white blank canvas. But just like the canvas, her mind was blank too.


    What should I be exactly adding here? I don''t even have any pictures with me...


    A soft knock sounded from outside and she let out a sigh.


    If it is Mui then I swear I will shut the door right at her face.


    But opposed to her expectations, Ren Cuifen stood outside, carrying a tray with her.


    "Yes?"


    Ren Cuifen hesitantly said, "I...I brought some hot chocolate for you."


    Alix stared at the mug on the tray, steam wafting from it with a sweet aroma.


    "But I didn''t ask for one."


    "I know," she quickly said, "It''s getting a little cold outside so I thought...it''s good to stay warm."


    Alix blinked twice. "I see."


    She took the tray from her. "Thank you."


    "Of course, of course. You don''t need to thank me..."


    Alix waited but the latter still hesitated to leave.


    "I-I guess I will take my leave then..."


    "Wait," she stopped when she had only half-turned.


    "Yes!" She eagerly said.


    Alix was surprised.


    Why is she so excited?


    "I am making a digital collage. But I don''t have any pictures or stuff with me to start with. Do you have something that could help me?"


    Ren Cuifen shone so brilliantly that Alix had to cover her eyes from that blinding light.


    "C-Certainly! I have tons of things to help you! Let me bring them right away!"

 Chapter 989 Making collage (2)

    Chapter 989  Making collage (2)


    Alix started at the mountain of photo albums and tons of stuff all neatly stuffed in various cardboard boxes.


    "Where do I start with?" Ren Cuifen eagerly asked.


    Why do I feel like I slipped in some old generation with all these hard albums...?


    Ren Cuifen took one album and joined her side with glitter in her eyes.


    "This album has pictures of when you were born."


    We are going that far back? Alix wondered.


    She had no plans of creating a collage from her day one on the earth but seeing Ren Cuifen''s sparkly and expectant eyes, she felt she couldn''t intervene.


    Ren Cuifen turned the pages and brushed her palm along the pictures.


    "This one is when you were just learning to walk. Luoyang used to secretly watch your struggle to stand and cry," she chuckled.


    Alix peeked at her past bubbly face and raised her brow.


    Naturally, the cuteness in me flows from my baby days, she inwardly nodded.


    "This is a picture we took at the park when you were a year old. You always liked staring at the butterflies and birds and running behind them. Oh, oh and this one when you were getting your shots. Haha, you should have seen the doctor''s face. He was so impressed because you hardly cried during the injections. Oh and here we celebrated your first birthday."


    Alix started at the family picture of the three with a table in front of them that had the cake on it. Their old house had every sort of birthday decoration hanging on the walls. Ren Luoyang and Ren Cuifen held bright smiles that clearly reflected the joy and excitement of their daughter''s first birthday.


    Ren Cuifen took out a small pink dress from the box with beautiful ribbons stitched on the side.


    "This is your birthday dress. I made it with my own hands," she sheepishly in slight embarrassment.


    "I see. Very pretty."


    Even through those old, slightly blurry pictures of the past, Alix felt their immense love towards their child.


    Ren Cuifen continued to show more pictures from the time Alix was two and three years old. She showed a small clip of paper that had an indecipherable drawing.


    "You drew this for us when we gave you your first color box. You drew a butterfly here, hoho."


    Hmm...what did my birthdays used to look like, I wonder? Her head slightly tilted, feeling as if those distant memories were already fading away.


    Ren Cuifen continued to show more pictures from the time Alix was two and three years old. She showed a small clip of paper that had an indecipherable drawing.


    "You drew this for us when we gave you your first color box. You drew a butterfly here, hoho."


    "You understand this...art?" The drawing looked like anything but a butterfly.


    "Mothers understand everything," she nodded sincerely.


    "No, you don''t. Your eyes are the same as mine which cannot figure out what this strange blob of art actually means. You don''t have to be so emotional."


    "..."


    Ren Cuifen promptly took out another album and flipped its pages.


    "Hehe, then this is the time Mui was born."


    Alix sneered. "Ah there she is, my archnemesis."


    Ren Cuifen slightly pursed her lips. "M-Mui...wasn''t always bad."


    Though she would stand tough in front of Mui today, she couldn''t help but feebly defend her daughter.


    Alix shrugged. "Nobody is bad when they are a baby."


    Alix flipped through the pictures, witnessing the journey of the Ren family from a family of two to a family of four. She saw and felt the sisterhood form between her and Mui. She saw how Mui always followed her giggling wherever she went. She saw how Alix took care of and protected her little sister which went on from childhood till high school.


    "Oh I think it should be somewhere here..."


    Ren Cuifen rose to rummage through some drawers in Alix''s cupboard.


    "Ah there it is!"


    She quickly brought it to Alix and smiled softly. "This is a pair of earrings Mui gifted you on your seventeenth birthday. She was saving up all her pocket money to buy it for you."


    Alix took it in her hand and brushed her finger along the delicate teardrop shaped earrings.


    "I remember how you scolded her for spending all her saved up money to buy such an expensive gift for you. You looked like you were about to cry, haha."


    "Nice choice..." she muttered under her breath.


    To think that a sister who used up all her money to give me this gift is fighting for the CEO''s seat now...she raised her brow.


    Alix found one picture of her high school graduation ceremony with a grinning Mui standing beside her. She was wearing the same uniform as hers, who had just begun her first year.


    "She actually looks like a decent person here," Alix commented.


    "See? I told you, right? You and Alix were very close as sisters..." Ren Cuifen felt emotional seeing the two sisters together.


    "Then what happened to make her a white lotus out of nowhere?"


    "W-white lotus..." she choked.


    "That''s how she acted at the company party."


    Ren Cuifen pressed her lips somberly.


    "I still cannot believe that Mui could plot something like that...She never hated you like this!"


    "Then the hate was just born out of nowhere?"


    She let out a troubled sigh. "It all began when Mui started to...well...have a crush on one of your college friends."


    Alix had no clue what she was talking about. She barely remembered anything about her college days.


    "You used to hang out with a small group at your university. Sometimes, they would come to our house to visit us too. Dai Qigang was one of them too."


    "Don''t remember him. What was the problem if she had a crush on him?"


    "Because you totally protested that crush. You never liked Dai Qigang at all."


    "But you said we were in the same friends group," she blinked in confusion. "Why would I be friends with a person I I don''t like?"


    She sighed. "Well, it''s kind of complicated. The group was formed because of two other people who used to hang out in their own separate groups. Those two knew each other so through a mutual relationship, the two groups kind of  merged over time."


    "Huh..." Alix touched her chin thoughtfully. "Why did I not like Dai Qigang?"


    "Because he was irresponsible and fooled around a lot," she coldly said, remembering him. "He wasn''t really serious about anything in life and so you thought that it wasn''t right for Mui to like him because he would end up hurting her one day. But Mui..." she said, troubled, "Well, she didn''t pay much heed to your opinion because she thought Dai Qigang was a good man. I mean I would say her crush blinded her."


    Alix gave a dry look. "That troublesome age."


    "At first, it wasn''t so bad but overtime she began to think that you kept coming between them because you liked Dai Qigang. So you didn''t want her to like him and cause problems," she released another sigh. "Luoyang and I never thought it would go this far but eventually, Mui began hating you."


    Alix sneered.


    Guess that naivety and stupidity was always there.


    "By the way, which group did Dai Qigang belong to originally? The two people who knew each other."


    "Oh well, one was a girl named Lu Jingyi. The other was Kang Yuze. They used to go to the same high school."


    Alix stared at her. "Seriously?"


    "Yes. And Dai Qigang was in Kang Yuze''s group."

 Chapter 990 The smell of a setup?

    Chapter 990  The smell of a setup?


    Shui got to work the next morning. If she wanted to prove Lin''s innocence, she had to move fast. Talking things out with his parole officer, Chang Fang, didn''t give her much insights. He was all smiles and assurance that he was working on to find the drug dealer, but Shui''s heart held suspicions.


    Why do I feel strange about him?


    She also couldn''t shrug out his immediate reaction when he first met her gaze as she stood inside his office.


    Did he panic when he saw me or was it just my imagination...?


    "Siiiiiiissssss!!"


    Her cousin Soo Yijun, jumped on her and twirled with her around in delight.


    "You finally remembered me!" He shed tears of joy.


    Shui pouted. "When did I ever forget my cute brother?"


    He flared his nostrils. "You have!"


    A smack landed on the back of his head by his father. "Don''t bother her."


    "Uncle Yunru!" Shui grinned and hugged him. "Ah, you are still as handsome as ever~"


    "Your tongue is as glib as your Aunt''s," he shook his head.


    "Oh, oh where is Aunt Zizi?"


    Zhiyuan''s sister and Shui''s aunt, Han Zizi, now Soo Zizi was a free spirit.


    "Out shopping with Zhenya," he shrugged.


    Yijun grimaced. "Why is my sister''s shopping soul never satisfied? Is she really my twin?"


    "Women and shopping go hand in hand, son."


    Shui clapped. "Ah such wise words, Uncle. No wonder Aunt is so in love with you. Yijun, get your pointers from him."


    Yijun smirked. "I have my own charm points."


    Yunru raised his brow. "So why hasn''t it translated to getting a girlfriend yet?"


    "...I am currently enjoying my single life."


    He scoffed. "Yeah, sure."


    He looked at Shui and smiled. "Come on in. I have tried a new pork buns recipe. You came at the right time."


    Shui and Yijun raced to the dining table but Shui was a second faster in grabbing the steaming pork bun first.


    "Step it up, Yijun. You are a police officer. How can you be so slow?"


    He snorted. "I couldn''t break your heart, so I let you win sis."


    She rolled her eyes. "Ah, that makes me so overwhelmed."


    Shui took a bite and her eyes gleamed in delight. Her mouth watered even more. "Deliciousshhh!"


    Yunru smirked in pride. "I tried out a new filling. Retirement is giving me lots of good ideas. I wonder if I should open a restaurant?"


    She giggled. "I am sure Aunt Nana will help you out. I will be your first customer!"


    He ruffled her hair. "You are the best niece. Here, take another one."


    "Offer me a pork bun too, Dad," Yijun said.


    "You are already stuffing two at once," he dryly said.


    "Because it''s delicioushhh. I will be second in line after sis."


    He chuckled. "Provided you two beat Zizi in the race first."


    Shui already raised her white flag of defeat. "Nope, I cannot win against her."


    "Mom is very biased towards her husband. She loves you more than her children. She won''t let even Zhenya and me win!"


    "Well what can I say..." Yunru sheepishly grinned.


    "Ah, the hearts, the hearts! Too blinding!"


    Everybody shared a dose of hearty laughter with the pork buns. Yijun asked, stuffing his mouth with the fourth bun, "What brings you here, sis?"


    "Slow down, you idiot," Yunru scolded. "And leave some for your mother and sister."


    "Winners keepers~"


    Shui said, "I want Yijun''s help in finding a drug dealer."


    The father-son pair gave her a stunned stare.


    "Huh? Drug dealer?"


    "Yup."


    Their eyes immediately narrowed icily and and threat loomed in the air.


    "Did somebody hurt you?"


    Shui glanced at them and coughed. "Wait, no, no. It''s a misunderstanding. It''s not about me. Nobody bullied me."


    "Then why are you looking for such a dangerous criminal?" Yijun frowned.


    "Well...it''s related to Hou Lin."


    She gave them a short summary of the events until now.


    "He doesn''t want Jun to get involved in this."


    Yunru said, "But why do you want to help him? I don''t think you should get involved with him either."


    Shui pursed her lips. "I understand where you are coming from Uncle. But Hou Lin...he is really not the kind of guy to get involved in drugs. Plus, he did help out regarding Jin before..."


    "So you think you should help him out this time?"


    She cleared her throat. "Just this time and we will be even. Then we will be back to our own life. He just happened to have gotten mixed up in some unfortunate circumstances. If we catch the dealer and get his confession, it will clear out the suspicion against Hou Lin."


    Yunru and Yijun exchanged thoughtful glances and remained silent for a while.


    Shui urged. "Pretty please?"


    Yijun pouted. "You always show that pitiful face."


    "If it works, it works," she stuck out her tongue.


    Yunru sighed. "Fine. But just this time."


    She jumped on her feet and hugged him. "You are the best!"


    "What about me? I will be doing all the leg work," Yijun complained.


    Shui stuffed a pork bun into his mouth and grinned. "You are the best bro~"


    Yijun snorted. "Fine, fine. I have a very generous heart. Anyway, is there a picture of this guy?"


    Shui let out a disappointed look. "Not really..."


    "Why not? Did You Lin''s cafe not have cameras?"


    "Not yet," she sighed. "They are still working on getting some interiors done in the cafe, but Hou Lin''s brother said that they were already in talks with some dealers about setting up the security cameras too. It was going to get installed by next month."


    Yunru asked, "So how was the parole officer sure that he visited his cafe?"


    "The street camera on the opposite side captured him. His picture is not so clear but the police still identified that he was the same wanted drug dealer. And he got some reports from some officers who were tailing him."


    Yijun asked, "But they couldn''t catch him after he left the cafe?"


    "The officers lost him on the way is what he said..."


    Yunru frowned.


    "This doesn''t sit well with me. Why did the officers tailing the guy not realize that Hou Lin was only letting him inside for his meal? I mean, if the conversation between Hou Lin and the dealer went down as you said, then it shouldn''t be hard to figure it out. And then the officers lost him too. Hmmm...this feels like a setup."

 Chapter 991 Shining and sparkling existence

    Chapter 991  Shining and sparkling existence


    On the other side, Alix was almost done with her last touch of make-up when a maid knocked on her room''s door.


    "Yeah, come in."


    The maid said, "Miss. Alix. Mr. Liu Jin is in the living room. He said he has come to fetch you."


    "Oh, he is already here? Hm, I am coming down in two minutes."


    "Yes, Miss."


    Alix tucked her earrings in place and slid her watch on her wrist. Adjusting her hair locks, she grabbed her handbag and left.


    Jin was scrolling through his phone when he heard some steps climbing down the staircase. He looked up and stared at Alix, baffled.


    Alix blinked once. "Why are you giving me that look? Am I looking ugly or something?"


    "The maid said you will be down in two minutes."


    "I think I arrived well within the stipulated time."


    "Which is why I am surprised. I thought the two minutes automatically translated to a wait of fifteen to twenty minutes at the very least."


    "We are only going out to visit Chyou and Yating. It is not my wedding to take so much time in getting ready like a bride," she dryly said.


    Jin was sharply taken aback. "Can you tell that to my sister and sister-in-laws? Finally, something positive to learn from you."


    "I have many positives."


    "Sorry, that is a debatable topic. I have only seen your negatives."


    She sneered. "There is a good ophthalmologist at the hospital where I go for follow-ups. Do you want to make an appointment?"


    He smiled. "Even an eye specialist would need a super high tech machine to search your positives."


    She rolled her eyes. "Can we leave now?"


    "...I asked the maid for some coffee."


    "Why?"


    "I thought you would take your sweet time."


    "That is a cliche mentality to have. Not all women are crazy after makeup. Apologize to me."


    "I am sorry."


    "Good."


    Ren Cuifen, who happened to pass by, slightly widened her eyes. "You are..."


    Jin stood up and smiled. "Liu Jin. I just came here to pick Alix. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Ren."


    "Oh, yes. Please have a seat," she quickly said. "Should I bring some snacks for you?"


    "Oh, no, no. I already asked for some coffee," he awkwardly scratched his chin, "...which wasn''t necessary I believe."


    Alix snorted.


    "Oh, no, don''t think like that. Of course you can ask for anything. You are our guest, after all. Let me tell her to fetch some snacks for you too."


    He smiled. "Thank you for the hospitality Mrs. Ren. But I am really fine with just coffee."


    Alix whispered in her ear. "Why are you looking so nervous?"


    "It''s Liu Jin..." she whispered urgently. "From the Liu family!"


    "So?"


    "I mean t-this is the first time somebody from such a big family has come here...I should really bring some snacks for him, right? It will be so disrespectful if I don''t."


    Her brow twitched. "He is a normal human, not some distant land''s prince."


    "That is not possible," she gasped. "Just look at how he is shining and sparkling so much."


    Alix glanced at him and didn''t notice any such sparkling difference in him.


    "I don''t see him sparkling."


    Ren Cuifen''s jaw dropped. "Such a handsome existence is standing before you and you don''t see him sparkling at all? Just look at his crisp ironed clothes!"


    "I am also wearing ironed clothes..."


    "And that beautiful watch."


    She showed her wrist. "I am also wearing a branded watch."


    Ren Cuifen threw her an annoyed glare. "You don''t understand it at all. I am not saying to compare him with you. I am saying to see him from a woman''s lens!" She urgently hushed.


    Alix frowned and looked at Jin with the supposed ''woman''s lens.''


    "Yeah, I still don''t see him sparkling. Also, why would he sparkle anyway? Is he a star?"


    "..."


    Jin had no clue what urgent discussion was going on between the mother-daughter pair.


    Ren Cuifen was about to smack on her head when her hand froze midway. It just occurred to her that the Alix standing before her wasn''t the same Alix as before.


    Did I cross a line by acting too familiar...?


    She slowly withdrew her hand, a tinge of nervousness flashing past her eyes.


    The maid brought his coffee and Jin tried to quickly gulp it down.


    Alix grimaced. "Do you want to burn your tongue? Just drink your coffee peacefully."


    Ren Cuifen nodded. "Please be at ease. There is no need to hurry."


    Jin cleared his throat. "Thank you..."


    By then Mui had come out of her room too, wearing a hoodie with her hands stuffed in the pockets. Her eyes slightly widened seeing Jin in the living room.


    What the...what is he doing here?


    Ren Cuifen asked, "By the way, are you two going to someplace different since you came to pick her?"


    Jin said, "We are just taking a detour to my friend''s house before heading to the office. Alix and I have some work with her."


    Mui frowned.


    Which friend is he talking about? And what work?


    Is it related to...?


    "Mui! Why are you hiding there?"


    She jolted upon hearing her mother''s scolding voice.


    Damn it, Mom! Why did you have to expose me? She gritted her teeth. You already know Liu Jin hates me!


    Jin''s eyes narrowed as she slowly came forward with an awkward smile.


    Mui held no courage to face Jin''s gaze after witnessing his terror at the company party.


    Alix smiled. "What''s wrong, little sister? Would you not greet our guest?"


    She glared at her. "You keep quiet-"


    Mui stopped abruptly and suddenly blinked at her in confusion. She squinted her eyes to take a closer look.


    "...Why are you wearing those earrings?"


    Alix touched one of them. "Oh these? Why not? They look pretty, right? Matches my outfit."


    Ren Cuifen realized just then that Alix was actually wearing the old earrings Mui had gifted on her high school graduation day.


    Mui stared at her with an unreadable expression. Jin was confused by the strange silence.


    She scoffed. "You better take them out. You look ugly in them."


    Alix raised her brow. "Should you blame the person who wore it or who bought it?"

 Chapter 992 To meet again

    Chapter 992  To meet again


    Alix opened her makeup mirror in the car and turned her head from left to right and again from right to left.


    "Do the earrings really look ugly on me?"


    Jin gave her a side glance. "Since when are you bothered by your sister''s remarks?"


    "Who is bothered by a child''s tantrum?" She rolled her eyes. "Clearly, she doesn''t see my charm."


    "Then why do you ask?"


    She shrugged. "I just wanted to see what reaction she would give if I wore the earrings she gave me as a gift years ago."


    Jin slightly arched his brow. "How come your heart melted so suddenly?"


    "Apparently at one point, my sister genuinely used to adore me," she smiled and pointed at her earrings. "She spent all her pocket money on this."


    Jin tried to envision such a past with a loving sisterhood. But he couldn''t digest the contrast that Mui exhibited in the company party, wanting to ruin her own sister.


    "She loved you and now she hates you."


    "Yeah that pretty much sums up."


    "What happened to make her jump the ship?"


    Alix shook her head. "You."


    Jin was dumbfounded. "Excuse me? What did I do?"


    "I mean not you, but your gender. Men. Tch. Always troublesome."


    "..."


    "Apparently again, she had a crush on a guy she thought I had a crush on too. So Alix became the evil sister. Only that the evil sister knew that that supposed crush was a useless guy but women. Tch. Can get so blind in stupid love," she sneered.


    "Love is not stupid. People are," he cleared his throat.


    "Are you love''s advocate?"


    "I just feel it''s wrong to blame the emotion of love for people''s stupidity," he shrugged. "But we often mix up the two because it''s easier to blame an abstract feeling than yourself."


    "Huh...interesting," she raised her brow.


    With that thought circling in her mind, they reached the Gu villa''s entrance.


    "Jini-boyyyyy!!"


    Chyou jumped to hug Jin as soon as they made their way into the living room. Jin''s gaze darkened.


    "Can you stop with that nickname?"


    Chyou pouted. "No way! You are my cute Jini-boy! Uncle Zhou''s naming sense is so awesome~"


    "Uncle Jini-boy!"


    Little Ziyi came rushing towards him and hugged his leg with all her strength.


    "..."


    He threw a deadly glare at Chyou. "What is this! Uncle Jini-boy?"


    She grinned. "It only makes sense, right?"


    "No, it doesn''t!"


    "Alix!"


    Chyou brightened and waved at her.


    Alix slightly bowed with a complicated look. "...Hello."


    Ziyi hopped to her side next. "Pastry aunt!"


    Alix blinked. "You call me that too?"


    She giggled. "I learned it from Ailun. You were so cool that we call you pastry aunt!"


    A satisfied smile grew on her lips as her expression shone with pride.


    Jin gritted his teeth. "This is totally unfair!"


    Chyou ignored his rant and wrapped her arm around his. "Come on in! I have tons of snacks ready for you~"


    "I just had my breakfast-"


    "There is always room for some more food~"


    He sneered. "You are Grandpa''s cult member, aren''t you? Only they would say something like that!"


    She dragged him inside nevertheless and Alix followed quietly.


    "By the way, we have one more guest inside," she chirped.


    Ziyi trotted upto Yating''s side. "Dad!"


    Yating looked down and chuckled. "Ah there is my princess."


    She sheepishly grinned as he took her in his arms. His heart melted like a puddle of butter as he hugged her cuteness.


    Besides Yating and Ziyi, Alix saw another figure seated on an adjacent chair, making her stiffen.


    Guiying raised her head and beamed. "Ah, Jin."


    "Hey," Jin smiled. "So you are here too."


    She scratched her chin. "To meet Yating related to my novel work. It has been quite hectic with all the editing phase. Yating is cutting me no slack."


    Yating frowned. "Don''t give false illusions. I give you plenty of breaks. Your husband will come for my neck if he misunderstands that I bully you. You want that, right? You just want to see me suffer. Don''t you already know just how many texts he sends me in a day just to make sure that I don''t trouble you? As if I do that!"


    "Hehe."


    "Don''t laugh!"


    "Hey, you cannot blame Zixin. You are a doting husband yourself! Don''t feign ignorance," she scoffed. "I know all about the spying you do at Chyou''s movie sets and keep an eye on her team, especially on the male actors. Especially the intimate scenes."


    "..."


    "I don''t do that."


    Chyou gasped, her heart squealing and fluttering with joy. "Aiyaaa, you do that Yating?"


    He was dumbfounded. "I don''t. I am not an insecure husband."


    Guiying scoffed. "Yeah, sure. You trust Chyou, but you don''t trust her colleagues."


    His brow twitched.


    "You pay attention to your novel!"


    Chyou jumped to hug him and kissed him on his cheek. "Aish, Yating. You don''t have to hide your true feelings from me~ I am all open to you spying on the sets~"


    He grimaced. "You shouldn''t."


    "But you are so cute!" She hugged him harder.


    Jin threw a dry look at the couple.


    "Stop throwing dog food."


    Chyou pouted. "Then you should join us in throwing dog food instead of stopping us. Why is a handsome bachelor like you still a bachelor?"


    "..."


    He gritted his teeth. "Can we come to the main point!?"


    On the other side, Guiying looked up at Alix and smiled. "Hello, Miss. Ren."


    Alix stared at her with an indecipherable gaze. It was as if she was peering into her very soul, making Guiying blink twice in confusion. She waved her hand at her.


    "Miss. Ren?"


    Her stupor broke and she slightly cleared her throat. "Hello."


    Guiying wondered what was bothering her. She looked a little lost to her.


    Alix alternated her gaze between Guying and Yating, pressing her lips in silence. She could see some scribblings on Guiying''s notebook, which was definitely related to her writing and work.


    I wonder...what is she writing about this time?

 Chapter 993 Recognize ones own kind

    Chapter 993  Recognize one''s own kind


    Alix sat across from Chyou at the other side of the living room leaving Yating and Guiying with privacy to do their work. Jin leaned back on the couch, his arms crossed as he watched Chyou work with the ease of someone who had done this a thousand times before.


    "So, let me get this straight," Chyou said, adjusting the settings on her hig-tech laptop. "You''ve already got access to her main phone. Calls and texts. But you want me to figure out what''s going on with these mysterious burner phone calls you can''t track?"


    Alix nodded and paid close attention to her. But she couldn''t help but keep peeking to Guiying''s side now and then. She cleared her throat and focused back on Chyou.


    "Those burner numbers disappear into thin air as soon as the call ends. I need to know who''s behind them because Mui isn''t doing this alone. She can be vicious but she is not that smart."


    Chyou paused to sip her green tea, raising an eyebrow. "She might not be but the other person surely is. Burner phones don''t leave traces on standard call logs. But here''s the thing - when he or she calls her, even on a burner, the interaction creates metadata on her phone. That''s what we will exploit."


    Alix blinked. "Metadata?"


    "It''s like breadcrumbs," Chyou simplified it for her. "The phone might not save the number but the call itself leaves traces - signal pings, timestamps and call duration. With a little digging, I can cross-reference those pings with nearby burner phone activity."


    Jin asked, "And how long will this breadcrumb trail take to follow?"


    Chyou waved him off, already typing. "Relax, Jini-boy. If your friend here has placed a bug in Mui''s phone, I can tap into that data directly. It''s like borrowing her eyes without her knowing."


    Lines of code zipped across the screens. Chyou pulled up Mui''s call logs and overlaid them with a network of cell tower signals. The code scrolled up so fast that Alix could hardly keep up with her pace.


    She looks like an undefeatable Goddess...


    "Are you becoming my fan? Are you? Are you?" Chyou''s eyes twinkled with delight. "I am awesome, am I not?"


    Jin rolled his eyes.


    I knew this was going to happen.


    Alix smiled. "I might even kiss you if I learn something significant from this trip."


    "What kiss? Who talked about a kiss here?" Yating''s voice echoed from the far end of the couch.


    Chyou beamed. "Yating! Me! Me! Alix wants to kiss me!"


    "..."


    What is this girl-on-girl action I will be witnessing?


    "Liu Jin, can you sit between them?"


    "Don''t drag me into this," he plainly refuted.


    Alix sneered. "You better focus on Guiying''s novel, Mr. Chief Editor. At this point, I question if you are even doing a proper job."


    "..."


    Why am I suddenly attacked?


    Guiying couldn''t help but get taken aback. It buzzed in her ears oddly when Alix suddenly addressed her with her name as if they were super close.


    Strange...But it doesn''t feel so weird either...


    Chyou hummed merrily.


    "Let''s see...Here is the last burner number that called her. And the location is close to the Starplex area."


    Jin blinked. "Starplex? That''s a whole commercial area. Many companies have their offices there."


    Alix''s eyes narrowed, her voice turning sharp. "Are you sure?"


    "100%. And get this - it looks like that person changes burners every week but the frequency of calls to Mui is more or less regular. This guy is methodical, but he is not invincible."


    Jin stepped closer, his expression grim. "Can you keep tracing this person''s new burners as he switches them?"


    "Piece of cake," Chyou replied with a wink. "Once I have the pattern, I can track any burner he or she uses to call Mui. You will  have every breadcrumb he leaves."


    Jin eyed Alix, who seemed lost in some deep thought.


    "What? Do you have an idea who it could be?"


    From the moment Alix woke up from her coma until now as she faced Chyou - she went through a recap of her memories.


    The breadcrumbs are not just in the call logs...They were always there right in front of me too.


    "Does it not get any closer to Starplex?"


    Chyou shook her head. "Unfortunately, no. The triangulation points here but exact coordinates are a limitation."


    "Which is fine. Just wanted to check anyway."


    Jin paused. "What have you figured out?"


    "I haven''t figured it out. I just realized it. Kang Yuze''s company office is also at Starplex."


    He stared at her unblinkingly. "Huh? I mean yes it is...but why..."


    Suddenly, his gaze grew solemn. "Wait, you don''t think that...Kang Yuze called your sister?"


    "I think I can be pretty sure now."


    Jin couldn''t fathom her conclusion. "...He was your ex-boyfriend and he has already moved on. He even confessed to..."


    He pressed his lips, an air of awkwardness settling in.


    "But it makes sense."


    "How? Ren Mui and Kang Yuze are colluding together to destroy you? I understand her motive but what motive does he have?"


    Alix held a faraway look with the flashes of black and white broken memories of the past revisiting her.


    "I don''t know his motivation yet. But I can feel that it''s him."


    "That''s some strange confidence you have there," Chyou blinked.


    Alix smiled.


    Let''s just say that villains can recognize their own kind.


    "The bad quality of raw materials is one point. It''s impossible that neither Mui recognized the error in the quality of the stocks nor Kang Yuze did anything to rectify it. Forget rectifying, he claims he didn''t even realize it. It was probably allowed to happen because they were in it together."


    She scoffed. "Then the whole exclusivity contract with my family that only benefited him twas absurd in the first place. I broke it off but he kept pestering and warning me to keep my distance from Liu Jin and not take his help. Oftenly indirectly, he kept coming in my way. And last night, I learnt something new."


    She tilted her head. "It seems that Kang Yuze could also be involved as to why Mui hates me."

 Chapter 994 The undefeatable shield

    Chapter 994  The undefeatable shield


    Chyou sighed at Jin, who was pacing back and forth in the room.


    "You are making me dizzy, Jin. Slow down. No, how about you stop?"


    "How can I stop when Alix just dropped such a huge bomb upon us? Wait..." his gaze turned frigid, "Was he behind your coma too? Did Ren Mui push you because he told her?"


    Alix tilted her head. "Possible."


    His eyes widened. "And why are you so calm about it?"


    She blinked at him. "Why should I be panicking?"


    Jin gritted his teeth. "For starters, he was your ex-boyfriend."


    "Ex is the keyword here."


    He was dumbfounded. "Don''t you feel anything about your ex-boyfriend plotting against you?"


    "Well first of all, it''s just a guess at this point based on the location Chyou figured out. Starplex is a big commercial space and it''s not directly pointing to Kang Yuze. Secondly, I don''t even love him."


    I never loved him in the first place so why would my feelings be hurt? She inwardly snorted.


    "You also said that he might have to do something regarding your sister''s hatred towards you."


    "Because the crush Dai Qigang...? Whatever. He belonged to Kang Yuze''s group before the two groups merged. I just found a lot of commonalities."


    "You are not taking this seriously at all!" He glared at her.


    Her lips parted, speechless.


    But I am...?


    Jin asked Chyou instead, "Do you find any incriminating messages between Ren Mui and Kang Yuze?"


    She shook her head. "I was already checking it the moment Alix talked about him. It''s just a casual chit chat on Wechat, nothing suspicious about Alix. If he is indeed behind everything, then he is not leaving any visible traces."


    Alix asked, "What can you find about Zhong De? He is one of the designers in my company. I read Mui''s messages with him. He has leaked the fashion show to her."


    Chyou''s fingers flew on her keyboard once again, tapping into Zhong De''s information. She scanned through his data and said, "Zhong De. 26. Completed his basic education in arts and then did his specialization in fashion designing. Prior to joining your company two years ago, he has worked for two more. Here is the interesting part. He was fired from his last job for plagiarizing his colleague''s designs."


    Jin stared at her. "And your sister allowed him to get a job at your company?"


    She shrugged. "Seems like it."


    "And you exposed your actual design plans to him?"


    "Pretty much."


    "This is serious!"


    "I am taking it very seriously."


    He laughed angrily. "If you had, then you wouldn''t have discussed your details about the fashion show to the designers. Now Ren Mui knows it and probably Kang Yuze too. Do you think they are going to sit still?"


    She smiled. "Which is what I want. I don''t want them to sit still. I will only get the evidence I want against them when they are moving. Somebody will surely make a mistake because I will make them make a mistake."


    "And you want to test that by putting the fashion show on the line? You have said it yourself how important this show is to pull back your company''s image and rise in the market again. If things don''t go as you plan, then you are the one losing the stakes here, not Ren Mui or Kang Yuze."


    "Well then what else should I have done?" She frowned.


    "For starters, how about you would have used that smart brain of yours to show them fake designs? Did you have to spell out everything to them?" The shades of his cheeks were growing redder and redder.


    "But I did think about that obviously."


    "So why didn''t you do it obviously?"


    "Because it wouldn''t be so fun then."


    A vein popped on his temple.


    "WHO CARES ABOUT HAVING FUN HERE!?" Jin blasted his fury, making Yating and Guiying jolt in their spots.


    Chyou stared at Jin and his bursting lava as she munched on a chip in her mouth.


    Jin suddenly threw an acute glance at her. "What?"


    She coughed and almost choked on it. "Nothing, nothing!"


    "Is everything alright?" Guiying asked from her seat, concerned.


    Alix looked at her worried gaze and threw a glare at Jin. "Don''t worry people for no reason."


    "No reason? No reason?" Jin was incredulous. "You are the one taking this too lightly especially when you are just out of your little trip from the coma. You want to be careless and land in that state again?"


    Her brow twitched. She gave an awkward smile to Guiying. "Everything is fine here."


    Guiying glanced at Jin, who spewed sparks of fire in all directions.


    I don''t think everything is fine...


    Alix then innocently blinked at Jin. "I knew things could have come to this point. Isn''t it why I am glued to your side?"


    "..."


    "I took the twenty million check from you, I became Liu Jing''s protege, I am working from the Liu Corps and I insisted you to host and sponsor the fashion show. See, when it''s raining cats and dogs and you are stuck outside, where do you run to take shelter? You stand under the tall and sturdiest tree possible, right?"


    Chyou gasped. "So my Jini-boy is the tall and sturdy tree for you?"


    "Bingo," she winked at her. "I will do whatever I want to expose Mui and Kang Yuze, if he is involved. Liu Jin will be my first line of defense. And also the last because I don''t need anybody else if I have him~" she pointed at Jin. "Like I always say, the Liu family is a very useful family to have by your side."


    Chyou stared at her dumbfounded.


    I am not sure if I should be impressed by her thought process or...


    "I agree!" Chyou gave her a thumbs up.


    Jin exclaimed. "I am not your damn shield!"


    "But your angry questions just now convey how you have fit in your role as my shield already. Plus, your consent doesn''t matter. I already made you my shield when I made you sign that check ahahaha! So get ready Liu Jin. We will be walking into an exciting battlefield ahead~"

 Chapter 995 Forgiveness

    Chapter 995  Forgiveness


    Liu Corps.


    Jin leaned back on his chair, staring at the ceiling in a daze.


    ''I will keep track of Kang Yuze''s movements. If I find anything suspicious, I will immediately let you know,'' Chyou had said as they left.


    He loosened his collar a bit, thinking about all his interactions with him until now. The only way he had irked him was in regards to Shui.


    But what does he want with Alix now? Is he really colluding with Ren Mui?


    Jin constantly tapped his thumb on his phone, his gaze fixed at Shui''s number.


    What wil I even tell her? It''s not like there is any evidence against him yet...


    Through the glass doors, he stared at Alix outside. He remembered how the situation was so different six years ago with her so possessive about Yuze. But now Alix wasn''t even bothered by their past relationship as if it meant nothing to her.


    His brows furrowed, recalling the art gallery day when he had seen them talking at the terrace. And Alix''s remembrance of the forgotten flashes of the past.


    Alix was afraid of Kang Yuze in both instances. But why?


    Does it have anything to do with what we found today?


    Suddenly, he felt a pinch at the center of his forehead and he looked up. Alix was leaning on top of him, her fingers pinching his forehead.


    "What are you doing?"


    "The tight creases on your forehead were screaming to be let loose."


    "..."


    "You came in without my permission."


    "Not my fault if you didn''t hear my knocks."


    Did she really?


    Alix peeked at his phone and raised her brow.


    "Struggling as always I see."


    His gaze darkened. "What am I struggling with?"


    "To talk to the love of your life," she smiled. "You must be thinking of telling about Kang Yuze to Shui since he confessed to her but we don''t have a direct evidence yet, so you are standing at the crossroads."


    "How about you worry about yourself first? First your sister and now your ex-boyfriend."


    She shrugged. "It is the way it is."


    He grimaced. "You shouldn''t accept the way it is. Why are you here anyway?"


    "Oh well, you seemed to be free so I want your help in checking out some designs," she nodded.


    "Also, you are the sponsor so you should be more involved in the design and planning of the show."


    "That is Uncle''s forte, not mine. Also, I am busy."


    "I prefer you rather use your eyes in staring at the designs rather than me through the glassdoor."


    "..."


    "Also, you are the sponsor so you should be more involved in the design and planning of the show."


    He smiled. "Will there really be a fashion show with your sister already aware of your designs and plans?"


    She chuckled. "Don''t worry. I am the smarter sister between us."


    Alix pulled a chair beside him and forcibly made some space for herself, making his face blackened. But thinking about her own sister and ex-boyfriend seemingly plotting against her, he swallowed back his grievances.


    "I have made an AI video of how the fashion show would look like. And then these are my rough designs..."


    For the next hour, they went through Alix sales and marketing plans where Jin practically overhauled them with his own suggestions.


    Alix slightly pouted. "My promotion ideas were nice too."


    "Doesn''t matter if the pricing is not right. You were charging too little. How will you recover the cost of doing business?"


    "Of course I was going to set it up right later on. This is just the beginning."


    "You should set the correct expectations right from the get go. Also, it''s time we plan on making an official website for your company. That should be the first point of your social media debut."


    "Hm, I was thinking about the same."


    "Leave the PR and media coverage to me. I will take care of all the ads and collaborations."


    Jin continued to study her plans in great detail and noted some points as and when he was struck with an idea.


    "You seem to be the CEO more than me."


    His eyes were still glued to the laptop. "The sooner the fashion show is done with, the sooner peace will return to my side."


    She snorted. "You are just waiting for me to pack my bags, aren''t you?"


    "Wow, are you a mind reader or what?"


    Alix lazily stretched her arms. Though she was supposed to sort out the next details, seeing Jin do all her work with such focus, she didn''t have the heart to disturb him.


    If he is taking over, then why not?


    She peered outside the window, watching the evening sun glowing light orange in the sky.


    "You were planning to call Shui before, right?"


    Jin abruptly stopped for just a moment but quickly resumed. "Not really."


    Alix turned towards him and smiled. "Why not?"


    "We don''t have any direct evidence yet."


    "And suppose if we had?"


    "Obviously, I wouldn''t have hesitated."


    Alix merely hummed.


    Jin continued typing but the speed and clicking sounds were eventually slowing down. In the end, he kept pressing a single letter in a daze.


    "At the terrace..."


    Alix looked back at him. "Hm?"


    "At the art gallery''s terrace, you said that you have made some terrible mistakes too," he slowly framed his thoughts. "How are you...able to forgive yourself and move on?"


    The white light from the laptop reflected in his black, sorrowful eyes, hurting his pupils with strain, but he never blinked even once.


    "When did I say that I forgave myself?"


    Jin finally blinked as he turned to meet her gaze.


    Alix said, "I have not forgiven myself. I don''t think I ever can. I don''t want the people I hurt to forgive me either. It''s just that I have learned to keep my past where it is."


    "...So I should just forget my guilt?"


    "No, you don''t. You cannot. You shouldn''t. I am saying to keep walking ahead at the green signal. Let the red signal of your mistakes be behind you and remind you what you not ought to do again. You don''t have to necessarily forgive yourself to embrace the green signal."

 Chapter 996 Back and forth

    Chapter 996  Back and forth


    Han villa.


    "I am on the lookout for the drug dealer like you asked. He has a history of drug abuse but he is a small-time offender. He was recently released from jail."


    Shui frowned. "And he already got back to his own business?"


    Yijun sighed. "Well that''s how offenders are. Hardly anybody changes."


    "But does it mean that Hou Lin will have to be in custody until he is found?"


    "It''s a little difficult to get his release to be honest. He is on parole and any illegal activity can cause serious repercussions. The parole could even get cancelled. But there is one thing about this parole officer."


    "What?"


    "I think he is not doing his job properly. It doesn''t seem like he is putting any effort to find that dealer and get his confession, which is only wasting Hou Lin''s time."


    She blinked once. "...Are you implying that he is doing this on purpose?"


    "That is a far-fetched conclusion for now. He is Hou Lin''s parole officer and he is not even his enemy. But he is really slacking on his job."


    Shui knitted her brows as she thought back to something.


    "That day when I met Chang Fang in his office, I heard him mention Hou Lin''s name and that he has enough evidence to detain him. He was talking to somebody on the phone. I asked him about it too but I felt he dodged that question."


    "Really?"


    "Yes. He didn''t really answer me. Also, I felt he was really shocked upon seeing me in his office."


    Yijun touched his chin thoughtfully on the other side.


    "That''s strange...I will dig into this parole officer too. I smell something fishy. I also checked the CCTV footage from the opposite side of the cafe when the dealer came in. The same footage Chang Fang used as evidence. But the thing is it really does seem like Hou Lin was trying to make him leave but eventually caved in when the dealer insisted too much. His face is not even visible so clearly so I wonder how Chang Fang recognized him."


    Shui felt more and more suspicious of this parole officer now.


    "It''s a bummer we don''t have footage of the cafe''s inside. It would have proved that Hou Lin and his brother just simply served him and made him leave and that they didn''t have any suspicious interaction. His haste in arresting Hou Lin seems a little odd."


    "Yeah..." she pinched her brow tiredly.


    "But at least his brother helped us create a sketch of that dealer. Anyway, don''t stress too much about this sis. I have some good connections of my own. They will surely dig him out somewhere."


    "Thanks Yijun. Also...if possible, please try to get Hou Lin released again. I know it''s a difficult ask but considering Chang Fang''s suspicious behavior, I don''t think he should be his parole officer anymore."


    She rolled her eyes. "People generally feel ashamed to say that, you know?"


    "Hmm, I don''t know about his release but I can surely try to get Chang Fang replaced. If he is involved in this, then whatever investigation he is playing at, it would only serve to become Hou Lin''s downfall. Don''t worry, even if I won''t have the power in the hierarchy, Dad surely has~ It feels nice to ride on his coattails at times~"


    She rolled her eyes. "People generally feel ashamed to say that, you know?"


    "Hey I got in with my merits all right? There is no harm in using Dad''s influence now and then hoho~ Maybe I could free Hou Lin too? Who knows~? Anyways, bye. I will keep you posted."


    Shui sighed and hung up.


    "Brat..." she murmured.


    Shui rolled back on her bed and stretched her arms.


    I wonder who Chang Fang was talking to that day...


    Her phone buzzed with a message. Seeing that it was from Yuze, her eyes slightly widened.


    ''Hey, what''s up? Are you free to meet?''


    Damn it...In Hou Lin''s situation, I completely forgot about Yuze''s confession...


    Another message came.


    ''Don''t worry. I am not going to bug you for an answer. Just thought of having a casual dinner.''


    Shui released a sigh of relief. She gave it some thought and typed back.


    ''Where should we meet?''


    ¡ª


    Jin stretched his arms and released a light yawn, feeling tired and fatigued. He shut his laptop, rubbing his temples for a while. He checked the time and was shocked to see that it was already past seven-thirty.


    It''s dinner time already?


    He casually glanced at Alix''s small office and noticed that her head was lying on the desk. He left his own cabin and entered hers, slightly tilting his head at her awkward posture.


    Her laptop showed the lock-screen screensavers in order while she remained asleep with her slightly tangled and messy hair strands. The files were spread across her desk as if a storm had just ripped her office through.


    Jin reached out to poke her shoulder but he stopped. Looking at her tired expression, he withdrew his thoughts to wake her up. He let out a silent cough and turned to leave. But he reversed his steps again and began picking up her files.


    How could she even sleep in this mess...?


    He placed all the files in a neat stack one upon the other and breathed out in satisfaction.


    Looks better now.


    He turned to leave again but stopped - this time seeing Alix slightly shiver in the cold. He stared at the AC vents which had a centralized temperature setting. He slightly furrowed his brows and quickly dropped a message to one of the guards.


    ''Increase the temperature to 25.''


    Is 21 too cold for her? He wondered.


    He held the doorknob to leave but stopped once again. He slightly craned his neck to glance at her, another train of thoughts running in his mind.


    How long will she be asleep for? It''s almost 8 already. If she takes another hour to wake up, then when will she reach home? Will it not get too late to travel?


    He frowned, the thought of her traveling late not sitting well with him.


    I can work on that budget file which secretary Wu sent me...


    He finally left Alix''s office to step back into his own. He sat back on his chair and opened the laptop, glancing through the glass walls now and then.


    It was exactly an hour later when Alix''s eyelids fluttered open with a yawn escaping her lips.


    Ah that was a nice nap...She stretched her arms and blinked rapidly at the time.


    Shit, it''s 9 already?


    She let out a sigh and lifted her gaze to catch another surprise waiting for her.


    He is still here?

 Chapter 997 The fairy of the Liu Corps

    Chapter 997  The fairy of the Liu Corps


    Alix peeked her head in his office. Jin had leaned back on his chair with his eyes closed.


    So we both were taking naps?


    She stepped in without making a sound and walked towards his chair very slowly. She slightly leaned forward, holding her hands at her back. She stared at his face for no particular reason.


    Usually, he doesn''t stay back till so late, she blinked.


    His head was tilted towards his right, facing Alix''s side. The only sound she could hear was of his steady breathing.


    Handsome people look handsome from any angle, don''t they?


    She continued staring at his sleeping face, feeling that it was weirdly entertaining though nothing was really happening.


    He only grumbles when he is awake but he can look peaceful like this too.


    Alix took her phone and clicked a picture of Jin. She then suddenly wondered if she infringed upon his privacy.


    Welp, I will ask him once he wakes up, she shrugged.


    Alix took a casual look around his desk at his neat, organized table with every file properly placed and sorted. She blinked once as something occurred to her.


    Hold on...


    Why did my desk look so neat and tidy just now? Wasn''t everything a shit storm when I passed out to sleep?


    Alix stared back at Jin, taking a wild guess.


    Jin''s slight movement broke her daze as she noticed him loosening his collar in sleep. His forehead looked moist and sweaty. Clearly, the heat was making him uncomfortable as he licked his dry lips.


    Alix exited his office and walked up to the floor guard.


    "Can you please lower the AC temperature?"


    The guard looked at her, confused. "Are you sure, Mam?"


    "Why not?"


    "Um, Sir Jin had called me an hour ago to increase the temperature to 25 degrees."


    "Really?"


    He nodded. "The centralized setting is between 20-21 degrees but he asked me to increase it to 25."


    That''s strange...


    "Yeah, no worries. Just lower to 21 again please."


    "Sure, Mam."


    Alix entered Jin''s office again and she saw him in a much more comfortable position now as the AC blasted with cold air. But this time, she started to shiver. On top of that, she wore a sleeveless shirt that only intensified the chill she felt.


    Alix suddenly noticed his lips move and curious, she walked back to his side. She tried to listen in but he hummed too inaudibly to be able to make out any words.


    Should I just leave or should I wake him up? She wondered.


    She saw Jin''s brows knitting further in displeasure and discomfort. His breaths were slightly ragged. Before Alix could do something, his eyes fluttered open with a sudden jolt. His gaze immediately met Alix, who was standing just right beside his chair.


    "You are awake. What''s wrong though? You look disturbed," Alix asked.


    A hint of glassiness veiled over his eyes as he breathlessly asked, "Is it really okay to not forgive myself?"


    Her stare bore into Jin, her expression betraying nothing.


    "Yes. At times, forgiveness becomes more burdensome than the guilt itself."


    "Really?"


    "The weight of your mistakes will not disappear so I carry it like a grocery bag. It is heavy for sure but it doesn''t paralyze me from walking."


    Jin blinked dazedly and like a fog lifting, clarity rushed into his mind. He sat up straight, almost bumping his head into hers.


    "You are here?"


    I thought she was talking to me in my dream...


    "Good morning," she smiled. "Or should I say good evening."


    Jin checked the time in his watch and was shocked to see the hour hand close to touching nine.


    Ugh...when did I call asleep? He rubbed his temple.


    "When did you-"


    He noticed her letting out a small shudder, making him blink in confusion. He sat still and felt the same chilly temperature as before.


    "Why is the temperature low again?"


    He then muttered a grumble and grabbed his phone to call the guard.


    "I told the guard to lower it. Why did you have it increased?"


    That took him aback. "Why did you tell him to increase the temperature? Don''t you feel cold at 21 degrees?"


    "Huh? Well, it''s not really-"


    Alix stopped the train of that sentence and stared at him. She processed another chain of thought and asked, "Did you ask him to increase it for me?"


    Jin stiffened. Suddenly, he realized that he shouldn''t say anything unnecessary.


    "Why would I do that for you?"


    Alix narrowed her eyes, watching him avert his eyes. "You just asked me if I don''t feel cold at 21 degrees."


    He let out a broken chuckle. "I meant to say that I feel cold at that low setting too."


    "That low setting has always been the way. You just realized you felt cold?


    His brow twitched.


    "And I see my desk is also magically organized. Does a fairy happen to live in the Liu Corps who waves her magical wand?"


    "Fairies only exist in fairy tales..."


    Alix smiled. "I am getting drawn to believe that a human-sized fairy does exist here. It might be a male fairy and umm...maybe having the same height and face as yours?"


    "Ri-Ridiculous."


    Alix fixed her gaze at him with a chuckle.


    "Fairies are always shown as females."


    "..."


    "Not very romantic at all."


    He grabbed his coat and snorted. "As if there will be any romance in my life so I am fine not being a romantic."


    "Cleaning up someone''s desk, increasing the AC''s temperature to make her sleep comfortably and staying back late in the office until she wakes up all come under the definition of being caring and romantic, you know?"


    "D-Don''t accuse me of things I have not done!" He glared at her.


    She shrugged. "Well then, I will get going."


    "Wait!" He stopped her. "How are you going back?"


    "Cab? Though I am hungry so I will head to some restaurant first to eat."


    "Ah..." he quickly thought, "Ah! Yes, I remember I have to pick up Bro Jian''s delivery. Let''s go to that same restaurant."


    Alix raised her brow as they walked out of his office together.


    "Have you heard the rumor?"


    "What?"


    She smiled. "There lives a fairy in this company who is rumored to be a male and looking exactly like the CEO."


    "..."


    He looked away, muttering in displeasure. "Just keep walking..."

 Chapter 998 A fun get-together

    Chapter 998  A fun get-together


    "Here."


    Yuze placed the glass of juice before her with a smile and took the chair opposite her.


    "Thanks," Shui smiled back.


    "So what''s up these days?" He took a sip of his own coffee.


    She shrugged. "Just the usual work."


    I am more involved with Lin''s case right now but I don''t think he needs to know that, she thought to herself.


    "Are you working on any art these days?"


    "Hm, not really. Sometimes, I just wait for the ideas to come to me. Why do you ask?"


    He chuckled. "Nothing. I was just wondering it would be fun to become your model if you ever thought so."


    She raised her brow. "My model?"


    "Yup. Just like they show in the movies. A passionate artist drawing the model on their canvas. I guess it would be a fun experience. Don''t worry, I will allow you to keep it private rather than displaying it in the art gallery."


    She coughed. "Why would I want to keep it private?"


    He smiled. "Who knows? Some art pieces, I believe, are more for personal enjoyment than public gratification."


    She slightly choked on her juice, understanding his implied meaning.


    This man...is good at keeping it casual.


    "It''s difficult to be a model, you know. Can you really sit still for hours?"


    "Oh, you shouldn''t test my patience, Shui," his eyes twinkled. "I think I can proudly say that it is one of my good qualities."


    "One of the many huh?" She arched her brow.


    He smiled. "I think being narcissistic wouldn''t help me earn brownie points with you so how about you list down my good qualities?"


    She snorted. "You want me to narrate your good qualities to inadvertently make me see you as a boyfriend material, right? Nice try."


    "Aish," he sighed with lament. "Nothing misses your eye, doesn''t it?"


    Shui let out a hearty chuckle, which she felt she hadn''t felt it for a long time. She felt as if the fatigue was slowly dissipating from her shoulders. Yet somewhere at the back of her mind, she felt Alix''s jumbled up and shadowy drawing creeping in the crevices, reminding her of the distorted relationship between them.


    It doesn''t feel like...


    Shui wasn''t sure how to put it into words.


    It doesn''t feel like Yuze could have an overwhelming or controlling personality.


    But I guess it is still too soon to tell...


    Yuze snapped his fingers before her eyes, breaking her daze.


    "Were you thinking about my good qualities?"


    Her brow twitched. "You wouldn''t give up, would you?"


    "A man can try," he shrugged.


    Shui sipped on her juice and asked, "Well, that was all about me so now your turn. What are you doing these days?"


    "Very busy with work. Have you heard about Wang Xia?"


    She blinked. "Wang Xia...Is she Wang Tianhui''s daughter? That politician?"


    "Yup," he nodded. "She wants to debut as a model and so do many other young fledgelings too but well, needless to say she is going to be the highlight of the fashion show. The others are gonna be left in the dust."


    Why do I feel like I have heard of this before? Shui wondered.


    "Hm, well true. Power speaks everywhere. So what about her?"


    He scratched his chin awkwardly. "Well, this is a little awkward...But Mui has been stubborn these days to show her skills."


    "Skills?"


    "In designing. You know how she," he coughed, "had to step down from her CEO''s position. So naturally, she sees this show as a golden chance to prove herself and rectify her fallen image. Basically, she would be competing against Alix. So we are working together for the fashion show."


    Her eyes widened. "Ah, I remember now! The fashion show which Liu Corps is going to sponsor."


    "Bingo. By the way, Liu Corps is one of the sponsors and definitely the one in the top spotlight. But my company is one of the sponsors too," he smiled.


    "Ah..."


    Yeah, I remember Alix telling me about it. Isn''t that why she is working from Jin''s office?


    She glanced at him, confusion filling her thought process.


    Well, that is definitely weird. His ex-girlfriend wants to restore her company''s glory, but he would be supporting her sister to restore her own...


    "Huh, so are rivals now. Saw that coming from miles away."


    A villainous chuckle made them slightly jolt and glance up at the source of it. They found Alix standing beside their table with her arms folded and her lips curled into a mused smile. Besides her was Jin, who arrived at a deathly slow pace after realizing who he had crossed his paths with.


    "Alix!" Shui beamed a sunny smile.


    "Always so cheery."


    "Of course, I would be. Isn''t it such a lovely coincidence?"


    Alix glanced at Yuze and then at Jin. The tension in the atmosphere between them was painfully evident.


    "Is it really lovely now I wonder?" She smiled.


    Finally, Shui and Jin''s gazes met and they immediately averted their eyes after an awkward moment.


    Alix smiled again. "Not such a lovely coincidence, after all."


    Shui quickly cleared her throat. "What are you two doing here?"


    "Thought to have a quick late dinner here but my oh my, who did we happen to meet along the way? Long time no see, Mr. Kang."


    Yuze alternated his stare between Jin and Alix for a moment. He smiled. "Indeed. How have you been?"


    "Very busy with the fashion show just like you. Oh, you wouldn''t mind us joining you, right~?"


    Alix grabbed two chairs from nearby only for Jin to quickly stop her. "We can find another table."


    "Why? Because they are on a date?"


    Jin''s gaze darkened.


    Why does she always blurt out the things loud which I don''t want to?


    Shui''s eyes widened. "A-Ah well it''s not-"


    "It''s fine. We are not on a date. Just a casual catchup dinner," Yuze clarified, sparing everybody the awkwardness.


    "See?" Alix looked at Jin. "You were worried over nothing~"


    You...! Blurting out unnecessary things again!


    "I think we still should-"


    Alix practically pushed Jin onto one of the chairs without mercy, cutting him off mid-sentence.


    "..."


    "Don''t be such a spoilsport, Liu Jin. Let''s have a fun get-together~"

 Chapter 999 Not so fun get-together

    Chapter 999  Not so fun get-together


    While Alix was occupied in checking out the menu for her order, Jin and Yuze were busy throwing each other heated gazes.


    "People are gonna misunderstand you two, you know?" Alix smoothly slipped in with her commentary.


    Jin''s gaze darkened. "You focus on the menu card."


    There was a long moment of awkwardness after Alix and Jin joined them, so she attempted to dissipate it.


    "So, Alix you were working till so late?"


    "Napping, not working," she casually answered. "Actually at one point, Liu Jin was napping too."


    She glanced at him with an amused smile. "And dreaming too. I wonder about-"


    He snatched the menu card away from her and called the waiter. "One red braised pork belly please."


    The waiter noted it down and left.


    Alix asked, "Why did you order for me?"


    He sneered. "You weren''t looking at the menu card in the first place."


    "You didn''t order anything for yourself."


    He squinted at Yuze. "I am not hungry."


    And the tension returned. Jin was especially not so forgiving about his openly disdainful glances towards Yuze. He could be the one colluding with Mui and even be behind Alix''s accident. Furthermore, he recalled Alix''s flashes of dreams with an ugly and almost violent clashes with Yuze and the time at the art gallery''s terrace where he tried to overwhelm her.


    Such a man was now before him, casually having a meal with Shui.


    Yuze asked, feeling his unsavory glares. "Is something the matter, Liu Jin?"


    Shui slightly swallowed a nervous gulp, afraid of a possible confrontation between them.


    Jin held an urge to grab him by his collar and force the answers out of him. The smile and poise on his face irked Jin to no end.


    On one hand, he was probably still getting involved in Alix''s life and on the other hand, he wanted to hold onto Shui too.


    Just what does he want?


    Jin smiled. "I heard your company will be one of the sponsors of the fashion show."


    "Ah. Well, yes. I was telling Shui about just that."


    "And it seems you will be working with Ren Mui for her own designs."


    "Yes."


    "Very kind of you to help out the sister who almost sank Ren family''s company into a sea of losses."


    "That-"


    "And who wanted to ruin her own sister - your ex-girlfriend at your company party night," his lips curved into a mocking sneer.


    A prickly silence ensued.


    "Shui - who you have confessed your feelings to, have suffered because of her too. So Kang Yuze, I just wonder if Ren Mui really wants to turn over a new leaf by participating in this show or is this another attempt to get in Alix''s way and humiliate her?"


    Jin wasn''t holding back with his punches at all.


    Alix let out a cough as she sipped on some water. She had planned to indirectly nudge Yuze for some answers and make him lower his guard around his involvement. But Jin was vehemently pushing back with his direct approach.


    "Don''t you doubt her intentions at all? If she could cross the line at your party then..." Jin arched his brow, "I just cannot help but wonder what other things she might have done against Alix in the past? Do you really want to associate your company''s brand name and reputation with such a person?"


    Alix kicked him on his foot under the table.


    Liu Jin! I want Kang Yuze to work with Mui for this fashion show. Don''t you ruin it for me!


    That was the best way for Alix to have both Mui and Yuze in the field along with her and nab them in their plans.


    But would Jin''s pointed questions deter Yuze?


    The waiter then arrived and served dinner. Jin slid the plate of braised pork belly towards Alix and said, "You eat."


    "..."


    Alix felt like one of those times when a parent would tell their child to just shut up and quiet down while the adults did the talking.


    Is he treating me like a child?


    Yuze watched Jin carefully, his black eyes slightly squinting.


    "I get your point, Liu Jin. You do make some valid arguments. Naturally, I had refused Mui at first. But she insisted and promised me that she wanted to change."


    Yeah that sister of mine wants to change who wants to spy on me and know my secrets, Alix inwardly scoffed.


    "So I thought that people should deserve a second chance-"


    "No, they don''t," Jin sharply voiced out.


    He thought back to his own gritty past and smiled. "Some people don''t deserve forgiveness or second chances. It''s just a waste on them."


    Shui stiffened as she looked into Jin''s self-deprecating gaze. She understood that through Mui, he was actually talking about himself. Her eyelashes faintly trembled as she clenched her fists under the table.


    "So if you think that Ren Mui is one of those on whom a second chance is not wasted, then good luck with that."


    Jin then glanced at Alix. "You didn''t even touch your meal."


    You didn''t give me a chance with that atmosphere!


    "Guess it''s a little hard to get hungry here," his gaze pointed at Yuze without any qualms.


    Jin summoned the waiter again and asked, "Can you please pack this for me and bring it outside?"


    "Sure, Sir."


    He paid the bill to which Alix protested. "It''s my dinner so I will pay-"


    A stare from Jin was enough to get the message through Alix''s head that this wasn''t probably the best time to fight for the bill and exhibit gender equality.


    "...Yeah I can pay you back later. Not like you are running away anywhere, hah."


    Jin inhaled a small breath as he gathered his courage to meet Shui''s gaze.


    He tried to smile. "It was nice to see you again like this, Shui. Mom, Dad, Grandpa and everyone misses you. So...come to the villa when you get the time."


    Shui faintly smiled back. "Of course."


    Jin rose from his chair and threw a gaze at Alix. "You start walking too."


    Alix muttered under her breath while flashing a smile at Shui and Yuze. "See you later."


    I did not get to play any mind games at all! Damn it Liu Jin!

 Chapter 1000 A thousand words left unsaid

    Chapter 1000  A thousand words left unsaid


    Shui and Yuze walked in silence at the nearby park with the cool night breeze brushing past them. There wasn''t much of an atmosphere left after Jin and Alix''s appearance so they quietly left the restaurant a few minutes later after they did.


    "I am sorry Shui."


    Shui looked up at him. "Why are you apologizing?"


    "The atmosphere got a bit...heated because of me."


    "It wasn''t your fault."


    "No, it was. I know where Liu Jin is coming from. It certainly is odd to help Mui when she has gone against Alix in the past. It becomes weirder because Alix was my ex-girlfriend. But trust me, I am only helping Mui because of our family friendship. Plus with the faulty raw materials incident...I feel I am equally responsible and not just Mui. That''s why I feel I should help her out."


    "I understand, Yuze," she smiled.


    They continued to walk until a point when Shui realized that Yuze wasn''t beside her anymore. She turned and found him standing still at the back.


    "What happened?"


    Yuze stared at her. "Do you still cannot decide on an answer, Shui?"


    She blinked.


    "Because it seems that Liu Jin has."


    "What...do you mean?"


    "You cannot turn a blind eye anymore, Shui. It has become crystal clear now that he...I don''t know if he has realized it yet that he is starting to like Alix."


    She froze.


    "Earlier, I said he is using you and Alix both. But I don''t feel that anymore. I think the more he is spending time with her, the more he is beginning to...The only reason he was so hostile towards me today and confronted me regarding Mui was because of Alix. That concern is beyond friendship."


    He walked towards her, bridging the distance between them. He peered at her with a knowing gaze.


    "If I can see that, then I am sure you have too. Especially you being Liu Jin''s childhood friend. You understand him better than anybody else. That''s what you were trying to figure out while walking just now, weren''t you?"


    Shui attempted to smile. "I...I think you are mistaken, Yuze."


    "As a man, I clearly sensed his hostility. He was warning me to back off. It''s like he was giving me a chance to reconsider getting involved with Mui and hurting Alix in the process. He has seemed to move on, Shui."


    Shui felt a lump in her throat but couldn''t form any retort to his argument.


    "Frankly, it makes me furious. It always seemed to me that you both were struggling in the last six years. But I guess it was fairly easy for him. He only needed someone to replace you."


    "I think we are assuming here a lot, Yuze-"


    "The phase of assumptions is over for me, Shui," his eyes narrowed. "It''s just a matter of time. And you have given a lot of your time to him. Do you not realize it even now?"


    He stepped closer, whispering the bitter truth. "He is beginning to see Alix as a woman."


    ¡ª


    "You ruined my plans!" Alix confronted him, arms folded to her chest.


    "You mean enjoyment," Jin dryly remarked.


    "One and the same thing. I wanted to play all sorts of mind games with him and see where he would slip. But you just barged right in headstrong."


    "Good that I did or God knows how long would you have taken? Just eat your meal."


    "That''s some attitude to have when it could have almost deterred him from colluding with Mui."


    "I have the right attitude. You are too relaxed especially when..."


    Alix popped in a piece of the pork meat and raised a brow. "When?"


    The thing I felt at the restaurant before...was it...?


    "Don''t create any mystery here, Liu Jin."


    His foggy daze broke and he looked at her. "Why do you keep calling me by my full name?"


    She blinked. "What else should I call you?"


    She paused and grinned. "Fairy Liu Jin?"


    His brow twitched. "I mean just call me Jin."


    "Huh? Why?"


    "Don''t I call you Alix?"


    "I am fine with that but just using your name would feel too casual," she tilted her head.


    Jin stared at her, dumbfounded. "You care about that now? When you have threatened a check out of me and barged into my work space and did what not to use me? Where was your formality then?"


    "..."


    He has a point.


    "So...Jin? Just Jin?"


    "Yeah."


    "Or maybe Jini-boy?" Her eyes twinkled.


    His face blackened. "Dare you do that and - mmpfh!"


    Alix forced a braised pork piece into his mouth. "You should eat some too. You cannot put up a fight with an enemy on an empty stomach."


    She pushed another piece into his mouth, making his cheeks swell like a squirrel''s cheeks.


    "Wait, just stand like that. Don''t move!"


    Holding back her chuckles, Alix took out her phone and clicked a picture without wasting a second.


    "Ah," she laughed heartily, "This will be my phone''s wallpaper from now on."


    Jin turned and stood beside her, his face blackening again. He saw another picture of his sleeping face just right next to this picture.


    When did she click this?


    "Ahaha...haha...you look like a chipmunk here..." her trembling finger pointed at the screen.


    Jin faced her with a lot of grievances. But as her laughter echoed in the air, he felt his tongue swallowing back his words. He stared at her laughing face, his expression unreadable.


    "Ahhh...That was a good laugh," Alix continued to chuckle. "Don''t remember when I laughed this heartily last. I think your pictures will sell for a good chunk of money. What do you say?"


    She looked at him only to find him looking back at her with a strange light in his eyes.


    "Jin?"


    She poked his shoulder next and waved her hand in front of his face, jolting him awake. "Helloooooo?"


    "Huh?"


    "I was saying selling your pictures would earn me some good chunk~" she asked, fully aware that he would be triggered.


    Jin looked away, quickly swallowing the meat. "Yeah...go ahead."


    Alix''s eyes widened.


    What, what, what? Why is he not shooting his signature glares at me?


    Jin stared ahead at the vacant space, bothered about that tiny ticklish feeling from before when he saw her laugh. It felt as though countless words lingered on his lips, yet none found the courage to escape.


    What was...that?

 Chapter 1001 Two good news

    Chapter 1001  Two good news


    The next day.


    Shui''s head was crashed on the desk with a buzzing headache bouncing back and forth. She wanted to work but had no energy to do so.


    Shui let out an exhausted sigh. She assumed she was the only one to notice the flutter of a change within Jin yesterday. But for Yuze to notice it as well...


    She couldn''t even get a wink of sleep last night. Though after Jin''s rejection, she had steeled herself to move on, it was easier said that done.


    Her restless thoughts came to a halt when her phone rang. She picked it up without looking.


    "Yes?"


    "Woah sis, why do you sound so dead first thing in the morning?"


    "Yijun..."


    "It''s a bright morning! So cheer up!" He grinned on the other side.


    I wish I could...


    "It''s nothing. Just a little headache. You seem to be in a good mood."


    "Of course I will be~ Not one but I have two good news for you."


    "Oh?" Her ears perked up.


    "First of all, your super capable cousin found the hole where that rat is hiding~"


    "Ah?"


    "I mean the drug dealer."


    Her eyes widened. "You found him?"


    "Not exactly in the custody but my informants dug up some gold level of information while hunting him. Apparently, there is going to be some kind of a deal tonight. If we could catch them in the act then not just him but we could catch a big chunk of the rat infestation. They will eventually lead us to the drug lords higher in the hierarchy and hopefully, we arrest the whole gang. It will be kind of a big crackdown."


    "That''s amazing!"


    "But hold your horses. Catching him is only the appetizer. The main dish is when he confesses that Hou Lin is not involved at all. Until then, we cannot rest."


    "I understand. What is the second good news?"


    "Hah! This time it''s about your very capable uncle and my father~"


    She raised her brow. "Let me guess. Were they his informants?"


    "How rude! That was all my tears and sweat, okay? I have garnered my own network over these years. How dare you underestimate me," he sniffled.


    "Aish, I am sorry, I am sorry. Go on."


    "Hmph. Anyway, the second good news is that Dad managed to free Hou Lin from his custody."


    Her eyes stretched wide. "Seriously?"


    "Hoho, yes. Don''t worry, he didn''t use his influence in any wrong way. He just presented the facts to that parole officer that there are a lot of things to be investigated before declaring Hou Lin as guilty. He never even lit a cigarette in his life. His past holds no drug related records. Also in prison for these past six years, he never even had a sniff of it even though many prisoners manage to get their hands on some. He never tested positive for it."


    "I see."


    "Yup. So with such a clean record, it''s hard to believe that he would suddenly join the dark side. Though Chang Fang argued that he could be in it for just money and not pleasure. But then again, word is that Hou Lin got acquainted with quite an influential figure in prison."


    She was surprised. "Influential?"


    "He is a fairly senior and elderly man who is in because of some underworld crimes. He crashed his brother''s company, became a millionaire and drove him to well.. kill himself. But there is a possibility that he was murdered, though it never got proved. He is quite a nasty person."


    First it was Zhan Yahui and now this man...Hou Lin certainly attracts villainous people towards him, her brow twitched.


    "But what about him?"


    "He had offered Hou Lin help to set up his cafe business after his release, but the latter refused. He could have really gotten it the easy way without dropping a sweat. That man still holds very valuable connections outside. So Dad argued that Hou Lin couldn''t be in the drug business for just money either. That man had literally offered Hou Lin a red carpet, but he chose a life of struggle because of his principles."


    "...I see," Shui stared ahead with an unreadable gaze.


    "Yup. So all in all, there isn''t much of a case against Hou Lin just because drugs were found in his cafe. It needs more investigations and confessions and hah! Chang Fang had to give in."


    Her eyes brightened. "Uncle is awesome!"


    "Hehe~ Everybody respects Soo Yunru in the cop world. Officers still come to him for advice over cases and it''s always spot on. So when he has to say something, people generally listen~ Anyway, I called you to update. Once we nab that goon tonight, I will let you in on more."


    "Thanks a lot, Yijun."


    "Aish, I am your brother. There is no place for thank yous and sorrys~"


    "Aish-"


    "Only treats, so do give me your black card, will you~?"


    Her brow twitched hard. "Shameless!"


    She hung up and snorted, then let out a chuckle. "Idiot."


    ¡ª


    "Bro!"


    Cai jumped to hug his brother as tears poured down his eyes. "Bro...! Are you okay? Are you hurt? You were not bullied too much, were you?"


    Hou Lin''s gaze warmed with his brother''s concern and he patted his head. "I''m okay, Cai. I wasn''t bullied. How are you?"


    "Terrible! But now I am happy!" He wiped his teary eyes.


    "Good. How is the cafe?"


    His shoulders slumped. "Not so good, Bro...Ever since you were taken away, the customers have almost stopped coming. They all treat you like a criminal!"


    Hou Lin had seen this coming, so he wasn''t that shocked by it. He smiled and ruffled his hair.


    "It''s okay, Cai. We will do something about it."


    "B-But Bro are you really free now?"


    "Nothing has been proven against me and there is insufficient evidence so they let me go."


    He glared. "That is what I have been trying to tell them since the beginning! But that prison officer just didn''t listen!"


    Chang Fang, who was just about to pass by, heard the conversation, his gaze darkening. He angrily stomped towards them and lashed out.


    "You won''t be out for much longer, Hou Lin. Mark my words."

 Chapter 1002 Punishments and compliments

    Chapter 1002  Punishments and compliments


    Yeah, using all your resources at disposal...


    "What''s wrong, Bro? You seemed a little distraught now..." Cai looked concerned.


    He cautiously asked, "Did you tell Sir Liu-"


    "Every criminal says that and wants to expect what? That we become fools?"


    Cai gritted his teeth.


    He already looked stressed enough about Yunru''s help. She didn''t want to burden him more. But she also felt that Lin would be able to pull through.


    "I didn''t. It''s a misunderstanding."


    Cai could tell that he was lying.


    "Thank you so much, Miss. Han!" Cai expressed his gratitude with all his vigor.


    He blinked once.


    "It''s good to have that passion, Mr. Chang but...you should be careful that an innocent person doesn''t get in the line of fire."


    "Ah. Yes, I did expect that. But I will figure out some way. Thank you for your concern."


    Lin clasped his hands together. "How should I thank them?"


    Shui inwardly snorted after he turned and left.


    He kept his strained smile intact. "Yes. I am using all the resources at my disposal for that, Miss. Han."


    "You live your life through some good principles which can easily fall apart during tough times. You served a respectful time in prison, never got involved in any mess or touched any bad stuff. Even your history before prison time is clean. I heard you also rejected a very gracious offer from another influential prisoner who wanted to help you set up your cafe business."


    "I didn''t. I didn''t tell Jun or Jin about your arrest. But I have my own people too," she smiled. "My handsome uncle and silly cousin. It''s useful to have relatives in the police department."


    "Mr. Chang is very passionate about his job, it seems."


    Cai nodded heavily. "That''s what I have been trying to explain to these people the whole time. My brother or I are not interested in getting into these harmful substances. Bro is a super principled person!"


    "Miss. Han?"


    "Miss. Han..." his voice toned down.


    Shui almost blurted out to ask if he needed any help but pulled back her words in time.


    "You are not very good with compliments, are you?"


    "You are strange. People die to bask themselves in praise and compliments but you want to run away. You can face the tough stuff but you should also learn to accept the good qualities about yourself too. You should feel proud of yourself when someone appreciates you."


    Lin shook his head. "I am fine. Just thinking about the cafe, that''s all."


    "Hm?"


    "Just dropped by to see your formalities getting done."


    He tried to smile but couldn''t.


    "That is why Uncle could vouch for you because you are not bound by money or pleasure.


    "Your brother said that business has slowed down since your arrest."


    She looked at his heavy gaze and said, "You don''t have to feel burdened as if they did any favor. You should thank yourself instead."


    "Part of that job is to protect Hou Lin''s rights too. Of course, criminals deserve punishment but only after a proper investigation and proof of evidence. But it seems like you are in a hurry to close this case?"


    "If that is the case then how did Yijun manage to trace him and not you?" She muttered to herself.


    He reminds me of Yijun.


    "Cai, stop," Lin tugged his arm and cleared his throat.


    Shui raised her brow slightly. "Why do you look so tense? You do realize that we are praising your way of life, right?"


    "That''s great then. Hope to see him in custody soon. The sooner, the better, right? You will finally be able to prove Hou Lin''s innocence."


    "No."


    Cai''s eyes widened. "So they helped with Bro''s release?"


    "That''s why watch out, Hou Lin. You won''t be able to enjoy your freedom much longer. This time, I will secure hard proof against you and personally escort you to jail."


    Shui was about to leave when she looked back and asked, "About your cafe...will you be okay?"


    He was thinking about sis Yahui. He was definitely thinking about her...


    Lin slightly stiffened as a distant voice rang in his ears.


    Shui smiled again. "That is why it is very important to track down that drug dealer, right?"


    I guess I will see how it goes for now...


    "I thought you were happy to see me on parole and live an honest life. I felt you wanted that too."


    "I will take my leave."


    ''Don''t live such a loser life, Lin. You are quick to bow your head down for punishments but cannot even smile when you get compliments. Man up and hold your head high. Be proud of yourself or I will kill you.''


    She nodded and turned on her heels. Lin exhaled a soft breath and took a moment to calm his nerves.


    Same words...but a different person.


    He scoffed. "Until you went ahead and got involved in drugs."


    He bowed. "Thank you so much for your help."


    He felt it difficult to breathe for a moment as that memory hit him like waves. His gaze became clouded as he stepped into a trance but when that fog lifted away, he realized that it wasn''t Yahui standing before him.


    Lin stared at Chang Fang, watching his face bloat in anger and fury.


    He uncomfortably shifted his weight from one foot to another.


    He chuckled, albeit nervously. "What are you saying, Miss Han? I just want the citizens to be safe. Imagine how many are grappling with drug abuse. Who will think about them?"


    She was taken aback for a moment and let out a soft chuckle.


    Lin peered at her with a puzzled gaze. "You are here...?"


    "Of course...Anyway, I will take my leave. Good to see you."


    They turned to see who was the source of the voice and saw Shui stepping in between them. She smiled. "Mr. Chang is so dedicated. Clearly, you despise criminals so much and you will do everything


    "...No need for that. I just did what I felt was right."


    "I am just doing my job."


    His fingers trembled as he attempted to speak but words failed him.


    Lin clearly recalled what it was.

 Chapter 1003 Onto the battlefield

    Chapter 1003  Onto the battlefield


    She chuckled. "Mr. Kang here was just entertaining me, that''s all."


    "It''s just meeting the organizers."


    Jin stood still with his hands in his pockets. He didn''t bother to greet him or even cast a smile.


    "Sir, the cops will never catch him. I will make sure of it!"


    Jin stared at him but said nothing.


    "Ah there you are."


    "Help her become sane again? Such a good friend you are," he chuckled.


    ¡ª


    "My secret recipe to success. Anyway, I still have time to play my mind games. For now, let''s go."


    "To visit the place where the fashion show will be held."


    "Do you think your brother is a monster, Xiao?"


    ¡ª


    Wang Xia offered a handshake with a smile. "It''s really nice to meet you, Mr. Liu."


    "You got the order wrong. You should shake with her hands first. She is getting you ready for your debut, not me. I am just a sponsor. She is more important than me."


    "You cannot do even one thing right, can you?" Yuze was laid back on his chair with his eyes closed.


    "Somebody else won''t have a good ending either here. Right, Xiao? I know you are listening so stop with the hide and seek game."


    It felt like a painful wait of over five quiet seconds after which Jin pointed at Alix and said,


    He scoffed. "What else did you expect?"


    "Oooohhh did you notice that the media has stopped covering his son?"


    He turned his chair in her direction and stared at her.


    She swallowed back her words as Yuze rose from his chair and walked towards her with slow steps. She struggled to breathe with his laboriously slow pace.


    Chang Fang didn''t respond from the other side.


    "Perhaps because you have been hiding too much from me now? Are you worried about Alix?" He tipped his head to the side.


    "Why do you look so nervous about it, Xiao?"


    "Well, now you have only one thing to do which is to not let that dealer get caught. Can you do at least this much?"


    "Why will I be worried about-"


    "Who are you even talking about?"


    "Excited to bury his son''s story."


    He grimaced. "Why do I have to meet her?"


    Alix muttered curses under her breath as the call ended.


    He led the way while Jin whispered to Alix. "What is the point of all this?"


    Alix turned her head, seeing Jin half-stepped into her office.


    "Hello, Mr. Wang," Yuze greeted them after which his gaze fell upon Jin and Alix.


    "I didn''t know there is someone that can make you anxious too. Isn''t that generally your job?"


    "You wanted Alix to get normal again, didn''t you?"


    "Aish, your sense of righteousness~"


    "And the star of the show."


    "Nervous? Why would I be nervous?" She scratched her chin.


    "You are the sponsor."


    His lips curved into a carefree smile. "Of course you are worried about her. Isn''t that why you were so adamant in making Shui Alix''s art therapist?"


    "Sorry is not going to fix this, you know. That cafe owner stuck his nose where it didn''t belong. He almost ruined my plans. And now he is free again.  What should I make of that?"


    "Shouldn''t we meet the star at least once?" Alix looked surprised. "Look, he is so excited about it."


    She let out a hesitant chuckle. "I don''t understand, Bro. You know it yourself how her mind was becoming unstable. I just thought that learning something new would help her..."


    "Bro..." Xiao hastily stepped in, awkwardly smiling. "I was just coming in anyway. Do you know that Mui will be entering the fashion show too?"


    He frowned. "Go where?"


    "Then why would you even ask such a question?"


    "But then again, I also don''t appreciate that you keep interfering in Alix and Shui''s life so much. So stop...doing things, okay?" He asked with a smile. "I can forgive you once because you are my sister but not always. You should understand your brother''s side of things too. And if you cannot, then stay put. Simple. Understand?"


    She sneered. "People can be such cowards. I am giving a golden chance but a certain someone is too afraid to step out of the shackles. No wonder people like that suffer."


    Wang Tianhui grinned as he met Jin and Alix. They shook hands and he said, "Come here, come here. I will introduce you to my daughter.''


    Xiao stiffened.


    "I am sorry Sir-"


    "Wang Xia."


    "Why do you need me?"


    "Xiaoxiao," he laughed. "You look happy."


    He hung without giving him a chance to speak and inhaled a deep breath.


    "Because Kang Yuze probably will be there on behalf of my sister, so you have to be there on my behalf. So let''s get into the battlefield~"


    "More stubborn than you?"


    "Of-of course not...!" She trembled.


    A pang of breathlessness gripped her as he closed the distance even further.


    "Haha, that''s great. Well, you have already met Mr. Kang. Let me introduce you to Mr. Liu and Miss. Ren too. Mr. Liu Jin is the other sponsor of this show and Miss. Ren is the CEO of her company. Mr. Liu, she is the apple of my eye."


    "Ugh, people are so stubborn."


    He smiled. "You better do it because you won''t have a good end if you screw up this time."


    Wang Xia brightened as she turned her head. "Dad!" She ran and hopped to hug him.


    An eerie silence fell.


    "It took me a while to realize it. When Alix was losing her mind, I genuinely thought you were just helping her to calm down through art classes. But those weren''t art classes, right? You care for her so much that you sent her right for therapy."


    "...D-Didn''t you?"


    Alix slightly narrowed her eyes, watching Wang Xia happily chat with Yuze.


    She swallowed a gulp.


    "I don''t understand."


    Jin threw her another odd look. His mood immediately took a U-turn the next moment as he came face-to-face with a man he absolutely didn''t want to.


    "Who?"

 Chapter 1004 Just one slip

    Chapter 1004  Just one slip


    "You seem awfully invested in your ex-girlfriend''s life and choices despite waiting an answer to your confession. Shouldn''t you be focusing on Shui more?"


    "Shall we go? We have so many things to discuss," she nodded. "I will introduce you to my makeup staff too."


    "You want to crash into a wall or something?"


    "Alix and I are at the hotel now where the fashion show will be held. It''s in the same area you just said."


    "Me?"


    "No time!"


    Without giving him a chance to answer, he left and picked his pace with Alix.


    Jin turned and looked at Alix, who was discussing the details with Wang Xia. Opposite her was Yuze, who rested on the chair and observing and listening to their conversation.


    He took a small phone from his back pocket and typed a message.


    His eyes narrowed.


    Jin frowned.


    "Have I ever been wrong?" Chyou asked with a hint of grievance. "This is the area where the message came from."


    Her light trance broke a second later and she looked back at her.


    Yuze said, "I think I should ask you that. You seem to be having a problem with me, isn''t it?"


    "Any problem?"


    "My responsibilities, not anybody''s whims. If I have committed to the sponsorship, then I will get through it. I have my own sense of work ethics if you don''t mind. The question, however is, why do you care?"


    Chyou flipped away her script and ran towards her laptop.


    "Ah!" Chyou gasped.


    "We are not too far away from that. We just have to wait for Kang Yuze to make a slip. Just one slip and it will be over for him," he coldly said.


    "Gently. Say it gently," she scolded. "You scared me."


    "Swallow the food first Chyou," Yating''s brow twitched.


    "That means the mystery person is close to you!" Chyou couldn''t believe the coincidence.


    "I knew it! Mui got a meshage..."


    She threw that question in a corner for the timebeing and continued with her work. It was a similar burner number like the rest of them and she quickly got into triangulating the location.


    "I need a reacharge."


    Silence.


    She went back to zapping across the thousands of lines of code and pressed Enter after what it seemed like an eternity to Yating. The lines beeped and flickered on the screen for a while. The red dot stopped moving after highlighting a green expanse on the screen.


    "It''s nice to meet you, Miss. Ren. I am so excited to work with you."


    She turned, finding Yating peeking at her laptop from her back with interest.


    "I talked to you in the most whispering voice possible," he tapped on her head.


    She grinned. "I am all energetic now~"


    After a moment of awkwardness, Wang Xia offered her greeting to Alix first.


    "Don''t get offended. I have a problem with the general population itself. You are nobody special."


    "Somebody is flying too much..." he whispered.


    "Oh yes of course. Yes, yes, my bad."


    "...Are you serious?"


    Jin raised his brow. "You think assistants are not important?"


    She blinked in confusion. "I don''t follow you."


    "And Alix? I feel the rules are different for her."


    She gulped down the bread and said, "Mui got a message. Time to get to work."


    Alix slowly extended her hand while keeping her gaze fixed at Jin with an unreadable expression.


    "Hey, hey, calm down," Yating''s eyes widened as he looked up from his own laptop screen where he was busy editing a novel.


    "He made his move?"


    Her eyes scanned the message and she tilted her head.


    Wang Tianhui took a look and his expression took a one-eighty degree turn. His daughter''s countenance didn''t look too well either. He smiled at Jin and was about to speak when Wang Xia said,


    "Our mystery caller''s rough location," she smiled. "Burners cannot be exactly traced but they can give a rough estimate. Let''s see what Jini-boy has to say."


    ¡ª


    "What''s that?"


    "Which is good news for you...right?" Jin smiled.


    Different how?


    Alix followed the father-daughter duo while Jin followed a step behind her. He felt a piercing gaze and looked at Yuze.


    "Oh she is just my assistant. It''s fine."


    ¡ª


    ''We would have to take care of somebody else too. Somebody''s wings are flapping a little too much.''


    "Same here."


    "Considering how she has barged into my office space and my privacy, it''s reasonable to believe that I have the most problem with her."


    Yating bent and dropped a peck on her lips. "Is this enough?"


    She half-turned when Jin pointed at a woman standing at some distance from them.


    "What are you doing?"


    "Yet you keep following her whims."


    Chyou pushed the piece of bread into her mouth and cracked her knuckles. Her fingers flew on the keyboard, checking Mui''s messages.


    "I am so excited for this show. I cannot wait to get on the stage..." she said, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    He smiled. "Nothing. It''s fine."


    "It seems you have completely stopped focusing on her."


    On the other side, Chyou heard a ding and almost spit out the coke she was drinking.


    "And then you will be showered with agency invitations and attention," Wang Tianhui laughed merrily. "You will shine the brightest."


    "But this is still not the evidence. We have only triangulated the area, which is very easy to counter. We need hard, unquestionable facts."


    "Won''t you introduce her to us?"


    Yuze remained still in the silence while pressing the back of his neck.


    "It cannot be anybody other than him. First it highlighted the area where his office was and now this place. Once yes, the coincidence cannot be twice. I don''t know what problem he has with Alix but he is working with Ren Mui against her. He dropped her a message right after our conversation. It means I triggered him somehow."


    Jin closed his eyes for a long moment.


    Somebody else? Who is this somebody else?


    "He is not a mystery person anymore. Kang Yuze is right here with us too."

 Chapter 1005 10% progress

    Chapter 1005  10% progress


    Jin saw her glance away as if slipping into some sort of a confused trance. "Alix?"


    "Are you a mind-reader? How do you know this?"


    "Thank you so much, Miss. Ren! I am so much more confident now. Your plans are amazing," her aura emanated a cheerful light.


    "You didn''t mind it but I did. Recognition should be given where it is due. Right recognition to the right person. But well," he threw a look at Wang Xia from a distance and sneered. "Like father, like daughter."


    She looked at Wang Ningli. "Why do you need an apology when you can take your revenge from the pricks? I mean, you just need a large tub of popcorn in your hands and enjoy the show. Who cares about an apology? As if their apology would mean anything anyway. Violence! Choose violence!"


    Alix smiled. "Of course, it''s my pleasure. Oh, excuse me. I will just head to the washroom."


    "That is indeed tempting but my revenge plan is super awesome too! Don''t you want them to go down? You are wronged so of course you should take revenge. Just make people bleed left, right and center!"


    At the far end of the parking zone where Jin brought his car to a stop, a woman was seated at the back side along with Alix. Her expression looked haggard as if she had lost her vitality ages ago. Her cheeks were slightly shrunken, showing her slightly older than her age.


    Jin held a burning curiosity to sneak in their conversation but it was a relatively open space. There was no place to hide or peek from.


    "Because her in-laws treated her like dirt and her husband cheated on her?" Jin stated the obvious.


    Jin said, "I don''t think she cares if they apologize from their heart or not. She simply wants to hear them say sorry. For all that she has put up with while living with such a family, she got betrayal and disrespect in return. A lot of it. So she wants them to apologize for all the time and energy and emotions she wasted on them."


    Jin smiled. "Sometimes, people need very simple things in life."


    I was an editor in the past so don''t you talk about words with me. I feel targeted, she thought.


    Alix simply couldn''t fathom Wang Ningli''s thought process.


    "Hold up," Alix raised her hand. "I don''t follow any of you. Why does she need an apology?"


    "Where are you burning holes into?"


    "So why the concern?"


    Alix looked dumbfounded. "What else in the world could be a sparkling and shining motivation than what I have planned?"


    Alix slightly forward and whispered in his ear. "I was just executing a part of my plan."


    "I just felt you took a little longer than necessary...Nevermind it," he coughed awkwardly.


    Lines of frustration creased on her forehead.


    "Why...why did you ask if I was feeling okay?"


    "You just want them to apologize to you, right?"


    "This is the case of too timidness," she said.


    "You say impossible things."


    "Huh? Like I said, nevermind it."


    Wang Ningli stared at the duo before her without any lackluster in her eyes.


    Jin glanced at Yuze on the other side with whom he seemed to be discussing his own plans with Mui. Yes, a little bit of tardiness but she had finally arrived to organize her own plans.


    Jin ignored her mumbling and looked at Wang Ningli.


    "It''s strange. I was just in the washroom. I didn''t even look sick. I am not sick."


    "Why does she need an apology in the first place?" She gasped in shock. "Wait."


    Wang Ningli clasped her hands together and exhaled a long, quiet breath.


    He snorted. "It''s because you haven''t seen first hand what an apology can do to egoistic people. Words are more lethal than a sword."


    "That wouldn''t give her an apology."


    "You want your husband and in-laws to apologize to you. Right?"


    "Do you think an apology wouldn''t bleed them out?"


    "If we assure you that we will make your husband and in-laws apologize to you, then will you agree?"


    "Revenge is glorious and all I concur, but admitting to your mistakes and apologizing for them is way more mortifying. Especially for people like Wang Tianhui and his family who introduced her as Wang Xia''s assistant. Imagine bowing your head to a person who you treated as a servant all this time."


    Jin expressed his puzzlement at first but realized a second later that she was talking about his insistence on Wang Xia''s greeting.


    He looked at Alix behind him and asked, "Are you feeling okay?"


    She folded her arms, her gaze staring at him with a glint of challenge in it.


    T-That was quite...abrupt change in the topic? Jin wondered.


    She blinked twice. "Why do you ask?"


    "It doesn''t sound so fancy."


    ¡ª


    She returned an equally obvious look. "Isn''t it why I am offering her a chance to take her revenge from them duh?"


    Jin said, "And that is why you are still at 10% progress."


    He still saw confusion float around in her gaze but overall, her demeanor hadn''t changed much.


    "Earlier also, you didn''t have to really..."


    "Didn''t have to what?"


    "I didn''t mind whose hands she shook first."


    Now he saw her coming back to her usual zone. "Tch. I am only ten percent there and I don''t have much time."


    He looked back at her. "Are you satisfied with my answers, Miss. Ren?"


    "I don''t understand."


    He arched his brow. "I see. Did you get success?"


    "Yes."


    Wang Ningli didn''t respond.


    "Either they are too overconfident or too timid to change," he said as he shrugged.


    "Simple is boring."


    "Why are people so stubborn? Stubborn for the wrong reason?"


    "Look, if you think that I am stalking your private time then-"


    "..."


    The fashion show is the last thing he must be talking about with her.


    "No, I...know that."


    "Doesn''t mean that you don''t think about those impossible things."


    "How about you try it out with your ''simplicity'' theory?"


    "I think you are lacking in the right motivation part."


    "How is this an insult?"


    Alix grimaced. "How am I supposed to add their apology in my revenge equation anyway?"


    "Don''t insult me."


    "Yet very satisfying at times."

 Chapter 1006 Red alert

    Chapter 1006  Red alert


    She grabbed her phone out of her purse and made a hasty call.


    "Somebody is fired up, I see."


    She had half-entered the car when her gaze fell on another passing car. It was only for a moment but her memory flickered with recognition, seeing a man on the back seat. She remained still and dumbfounded two long seconds.


    "Shit! Yijun, I think I just saw the dealer pass by in front of me. He was in another car and he will be nowhere you are. Wherever he is going, he is going in the opposite direction."


    He smiled. "Of course, Miss. I will get you there in time."


    He smiled. "I am sure the villainous Ren Alix would come up with something. I don''t doubt your intelligence at all."


    "...Yes."


    Mui stomped her foot after he left.


    He told an address which was exactly in the opposite direction of where the car has gone.


    "Woah, woah sis! You didn''t even let me say hello."


    "No sis-"


    Mui stomped her foot hard, watching them leave. Alix''s casual demeanor was rubbing all the wrong spots in her heart.


    "You are going too far!"


    "Hold on, hold on sis!" Yijun exclaimed from the other side. "Don''t even think about tailing him on your own. It''s too dangerous!"


    His eyes widened. "Isn''t he supposed to be at the bar where we are heading right now?"


    "You just made my life more difficult," Alix frowned as they exited the parking lot.


    "Miss?"


    "Speed me up to the hotel pretty please," she sobbed.


    "Where is that deal going to take place?"


    "Okay, that''s enough."


    ''??''


    "You should get out of that bubble where you think I am even treating you as my competitor. At this point, you are just rivaling a ghost."


    "Just don''t get too excited. You always mess up when that happens."


    "Hey, I never light up the sparks in the first place, okay?"


    ¡ª


    "I will be fine, Yijun, but we cannot lose him."


    "What happened?"


    ''It''s an emergency, Bro! Super big red alert!''


    "I-"


    "Damn it, damn it, damn it!!"


    Was Lin''s reply that came a moment later.


    "I don''t know what is happening but we cannot waste time. I might be wrong about it but I don''t wanna take any chances."


    Cai remained speechless for a while as this news had dropped like a bombshell. He saw the creases of worry and anxiety on Yijun''s forehead taking an even more somber turn. He quickly tapped his fingers on his phone.


    "Yijun!"


    "I heard it already. So? Who cares? You will naturally make your place once you defeat her. As long as you just do as I say."


    On the other side, Yijun stared at the hung up call in a daze.


    He looked back at Alix. "If you are done with igniting all the fire you wanted, can we leave?"


    Then came another message from Lin.


    "I will keep a safe distance. Also, you can track me. Gotta go."


    "What?" His eyes narrowed dangerously.


    Jin extended his arm between them, separating the two sisters with some distance before she could grab Alix''s arm.


    She froze, recognizing the familiar voice. She ever so slightly took a side glance and saw Yuze leaning against a pillar at a distance.


    She opened the passenger seat and huffed at her family driver.


    "Shit, shit! Turn the car right now!"


    "I don''t know. Sis was unsure. But the idiotic part is that she is tailing that man''s car on her own. So we are changing gears now!"


    "No time. Where are you?"


    Shui looked at her driver. "Follow that black car right away."


    "This is between me and my sister so back off!"


    "You are the best."


    "I believe you have some problem with my tastes. You should give it a try too."


    She unconsciously flipped her hair backwards to which Jin rolled his eyes.


    "That''s impossible. My sources cannot be wrong."


    Besides him was seated Cai, who jolted upon his cursing. He accompanied Yijun to properly identify the dealer in real time who got Lin mixed up in this fiasco.


    She stiffened and gulped her words back. "Nothing."


    Her gaze darkened.


    "Right now, I am a little bit connected with my status as a sponsor so no, I won''t back off."


    "Almost reaching the stake out place where the deal is going to bust down. Don''t worry, sis. I will keep you posted."


    ''Don''t disappear on me Bro!''


    "How dare she question my aesthetic sense! I will show you what I am made of!"


    "Yes, Miss."


    ''Where is she headed?''


    "Fresh air," Alix replied, making Jin''s brow twitch.


    When there wasn''t any response for a long time, he typed again.


    "Also, keep an eye on her. I don''t want her remembering unnecessary things. It''s your job that she doesn''t."


    "How am I supposed to factor in an apology in my plan?" She threw a sour look.


    Mui automatically lifted her foot in a threatening step towards her.


    "Damn it, damn it, damn it!"


    "My idiot cousin thinks she saw the man came to your cafe that night."


    She smiled. "But I am glad to see you working with Kang Yuze. A sister who has no aesthetic sense and a man feeding her with low quality raw materials. You make an explosive team for sure. I am excited to see that unfold on the stage."


    She clenched her fists. "She said that I-"


    They turned and saw Mui facing them. She walked up to them cautiously, eyeing Jin and Alix alternatively.


    "What are you doing here, sis?"


    "Fresh air in the parking lot?"


    Shui cursed her tardiness in her mind. She frequently checked her watch as she raced down to the ground floor, tracking the seconds hand moving every half a second. A meeting was scheduled for her upcoming art project for which she was supposed to head to a hotel for a late evening brunch but got caught up in a hundred other things.


    ''Miss. Han saw that prick of a dealer and is following him! She just called her cousin now!''


    "I made your progress from 10 to 100%. How is that making your life difficult?" Jin gave her a look.


    Her daze broke and she said, "Wait a minute."


    "Don''t get too cocky, sis. You should step out of the bubble that you are going to win."

 Chapter 1007 In the shadows

    Chapter 1007  In the shadows


    An alarming glint of danger shone in his eyes as he took a threatening step forward.


    "Who the hell are you?"


    "I think Master Han will be very...distraught by your tailing a dangerous drug dealer and putting your safety at risk."


    She hesitated for a moment but hopped to a closer pillar to get a better view. That man at the back felt like an important figure who seemed to be doing the talking through the prison officer, Chang Fang.


    "Don''t worry, we are just tailing. We will keep a safe distance. Plus Yijun must be tracking me too. Oh, go, go!" She patted on his shoulders urgently, seeing the signal turn green.


    "Are we done here?"


    Shui forced herself to be calm and raised her hand. She jingled the keys between her fingers and raised her brow.


    Shui couldn''t wait any longer and hurried towards the elevator, pressing the lower floor button of the parking lot.


    "Show me."


    All of a sudden, Shui jerked her head to the side. The man went out of her view just as she turned her head.


    "Sure, Mam. Please ring the bell on that side if you need any assistance."


    Who is that...? She frowned.


    The dealer tapped his foot in impatience, which led Shui to believe that nobody among the three actually caught her snooping on them. He was simply paranoid by her presence.


    Shui turned, acting confident and in control of the situation but only she knew how badly she wanted to leave.


    All of a sudden, Shui caught a flash of a shadow passed by from one of the pillars from behind the dealer. She blinked rapidly.


    She knitted her brows in wonder.


    "Wait!"


    "He could still take some time and I don''t want to lose him. Don''t worry. I will be alert."


    If I just get a look at his face...


    He sped up while Shui kept her attention razor focused on the dealer''s car. Confusion soon gripped her as she wondered about his destination. She felt even more puzzled when she saw the black car heading towards a hotel.


    She quickly took out her phone, typing a message to Yijun when she felt a shadow envelope her. She stopped moving completely, holding her breath in her throat.


    Shui kept her gaze glued at the black car three cars ahead of her as they stopped at the signal.


    Silence returned when the sound disappeared into the distance. She wondered who it was that left. Chang Fang or the dealer?


    Why would he do this though? What would he get out of trapping Hou Lin?


    "No, I am waiting here for someone."


    "Show me which car it is. Which is your car?"


    He would definitely come through the lobby''s elevator and then I would be able to follow him, she thought.


    "What do you mean?"


    The hotel receptionist greeted her as she stepped in and asked if she needed any help.


    "Don''t lose sight of him, okay?"


    I don''t see him using the phone so who is he talking to-


    She realized that her nagging suspicion about him turned out to be true. Instead of putting handcuffs on his wrists, they were having a conversation as if they were some two good old friends.


    "You are right..."


    She gave it a quick thought and said, "Okay, you stay here and I will go in."


    Shui caught the black car driving through the parking lot and after giving it some thought, she decided to wait at the hotel lobby instead of following him at the lot.


    "With due respect, Miss. I am just a humble driver, not a bodyguard."


    "Huh?"


    His eyes widened. "Shouldn''t we wait for Mr. Soo? He could be reaching at any time."


    Why would he come here?


    Unbelievable...


    Stepping in the slightly dark parking lot, she cast her glance around the rows of cars lined up. At the far end, she recognized the same black car. She took a deep breath and slowed down her pace. She took out a set of keys just in case to act like she had her car parked too.


    What if he is meeting somebody in the parking lot? Shit!


    What the-...He is that prison officer. What the hell is he talking to the dealer and not arresting him?


    ¡ª


    "Aren''t you with me?"


    What was that?


    She kept her gaze fixed at the man when he suddenly moved and turned his head to his right. Shui retreated in a flash, standing still and quiet. Her heart pounded rapidly with shaky breaths escaping her lips. Amidst that ringing of her heart, she heard a car''s engine start. She almost peeked out to check but stopped herself in time, not wanting to risk anything else.


    As she reached step by step closer, she stopped near a pillar, hiding behind it and squinted her eyes. She faintly recognized that the window was pulled down and the dealer seemed to be talking to someone.


    "What else will I be doing in a parking lot? And what is with that tone? Do we know each other enough for you to talk to me like that?"


    "I have him in my sight, Miss. But should we be really doing this?" The driver posed a question.


    Her gaze darkened. "I don''t have to entertain your curiosity."


    She moved her gaze slowly, facing the dealer right in front of her. The angry and irked lines on his face expressed how horribly impatient he was at this moment. She felt her blood making a mad rush in every part of her body as adrenaline pumped in crazily. She almost jumped away to escape but stopped herself.


    He held her arm and pulled her back to which she harshly rebuked, glaring at him. "Don''t touch me."


    "Miss., it will be suspicious if we drive in the hotel behind that car. That black car could realize that we are following them."


    "You better do it unless you don''t want me to punch your pretty face."


    Suddenly, she noticed a faint movement from the car parked right beside his car. The other side''s window slowly began to roll down and a face came into her view.


    She thanked her and took a seat on the couch. Checking her watch every minute, she counted the time until when she would see him walk in but even after five minutes, she saw no movement at the elevator side. Nobody stepped out.


    Was that Jin?


    A light movement from the back seat drew her attention but it was too dark to see. The passenger side windows were shut but Shui felt she surely saw the presence of a second person in there too.

 Chapter 1008 Prison teachings

    Chapter 1008  Prison teachings


    She threw him an incredulous look while the corner of her eye tracked the figure coming closer. He walked so silently and precisely didn''t disturbed even a molecule of air around him.


    "It is him!"


    He pressed his fingers on his wrist, almost swelling it red and dangerous. He gasped with the pain and sweated.


    "So Chang Fang was indeed in all of this."


    "Keep walking," he coldly ordered.


    "But?"


    He raised his hand to slap her which was caught the moment it came up. It all went down in a matter of a few seconds but the only thing he heard was an ominous cracking sound. The realization dawned on him later that it was his own elbow that didn''t seem to be in its right place. Then came a vicious kick that landed straight on his lower back, forcing him to drop down on his knees. One moment, he was facing Shui and the next moment, he faced the concrete gravel.


    Lin was neither bothered nor fazed by his outburst.


    Shui released herself from Yijun''s crushing hug and breathlessly said, "You need him to confess about Chang Fang''s involvement and another man but I couldn''t see who he was. But he probably looked like giving the orders."


    Shui gave up on her fate.


    "..."


    How the hell did-


    Shui said, "I caught him in a black car so I ended up following him. Yijun wouldn''t have found him at the deal site anyway. B-But..."


    "Keep that blade where it is. You are only gonna get hurt."


    Lin had securely locked his wrist in his hand, which he had forcibly bent at his back. He tried to flail his right arm to attack him, but Lin had already created a safe distance that was out of his reach.


    Her view was immediately blocked by a crushing teddy bear hug that enveloped her from all sides.


    "...Why are you with the cops?"


    "Why would I spy on you? Do I know you?"


    They came out of the parking lot with Yijun behind the dealer this time, who had handcuffed his wrists.


    "Do not repeat this stunt next time!"


    They came out of the parking lot with Yijun behind the dealer this time, who had handcuffed his wrists.


    He looked up tremblingly, pain shooting up and branching out from his lower back to his whole body.


    "You really don''t listen, do you!?"


    Shui jolted with his voice raised to intimidate her.


    Shui said, "We will learn that once we know who he was working for. One of them being your prison officer."


    "How would I know! The only thing I know is that you are suspicious. So show me your car right away!"


    "Huh?" She was stunned. "But uncle said that you never got into fights with anybody."


    "Show me your car right now!"


    "So you...you were really here?" She whispered to herself, recalling what she felt as seeing Jin passing by.


    "Wait is he that same man who killed his brother and took over his business?"


    "Why did you do that? Why did you plant drugs in my cafe?"


    Lin plainly said, "I didn''t before but prison teaches you a lot of things."


    "Are you alright?"


    "And somebody else too but I couldn''t see his face. He was in backseat of the-"


    "Yeah, yeah I get it but y-you are smothering me."


    "...You know how to fight?"


    "Were you really minding your own business or sticking your nose in my business?" He gritted his teeth. "Tell me the truth. You were spying on me, weren''t you?"


    Unknown to them, the dealer had planned to take Lin by surprise, taking advantage of him being busy in conversation.


    Cai, who was accompanying Yijun, pointed at the dealer and glared at him.


    "What is happening here?"


    "Siiiiisss!"


    "..."


    "I...won''t," her heart sped up, "I won''t show you my car. You are just harassing me."


    "He claims that it was not a murder but the need of necessity. Please don''t say murder if you ever meet him. You will hurt his feelings."


    Lin stared at her, stunned. "Officer Chang?"


    Alix, on the other hand, was staring at Lin and Cai with a buzz of questions on top of her head.


    The man behind the dealer was now only inches away. He stretched his arm towards him, not causing even a single vibration that would alert the dealer.


    "Do you know how worried I was!" He sniffled.


    Yijun smiled back. "We will see in the bureau how long you will be able to hold your tongue back."


    As he pushed the dealer''s head into his police car, a shocked voice echoed from their back.


    "Hey are you listening to me? Release my hand!" The dealer exclaimed.


    Her stupor broke. "Sorry?"


    All of a sudden, Lin looked at him as if his attention had never wavered in the first place.


    "What...what the hell!"


    Shui watched the showdown begin and end in a span of such a short time that she could barely catch the journey of Lin grabbing his wrist until he brought him to his knees.


    "I saw him clearly too. Just not the other man..."


    "I just know."


    She felt awkward asking that question but couldn''t help it with her curiosity. With an extremely polite demeanor, she had never considered a person like him well-versed with fighting.


    "Oh! Oh yes, yes. You came just in time...But wait, how did you know I was here?"


    Shui turned, her eyes slightly widening upon crossing paths with Jin and Alix.


    Shui caught the shadow from behind him creeping closer towards the dealer.


    "Are you alright?"


    "I learned it from an older man. I had time in my hands. He had time in his hands. So we both used it to pass our time."


    "Your cousin told Cai, Cai told me, I found your driver and your driver told me. I was nearby attending some business about the cafe. Why did you follow him though?"


    "L-Let me go Yijun...I cannot breathe..."


    He sneered. "You won''t be able to touch me at all. Don''t think that you have won."


    "Oh my God, you are safe! I had my heart sinking this whole time!"


    "He was the one who came to our cafe that night."


    "Who the hell are you to tell me what to do? I was just here minding my own business and you are barging into my privacy!"

 Chapter 1009: Sour and grumpy

    "You were accused of drugs...?"


    Alix could hardly believe her ears as she stared at them dumbfounded. They gathered at the hotel''s side restaurant where Cai gave a quick recap.


    Cai jumped in. "It was a misunderstanding. My brother has never touched drugs!"


    "Of course he didn''t," she immediately said.


    Everybody blinked at her, puzzled.


    Alix realized her error and inwardly bit her tongue.


    "I mean it''s just his face. He doesn''t look like the type of the person to do substance abuse. So the man earlier was the one who did it?"


    "Yes! He is finally caught," Cai harrumphed. "Now he will confess why he did this. We didn''t even know him so why would he get Bro into this problem?"


    Jin stared at Shui. "You just followed him all on your own?"


    She averted his prying gaze. "...I was being careful."


    Jin''s face blackened. "You have no sense of safety at all, do you? How can you just follow such a dangerous man all alone? That parking lot had no soul passing by! People like him have knives at the very least. What if he had hurt you?"


    "Lin came in time-"


    "What if he hadn''t?" He glared.


    Alix''s expression slightly twisted in annoyance as well, directing it towards Lin.


    "Don''t mind me but it was foolish of you to let him in your cafe."


    Lin stared at her, slightly taken aback.


    "It should be as clear as day to understand that that man was suspicious. Didn''t you doubt his insistence at all? That''s why people take advantage of you. You spent time in jail over something that was easily preventable," she said, tapping her foot in impatience.


    "Why do you think that people take advantage of me?"


    She stiffened.


    "It''s just your face. You look like the type to get taken advantage of."


    Cai touched his chin and looked at his brother. "Is it really so easy to decode you with just your face?"


    "Just be more alert next time. Don''t let people walk all over you," she gritted her teeth. "Also what did that drug dealer say? Who ordered him to frame you?"


    "...Miss. Han''s cousin is investigating."


    Lin felt a strange feeling gnawing at his chest, seeing the furrow of her brows and the frustration of her expression.


    Why does this feel so familiar?


    At the same side, a faint curiosity rang within Jin too.


    For somebody who barely knew Lin, Alix looked weirdly too invested and involved. Nothing had ever fazed Alix up to this point, not even her sister.


    Why does she look so anxious?


    Lin rose. "I will take my leave. I will wait for Mr. Soo''s call."


    He glanced at Jin and slightly clenched his fist. "Can you not...tell Sir Jun about this?"


    "Why don''t you want him to know about it? You are not guilty."


    He pressed his lips. "I know but...still."


    He felt it was very presumptuous to think that Jun might involve himself in the case. He might hate him for the things he did in the past but Lin had a feeling that Jun wouldn''t stay still if he ever learned about it. He had no intentions to take Jun''s help for his problems when he had already shown his big heart by agreeing to his parole.


    Alix sat still as he passed by but a minute later, pushed her chair away


    "Excuse me."


    Jin tracked her walking hurriedly in a certain direction until she stopped where Lin and Cai were. He didn''t know what they were talking about but she had taken out her phone as if they were exchanging numbers.


    ...Why does she need his number?


    His spell of thoughts broke as he looked back at Shui. He folded his arms to his chest, continuing to throw daggers at her.


    Shui asked, "Are you here for work?"


    "Don''t change the subject. How about you become a cop rather than an artist? Clearly, investigation and stake out seems to be your forte," he sneered.


    Her brow twitched. "I was just-"


    The intensity of his glare shot up to an all-time high, making her sigh.


    "Okay, okay. I know I was wrong. I am sorry. I shouldn''t have put myself in danger like that."


    Jin''s scowl relaxed but only by a bit.


    "But it seems strange. That dealer came to meet someone here? Here at this hotel?"


    "It had puzzled me too honestly. I had imagined some quiet downtown area and him meeting somewhere in some abandoned building. But this turned out to be a luxurious hotel."


    He frowned.


    "And the man in the back seemed to be well-off?"


    "That is my assumption. I couldn''t see his face but he was seated in a very...poised manner."


    "I don''t understand. Does Hou Lin have enemies? Why would somebody frame him like that, even get the prison officer under his belt?"


    Suddenly, a pair of palms banged on the table.


    "You ask a very valid question. Who do you think it could be?" Alix''s eyes narrowed. "He doesn''t have any enemies."


    "And how do you know that?"


    Alix pressed her lips, staring at him.


    "I mean it''s just his face. He doesn''t look like the type to make enemies."


    Jin squinted his eyes. "You are a face reader or something?"


    "Maybe I have started it as a side hobby."


    "You want to try reading my face?" he smiled.


    "What is there to read in your face? It''s always grumpy and scowling."


    His gaze darkened. "Say that again."


    "Grumpy and scowling. And I understand why. Your idiot childhood friend almost risked her life in danger."


    "Hey don''t call me an idiot," Shui pursed her lips.


    "Forget about that. I want some guesswork. Who could be that mystery prick?"


    Jin and Shui gave her a stare and she let out a cough.


    "I mean don''t you find it curious that somebody is after a simple cafe owner? Doesn''t it tingle your sense of mystery?"


    "You want to become a detective too?" Jin sourly asked.


    She paused and frowned. "You sound grumpier than usual."

 Chapter 1010 1010: Kitty trouble

    The black car was parked at a side and Chang Fang looked back.


    "I think we are okay now, Sir..."


    Yuze opened his eyes. "Did Shui see me?"


    "She wouldn''t have. The back seat area is dark."


    "So it''s still a guesswork?"


    Chang Fang quickly said, "I mean no, she didn''t see you."


    "Call him where he is."


    "Yes!"


    But Chang Fang couldn''t reach him. He nervously smiled at Yuze and tried again but got the same answer.


    Damn, where is he!?


    Yuze closed his eyes, slightly gritting his teeth in impatience.


    "I had told him very specifically to drive away and do nothing. DO. NOTHING. If I hear that he happened to confront Shui then first I will kill him and then it will be your turn."


    "He wouldn''t do anything stupid-"


    Just then he got a message on his phone that shattered the ground beneath his feet.


    "I smell bad news," Yuze smiled.


    Chang Fang felt his heart racing as a drop of sweat trickled down the side of his ear.


    "So he did something stupid after all..."


    Yuze exhaled a breath, rubbing his temple while staring outside. He had no idea how Shui got involved in Lin''s case and he had to do something before any suspicion in her heart took an unnecessary root.


    She might have not seen me but what about this useless fool?


    He couldn''t be too sure about Chang Fang. And he absolutely needed him at the bureau side to control the dealer from confessing anything unnecessary.


    "Just do as I say. And if anything fucks up this time, you are both dead."


    ¡ª


    "You look like a ghost. You are scaring my employees," Jin said to her the next day, finding her seated at her office.


    He could see the dark circles under her eyes.


    "I was working the whole night," Alix said, her gaze still intact at her laptop.


    "On your designs or on Hou Lin''s mystery?" His eyes squinted suspiciously.


    "Obviously, it would be on my designs," she lied.


    "It didn''t look so obvious yesterday..." he murmured to himself.


    "What did you just whisper-"


    Alix finally looked up only to choke in her throat. Out of nowhere, two cats were sitting atop Jin''s shoulders as if it was the most natural thing in the world. She looked around her office, confused.


    "Did I come to the wrong place today?"


    "This is the Liu Corps."


    She gave him a blank stare. "Sorry, what are those cats?"


    "Haven''t you seen them before when you came to the villa?"


    "I only saw them from afar."


    He pointed at his left shoulder. "Jun-kun."


    Then he pointed at his right. "Ai-chan."


    Alix couldn''t decipher her feelings of whether she should be shocked by the cats'' presence in the office or for the fact that they were named after Jun and Ai.


    "...Who kept those names?"


    "Zhou Ai named Jun-kun and Bro named Ai-chan."


    Her expression twisted. "Are you throwing dog food at me first thing in the morning? I don''t want to know how much your brother and sister-in-law love each other."


    "Shouldn''t it be cat food?"


    Her brow twitched hard.


    "Why did you bring them here today?"


    "Usually, they stay at home but sometimes they follow me," he smiled, tickling the cats under their chin.


    *Meow*


    "Keep them away from me."


    "Are you allergic to cats?"


    "I don''t know how to deal with small animals and children. They are unpredictable."


    He blinked. "You handle Ailun pretty well."


    She furrowed her brows. "He is a sensible kid."


    As his Uncle, his expression perked up with pride.


    "Anyway, don''t worry. They will stay in my office."


    "Are you going to tie them up?"


    "Obviously not."


    "Then no, they are not going to stay in your office. They will eventually cross over to my side."


    He smiled. "Good for you to have some company then."


    ¡ª


    The company eventually arrived when Alix was occupied in working with making her collage. She would have completely forgotten all about it with Lin''s case had Shui not pushed her with her stern reminder of not slacking on her therapy.


    Alix looked away for a moment.


    Should I hire someone to do this job?


    Imagining Shui spitting fire out of her mouth if she learned her trickery, Alix quietly backed off with her evil idea.


    *Meow*


    Alix looked up and stared at Jun-kun popping his head inside her office. Jun-kun stared back at Alix.


    An impasse.


    I knew it! I knew the cats won''t stay still, she gritted her teeth.


    She craned her neck and found Ai-chan peacefully resting on the couch with Jin completely buried in his work in his office. The next time she looked back at the cat, Jun-kun had already hopped onto her desk, making her gasp. She immediately pressed her back against the chair, making distance between herself and Jun-kun. Her eyes were filled with a look of horror.


    "Go...go away..." she waved her hand, trying to make him jump off the desk.


    *Meowww*


    Jun-kun stretched his front legs as if he had no intention to move away. She saw his eyes curiously wander around her desk that settled on her laptop.


    Alix and Jun-kun shared a second impasse glance.


    Before she could grab the laptop, Jun-kun landed on the keyboard with a swift jump, as smooth as butter.


    Alix inhaled a sharp breath. "You cannot do this to me."


    *Meow*


    He walked all around the keyboard as if he was taking a casual walk in the park. His paws pressed the buttons here and there that made a criss cross design of indecipherable text in her collage document and moved the pictures out of their place.


    She wanted to faint.


    "Nooooooo!! Hey! If you destroy my hard-built collage then your owner has to give me some answers, okay! I will make him redo my collage from scratch! Do you understand my pain of making this-"


    Alix then squinted her eyes, looking at a zoomed in picture, courtesy to Jun-kun''s paw.


    "What is she doing over there...?"

 Chapter 1011: A picture worth a thousand clues

    Jin stretched his arms and released a tired sigh with the back-to-back meetings. He rose from his chair and collapsed on the couch, taking Ai-chan in his arms. He chuckled, tickling under chin.


    "Are you not bored sitting here all alone?"


    Ai-chan let out a yawn and purred. She tapped her paw on his chin as if saying that being in Liu Corps was entertaining enough. He let out another chuckle and looked around for Jun-kun.


    Where is the other- oh nooo! Did he step out?


    Jin exited his office in a rush and as his gaze fell at Alix''s office, he stopped abruptly. He opened the door to her office and could only be speechless at the scene.


    "What is...Jun-kun doing sitting on your head?"


    "...Huh?"


    Alix was completely occupied in stretching her eyes wide to the max at the laptop screen before her.


    He placed his hand on the screen and said, "You want to go blind?"


    "Ah! You broke my focus!" She glared at him.


    "Before you broke your eyes. And what is Jun-kun doing on top of your head? I thought you wanted to stay far away from the cats."


    Alix clapped her hands once in vigor. "This cat is a genius!"


    "..."


    He saw her entire collage document ruined and in a mess, which he was sure was Jun-kun''s work. He was expecting her to chew his head out.


    So what just happened to make her change a full one-eighty degree?


    "You have to see this! Come here."


    She grabbed his wrist and pulled him near her chair. She then held his neck and practically pushed him to become one with the laptop.


    "What the hell?"


    "Look at the picture in front of you."


    He took a sharp breath.


    "I am not interested in looking at a zoomed-in picture of your sister''s...chest..." he spoke through gritted teeth.


    She frowned. "Why are you looking at her chest?"


    "That''s where you are pressing my face against the screen, idiot!"


    She took a look and made a small O out of her lips. "Oops. My bad. Anyway, you shouldn''t be enjoying that view."


    His knuckles cracked.


    "I wasn''t enjoying anything!"


    "Do you see that reflection in the background?" She ignored his outburst and pointed at an object.


    Jin muttered under his breath and took a look that had gotten Alix so excited.


    "What reflection are you talking about?"


    "Over there. Behind Mui where you see her back."


    Jin squinted his eyes. It looked like a picture of some small get-together celebration and dinner at some hotel. Alix and Mui stood together, smiling at the camera.


    "It looks so emotional us standing like that," she grimaced with disdain. "But the truth is so different."


    "It''s too blurred..." Jin tried but failed. "Isn''t she holding her purse at her back?"


    "There is some small vial she is gripping on top of her purse."


    "That thing?"


    He pointed at what he thought was the right answer and turned his head but froze. Their faces were so close that he felt his lips could practically brush against her cheek if he wouldn''t be careful. A few extra centimetres of movement and something so awkward could happen that he might bury himself in a hole and never crawl back.


    "Yup, yup, the vial, you see it too, right?"


    She turned her head next which almost collided with his.


    "You saw that too, right?"


    He stared at her unblinkingly as if he was frozen by some spell. His breath couldn''t move past his throat and neither did he feel any strength in his feet. The invisible tension arose an unknown, uncomfortable feeling in his chest that he couldn''t decipher.


    "Jin?"


    *Meow*


    Ai-chan hopped out of his arms and into Alix''s lap.


    *Meowww*


    She licked her mouth while releasing a small yawn that completely broke Jin''s stupor. He inhaled a sharp gasp and swiftly withdrew by a few steps.


    On the other side, Alix froze next. Jun-kun laid lazily on the top of her head and Ai-chan made herself comfortable on her lap, staring at the laptop curiously.


    After a few breathless breaths and reeling himself from that strange, uncomfortable atmosphere, he looked up. And he burst into a laughter as if the earlier tension was all just his imagination.


    He didn''t waste a second''s moment and clicked her picture in her frozen, confused state with her hands spread at her side, having no clue what to do.


    "What did you do?" Alix''s gaze darkened.


    Jin showed her the picture and her expression worsened.


    "Don''t say anything. You have clicked an embarrassing picture of mine too."


    "Delete it."


    "Jun-kun and Ai-chan are in it too. Take their permission."


    *Meoww*


    The cats lazily yawned, having no interest in their banter. Jun-kun and Ai-chan were busy having their own meow conversation from Alix''s head and lap respectively.


    She gritted her teeth. "I will let this slide on account of this genius cat sitting on top of my head."


    He snorted. "Much obliged. By the way, what did the genius cat do?"


    "Danced on my laptop and ruined my collage."


    "And I was expecting a very different reaction."


    "Yes, I was going to chew your head out but then I realized my sister''s evilness. You noticed that vial in her hand, right?"


    Jin stepped closer again but maintained a small distance between them very consciously this time.


    He cleared his throat. "Yes."


    "And you notice her very suspicious and anxious smile too, right? Like she is caught in some act?"


    Jin looked closer at her expression.


    "It indeed doesn''t look so comfortable. It seems like a spur-in-a-moment picture. She wasn''t ready for it."


    She sneered. "Maybe because she was busy mixing something in my food and she quickly hid it because somebody told to smile for the picture. She didn''t get the time to put it back in her purse."


    Jin grimaced. "She spiked your drink at that company party and now this. Is your sister too obsessed with spiking stuff or something?"


    "Not everybody''s. Only mine. This picture is two years old."


    Jin frowned. "Do you remember this evening when the picture was clicked? Did something happen when you had the spiked food?"


    "If you mean that I woke up on the wrong side of the bed the next morning, then no."


    His gaze darkened. "I didn''t mean that way. I mean...it could be that but..."


    He didn''t understand why it felt so irritating to think of that scenario.


    Alix didn''t notice his discomfort and said, "No, this is different. This is not about making me sleep with some random stranger. If she does something similar two years ago, then..." She tilted her head. "I need to find out what is in that vial. This doesn''t seem to be so simple."

 Chapter 1012: A mothers insight

    "Start talking."


    Yijun bent his torso over the desk, enveloping the dealer in his intimidating space.


    "I don''t know anything."


    He smiled. "Oh you know everything. Right from the night you went to Hou Lin''s cafe until now when you supposedly met some mystery man. So once again. Start talking."


    The dealer anxiously looked around and in no mood to answer.


    "Who are you looking for?"


    "N-Nobody! I am not talking to you!"


    "Are you sure? I feel like you are looking for somebody close by."


    "I am not talking to you!" He resisted harshly against his handcuffs.


    "You better-"


    The door opened with a loud thud just then and a furious Chang Fang entered the interrogation room.


    "What is going on, Soo Yijun!"


    Yijun narrowed his eyes. "What do you think is happening here, Inspector Chang? There is a criminal in front of me and I am questioning him."


    "What I mean is why are YOU questioning him? I am Hou Lin''s prison officer and as such I am in charge of this case."


    "I am the one who arrested him."


    He smiled sarcastically. "Sure, I will hang a photo of your recognition all around the bureau. Thank you for your efforts but I can take it from here."


    Yijun noticed a visible change in the dealer''s expression that shone with a sense of relief. The fear in his eyes transitioned to confidence and arrogance.


    "You are now suddenly interested in taking over? Where was this interest when you were investigating?"


    "What do you want to imply?" His face blackened.


    "Where were you today?" He asked, point-blank.


    "Why should I answer that question? It has nothing to do with the case."


    "There is somebody who might have seen you in a place you shouldn''t have been?"


    "What nonsense," his expression twisted with annoyance. "Today was my day-off. I was at the theater to catch a movie. Then I got the news that the dealer was caught so I rushed right away. She must have misunderstood somebody else for me."


    Yijun stared at him. "When did I say that it was a woman who saw you? Did I reveal the gender of the person?"


    That caught him off-guard and so did the dealer.


    "I mean it was just a hunch."


    He smiled. "Some sharp hunch you have."


    He gnashed his jaw. "Limit your arrogance, Soo Yijun. Do you have a beef with me that you are trying to set me up like this?"


    "Who has a beef with who, well, that time will only tell."


    "And right now, it''s time for you to leave. Like I said, I will take it from here," he smiled.


    Thrown out of the interrogation room, Yijun cursed heavily in his mind.


    Movie theater? He scoffed to himself.


    "Yeah I have to find out which movie it was that he was enjoying so much."


    ¡ª-


    Alix rummaged through Mui''s cupboard but couldn''t find the target she was looking for. Suddenly, she heard footsteps creeping in the room and she froze.


    Damn, isn''t that idiot sister away?


    "...Alix?"


    Recognizing Ren Cuifen''s voice, she heaved a sigh of relief. She popped her head out of the wardrobe door and frowned.


    "Don''t scare me like that."


    "I was just wondering what you are looking for in Mui''s room..."


    "Let me find it first."


    Alix went back to her work and Ren Cuifen chimed in again.


    "Maybe I can help you."


    "No, you can''t. Apparently, your second daughter is very secretive. You won''t know."


    "I see..."


    Alix resumed searching through her room and scoured all possible hiding places but couldn''t find any suspicious bottles or medicine pills.


    Where could she have kept it?


    "Pillows?" Ren Cuifen suggested.


    "Already checked."


    "I mean...inside the pillows."


    "That''s where I checked."


    "You just unzipped the pillow cover. I am talking about inside the pillows. Literally inside it. In the cotton."


    Alix stared at her. "Seriously? Is she that smart?"


    "She used to think that the best place to hide stuff is a place you are actively present. Like sitting on a couch or sleeping on a bed. I think she still does."


    "How do you know?"


    "Mothers know some things very well even if their children might grow up and become all secretive," she smiled.


    She kept quiet.


    Okay, maybe I underestimated her a teensy tiny bit...


    "But if she hid it inside the pillow then tearing off the pillow and stitching it back should obviously be visible?"


    "But Mui is very good at needlework. You..." she stiffened. "I mean she was too. They learned it from me."


    Alix stared at her hands and wondered if she really knew how to do needlework. She didn''t want to take that chance. She glanced up at Ren Cuifen in silence.


    "If for some reason-"


    "I can stitch it back the way it was. She wouldn''t know."


    She pressed her lips. "Are you a mind-reader?"


    "I am a mother."


    "Not...not mine. You don''t have to help me so much."


    Ren Cuifen stayed silent for a long moment.


    "I simply know that the girl standing before me is my daughter. There cannot be any ifs and buts to that."


    Alix uncomfortably walked upto the bed and grabbed the pillow. She refrained from pursuing that line of conversation and handed her the pillow.


    "Please."


    A while later, Alix held a small vial in her hands, containing some liquid. She peered closer and brought it in front of the bedside lamp.


    "Have you seen this before?"


    Ren Cuifen shook her head. "No."


    She let out a sudden gasp with a guess occurring to her. "Don''t tell me Mui is doing drugs? Is this poison? Is that why she is taking so much effort to hide it?"


    Alix showed a picture to her on the phone and asked, "Do you remember this evening?"


    "Oh yes. You were all at a party."


    Her gaze softened in melancholy. "There wasn''t so much hatred and contempt between you sisters at that time..."


    Alix waited for her emotional turbulence to pass and asked, "Do you remember if something had happened back then? During this party or after it? Anything big?"


    She knitted her brows. "No, it was just a normal party."


    Alix clicked her tongue inwardly.


    Back to square one...


    "Um but..."


    "What?" Her ears perked up again.


    "I don''t think if this counts as something big or not, but it was around this time that you were starting to act differently. You were always such a level-headed girl so your father and I were deeply shocked to see you irritable and anxious."

 Chapter 1013: In between the lines

    Alix didn''t bother going out for dinner tonight as she stayed back on her bed, sitting criss-crossed. Her eyes bore into the collage she had prepared, navigating her gaze through the plethora of pictures.


    Alix''s pictures.


    Alix''s journey.


    Alix''s story.


    She took her phone and dialed a number.


    "Hey Alix, what''s up?" Shui asked, surprised to see her call at this time.


    "Let''s meet."


    ¡ª


    Alix offered a bouquet of fresh flowers to Shui and said, "I love you."


    "..."


    Shui stared at the bouquet, a huge question mark forming on top of her head.


    "Alix, are you drunk? How many glasses you gulped down? Tell me the truth."


    "I am sober."


    "This is not a sober behavior, not from you."


    "You know, I didn''t give you enough credit. You..." she pointed at her, "You are the smartest in the group."


    "I am sorry?"


    "You, Jin and I. You are the smartest. Jin and I are the branded idiots," Alix nodded her head in all seriousness.


    "...Alix, I am not getting a word you are saying."


    A few passers by in the park giggled at Alix holding a bouquet in a proposing kind of a manner. It was clear to Shui in which direction their thoughts were steering.


    "Come here!"


    Shui dragged Alix to a quieter place and breathed out.


    "You are making everybody misunderstand...Now tell me from the beginning."


    "I apologize for cursing your collage project idea. You didn''t deserve it."


    Her brow twitched. "You were cursing it?"


    Alix averted her gaze. "It did feel like a stupid school project."


    She glared. "Assignments are for your own good!"


    "I understand that now."


    "And what miracle happened to help you achieve this enlightenment?" She smiled.


    "Lots of things. But I think I basically understand it now. Understand my story."


    She blinked twice. "Story?"


    Alix smiled. "My life story. If the pictures weren''t in place, I couldn''t have gotten an overarching view of the things I missed in life. That''s why I decided you deserved a personal apology and confession."


    "You strangely sound very philosophical today."


    "You will understand it soon. I just need to do a couple of things to finish my collage project and then..." her eyes twinkled. "The whole story will shine through. Drama, mystery, action - it will be like a movie. So please accept my flowers."


    Shui coughed. "Your gratitude is enough for me-"


    Alix pushed the bouquet in her hands to which her lips twitched.


    "Your gratitude is forceful."


    "You are too shy," she snorted. "Hey, let''s have some ice-cream."


    Alix said as she saw an ice cream truck at a distance. "It''s the second part of my gratitude."


    "How many parts are there?"


    She shrugged. "Until I am satisfied."


    They sat down at a nearby bench, holding their ice cream cones. Shui''s gaze happened to fall upon Alix''s phone and she blinked twice.


    "When did you take that picture?"


    Alix followed her gaze and said, "Oh this chipmunk photo of Jin''s? That day when we joined you and Kang Yuze for dinner. I don''t waste time with incriminating stuff. This was too entertaining to not put up as my phone''s wallpaper."


    Right at the same time, Jin''s text bubble popped up on Alix''s screen.


    ''You found that vial?''


    Alix sneered, thinking about the fake vial she replaced in the pillow to fool Mui.


    ''Yup.''


    ''Bring it with you tomorrow.''


    Alix furrowed her brows, puzzled and typed back. ''Why?''


    ''?? So that we can find out what that is?''


    ''I will find that out on my own.''


    It took a minute for Jin''s next reply to come.


    ''You are not doing this alone.''


    ''??''


    ''I smell some big conspiracy that might have been stretching for some years now and you are diving straight into those unknown waters.''


    ''I will finally get to catch the big fish~'' her eyes sparkled.


    ''You are on your way to catch a shark, idiot. So you better bring that vial tomorrow.''


    ''I can catch sharks too, you know?''


    ''Just. Bring. It. Tomorrow! You also owe it to me because Jun-kun helped you find it.''


    "Jeez..." Alix was left dumbfounded. "So stubborn. Gratitude here, gratitude there. Is it a gratitude season?"


    She rubbed her chin, looking questioningly at Shui.


    Shui lifted her gaze off her phone and stared at her. "You think that is gratitude?"


    "It certainly is acting high and mighty because of his genius cat''s help," she snorted. "It''s his cat who helped me. Why is he showing off?"


    "He is not acting high and mighty."


    Alix was left speechless again and showed her her phone. "Just read the conversation."


    "I did. That''s why I know that he is not acting high and mighty. Far from it actually."


    "What could it possibly be then?" she snorted and licked her ice-cream scoop.


    Shui tapped her finger on the bench and collected her thoughts.


    "Why do you suddenly look so serious?"


    "Have you considered the thought...that Jin might like you?"


    Alix tipped her head to the side.


    "Like me? In what sense? What sort of an idiot would like a person who extorted twenty million from him?"


    She smiled. "You have never fallen in love, have you?"


    Her eyes stretched wide in utter disbelief.


    "Huh? Love? What...love? You are talking about the love story kind of a love? The novel kind? The romantic movie kind?"


    "Yes."


    Her brow twitched hard.


    "This time, I will have to ask you. Are you drunk? How many glasses did you gulp down?"


    "I am completely sober and so is Jin. It''s just that it hasn''t dawned on him yet. But I have known him since childhood. So I can recognize him changing no matter how minor or irrelevant it might look. With Jin, you have to read in between the lines to understand him."


    "And why are we talking about love?"


    "Because Jin''s messages right now were not him acting high and mighty. He was concerned. He was anxious. He was afraid you would fall into some danger. By now I am pretty sure that he would have already called someone from his connections who will help you test the contents of that vial. He would investigate that in his name so that even if things go south tomorrow, it''s his name that would light up the Christmas tree, not yours. He is being in the frontline for you because I believe...he loves you."

 Chapter 1014: More than just a ride home

    Alix stared at Shui for a long, long time, eventually bursting into a hearty laughter. She waved her hand in dismissal.


    "That''s impossible. You are completely going off-track with this."


    Shui was unaffected. "It''s fine if you don''t believe me. Eventually, you will get it one day and so will Jin."


    The pace of Alix''s laughter slowed down upon seeing Shui''s no-nonsense expression.


    "You...You do realize he loves you, right? I mean yes, he rejected you because of some circumstances but he still loves you. That is an undeniable fact. So...I think you should calm down with the conclusions."


    Shui didn''t respond to that for a long time.


    "People also like to move on, Alix, because it hurts to be in a limbo. They take small steps - very small steps. So they don''t realize that they are walking farther and farther away and gradually making a new path for themselves. Jin is like that. He thinks he is not moving at all but he is. He doesn''t understand it but people around him do."


    Alix didn''t feel like laughing anymore.


    "You are kidding, right?"


    "I think he was a little jealous when you exchanged numbers with Hou Lin. I could see it in his eyes."


    "It''s impossible."


    "What is impossible?"


    "He is not in love with me. You are confused. Jin and I are ending up spending much time together because of the fashion show and my company business so you might feel that things are going in that direction. But they are not."


    "Do you want to ask Jin if he has already disturbed somebody about testing that vial contents at ten in the evening?"


    Alix almost challenged her back but seeing Shui''s confident gaze, she felt her courage lacking at several levels. She let out a chuckle and patted her shoulder.


    "You need another ice cream cone, dear."


    She stood up and dusted off her dress a bit.


    "I will take my leave. The D-Day is approaching and I see my sister''s plan is already in motion. I need to gear up too. Good night."


    She turned and walked a few steps away when Shui asked, "What if Jin really likes you?"


    Alix stopped and stared ahead at the vacant space. She then turned and met Shui''s questioning eyes.


    "I sincerely hope he doesn''t. There is no future between us."


    "...Why not?" Shui blinked twice.


    She smiled self-deprecatingly. "Because he doesn''t know me at all...and so do you."


    ¡ª


    At some distance from the park, Alix breathlessly came to a stop. She held her chest, trying to catch her breath.


    Just when I thought that she was smart, she ends up saying some stupid stuff. Where does her logic even come from?


    She peered left and right and swiftly tapped on her phone, albeit after some careful thought.


    ''I think I have found the perfect person to help me figure out that suspicious vial.''


    Jin''s reply was almost immediate.


    ''I have already taken care of that. You just bring the bottle tomorrow."


    Alix stared at his reply unblinkingly. She typed slowly.


    ''What do you mean by ''taken care of it?''''


    ''I know someone who could run some tests for us. I asked him, that''s all.''


    ''So late?''


    ''Ten is morning for some people.''


    Another text followed by.


    ''What are you doing awake though? Don''t you sleep around this time?''


    ''I came out with Shui for some ice-cream.''


    The next reply took a few moments. ''Are you still outside?''


    ''Shui left in her car.''


    ''I am asking about you.''


    Alix kept staring at her mobile screen.


    Why is he not asking about Shui?


    ''I am looking for a cab.''


    She felt her heart in her throat, sensing a strange tension seeing him type his message.


    ''Wait for me.''


    ¡ª


    The horn beeped at a distance, making Alix jolt in her seat. She looked up and saw Jin stepping out of his SUV in a casual sweatshirt and pants. He looked at his watch and then at her.


    "Is this really the time to eat ice-cream?" He frowned.


    Alix stared at him.


    "Why did you not ask about Shui?"


    "Shui?"


    "About picking her up."


    He blinked. "She comes in her own car with her family''s driver. Uncle Zhi usually never lets her go out alone anyway, especially not late in the evening. You, on the other hand, always have some strange fetish about using public transport," his eyes narrowed.


    "I find public transport safe."


    "What is the problem in using your family''s car?"


    "Why did you come to pick me? I didn''t ask."


    "Am I not your chauffeur anyway? Why are you being so reserved today? Hop in."


    As Alix followed him very slowly, a million thoughts encircled her mind.


    Maybe I am just overthinking this. He must have been deathly bored and had nothing better to do so he is finding ways to entertain himself.


    But then he should just go to sleep.


    Maybe he is not getting any sleep for some reason?


    Wait...that reason couldn''t happen to be me, right?


    Alix inwardly laughed in self-mockery.


    Yeah, that''s a good joke.


    She bumped straight into a figure and looked up in surprise.


    "Weren''t you ahead of me?"


    Jin looked at her up and down. "Are you hurt somewhere?"


    "...No? Why do you ask?"


    "You were walking slower than usual."


    Alix squinted her eyes. "You know my walking pace?"


    His brow twitched. "At this stage of our acquaintance, I believe you would know my walking pace too."


    "...I was just thinking."


    They resumed walking and she couldn''t help but notice that Jin had slowed down his pace to match hers.


    "Thinking about what?"


    Whether your actions mean something or I am overanalyzing everything?


    Damn it Shui put something unnecessary into my head!


    "My idiot sister. The fashion show. The vial," she lied.


    Jin opened the passenger seat door for her and said, "You should focus on your sister from ruining the fashion show. Saving your company is more important."


    She stopped. "My sister feeding me some strange medicine over the years is less important?"


    "That is the most important out of all," he stared at her with a glint of an indecipherable coldness. "Which is why I will take care of it."

 Chapter 1015: Begin the fashion show

    The venue of the fashion show was all filled with lights and music. Models were lined up in the make-up room to give their best performances on stage except for one, who was basking herself in the camera flashes.


    Wang Xia smiled. "Thank you all for taking out time from your busy schedule for today''s fashion show. I promise you won''t be disappointed."


    "Miss. Wang, do you feel confident that today''s show will open the doors for you to enter the entertainment industry?" One reporter asked.


    "Of course," she grinned. "I have full faith in Miss. Ren. I have personally seen her designs and have been really impressed with it."


    "Who has come to cheer you on from your family, Miss. Wang?"


    "Of course, Mom, Dad and my big brother!" She grinned. "They have always supported my dreams."


    "And what about your sister-in-law? Is Mrs. Wang Ningli not here?"


    "Unfortunately, she fell sick and couldn''t personally come to the show. But I am sure she is cheering me on from home."


    "What about her relationship with your brother? Are the divorce rumors true?"


    "Can you please speak more on your brother''s scandal? Why did he cheat on his wife?"


    "What about his enormous gambling debts?"


    The barrage of questions left Wang Xia slightly anxious so she quickly wrapped up her interview.


    "I am sorry, I won''t comment on that. Those are my personal family matters. We are here for the fashion show. But I would just say that you shouldn''t judge someone based on only half-truth and gossip."


    Which led the reporters to think if she was indirectly pointing fingers towards Wang Ningli too for her failed marriage.


    At the far side of the venue, Liu Hai, who was gobbling on some potato wedges, looked beyond Wang Xia.


    "Isn''t she the main star of tonight''s show who will be wearing Alix''s designs?"


    When he heard no response, he threw a glance at Jin''s side, who didn''t seem to be in a good mood.


    "Why has that grumpy mood been plastered to your face since these past few days?"


    "I am looking normal."


    "No, you are not. You are the sponsor. Look happy."


    His gaze darkened.


    How am I supposed to look happy when Alix has been behaving strangely these days?


    Jin was clueless of what was going on but Alix had been working from the Liu Corps less and less these days. She worked mostly from home, which slightly irked him further, considering what they had just discovered about the vial and the strange medicine in it. He could also sense that Alix was working something in the background with her own plans but couldn''t intervene much because she wouldn''t let him on.


    Ai said, "You look very anxious. Because you cannot find Alix?"


    "Why will I be anxious because of that?"


    "I don''t know which is why I am asking you."


    He grimaced and looked at Ai, who wasn''t holding back upon eating her ice-cream.


    "Why do I feel that your belly is getting bigger more because of the ice-cream and less because of the baby?"


    She gasped dramatically. "Are you saying that I am getting fat?"


    Liu Hai clicked his tongue. "That''s not how you speak to your sister-in-law. And your grandfather too."


    "Buzz off you two!"


    Jin shooed them away and glanced around the venue again.


    Where is she? Shouldn''t she have already reached the hotel by now?


    ¡ª


    Alix had been quietly observing Jin, Ai and Liu Hai at a distance. She had been doing a phenomenal job of avoiding Jin for the past few days, which she could tell was short-circuiting his brain considering his string of angry messages.


    The best plan is to nip anything unnecessary right off at its roots, she nodded to herself.


    Feeling a poke at her leg, she looked down.


    "Pastry aunt, why are you hiding?" Ailun scrunched up his brows.


    Her eyes widened and she quickly pulled him behind the pillar.


    "Quieter."


    "Who are you playing hide and seek with?" He beamed.


    "Nobody."


    "Then why are you not meeting Uncle Jin? He is there with Mom and Great-grandpa," Ailun pointed in their direction.


    "Yes, I see him."


    "So meet him. He is in a bad mood these days," he sighed.


    Alix paused. "Why?"


    "He is saying it''s because of the work but I know it''s not. Uncle never gets so tense just because of work."


    He then chirped. "But if he sees pastry aunt, he will be super happy!"


    "He won''t be. We are not even friends."


    His nostrils flared. "Yes, he will. That day, he was seeing your picture with the cats and laughing. So you make his mood happy."


    "...His mood was happy because of the cats, not me."


    "I don''t think so."


    She froze upon hearing a very familiar and firm voice. She slowly turned and faced Jinhai, looking at her intently.


    "Hello."


    Alix strangely felt a vague tension in her body.


    "Hello."


    "You...You came to the fashion show too?"


    Alix hadn''t expected Jinhai to be a part of the show, for that matter even Liu Hai too.


    "The Liu Corps is the sponsor so why not?"


    "Yup, yup~" Jing grinned, who just joined his brother. "Alix!!! Are you ready for the show? I cannot wait for your efforts to shine on the stage!"


    Alix smiled, albeit slightly uncomfortably. "It''s all set. Thank you for your support."


    He waved his hand in dismissal. "How can my protege thank me? You are way too reserved."


    "Yes, yes, you shouldn''t be so reserved!"


    The twins came rushing by and almost squished her from both sides with the widest grin on their lips.


    "Don''t be so formal!" Jian and Nian said unanimously.


    Alix stiffened.


    Why is the entire Liu family here?


    And they are going to leak my hiding spot!


    She quickly said, "I will take my leave."


    Ailun pulled her back. "Pastry aunt, let''s play!"


    "No, I have work to do."


    "So I will help you," he chirped merrily.


    "I am in a hurry so-"


    "Why are you in such a hurry if I may ask?"


    A crisp, cold voice resounded from her back, making the hair at the back of her neck tingle.


    Ah damn! There goes my hiding spot!

 Chapter 1016 1016: Eligible bachelor

    "Naturally, I will be in a hurry. I am the spotlight designer."


    Jing gave her a thumbs up. "That''s the attitude, young lady. Have confidence in yourself as if everybody is beneath you muahahaha!"


    Jin threw him a threatening look. "Should I crush you beneath my foot for now?"


    "That''s mean! Bro, is that how your son talks to his elders?" He sniffled dramatically.


    Ailun blinked. "But are you an elder in a true sense?"


    "What is that supposed to mean, brat?" His gaze darkened.


    "Are you not a child trapped in a man''s body? Same like Great-Grandpa. You are not real elders."


    He gasped. "Such bull-"


    He got a look from Jinhai to control the cursing words from coming out.


    On the other side, Jian wrapped his arms around his brother''s neck and smiled. "No need to be in such a grumpy mood, Jini-boy. She is just busy."


    "Yes, she is busy indeed. Busy hiding," he glared at Alix.


    "Busy hiding from my idiot sister and the reporters-"


    "Alixxxxx!!!!"


    Liu Hai rushed towards her at lightning speed and squeezed her in his embrace. "I finally found you!"


    He cried. "Why were you not visiting the villa these days? Are you mad at me!"


    Alix tried to breathe amidst his crushing hug. "Huh? What are you...talking about?"


    "Because I promised that I will make you my granddaughter-in-law but I am yet to find a potential suitor for you! Are you angry that I went back on my words? I swear I didn''t!" He exclaimed with all the strength in his lungs.


    Jin stared at Liu Hai as if his words didn''t register in his mind similar to the twins.


    "Sorry what?"


    "When did this development occur?" Nian asked speechlessly.


    Liu Hai brightened. "Isn''t she such a bright and smart woman? I decided that she has to be my granddaughter-in-law! Unfortunately, Nana doesn''t have a secret fifth son," he lamented.


    Jinhai grimaced. "Why would he be a secret son?"


    "Maybe because you wouldn''t be the father of that child duh?"


    Jinhai''s face blackened. "You are becoming senile, old man. Do you want me to throw you in an old age home?"


    Everybody choked. For Jinhai to curse out so harshly meant that Liu Hai had crossed his limits.


    Even Grandpa can get angry, Ailun wondered.


    Liu Hai glared. "That is not how you speak to your elders, brat!"


    Jian pressed his lips and asked, "So in the absence of this secret fifth son, how were you exactly planning to make her your granddaughter-in-law?"


    "Adopting a suitable candidate into the Liu family? What else would I do?"


    "..."


    A vein popped on Jin''s forehead. "What nonsense do you keep thinking about!"


    He gasped. "Are you saying that Alix becoming the family''s daughter-in-law is nonsense?"


    "I meant you searching for an adoptive grandson is nonsense, idiot Grandpa!"


    "What is nonsense in it!?" He glared back. "Who else is single and available in our family to become Alix''s husband?"


    "Are you too blind to see-"


    Jin froze midway and abruptly stopped speaking. Everybody''s questioning gazes immediately fell upon him.


    "What? What am I too blind to see?" Liu Hai scowled. "You cannot be talking about yourself, right? You are a useless single man anyway who doesn''t deserve Alix!"


    Jian whistled meaningfully. "What were you insinuating little brother?"


    "O-Of course I wasn''t talking about myself-Hold on."


    Jin was panicking to defend himself when he realized it.


    "I may be a useless single man but why the hell am I not deserving?"


    Liu Hai snorted. "You are too bratty for her."


    "..."


    What does that even mean?


    Nian protested. "Hey you said the same thing to me back in the day while matchmaking me with Ai."


    "And did I not turn out to be right? Anyway, Jin cannot even court Shui properly, why the hell would he deserve any other woman! So the most deserving candidate I see to be adopted for now is Soo Yijun," he nodded gravely. "A well-behaved, rounded man, a responsible cop by profession and a great fit age wise too~"


    Jin''s brow twitched hard. "And have you asked Yijun if he would go along with this stupidity of yours?"


    "Shut up, brat! Shouldn''t he be honored to become her husband? He would gladly let me adopt him!"


    "In your dreams!"


    "Why are you getting so salty in the first place!"


    "Because you are hugging Alix like a perverted hooligan right now and she has been trying to say something for a while but you are not letting her!"


    "Oh? Oohh!"


    Liu Hai merrily released Alix after which she could finally breathe.


    "I am so sorry my dear~ I got a little excited hehe."


    Alix breathlessly stared at the Liu family men.


    "I...thought you were kidding last time."


    "Kidding?" he blinked. "I was and am extremely serious."


    "I will be happy if pastry aunt lives with us!" Ailun beamed.


    While Alix tried to process this, the reporters who were searching for her all this while to interview her could barely register the shock too. Liu Hai wasn''t too shy to whisper so they had heard the entire conversation.


    The Liu elder wants Ren Alix to become his daughter-in-law?


    It was the most explosive news they had come across in today''s show. Seeing Alix surrounded by the Liu family men at all sides as if she belonged as one of them served as further proof.


    This fashion show is becoming crazier!


    Naturally, they didn''t believe his claims of adopting Yijun into the Liu family just for Alix to get married to him so their radar fell onto the only eligible bachelor in the family as of now.


    Liu Jin.


    "But isn''t there something already going on between Liu Jin and Han Shui?"


    "I heard there were talks about their engagement!"


    "Those are just rumors. They were never exactly a couple officially."


    "But Ren Alix and Kang Yuze were. And they are sort of competing in today''s show. Do you think Kang Yuze is affected by this? That will be so dramatic-"


    "Can you please make some way for me?"


    The reporters stood straight, the hairs on the back of their necks tingling with a fight or flight mode. They looked up to see Yuze pleasantly smiling at them. They quickly scattered around as he wanted.


    "Thank you. Also...you shouldn''t fan the flames where there is no fire burning to begin with. So be careful."


    The reporters saw him leave, dumbfounded and stared at each other confused.


    What did he mean by that?

 Chapter 1017: The fog clearing

    Mui was staring at her own reflection in the mirror as her chest heaved restlessly. She patted her slightly sweaty forehead and paced back and forth to calm down her racing heartbeats.


    Zhong De, one of the Ren family''s company designers, knocked and stepped inside.


    "Everything is ready, Miss. Mui," he smiled. "The way I see it, your sister will soon face a very humiliating downfall tonight."


    "Right..."


    Mui still couldn''t pacify her erratic heartbeats.


    Why am I feeling so anxious? Everything is going as per plan...


    "You can leave. I will be out sometime."


    "Sure."


    Mui collapsed on her chair, tired and lethargic. She eventually rose again and walked towards her cupboard. Opening it, she stared at a bunch of dresses that hung inside. Closing her eyes, she let out a small sigh. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she jolted in panic.


    "Ah!"


    Ren Luoyang''s eyes widened. "I am sorry. Did I startle you?"


    "Dad!" She exclaimed, frustrated. "Don''t just..."


    "I am sorry. You looked really stressed so I thought to-"


    "Forget about it," she waved her hand in dismissal and rubbed her temple.


    "What are those clothes?" He blinked.


    Mui froze and shut the cupboard with a bang.


    "Nothing. What are you doing here?" She asked impatiently. "Oh yes you were here because I looked stressed? Well, I am not. So don''t worry."


    "Mui..." his eyes cast a helpless glint. "You don''t have to treat this as a competition between you and Alix. Just do the best you can."


    She snorted. "You don''t understand anything, Dad. But after tonight, it will become crystal clear as to who is the more capable daughter and you made a mistake favoring her more."


    "You...! Cuifen and I have never shown bias against either of you. We punished you because you plotted against your sister at the party. What was I supposed to do? Pat your back instead? I don''t understand why you hate Alix so much." What did she even do to you?"


    She gritted her teeth, slightly digging her nails into her palm.


    "Just leave me alone!"


    She stormed out of the room, only to crash into Shui, who was coming from the opposite direction. She quickly stepped back, her eyes widening.


    "Ah shit! I am sorry."


    Mui grimaced upon recognizing Shui. "You..."


    Shui stared at her and smiled. "Yes, it''s me. Are you okay?"


    "You don''t have to act so concerned. Go cuddle up to my sister, who by the way, is hogging your supposed love interest''s attention but you seem to be completely fine by it."


    "So you really are in a bad mood. I wonder why. Aren''t you confident about tonight?"


    She pressed her lips in further frustration. "Just mind your own damn business!"


    Shui watched her leave, dumbfounded.


    What is wrong with her?


    "Hey."


    She turned and her lips bloomed into a smile seeing Jun. "Jun. What is with that ice-cream?"


    "Pregnant wife''s cravings," he dryly said, "Though she should be limiting herself."


    Shui rolled her eyes. "Yeah good luck with that."


    She noticed a faint hesitation in his eyes and she couldn''t help but chuckle.


    "How long have we known each other Jun? Just say whatever you are thinking about."


    He lightly smacked his lips.


    "...I heard what she said to you."


    "Who, Mui?" She shrugged. "I don''t know why she is in a bad mood."


    "No I mean..." his expression tightened. "About Jin and Alix."


    "Ah."


    "Look, just tell me and I will squeeze his ears hard."


    She was dumbfounded. "Why?"


    Jun couldn''t find his words any further than that. She shook her head.


    "You are unnecessarily being harsh on Jin. Nobody is doing anything wrong here."


    "But-"


    "How did it fare for you when you fell for Ai? Could you stop yourself?"


    Jun didn''t respond.


    "I think you are feeling guilty because at first, we were supposed to be together. Then Jin and my feelings became evident but now you understand that our relationship cannot blossom in that direction either. So you are probably disappointed both at yourself and Jin."


    "Please...can you be more angry about this?"


    "Do you want me to shout and scream and curse?"


    "We are even ready for physical violence by your hands."


    "See, that''s why Ai calls you cute but you just don''t accept it."


    "You..."


    Shui laughed.


    "Don''t worry, Jun. Yes, I will be honest that it hurts at times. But I am not so fragile either. I might have felt devastated six years ago but I think I am at a good place today. Mentally and emotionally. I had steeled my heart when Jin rejected me at the art exhibition day. I do want his love but neither do I want to be desperate nor I want to forcibly push Jin towards something he is not ready for. I learned that from our past relationship," she smiled.


    She held her waist. "And if you can find an amazing woman like Ai and Jin can like Alix so why can I not find an amazing man too!"


    "Of course you will," Jun answered without even the slightest hesitation.


    He wanted to give her a hug but couldn''t with the ice-cream he held.


    "You hug me instead."


    "I cannot. What if somebody clicks our scandalous picture? People might think that I am running to my past lover because my current crush rejected me," she gasped.


    "..."


    "Please don''t add yourself into Grandpa''s tomfoolery cult," he grimaced. "I want you to be a normal person."


    "Always so serious."


    As they started walking back towards the main event hall, Jun couldn''t hold back his curiosity.


    "Do you think Kang Yuze can be that amazing man?"


    Her pace slowed down a bit, her expression turning somber.


    "No. Not him," she said with certainty.


    Jun arched his brow, surprised. "You seem sure."


    "Yeah I am sure now. There was a lot of fog in between that I struggled to decipher things clearly. But I see it now. And everybody else will too."

 Chapter 1018: A headless chicken

    "Ah, I am so excited~" Wang Xia chuckled in the green room. "I look so beautiful in this dress! Indeed, Ren Alix is something else. At first, I was skeptical but she proved herself."


    Her makeup artist smiled. "Yes, Mam. There is no way that you wouldn''t be the highlight of today''s show."


    "Let''s go. The show must be starting anytime soon-"


    Wang Xia took one step forward when her gaze fell onto her dress flowing near her feet.


    "What is that?"


    The artist immediately took a look and her eyes widened in horror. "This is...This is the worst, Mam! We need to call Miss. Ren right away!"


    ¡ª


    An air of confrontation was riling up in the room as Wang Tianhui stood before Alix with a face reddened with furious veins popping on his forehead. His hand trembled as it pointed towards his daughter, who was shedding helpless tears.


    "Answer me, Miss. Ren Alix! What the hell is this? The dress Xia is wearing is getting torn off and disintegrated at places. It is fortunate that she caught this in time but is it the kind of dress you were going to make her wear and walk on the stage? This is ridiculous!"


    Alix stared at the loose seams of the dress fabric getting twisted and torn off at some places.


    "Imagine the dress tearing off and contracting like that on the stage. My daughter would have become a joke in front of everybody!"


    Wang Xia cried. "Dad, what am I supposed to do now? This was my main outfit for the day! If I am not able to participate in today''s show then how would I secure my spot in the fashion industry?"


    Wang Tianhui gritted his teeth. "Can you answer her, Miss. Ren!"


    Alix pressed her lips, clutching the dress in her hand. "Somebody has sabotaged my designs. There is no way that the fabrics were like this. I had checked it myself."


    She narrowed her eyes at her designer team and asked, "What is going on here?"


    Zhong De showed a panicked expression. "We have no idea, Miss. Ren. The dresses were fine until now. I don''t know why they are curling up like that."


    The other two designers were also clueless and promptly lowered their gazes.


    "We have no idea either, Mam."


    Wang Tianhui angrily laughed. "This is your team, Miss. Ren? You have ruined everything for us!"


    "I will figure something out-"


    "And do we have time for that?" He snapped.


    Wang Xia gasped. "D-Dad! What about...What if we go to Ren Mui for help?"


    Alix''s eyes widened. "My sister? No, no, Miss. Wang! She won''t be able to help you."


    She glared at her tearfully. "Shut up! Isn''t she a part of this show too? And she was the previous CEO of your company. I am sure she will help us!"


    "Miss. Wang, please calm down," Alix was stressed. "I am sure I have some backup at the warehouse. We will still be able to make it."


    "You still have the nerve to defend yourself? You almost caused a fashion disaster and if I had been exposed on the stage...How about you wear your own damn stinky dresses!"


    Wang Tianhui said, "You don''t want us to go to her because you treat her as your rival, right? It will be over for you if Xia becomes your sister''s model. But you have left us with no choice! You have disappointed us, Miss. Ren!"


    He then walked towards Jin, who was leaning against a wall at the corner, quietly watching the tension unfolding.


    "Mr. Liu. I cannot believe you would sponsor a crass woman like her. You are the one who introduced-"


    His next words failed to come out as Jin''s shadow threateningly consumed him. His black eyes right now were the literal definition of ice.


    "Who are you calling crass?" He asked in an extremely quiet but measured voice.


    Wang Tianhui wanted to speak up but he felt as if prickly thorns grew all over his throat.


    Jin leaned very slowly, whispering in his ear.


    "Complain all you want but do not, I repeat, do not use any derogatory words against her. Forget Alix or Mui, I will make it impossible for your daughter to ever step foot in this industry."


    Wang Tianhui clenched his jaw.


    "Mr. Liu, I think you are forgetting who I am."


    "You shouldn''t forget who I AM, Mr. Wang. It is the businessmen who are funding your stinky political agendas. And who am I? A businessman too. A very powerful one at that. One word from the Liu Corps CEO and you will be running around like a headless chicken. I control the business space here and I can isolate you however I want," he coldly smiled.


    Wang Tianhui said nothing for a long moment but his eyes burned with deep resentment.


    "Let''s see how long you can hold that arrogant attitude for, Mr. Liu, especially after today. After the disaster Miss. Ren Alix has caused - who YOU are sponsoring, I wonder who will be the headless chicken."


    "Let''s go find Ren Mui, Xia. We are done here."


    Wang Xia threw nasty looks at Alix as she passed by her.


    "You will pay for this."


    "Miss. Wang, Miss. Wang, please don''t go! Please give me a chance!"


    Alix glared at the designers. "What are you three doing here and standing like statues? I want answers. Go check the warehouses right now! And don''t come back until you bring me a damn solution!"


    "Y-Yes, Miss. Ren!"


    As silence prevailed, Alix collapsed back on her chair.


    "Oh God, how do Chyou do this on a daily basis?"


    "Do what?"


    "Acting. Drama. Fake tears. I cannot believe she made her career out of this. Should I salute her?"


    He shrugged.


    "By the way," Alix frowned, "What were you whispering to that father? His face suddenly went pale."


    Though Jin knew that Alix would hardly be bothered with being called crass, he refrained himself from revealing himself.


    "Something about headless chickens."


    "Oh my. Does he think that I am like a headless chicken right now?"


    He hummed. "Something along those lines."


    Alix sneered. "Ah. He is so, so far from the truth that I almost pity him."


    "Right now, he is pitying you."


    "Yeah and we will see who pities who in the end~"

 Chapter 1019: Where I stand

    "Hey, did you hear? Some fashion disaster happened at the last moment and now Wang Xia will be Ren Mui''s model!"


    "This is explosive news! What the hell happened with Ren Alix?"


    "Her clothes were tearing off but Wang Xia noticed it at the right moment. Imagine her walking on the runway and the clothes would suddenly..."


    "Damn, isn''t the Liu Corps sponsoring her? How are they taking this news?"


    "I don''t know about Liu Jin but I heard Ren Alix is trying her best to salvage the situation. But it is hopeless now. The show is already starting."


    Ai''s ears perked up as she listened to some of the reporters urgently whispering to each other.


    "Is Alix going to be alright?" Ai knitted her brows, concerned.


    "Pastry aunt will be fine, Mom," Ailun seriously nodded. "She can solve anything."


    "Maybe I can help her."


    Jun raised his brow. "You can help her with fixing the clothes?"


    "I can be the model for her," her nose elongated in pride.


    His brow twitched. "So you want to walk on the runway."


    "It sounds fun."


    Liu Hai waved his hand in dismissal. "I am sure it will be alright."


    Jing nodded. "My protege is impossible to defeat. Though I am furious at the audacity of ruining the delicate clothes! They deserve the wrath of hell!"


    On the other side, Ren Cuifen held her husband''s hand in extreme worry.


    "What is this I am hearing Luoyang? We should go help Alix! Maybe I will be able to help fix the clothes."


    He agreed without a second thought. "Let''s go-"


    "Ren Alix''s parents, am I right?"


    They turned and were taken aback to see Jinhai staring at them.


    "Mr. Liu."


    "You need not worry. Jin says things will be okay. Please relax."


    They looked at each other, stunned. "H-How can it be fine? An accident with the clothes at the last moment..."


    "I would say we should trust our children, that''s all."


    As the same news fell on Yuze''s ears too, an unnoticeable smile lifted his lips. He took out his phone and messaged Mui.


    ''The winds are blowing in our favor. Ensure you make the best out of it. I want no mistakes.''


    ¡ª


    Mui read the text, pressing down on her lips.


    "Wow, are these the clothes I will be wearing?"


    Wang Xia beamed as she held the dress before her.


    Mui stared at the clothes and said, "Yes..."


    "Hmm, not bad," she touched her chin. "Well, I know I would look good in anything but I feel...please don''t mind, but Ren Alix''s designs were more catchy."


    Mui stiffened.


    "But these are good enough too," she smiled. "As long as you and Mr. Kang help with my successful launch, you will be bathing in tons of fame and money~"


    "Please get quickly changed. We don''t have much time."


    "Right away~" she laughed.


    ¡ª


    The stage was set. The lights shone on the runway. The emcee took the spotlight and welcomed the guests.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us in our biggest ever fashion show ever! We have new talents waiting to walk down this aisle and steal your hearts. Are you ready?"


    "Yes!!!"


    At the back where Kang Yuze was, Wang Yi took a seat besides him with a mask on his face.


    "I heard you became the knight in shining armor for my sister?"


    Yuze''s eyes narrowed.


    He chuckled. "Cannot take a joke now, can we?"


    "I just want to focus on the show to end."


    "And I want to focus on the models. You think you can introduce me to some of them?"


    "What are you doing here!?"


    Wang Tianhui rushed to their side, glaring at his son.


    "Didn''t I tell you to stay at home? Are you an idiot for coming to a venue full of reporters flashing their camera lights?"


    "I am wearing a mask, Dad. Chill."


    He gritted his teeth. "If anybody recognizes you-"


    "Do these cameras have X-ray filters?" He rolled his eyes. "No, right? So calm down."


    "Why did you even come here!"


    "How long am I supposed to stare at Ningli''s face?" He grimaced. "I would rather enjoy some young and fresh looks~"


    Yuze took a deep, silent breath, his patience thinning. "Please stay quiet. I won''t be responsible if you happen to accidentally make any scene."


    "But-"


    "Please welcome our first participant for today, Chen Ziya!" The emcee announced.


    "It''s starting so please be quiet," Yuze warned.


    ¡ª


    After the round of claps for the earlier participant, the last two remained. The reporters quickly hushed.


    "It is Ren Mui and then Ren Alix''s turn."


    "I heard that Ren Alix''s turn was supposed to be somewhere in the middle, but she changed it to last."


    "Well that''s obvious, she lost her clothes and her model both. She must be scrambling to control the situation," one sighed in pity.


    Yuze could see the questions in everybody''s eyes about how Alix was going to make it, which only fueled his sense of victory further. He closed his eyes, thinking that after Wang Xia''s runway walk, the show was practically over.


    "Please welcome, Wang Xia!"


    He exhaled and opened his eyes to see the last chapter close. But a shock awaited him. He stared at Wang Xia at the end of the stage, unable to comprehend why the dress she wore was different.


    These aren''t the clothes I had decided upon. Why is it different then?


    He slightly gritted his teeth and swiftly took out his phone.


    ''What the hell is happening? What is Wang Xia wearing? These are not the clothes I had prepared for her.''


    One second passed by, then two but he didn''t get any response from Mui. At the same time, the spotlight was already on Wang Xia, who was starting to walk down the runway.


    Shit, shit! Should I pause the show for sometime? This is not planned at all!


    It was then when he finally received a text from Mui.


    ''These are my clothes.''


    Huh?


    Yuze stared at his mobile screen, dumbfounded.


    What is this idiot babbling?


    ''I made these clothes. I know this is not according to the plan. I am really sorry. But I really wanted Wang Xia to wear them. I want to know where I stand against my sister.''

 Chapter 1020: In the spotlight

    What do you mean where you stand!?


    Yuze couldn''t believe Mui''s message. He held an urge to throw the phone. Amidst his bubbling volcano of fury, people''s whispers and gasps turned his attention towards the stage.


    Contrary to his expectations, it wasn''t like Wang Xia was being frowned upon because of the dress she wore. Instead, the deep crimson gown that flowed from her chest till her feet created a trance like state in the atmosphere.


    It was certainly one bold gown with a deep side slit along her thighs. A metallic corset belt cinched the waist with a mirror-like sheen. From it, several black lace trains ran down till the edge of the gown, fluttering with the wind as Wang Xia walked along the runway. The in seam geometric patterns became visible as the spotlight shone on the gown.


    "That''s kinda cool," a woman whispered.


    "The red and black combination is so bold."


    "I love the black lace!"


    Mui stood still at the edge of the backstage, watching Wang Xia walk along the aisle. The more people gazed at her creation, the more she felt her heart pounding in her throat instead of her chest.


    She knew she had incurred Yuze''s wrath by backing off from his plan at the last moment. It was a huge gamble she had taken to change the clothes of the model at the last moment. She had no idea if it would pay off or not but she wanted to take that chance.


    ''A sister who has no aesthetic sense and a man who is feeding her with raw materials.''


    Alix''s words that day had directly struck at her ego. She knew she was as good a designer as Alix. So being ridiculed again and again for her failures was chipping away her patience bit by bit.


    Failures that were never mine to begin with, she clenched her fists.


    But does this even mean anything? With sis''s clothes ruined by that acid, there is no way she could compete with me now.


    Will this be just a pitiful victory for me?


    ¡ª


    From the balcony, Alix was watching the wave of praises and appreciation towards Wang Xia in full swing. She touched her chin, trying to remember if she had missed it.


    What are these clothes Wang Xia is wearing?


    "You look confused."


    She looked at Jin. "I know the collection of clothes that Mui was going to use for today. But this is a last minute change. I have never seen these clothes before."


    "I am pretty sure that they didn''t face a similar mishap as ours," he raised his brow.


    "They didn''t. Somebody changed it last minute nevertheless. But."


    "But?"


    "I am pretty sure Kang Yuze won''t take that chance at this stage. He had arranged for those clothes himself and there is no reason for him to change his plan."


    "Which means Ren Mui did. The question is why."


    Her eyes narrowed. She looked back at the stage, slightly tilting her head. At a distance, she noticed Mui''s gaze at her. She slightly craned her body to get a clear view and saw a strange expression attached to her face.


    Hm? What is that rebellion I am seeing? Alix arched her brow.


    Interesting.


    "Are you feeling nervous now?"


    Alix turned her head and stiffened. Jin''s face was leaning closer than she had expected.


    "Why did you come so close?"


    "You moved on your own. What are you trying to accuse me of?" He blinked.


    Alix parted her lips but couldn''t come up with anything to retort.


    "I am not nervous."


    "I think you are wildly glossing over the fact that you just accused me of being perverted."


    "I didn''t. I know that Liu Jin is an upright man," she smiled. "Very upright and righteous, right?"


    Jin wasn''t too sure if he could believe that suspicious smile. He leaned against the railing and stared at her.


    "What?"


    "You still haven''t told me how and when you will confront Kang Yuze."


    "You still haven''t given me the report of the vial''s analysis."


    "Because you still haven''t told me how and when you will confront Kang Yuze."


    Her brow slightly twitched. "Why do you want to know?"


    "After coming this far, I would ask why I might NOT want to know?"


    "Because this is my problem," she clearly stated.


    "You didn''t feel that way when you took that twenty million check from me," he smiled.


    "Wait, was that check a gateway to your involvement?"


    "I guess pretty much."


    "How do I undo it?"


    "How about you start with paying back the interest on the twenty million first?"


    "How much is it?"


    He smiled. "Not something you can afford right now. I charge exorbitantly."


    "Isn''t that abuse of power?"


    "You should have thought about that long before you came to me."


    "Awesome!!!"


    Their attention fell back at the runway as Wang Xia and other models wearing Mui''s dresses were done with their runway walk, followed by loud cheers and claps. Alix threw another glance at Mui, who seemed to be clasping her hands together with a light shining in her eyes. Suddenly, Mui looked up and finding Alix, she let out a sneer.


    Alix leaned her chest against the railing with a smile and mouthed.


    ''Not bad at all.''


    Mui stared at her for a long moment and her expression darkened the next second.


    "What? I am praising her. Does she not understand a compliment?" Alix grimaced.


    She then glanced at Ren Luoyang and Ren Cuifen in the audience, who were clearly emotional and proud of Mui''s work. They were clapping the loudest of all.


    On the other side, two rows behind them, Wang Yi whistled.


    "Wow, my sister sparkled so much on that stage. Guess it was useful to switch with you indeed," he smirked. "Your designer is not half bad. Oh, oh! Care to give me her number?"


    Yuze''s expression held a strain but he chose not to respond.


    "Now onto our last participant to showcase Ren Alix''s work! Please give a big round of applause!"


    Though people clapped, it didn''t hold much energy. They could sense it from miles apart that it was going to be the biggest humiliation for her, which was getting proved as the stage remained empty with time ticking by. No model stepped in and whispers floated around the room.


    Wang Yi chuckled in disdain.


    "Ouch. I feel second-hand embarrassment."


    But the chorus of gossip stopped when a pair of heels clicked on the floor. Everybody vaguely noticed a figure at the far back in the darkness. The woman continued walking and eventually revealed herself under the spotlight.


    The first person to ever react was none other than Wang Yi, who almost suffered a choke attack


    ''Ni...Ningli...? Is that my wife Ningli!?''

 Chapter 1021 1021: Breaking through the shell

    With slow steps, Ningli gingerly walked on the runway while balancing the dress and her posture. She could feel her heart in her mouth with the spotlight shining on her. Her eyes caught Wang Yi, watching her with his jaw dropped. Though he had his mask on, there was no way Wang Ningli would not recognize him.


    Besides him was Wang Tianhui, who was equally flabbergasted and couldn''t believe his eyes. His daughter-in-law, who was supposed to be at home, was on the runway stage, sparkling brightly under the lights.


    "Isn''t that...Wang Ningli!?"


    The reporters couldn''t fully grasp the situation either.


    "Wait, so is she Ren Alix''s model?"


    "But wasn''t Wang Xia her model? Sure, she left her but how did she arrange it soon? And that too her sister-in-law!"


    "But what about her designs? Weren''t they damaged and ruined? Where do these clothes come from then?"


    Wang Xia, who was basking in her glory of a successful performance, was also left stupefied. She stared at Wang Ningli, looking breathtakingly beautiful in her outfit that was a fusion of tradition and modernity.


    The outfit featured a high-collared top reminiscent of classical Tang dynasty robes with intricate embroidery of phoenixes and peonies. Instead of traditional wide sleeves, the design embraced a sharp, tailored cut with delicate beadwork tracing the edges that added an elegant shimmer.


    The lower half transformed into a flowing asymmetrical skirt, where several textures overlapped with each other. The modern twist came in the form of a hidden slit, revealing sleek pants underneath. The dress at the waist was incorporated by an embroidered sash that was knotted at the wide with grace.


    It was indeed a difficult combination to pull off to effortlessly blend modern and traditional designs, yet the dress felt like one flowing structure.


    Wang Ningli had practiced her walk countless times all for this day to show what she was capable of. She saw the stars and shock in Wang Yi''s eyes and a twisted countenance on Wang Xia''s.


    The ones who had always trampled on her self-respect and dignity were now watching her with envy and jealousy. The ones who treated her like dirt were now witnessing her take off as a star.


    On the balcony, Alix laughed.


    "Do you look at their faces? They are so awestruck! I am so amazing, am I not?"


    "Yes, you are. No doubt about it."


    She squinted her eyes. "Why are you so agreeable?"


    "Should I not be when you did a good job? Plus, Uncle Jing has recognized you as his protege. There was no way you would disappoint."


    "Suddenly, I feel the pressure of expectations. What if I hadn''t done a good job?"


    Jin waved his hand. "I would have handled it."


    "Aren''t you a little lax about this?"


    "I am Liu Jin. I can be lax," he smiled.


    Alix looked away, Shui''s words echoing in her mind again.


    I am just overthinking. He is the sponsor. Obviously, he cares about his reputation, she nodded.


    But the person who was caring about his reputation the most now was Wang Tianhui. It was an utter insult to him that his daughter-in-law would become a fashion model out of nowhere.


    "This...This is ridiculous!"


    He could barely contain his voice from not lashing out.


    "What the hell is Ningli doing here? Yi, answer me!"


    Wang Yi was occupied staring at his wife as if this was his first ever meeting with her.


    "Doesn''t she look so pretty? Damn, the clothes are so amazing."


    "You idiot...! What the hell are you doing getting hypnotized like a fool!"


    Wang Tianhui hurried over to Yuze''s side and urgently said, "Didn''t you say that Ren Alix''s designed clothes were taken care of? So how is this miracle possible?"


    Yuze himself had no answer to it. First Mui turned her back at the last moment and now Alix had dropped this bomb upon him.


    Not only did she drop the bomb, it seemed like it exploded farther, brighter and harder than what Mui could achieve. The excitement had ramped up more than ever before. If Mui had impressed the audience then Alix had taken it one step ahead. It almost felt like a neck-to-neck battle between the Ren sisters.


    Jing''s nose was already elongated with pride.


    "This is what I call talent! Muahahaha! Look at everybody''s faces who to contact that Alix was done for!"


    Liu Hai sneered. "Tch, tch. People are so quick to judge. She is my future granddaughter-in-law after all! Obviously, she will shine through~"


    As Wang Ningli came all the way to the front of the runway, she stopped as per script and turned sideways, revealing her side view. At this distance, the son and father''s expressions were all too vivid and expressive. She stared straight into their eyes and only then did she turn and leave.


    Even though the entire walk consisted of hardly three minutes of the time, the echo and impression it left behind was too hard to forget. Nobody had ever seen a docile and reserved Wang Ningli always hiding behind Wang Yi''s glory to shine through all by herself.


    "What the hell is going on..."


    Wang Xia shared her disbelief with Mui, who was still in a stupor. She didn''t know why but she slowly looked up towards the balcony and found Alix already staring back at her.


    She once again leaned forward against the railing with her casual, relaxed smile. She mouthed.


    ''I gave you a tough competition, didn''t I?''


    "Ren Mui, I am asking you!"


    Her impatient voice snapped Mui''s daze and she looked back at her.


    "What?"


    She gasped. "Were you not paying attention to me? Dad and I had agreed to your plan only because you assured me that siding with you was the wisest choice and that Ren Alix would be helpless! But what is she doing now? And why the hell..." she gritted her teeth, "is my no-name, pathetic sister-in-law on the stage!"


    Mui stared at her for a long moment while simultaneously a plethora of those thoughts raining down in her mind.


    "I have no idea..."


    "Mui."


    She froze hard as she heard a chilling, piercing voice from behind her. There was no need for any guessing game to know who it belonged to.


    "Let''s talk."

 Chapter 1022: Dropped facade (1)

    Mui''s back banged against the wall as Yuze forced her into the corner. It was an unused room, different from the previous green rooms which Yuze chose for his ''talk.''


    "So you decided to betray me."


    Mui looked up as she helplessly tried to reel in her chaotic breaths.


    "I didn''t betray you. I just used my own designs, that''s all-"


    He grabbed her jaw, digging his fingers into her cheek.


    "And that is what I call betrayal," his no-nonsense, cold voice echoed.


    "I had the perfect plan and the perfect outcome but you backed off at the last moment, which is why people are flocking over to Wang Ningli. Wang Xia is biting the dust. Whose fault is that?"


    She stared at him, her eyes turning misty.


    "What...do you mean that she is biting the best? Everybody appreciated my clothes too...!"


    "But could you win over your sister?"


    She bit her lip hard.


    "Not only that, you couldn''t do even the simple thing of ruining her designs."


    "I-I did!"


    "Then did the new clothes come out of magic?" He gave a hard smile.


    Mui gasped with the increasing pain in her jaw and a tear trickling out of her left eye.


    "She should have fallen into despair, yet she was prepared. She was prepared with a model even though her own ditched her at the last moment. She was prepared with backup clothes which you had no idea about. So I really wonder what is so good about your brain? So close...I was so close!"


    Yuze couldn''t help but exclaim his burst of frustration as he harshly shook her off.


    "We wouldn''t have been in this position if you would have used your brain and not rebelled. But suddenly, today was the day you thought to soar with your wings when all you had to do was just follow my command without question!"


    Mui trembled, his piercing voice speeding up her heartbeats.


    "Even if...e-even if we had went with your clothes, we still wouldn''t have b-been able to match sis," her voice broke.


    Yuze stared at her. "Say that again."


    "Sis..." she clenched her fists, "Sis''s designs were better than mine. It was better than yours too. Your original plan still would have failed. It doesn''t matter what Wang Xia wore!"


    "You...The nerve of you to raise your voice against me."


    Her expression paled, seeing his hand raised to slap her. She shut her eyes instinctively when a voice simultaneously resounded from the back.


    "Better lower that hand, Mr. Kang. Hitting a woman doesn''t suit your ''gentle'' demeanor~"


    Yuze turned, his gaze meeting Alix''s. She was lazily leaning against the closed door, with her brow arched in amusement.


    "It''s so refreshing to see you finally drop your facade," she smiled. "It was time and I was getting bored anyway."


    He didn''t respond.


    Mui''s eyes widened, horrified.


    "W-What are you doing here!"


    "For starters, I saved your cheek from getting printed by the mark of his palm. So how about a thank you first?" She then clicked her tongue. "Younger siblings. Always lack good manners."


    She froze.


    Alix stood before Yuze, facing him with her ever all-mighty countenance and folded her arms.


    "You should have some sportsmanship, Mr. Kang. It doesn''t suit you to take this loss to your ego. I mean I am THAT amazing so who is to blame?" She sighed. "At times, I am afraid of my own ingenuity and talent. But alas, you are not interested in basking me with compliments. You are thinking about how did I know to find you here and so now you are questioning yourself as to how much do I actually know?"


    Yuze exhaled a silent breath and smiled.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about, Alix. But I understand your misunderstanding. I wasn''t going to hit Mui. But yes I admit I was indeed a bit frustrated so things got a little heated, that''s all."


    "Oh frustrated is a very small word, Mr. Kang," she chuckled. "You are already bursting with lava. After all, you lost your golden chance to make me bow towards you."


    "Excuse me?"


    "Can you drop the act already? It is making me puke."


    "I don''t know who has said what to you about me-"


    "Nobody has to say anything to me. Do I look like an idiot for not figuring it out by myself?"


    "Figure out what?"


    A further tinge of iciness stretched her already cold smile. "That you actually never gave up on Ren Alix."


    Alix casually walked back and made herself comfortable on the couch. She stretched her legs and folded her arms as if she was looking down on her subjects like a queen.


    "That is one good innocent expression. Is that how you fooled everybody into thinking that you had moved on from your breakup with me?"


    Yuze stared at her, eventually letting out a chuckle.


    "I don''t understand in which tangent your thoughts are going but why would you mention our breakup right now? It has nothing to do with the situation."


    "Oh, it has everything to do with the situation. I mean your partner proved it right away. Just look at Mui''s expression~"


    Yuze threw a silent but sharp gaze at her, making her slightly jump. But her disbelief was too late to take it back.


    Alix shook her head. "See, that''s why she is such a terrible villain. But you," she tilted her head with a smile, "are not. You are exactly like me."


    "Huh?"


    Alix chuckled. "In the sense that I might have done what you did if I had to stop the love of my life from leaving me. He wants to move on? Well, how about I make him go so crazy, helpless and crippled that he won''t have any other option left but to rely on me?"


    Her eyes twinkled with delight. "That''s what you did to my body, right? The medicine - or should I say poison that you fed me through Mui was something that slowly chips away at your sanity. Sanity AND my cognitive decision making ability, right?"

 Chapter 1023: Dropped facade (2)

    Mui faltered in shock.


    "T-That is not true! I didn''t feed you any poison...!" Her chest heaved breathlessly.


    Alix ignored her rant and continued.


    "You know, I kept wondering. Why were you always so weirdly obsessed with Jin? I have lost count of the times you asked me to stay away from him and his family. At first, I genuinely thought you had my best interests in mind."


    "I did," Yuze said unfazed.


    "That''s cute of you to think that. Whether it was at the company party or the art gallery exhibition or so many other times I cannot keep track of - you kept hammering in my head that we shouldn''t get too close. Our families don''t really match for us to stand as equals."


    "What is wrong with that?" His eyes narrowed. "I was telling the truth."


    Alix arched his brow. "You do realize that Mrs. Liu Nana comes from a humble background, right?"


    He blinked.


    "Yes, she is the daughter of the Liang family, also a big and rich family, but at the time she married Mr. Liu Jinhai, their backgrounds were hardly a match. A giant corporation versus a small restaurant."


    He said nothing.


    "It is the same with Xing Bi and Zhou Ai. But do you see them devastated now just because they married rich guys? Look at Zhou Ai. She is happily stuffing ice cream and celebrating her second pregnancy."


    Yuze rubbed his temples in impatience. "You are making things up at this point, Alix-"


    "But it''s a reality that you screwed Jin''s first business deal."


    He froze.


    Alix rose on her feet and laughed, enjoying every moment of this confrontation.


    "That''s why I like you in a way. You seriously never let anybody doubt you even for a second because you had made the perfect shield for you. Han Shui. Your confession to her wasn''t out of love. You wanted to make me jealous this whole time."


    His expression slightly hardened.


    Alix''s eyes shone. "You panicked when I woke up from the coma and found that my mental state was recovering. I wasn''t chasing after you anymore so you thought to use Shui to make me feel the threat of losing you. You kept getting closer to her to provoke me but the opposite happened instead. You got provoked the more you saw Jin and me spending time. And so your warnings and all."


    "But then you heard that I was working from the Liu Corps and your fuse just went poof! You thought that to save my company, I will come to you for help, considering our history and family closeness. But you never imagined that I would ask for Jin''s help which angered the hell out of you. You were supposed to be my knight in shining armor, not Jin."


    She lazily blew her breath over her nails. "It was after I started working at the Liu Corps that you decided to ruin Jin''s business and reputation. You interfered with his fintech deal. It wasn''t because you thought that Jin was playing with Shui''s feelings but because in your mind, he was seducing me. Right, Mui?"


    Mui jolted with her unexpected call and she couldn''t respond.


    "See? Her panicking state confirms. Poor girl is still trying to understand how the hell I figured out everything."


    He smiled sarcastically. "Please enlighten me too. I want to understand the basis of far-fetched stories."


    "Ooo I like stories," she clapped her hands in delight, "Every character feels like they are the tragic heroes of the story. That perception is so amazing if you think about it. On one hand, the world thinks that I confessed to you and you broke up with me but you just have to flip things around and voila! Now Kang Yuze becomes the main character~"


    She grinned. "The tragic hero who loved a woman with all his heart but alas, the relationship couldn''t last. The heroine couldn''t tolerate the hero''s overly controlling and toxic behavior and broke up. And now begins the arc of the birth of a villain! The villain who would go to every length possible to get her back. If not when she is sane, then insanity is the way~"


    Yuze burst into laughter. "Okay, let me entertain your wild fantasies. Fine. Maybe I did this because of you. Then why would I support Mui to be the CEO? Why would I supply faulty raw materials when it is the company of the woman I love so much?"


    She blinked twice. "I thought I already explained that. Crazy, helpless and crippled? You simply wanted to corner me from all sides. Making me go insane and unable to handle the company and controlling my company through Mui was all your scheme for me to become completely dependable on you. For that to happen, I had to lose all my independence and sense of self.


    Basically your end result was to make me say - ''I cannot lift even a finger without Yuze. I need him in my life at all costs.'' But I wonder who needed who. When you saw that I was drifting away from you, you thought to restart your insanity project, which is why..."


    Alix stepped closer to him with a smile.


    "Mui mixed that same poison in my drink at the company party, right?"


    Mui''s face went ghostly pale.


    "It wasn''t some one-night stand drug. We got confused because of Shui''s reaction after she had the drink. It was the first time for her so her body immediately went all protective mode. It made her body hot and dizzy with fever to fight the poison but we mistakenly assumed that the heat was the aphrodisiac doing its job."


    He chuckled. "And you think your own sister will work with me to this extent against you? Do you hear yourself?"


    "I am hearing you and myself just fine. But the thing about my sister is that she is dumb. To poison me everyday, you obviously needed someone close to me who lived with me under one roof. Who else but my sister fit the role? But to make her poison me, you first had to make me the villain in her eyes. Bring cracks in our sisterhood, which is what happened when she fell for-"


    Alix paused. "What was your crush''s name again?"


    "D-Dai Qi-"


    "Whatever. Don''t care. She fell for that useless guy or it is more right to say that you made that useless guy impress her. Mui being Mui, easily got charmed. I opposed her crush as you had expected and voila, you got her on your side. This happened after our breakup."


    "Isn''t it far-fetched to say that just because you opposed her crush, she would go that far to poison you?"


    She yawned. "Oh yes. Surely, she did some things here and there in your favor but feeding someone some unknown medicine? Obviously, she would wonder what that drug is. I give her that much credit for not being that stupid. But..."


    Alix tilted her head. "When stupidity cannot be made use of, fear can. That is why she easily got threatened when you showed how that useless guy had recorded their intimate make out acts - which you could make it public anytime you want."

 Chapter 1024: Dropped facade (3)

    "Uncle, have you seen Alix anywhere?"


    Jing raised his head from his food plate and looked at him questioningly. "Alix? Wasn''t she with you?"


    "She is not..."


    She excused herself for a washroom break but it''s been too long!


    His gaze worsened.


    Don''t tell me she is off to confront Kang Yuze all on her own!


    Jian grinned. "Why do you look like you are about to kill someone?"


    Liu Hai''s ears perked up immediately. "Hey brat! That better not be Alix or I will kill you first!"


    "Why will he kill..." Nian grimaced. "You just focus on your food, Grandpa!"


    He peered across the guests with reporters swarming to interview Wang Ningli and Wang Tianhui. It was a whole nother mess at the other side with the Wang family''s situation going out of control. But he couldn''t just leave Wang Ningli amidst the chaos all by herself being the sponsor. Alix had already disappeared.


    He threw another glance and didn''t see Yuze or Mui anywhere, which confirmed his suspicions that Alix was definitely off to meet them.


    But where?


    Alix was unresponsive about his calls or texts, which only sank his heart.


    He felt a poke on his shoulder and turned. Ai said, "I think I had seen her going that way."


    "Really!?"


    Jin craned his neck once and looked back at her.


    "You can go look for her if you are worried. Jun will handle the reporters."


    The twins gave a thumbs up too.


    "Really?"


    Ai beamed. "You can give me a feast treat in return."


    The twins gasped. "Hold on! Us too! Us too! We want a treat too!"


    "You can take whatever treat you want, but for now I will leave. Thanks Zhou Ai!"


    Ai watched him rush off, placing her trembling hand on her chest.


    "Did you see? He kindly thanked me. His gaze was soft too when he looked at me," she sniffled emotionally.


    Jing waved his hand. "I told you that Jini-boy is a softie~ And he loves you a lot. He is just not too honest with himself."


    "When will he call me sister-in-law?" she wiped her dramatic tears.


    "Only when you and Jun get divorced. Ex-sister-in-law ahahaha!"


    "..."


    The twins merrily joked which didn''t leave them too far from Jun''s violence.


    "How about I arrange for your divorced life first? Leina and Xing Bi will gladly be on my side," he coldly approached them from the back.


    Liu Hai sneered. "I always knew that you two didn''t deserve them. Yeah go ahead and get divorced. I already got my great-grandchildren so you two can shoo off now. Your work is done."


    The twins - "..."


    Life is harsh!


    ¡ª


    "Life was harsh for my sister. She realized her sister''s wisdom a tad too late and until then, she was already within your grasp."


    Mui stared at her with blurry eyes, her heart pounding in her chest. Getting recorded in an intimate act was all too embarrassing and humiliating for her. She didn''t want to know that Alix would have actually seen that video.


    Her face flushed hard with a crimson hue of indignation.


    "This is ridiculous."


    The temperature dropped by a few notches as Yuze''s expression darkened.


    "First, you accuse me of being some obsessed lover and now you think I threatened Mui with such a...crass tactic?"


    "Then give me a reasonable explanation as to why the younger sister, who adored her elder sister so much at some point in time, suddenly turned so against her? Why did I a find a vial with poison hidden deep inside her pillow? Why did she let our company go into losses despite being the CEO? Why did she never confront you about the faulty raw materials?"


    "And why did she push you off the stairs?" He coldly smiled. "Isn''t that something you should ask your sister too? Now don''t tell me you will say that I ordered her to do so. If I love you so much then I wouldn''t be an idiot to make you slip into a coma, now would I?"


    And if Alix was being honest to herself, she had yet to decode the answer to that question.


    She understood the timeline and mechanics of everything that happened with Alix until now, but she agreed with Yuze. He wouldn''t go that far to put her life at risk. Plus, Alix was already pretty much under the influence of the drug. She was already weak and almost incapable to resist Yuze''s control.


    Then there was simply no need to plot her fall.


    So Alix concluded that that part was solely Mui''s decision.


    But why?


    She stared at her but Mui seemed to be lost in her own panicking world.


    Yuze laughed. "I see you don''t have an answer to that. Which makes all your theories until now quite pointless, doesn''t it?"


    "Not really? One disconnected event doesn''t make you innocent. That is some serious convenience you are looking out there."


    "And may I ask for evidence?"


    "The test results for the poison are already back and it is not something that you will like."


    "And it is something that Mui fed you. It doesn''t have anything to do with me."


    "It will when she confesses that you manipulated her."


    "And will she?"


    Alix sneered, her eyes glinting with frost. "You are an idiot if you think I came unprepared. Mui''s incriminating video is already deleted from its existence."


    Mui froze.


    "You have nothing against her anymore. Please feel free to check all your backup locations where you had stored it. You will strangely see it empty."


    "I don''t have to check anything because I did not record anything," Yuze calmly said, though inwardly, his mind was a mess after this revelation.


    "Perfect then~ You need not be afraid if Mui confesses because nothing can point towards you, right?" Her eyes twinkled. "Not even that useless guy who might also have to say some spicy stuff about you~?"


    Silence.


    "Or the fact that you are being recorded the moment you stepped into this room so whatever you said and acted towards Mui is also recorded?"


    Silence.


    "Or the fact that I also have the man with me who you colluded with to ruin Jin''s deal."


    Silence.


    "Or that I will find a disposable burner phone if I search your body and find some interesting messages which could match the ones my sister received during the fashion show?"


    Yuze said nothing.


    Alix smiled. "Is this list of evidence enough for you, Mr. Kang? So now you do realize that you are completely and utterly screwed, right?"


    Her eyes suddenly widened when his hand gripped her neck hard. A strangling and suffocating sensation rose in her chest and her hands immediately went to free herself. She looked at Yuze, who had now completely dropped his act.


    "You...are one tough nut to crack, aren''t you Alix? But that''s what I have always loved about you so much, yet you never understood my sincerity towards you."

 Chapter 1025 1025: Madness

    As his fingers dug deeper into her skin, he banged her back against the wall hard and fast. He had cornered her with nowhere to go.


    Yuze tilted his head.


    "What was your problem exactly, huh? We were such good friends, our families got along, we were a perfect match - so it wasn''t that shocking for us to end up together. Yet you rejected me. All the courage I had gathered that day to confess my love to you came down to nothing upon your one rejection. Did you ever understand how I felt?"


    Alix''s eyes dangerously narrowed while simultaneously trying to shake off his grip, but it only tightened and displaced her breathing rhythm.


    Right beside him, Mui''s legs were too trembling to even stand upright properly. The situation took such a one eighty degree turn that she found herself stumbling back. Amidst her dwindling confidence levels, she did lift her hand in order to stop Yuze but one razor-sharp side glance from left her back to square one.


    "Try that again and I will kill you first, you useless piece of shit."


    In response, Alix viciously dug her nails into his wrist but Yuze only smiled.


    "This pain amounts to nothing as much as the desperation you made me go through, Alix. You made me beg you to consider me and when you eventually agreed, it felt like pity to me. Like you didn''t want to break my heart. But I was happy nevertheless. As long as I got you, nothing else mattered to me. That''s why I ruined your clothes today and got Wang Xia on my side."


    He laughed with cracking hints of madness. "You would have finally become completely helpless today. Your damn company would have sunk beyond repair and then, a-and who would you have needed the most to get out of this rut? Who would you have relied on during these difficult times? Me. But..."


    A chill, as cold as an ice desert, settled in his eyes.


    "You broke up with me back then. You just toyed with me as you wished. You played your little game of push and pull like I was your personal mode of entertainment. And why? Because you thought I was controlling?"


    He blinked twice. "Well, you are a beautiful woman and you absolutely belong to me so it''s natural to want all your time and attention, right? Why do you want other male friends in your life? Why do you even need your family when I can give you all you want? So yes, I pried into who you talked to and who didn''t talk to but only I wanted the best for us. What was wrong with that?"


    "Let. Go. Of. Me. Right. Now," Alix snarled, her eyes glowing with fury. "I will fucking make you suffer for this..."


    He laughed, unhinged. "What else have I been doing other than suffering? Just when I feel so close to getting you back, you always, always manage to slip from my hands. Even a year ago...so close I was. Only if your damn sister hadn''t let her anger get the best of her and pushed you off the stairs, you were almost crazy enough to marry me! So close I was to making you my wife!"


    "You fucking piece of shit!"


    Unexpected and out of the blue, tired, frustrated and angry as hell over being pinned against the wall - Alix lifted her foot and jabbed her heel straight onto his forbidden place with no mercy.


    His immediate reaction was to release his grip over Alix instantaneously and his second immediate reaction was to fall on his knees and exclaim a loud string of cuss words, which still weren''t enough to express the unholy jolt of pain electrifying through his manhood.


    Alix rubbed and circled her neck to ease the pain after which a murderous air filled the room.


    "Pop quiz time. Who the hell do you think you are to strangle me like some psycho batshit murderer? That was my job once upon a time."


    Yuze was in too much pain and Mui was in too much shock to realize any oddity about her past life''s reference.


    "So don''t ever touch me without my permission, much less get violent with me or I will gladly clear your path to hell myself," her cold, ultimatum voice sent chills down his spine.


    "The hell you..." Yuze sharply gasped with sweat pouring down from his forehead.


    "As for your stalkerish love which only your psycho species can understand - keep it to yourself. I am allergic to love in the first place."


    She glanced at Mui and grimaced. "Stand up already. That shocked expression is getting old now."


    She grabbed her arm - not so delicately and forced her to regain her balance. She raised her brow at Mui''s intense stare.


    "I know I am amazing. Save the compliments for later."


    Her voice choked, tears pouring down her eyes like a never-ending waterfall.


    "I...sis....I..." she curled herself to hug her, "T-The medicine...today''s show...I-I...that all..." Mui couldn''t straighten her thoughts.


    Oh God, why do women cry so much? Alix couldn''t fathom.


    Alix was self-aware she was the last person who knew how to comfort or console anybody, so she didn''t even bother.


    She looked down at Yuze and sneered. "Seems like somebody needs therapy. Oh, shall I book you an appointment with Shui? Maybe you could learn to express yourself through art. It''s very useful, you know~ Which is why your sister introduced Shui and me. If a sister wouldn''t know her brother''s crazy side, then who would?"


    Alix was turning to leave when Yuze grabbed her ankle out of nowhere. As the pain was slowly subsiding, he was regaining his strength but only by some margin.


    "No fucking way you are going anywhere, Alix. I have come this far and did so many things to get you and now you are walking out on me?"


    Yuze pulled his weight to make her fall, planning to physically gain control over her.


    "Hey you fucking-"


    Alix lost her balance and was about to fall backwards.


    Shit my head will strike the wall-


    But the pain never met her when her hand was swiftly grabbed and she was pulled into safety into an embrace. Alix blinked rapidly at the view of somebody''s chest in utter confusion where she smelled a faint scent of recognition.


    "You are not hurt anywhere, right?" Came Jin''s deathly quiet but familiar voice.

 Chapter 1026: No escape from the Devil

    Alix met his chilled black eyes. She felt his arm firmly wrapped around her waist that left her unable to move much.


    "Let go of her, you bastard!" Yuze''s anger was through the roof.


    Jin lowered his gaze, frost further forming on his expression seeing her ankle forcibly locked into his grasp. Taking a deep breath, he jabbed his boot upon his wrist until a vicious cracking resonated in the air.


    "Ahhh fuckkk!!"


    His fingers naturally loosened and Alix could finally release her foot but Yuze couldn''t free his hand.


    "Get the fuck off me!"


    Jin only increased the pressure further that forced him to feel dizzy with pain. As he looked back at Alix, his gaze fell on her neck where he could see fine prints of somebody''s fingers casting a red hue. The fury he felt was unspeakable at that point by just imagining that he had strangled Alix.


    Yuze finally felt relief as his hand was now free from under Jin''s foot''s hold. His gaze darkened seeing the shoe marks on the back of his hand and a bone that almost dangled inside his skin.


    "I will fucking kill-"


    A punch broke his nose first. Then it hit his cheek and jaw in rapid succession. Yuze fell back with pain coursing all across his body. Blood oozed from his face. A lump of his hair was then grabbed mercilessly that brought him face-to-face with the devil itself.


    "You have no idea how much you are going to suffer, do you?" Jin''s clenched fist trembled with rage.


    Yuze''s body ached everywhere, yet he chuckled with ragged and broken breaths.


    "You think you have won, huh? You think..." Blood dripped down from his nose towards his lips, "your love story is all tied up with a neat bow to it, right? But there is no way that will happen, Liu Jin. You are a fucking bastard and Alix...will be never be yours. You think I am afraid of you?"


    A cold smile stretched Jin''s lips.


    "I don''t care if you are not afraid of me right now. Soon, you will be. It is inevitable once you see what the underworld actually holds for people like you. That is what I am saying. You have no idea what you have just walked into. I have broken crazier people than you in there. You like to play with poisons, right? I would love to experiment how far your body would handle them."


    He threw another violent kick to his chest that made him spew blood.


    Seeing him displaced, Jin now turned his attention towards Alix. His blood pressure spiked with her neck becoming redder and redder.


    "And this is why I told you not to wander alone by yourself!" He glared, his breaths becoming heavier.


    He didn''t wish to scold or rebuke her but seeing her in this state had flipped his worrisome switch.


    "Are you satisfied now?"


    Alix pressed her lips. "How did you find me?"


    His jaw dropped, dumbfounded. "That is your concern?"


    "I was fine really. I kicked him in his balls and he dropped like a broken kite."


    Jin threw her a blank stare and then looked at Yuze writhing in pain. Part of his relief measures were also directed at his forbidden area.


    She is crueler than me...


    "Pot calling the kettle black?" She grimaced.


    "What?"


    "I can read your mind. I know all kinds of torture methods you might be planning so don''t act innocent as if I am a monster. But how did you find me?"


    He gritted his teeth and showed her his phone with the last call to Chyou.


    But I told her not to leak my location to Jin! her gaze darkened.


    He sneered. "She is closer to me than you so yes she will listen to me first. But you! You never listen to me!"


    His hand instinctively reached out, his fingertips gently grazing against the redness. A faint hissing sound escaped his lips as if it was his neck that was hurt instead of hers. The anger from his eyes had now melted into worry.


    "I will take you to the hospital right away."


    "No need," her eyes widened. "I am still alive and kicking."


    "Don''t talk like that!"


    She frowned. "Why not? I can joke about my life and death-"


    "No, you cannot," his voice icier. "Life, yes but not death."


    She folded her arms. "Why?"


    He paused, unable to understand his turmultous heart.


    "...Isn''t it generally an untouchable subject?"


    She smiled. "Not for me. Not for a long time now."


    "Ahh!"


    Mui''s shriek snapped their attention and they saw Yuze''s arm strangling around her neck and his other right hand held a base that could land on her head at any time.


    "L-Leave me!" She cried.


    Jin''s eyes squinted. "That is utterly pointless, Kang Yuze. Let her go."


    Yuze''s pressed even more harshly. "Shut up!"


    Alix said, "So now you are going to resort to this?"


    He sneered. "I can resort to anything, Alix. So don''t you or Liu Jin dare move if you don''t want her head smashed into a pulp."


    Mui''s face turned white.


    "Or maybe I should anyway? She will also go through the experience firsthand when you had hit your head after falling from the stairs."


    Yuze didn''t see them move an inch and he forcibly dragged Mui outside.


    "Sis, s-sis please help me..."


    "Don''t resist if you don''t want to end up in a coma like me. Just do as he says."


    Her face palette paled further.


    "Stop yapping!"


    Yuze pushed her out by hitting the corner of the vase against her temple. He forced her to walk faster amidst the acute pain on his face and between his thighs.


    "Forget it, Mui. Your sister won''t be that stupid to help you after what you did to her. Your hands are equally smudged with blood like mine so now only we can rely on each other," he sneered.


    "Let me go..." Mui burst into tears.


    "Shut the fuck up!"


    Yuze angrily banged the staircase door open. More than the elevator, he felt it was safer to climb down the lower floors to exit. But as soon as he made his way towards the last floor''s stairs, the door opened at the same time and he came face-to-face with a woman he knew all too well.


    "Shui..."

 Chapter 1027: Her parents sorrow (1)

    "Yuze," Shui''s eyes widened.


    She stared at the blood dripping from his face and then her gaze shifted towards Mui where she was in his grasp.


    "What is happening here?"


    Before Mui could speak, Yuze urgently said, "Thank God you are here, Shui! Everybody is becoming crazy here. Liu Jin punched me out of nowhere and Alix is saying some nonsense things! That Liu Jin is brainwashing her against me and I don''t know, accusing me of what not things!"


    "What things is she accusing you of? And first let go of Mui. I don''t know why you have held her like that but clearly, she is uncomfortable."


    "Miss. Han, you have to help me...!" Mui cried.


    Yuze was at a standstill. Mui was his ticket to escape but was it more important than keeping his facade in front of Shui?


    "I-I am sorry Shui, I know this doesn''t look good but I have no choice. Liu Jin and Alix are hell bent on framing me! I...I will explain everything later."


    As soon as he turned, he came face-to-face with a man he had least expected to be here.


    "Stay where you are," Lin said with a no-nonsense expression.


    Yuze froze and he threw him a blank stare.


    "...Who are you?" He feigned ignorance despite exactly knowing who he was.


    "Someone who you tried to frame in a drug case and sent him to prison," Lin said, expressionless.


    Yuze let out a broken chuckle.


    "What nonsense are you saying? I don''t even know you."


    "Hou Lin. Owner of Lin''s cafe. The same cafe where you had held a meeting with Jiang Yazhu to break Sir Liu''s business deal."


    He stiffened again.


    "And when I informed Miss. Han, you hired a thug to get me entangled in a drug case as your revenge. You thought it would be easy because I was on parole and it would be revoked with such a serious charge."


    He gnashed his jaw. "What nonsense are you spouting this time! First Alix and then you! Okay, I don''t have anything to say when it looks like you have already made up your mind. Shui, are you watching this? Just look at what he is rambling on."


    Shui took a step forward and folded her arms. "But is he really rambling on?"


    His lips parted, dumbfounded.


    "Don''t...tell me that you believe him? This is a larger conspiracy against me!"


    Shui smiled. She turned and said, "You can bring him in now."


    With that, Yijun entered the scene who roughly pushed Chang Fang forward. He sneered at Yuze.


    "Your little mouse has kinda ratted you out. The drug dealer pointed at him and he pointed at you. It just took him a little motivation in the right direction."


    The level of threats and mind tricks Yijun would have played on Chang Fang was evident with how ghastly pale his face looked. He was stripped off his police uniform and badge and looked like any other civilian or it was more appropriate to say a guilty criminal.


    Everything came down on him so hard and fast that Yuze could barely process anything. Nevertheless, his defenses were still up.


    "I don''t know what he has said to you but it''s all lies! I don''t know this cafe owner nor did I work with any officer against him! I don''t know what the hell is going on!"


    Shui''s expression turned cold.


    "Okay. If you think that all these strangers are plotting against you then how about your own sister?"


    He froze.


    From the back, Xiao nervously walked in. Still frightened and nervous, she stood behind Shui for emotional support.


    "Xi-Xiao...?" He laughed. "Even you too...?"


    Xiao''s eyes were brimmed with tears as she threw him a helpless look.


    "I-I had no choice Bro. You...were going too far with Alix."


    "Kang Xiao!!"


    In the heat of his anger, he shook off Mui and approached Xiao with his tall, looming figure, ready to grab her arm. But Shui stepped in and threw his hand away.


    "Stay in your limits before I slap your already wounded face," her voice sharply echoed as cold as the Arctic.


    "Shui...You have to believe me! They are all colluding with each other!"


    "So even your sister is colluding against you?" She icily smiled. "Your sister who has seen your craziness and obsession for Alix first hand and how far you have gone to make her yours by hook or by crook. You even went as far as to use me in your schemes just to make Alix jealous and insecure."


    "That is not-"


    "That is why Xiao brought me to Alix in the disguise of art classes. She secretly wanted to help her regain her sanity and memories. Those memories where she hated you."


    Xiao bit her lip, trembling hard.


    "Bro please...please stop already. I tried to make you understand that Alix doesn''t love you, t-that you will only push her farther from you the more you act so possessive but...y-you just couldn''t change. Bro, I really wanted to see you happy with her but there...is no point if you f-force that happiness on someone. You...you made Alix go crazy!"


    Yuze bore his incensed gaze at Xiao, his body quivering with a thirst of violence.


    "You stupid sister!! How dare you speak against-"


    Lin grabbed his raising arm and locked it behind his back, almost twisting his elbow. He pushed him out of the floor corridor, away from Mui, Xiao and Shui.


    "Stay still before I dislocate your elbow for good. Your wrist is already in a bad shape," Lin showed no expression once again but his voice was enough of a threat.


    Pain erupted between his thighs with Lin''s sudden violence and he gasped. When he regained his senses, he blurrily watched two figures standing before him.


    Ren Luoyang stared at him, his fingers curling into a fist.


    "You... You, Yuze? Cuifen and I treated you like our son but I never imagined that you would ruin my daughter like that..." his face turned crimson with fury and anguish.


    "What had you made my daughter become? A mindless person who lost her judgment about right and wrong and just blindly chased after your love. My..." tears welled in his eyes as his voice choked.


    "My proud daughter who would have never thought of trampling upon her self-respect just for a man. You...you killed that innocent girl. You killed my daughter, Kang Yuze!!!"

 Chapter 1028 1028: Her parents sorrow (2)

    A few months ago.


    "I am not Alix."


    Ren Luoyang and Ren Cuifen looked at her, stumped. They were at the hospital to meet their daughter who had woken up after a six month long coma. They had expected a teary reunion with her, not a cold, unfeeling expression from her who was looking at them as if they were strangers.


    There was no warmth in those eyes and neither recognition.


    Ren Cuifen was confused. "We don''t understand dear..."


    She took a few long moments because she understood their confusion. She also predicted their future reaction.


    "It means that only this body belongs to your daughter. The soul inside it is somebody else''s. I am not Ren Alix. I just look like her. I am a different person."


    They didn''t believe her. It wasn''t that difficult, considering Alix''s personality changes just before her accident. They surmised that the fall somehow affected something in her brain.


    Did she develop that...what we call split personality?


    "This is not split personality either," she said, reading their gazes like an open book.


    "Your daughter died in the fall. Now don''t ask me how but it''s like my soul got fixed in this body. I was also dead at some point."


    "We don''t understand what you are saying dear," Ren Luoyang tried to be supportive but couldn''t hide his hesitation.


    "Have you heard of reincarnation? Same body but different soul. That''s what happened with Ren Alix."


    "That is just a fictional concept-"


    "And it has happened to your daughter in reality. It''s not so fictional anymore."


    There was a beat of long silence.


    "There is nothing wrong with my brain. I remember pretty much everything? Though there are some gaps here and there. But the truth of the matter is that your daughter is gone and I am alive through her body now."


    Ren Cuifen trembled. "Please...please don''t say such things! I-I can see my daughter right in front of me," tears rimmed in her eyes.


    "That''s just her physical body."


    Ren Luoyang was slightly losing his patience. "Enough Alix. You have no right to hurt your mother like that."


    Suddenly, a chill settled in her eyes that they had never seen before, even after Alix had changed.


    "Then what do you prefer? Play house-house with a dead daughter? Shower your love to some fake person in false beliefs? Yes, it is certainly tempting. It will let you escape the grief of losing your daughter. But do you really want to live a life like that? A life where you never came to learn that your daughter was long gone this whole time."


    They froze, their faces turning ashen.


    Ren Cuifen stared into her eyes for a long time and in some tiny corner of her heart, a sinking feeling resonated within it.


    She really...looks different.


    She couldn''t point her finger where but her daughter''s demeanor, her aura, her chilly gaze, her slight tilting of head and the unfamiliarity towards them in her expression - began to dawn the inexplicable reality.


    "M-Maybe you have lost some memories so you must be feeling confused."


    But she proved her wrong when she recapped some very key events from Alix''s life. Some memories were hazy and fuzzy but overall, her memories weren''t the problem.


    Silence.


    She leaned back against the pillow. "I told you because as parents, you deserved to know. I am not saying to believe me right away. But you will eventually see it and understand it. I understand her a bit from her memories and I am nowhere like Ren Alix. She was strong, confident but not nearly evil enough, unlike me who...well, ignorance is bliss."


    They shook hard.


    Was strong...


    Their daughter was already being referred to in the past tense.


    Ren Cuifen broke down. She couldn''t hold her tears back any longer. The more she talked, the more she could feel it as a mother. She could sense that the daughter she was trying to search in those eyes wasn''t anywhere.


    But they stopped the conversation there. Then time passed. She started living at the Ren villa and that was when they began to realize it.


    Alix''s tastes had changed. The things she liked, the things she disliked, her interests, her mannerisms, everything was starkly different from Alix''s. It just came naturally to her so there was no way that it was any sort of acting.


    The inevitable dawned on them.


    Her tastes hadn''t changed. The person inside had.


    "Who...who are you?" Ren Cuifen asked one day during breakfast, her heart crushed and defeated.


    Ren Luoyang''s tired expression wasn''t any different from his wife''s.


    She raised her gaze and watched them carefully.


    "I told you before at the hospital. Ignorance is bliss."


    They pressed on. "Please?"


    Her eyes looked devoid of any warmth.


    "I would rather not utter my old name again. That name is gone and so is that life. But."


    She looked back at them.


    "What I can certainly say is that I will take good care of Alix''s body. I won''t let a single harm come to her anymore. From her memories...it is hard to believe her change. I cannot see your daughter ever becoming like the way she did. She was too smart and too good to get this blind and crazy in love. She was not supposed to become a disappointment."


    They trembled.


    "So what I do assure you is that if there is any funny business here, then there is hell lot to pay."


    The couple looked stunned. "Funny business? You don''t think that A-Alix..."


    She smiled. "The world is sometimes a very dark place and even darker are people''s hearts. But don''t worry. I am the perfect person to fight schemes and darkness. You better not mess with me."


    A sharp shudder shook them and they swallowed a gulp.


    My daughter never held this evil look...


    Ah she...is really not our Alix anymore...


    ¡ª


    At present, Ren Luoyang grabbed Yuze by his collar carrying the fury of a father and the weight of a dead daughter on his shoulders.


    "We should have seen it. We should have recognized your true face! It might be late now...but it is not over. You will pay for everything you did, Kang Yuze!"

 Chapter 1029 1029: The villains end

    By that point in time, chaos had completely taken over the venue. While half of the media reporters covered Wang Ningli''s explosive modeling debut, the other half of the reporters who got wind of Yuze''s drama sprung into action.


    Camera flashlights were all over Yuze who was beaten black and blue and yet, Ren Luoyang showed no mercy at him. List of evidence was pouring like rain that left no place for Yuze to hide. Reporters were drooling at the plethora of headlines that would cause a storm in the country.


    Amidst everything, Shui took the spotlight by slapping right on Yuze''s face, which was already burning because of Jin''s earlier punch.


    "This is for thinking that you could use me like some disposable tool. I am not some rug you can walk all over as you like and then throw me when you are done with it."


    The shivers reached all the way to the reporters and they captured every moment of Shui''s no-nonsense, cold expression. It felt pure lunacy to think that Ren Alix, who the world accused of being a shameless woman in love, would turn out to be the victim and Kang Yuze would be the predator.


    His schemes to ruin Alix''s designs by colluding with Wang Xia further shed a negative spotlight on Wang Tianhui and her, who were already drowning in the sea of humiliating questions. The impression that Wang Xia had gathered with her performance instantly drowned into the abyss. Modeling agencies who were interested in signing a contract with her, promptly backed away at the first chance they got.


    Feeling angry and cornered, Yuze launched an attack on Shui but only to be easily stopped by Lin. With one press of his palm, Yuze was thrown back against the floor.


    Yijun clicked his tongue, shaking his head. He dangled the cuffs in his hand with a smile.


    "Some people never learn, do they?"


    "I am not done here..." Yuze''s face contorted in rage.


    "You cannot arrest me. I have not done anything. It''s all a big game plan against me!"


    From his pathetic, fallen state, his gaze met Alix''s who was smiling at him from the stairs. He saw her mouth a sentence in silence.


    ''It is never a good idea to mess with me.''


    Yuze could only stare at her.


    Is she really...Alix? Alix...Alix...


    The Alix I know would have never done something like this...


    Why did you change so much Alix? Why, why, why?


    You were supposed to be mine and only mine so when did you get the wings to fly? You don''t look so beautiful with wings...


    Then he saw Jin standing beside her, pointing at her neck. It looked like he wanted her to get medical attention to which Alix was ignoring his concern.


    "You son of a bitch, get away from her!!!" He roared, making the reporters puke blood.


    Kang Yuze has totally gone crazy!


    Yijun and his team of officers eventually took Yuze away amidst the storm of camera lights clicking at him nonstop. When a bit of calm settled down, Ren Cuifen found herself breaking into tears. When she raised her head the next time, she saw Alix standing before her, expressionlessly.


    It was after a long moment that she reached out to wipe her tears.


    "I always fulfill my promises."


    Their eyes brimmed with tears.


    ''If there is any funny business here, then there will be a hell lot to pay.''


    She fulfilled her promise. She really did...


    From a distance, Lin observed Alix with a tremble.


    ''I always fulfill my promises.''


    Was something Yahui often used to say. With the same expression and same mannerisms. He wanted to shake off this feeling but it kept gnawing at his heart further and further.


    Ren Alix...


    It cannot be...


    ¡ª


    Liu Hai ran at lightning speed and hugged Shui. "My dear Shui! You are alright, right? You almost scared this old heart there! You shouldn''t go so close to dangerous people like that."


    The twins and Jun''s brows violently twitched.


    What will you consider us then...?


    Shui chuckled and hugged him back. "I am fine, Grandpa. Yijun and Lin were with me."


    "Grandpa, Grandpa, I helped too!" Chyou joined the hug, who had finally come out of her hiding spot.


    Jing grinned. "Hey, Chyou. Share all the recordings you took today with me, pretty please? I want to enjoy the drama with my husband~"


    Chyou evilly chuckled. "Everybody will get their personal recording hoho~ The villain''s defeat is always the tantalizing climax~"


    "Ahahahaha!" Liu Hai and the group laughed as if they were conspiring world domination.


    Jun''s gaze traced Lin at the side and he walked over, ignoring his chaotic family''s side.


    "I never thought you would get involved too."


    "Yes, Sir..."


    "You should have told me when you faced problems with the drug case and your parole officer," he blinked once.


    "No, Sir. I am thankful enough for everything that you did. I cannot rely on you for all my problems."


    He stayed quiet for a moment and patted his shoulder.


    "Jun, Jun!" Ai walked hurriedly. "Where is Jin? I cannot see Alix anywhere either. The fashion show hasn''t ended yet and the venue''s host is requesting them on the stage."


    "First you walk slowly," he glared.


    Her back straightened. "Yes, Sir!"


    He harrumphed. "Anyway. Jin and Alix? I think I saw them heading to the hotel''s first aid room. More like Jin dragging her against her wishes."


    Lin stiffened hearing that. He too had seen Alix hurt at her neck. He slightly balled his fists, feeling restless. Confusion over Alix''s identity overlapping with Yahui''s overwhelmed him again.


    Ai said, "Oh! Got it. I will call them."


    Jun grabbed her shoulder and put brakes to her energetic hopping.


    She pouted. "What?"


    "Ailun," he called him out and a little fluff of energy came running towards him.


    "Dad."


    "Go with your mother."


    "...I am an adult," Ai defended herself.


    He smiled. "Is that so? Well then it''s a good chance to prove to our son. Let him get all dazzled by your mature side."


    Ailun nodded. "I will see to it that Mom doesn''t run around like a child."


    But you are a child yourself...

 Chapter 1030 1030: Concern behind the anger

    "Stay still," Jin''s gaze darkened at Alix who kept squirming in her seat from time to time as the doctor attended to her wounds.


    "This is too much. Why are we here?" Alix sourly asked.


    "Because somebody is injured."


    "This is not defined as an injury."


    "Then what is?"


    She gave it a thought. "A violent car crash."


    His face blackened like a burned pot.


    The doctor said, "It''s done. I have massaged a soothing balm so it will give relief. Other than that, there is nothing to worry about."


    Alix sneered at him. "See?"


    "But it could have been serious if any important vein or artery was pressed upon any harder. You would have fainted because of the improper blood supply."


    Jin glared. "See?"


    Nobody is on my side today, Alix muttered to herself.


    When the doctor left, Alix rose to leave too. But Jin blocked her way with black clouds looming over his head.


    "Is there going to be a storm?"


    "It is sunny outside."


    "The top of your head is not."


    He gritted his teeth. "What else do you expect when you just...up and leave the show on the pretext of going to the washroom!"


    She touched her chin. "Hmm, my mistake."


    He was taken aback by her immediate acceptance.


    "I should have thought of a more logical excuse to explain the time."


    Alix turned to leave once again and Jin stepped in her way yet again. Her eyes narrowed this time dangerously.


    "I am not liking this game."


    "Who is playing a game here I wonder? And that too with their life!" Jin''s black pupils widened with an imminent threat in them.


    "What is wrong with you these days? First you didn''t tell me anything about your plan, then you even asked Chyou to not spill anything and on top of that, the most important part, is that you decide to confront Kang Yuze all alone!"


    "I know what I was doing."


    "Really?" Fumes could be seen escaping the top of his head. "If you knew what you were doing, you probably wouldn''t have had to kick him in self-defense, would you?"


    She said nothing.


    "You had almost violently crashed your head against the wall had I not arrived in time! So no, you didn''t know what you were doing at all. You just jumped into the fire all by yourself!"


    "It was my fight. Naturally, I had to resolve it on my own-"


    Jin took a step forward, his shadow slowly consuming her.


    "It wasn''t only your fight. You involved me every step of the way whether it was using my check, my name or my office. We worked for your fashion show together and we planned to bring down Kang Yuze together too. You kept barging into my world every single time and now was the time you suddenly thought you wanted to become a lone wolf? What were you expecting from a psycho, obsessed man who had gone as far as to poison you to make you crazy? That he would shower flower petals on you?"


    The more Jin spoke, the more his voice silently began to tremble. Only he knew how jarring those moments felt when he was madly searching for Alix. It felt like a knot had tightly curled in his stomach, leaving him no space to breathe. Worry about Alix''s safety gnawed every fiber of his being.


    When he saw Alix''s head about to hit the wall, his heart had taken a harsh dive to the sinking depths of nausea. Even now, he shuddered to think what would have happened had he been late by a few seconds. It was only when she was safe in his embrace that his pounding heartbeats calmed down.


    Alix pressed her lips but remained stubborn on her point. "I was fine-"


    "No, you were not!" He exclaimed. "I give it to you that you are a smart woman. Cunning even. But there is a difference between playing mind games with your opponent and being physically stronger than them. I am sorry, can you remind me if you are actually trained in self-defense?"


    "I kicked his balls."


    "Only after he almost strangled you to death," he gnashed his jaw. "It was your instinct, not any damn training. At this point, I am just taking it as your lucky break."


    Alix''s patience was thinning.


    "Why are you showing so much concern-"


    "Because you are a woman and Kang Yuze is a man and I am all for women equality but if you have no clue on how to physically fight a man then yes, I will say run the hell away and keep playing your mind games! As for him going berserk? You should have left that to me. I wouldn''t have let even his shadow touch you."


    Alix wasn''t liking this at all. Not Jin''s anger but the concern behind his anger. She almost felt herself hyperventilating. She hated concern, whether it was Lin who showed it at one point in time or Jin at present. The feeling that somebody wanted her safe and was angry because she put herself in danger never boded so well with her.


    On top of her own personality traits that refused anybody''s worry, Jin''s possible feelings towards her only made her more uncomfortable. But compared to before, her heart felt at more solace.


    Kang Yuze''s chapter was now closed and there was no need for her to work from Jin''s office anymore or get anymore involved with him. This would make them naturally drift apart and any budding feelings taking root in his heart would also naturally dissipate with time.


    She looked back into the depths of his black eyes that gleamed with a mix of anger, concern and some other feelings she didn''t want to explicitly know about.


    But for now, how am I supposed to escape this dragon breathing fire?


    "Pastry auuuuunttt!!"


    She almost stumbled back with Ailun''s speedy figure grabbing her legs in an excited rush. His eyes shone with pure innocence.


    Jin''s eyes widened in surprise. "Ailun?"


    "Pastry aunt! Uncle Jin!" He chirped.


    Jin looked back and found a head peeking in at the entrance. His gaze darkened.


    "What are you doing there, Zhou Ai?"

 Chapter 1031: A beautiful bride in red

    "Alix!"


    Ai ignored Jin''s fire-breathing aura and hopped over to Alix''s side with a grin.


    "You were so amazing, Alix! Whether your designs or how you handled Kang Yuze - it was so cool!" Her eyes sparkled. "You felt like the badass hero!"


    "Zhou Ai, hold back your tongue. I am just now scolding-"


    Ai giggled and whispered, "I heard that you hurt him where it hurt the most for a man hoho."


    "..."


    Ailun scrunched his brows. "I cannot hear that Mom. Don''t tell me it''s a wives-only talk again."


    "Yes."


    "But pastry aunt is single."


    "Not for long," she muttered to herself.


    Alix smiled at Ai but her words were meant for Jin. "Well at least somebody appreciates my valor."


    Jin''s gaze darkened. "I appreciate your instincts too but not your careless approach!"


    Ailun''s nostrils flared. "Don''t talk so loudly with pastry aunt, Uncle. Grandma says it''s not good to raise your voice."


    "N-No that..."


    Alix looked down at her guardian angel and raised a brow.


    "Well at least somebody talks some sense too."


    Jin clenched his jaw. "You are worried about me raising my voice? What about how you raised my blood pressure all this time!"


    Ai scooted closer to Jin with a mischievous grin. "Why did it raise your blood pressure, Jin? See, I knew it. You are just like a coconut. Tough shell on the outside but soft heart in the inside~ That why you should be called Jin-cute as well."


    "I will kill you, Zhou Ai."


    "You shouldn''t be so harsh towards a helpless, pregnant woman," she patted her bulging belly as she said it.


    This time, even Alix couldn''t stop herself from giving her a look.


    What kind of drama goes on in that family I don''t know...


    "Why are you here in the first place?" He asked, a vein popping on his forehead.


    "Oh, yes!" She clapped her hands in delight. "The venue manager is looking for you two. He wants you two to come on the stage and walk down the runway."


    Alix blinked. "What walk? That was never discussed with us."


    She nodded. "He knows that but considering the success of the fashion show and especially with Wang Ningli''s stellar performance, it struck him at the last moment to end the show with the star designer and sponsor on the stage together. So tadah!"


    "He is just looking out for marketing his hotel''s brand name," Jin shrugged.


    Alix frowned. "We are just supposed to walk like models?"


    "Not necessarily like models but just face the camera flashlights to be precise."


    "Yeah it''s all for marketing."


    Ailun beamed. "Pastry aunt, I will take your picture too! You will wear one of your designed clothes, right? That will be so cool."


    The trio stared at him.


    Ai gasped. "That is a wonderful idea! As expected of my son! You should definitely walk down the runway in your own creation. And the man besides her who sponsored her creation. Brilliant!"


    Jin frowned next. "But Alix should be resting. Plus, it will become very chaotic if they see the bruises on her neck."


    His gaze turned chilly again thinking of Yuze''s violence.


    "Oh...That''s right."


    The mother-son duo''s faces dropped simultaneously.


    "Why fear when Chyou is hereeee!!!"


    Here comes another hyperactive existence, Jin closed his eyes, praying to God for his mental peace.


    "Chyou!"


    "Ai! Ailun my sweety!"


    The trio twirled in pure bliss.


    Alix stared at their tomfoolery and threw a glance at Jin. "Does this happen every time they come together?"


    "What do you think?" He dryly remarked.


    Chyou grinned. "Don''t worry about the bruises at all~ I have seen all her designs and I have just the perfect prop with me!"


    She took out a beautiful scarf from handbag. "Tadah! Alix can loosely wrap this around her neck. It won''t hurt her and it also suits her clothes!"


    Alix raised her brow. "Hmm, that''s true. It will be a good combination."


    Her nose elongated with pride. "My career as an actress has taught me some fashion tips here and there. I am multi-talented~"


    Jin smiled. "Yeah, Gu Yating is very lucky."


    "Hey! Why do I hear that snarkiness from your tone?" She glared.


    "It''s just your imagination."


    "Well then let me work on my imagination and help get Alix ready. You shoo! You are already ready in that boring suit."


    "..."


    What is boring in my suit?


    ¡ª


    Jin sighed for the tenth time as he checked the time, his boot tapping continuously against the floor.


    What is taking them so much time?


    "Patience, Uncle Jin. Dad says that women taking time to get ready should be seen as a positive chance to improve our patience levels," Ailun nodded like a wise sage.


    His brow twitched heavily.


    How much has Bro suffered actually?


    It brought a chuckle to his lips and he lifted Ailun in his arms. He pinched his chubby cheeks.


    "So shall we meditate together?"


    "Maybe."


    "Why maybe?"


    "I can see from here that Great-Grandpa is stuffing something delicious in his mouth and I am getting hungry."


    He shrugged. "You will eventually become tolerant and immune to it. Patience, Ailun, patience."


    "All ready!"


    Chyou declared as she opened the door.


    Finally!


    "Let me present to you, Ren Alix! Clap, clap!" Chyou stepped aside and made way for Alix.


    As she exited the green room, revealing herself in a red traditional wedding qipao, Jin felt his breath stuck in his throat. Dazed and stupefied, he watched her from head to toe with him failing to catch any words to describe his feelings at the moment.


    "...It''s a wedding cheongsam."


    Jin had assumed it would be something similar to what Wang Ningli wore.


    "Yes! Isn''t it amazing?" Ai followed her, her eyes turning misty at her beauty.


    "I couldn''t believe it myself," Chyou sniffled.


    Jin asked slowly, "When did you make a wedding attire?"


    Alix simply shrugged. "I had some free time so I made it. I have always liked traditional Chinese weddings. Nowadays, people are opting for church weddings more and more. There is nothing wrong with it but I like the idea of a red cheongsam more. I saw my..." she cleared her throat, "mother''s wedding pictures. Mom and Dad had held a traditional wedding so I thought about making one such outfit too."


    She then paused, noticing his gaze. "Do I look strange in it? Should I wear something else?"


    Jin wasn''t too sure where to begin expressing his sentiments and where to end amidst his chaotic thoughts.


    "No, you don''t look strange at all..." he inhaled a silent but sharp breath feeling his heart pounding loudly in his ears.


    "You look like a really...beautiful bride."

 Chapter 1032: Alixs stage

    The spotlight fell on Jin and Alix at the start of the runway. For a few long moments, a stunned silence hung in the air as everybody tried to grip the scene before them. Nobody had expected that Alix would appear on the stage in a wedding outfit.


    Jin offered his arm and asked, "Shall we?"


    He wasn''t sure why he strangely needed to gather courage for those two syllables. The only thing he knew was that the more he watched her, the more he felt his chest constricted as if oxygen escaped him.


    "Yes."


    Alix paused for a moment but wrapped her hand around his arm anyway. Walking down the runway, the spotlight traced the path they took. With every step, gasps echoed in the air with the beauty of the cheongsam she wore. Alix walked, embodying the true spirit of a bride dressed in a red, traditional gown that flowed down her legs like the gentle waves of a river. The scarf on her neck perfectly matched the attire.


    They walked slowly, drowned in the flashes of camera lights. It didn''t bother Jin one bit, whose gaze was solely focused on Alix as if the rest of the world had fallen silent.


    "I see the reporters crying," Alix said.


    The cloudy fog from his mind lifted away and he said, "Huh? Reporters?"


    "I think they want you to face the camera too."


    "Haven''t they taken enough pictures of me?"


    "Nothing about the Lius is enough for them," she said, barely moving her lips. "But these photos are boring. I am tempted to show them your chipmunk picture."


    "..."


    From the reporters'' side, it felt as if they were dreaming watching a beautiful smile bloom on his lips. It was so mesmerizing that it reached all the way to his sparkling black pupils. An exuberant smile on a serious Jin''s face was too much to handle. Women collapsed left and right, seeing Jin lean towards Alix and whispering something to her ear.


    "I am tempted to show them your cats'' picture too. Jun on your shoulder and Ai on your lap?"


    The corner of her lips twitched.


    "You still have that?"


    "You still have my picture so it''s only fair," he chuckled.


    Jin eventually faced the crowd, waving his hand at the cameras. As they were about to reach the end of the runway, he quietly slipped out his arm from hers. It went unnoticed for a moment after which Alix realized she was walking alone. She looked back, confused.


    Jin smiled, putting his hands in his pockets. "You are the star of the show. It''s your stage. Bask in all your success. You did great."


    Alix stared at his genuine and sincere gaze, his eyes that were smiling in pride and satisfaction. But unable to bear that warmth she quickly looked away, a faint tightening gripping her chest.


    My success huh...


    She couldn''t make up her mind of what to feel. She had never given it a thought about what life would look like after reincarnation. She certainly held no interest in gaining any success or popularity. She only wanted to just live her life, mending her mistakes along the way if possible.


    She looked at Ai, who was eagerly waving her arm at her along with Ailun and Jun on her side.


    She looked at Liu Hai, Jing, the twins and Jinhai, whose expressions could barely contain their happiness.


    She looked at Shui, who was clapping so hard for her despite knowing that the man she loved was now falling for her.


    She looked at Ren Luoyang and Ren Cuifen, who couldn''t hold back their tears as they watched their daughter on the stage, holding her head high and mighty.


    Her nasty reputation of the past seemed to be a minor bump in her story now. She could see the happiness in their misty eyes, the reward of the patience they held for Alix to just become a normal girl.


    She looked at Mui, a sister who viciously threw her into the coma but was now clapping along with the audience for her without any sense of defeat.


    And lastly...


    She looked at Lin, who was staring at every movement of hers with such intensity as if it would swallow the venue whole. She noticed a strange light in his eyes as if watching her would let him decipher the confusion in his mind.


    Alix calmly looked away but her heart trembled inwardly. A pang of guilt filled her heart. She knew what his gaze was searching for, yet there was no way she could reveal the truth to him and return the chaos in his life. Being far away from him was the only path of Lin finding his own life and voice.


    "Miss. Ren, can you tell us your motivation behind designing a traditional wedding dress?"


    She softly exhaled amidst the applause and looked at the reporter who was stretching his mic from below the stage.


    "I have always liked the traditional attire. I wore it today because I like weddings. Marriage unites two souls," she cast a glance at Jun and Ai before she returned her gaze back at the reporter. "I like that concept."


    The reporter giggled. "But for you to be dressed in one...does it probably hint at your own...?"


    The question caused ripples of gasps flowing like a wave on the sea.


    "My wedding? That is impossible."


    "Ah? Why?"


    Alix stared at her, a small smile curling her lips up as her mother''s face appeared in her mind. That marriage had left het nowhere.


    "Some people...are meant to live alone. I am one of those people."


    "Th-that''s harsh..." Even the reporter was at a loss. "Maybe you don''t like someone right now but what if you do so in the future? What if someone confesses to you?"


    Alix burst into a hearty laughter.


    "When have you seen a villain falling in love? Or somebody falling for a villain? That would be very dystopian for evil to find love."


    Jin stared at her back, his eyes tracing her chuckles in a stupor. Her lips might be echoing with laughter in front of the world but feeling a tinge of loneliness hidden in her eyes gripped his heart like a prickly shackle pressing on it. She was dressed to look like the most beautiful bride yet why did she say that a groom would never stand beside her?


    A strange force within him made him lift his feet and he walked towards her with slow steps. He stood beside her, filling the empty space.


    Alix looked up and raised her brow. "Hah. So you came to bask in my success, after all."


    With his chest overwhelmed with a barrage of inexplicable emotions, the words escaped from his lips before he knew it.


    "You won''t live alone when I...am right beside you."

 Chapter 1033 1033: Wrong announcement

    Won''t live alone...?


    She remained stunned for a few long moments. Her gaze then held bitterness as those words fell on her ears. She was aware what Jin''s words were leaning towards but they felt nothing more than poison to her.


    Won''t live alone? Won''t live alone?


    What does he mean by that? Is he expecting a future where I and the Liu family...?


    The mere irony made her inwardly laugh at herself. She couldn''t pinpoint it but instead of his words providing comfort, they had snatched it away from her because they reminded her that the happy days were over. The days where she visited the villa to work with Jing, to get dragged into playing with the kids and the cats, to become a forced secret keeper of Liu Hai''s sneaky treats he stole or to get fed with Nana''s cooked food all day long until her stomach would burst - with the success of today''s show, she had no reason left to be a part of that world anymore.


    Suddenly, she felt a void engulf her she had never felt before.


    "You shouldn''t make promises that you cannot keep, Liu Jin."


    Jin froze, his full name feeling jarring to his ears. The sudden distance as if immediately created an invisible wall between them.


    "What do you mean?"


    She breathed erratically. "The fact that we have anything to do-"


    "Hey, brat!"


    Liu Hai approached below the stage, his hand on his hips as he threw a glare at Jin.


    "How dare you hog the spotlight!"


    "Huh?" Jin was stumped. "What are you talking about?"


    "Why is it that you get to walk with Alix down the runway and I don''t?"


    The reporters were dumbfounded with this development.


    What is going on here?


    "...Because I am the sponsor?" Jin answered though he didn''t know why he was made to state the obvious.


    "And who do you think gave birth to the brat, who in turn gave birth to you brat!"


    "Don''t steal my idea, you old man!" Jing''s gaze darkened as exclaimed from afar. "I was complaining as to why I wasn''t chosen to walk with her first since Alix is my protege so where are you even coming from!?"


    "And who is the father of that stinky teacher, you buffoon! So no matter how, I get in the line first!"


    Liu Hai looked around and screamed. "Hey you venue manager! How dare you forget me? Don''t you know who Liu Hai is!"


    The venue manager at the corner - "..."


    What the hell is going on here?


    Liu Hai didn''t give a damn and hurriedly climbed on the stage.


    "Alix dearrrrrr! Let''s walk with Grandpa this timeeeee! Jin is boring!" He eagerly waved his arm at her with eyes brighter than the camera flashlights.


    Jin''s face blackened.


    He grinned and wrapped his arms around hers while Alix tried to register the situation in her brain.


    "Um, what''s going on?"


    He burst into tears. "You look so pretty, dear. You reminded me of my wedding day! We had held a traditional ceremony too. Chunhua was so beautiful as a bride that day...I feel like marrying her all over again!"


    "Are you sure Mom will hold the same sentiments?" Jing sneered.


    Liu Hai glared back. "Now I am holding the sentiment that we shouldn''t have had sex that day and had you. Jinhai was enough!"


    The crowd violently choked at once, marvelled at his shameless announcement of his sex life. But it was hell entertaining so the camera shutters never slipped back on.


    He harrumphed and pulled Alix back towards the start of the runway.


    "Hehe, we would look more handsome together than Jin and you because Jin is too grumpy."


    "Grandpa! What are you doing!"


    He urgently glanced at Jun and Jinhai for help but the father-son duo had merged themselves with the cosmos as if saying,


    ''We have nothing to do with them. We are not family with those clowns.''


    "..."


    Alix was stunned the entire time and only felt moving with Liu Hai''s gentle tugging. They walked down with Liu Hai grinning ear-to-ear for the pictures.


    "Don''t we look cooler together?"


    The reporters weren''t sure if they were expected to seriously answer that question.


    "Right, right? Alix, we look cooler together, right?" Liu Hai beamed.


    Alix felt it difficult to breathe as she struggled to respond. She looked at her hand wrapped around his warm arm and a lump formed in her throat.


    "I..."


    He nodded. "I understand, dear. How can Jin compete with the amazing duo of grandfather-in-law and granddaughter-in-law, hohoho!"


    The silence that fell after his explosive words was too deafening, as if the world itself had paused in shock and which it actually had.


    "W-What...?" The reporters could only mumble just like Ren Luoyang and Ren Cuifen.


    The parents has their jaws dropped as something very incredible and unexpected just fell on their ears.


    Liu Hai noticed the stunned crowd and tilted his head. "Why is everybody so shocked?"


    Sir Liu, you just dropped a nuclear bomb and you are asking why we are shocked!?


    "Granddaughter-in-law? What-...Does it mean Ren Alix is going to marry in the Liu family?"


    "Of course! I like her. So I have thought to adopt Soo Yijun into the family and have them marry~" He grinned. "Am I not so smart or what?"


    The first to choke was none other than Shui. She stared at Liu Hai, dumbfounded.


    Huh? Yijun? Who Yijun? My cousin Yijun? How is this happening? What is happening here?


    "Jun!" She threw a glare at his side, demanding an answer.


    "...I didn''t know he was serious enough to tell that to the whole world."


    Her lips parted in shock. "So you knew this plan and still did nothing? He is Liu Hai. What else did you expect!?"


    Jun quietly averted his gaze. "I am just a background character now."


    "Go get there and become the main character, you fool! Look at your brother''s fuming expression! He is just inches away from committing patricide!"


    Shui anxiously looked at Jinhai, who was standing beside Jun, unfazed and unbothered.


    "Uncle, at least you do something..."


    Jinhai raised his brow.


    "Don''t worry."


    She sighed in relief. "I knew I could count on you..."


    "I have the best lawyers to bail Jin out."


    "..."


    On the other side Nian climbed on the stage, and urgently pulled Liu Hai back, whispering something into his ear before Jin could truly explode. Everybody watched in confusion and curiosity as to what Nian''s secret entailed.


    Then everybody saw Liu Hai''s expression change when he blinked rapidly and pressed his lips.


    Then he sheepishly grinned facing the reporters.


    "Oopsie~"

 Chapter 1034: One of ours

    "Excuse me, Miss. Reporter," Liu Hai coughed. "Is it possible for you to scratch everything you wrote till now?


    "The part where you said that you will adopt Mr. Soo Yijun or the part where you said that he and Miss. Ren Alix will marry?"


    "Yeah pretty much that."


    Okay I have fucked up now, Liu Hai sweated.


    When did Jin''s feelings change?


    What about Shui?


    Wait, does Alix like this bratty grandson of mine anyway?


    He pulled Nian''s jacket towards him and whispered in his ear to the best of his ability.


    "When the hell did this happen!"


    "For a long time now. Everybody knows!" Nian gritted his teeth.


    "I didn''t!"


    "When do you ever know about anything except for food anyway!"


    "Hey don''t you blame me! We have the same genes!"


    "Grandpa..."


    He stiffened with a certain grandson''s low growl looming from the back. Jin''s murderous thirst to kill him was evident with how his black eyes glinted dangerously like a beast.


    Liu Hai was now sweating buckets with Jin''s every step towards him feeling like he was getting closer and closer to his death sentence. He pulled Nian''s jacket again.


    "Help me out!"


    "You caused the ruckus so now you figure it out! Who told you to announce it on the stage anyway!" He glared.


    "I just got excited thinking of Chunhua!" He cried.


    "I don''t care what you were thinking about but you are handling this mess on your. At this point, even Dad will disown you!"


    Liu Hai glanced at Jinhai and Jun who looked at him as if they were strangers.


    Damn it!


    From the other side Alix tugged him urgently, panic set in her expression. "Um, Mr. Liu...what were you just talking about? I-"


    "Oh, don''t worry dear~ There was a teensy tiny small mixup but I will sort it out."


    How the hell is announcing my marriage a teensy tiny mixup? Alix was dumbfounded.


    "Ahahahaha!"


    Everybody jolted hearing Liu Hai''s sudden hearty laughter.


    "What, did you all think that I was really serious? I fooled you, hohoho!"


    He felt Jin''s steps halt at the back which finally allowed him to breathe.


    Okay, at least my life is safe now! That''s good progress!


    The reporters asked, "What do you mean, Mr. Liu? Were you not serious?"


    "Of course not," he laughed.


    At this point, the audience was simply feeling dizzy.


    "So you were joking about Miss. Ren becoming your granddaughter-in-law?"


    "Oh, I was serious about that duh," he rolled his eyes. "I never joke about my daughter-in-laws. Or granddaughter-in-laws. Or great-granddaughter-in-laws for that matter. My wife and I will live a long life."


    "..."


    "What I was kidding about was adopting Soo Yijun into my family. That was just pulling your legs~ Why would I adopt somebody else when I have an eligible bachelor right in the house!"


    And he pulled Jin by his collar, dragging him in front of the stage.


    "Ta-dah! Presenting to you the one and only CEO of Liu Corps~"


    Jin froze and so did Alix and so did everybody else.


    Oh my God...


    Jian and Nian wished they could faint. They placed their hands on their chests, feeling a heart attack coming.


    Stupid old man, this was your solution to wrapping up your mess!?


    Nian cried.


    Grandpa! I just said that Jin is starting to have feelings for Alix and hell we don''t even know what Alix feels about him so why are you doing this to us!?


    The crowd erupted into yet another round of shocked gasps.


    "Does it mean that Mr. Jin''s and Miss. Alix''s engagement is set!?"


    "Are you announcing their engagement on stage right now?"


    Liu Hai grinned. "I will be happy to if they are ready~"


    The same female reporter from before asked, "Sir Liu, but Miss. Ren had just said that she is not interested in marriage."


    He blinked twice. "No, she did not."


    "..."


    At that point, Nian covered his face and was slowly disappearing into the back of the stage.


    The reporter coughed. "...Yes, she did just a few minutes before when we asked her about her own wedding."


    "Uh-huh."


    "I think I saw you were busy eating a croissant at that time so m-maybe you didn''t hear...?"


    "Yeah, the croissant was delicious."


    Liu Hai inwardly sweated another round of buckets.


    Hm, hm? When did Alix dear say something like that?


    She is not interested in marriage at all? Does it imply that she is not interested in this brat either?


    So...have I fucked up again?


    Even the reporters felt the painful stretch of silence that followed. Liu Hai didn''t even dare to look into Jin''s eyes so he faced the reporter again, who for some reason, felt she was the only one in the crowd to pity him at this moment.


    "...What...did Alix say, can you please repeat that for me?" He asked in the slowest whisper possible as he leaned towards the reporter.


    The reporter whispered in the same manner, "Sure, Sir. She had said, ''My wedding? That''s impossible? Some people are meant to live alone. I am one of those people.'' And we had counter-questioned to which she had said, ''When have you seen a villain falling in love? Or somebody falling for a villain? That would be very dystopian for evil to find love.''"


    Liu Hai gasped, his eyes widening. He threw a look of disbelief at Alix and pushing Jin away, held her hands with great urgency.


    "Who dares to say that you are meant to live alone!? Tell me his name! Or hers!"


    Alix froze.


    "Obviously, you deserve all the love in this world, no matter if you think you are a villain or not. I mean if that were the case then trust me, my family wouldn''t have grown to what it has now. Each and every man in my family is downright evil and shit."


    Everybody - "..."


    For the first time in the day, the Liu family men collectively agreed with Liu Hai and nodded their heads.


    He grinned. "So who cares if you are evil? I would all the more say that you are one of ours~ You perfectly belong in the Liu family. So unless you truly have somebody else you like, my Jini-boy will make you the happiest woman in this whole wide world~"

 Chapter 1035: Wake-up call

    "What do you think you were doing Grandpa!"


    Jin bombarded his pent up frustrations the moment he got the chance backstage. After openly asking for Alix''s hand for marriage, everybody was eagerly waiting for her answer when Jin had intervened and somehow contained the situation.


    ''I am sorry for the chaos, however this is a private discussion but you know how Grandpa is.''


    ''Hey-''


    ''So we will be leaving. Thank you all for coming.''


    The extreme disappointment naturally echoed throughout the venue but despite the reporters'' repeated questions, Jin remained firm and dragged Liu Hai away.


    At present, Liu Hai was facing Jin''s blast wave and he mumbled under his breath. "...I-I didn''t know..."


    "Enough!"


    His brow twitched and he averted hai gaze.


    "Look at me, damn it! You just never change, do you! What business did you have embarrassing Alix like that on the stage? You really think you can speak unfiltered and not worry about the consequences at all? Did you even see how uncomfortable she was?" He gritted his teeth, wishing he could bang his head somewhere.


    "I...I was just trying to help you!" He exclaimed in his defense.


    His jaw dropped, stunned. "The help that I didn''t even ask for? What help are you even talking about? When did I ever ask you to arrange our marriage!?"


    "Well not outright but your heart wants it doesn''t it!"


    He froze.


    ''You won''t live alone when I am right here beside you.''


    His own words flashed in his mind like a blaring siren.


    "What...what nonsense! My heart doesn''t-"


    Liu Hai glared and pinched his ear hard.


    "Ahhh!! Grandpa!"


    "First of all, I am your grandfather so talk with respect, brat! Yes, I fucked up a little here and there-"


    "A LITTLE? You-"


    "BUT I took responsibility and salvaged the situation anyway!"


    His gaze darkened. "How the hell was that salvaging the situation?"


    "Everybody," Liu Hai''s voice took a sudden dive into the Artic. "Out."


    Ai anxiously tried to step in but Jun pulled her back and whispered, "Let''s get out of here. This is going to be a bloodbath."


    "That''s exactly why we should be stopping Jin."


    "Stop Jin? I am talking about Grandpa. He is pissed. That too royally."


    The twins calmly added. "Yeah, yeah, keep walking, Ai. Jin is dead. Ah, we will miss him."


    "Grandpa..." Shui clasped her hands together but Jing tugged her out anyway.


    "Let''s go, let''s go dear. Blood is not a very beautiful sight to see."


    When silence returned to the room, Jin scoffed. "What? You think I will be afraid of being left alone with you?"


    Liu Hai''s eyes narrowed. "You better be because unlike the usual, I am not in the mood to joke around right now. Sure, I ended up putting Alix in a spot because I didn''t hear her answers to the reporters before but I did see you walking with her on the stage, so I also saw the way you were looking at her and the way you smiled at her."


    "There was nothing wrong in that-"


    "I will damn well kill you if you refuse to admit your feelings for her."


    "...Huh?"


    "Yes, I was a little late to the party but watching you with her today aroused that suspicion within me if you were seeing Alix as a woman?"


    He stared at him unblinkingly. "Grandpa, you are going too far."


    He pinched his ear harder, almost reddening it like a tomato and Jin was barely able to bear that pain any longer.


    "Far is where you are going, Jin. I kept hoping for you and Shui to get back together but today, I finally realized that it won''t happen. Your eyes don''t hold Shui''s reflection in them any longer."


    He trembled.


    "It is sad and painful. Shui is a good girl and I hoped she would become a part of my family. But I also understand the demons you are facing. I would have never allowed myself to face Chunhua either had I done something like that."


    Tears brimmed in his eyes but not because of the pain in his ears but the grief that shattered his heart.


    "But what I am pissed off about is that you are beginning to run away from Alix too. I don''t know if you simply have not realized your feelings yet or you know it yet you are ignoring it. I am not sure which one it is but the fact remains that now you are hurting Shui even more. She has let go of you because she sincerely wants to see you happy so now if she sees that you are walking away from Alix too, what becomes of her sacrifice?"


    Liu Hai released his ear, a hint of frost still fresh in his eyes.


    "And it''s not just Shui. Everybody in the family wants to see you happy. Like hell you have decided to live your life all alone. I will kill you if you have decided anything stupid like that."


    He felt as if a bucket of ice cold water splashed on top of his head like a crashing waterfall. His own emotions became a huge mess as breathlessness kicked in.


    "You...You are wrong! I cannot...I won''t betray Shui! I-I don''t like Alix that way because-"


    "Shui is in your heart?" His gaze darkened. "Then what was the big deal with you punching Kang Yuze with a short-circuited fuse? Why the hell did you care if he hurt Alix? Why did you get so angry at him!"


    "Isn''t that obvious-"


    "No, it''s not obvious Jin! It''s not obvious that you beat the shit out of him because you just acted as a good Samaritan? A helpful passerby or a kind acquaintance? What were you thinking when you saw him hurting Alix?"


    The prior fear and fury washed in his heart like a huge tsunami wave. But Jin was too afraid to delve into those feelings.


    "You hit him before you knew it. You swore to make him suffer the worst pain possible. All because you only think of Alix as your friend? Who the hell are you kidding? Wake up, Jin. Wake up to your reality now that you have fallen in love with Alix!"

 Chapter 1036: Apology was never the point

    Alix peeked outside and found reporters swarming everywhere. She let out a string of curses and felt their curiosity too prying but neither could she blame their excitement. Liu Hai''s announcement had caused a storm in the media where he had practically proposed on Jin''s behalf. Now it all depended on Alix to give her answer.


    She pulled down her hood and quietly left, trying to mingle in the crowd as a passerby. But she soon felt a strong gaze from one of the reporters who was following her closely.


    Shit.


    She picked up pace and walked faster, which made the reporter follow her too. As she was about to be caught, a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her inside a room.


    Ah? Where is she? She was definitely Ren Alix, right?


    The reporter looked around confused but eventually left with dropped shoulders.


    Back inside the room, Alix breathed out in relief.


    "Thanks, whoever you are-oh."


    Alix raised her brow. "Miss. Wang."


    Wang Ningli smiled. "I am sorry for pulling you like that but I figured you were avoiding the media."


    "Like plague. But why does it seem like you are avoiding them too? Shouldn''t you be basking in the popularity?"


    "Like I said when we met before, Miss. Ren. I didn''t want popularity but an apology."


    "And did you get it?"


    Wang Ningli smiled again, this time her smile spreading wider on her lips. She showed a clip on her phone.


    "I asked one of the reporters to send me this."


    Alix took a glance and saw how Wang Yi was following her everywhere with his mask dropped. His revealed identity caused even more of a storm that became only more difficult for his father, Wang Tianhui, to handle.


    ''Ningli! Ningli!''


    Like a brainless addict, he followed her everywhere and kept praising her beauty in hopes to get her attention but only received a cold shoulder from her in response.


    ''You never respected me. You openly cheated on me and now you suddenly see my worth?''


    ''T-That was a one time mistake, Ningli! But it''s true that I only love you. Please forgive me!''


    ''You bitch, you did it on purpose! You ruined my day to humiliate me!''


    Wang Xia launched a flurry of verbal abuses and attacks on her that were recorded on camera.


    ''Xia, what are you doing!? How dare you be so violent against your sister-in-law!''


    Alix was thoroughly entertained with the family drama where Wang Tianhui had to practically stop his children from pulling each other''s hair out.


    "So are you satisfied now?"


    "I didn''t know it was that easy by just dolling myself up," she grimaced. "Honestly, I had expected more arrogance from Yi, but he was quick to apologize. I am not sure if I feel..."


    "Satisfied?" She chuckled. "You will soon be. He apologized so easily because he is only thinking from his dick."


    Wang Ningli choked with her sentence phrasing.


    "He is suddenly seeing you in a new light today and he definitely thinks that he has gotten lucky tonight. That''s all he cares about. A beautiful woman to fuck. Even the mere possibility of you throwing divorce papers on his face is not crossing his mind at all."


    Her lips parted in an O.


    "But when you do that, then he will realize the seriousness. Not the seriousness of his affair. Don''t expect that remorse from his non-existent brain cells. He will realize that you are not kidding about leaving him and his young master self won''t be able to take that.


    That is the expression you are waiting for. Apologizing for people like him is actually very easy if it gets them what they want. If saying sorry will get you in bed with him, he will gladly do it. But leaving him for good? It''s that fall of his ego that he won''t be able to bear."


    Wang Ningli was thoughtful.


    "That''s why the first time you asked me why I wanted his apology. You looked like you were mocking me."


    She smiled. "You just didn''t think that far ahead. A sorry would have hardly mended your shattered self-respect. I will still give you some points though."


    Wang Ningli gently held her hands with her trembling fingers. A tear rolled down her cheek.


    "Thank you..." she whispered, "Thank you so much. I couldn''t have done it without you. I...don''t know what else to say..."


    Alix stared at the gratitude in her gaze that made an uncomfortable feeling rise in her chest.


    "Don''t thank me. I did nothing. My plan depended on you so had you been stubborn in not accepting it, everything would have fallen flat. Though I would say that you need not have gone through this hassle of the fashion show. You don''t have to prove your worth to anybody to throw divorce papers on a loser''s face."


    She smiled through her tears. "Yes, I understand that now. I am so glad I met you and Mr. Liu. I am very happy for you two."


    Alix stiffened.


    "There is no reason to be happy for us. It''s just a big misunderstanding."


    "...I don''t think so."


    "Yes, it is. His grandfather has grossly misunderstood our relationship. We were just working together for this spell, that''s all. I was basically using him for my own purposes and he is also very frustrated with me but it''s good news for him that my bugging is over and we can go back to our own worlds," she explained all in one breath like an unstoppable train.


    Wang Ningli slightly widened her eyes.


    "It seems...you are very adamant to not accept it."


    "Accept what?" She lightly tapped her fingers in impatience.


    "That Mr. Liu genuinely does seem interested in you. I just..." she scratched her chin, "got that feeling when you were walking together on the runway. His eyes were only on you and it felt like he couldn''t see anyone else but you. When I saw that, I just very naturally felt it was love. It couldn''t be anything but that, Miss. Ren."

 Chapter 1037: Test of patience

    Liu villa.


    In the evening, Jin paced and forth in his room while trying Alix''s phone for the hundredth time now. He had been trying to reach her ever since the show had ended, which he felt like ages had passed by. A layer of sweat moistened his forehead as he thought back to the chaos on the stage.


    His hand holding his phone trembled with Liu Hai''s words constantly punching his face as if he was standing in a boxing ring with no timeout. But right now he felt that talking to Alix and clarifying the misunderstanding was more important than digging through his own feelings.


    Damn it, please pick up Alix...


    No matter the amount of text messages or missed calls, he didn''t get a single response from Alix.


    "This is not like her..." he muttered to himself.


    Though announcing their possible engagement was quite serious even for Alix''s fooling around standards, somewhere in his heart he held a feeling that she would shrug it off as usual. She would simply send a goofy reply that would frustrate the hell out of him. But this complete off-the grid radio silence was now beginning to unnerve Jin.


    He jumped on his feet and grabbed his coat, ready to head to Alix''s house to talk to her. But he abruptly stopped on his own.


    She will definitely be bothered by my last minute visit, right?


    On top of that, he was clueless how her parents would react to his sudden appearance when they might already be dealing with Liu Hai''s troublesome announcement.


    Ugh, Grandpa!


    *Meow*


    All the time, the cats Jun-kun and Ai-chan were staring at the race he was running against himself.


    "Ai-chan..."


    Jin bent and scooped her in his arms, a hint of relief in his eyes at her sight. Hugging her warm, fluffy body gave him the much needed comfort he wanted.


    "Can you talk to Alix?"


    *Meow*


    Ai-chan looked like she wouldn''t mind being the peacemaker between them. Jin let out a light chuckle and tapped on her nose. With that, an idea struck him and his eyes widened.


    Yes, that''s what I will do!


    ¡ª


    The simple idea was to bring Jun-kun and Ai-chan to his office the next day. Instead of facing Alix''s wrath alone, he was confident that being in the cats'' presence would melt her anger and she would return to normalcy. Yes, she would hurl some curses at him but her fury would eventually simmer down.


    "Well, she has gotten close to you two so you have to help me out, okay?"


    Jin could clearly read pity in their eyes towards him, making his brow twitch.


    "I am fine being pitiful but just help me out. Please."


    Should I have brought Ailun with the cats too? Jin wondered. They have gotten pretty close too. She would never ignore the adorable trio.


    And so Jin waited.


    And waited.


    And waited.


    He had expected Alix to come to his office as usual. Her small office still held a lot of her work stuff, which did require one visit to be sorted.


    But Alix never showed her face.


    Lunch time had passed but Alix hadn''t come.


    The afternoon turned into night yet Alix never stepped anywhere near Liu Corps.


    I am fucked, was Jin''s conclusion by the end of the day.


    He covered his face, exhaling a deep, silent breath. He held an urge to text her again but didn''t. After the messy chaos of last night, he wanted to give her space.


    "Okay. Patience, Jin. Patience. It''s just one day. Did you really expect she would come today immediately after last night? You were a fool to expect that. Giving space''s definition is not just a few hours, idiot."


    Jin glanced at Jun-kun and Ai-chan.


    "Okay, I don''t know when she will return but as a precaution, I will have to bring you two to the office everyday. You are my safety net."


    *Meow*


    The cats looked unbothered. House or office didn''t matter to them as long as they got to sleep.


    "...Thanks for your overwhelming support, guys," he grimaced.


    Jin stared in the direction of Alix''s office softly exhaled again.


    I will wait for you Alix.


    ¡ª


    For Jin, it turned out to be a game of test of patience because there wasn''t any response or movement from Alix even one whole week later too. It was now that he was beginning to panic. For the first time yesterday in six days, he texted her again but only to get silence in return.


    "No, no, Alix is not like this. This is not like her to go off the grid like that."


    Did the announcement...really offend her that much?


    "It is indeed strange, so time to take some action, brother-in-law."


    Jin closed his eyes, biting down on his lip. He opened them again and saw Ai comfortably seated on the couch in Jin''s office and playing and laughing with the cats.


    "And for the tenth time, what are you doing here Zhou Ai?" His gaze darkened.


    Ai pouted. "What should I do? You keep taking Jun-kun and Ai-chan to the office everyday and I don''t get to play with them. So I thought to come today myself, hehe," she chirped.


    "Then don''t disturb me!"


    "I am helping you. I am also worried about Alix."


    Jin paused and his anger retreated.


    You can say that again...


    He opened his chat window with Alix and released a sigh. On the other side, Ai, who was bored, switched on the television for some entertainment. She randomly changed the channels when she saw a familiar name on one of the news channels.


    "Um...Jin."


    "What?"


    "I don''t know about your text messages but I..can surely see the Ren family on the news here."


    "Huh?"


    Confused, Jin glanced at the news channel and read a piece of news scrolling down across the screen and also flashing at the center in bold.


    ''Breaking news! Ren Alix has relinquished her CEO''s position!''


    Jin jumped on his feet, stupefied.


    "What!?"

 Chapter 1038: You, Liu Jin

    ''Ren Alix has stepped down from the CEO''s position.''


    ''After an intense showdown at the fashion stage, Ren Mui will be back to lead the Ren Designs.''


    ''What does this mean for Ren Design''s future?''


    Ai was left aghast. "What is happening here? Why would Alix step down from her position?"


    Jin couldn''t understand Alix''s intentions either. After taking such efforts to juggle the ship on calm waters, why would she give it up and hand it back to Mui?


    Her success had been in the news everywhere and Alix had become an icon and inspiration for young and ambitious women. Her victory, her creativity, her future - why was she giving it up now?


    Ai saw Jin hurriedly rushing out of his office and said, "Wait!"


    "I don''t have the time, Zhou Ai. I have to meet Alix this time for sure!"


    She stood before him and stared at him. "Will you only talk to her about her position and her company?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "If you visit her right now, then you have to explain Grandpa''s announcement too. Her stepping down is not connected to it but it will eventually come up. Have you thought about what to say to her about that?"


    He stiffened. "I...I mean the only thing to do is to apologize to her."


    Ai narrowed her eyes. "Are you sure you want to apologize or clarify something else too? If you apologize now, then...Alix will get a different message as opposed to what you truly feel."


    Jin felt goosebumps on the back of his neck. It was the one thing he had been avoiding with all his willpower and that was to have a clear look at his own heart. He still didn''t know what he was going to say to her.


    "I-I will figure it out! For now, I must know what mess is going on here. I don''t know what she is thinking about handing the company over to Mui again!"


    Ai watched him storm out and sighed. She sat back on the couch and cuddled with Jun-kun, squishing her face against his fur.


    "How long will he keep running away like this? Hmph. I really hope he is forced to confront his feelings today once and for all," she harrumphed.


    ¡ª


    Ren villa.


    "Mrs. Ren."


    Ren Cuifen, who was just about to head back to her room, was taken aback by Jin''s sudden entrance.


    "Liu Jin?"


    Jin slightly gasped in breathlessness. "Alix...where is Alix?"


    "Alix..."


    Jin blinked at her, confused. "What''s wrong? Alix is at home, right? Can you call her out?"


    She pressed her lips. "I am sorry dear but Alix is not at home right now."


    His eyes widened. "Then where is she?"


    "Ho-honestly, I have no clue either. She left as soon as the news hit the television."


    "But why? Why did Alix step down so suddenly? Everything is going just as she had wanted."


    "We don''t know either." Ren Luoyang entered the living room, staring at Jin with slightly furrowed brows.


    "We only saw Alix and Mui talking privately one day and after that discussion, Alix intimated her decision to us. She wanted Mui to be back."


    Jin''s expression looked like a death''s call. "Did Mui say anything to her? Did she try to threaten-"


    "No. Mui herself has been quite shaken since the fashion show," he said somberly. "She had hardly stepped out of her room. It was Alix who had initiated the conversation with her. At first, Mui was undecided to take back the position but Alix convinced her."


    Convinced? Convinced her arch enemy to become the CEO again after everything she made her go through?


    "Do you have any idea where she would have gone? She must have said something."


    "We really don''t know and she said not to ask either..." Ren Cuifen pursed her lips. "Honestly, I am worried too. I have never seen her so strange before."


    Her worry now successfully blended into Jin''s expression too.


    She didn''t tell them where she was going?


    "When will she return home?"


    It was evident from their expressions that they were in the dark just like him.


    "Thank you. I could have stayed for some more time but I am sorry I will have to take my leave."


    "Wait," Ren Luoyang frowned, making his brow slightly pinch in stress.


    "Yes?"


    He took a step closer and stood before him, hands behind his back. His narrowed eyes scrutinized the anxiety in his black pupils.


    "I don''t know where Alix is right now or why she decided to forgive Mui and get her back in the company. But why do I feel that it has something to do with your grandfather''s announcement?"


    He stiffened.


    "Liu Jin, was...Mr. Liu Hai really serious about what he had said?"


    Jin didn''t respond.


    "Cuifen is right. We have noticed a strange change in her ever since the fashion show ended. She looked..."


    He trembled as he slightly heaved breathlessly.


    "I don''t know, she looked like she was ready to leave somewhere..far away. There was a sense of distance in her eyes even more profound than before. Look, Liu Jin."


    He tightened his fingers at his back while his gaze remained sharp.


    "We have already...l-lost..." a lump formed in his throat, "our daughter once. You won''t understand it, but just know that we have."


    Tears brimmed in Ren Cuifen''s eyes and she quietly wiped her lashes.


    "That is why, we cannot afford to lose her once again," this time a mistiness sorrowfully formed in his eyes too. "She has already gone through a very toxic relationship that almost took her sanity away. She has lost so much of her precious time because of one bastard''s viciousness. She could have become so..so much more in this time," his jaw clenched.


    "Frankly speaking, Cuifen and I don''t want her to get into any relationship at this time. We want her to recover, physically and emotionally. We just want her to...live for herself. Don''t take me wrong. I am not comparing you to Yuze. I know you are a good man, but Alix has gone through a lot. So after everything that has happened with her, if she wants to be with you, then we won''t oppose it but only if there is a very, very good reason."


    He leaned slightly, his eyes demanding an answer.


    "That reason must be that Alix loves you and you return her feelings too. You love her just the way she loves you. You will care for her more than she could have ever received here. I won''t ask about your grandfather''s announcement anymore. I will ask you. What do you feel about my daughter, Liu Jin?"

 Chapter 1039: The answer he found

    The cool breeze rushed past Alix''s face in a pleasant rhythm, easing the buried tension in her shoulders. Placing her hands on the railing, she perked her ears to concentrate on the gentle ripples of the waves dancing to the tune of the wind. She closed her eyes, the view of the river fading away into darkness. She stood in that stillness till a soft whisper echoed somewhere.


    "Thank you."


    In that empty void of her thoughts, a flickering apparition of a woman materialized before her. She looked exactly like her except the sorrowful smile that her lips held.


    Alix was taken aback for a moment, for she had not expected her to come before her. She thought she was gone.


    "Thank you for what?"


    "For everything. It''s hard to begin and hard to end. I am in your debt for so many things. For telling the truth to my parents. I think they deserved to know that I...am no more."


    Alix said nothing.


    "Thank you for not telling Mui. She doesn''t deserve to bear this burden."


    "She killed you or at least...that wasn''t her intention."


    "No, it wasn''t. She wanted to save me from Kang Yuze. She knew she had become his puppet. I saw her face when she pushed me. She hated to see what I had become. She wanted to end my misery. But she didn''t know how when she didn''t know how to resist him. It was impossible for her to stand up to him. It was the same for me at one point. He is a dangerous man."


    She smiled. "Isn''t he glad to meet his match then?"


    She smiled back. "I am glad it was you to take my body."


    A beat of silence ensued.


    "Can I ask you a favor?"


    "Hm?"


    "I know you have done a lot for me and my family. You could have ignored everything, but you didn''t. Can I...ask you to continue to take care of them?"


    Alix felt a discomfort prickle her chest.


    "I promise Mom and Dad will love you just the way they loved me. They will never discriminate against you or treat you poorly. They need you, Alix."


    Her breaths trembled in silence.


    "And so does Mui. I know she has her faults. She is naive and a little lost. But I know that she will become stronger with you. She can learn a lot from you."


    "A villain herself can only instill evilness in others."


    "Which is fine, isn''t it? You didn''t save me by being kind or docile."


    There was a long moment of silence.


    "I cannot become the daughter they want me to be."


    "You don''t have to in the first place. You don''t have to pretend to be me. Just be yourself. Just be with them. That''s all they wish."


    Alix closed her eyes and exhaled a silent breath. She opened her eyes a moment later.


    "Okay. But don''t expect too much from me. Relationships are not my forte. Any kind of a relationship."


    A gentle smile laced her lips. "Then perhaps you can learn it this time. What it means to have a loving family and...a man who would go to the ends of the earth for you in a heartbeat."


    Man? Alix blinked twice.


    She simply pointed in a certain direction and smiled again.


    "Goodbye, Alix. Thank you for everything. I wish you the world''s happiness from the bottom of my heart."


    Alix slowly opened her eyes, her brows furrowing at her mysterious smile and disappearance, but she didn''t let that thought linger.


    Thank you to you too Alix.


    Releasing a quiet breath, she turned only to come face-to-face with the man she wanted to escape from. It then dawned upon her what she meant before.


    Alix stared at Jin''s breathless state which clearly told her how he might have indeed gone to the ends of the earth to search for her.


    "You look like you really scoured through the entire city to find me."


    His gaze remained fixed at her in silence while his rattled breaths were beginning to calm down. Something in his dead serious eyes told Alix that she might be right on her mark.


    "You cannot be serious, right?"


    Facing each other at the city''s river walkway, they stood in silence with only the sound of the waves humming between them.


    Alix smiled. "You seem very tired. This is a good place to unwind. So relax all you want. I will give you your privacy."


    She had barely taken a single step when Jin''s body gently collapsed against her. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her close as he let his head rest on her shoulder. She could feel the warmth of his uneven and trembling breaths, ghosting across her skin.


    "Please don''t do this again. Please don''t disappear like this again."


    Alix stood stiff, not knowing where to put her hands. But she was certain not to wrap them around his back.


    "...Why are you hugging me like you just rescued me from some vicious kidnapping plot?"


    She didn''t hear an answer but did feel his embrace growing firmer. She waited for sometime but didn''t see him withdrawing any sooner.


    "Can you please-"


    "I love you."


    She froze.


    "I love you, Alix."


    She looked ahead with a blank stare, trying to register his words that kept bouncing away. Every other voice faded away until only his whispers lingered. Amidst this confrontation, she felt his fingers snake past her cheek to the back of her head as he gently pulled away. For the first time she didn''t have the courage to meet his black eyes, terrified of the feelings they held for her.


    "I love you," he said it the third time, this time looking straight at her.


    Alix didn''t respond as if she had forgotten to breathe.


    "Grandpa asked me. Then Zhou Ai. Then Mr. Ren. They asked what I felt about you. I found my answer when I madly searched for you in every corner of this city. I found my answer when I thought I would never be able to see you again. I found my answer when I saw you again right now. I love you, Alix. I love you."

 Chapter 1040: One truth above everything else

    Jin had a plethora of things he wanted to talk to her about. Should he ask about her decision to step down? Should he ask why she never visited the Liu Corps again? Should he talk about Liu Hai''s announcement first?


    A lot of questions spun his mind into confusion. He couldn''t figure out the heads or tails of the conversation he was about to have with her. But everything drove into a dumpster when he couldn''t find her. Worry replaced his confusion when he couldn''t reach her through calls or texts at all. Her family didn''t know where she was and amidst this, Ren Luoyang''s apprehension struck him like a blade.


    ''She seemed distant as if she was going somewhere far away.''


    All of a sudden, a nasty fear of never being able to see her again crawled in Jin''s heart. He drove through all possible places where Alix could be - including Lin''s cafe against his own wishes.


    But she was nowhere.


    His fingers ached at one point dialing her number and sending the same messages again and again and again but not getting any reply from her pained him more than anything. He sat still in his car, waiting for the traffic to clear while staring at his phone with unblinking eyes and a pounding heart.


    Where are you...Where are you...?


    He rubbed his eyes that were beginning to turn misty and slowly turned his head to look outside the window - which was when he froze. A familiar figure he knew all too well was standing at the walkway facing the river. Not letting her out of his sight even for a moment, he rushed out of his car at the first chance.


    "Hey! You just cannot leave your car in the middle of-"


    Jin handed the traffic policeman his car keys. "Park it aside please."


    "What the hell-"


    "I will pay your fines."


    And he moved past the officer without a second thought, leaving the former dumbstruck.


    Alix...


    Alix...


    At first he walked hurriedly, then ran at the fastest speed it was humanly possible for him. When he reached her side, so close that he could touch her if he just stretched his arm - the rest of the entire world''s concerns had already vanished by that point, leaving only one realization to rise above the dust that settled.


    I love you.


    That''s what he ended up saying out loud - the only truth that remained in his heart and the only truth that mattered.


    "I love you."


    Jin could feel his heartbeats going through the roof with every syllable he uttered. Blood rushed everywhere like a crazy sprint, making him feel hot and dizzy. The shock and silence from Alix was naturally ramping up the tension for him.


    He breathed out shakily. "I love you and..."


    What was I going to say next?


    Jin realized that though he said what mattered the most, he couldn''t form any more words to express himself.


    "Please don''t...disappear on me like that again. I couldn''t reach you, you..didn''t respond back to me and I hated that. I want to continue to talk to you, I want to keep meeting you everyday because I love you so much. The past week went horrible because you were not there. The office was empty, I didn''t see you anywhere, I didn''t hear you at all and it was just horrible..I searched for you everywhere and you...don''t know how relieved I felt when I saw you just now. I thought you had really left somewhere for good.."


    He knew he seriously lacked coherence at this moment but he only cared about expressing what his heart wanted the most in one breathless flow.


    But Alix didn''t want what he wanted and with that affirmation, she shook his hand away holding her cheek.


    "Bravo for the confession, Liu Jin but you are saying it in front of the wrong woman. I am not Han Shui."


    He froze.


    "Surely you are confused, right? You love Shui, not me so your words don''t make any sense to me."


    Jin stared into the cold depths of her eyes, a bad foreboding ringing in his ears.


    "I know who I am confessing to. I know I am standing before Ren Alix, not Han Shui. I am not confused."


    "You definitely are otherwise nothing else explains your confused confession. You don''t actually mean that you fell for me just because we spent some time together, does it now?"


    "...The time we spent together is not..just some time for me, Alix," his voice said with a quiver.


    Jin never expected Alix to come all rushing in his embrace with joy and say that she returned his feelings too. He could sense that it was his one-sided feelings for now. He wasn''t expecting her acceptance but he hadn''t expected such a cold distance either. Her bleak and wintry gaze unnerved him as if rejection wasn''t even a concern here.


    Then what is...Why is she looking like that? He shuddered.


    Amidst a gust of chilled air that blew past them, he saw her lips ever so faintly curve into a smile.


    "...Is that so?"


    With that said, she slowly took a step away from him and said, "I am sorry but I don''t feel that way about you, neither a relationship between us is possible in any way."


    Jin stood still, the world becoming absolutely silent. Between his chaotic thoughts that threatened to plunge him in an abyss, he felt her walk past him. Panicked, he held her arm and stopped her.


    "I..I am not asking you to answer me right away," he struggled to breathe. "I am just-"


    "It''s not about time. The answer won''t change even if you ask me back a year later. It''s just not possible."


    She stepped away when he blocked her way again.


    "W-Why? Why is it..." he painfully swallowed a gulp, "not possible between us?"


    "You were meant to be with Shui, not me. So am I her replacement?"


    Alix immediately regretted her words as soon as they escaped her lips. Even she felt that Jin didn''t deserve these cutting words, knowing what he had went through.


    "You are not a replacement."


    She slowly lifted her gaze, staring into his sincere black irises. She had braced for a look of pain but instead, his eyes gleamed with even greater resolve.


    A resolve that didn''t seem would be shaken by her excuses. It felt an unyielding force that wouldn''t bow down before her lies.


    She didn''t respond for a long time and the silence felt only crippling. Coming to a decision, she asked,


    "Will you wait for me here?"


    Jin blinked twice. "What?"


    "I have to go somewhere right now. Will you wait for me until I return?"


    After combing through the city hell and back for her, Jin wasn''t sure if he wanted her out of his sight.


    "Rest assured, I will return," she said reading his anxious gaze. "I will return and give you your answer."

 Chapter 1041 1041: The lie called Ren Alix

    Jin checked the time where it had already been well past an hour but there was no sign of Alix yet. He trusted her promise to be back but his restless heart failed to calm down. In the silence of the loneliness, he backtracked and wondered if he did the right thing by confessing to her.


    Did I ruin everything between us?


    Should I have just kept quiet and only continued to be her good friend?


    But he was aware that that wasn''t any viable solution. Sooner or later, his feelings were bound to come out in front of her. It was impossible for them to remain as friends when he had fallen so hard for her.


    "I think I am going to die..." he covered his face.


    "Don''t die so soon already."


    His head jerked up and his eyes widened. A breath of relief escaped his lips, joy overflowing his heart.


    "You are back."


    "I said I would return. Did you not believe me?"


    "I did but..."


    The wait was the most agonizing I have ever endured.


    Jin held his breath and asked, "The thing you wanted to do...are you done with it?"


    Alix answered after a long moment. "Yes. That''s why I came back. To do the same thing with you or rather...have the similar conversation with you."


    "I don''t understand..."


    "I went to meet Lin."


    He felt as if he just brutally collided against an iceberg, the chilliness blasting at him in all directions. He couldn''t point it out but he felt Alix saw Lin differently despite not knowing anything about him at all. She had exchanged numbers with him that day and was strangely passionate about proving him innocent. It was also why Jin wasn''t too thrilled to check her presence at his cafe. He was more afraid of finding her there than not.


    "Oh..." he didn''t know what kind of an expression to make.


    "Hou Lin huh..But...why did you have to meet him right now?" He asked with a thousand needles stabbing his throat.


    "I wanted to tell him the truth before I told you, before I told anybody else because he deserves to know it first."


    That left him even more befuddled. "What truth?"


    "The reason why it is impossible between us. It''s not about your feelings or my feelings. We simply cannot be together because once you know who I am, you will walk away on your own."


    He stared at her. "I will never walk away from you."


    A wry smile formed on her lips. "You will. You will have to. You won''t have a choice."


    "It doesn''t matter what it is."


    "It does. My identity matters a lot."


    "Identity?"


    Alix stared at Jin in silence for a long time. She looked into his black eyes, which she knew would soon be filled with hatred instead of the love they held right now.


    "I am Zhan Yahui."


    Jin blinked rapidly. "I am sorry?"


    "I am Zhan Yahui," she repeated. "I am not Ren Alix. No, the correct way to say it is that I am physically Ren Alix but the soul inside belongs to Zhan Yahui''s. The real Ren Alix died with that fall from the stairs. The woman who woke up from the coma was not her. It was me - Zhan Yahui."


    Jin could only meet her dead serious expression with a blank stare. He heard her supposed ''truth'' but his mind struggled to make sense of it.


    "I...I don''t get it. How do you know about Zhan Yahui?"


    "Because I am Zhan Yahui."


    "That''s not possible."


    "If your rebirth can be possible, so can my reincarnation."


    Jin froze hard. A steep silence fell as he tried to connect two and two together. There was no way that Alix or anybody outside the Liu family knew about his, Jun and Ai''s rebirth.


    "In your case, the golden clock went ten years back for the sole purpose to defeat me. In my case, I got reborn into a different body almost seven years after my death. You went back into the past. I jumped into the future."


    That only further drained every last bit of any color remaining on his face. The details about the mystical golden clock were even more private.


    "N-No, that is not...possible. Standing before me is Ren Alix, not her."


    "That is just my face. And yes it is possible. I know what you are going through. Her parents had the same reaction. It''s unbelievable for the outside world."


    Suddenly, Ren Luoyang''s words echoed in his ears.


    ''We have already...l-lost our daughter once. You won''t understand it, but just know that we have. That is why, we cannot afford to lose her once again.''


    "If you still don''t believe me, then you can ask me anything you want about the past life where Lin and I died at your father''s hands or this life where I had killed myself."


    Jin stumbled back, the last of her words crashing upon him like a mountain shattering apart. The things Alix uttered in the last five minutes were only known in his family. The past life was a tight-knit secret, yet for Alix to claim so many things only proved that she wasn''t lying. She couldn''t be. And with that one dawn of the truth, everything suddenly became crystal clear to him.


    What had brought such a stark change in Alix after she woke up from her coma?


    Why she wasn''t interested in chasing after Yuze anymore?


    Why she felt so different from the Alix he had met six years ago?


    Because the real Alix was long gone. A completely new person had taken over her, who exhibited her own personality and beliefs - the same beliefs that Jin hated at one time. The same woman he loathed for destroying his family in the past.


    It was the same woman he had fallen in love with so hopelessly at present.


    Alix watched the tears fall down his cheeks with a self-deprecating smile.


    "I told you, Liu Jin. You will walk away on your own."

 Chapter 1042: What truly is happy future?

    Zhan Yahui...


    Zhan Yahui...


    Jin tried to make sense of the reality but only a pitch black darkness enveloped his gaze. Zhan Yahui was an existence he could never forget, yet he failed to understand how could that same evilness dwell within Ren Alix?


    He stared at her with a clear gaze and felt it then. She was just like Zhan Yahui yet not like Zhan Yahui at the same time.


    Alix smiled. "You want to ask how could a vile woman like me be back? Your brother deserved every right to get a second chance but not me. It''s complicated, just like how it must have been for you to turn time back."


    He said nothing.


    "Nevertheless, I am here. I understand your feelings, that is why I want to assure you that I didn''t return to ruin your family again. But an assurance from me..." she chuckled sardonically, "would hardly be of any use to you, isn''t it?"


    He said nothing.


    A steep silence fell where nobody uttered a single word further. Alix wasn''t sure what else she should say. She waited to see if Jin would respond but as she expected, his quietness was his answer in itself.


    "I am not here to harm your family," she said again as if that would make any difference.


    She looked into his vacant gaze. From the greatest joy of his life, she had made him fall into the deepest hell of misery. It pricked her chest. She had no intentions to hurt anybody anymore, yet somehow she had become the cause of Jin''s pain again.


    She wryly smiled to herself.


    I guess that''s how it always will be. I am not meant to give happiness to anybody...


    She said in a low whisper, "I am sorry. If I had even remotely known that you...would start to feel something for me, I would have never shown my face to you."


    Sensing that he had nothing to say - not at this moment when his hopes and love had shattered into a million pieces, she thought it was best for her to leave. She held no doubts that he would come again to confront her and punish her for her crimes.


    It is to be expected. It''s not enough no matter how many times I am made to pay for my sins, she thought expressionlessly.


    I guess I shouldn''t have promised Alix so soon...


    The click of her heels tapped as she slowly walked past him. As the distance between them kept widening, she slightly tilted her head. Until an hour ago, Jin couldn''t bear to leave her out of his sight, yet now his tall frame blocking her view was nowhere to be seen again.


    She blinked twice and then smiled to herself.


    That''s how it should be-


    She stopped but not on her own. A hand held her arm, bringing her steps to a halt. She took a deep breath.


    I guess a little delay of my payback was a far-fetched notion...


    Alix turned, her heart steeled to see the viciousness and hatred in his eyes. Contrary to her expectations, Jin held a strange gaze she couldn''t decipher the meaning of.


    "...I was told that the cost of turning back time will be my future."


    She stared at him.


    "It was the sacrifice of my happy future I made in exchange for those ten years. I accepted it. After what I did to hurt Shui, I admitted that I deserved it too."


    Alix''s eyes slightly widened. She knew that for something like turning back time, Jin must have paid a cost but it was now that she learned the true answer. A thought then occurred to her.


    "That''s some shitty game the Gods have played with you then."


    What else could be a joke than to fall in love with your past life''s enemy after already giving up on your childhood love?


    A love failed twice...She bitterly thought.


    "I-Is it really a game?" He asked, his gaze glassy. "Just now..I kept thinking and thinking and thinking if the Gods...do They really hate me so much that They want to see me suffer like this? I didn''t wish for time to turn back because I selfishly wanted something for myself. I only w-wanted Bro to be happy...So why did the God of Fate write a destiny like this for me?"


    Alix didn''t answer, neither did she have one.


    "Then I began to wonder..." he continued, his voice distant, "Was my understanding of my sacrifice flawed since the beginning?"


    Her brows slightly knitted.


    "Was the meaning of happy future in itself something different than I had imagined? I stubbornly thought that my happiness was in Shui and that I will never be able to move past my feelings for her, but...I fell in love with you. Now you tell me the truth of who you are and I am supposed to feel that yet again, I will never be able to move past your real identity, but...I still keep seeing Ren Alix in front of my eyes."


    Jin slowly looked up at the sky, trying to search the shadow of that annoying God of Fate with quivering eyelashes.


    His lips parted in a daze. "I get it now...He...wants to challenge my definition of happy future. What I always assumed my happiness would lie in might not necessarily be my reality. It was easy to ignore my mistakes and marry Shui, but what if that attachment would have only ended up in a tragedy because of my unresolved guilt?"


    He gradually lowered his gaze, peering into her eyes - Alix''s eyes.


    "It is easy for me to consume myself in hatred and let go of you, but is it...what I should really do?"


    He let out a small peal of wry chuckle. "You know it''s like...a-at times Ailun doesn''t really understand what he wants. He thinks he knows what he wants but it is not until Zhou Ai brings the right thing before him that he realizes that that was what he wanted all along. Parents understand what their children don''t. Are the Gods and I like Zhou Ai and Ailun? Maybe They didn''t steal my happiness but stole the illusion I clung to."


    "Be-Because..." his voice cracked with a lump in his throat, "Right now as you stand before me, I am not able to give up on you at all."

 Chapter 1043 1043: You are not wrong

    Liu Corps.


    "Where do you think Jin got stuck at? It''s quite late already."


    Ai hugged the fluffy Jun-kun and rested her head on his back while she simultaneously petted Ai-chan on her side. She looked at the time which was well past seven and wondered where the conversation would have taken so long between them.


    She drew out a long sigh and began to type a message for Jin when the door slowly creaked open. Her face shone upon Jin''s return.


    "Jin! What took you so long? Did you get to talk to Alix?"


    Jin stopped midway and threw a blank stare at Ai, unable to figure out what she was doing in his office. A moment later he recalled that she had already been in his office since the morning but hadn''t expected her to still stay back so late.


    *Meow*


    Jun-kun and Ai-chan sat straight on their paws with a strange light in their eyes. They hopped out of the couch and hurried to his side, continuously meowing at him.


    "Jin?"


    Ai, too, realized that something was wrong and slowly walked up to him. Seeing his pale expression as if he just returned from hell, she asked, stumped, "What..What happened? Why have you been crying?"


    As if hurt and fatigued by a long painful journey, Jin''s knees finally gave away as he fell.


    "J-Jin! What''s wrong? Please tell me what happened. You are making me worry..." Ai urged.


    Hearing no response from him, she pressed her lips and slowly bent to his level, holding her belly. Watching a sense of defeat in his eyes compelled her to believe that something had terribly gone wrong.


    "Jin..." she gently whispered, "Tell me what happened, no? Please...Did something occur with Alix?"


    Jin lifted his gaze and stared at her until tears brimmed his eyes. He stared and stared until his eyes hurt and turned redder but that didn''t bother him in the least.


    "What...should I do, Zhou Ai? I...k-know that I shouldn''t have fallen for her but I c-couldn''t help it. It just happened and I couldn''t stop it..."


    Her eyes widened in disbelief. Until now Jin hadn''t come clean with his feelings and admitted that he liked Alix but now he had.


    "Did you confess to Alix?"


    Hope and joy overwhelmed her heart but then watching Jin''s defeated expression at the same time, she wondered if...


    "Did she..."


    Her heart raced with every passing moment. It pained her to utter the word ''reject.''


    Jin trembled, his breaths becoming chaotic. "Pl-please don''t hate me, Zhou Ai. I-I know I shouldn''t love her but...but...I just...It''s wrong and I know but," his countenance paled further, "but s-she is not like be-before and I know I am supposed to h-hate her but I cannot..."


    Ai was left even more stunned than before.


    "I don''t understand, Jin. Why will I hate you for loving Alix? And why should you hate Alix?"


    He grabbed her hands, desperation overwhelming his black pupils. Ai lowered her gaze and seeing his shaking hands, fear further grew within her.


    "You don''t understand, Zhou Ai. We-we all should be hating her, but I cannot f-find myself doing it. I really thought that I would loathe her sight but I couldn''t do it...But y-you have to trust me! I still love Bro the most and I-I know she did horrible things to you and Bro a-and so I should let her go and hate her but I...keep seeing Alix in her and Alix is n-not a bad person, Zhou Ai. You have seen her too, right? She has visited our villa so many times so but y-you will think that I am an idiot-"


    "Jin."


    Ai firmly gripped his hands, trying to stop them from quivering. She looked at him with a quiet but reassuring gaze.


    "You are not an idiot and nobody will ever hate you. Please calm down. Breathe and then tell me very slowly what happened. I promise I won''t judge you."


    Tears slipped down his eyes and his cheeks ached.


    "Alix...is Zhan...Yahui."


    She held the same expression as Jin had when Alix broke the reality to him and just like she had asked, he talked slowly, explaining everything from the time he had rushed out of his office.


    Ai trembled hard as she stared at him and the past life''s horror came rushing into her mind. In this life, they had moved past the tragedy and changed their own fate, defying all odds. But the one who had started the entire saga of revenge in the first place was now back in somebody else''s body.


    Jin''s grip tightened on his hand, the color starting to fade from his face by her silence.


    "I know what you are thinking, t-that I am such a selfish person for falling for somebody like her and that I don''t love Bro anymore but that''s not true, Zhou Ai...I still hate Zhan Yahui and ev-everything that she did but A-Alix is different. I know I shouldn''t think like that b-but she is really a different person but everybody will hate me-"


    "Jin," Ai shed her silence and locked her gaze into his, grave and unblinking. "I don''t hate you. I will never hate you. Please stop thinking that."


    Jin vigorously shook her head. "But she is Zhan Yahui, h-how can you not hate me? I-I a horrible and selfish person..."


    Ai held his face between her palms and forced him to look into her eyes.


    "I will keep repeating this no matter how many times you keep being harsh on yourself. You are not a horrible or a selfish person and you did nothing wrong with falling in love with Alix because you have fallen for Ren Alix, not Zhan Yahui. I.." she pursed her lips, "I admit I felt shaken for sometime. I couldn''t help but remember the past and its pain. It is impossible to forget that."


    Jin bit his lip hard, his heart ramming against his chest feeling a bad foreboding.


    "But Alix..." her lips quivered as she whispered, "is different. She is not the same Zhan Yahui who wanted to hurt us or else she wouldn''t have saved me from Cai Lingyun months ago. I..." her voice choked, tears brimming her eyes, "don''t think my ba..baby would have been fine if not for her..." her trembling fingers tapped her belly.


    Jin stared at her pregnant belly and thought back to that Business Summit evening. It was the first time he had met her after six years and it was then the first inkling had tugged at him how different she had become.


    But more importantly, he still remembered how madly she had sprinted towards Cai Lingyun and stabbed his thigh with a knife without a second thought. Had it not been for Alix, Ai and her unborn child would have gotten into a tragic accident.


    "Not just for me, Alix has been the way we would have never imagined her to be before. That is why the Gods gave her a second chance too, right? For a villain who had destroyed us in the past to be reborn, she wouldn''t return to ruin us and start the cycle of revenge all over again. She deserved a second chance just like we did. You are not wrong, Jin. You are not wrong to love her."

 Chapter 1044 1044: Sail the ship

    "No..." Jin heaved breathlessly, "Nobody will understand. Nobody will f-forgive her. N-Nobody will accept my love for her...I-It''s impossible, Zhou Ai. I-I will disappoint Mom, Dad and Bro..."


    Her eyes widened. "How will you disappoint them? Like I said, you fell for Ren Alix and she is a changed-"


    He shook his head, trembling as if was submerging in a biting chilliness. "No, no, no! It''s impossible for our family to accept us. E-Even if I long for her, n-nobody will accept our relationship, much less...accept her becoming the daughter-in-law...That''s what she said, Zhou Ai."


    Tears fell like a broken dam, his eyes losing all hope.


    "T-That''s what Alix said. She cannot be with me. She can.. never love me the way I love her. Even if she happens to by some chance, my family won''t ever accept her. How would they? They will only see her as Zhan Yahui and not Alix...


    But I don''t want to give up on her, Zhou Ai. The v-very thought makes me feel nauseous. I just want one chance..I will do everything to make her like me back but our family will always be against us a-and I don''t know what to do. I have no way to reassure her because she is right..."


    His head collapsed on Ai''s lap as he broke down into tears. His back looked like a small frightened child hiding from the dangers to come. The past, the present, the future - everything was woven into one complicated situation that made it nearly impossible for them to have any future.


    Ai''s eyes ached with tears. His guilt with Shui had already left Jin weak and vulnerable over the long, painful years. Alix was the hope that would have brought back the light in his life. But even this spark of hope now seemed to drown in the darkness of the abyss.


    She lifted his head and wiped his tears with a soft glare in her eyes.


    "What do you mean that nobody will accept? I accept Alix and I support your love for her. I understand her point of view as well and why she would reject you, but I also know that you will be able to win her over eventually. The Lius'' are very charming. Also, you are just as cute as Jun so there is no way Alix wouldn''t melt with your cuteness one day."


    "You don''t understand-"


    "I understand everything. You are worried about how everybody will react and it''s a valid concern but I am sure that they will also see the goodness in Alix. Do you doubt Grandpa? He openly wants her to become his granddaughter-in-law!"


    "That is only because he doesn''t know the truth!"


    "But he liked Alix because she was nowhere like Zhan Yahui! They might be the same person but they hold completely different intentions now. Everybody will understand that, including Jun."


    His fingers clutching into her hand trembled. "Bro..Bro will too?"


    Ai nodded. "Jun is not only cute but also has a golden heart. He will see the picture too the way you are seeing it. You..." she held his tighter, "You have to trust our family, Jin. Give them a chance. Everybody only wants to see you happy. They will definitely understand your feelings and Alix''s feelings too.


    Zhan Yahui...wasn''t a bad person, Jin. It was the circumstances and misunderstandings that made her that way. Yes, that doesn''t forgive her crimes but she was simply lost in the past. Now, she isn''t. Now she knows what she should live for. That is why she saved me, saved Shui in Kang Yuze''s company party and worked so hard to help Ren designs from sinking. Everybody will see her redemption, Jin. So..."


    Ai wiped his tears and patted his face. "No more crying. I feel your fear but worry not as I am here!" She beamed. "I will help you sail your ship. Jun can never ignore my charm. I am a naturally warm and lovable person," she nodded.


    For the first time today, a light chuckle automatically fell on his lips out of the blue. He felt the cats jump on his lap and rubbed their cheeks against his belly. They huddled together to give him warmth and comfort.


    *Meow*


    "See, even the cats agree," she clapped her hands with delight. "So you have the full force behind you! We will make it possible for sure!" She harrumphed.


    ¡ª


    "Bro?"


    Cai peeked in Lin''s room and found him sitting all alone in darkness. His eyes teared up seeing his state and he sniffled.


    "Bro..."


    "...I am okay, Cai. Just give me some alone time please," he solemnly whispered.


    Cai pressed his lips and quietly closed the door. The darkness settled in once again as Lin continued to stare out of the window with Alix''s truth that kept replaying in his mind like a broken record.


    A few hours earlier.


    "Can we talk? Privately." Alix quietly asked, standing before the cash counter at Lin''s cafe.


    Her sudden visit took him by surprise, nevertheless he happily welcomed her. With his own overlapping thoughts about Alix and Yahui since the fashion show, a tinge of joy sparked his chest upon meeting her again.


    "Sure. Let us head upstairs."


    He let Cai handle the orders and counter for sometime as they headed up in a private room. He patiently stood before her and asked, "What is it you wanted to say?"


    Alix took a few long moments, trying to gather her thoughts.


    "I had decided to never come out with this. I thought it was for the best, for you and Cai who were moving forward in their life and living a life of dignity."


    He blinked, confused.


    "But now I am facing a situation where I must reveal the truth to somebody or else...he won''t back down. But before I told him, I wanted to tell you first because you deserve to know it first considering our history."


    "History?"


    She looked straight at him and said, "I know it''s hard to believe but I am Zhan Yahui. It is my - Yahui''s soul in Ren Alix''s body."

 Chapter 1045 1045: Cannot bear to lose you again

    Alix had expected to see a look of disbelief and confusion etched on his face and she was prepared to explain everything to him. On the contrary, he seemed as if the revelation and the mere impossibility of a reincarnation to happen in real life had hardly fazed him. A tear rolled down on his cheek as he struggled to move his lips.


    "...Don''t tell me that you actually believed me?"


    He froze.


    "Y-You are not Zhan Yahui?"


    "I am talking about the reincarnation part."


    A visible sigh of relief escaped his lips. "I do...I believe you. I..."


    More tears continued to slip down his reddened eyes. His cheeks and jaw ached with the overwhelming realization of her being alive. He eventually broke down, his soft sobs echoing his years of repressed agony in the room.


    "You are...alive..." he choked. "You are alive..."


    He gently pulled her into his embrace, hugging her firmly as if he was afraid to lose her the next moment. He wanted to feel that this wasn''t an illusion and that the words sweetly chiming in his ears weren''t a trick of his mind.


    Alix pressed her lips and only stood awkwardly in his embrace.


    "You believed me way too easily."


    She didn''t get a response in return. After what it seemed like a long time, Lin pulled back, wiping his eyes.


    "...It seems like you already knew?"


    How can that be possible? We look completely different, she thought.


    "I wasn''t sure but...I just felt that...you felt a lot like Yahui. You ordered the same coffee as her, you talked and acted like her, you seemed to know a lot about Cai and me too..."


    Alix grimaced. She wasn''t sure if she was too obvious in leaking her previous self or was Lin just too sharp to not miss anything.


    "I know it was impossible but I just...couldn''t help but wonder if y-you can be really...her. I felt foolish thinking about that possibility. I know you were gone, yet at times...I felt your presence as if you were always beside me. In the six years I spent in prison, it felt as if you were always watching me..."


    She pressed her index finger and thumb together and pursed her lips.


    "You...were there, right? You press your fingers like that when you lie."


    "No, I don''t."


    His heart raced thinking about all those times where he really never felt so lonely. Some convicts had called him crazy but only he knew that he always felt a presence, always there by his side as if accompanying him through his tough prison time.


    "Yes, you do. You were in-indeed beside me. I know because I have felt it. And I always wanted to ask but couldn''t. Why..." his eyes ached, "Why did you kill yourself?"


    She stiffened.


    His fists balled thinking back to that fateful day of Yahui''s death.


    "Why did you leave me alone? You..you could have lived and repented," his jaw clenched, "I know it was hard b-but I would have always been by your side. No matter how harsh things might have turned out, I would have never let you deal with it all alone. We could have...overcome it together. So why would you...Do you know how I lived in the past six years without you?"


    She slightly lowered her eyes, unable to meet his gaze.


    "Do you know how it felt to keep realizing that I won''t ever be able to see you again? I dreamt about you everyday but when I opened my eyes, it would rain down on me all over again how...how you are n-no more...And even now, you didn''t tell me until so many months had passed since your new body woke up from the coma."


    "You and Cai had found a new life so I-"


    "So what? So you thought you should stay away from us?"


    "That was for the best."


    Alix didn''t feel any remorse. Even if Lin wasn''t aware, she knew how painful his ending had been in the past life - in the dark underworld base where they had taken their last breaths, tortured to death. Only because she was in his life that he met with such a tragic fate. Now without her in their lives, she wished they would live their respectable and dignified lives they had always meant to live.


    "My happiness is not without you, Yahui..." his voice broke. "Whatever you assumed was the right reason was completely wrong."


    "No, it wasn''t and that is not the point here. I just wanted you to know the truth."


    He stared at her. "...Why now after so many months?"


    Alix was silent for a moment before she said, "Liu Jin confessed to me."


    It was that point where Lin exhibited the expression Alix had expected in the beginning.


    "Con...confess?" He asked with a barely audible voice.


    It was difficult to accept that Jin held feelings for Alix when it was so clear that he loved Shui with all his heart. Shui, in turn, loved him back. It was only a matter of time before they would sort their differences and eventually come together.


    "H-How is that possible...? Sir Liu loves-"


    "It was supposed to be that way but circumstances have...changed."


    He felt a chill run in the back of the spine. He was only beginning to sink in the happiness of Alix''s return when he was already drowned in ice-cold water.


    "Does he know that you are..."


    "No. That''s why I came here. It''s impossible between us. But he won''t," she slightly but her lip, "give up until he knows the truth. He will automatically back off once-"


    "N-No! You cannot reveal this to Sir Jin," he breathed hard. "Yahui, you don''t understand. They m-might not let you go once he knows who you are..! He might punish you for all that we did and we don''t know what will happen..." his voice trembled, "No, Yahui. I don''t want to see you suffer when you have already..."


    "I know that, Lin and I am prepared for that," she smiled.


    Stunned, he said, "I am not, Ya-Yahui. I am not prepared to lose the woman I love again."


    She froze.


    Lin tremblingly held her hand as he continued with jittery breaths.


    "I could never say this before because I thought that I was happy just being your friend. I thought..we could stay like this forever but I was wrong. When I held your cold body in my arms, I realized that I cou-couldn''t be just your friend anymore but it a-already was too late by then. That''s why...please, Yahui," his gaze begged with desperation, "D-Don''t go back to Sir Liu. Don''t go back to a fate where you could be...dead again because I won''t be able to bear it again."

 Chapter 1046: Indebted

    "...It''s not possible between us."


    Alix said after a long battle with herself. It was relatively easy for her to step away from Jin because of the friction between her and his family in the past. It was painfully obvious that nothing could ever happen between them.


    But Lin was different. Her friendship with him was different. The sorrows and struggles they endured together were different. Yet despite all that, she knew the final outcome.


    "I don''t...see you that way."


    Lin stood still, feeling his heart in his throat. He clenched his fists, inhaling a silent breath.


    "I know," he breathed out quietly. "I know you don''t see me that way. It was always my one-sided feelings. I didn''t want to burden you with them either because you had a goal to achieve. And I thought that once you get the revenge you want, we can...But this is not the life from six years before. You have a new life and so do I. So if you," he trembled, "gi-give me one chance..."


    Alix felt her eyes ache. From his longing eyes to quivering lips, her heart wavered to utter the cruel words of rejection. She could feel how long he had waited for this moment and how it was taking every bit of his strength and courage to confess to her.


    "It''s not that I cannot love you. You are one fine man any woman can spend her life with her eyes closed," a solemn darkness then clouded her expression. "But I feel..more indebted to you than loving you..."


    "Indebted..?"


    "You let a young girl take shelter in your house who had threatened you at knife point. You could have easily handed me to the police but you didn''t. I got a roof over my head because of you. Your parents sucked but at the very least, I could become family with Cai. You supported my vicious goals despite not necessarily agreeing to my methods and you..."


    Suffered a horrible death for that...And faced six years in prison, she thought.


    Even though she saw tears as a sign of weakness, she couldn''t stop them from blurring her vision. Alix faced him, shame washing over her heart like nature''s deadly force.


    "For all the kindness you showed me, I gave you nothing in return. Staying by my side only brought pain and punishment in your life. I selfishly made a good and capable man suffer."


    "That is not true-"


    She raised her hand and interrupted him.


    "I know you won''t say that. Our friendship is too close and deep for you to not blame me. You are willing to ignore the past purely based on your love for me. But that will only...make me more indebted to you. If not for you and Cai, I might have probably," her voice lowered to a whisper, "killed myself sooner. I was afraid of living alone. It was dark and cold before you and Cai came into my life."


    He shook.


    "After I reincarnated in this body, I kept wondering what I could do to pay my debt to you. But I could think of nothing other than stepping away from your lives and let you brothers live a life of dignity and respect. So..."


    Her voice faltered but she continued. "There are simply too many emotions that I cannot sort out within myself to feel worthy of you."


    Tears slid down his eyes. "There was never a question of worthiness between us Yah...Alix."


    "Not for you. You are a good and upright man," she smiled a forlorn smile. "But the person I had become made me unworthy of love in itself. Neither can I be with Liu Jin whose family I destroyed, nor can I be with you for whom I destroyed six years of his life as well. Especially you w-who have been nothing but good to someone like me."


    A long stretch of silence prevailed between them. Alix couldn''t face him again, unable to watch his defeated expression.


    Again...Once again I only brought pain to him...


    She exhaled breathlessly akin to somebody strangling her without mercy.


    "I am sorry..." she shook hard. "I know sorry doesn''t even matter anymore. I have made too many mistakes for an apology to make any sense. But I..am sorry that I cannot accept your love."


    She slowly felt her face lift up as Lin gently tugged her chin. Amidst the agony of his failed confession, a warm smile remained on his lips.


    "You don''t have to be sorry for anything, Alix. You don''t have to feel obliged to return my feelings just because of our history or my love. But at the same time, I also want to tell you that you are not indebted to me. If you are counting the things that I did for you, then you have done much more for me. Cai and I would only have been the weak and reclusive brothers had you not come into our lives. You might only see darkness within you but to us, you were that ray of light who broke through ours."


    "...Please don''t say such things," her face reddened as it became difficult for her to speak.


    "No, Alix. If you are willing to admit your sins, then you should also be willing to see the goodness in you. If you were so evil and irredeemable as you claim, then this miracle wouldn''t have been possible. If God can see that, then why cannot you?"


    She bit her lip in response.


    "I will support your every decision. If...If you have decided to reveal the truth to Sir Jin, then I won''t stop you. But," a glint of a cold, unyielding determination filled his eyes, "I won''t let him or the Liu family punish you anymore either. And you won''t stop me from interfering. It''s a new life for you and I won''t let anybody hurt you."


    "No way that you would do anything like-"


    "No," Lin didn''t offer her any retreat. "I believe there is a meaning and purpose behind your second chance. That chance... cannot be imprisoned within the underworld''s walls. I won''t allow that, Alix. Never."

 Chapter 1047: A good woman for a good man

    Alix''s eyes gently fluttered open in the dark stillness of her room. She stared at the ceiling for a while as if that would calm the storm in her heart and give her the answers she needed. A streak of light crept in as the door slightly creaked open and Alix made an annoyed face.


    "Who?"


    "...It''s me."


    Mui''s quiet whisper made her glance at her side. "What?"


    She kept her body stuck to the door frame, clasping the knob in her palm. "You should take back the CEO''s position."


    Alix blinked twice. "That''s the kind of important discussion you want to have by standing in the doorway?"


    She silently pressed her lips. "I have nothing more to say..."


    "But you are making me have a lot more to say so come in already."


    Mui didn''t move.


    "I can make you move if I want."


    She closed the door behind her and walked in with such light and airy steps as if her existence was merely an illusion.


    "What is the problem?"


    "I don''t want to be the CEO."


    "Why not?"


    "...Because I should be in jail."


    "No, you don''t. You really don''t want to take the first hand experience of living in jail."


    I have seen that with Lin, she thought.


    "My choice doesn''t matter."


    "But my choice to lodge a complaint against you does and I am not really in a mood for it so...well, good luck with your job. I am cheering for you."


    She tightly interlocked her fingers. "Why would you not do that?"


    "Because Kang Yuze is already in jail and I understand what coercion is."


    "He didn''t tell me to push you off..." she failed to complete the sentence that reminded her of what she did.


    "Yes, he did. Not everything has to be spoken out loud."


    She bit her lip hard. "I don''t...don''t want your kindness. It is only hurting me."


    Alix frowned. "What do you mean I am not hurting you? Of course I want to. A CEO''s job is not easy. Are you not seeing that I am dumping everything on you? I won''t have to lift a finger anymore to live a luxurious life. And why are we having this conversation again? Didn''t we already talk about this..like last week? Why are you making me repeat?"


    "You forced that announcement when I am still not convinced," she said in a low voice.


    "But I am and that''s what matters. You know, the one thing I have learned from the Liu twins is that being the eldest sibling is awesome because you get to exercise your authority over the younger ones. Sometimes, age is a wonderful concept."


    "But-"


    "You want me to kick you where I had kicked that prick?"


    Mui''s eyes widened and she instinctively closed her legs with a shudder passing through her spine. It was as if Yuze''s physical pain transferred onto her.


    Alix smiled. "I thought so. The discussion is over. Close the door on your way out."


    Saying that, she lazily turned to the side on the bed with a yawn. A few seconds later, her mouth violently twitched and she asked, "Why are you still standing there like a mannequin? You are making me feel this room is haunted."


    "...I will leave."


    "Thanks."


    Mui took two steps and stopped. She turned towards her again.


    "Seriously, just speak your mind and get it out already - anything but the previous conversation."


    Mui didn''t know how to say it. "...I am...not trying to act like a normal sister out of the blue..."


    Alix frowned.


    Normal sister?


    "But...I just wanted to ask will you and Liu Jin be together now?"


    Alix froze. She slowly turned to face her and felt her awkward expression.


    "Why are you asking that?"


    "I mean..a-after the fashion show I thought you two would...I mean it''s clear that he likes you so..but I don''t know about you..." she quickly looked away.


    "Do you like him?"


    Mui let out a sharp gasp and stumbled back. "No!"


    Alix''s eyes slightly widened in response. "Why did you give such a sharp reaction as if I spoke of a sin? Liu Jin is a good man."


    She frantically shook her head. "I don''t see him that way. I just thought...N-Nothing! Doesn''t matter. I will leave."


    And she finally raced out of her room without a second thought.


    Alix stared ahead at the empty space, thinking back to Jin''s lost and defeated countenance left after her rejection.


    "Yeah he is a good man..." she muttered to herself in a daze.


    "He deserves an equally good woman."


    ¡ª


    Liu villa.


    Jun raised his head from the tab he was working on and blinked at Jin and Ai, who had just entered the living room with reddened cheeks and fatigued eyes but were walking too quickly than necessary.


    "Hold on."


    They froze on their tracks. Ai was hoping they could sneak their way in.


    "Come here."


    Jin awkwardly began to turn when Ai grabbed his arm and urgently shook her head.


    "Just keep walking," she whispered.


    "But Bro called us."


    "Still keep walking."


    "It''s too late when we have stopped now..."


    "What are you two whispering?" Jun frowned.


    Ai coughed. "We are not whispering."


    "So walk over to this side."


    When they didn''t, Jun grimaced and walked over by himself. He stared at them, stunned.


    "What hap...were you two crying?"


    Jin paled and didn''t know how to explain himself.


    Does it still look like I cried? What should I do? What should I do now? I cannot even lie to Bro...


    "We watched a tragedy movie together," Ai sniffled and wiped her eyelashes. "It was heart-wrenching."


    Jun blinked rapidly and alternated his gaze between them.


    "...You watched a movie? Together? And Jin agreed?"


    "What is there to not agree in watching a movie with your sister-in-law?" She frowned. "Anyway, the point is that the movie was really heart-wrenching. We cried a lot. Jin has a soft heart despite what he looks like on the outside."


    "..."


    Jun was getting an odd sensation seeing them stand beside each other but with Jin not reacting the way he usually did. His eyes narrowed.


    "Which movie was it?"


    "Tears of Snow."


    "Before her silence."


    They answered unanimously.


    "..."


    Jun smiled and looked at his wife. "Care to explain?"


    Ai remained calm despite the odds stacking against her.


    "Yes. We watched both movies."


    "..."

 Chapter 1048 1048: Gameplay

    Jun glanced back and forth between them again. "You watched two movies."


    "Yes. Both were very heart-wrenching."


    His brow twitched. For some very vague reason, Jun felt an urge to investigate her suspicious behaviour.


    "Uncleeee!!"


    Ailun came running and grabbed onto Jin''s legs. "You finally returned! And the cats! I wanted to play with you all."


    Ai shone.


    Yes, my ray of hope and sunshine!


    "Yes, yes, we missed you too. I was just about to call you. You go and play with Uncle Jin and the cats. I will freshen up in the meantime."


    "Yay!"


    The cats hopped from Jin''s arms and Ailun dragged Jin along with him. "Uncle, Uncle, I have made the personal best score in the game. You have to see it!"


    "Is that so?"


    Jun frowned as he watched Jin leave and turned to face Ai again only to find her missing.


    "Ai?"


    "Hm?"


    She was already at the stairs, sprinting away from him at an even greater speed.


    What is up with these two?


    His eyes narrowed.


    Something is fishy...


    ¡ª


    Jin dazedly stepped out of his bathroom, droplets of water dripping down his hair tips. He stared vacantly at the floor, the entire conversation between Alix and him replaying in his mind.


    "Uncle, Uncle! Come here!"


    "H-Huh?" Breaking from his stupor, he looked at Ailun.


    Happy face, happy face, he patted his cheeks and walked towards him with a smile. Grabbing him by his waist, he tickled him thoroughly, making him laugh hard.


    "Stop, stop..." he giggled. "See my top game score!"


    Ailun practically pushed the tab on the face with a grin. "I am at the top. But I don''t know till when I will stay there," he pouted. "Pastry aunt is super talented!"


    Jin stiffened. "...Why her? Wait, have you been playing with her all this time?"


    He said, snaking and snuggling to the cats'' side. "Uh-huh. Uncle, you should know this. Pastry aunt is a super super super cool player! She defeats the big baddie monsters in no time!" His eyes sparkled.


    Jin looked at the player''s name at the second rank. "Is this one Alix?"


    Ailun took a peek and nodded. "But she won''t be at second rank for long. I have to polish my skills!"


    He stared at her name, slightly pressing his lower lip. He faintly hovered his finger over her name, bringing a tremble to his eyelash. Suddenly, Ailun happened to push him due to his wrestling with the cats and the in-game chat window accidentally opened. The pre-filled auto text suggestion of Hi got sent in the chat when his thumb pressed against the screen.


    Ah shit!


    Jin quickly searched for the delete message option but there was none. Then a ping chimed.


    ''Hey.''


    He blinked rapidly at her message, his lips slightly parting. He contemplated for a few moments whether he should text back or not. By that time, another ping had dropped.


    ''I thought you had lots of homework to do today?'' She sent, followed by a frown emoji.


    Jin furrowed his brows and glanced at his side. "Did you have lots of homework to do today?"


    Ailun stiffened, twitching his brows. He coughed. "I am halfway done already!"


    His eyes narrowed. "Really?"


    "Who told you?" He then gasped and took a look, his face beaming. "Pastry aunt is online? Yaayyy!"


    He tried to take the tab back when Jin raised his arm high up in the air. "You should focus on completing the other half of the homework."


    "Don''t say that Uncleeeee," his face dropped pitifully and he grabbed his wrist, showing his max cute expression. "Let''s play with pastry aunt together!"


    He paused and looked at him. "...Play with her?"


    "Yay!"


    Another ping chimed. ''Are you there?''


    Jin''s eyes widened and he quickly started typing before she decided to go offline.


    ''Yes!''


    ''What about your homework?''


    He cleared his throat and typed. ''He is halfway-''


    He realized he used the wrong pronoun and quickly corrected his message.


    ''I am halfway done.''


    ''Really now?'' she sent, followed by a suspicious emoji this time.


    His brow twitched and he glanced at Ailun again. "See, even she cannot believe you."


    He harrumphed. "You are not saying it with the right emotions, Uncle!"


    "It''s either you did the homework or not. There are no right emotions here."


    "The right emotions to fool people."


    "Who taught you that?"


    "Pastry aunt!" He chirped.


    "..."


    What is she teaching him?


    By that point in time, Alix had already played a few games and reclaimed her top spot at the leaderboard.


    "Noooooo!" Ailun cried and took solace in the cats embrace. "She surpassed me again! I have a long way to go..."


    Jin was new to the game hence despite his attempts to play and keep up with her, he kept failing and his rank kept dropping.


    ''What happened to your game? You were just now at the top but are making silly mistakes now.''


    Shit, he panicked. I am making rookie mistakes!


    ''Are you depressed? Did somebody scold you? Maybe because of the other half of the remaining homework?''


    ''No, it''s not the homework.''


    A thought cropped up in Jin''s mind and he slowly typed.


    ''Uncle Jin returned some time before. But he looks sad-''


    Jin gave it a thought and rectified his message.


    ''Very very sad.''


    He held his breath and waited for her reply, which didn''t come even after three long minutes. He nervously bit down on his lip.


    But she is still online...


    "Ahhh! Why did my ranking drop so low?" Ailun burst into tears.


    *Meow?* The cats glanced at him questioningly.


    Jin coughed. "Ah my bad...I was just trying out the game. Alix is really good at it."


    His face shone. "Yes! Pastry aunt is super cool! She knows lots of things. She can play games like a pro, she is super good with essays too, just like Aunt Xing Bi!"


    That''s her editor persona speaking, he thought.


    "She is also a cool cupid," he sincerely nodded.


    Cupid? He wondered. Ah, is he talking about her playing cupid for Shui and me?


    "That day, she told me to sneakily give Grandpa''s wedding ring to Grandma and pretend that it fell somewhere," he giggled.


    He blinked twice. "My dad?"


    "Grandpa Zhou!" He chirped again. "Grandpa and Grandma always bicker and fight even though they love each other so much. So pastry aunt stole Grandpa''s wedding ring one day and asked me to give it to Grandma. I did not know what will happen but pastry aunt said that it will bring them together! And Uncle, she was right!"


    Ailun eagerly switched to the gallery app in his tab and showed him a picture of Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying out somewhere which looked like a date. The expression of a secret romance on their faces was all very clear.


    "Grandpa sent me this picture," he beamed. "After so long, Grandpa and Grandma went out together and are not fighting anymore!"

 Chapter 1049: Pastry aunts secrets

    Jin closely stared at the picture until his eyes began to ache. "She did this...to bring them together?"


    Ailun beamed. "Yes! Pastry aunt said that they love each other so much that they would die for each other. Like Mom and Dad."


    He froze. It was a painful chapter from Ai''s past where Zhou Yichen and Xie Nuying had died by Zhan Yahui''s hands after they refused to bury the matter of their daughter''s murder. She had killed them to protect herself. But now...


    "Hehe pastry aunt also did some other cool stuff too~ Grandma would receive some flowers now and then and she would come to know that Grandpa secretly left it at the door. Grandpa got some cakes and pastries and he would come to know that Grandma secretly baked it for him. But it was actually pastry aunt who was doing everything so that Grandma and Grandpa come together."


    He trembled.


    Not noticing Jin''s expression, Ailun continued with his cheery self.


    "Pastry aunt is super nice. She also helped Grandma - Grandma Nana!"


    "...Mom?"


    "Uh-huh. Our school had a big festival three months back with a super big health check-up fair."


    "I remember that."


    "Un! Pastry aunt told me to not tell anybody but she said to definitely definitely take Grandma and Grandpa with me to the fair!"


    His breath froze in his throat.


    Wait, is he talking about...


    "Pastry aunt said that health check-up is super important for Grandma and Grandpa," he gravely nodded. "And she was right! When it was Grandma''s turn, the doctor said that there seem to be some...some..." his brow twitched, not able to remember that term.


    Jin quietly said, "Blockage."


    "Yes! That!" He nodded hard. "It was small then but it was getting bigger."


    There was no way for Jin to forget how Nana had undergone a minor heart surgery at that time. A small complication was caught during her health checkup at the school fair which after proper testing at the hospital confirmed to be an artery blockage. It was fortunately caught in time or it would have increased to a dangerous level that could have proved fatal. Naturally, Jinhai had wasted no time to schedule the surgery.


    But this incident made him remember the dark time of Nana''s death in the past life - death due to cardiac arrest after Jun had passed away.


    With shaking hands, Jin grabbed his phone and quickly dialed Ailun''s school number.


    "Hi. This is Liu Jin, Liu Ailun''s uncle. I have something to ask."


    "Yes, please go ahead Mr. Liu. Is there a matter with the kids?" She anxiously asked.


    "No, it''s nothing like that. I..." he breathed uneasily, "I wanted to ask who had held the health checkup fair at your school''s festival three months back?"


    "Ah! Actually, it wasn''t just the health checkup fair but she had asked us to organize the entire festival. The entire cost was out of her pocket."


    "...She?"


    The receptionist choked on the other side. "I-I am so sorry! Actually, I am not supposed to say who they are. They wanted anonymity."


    "But it was a woman?"


    She coughed. "W-Well...I mean..." she sweated anxiously but eventually gave up, "Yes. But I cannot reveal her identity! Please, please don''t say that I said anything to you or I might lose my job," she begged.


    "Did she...say why she was doing this?"


    "She mentioned how it would be beneficial for everybody, especially for elders for whom things can suddenly take a wrong turn. Many parents deal with stress, relationship and mental issues too so she was very passionate about relationship and mental health counseling."


    Jin stared ahead, thinking about Yahui''s mother who had left her at a young age when she ended her life.


    "She also said she wished for the elders to watch their children and grandchildren grow for as long as it was possible. Though she had organized the entire school festival, she was very particular about the health fair. She is a kind-hearted woman."


    Jin thanked her and hung up, slowly lowering the phone. A chime from the tab brought his attention back and he saw that Alix had replied after quite a few long minutes.


    ''Well then stay by your uncle''s side and try to make him happy. Grumpiness suits his face more.''


    Tears brimmed his eyes with an ache that spread across his cheeks.


    "Uncle, you are crying?" Ailun gasped, immediately jumping on his lap.


    The cats cuddled closer too as he covered his face, allowing his tears to wet his palms.


    She had been doing nothing but repenting all this time...Jin broke down.


    Though he had realized it in his heart that Alix was a changed person, it was now that it dawned upon him how she had never been sitting still since the beginning. In her own way, she was trying to make everything right, to help everybody she had hurt at one point. Quietly. Silently.


    Suddenly he realized why she always took such a deep interest in uniting him with Shui in the beginning. She forced him to join Shui''s art classes only so she could create more chances for them to face each other and confront their feelings. And she did everything because she had used Shui against the brothers and separated her future with Jin.


    In this life and redemption, she wanted Jin and Shui to live happily together where they couldn''t do so in the past.


    "Uncle..."


    Ailun tugged his arm, his expression panicking upon seeing him cry with all his heart. It was his first time to see his uncle''s vulnerable side.


    Jin silently took him in his arms and cried in his little nephew''s warmth.


    "I am sorry..." he couldn''t hold back his tears. "I am sorry to show you this side. Buta please keep this a secret. Please...don''t tell anybody that I cried."


    Ailun hugged him and patted his back. "It''s a secret, Uncle! But why are you crying?"


    He shut his eyes hard, tears plopping on the bed sheet.


    "I like your pastry aunt very much," he trembled. "I like her so much that I want to marry her."


    He blinked. "Like Mom and Dad?"


    "Yes."


    He beamed. "So pastry aunt will become my aunt and she will live with us here?"


    "...I wish but she...doesn''t like me. She says we cannot be together..."


    His brows scrunched. "Why?"


    "It''s just very complicated..."


    Ailun flared his nostrils and his pats turned even firmer with determination.


    "Pastry aunt will definitely like you, Uncle, because you are super cute and fluffy! Mom says girls like cute and fluffy boys so pastry aunt will like you too. But maybe you always show her your grumpy side so she cannot see your cute side."


    "..."


    He sparkled. "But I will show her your cute side, I promise! I will help you get together with pastry aunt!"

 Chapter 1050: Baking cake

    A few days later, Alix was beginning to think that everything was slowly returning to normalcy. Though still at the very tender stage, Mui was gradually taking the company''s reins back despite the setbacks and backlash.


    And now Alix didn''t know what she should do. She had far too much free time in her hands, which she usually spent in being a shut-in and playing games with Ailun. The only time she had headed out was with Kang Xiao for a shopping trip on her insistence. So Ren Cuifen decided to take matters in her hands today and dragged her into the kitchen.


    "Let''s bake some lemon blueberry bread," she clapped her hands once in delight.


    "Why?" She frowned.


    "Because it''s a delicious bread and it''s also good to see the sunshine once in a while."


    "I like the dark."


    "You age faster that way."


    Ren Luoyang, seated on a chair at the other side, said while straining his eyes at the recipe video.


    "Yes, yes, that''s why your mother hasn''t lost her youthfulness in the least."


    Ren Cuifen blushed and waved her hand in dismissal. "You are just as handsome as ever too."


    Alix''s eye twitched. Being in the romantic and fluffy atmosphere wasn''t her forte.


    "Now go help him with the right ingredients'' portion and until then I will set the oven for baking."


    Alix took a chair opposite Ren Luoyang, who was carefully measuring the milk on the weighing machine upto the last decimal point.


    "How about you measure the flour and baking powder?" He asked, his concentration refusing to stir by even a fraction.


    "Oh gosh Dad did you see this big shopping sale!?" Mui came rushing in with her excited voice notes touching the roof of the sky.


    Startled, his hand slipped and he ended up pouring a lot more milk in the bowl than necessary for the recipe. His gaze darkened, throwing a glare at Mui.


    "I was so close!"


    Mui slightly quietened with Alix''s presence but didn''t lose her cheeriness. "What are you doing?"


    Ren Cuifen chirped. "Baking lemon and blueberry bread."


    "Can it not be chocolate bread?" She furrowed her brows.


    This time, Ren Cuifen cast a scowl at her. "How many times will you eat the same flavour cake? Have some variety in your life!"


    "I don''t need variety. Chocolate is already supreme."


    "I was so close, Mui!" Ren Luoyang reminded her of his grievances.


    "So take out the extra milk again. Not like you have already mixed in the other ingredients," she shrugged and took the third chair at the table, popping in a blueberry into her mouth.


    "Bringing it to the right decimal point is a mountainous task!"


    "Who is even asking you to count the decimals in the first place!? As if a fraction of a difference would ruin the cake!"


    "Baking is an art of dedication and precision!"


    "Ugh! That''s why it was a torture with you taking our math classes!" Mui glared and popped in a few more blueberries out of spite.


    Ren Cuifen smacked on top of her head. "Don''t finish eating all the blueberries or there will be nothing left for the cake!"


    "That''s why you should bake chocolate bread."


    Another slap landed on her head. "Zip your lips and help your father or you don''t get any cake!"


    "I just wanted to tell about the shopping sale! I don''t want to help," she made a face but a deadly warning glare from her mother shut her right up.


    Her gaze fell on Alix, who was staring at the flour cup like Ren Luoyang towards the milk bowl and concentrating at the level of the flour against the measuring needle with a deadpan, no-nonsense look.


    "And here we have another decimal fanatic. You two should create a cult..." she murmured under her breath with a grimace.


    Alix narrowed her eyes and shot her a glance. "Did you say something?"


    Mui stiffened. "It was just your imagination."


    "Heh," she sneered.


    A call ringtone from Alix''s phone buzzed to life and she asked, "Can you pick that up?"


    Mui stiffly picked the call and said, "Who''s this?"


    "Pastry aunt!"


    Mui frowned and looked at the unknown number.


    "Wrong number." And she hung up.


    The call buzzed again with the same number a few seconds later and Mui picked it up again with a dry look.


    "Pastry aunt, why did you hang up?" Aliun asked, sniffling on the other side. "You don''t like me anymore?"


    "Like I said, you dialed the wrong number, kid. Who is pastry aunt anyway?"


    Alix abruptly halted and looked at her. "Is it Ailun?"


    "Who is Ailun?"


    "Me! Me!" he exclaimed from the other side.


    Alix said, "Liu Ailun. Liu Jun''s son."


    Her eyes widened and the phone almost fell from her hands.


    Shit!


    Ren Luoyang and his wife''s movements paused simultaneously as they shared glances.


    Alix took her phone back with Mui fearfully pushing her chair towards her father''s side.


    "Don''t get too close. I am not getting the space to measure," He scowled, making her grit her teeth.


    Here I hung up on the Liu family''s son and you bother about the damn measuring!


    Alix put the phone on speaker to continue with her flour measuring activity and said, "Hey."


    "Pastry auuuuunt! Who was that before? She hung up on me!"


    "That was my sister, Mui. She didn''t recognize you."


    "I don''t like her."


    Mui''s expression darkened.


    Well the feeling''s mutual, kid!


    "So what''s up?"


    Ailun chirped. "Pastry aunt, when are you coming home?"


    She blinked twice. "Home? I am already at my home."


    "Not your home, my home. You promised we would level up together!"


    "I did? When?"


    "Last week! Pastry aunt, did you forget?"


    Alix then remembered it. She did, in fact, promise him as he was stuck at one level. But she didn''t anticipate her visiting to the Liu villa.


    "I remember it but...how about you come here?"


    "I cannot, pastry aunt. I have to be by Mom''s side!"


    "Why?" She frowned. "Is she sick?"


    "No. But she felt the baby''s kick in her tummy so I want to feel it too and so I am waiting with Dad for the baby to kick again," he said with all sincerity that made the couple chuckle.


    "I see..."


    Alix wasn''t sure if she should agree, not when she didn''t know if Jin was at home or not. She wanted to ask but with her parents'' scrutinizing gazes at her, she couldn''t.


    "It might not be possible today. I am helping Mom and Dad with baking a cake."


    "Ooh!!"


    "Yes so I can-"


    "I like cake!" He cheerfully said, "Pastry aunt can bring cake with her too. We will eat and play together!"


    "..."

 Chapter 1051: Acting cupids

    "Pastry aunt, you cameeee!" Ailun sprinted to hug her and wrapped his arms around her legs with the brightest grin on his lips.


    "Let''s go, let''s go aunt! We have so many things to do!"


    "Wait," Alix interrupted the engine of his excitement and glanced around.


    "Is everybody home?"


    "Everybody?" He tilted his head questioningly.


    "...Or like are some people not at home?"


    "Grandpa and the twin uncles are outside. Great-Grandpa is also out with Great-Grandma," he nodded.


    Alix thought he would continue with Jin''s status but instead, he grabbed her hand and cheerfully took her inside.


    Wait, you didn''t say anything about Liu Jin...


    "Mom, pastry aunt is here!"


    Ai, who had company in the room, looked up and brightened. For a moment, it felt something different. She was seeing the same Alix she had seen before but this time aware of the fact of who she really was.


    If it was six years ago, then Ai''s heart would have been filled with anguish and animosity. But now as Alix stood before her, knowing that she was Zhan Yahui, she couldn''t pinpoint why but an immense sense of relief filled her chest.


    "Hello..."


    Alix greeted and as she threw a look beside her, saw the other kids, Xing Bi and Guiying accompanying Ai too. Xing Bi''s presence was expected but her body stiffened upon meeting Guiying''s gaze.


    She is...here too...


    "Hey! Come, come!" Xing Bi eagerly waved for her to come in.


    "Pastry auuuunt!"


    Aang, Taio, Yina and Guiying''s son, Ruwen, huddled around her along with Ailun, who stretched his little arm to halt their steps with a serious expression.


    "Pastry aunt is holding cake."


    "Cake!!!" The kids cheered up as if they found an oasis in the desert.


    Xing Bi said, "Aish, you really didn''t have to bring anything."


    Alix paused. "That''s fine. We were in the middle of baking a cake anyway so thought to bring some for you."


    "Pastry aunt make cake, it is just like my Dad! Dad make cakes too!" Yina chirped happily.


    Xing Bi rolled her eyes. "Thank God Nian is not at home or he would have dissected your lovely cake to no bits."


    Aang and Taio nodded gravely. "And then uncle would have had the cake all by himself!"


    Yina said, "Not everything. Dad will give me cake too."


    "Only you, what about us!?" The boys cried with full force.


    She chuckled. "Yeah, I cannot deny that doting."


    Alix kept the paper bag aside and looked at Ailun. "Where do you want to play games?"


    "Here!"


    "Yay!" The kids agreed too.


    Alix blinked. "We will disturb everybody here-"


    "Not at all!" Ai furiously patted the couch-chair beside the bed. "It''s so fun to have you around. You can play games all you want and we can keep talking too~"


    Guiying said, "Yes, yes. I have so much to ask you."


    Alix stood uncomfortably and hesitantly looked at the trio. For some reason Ai''s gaze, in particular, had been shining the brightest of all as if she wanted her to be here more than anybody else.


    She quietly took her seat and decided not to initiate any conversation with them, only focusing on the kids group. She thought about something and looked at Ai.


    "Ailun said your baby kicked. Congratulations."


    She shone, almost blinding Alix with her enthusiasm. She nodded hard. "Yes, yes! Jun was even refusing to leave my side but I pushed him out to complete his work. But we are happy!"


    Ailun pouted. "I did not feel the kick yet."


    Xing Bi laughed. "Patience dear, patience. Nian hadn''t slept for the entire night when Yina kicked for the first time. That husband of mine had the patience of a saint."


    "Same with Zixin," Guiying shook her head.


    Ruwen hopped to her side. "Pastry aunt, I want to level up too!"


    Alix glanced at Ruwen, whose beautiful irises and smile resembled his mother''s. She then looked up at Guiying with a complicated gaze.


    "Sure. What level are you stuck at?"


    While they played games, the maid arrived who served the cake Alix brought for everybody.


    "Oh my gosh!" Xing Bi wiped the corner of her lips, "This is so delicious. So moist and buttery. Nian will totally fall in love with this!"


    "...It''s all Mom and Dad''s hard work anyway," she stiffly cleared her throat.


    Ai was busy gobbling up the cake when she felt a strong gaze from her son. She looked at him and found him silently flaring his nostrils.


    We are on a mission here, Mom!


    Oops...


    Ai coughed and promptly put the plate aside.


    In my defense, the cake was super delicious. A-Anyway!


    "Alix!" Ai clapped her hands in delight. "Thank you so much! The cake was amazing!"


    "Don''t mention it," And she returned her attention to the kids and the game.


    Ai felt strong gazes from Xing Bi and Guiying next, who were urgently signaling her to talk to her. They could barely hold their urges to become cupids.


    Ai cleared her throat. "So, Alix."


    Alix glanced at her. "Yes."


    Aang cried. "I lost my knight!"


    "Don''t be so hasty. Grab the enemy when they least expect it. Sorry, what were you saying?" She looked back at Ai.


    "Yes, now that you are here, I wanted to ask if you have any plans?"


    "Plans?"


    "You have given Ren Design''s responsibility to your sister so I was just curious if you had something else in your mind."


    Alix paused. "I have not really given a thought about it."


    Guiying said, "You didn''t wish to continue being the CEO?"


    She shrugged. "It''s fun but I don''t feel like working in a white-painted walled office for my whole life."


    "Well that''s true. It could get stifling after one point. It was also why Nian didn''t want to lead the Liu Corps. He said he didn''t suit the corporate atmosphere," Xing Bi chuckled.


    "I think he perfectly suits the corporate atmosphere," Ai pursed her lips. "He has always been so strict like the CEO, especially when I bake cakes. He has secretly banned me from entering Natsukashi Bakery."


    Xing Bi snorted. "As if I would let him do that!"


    Ai then asked with a hint of anticipation, "So have you thought about something?"


    "Nope. I don''t really know what I am supposed to do anyway. It will come to me when it comes to me," she said, relaxed.


    Ailun looked up from his game console and beamed. "Pastry aunt wants to work? Pastry aunt can help me!"


    "Help you?"


    "Uh-huh. Pastry aunt is so good with essays. I got an A grade from my teacher last time! So I want pastry aunt to help with my next essay too, pretty please?"

 Chapter 1052: The sign of life

    Ai clapped. "Yes, I was going to ask you the same," she nodded. "How about you help Ailun with essays?"


    Alix was left dumbfounded. "I had just helped him in passing."


    "But it was so good! You definitely have the skills."


    She frowned. "But why do you need my help? Aren''t you a writer yourself? You are the best person to help him."


    Her brow twitched hard. Xing Bi and Guiying coughed.


    Ai coughed. "I...I...am kind of resting nowadays."


    "Huh?"


    "I mean I am pregnant," she pointed at her belly. "So well...I still get sick a lot. The doctor has advised me to rest."


    Ailun nodded. "Mom gets sick a lot. So only pastry aunt can teach me!"


    "But Xing Bi is an editor. So she can help you."


    Xing Bi choked. "Ah me? Ahahaha..." she sweated. "I cannot help him."


    "Why not?"


    "I mean...my brain kind of works only for novels. Essays are a different ballgame, especially kids essays. I tend to make it more complicated than easier hehe..."


    Ailun nodded. "Aunt helped me too but it was very confusing."


    Alix grimaced. "Okay then...Cai Guiying?"


    She choked on the cake''s bite she was swallowing.


    "Me? I-I...I am taking a break from writing!" she quickly said.


    "Why?" Alix narrowed her eyes. "Why break? Are you in a slump? Or is it because you are slacking on your diet that your brain juice is running out?"


    For a moment, Guiying paused and felt a tinge of a strange emotion well in her chest. Alix''s squinted and demanding gaze struck a familiar chord in her heart.


    Guiying coughed. "No, no. I am eating well. Zixin won''t let me skip any meals anyway. I just want to test out some new style so I am taking my time..."


    Ailun nodded. "I don''t want to disturb Aunt Guiying."


    Alix smiled. "Aren''t you a very responsible boy?"


    "Yay!"


    "What about Uncle Yating and your father, who also happen to be the Chief Editors of their publishing companies?"


    "..."


    Suddenly, Ai realized the number of creative people within the family and the friends circle was too large.


    Ailun cried. "Nooo I don''t want Uncle Yating. He is super good but Ziyi always bullies me and he always takes Ziyi''s side! I face bias!"


    "And your father?"


    "Dad is super strict, it''s no fun with him!"


    Alix''s brow twitched.


    How come they have reasons for every compatible person?


    She sneered. "I don''t know what level of strictness you have faced, kid, but he cannot beat me. I am a monster."


    "..."


    "But pastry aunt helped me so nicely that day!"


    "It was just some small help in passing. I didn''t feel the need to grill you like a sandwich in a toaster."


    Ailun held her hand, sniffling. "But I want to learn from you Pastry Aunt..."


    "Me too!" Ruwen happily flailed his arms, unaware of the danger of having Alix as his teacher.


    "Yes, yes!" Ai didn''t give her much time to think. "Actually, it''s better if you are stricter than us. Children need some discipline," she nodded, followed by Guiying and Xing Bi.


    Xing Bi said, "I think we also tend to be softer. Only if," she coughed, "I wasn''t so useless with children''s essays, I would have definitely helped them."


    Ai grabbed her hand with twinkling eyes. "So will you agree? It''s difficult to take care of their studies and everybody else is also busy here and there, so only you-hah!"


    She gasped all of a sudden. "The baby kicked just now!"


    "What!"


    "Nooo, I want to feel it too!" Ailun cried and hastily jumped on the bed. He placed his palm on her belly and a few seconds later, felt a small kick.


    Ai shone. "It kicked again!"


    Ailun nodded hard. "I felt it too! I felt it too!"


    Jun came rushing a minute later and panted breathlessly. He sat beside her and mirrored what Ailun did a minute ago. This time, it was a longer wait but eventually it came again and Jun burst into tears.


    "The baby really kicked...I can really feel it..."


    "Yay!!!" Everybody clapped with delight.


    Everybody had now gathered around Ai and cheering with this sweet development but Alix''s attention was more focused on Jun. She stared at him in disbelief, watching his tears fall down his cheeks.


    Is it...really that emotional?


    "Alix, why are you still there? Come here, come here," Ai patted the space beside her. "The baby looks to be in a good mood today so you will definitely get to feel the kick too!"


    "Me? No. I am fine here."


    Ailun dragged her near Ai anyway and pouted. "Pastry aunt should join us too!"


    "No, I really am fine-"


    Ai gently placed her hand on the belly beside where Jun already held his. Alix sat completely stiff.


    Then it came. A soft feeling bumping against her palm as if something just touched it.


    Jun felt it the second time and his floodgates of tears broke yet again. Xing Bi laughed. "All you men here are just the same! Rough and tough on the outside but total softies on the inside haha."


    "Thank you Ai..." Jun managed to utter the words of gratitude for Ai amidst the overwhelming feeling of joy brimming his chest to the max.


    She grinned. "Hehe."


    She then looked at Alix. "Did you feel it, Alix?"


    "...Yes."


    Her fingertips trembled and she felt an ache in her chest as if something was tightly squeezing it. Knowing that babies kicked was common knowledge but feeling the actual kicks was a whole nother experience for her. She couldn''t pinpoint the source of the ache in her chest but it didn''t feel painful to her. Instead she felt it...liberating.


    Knowing that she had only killed innocent people in the past that put blood on her hands - to now feel the sign of life with those same hands felt overwhelmingly liberating.


    And then Jin''s face flashed in her mind.


    She had understood what he did but it was now that the weight of his actions poured upon her like a heavy storm.


    If not for Jin breaking the flow of time, this world wouldn''t have existed.


    Where Jun and Ai were alive and living their lives as they should have been.


    Where Lin got another chance to live his own life rather than meeting a miserable death in the underworld''s base.


    And where Alix got to live in a world free of her blindness towards her step-father and a dysfunctional family.


    She felt a hand press on top of hers and her gaze lifted to see a warm smile on Ai''s lips.


    "I know you said you don''t believe in marriage and companionship but this...is still a good feeling, right?"

 Chapter 1053: Never forgotten

    Alix leaned against the corridor''s pillar in silence, staring at her faintly quivering palm. She exhaled, unsure of what to do about this feeling.


    "Um..."


    She stiffened and looked back to find Guiying awkwardly standing behind her.


    "I am sorry if I disturbed you..." she quickly said.


    "No, it''s fine."


    "Are you okay? You...seemed a little shaken back there."


    "Ah, no. I am good."


    She smiled. "I think it''s your first time seeing a pregnancy up so close, right? More than that, feeling a baby''s kick."


    Alix pressed her lips.


    "I understand your feelings. It all feels very magical and emotional, isn''t it? No wonder we cry," she softly chuckled.


    Alix stared at her for a long moment. "How..."


    "Hm?" She blinked.


    "How was it for you? Your pregnancy..."


    Her gaze shone. "It was one of the happiest times of my life after my marriage with Zixin. Everything was more or less how it''s going for Ai and Jun. Zixin barely went to the office anymore and started working from home most days. He wouldn''t even let me lift a finger and do everything for me."


    Seeing the light and joy on Guiying''s face, Alix wondered...what had happened to her other self.


    Was she still there inside her?


    She was clueless about it. She wanted to know but she couldn''t claim that she knew of ''Guiying''s'' existence. Though a tiny corner of her heart believed that ''she'' was gone.


    ''Her'' job was to protect Guiying but uniting with Zixin and his family, she didn''t need that anymore. Alix had gauged that in those times she had worked with ''her'' against the Liu family. ''Her'' role was over and so was ''her'' existence.


    Alix pondered how Guiying would have handled the separation because she had never seen ''her'' as a mere physical and emotional guard. ''Her'' bidding farewell would have been devastating for Guiying.


    "Hello?"


    Her stupor broke seeing Guiying wave her hand in front of her.


    "Hm?"


    "You seemed lost somewhere," she blinked, worried.


    Alix faintly smiled. "Just thinking about the past."


    She then cast an expressionless gaze at her. "Are you happy in your life?"


    Guiying looked surprised. "Oh yes. I am very happy. I have a loving husband and family. I have good friends who I can laugh and cry with. Only if..."


    "If?"


    Her lips held a complicated smile. "There are two people I...hold very dear to my heart. They were the complete opposite of me, but they were the ones who made me stronger and confident. They used to scold me a lot because of how timid I was."


    Alix guessed who she was talking about.


    "Must be a nuisance to always get scolded like that."


    To Alix''s surprise, traces of tears rimmed Guiying''s eyelashes.


    "No...They weren''t a nuisance at all," she tried to smile through her tears. "They were the most genuine people I felt blessed to come across. One was a dear friend I...cannot explain about a lot. But she was always protected through my tough times."


    Alix asked after a long moment, "What happened to her?"


    "''She'' left. ''She'' had somewhere...far to go. I didn''t want ''her'' to leave but I had no choice," she quickly wiped her eyes.


    Alix didn''t respond.


    "The other person..." Guiying clasped her hands, biting down on her lip, "was my previous editor."


    Alix froze. Though she guessed that she was one of the two people Guiying was talking about, her heart still felt a discomforting feeling as if she didn''t deserve to be remembered.


    "She was also just like my other friend. Cool, calm, strong. At first, I was really afraid to work with her but I slowly realized how talented she was. She used to taunt me for my weakness and scold me for my bad writing but...she worked the hardest to improve me and push me to fame. And now...I really miss her scoldings a lot..." her voice trailed off at the end. "I really miss her."


    Alix watched the tears she shed for Zhan Yahui while digging her nails in her palm.


    What the hell...You are not supposed to miss a person who used you. You are an idiot as always.


    Guiying quickly apologized. "I am so sorry. I just drove the conversation into a strange tangent. I didn''t mean to make it awkward for you..."


    Alix instead asked, "Are you working well with your new editor?"


    "Yating has taken over since then. I..." she looked embarrassed, "co-couldn''t really gel with other editors after her. In the end, he asked if I would like to work with him and I accepted. I feel bad for causing him trouble."


    She snorted. "He is the chief editor. That''s his job. Make it as difficult for him as you want."


    She noticed Guiying''s surprised look. "What?"


    "N-Nothing. You just..talk and act a lot like my editor."


    She stiffened.


    Guiying''s phone chimed and she gasped. "Ah, ah! I totally forgot! I will have to leave."


    "An appointment?"


    "Not an appointment," Guiying scratched her chin as if she didn''t know how to explain the next part.


    "Every month I go to Dream High to clean my editor''s office."


    Alix blinked rapidly. "Huh? I don''t understand."


    "After she pa-passed away," her voice choked slightly, "Yating never gave her office cabin to any other employee or editors. It always remained and still is Zhan Yahui''s office. Her nameplate and other things are still on the desk."


    She stared at her.


    Guiying smiled. "So I visit her cabin every month and clean it myself. Yating helps out too."


    "...Why would you do that?"


    Her gaze warmed. "Because I love doing it. I thought it would be painful to keep visiting her office but it turns out that as time passed, I felt lighter and more at peace. Instead of trying to not miss her, I feel happier to be at the place where she worked. I talk to the walls as if she is still listening to me. She was an important part of my life and I don''t want to forget her."


    Alix saw her leave but she turned to face her again. "Oh yes! Please teach essay writing to Ruwen. I will be very happy if you teach him," she shone.


    When she finally left, Alix felt like her knees lost all their strength. Her heart beat erratically and she stumbled back only to bump against someone. She looked up and peered into a pair of deep black irises staring at her.


    "Alix," Jin whispered.

 Chapter 1054: Fruitless escape

    Alix stiffened and immediately backed away two steps. Realization then hit her that she might have acted very rudely by stepping away like that as if Jin was some deadly virus.


    "I am sorry."


    "For?"


    "You are not some virus."


    His brow twitched heavily.


    "...Glad that misunderstanding got cleared."


    Silence reigned.


    For a moment, Jin felt lighter with their small banter, as if things between them were just like before.


    On Alix''s side, she had no clue what to do with her half-turned body which partially faced Jin and partially faced away from him.


    *Meow*


    Suddenly, two cats gathered near her feet, staring at her with their beautiful irises.


    "...Hey."


    Ai-chan rubbed her cheek against her leg, her warmth reminding her of the original Ai back in the room.


    "They are really similar..." she muttered.


    "They are indeed."


    For some unknown reason, she couldn''t look him straight in the eye so she focused on his jawline and asked, "...You are not at the office?"


    He smiled. "You didn''t want me here?"


    Yes, because facing you is harder, she pressed her lips tightly.


    Jin wasn''t expecting an answer to his question so instead, he asked, "Were you lucky to feel my niece''s kick?"


    Her gaze turned complicated at that, recalling the indecipherable feeling of that moment when she had touched Ai''s belly.


    "Yes," she whispered.


    She then paused. "You know it''s going to be a niece?"


    He hummed. "Just my hunch. If it turns out to be right, then it will be a big celebration here."


    He saw the question mark on top of her head.


    "Daughters have always been a rarity in our family."


    She frowned.


    Really?


    She then backtracked the family tree, with Jinhai and Jing, then Jinhai and Nana''s children with four sons and one daughter and then the next generation where the only daughter until now was Nian and Xing Bi''s daughter, Yina.


    Ah, I see the pattern.


    "Were you..."


    Her daze fell apart and she blinked.


    "Were you crying when you bumped into me?"


    Alix stared at him and responded with a firm disagreement. "No."


    "Your eyes look redder."


    "Some dust-"


    "As an editor once upon a time, shouldn''t you come up with novel excuses and not cliche ones?"


    Her expression twisted with a glint of danger. "Don''t bring up the past."


    "But you brought it up by telling me about your identity."


    "That was to open your eyes to reality."


    Jin pursed his lips and stared at her unblinkingly.


    "But it doesn''t seem that you are looking at the same reality that I am seeing."


    She clenched her fists. "My eyes were wide open from the beginning. You don''t have to remind me of my blunders."


    "I am not talking about your mistakes. I am talking about Cai Guiying who still misses you. On the contrary, she doesn''t want to forget about you."


    He heard that? She inwardly felt her blood freeze.


    She smiled. "Guiying was always an emotional idiot."


    "...But Zhou Ai is not an emotional idiot. Will you say the same thing about her who knows who you really are?"


    Alix stared at him, stunned as if just zapped by a million volts of electricity.


    "...She knows I am Z-Zhan Yah...? No, that''s not possible. She acted just like how she always acts around Ren Alix."


    "She knows."


    Her heart dropped as if violently thrashing against her ribcage. She suddenly grabbed his collar, fury shining in her eyes.


    "Why did you tell her!?" She strained to keep her voice low. "I told you because I had no choice. But why did you babble everything out to Zhou Ai? You told her the woman who killed her is alive in somebody else''s body? Have you lost it? She is all living a happy married life so she has no business knowing about my existence!"


    "But she is not seeing it that way," Jin calmly said despite the dread in Alix''s eyes.


    "If she had seen it that way, then she wouldn''t have wanted you to feel her baby''s kick. She wouldn''t have wanted you to be close to her or Ailun."


    Her gaze darkened. "What nonsense are you-"


    "You can ask her yourself. You might find an answer.. similar to what Cai Guiying gave you just now."


    She froze.


    Jin slowly pressed his hand on the back of hers that had been grabbing to his collar.


    "You assume that my family won''t accept you but Zhou Ai did. Did you really feel that she was forcing herself to like you just now? Or that she half-heartedly asked you to teach Ailun?"


    "If she really did what she did knowing who I am, then I am more tempted to take it as pity rather than acceptance," she gritted her teeth. "So stop manipulating me!"


    He stared at her. "She is watching the woman who saved her child''s life, not pitying a past ghost. We are reborn, Alix, which is exactly why everybody wants to cherish the present. In redemption - whether it was us who had made mistakes or you."


    She angrily sneered. "So this is just all a way to fool me and make me accept your love?"


    "This is a way to show you what my family will see in you and not what you think they will see in you. I want to clear your fog of misguided assumptions about yourself."


    He lifted her hand that released her grip over his collar and gently pressed it against her cheek. His gaze bore into hers, steady and unflinching.


    "I want you to see it crystal clear of how my family feels about you and how I feel about you. You think you can hide behind your sins and run away from me, but the Lius'' are very good at chasing."


    She watched his unwavering irises, dumbfounded.


    "You cannot be serious about...the possibility of our...relationship?"


    "I am. I love you, and I will do everything in my power to have you reciprocate my love. You can try running away from me but," he smiled faintly, "I am afraid that will be a fruitless attempt."

 Chapter 1055: Future partner attributes

    "Pastry aunt, whay kind of a man you want to marry?" Ailun seriously asked one day.


    Alix glanced at him, wondering for the hundredth time why she agreed to visit the Liu villa and become their teacher.


    "Is it love gossip time!?" Liu Hai, who was passing by the room, got pulled in by that conversation.


    Alix then remembered that the culprit was none other than Liu Hai, who had used all pity and sympathy in his arsenal to drag her home for her new job. He, who had publicly announced his intention to make her his granddaughter-in-law, would never miss this chance his trickster grandson had created.


    Aang frowned. "You are disturbing our class, Great-grandpa."


    "Essay is not more important than love life!" He gasped.


    Alix was ready to spring on her feet. "In that case, I will withdraw from being their teacher."


    Ailun gasped and glared at Liu Hai. He jumped to hug her waist and vigorously shook his head.


    "Great-grandpa doesn''t understand how hard it''s to write the essay! Don''t listen to him!"


    Her eyes narrowed. "So why are you asking about my...future boyfriend?"


    "It''s for my essay!" He chirped.


    "Your essay topic is to write about how to be a good friend. How does my love life come into the picture?"


    "Because Mom says that it''s important to be a good friend to become a good husband in the future," he nodded. "I want to know what pastry aunt wants in a good husband. Then I can marry you and become that good husband!" He joyfully said.


    Alix blinked rapidly. "You want to marry me?"


    "Yay!"


    Liu Hai snorted. "You are just a brat. Don''t dream so high!"


    Yina beamed. "Can I marry pastry aunt too?"


    Suddenly, a new voice cried. "Yina, why her? You can marry your handsome father!"


    Nian sniffled as he bolted in and took Yina in his arms. "Aren''t you the cutest?"


    Liu Hai grimaced. "Why are you here?"


    He glared. "Why shouldn''t I be here? My lovely angel is learning to write essays. How can I miss this glorious moment?"


    "She is going to learn a lot of subjects from now on so will you be a pain the ass everytime!?"


    He immediately covered his daughter''s ears. "Language! You are corrupting her innocent mind!"


    "Your children can never be innocent anyway!"


    This had been Alix''s life since she became everybody''s essay teacher. The Liu villa was always chaotic with either the twins barging in or Jing as the variables but with Liu Hai being the constant.


    Ailun tugged her wrist and reminded her of his important question. "So pastry aunt, what kind of a man you want to marry? I will take notes!"


    Liu Hai''s attention was focused back on her. "Yes, yes! The most important question!"


    Alix said, "I don''t know."


    "..."


    Liu Hai blinked. "What do you mean don''t know?"


    "Like I said before I am not interested in marriage."


    "But you would have definitely thought about your partner some or the other time, right~?"


    "Not really."


    Because Alix simply didn''t have the time. She consumed her past life in revenge where love and marriage was never even in her agenda and her new life was filled with the original Alix''s complexities and her own will to redeem for her past mistakes. Once again, love never came in the picture.


    "So you can think about it now," he brightened. "It''s not too late anyway!"


    Nian nodded. "You don''t have to necessarily think about marriage, but just what you expect your future partner could be like."


    "...I don''t know," she pinched her brows.


    The only reference she had was Lin and his brother, the only men she was close to. Cai was the extrovert, so she was sure of at least one attribute.


    "One thing is certain that he shouldn''t talk too much. I like quiet people. I don''t have that kind of a social battery."


    Liu Hai and Nian - "..."


    Taio looked back and blinked at them. "Uncle, Great-grandpa, is pastry aunt talking about people like you?"


    They glared at him at once and unanimously exclaimed. "Of course not!"


    Ailun seriously noted it down. He then looked up and urged. "Then, then?"


    Alix frowned.


    Thinking about an imaginary partner turned out to be more of a challenge than she had expected it to be. She thought about Lin.


    "Maybe he should know how to make good coffee?"


    Liu Hai raised his hand. "I know how to make good coffee!"


    Nian sneered. "You are already disqualified in the first round, Grandpa. Keep your hand down."


    "Shut up, brat!"


    Her gaze slightly dimmed. "I can be a selfish woman so...he shouldn''t be the kind to get manipulated."


    Thinking about Lin following all her whims in the past brought an ache to her chest.


    But then it also occurred to her how fun it was to threaten Jin for the twenty million cheque.


    "Or maybe...a little bit?"


    Liu Hai waved her hand in dismissal. "What are you talking about, my dear? Husbands must always be easy to be manipulated at the hands of their lovely wife. That''s the motto we live by! Wife slaves!"


    "..."


    The maid knocked. "The snacks are ready."


    This was Alix''s favorite time of the day - to eat the snacks prepared by Nana. Though she hated to impose like this, the food prepared in the Liu villa was hard to resist. She popped in a spring roll which almost melted on her tongue.


    This is what everyone should live for...


    Ailun brightened. "How is it, pastry aunt?"


    "Delicious."


    Ailun said, "I will bring some juice and come back!"


    He hopped out of the room and straight into the kitchen.


    "Uncle Jin, did you hear! Pastry aunt liked your spring rolls!" He merrily said.


    But the sight of a depressed Jin was what greeted him. He poked his shoulder.


    "Why is Uncle sad? Uncle! Pastry aunt said she likes quiet men. Like Grandpa, Dad and you!"


    "Yes I heard that from your secret call..."


    Jin looked like as if he lost his soul. "But I wonder who she was thinking about when she said that?"


    Ailun blinked, confused. "You?"


    He glanced at him pressed his lips. "There is another quiet man who apparently makes very good coffees. And that is not me."

 Chapter 1056: Dropped to hell

    So does Alix like Hou Lin? Is that why her expectations are based off of him?


    "Ahhhh!"


    Jin collapsed on the chair, his heart burning with envy.


    "I can also make good coffees..." he saltily murmured.


    He looked at Ailun with a second tinge of envy. "Aren''t you enjoying your classes with Alix?"


    Ailun beamed. "A lot! Pastry aunt is very strict but she is super cool."


    Grievances overwhelmed his heart and his head dropped on the table again. "I want to be there too..."


    He pouted. "So why is Uncle not there too? How will pastry aunt like you if she don''t see you?"


    Jin lifted him and hugged him hard. "Because right now, it''s more important for her to like our family and also know that everybody here likes her too. I cannot interfere in that. Plus, she doesn''t want to see me..." he whispered the last point to himself.


    He tilted his head. "But everybody likes pastry aunt already."


    Ah how I wish I could tell you the truth...


    He smiled. "Yes everybody likes her but she doesn''t know that yet."


    "So we should tell that to pastry aunt," Ailun seriously said. "Mom and Dad always say how they love each other so so much."


    "Well, you have a point but this is...different."


    "You..."


    They turned their heads with Jin''s reaction stiffening. Alix stood at the kitchen''s entrance, staring at the uncle and nephew duo.


    "You were at home?" Alix blinked rapidly.


    Jin silently took a breath and smiled. "Yup."


    "You were not at the office?"


    "...That''s what it means."


    Her gaze fell on the kitchen countertop and she froze. She paused thoughtfully and then asked, "What are you doing in the kitchen?"


    Ailun raised his arms. "Uncle made spring rolls for us!"


    Her eyes widened.


    The ones that I praised to be so delicious right now?


    "...But didn''t Mrs. Liu make them?"


    "Make what?"


    "Grandma!" Ailun ran towards Nana and hugged her legs with his bright, sunny gaze.


    "Ah, and you strike yet another arrow to my heart," she chuckled.


    Nana looked up at Alix and shone. "Were you asking something, dear?"


    Ailun said, "Uncle made spring rolls for us!"


    "Oh! That''s great! Jin is quite busy in the kitchen these days, isn''t he?"


    Jin let out a cough.


    "These days?" Alix narrowed her eyes.


    "Didn''t he make chicken popcorn yesterday? And then tacos the day before? Right, Jin?"


    "Yes, Mom."


    Alix threw an unreadable stare at Jin to which he didn''t respond.


    "Did you like the snacks he made?" Nana asked Alix expectantly.


    She slightly swallowed a gulp, holding a burning indignation in her heart.


    "Yes..."


    Ailun giggled. "Pastry aunt thought that Grandma made the snacks, not Uncle, hehe."


    "By the way Mom, are you heading out somewhere?" Jin asked, seeing her dressed for a trip.


    She made a face. "Doctor''s follow-up appointment. I wanted to skip since I am feeling fine now but Jinhai is not allowing me to skip..."


    She scooted closer to Jin. "Can you talk to him?"


    A flash of horror passed across his face. "Talk to Dad about skipping your appointment? Okay first of all, even I don''t agree to skipping anything, not a doctor''s appointment because this is about your health and second of all, Dad will skin me alive if I even utter something like this from my mouth."


    She pouted. "You are too scared of your father."


    He held a deadpan gaze. "Aren''t you lucky to be his wife?"


    "You...should not skip the appointment," Alix quietly said.


    She stiffened when the attention turned to her. "I mean I heard about your heart surgery that happened a few months back. Things turn worse when you get complacent."


    "Hm. That is why no ifs and buts," Jinhai''s deep voice echoed as he stood behind Nana.


    She immediately let out a cough but turned with a sunny expression. "Jinhai, I am ready!"


    "After failing to brainwash your son?"


    Her brow twitched.


    Alix saw an incoming call and stepped aside to attend it.


    "Sis, sis! Come to the hospital right now! M-Mom fainted!"


    "What!?" Her eyes stretched wide. "Mom fainted? When? How? Why?"


    "Ugh, I don''t know," Mui was crying with all her might, "she just fainted that''s all I know...S-Sis what happened to Mom? Dad is panicking so much..."


    Alix felt like her heart dropped from Mount Everest straight into the depths of hell.


    "Stop crying first of all. I am coming."


    She hung with quivering hands and turned. "I am sorry I have to leave."


    "We happened to hear it too. Where is Mrs. Ren admitted?" Nana asked anxiously.


    "The main city hospital."


    Jinhai said, "Come with us. We are heading there for Nana''s appointment anyway."


    Jin shrugged off his apron and said, "I am also coming."


    "No, you won''t," Alix sharply said.


    "I am coming," his eyes narrowed as he declared in an unyielding voice. "No ifs and buts."


    ¡ª


    "Mrs. Ren slightly got anemic, that''s all," the doctor said with reassurance. "It''s not so serious but yes, she has an iron deficiency so she does need the supplements and eat food rich in iron. I am giving my prescription. Please follow it accordingly."


    "Oh my gosh..." Mui collapsed back in relief while Ren Luoyang finally stopped crying.


    Ren Cuifen pursed her lips. "See, I told you it wasn''t so serious. You were crying over nothing."


    "Mom, you fainted!" Mui glared. "How is fainting not serious!?"


    Alix bore her burning gaze into the doctor.


    "So it wasn''t a heart attack?"


    His eyes widened. "Oh, no, no. Mrs. Ren''s heart is perfectly healthy."


    "It wasn''t a brain stroke?"


    The doctor sweated. "Why are you suggesting such complicated conditions? I don''t see such conditions in your mother''s medical or family history. Trust me, Mrs. Ren is fine. She just have to work upon improving her iron levels."


    Alix stepped out of the doctor''s office and breathed out. She suddenly lost her strength and stumbled, but Jin swiftly caught her arm.


    "Alix!"


    She lifted her eyes and peered into his worried gaze. A wave of fatigue washed over her body and her head dropped against his shoulder.


    "I thought she..."

 Chapter 1057: Not the second time

    "How is Mrs. Ren now?" Jin asked in a low voice.


    "Slight anemia,"


    Alix tiredly pinched her brows and exhaled restlessly. She stared at the floor but felt like she was peering into an abyss. Her brows crinkled with this strange emotion. The thought that the wellbeing of the original Alix''s parents would affect her to this extent was puzzling to her.


    Jin pressed his lips, slightly hesitating at first, but slowly wrapped his arm around her back, patting her shoulder.


    "She will be fine."


    Alix blinked twice and realized to her horror that she had been casually leaning against Jin. She broke contact and stepped away at the same time as the Ren family came outside.


    "Liu Jin," Ren Luoyang slightly widened his eyes in surprise. "You are here too?"


    Jin stared at Alix for a moment, who looked uncomfortable and frustrated at herself for falling weak.


    "Yes, Mr. Ren. Mom is here for a checkup so I tagged along with her and Dad," he smiled and then moved his gaze towards Ren Cuifen.


    "How are you now Mrs. Ren? You almost brought Alix a heart attack with the news."


    Alix threw him a vicious glare.


    Don''t talk nonsense in front of them!


    Ren Cuifen pursed her lips, feeling guilty. "I am really fine now. There was no need to worry so much. I just fainted that''s all..."


    Alix bit her lip. "Healthy people don''t faint..."


    "Healthy people don''t faint, Mom!" Mui exclaimed what Alix had been murmuring to herself.


    "Oof!" Ren Cuifen softly glared at her. "This is the hospital, Mui. Quiet down."


    "Then you should take better care of yourself!"


    "Ah...I feel like I will get a headache now..." she held her temple.


    She scoffed. "Trying to run away now, aren''t you?"


    Ren Luoyang said, "Come, come, let''s head back home and rest. I will prepare some healthy snacks for you. Mui, go to the pharmacy and buy everything that''s required."


    Alix said, "Give me the prescription. I''ll go."


    "It''s okay, it''s okay, dear. You should be with Liu Jin."


    She blinked once.


    Ren Luoyang glanced at Jin. "I am sorry. I should meet your parents since they are here too but with Cuifen so weak..."


    "No, Mr. Ren, please don''t apologize. Mrs. Ren''s health is more important."


    He smiled at her. "Please take good care of yourself. Your daughters," he threw a glance at her, "care about you a lot."


    Alix gritted her teeth.


    He is talking too much today.


    Ren Cuifen said, "Alix, you should accompany Liu Jin. Since you now regularly visit the villa, you should be here with him. Mr. Liu and Mrs. Liu takes good care of you, after all."


    "That..." she pressed her lips hard. "I am really not-"


    "That''s a great idea. Everybody loves to have Alix around. Mom and Dad will like her company more than mine," Jin said.


    I will kill him today. Yes, you have to die, Liu Jin, Alix mentally decided.


    Mui stepped away to the pharmacy and Alix took this chance to disappear. "I have some things to ask the pharmacist so I''ll go with her."


    Jin''s brow twitched with her futile attempt to escape but he didn''t respond. Ren Cuifen''s voice brought him back to their conversation.


    "Um..." she nervously clasped her hands as she watched Alix walk away with Mui.


    "Is something the matter?" Jin blinked, puzzled.


    "I...don''t know how to ask but did Alix...r-really panic upon hearing the news of my health?"


    Jin didn''t understand her confusion at first but it then occurred to her how the couple was actually aware of Alix''s truth - that she wasn''t their real daughter. So as somebody else residing in her body who didn''t share the same emotional connection with them as the original Alix did, Mrs. Ren''s question felt valid to him.


    He faintly smiled. "Panic is actually a small world, Mrs. Ren. She looked like her entire world had crashed."


    "Oh..."


    Her eyes slightly brimmed with tears. She always wondered if Ren Luoyang and her would ever be able to make a place in her heart and experience her love and care like any other parents did.


    She quickly wiped her eyes. "I am sorry. I know the question might have sounded a little foolish."


    Jin remained silent for a long moment, contemplating something. Then he slowly said, "I know...Alix''s truth, Mrs. Ren."


    The couple stared at him. "...What?"


    "I think you know which truth I am talking about. She told me when I confessed to her."


    They looked at him, dumbfounded. It took them several moments to process what he just said.


    Ren Luoyang parted his lips. "...And you believe her?"


    "Yes. I cannot explain you very clearly but I...have gone through something similar to her."


    Ren Cuifen gasped. "S-So you are n-not the real Liu Jin either...?"


    "Ah, no, no!" His eyes widened. "I am Liu Jin. It''s not exactly what Alix went through but I have...passed through time too but in a different way than her. That''s why I believe her."


    They inhaled sharp breaths in turn. Never did they imagine that there was somebody else in this world to go through something like Alix did.


    "That''s why, I want to tell you to take good care of yourself," he slightly balled his fist. "Her past with her parents is complicated..."


    They stiffened. Ren Luoyang struggled to speak. "You..you know her real identity?"


    He paused and then nodded. "Yes."


    "W-Who is she?" Ren Cuifen asked with a shaky voice.


    Jin held a perplexed countenance. "I can tell you but I think Alix should be the one to reveal that herself. It''s her identity, after all."


    "I see...No, you are right," her gaze lowered.


    "I revealed my knowledge to you to make you aware of her past with her parents which is...anything but happy. To be honest, I take this as her second chance to finally experience the joy of having loving parents who care about their child. So please take care of your health. She might not show it but..she cares about you two in her own way and if anything happens to you, she won''t be able to face such a setback the second time."

 Chapter 1058: Proper distance

    "What''s that? Okay, I am coming."


    Alix hung up and said to Mui, "There is some confusion with Mom''s discharge formalities. You be here at the pharmacy, I will check what''s wrong."


    "Okay."


    She frowned. "I don''t like it when you are so obliging."


    Mui threw her a glare. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Yeah this is what I am talking about," she sneered.


    Alix stood in front of the elevator, busy scrolling on her phone when the doors opened. She walked in without lifting her head and pressed the upper floor button. At one point she paused from her scrolling, her brows crinkling.


    I feel a strong presence here for some reason...


    "How is Mrs. Ren?"


    Alix jolted, her head jerking up to find Jinhai''s black eyes staring back at her questioningly. Her heart almost crashed against her ribcage as she forgot to breathe.


    Damn, he was here too!?


    She failed to find her voice for a few seconds but she eventually braced her racing heart.


    "Mr. Liu...oh yes, Mom, right? Yeah she is doing fine now..."


    "Is it anything serious?"


    "She needs to work on her iron deficiency, that''s all..."


    He gave a slow nod.


    Calm the fuck down, you stupid heart!


    Though there was a company of two other nurses, she felt as if she was all alone in this elevator with him.


    Shit, did I show any weird expressions?


    She tried to smile and decided to divert the topic. "Where are you heading to...?"


    "Back to Nana."


    "Ah," she slightly tapped her right foot, feeling fidgety. "...How was the checkup?"


    She sensed Jinhai''s unblinking stare at her that felt to her like an onset of an asthma attack.


    Shouldn''t I have asked that?


    "All good. Her reports are normal."


    Alix saw a distinct sense of relief in his eyes that shone with love and warmth.


    "I don''t know what I would have done had it been even a little late," his voice turned hoarse at the idea of Nana''s health going out of hand.


    "If Ailun hadn''t dragged us to the health fair in his school, who knows when we would have found out. I cannot express my gratitude to him enough and to the person who thought of organizing the school festival."


    "Glad it''s all fine now..." she looked away, unable to continue meeting his gaze.


    The elevator stopped at a mid floor and the two nurses stepped out with one man walking in at the same time. Alix breathed out with relief that the small disturbance finally broke the strange atmosphere for her.


    I will just stay quiet till I reach my destination.


    Suddenly, Alix felt something odd and she turned to her back, watching the man that had entered the elevator half a minute ago smiling at her.


    "Ah, I am sorry. I saw you rushing to the hospital with your family before and now we met again."


    She shrugged.


    Silence fell for a moment before he broke it again, "Hey you are Ren Alix, right? From the fashion show?"


    "...Yes."


    "Woah, cool," he took a small step closer that made her eyes squint. "I had watched that show. You were amazing!"


    "Thanks."


    "You totally crushed the wedding look," he grinned and took another step closer.


    Alix paused in a deep thought. Though she never paid much attention to herself as Zhan Yahui, she still had a fair sense of judgement of when she was being hit on.


    "Thanks..." she slightly shifted a step away in response.


    "By the way, what brings you here? Anybody sick?"


    She inwardly gritted her teeth.


    Why would anybody else come to a hospital?


    "I came here because my friend got into an accident," he sighed. "Now he cannot walk for a few months and I am his go-to guy now."


    And he is chatty too. Control Alix. You cannot kill people like before, she took a deep breath.


    "Oh, I see you are heading the same floor as I am. How about we head for some coffee?" He chuckled.


    Alix''s gaze darkened. She knew very well that he was just looking to fool around with someone. It was all exhibited in his mannerisms as to how he was invading her space.


    She then inwardly sneered and glanced at him.


    "Hmm, I wouldn''t mind accompanying you for some lovely coffee but..."


    "But? Don''t hesitate. We will have fun," he waved his hand in dismissal.


    "Sure we will, but you would have to ask my fiance for that."


    "Huh? Fiance?"


    "Uh-huh. Well since you watched the fashion show, you would have also watched my live matchmaking with the sponsor, right?"


    "That Liu guy...?"


    "Yup. He is my fiance and I think he will have some different opinions about our lovely coffee time."


    He snorted. "That''s fine. Who cares about him? It''s just for ten minutes. He won''t even know."


    Alix''s brow heavily twitched.


    Should I say he is too brave or too stupid?


    "He won''t know if you don''t tell. Plus, he cannot really be that possessive now, can he?" He scoffed.


    "You wouldn''t want to test that."


    Alix froze as Jinhai''s quiet voice echoed in the constricted elevator like an impending storm.


    Fuck! In my quest to teach this prick a lesson, how did I forget that he was right here!? And I even announced myself as Jin''s fiance in front of him!?


    The man frowned at Jinhai''s intervention. "What?"


    "You wouldn''t want to test our possessiveness."


    Alix swallowed a gulp, feeling a deadly heat cross envelop her neck.


    The man was left dumbfounded. "Back off old man. Who are you in the first place?"


    Jinhai stared at him but pointed at Alix, expressionless. "Her future father-in-law."


    The two froze at the same time. Alix felt like she wanted to disappear into the background while the man hitting on her felt his legs going jelly. It suddenly dawned on him that Alix and Jinhai were not strangers but future family and he was shamelessly flirting with his daughter-in-law right in front of his eyes.


    "T-That..." he found it difficult to breathe under his cold, killing stare.


    "So I would appreciate it if you maintain the original distance you had between you two before..."


    Jinhai placed his palm on the man''s shoulder, gripping it tightly with his fingers that made him gasp.


    "Before I teach you what proper distance looks like."

 Chapter 1059: Live the happiness that she couldnt

    The elevator doors opened with a chime and the man hitting on Alix stepped out with trembling legs. One of the nurses looked up and down and said, "Sir, you don''t feel so well."


    "Huh? N-No, I-I am completely fine," Sweat slid down the side of his ears as he stammered.


    A shadow approached him a moment later and he felt Jinhai''s cold side glance at him. His expression paled.


    "A-Ah! My friend must be waiting for me! W-what am I doing here wasting my time?" And he ran away as if his pants were on fire.


    Alix rushed outside and almost slammed into Jinhai''s back when she managed to put a break on her legs.


    "Mr. Liu!"


    Jinhai turned and arched his brow.


    "It''s a misunderstanding."


    He blinked questioningly.


    "That..." she slightly heaved breathlessly. "Saying that I am Jin''s fiance was only to make him back off. It wasn''t...serious."


    "I know."


    "...I am sorry," she bit her lip hard, cursing her stupidity.


    "Don''t be."


    She was taken aback.


    Why is he so cool about this?


    "Aren''t you angry that I...lied like that?"


    Jinhai stared at her as if he couldn''t really understand her confusion. "What is there to be angry about? I believe Jin would be really happy if he learned that you used him as your fiance."


    "..."


    He smiled. "We are simple men, at least when it comes to love."


    "Jinhai! Alix!"


    They saw Nana brightly waving at them from a distance.


    "Please come and meet her."


    "Me?"


    "She waved at you too."


    Before she could protest further, Jinhai had already started walking towards Nana''s checkup room. She stood uneasily for a while before slowly following him.


    "Alix, dear. How is your mother now?" Nana asked, concerned.


    Alix maintained some distance from her bed and cleared her throat. "She is fine now."


    "Good, good," she nodded. "We were so worried for you."


    Jinhai frowned and adjusted the pillow behind her for her comfort. "You were not sitting properly. What if you faint?"


    Her brow twitched. "It was just a regular checkup. Why would I faint?"


    "They drew a lot of blood I saw."


    "That was just a regular amount of blood for testing."


    "I felt it was a lot," he remained stubborn.


    Nana pouted and beckoned him forward. He dutifully did so and she pinched the center of his forehead with her fingers.


    "You don''t look handsome with that frown on your forehead, hehe," she chuckled.


    Jinhai smiled and pecked her forehead. "I won''t frown if you are healthy."


    "I am always healthy~"


    Alix stared at the happy couple from a distance, thinking back to the past when she had seen a completely different and monstrous side of Jinhai. A man devastated by his wife''s and children''s deaths now shone with warmth.


    She thought back to how cold and ruthless he looked while warning that man in the elevator. That same ruthlessness was shown to her at one point when she died by his hands but never imagined that one day he would show that same stance to protect her like she was his own...


    Daughter...that''s so ridiculous to think about.


    But watching them together bugged her mind with another melancholy.


    "Excuse me, Sir? Can you please come out for a moment? Just need your signature here."


    Jinhai patted her head. "You don''t move."


    "You don''t have to tell me like I am a child," she sighed.


    She looked at Alix. "Oh, why are you standing so far away? Come here," she patted the chair beside her bed. "I will show you some pictures until Jinhai returns~"


    Alix hesitated but couldn''t do much before her insistence. Nana opened her phone''s gallery and proudly showed her the pictures of her children of their young age.


    "Hehe, don''t they look so cute?"


    Alix took a glance and for the first time saw the younger versions of Jian, Nian, Jun, Nuo and Jin. She swiped through a plethora of happy pictures and guilt struck her heart once again.


    There was one family picture of Jinhai and Nana with the five siblings in one frame all happy and joyful. Alix stared at in silence, her eyelashes faintly trembling.


    "You are really lucky, Mrs. Liu. To find a husband like Mr. Liu. It was hard for me to imagine what a loving husband looked like but it became clear when I met your husband. Dad too."


    She exhaled shakily, her slight glassy gaze fixed at the picture. "Then there are some for whom...life sucks so much that finding a loving partner seems like a luxury. It seems that I have inherited that fate."


    Nana peered into her misty gaze. "Are you talking about your mother?"


    "Mom? She is lucky just like you. Dad cried when she fainted."


    Nana pressed her lips. "I meant to ask...your mother. Zhan Kai-Ming."


    It felt like time had come to a complete halt as Alix slowly turned to face her. She said after a long beat of silence.


    "Sorry?"


    "You were thinking about her, didn''t you?"


    She stared into Nana''s beautiful brown irises who were looking back at her with a calm understanding. But it was that calmness itself that made Alix freeze to her spot.


    "Before you misunderstand it, Jin didn''t tell me anything, nor Ai. Dad had heard you two talking in the corridor the day you brought lemon blueberry cake for us. He told Jinhai and Jinhai told me."


    Suddenly, even breathing had started to feel like a laborious task for her. An urge to escape rushed in her feet but it was as if they were frozen to the floor, making her feel paralyzed. Her mind was a mess and chaos. Though she had confessed the truth to Jin, she had hoped that it would only remain between themselves and never spill out to the Liu family.


    "I thought..." Nana slowly said, "it was a sad thing to say that you inherited your mother''s fate. Yes, your mother didn''t get the happiness she deserved but that is why she wants to see you the happiest. She faced that harsh destiny which is why she doesn''t want you to face the same. I am a mother too, so I know. We always want our good fortune to pass onto our children and keep the bad luck only to ourselves."


    She softly held her hand. "That''s why you should live the happiness that she couldn''t. I am not saying that happiness must be with Jin just because he confessed to you. It''s for you to decide, Alix. Who is that man you see your future with."

 Chapter 1060: Switched sides

    When Jinhai headed back to Nana''s checkup room once again, he saw Alix rushing out of it with a pale and dreadful expression. She didn''t look left or right and ran straight towards the exit.


    Jinhai slightly furrowed his brows and questioningly looked at his wife.


    "What happened to her?"


    "She knows that we know."


    "Oh."


    He sat on the bed beside her and asked, "What did she say?"


    She pursed her lips. "She didn''t say anything. I tried to talk to her but she panicked and ran away."


    "I see..."


    Nana studied his expressionless gaze. "You still have reservations about her, don''t you?"


    "She has made a lot of mistakes that are hard to ignore," his expression tightened. "I admit I wasn''t thrilled upon learning it. On the contrary, I was almost about to drag her into the underworld again had you not stopped me."


    "Because it''s easy to let the past overshadow the efforts she is making towards her redemption. It''s easy to lose in that flow of hatred."


    "You...died because of her in the past," he mumbled.


    "And she saved me this time. Ai too," she smiled.


    Jinhai didn''t respond. He knew that very well, which was why he felt at crossroads.


    "I know you are conflicted because you know she has changed for the good, she is trying everything she can to rectify her mistakes but it''s still difficult to bridge the last gap."


    "Mom?"


    Jin entered the room just then and he blinked, feeling the solemn atmosphere. "Is anything wrong...?"


    "I think you should go after Alix and talk to her."


    His eyes slightly widened. "But why?"


    She released a sigh. "Just go. You will understand it."


    ¡ª


    Alix ran out of the hospital and kept walking straight ahead with no particular destination in her mind. Despite her speedy exit, her heart refused to calm down with small drops of sweat forming on her brows. But she suddenly halted in her steps as she felt pulled back by her arm.


    She looked back into Jin''s concerned and confused gaze.


    "What''s wrong, Alix?"


    Alix gritted her teeth and shook her arm off his hold. "Don''t come after me."


    "...I don''t understand. What happened-"


    "Your family. That''s what happened. I think your whole family has gone crazy!"


    "Huh?" He threw her a stunned stare.


    "First it''s you, then Zhou Ai and now..." she clenched her fists hard, "now it''s your parents who want to act like Mother Teresa to accept me for who I was in the past?"


    Jin''s eyes widened. "Mom and Dad...?"


    He felt his heart crash against his chest but he maintained his calm. "There''s some misunderstanding. They don''t know and neither did-"


    She chuckled. "Yes, you didn''t tell them but they learned it anyway."


    He froze.


    Mom and Dad know about her...? But how? I know Zhou Ai didn''t tell them either, so...


    "You know what they did? Mr. Liu shielded me in the elevator from a man hitting on me as if I was his daughter and Mrs. Liu very kindly said that I should live the happiness my mother couldn''t get to live."


    Alix burst into an angry, yet self-deprecating laughter. "What is wrong with you people!? First, there is you who wants to love me despite knowing who I am, then there is Zhou Ai who wants the woman who killed her in the past to become her son''s teacher and then there are your parents who seem to have no problem in accepting me if I ever accepted your love. What the hell do you want to prove by doing all this?"


    "Alix-"


    "Why the hell are you showing kindness and understanding towards a woman you should hate and loathe? Have you all lost it or have everybody lost their memories at the same time? I don''t want anybody''s pity because they cannot see you hurt!" She exclaimed breathlessly, her cheeks aching with a dull pain. "So stay away from me!"


    "Nobody is pitying you! That''s the last thing on anybody''s mind," he slightly clenched his jaw.


    "They are seeing you in a different light because of the things that you did as Alix, not because they are afraid to hurt me. Why should Zhou Ai hate you when you saved her and baby''s life? Why would she despise you when you have tried to bring her parents together? Why will Dad hold a grudge against you when it was your intervention that saved Mom''s life?"


    She stiffened.


    "Yes, I know that you had organized that health fair and I am sure Dad knows it too. If you are doing everything you can to bring good in our lives then why can they not see it and think differently about you? Why do you still want me and everybody else to keep judging you because of the past?"


    "Because I did what I did only to satisfy my own sense of self and ego. Neither did I help anyone nor did I save anybody''s life to beg for your forgiveness so stop putting me on some pedestal. I don''t want forgiveness!"


    He froze.


    As those words fell on his ears, he felt a sense of familiarity hitting him hard like a waterfall rushing down on a rock with its full force.


    I don''t want forgiveness.


    It was the same thing that Jin told himself - that he didn''t want forgiveness from Shui. That no matter if she was ready to forget the past, he couldn''t let go of it himself.


    That''s why he felt Alix''s words resonate with him the most. Suddenly, he realized the sides were switched. Where Shui stood at one point in time was where he stood right now, facing a woman juggling with her own demons she couldn''t forgive herself for.


    Alix stepped closer, a glint of chilliness in her eyes that seemed like it wouldn''t ever melt.


    "So stay out of my life, Liu Jin. What you expect to happen between us is impossible. There is no future between us no matter how much you or your family tries to be nice to me. There will never be any ''us.'' So you walk your way and I will walk mine. Our paths are never meant to intersect in this or any other life."

 Chapter 1061 1061: A bad dream

    Four months later.


    "Sir?"


    No response. The secretary cleared her throat and lightly knocked on the desk.


    "Sir?"


    She jolted when he opened his dark circles-laced eyes and glanced at her in a deadpan stare. She inwardly sweated at his zombie state and promptly put a file on his desk.


    "The papers are ready as you had asked for. Just need your signature."


    Jin grabbed the file without much thought and signed it, sliding it back to her side.


    "Y-You won''t check it once...?"


    "You said the file is ready so why do I need to check again?"


    Her back straightened and she hastily picked the file. "You are right! There are no mistakes at all!"


    She turned on her heels and rushed out at the first chance she got, sobbing inwardly.


    When will Sir return to normalcy? I cannot handle the stress of his zombie state anymore!


    Her gaze fell on the small unused secretary office where Jin would often gaze at emptily.


    "Things were so peaceful when she was here too..." she muttered.


    When silence returned to the office, Jin closed his eyes once again. Fatigue and exhaustion had settled in every corner of his face as if sleep evaded since time memorial. And it had.


    Ever since their last confrontation outside the hospital, Alix had completely cut off her contact with Jin and the Liu family. She had stopped coming to the Liu villa, including teaching essays to Ailun and the kids. Though Ai and Ailun had barely started their mission to get them together, Alix had shut all the doors herself. No matter how much he tried to talk to her, she never let him step into her world again.


    When Jin opened his eyes the next time, he saw that the sky had already turned dark. He unlocked his phone and opened his chat window with Alix, staring at the continuous string of his messages for the past four months.


    Can we talk?


    Can we meet?


    Please talk to me.


    Let us talk just once.


    Though at this point, it was clear by her radio silence that a response was the last thing he would get - his heart refused to give up. He knew she was reading his messages, which meant that she was thinking about him everyday, even if a little bit. He was afraid that if he stopped reaching out to her, Alix would completely forget about him one day. The thought alone was enough to paralyze him.


    Which had been Jin''s state ever since. The only thing he could do to take his mind off of Alix''s rejection was drown himself in work. But now that wasn''t enough either, especially when her small office she used to work at was right across him.


    Jin forced himself to exit his office. He stopped by Alix''s workspace, standing there in silence. He released a shaky breath, his eyes mistying yet again. Seated in the driver''s seat of his car, he blankly stared ahead. Staying back at the office made him restless and so did returning home.


    Where should I go...


    ¡ª


    Alix opened her eyes the next day, a dreadful feeling enveloping her chest. She woke up in an extremely bad mood attributed to an extremely bad dream.


    In it, she was walking across an endless white vast expanse with no particular destination in her mind. At a far distance, Jin quietly followed her with his silent steps. He spoke nothing, neither did he try to stop her. He simply followed her wherever she went.


    At one point, Alix got frustrated and turned to push him away but couldn''t when she met his warm gaze. It didn''t ask or expect anything from her. It simply watched her with a quiet resolve and love. It angered her even further and when she looked back at him again, she noticed huge steel bars standing tall in between them, separating them as if he was in some prison. Suddenly, she sensed him going farther and farther away with no apparent reason, which was when her dream broke.


    Alix scratched her head in frustration.


    What prison? Prison of unrequited love?


    She grimaced and grabbed her phone. As expected, there was a message from Jin, but this time, she noticed he had sent two messages instead of one.


    The first message was his usual request to meet him. To talk to him.


    She pressed her lips and scrolled further, expressionless.


    The second message was a picture he clicked of himself. Her brows crinkled. In the background, she saw lights and crowd and chaos.


    Is it a bar?


    The picture wasn''t so clear, including his face that looked blurred. The text that followed the picture was -


    ''I am a helpless princess again hehe...''


    Alix blinked twice and recalled the evening they had hung out in the bar after Shui''s art exhibition. Jin had gotten so intoxicated that she had to call Jun to pick them up.


    No wonder I felt the bar looked so familiar...


    Alix grimaced.


    Did he get wasted again?


    Considering he couldn''t keep the phone steady to be able to take even a clear picture of himself, she was tempted to believe her theory.


    Yup, he definitely got wasted again.


    Men. Wasting their youth behind alcohol, she snorted.


    Though she was aware that she was the reason behind his tragic state, she promptly decided to ignore her own involvement in this matter.


    "Sis! Sis! Sis!"


    Mui barged into her room with an expression of horror across her face. Alix clicked her tongue.


    "Why do you always have to get so excited first thing in the morning? I just woke up and that too in a bad mood. So exercise caution."


    "This is not the time for that! It''s an emergency! Have you seen the news?" She said, rushing in.


    "Who died?" She lazily asked with a yawn.


    Mui''s brow twitched. "Why does somebody always have to die for you?"


    "That''s what makes interesting headlines."


    "This headline is beyond anybody''s death! Just look!"


    She pushed the phone right into her face, its light blinding her eyes.


    "Ugh, Mui! Didn''t I say I woke up just now?"


    "That''s not important! The news of Liu Jin getting arrested for a woman''s sexual assault is more important!"


    Her eyes flew open as if a bucket of cold water was dropped upon her. She threw her a blank stare.


    "Sorry..who got arrested for what?"

 Chapter 1062: Silence

    Alix read each and every word of the news in great detail.


    The victim of the assault had refused to come forward and reveal herself to the media but her testimony had surely wreaked havoc in the entire business and social communities.


    "It happened last night in the bar!" Mui exclaimed. "It says that some woman had casually approached Liu Jin. He was completely drunk at the time. They talked for some time and she offered to help drive him home. He refused, so she offered to at least drop him in one of the rooms on the above floors. It was evident that he would have to stay the night at the bar."


    The next part became grimmer and worse.


    "But when she did so, Liu Jin refused to let her go. He grabbed her and pushed her," she coughed, "onto the bed...As if that wasn''t enough, it turned even worse. She understood later that he mistook her for some other woman as he was doing...that to her...But he couldn''t tell right from wrong because he was so drunk."


    "This is bullshit," Alix said.


    "Which part?"


    "Obviously, all of it. He is not that foolish for something as stupid as this to happen."


    "Did you see the company stocks tank down? He is the CEO for God''s sake! This will completely ruin Liu family''s image!"


    "That family has weathered far more storms than this."


    "...Why do you seem so relaxed?"


    Mui couldn''t understand the source of her calmness, especially when it was clear that Jin loved her.


    "Does this not affect you at all?"


    "Why would it affect me if there is no truth to it?"


    Though Alix seemed in control of her emotions, she cursed Jin like hell inwardly.


    That helpless princess should just stick his butt at home if he cannot handle liquor!


    But her lips held a smile. "Obviously, whoever that woman is, is shady as hell."


    "You will say that despite being a woman yourself?"


    "I am saying that precisely because I am a woman, idiot," she grimaced.


    Mui frowned. "There can be innocent women with genuine intentions too."


    "You are very cute. Also, I smell a trap."


    My whole past life went in setting traps so I know one when I see one, she thought.


    "So-so what now? What will happen to him?"


    "What are you getting so worried about? As if he would be in custody for long. The Liu family would already be up on their feet by now with the best lawyers in their hands," she shrugged. "Plus don''t underestimate Liu Jinhai and the brothers. They will expose all this farce in no time. He would be walking out of the bureau as we speak."


    ¡ª


    But he didn''t.


    The day turned into dusk and the headlines kept getting worse.


    "Sis! Liu Jin is refusing to speak on the matter! The lawyers are not able to do anything because he is refusing to give any statement, forget the cops but not even to his own lawyers! Does it mean that he is admitting to it!?"


    Alix had been following the news for the entire day and by now, her patience was close to exploding like the volcano.


    What the hell is he doing!? Why is he not getting out?


    Alix had been impatiently shifting her weight from side to side, continuously refreshing the web pages to see some different news elsewhere but the result was the same.


    "This is ridiculous. Why is he not talking?"


    Ren Cuifen brought a tray with coffee for everyone, her own expression puzzled and concerned too.


    "This is really strange. We know Liu Jin would never do something like that, so why is he being silent?"


    Ren Luoyang said, "Is he being threatened?"


    Alix said, "The Liu family threatens the world, not the other way around. There is no way somebody is that gutsy and anyway, Jin wouldn''t let anybody walk over him like this."


    The couple exchanged a silent glance.


    "What?"


    Ren Cuifen coughed. "Nothing. I was just thinking how well you know Liu Jin."


    It''s the past life so it''s obvious that I know that family well.


    "Of course. We have worked together. It was enough to know the kind of man he is."


    But that''s beside the point. I need to know what''s going on. Why the hell is he not speaking up?


    But I cannot call anybody in the family. I have cut everything off myself.


    But only somebody from the Liu family can tell what the actual fuck is happening here, she gritted her teeth. What is Jin''s problem!?


    Ren Luoyang cleared his throat. "I think I should give Mr. Liu a call."


    Her ears perked up.


    Ren Cuifen added. "Yes, yes. They have helped us a lot in our trying times so it''s only natural that we reach out to them this time."


    Alix only hummed as if she was casually agreeing to it but inwardly, she grew ecstatic.


    Go, go! Call them right away!


    The call was picked on the third ring and Ren Luoyang said, "Hello, Mr. Liu. This is Ren Luoyang here."


    Mui urgently signaled.


    ''Speaker! Speaker!''


    Ren Cuifen smacked her. ''Let him talk!''


    He put the phone on speaker anyway and said, "I am sorry to hear what happened with Liu Jin. We wanted to let you know that we believe in him. There must be some misunderstanding."


    Naturally, Liu Jinhai''s response was grim and solemn.


    "Thank you, Mr. Ren. Yes, it''s a misunderstanding. The lawyers are working their best."


    "Indeed..."


    Alix typed on her phone''s notepad in big, bold letters and raised it to his eye level. Ren Luoyang squinted his eyes and read out her question as it was typed.


    "Why the fuck is he keeping silent?"


    Everybody choked and Ren Luoyang let out a loud cough.


    "...I am sorry?"


    Ren Cuifen threw a glare at Alix and smacked on her head, mouthing.


    ''That''s not how you ask your question!''


    Her gaze darkened. ''How was I supposed to know that he was going to repeat it word to word!?''


    Ren Luoyang quickly said, "No, no. Please ignore it, Mr. Liu. I meant to ask why would Liu Jin keep his silence on such a grave matter?"


    Jinhai answered after a long time. "He very clearly said he is not ready to meet anybody...except one person."


    "One person? Who?"


    "That person would understand who he is talking about when they will try to learn the inside news through somebody else. That''s all he said."


    Alix stared at Jin''s past messages on her phone.


    ''Please talk to me.''


    ''Let us talk just once.''


    No...No, no, no!!!


    He cannot be serious about this right now!

 Chapter 1063: Jins envisioned future

    Three days later.


    At first, Alix had refused to entertain Jin''s lunacy. There was no way he would stay rotten in a custody room with such a grave accusation on top of his head. After all, it wasn''t only his personal reputation on the line but also his family and the company''s. He might be an enemy of himself but not of his family and company for them to unnecessarily suffer in this crossfire.


    So Alix waited. She only considered this as his fruitless pressure tactics to make her come to talk to him. And she wasn''t going to budge.


    That was until at present - three days later when the situation had taken a nosedive into the worst possible outcome. From the headlines she could gather, Jin''s CEO position was on the line and if nothing was done, then there were high chances of his silence to be taken as his admittance, especially by the mounting pressure to give justice to the victim.


    Who the hell is that woman in the first place?


    Alix didn''t know. She knew his family would have found out about her identity by now but she had nobody to talk to.


    So Alix was now standing before the police bureau, biting down on her lower lip.


    This is completely ridiculous. I have no business being here.


    Alix caught Jun''s figure stepping out of the bureau and she swiftly walked over to the other side, avoiding to cross his way. Accompanying him were the twins who shared the look of frustration that was on Jun''s face. They stood at a distance with Alix quickly hiding behind a car''s frame.


    "This is not helping us. That idiot just won''t talk," Jian pressed his brow.


    "Will he seriously let Wang Xia win?" Nian''s gaze darkened. "He is practically giving her the permission to ruin everything for him."


    Alix blinked twice.


    Wang Xia? Where is she coming-


    She swallowed back her question, her expression turning solemn.


    Don''t tell me...Please don''t tell me that it was her...


    "We cannot talk to her either," She heard Jun''s voice next, who seemed like he was ready to go on a murder spree.


    "She has literally asked police protection for us to not even talk to her, much less touch her," Jian said.


    "Clearly, she knew what consequences would await her because we all know it''s a farce. She knew we would come for her."


    Alix''s eyes slightly widened.


    That brainless woman thought that far ahead?


    "That idiot! Mom and everybody else is getting worried sick for him. He has been acting like a zombie in these past months and what is he doing now? I need to teach him a lesson," Nian''s expression cracked with viciousness.


    Jun quietly said, "That will come later when he will be out. But he won''t let anybody come near him except..."


    A beat of silence dropped at the unsaid words.


    "...Will she do anything?"


    Jun said, "I don''t know. But it''s not right to rely on her and put this burden on her. Jin is being an idiot here. We should figure this out on our own."


    Alix heard their steps fade away in the distance and her head rested back against the car in a quiet moment. She couldn''t quite gauge if the brothers knew of her truth or not.


    If Liu Jinhai knows then why would it be kept a secret from the rest of the family?


    She closed her eyes and drew out a deep breath. Standing back on her feet, she headed straight inside the bureau.


    ¡ª


    Alix tapped her right heel while her fingers played against each other. It wasn''t her first time she was seeing Jin, yet a feeling of nervousness gripped her as if she was walking on a thin rope.


    Maybe I am being too narcissistic. Maybe he meant some different person and not-


    The doors opened on the other side and her breath came to a half as Jin walked in. He wasn''t approving anybody''s request to meet him, yet he was now in front of her without a moment''s delay.


    Alix stared at his haggard look and his tired eyes that, for the first time in four months, lit up as his gaze fell on her.


    ''He has been acting like a zombie in the past months and what is he doing now?''


    Four months of dread and sorrow had vanished into thin air as if nothing had ever gone wrong in the first place. It needed only one look at her. One look into her eyes and the smile had returned on his lips as if it had never left.


    A shiver escaped her body at that mere thought.


    "You came."


    A glass wall was mounted as a partition between them. On one side was the visitor and on the other side, the accused. Staring at him seated on that side of the glass erupted an immense fury in her chest. She held tons of questions in her mind, but she took a deep breath and calmed down.


    "What the hell are you doing?"


    "Watching you. It''s been four months and six days."


    She stared at him blankly.


    "I am not asking about this moment," she gritted her teeth, "I am asking about that bar night''s incident."


    "I have nothing to say about that."


    "Why not?"


    "Can we talk about us?"


    She blinked at him rapidly. "Us?"


    "You and me. Together. Us. Our future."


    Alix''s lips parted, dumbstruck. She couldn''t figure out the heads and tails of where this conversation was going.


    "Am I getting crazy or am I hearing things wrong?"


    "Wrong?"


    "Yeah, I am asking why the hell you would keep mum about something like say..a sexual assault charge but you are going on a different tangent here altogether."


    "Different?" He stared at her. "I haven''t taken even a fraction of a step away from this tangent since the last four months. I don''t want to. Not until I see the future I have envisioned."


    "What is this future?" she grimaced.


    His slightly tipped chin rested loosely on fingers as he stared dead straight into her eyes.


    "The future where you are Mrs. Liu."

 Chapter 1064: Marry me

    Alix stared at him as if she didn''t even know him anymore. "Mrs. Liu?"


    "Yes."


    "I don''t think you are hearing yourself. All this time when you said that you wanted to talk to me, it was about this?"


    "So you were reading my messages," he smiled.


    "Why are you smiling?"


    "Because despite you drawing the line between us yourself, you never really completely cut me off from your life."


    "Do not test my patience because right now, I am very tempted to seriously cut you off," her gaze darkened. "I didn''t come here to talk about this. I want to know why in your idiot mind would you let Wang Xia win? Clearly, she is out for revenge. Clearly, she approached you in the bar precisely to trap you in that situation. Clearly, she wants to see you miserable."


    "It feels that you don''t like to see me miserable."


    "Why..." Alix couldn''t properly articulate herself. "Sorry, what?"


    "If you didn''t feel anything for me, if you really wanted to be so far away from me, if you truly wanted our paths to go separate, then you wouldn''t have come to meet me here today."


    "Isn''t it because you are fucking refusing to meet anybody else!?" She banged her palm, her line of control and voice breaching her patience levels.


    "Still, you didn''t have any business to come here anyway," Jin remained calm despite her outburst. "It''s my problem. You should have let my family figure out what to do."


    "Are you out of your mind?"


    "I haven''t seen you for more than four months now. What do you think?"


    Alix continued to stare at him with a blank state of mind. Suddenly, she felt like she didn''t know how to converse with him. The Liu Jin before her, at this moment, was a completely different person than the one from whom she had asked that twenty million check from.


    "What...do you exactly want?"


    "I want to talk to you."


    She gritted her teeth. "You are not talking to a ghost."


    "No, I am not. But your agenda of coming here is different from mine. I don''t want to talk about Wang Xia or that bar night."


    "Just what exactly happened?"


    "I want to talk about us."


    Closing her eyes, Alix took a deep breath. The realization of how his family must be feeling at this moment resonated in her mind.


    "It''s like I am talking to a wall. Do you have any idea what you are putting your family through?"


    Jin didn''t respond.


    The audacity of him showing this attitude...


    Alix chuckled angrily, her fingers twitching with an urge to strangle him. She leaned back on her chair and folded her arms.


    "Fine. Let''s talk about what you want to say but only if you will also answer my questions after this."


    "Okay."


    Jin bent forward, looking her in the eye. "I thought a lot about what you said. I understand your position too because I have been in a similar place."


    "Then what is left to talk about?"


    "The fact that it was you who said to me to keep walking at the green signal. You don''t have to forget the mistakes you made but that doesn''t mean you have to get stuck on the red signal."


    "Don''t throw my words back at me."


    "Aren''t they applicable to you too?"


    "Come to the point."


    "The point is that the green signal for you is my family."


    "What?"


    "The problem is not whether you like me or not. The problem is that you cannot accept becoming a part of my family because you feel unworthy. But my family doesn''t think that way. You have already seen that through Zhou Ai, Mom and Dad. Everybody else feels the same."


    Alix silently clenched her fists.


    "But unless we bridge the distance between you and my family, you will continue to feel that you deserve to live a lonely life and in no way that''s true. So the only way to change your mind is not running away from the Liu family but to become a part of it. Only that way will you see what''s the truth and what''s just your self-deprecating imagination."


    Alix chuckled. "And why didn''t you feel this way about Shui? That if you bridge the distance between you and her, you will realize that deserving to live a lonely life was also just your self-deprecating imagination. What you''re telling me now - will you listen to Shui too if she says this to you?"


    "No."


    "So you do realize that this smells a lot like hypocrisy?"


    "Yes, it''s hypocritical of me. But I don''t care because..." a misty glint passed his eyes. "It was you who told me that it was okay to not forgive myself."


    She blinked twice.


    "You told me that I shouldn''t forget my sins nor forgive myself for them. I can hate myself for the person I was. They should always be...just there. Everybody kept saying not to be so harsh on myself. To forgive myself and let it go. Shui, everybody...started expecting me to move on. Six years passed and it felt foolish not to do so. But really..."


    His cheeks ached as he said, "Maybe all this time I just wanted somebody to tell me that they hated what I did but everybody defended me, including...Shui. I know she meant well but even in the face of my blunders, somewhere in her heart, she blamed herself. She thought that she pushed me to go that far. But there was nobody else to blame but myself. But everybody kept saying the opposite and it just...felt too tiring."


    He slowly placed his palm on the glass wall.


    "You don''t know how much your words that day meant to me. That''s why I cannot let you go, Alix. I cannot lose my love a second time. I know you don''t want forgiveness and I am not giving it to you anyway. I still hate what Yahui did to us but I love the Alix she became. It''s what my family feels too. It was then that I realized that you don''t need to understand my love for now but my family''s first. That''s why..."


    A steely determination replaced his misty eyes. "I will ask you to marry me. Not to become Mrs. Liu as my wife but Mrs. Liu as the Liu family''s daughter-in-law."